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!

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION!!

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

Call the Fishers Police and Demand They Appear And At Least Take A Police Report.

... Apparently, according to neighbors, the dog attacks continue and the Fishers Police and Animal Control are showing little concern!

You should carry pepper spray or mace or a large sturdy stick or golf club when walking in the neighborhood.

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!

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

... 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.

Our HOA Insurance Company is Erie Insurance.  The agent is Jim Burke of Shepherd Insurance at 846-5554. 

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.

BAM / JDS now handles our landscaping maintenance.  Lawn mowing is scheduled for Thursdays with Wednesday or Saturday as the rain date.  The mower training program is well underway as is the lawn edge trimming program!  Apparently there is now some degree of supervision.  BAM / JDS seems to be somewhat of an improvement over Mainscape, but is obvious their employees have a continuing learning curve.  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?  Stop the individual in question and ask for his supervisor (it might cost you a soft drink).   That might help the quality of this very expensive service to our Association.

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 as we should not be required to pay for the ignorance 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 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' ... farmers are outraged!   You should be ...

Property Taxes

With the latest Notice of Assessment sent out by the Delaware Township Tax Assessor on September 24, 2009, assessed property values in Muir Woods appear to have dropped 9-10%.  This drop is reflective of the drop in overall property values over the last year which at this point appears to be in the 10-15% range.

Ken R Fisher and Associates, Inc., Realtors, Reduced Fee Discount Brokers, For Sale By Owner Services and Consultants

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

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 5.25% +/- fixed rates.  Loan requirements have tightened up and credit score requirements have gotten 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 is telling.  We have now passed a 'tipping point' in our country ... the ignorant have obviously finally outnumbered the intelligent.  Somebody has to pay for the 'free' stuff!

The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 EXPIRES with home sales closed on April 30, 2010.  First Timers are anyone who has not owned a home in the last 36 months 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!

Congress passed a new program for existing homeowners who have lived 5 consecutive years of the last 8 and want to sell and buy another home.  They will receive up to $6,500 in Tax Credit / Cash Rebate (subject to income limitations) if they purchase by April 30, 2010.

Effective December 1, 2009, Muir Woods will no longer be certified by HUD for FHA financing as what appears to be a rather lengthy re-certification period will begin.  This may effectively terminate the FHA financing capabilities for several months and make it much more difficult to securing the financing need to buy and sell our properties.  Once one property is certified by attempting to use FHA, Muir Woods will again be certified.  FHA financing will not be available for any condominium subdivision that exceeds 30% of the home loans using FHA.  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 will obviously be a very serious problem throughout the United States for months to come further exacerbating the sale of homes and condominiums everywhere!

Omni Management is now charging $90.00 for completion of the 2 page Questionnaire that is required by the mortgage companies to re-certify and validate your home to qualify for mortgage financing.  Don't be surprised when you see the fee on your closing statement when you sell your condo.

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 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.

Upcoming Holidays and Events

•  February 16, 2010 ... Muir Woods Luncheons - Charleston's at 6815 East 82nd Street at 1:00PM ... RSVP to Betty 585-1902, Marie 595-0919, Mary 842-1798 or Betty 849-0813
•  February 25, 2010 ... Muir Woods HOA Board Meeting - Fishers Library Meeting Room at 7:00PM
•  March 16, 2010 ... Muir Woods Luncheons - Houlihan's at 6020 East 82nd Street at 1:00PM ... RSVP to Betty 585-1902, Marie 595-0919, Mary 842-1798 or Betty 849-0813
•  March 17, 2010 ... St. Patrick's Day
•   more ...

Problem Reports

Emergencies:  Call Jessica McCoy at Omni ... 541-0000 ... jmccoy@omni-property.com 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, etc. 

A comment has been made that 21 homeowners did not pay their Association Fees causing a shortfall in the HSE Sewer Bill payment.  I have suggested 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 ...   

•  ... you would attend a Board of Directors Meeting before you complain about the activities of the Board and what's right or wrong in our Neighborhood.
•  ... the people DID NOT USE THE MUIR LANE TURNAROUND AS THEIR OWN PERSONAL PARKING SPACE!    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. How about the Camper vehicle that hit the rock trying to avoid an improperly vehicle (it spent at least one night illegally parked on the turnaround).  The inconsiderate people who continue to use the turnaround as their own personal parking space should have their vehicle's towed away!  real estate agent complained that he was having trouble selling the home facing the turnaround because of the continual view of improperly parked vehicles out the front window ... now the buyers of the home have the same view.
• ... Folks did not use the roadways nor the turn arounds (these are not city streets, they are private roadways designed for driving) 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.
•  ... Our lawns looked like those next door at the Hills owned apartments. 
•  ... The Muir Woods HOA would provide a company who comes around weekly and cleans the debris that the lawn mowing folks blow onto your windows and screens and all over and under 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 park at the side of a public road or in a public parking lot.

PROBLEM REPORTS   

• It would be quite helpful if the Board of Directors informed 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.  "Getting better all the time!"
• 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 over 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? Would not French drains on both sides of the roadway nearly eliminate the problem?  Now we have a chuck hole on Muir Lane.
•  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! Everyone should make sure that they have insurance for this event.
•  Speaking of Water Leaks, my home's 35 month old water heater (installed by Hills/B&W Plumbing) 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. 
•  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.
•  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.
•  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.
•  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.  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