Polaris Manage

You’ve Been Lowballed. Now What?

Dan Baldini — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:06:25 +0000

When you’re selling your home, nothing compares to the excitement of getting that first offer. There’s also nothing that compares with the crushing despair when you realize it’s far, far below your asking price. Insultingly low, even. After all, this is your house. You’ve loved it and cared for it and improved it and built great memories there. You deserve a fair price for it. So how do you respond to a lowball offer?

Should You Buy A Foreclosed Home?

Dan Baldini — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:08:33 +0000

In the last few years, the foreclosure market has become an increasingly important segment of the Indianapolis real estate market. In 2012, more than one million homes nationwide are expected to enter some stage of foreclosure, which means a huge number of bank-owned properties will be available for savvy buyers and investors. But is buying a foreclosed home really a good idea?

Indianapolis Home Construction Is Up—But So Are Foreclosures

Dan Baldini — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:11:45 +0000

The Indianapolis real estate market continues to be full of twists, turns and contradictions. The good news? In the first quarter of 2012, new home construction permits in the Indianapolis metro area rose by 13 percent year-over-year. In total, 872 new construction permits have been filed. This is a great sign for increasing consumer confidence in the recovering real estate market, and is sure to put some interesting new inventory on the market for home buyers. Hendricks County, home to hot suburbs like Brownsburg, Plainfield and Avon, led the way with construction permits, increasing 36 percent year-over-year.

Polaris Gets It Done: Indianapolis Home Rentals and Sales

Dan Baldini — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:33:24 +0000

When you work with the professional agents at Polaris Real Estate, we’ve got just one goal in mind: to get your house sold or leased for the highest price to the best tenants or buyers. Everything we do is designed to meet that end, from the way we market your home to negotiations around the closing table.

Read more about how Polaris Real Estate gets the best tenants into your rental property–fast.

Suburbs Continue to Drive Indianapolis Home Sales Recovery

Dan Baldini — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:20:19 +0000

Spring has definitely sprung in Central Indiana. The sun is shining, the trees are leafing and new life is everywhere—even in the real estate market. Lead by high consumer confidence numbers, Indianapolis and its surrounding counties saw a 22 percent year-over-year increase in home sales in February 2012, according to a recent Indy Star article. While Indianapolis proper saw gains, the largest jump in sales came from the surrounding counties, including Boone County (up 61 percent), Hendricks County (up 40 percent), Hancock County (up 34 percent) and Johnson County (up 30 percent). Perhaps it isn’t surprising—suburbs like Zionsville, Brownsburg, Greenwood and Greenfield offer great quality of life at affordable prices.

Even better news is that home sale prices continue to rebound. The average home in the Indianapolis area sold for just over $140,000, an increase of about one percent over 2011. If you’ve been waiting for a price recovery, it looks like it’s finally here.

It’s been a long few years, but we’re finally seeing some light at the end of the real estate tunnel. Is now the right time for you to make your move and put your house on the market? We can help you decide if the current real estate market conditions are right for you. Call Polaris Real Estate, and the experienced Dan Baldini team will help you look at the market in your area and make an informed choice to buy, sell or move. Give us a call today and start on the path to your dream house.

Why You Need a Home Inspection Before You Buy

Dan Baldini — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:00:21 +0000

You’re head-over-heels in love with this house. It’s everything you ever wanted in a home and nothing could possibly dissuade you from buying it. Do you still need a home inspection? Yes! Unequivocally, without a doubt, without exception, you need a home inspection before you sign on the dotted line. Even if you’re looking at a brand new construction, you still need to know the potential risks and problems with your dream home. Hopefully, you won’t find any deal breakers, but a good inspection helps you make an informed decision, and means you won’t be caught off-guard with a nasty surprise down the road.

A home inspection catches things you’d probably never notice. In a thorough home inspection, the inspector examines every part of the house, from the crawl space to the attic. They’ll look at the structural integrity of the house, the electrical and water systems, examine drainage on the property, examine the roof, check for mold and much more. Nothing escapes the gaze of an experienced inspector.

Some of the issues will be minor fixes, but if you run into major issues, you have a few options. The first is to accept the issue and buy the house anyway. You may be able to use this defect as a bargaining chip to negotiate a reduced price, but remember, you’ll have to fix the problem yourself sooner or later. You can ask that the seller fix the problem, but they may or may not be willing to do so. Are you prepared to deal with the issue yourself, or are you prepared to give up the house if they won’t make the repair? Finally, you can choose to walk away. Some problems, especially those involving the structural integrity of the property, are just too big to fix, and you could be digging yourself into a financial hole.

When it comes to interpreting an inspection, trust your inspector. If possible, accompany him or her on the inspection. Ask lots of questions, and really listen to the answers. Your real estate agent is also a trusted resource during the inspection process—we’ve been through this before and know the ropes. For a great recommendation on an inspector or for help finding your next dream home in Indianapolis, Fishers or Carmel, call Polaris Real Estate, and let Dan Baldini and his experienced team of real estate agents guide you through every step of buying your dream house.

Should You Hold an Open House?

Dan Baldini — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:23:08 +0000

Open houses are one of the oldest tricks in the real estate handbook. All you have to do is throw up a yard sign and watch the visitors (and their subsequent offers) come rolling in, right? Not so fast. Open houses can still be an important part of your selling strategy, but they aren’t right for every property, and they aren’t a magic bullet.

An open house is best used in a high-traffic area. If you’re out in the country, you’re unlikely to have much drive-by traffic to see your signs and turn up on Sunday afternoon for your open house. Likewise, having an open house often isn’t an option if you live in a gated community. You may want to coordinate with other homeowners in your area to hold open houses on the same day. It might sound counterintuitive to work with people who are essentially your “competition,” but when you all cooperate, you’ll bring in more prospects than any of you could have done individually, and hopefully you’ll bring in someone who’s looking for a home just like yours.

Some real estate agents will argue that holding an open house is a sign of desperation, a last-ditch effort to get prospects, any prospects, though the door. Maybe that’s true if you hold an open house every weekend, but sometimes there’s no substitute for just getting people to come in and take a look around. While a great deal of home searching is done online, nothing can substitute for walking through the house and seeing the property with your own eyes, warts and all. Especially if you have a house with unusual architecture or unique features, an open house might be just the thing you need to show the house off to its best advantage.

Used properly, open houses are still a powerful to help you get fresh prospects into your house and interested in your property. Look to your real estate agent for guidance on when, or if, you should hold an open house. If you need an experienced real estate agent in Indianapolis, Fishers or Carmel, call the Dan Baldini team. We’ll help you get your house sold using smart marketing and good-old-fashioned hard work. Call us today to find out how we can help you put that “sold!” sign in your front yard.

Indianapolis Rental Homes: New Listings

Dan Baldini — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:49:00 +0000

The new listings just keep pouring in! There’s never been a better time to lease a home. Why deal with the hassles of home ownership when you can live maintenance-free in a beautiful home? Check out our newest listings, all located in Indianapolis:

Live in the heart of bustling Broad Ripple, just steps from shopping, dining and entertainment in this wonderful vintage bungalow. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home features all-oak hardwoods in public areas and a relaxing backyard with privacy fence and mature trees.

5851 Haverford Ave, Indianapolis

$1,700/month

Live in one of Indianapolis’ up-and-coming neighborhoods, classic and beautiful Irvington. This 3 bedroom/1.5 bath ranch has hardwood floors throughout, full basement and an enclosed sun room.

957 N. Graham Ave, Indianapolis

$1,000/month

Only blocks from the Circle, this newly renovated condo at the Packard is really something special. 10′ ceilings with crown molding give a light and airy feel, while granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances (including wine refrigerator) and surround sound wiring make this luxurious living at its best. 2 bedrooms/3 bathrooms

450 E. Ohio St, Indianapolis

$2,200/month

3 Things First-Time Buyers Should Do Before You View Your First House

Dan Baldini — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:26:04 +0000

Buying a home for the first time is the dream of every American, a rite of passage and an incredibly nerve-wracking experience. Once you’ve decided you want to buy a home, your hard work is only just beginning. You might be excited to dive in and start looking for the home of your dreams, but not so fast. It’s important to move slowly and deliberately to avoid rushing into the situation. Before you view your first home, make sure you’ve done these three things:

Get pre-qualified for a home loan. Getting pre-qualified serves several important purposes. First, it helps speed up the process later on down the road when you do find your dream home. You’ll have already laid the groundwork for securing the home financially, making the entire transaction easier. But more than that, getting pre-qualified helps you truly understand the costs involved in homeownership and determine how much home you can really afford. Better do it at the start than getting your heart set on a home you can’t pay for, or worse yet—getting into the home and falling into financial trouble.
Decide on a neighborhood. When you live in apartments or other rental homes, you have the freedom to move every few months or every year if you don’t like the neighborhood, if you have noisy neighbors, if the commute to your job is too far. But when you own your own home, you’re also owning a neighborhood. It’s much harder to just pull up stakes and move across town if you find out that the neighborhood isn’t everything you wanted it to be. Make sure the location makes sense for your commute and your lifestyle, the schools fit your needs if you have kids, that the amenities you need are nearby. This is a long-term decision, so take your time to find the area that’s right for you.
Find a great buyer’s real estate agent. Having an agent with lots of experience helping buyers is always important, but having a trusted ally can be a lifesaver for the first-time home buyer. They can help guide you to properties that fit your life, help you find the flaws in otherwise great-seeming properties, offer advice on negotiating and making offers and generally make the entire process go more smoothly. Don’t try to go it alone; accept help from a trusted professional.

Buying a home for the first time is one of the most exciting things you’ll ever do. Make sure you do it the right way. If you’re looking for an Indianapolis real estate agent who will tell you the truth and lead you to a great property, call Dan Baldini and the team at Polaris Real Estate.

New Homes for Rent in Indianapolis and Zionsville: March 2012

Dan Baldini — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:46:00 +0000

Another busy week at Polaris Property Management! We’ve got a boatload of new houses and condos available for rent. Is one of them your next home?

Sunday mornings are a joy in this spacious kitchen with walk-in pantry and built-in breakfast table. This Zionsville home for rent has four bedrooms, 3 baths, with a huge deck for entertaining, home office and finished basement.

4273 Greenthread Dr, Zionsville

$2,600/month

Enjoy the charm and ease of life in Zionsville with this beautiful 3 bedroom, 4 bathroom condo. Open floor plan great room/dining room with tile and gas fireplace are a dream for entertaining!

11723 Chant Ln Unit 4, Zionsville

$1,450/month

You can’t beat the location on this 3 bedroom townhome in the Pike section of Indianapolis. Minutes from I-65 and blocks from dining and shopping! This home is fully loaded with appliances, freshly painted and with a master bedroom you’ll never want to leave.

8333 Clayhurst Dr, Indianapolis

$1,375/month