Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Sold! 2 Bdrm on Westside for $60,000 1019 Orris Drive, Bloomington Indiana

1019 Orris Drive
Bloomington, Indiana
This super clean 2 bedroom ranch on the westside sold by The Graves Team for $60,000 on March 10, 2011. The house pended after 67 days on market. Numerous updates are found here. Wood laminate in the living room. Eat-in kitchen and large living room add to the appeal. Walk-in closet in master bedroom. Close to downtown Bloomington. There is a one-car carport to the side of the home.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

This Listing Pended in 7 Days! Ranch w/ 1,300+ Sq. Ft. for $128,500


804 Gatewood Drive
Bloomington, Indiana
 This 3 bedroom 2 bath popped on the market and went pending in 7 days! The owner updated the exterior with a beautiful faux stone. Over 1,300 sq. ft., eat in kitchen with vinyl flooring, neutral carpet and paint throughout. Attached 2 car garage. Built in 2004. Located near S. Adams St. and W. 2nd St. in Westpointe

Sold by The Graves Team on 3/10/2011 for $128,500

Monday, March 7, 2011

Sold! Condo in Winslow Farms

This 2 bedroom + study condo featured a tile surround fireplace in the great room, neutral interior and a great screened in back porch with grassy area and stacked stone wall. The master has it's own bath with walk in closet area. 1558+/- sq. ft. overall, 2 car garage. The condo was sold by The Graves Team on 2/25/2011 for $165,000. It was originally listed at $179,900 and was on the market for 212 days before offer acceptance.

Just Listed: Townhouse with Upscale Details $144,500 - Basement 1800+ Sq. Ft

Looking for an upscale condo in move-in condtition? This 3 bedroom condo has it all!! The quality is obvious from the moment that one arrives. The living room, kitchen and half bath on the main level have natural maple laminate floors. The eat-in kitchen has cherry finish cabinetry with high quality appliances. The living room entry has a floor-to-ceiling built-in shelf unit. The upper level has two bedroom suites. The lower level has laminate flooring with a bedroom, bath and study. There is an outside entrance with parking available. Don't miss this glistening home. Visual tour

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Love to Garden But no Room at Home? Sign up for a Plot in A Community Garden!

New gardeners may reserve plots at Willie Streeter and Butler Park Community Gardens beginning March 1.

Plots are available for rent April 16-October 31.
Volunteer logo The Community Garden Program offers a variety of gardening opportunities for individuals, families, groups and organizations. Services provided include the initial tilling of the garden area, sources of water, maintained paths, composting facilities, fencing, the advice of the garden supervisor (if requested), and the Community Gardening Program newsletter. Communal tools are available at prescheduled times during the week. Gardeners with disabilities or other limitations will find gardening support, including wheelchair-accessible raised beds and access to adaptive tools. All gardens have plenty of conveniently located parking and are also accessible on Bloomington Transit bus routes. A limited number of plots and all the raised beds allow for year-round use, with permission from gardening program staff.

Registration and Garden Plot Rental

  • Returning gardeners in good standing from last season have from February 1-18 to renew the rental of the same plots gardened in 2010.
  • Also during this time, returning Crestmont gardeners in good standing may rent plots in the new Butler Park Community Garden.
  • From February 21-28, returning gardeners in good standing may rent plots other than those they rented in 2010.
  • New gardeners may register on March 1 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Call 349-3700 or e-mail parks@bloomington.in.gov to receive Community Gardening Registration Forms (PDF 115.16 KB) and Community Gardening Contract. (PDF 116.63 KB) Prospective gardeners must complete and sign the Registration Form and Gardening Contract.
Registration forms must be submitted in person at the Bloomington Parks and Recreation office, located at 401 N. Morton St. Suite 250 inside City Hall. The registering gardener can select from available plots and record the plot number on the contract.
Any new gardeners who want to rent more than one plot or a plot with year-round use must contact gardening program staff before registering. For more information, contact Robin Hobson at 349-3704 or e-mail hobsonr@bloomington.in.gov

Willie Streeter Community Gardens

Located in Winslow Woods Park on South Highland Avenue near the YMCA, the Willie Streeter Community Gardens are the Community Garden Program's oldest and largest garden area. Since opening in 1984, the gardens have grown to include 180 organic garden plots and raised beds.
Willie Streeter Community Gardens Plot Map (PDF 34.21 KB)

CodePlot Size/TypeCost
76503-ASmall Organic Plot
(approx. 100 sq. ft.)
$26/in-city, $31/non-city
76503-BLarge Organic Plot
(approx. 200 sq. ft.)
$52/in-city, $60/non-city
76503-CRaised Bed
(32 sq. ft.)
$26/in-city, $31/non-city
76503-DLarge Conventional Plot
(approx. 200 sq. ft.)
$52/in-city, $60/non-city

Butler Park Community Gardens

Located in Rev. Ernest D. Butler Park at the intersection of West Ninth and North Fairview Streets, the Butler Park Community Garden enables gardeners to learn and practice the techniques of organic gardening. New in 2011, the garden includes 45 garden plots. All plots in this garden are organic and are available in two sizes. This garden also enables the expansion of the Community Gardening Program's partnership with Mother Hubbard's Cupboard by providing space for Mother Hubbard's Cupboard to maintain a hoop house as well as expand their youth gardening program.
Butler Park Community Gardens Plot Map (PDF 564.52 KB)

CodePlot Size/TypeCost
76504-ASmall Organic Plot
(approx. 95 sq. ft.)
$26/in-city, $31/non-city
76504-BLarge Organic Plot
(approx. 140 sq. ft.)
$40/in-city, $48/non-city

Crestmont Community Gardens

This season the Community Garden Program and Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Food Pantry will trial an alternative method of community gardening at the Crestmont Community Garden. Replacing the individual rental plots of past seasons, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard will coordinate a collaborative garden in which all gardeners at this site will garden the entire space together. The harvest will be shared by gardeners and Crestmont community members. Surplus harvests will be distributed through the Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Food Pantry. For more information, call 355-6843 or e-mail mhc@mhcfoodpantry.org.

Gardening Education Opportunities

People's University, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department's adult leisure education program, hosts a number of gardening and landscaping classes throughout the spring and summer. Check out the class list to find a class or course just for you!

Financial Aid Program

To ensure gardening opportunities are available to all members of the Bloomington community, the Community Garden Program offers financial assistance for those in need to help cover garden plot rental fees. For more information or to receive an application, contact Judy Seigle at 349-3710.

Banneker Green Thumbs Garden

Volunteer logo The Banneker Green Thumbs Garden, located at the Banneker Community Center, enables youth enrolled in the Banneker Center's after-school and summer programs to learn the art of organic gardening. Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, a local food pantry, partners with the Community Garden Program to help educate the youth of our community while producing food to be distributed to community members in need through the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign. For information on how to participate contact Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Food Pantry or call 355-6843.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

To address local issues of community food security, Bloomington Parks and Recreation joins Worm's Way, Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and Hoosier Hills Food Bank in encouraging gardeners to grow an extra row for a hungry family. In 2010, the campaign raised over 40,000 pounds of fresh produce, which was distributed through the Food Bank. For more information on how to participate, call 349-3700 or e-mail communitygardens@bloomington.in.gov.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Spruce to Sell Now: Tips to Make Your Home Exterior Photo Friendly


Spring is around the corner and so is the busy flurry of houses being placed on the market. But what can you do to make yours stand out online and in person?

1. Stain or paint your front door. If your door is showing major sun fade or peeling, buyers will already have pre-conceived notions about the wear and tear of your home. If you have extra money, buy new brass or brushed nickle hardware for it as well.

2. Remove window screens. Ratty window screens definitely need to be replaced and homes look better in photos without them.

3. Freshen your landscaping with new mulch. Black is best to contrast with those new spring lime green leaves and blades of grass, or watering the brown mulch before a showing or photographing can be just as effective.

4. Consider planting spring bulbs or planters of pansies or other early spring varieties for color splash.


This backyard was professionally spruced up with
spring bulbs and mulch.

5. When in doubt, call a professional. Several landscaping companies can give you cost effective ideas to spruce up your landscaping to give your home that picture perfect feel.

-Amanda Chitwood

Friday, February 25, 2011

Antique Shopping For A Cause?! I'm In!

This weekend marks a tradition my mom and I attend every year: The Theta Antique Show at the Monroe County Bloomington Convention Center.This year marks the show's 50th anniversary and is always a crowd pleaser with collectibles ranging from silverware and dishes, antique quilts and crocks, camp blankets and turquoise jewelry, costume and gold and silver accessories, primitives, furniture from art deco to old hickory and more. It's like visiting a museum where you get to see all the items of yesteryear but better, it's the museum gift shop! A lunch kitchen will be there with yummy soups and baked goodies as well. Show starts Saturday February 26, 2011 10am-5pm, Sunday February 27, 2011 11am-4pm Tickets are $7 and last year the proceeds went to  CASA of Monroe County, Jill's House, Olcott Center Girlfriend Fund, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, Monroe County United Ministries, Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, Beta Nobler Woman Scholarship.

Hope to see you there!
Amanda