Indianapolis Is Most Affordable City to Buy a Home

Debating on whether or not you should buy a home?  Don’t debate to much longer!

With the extension and expansion of the tax credit for first time and repeat home buyers as well as Indianapolis being named the most affordable city to buy a home by Money Magazine, now is the time to buy. 

Interest rates are still low, which is just one more incentive when considering that purchase!

With the home prices, low interest rates many times you will pay less monthly to purchase a home as opposed to renting an apartment or home.  And you get to claim any interest paid on your mortgage, as well as property taxes paid when filing your taxes.

There are so many benefits to home ownership & now is a great time to buy!

Feel free to contact me if you are looking to buy, build or sell in the central Indiana area!

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI

www.dawnwhalen.com

317-893-0648

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REALTOR EARNS GRI TITLE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REALTOR® EARNS GRI TITLE

An Indiana REALTOR® was recently awarded the Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation.

The MIBOR member who completed the curriculum required to achieve the highly acclaimed designation is Dawn Whalen, of Keller Williams Realty- Indy Metro South. She joins other top producers in the residential real estate industry who hold the designation across the nation.

Dawn Whalen earned the “Graduate REALTOR® Institute” (GRI) designation by attending a specific, intensive series of a minimum of 90 hours of classroom instruction, covering a variety of subjects including: contract law, professional standards, sales and marketing, finance, and risk reduction.

In addition, they have learned the fundamentals of brokerage and other areas of real estate specialization. With this designation and through increased awareness of current topics important to the real estate professional, such as legal issues, these REALTORS® can better serve prospective clients and customers.

The REALTOR® Institute is designed to educate practitioners about local, state and national real estate practices that affect them, their clients and customers. The Institute is taught by leading real estate professionals from around the country.

The GRI designation sets the individuals who have attained it apart from other practitioners because it indicates to the public that the individual has obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base the services they provide and that they are a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Obtaining the GRI designation is a beneficial way for a REALTOR® to advance their professional image. The extra measure of knowledge and prestige achieved by completing this course work is a tool that will advance a career in real estate on attracting and building new business.

The REALTOR® Institute has been in existence more than twenty-five years and has graduated thousands of REALTORS®.

For more information about GRI contact your State Association.

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Tax Credit at a Glance

Questions about the tax credit?  Below is a brief overview in regards to the extended $8000.00 tax credit & the expanded $6500.00 tax credit.

$8000.00 Tax Credit

•The $8,000 tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.

•The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

•The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.

•The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

•The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.

•For homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

•For homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

$6,500 Move-Up / Repeat Home Buyer Tax Credit

•To be eligible to claim the tax credit, buyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years.

•The tax credit does not have to be repaid.

•The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.

•The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.

•The credit is available for homes purchased after November 6,2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase qualifies provided it is completed by June 30, 2010.

•Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

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My Poor House Plants

Well, the colder weather has arrived and the houseplants that thrived on the deck all spring, summer & early fall have been moved back inside. 

Unfortunately when the plants are inside they don’t do so well.  I’ve never had much of a green thumb, but the plants I have are special to me, and I am going to have to keep them alive thru the winter. 

I have a golden pothos, that started out tiny.  It was a 1998 Mothers Day gift from my kids.  I no longer have the planter it came in, which was a double headed swan.  The plant grew, and was separated and now is in two large pots.

I also have a Spider plant that my sister gave me a start to in 1998 as well.  That start has now became two extra large pots, a medium and a small pot.

  

The peace lily that I received in 2001 seems to do well except in the winter months, and it stays indoors all year round.

And finally my corn plant, which also arrived in 2001.  It has grown unbelievably, and will be needing to be separated soon.

Good news is winter won’t last forever!  And there are so many resources out there for plant care, that I should be able to get the plants thru the winter with no problems.

A site I have found useful is http://www.plantcare.com/ 

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Fall Safety Tips

Fall has arrived, whether we are ready for it or not.

And with that comes the summer projects that we try and finish up during the milder weather.  

Here are a few common sense tips just to remind you to think safety as you finish up the projects.

• Never use water or blower extensions to clean gutters near electric lines.
• When planting trees or shrubs, be sure there are no underground lines in the area.  Call 811 at least two working days prior to digging.
• Never trim or climb trees near power lines.
• Keep flagpoles and long handled tools away from overhead power lines. 

 

Like I said, just a few common sense tips, to keep you safe this fall!

 

Dawn Whalen, Realtor, GRI

Keller Williams Realty

www.dawnwhalen.com

317-893-0648 office

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