Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Hey, Sellers in Indianapolis! Its Time to Get Your Property SOLD!

I often tell people that now is the time to list...in the freezing cold Indiana weather.  I couldn't be happier to take on new, motivated sellers this time of year!  There are several reasons why now is the best time to list your Indiana property...
  • LESS COMPETITION!  When you have less competition, your standards don't have to be as high.  Now, don't get me wrong...I require each of my sellers to have a professional staging consultation.  This is a small cost to incur with big rewards, so my motivated sellers are always willing to stage their home to sell.  Think about it, though, less competition on the market means its easier for sellers to stand out b/c the crowd is smaller.
  •  SERIOUS BUYERS LOOK IN THE WINTER MONTHS!  If a buyer is willing to get pre-qualified (we don't show homes to buyers withouth a pre-qualification first...that's a whole other blog topic) and get out there in our freezing Indiana winter, they're not just kickinig tires!  Each showing will matter and sellers won't be frantically cleaning their house up to show for some "buyer" who may just be looking for decorating tips.
  • ONCE THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, ALL THE "SPRING" SELLERS WILL BE PUTTING THEIR HOMES UP FOR SALE, SO IF YOU PLAN TO BUY AGAIN...YOU HAVE THE CREAM OF THE CROP!  The average sales price in this area is about 90 days.  So think about it...you list your home today and it will sell around the end of February/March.  Well....look how you've just positioned yourself!  February/March is after holidays and heading into spring when everyone else starts listing their homes.  Yes, they will likely be buying once they sell their house, too, but they still have to sell and you don't!  You have all the power and all the options!  What a beautiful thing!
   

So...let's get your property on the market TODAY!  I personally promise not to show your property to anyone who isn't already pre-qualified with a reputable lender.



You have noting to lose...call me today to discuss what it will take to get your home SOLD!

  ***317.246.9966 or lisa@indyreexperts.com*** 


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Are You Losing Business Because of Your Listening?



Are you a good listener? I try to be. I mean, it's crucial in all areas from personal relationships to business. And when your business is about listening to what a client really needs, wants and is saying, good listening skills are vital. Especially when you're a real estate agent and your business is about buying and selling houses in Indianapolis.



So when I saw an email from Cindy Allen-Stuckey that theorized that we only hear 25-40% of what others are saying, my eyes paid attention!

That doesn't seem like a very good number, but I'm guessing that it's probably true. On a personal level, I focus as best I can on what a client has to say - and I think I do a pretty good job of it - but like most of us, I guess it's likely that sometimes I fall into the trap of worrying too much about what I'm going to say next. And that can be a serious impediment to effective listening.

Cindy is the founder of the Central Indiana firm Making Performance Matter, and I'd like to thank her for encouraging me to become an even better listener.

If you'd like to grab a few more tips from Cindy on effective listening skills, check out her video below.







Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Indianapolis Explosion: Natural Gas Safety Tips


The horrible explosion in Indianapolis Saturday night that claimed two lives and destroyed multiple homes literally hit very close to home for me.

The devastated neighborhood is less than a mile from my own home and and an area that I jog by and drive through regularly. I heard the explosion and felt the thud but, of course, had no idea what had occurred.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to those who lost loved ones and whose houses were destroyed.



While it still remains to be seen whether a natural gas accident was the cause of the explosion, the evidence would seem to point in that direction. I decided to take some time to educate myself on safety issues surrounding natural gas and thought I would share these links and pages with you as well.

Remember, if you think you smell the distinctive "rotten egg" odor of leaking natural gas, first vacate the area immediately and THEN call your local natural gas provider or 911.

Don't forget: using a cellphone or regular land line can spark an explosion, so LEAVE the area FIRST!





Do your children have questions about what happened? The site below has coloring pages, tips, and a safety certificate. It's a good way for parents or teachers to educate the kids.


Call BEFORE you dig. It's the law. 1-800-382-5544











Thursday, November 8, 2012

Indianapolis Veterans Day Blood Drive


Help Rehabilitation Institute of Indianapolis and the Indiana Blood Center honor and celebrate the Veterans in our community by donating blood on Friday, November 9, 2012.  

Visit their Open house from 12:00 pm-4:00 pm at 2437 North Meridian in Indianapolis. The Indiana Blood Center will be on hand from 1:15 pm -2:45 pm, with food and refreshments to be served. 

Anyone donating Blood will be put in a raffle to win 2 Colts tickets to Buffalo Bills vs Colts game @ 1 pm on 11/25 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Here's the official Facebook Event page if you'd like more information.




Sunday, November 4, 2012

Measuring What Matters in Indianapolis: Your Gross National Happiness (GNH)

by Lisa Treadwell

Are you measuring what's really important to you? Are you measuring the intangibles that contribute to your happiness and business success?

There's actually a movement underway among governmental authorities in many countries of the world to measure their Gross National Happiness (GNH). And it's known as that: The GNH Movement.

While Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the measurement of productivity that we're all used to hearing about - whether we're an Indianapolis real estate agent or a Wall Street financier - GDP fails to recognize or provide a metric to illuminate a key component of business, financial and life success for us all; that simple little word known as happiness.

I understand that this sounds rather high-minded, Buddhist-centric, and not necessarily practical.




But what if you did measure your happiness and use it as a barometer of success in any walk of life? It's an intriguing theory and while I could attempt to explain it more here with my own writing, I'll let the video below - a 2010 presentation at a TED conference - hopefully inspire your further investigation.