Realty Insights for Home Buying, Home Selling, and Indy Info

Spring has finally sprung here in Indianapolis and it looks like the good weather is here to stay! This is my first spring in the Indy area and I am excited to experience all it has to offer. Here is a sampling of events happening in Indy this spring: Indianapolis International Film Festival April 25-May 5 Features 191 films representing 45 nations www.indyfilmfest.org U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Championships April 26-April 28 Featuring Pan Am and Olympic Games trials, solo, duet, team free and team tech routines iunat.iupui.edu/ Victorians' Secrets: A 19th-Century Underwear Exhibit at the Morris-Butler House February 14-June 9 (Wednesday-Saturday) Cost is included with a tour of the house www.historiclandmarks.org/what/mbhouse.html Orchard in Bloom Garden Show at the Holliday Park Nature Center April 27-April 29 Has everything from plants to landscaped gardens to household accessories, from handcrafted items to fine art to children's activities www.orchardinbloom.org

Landrigan has released it's quarterly report on the real estate market here in central Indiana. Even though the numbers are down from a year ago, we can't help but be optimistic that the market will only improve from here. For the first quarter of 2007 (1/1/07-3/31/07): Homes Closed: 2007--6,145 2006--6,988 % change from 2006 to 2007 -12.1% Average Sales Price: 2007--$142,294 2006--$146,330 % change from 2006 to 2007 -2.8% Final List Price vs. Sales Price: 2007--4.0% difference 2006--3.0% difference Thanks to the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors for the stats and for Landrigan for compiling the stats.

I was browsing the Internet when I came across this great organization with a great website. Traditional Arts Indiana is a partnership of Indiana University's Folklore and Ethnomusicology Department and the Indiana Arts Commission. It was established in 1998 to document, promote and present Indiana's traditional art and artists. They produce many public programs, train in cultural documentation and public presentation, and archive materials for public use at the Indiana Historical Society. Check out their website at www.traditionalartsindiana.org . They have an amazing slide show section with tons of photos and audio, plus information on all the programs they offer.