Real Estate
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Recap September 2011
The homes for sale in Chesterton Indiana has continued to increase again in September for the eight consistent month!! This is not only incredible in itself but compared to national and regional averages, Chesterton Indiana is the place to sell a home in today’s market!
With the increased price of $229,850 for a single family home in Chesterton Indiana, sellers can expect the property to sell in 234 days, just a 2 day increase from August.
Buyers looking in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market today may be paying a little more for their home but with month-to-month increases can be more optimistic that the value of their home will remain the same or increase over time as well.
At this month’s median price of $229,850 you can expect:
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
- .25 – .50 acres
- 2,054 square footage
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Month At A Glance:
- 24 New Listings
- 38 Sold Listings
- 196 Homes Listed
- 234 Average Days on Market
Do you or someone you know want to buy a home and/or sell a home in Chesterton Indiana?
Call or text 219-649-1296 or email me (jim@jimsimshomes.com) to help you get started!
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Recap August 2011
The weather may be cooling down but Chesterton Indiana real estate market is remaining hot. The median home prices continue to increase once again in August to $222,000. This is another $2,100 median price increase over July 2011’s increase of $5,000.
With the median prices of Chesterton Indiana homes for sale are increasing, the average days it takes to sell in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market has increased another week from 218 to 225 days before being sold. Even though it takes a little longer to sell, it is selling for a higher price which is good for sellers and buyers that may look to sell in the future.
With prices continually increasing in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market, it shows signs that Chesterton Indiana is the place people want to live.
At this month’s median price of $222,000 you can expect:
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
- .25 – .50 acres
- 2,054 square footage
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Month At A Glance:
- 29 New Listings
- 42 Sold Listings
- 211 Homes Listed
- 232 Average Days on Market
Do you or someone you know want to buy a home and/or sell a home in Chesterton Indiana?
Call or text 219-649-1296 or email me (jim@jimsimshomes.com) to help you get started!
Real Estate Market Watch Munster Indiana 9/02/11
September 5, 2011 by Steve Cardwell · 1 Comment
Munster Indiana Market Pulse:
Munster Indiana home prices experienced a Spring price bump up. But more recently prices have fallen back near their earlier bottom resistance threshold.
Despite the price situation, overall, the market for residential homes in Munster has been strengthening with gradually more homes per week being sold, and the average home still requiring about 6 month to sell. The median price of Munster Indiana homes is currently $229,000, roughly the same plateau it had been at the beginning of the year. The current market is stable and unremarkable with few changes in any of the fundamental charts. Prices rallied at the end of June up to a median price of $239,000 but fell back down again in August to the low point they are now and were back in the Spring.
Featured Listing:
This modest and affordable Cape Cod style home is in the heart of Munster’s Independence Park neighborhood. This hideaway enclave has no thru-streets which enhances the village feel and your privacy. The practical sensibilities of this 1940′s style home may transport you back to another time, but this is the real deal. With updated electrical and plumbing, new siding and roof, what’s not to love? As a bonus, there are hardwood floors under the carpeting if you want to go all the way with a retro look. At just $100 per square foot and low taxes, this Featured Listing is a great deal.
Like what you see? Contact me for a preview, or for your own custom Buyer’s Search profile, with listings selected according to your own selection terms. These bulletins are automatically emailed directly to your Inbox for your evaluation each time there is an update in “your” market.
Munster is on the move so take advantage of the economic factors favoring move up buyers; whatever your price range. If you have outgrown your apartment or condo, this home would make a perfect move. Contact me for complete information.
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Recap July 2011
Chesterton Indiana continues to prove that the real estate market is not in a continuing downslide still.
Median home prices have increased once again this to $219,900. This is another $5,000 median price increase over July 2011.
While the median prices of Chesterton Indiana homes are increasing, the average days it takes to sell in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market has increased from 218 on average to 225. Even though it takes a little longer to sell, it is selling for a higher price which is good for sellers and buyers that may look to sell in the future.
Buyers in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market can continue to review the median prices along with the average days on market to determine what position they will be in within the market when they become the seller in the coming years.
At this month’s median price of $219,900 you can expect:
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
- .25 – .50 acres
- 1,995 square footage
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Month At A Glance:
- 36 New Listings
- 28 Sold Listings
- 224 Homes Listed
- 225 Average Days on Market
Do you or someone you know want to buy a home and/or sell a home in Chesterton Indiana?
Call or text 219-649-1296 or email me (jim@jimsimshomes.com) to help you get started!
Valparaiso Real Estate – Uptown Café is Coffee and So Much More
August 2, 2011 by Jason Chatwell · 2 Comments
With being such a young business, Valparaiso Indiana’s Uptown Café has established itself as an upscale coffee shop, restaurant, meeting place, art gallery and so much more.
From the moment you walk in the door, you can see why people congregate here. With the sealed concrete floors, large open space, fireplace and lots of comfy couches and tables to sit at, Uptown Café boasts itself as a contemporary but comfortable place to eat or even conduct casual business meetings. In fact, they even have private meeting rooms available for the not so casual business meetings.
If the food is what you’re really interested in, try Uptown Café’s Sushi. Every Tuesday night, they serve the most delicious Sushi around. This isn’t just your everyday California Roll either. It is real, to die for Sushi!
Looking for a place to hang out and read a book? Uptown is it. Stop in on a Saturday morning and have one of their delicious lattes and relax by the fireplace in an oversized arm chair and dive into your latest read.
If you’re looking to purchase a home in Valparaiso Indiana, don’t forget to make Uptown Café one of your first visits.
Whether you’re a first time homebuyer and looking for your starter home or a growing family looking for a larger custom built home, you can find your dream home near Uptown Cafe in Valparaiso Indiana. Call or text me at 707-408-3399 to discuss your family situation and your home needs.
Rogers Lakewood Park – Valparaiso Indiana Real Estate Gem
July 8, 2011 by Jason Chatwell · 4 Comments
Are you looking to purchase your dream home in Valparaiso Indiana? Do you want to know what activities there are for you and the family? You’re not the only one.
There are plenty of family things to do in Valparaiso Indiana. Watch a kid-friendly movie at the Cinemark Theater. Grab a bite to eat at one of the many downtown restaurants. You can even treat the whole family at Pat’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Better yet…you could even take a whole day and go to Rogers Lakewood Park, one of Valparaiso’s real estate gems.
Rogers Lakewood Park is located on the northwest side of Valparaiso Indiana. It is nestled between Loomis Lake and Spectacle Lake and has tons of activities for the entire family.
You can have a picnic and eat at one of several shelters in the park. Afterward you could play disc golf on the 24 hole disc golf course or go skateboard at Flounder Skate Park.
Not a fan of alternative sports? You can rent paddle boats, do a little nature hiking or several other activities. Rogers Lakewood Park even offers Discovery Day Camps for the kids and hayrides in the fall. Rest assure that there are plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained at Rogers Lakewood Park.
If Rogers Lakewood Park is what you consider to be an ideal place to spend time with your family, let me help you find your next home in Valparaiso Indiana.
Whether you’re a first time homebuyer and looking for your starter home or a growing family looking for a larger custom built home, you can find your dream home near Rogers Lakewood Park a Valparaiso Indiana real estate gem. Call or text me at 707-408-3399 to discuss your family situation and your home needs.
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Recap June 2011
July 8, 2011 by Jim Sims · Leave a Comment
It is a great time to sell a home or buy a home in the Chesterton Real Estate market!!
Median home prices have increased once again this to $214,900. While it is a slow increase since February 2011, the real estate market is doing a steady increase.
Along with the increased median prices, the average days it takes to sell in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market is decreasing. For June 2011, the average days on market before selling was 218, down 7 days from May 2011 at 225 days to sell.
This is a good indication for those selling homes in the Chesterton Indiana real estate that they will be able to sell their home faster for closer to their listed price than in previous months.
Buyers in the Chesterton Indiana real estate market can continue to review the median prices along with the average days on market to determine what position they will be in within the market when they become the seller in the coming years.
At this month’s median price of $214,900 you can expect:
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
- .25 – .50 acres
- 1,960 square footage
Chesterton Indiana Real Estate Month At A Glance:
- 41 New Listings
- 32 Sold Listings
- 233 Homes Listed
- 217 Average Days on Market
Do you or someone you know want to buy a home and/or sell a home in Chesterton Indiana?
Call or text 219-649-1296 or email me (jim@jimsimshomes.com) to help you get started!
It Pays to Support Responsible Homeownership
June 29, 2011 by WelcomeHomeNWI · 7 Comments
Helping others become homeowners protects your home’s value and builds stronger communities.
Doing your part to help other Americans gain a foothold on the homeownership ladder doesn’t just help them. You’ll benefit both your community and your own pocketbook.
When people move from renting to owning a home, they’re more likely to vote, get involved in community groups, and care about their home’s appearance. The children of homeowners do 23% better in school, according to a 2001 study by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. And a steady flow of first-time homebuyers makes it easier to sell your own starter home when you’re ready to move up to a larger property.
Make housing affordable
One way to make more people homeowners is to make housing more affordable. All U.S. homeowners benefit from policies like the mortgage interest tax deduction. Many use government-backed mortgage insurance to lower loan costs. A variety of public and private programs offer low-cost loans and downpayment assistance to help Americans become homeowners. Help prospective homeowners save a downpayment by donating to sites like EARN, a non-profit that uses donations to match funds saved by low-wage earners.
Reduce foreclosures and preserve home value
Foreclosure matters because it hurts all homeowners. In 2009, foreclosures will cause property values to decline an average of $7,200 for about 70 million homeowners, resulting in a $502 billion loss in home equity, the Center for Responsible Lending estimates. Each foreclosure within 1/8th of a mile of your home lowers your property value about 0.744 percent, CRL says.
“One of the sad lessons of the [recent past] is that we aren’t alone,” says Nicolas P. Retsinas, director of the JCHS. “It’s clear that if the family next door loses their home to foreclosure, my home’s value will go down. Therefore, I have a vested interest in ensuring that people become homeowners and that homeownership is sustained over time.”
One effective tool against foreclosure is educating homeowners before they buy. The Joint Center found that loan delinquencies fell 13% with homeownership counseling. People who go through pre-purchase and post-purchase counseling and learn about mortgages, family budgeting, and home maintenance are less apt to face foreclosure, says Michael Berti, senior homeownership specialist at the Rural Ulster Preservation Company in Kingston, N.Y.
Support groups that help homeowners
One way to do your part to help other homeowners is by donating your time or money to some of the many non-profits that promote responsible homeownership.
Habitat for Humanity partners with new homeowners to build affordable housing. Habitat homes aren’t free. Homeowners work hundreds of hours, get homeownership counseling, and make mortgage payments.
The United Way supports many local programs that build affordable housing, help families build financial assets, and teach financial management skills. If you donate to United Way, you can direct your contribution to those causes.
HomeownershipSF, in San Francisco, tries to intervene where people facing foreclosure have the resources to catch up on their loan. If “the home can’t be saved, we try to get a first-time homebuyer we’ve worked with into the home as quickly as possible to stabilize the neighborhood,” says Interim Director Christi Baker.
Government programs support homeownership
Supporting federal state, and local programs that help create homeowners is another way you can expand responsible and affordable homeownership.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Housing Authority provide mortgage loan insurance or guarantees that let people buy homes with only a small downpayment and borrow at lower interest rates.
Government-sponsored groups Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and government-run Ginnie Mae buy and securitize mortgage loans made by banks, freeing up money, so banks can keep lending.
Sites like Govtrack and RollCall help you stay on top of laws that affect homeowners.
HUD’s HOME program provides financial support to state and local housing authorities to build and renovate for-sale and rental housing for lower-income Americans.
In U.S. cities of all sizes, the HOPE VI program has funded plans to replace deteriorating public housing with new low-rise, mixed-income homes. These developments sell most homes at market rates, but designate a percentage for use by low-income homeowners.
How to get involved
You can support responsible homeownership in many ways. Retired construction contractors France and Bill Moriarity travel the country in their RV managing Habitat construction projects. “We like it because it’s a hand up, not a hand out,” France Moriarity says. Habitat volunteers don’t need construction skills and can sign up to work as little as one day at a time. Groups can volunteer together. Organizations like Rebuilding Together and NeighborWorks America sponsor once yearly volunteer events that help lower-income homeowners repair their homes.
In San Francisco, Gregg Lynn convinced 150 people from his professional network to donate a percentage of their income to EARN. Follow his lead by asking your professional network, trade association, or social group to contribute.
By: Dona DeZube
Published: September 08, 2009Dona DeZube has been writing about real estate for over two decades. She lives a suburban Baltimore 1970s rancher on a 3-acre lot shared with possums, raccoons, foxes, a herd of deer, and her blue-tick hound.
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
2011 NWI Home Builders Association Parade of Homes
June 18, 2011 by WelcomeHomeNWI · Leave a Comment
Looking for something to do this Father’s Day weekend? Take dad out and tour 50 homes scattered throughout Northwest Indiana in Lake County and Porter County.
Unlike years past, the price of admission to tour the 2011 Home Builders Association of Northwest Indiana Parade of Homes is free. You can pick up a guide to all the parade homes in Northwest Indiana from any of the following grocery stores:
This years parade of homes is a scattered site parade.
What does it mean? Think of 2011 NWI Home Builders Association Parade of Homes as a scavenger hunt. By touring and visiting at least 10 of the 50 parade homes, you could be eligible to win a nice price.
Simply pick up a stamp card at any parade home and have it stamped at any of the parade homes that you visit. Once you have at minimum 10 verified visits, drop it off at any of the 2011 NWI Home Builders Association Parade Homes to be entered to win of the following prizes:
51″ Samsung Flat Screen Plasma TV courtesy of Hometown Appliance & Electronics
HGTV Green Queen Mattress by Serta courtesy of Maruszczak Appliances
Although the 2011 NWI Home Builders Association Parade of Homes began June 11th, it still continues through Father’s Day on Sunday June 19th. The parade homes will be open from 1 PM – 6 PM so make sure you plan your home tour accordingly. Just remember to have fun on your house hunting adventure.
If you tour a 2011 NWI Home Builders Association Parade of Homes that meets your housing needs, contact one of the qualified Realtors partnered with WelcomeHomeNWI to get proper home buyers representation.
