Chanda Barrick REALTOR (Indianapolis, Avon, Greenwood)

OK, so I'm not giving you your sign, but one thing agents new to the business (or those that are selling their home by owner) should keep in mind is Sign Ordinances for your City or Town. 

If you work multiple counties as I do you need to make sure you keep up on what is and isn't allowed as they can vary greatly.  Some counties, cities, towns, etc. may or may not allow the use of directional signs or Open House signs.  Some may require you to obtain written permission to place your sign while others may not. 

Not only do you need to check the city/county ordinances, you also need to check the specific neighborhood's requirements.  There are Home Owner Associations (HOAs) that will not allow you to place a sign in the yard, but you may be able to place one in the window.  Make sure you check the ordinances to avoid being fined or worse yet, getting your client fined! 

An example of the city ordinances can be found here:

http://www.mibor.com/_pdfs/signmatrix.pdf

If you aren't aware of your area's ordinances, check with your managing broker or your local board.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Search homes currently on the market

My website
Call me at 317-889-1111 or email me at chandasellsindy@sbcglobal.net 

Apparently the Travel channel and Alison Stein Wellner (an apparent well known food critic) were on a quest to find the spiciest food in the world...that's right, the world! She traveled to Germany, India, Honduras, Nashville, and finally Indianapolis Indiana. She was there for the Indy 500 and they decided to go to Harry and Izzy's , which is the sister (more casual) restaurant to St. Elmo Steak House. Here you can order St. Elmo's famous shrimp cocktail...

Well apparently, Alison hadn't heard of St. Elmo's or their shrimp cocktail and didn't think a thing about it when she ordered it. She thought it was going to be your typical run of the mill shrimp cocktail. She also thought she'd already ended her quest for the the hottest food in the world when she was in Nashville, but when she shoved that single piece of shrimp in her mouth, she apparently changed her mind!

Alison's reaction was as follows:
"I dropped my cutlery as a sensation that I can only describe as what electrocution must feel like shot down my throat and then up my nose, forking its way into my brain. My hands started to rise and-yes!-I had the urge to clap my hands on my skull to keep the top from blowing off. My hands shot up in the air, my eyes started to water." (The Heat Seeker: Into the Heartland by Alison Stein Wellner, http://www.worldhum.com/features/travel-stories/the-heat-seeker-into-the-heartland-20090501/N2/)

As I read the recount of her experience I couldn't help but laugh heartily out loud! I've had the famed shrimp cocktail before and found that is quite toasty. So next time you are in downtown Indianapolis and you haven't visited St. Elmo's or Harry and Izzy's before, why don't you stop in and give the shrimp cocktail a try?

Broad Ripple Village Data

Following is the market report for the area known as Broad Ripple Village as of June 3rd 2009. May 2009 sales were down compared May 2008 (19 sold).

Broad Ripple Village is bound by Kessler Boulevard East Drive on the south, North Meridian Street on the west, the White River on the north, and North Evanston Avenue on the east

Broad Ripple Village is an area that is the perfect combination of old and new. Here you'll find homes built anywhere from the 1800's to current date. Broad Ripple has something for everyone with great restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and an emphasis on being active and healthy.

For more information on Broad Ripple and all that it has to offer, please visit the Broad Ripple Village Association home page.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the area or if you'd like me to send you the current active listings in the area. I look forward to hearing from you!

Search homes currently on the market

My website
Call me at 317-889-1111 or email me at chandasellsindy@sbcglobal.net

1. To qualify you must be one of two things:
   1. A true first time homebuyer
   2. You’ve held no ownership interest in a home for AT LEAST three years prior to the date in which you close on the home
2. There is an income cap in order to receive the credit:
   1. If you make $75,000 ($150,000 if married) or less you are eligible for the entire $8,000
   2. If you make between $75,000 and $95,000 ($150,000 to $170,000 if married) the credit amount is reduced
   3. If you make over $95,000 (over $170,000 if married) you are not eligible for the credit
3. The amount you receive is dependent upon a couple of things:
   1. Whether you are single or married
      1. If you are married and filing joint, you would claim the eligible amount on one return
      2. If you are married and filing separately you each can claim half of the eligible amount
      3. If you are single but hold a partial interest in the home see point ‘b'
   2. Your ownership interest in the home
      1. If you purchased the home with others you can claim a certain percentage of the total amount received for the credit. For example if two people purchased the home equally, the ownership interest would be 50%; three people 33%, etc…
4. There is a possibility that you’ll have to pay back the credit”
   1. If you sell the home you purchased within three years you may be required to repay the money you received. There are other possibilities, please see form 5405’s instructions for further information regarding repayment requirements.
5. The deadline to receive the credit when you file your 2009 taxes is December 1, 2009 . If you do not close on a home before this date you will not be eligible for this particular credit.
6. To claim the credit you’ll need to complete form number 5405 and submit it with your tax return next year

If you are a buyer interested in purchasing a home from HUD and you live in one of the states serviced by HMBI (property management company responsible for HUD homes in the 10 states they represent), this brief tutorial will explain to you how the bidding process works.

If you are interested in seeing a HUD home you'll first need to find an agent that has the ability to show HUD homes as they require a special key for entry. It's also a good idea to verify whether or not their office is a HUD approved broker as this is required if you decide you'd like to place a bid on one of the properties.

Once you find a home you are interested in and decide to place a bid the following should happen.

1. You'll need to inform your agent that you found a home you like and would like to proceed with submitting a bid for the property.
2. Provide your agent with a copy of your Driver's license and social security card as your legal name and social security number are required when submitting a bid. If you'll be purchasing the property with someone else, please provide a copy of their driver's license and social security card as well. If your name or SSN fails to match the information submitted with your bid, HUD will CANCEL your bid.
3. In addition to your Driver's license and Social Security number, you'll also need to let your agent know the purchase price, the amount (if any) you'd like to request for closing cost assistance (the HUD site will only allow your agent to enter up to 3% of the purchase price), and the type of financing you'll utilize to purchase the property.
4. Your agent will then submit the bid.
5. You can check your bid results after 1:00 PM Central time the day after bidding closes. There is an owner occupant period for bidding which usually lasts 10 days. If no bids are submitted during that period, the bidding is opened up to everyone (i.e. investors) and bids are then reviewed on a daily basis.

To determine whether or not your bid was the winning bid you'll need to see who the Broker listed is and the purchase price. If they match your offer and broker, then you've likely won the bid. Your agent will also be notified at which time the rest of the purchase process will proceed.

If your offer is accepted, your agent will then collect your earnest money check and walk through the packet that must be submitted to HUD within 48 hours of HUD's acceptance of your bid. HUD also requires that you close within 45 days of acceptance of your offer.

Once your offer is accepted and the actual paperwork is submitted, you'll then work through the rest of the purchase process including obtaining your financing, homeowner's insurance, and inspections. HUD homes are sold AS IS; therefore, if you find major issues with the home during inspection, you have the right to cancel your contract.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the area or if you'd like me to send you the current active listings in the area. I look forward to hearing from you!

Search homes currently on the market

My website
Call me at 317-889-1111 or email me at chandasellsindy@sbcglobal.net