Steve Dalton - Northwest Indiana Mortgages

The first list, and obviously some will find it controversial, of Top Twitter members in Northwest Indiana.

My biggest complaint is the almost non-existence of Realtors on the list. I'll be frank, some of you live in communities with real estate professionals who really work social media hard. So far, northwest indiana has a bunch of real estate professionals that may have signed up for a site, but don't use them and don't engage.

Jeff and Grace Safrin are the exception to this of course, they get it. A few mortgage people get it, but all in all our industry too is under-represented by actual social types ... and more often than not people who joined because someone told them they needed a profile.

One perfect example, is that in the Top Ten Active Rain members in Porter County, only three are RE agents. Now what in the world does that tell you? Sorry to be negative, but it's time for real estate professionals to step it up in the Region.

Help - I need to know if I should buy now?

Let's be honest, this was a real question submitted by a reader, but they knew my thoughts on the matter. YES, there has never been a better time to purchase a home in Northwest Indiana. Real estate values have completed a small correction over the last two years, and are actually leveled or even increasing in some areas.

I wrote that post a couple hours ago on my personal outside blog, Northwest Indiana Mortgages and Real Estate, and now the Case Schiller Home Price Index is released substantiating the same:

Report shows home prices in metro markets were down 18.1% last year, which was a reduction in the slide of values, and an indicator of recovery and leveling off. GOOD NEWS!

Love to have you join as a "fan" of our Facebook Page too: Northwest Indiana Mortgages on Facebook.

A few years back I was a lot more active here on Active Rain, working with some great real estate professionals and learning every step of the way. Thanks to all of you who have been true friends. I am spending most of my time on mortgage lending these days, although still building a home once in a while. Here is a list of links to my mortgage sites, most still in fledling stage but I'd like to do your loan.

Northwest Indiana Mortgages

For those looking for our website, please check it out First Financial Trust Mortgage.

For home mortgage loans in Indiana we focus on FHA mortgages and first time buyers.

As always call at 219-762-7200

During the last campaign cycle Indiana politicians were seen to be using a little bit of social media, a blog here and there, and I think a few of them even played around with twitter. Over the last month I've noticed that a few more have migrated to twitter, so I went on a hunt this morning for twitter profiles for politicians. If you have more that I've missed, please submit in comments and I'll update.

• Governor Mitch Daniels

• Lt. Governor Becky Skillman

• Secretary of State Todd Rokita

• Attorney General Greg Zoeller

• Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett
  

• US Representative Mike Pence

• US Representative Dan Burton actually two Dan Burton - not sure which is official one

• US Senator Richard Lugar

• US Senator Evan Bayh - can't verify authenticity yet, and hasn't been updated since August

• Indianapolis Mayor Ballard - mostly third person, probably staffer

• State Representative Jackie Walorski

• Mayor of Valparaiso Jon Costas

• Fort Wayne City Councilman Mitch Harper

• Whitley County County Councilman Jim Banks

• Judge Michael Kramer in Noble County

• Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold

I'll do a separate post on party officials on twitter, yes both parties.

Alright Indiana tweeps, I'm sure I am missing some, or maybe this post will get some of the existing political crop to at least hold their own names so squatters don't grab them.

Many politicians start out assigning their social media work to a staffer, and although this may work on facebook and blogs, twitter really demands a little bit of personality. Staffer generated tweets are pretty quickly dismissed as broadcast media and not worth engaging. A word of recommendation, if you are an elected official at any level in Indiana and see the potential to engage your constituents on twitter, do so yourself. Even one personal tweet a day and you'll be amazed the following.

You may think you're busy, but last I checked Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove are both personally tweeting from their blackberries, you aren't more busy than they are.

#indiana Politicians joining twitter

Indiana Power Rankings