Travel Channel to Feature Santa Claus

The Travel Channel is planning to feature attractions in Santa Claus. Its "Christmas Showdown" special, set to air next year, will spotlight a historic 22-foot Santa Claus statue and a fruitcake eating contest at Santa's Candy Castle.

SANTA CLAUS, Ind. – The Travel Channel will film the famous town of Santa Claus, Indiana, during the Santa Claus Christmas Celebration next month, for a new special called "Christmas Showdown."

While in town on Saturday, December 8, producers for the Travel Channel plan to visit the town's two original attractions - the Santa Claus statue and Santa's Candy Castle - which both opened in December of 1935. The historic 22-foot Santa Claus statue, which was recently restored, is part of the Santa Claus Museum & Village. The nearby Santa's Candy Castle will host a fruitcake-eating contest that day as part of its special activities. The crew will also capture the Santa Claus Land of Lights after dark at Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort as well as other Christmas-themed attractions and events in town.

"Being featured on the Travel Channel is an exciting opportunity for the town," says Melissa Brockman, executive director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau. "We look forward to sharing our festive Christmas attractions, activities, and traditions with their viewers."

Travel Channel's "Christmas Showdown" will highlight the best holiday events and traditions in America. Two destinations will be featured in a variety of categories such as Christmas Towns, Off-beat Parades, Neighborhood Lights, and more. Viewers will be asked to go online and vote for their favorite destination.



The Santa Claus Christmas Celebration begins November 30 and is held the first three weekends in December in Santa Claus, Indiana. Events include a traditional Christmas Dinner with Santa, Writing a Letter to Santa at the Santa Claus Museum & Village, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, the annual Christmas parade, and much more.

For more information about the Santa Claus Christmas Celebration, lodging specials, and a schedule of events, call (888) 444-9252 or visit www.SantaClausInd.org/Christmas

Selling a House Means Nimble Decision-Making

According to a recent survey, nine out of ten REALTORS® believe that clients who make improvements before selling a house are more likely to secure a successful sale. Why, you may wonder, would anyone take the trouble to run a survey to discover anything that obvious? Possibly because of a follow-up question Realty Times came up with: 65.9% of real estate agents – virtually two out of three – agree that a common mistake among homeowners is not making "the right" home improvements for the local market.

Uh-oh! Remodeling in the wrong direction can cost you twice! If it’s such a common mistake, it’s safe to say it might be best to consult an agent before rolling up your sleeves (or opening your checkbook). Active local agents are constantly noting what features are popular with prospective buyers and which improvements are making a difference in today’s market. Knowing what sells -- and why -- is fundamental information when home improvement decisions are about to be made.

Also important is the changing nature of an effective marketing roll out. Yesterday’s sign on the front lawn and paragraph in the newspaper are no longer sufficient. Pocket listings, preview open houses, and social media promotion are all elements that now can be brought into a multi-tiered marketing plan geared to create awareness (“buzz”) around a property’s debut.

Yet, the new market retains at least one unchanging fundamental. To achieve the highest return when selling a house in our area, it has to be priced right. Real estate commentator Barbara Corcoran puts it succinctly: “You could spend all the money in the world fixing up and marketing your house,” she says, “but the wrong price on the right house guarantees no sale.”

If you are thinking of selling a house in Evansville this winter, I’m here to help you meet that goal. Contact me to get started on a marketing plan that sets it in motion! You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.

Evansville Real Estate News Letter for November 2012

Market Watch

As I mentioned last month I will recap Lawrence Yun’s economic/real estate forecast for 2013. Lawrence Yun PhD is the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. He graduated from Purdue University and received his doctorate in economics from The University of Maryland. He serves on Harvard University’s Industrial Economic Council and has been recognized as one of the top ten economic forecasters in the country.

Dr. Yun is more optimistic about real estate than the economy as a whole. He anticipates sales of existing homes to reach 5 million units next year with the median price up 5% and median prices up almost 15% over a three year period. He also anticipates new construction to increase next year by 25%. Although a 25% increase is a huge increase it is important to note that new construction has been very low for three years and new construction inventory is at a 50 year low. Interest rates should stay low for at least two more years. GDP will rise about 2% next year.

Both Dr. Yun and Mark Vitner, Managing Director and Sr. economist with Wells Fargo spoke at the same economic presentation. Both economists assume that we will not have a recession next year. Both also point out that to avoid a recession we must reduce our deficit and to reduce our deficit we must implement significant entitlement reform.

Dr. Yun, The National Association of Homebuilders and Wells Fargo all point out that homes are more affordable today than they have been in decades. Seventy four percent of all homes sold in the 3rd quarter were affordable to families making the median household income of $65,000.

If you haven’t signed up for My F.C. Tucker Emge on our website please do or call me for instructions. New enhancements to our map search at FCTuckeremge.com have made shopping for a home easier than ever. You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.

Real Estate Report Shows Sales, Prices Up

The Indiana Association of Realtors says home sales, sale price and home listings in October all increased from the same month last year. Chief Executive Officer Karl Berron says low borrowing costs and strong home values have buyers and sellers "clearly feeling more confident."

Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Indiana Real Estate Markets Report today released by the state’s REALTORS® shows that statewide, when comparing October 2012 to October 2011, the following occurred:

• The number of closed home sales increased 24.5 percent to 6,092,
• The median sale price of those homes increased 5.9 percent to $117,500,
• The average sale price increased 3.7 percent to $139,732,
• The percent of original list price received increased 0.9 percent to 90.6 percent,
• The number of pending home sales increased 25.7 percent to 5,560, and
• The number of new listings increased seven percent to 8,772.

The good news made last month is part of a trend that proves local residential real estate markets across the state continue to strengthen from the worst of the recession. October 2012 marks the following consecutive year-over-year gains in home prices and market activity:

• The number of closed home sales has increased year-over-year for 16 consecutive months,
• The median sale price of homes has increased for 11 consecutive months,
• The average sale price has increased for 10 consecutive months,
• Sellers received a greater share of their original list price for the eighth consecutive month, and
• The number of pending home sales has increased for 13 consecutive months.

“To have strong sales and price gains as we enter the last quarter of the year is encouraging,” said Karl Berron, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Association of REALTORS®. “Buyers and sellers are clearly feeling more confident, as are our members.

“Cheap borrowing costs and the fact homes here have historically held value are still the glue binding this recovery together,” continued Berron. “Sustained recovery will not happen without real employment and wage growth.”

Anyone looking to buy or invest should start with the sortable county tables of this report and then talk to a local REALTOR® who can give the most insight into what’s happening in a neighborhood, city or school district.

More about the Indiana Real Estate Markets Report

Established in May 2009, the Indiana Real Estate Markets Report was the first-ever county-by-county comparison of existing single-family home sales in Indiana. In March 2010, IAR added statistics on other types of existing detached single-family (DSF) home sales – condominiums, duplexes, townhomes, mobile homes, etc. – to the report.

The report became even more robust in August 2010. It now tells how the statewide housing market is performing according to eight different indicators, each with one-month and year-to-date comparisons, as well as a historical look. It also provides specific county information for 91 of Indiana’s 92 counties in a sortable table format, allowing for consistent comparison between local markets. IAR obtains the data directly from and releases this report in partnership with 26 of the state’s 27 Multiple Listing Services (MLSs), including the Broker Listing Cooperative® (BLC®) in both central and southwestern Indiana.

IAR represents approximately 15,000 REALTORS® who are involved in virtually all aspects related to the sale, purchase, exchange or lease of real property in Indiana. The term REALTOR® is a registered mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of America’s largest trade association, the National Association of REALTORS®, and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Source: Indiana Association of Realtors

Don't Let Your Rental Property Manage You

According to the non-profit Demand Institute, this year nearly 35% of housing in the United States is now categorized as rental property. In our area as elsewhere, some of these properties belong to “accidental” landlords -- folks who had to relocate for professional or other reasons, but didn’t (or couldn’t) sell. Many others decided to buy investment properties when the prices of homes dropped so dramatically. One way or another, this fall a good many of our neighbors find themselves in the position of owning rental property for the first time.

What all new and long-time landlords have in common is the simple need to secure a trouble-free tenancy – which in many cases means securing professional property management. If you have a rental property yet are on the fence about the cost, some of the considerations that point to a professional for your property management solution look like these:

·   A reputable local property management company knows how to find and screen qualified tenants at the same time they are complying with local and federal Fair Housing laws. It amounts to protecting you from potential lawsuits.

·   Reputable property managers will take care of rental collections, protecting the cash flow that makes your investment worthwhile.

·   Tenants who are handled professionally tend to stay longer – and that cuts down on costly turnover expenses.

·   Experienced property management companies make sure that repair and maintenance work is completed promptly by licensed and insured professionals. This protects your asset while minimizing potential liability.

Property management may not seem to be the lowest cost solution, but for landlords who cannot spare the time to manage their property legally and carefully, finding one of the stellar property management companies in Evansville the best bet to protect that underlying asset and keep cash flowing.  If you are one of those new ‘accidental’ landlords or are considering buying or selling an investment property, I am happy to share some of the best contacts in the industry! You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.

Thanksgiving Kitchen Focuses Holiday Get-Together

Things I am thankful for this year: health, of course -- for friends, family, myself -- and for the many things we all take for granted until something as devastating as Hurricane Sandy comes along to remind us of our good fortune.

And especially on Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for…my kitchen! Kitchens have become the center of activity in today’s home, whether during a casual weeknight family meal or a grand Thanksgiving feast for twelve. More and more of ourreal estate listings reflect just that: focused interest on the kitchen. Here are some relevant details that can draw interest to real estate listings in Evansville:

Floorplan – Is the kitchen open? Walled-off? Great yard view? Photos should be selected to highlight attractive layouts for effective real estate listings.

Appliances – New? Desired brand names? It’s amazing how prominent those concerns have become as interest in kitchens has been reflected in the real estate listings.

Finish – Have safety touches been added to the kitchen? Childproofed kitchen is a two-word real estate listings highlight worth featuring in any family-friendly neighborhood. One of the easiest updates is the addition of new hardware -- which can also make it harder for little hands to pull open cabinets while the adults are busy baking the world’s best pumpkin pie!

All kidding aside, I am thankful for all that we have here in Evansville. This Thanksgiving, Sandy has reminded us of all those who will be spending this holiday without a familiar place to come home to. If you would like to help Hurricane Sandy’s victims, a Red Cross page has been created to make donating easy: http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy

Here’s to a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Adding Value Equation to Evansville Homes Search

When you search through the latest listings of Evansville homes, you first find those that fit your top-line needs. Then you winnow down that list. Some of the candidates will seem more appealing than others; and some will seem to be over- or underpriced.

Before making a final judgment on which homes bear a closer look, the most successful homebuyers also factor in qualities that may not be at the top of their own personal priorities list, yet which make a difference to the majority of homebuyers. In other words, they keep in mind the most important qualities that add value in market terms – that add investment value to homes that are principally your personal residential choice. Some of the more important ones:

·         Location has a huge impact on a property's long-term price. Are amenities close by? Close enough to walk. Are homes in the immediate area well maintained? Is the property on a desirable block, or located next to a busy road?

·         Taxes impact the overall cost of long-term cost – and when homes are listed, those figures are significantly displayed. Also important is whether there are any pending issues you should be aware of -- like a sewer bond or other pending taxes.

·         Condition will become a major factor in years to come -- forward thinking will pay off in terms of overall value. A 20-yr-old water heater, for example, is going to cost sooner rather than later.  Homes with excellent roof and foundation condition can add exceptional long-term value.

·         Evansville homes with potential are homes with unrealized value. With smaller properties, it’s worthwhile to consider how doable it would be to add rooms or expand its square footage.  Even if you don’t end up adding square footage, if homes are small for the neighborhood, a future buyer might. 

This November’s historically low mortgage rates make it a terrific time to give me a call. Together, we’ll find the  homes that are good fits for your family – as well as great long-term values.