Pamela Howell

Finally you decide, I'M FED UP! and decide to write a letter to someone about a problem. Who do you write to? Who are your government officials? Find out here very easily. Enter your zip+4 code or if you don't know it, enter your address. This is a service of the publicly viewable side of the Multiple Listing Service in this area.

http://www.gniar.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=6

Click on "Find your elected officials"

You'll get a page with tabs. Federal, State, County and Local tabs take you right to the ones to write to.

Are you ready to have fair taxing in Indiana?

Wonder why your neighbors house sells for the same buy you pay hundreds more in tax?

Want to help change our little part of the world?

Go to this link and sign up with Hoosier Property Tax Reform. It will help our market

It will help YOU if you are planning to buy or sell in Indiana.

http://www.hoosierpropertytaxreform.com/index.html

Despite all the wisdom of getting my name on the internet in as many places as possible, I just discovered I'm just not a blogger. Sure, I have lots to say but it's a whole lot of the same stuff every other REALTOR has. Better to know my limitations.

This past week though I had a pretty cool experience in real estate. I had an open house, a beautiful house in Griffith at 735 N. Cline Avenue. It was pretty icky outside so when it was supposed to end at 3pm I was in no hurry to leave. About 3:15 a couple showed up and asked if it was too late to come in. Well, what do you think I said?

So I showed them around the house and as beautiful as it is (don't believe me check out this) it just wasn't the house for them. I asked them to sit with me while I packed up and tell me about the home in which they would like to live.

Back story: when I don't have an open house I frequently go to open houses to see more inventory but without bothering the owners with an appointment when all it is is a preview.

It turns out that what they were looking for, I'd already seen so I called the listing agent to get an instant appointment. It was vacant, I didn't think it would be a problem. For whatever reason, he did not answer me as quick as I think he could have and we were already in front of the place - having had my open house friends follow me to the home.

We walked all around the outside in the snow. I told them what was inside each window as we walked. I knew which one was over the sink, that the fireplace was woodburning, I knew which window was to the master bedroom and all about the new carpeting. I knew where the owner had gone and I knew the neighbors and the neighbor's puppy's name.

Now, I'll take the shortcut to the end of the story. It will be 12 days since I showed them the house when I return home from GRI in Bloomington. They wish to write an offer.

If you're only seeing houses when you have clients in the car you are missing great opportunities. Besides the open houses, in fairer weather I see all the vacant houses I can fit in a day. When I claim to be an expert on the neighborhood I can say it with great sincerity. I know my town. I see all of it I can. This was just the first great time it came to fruition. Know your inventory, it works.