Resource Center

FAST FACTS

1.  CENTURY 21 is the only company who gives you a chance to win $8,000 when you list your home - FAST FACT

2.  CENTURY 21 is the most recognized Real Estate Brand-FAST FACT

3.  CENTURY21.com has the most website visitors - FAST FACT

4.  CENTURY 21 is named as one of the top Training Companies by Training Magazine, the premier industry's  publication, for 7 out of the past 9 years-  FAST FACT

5.  CENTURY 21 has raised over 100 Million Dollars for Easter Seals - FAST FACT

6.  CENTURY 21 Scheetz named the sole principal broker for CARTUS Relocation. What this means for you the seller is that CENTURY 21 Scheetz assists more buyers who are relocating to the Indianapolis marketplace than any other company in Indianapolis area. This means we bring more   
buyers to your door! FAST FACT

7.  CENTURY 21 Scheetz has the largest market share in the entire Indianapolis Metropolitan Indianapolis Area. Why does this matter? Because it shows you that we know how to market your home to home buyers. Market Share is based on sales; CENTURY 21 Scheetz has the best resources to help 
you sell your home in the quickest time, getting you the most top dollar - FAST FACT  

These facts show you the strength of the CENTURY 21 Brand, and the strength of CENTURY 21 Scheetz. 
 

ALL TIME LOW IS GOOD

Did you know that mortgage rates are at an all time low!  But...they won't stay that way for long. So, if you're thinking about buying, selling, or refinancing, the clock is ticking!

Take a look at these rates! Whew!

Could they go lower you ask? Could the fixed interest rates go to 4.5%? The answer is, "Maybe" Should you risk waiting? The answer is, "NO". Just as quickly as the rates dropped they can just as quickly go back up. Tick Tock.

This quick 2 minute video, from the Today Show last week, answers several questions like:

• How much money can you save with a 1 point drop in your interest rate?
• Should you buy a bigger home now that rates have fallen?
• Should you refinance now?
• What happens if I buy a home now and the interest rates fall again?

Look what's happening right here in Indianapolis Real Estate market!  This is GOOD NEWS for EVERYONE!

Here's some GREAT additional information - HINTS FOR HOMEOWNERS

 Did you know that Carmel Indiana was named one of the best city's to live by Money Magazine, and American City Business Journal.  Who says it has to be expensive to live in Carmel Indiana? There are wonderful, affordable Carmel Homes for sale! Here's a quick sneak peak at just a few homes under $199,000.  If you'd like to do your own search for Carmel Homes for sale, or Hamilton County Homes for Sale, click here


 

Carmel Homes For Sale Under $199,000

Now this is what I call a jewel! It's all updated inside, Carmel Schools, low taxes! What more would you want? 2994 Weatherstone Dr $184,900 Click here for more photos

WOW! Bank Owned Homes in Carmel are a real catch, and this is one of them! Get it while you can. 9672 Troon Ct $184,900 Click here for more photos

Can you believe this one? It's nearly the White Picket Fence home you used to dream about.  2979 Brooks Bend Dr  $179,900  Click here for more photos

Don't forget about Condo Living In Carmel! In the heart of it all are some amazing Condos like this one. 945 Rosalind Pl $184,995 Click here for a virtual tour

Carmel Indiana, ranked by Money Magazine as one of the best places in the Midwest to live because of the high quality of life.  Not only is the quality life outstanding in Carmel Indiana, but Carmel Indiana Homes for Sale are a bargain.

From Million dollar properties to Fifty Thousand dollar properties, there is a price point for everyone.




















Search all Carmel Homes For Sale Price Points 

Carmel Indiana is located Carmel Indiana is located in Hamilton County Indiana, North of Indianapolis.

Check out the great city of Carmel
Carmel WIKI
Search for Carmel homes 

There are, of course, several advantages of purchasing a new home versus an existing home. Before seeing what’s possible, here are a few advantages to think about:

·         Brand new homes are one of the easiest ways for first time home buyers to begin building substantial equity over the first few years

·         No worries about replacing old carpet, counter tops, roofs and aging appliances.

·         New homes are more energy efficient. Due to better windows, more efficient heating and cooling equipment, better control of air infiltration and greater use of insulation, new homes are twice as energy efficient as homes built prior to 1980.

·         Existing home are more expensive to maintain and require additional maintenance and upkeep versus a brand new home or condo

·         New home communities make friends quickly!

If you are looking for affordable, quality, new home construction look no further than the New Homes Builders in Indiana, Ryland Homes. Here are just a few examples of their affordable quality products: CLICK ON THE ADDRESS FOR A COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY AND VIRTUAL TOUR 

Bank owned homes have flooded the market and are getting a lot of attention lately; especially bank owned homes in Indiana. The Indiana market did not have all the inflated pricing of the past few years, and therefore our fall in prices has not been as great. This may mean that an investor who buys an Indiana bank owned home has less at risk than in a market that may still have more to come down.

Many banks are busy with properties (both residential and commercial) that once provided positive cash flow but are now creating a drain against their earnings. They have expenses for lawn care, rekeying the property, winterizing, insurance, possibly fixing damage that may have occurred, as well as costs to transfer ownership of the property to a new owner (real estate commissions, legal fees and more!). This does not count the sudden loss of income they once made.

For smart buyers, finding the right property can mean future equity dollars in your pocket. Initially the property can look a little rough. The flooring may need work and carpets may need replaced let alone damage to doors and walls that have occurred for a variety of reasons. Most of this is cosmetic and usually, on newer properties, the bones of the home are still very good.  Since the banks are motivated to only sell the property to recover their loan, they may be ready to deal. Again, by moving a property away from their R.E.O. department, they are trimming future expenses. Don’t think, however, that the bank will be in a rush to dump these properties. There are rules they must play by and, without getting into the nitty-gritty, understand they can lose much more by NOT playing by them. It can be a catch 22 for banks. They must decide what losses to take on foreclosed property versus trying to maintaining a strong capital position by not having these write-downs. 

If a property had some type of government loan guarantee, a bank may appear slow in moving. To secure their claim and get paid back for the risk and loss, they have to follow guidelines when selling the property. These restrictions are placed on them by both the government and the insurer to whom they are filing a claim. But don’t be dissuaded, they do not want to have properties on their books costing them money. These assets are considered non-performing assets and the more they have of these types of loans, the worse they perform as an institution. The result of having a few of these might be higher premiums for their FDIC insurance and a critical review during their bank examination. Having a larger percentage can hurt stock performance and therefore erode the capital value of the bank along with all the aforementioned problems. 

A smart and patient investor can find a good property amongst the many out there and, if diligent, can begin creating a gain from the pain that now exists in so many parts of our country. Is it time for you to put your capital to work by seeing what is available as a result of Indiana foreclosures?    If so, call me and we’ll begin seeing what makes the most sense for you.

Contributed by, Mark Mills

Are things improving in the Indianapolis real estate market? Well, that might be a stretch to prove; but in some areas of the local real estate market, things are not declining as quickly as they were last year. Since being "less bad" is the first step toward improvement, I'm slightly encouraged.  

Here’s why. Financial housing data is historical in nature, usually data from a month or two in the past. This important look back assists economists and others in determining trends. For quite some time now, news has grown more and more negative with bright spots being little to none. This downward trend will likely continue nationally but maybe some signs of improvement are about to appear. Some Indianapolis Real Estate Professionals are seeing a nice pick-up in activity and sales, exceeding last year's dismal results. In fact, one successful agent mentioned having already hit 50% of his entire 2008 production in real estate transaction closings. Since his clientele is mostly residential, signs of a local upturn are there. 

Our capital markets and real estate markets operate on the same free market principals. Buyers move prices down when there are too few of them and too many sellers. Sellers move prices up when homes are limited for throngs of buyers. With so many Indianapolis homes for sale and more sweeping into the market due to foreclosures, home prices have been finding pressure and have moved down. This will continue until the home inventory shrinks. The stimulus package coming out of Washington may delay recovery by prolonging the crisis. It slows or stops the shake-out that simply must occur before buyers become comfortable to move back in. Interference to an open market can cause great disruption and we are seeing that evidence now on Wall Street in other markets.  

Nonetheless, if the patient is not killed by the medicine coming from the Obama administration, then maybe we do have better times ahead. Maybe. My fingers are crossed.

Please visit my site  Contributed by, Mark Mills


Email Mark with any questions you might have on the market.

Contributed by, Lisa Phillips

 My good friends have lived in their first house for over 11 years and have been thinking about moving.  They were looking at custom built neighborhoods and stumbled upon the notion of, "why don't we just buy the lot now."  We have been looking at the price of Indiana Land for Sale and have been researching Indiana New Home Construction to see if this makes sense for them.  We are putting an offer on a lot this week. 
We researched the neighborhood covenants and found that their was no restriction on how long they had to build.  This way they can take their time and we can research a custom builder that fits their needs too.  It is a wonderful time to look at purchasing a lot in Hamilton County Indiana.  For more real estate needs please email me at lphillips@c21scheetz.com or visit my website at 

In talking about the current market trends in Hamilton County, Indiana and the north side of Indianapolis with a client it dawned on him that this was a great time to look for a bump up house. He has been in his first house for about two years but is looking at this opportunity to get more amenities in his next home. 

With the inventory of Banked owned homes, Fishers homes for sale and Geist homes for sale with the extra amenties he wants why would he not jump up? He decided that he might not get the most resale out of his current home but for the added equity for his next house it made great sense to start looking now. 

The feeling in the air is that prices around here cannot go that much lower..so you better get in on the action of moving forward.  To find all the BUMP UP homes available, start your search right here.  
You can also contact me, Lisa Phillips by phone or email
Phone-317-219-9277 or lphillips@c21scheetz.com let's chat!

Inside Indiana Business' Gery Dick served as the Master of Ceromonies discussing the state of the Real Estate Market. You can read the entire press release detailing projections for 2009 Indianapolis Real Estate market by clicking here.  Below are a few snip-its of the press release: 

INDIANAPOLIS – While the U.S. economy faced major challenges in 2008, the Indianapolis real estate market maintained a strong position in the Midwest, resulting from the area’s population growth and relatively high employment levels.

Residential Market

Like the rest of the country, the Indianapolis-area residential market faced challenges resulting from the mortgage crisis, but Indianapolis fared much better than other cities that have seen much more drastic changes.  While all of the decreases may seem to be bad news, local Realtors see signs that the market is on its way to correcting itself by projecting that existing homes will reach an ideal six-month supply in late 2009. This is expected to lead to more balanced supply and demand and result in stabilization in home prices.

Other projections for 2009 include:

• A return to sales levels seen before the 2005/2006 residential sales spike: selling 28,000 homes in Central Indiana.

• The region will remain on the list of most affordable areas for the foreseeable future.

A lot of people are breathing a sigh of relief right now - Homes for Sale in Indianapolis are a great value. Indianapolis Mortgage Rates are at an all time low as well as the government memorandum to stop foreclosures for a period of time, including Indiana Foreclosure, and with Mortgage companies dropping their rates, this is giving people a chance to stay out of foreclosure and less homes becoming bank owned homes and giving everyone the opportunity to have a piece of the American Dream.

Contributed by Patty Bender

I can't eve begin to tell you how many people I've spoken to since the beginning of the year who are interested in getting their real estate license in Indiana, a LOT.  I've asked each person I've spoken with "Why Real Estate, and Why Now?" I've spoken with some pretty sharp cookies who understand that the Indiana Real Estate market is not what the press is referring to when they talk about a depressed market.  They understand that with the interest rates as low as they've ever been, and with Indianapolis real estate and home prices in Indiana being some of the best in the country, that the timing for a career in real estate couldn't be better.

Many people are curious as to what it takes to get their real estate license in Indiana, and what steps CENTURY 21 Scheetz takes to helping someone make a wise decision.  The steps are simple, they are outlined on our site - check it out.   You can also get school information - here's a quick link for you.

We have five offices throughout the city, one in Carmel Indiana, Indianapolis, Zionsville, Greenwood, and Downtown Indianapolis. Our management team is available to help answer your questions about getting your Real Estate License and beginning a career in Real Estate where you're the boss, and the sky is the limit!

For more information contact an office close to you to set up a time to chat and get your questions answered.  Here's all the contact info for you!

We will see you at the TOP! 

Contributed byLisa Phillips

If we could save money we all would.  If thinking about selling your Hamilton County Indiana home you might be considering the differences between a limited service broker and a full service broker, such as CENTURY 21 Scheetz. 

In talking with some clients they were questioning me what my thoughts were on why their house had not sold after being on the market and expiring after 10 months. After doing a comparable market analysis I thought their agent had priced it competitively, so what gives? 

A limited service broker does not utilize all the marketing opportunities, nor do they spend the time necessary to market the home in this competitive market. These clients needed guidance on doing minor updates that would of put their property ahead of their competition.  Why wasn't that done?

Consider what they paid for 10 months of mortgage payments for what they felt they were saving, you can see the true advantage of a Century 21 Scheetz agent.  For further ideas on how to sell your home in today's competitive market email me at lphillips@c21scheetz.com.

So, you have a home to sell, you have high hopes your home will sell fast, because of course you have the best home on the block - according to you.

You may have even gone so far as to look for another home, you find one, and you're just "hoping" your home sells quick so you can get the great "deal" on the buy side.

Here's how the thinking usually goes...I have a home to sell in Hamilton County Indiana, actually the home is located in Carmel Indiana. I know my house is the best, we've upgraded everything, certainly this piece of Carmel Real Estate is worth more than that simple little home across the street for sale. 

TRUE or FALSE?  FALSE!  It's all about supply and demand, it's about how many Carmel Homes for sale there are currently in the market.  It's also about how quickly you want/need to sell.  IT'S ABOUT PRICING RIGHT! Please listen to your REALTOR! Ask them for the facts. 

Below you will see a glimpse of the facts - this data shows you how many Homes are for sale in Hamilton County, between 200k and 300k.  You will see that the Months Supply Of Inventory is 11.1 months. The average days on market for the month of December was around 84 days.

Bottom line, Indiana Houses For Sale not only have to be priced "RIGHT" they have to shine...why would someone spend more for your home, when the one down the street or around the corner is just as good but for less. 

GET THE FACTS - Sell your home!  Get the best buy ever!  If you would like to have the facts for your Neck Of The Woods, simply email me and I'll send them your way! information@c21scheetz.com

The news we hear day in and day out is depressing, is it not? If we aren't hearing about how bad the economy is, we're hearing about murders and thefts. UUuggh, STOP already.  I want to start singing, "The sun will come up tomorrow", but then I'd be booed off the stage, per say.



















So, Instead, let's just look at facts. To do this, we've added a Real Estate Resource Center at www.c21scheetz.com.  Here you will find information on what's going on with Carmel Real Estate, Downtown Indianapolis Homes, Greenwood Indiana Real Estate, Marion County Real Estate, multiple counties.

If you don't find what you're looking for and you need some more 'facts' simply email information@c21scheetz.com and we'll provide just the facts.  We know you need information to make a good real estate decision, we are here to provide it for you.  Just Ask!

Contributed by Lisa Phillips

You might find it hard to imagine humidity and beautiful sunsets with January dreary days to look forward to now. But, it is the perfect time to look forward to summer and the benefits of living on the lake.  Morse Lake is a popular destination for people looking for Noblesville Homes in Hamilton County Indiana. 

Morse is located about 25 miles north of Indianapolis and has 1500 acres of water.  It is one of three reservoirs in the Indianapolis area.  Morse Lake offers buyers many choices ranging from one bedroom condos to breath taking estates.

Two great properties for sale on Morse Lake are 366 Banbury and 102 Cherokee Lane, both located in Noblesville.  For all of your Morse Lake property needs please email me at lphillips@c21scheetz or call me at (317)814-8216. 

Social Networking seems to be all the craze. It's a great way to connect with people from all over the country. BUT...it's also a great way to spread the word. What word?  Spreading the word about your Indianapolis homes for sale. CENTURY 21 Scheetz now has a fan page on facebook. Here we will keep you updated of the latest happening in the Real Estate market. It's a place where you can go and ask questions, join in a discussion, or simply take a peek at what the local community is talking about as it relates to Indiana Real Estate.

Just go to facebook, sign in, and search for CENTURY 21 Scheetz.  You'll find us! Or simply click on the photo! Join us won't you?