Real Estate Information

 Market Statistics for dates of
October 16, 2009 through November 16, 2009

Porter County
Active homes - 1,396
Homes under contract - 164
Homes that have sold - 159

Lake County
Active homes - 3921
Homes under contract - 357
Homes that have sold - 454

*Numbers obtained from the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors.

Want your home to be a sold statistic?
Call the Lynda Anderson team for sold results!
219-531-MOVE (6683)

Evaluate the Inside of Your Property

Through the Critical Eyes of the Buyer!

-     Wash all windows, inside and out, adding to the overall impression and to help your property show in a nice, bright light. Curtains should be clean and attractive.

-     Remove all smoke, pet, and hobby odors from the property.

-     Clean all light bulbs, light fixtures, and chandeliers so that the property is brighter.

-     Shampoo all carpets and vacuum them daily. If the carpet does not clean up well, replace it. Use a neutral color, or remove the carpet if hardwood floors underneath are in good condition.

-     Clean everything in your house from top to bottom, from the attic to the basement.

-     Remove all “junk” from the attic, basement, closets, garage, tool shed, and especially from the storage area if your property has one. Large storage areas are appealing to buyers. Rent a storage area for those items that need to be cleared out of these areas.

-     Remove posters and adhesive from walls and doors. Putty and paint any holes that result from nails or other mishaps.

-     Clean or paint the basement walls and floor.

-     Wax hardwood floors.

-     Remove all cobwebs.

-     Paint all inside walls with off-white paint. Use two or more coats to cover bold, bright, or dark walls. All walls should be painted—not just washed—brightening the property and making it look much larger.

-     Ensure that the doorbell is in good working order.

-     Make sure that all entrance doors—front door, storm door, screen door—are in excellent condition. If not, replace them. Again, this is the first impression the buyer has of the property. Lighting and cleanliness are especially important.

-     Repair or replace all room doors, closet doors, and windows and screens so that they open with ease.

-     Repair or replace banisters and handrails.

-     Repair or replace broken tiles on walls or floors in showers.

-     Repair or replace loose wallpaper.

-     If the basement shows any sign of water or structural damage, it may be necessary to obtain a structural engineer’s report.

-     Replace toilet bowls if you cannot get them spotlessly clean. It is a minimal expense and makes a big difference.

-     Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.

-     Improve the plumbing to increase water pressure. Buyers will check this every time. Replace the washers in the faucets and remove rust stains.

For outstanding service call The Lynda Anderson Team today!

219-531-MOVE (6683)

Pepper-Herb Beef Stroganoff

INGREDIENTS

1       tablespoon butter or margarine

½      lb boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin bite-size strups

¼      teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 ½   cups sliced fresh mushrooms (4 oz)

¼      cup beef flavored broth

1       tablespoon chili sauce

¼      teaspoon dried thyme leaves

¼      cup chive-and-onion sour cream

2       tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Hot cooked noodles, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1.    In 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add beef strips; sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned.

2.    Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, chili sauce and thyme. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended.

3.    Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in sour cream until well blended. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Recipe obtained from www.pillsbury.com

Bring The Lynda Anderson Team into your home!
Call today! 219-531-MOVE (6683)

Fun Fall Activities

Taking a nature walk can be delightful. Gather leaves of all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Stay away from poison ivy and poison oak. They have some of the more colorful leaves.

Picking your own apples is an enjoyable experience. After your apple picking, you can make homemade apple pies, apple cider, and applesauce.

Using old clothing, hay leaves, and crumpled up newspaper, you can create the body of your scarecrow. For the head, you can use a store bought plastic or real jack-o-lantern, and to finish, use an old hat. Your scarecrow can be sitting or standing. Be creative!

Place a piece of paper over a leaf. Using any variety of colors, rub back and forth over the leaf. The impression of the leaf will appear on the paper.

Take a day to spend at the park. You can have a picnic, ride your bike, or just sit back and relax!

Spending time if your back yard is something few people do. Reading a book in fresh air can be calming and peaceful.

You will have fun working with The Lynda Anderson Team!
Call today! 219-531-MOVE (6683).

Fun Ways to Decorate Your Home for Fall!

Collecting and preserving autumn leaves is an easy, fun, & free way to bring color and fun into your home!

Here is how you can preserve beautiful leaves from your yard:

Place leaves between two sheets of wax paper. Make sure the waxy side is on the leaf. Cover with a brown paper bag and iron on medium heat. The iron melts the wax onto the leaf, keeping the leafs shape and it’s color! You can use your leaves year after year, as long as you store the leaves in a cool, dry place.

Ideas for decorating with your leaves:

Create a leaf collage. You can then place it in a shadow box.

Make a leaf mobile by hanging individual leaves on thread or fishing line.

Using an inexpensive picture frame glue leaves & other natural items in one corner of the frame. You can then frame a picture of something that reminds you of the fall season.

Cover an old place mat with leaves. You can glue the leaves on, or if you feel like getting fancy, stitch a wide straight stitch to form the outline of each leaf in detail.

Cluster the leaves around a vase, a bowl of apples, or even around a lamp base.

Searching for that new home to decorate?
Call The Lynda Anderson Team today!
219-531-MOVE (6683)

 Surprising Uses for Charcoal.

1.   Green Dehumidifier - If you have a damp basement or other area of your home or office, fill a lidded container and punch holes in the lid.  The charcoal acts as a natural dehumidifier.

2.   Composting - carbon containing charcoal helps promote healthy composting.

3.   Air Freshener - Charcoal has the same odor and moisture absorbing characteristics of baking soda. So next time you run out, grab a piece of charcoal and throw it in the fridge.

4.   Keep Plants Fresh - Place a piece of charcoal in a vase with fresh cut flowers or plants you are trying to root.  It acts as a clarifying agent and keeps the water fresh.

5.   Rust preventer - Place a piece of Charcoal in your toolbox to help keep your tools from rusting.

You will be pleasantly surprised by our service. Call Today! 219-531-MOVE (6683)

10 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

1.     Always go with a list- Get everything on the list.  Doing this keeps you from making extra trips to the store and spending more on items not needed.

2. Plan out a weekly menu. This is to endure your list is complete.

3. Don’t go to the store when you are hungry. When you shop hungry you buy more than you need.

4. Make a budget and stick to it!  This way you will shop smarter and get more for you money.

5. When items are on sale... stock up!

6. Leave the kids at home.  Kids can persuade you to buy items that you normally would not.

7.Watch for sale ads and coupons.  Many stores run coupon only sales and this can make a big difference when shopping on a budget.

8. Buy frozen veggies.  They have a longer shelf life and almost the same amount of nutrients.

9.Try the store brands.  Many times you can’t tell the difference and save a lot of money in process.

10. Plan one trip a month for bulk items.  Buying items used daily in large quantity will save you money. 

Call The Lynda Anderson Team today and learn how we can save you money! 219-531-MOVE (6683).

Porter County
Currently in Porter County there are 1,270 homes on the market.
Since January 1, 2009 858 homes have sold.

Lake County
Currently in Lake County there are 2,921 homes for sale.
Since January 1, 2009 2,441 homes have sold.

*Numbers obtained from the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors.

Want you home to be a sold statistic?
Call The Lynda Anderson Team today @ 219-531-MOVE (6683).

Garage Sale Tips:

Compliments of The Lynda Anderson Team

1.     Allow adequate time to plan and prepare - several weeks, if possible.

2. Select the right date so it won’t conflict with holidays or special events.

3.     Bigger is better.

4.     Practical household goods such as appliances, dishes, furniture, and tools are good sellers. Clothing typically doesn’t have a high resale value, with the possible exception of children’s clothing in good condition.

5.     Items should be clean and if not in working order, labeled accordingly.

6.  A classified ad in the newspaper listing some of the more desirable items can greatly increase your traffic.

7.  Use well-created, attractive signs to direct people to your home - the nicer the sign, the more attention it will attract.

8. You'll need to have cash on hand to make change for customers.

9.  Visit other garage sales to see what works well.

Good Luck on your Garage Sale!

The Top 10 Cost vs. Value Remodeling updates to make.

According to Remodeling magazine's 2009 Cost vs. Value Report (CVR): These are the top ten improvements to make in your home.

1. Spruce up or replace your siding.

2. Add a deck.

3. Tweak your kitchen.

4. Repair or Replace windows.

5. Overhaul your kitchen.

6. Strip the bathroom.

7. Find cash in the attic. Sell those unwanted items to make cash for improvements!

8. Earn bucks from the basement- A finished basement adds that much needed square footage buyers are looking for.

9. Add space to add value.

10. Add low cost landscaping.

Would you like more advice on what improvements to make in your home?

Call The Lynda Anderson Team TODAY!

(219) 531-MOVE(6683)