Date & Time: May 18, 2012 from 11am to 6:15pm
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Website: Visit the IMS Speedway for tickets and a complete schedule.

($10 Admission, 12 and under free)
1am – Business of the 500 Q&A – Coke Stage, Plaza
Noon – 6pm – Indianapolis 500 Practice
6:15pm – Qualification Draw – Coke Stage, Plaza

Pole Day Qualifications for the 2012 Indianapolis 500

Date & Time: May 19, 2012 from 8:00am-6:15pm
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Website: Visit the IMS Speedway for tickets and a complete schedule.

($15 Admission, 12 and under free)
8am – Practice Begins
8:30am – Breakfast at the Brickyard
10am – Q&A with Past Pole Winners, Coke Stage, Plaza
10:15am – American Dairy Association Pin Distrubition, Pagoda Plaza
11am – Qualifications Begin
4pm – Ceremonial Lap Honoring 50th Anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ 150-mph Lap
4:30pm – Fast Nine Qualifications Begin
6pm – Pole Award Presentation, Yard of Bricks

6:15pm – Live Music by Here Come The Mummies, Coke Stage, Plaza

Bowl for Animal’s Sake

Date & Time: May 19, 2012 from 12:00pm-3:00pm
Location Pinheads – 13825 Britton Park Rd, Fishers, IN,
Website: For more information, click here.

Enjoy a fun afternoon of bowling at Pinheads while supporting the Hamilton County Humane Society. Unlimited bowling and shoe rental,silent auction, great social fun for a good cause and great door prizes. 20% of all food purchases will go to Humane Society for Hamilton County
$15.00 per person ($5 of each admission goes to Humane Society for Hamilton County)

2012 Broad Ripple Art Fair

Date & Time: Saturday, May 19 from 10:00am-6:00pm and Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 10:00am-5:00pm
Location: Grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center and its Arts Park, and the North Side Optimist Opti-Park/67th and College Ave.
Website: For more information on parking, tickets and vendors, visit http://indplsartcenter.org/braf/art_fair.shtm

Support the Indianapolis Art Center by attending their largest fundraising event of the year. This event attracts more than 22,000 visitors annually. Enjoy live bands and food vendors while you browse the 225 artist booths and vendors.

Brad Paisley w/ The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery

Date & Time: May 19, 2012 at pm
Location: Klipsch Music Center: 12880 E. 146th St., Noblesville, IN 46060
Website: For tickets or more information, please click here

Armed Forces Bump Day

Date & Time: May 20, 2012 from 8am to 6pm
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Website: Visit the IMS Speedway for tickets and a complete schedule.

$15 Admission, 12 and under free
8am – 6pm – Armed Forces Military Equipment on Display, Pagoda Plaza, MotoGP Course Turns 7 and 9
9am – 10am – Indianapolis 500 Practice
10:15am – Armed Forces Enlistment Ceremony Begins
Noon – Qualifications Begin

Indiana Pacers -vs- Miami Heat – Round 2, Game 4 of the Playoffs

Date & Time: Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 3:30pm
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Website: For tickets or more information, please click here

Support our Indiana Pacers as they take on the Miami Heat in the second home game of the series. The Pacers lead the Heat 2-1 in the series are looking for a 2 game home sweep before they head back to Miami.

“Because individual homes are unique, there isn’t one single strategy that works equally well for every property,” says Wendy Forsythe, the executive vice president of a real estate company. “The real trick is understanding that today’s marketplace is cash driven, quick and highly competitive. Owners who understand their local markets and work with a knowledgeable agent are those most likely to succeed.”

In March roughly one-third of all sales were cash, meaning a large number of buyers are not dependent on lender financing, the sale of their existing home or a settlement that might be 45 to 60 days in the future.

Instead, they can act quickly and in many cases seek properties which can be bought today and occupied tomorrow.

To ready a home for sale in today’s marketplace, Forsythe says owners should consider six basic keys to selling success.

Six Keys to Success

1) Curb appeal counts. Most home buyers want homes which look great from the outside. It’s not just a question of curb appeal — it’s about perception. If a home looks good from the street it probably means the property is ready for a new occupant without a lot of cost or hassle.

Buyers tend to pass on a home that doesn’t appeal to them from the street — not even bothering to look inside. An experienced local REALTOR® can show you how to generate the most curb appeal with the least cost.

2) A clutter-free home. With the new emphasis on cash sales and speed owners must show homes which are free and clear of clutter. A clutter-free home will make interior spaces look larger and eliminates the need to get rid of stuff when you are in the throes of moving. It makes sense to donate or reduce clutter before a home is placed on the market — not only as a sales tactic but also as a practical step toward relocation.

3) Working condition. Having your home’s systems in good mechanical condition is an advantage in today’s market. Most distressed homes can’t compete when it comes to such basics as working heating, plumbing and air-conditioning. Properties that can readily pass a professional home inspection are often easier to finance, and are generally more appealing to buyers who don’t want to face the unknown costs and delays sometimes associated with major renovations.

4) List and negotiate properly. According to Forsythe, “a seasoned REALTOR® can show owners how best to market a particular home according to such factors as location, price, condition and financing. Owners want to work with us because our experience brings value and confidence to a transaction, factors that are enormously important in a changing marketplace.”

5) Seek prequalified buyers. While many sales may be for cash, the majority still require financing. It would be frustrating to enter into a sales contract with a potential buyer who ultimately cannot obtain financing to purchase your home — meaning you have lost time — and potentially money — and then you have to start over. When a home is shown by appointment, the buyer should have a pre-qualification letter in hand.

Such letters from lenders are not binding but at least show that the purchaser sat down with a loan officer and has some realistic sense of what he or she can reasonably afford.

6) Distressed properties. Roughly 30 percent of today’s home sales involve “distressed” properties — a term which includes short sales and foreclosed properties owned by lenders. You need to consider the distressed properties in your neighborhood when pricing and marketing your home. These properties typically sell at discount, especially in major foreclosure centers and sometimes require substantial repair and rehabilitation.

“Home sellers can compete with these offerings,” according to Forsythe. “There’s no question that a large number of distressed properties in a local market will impact prices, but price is not the only factor buyers consider. While distressed homes work for some purchasers, they’re not the right choice for buyers who want homes that offer move-in condition — homes in better shape that can often command higher prices.”

While the housing market is just in the beginning stages of a recovery, it’s still possible to successfully sell your home by making sure you’re catering to the kind of buyers in the market today, and by making sure that you — and your home — are ready to move as quickly as these buyers are.

For more information about selling your Indianapolis area home, contact Amy Corey at 317-908-2599.

Date & Time: May 10, 2012 from 5pm to 7pm
Location: Ameriana Bank – 11521 Olio Road Fishers, IN
Phone: (317) 863-3177
Website: www.TownePost.com
Join TownePost.com for a business after hours networking event at Ameriana Bank in Fishers, Indiana. This is a free event and drinks and food will be provided. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards.

Geist Farmers Market

Date & Time: May 10, 2012 from 2:30pm-6:30pm
Location: Holy Cross Lutheran Church – 8115 Oaklandon Road  Oaklandon, IN 46236

The Geist Farmer’s Market, located at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at the intersection of Oaklandon and Fox Roads, offers farm fresh vegetables, meats, produce, and crafts from local artisans.

Paws & Ales

Date & Time: May 11, 2012 from 4:00pm-7:00pm
Location Sun King Brewery – 135 North College Avenue  Indianapolis, IN 46202
Website: For more information about Paws & Think, click here.

Join Paws & Think at Sun King Brewery for a chance to meeting some of their Therapy Dog teams, and enter to win a chance to win prizes including a Sun King growler and gift card.

Opening Day for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 featuring the Celebration of Automobiles

Date & Time: Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 10:30am-6:00pm
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS):
Website: For more information, visit http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/eventinfo/35391-Schedule/

The smell of racing is in the air and it’s time for opening day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Come out to the track for a family friendly day of fun.

10:30am – 10:50am – Dallara DW12 Development Panel Q&A – Coke Stage, Plaza
11:30am – Pace Car Presentation – Location TBA
Noon – 6pm – Indianapolis 500 Practice

Walk and Roll for Spina Bifida

Date & Time: May 12, 2012 from 9:30am-1:00pm
Location: Fort Harrison State Park
Website: To Register, make a donation or to get more information, click here.

The Walk-N-Roll for Spina Bifida is a family-friendly, walk event being held at the beautiful Fort Harrison State Park to raise awareness about Spina Bifida and celebrate the accomplishments of the over 166,000 Americans living with it.

Indianapolis Indians Baseball at Victory Field

Date & Time: May 13, 2012 at 1:15pm
Location: Victory Field, 501 West Maryland Street, Indianapolis,IN
Website: For tickets or more information, please visit www.IndyIndians.com

Come out and support our Indianapolis Indians as they play the Norfolk Tides. Family friendly general admission tickets available, as well as reserved seating available.

Carmel
Mickey’s Irish Pub-13644 N. Meridian St., Carmel
Friday 11th-Endless Summer Band
Saturday 12- Goodnight Gracie

Indianapolis
The Place-3855 E. 96th St., Indianapolis
Friday 11th- Swagg Daddy CD Release Party
Saturday 12th- Scot Shrader and Doug and Tre Dillman

Moon Dog Tavern-825 E. 96th St., Indianapolis
Friday 11th- The Woomblies
Saturday 12th- Tastes Like Chicken

Fishers
Casler’s-11501 Pavillion Dr., Fishers
Friday 11th-Next Degree
Saturday 12th- The Connect

Get out and have some fun!

“Many of us have delayed home repairs and improvement until they are absolutely essential,” says Rob Haislip, vice president of Archadeck. “Even then, sometimes homeowners don’t have enough information to decide when something is optional or truly a safety hazard that could result in an injury.”

To help ensure safety, especially for decks that are more than 10 years old, Archadeck is sharing seven deck safety inspection guidelines with the acronym of “BE SAFER”:

Boards: Look at the condition of your deck boards. While most wood will show some minor cracks and splits over time, boards should be good and not rotting or damaged.
Every Connection: Decks should be built using a variety of fasteners and metal hardware connectors. Check every connection on the deck to make certain that they are not corroded or compromised. Look for nails backing out, red rust and other signs of corrosion that can weaken the integrity of the deck.
Structure: If visible, look at the posts, beams and joists that provide the structural framework of the deck. Is there any noticeable sagging between supports?
Attachment: The attachment of the deck to the house is where most deck failures occur. Ensure that the deck is properly attached to the house with bolts and is properly flashed for water protection. Nails should never be used.
Foundation / Footings: The foundation / footings support the weight, also known as the load, on a deck and the columns that bear on them. A footing that is sinking may cause a noticeable sag in an area or a column to separate from a beam.
Exits: Check the areas where people exit from the deck, usually stairs. Check the condition of the material used on the stair stringers, stair treads and risers. Do the stairs require a handrail? Is there adequate lighting to safely use the exits at night?
Rails: Look at the condition of the rail posts and sections of railing to make sure that they aren’t loose or wobbly. Verify that the pickets/balusters are fastened securely and spaced no more than four inches apart.

Source: http://www.archadeck.com/