How to Find an Indianapolis Mortgage/Home Loan: Will Credit Checks Hurt My Credit Score?

by Jess Martin

Will credit checks hurt my credit rating?

When a person is ready to buy a house in Indianapolis, they typically look to their real estate agent - me - for advice on how to handle the process of finding the best rate for their home loan and ensuring approval.

How to find the best interest rates on a mortgage/home loan in Indiana can involve researching multiple lenders and I always suggest that my clients do so. However, my clients are naturally concerned that having several different companies pull their credit reports will affect their FICO scores - the credit report/history kept by the major credit reporting bureaus.

While it's always important to be cautious with something important as your credit rating, there are several things to understand about how credit bureaus look at such things when calculating your credit score for an Indianapolis mortgage loan.

Yes, multiple applications and inquiries can have an adverse affect on your FICO score.

However, and this is very important, the bureaus view inquiries quite differently when they can see that an individual or couple is "credit shopping." This involves looking for the best interest rates when attempting to secure a loan for a major purchase like a house or car.

Essentially, if you have several inquiries from different Indiana mortgage companies within a short period of time (typically about 30 days) the credit bureaus understand that you are "credit shopping" and these requests to pull credit do NOT hurt your credit score.

But do NOT draw out that shopping over a long period of time (a few months) otherwise your credit score indeed may be nicked.

Here's an excellent article that details far more about this subject.

When you're interested in buying a house in Indianapolis, including Central Indy, Midtown, Downtown Indianapolis, and Broad Ripple, contact me for a chat and no-obligation advice on your best options.

My Featured Indianapolis House for Sale: 5219 Channing Road, Indianapolis, IN

Three Bedroom Broad Ripple/Indianapolis House (Ranch) for Sale

Thinking about making a move to convenient, Midtown Indianapolis? Buying a house in Broad Ripple is a fantastic investment for first time home buyers or anyone looking to be in the middle of the convenient (and trendy) urban revitalization of Indy.

Here's a quick tour of a Broad Ripple house for sale that I just listed. Interested? Email or call me right away for more info and to schedule a showing.

6699 Broadway Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

Three Bedrooms and Two Baths

Fantastic Broad Ripple House for Sale. A great location and recently updated.

Move-in ready with hardwood floors in living and dining rooms and kitchen.

A great kitchen and peaceful dining room.

The kitchen and dining room combine for some nice space for scrumptious meals.

Great front windows provide plenty of light.

The Sun Room adds additional living area with cool retro fireplace as the feature.

All brick exterior with a large fully fenced back yard offering mature trees and large wood deck make for a perfect place to entertain.

The Master Bedroom

Bedroom Two (or Office Space)

Bedroom Three

Master Bathroom

Perfect location! Walking distance to Monon Trail, Canal Towpath and all things Broad Ripple.

The Laundry Room

Contact me, Jess Martin, your Central Indy Real Estate Expert with the Indy Real Estate Experts for more information. Email me or call 317-650-8590.

See More Information Here: Broad Ripple House for Sale: 6699 Broadway Street, Indianapolis

Green Neighborhoods in Midtown Indy: Revitalization Plans for Indianapolis' Tarkington Park

by Jess Martin

Would you like to see a brand new Tarkington Park in Indianapolis?

As a nearby resident who is a big fan of our area as a fantastic place to live in Indy, I'm excited at the recently announced plans by the city to invest $5 million dollars into upgrading this important green space.

Contact Me for Advice on Buying or Selling a House in Central/Midtown Indy

Just as importantly, it's the centerpiece of an approach to strengthen the amenities and business environment of the entire area. Simply put, beautiful parks are great for homeowners and for business owners!

The plan is to make Tarkington Park in Indianapolis a neighborhood destination for the more than 30,000 people who live within a 15-minute walk of the park.

That includes me; I live just a few blocks from Tarkington Park and love helping people buy and sell houses in this part of Central Indy - a very cool place to live that I'm happy to call home.

Here's the Tarkington Park "Master Plan."

I wanted to bring this to the attention of other stakeholders and fans of this Northside area at 39th and Illinois streets. If you'd like to see this area grow even more, your support and voice needs to be heard by Mayor Greg Ballard's office and the Indianapolis City Council, a group that still needs to confirm the initiative.

Unfortunately, there are some political entanglements with the plan that need to be straightened out.

Read about the political problems involved in this article from The Indy Star.

My thanks to the folks at Midtown Indianapolis for alerting me to this new opportunity. They'll also be leading the charge to help ensure that a Tarkington Park revitalization does come to fruition.

I'll keep you abreast, and you can also sign up for the Midtown Indy email newsletter or Like them on Facebook.

Indianapolis House for Sale from The Indy Real Estate Experts

   

5219 Channing Road, Indianapolis, IN

Check out this beautiful 4 Bed, 3 Bath home that boasts an updated kitchen with granite counter tops & all stainless steel appliances. Perfect for entertaining, the first floor kitchen, formal dining room and living room are all open to each other. The lower level family room with a wet bar and fireplace offers another place to entertain or relax! This home includes updates galore with built-ins, crown molding, two fireplaces, & a gorgeous back patio. All this on a nearly 1 acre, tree-lined lot!

Email Jess Martin for Information on This House

5 Tips to Ready any Residential Real Estate for the Market

With this latest snow storm, I know many of you are thinking spring will never arrive, but it will be here before you know it and there are things you can do now to get your property ready if you plan to list soon. Here are a few tips on what to work on now to make sure your home will look its best when the For Sale sign goes up.

1. The Kitchen:

The kitchen must pop.  These days, stainless steel is the way to go with regard to appliances.  The next best thing to stainless is a faux stainless or black.  The key is to make sure they all match in color.  Appliances are easy to find on ebay, Craig's List, Freecycle, and Facebook.
Clear the clutter from the counters!  Put the toaster oven, knife set, spice rack, etc away (pack them up or find space in the cabinets).  Clear countertops to make the kitchen look large with plenty of prep area.  Take all of the photos, papers, magnets, everything-off of the refrigerator and other appliances.  This clutters the space and hides the appliances.  Clean the sink with Bar Keeper's Friend (if its stainless steel).

2. The Entry:

Sweep front entry and clear the cobwebs.  Remember buyers stand here waiting for the Realtor to open the door. Add pops of color using a new, brightly colored welcome mat, sweep away dirt and debris before showings.  If the weather permits, add a contemporary pot of fresh flowers....be sure to keep them healthy with proper water and sunlight, of course.  Make sure the patio lights works, clean the windows on the storm door and any other windows in the front entry area (later I'll tell you to clean all of the windows-inside and out...it really does work).

3. Declutter the entire house:

You're moving anyway, so....PURGE!  Clean out closets, shelves, drawers, cubbies, nooks, crannies.  Combine like items into one area, remove collector's items and other valuables (pack them, you're moving!), organize cabinets, be sure all of the lights in every lamp and light fixture have working bulbs, and dust everything (shelves, t.v.'s, dressers, buffets, tables, furniture, etc).  Pack up little trinkets.  Small trinkets clutter the house and make it look small....use big decorative pieces such as large pictures, plants, vases, lamps, buffets, end tables, etc.

4. Bathrooms:

 Next to the kitchen, the master bedroom (which we'll talk about below), and the bathrooms are the most important rooms in the home.  These rooms must be in tip top condition.  If there is a budget for remodeling, it should be spent on the kitchen, bathrooms, and master bedroom (typically in that order).  Make sure all of the lights are working with working bulbs everywhere there are light bulbs.  Clean sinks, mirrors, windows, toilets, bathtubs, and flooring.  Place fresh soap and linens out (folded neatly), and place a nice rug in the center of the floor.  Remove old shampoos and soaps that clutter the bath area, organize linen closets...fold towels and sheets neatly and take out what isn't being used...pack it away so the closets don't look stuffed full and cluttered.

5. Master Bedroom:

 Declutter.  Remove out of season clothing and pack it away.  Use the same type of hangers throughout all of the closet area.  File clothing from short sleeve to long sleeve and from light to dark colors.  Put pants and dresses all together in their own area. You want this room to look as if you have plenty of room and are not over flowing with "stuff".

 

Planning on listing your property this spring? Call me today to set up a free home evaluation. I'll walk through your home with you and discuss things that you can do now so that your home will SELL FAST for the MOST amount of money!

Indianapolis Home Warranty Facts

by Jessica Cook Martin

I've recently been working with several first-time home buyers in Indianapolis and we've spent some time discussing home warranties.

I have a warranty on my own house and think they are a great option for first-time home buyers - the peace of mind they offer someone who's invested a big chunk of their future in the purchase of real estate can't be overstated.

That's especially true for couples like my husband and I who live in an older home that requires a lot of care and TLC. Home warranties in Indianapolis don't make sense for everyone (I think that's important to point out) but if you plan to sell, they can also be a wonderful selling feature!

I thought I'd offer a bit of information on home warranties so you can make an informed decision of your own.

If I may answer any other questions you have about home warranties in Indiana - or provide advice on buying or selling a house in Indy - please feel free to drop me a line here or call.

Keep in mind that - just like any insurance policy - home warranty specifics vary greatly from policy-to-policy and company-to-company. There are also different legalities in some states.

Home Warranty Overview

If a home system or appliance breaks or stops working, the home owner calls the home warranty company.

The home warranty company calls a provider with which it has a business arrangement.

The provider calls to make an appointment with you.

The provider fixes the problem. If an appliance is malfunctioning and cannot be repaired, depending on contract coverage, the home warranty company will pay to replace and install the appliance.

The home owner pays a negligible fee similar to a deductible (normally less than $100).

Here's a Good Article on Home Warranty Facts

Information on Indiana NEW HOME Warranty Law

Indianapolis House for Sale: 5219 Channing Road, Indianapolis, IN

Check out this beautiful 4 Bed, 3 Bath home that boasts an updated kitchen with granite counter tops & all stainless steel appliances. Perfect for entertaining, the first floor kitchen, formal dining room and living room are all open to each other. The lower level family room with a wet bar and fireplace offers another place to entertain or relax! This home includes updates galore with built-ins, crown molding, two fireplaces, & a gorgeous back patio. All this on a nearly 1 acre, tree-lined lot!

Broad Ripple Village 2014 Events and Activities

Yes, we've just barely slipped into 2014, but I wanted to provide some info on upcoming events in the Broad Ripple area that are indicative of the awesome lifestyle available to those who buy a house and choose to live in this thriving community.

Ready to Buy or Sell a Broad Ripple or Central Indy House? Contact Jess Martin for Advice

Chief among those impressive events is the Broad Ripple Art Fair, the primary fundraiser for the Indianapolis Art Center. This year it's scheduled for May 17 and 18, 2014, with a preview party kicking things off on Friday, May 16th. More than 225 professional artists will display their work.

Because Cupid is Stupid

Runners, come hit Broad Ripple for the Singles Dash 5K on February 15, 2014. Release your Valentines Day frustrations...whatever they are.

Post-Holiday Recycling Event

Clear away the holiday mess and be green by recycling the stuff at Broad Ripple Park on Saturday, January 11, 2014 from 10a-2p. Here's what they take:

Real Christmas trees (cleared off)​

​Gift boxes

​Cardboard boxes

​Styrofoam

​Old electronics

​​Magazines and catalogs. 

Get More Information

Follow signs within the park to the specific drop-off locations.

​Broad Ripple Park, 1610 Broad Ripple Ave., front entrance.

Winter/Spring 2014 Classes at Broad Ripple Park

Broad Ripple House for Sale: 5138 Ralston Ave.