Living In Pike.com

This is an interesting indicator. Yes, we do have million dollar plus homes in Pike Township. Here is the history of sales for the past 5 years.

2004 – 1
2005 – 2
2006 – 4
2007 – 0
2008 – 0

So far in 2009 we have had 2 million dollar plus sales. Can you guess where most of the million dollar plus homes are in Pike Township? If you guessed on the water at Eagle Creek Resevoir, you are correct.

How does Pike compare to other Townships in Marion County? So far this year there have been a total of 10 million dollar plus homes sold. The breakdown follows;

Pike – 2
Washington – 4
Lawrence – 3
Center – 1

There have been no million dollar plus home sales in the southern Marion County Townships this year.

Is this an indicator that high end housing sales are rebounding? Time will tell.

Please Note…The above is a corrected chart. Real Estate companies have a tendency to record sales late. Some times months or even a year late. The above chart is accurate to this date BUT most likely I will have to correct the last few months the next time I post it. Also Feb. 2009 has been corrected. This was my clerical error. Sorry.

Five years ago I did a Comparable Market Analysis for an owner that lived just east of 71st and Michigan Road. A challenging area that has about 10 homes, several which have gotten commercial zoning. The house was not in a legal community. The request for the CMA and my response were all done through email and I only had seen the outside of the home. The house was in a very unique setting and I had only a few sales in the area to go by. I did the best I could and never heard from the seller again until this year. He called me out of the blue and wanted to talk to me about selling his house. We made an appointment and again I prepared a Comparable Market Analysis for him. This time I got to see the inside of the house.

It was built in 1940, a two story with full basement, 4 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. On almost an acre, fenced on three sides with
the forth side on Westlane Road. It was a country setting in an urban area.

Turns out the owner was a contractor and had done all the nice touches that Realtors love. He had Hardie planked the house, put
a new roof on, made an extremely nice patio in the back of the house, etc. Inside it had all the charm of a well kept country
home.

Mike and Jessie Jones (the owners) had raised six children in the home and had lived there over 20 years. Four girls and two boys. I got to thinking about that because the four girls had the two upstairs bedrooms and there was only a half bath upstairs. I asked Mike “How did that work out for you?” He responded “Scheduling”. Turns out that some of his children went to Pike Schools at the same time my 28 year old son did.

Mike and Jessie were some of the nicest people to work with since I have been in the business. They wanted to sell the present
house and look for a smaller house in the area. They are members of Agape Church at 62nd and Georgetown Road and Mike was the contractor when the church was built. They wanted to find a house that was still close to the church.

About a month into the listing of their present house we started looking for their new house. We looked at about 10 houses and always came back to the first one we had looked at. A 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch with full basement in Washington Township. Built in 1961, vacant and looked like it had never been updated. We must have visited the property six times. He took measurements, drew up floor plans and had a vision. We had a parade of sub contractors through the house until the owner said “NO MORE!”

The timing turned out perfect. About 90 days into the listing, we had an offer. We negotiated an agreement. We then made an offer on the ranch. Turns out we closed on both houses Oct. 23rd. Mike and Jessie moved into a local Hotel for a month while rehabbing and remodeling the ranch. Friday I got to see it for the first time since closing. It was unbelievable!!!

He had completely opened up the kitchen, living room, breakfast room and family room. He had moved the Kitchen to the Dining room and moved the laundry area from the basement to a laundry closet just off the breakfast area. He had turned the three bedrooms to one Master Suite and an office. The full hall bath had been completely remodeled. The Master suite was just gorgeous. The bedroom opened into the Master Bath with corner Jacuzzi tub and large closet. To many upgrades to mention here for a 1961 house. Neighbors have come by to see the house and could not believe it. I commented that the first floor looked like it had been built recently from what I had seen in production housing. Their minister was there when I arrived. He stayed just to
see the expression on my face when I looked at the house for the first time.

Mike’s business concentrated on churches in the past. He tells me that he would rather do smaller projects in the future. He even is looking for bank owned houses to rehab and flip. He has already given me several referrals, one of which has turned into a new Pike listing. Again with wonderful people to work with and they are also looking for another house to buy.

Mike has my highest recommendation for a contractor. Mike looks at a house and has a vision for what it can become. His years of experience has taught him well. He is extremely easy to work and to get along with.

I am getting nothing out of this praise except his friendship and future referrals.

His name is Mike Jones.
His company is Visions Construction Services LLC.
His website is www.visionscm.com
His phone number is 317-506-0561.
Mike knows his business!!!

Several times a year I like to stop by production builders communities, talk to the representative, see what they have going on and see how far they are from being built out. Last week I got the chance to see Ryland’s Northpoint Village. With only about 15 lots left, you had better hurry if you want to live there. I figure they will be gone by the end of this year. Crystal Kjaer, the Sales Counsler, who I had met several years ago filled me in. Right now they have a inventory home (home built with no buyer) that I got to look at. The two story Bradford B has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, on pond and a full unfinished basement for a total of 2596 square feet. The price is $154,995. In my opinion, a very nice traditional home for the price. Stop by and check it out. Tell Crystal that Tim sent you. Her phone number is 317-228-2390

On Tuesday, August 18, the merger between Pulte Homes and Centex was completed. This merger brought together two industry leaders with a combined 100+ years of experience and long-standing reputations for construction quality.

The College Park theater has closed. After a 25 year run the AMC Loews College Park 14 movie theater says that they cannot compete with the Showplace 12 at Traders Point. It now sits empty.

I have it from a good source that the old Bob Evans restaurant at 9310 Michigan Road is about to become a Grand Traverse Pie Company. I drove by there yesterday and they have torn part of the building down.

We are about to have a new hotel in Intech Park. Hilton Hotels is going to open a full service Garden Inn mid September. It will have 122 rooms, Ballroom space for 180 people, a Great Americian Grill and rates will be between $89 to $199 a night.

My source also tells me that the old Galyans at Lafayette Road and Pike Plaza Road is going to become a Mexican Grocery. Kind of big don’t you think? The old Value City in the same center may become a nightclub.

And lastly…Jack In The Box will be opening their first restaurant in Indiana. My understanding is that it will be located at at 46th and Lafayette Road where the old Amaco gas station use to be. My guess is that there will be many more fast food restaurants opening in the area thanks to the new Wal Mart center across the street.

Davis Home Builders went under last year. They were a long time home builder in Pike Township. What remains is Augusta Meadows on 59th Street between Georgetown Road and Moller Road on the south side of the street. After years of getting different types of zoning, (apartments, condos, and the houses) they finally agreed to 77 lots and they could not build 2 story houses the first year. It was hopeful that the community would be all 1 story houses. Davis got as far as streets, sewers, water, lots and electrical. They did not build a model home, but tried to get by with a sales trailer. It did not work and nothing was sold. Davis went under last July and the land was returned to a Fort Wayne Bank. It has sat there while the Fort Wayne Bank tried to sell it to other builders. No takers. Between now and Sept. 3, Colliers Turley Martin Tucker Auction Services is conducting a sealed bid auction for Augusta Meadows at 5201 W. 59th St. My curiosity is killing me. I want to know who will buy it and what they will do with it. The commitments on the land are very strict thanks to Pike Township Residents Association.

Although there are now 3 months where we have beat last years numbers (by 11, 7 and 3) we are still behind by 79. What is interesting is that typically sales start to slow down by May each year. This year sales have gone up since May.

I still fell like the $8,000 tax credit had a lot to do with sales we have had this year. That started in Feb. and will end Nov. 30th.