Carmel Indiana Real Estate Blog

There has been a lot of activity in the Carmel housing market the past few months. Some of the pertinent statistics are:

• 829 Active Listings
• 109 Sold Homes
• Average Sales Price $284,385
• Avg Days on the market: 77
• Avg List to Sales price ratio: 95%
• 143 Pending Sales

What does this information mean?  The average sales price is low for the Carmel area due in part to the large numbers of first time buyers in the market buying their homes in the Carmel area. The average 77 days on the market means that homes sell fairly quickly once they are properly priced and in good condition.

The overall outlook for Carmel remains very good. The large number of first time buyers the past 2 months into the Carmel housing market is a great sign as housing markets fix themselves from the bottom up. We expect there will be an increase in sales of homes between 300-400K over the next few months as the recent sales move up to take advantage of the market condition.

Reasons for the stability in the Carmel area are the great schools, the growing arts and design district, the proximity to downtown and the fantastic shopping and dining opportunities!

For specific information about a specific neighborhood in the Carmel area, email our team matt@mattsellsindy.com and request information on a specific neighborhood (or more). We will gladly keep you up to date with actives, pendings and sold homes in any community!

If you are looking to buy, sell, or invest a home in the carmel Indiana area, the Matt Borushko Team would love to help!

If you are a first time buyer who is considering buying your first home and taking advantage of the incredible $8000 first time buyer tax credit...

You Only Have 2 More Weeks to Find and Buy Your Home

According to most mortgage and banking industry experts, the week of October 15 is the latest you can apply for a loan and close by the Nov 30 deadline to receive the tax credit. There are rumors that the tax credit may be extended, and that would be great. However, the only guarantee you have of getting this unprecedented opportunity for a free tax credit is closing on your home before December 1st.

Want more reasons to buy your first home now? Try these

• Incredibly low interest rates
• Lower Home Prices (A great opportunity to build equity)
• Large Selection of Homes to Choose From

An old saying says something like "if it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done", I bring this up because this is the last minute. If you are looking to buy your first home in the Indianapolis Area (Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville) call the Borushko Team to find your dream home today. Also, if one of your friends is on the fence, please introduce us. We pride ourselbes in helping many first time buyers and will make their home buying experience easy, fun, and knowledgeable!

I ran across this fantastic quote from Charles Swindoll that I find very inspiring. I hope you enjoy it!

"This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day to day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think or me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that 'single string' that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me"

The Borushko Team, Carmel Indiana Real Estate Agents with Keller Williams Realty Offer Staging Advice for Home Sellers.

The growing popularity of HGTV has raised awareness for most people that staging a home is beneficial for selling a home. Staging absolutely helps, but how much and where do you start?  What if you don't have an unlimited budget? Hopefully this infomation will help!

Staged Homes Sell Faster. In a recent study conducted by Keller Williams Realty, staged properties sold in 1/2 the time and averaged 6.3% higher sales prices than homes that weren't staged. These statistics are very significant and show the importance of showcasing a home. The good news is that it isn't necessary to hire an interior decorator to make a significant impact. 

The buyer experience determines your staging priorities. If you don't know where to begin, employ the 3P 2F formula and you'll be on your way to a successful sale.

Plantings - Curb Appeal is the first impression your potential buyers will have. Is the grass green, bushes trimmed, mulch turned and fresh, and are there flowers? A little money in landscaping makes a huge difference!

Painting - A little color is ok, but a fresh coat of paint in a warm neutral tone will help a home feel more inviting and cleaner. And color continuity throughout the home will halp the flow of the home and make it feel larger.

Pictures - A few nice pictures placed in strategic places can be welcoming. Too many pictures makes the walls and home feel cluttered. Remove pictures of your family and religous references if at all possible. Your buyers will be more comfortable if they can "picture" themselves in your home rather than seeing evidence of you there.

Fixtures - The lighting and plumbing fixtures in your home make a big impression on your buyers. Lighting fixtures are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace and help remove the dated feeling a buyer may get walking through your home. The plumbing fixtures definitely need to be in good working order and should look new. Spending money in these 2 areas will quickly help your home compete with newer homes!

Furnishings - You are trying to sell your home, not your furniture. In order to sell your home for top dollar, prospective buyers need to see as much of your home as possible...they need a place for their stuff. In order to make your home feel as big as possible you should remove any furniture you aren't using, or any furniture that isn't in good condition. The same applies to books, knick-knacks, etc. If you don't need it, remove it, and your home will feel much larger to buyers.

If you are selling a home in the Carmel Indiana area, Becki Borushko of The Borushko Team is a certified stager. Our team of professionals would love to help you with your home selling needs!

Carmel Real Estate Agent Matt Borushko found this quote by Stephen Cherniske that hopefully you will find interesting. In these economically challenging times, maybe the best message is to focus on only the few things in your life and your business that truly matter.

"I want to acknowledge that making changes in your life is never an easy task. The key, however, is not to get caught up in the distance you have to go to get where you want to be. Nor should you despair over the amount of control you have over your circumstances. Progress is made in the small, intentional steps, and chances are, you have more power than you think. By focusing on little steps you can take every day, the progress you make will motivate you to complete your journey and eventually, you can go wherever you want to go. The important thing is simply to begin."

If your journey includes buying or selling a home, the Borushko Team would love to help!

Mark Willis, CEO, announced today during his state of the company address that Keller Williams is ranked highest by J.D. Powers and Associates for highest overall satisfaction among home buyers for two years in a row! This is proof positive that Keller Williams continues to outperform the industry.

“Keller Williams is rising to No.1! The longer the downturn lasts, the stronger Keller Williams emerges. Year to date, NAR’s membership has dropped by about 10 percent, while Keller Williams agent count has incresed by 2 percent,” said Willis.

Why is it Keller Williams continues to power ahead in gaining its “unfair share of the market?” States Willis, “Unified training, unified leaders, a unified culture, and a unified economic model.”

The activity level in the Indianapolis real estate markets is definitely picking up. The north side areas of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, and Indianapolis north of downtown are seeing a major increase in sales in certain price ranges. It is not uncommon for homes in the 100-200K price ranges, when priced and staged properly, to receive multiple offers within a few weeks.

As most real estate markets heal themselves from the bottom up, this is a very good sign for our local real estate market. Does this mean our market has hit bottom?  We aren't sure and won't know until we are way past that point. What the increased sales does indicate is that many factors are lining up to make this a great time to buy and sell a home. Interest rates, first time buyer credits, and overall value could spell the perfect time to get the new home you're looking for.

The local market isn't without challenges. Recent and continuing changes to the mortgage industry have certainly made for frustrated buyers and sellers. Also the market is VERY price and condition sensitive. Again, this actually provides great opportunity to both buyers and sellers if you have the right people prepared to help you. Understanding the nuances of the local housing market and the opportunities available is a huge first step in any decision to buy or sell a home.

If you would like a list of homes available for sale updated daily by email, please go to www.newestindylistings.com . This is a free service to Indianapolis Area home buyers brought to you by the Matt Borushko Team