Friday, January 28, 2011

Looking for a Home? Come See Us This Sunday!


From 12-2 Kathy and I will be in Winslow Farms. 2229 Sweetbriar is a three bedroom, 2 full bath ranch with an open floor plan. There is lots of cabinetry in the kitchen including a large pantry space. The interior colorings are neutral, and appliances including a washer and dryer are included with the purchase price of $150,000. Click here for more details. Hosted By Amanda.

2237 Sweetbriar is a two story that offers upgraded flooring. The plan offers a large kitchen with breakfast bar, three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. This is a new listing so stop by to see the details! Hosted by Kathy.

3811 Westmont is a cute three bedroom, two bath ranch over walkout basement that offers a half acre lot. Newer features in the past five years including gas furnace, a/c hardwood floors. Click here for more details. $124,000 Hosted By Kathy 2:30-4:30




1922 Sussex Drive offers great value! 3,300+ Sq. Ft in south school district for $213,000. Great floor plan includes large kitchen, family and living room, hardwood floors in the bedrooms, fireplace, four bedrooms total. Click here for more details. Hosted By Amanda 2:30-4:30


See you there!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

OPEN SUNDAY! Neutral 3 Bed Condo, 2 homes w/ great Campus Access & 1.5 Stry w/ Bonus Rm!

If you're going to be out and about Sunday looking for your next home, be sure to attend these!


613 Moss Creek Circle ($162,000) in Winslow Farms is a neutral three bedroom, two bath condo.The master bath is quite large and has a garden tub, separate shower and walk in closet space. This unit does back up to water. Hosted by Kathy Stallsmith 12-2. More details here.

503 E. Dixie Street ($159,900) is a one owner home near the Henderson Street parking for Bryan Park! This 3 bedroom home has a 2nd family room and a kitchen with Aristocraft cabinetry. There is a 1 car garage and a large covered back patio. Hosted By Amanda Chitwood 12-2. More details here.

125 S. State Road 446 ($139,500) is also a one owner home off of E. 3rd Street. This 1940's 3 bedroom home offers a large wooded .69 acre lot but you can bee line to campus or downtown right on east 3rd street! The home offers 2 main level bedrooms plus a study and 3rd bedroom in the upper level. Sits over a full basement. Hosted By Amanda Chitwood 2:30-4:30. More details here.

2511 Brewster Ct. ($180,000) is a 3 Bedroom home with a great bonus room above the garage. There are 3 bedrooms plus a study. The kitchen has a breakfast bar and dining area. Located in well maintained subdivision with mature trees. Hosted by Kathy Stallsmith 2:30-4:30. More details here.

Bloomington Real Estate, Bloomington Open Houses For Sale

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Planning on Building This Spring? Consider These Locations:

I guess I'm getting feverish about spring since I can see more grass than snow today. Right now we've got building lot listings in three different Bloomington area subdivisions, all offering a great location and city amenities.

The newest subdivision in town, Cedar Springs currently has 2 lots available, (45 and 46) with the rest of the phase available later on this spring. Cedar Springs is located between E. 3rd Street and Moores Pike, off of State Road 446. The whole area overall has lots of woods, a creek, and a wooded common area conservancy. The lots start at $75,000 and are up to 1.38 acres. Electric, city water, sewer, and fiber optic cable will be available for hook-on by Purchaser. Covenants and Restrictions are available for reviewal.
Schools should be Rogers/Binford, Tri North and North.


Another subdivision we have listed is Muirfield. This northside area offers estate sized lots as well and have woods and gentle slopes throughout the neighborhood. City water and sewer, electric and high speed fiber optic cable are available. Lots start right under $75,000 and range from 1-4+ acres. Plat, Cov and Restrictions are available. Schools are Arlington, Tri North, and Bloomington North.


We are also offering a choice cul-de-sac lot in Gramercy Park. This homesite is perfect for those desiring an estate-sized lot tucked in a woodsy setting just north of Lake Griffy. There are stately trees to the back of the property that will provide bursts of color in Spring and Fall. This lot offers 1.82+/- acres and is priced at $164,900. This lot has covenants and building restrictions, but you do not have to choose a specific builder. This lot offers water and electric, and is approved for septic.
All of these building lot listings can be found on our listings page.  Or you can email us for a copy of plats or covenants and restrictions.

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

Bloomington IN Real Estate, Bloomington Lot Land Listings

Friday, January 14, 2011

Open Sunday, Sunday! Outstanding Buy, 3600+ sq ft under $190K!

9350 Woodview Drive
Bloomington, IN 47401
 This outstanding 4-bedroom home is perfect for those desiring one on an estate-sized lot. There are newer, glistening hardwood floors in many of the rooms on the main level. This home is in move-in condition. The living room is very large and has an adjacent dining room. The family room has hardwood floors and a brick fireplace. All four bedrooms are on the main level. The master suite has a full bath with double sinks. The three additional bedrooms share a full bath off the hallway. The kitchen and breakfast nook have numerous windows with views of the backyard and deck. The kitchen has Jenn-air built-in cooktop, oven and microwave, Whirpool refrigerator and dishwasher. There is a laundry room conveniently located near the kitchen. There are three rooms on the lower level that are perfect for a recreation room, music or hobby room, and family room. There is a workshop area in the mechanical room with a workbench. The home is sited on a large open lot with plenty of landscaping, including mature trees that border the property. This home has an outstanding location for those wanting to be close to eastside venues and quick trips to IU or downtown area. Listing Website

This house will be hosted By Kathy Stallsmith from noon - 2pm
on Sunday, January 16th.
 
 
Cheers!
Amanda Chitwood

Thursday, January 13, 2011

B365 #6 Annual Bloomington Home Show Jan 28th-30th

Cold weather and cabin fever have you dreaming about spring cleaning and sprucing? I long for the days where I can open my windows and clean while jamming to the radio. I long for the days of mulch piles and trimming boxwoods and starting tomato plants!

Ok enough of that. What I'm really wanting to share with my readers today is the upcoming 2011 Home Show at the Bloomington Monroe County Convention Center. Whether you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen, adding on a 2nd family room, or want to start from scratch, the Home Show will give you some great ideas. Lots of ideas and product demos will be happening over the three day event.

Sunday is Family Day with special activities for the kids provided by the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club, and a special appearance from Bob The Builder!

Home Show Hours: Friday,January 28, 4-8 pm; Saturday, January 29, 10:00 am -6:00 pm; and Sunday, January 30, noon- 5:00pm for the MCBA Home Show sponsored by the Herald-Times.

Tickets are $7/adult and $3 for children 6-12 years. Children 5 and under are free!
Discount coupons are available  in the MailPak Magazine and on the MCBA website.

Cheers!
Amanda Chitwood

B365 #5 WonderLab Workshop: Build a Robot! Jan. 22

As if the Wonderlab couldn't be any cooler! On Saturday, January 22nd from 11am-12:30pm WonderLab is having a workshop on building a robot! Here are some details: How do robots sense their environment and use that information to perform a task? Find out at this workshop as you assemble your own working robot to operate and take home. Seating is limited, and advance registration is possible. To register, call 812-337-1337  ext. 11 or 25. Costs: $12/kit plus museum admission or $10/kit if museum member.

Also, check out their exhibit: The RED Zone: Robotics, Engineering & Design. The exhibit features a collection of seven different open-ended, three-dimensional building systems will stimulate your imagination and problem-solving skills as you design structures and vehicles, fanciful creatures, joints that mimic anatomy, abstract sculptures, and more. Some of the systems have moving parts or motors.

WonderLab Website

Cheers!
Amanda Chitwood

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

B365#4 The Week of Chocolate Benefit Jan 29 - Feb 5


For tickets and more event information please visit the week of chocolate website. Below is a snapshot about the event:


What is the Week of Chocolate?
A week-long celebration of chocolate covered events benefiting the host agencies!
Options began fundraising with chocolate in 1997 with Chocolate Fest. Running for 11 years, Chocolate Fest treated a few thousand people to all the chocolate they could manage to eat in one evening. Hundreds of people were also involved as volunteers organizing, serving, entertaining and competing for the best chocolate creations.

In 2004, we expanded the week and created the Art of Chocolate at the Indiana University Art Museum. It's an elegant evening of chocolates and hors d’ oeuvres from the finest local chefs. Oliver Winery serves favorite wines and the Malibu Grill provides a steady stream of chocolate martini's. Uplifting jazz or classical music plays through the atriums while people enjoy the Options silent auction and hosted gallery tours.

Since 2007, we have invited other non-profits to join in on the chocolate fundraising theme. We host our sole fundraiser, the Art of Chocolate on Sunday and they throw events the other days of the week. Each organization keeps the money they raise and our partnership promotes everyone's events into a community- wide, week long celebration.

Options Presents the Week of Chocolate 2011 Events


Cheers!
Amanda Chitwood

Monday, January 10, 2011

Sold By The Graves Team! Brick Campus Beauty w/ Hrdwd Floors, Bsmt


SOLD!1125 Hunter Avenue - Bloomington, Indiana
3 Bed/1 Study/2.5 Baths/ 3,500+/- Total Square Feet

 Choice 3-bedroom home within moments of IU! The character and charm are obvious as one arrives to this home. Brick exterior with limestone accents add to the instant appeal. The hardwood floors are found throughout most of the home, except baths. The dining room will accomodate several easily. There is a large family room with fireplace. The kitchen has beautiful cherry cabinetry and tiled backsplash. There is a home office, library or very large sunroom with hardwood floors. The master suite is upstairs and has its own full bath alongside. All three over the bedrooms are very generous sizes. The two bedrooms share a full bath off the hall, which has tiled floors. This home has a full basement with a walkout door available. This is a fantastic home for those that wish to immerse themselves in the numerous theater and musical events at Indiana University! It is very conveniently located to downtown Bloomington, too! Sold on 1/7/2010 By The Graves Team for $382,316.00

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

New Listing Near Bryan Park! 3 Bed One Owner Home for $159,900


503 E. Dixie Street - Bloomington, Indiana 47401

This is a real gem of a home located within walking distance of IU campus and only two blocks from Bryan Park! This 3-bedroom ranch is a one-owner home and gleams of pride of ownership. There is a large living room as one enters. The kitchen includes all appliances: Refrigerator, gas range and dishwasher. There are three original bedrooms with a shared bath. The owner added a family room dining room, 1-car garage, and covered back porch. If a person needed an additional bedroom or study, it would be possible to convert the family room to an additional bedroom. There are wonderful perennials with bursts of colors around this home as part of the landscaping. There is storage above the 1-car garage in the attic accessed with pull-down ladder. The home boasts replacement windows, good insulation in attic, and new shingles on roof within past two years. First time offered!! You'll be elated with the location, condition and price of this one.Items excluded from sale: washer, dryer, microwave, curtain in master bedroom, all lawn ornaments.

For full listing details and a visual tour, click here.

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

Friday, January 7, 2011

Sunday, Sunday! Open Houses Hosted 1/9 By The Graves Team

We are starting our first open houses of 2011! From 12-2 Kathy and I will be in the Winslow Farms area hosting both a single family residence and condo.


2229 Sweetbriar is a move in ready ranch with neutral tones. The kitchen has lots of cabinetry and breakfast bar area. It is an open floor plan, master bedroom with its own full bath, and a sliding glass
door to a patio space. Click here for more information. Hosted By Amanda Chitwood


713 Moss Creek is a new listing, it is a neutral toned condo that offers a garden tub in the full bath plus walk in closet of the master suite, and double sided fireplace in the great room/breakfast nook area.
Hosted By Kathy Stallsmith


2:30-4:30 Kathy will be hosting 1922 Sussex Drive, a spacious tri-level in Sycamore Knolls. There is a large kitchen with eat in dining area and window looking to the woodsy backyard. There is a large family room or den with lots of windows and woodburning fireplace. A few of the bedrooms have exposed hardwood. Click here for more information.


Also 2:30-4:30 I will be hosting 125 State Road 446 (On the corner of E. 3rd and 446). This well maintained and updated 1.5 story over basement has a freshened interior of paint and new carpet, remodeled bath and freshly painted basement. It has .69 acres with it and a limestone outdoor grill.
Click here for more information.

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

Thursday, January 6, 2011

B365 Thing To Do #3 Bloomington Farmers Market

For those who seek fresh produce grown locally and/or organically, Bloomington offers a Farmer's Market Saturday mornings, April thru Nov. It is currently located in Showers Plaza with a weekday location at the eastside Bloomingfoods grocery store.

The market has always had a special place in my heart. When I was little my Gramme and I used to go back when it was near the Monroe County Public Library. It was set up in a parking lot and we would wander through all the booths, walking while sucking on honey sticks and admiring black and red raspberries in green plastic containers. We took baskets with us to fill up on green beans, red potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, sweet corn and watermelon. There were also lots of mixed summer bouquets of sunflowers, dried floral arrangements and other natural crafts.

Once we got home, we sat on the swing in the breezeway and snapped green beans together into a cobalt blue mixing bowl for Saturday dinner. It was a big family event of my grandparents, parents, and my cousin and my aunt and uncle. We usually had grilled burgers, sweet corn, green beans, fried red potatoes and sometimes we got out the ice cream mixer and had homemade ice cream.

The vendors and crowd also made it a great Saturday morning stop. Betty Neal, a retired bus driver and great grandmother, sets up a booth and sells gladiolas, tomatoes and homemade tomato juice. She loves to talk about her flowers and has a beautiful clematis at her home, which looks like white stars have sprinkled onto her clothes line. At her home she has a produce stand with a coffee can for customers to put money in, and grab whatever produce they want.

There is definitely a buzz from all the people milling around the market. The market is a gathering spot for many locals, and a great place for inspiring chefs, gardeners and other artisans.

In addition to the produce and flowers, there are monthly arts and crafts fairs, music and fresh coffee and snacks to enjoy while strolling thru all the booths. It is a tradition to be enjoyed by all ages.

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

B365 #2 FARMBloomington

Bloomington has a great range of restaurant choices, especially non-chain specialties. A few Sundays ago a walked downtown to find something to eat. I wound up walking into FARMbloomington. The establishment is owned by Chef Daniel Orr. The historic location hosts a restaurant, market, bar and a music venue. Orr's whole menu and concept is to focus on local and fresh ingredients. His studies in Culinary Arts have lead him to create a menu of both island cuisine and Midwestern American favorites.

The decor in the restaurant is eclectic and Midwest Americana. Old quilts, antiques and quaint tables with white painted wooden chairs create a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

I ordered the tomato and cheese pizza with pesto. The pizza was excellent and you could tell his pride and mission of using fresh ingredients. I ventured onto dessert and order the chocolate pave with pistachios. It was a flourless chocolate cake equal to the best piece of fudge you've ever tasted, plus the saltiness and crunch from the pistachios. I will definitely be back to further expand my culinary palette.

FarmBloomington

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

B365 #1 Oliver Winery

Well I'm a little delayed on my blogging but good things come to those who wait. I've been thinking about what I should make my first post. So I started thinking about New Years and toasting and bottles and Oliver Winery popped in my head.

Oliver Winery started in the 1960's with Indiana University law professor, William Oliver. His passion for wine took him from hobby winemaker to a more commercial setting.

His passion lead him to working with legislation to allow for the creation of small wineries in Indiana . The Indiana Small Winery Act passed in 1971 and Oliver Winery opened to the public in 1972.

Today, William's legacy is a beautiful landmark that locals and non-locals flock to every year for celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries, engagements and fun weekend ideas. A couple years ago
I celebrated a birthday there by picnic on the covered patio overlooking the pond with ducks.

Their tasting room is a beautiful timberframe structure with large bar and retail store. They sell all of their wines, some even refrigerated and cheeses, crackers, gift boxes, etc.

The exterior is beautifully landscaped, there is a large pond, several garden ponds and natural stone structures. They have a wonderful website with videos and photos showcasing the Oliver's talents.

Here is my favorite.

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

New Website Design Posted

First of all I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I was hoping to finish up the real estate website by the end of December but I kept thinking of information and links to the website to help clients find things on our website easier. I've created quick link buttons, I've now linked out blog, and will be expanding the buyer and seller section.

Please feel free to leave feedback about our site, and what information you would find useful. Having full control over our website allows us to change things constantly.

One of the posts I'm really looking forward to that I haven't done before is the B365. We will be posting 365 things to do in Bloomington. Obviously I should be blogging once a day but there may be some multiple posts. :)

Here's to a successful 2011!

Cheers,
Amanda Chitwood
The Graves Team