Market Snapshot
Indianapolis 9-County Metro area, all real estate companies, Homes for Sale vs.
Homes Sold. Contact me for a detailed analysis of your specific area.
Editor’s Note: All statistics were compiled by F.C. Tucker Company from a report drawn from Propertylinx statistics. Pending means the sales contract has been signed, but the transaction has not closed. According to the NAR, pending sales typically are finalized within a month or two of signing.
 Landscaping Tips for Fall
Raking isn’t the only yard work to be done in the fall. Tackling a few other projects now can make your job easier in the spring.
Planting: Plant spring-flowering bulbs in early fall. Use snowdrops for early bloomers. Daffodils are dependable, and their bitter bulbs will not attract hungry rodents through the winter. Tulip bulbs are sweet, so plant a couple of bulbs of fritillaria imperialis with them. These bulbs emit a skunk-like odor that repels nibbling creatures.
Fertilizing: Although your grass stops growing when daytime temperatures drop into the 40s, the roots remain active as long as the soil temperature is above 35-40 degrees. Fall is a good time to fertilize your lawn so that the root system can be developing through the winter.
Have your soil tested at your local extension service to see what nutrients it really needs. Three primary nutrients need to be replenished. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth and a healthy green color, but too much can cause disease and loss of drought tolerance. Phosphorus promotes root development, and potassium helps grass withstand disease and winter cold.
Pruning: Prune woody ornamental plants in the fall.
- Use pruning shears with curved blades to protect branch ends. Use lopping shears for branches 1/4-1 inch thick. For thicker branches, use a bow saw.
- First thin out dead, crossed and misdirected branches. Then focus on shaping, always cutting just above a bud on the outside of the branch to encourage outward growth.
- Don’t cut a branch flush with the main trunk; leave the collar intact to help healing. If the stub is long enough to hang a hat on, however, it’s too long.
- Eliminate branches growing at narrow angles to the main vertical branches. Their joints are weaker than those that grow at wider angles.
- When pruning young trees, the goal is to develop a leader branch. Find the strongest, most vertical branch, and cut others short to protect its food and energy. Apply the same principle to other main branches.
Raking: A week’s worth of accumulated leaves can kill patches of grass, so plan to clean them up often.
- Locust and maple leaves are more likely to decompose quickly while poplar, sycamore and oak leaves generally take much longer.
- By shredding leaves with a mulching mower, you can leave them on the ground, use them as mulch, add them to your compost pile to speed up decomposition, or set them out for the trash in fewer bags.
Bringing Plants In: Bulbs that bloom in the summer (gladiolus, dahlias, tuberous begonias) won’t survive winter cold. Bring them inside when the temperature drops to 45 degrees.
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Cut off all growth one or two inches above the bulb tops.
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Let them dry for a couple of days in a cool, shady place.
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Bulbs with a hard skin can be stored in mesh bags or a ventilated box.
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Bulbs with no protective covering must be stored in a single layer in a cardboard box or clay pot. Don’t let their sides touch, and cover them with sand, sawdust or peat moss.
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Store them someplace where temperatures stay in the 50s. Replant when nighttime temperatures stay around 50.
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If you are bringing in other plants (hanging baskets, etc.), spray them with a one percent horticultural oil solution to kill any insects or eggs.
Killing Weeds: Apply a herbicide to weed foliage in the fall; it will be carried to the roots during cooler weather.
Caring for Deciduous Trees: Deciduous trees, those that lose their leaves each year, develop their root systems as temperatures cool. For this reason, they need plenty of water in the fall, particularly if rain was scarce through the summer.
Real Answers
What is an amortized loan?
Amortized loan: A loan in which the principal as well as the interest is payable in monthly or other periodic installments over the term of the loan.
Mortgage payments are a common form of amortized loans. Regarding home loans, payments are usually the same amount each month with a fixed interest rate. In some cases, the last payment may be a bit more or a bit less than payments made throughout the life of the loan.
Amortized payments are calculated by dividing the principal - the balance of the amount loaned after down payment - by the number of months allotted for repayment. Next, interest is added. Interest is calculated at the current rate according to the length of the loan, usually 15, 20, or 30 years. Each payment eliminates a percentage of the interest first, and then a portion of the principal.
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F.C. Tucker Company, Inc.
9111 Allisonville Road
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Featured Property
10633 Chesapeake Dr. S
3 bedrooms, 2 bath
Private tree lined setting overlooking the golf course at Indian Lake Country Club! Relax on your screen porch and watch the golfers or entertain on a large deck. Huge kitchen with updated appliances opens to a large family room with a view of golf course. Family gatherings are perfect in the vaulted great room. Large master bedroom/bath with sep shower and garden tub. 3rd bedroom is currently being used as a den.
$164,900
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