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Welcome to Muir Woods Online!

This web site has been a valuable always up to date 'Unofficial' information source for Muir Woods in Fishers home owners since 2004 

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

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

On www.FaceBook.com, you should visit 'Muir Woods in Fishers by Ken Fisher, Realtor' ... We would appreciate a 'Like'.

The Official Muir Woods Website Is Now Available At muirwoodsofficialsite.com

Ken Fisher, an Experienced Full Time, Full Service Realtor since 1973 and Real Estate Company Broker/Owner since 1988 and his wife, Suzanne, have enjoyed living in Muir Woods since November, 2003.  



DO YOU NEED A VACATION?

I have two timeshare weeks at RCI available this year for just $750.00 including all RCI fees.  The weeks are 1 Bedroom Red Time Units.  Some of the over 1,675 locations include the Smoky Mountains, Nashville TN, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Destin, Ft Lauderdale, Durango, Las Vegas, Newport, Washington DC, etc.  We also have a week available in Grand Cayman for $1,250.00.

Contact KenFisher@Realtor.com for more information


I have a buyer prospect for a Baldwin Model in Muir Woods

I have a rental prospect for a main level home in Muir Woods


BAM is Gone!!


U. S. Lawns has a one year contract which started March 1st.

They are responsible for a spring cleanup, 3 turf applications by June, flower bed definition and maintenance, mulching, lawn edging and a June bagworm application.

Mowing is scheduled for Fridays

You should monitor their efforts and report your dissatisfactions directly to each member of the Board of Directors promptly

Just a note to let you know that the people from U.S. Lawns and our Board of Directors will be walking the neighborhood on Saturday, May 19, reviewing U.S. Lawn's work effort. Numerous complaints have been registered about different lawn heights, areas missed and not mowed, poor trimming, mowing over and destroying a newly sodded area, blowing grass onto porches and patios and being disrespectful to at least one owner. Please inform your neighbors. If you have any complaints, please stop the group and speak with them.

 

Look Quick!  We have one of the best lawn and trim jobs in the past several years (all ready for the B of D folks to ooh and aah today).  Let's try a surprise inspection in about two weeks and see if the good works continue.  Did you notice that new mulch was put down BEFORE the overgrown bushes were trimmed.  Now we can watch someone rake the trimmed debris (and the new mulch) into the lawns ... good planning.


Please note:  The Muir Woods Home Owner Association has decided that brochure boxes for properties for sale and for lease are no longer permitted (to the detriment of the home owners).  Real estate signs have never been permitted outside of properties but are permited inside windows (as approved by the United States Supreme Court years ago) considering that technically but not legally that they are in violation of the rules because they are not 'beige'.  Apparently signage for Open Houses, directional signs, school events, political partys, bake sales, garage sales, birthday parties, weddings, holiday decorations including Christmas as well as alarm companies fall into the scope of their decision for literal enforcement of the written rule.


HOPEFULLY

The next time it becomes necessary to use the drive access to the apartments, the Board will have a large boulder placed on each side of the drive to eliminate the lawn damage that was created by the round-a-bout by-pass route. This damage has never been repaired.


Republic Trash and Recycling Pickup Schedule for 2012

Trash is to be picked up every Monday except for holidays. Holidays are shown in red on the Recycle Schedule.  Trash pickups should occur the following day.  Click for the Recycle Schedule.


In-ground water spigots will be turned on in May.



EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION!!

There is an owner with two black dogs that are often loose in our neighborhood.  Be very careful when walking through our neighborhood and when walking your dogs.  These dogs will bite YOU, they will bite and attempt to kill your dog.

Add a crazed Doberman dog to the list of vicious dogs loose in our neighborhood.

Another dog continues to leave piles of waste on the Muir Lane turnaround.

You should carry pepper spray or mace and a large sturdy stick or a golf club when standing in your garage with the door open or walking in our neighborhood.  Vicious dogs deserve whatever it takes to protect yourself.  You should also take legal action against the owners.

Please note that the Board of Directors does have the power to issue a 10 day letter to force the owner to remove the offending animal from the premises.


VIDEO TOUR OF MUIR WOODS

This complimentary web site is designed to provide:

... a Problems Report providing timely information from Home Owner Association Members to Home Owner Association Members.  Your input is always welcome, positive or negative ... we will post it quickly.

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

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

... a copy of the latest Quarterly Muir Woods Newsletter.

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

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

... you may also visit Muir Woods in Fishers by Ken Fisher, Realtor on Facebook and become a Friend.


Our HOA Insurance Company is Erie Insurance.  The agent is Jim Burke of Shepherd Insurance at 846-5554.  Check with him to see if water damage caused from a next door or upstairs unit is covered for you.  If not , talk with your Condominium Policy agent.  Please note that Erie Insurance may not be forwarding the policy on your property to your mortgage company ... several owners are getting letters that their insurance has expired.


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


Our voting polling place has now changed to the Fisher Conference Center at 9775 North by Northeast Blvd across from the I-Hop. 

We are in Precinct Delaware 15.



If you need your windows cleaned, outside and/or inside, contact Window Genie at 769-6210.  Very reasonable prices and several satisfied Muir Woods customers.  We all can save some money if several people go together to set an appointment for the same day.



 


 

Ken R Fisher and Associates, Inc.,

Realtors, Reduced Fee Discount Brokers,

For Sale By Owner Services and Consultants

Download your Iphone App from the App Store ~ Realtor.com

Download your Android phone App from Realtor.com/mobile/Android

Our Listings are also on Facebook at Ken R Fisher & Associates, Inc., Realtors

Request our Free, No Obligation Home Actions Newsletter by Clicking Above

Click here for My Real Estate Cyber Tips Newsletter

 

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 CONTINUALLY 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 Post Office folks needs their business!  Call the Post Office and complain if you receive anything in your mailbox that does not carry a postage stamp.

The market is slowly starting to improve and clean, right priced homes are selling, mortgage rates are down and holding and folks are refinancing at 3.75% +/- fixed rates (Fed mandated expenses are increasing closing fees dramatically).  Loan requirements have tightened up and credit score requirements have gotten stiffer, BUT don't let that temper your resolve.  Contact me and we can discuss what you want to accomplish, with no obligation of course.  Keep in mind that FHA and VA Loans are no longer available in Muir Woods, but they are available in most other condominium subdivisions.


Muir Woods has not been HUD certified for FHA financing since June, 2011.  This means you cannot refinance your FHA or VA Loan or get a New FHA or VA loan to buy a property in Muir Woods.

(Omni Management is now working on re-certification)

FHA and VA loans are no longer available to purchase or refinance our properties, thereby eliminating 3.5% down financing and streamlining.  Well over two years ago, HUD implemented compliance requirements with considerable notification to everyone including this web site administrator ... Muir Woods would and did expire in June, 2011.  Among the compliance requirements are that the reserves for maintenance and repairs must equal a minimum of 10% of the annual budget  and all officers, directors, employees and persons handling funds of the Home Owner Association must carry fidelity bonds and insurance.  Further, FHA financing is no longer available for any condominium subdivision that exceeds 30% of the home loans using FHA (FHA currently does 30% of the financing for all homes nationwide).  Also, FHA financing will be withdrawn for any condo development with over 15% of the units over 30 days past due on their fees.   This is obviously a very serious problem throughout the United States.  HUD also requires that all condominium subdivisions in the United States be re-certified every two years to insure continued compliance.  It appears that Federal rules changes will soon discontinue the availability of 5% and 10% down home loans for everyone.  This will leave the options of 20% down minimum or cash for all Muir Woods sales and refinances.


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 hopefully sell your home, do it ... but what a waste of your home's equity and your cash!  If you don't want to pay 7%, contact KenFisher@Realtor.com today.  We have offered offer equity saving CHOICES since 1973.  And, we also offer Property Management for the Leasing and Management of your property (with Omni's approval, of course).

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 40+ 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!  We are large enough to get the job done and small enough to care.

We also use our Texting Capability and QR Codes to provide information to prospective purchasers.  We provide semi-monthly web site visit reports to our home Sellers.

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 Referral Network for anywhere in the country that you may use without cost to you.  We have personal contacts in Orlando, Dallas, Phoenix, Boston, Downtown Chicago, Chicago Suburbs and other locations throughout the country.

Keep in mind that you can list an 'overpriced' home over and over and over again with this agent and that agent and waste a lot of everyone's time and expense including house payments and interest payments and property tax payments and maintenance expenses.  In every case, you will lose ... sorry about that.  Selling agents and the public have access to tax values, listing and selling prices of homes and neighborhoods quite easily and make offers to purchase accordingly.  We are not Magicians and do not perform magical tricks very well.

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 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 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.


Upcoming Holidays and Events

(see muirwoodsofficialsite.com for more information)

  •  June 9th - HOA Board Meeting at Clubhouse at 9:00AM

  •  June 15th - IRS Estimated Tax Payments are due.

  •  June 19th - Kelties Restaurant, 110 S Union in Westfield

  •  July 4th - Wow! Already!  Boom, pop, snap, whiz ... enjoy

  •  July 21st - Muir Woods Annual Cookout

  •  August 3rd-4th - Garage Sale and Clubhouse Bake Sale

  •  September 8th -HOA Board Meeting at Clubhouse at 9:00AM

  •  September 15th - IRS Estimated Tax Payments are due.

  •  December 1st - Christmas Party at the Clubhouse

  •  December 4th - HOA Board Meeting at Fishers Library at 6:00PM

  •   more information ...

**Make reservations for the monthly Muir Woods Luncheons to Gail Winsmore  at 570-9468 by 2nd Tuesday each Month.


 

Problem Reports and Information

Gina Marchino (591-5116) is the Omni Management Representative for Muir Woods.  Her email is gmarchino@omni-property.com For Emergencies:  Call The Help Desk at Omni ... 541-0000 ... when some person is parking on and destroying your lawn ... Call Omni when someone is parking in the roadway or when someone is using a turnaround as their own private parking space ... Call Omni when you have some EXTERIOR or BETWEEN UNIT problem such as damaged gutters, damaged siding and trim, water leakage from another unit, paint on your windows and trim by the painters, etc.  You may also go online at www.Omni-Property.com, select 'Help Desk' and go from there.

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

  •  ... U.S. Lawn would be responsive to Owners' concerns about poor lawn care, poor mowing, poor trimming, blowing debris onto porches and patios without being disrespectful to the particular Owners.

  •  ... the Indianapolis Star delivery person would learn how to drive ON THE ROADWAY rather than at the side of it in the grass. You should call and make a complaint with the Indy Star Circulation Department. This is a continuing problem.

  •  ... The Muir Woods HOA would provide a company who came around weekly to clean the debris that the lawn mowing folks blow onto your windows and screens and all over and under your A/C unit.  Let's see how the new lawn care folks do their job ... obviously worse than before!!!

  •  ... People were stopped from soliciting the neighborhood with advertising papers tucked behind mailbox flags, pinned to your mailbox post 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.  This is a private neighborhood and no solicitation is permitted.

  •  The By-Laws state the the Board of Directors must expressly permit in writing the occupancy of any unit in Muir Woods by more than 4 people.  Do the Owners renting to tenants secure that approval?  The By-Laws probably violate Federal law on this one ... HUD promotes 2 people per bedroom plus 1 = 5.

  •   ... 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, pouring water into the roadways with excessive watering, replacing dead lawns, etc.  Actually a revision is not required, just the actions of the Board and perhaps an attorney to insure that the task issues are resolved.

  •  ... 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.

ISSUES AND PROBLEM REPORTS   

  • ... Front door paint - Home Depot -Behr Premium Plus exterior flat (or semi gloss) in quarts. Color name - dark granite. (Color formula - 780F-6 Base. Accent 4670 Lamp black oz. 1-16. Yellow oxide 013. Brown oxide 012.).  Contact HomeProHandymanServices.com or 496-7029 ... tell them Ken Fisher said to call.  They can do most anything else that you need to have done.

  • ... Steve Burton of Midwest Wood Renovation at 439-8948 ... he has now  quoted $1,400 to install an under-deck roof for the folks who own Baldwin models.  Hills installed open decks above the Baldwin models but have solid decks on their rental properties.  Trash, debris, dog and cat poody, mixed drinks, spilled beer, cigarettes and other such stuff falls on the neighbors below!  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!   Steve has the solution.

  • Some owners are finding out the hard way about another Hills Legacy.  The copper water lines on several buildings were substandard  and are now leaking through pin hole leaks created by interaction with dirt.  If you notice your water bill increasing unusually, it might be worthwhile to call the Indianapolis Water Company at 631-1431 and ask them to come and check your meter and water lines.  Repair cost is approximately $4,000.00. Repair cost to 173 units would approximate $692,000.  Perhaps a Class Action Lawsuit is in order ... notification of a legal action might get Hills to return and remedy this problem for everyone.

  • It is very important that the Board of Directors informs the members about things like when events are scheduled, 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.  More folks should give the Board their email addresses!

  •  Guess who pays when a neighbor refuses to water their lawn? ... and the lawn dies! ... everyone else! 

  •  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!

  •  Dryer Vents and Dryer Vent Fires! Nope, not yet ... no one has burned 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.  The Board sometimes reminds folks of this potentially disastrous fire problem.  Please note: the Baldwin model has TWO bends in the dryer vent pipe (code allows for only one).  The pipe bends in the ceiling of the Laundry Room, runs to the wall area between the bathrooms and then bends toward the exterior of the home.  Brian Distel at 414-8056 can clean your vent.  FYI:  Your bathroom vent fan tubes may not be connected to the substandard outside vents ... this will create MOLD in your ceiling ... replacement tubes are available at Ace Hardware for $8.95 each ... it takes about 20 minutes to resolve the issue.

  •  People walking dogs without leashes and FAILING to pick up dog waste ... how sad that some folks would be so incompetent and inconsiderate.  Walk with care on the Muir Woods Lane turnaround.

Click here for PROBLEM REPORTS


Check out these sites for money saving Real Estate opportunities:

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

 

 FlyerLogoKRFTemp.gif (43444 bytes)  www.KenFisherRealtors.com - Our Reduced Fee Company Web Site

                                  
 

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

 

 

www.MLSinfoSearch.com - Automatic daily Searches for New Listings on the Market anywhere in the U.S.

 


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 offer two plans.  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.

Surprisingly, This Really Is A Good Time to Start A Career in Real Estate:  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.  Please 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

Office | Mobile | Text:  317-845-9511

Notary Public Service Is Always Available

Equal Housing Opportunity

Looking for information about Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Anderson, Zionsville, Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Greenwood or Central Indiana in general?  Want to know what's happening downtown and around the town? We provide links to many sources of information.  Just want to know what's happening?

Check out our  Favorite Links today ...


Ken R. Fisher & Associates, Inc., Realtors, Reduced Fee Brokers, Owner Services, Property Managers & Consultants

9293 Muir Lane,  Fishers,  IN  46037    317-845-9511    Fax: 317-333-7045    


This web site is provided as a service to you by Ken Fisher, a Realtor with 39 Years of Experience and a resident of Muir Woods.  It is not intended to be an 'official Muir Woods Home Owner Association' web site, and never was.

The Information Contained In This Web Site Is Deemed To Be Correct, But Is Not Warranted.  Any problems or questions regarding this Web site, please contact KenFisher@MSN.com. 

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Last updated: 05/19/12.

© 2004 - 2012 By Ken R Fisher -  All Rights Reserved.