Muir Woods Online

Welcome to Muir Woods Online!

This web site is a service to the Muir Woods neighborhood by:

Ken Fisher of Ken R Fisher & Associates, Inc., Realtors,

Reduced Fee Brokers, For Sale by Owner Services & Consultants. 

Ken Fisher, an Experienced Full Time, Full Service Realtor since 1973 and Real Estate Company Owner since 1988 and his wife, Suzanne, have enjoyed living in Muir Woods since November, 2003.   This is really a GREAT PLACE to live!

VIDEO TOUR OF MUIR WOODS

This complimentary web site is designed to provide:

...  a Condo Owners Tips Newsletter outlining many of the pluses and minuses of owning in Muir Woods.

... a 'Wish List' of thoughts and ideas regarding our community.

... a 'Forum' for folks to use to converse with each other.

...  a 'Who To Call' when you have problems with the operating systems in your home.  Considering the contractors used by Hills, you will need someone else!

... Email your comments to KenFisher@Realtor.com and they will be forwarded promptly as may be necessary.

...  an easy source for the Home Owner Association Covenants, Rules and Regulations.

Please note:  Our HOA Insurance Company is now Erie Insurance.  They replaced Nationwide as of May 1, 2008.  The agent is Jim Burke of Shepherd Insurance at 846-5554.  The switch from Nationwide apparently has saved Muir Woods about $7,000.00 annually.  By the way, VP Jim Egner and our HOA Attorney Neil Davis were successful in resolving a settlement for June, 2006 hail damage to the tune of a net $525,000.00.  The money will be placed into the reserve account for roofing requirements.

Taxes, Property Tax Valuation, Homestead and Mortgage exemptions?  Need information?  Are your exemptions really on file?  Email me today at KenFisher@Realtor.com for the latest information.

Mainscape is out, BAM / JDS is in!  Lawn mowing is scheduled for Thursdays with Wednesday or Saturday as the rain date.  I am totally against trying to train people who don't have the slightest idea how to use a lawn edge trimmer  or who knows the flat out fact that high speed bouncing around mowing does an uneven and sloppy job!  There is apparently no supervision whatsoever!  Mainscape was not good, but, so far, BAM / JDS has shown they know very little about lawn care ... we are worse off now!  Check out your trim job ... how many levels of grass do you have ... how many places were actually missed completely?  Have they scalped your lawn next to your home?  Have they blown debris all around, under and into your A/C unit?  Grade school kids could easily do a better job!   This contract is actually costing us MORE MONEY!  Is our Board just not interested in the general appearance of our homes?

Apparently you must now call Jessica McCoy at Omni (541-0000) to get your trees and bushes trimmed.  Good luck if she EVER calls you back!

Republic Trash Collection will not occur on Holidays that fall on Mondays ...

BANKRUPTCY WILL COST YOU

Did You Know?  If one of the Muir Woods HOA Members/Owners files Bankruptcy, the Association must get in line to get a portion of the potential asset distribution which typically is zero and the rest of us pay their unfair share.  But, if one of the Muir Woods HOA Members loses their property without filing for Bankruptcy, they are still fully responsible for the monthly HOA fees and can be sued for those fees until someone takes over the property (Mortgage Lender or Buyer) and they then become responsible for those fees.  This is another reason that the HSE Sewer Fees must be removed from the monthly fees immediately!  The Board should take some action here immediately as we should not be required to pay for the stupidity and / or total lack of responsibility of others.  I feel quite sure that this By-Laws change would receive quick approval by all of our responsible members ... only those who don't like to pay their bills would refuse to vote.  This should have been addressed at the December 9th Annual Meeting!  It was NOT!

CRIME WATCH

The Fishers Police reported a THEFT on Muir Lane on January 16, 2009.  Could you have prevented it?  Do you know your neighbor's name and phone numbers.  Would you at least contact them about folks attempting to or actually entering their homes?  A very easy theft operation is to access the garage and back a van into it.  Close the door, load up the van, and then leave.  Would you want it to happen to you?  What happens when THEY arrive and you are sleeping? 

Fishers Storm Water Utility Bills

Because they can, Fishers will be charging an annual fee of $35.64 per condo in Muir Woods for storm water.  This fee is payable annually starting in March, 2009.  Next year, they may start charging for rain.  Obama will soon be taxing 'passing menthol gas' .. get it?

RULES IS RULES IS RULES!!!

Everyone appears to be thankful for the rules of the HOA, but just don't really care if the rules are enforced or not!  Except perhaps with Don and his motor scooter!  He should be strung up and killed and his motor scooter should be thrown into a lawn rut created by some idiot's SUV!  Is it not unbelievable that someone would violate the rules and cause a myriad of problems for their neighbors because they just don't give a damn!  Nope, not me, I didn't do or not do it!  Some folks literally don't give a DAMN and YOU will pay for it in the end ... in the value of your HOME!  Believe it ... Facts is Facts!

Homes For Sale ... Yesterday, Today and Maybe Tomorrow Too!

We provide an active link to the BLC/MLS System for you at Homes For Sale.

We make a point to NOT ACTIVELY SOLICIT for business within Muir Woods because apparently every potentially part time and/or unemployed agent in North Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel and Noblesville does ... and the USPS needs their business!

The market is really starting to improve and clean, right priced homes are selling, mortgage rates are down and holding and folks are refinancing at 4.75% +/- fixed rates.  Loan requirements are tightening up and credit score requirements are getting stiffer, BUT don't let the Talking Heads on TV get you down ... they get paid well for what they READ - many could not find their way out of a closet with help!  I do believe that they did elect President Obama as YOU did nothing about it.  Time will tell, time will tell.  We have now passed a 'tipping point' in our country ... the ignorant have obviously finally outnumbered the intelligent.

The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 EXPIRES with home sales closed on November 30, 2009.  First Timers are anyone who has not owned a home in the last 3 years prior to the closing date.  The Tax Credit of 10% of the Purchase Price up to $8,000 is a freebie at the expense of the U.S. Taxpayers courtesy of the Obama Administration and subject to income limitations.  Don't miss out on this deal from your 'Friends' in the U.S. Congress!

We can tell you what properties have sold and when as well as what the 'real' general appreciation rate is for Muir Woods ... without potential commission based bias.  If you want to pay 7% to sell your home, do it ... but what a waste of your home's equity! 

If you don't want to pay 7%, contact KenFisher@Realtor.com today.  We have offered offer equity saving CHOICES since 1973.

FREE Home Staging Analysis

You can visit us anytime by clicking on www.KenFisherRealtors.com and search the entire BLC/MLS System at your leisure.

You may also visit www.Realtor.com and, for the most part, do the same thing.   We, as one in twenty Realtors, always provide the highly effective Realtor.com Showcase Enhanced Features and Multiple Photos marketing feature for our listings.  This is a very important marketing advantage for our Sellers.  There are many real estate agents who are either unaware of or just unwilling to provide this additional service because it does cost money.

Adding to the advantages of Realtor.com Showcase Enhanced Features, we market using over 30 websites including HomeFinders.com that provides access to the top 134 newspaper markets in the United States and now featuring Wal-mart Classifieds too.  Not a bad feature of the capabilities and efforts of a smaller, low overhead, independent company!

You may visit www.MLSinfoSearch.com to set up a daily BLC/MLS search for properties of interest anywhere in the United States.  Search results will appear in your email box daily as properties become available.  We also have a fantastic, top quality, non-PC Referral Network for anywhere in the country that you may use without cost to you.

When visiting our web sites, you may get a feeling that we are not members of the 'One Stop Shopping' Real Estate Rip-Off Club.  We obviously are not!  We believe that the so-called 'One Stop Shopping' benefit(?) offered by numerous real estate companies and many builders attempting to increase their bottom line profit at your expense is quite often questionable and typically nothing more than a well-designed effort to eliminate competition at the financial expense of the customer and client (it has definitely contributed heavily to the sub-prime mortgage scandal).  We do not feel that it is ethical to own a new home construction company, a real estate company, a title insurance company, an appraisal company, a mortgage company, a survey company, an inspection company and an insurance company all within a single holding company.  We believe that it is in the best interest of our customers and clients to offer referrals to the necessary individual companies and do not seek referral fees or kickbacks from those companies.

BARGAIN CITY!!!

Your Friends at Hills are currently offering a REALLY BIG DEAL!

If you want to buy 2 of their Brand New condos somewhere in Central Indiana ... You can get a savings of $20,000.

How about 3 with a savings of $25,000.

How about 4 with a savings of $30,000.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR INVESTORS !!!!

a/k/a Hills is setting up their subdivisions to be rental communities!

Call Me Today at 317-845-9511

Upcoming Holidays and Events

•  July 18th - Cookout at the Clubhouse from 4:00PM.
•  August 8th - Garage and Bake Sale (at the Club House) - 8:00AM until 2:00PM
•  Muir Woods Luncheons - RSVP to Betty 585-1902, Marie 595-0919, Mary 842-1798 or Betty 849-0813.
•   more ...

Problem Reports

Emergencies:  Call Jessica McCoy at Omni ... 541-0000 ... jmccoy@omni-property.com (who knows, she might even respond) when some idiot is parking on and destroying your lawn ... Call Omni when someone is parking in the street ... Call Omni when you have some EXTERIOR or BETWEEN UNIT problem ... who knows, they might even call you back!  And they might not call you back!  I called on 9/09/08 regarding a  plumbing leak from the unit upstairs that was impacting two units, my call was returned by Omni on 09/15/08.  Thankfully, the guy upstairs honored his responsibility and called Hamm & Sons to remedy the problem.  Do Make Sure That Your Condo Homeowners Insurance covers water penetration from other units.  Apparently, Omni is quite good at managing their own profit margin with little regard to their customers.  Please don't call Omni when their gutter cleaning folks dump dead, slimy, rotted leaves on your siding, your bushes, your windows ... Please don't call Omni with the bush trimmers try to re-educate the world on what a disastrous, landscape pruning job they can do ... they don't care .... just dial 1-800-NobodyCares.  Maybe you should call 1-800-NotMyJob FIRST in every case of whatever the problem might be ... or just knock on your own front door!

A comment has been made that 21 homeowners did not pay their Association Fees causing a shortfall in the HSE Sewer Bill payment.  I suggest that the Bylaws be amended at once to remove the Sewer Bill from the dues.  If they don't pay, HSE can promptly lien their property and may be in a position to have their water turned off in the process.  Maybe the Board should sue these folks immediately after the second missed payment.

I am also in favor of listing every owner who does not pay his or her Association Fees within 30 days or less on a monthly bulletin to all association members.

The Wish List - Wouldn't It Be Nice If ...

• ... The people DID NOT PARK ON THE MUIR LANE TURNAROUND!    Did you notice the Republic Truck that backed up over a large rock trying to avoid someone who uses the turnaround as their own personal and permanent parking place. The inconsideration person who continues to use the turnaround as his own personal parking space should have his vehicle towed away!  Does no person on the Board have the 'courage' to do the job!  THE PERPETRATORS STILL PERPETRATE WITHOUT REMORSE!  A real estate agent complained to me that he was having trouble selling the home because of the view out the front window.
• ... If the driver of the green vehicle who often parks in the roadway in front of 10555 would park in the driveway thereby eliminating a potentially serious traffic accident.
• ... Folks did not use the roadways nor the turn arounds (these are not city streets) as parking lots (violating the intent of the Rules and Regs of Muir Woods with impunity. Watch what happens when an accident occurs! ... apparently nothing.
•  ... Folks did not park on their lawns thereby costing everyone for lawn repair ... the Board should bill the violators as those violations occur. Nope, we ain't doin' that!
•  ... Our lawns looked like those next door at the Hills owned apartments.  Cheap is cheap and looks cheap too.  Uneven cutting, ruts in the lawns, excessive weeds, scalping weed eating all contribute to a POOR LAWN JOB!
•  ... The Muir Woods HOA would provide a company who comes around weekly and cleans the crap from the lawn folks from your windows and screens and from around your A/C unit.
•  ... People were stopped from soliciting the neighborhood with advertising papers tucked behind mailbox flags or just laid in piles on the mailbox posts.  If you find cards and brochures in your mailbox without stamps, you should contact the Post Office immediately.
•  ... The Muir Woods HOA would find someone to reasonably install a roof under the decks and over the patios of the folks who own the Baldwin models.  Hills has solid decks on their rental properties ... open decks on the Baldwin's ... they got away with it!  Now trash, debris, dog and cat poody, mixed drinks, spilled beer and other such stuff falls on the neighbors below!
•   ... The revision of the CC&R's to either emphasize or provide for the capability to assess individual units for such things as painting, repairing damaged lawns by vehicles, replacing dead lawns, etc.
•  ... Folks consistently putting out their trash prior to dusk on Sundays (some even on Thursdays and Fridays ... trash is trash is trash and other folks do not appreciate inconsiderate people diminishing the quality of life in our subdivision.  The Muir Woods HOA should hire someone to pick up all trash cans placed outside before the proper day and time and move them to the clubhouse ... line them up on the street ... Republic can pick them up there ... the violators can then go there to pick up their trash cans!
•  ... Folks would park their commercial vehicles, RV's and boats elsewhere in compliance with the Home Owner Association documents that they agreed to prior to taking possession of their property.
•  ... If the Fishers cop who illegally parks on our private roadway to clock folks in the School Zone would get a good, honest job somewhere else.

PROBLEM REPORTS   

• Some wood decks are in serious trouble as apparently none have ever had any wood treatment.  Problems include warped and cracked boards, and lifting nails and screws.  Some of these events are causing more difficulties to those under the decks.  Delayed maintenance has caused what could have been preventable deck replacements at everyone's expense.
•  It was stated 3 years ago that folks continually watering Muir Lane with their sprinkler systems would damage the roadway ... well, surprise, surprise!  How much has it cost to repair the damage? and who paid for it?  Guess!  And, are they still doing it?
• If an idiot speeds through the neighborhood and slides into and damages your lawn or your mailbox, SUE THEM for damages!  Your Association probably won't respond.
• It would be quite helpful if the Board of Directors informed the members about things like when events are scheduled, when trash pickup will not occur, when the lawn care folks decide to change their schedule (or what their schedule and services really are), when snow removal will occur or other things of importance by email ... it's a new thing! 
•  By the way, who pays when a neighbor refuses to water their lawn? ... and the lawn dies!  Apparently we now know ... it's all of us! 
•  Who is paying for the water used by several residents to continually run their lawn sprinklers?
•  Plastic, plastic, plastic!  I personally don't think that Mother Nature cares much for plastic plants except perhaps on graves (where the folks can't complain anymore). And, I am sure that she does not care for plastic shopping bags blowing into the landscaping and into the woods!
•  Watch out for refrigerator water leaks on the Chateau models.  The water runs through the floor into the Entry ceiling of the Baldwin models below.  This is YOUR PROBLEM and will COST YOU the owner of the Chateau when you lose the lawsuit!
•  Speaking of Water Leaks, my home's water heater (installed by Hills/B&W Plumbing 35 months ago) was replaced by Hamm & Sons.  B&W did not know whether the warranty was still in effect.  Hamm & Sons did the work under the warranty based upon the AO Smith serial number.  The Hamm & Sons plumber said the water heater was probably damaged by rough handling at time of installation.  Customer Service at AO Smith agreed!  The water heater next door failed less than 60 days later for the same reason.
•  By the way, B&W also installed your A/C unit flat on the pad without any stand-ups making it nearly impossible to clean under and promoting a rust out of your unit.
•  Dryer Vents and Dryer Vent Fires! Nope, not yet ... no one has burnt down an entire building yet.  BUT, it will occur unless YOU CHECK YOUR OUTSIDE DRYER VENT for lint clogging.  Make sure that you have a smoke detector in your laundry room.  If someone burns down my building, I will SUE THEM FOR ALL DAMAGES, IGNORANCE and STUPIDITY!
•  It is hard to believe but some folks have the audacity to allow their pets to do what pets do on their decks above other folk's patios and deck enclosures!   
•  People walking dogs without leashes and FAILING to pick up dog waste ... how sad that some folks would be so incompetent and inconsiderate.
•  Installation of SPEED BUMPS?  Where is Jay Leno when we need him!  What a Joke!  How about all of the racket for the folks who live in front of the speed bumps ... a constant bump, bump, bump.
•  Problems with failures to remove tall landscaping grasses in the Fall ... apparently nobody cares. This stuff blows everywhere and stops up gutters and roadway drains.
•  Blowing Trash is really YOUR PROBLEM.  Tie up your trash bags like you have some sense!  Stacking up pizza boxes just doesn't quite cut it. 
•  Burned out Exterior Lighting ... an ongoing problem!  Hello, Hello, can you see the light?  The thieves and burglars thank you ... your neighbors don't!
•  Unsightly Trash Cans ... enough said.
•  Parking in the Roadway or the Turnarounds ... only an uncaring, totally selfish person would do this.
•  Garage + Driveway = 4 vehicles
•  Dead bushes from pet urination ... too bad pets don't know what we know.
•  Dog waste ruining lawns ... poor doggy has to do his or her business somewhere.
•  Idiots damaging lawns with vehicles ... seems like this problem does not often occur, thankfully.
•  Vandals in the neighborhood ... we've been pretty lucky so far.
•  Heavy trash pickup - call Republic to find out when.
•  more ...

Check out these sites for money saving Real Estate opportunities:

Search the entire BLC/MLS System through our MLS Gateway on our web sites

http://www.KenFisherRealtors.com - Our Reduced Fee Company Web Site                                        
 

www.MLSinfoSearch.com - Automatic Daily Searches for New Listings on the Market anywhere in the United States.
 

www.TheRealEstateExpress.com - Money Saving Fee Based Consulting Services ... you can save a lot of money and still get full service.

www.NewHomesCashRebates.com - New Home Buyers Can Get Cash Rebates ... opportunity knocks for a new home or condo.

www.CashRebates4HomeBuyers.com - Cash is cash is cash ... we all need a bit more than we have.
 

www.IndyBuyOwner.com - For Sale By Owner Services and Information ... we are the longest serving For Sale By Owner company in Central Indiana.  Most have or are going out of business.

... and if you want to take an informative journey to the other side of the real estate business, visit www.RealEstateTheDarkSide.com. Quite often, all is not nice in real estate land ... and you really are pretty much on your own.  We wish you the very best of luck when you venture into the Real Estate Land of the Unknown and the game often called "Real Estate Agent Roulette".

We also offer www.KenFisherPro.com - Money Saving Domain Name and Web Site Hosting Services

Referrals:  If you know of anyone considering selling or buying a home or investment property in the next few months, I personally would definitely appreciate the referral and offer you a $500.00 referral credit. Please ask them to contact me and then email to let me know who will be making a contact.

Agent Recruiting:  If you know of anyone considering real estate as a full or part-time profession, I would be happy to talk with them personally.  We offer many benefits to the 'new' agent as well as the existing agent desiring to be successful in the business.  Our agents are not 'lost in the shuffle' of the big companies.  We offer personalized 'one-on-one' training and extremely low fees to help the agent  attain financial success more easily.  We are not into 'pyramiding' or 'agent networking' as that will cost the agent a lot of money in both the short run as well as the long run.  Check out www.KenFisherRealtors.com/Career.html  for more information on the potentially lucrative career of Real Estate Sales and Marketing with a successful, independent real estate company.

KenFisher@Realtor.com