New Construction Knowledge 101 Tip # 5: Do You Need a Real Estate Agent?

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 by Real Estate News

Do You Need a Real Estate Agent to Help You Find and Buy a New Home?

It's a good question. So let's put things in perspective. Let's discuss Indianapolis. In Indianapolis, approximately 75,000 existing homes are sold each year. Almost all of these transactions involve real estate agents for both the buyer and the seller. This would mean there are 150,000 real estate agent "transactions" per year in Indianapolis on used/resale homes.

There are also about 15,000 new homes sold each year in the Indianapolis metro area, only about one in four of which have real estate agents involved in the transaction - and then usually only on one side of the transaction. This would equate to 3,750 real estate agent new home transactions per year. So, nearly 100% of used/resale homes sales are assisted by two real estate agents, while only 25% of new home transactions have real estate agents involved. Why the discrepancy?

There are several reasons. If you're a buyer looking for a used home, you generally need an agent to have access to all the homes which are listed. With new homes, builders have models and sales representatives onsite, which makes new homes more accessible. Secondly, in some cases, there is a tendency for real estate agents to prefer selling used homes, because the commission they earn is paid much quicker - usually in 30-45 days versus 120-150 days with new homes. Lastly, many real estate agents lack experience dealing with new home construction and therefore shy away from showing new homes. Some agents are afraid their buyers will ask homebuilding questions they won't be able to answer.

If you have interest in building a new home, as well as looking at used homes, you certainly want to enlist the services of an agent who has experience in selling new homes. This can be done simply by asking the agents you interview home many new homes they have sold in the last one or two years.

This construction knowledge tip was taken from "Construction Knowledge 101: Everything you need to know about choosing a home builder and building your new home" by Charlie Scott. Request your copy today here.

Review Tip # 1 here, Tip # 2 here, Tip # 3 here or Tip # 4 here.

Learn more about Estridge, central Indiana's hometown homebuilder since 1967, here.

Check back or become a friend of Estridge on Facebook for regular updates.

Indianapolis Rates Best In The North For Real Estate Investment - Reported by The Wall Street Journal

Monday, August 23, 2010 by Real Estate News

Real-Estate Investing: the Best and Worst Markets

By M.P. McQueen for The Wall Street Journal

Aug. 21, 2010- Looking to snap up some investment properties on the cheap? You may want to consider Durham, N.C., Indianapolis and Huntsville, Ala. They are among the best places to invest now, according to a new report that ranks the best and worst markets for conservative residential-real-estate investors. Hard-hit Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., are among the riskiest.

Local Market Monitor Inc., a Cary, N.C., firm that analyzes real-estate trends for lenders, builders and investors, compiled its first Investor Suitability Report using economic data through July 31 for 315 U.S. markets. The firm is best known for its housing-market forecasts, which use "equilibrium" home prices: what home values should be in relation to incomes, job growth and population. In its new report, it uses similar data to rank communities by their investment prospects, focusing on single-family homes.

Regions that rank highly for investment suitability are those where there is a low probability that home prices will fall further, says Local Market Monitor President Ingo Winzer. They are places where income is growing moderately; where employment is relatively stable because of a large percentage of jobs in health care, education or government; and where a relatively small share of jobs is in construction or financial services, which have been volatile. (Job losses in government and education tend to come later in an economic cycle, so some areas could be hit harder in coming months.)

The report, which excludes towns with fewer than 200,000 residents, focuses on price-appreciation potential instead of rental income, since falling home prices usually result in higher vacancy rates in apartment buildings and lower rents overall, Mr. Winzer says.

Good markets for conservative investors are those that already have stabilized and should yield average returns, Mr. Winzer says. Dangerous markets probably will see further price declines and have little potential for a turnaround because of poor local economies.

So-called speculative markets, by contrast, are those where prices could fall further, but which also have potential for greater appreciation of 3% to 5% annually after bottoming out—making them more suitable for investors with stronger stomachs. Local Market Monitor identifies Hagerstown, Md.; Jacksonville and Port St. Lucie, Fla.; Modesto, Calif.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. as speculative areas.

In the best markets, home prices already are stabilizing. Durham, N.C., for instance, is home to Duke University and is near the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Big companies like International Business Machines Corp., GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Nortel Networks Corp., as well as numerous biotech start-ups, have facilities at the nearby Research Triangle Corporate Park. About 40% of area jobs are in health, education or government, according to Local Market Monitor.

Haywood Davis, owner of a Century 21 real-estate brokerage in Durham, says home-sales volume in the area increased 13% last month over July 2009, though prices rose only slightly.

Some other metro areas with large percentages of relatively stable jobs and moderate growth include Knoxville, Tenn.; Lexington, Ky.; and Indianapolis.

Jason Moore, a 34-year-old auto-sales manager in Baltimore, took advantage of plunging home prices in his hometown of Indianapolis to snap up an investment property there—a brand-new four-bedroom, two-bath home—for $56,000 late in 2008.

Prices in Indianapolis were falling because of foreclosures and rising unemployment. Disappointed with their stock-market investments, Mr. Moore and his wife, Keisha, 32, decided to buy an investment property to add to their portfolio. The Indiana house is generating a positive cash flow of about $300 a month in rent after mortgage, insurance, taxes and fees, he says.

"It has been adding income, and the tax benefit has been helpful," Mr. Moore says. Read the entire article here.

Learn more about Estridge, the hometown homebuilder since 1967, here.

Estridge Moves Forward With $1.2 Billion TND - Reported by BuilderOnline.com

Thursday, July 29, 2010 by Real Estate News

Check out BuilderOnline's take on Symphony, one of the largest developments ever in Indiana, an Estridge project currently in the zoning phase with the city of Westfield, Ind. Read a portion below, or the entire article here.

Estridge Moves Forward With $1.2 Billion TND; With 1,400 acres and more than 3,800 homes, Symphony is one of the largest developments ever in Indiana. - Alison Rice

July 22, 2010 - The housing downturn hasn’t curtailed the Estridge Company’s ambitions. This fall, the Carmel, Ind.,-based company plans to start breaking ground for Symphony, a traditional neighborhood development (TND) north of Indianapolis. At 1,400 acres and 3,860 homes, it will be one of the largest new-home developments ever in Indiana.

But Symphony will be notable for more than its significant size. Composed of a handful of “villages” linked by trails and roads, the $1.2 billion project in Westfield, Ind., will offer buyers and residents the chance to live in a community designed to bring together multiple generations: singles seeking urban density in suburban locations, sports-crazed families with minivans and soccer cleats; and aging seniors in need of continuing care.

“We want to model what new neighborhoods should be,” says Paul Estridge Jr., president of the Estridge Company.

Symphony seeks to accomplish that through an “intergenerational approach” that mixes housing types and prices across the development, rather than the customary “silo-ing” in many new-home developments, where the product offered only appeals to one market segment. Under that model, when housing needs change, buyers must move elsewhere, no matter how much they might love their community.

In the works since 2002, Symphony’s plans have evolved during the downturn. “It’s a blessing, because if we hadn’t have done this during a recession, we would have done [Symphony] on a quicker time frame,” Estridge says. “We would have missed the realization that we needed to be on a different track than we were on.”

“That’s the lesson of the recession,” says Brian Canin of Orlando, Fla., planning firm Canin Associates, which designed Symphony. “Before the recession, you could say, ‘I have the luxury of targeting just the $500,000 to $2 million market. Now we have to cater to the very broad spectrum of everyone who needs a house and put the money where it really works.” Read Alison Rice's entire article via BuilderOnline here.

Learn more about Estridge, central Indiana's premiere homebuilder since 1967, here.

New Home Construction Knowledge 101, Tip # 3: Choosing the Correct Builder in Central Indiana is Crucial

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 by E- Lifestyle

The question seems simple: "How do I choose the right homebuilder for my family?"

Looking for a new home builder in Indianapolis, or any other area in central Indiana, presents serious challenges. But finding the correct builder for your family's largest investment is crucial. The first step is to determine what kind of builder you want building your home. There are three main categories of residential homebuilders:

Custom Builders
Production Builders
Semi-custom Builders

Custom builders build one-of-a-kind homes, truly personalized to your needs and tastes. In contrast to custom builders, production builders work with home styles and floor plans designed to appeal to a broad range of homeowners and lifestyles. Semi-custom builders offer a fairly wide selection of floor plans, and are typically flexible in the amount and type of customization allowed.

A potential homebuyer in central Indiana looking to build a home should consider a number of factors. First, prioritize your needs, desires, budget and timeframe. Are you looking to build in Avon? In Fishers? Central Indiana, and Estridge, offer many choices of great communities. View Estridge neighborhoods and communities here. Do you need five bedrooms or four? Do you want to be on a golf course? What is your target price range? Will you need a luxury home builder? Do you want a custom home? Take the time to investigate many different builders and carefully compare the pros and cons of each. Solicit the opinions of central Indiana real estate professionals, current homeowners and other individuals familiar with the reputation of the homebuilder.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider is to what degree of control the builder maintains over it's worksites. What is their quality control system? Is there always someone supervising the site, there at the site? Is the contracted and subcontracted work inspected before the next step in the building process? Do they have a master schedule? Good, professional builders have these systems in place to ensure their reputations and future homeowner satisfaction. Remember: the builder you choose has the ultimate responsibility for the quality of your new home. But it's your responsibility to choose a quality builder.

Review Tip # 1 here, or Tip # 2 here.

This construction knowledge tip was taken from "Construction Knowledge 101: Everything you need to know about choosing a home builder and building your new home" by Charlie Scott. Request your copy today here.

Learn more about Estridge, central Indiana's hometown builder of premiere new homes and neighborhoods, here.

Check back or become a friend of Estridge on Facebook for regular updates.

Housing Stays Highly Affordable For Fifth Consecutive Quarter - National Association of Home Builders

Thursday, June 3, 2010 by Real Estate News

In this report from the National Association of Home Builders, favorable market conditions have led to the highest level of affordability for potential homeowners in nearly two decades. In fact, the Indianapolis and Carmel market shared the top spot as the most affordable major housing market in the country, good news for Central Indiana homeowners.

Housing Stays Highly Affordable For Fifth Consecutive Quarter - National Association of Home Builders

May 20, 2010 - Nationwide housing, bolstered by favorable interest rates and low house prices, hovered for the fifth consecutive quarter near its highest level of affordability since the series was first compiled 19 years ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) released today.

The HOI showed that 72.2 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the first quarter of 2010 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $63,800, slightly higher than the previous quarter and near the record-high 72.5 percent set during the first quarter a year ago.

“Today’s report is very encouraging because it indicates that homeownership continues its more than year-long trend of remaining within reach of more households than it has for almost two decades,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, a home builder from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “With interest rates still hovering at low levels, companies starting to hire new employees and the economy beginning to rebound, this should encourage more home buyers to enter the market and help further stabilize housing and the economy.”

Indianapolis-Carmel and Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa., shared the ranking as the most affordable major housing markets in the country. In Indianapolis, which has held this top ranking for nearly five years, almost 95 percent of all homes sold were affordable to households earning the area’s median family income of $68,700. In Youngstown, the same percentage of homes were affordable to households earning a median $53,500.

Also near the top of the list of the most affordable major metro housing markets were Syracuse, N.Y.; Dayton, Ohio; and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich.

Five smaller housing markets posted even higher affordability scores than Indianapolis and Youngstown. Among them, Bay City, Mich., where 98.7 percent of homes sold during the first quarter of 2010 were affordable to median-income earners, was the most affordable market in the country. Other smaller housing markets near the top of the index included Kokomo, Ind.; Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa-Ill.; Sandusky, Ohio; and Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., respectively. Read the entire report from the NAHB here.

Estridge is Indianapolis' hometown builder of homes and neighborhoods. Learn more about Estridge here.

125 New Homes Under Construction in Estridge Communities around Indianapolis

Friday, May 7, 2010 by estridge homes

Summer is around the corner and Estridge neighborhoods are buzzing with many new homes under construction. 125 Estridge homes, in fact, are under construction and scheduled to complete over the summer and at the start of the 2010 school year. That's 125 families are joining the already over 7,000 Estridge homeowners around greater Indianapolis!

Spring is a great time to begin building your new home with Estridge, Indianapolis' local home builder. Find new home designs, Estridge communities and more online at www.estridge.com.

Indy Area Homeowners: Have You Returned Your Homestead Exemption Verification Form?

Thursday, April 29, 2010 by Real Estate News

Indiana has passed new legislation requiring Indiana homeowners to verify their eligibility to receive the typical Homestead Exemption. Every greater Indianapolis homeowner with a current Homestead Exemption on their property taxes should have received a Homestead Verification Form from their County Auditor¹s Office. This form must be completed and returned to your local County Auditor or the exemption will be removed.

All Indiana homeowners should have received this form, typically printed on pink paper, with their recent property tax bills. Homeowners need to complete this form and return it a soon as possible to ensure deductions remain in place. This will save homeowners of Indianapolis new homes and resale homes a LOT of money!

For more information, visit the Department of Local Government Finance.
Download the Homeowner Verification Form Fact Sheet here.

Deadlines:
MARION COUNTY HOMEOWNERS:
Marion County forms were due April 30, 2010. Visit their website here.

HAMILTON COUNTY HOMEOWNERS:
A recent call to the Hamilton County auditors office did not reveal a date, but they did indicate Hamilton County homeowners should return the forms ASAP, and not to send them with your property taxes.

The New Ameritage Collection - Estridge Homes from $199,900

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by estridge homes

On Monday March 15th, a pilot release of the new Ameritage Collection of homes was introduced to central Indiana homeowners. This new Collection by Estridge, Indianapolis home builder, features homes designed for the way homeowners live today with the flexibility to change and grow with their evolving lifestyle.

The HARRISON new home design is built from $199,900.

The COLVIN new home design is built from $219,600.

The ROBERTSON new home design is built from $209,900.

The Ameritage Collection offers Estridge quality construction married with personalization and affordability, with homes starting at $199,900 in Estridge Brownsburg neighborhoods. Plus, Estridge quality construction practices, combined with the 3-year HomeLife Maintenance and Reliability Program, produce safe, sound and reliable homes.

Each Ameritage Collection new home offers the 21st Century Lifestyle Living Triangle creating circulation between the great room, harvest room and kitchen and creating natural flow and family connectivity. And that’s only the main level. On the upper level, homeowners will find central landing areas which create larger bedrooms and a connection of bedrooms like those found in historic Indianapolis homes.

The customization doesn’t end with the home footprint: homeowners love the jumbo garages! Each home includes a jumbo garage with the square feet of a 3-car garage, offering storage space for lifestyle, as well as cars, with variations and options such as increasing the depth of the garage, adding a third bay, or creating a side-entry.

Ameritage Collection designs each present a “kit of parts” with structural and feature details allowing truly personalized flex spaces, garages, interiors and home exteriors. Homeowners can personalize the Ameritage Collection traditional exteriors with many features, such as dentil molding, varied window trim and roof dormers, so your home mirrors your personal style.

The Ameritage Collection is available to build in select Estridge new home neighborhoods:

Whispering Pines in Avon (317.669.8635),

Hession Fields(317.669.8627) and Highland Green (317.669.8631) in Brownsburg

Edenwilde (317.669.8633) in Indianapolis.

Visit any of these selected Estridge neighborhoods to learn more and build your new Indianapolis home with special pilot release pricing. Or call 317.669.8619 to Ask Angie about building a new Ameritage Collection home.

Parade of Indianapolis Homes 2010 - April 10, 11, 17,18

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 by Estridge Events

The 2010 Spring Parade of Homes, presented by the Builder's Association of Greater Indianapolis, begins this weekend, April 10th and 11th. Over 70 new homes, including 4 Estridge decorated models, are open for visitors to tour. All are welcome - whether you are looking to build/buy a new home, remodel your home, or simply are looking for home decor and furnishings ideas.

The Parade of Homes has historically taken place in May; however BAGI has moved the dates to assist homeowners looking to take advantage of the Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit.

Visit www.paradeofhomesindy.com to preview the new construction homes, helpful information on the tax credit and energy efficiency, print Parade of Homes maps and more!

The Estridge decorated models featured in this year's Indianapolis Parade of Homes are:

- Reserve at Rock Bridge in Zionsville (VIEW ENTRY)
- Irvington Collection Model in Centennial at 146th Street in Westfield (VIEW ENTRY)
- Edenwilde in Franklin Township (VIEW ENTRY)
- Manor at Anderson Hall in Fishers (VIEW ENTRY)

View the information for the Irvington Collection Parade of Homes Entry

Decorated Estridge model homes in Estridge neighborhoods in Carmel, Westfield, Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg, Avon and Franklin Township are open this weekend and every weekend for guests to visit! Visit www.estridge.com for directions to Estridge neighborhoods.

Estridge Model Home Hours are:
Mon - Saturday: 11am to 6pm
Sunday: Noon to 6pm

Earn Your Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit with a New Estridge Home

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 by estridge homes

Homeowners, real estate professionals

and Indianapolis home builders like Estridge are buzzing about the final days of the Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit. The credit, available to first time and repeat home buyers is available on homes purchased through April 30, 2010, if they close before June 30, 2010. (Learn more about the repeat home buyer tax credit from the National Association of Home Builders.)

At Estridge, we're excited to have opportunities for home owners to utilize the tax credit with
- New Estridge Homes Available in Avon
- New Estridge Homes Available in Brownsburg
- New Estridge Homes Available in Carmel
- New Estridge Homes Available in Franklin Township
- New Estridge Homes Available in Westfield
from $218,500 to $729,900.

View the complete list of Estridge Tax Credit Ready Homes Below. Click on the home image to learn more about each home's design.

- TAX CREDIT READY ESTRIDGE HOME LIST -

Avon - Whispering Pines	5885 Pine Bluff Dr. BLC: 2959817	$345,000	Broadmoor	4br, 2.5ba, Open home design with loft. 3-car Garage. Tree-lined homesite.
Avon - Whispering Pines	1309 Longleaf St. BLC: 21013032	$325,00	Spaeth	3br, 2ba, Brick front RANCH, open design, finished lower level, screened porch.
Avon - Heritage Hill	6881 Ethen Glen Dr. BLC: 21014634	$399,900	Witney	4br, 3.5ba, Tudor style exterior. Gourmet kitchen, main level master, 3-car Garage.
Brownsburg - Hession Fields	814 Settlers Walk BLC: 21002472	$244,900	Lawford	4br, 2.5ba, Flexible space for den, office or living room, lower level, NEW DESIGN.
Franklin Township - Edenwilde	7658 Ockley Ln. BLC: 21009670	$284,900	Capel	4br, 2.5ba, Brick home with distinctive dormers, gourmet kitchen, hardwood floors.
Carmel - Grandin Hall	5422 N Grandin Hall Cr. BLC: 21005605	$729,900	Wentworth	4br, 4.5ba, Estridge CUSTOM home, main level master and guest suite, covered lanai.
Westfield - Bridgewater Parks	15618 Bethpage Trail BLC: 21011969	$374,500	945a	3br, 3ba, RANCH home, finished lower level w/ full bed & bath, pondview homesite.
Westfield - Bridgewater Parks	15693 Bethpage Trail BLC: 21014361	$389,900	941d	4br, 3ba, RANCH home, screened porch, finished lower level w/ full bed & bath.
Westfield - Bridgewater Parks	15629 Bethpage Trail BLC: 21011986	$344,900	935a	3br, 3ba, RANCH Home, granite, hardwood floors, finished lower level with bed & bath
Westfield - Centennial at 146th	14924 Montclair Dr. BLC: 21000379	$325,000	Hanover	4br, 2.5ba, Quaint front porch, granite countertops, hardwoods, extended garage.
Westfield - Centennial at 146th	14731 Bixby Dr. BLC: 21014607	$399,900	Getty	4br, 4.5ba, Main level master, designer kitchen, finished lower level with full bath.
Westfield - Centennial at 146th	1320 Trescott Dr. BLC: 21015739	$299,500	935a	3br, 2ba, RANCH home, gourmet kitchen with double oven, lower level, screen porch.
Westfield - Centennial Townhomes	1351 Middlebury Dr. BLC: 21016022	$254,500	Duke	4br, 2.5ba, 2-story Townhome, Main Level Master, granite countertops, loft.
Westfield - Centennial Townhomes	1353 Middlebury Dr. BLC: 21016022	$218,500	Columbia	3br, 2.5ba, 2-story Townhome, granite countertops, 2-car garage, back patio.
Westfield - Centennial Townhomes	1357 Middlebury Dr. BLC: 21002516	$234,900	Emory	3br, 2.5ba, 2-story Townhome, granite countertops, bonus room, front porch, back patio.

A busy time of year in Estridge neighborhoods around Indianapolis!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by Estridge Events

Spring is a very busy time of year for real estate professionals and new home builders around Indianapolis. Many homeowners take advantage of the warm weather to tour new home neighborhoods, look at real estate, and put their home up for sale. Beginning to build a new Estridge home is also popular in the spring, with the five month construction process completing in time for the start of the following school year.

With the Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit, Spring 2010 has proven to be even busier for many Indianapolis real estate professionals.

It's no different for all of us here at Estridge.

There are 121 new Estridge homes under construction!

21 Homes in the ‘pre-construction’ stage
12 Homes in Basement Foundation
24 Homes currently in Framing or will begin Framing in the next week
17 Homes in Mechanicals (Plumbing, Electrical and/or HVAC)
16 Homes in Drywall
11 Homes in Trim
5 Homes in Flooring
7 Homes in Finishes (Plumbing, Electrical and/or HVAC)
3 Homes completed and scheduled to close with their new homeowner
5 Homes completed and ready for a new Estridge homeowner

Think Spring is a good time for you to begin your new Estridge home?

Contact Angie, your Estridge Online Concierge, today to learn more about building a new Estridge home in central Indiana.

Introducing the Harrison – new 2-story Estridge home design in the Ameritage Collection

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by estridge homes

The Harrison, a 2-story Ameritage home by Estridge, Indianapolis's premiere new home builder, was introduced at Hession Fields in Brownsburg and Edenwilde in Franklin Township on Monday, March 29^th.

Harrison - Timeless Elevation A Harrison Elevation B

Visit Edenwilde in Franklin Township and build your Harrison home from $199,900.
Visit Hession Fields in Brownsburg and build your Harrison home from $199,900.

This unique new home design from Estridge, your premiere Indianapolis new home builder features Georgian style home exteriors:

- True period architecture with a gable roof and symmetrical design

- Classical exteriors with transom window framing front door, surrounding entry lights, detailed door surround and more

With a new home design created for the way we live today:

Entry Areas:

- Flex space off of front door

- Separate family foyer keeps clutter out of the living areas

- Sight line from entry to back wall enhances the open, spacious feel

Central Living Areas:

- Open living area with 21^st Century Lifestyle Living Area – connection between harvest room, family room, and kitchen

- Transom windows provide sunlight to family room and provide definition while allowing for functional furniture placement

- Kitchen sink on breakfast bar island encourages interaction between spaces

- Walk-in pantry offers generous, hidden kitchen storage

- Spacious harvest room allows for dining furniture placement and multiple uses

- Inclusion of hearth room and family room allows homeowners to stay connected while participating in varying activities

Upper Level:

- Upper level landing area eliminates the need for hallway circulation and creates generously sized bedrooms

- Walk-in closets in three bedrooms

- Spacious master suite with three generous windows

- Convenient hall linen closet

Generous Storage Space:

- Open lower level with space for multiple functions

- Jumbo garage features 2-car doors with 3-car square footage offers great storage! Create more space by personalizing up to a 4-car side-load garage!

Generous Lower Levels in the new home design by Indianapolis new home builder, Estridge

Interested in learning more about this home?

View the Harrison new home design.

Contact Angie, your Estridge Online Concierge, for more information.
Visit Edenwilde in Franklin Township and build your Harrison home from $199,900.
Visit Hession Fields in Brownsburg and build your Harrison home from $199,900.

Introducing the Colvin – new 2-story Estridge home design in the Ameritage Collection

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by estridge homes

Selected Estridge neighborhoods in Avon, Brownsburg and Franklin Township recently introduced a pilot release of the Ameritage Collection by Estridge. The Ameritage Collection features homes designed for the way you truly want to live today with the flexibility change with your changing lifestyle. Featuring jumbo garages, flex spaces, full lower levels and open living areas, this Collection of homes offers incredible opportunities to build a new home with prices from $199,900.

Contact, Angie, your Estridge Online Concierge, to learn more about building your new Colvin home design by Estridge.

This unique new home design from Estridge, your premiere Indianapolis new home builder features traditional exteriors:

Visit Whispering Pines in Avon and build your Colvin from $220,700.

Visit Highland Green in Brownsburg and build your Colvin from $239,700.

Visit Edenwilde in Franklin Township and build your Colvin from $220,700.

Visit Hession Field in Brownsburg and build your Colvin from $219,600.

The Colvin, a 2-story Ameritage home by Estridge, was in introduced at Whispering Pines in Avon, Hession Fields in Brownsburg, Highland Green in Brownsburg and Edenwilde in Franklin Township on Monday, March 29^th.

A “kit of parts” personalizes the traditional exteriors with roof dormers, front porch, covered front entry, window shutters, window trim, headers and more.
Elevation A is a unique, Greek Revival style exterior with front facing gable and stylish door surround paired with side lighting
Elevation B features a timeless brick exterior with a hip roof and key stones on jack arches around the symmetrical windows

With a contemporary new home interior design throughout the:

Guest Entry:

Distinctive guest foyer defined by drywall opening and providing an art niche adding style to the entry
Hidden stairwell with oversized windows for sunny landing areas on both levels

Central Living Areas:

Open living area with 21^st Century Lifestyle Living Area – connection between harvest room, family room, hearth room and kitchen
Definition within the open living area provided by columns and bulk head
Inclusion of hearth room and family room allows homeowners to stay connected while participating in varying activities
Angled kitchen island opens to entire living area and encourages interaction with an island sink
Retreat off of kitchen offers private space to enjoy and stay organized
Upper level landing area eliminates the need for hallway circulation and creates generously sized bedrooms

Upper Level:

Luxurious master suite features corner garden tub with lots of sunlight
Upper level laundry convenient for homeowners

Generous Storage Space:

Jumbo garage features 2-car doors with 3-car square footage offers great storage! Create more space by personalizing up to a 4-car side-load garage!
Open lower level with space for multiple functions

Garage Personalization Opportunities

Interested in learning more about this home?

View the Colvin new home design.

Contact, Angie, your Estridge Online Concierge, to learn more about building your new Colvin home design by Estridge.

45 Indianapolis New Home Builders Participating in Spring Parade of Homes

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by Estridge Events

We are excited to join 44 other new home builders in Parade of Homes Indianapolis this Spring. The Estridge decorated models featured in this year's Parade of Homes are:

- Reserve at Rock Bridge in Zionsville
- Irvington Collection Model in Centennial at 146th Street in Westfield
- Edenwilde in Franklin Township
- Manor at Anderson Hall in Fishers

Tax-break deadline spurs spec homes in Parade
Indianapolis Business Journal
By Scott Olson, March 29, 2010

This spring's Parade of Homes is being held about two weeks earlier than normal to help builders lure homebuyers who want to take advantage of federal incentives intended to give the residential real estate market a boost. Builders also are taking chances on more spec homes.

The annual spring Parade of Homes, which gives dozens of Indianapolis-area home builders the chance to showcase new models to potential buyers, hasn’t undergone any major format changes this year. But one adjustment that may seem minor on the surface is critical to many participating builders.

The dates of the event have been moved up by about two weeks, to April 10-11 and April 17-18, to help builders lure homebuyers who may be emboldened by federal incentives to make a purchase in an otherwise slow residential real estate market.

READ full article on IBJ.com.

Attack your home's allergens!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by E- Lifestyle

With the beautiful spring weather, central Indiana homeowners are busy preparing their homes while battling the common spring allergy symptoms - a stuffy nose, itchy throat and red eyes.

That's right! It's allergy season for Indianapolis homeowners!

While most believe their home is a safe retreat from allergens, for many allergy sufferers your home may be causing more harm than good. Below are a few spring tips from Estridge, central Indiana's premiere builder of new homes and neighborhood, for allergy sufferers to use around the house:

1. It's a spring clean thing! Want to return your home to the glory it was when it was a newly constructed home? Spring serves as a great time to do a total cleaning of your home. Get rid of excess clutter, knickknacks and unneeded objects. All that stuff collects dust!

2. Avoid filter fiascos! Take a moment and check your filters throughout your home. While this should be done every month, spring serves as a great reminder to check the filters on your furnace, air conditioner and dehumidifiers.

3. Don’t let the bed bugs bite! Bedding should be washed and cleaned every week in water that's at least 130 degrees. The high heat is needed to kill off dust mites and bacteria.

4. What an ugly carpet! Home decor and furnishings can cause unseen problems. A move from carpet to a solid surface flooring such as hardwood floors can eliminate 90% of dust mites. If you enjoy carpeting in your home, we suggest avoiding thick shag carpeting.

Is your Estridge home prepared for spring? For other home maintenance tips click here.

New Home Construction Knowledge 101, Tip 1: What’s a smart home investment amount for me?

Monday, March 22, 2010 by estridge homes

“How much money should I spend on a home? Where do I start determining my budget?” are extremely common questions for Indianapolis home buyers. Luckily, as Indianapolis is one of the nation’s most affordable housing market, homeowners in central Indiana can afford much more home than homeowners in other real estate markets!

Real estate professionals and financial advisors often break down thinking about your new home investment in one of two ways:

Some will suggest a homebuyer spend between two-and-a-half and four times their annual salary on their home.
A second way to look at your investment is to consider your annual payments as a percentage of your annual income, spending no more than 30% of your gross income on housing.

Of course, there are additional factors to consider for your investment. Both methods depend on interest rates that fluctuate daily. There are online resources and mortgage calculators to help determine the monthly for a total home investment. (Visit the FirstSource Capital, LLC website to learn more about mortgages and utilize the mortgage calculators.)

Many real estate professionals and financial advisors suggest a homeowner investing in y as much home as they can afford at the time of purchase. Your home is your greatest investment, and one of the only tax deductions left available. Investing more in your home now allows greater financial flexibility in the future. A strong investment today with a missing guest-bedroom furniture set or other perceived shortfalls will certainly serve you and your family better financially in the long run.

For questions about your new home investment and to pre-qualify for your mortgage, visit www.firstsourcecap.com.

- Construction Knowledge Tip from "Construction Knowledge 101: Everything you need to know about choosing a home builder and building your new home" by Charlie Scott. Request your copy today at http://www.estridge.com/EstridgeCK101.aspx.

Pilot Release of Fully Furnished & Finished homes by Estridge

Friday, November 20, 2009 by estridge homes

So, why is Fully Furnished & Finished a pilot release until January 10^th?

As an Indianapolis new home builder, and like many other organizations, we are constantly looking to better serve our homeowners and build them the home of their dreams. Our home décor store at Clay Terrace in Carmel, HOMExperience, provides us with the unique opportunity of working with homeowners throughout the full home design process - not only building their new luxury home, but furnishing it as well. This relationship presented us with a disconnect which some homeowners feel between the home they imagine themselves living in and the empty one they move in to.

We believe that we can better serve clients by providing them with a fully furnished new Estridge luxury home when they move in. But, we want to know what you think and what our homeowners think. This short pilot release allows us to get feedback from the greater Indianapolis real estate market to see how Fully Furnished homes better serves our homeowners needs. So, we invite everyone to join the conversation.

Visit www.fully.estridge.com to learn more, share your thoughts and provide feedback on how we can better serve our homeowners.

Introducing Fully Furnished & Finished from Estridge

Friday, November 20, 2009 by estridge homes

On Wednesday November 18, we introduced a pilot release of Fully Furnished & Finished to our friends and partners in the Indianapolis real estate market.

Until January 10th, Indianapolis homeowners will build their new home by Estridge, Indianapolis's hometown builder of premiere homes and neighborhoods, not only personalizing with the perfect countertops, cabinets and fixtures, but also fully furnishing it with the perfect furniture for the new home design, style and life. Homeowners will work with our HOMExperience design team, who have designed and decorated our model homes for over 12 years, will work with them to custom furnish and finish your home as they’ve always imagined.

Watch the Introduction of Fully Furnished & Finished from Paul Estridge, Jr.

Watch Paul Estridge's Introduction of Fully Furnished

Homebuyer Tax Credit Changes - Learn more about buying an Indianapolis Home with the Tax Credit

Friday, November 6, 2009 by estridge homes

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has released a variety of resources to assist the real estate industry including new home builders, realtors and homebuyers in better understanding the extension and expansion to the Homebuyer Tax Credit.

The most significant impacts of the new legislation are that it:

- Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.

- Expands the credit to grant a $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

How does this affect homebuyers? - View a Comparison Chart for details on the changes to the new Homebuyer Tax Credit.

Additional Resources:
Learn more about the Homebuyer Tax Credit on Blog.Estridge.com.
Listen to the President's Podcast, from the NAR President.

Breaking News: Congress Extends, Expands Housing Tax Credit

Thursday, November 5, 2009 by estridge homes

The popular $8,000 first time buyer housing tax credit (passed by House and Senate and on its way to President Obama) proved a powerful motivator in the housing market.

However, the expansion of this housing tax credit currently on its way to approval to include a credit of $6,500 for repeat buyers provides even greater opportunity for the Indianapolis real estate market.

While the original $8,000 housing credit provided its primary benefit to first time buyers, it offered generous auxiliary benefits for repeat buyers. Second-time home buyers benefited from the incentive of the tax credit as an influencer for the purchase of their first home. The $6,500 tax credit provides that primary benefit of a home buyer tax credit, as well as the opportunity for all repeat home buyers, not only those currently in a home appealing to first time buyers. This expansion is likely to be a much greater catalyst for the real estate industry and ultimately more beneficial for new home builders, real estate professionals and homeowners.