Here are some Real Estate Numbers that don’t get much press…..

11 – The percentage of the median down payment on a house nationwide

12 – The number of weeks for a typical home search

12 – The average number of homes each buyer visits

66.9% – Homeownership rate (down 3 full points from 5 years ago)

50%+ – Percentage of people who consider buying a foreclosure but don’t

53 – The average age of a typical home seller

30 – The median age of a first time homebuyer

18 billion – The amount of money spent by federal government on housing bailouts

82 billion – Amount of residential sales nationwide to international buyers from 4/1/10-3/31/11 (up from $66 billion the previous year)

You can get a lot more information and detail at www.retrends.com

In our quest for world dominance…….well, at least to keep expanding our Indiana coverage – we now have an office in Evansville, Indiana!  

They were already a Prudential office operating at Prudential Prime Properties – but they have now joined our alliance and have rebranded as Prudential Indiana Realty.

Same great office, same great agents (cue the Batman music). They are located at:

4111 Washington Avenue, Evansville 47714 and can be reached at 812-474-7000

You can find all their agents and other information on our company website at:

www.PrudentialIndiana.com

Evansville is located in SW Indiana right on the Ohio River. A mecca of activity and opportunity. We welcome them to the family and look forward to an awesome future together.

Here’s a little video view of Evansville…..

Be in the Know!

IU basketball is making a comeback, The Denver Broncos are beating all the odds, The Pacers are having their best season in years…….. Indiana is all about sports – no matter what shape or size the equipment, the venue or the player.

We have the unique opportunity to showcase our State in less than 30 days when the Superbowl comes to Indianapolis.  Events are scheduled from January 27th – February 5th.  Get all the details by clicking HERE or going to www.indianapolissuperbowl.com

Traffic, Parking, Merchandise, Restaurants, Events, Attractions  - the where, when, how much.

8,000+ volunteers all trained with Hoosier Hospitality will make it a SUPER event.

NO excuses, folks. Don’t drink and drive- and don’t ride with anybody who does.Tipsy Tow offered by AAA: You don’t have to be a AAA member, from 6pm-6am on New Year’s Eve/Day they will take you and your car home for FREE. Save this number… 1-800-222-4357. 

A message from our Lieutenant Governor, Becky Skillman:

Welcome to the Hoosier state! In Indiana, you’ll get the same reception in our small towns as 

you will in our big cities—nothing but warm Hoosier hospitality. 

Spend a long weekend at one of our festivals, go antique 

shopping in any of our charming Indiana towns, or enjoy a 

wealth of artwork at our world-class museums. 

Now more than ever, you have great travel information at your fingertips thanks to  

VisitIndiana.com and social media. Keep up with Indiana’s happenings on Facebook,  

Twitter and the Indiana Insider Blog. 

Sign up for monthly email featuring trip 

ideas, discounts and events. And, if 

you love to share photos, join the Visit 

Indiana group on Flickr to share your 

favorite Indiana destinations.

For the online PDF of the Indiana Travel Guide:

http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/files/2012_Indiana_Travel_Guide.pdf

For the online PDF of the Indiana Festival Guide:

http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/files/2012_Indiana_Festival_Guide.pdf

These links are also listed on the right side of our website under “Entertainment Links” at www.indianaresourcecenter.com

A couple things to pay attention to in 2012 and beyond;

First – the Central indiana Transit Task Force revealed a plan to meet the public transportation needs for Indianapolis and the surrounding counties. The first phase would be completed by 2021 and include:

Double the amount of local bus service in Marion County and add service in Hamilton County

Four bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors featuring hybrid or electric vehicles with dedicated lanes

Five express bus routes with limited stops and quick access 

Frequent bus circulator service in downtown Indy

Multiple transfer hubs throughout region

Rail service in NE rail corridor from Indianapolis to Noblesville

The proposal is in the hands of the Indiana General Assembly and bears watching.  The price tag is estimated at $1.3 billion.  The task force is proposing a .3% increase in county option income tax in Marion and Hamilton counties.

Benefits are stated as:

Time savings, improved traffic flow, affordable transportation options, access to public services, vehicle operation savings for travelers, reduced pollution, increased property values near transit stations, reduction in accidents.

Second  -  Right to Work Legislation

House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long have both labeled it their top priority this session and the Governor is saying it would make the state more economically competitive.  

This is not the venue to do anything except draw your attention to the fact that it will be up for debate and to get the facts from both sides and make your own informed decision.

I remember Bob Gregory used to predict how many days it would snow…..and never got it right.  Remember – it’s Indiana.  There’s always a week somewhere in the midst of winter that it breaks 50-60 degrees and the motorcycles hit the street.  Then the next week we are shoveling just to get out of our driveways.  Here’s some historical data to draw from……

The snowfall totals are annual averages based on weather data collected from 1981 to 2010 for the NOAA National Climatic Data Center.

Northern Indiana

Central Indiana

Southern Indiana

For more detailed information click HERE or go to:

http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Indiana/annual-snowfall.php

I happened to be a student at IU during the blizzard of 1978 and they cancelled classes for the first time in 50 years!  I’ve lived through ice storms and other weather phenomenon….and have never had to make a mad rush to the grocery for milk and eggs.  Embrace it and enjoy!

Forbes magaine has declared Santa Claus, Indiana as one of the “World’s Top Christmas 

Destinations”.  Did you hear that New York?  Chicago? Paris?  Yep – Southern Indiana is right there with you!

They gave them this honor based on the fact that “they enthusiastically embrace the role, with a wide array of Santa-themed shops and attractions”.  These attractions incluse Holiday World & Splashin Safari, Santa Claus Museum, Santa’s Candy Castle and the Santa Claus Post Office.

We join ranks with New York City, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Cologne (Germany), Boston, Napapiiri (Finland), Rome (Italy), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Aspen and Paris (France).  Not bad company!

Some of the annual events in Santa Claus, IN include a traditional Christmas Dinner with Santa, Santa Clau Land of Lights, 1.2 mile driving journey through Lake Rudolph Campgound, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire and much more.

For more info and schedule of events click HERE or go to www.santaclausin.org/special-events

You can also call 888-444-9252

In 1946 WWII was over and many were returning home from military service.  One of those was Virginia Holmes.  She was a prize-winning commercial artist coming back to Indianapolis to begin her job in the advertising department of L.S. Ayres, a downtown Indianapolis department store.  She was assigned the task of putting together their 1946 Christmas catalog, but merchandise was still in short supply so Holmes created whimsical cherubs to fill the somewhat empty pages.  These cherubs charmed the public and began a tradition that continues today.

The response to the cherubs was so great that Ayres brought them back in their 1947 holiday advertising.  1947 was their 75th Anniversary so they commissioned nationally recognized Indianapolis sculptor David Rubins to create a bronze cherbu for the store’s landmark clock, located on the outside of their building on the corner of Washignton and Meridian streets.

The story goes that the whimsical Cherub mysteriously appeared atop the clock on Thanksgiving Eve of 1947 to keep a watchful eye on the shoppers until Santa took over on Christmas Eve. Every year since, thousands have watched for the appearance of the Cherub perched atop the famous clock.

In 1986, L.S. Ayres was purchased by May Department Store Co and in 1992 they decided to move the Cherub to their headquarters in St. Louis.  There was such a tremendous public outcry when the Cherub did not appear that season the May Company donated the Cherub to the City of Indianapolis in 1994.  Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. is now the legal guardian of the Cherub and assures us of our heavenly shopping guardian for the future.

When you go downtown this year to look at all the beautiful lights – be sure to swing by the corner of Washington and Meridian streets and look for the Cherub.  Share the story with your kids and make it a part of your Christmas tradition.

The Indiana State Museum sells replica Cherub ornaments in their gift shop.

Well, it may not be a list we want to be on – but I found it amusing!

State Farm Insurance has compiled a list of the top ten states that have the most cooking fires on Thanksgiving. Indiana came in at #9 – so in the interest of keeping everyone safe this Turkey Day, we wanted to draw attention to this fact in hopes that we can get off this list!

Evidently, cooking fire claims more than double on Thanksgiving compared to any other day in November.  The main culprit of course being the deep fryer.

Note to all:  Do not leave your fryers unattended – and make sure your fire extinguisher is close at hand and ready to go!

Here’s the top ten list…..  (cue David Letterman)

1. Texas

2. Illinois

3. Ohio

4. New York

5. Pennsylvania

6. Michigan

7. Florida

8.  Minnesota

9.  Indiana

10. Louisiana

Also – be aware that this annual event is going to cost more at the grocery store this year. Indiana Farm Bureau conducted an informal survey of grocery prices on the typical Thanksgiving items:

Turkey (16lb) $23.68 (up from $20.48)

Stuffing (14oz) $2.50 (up from $2.48)

Pumpkin pie filling $3.11 (from $2.72)

Sweet potatoes are actually down! $2.94 (from $2.97)

Rolls are down also! $1.86 (from $2.12)

Milk $3.15 (from $2.83)

Cranberries $2.47 (from $2.32)

All the typical ingredients added together will total $49.38 for 2011 compared to $45.79 for 2010