Type:  Ranch

Age:   Built in 2001

Location:   Near 146^th Street and Spring Mill Road

Neighborhood:   Centennial is a large neighborhood with a swimming pool, playground, basketball court, sledding hill, soccer fields, tennis court, and walking trails.

Square footage:  3179 including 1297 in the finished basement

Rooms:   This two-bedroom two-bath home has a main floor den, great room with wood-burning fireplace, formal dining room, full finished basement with a large recreation area, and two-car garage.

Strengths:  There is a full finished basement.  The property is well landscaped and has a built-in sprinkler system and large covered porch.  With vaulted ceilings in the spacious great room, this home provides a layout in demand for buyers.  This home is next to a pond and across from a park and sledding hill.

Challenges:  There are only two bedrooms but the office can be transformed into a third bedroom with the addition of a closet. 

WHAT’S IT WORTH?   $250,000

Type: Traditional

Age: Built in 1992 Location:

Near 146th Street and Spring Mill Road.

Neighborhood: Springmill Pond is a custom home community with mature trees and larger lots with a community pool, playground, tennis and basketball courts.

Square footage: 3815 including 971 in the finished basement

Rooms: This four-bedroom home has a two-story entry, main floor office, formal living and dining rooms, family room with gas fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and spacious kitchen with center island, planning desk, stainless appliances and hardwoods. Upstairs offers four bedrooms plus a bonus room. There is also a finished basement with recreation room and plenty of storage. The exterior has a three-car garage, screened porch, fenced backyard and mature trees.

Strengths: The seller has priced this home very aggressively and it is a great value for the neighborhood. Of all the active listings in Springmill Pond, this is currently priced as the least expensive. There are large trees and ponds throughout the neighborhood.

Challenges: There is not a full basement. Some comparable listings have solid surface kitchen counter tops and this home does not.

WHAT’S IT WORTH? $329,900

WHAT’S IT WORTH?

Type: Traditional        

Age:   Built in 1994

Location:   Near Morse Reservoir

Neighborhood:   Carrigan Cove is a custom home community with mature trees. 

Square footage:  4086 including 1377 in the finished basement

Rooms:   This four-bedroom home has three-and-a-half baths, open kitchen and family room combination, formal living and dining rooms, finished basement and three-car garage. 

Strengths:  This is a custom home for only $270,000.  It has a unique stucco exterior, large yard, and new carpet and paint. 

Challenges:  According to the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors, there is currently a 12 month inventory for homes in this price range in Noblesville. 

WHAT’S IT WORTH?    $270,000

Type: Traditional                    

Age:   Built in 1991

Location:   Near Smokey Row and Gray Road

Neighborhood:   Smokey Knoll is an established neighborhood with mature trees and homes built in the mid-1980’s-early 1990’s.

Square footage:  3900 including 752 in the finished basement

Rooms:  This four-bedroom home has a family room, main floor office, formal dining room, and finished basement.

Strengths:  This home has an attractive curb-appeal, brick-wrapped exterior, screened-in porch, deck, in-ground pool and a fully-fenced backyard.  This is a very attractive price point for a house of this size in a desirable neighborhood in Carmel. 

Challenges:  The in-ground pool could deter buyers who do not want the added maintenance.  Many competing listings in this price range offer three-car garages while this home has a two-car garage side-load garage.

WHAT’S IT WORTH?    $350,000

You may be surprised to know that taking advantage of current favorable interest rates on the purchase of a $300K home (30 years) after the tax incentive program was actually a great business decision.  Compare the monthly payments of the available rates earlier in 2010 at the annual rate of 5.125% to the more recent rates now of 4.75%.  The difference in the total payment over the life of the 30 year loan is $22,320.  At this price range we’ll utilize the smaller of the two tax credits since this buyer was not likely a first time buyer.  Missing the $6,500 government tax credit was a blessing in disguise.  You would have made $15,820.  This is one case where procrastination paid dividends.

Type:  Traditional

Age:  Built in 1998

Location:  Near 131^st Street and Hazel Dell Parkway

Neighborhood:  Brooks Landing at Prairie View is an exclusive neighborhood adjacent to Prairie View Golf Course and the White River and offers a clubhouse, community pool and tennis courts.

Square footage:  This home has 4996 square feet including 1338 in the finished basement.

Rooms:  This four-bedroom four-and-a-half bath home has a gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops, a tumbled stone backsplash and custom cherry cabinets, a main floor office, sunroom, a basement with full bath, fireplace, theater area and exercise room and a three-car side-load garage.

Strengths:  This home is on a large wooded cul-de-sac lot with a park-like setting that backs up to the White River.  There are many upgrades including a nice trim package, crown molding throughout, hardwoods, new front door and fresh exterior paint.  It is surrounded by more expensive homes. 

Challenges:  Some buyers may prefer a more open kitchen and great room combination.  Storage space is somewhat limited.

WHAT’S IT WORTH?    $575,000