I'm back! My take on "Open Houses".....

Well hello again!  Wondered why I haven't had a post since August?  Well, it's not because I've been gravely ill, or out of the country or anything like that. 
Believe it or not, I got a call from the Daily Journal, and surprisingly, they asked me to stop posting their stories to my blog.  I try to post things about Greenwood, specifically, and I do subscribe to the Daily Journal, and think they do a great job giving us the news.  So, I thought it was okay to use their "SHARE" button that they provide on all of their articles to post to my blog. I am always sure to give the credit back to the DJ and to the author.  Apparently, they think I do it a little too much, and think they will lose subscribers to their newspaper and will just read my blog instead.  Well, wouldn't I be so lucky!  Ha ha, DJ, I don't think you have anything to worry about, but I will respect your request, and write my OWN content, even though I know you can do a much better job, and wish I could just share yours. 

My take on Open Houses.....

 

I do Open Houses.  I do them quite a bit.  But, you may be surprised to hear that I don't do them because I think I'm going to sell the house that way.  I do them because home sellers think of them as a customary, necessary avenue of selling a home, and they ASK me to do them, or I OFFER to do them when they are frustrated we haven't had bites on the house by other means. 

 

Did you know that the reason agents have Open Houses is not because they think it will sell your house?  They do them because they want to pick up BUYERS to work with.  9 out of 10 times YOUR house isn't the right house for the buyer, but the agent hopes to get their fish hooks in to those buyers, build a rapport, and sell them something else. 

 

MOST often, unless your home is in an area that doesn't have much sales activity, and people are very curious about the neighborhood, and/or the house, an agent is VERY LUCKY to get two visitors to an Open House in a 4 hour time frame.   Many times, no one stops by at all. 

 

Getting your home ready for an Open House can be an overwhelming task, and I really hate to have to call a Seller at the end of a 3 or 4 hour Open House and tell them no one came. 

 

My thought is if a buyer is TRULY interested in YOUR house, they will call the number on YOUR sign, or better yet, call the agent that they are already working with, to set up an appointment to see the house.  Most people who just drop by an Open House aren't ready to buy yet. 

 

As I sit here today, writing this blog, I am at an Open House.  I advertised in today's Open House section of the Indianapolis Star, ordered a large Yard Sign for the front of the neighborhood which has been out there since Monday, I have directional signs throughout the neighborhood with balloons, sent 100 emails out to agents that work in the area, and/or have previously shown the home,  and posted to Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In.  I've been here for three hours and had one visitor.  The price of my listing is $138,000, and the buyer is only qualified for $100,000.  She never would have called and made an appointment to see the house because she knew it was out of her budget, but because the house was OPEN, she stopped by.  Sure, the buyer and I got along great, we sat down at the kitchen table, and she  told me everything about her recent divorce, etc.  I think I have another listing that might work for her that is cheaper.  Great for me, huh?  Didn't help my poor seller who slaved over getting her house ready for yet another Sunday for me to hold the house open, for me to sit at her table with my laptop.

 

The house isn't going to sell because I did an Open House.  It's only going to sell if we lower the price again.  Every house will sell for the right price.  It's called current market value.  Once you hit that magic number, it will sell.  No advertising in the world is going to sell a house that is over-priced.  Today's buyers are too smart for that.  They have too much information at their fingertips, and know what they can get for their money.  If you're overpriced, they know it, and go elsewhere.  An Open House will never change that. 

 

If your house isn't selling, save yourself time and frustration.  Don't do an Open House......lower the darn price!  It will save you money in the long run!



Daily Journal - Greenwood seeking grants for Old Town facelift

Daily Journal - Greenwood seeking grants for Old Town facelift

Center Grove Walmart coming soon!

A new Walmart store in the Center Grove area has been approved, and you could see construction start as soon as this week.

Work on a parking lot and drainage pond for the new superstore could begin this week, and the company expects the new 152,434-square-foot store to open in September 2014. The store, which will sell groceries and feature a deli and a garden center, will be located on State Road 135, south of Smith Valley Road, near Home Depot.

The project already has gotten approvals from the city technical review committee and plan commission for its drainage plans. Greenwood’s board of public works and safety approved Walmart’s plans for drainage, parking and sewer lines Monday. That approval was the final one the company needed before starting construction.

Work on a parking lot and a drainage pond could begin this week, city engineer Mark Richards said.

And road work meant to improve traffic flow around the new store likely will begin next year.

The plan commission rejected two Walmart store proposals about 10 years ago that would have required annexing land and rezoning property in a neighboring subdivision from residential to commercial. The current site is where the retailer had planned a larger store in 2004.

This time, the land already was zoned for commercial development, and, even though residents raised concerns, the city could not turn down the store because it is an appropriate use for the property.

One of the top concerns residents raised was the impact on traffic, especially at the intersection of Smith Valley Road and State Road 135 that motorists said already is congested.

As part of building the new store, Walmart agreed to pay for road upgrades on the west side of State Road 135 and the south side of Smith Valley Road. The city wants Walmart to pay for a new median on Smith Valley Road, west of State Road 135, which is meant to stop left turns into nearby stores and home driveways, and to add a right-turn lane at the intersection.

The road work, meant to reduce traffic backups at the intersection, is estimated to cost about $150,000, Richards said. Walmart will pay the city to oversee the road work.

Construction likely won’t start until early next year because the city has to get bids from contractors. The city could hire a contractor by mid-October, but construction likely wouldn’t start then due to weather.

The city plans to finish the road work before the new Walmart opens in September 2014, he said.

Walmart next needs to apply for building permits from the city and can set a date to start construction on the building within the next month or so, said Dan Kuester, a civil design consultant for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Construction. The new store would be third Walmart in Johnson County.

The company still has to submit final building plans to the city and get the needed permits before building the actual store, Richards said. Walmart can submit plans and request building permits at any time, he said.

By KATE KNABLE
Daily Journal staff writer

Wondering what's gonna happen to the old Marsh on US 31?

By STEVE GARBACZ Daily Journal staff writer First Posted: August 06, 2013 - 10:20 pm Last Updated: August 06, 2013 - 10:21 pm

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Thousands of vehicles pass a former grocery store in Greenwood every day, but right now all drivers see is a window patched with plywood and semitrailers parked in the lot.
But by spring, the agent marketing a former grocery store building near U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road wants to have a new business in the building and develop two new spaces for banks or restaurants near the highway.
The building has been vacant for about a year after a Marsh grocery store closed — one of its three Indiana stores shut down last year.
In 2012, Greenwood officials were contacted by companies considering the building for an auto body shop or indoor golf facility. Walmart also considered moving in but decided to build a new store off State Road 135 instead, according to Doug Thompson, one of the building’s owners.


Ryan Zickler of Zickler Associates is marketing the property and received about 15 inquiries about the building in the past month. He plans to target types of stores that Greenwood doesn’t already have, such as a premium grocery store chain like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.
The 31,000-square-foot building is currently the largest vacant retail property in Greenwood, city planning and zoning director Ed Ferguson said. With the way the property is zoned, just about any retail or service business could use the site, he said.
About 38,000 vehicles pass by each day, and about the same amount of traffic travels by Greenwood Park Mall and the stores and shops around it, according to state traffic counts.
The building owner, investment company Black Diamond 880 LLC, waited to market the building because Walmart was considering the site, Thompson said. Allen Commercial Group worked with Walmart to find a new location in Greenwood late last year, Thompson said.
But the retailer instead decided to head west to the Center Grove area, where its plans to build a new store next door to Home Depot near State Road 135 and Smith Valley Road recently were approved. Walmart will open a 152,434-square-foot store at the site, which is about five times the size of the former Marsh building.
Once Walmart decided on another location, the building’s owners started looking for a new real estate firm to market the building. Over the past year, interest in the building has been low. City and local development officials initially heard about ideas for an auto body shop, indoor golf center or call center, but none has been officially proposed.
Zickler has created a list of companies that he plans to contact, instead of just waiting to see who calls him.
“We’re going to go after those users and occupants until they give us a good reason of no,” he said.
He also plans to develop two new lots on the property along U.S. 31, which could become sites for fast-food restaurants, banks or auto shops. Those smaller lots could get a high amount of interest due to the amount of traffic along U.S. 31 and Smith Valley Road, Zickler said.
Zickler said his schedule to have the site occupied by spring is aggressive. Retailers typically don’t make real estate decisions until the beginning of the year, he said. But he wants to contact companies before the holiday shopping season.
The vacant building needs work and detracts from other businesses in the highly traveled area, Johnson County Development Corp. Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Morphew and Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers said.
“The community is stuck with it. It would be ideal to backfill and bring it to life again,” Morphew said. “That’s a really busy intersection.”
Myers said he would like to see a sit-down restaurant as opposed to fast food, or a unique, niche retailer instead of a dollar store.
“I would really like to contact (the developer) and really go to more quality than low-end retail stores. We don’t want to be a discount row type place,” he said.

Johnson County tax sale

Daily Journal - County seeking unpaid taxes in property sale

Greenwood 5k Trail Trek

Presented by Performance Chiropractic

and Sports Rehabilitation

Saturday, September 14, 2013, 8 a.m.
Greenwood Community Center

Coming Soon: Register on-line.

This unique road race is run through historic downtown Greenwood along part of the city's trails system. The event features a combined 5 kilometer run and a non-competitive 5 kilometer run/walk. Proceeds go toward future expansion of the city's trails system.

2012 Greenwood Trail Trek RESULTS

2012 Race Route Map

Greenwood-Concert & Family Picnic!

Jun 28, 2013 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Greenwood Amphitheater
300 S Washington St 
Greenwood, IN 46143
[Location Details|Map]

Free hot dog, chips, cookies and drinks to the first 750 people. The picnic will be followed by the Greater Greenwood Community Band's annual patriotic concert. 

Pancakes in the Park & Touch a Truck

PANCAKES IN THE PARK

Join us for a pancake breakfast sponsored by University Heights Health & Living Community and Bob Evans Restaurants. Then receive early VIP admission to our newest community event, Touch-a-Truck sponsored by Bailey & Wood Financial Group. Breakfast must be paid for in advance. Call Nick Schwab at 881-4545 for information.

Ages: Everyone
Location: Parks Maintenance Building, Greenwood Middle School
Advance Registration: Required
Date: June 22, 2013
Time: 8a.m. SHARP
Fee: $5, per person (must pay in advance at the Greenwood Community Center)

Thank you to our 2013 partner: University Heights Health & Living Community

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TOUCH-A-TRUCK
The Greenwood Parks & Recreation Department has joined with Bailey & Wood Financial Group for an exciting new event -- Touch-a-Truck. Get in gear and bring the children out for a morning of fun with their hometown heroes and the vehicles they ride. There will be firetrucks, ambulances, construction vehicles and more. Kids will get the chance to sit behind the wheel, honk the horn and talk to the drivers. Receive VIP early admission by purchasing a ticket to Pancakes in the Park sponsored by University Heights Health & Living Community and Bob Evans Restaurants. Breakfast must be paid for in advance. Call Nick Schwab at 881-4545 for information.

Ages: Everyone
Location: Parks Maintenance Building, Greenwood Middle School
Advance Registration: Required for breakfast only.
Date: June 22, 2013
Time: 9a.m. - 1 p.m.
Fee: FREE

Thanks to our 2013 partner: Bailey & Wood Financial Group

Johnson County: A melting pot?

Over the past three years, minority residents have made up nearly half of the people moving into or being born in Johnson County.

White residents are still the predominant racial group in the county at more than 90 percent. But minority populations are increasing in Johnson County, and the number of white residents has decreased, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Population growth in Indiana has slowed since the economic downturn, but the growth in new Hoosiers is being driven by minorities, a state demographer said. The mostly white, baby boom generation in Indiana is aging, while younger minority groups, including African-Americans and Hispanics, are moving into the state, seeking jobs and starting new families.

Minorities made up about 40 percent of the 3,500 new residents in the county since 2010, according to the new Census numbers.

Hispanic residents made up the county’s largest minority population, with more than 4,700 residents in 2012, or about 3 percent of the total population, which was up about 10 percent from 2010, according to the numbers.

The number of Asian residents is growing fastest at the national level and also increasing locally as several international businesses in the county attract new residents from overseas, Franklin Mayor Joe McGuiness said. The number of Asian residents grew about 11 percent since 2010.

Marion County remains the most diverse county in central Indiana, with whites totaling about 59 percent of residents. Johnson County ranks third-most-diverse among seven central Indiana counties, with an 8.5 percent minority population.

That percentage is less than half of the state average of 18.5 percent.

Over the past three years, more people are moving out of the state than into it, so population growth in Indiana has been mostly driven by births, Matt Kinghorn, a demographer with the Indiana Business Research Center said.

The median age of the white population is about 40, compared to about 30 for African-American and Asian residents and 25 for Hispanics, Kinghorn said. Those numbers show that minority populations are younger and may be having more children than white residents.

Minority populations also tend to be more mobile, since they may not have two or three generations of family tied to a particular community, Kinghorn said. Growth in the Indianapolis area is heavily connected to job opportunities, and workers are moving to central Indiana for jobs and then starting families, he said.

That growth tends to be from younger families, he said.

Nationally, the Asian population is growing at the fastest rate among all groups, while Hispanics continue to be the largest minority group in the nation, according to census data.

Asian residents in the county make up about 2.1 percent of the population, a rate higher than the state average of about 1.6 percent. Johnson County’s numbers are boosted by several international businesses, which are bringing executives and staff from overseas.

Unlike other minority groups, growth in the Asian population nationally is being fueled more by immigration than births, Kinghorn said.

With regions like China rapidly expanding, foreign businesses are locating in the U.S., and students are coming to America to study at universities.

Eight Japanese companies are located in Franklin, for example, and company representatives from Japan live and work in the county, McGuinness said. A company may cycle a new president in every few years, but other foreign office staff typically remains unchanged, he said.

Greenwood has had a rise in the number of Sikhs from India. The group formed a temple in the city and has an annual parade, Greenwood assistant police chief Matt Fillenwarth said.

The county remains predominantly white, but in his 10 years with the police department Fillenwarth has needed to find translators who speak Spanish, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Hindi, he said.

“I never necessarily thought of Greenwood as the melting pot. If you would have told me 10 years I was going to be in a Sikh parade, I would have been like, ‘What?’” he said.

Minority statistics can be a helpful tool for governments to keep an eye on how their population or workforce is changing, Kinghorn said.

For example, if an area has a rapidly growing Hispanic population, a community may need to invest in English-learning programs for students or adults in the workforce, he said.

By STEVE GARBACZ
Daily Journal staff writer

Did you know? Steve Alford was born at Johnson Memorial Hospital!

Daily Journal - Native son, basketball star returning to birthplace

CG schools getting upgrades

Daily Journal - After long wait, upgrades to high school on the way

Another alternative to a POD, in Greenwood

Daily Journal - Holy COW, company offers container storage

Large shopping center planned for County Line & Emerson

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Shops, restaurants and medical offices have brought more people and traffic to County Line Road, near Interstate 65, but the area is expected to get a whole lot busier in the next few years.

Three new restaurants, a hotel and a gas station are planned on the Indianapolis side of Emerson Avenue and County Line Road, just west of the interstate exit. Larger stores are expected to follow shortly after.

Developer Allen Commercial Group is planning Claybrooke Commons, a 59-acre shopping center that likely would have a few large stores, smaller retailers and more restaurants just north of the Hilton Garden Inn. As development fills in, the interchange will start to look more like the Southport exit, where shoppers flock to Target, Meijer and other large retailers, Allen Commercial Group director of leasing John Cunningham said.

The developer expects that a 100,000-square-foot store will anchor the development, which potentially would be home to two or three large stores. Cunningham said he’s already had talks with a few national retailers such as Costco, which wasn’t interested in adding an Indiana location at this time.

“The site is so large that it will require an anchor to kick it off,” Cunningham said. “There will be outlots, and it will be done in phases.”

Eventually, Claybrooke Commons could have up to 400,000 square feet in retail and restaurant space.

Allen Commercial Group pitched the proposed shopping center to prospective tenants at a recent conference in Las Vegas. The company hopes to lure big retailers that don’t have locations around Greenwood Park Mall or at the Southport interchange.

The Greenwood-based developer has invested $650,000 in site improvements to develop the northeast corner of the intersection. The work included an access road, which will run to new restaurants and stores, and a longer turn lane along Emerson Avenue, which currently narrows into a chute when you cross north past County Line Road.

Indianapolis has long-term plans to widen Emerson Avenue between I-65 and County Line Road but has no timetable or schedule for the project, according to the city’s strategic plan for the area. More than 20,000 cars a day pass through that intersection.

City officials have no immediate plans to expand the road but could revisit the need for road work if the volume of traffic significantly increased as a result of the development or if enough residents complained, Indianapolis Department of Public Works spokeswoman Leslie Gordon said.

Vehicles headed north on Emerson Avenue get backed up because the road is five lanes on the Greenwood side and shrinks to two lanes in Indianapolis.

The Greenwood side of the intersection is home to a Walmart store, Gander Mountain outdoor retailer, a Buffalo Wild Wings, strip malls and rows of medical offices. That side developed first because Greenwood widened Emerson Avenue to five lanes and it’s the direction most motorists are headed on their commutes home from work in Indianapolis, Greenwood planning director Ed Ferguson said.

But development has started to take off on the north side of County Line Road as well. A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant is under construction at the northwest corner of the intersection, in an outlot of a shopping center that’s anchored by a Kroger supermarket.

A Shell gas station with a Circle K convenience store is planned on the northeast corner, Cunningham said. The sit-down restaurants Cheddar’s Casual Café and Bagger Dave’s Legendary Burgers Tavern also plan to open their first southside locations at that corner.

Texas-based Cheddar’s, which offers steaks, sandwiches and other American fare, has Indiana locations in Avon, Bloomington, Fort Wayne and Mishawaka. Bagger Dave’s, which is owned by one of the largest Buffalo Wild Wings franchisees in the Midwest, has an Indianapolis location near Zionsville. The Michigan-based restaurant dishes out gourmet burgers and craft beers.

Construction of the restaurants is expected to begin soon, Cunningham said.

Sprague Companies, which owns the nearby Hilton Garden Inn and the Holiday Inn Express in Greenwood, also purchased land nearby. The company plans to build another hotel at the interchange, but it’s likely to be a long-term project, director of new construction Judy Hoovler said.

“We’re excited to see what Allen can do with Claybrooke Commons,” she said. “We have hope that area will do well.”

By JOSEPH S. PETE
Daily Journal staff writer

Protect your home from thieves when it's for sale

Home for sale? Protect your property

May 29, 2013 2:38 AM  |  

← Return to Safe Homes

Staying safe after you buy

Most homeowners know it’s a good idea to change the locks after taking possession of a new home. These additional measures can help ensure your home’s security.

Watch your trash. It’s fun to treat yourself to a new TV in your new home. Just don’t leave the box on your front lawn as an advertisement for thieves. Take it to a Dumpster.

Plant some green deterrents. Prickly roses or holly bushes in front of windows can discourage burglars, who often want to avoid even the smallest amount of pain, said Leslie Piper, a California Realtor.

Invest in a home security system. The monitoring company’s sign is a known deterrent, Piper said.

Know your neighbors. Introduce yourself and get to know the residents living nearby. There’s no substitute for good neighbors.

“Building a network within your community and in your neighborhood is very important,” Piper said.

A home on the market is an easy target for thieves. Open houses and showings literally can open the door to shady characters with sticky fingers.

Leslie Piper, a veteran Realtor in California, tells the story of a client who stashed her grandmother’s watch in an underwear drawer, thinking it would be safe there. A few weeks passed, and the watch disappeared.

“It is such a clear example that you can’t assume people won’t open drawers” when touring a for-sale home, Piper said. “Your underwear drawer may be the first place they look.”

Fortunately, homeowners can take simple steps to prevent burglaries and protect their home during the selling process.

Hide the valuables. Criminals are looking for small items they can slip into a pocket, purse or backpack. Lock away the valuables or at least hide them in spots that would create extra work for would-be thieves, Piper said. Box up the good silverware and put it in the back of a closet, behind the winter coats and board games. Hide smaller items in a shoebox under the far side of the bed.

Consider what’s valuable. Diamond earrings are an obvious target. But what about your spare car key? Don’t risk waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of someone driving your car away.

Lock away your bills, too, so you don’t share your credit card and other account numbers with everyone who walks through your open home.

“Nowadays, someone can steal a credit card and buy new furniture online,” Piper said.

Install a security system. A good home security system can keep visitors from coming back later to help themselves to your possessions, Piper said. Also consider using motion-sensor lights and security cameras to keep an eye on anyone hanging around outside.

Check your doors and windows. Sometimes a door or window will be left unlocked after a showing. Or a thief could crack a window with the intention of returning.

Give your empty home a lived-in look. If you move before you sell, consider leaving behind some furnishings to make the place look occupied. Invest in a few lamps that are set on timers, Piper said. Ask neighbors to grab mail, newspapers or flyers that show up, and have them call you if anything looks amiss.

YMCA coming to Greenwood?

Daily Journal - Market study shows enough local people would utilize new facility

Have you heard about CityWay? Cool downtown living/staying/working/eating etc.

Discover  what perfect  planning means CityWay is the best of everything a city needs, conveniently where you want it – right here in the neighborhood. At the heart of this city is CityWay. Filled with places to live, and live wonderfully. An urban community where you can walk to the bank. Take a shortcut through the park. Pick up fresh takeout and it's still hot when you get home. Work here. Work out here. Dine here. Stay here. Live here. That's the way life should be. That's life the CityWay. www.cityway.com for more info!