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Park Illusion

Posted on March 10th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Just for Fun

After a somewhat stressful morning, I was delighted to see this sign pointing the way to a park. Great timing. A few minutes of relaxation and downtime enjoying nature’s quiet solitude before my next appointment sounded great. I thought I was familiar with all of the municipal parks, so I was excited to find a new one to explore. None of the other city parks I know of charge an admission fee like this one does, so I was expecting something really exceptional…with groves of beautiful trees, comfortable park benches, open views, lush landscaping and maybe a fountain or two as one would expect to find in a city park. However, after entering, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment and disillusion. Instead, the only thing there was concrete pillars, ramps and spaces to leave your car. I suppose the view was pretty good from the top floor, but there weren’t any barbecue grills and not one picnic table anywhere. Come on! You call this a park? I felt like asking for the admission fee back.

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Rearview Mirror

Posted on March 7th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Downtown

Yes. It’s actually a shot with the camera pointed at the car rearview mirror. I was headed west on Washington Street and stopped momentarily. I couldn’t help it…the Artsgarden was perfectly framed in the miror.

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Showing Feedback

Posted on March 4th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: For Home Sellers

When another agent wants to show one of my listings, the appointment service I subscribe to schedules and OKs the showing with the owner of the home, and then sends me an email with a record of it. So I know right away which agent will be showing it and when. Shortly after the time the showing occurred, an automatic email is sent to that agent asking for feedback from their showing, with their reply sent to me. There are standard questionnaires to use for the feedback request, but instead I composed a short message that thanks the Realtor for the showing and asks for their own professional opinion about the listed price and condition of the home in comparison to other similar properties, plus any other comments they wish to make. They see so many homes that their perspective is important. Successfully marketing a home is basically really simple. It’s all about price and condition. If those are in balance in the home itself and with other similar homes on the market, then the probability of being successful selling it should be good. My request is written very straightforward, but you’d be surprised how few agents address the topic I asked about. 10% maybe? Every Realtor looks at this a different way I suppose, but I really don’t care that much about what their buyer-prospect thought about the home. It doesn’t hurt to know I guess. But if the buyer liked it, I figure the agent would be sending me an offer and feedback is a mute point…if they didn’t like it, they won’t be sending an offer. Usually it’s some features of the home a buyer doesn’t like which dissuades them to purchase it, and most features can’t be changed by the seller easily anyway. So I’m more interested in what the agent’s learned opinion is on price and condition. The whole purpose about getting good feedback is to help me communicate with the seller about how the market is reacting to their home, so they can adapt if needed so one of the next showings will be successful for them.

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Timeless Timepiece

Posted on March 1st, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Community Feature

Countless numbers of people over the years…and undoubtedly each of us have glanced upward many times toward the face of this landmark to check the time as we drove or walked downtown, headed for an event or appointment or while shopping. For generations this timeless timepiece has adorned the corner of the building at the SW corner of Meridian and Washington Streets…the crossroad…the apex of our community. For many years this building was the L.S. Ayres & Co. department store, and now incorporated as part of Circle Centre Mall.

In this changing world, and nearly digital everything, it’s comforting to know that some things never change. The hands keep pointing out the hours and minutes, keeping us on time, just as they always have and hopefully always will.

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ISM winter view

Posted on February 26th, 2011 by Richard. Categories: Community Feature

A shot of the Indiana State Museum taken out through the window of the Eiteljorge next door. If you’ve read a few of my earlier posts then you know the White River Park area buildings and attractions are some of my favorite subjects.

I’m making a note to myself to get another one from this same spot sometime in the middle of the summer and post it. The now and then contrast. Those kinds of things intrigue me for some reason. Each season has a dramatically different look.

Winter makes one last attempt to whiten the landscape again. This time of year, it doesn’t last long though. The calendar will say March in just a couple more days.