Baseball, Barbecues and… Real Estate?
Central Indiana Home-Buying Season Peaks in Summer

While other areas of the United States are feeling the effects of a deflating real estate bubble, central Indiana home sales continue to be steady. And, there’s no more predictable time of year for area real estate than the coming summer months. May through August is not only the hottest time of the year, it is historically the hottest time for home sales in the nine-county region, according to data compiled by F.C. Tucker Company.

For the past three years, home sales over the four months from May through August contributed to approximately 40 percent of total home sales on the year. In 2005, 12,213 homes were sold in May through August – 40.5 percent of the total 30,181 homes sold all year. The home sales data for 2003 – 2005 follows:

“There are a number of things to which we can attribute this seasonal growth each year,” said H. James Litten, president of F.C. Tucker’s Residential Real Estate Services Division. “Obviously, the weather plays a considerable role. When it’s warm and the sun is out, people are more likely to be out touring neighborhoods in search of their new home. What’s more, with children out of school, more families are looking to move before school starts up in the fall.”

Likewise, with more home buyers looking for their next home, there are more houses on the market. Selling your home over the summer months has its advantages too. Nothing can help drive potential buyers to view a newly listed home like curb appeal. In real estate, first impressions can be everything.

F.C. Tucker Company offers home sellers these top 10 tips on sprucing up a residence prior to selling: 

1. The front door provides a key focal point. Replace or paint old doors.
2. Replace old doorknobs or polish tarnished ones.
3. Clean windows and replace worn seals.
4. If your home has shutters, consider painting them a new color to add some visual “pop.”
5. Trim overgrown bushes and trees or replace those that have become unruly.
6. Don’t overlook the mailbox and post. Paint the post to match the house and replace tattered letters.
7. Plant pots of colorful flowers on your porch to frame the doorway.
8. Add fresh mulch to existing berms, flowerbeds and around trees.
9. Edge pathways and sidewalks for a fresh, clean look.
10. Put away unnecessary items, such as children’s toys and garden tools.

“While selling your home and purchasing a new one can be a lot of work, it should also be fun and as painless as possible,” Litten said. “Pre-sale home maintenance can be a great outdoor family activity in the summer, and house hunting on a bright sunny day is equally enjoyable.”

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