Fishers topped suburbs of Honolulu, Hawaii, Charlotte, NC, and Denver, CO on the list. Rankings were based on proximity to a major city, populations between 5,000 to 60,000, median family incomes of $51,000 to $120,000, and lower-than-average crime rates. Affordability factored most heavily in the rankings, followed by livability, education, crime and the economy. Suburbs drew penalties for bad weather (certainly Fishers earned a ding there—let’s be honest) and lack of diversity (another probable ding) along with high divorce rates and few children. In the end, though, everything residents love about Fishers IN, including a top-ranked school system, plenty of parks and recreation venues, pedestrian trails (more are being added this year!) and easy proximity to shopping and entertainment won out!

To read the entire article, visit http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/best-affordable-suburbs-in-america-2010.

Other recent recognition for Fishers includes Money magazine’s Best Small Cities (2009), Business Weekly’s Best Places in Indiana to Raise a Family (2009), Relocate-America.com Top 100 Places to Live in the U.S., and Money magazine’s Best Places to Live (2005).

About Fishers Indiana
Fishers homes for sale
Fishers real estate

Visit our Web site!

This year, especially, seems like a great time to visit since 2010 is all about new for the acclaimed ensemble. With a new location in the historic Columbia Club on Monument Circle, a new name – now simply The Cabaret – and a new dinner service, the famed Indianapolis theater group admittedly is seeking to set the stage for a reputation on par with more world-renowned venues in New York and Chicago.

What remains the same is the theater’s commitment to bringing world-class original cabaret shows and traditional Broadway musicals to the Indianapolis performing arts scene. The theater draws from local talent as well as professional cabaret performers to present the comedy, song, dance and theater shows in the small, intimate settings for which cabarets are known (information that required an additional Google search since I confess to having been fuzzy on the function of a cabaret). Past shows have celebrated musical legends like Stevie Wonder and Patsy Cline, or iconic periods in music. Can you say, Disco Fever?!

The Cabaret’s 2010 season opens this weekend with Amanda McBroom, composer of the hit song “The Rose,” as well as a Golden Globe winner and Broadway star.  McBroom performs March 5 & 6 at 8:00 PM. The ticket price includes a champagne and dessert reception with Ms. McBroom after the performance.

Of course I’ll be on hand to check it out for myself. And I’ll be sure to report back!

For more information, on The Cabaret in Indianapolis, visit http://www.thecabaret.org/American_Cabaret_Theatre/HOME.html

Indianapolis Indiana

Indianapolis real estate

My less than daring wine preference didn’t stop me from enjoying Fishers’ newest entertainment venue, though. My husband and I had fun challenging each other to identify the flavors advertised in the wines we sampled. He claimed to savor the cherries, chocolate, olives and anything else used to make whatever wine he was sipping. I, on the other hand, recognized only one flavor—grapefruit, which happens to be my least favorite fruit ever. Oh well. The servers were friendly and informative, and the ambiance was surprisingly good. A cozy room attached to the wine bar serves as a lounge of sorts, where guests can take a glass – or bottle – of their favorite wine and some cheese and crackers and listen to the evening’s entertainment. Performing the night we were there was the duo of Bloodshot Moon. I’m not music connoisseur, either, although I do watch American Idol, but I thought they were very good. My husband claimed he could identify each and every note they sang. OK, he didn’t really, but I wouldn’t put it past him. Show off!

The $5 wine tasting fee was a bargain for an evening’s worth of good entertainment in Fishers Indiana. And my husband and I agree on one thing: We’ll definitely go back.

For more information on the Fishers Tasting Room and Wine Bar, visit, http://www.chateauthomas.com/.

For more information about Fishers Indiana, contact your Fishers Indiana real estate expert:

Pat Haddad, ABR, CDPE, CRS, e-Pro, GRI

Haddad Team, Keller Williams Realty

317-840-7555

www.HaddadTeam.com

So, I’m thrilled to report that this year the Town of Fishers will add approximately 5 miles of trails around town. The new paths will primarily link the 60-plus miles of existing trails found along most major roads and subdivisions. I can already hear the cheers of Fishers’ frustrated walkers, runners and cyclists! This is the sort of improvement that will ensure Fishers continues to be ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States.

The project will be funded with $1 million in bond money and $250,000 in federal grant money, according to a press release from the Town of Fishers. The trail additions to be completed this year are:

• 106th Street from Allisonville Road to Eller Road
• 106th Street from Crosspoint Boulevard to Lantern Road
• 106th Street from Muir Lane to the Beaver Ridge neighborhood
• 106th Street from Beaver Ridge to the Bradford Ridge neighborhood
• Lantern Road from Wellington Place Apartments south to the existing trail
• Brooks School Road from 116th Street to the Brookston Place neighborhood
• Eller Road from Allisonville Road to the Eller Commons neighborhood
• Cumberland Road from 116th Street to 121st Street

For more information on Fishers Indiana contact your Fishers Realtor:

Pat Haddad, ABR, CDPE, CRS, e-Pro, GRI
Haddad Team, Keller Williams Realty
317.840.7555
Pat@HaddadTeam.com

Fishers IN real estate
Fishers homes for sale

The Early Years
Fort Benjamin Harrison has played an important role in the history of Indianapolis Indiana and the United States since the early years of the 20th century. In 1904, the U.S. Congress approved the purchase of land and the establishment of a military fort about 12 miles northeast of Indianapolis. The fort was named for the 23rd United States president and Indiana native, Benjamin Harrison. Construction on most of the buildings was completed in 1908. In the early days, travel from the fort to Indianapolis was via the interurban train station. During World War I, the fort became a mobilization center for national defense and a training center for 10,000 railroad specialists.

Between the World War I and II, the fort served as a Civilian Conservation Corps center for reforestation and soil conservation work. At the onset of World War II, the fort became a Midwest induction and logistical support center. In 1944, Italian and German prisoners of war from Rommels Afrika Korps arrived for detention at Fort Benjamin Harrison. The Midwest Disciplinary Barracks ultimately housed 6,200 prisoners. The fort was abandoned in 1947, but soon reopened as the Fort Benjamin Harrison Air Force Base. In 1949, Fort Benjamin Harrison became the Administrative and Training Center for the Army. The Defense Finance Center was dedicated in 1953 and the Defense Information School in 1966.

Today
Fort Harrison real estate is like nothing else in the Indianapolis area. Many of the charming residences, home to military families for more than 90 years, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wide wrap-around porches, elegant moldings, exposed brick walls, built-in bookcases and cabinets, and a fireplace in every room are just some of the historic features of Fort Harrison homes. Most of these properties have been recently restored to include all the modern amenities buyers want without compromising the vintage beauty of the homes.

Although the fort is now known simply as Fort Harrison and is no longer an active military post, it continues to serve as the location for Defense Finance and Accounting Services, which manages payroll and services for the men and women serving in our nation’s armed forces. It is also home to a state park where visitors can enjoy horseback riding, miles of public hiking trails, and a championship golf course.

For information on Indianapolis real estate, contact your Indianapolis REALTOR:
Pat Haddad, ABR, CRS, e-Pro, GRI
Haddad Team, Keller Williams Realty
317.578.1317
Pat@HaddadTeam.com

Mortgage insurance premium
– Increase in initial insurance premium from 1.75 of the loan value to 2.25 percent of the loan value.

Downpayment and credit score requirements
–Buyers with a FICO of 579 or lower will be required to have at least a 10% downpayment.
–Buyers with a FICO of 580 or above will be required to have at least a 3.5 % downpayment.

Allowable seller concessions
–Reduced from 6% to 3% of the property value.

Lender enforcement
–Lender performance rankings publicly reported.

What HASN”T changed
–FHA mortgages are available to more that just first-time homebuyers.
– Sellers may still contribute up to 6% of the purchase price for closing costs and prepaid expenses (taxes, insurance and interest).

“We have known for a while that FHA would be tightening up their guidelines due to the higher percentage of defaults of FHA borrowers with lower credit scores,” said William Haddad, president of Capital Mortgage Solutions in Indianapolis. “These FHA adjustments will make it tougher for borrowers with lower scores to get the higher “Loan-To-Value” loans, and will increase the FHA requirements to be more in line with conventional guidelines that penalize lower scores.”

Haddad adds that REALTOR®S should urge their “on-the-fence” FHA buyers to move forward before these changes become effective in a few weeks.

For more information on FHA and other mortgage loans, contact:

Pat Haddad, ABR, CRS, e-Pro, GRI
Haddad Team, Keller Williams Realty
317.840.7555
Pat@HaddadTeam.com

Indianapolis real estate