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Alfresco Delights: Exploring Outdoor Dining in North Indy
As the sun shines brighter and the days grow longer, there’s an undeniable allure to dining al fresco. Whether it’s a lazy weekend brunch, a family outing, a casual catch-up over drinks and appetizers, or a romantic dinner under the stars, North Indy boasts a plethora of options to indulge in outdoor dining experiences. So, grab your sunglasses and let’s embark on a culinary adventure through the vibrant outdoor dining scene of North Indy.
Brunch Bliss: Start your day off right with a leisurely brunch in the open air. North Indy offers several charming spots where you can savor delicious morning fare while basking in the sunshine. From fluffy pancakes to savory omelets, these establishments have you covered. Don’t miss out on the chance to enjoy your morning meal surrounded by nature’s beauty.
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Garden Table: Carmel, IN
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Vivante: Carmel, IN
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Rize: Carmel, IN
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Rosie’s: Zionsville, IN
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Lincoln Square Pancake House: Zionsville, IN
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Uptown Cafe: Carmel, IN
Family-Friendly Feasts: When dining with the whole crew, finding a family-friendly spot with outdoor seating is a must. Luckily, North Indy is home to numerous eateries that cater to both the young and the young at heart. With spacious patios and a welcoming atmosphere, these restaurants ensure that every member of the family has a memorable dining experience.
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Bubs Burgers: Carmel & Zionsville, IN
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Field Brewing: Westfield, IN
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Urban Vines: Westfield, IN
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Garden Table: Carmel, IN
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Social Cantina: Carmel, IN
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Fork and Ale: Carmel, IN
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Sun King Midtown: Carmel, IN
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Bier Brewing Noblesville: Noblesville, IN
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Boathouse and Swan Dive: Cicero, IN
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Four Day Ray Brewing: Fishers, IN
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Birdies: Westfield, IN
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Daniel’s Vineyard: McCordsville, IN
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Bazbeaux: Carmel, IN
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Slapfish: Noblesville, IN
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Los Arroyos: Carmel, IN
Drinks & Appetizers al Fresco: Looking for a laid-back spot to unwind with friends after a long day? We’ve got you covered with an array of bars and eateries offering outdoor seating and enticing drink specials. Whether you’re craving craft cocktails, local brews, or a fine wine selection, there’s something for everyone. Pair your drinks with mouthwatering appetizers and soak in the vibrant ambiance of these outdoor locales.
- 3UP Rooftop Lounge: Carmel, IN
- Something Splendid: Westfield, IN
- Westfork Whiskey: Westfield, IN
- Wine & Rind: Carmel, IN
- Sun King Midtown: Carmel, IN
- Peace Water Winery: Carmel, IN
Date Night Delights: For a romantic rendezvous, few settings rival the charm of an outdoor dining experience. Hamilton County boasts a variety of intimate restaurants with cozy patio seating, perfect for a memorable date night. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply savoring each other’s company, these establishments set the stage for an unforgettable evening under the stars.
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Garden Table: Carmel, IN
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Juniper on Main: Carmel, IN
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Chiba: Westfield, IN
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Italian House on Park, Westfield, IN
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1933 Lounge by St. Elmo: Fishers, IN
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Vivante: Carmel, IN
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Wolfies Noblesville: Noblesville, IN
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Monterey Coastal Cuisine: Carmel, IN
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Savor: Carmel, IN
6 WAYS BUYERS CAN STAND OUT IN A SELLER’S MARKET
You’ve heard all the buzz:
It’s a seller’s market. Inventory moves fast. Sellers are getting multiple offers.
Wondering if you can still buy your dream home? You can! With a little preparation, you can make the best offer possible.
Hire a Great Real Estate Agent
It’s no surprise that our top tip is to find a good real estate agent. He or she should have a solid understanding of the market (including how much homes like the ones you’re interested in are generally selling for), be proactive, and communicate well.
Get Pre-approved
A mortgage pre-approval (different from pre-qualification) shows that you are a serious buyer and that you have the ability to move quickly. A pre-approval requires that the lender verify your financial information and serves as a commitment to lend you a specified amount based on that confirmed information.
Make a Simple and Strong Offer
In a fast-moving market, if you find a home that you love, if you find the perfect home for you, it’s not the time to try to negotiate a bargain or make a lowball offer. Your real estate agent will be skilled in writing a compelling offer, but aim to make your offer as simple and straight-forward as possible. The fewer contingencies that you have put in place, the better.
Move Quickly
Ways to do this: be prepared to schedule inspections quickly or offer flexibility if the sellers need a quick closing. If you can find a way to suit the seller’s timeline, this will serve you well.
Be Open to Offering Extras
Have faith in your trusted advisor. Your real estate agent will guide you if there is anything extra that you can offer to sway it in your favor. Sometimes just a little can go a long way, like increasing your earnest money or even covering HOA fees. What you take off their plate will count in your favor.
Show Some Love
Selling a home can be an emotional experience. Many sellers want to know that the next family is going to love the home as much as they do. It never hurts to make it personal and write a letter to the owners, assuring them that you will take great care of it and that they would be leaving it in good hands. If a seller is choosing between a few offers, your personal touch could be the deciding factor.
Interested in learning more? Give us a call or shoot us an e-mail!
What Not To Pour Down Your Drain
Am I the only one who finds the drain in the sink satisfying? You do a mountain of dishes. You’re scrubbing, applying water, getting the dishes clean. Then, thanks to our hero drain, all the gross stuff, soap and water magically disappears into the drain.
However, all things have their limits, and your drain is no exception. Thanks to this article from The Spruce, here are some items you should never pour down your drain-
- Coffee grounds
- Cooking grease and oils
- Rice and grains
- Eggshells
- Doughs and batters
- Paint
- Hazardous chemicals and pesticides
- Flushable and non-flushable wipes
- Kitty litter
- Prescription medications
These items, for the most part, will cause a clog in your sink or tub. Mainly because they won’t dissolve as quickly or at all in your drain, thus creating a physical obstruction. These items can also do damage that isn’t immediately evident but pollutes our water supplies- looking at you prescription medications and chemicals.
The best way to combat clogs is to keep things from clogging in the first place. Let your drain do its job by keeping things that don’t belong out of it!
Read more here!
How to keep your kids toys from taking over
I have threatened throwing all of my kids’ toys away, threatened to donate them and threatened that Santa was not bringing any new toys. Toys have taken over my house and especially as having them home all day, it seems it is much worse.
If you are in this same boat, perhaps you will find these tips as useful as I have.
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REDUCE THE CLUTTER
It doesn’t matter how organized you are — a surplus of toys will always ensure your house is a mess waiting to happen. Fortunately, getting kids on board with the idea of ditching their stuff is a lot easier than it sounds.
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CHOOSE TOYS WISELY
Since you’ll probably be stuck with them for a while, it pays to be picky when it comes to buying toys. To make toys more meaningful to your child, only buy them for holidays, special occasions and rewards — don’t shy away from asking relatives to do the same.
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LEAVE SOME TOYS OUT OF REACH
If you’re constantly finding play dough and puzzle pieces in the sofa cushions, it’s time to put them on the top shelf of the closet. Designating these messy toys as ”family toys” will give you more quality time with your child instead of scrubbing pen marks off the curtains.
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SET BOUNDARIES
If toys are already sprawled out over every available surface of your house, don’t worry! You can quickly reclaim order in your household by setting a few ground rules, such as ”no toys in the kitchen” or setting limits on the number of toys allowed out overnight.
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GIVE KIDS OWNERSHIP
Picking up toys doesn’t have to be boring. Babies, toddlers and big kids alike can have fun organizing and picking up, just as long as it’s not a negative experience. This means you should provide enough time for enjoyment without resorting to counting ”1, 2, 3” or shouting empty threats.
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GIVE EVERY TOY A HOME
Without a simple organizational system, picking up can be a major headache. Don’t throw everything into one big toy box; there’s a better way.
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HIT THE BOOKS
It’s not your imagination. That pile of storybooks by the couch really is getting taller, and if you wait much longer, it will likely turn into a giant heap.
Worse yet, your kid uses those books to stall and push back bedtime a little later with each passing night. That’s why it’s important to either keep the books in your child’s room, or keep a small selection of favorites in a basket for easy retrieval.
For more on these tips, and more, read here!
Here’s What the Color of Your Bedroom Reveals About Your Personality
The bed. And the room the bed is in. Is there anything more important in any given person’s life than their bed? The one thing we’re all pretty much guaranteed to use every 24 hours? Sleep is essential, but it’s also desirable. There’s nothing better than laying down in your bed after a productive, busy day. Teeth are brushed, pajamas are on, it’s go time.
Your bed is a very personal thing. 99% of the people in your life probably have no idea what your bed or bedroom looks like, but that doesn’t make it any less important! Let’s talk about the color of the paint in your bedroom. What does it say about you?
This article from HouseBeautiful.com states a few, here a few of my favorites:
YELLOW
“Yellow is luminous and warm and so are the people who prefer it,” says Eiseman. “They love innovation and originality. ”
LILAC
“Shades of the purple family are usually preferred by those who have a highly creative streak, and Lilac lovers aspire for uniqueness but lean to the more sentimental, softer side of purple.”
RED
“Shades of the purple family are usually preferred by those who have a highly creative streak, and Lilac lovers aspire for uniqueness but lean to the more sentimental, softer side of purple.”
Of course the question now is: “do you pick the color or does the color pick you”? I’d like to think you’d read this list and choose the color that you want to feel those effects.
Your bedroom shouldn’t be decorated to impress the Smiths from down the street, it’s yours. It exists to make you content and comfortable. Choose a color that’ll bring you there.
Read the full article here.
Article thanks to MIBOR.
YOUR HOME AND SNOW ARE NOT FRIENDS
It’s always exciting to see the first snowfall of the season, we’re approaching that time rapidly. That means it’s time for snow days, sledding, and LOTS of hot chocolate. Did you know that snow doesn’t always have a good impact on things? It can damage roads, create power-outages, and be harmful to your home. Here are just a couple ways snow is damaging and what you can do to prevent help.
Snow Can Overload Your Roof
It takes about 4 feet of fresh snow to create stress on your roof, that may seem like an unlikely amount, but with todays unpredictable weather patterns you can’t be too sure! It’s best practice to have your roof inspected by a professional well before Winter has arrived, but it’s upon us, there isn’t a lot of time to get an inspector out. If you’re worried about it invest in a telescoping pole to rake snow off your roof to keep the stress low, or you can always hire a contractor if it’s gotten serious.
Ice Dams will hurt roof and your gutters
Hanging icicles are beautiful, but they are a sign that water is accumulating in your gutters and can form what is called an ice dam, this is exactly what it sounds like and will create blockage in your drains. Using a large rake pole for your roof, like in the previous paragraph, can be a great preventative measure to this as it will keep the majority of snow off your roof, minimizing the amount of water reaching your gutters to later freeze.
For more on this, you can read here!
Thanks for the article MIBOR.
DON’T LET HOME BUYING FEARS STOP YOU FROM HOMEOWNERSHIP
When buying your first home, there is a lot of new information you’re going to have to start diving into. This doesn’t mean that you are making poor decisions or that you can’t be educated on the subject, every homeowner has been in that position at some point in their lives! The important thing to do is stay calm, and simply start researching who your going to have represent you in this process. A REALTOR® will be your best resource when buying or selling. They are your advocate and will guide you along every step. Take the time to find someone who will understand your unique situation and have your best interests in mind.
There are 5 very common fears people face when buying homes. As long as you are aware of the different circumstances you could face, these fears can turn into a powerful tool to help you make an offer on a perfectly safe, and potentially profitable property.
- Credit Score
Credit score can be a frightening subject for a lot of people, especially with commercials always telling you that if you dare to check your score, that it will be lowered. There is nothing wrong with having low or even ZERO credit, it can always be improved. Take a look at your finances and get a good grasp on where all of your spending goes, if you don’t have a credit card, get one. There are plenty of banks that offer credit cards that are designed to help people build credit. As long as you are making payments on time and spending responsibly, you have nothing to fear.
- Home Maintenance
Now you’ve started looking into homes, and had you’re first home inspection, that’s great! Unfortunately, the home inspection came back with a huge list of repairs that are going to need to be done. Don’t fear this, go through it and think practically about how much of it could you really do on your own? We live in the era of doing it yourself, there are limitless resources online to help with all kinds of home repair. That’s not to say to start handling all the electrical work after watching a 5-minute video on YouTube. Stay safe and hire professionals when necessary. As far as you’re bathroom remodel goes though, YOU CAN DO IT.
- Find a good mortgage lender
Find a company that works best for you, don’t jump on the first one that makes you an offer. You should treat this phase delicately because it will determine a lot about the homes that you will be looking at, it could arguably be the most important step in buying a home!
- Keeping up with the mortgage
Being “home-poor” is an unfortunate situation that plenty of buyers can find themselves in. This can be prevented in the initial phases of things though, look at homes with your finances in mind, consider homes in low crime area. Consider homes that you can not only afford the mortgage but will be able to make more than the required payments so you can pay the house off faster. Buy a home that you can put your love into and improve it, so when it comes time to sell, you can sell for more than you bought it for. Staying on top of your finances is key when getting yourself a mortgage on a home!
- Be satisfied with your purchase
You’ve written a huge check, it’s natural for that to feel nauseating. Don’t doubt yourself now though, if you’ve done your research on the neighborhoods, the traffic, the home’s value, and have your head wrapped around your finances, you have nothing to be worried about. Stay confident with yourself, if you’ve taken each step of the process seriously and asked plenty of questions, there is nothing to fear! ENJOY YOUR NEW HOME!
For more on this, you can go here
https://mymortgageinsider.com/dealing-with-home-buying-fears/
Find your dream home
Find your Realtor – ✔️
Home Buyers Meeting – ✔️
Get Preapproved – ✔️
But it’s still not time to go look at houses. First, you and your realtor need to discuss your dream home. We need to figure out your needs (number of bedrooms, location, move-in ready, etc) and your wants (hardwoods, fenced in, granite countertops, etc). Then, you need to figure out what’s possible in your budget and see how the stars align. 😉 Unless you have an unlimited budget, it’s unlikely that you’re going to find everything on your list. However, with a great realtor on your team, you can work together and find the best home for you.
Needs are things you have to have:
〰️Enough bedrooms for everyone in your family
〰️Move-in ready because you don’t plan on doing projects
〰️In a location that’s convenient for your job and your life
Wants are things you’d like to have, but can change later:
〰️Hardwood floors are pretty, but you can always change the flooring
〰️ A fence for your dog is great, but can be added
Once you and your realtor have talked through everything, they will set you up on an automated search. When you first receive your e-mail, you’re going to need to “opt in” to continue receiving e-mails. Open your portal and mark your favorites (or just send them to your realtor – your choice!).
Now the fun begins. You get to look at homes! We generally need 24 hours to schedule showings. However, in a low supply, high demand market, that is not always an option. Let us know your favorites and your schedule and we’ll get to work.
We all know that waiting on your e-mail every day can be hard and it’s always fun to keep searching on your own. While all of the properties that meet your criteria will come straight to your e-mail; if you want to keep searching, you can download our app. Using the CENTURY 21 Scheetz app vs Zillow/Realtor/Trulia/Redfin/etc will get your faster and more accurate information on homes for sale as our app pulls straight from the MLS and the others use public information that can sometimes take a while to be updated. Or search on our website: www.loriflynnrealty.com
Schedule a home buyers consult
The home buying process can be long and arduous and it’s not something you do every day. Luckily for you, it is something the agents at Lori Flynn Realty do every day!
Before you get started looking at homes, you should schedule a home buyers consult. At this meeting, your agent will take the time to walk you through every step of the home buying process. This will include explaining various real estate terms (FHA, Grants, HOA, HUD, etc), explaining the best ways to handle negotiations during the offer and inspections, understanding the pre-approval process, property taxes, your escrow account, finding the best insurance, closing and possession, etc.
Want to get a jump start on the lingo? Check out this great blog post for explanations of common real estate terms!
And don’t worry – you don’t have to remember all of the details! At any point during the process, you can ask your agent anything and they will time to explain it to you.
You want me to get a pre-what?
Not sure if you’ve received a preapproval or a prequalification? The difference is in the details. With a prequalification, the lender has likely checked your credit, but used what they’ve been told to see what you might qualify for. With a pre-approval, the lender has gone deeper. In addition to verifying your credit, they are also verifying your bank statements, pay stubs, etc. This helps the lender do a better job for you from the very beginning of the process.
For more information on what your lender is asking for and why, read this article from Ruoff Home Mortgage: https://blog.ruoff.com/why-does-your-mortgage-require-so-much-paperwork
It is important to understand the difference between your monthly budget and your loan approval before hitting the street. Many lenders will approve you to purchase at a much higher amount than what fits your monthly budget. Lori Flynn Realty will help you stay within your budget and help you understand costs associated with after purchase updates.
Before we start scheduling showings, you will want to talk with a loan officer and get a pre-approval. Providing updated and accurate information will ensure the lender can get you qualified for the best loan program for you. There are many programs to choose from.
Still have questions? Give us a call and we can help! 317-384-4712 or e-mail us lflynn(at)c21scheetz.com.
