Many buyers thought they were represented, however they weren’t and the burden was on them to do due diligence to make sure the property was in good condition. Fortunately, now buyers can have agents that work only for them. This is a major advantage because the Realtor, such as myself, can make sure that once you find your home that you get a really good inspection (see my blog on home inspections) within the proper time frame and make sure the buyer is fully aware of all of the ramifications of purchasing a home. I am a Realtor and not a home inspector, credit counselor, mortgage banker or lawyer, but I certainly can & do give reputable names of each to make sure you are properly represented in all areas.

Another fact that I seem to have to educate buyers on is the fact that the buyers do not pay my real estate commission when I am their buyer’s agent…the burden is on the seller for that. In Indiana residential real estate, the sellers pay all the real estate commissions for the seller’s agency & buyer’s agency. So, in essence when you have a Realtor working for you…you get that service free. The Realtor only gets paid when the transaction closes and the seller is the one that pays.

So, there are currently many, many advantages to having a buyer’s agent working exclusively for you when purchasing a home. I do tons of research for my clients and since working with Prudential Indiana Realty Group, have the benefit of a service called Online Buyers Advantage which will send e-mails right away to my clients with new listings, prices, & photos for listings that meet their parameters. That is key because it helps my buyers get a jump on a property that was just listed or a price change that was just implemented.

Whether I give them a bunch of listings to look at or whether they look online or both, buyers not only want to know all of the specifics of a home, but they want to see as many pictures as possible. It helps them either eliminate or choose a home to look at, so you want to make sure the photos are good.

I like to have a lot of outdoor photos as well as inside…it sets the mood, especially in spring, summer & fall. Winter outdoor photos often seem gloomy unless there is a nice fresh snowfall that makes everything seem clean & bright. I have found that when spring comes & I add new bright, colorful photos to a listing we get more showings right away.

I make a custom website for every listing I do including a photo gallery and a virtual tour. Check out my most recent listing’s custom website at: www.aranct.nicefamilyhome.com .

When problems occur that affect the safety of the structure or occupants, then the seller would hopefully remedy the problems or the buyer can choose to opt out. If the buyer hadn’t had the home inspected by a reputable inspector and the deal had gone through, they would then be saddled with the repair cost if they wanted to make sure their home was safe.

I had to pay close to $1000, with three different types of inspections to find out a property in CA I wanted to purchase years ago had been 22 feet under water in 1964. I had spent hours at the building and planning department and no one told me until I paid for the various types of inspections. I would have been stuck with a property that would most likely have flooded again and probably would have been impossible to sell. I still say that was the best $1000 I ever spent.

A good, reputable inspector can range anywhere from $200 to $425 for an average sized home in Bloomington, IN based on my experience. That is a reasonable price in my opinion because it could end up saving you $1000’s in the end. I am very persistent with my clients about this & in the end they are very pleased I made sure they were protected.

Of course being the foodie that I am, the main reason I continue to return is the incredibly tasty food along with the fact that the staff is extremely friendly and attentive. Not to mention, that the atmosphere is very pleasing. Plus, I like smaller portions…I would rather have a few small items, rather than one large and they happen to offer both.

The first night I had to have my favorite…mahi mahi mini tacos made with cilantro pesto, jicama slaw and guacamole which are served in deep fried crispy wonton skins, so incredibly tasty, crunchy with a wonderful taste. Since this dish is basically a tapa or small plate, I had to try something else, so I decided on the zing zing shrimp served on shredded lettuce with a garlic chili sauce. That was amazing as well and it packed a little punch which I like and both went extremely well with the dry red wine recommended by the bartender. I was a happy camper.

I had such a nice time the night before, I just had to go back again the second night. I was planning to order the same thing because it was so good, however the bartender suggested I sample a special they were trying out. And since it was a seafood dish, I eagerly agreed. I didn’t think I could beat the fish tacos but this was truly an incredible dish. The chef marinated and pounded out calamari steaks, then cut them into strips and deep fried them. Then they placed the strips on top of fresh spinach, chopped bell peppers and roasted artichokes and topped it all off with a beurre blanc sauce, WOW! The flavor combination was out of this world, it married very well and of course I ate every single bite.

Because I was bragging so much about how tasty the food was and also because I told them I would be writing about them, they let me sample their Five Spice Genache in a butter cookie crust tooped vanilla bean gelato…mmmmmm, the genache was something between chocolate fudge & chocolate mousse, very tasty, tempting and rich and worth every single bite and I am not a big dessert person.

So, if you are up in Indy and happen to be right around Military Park make sure you drop by Zing even if it is just for a couple tapas and a drink, I highly recommend it, it is a perfect place to meet friends & family or go on a romantic date or just pop in by yourself…I personally can’t wait to back and see what other tasty treats are awaiting me on their ever changing innovative menu.

You walk in the restaurant and instantly feel transported to the Mediterranean. There is Turkish décor, Turkish music, a Turkish market and a variety of seating…my favorite being the area where you take your shoes off and go sit and relax on pillows and cushions.

The music is wonderful and you are immediately greeted with a server who will sometimes casually take a seat on the floor and explain the items on the menu if you are unfamiliar, plus offer advice if you are unsure about the selections. I had a hard time deciding because it all looked so wonderful.

I am vegetarian, so I haven’t tried any of the meat dishes, however the girlfriend I went to lunch with had a Turkish style lamb kebab she said was to die for. Not to mention when ordering an entree, the food never stopped coming…she was first brought a cup of red lentil soup, then a three salad plate, followed by her entrée which was served with rice, yogurt and a round flaky buttery bread that looked very sinful.

I have always ordered ala carte and have thoroughly enjoyed their red lentil soup, basil salad, roasted peppers filled with cheese, melted in my mouth & their baba ganouj…finger licking good, served with hot, flaky filo dough triangle puffs for dipping, mm mm. Oh and make sure and have the Turkish tea, served hot or cold…I am a tea drinker and it is very good.

For me Turkuaz café is a dining experience, you feel transported to a different country…kind of like a very mini vacation. I think that is important, to have a meal be not only about the food, but the atmosphere overall. I was feeling sad that I had to leave, yet happy I will be going back.

Now, I don’t know about your profession, but with my profession almost all of my clients become friends. And, not only that, but in general I make friends fairly easily. So, that being said, if everyone I considered a friend decided not to work with me for that very reason, I would either be out of business or stop having friends & only have business relationships because I have to survive and support my family. There is no option there.

Basically, I have the opposite philosophy of these two friends I am speaking about. My philosophy is only hire friends if you can, at least give them a try first. Tell them your apprehension about hiring a friend, maybe work out a few parameters up front, but definitely give your friend a chance first. I can tell you if you hire some stranger over a friend, it’s not going to set well with your friend anyway…whether they say anything or not.

If by chance it does go badly, then just tell them you decline on the business relationship to save the friendship. At least you both know that you gave them a chance first before you hired a complete stranger.

This idea of not supporting your friends in their businesses really bothers me because personally I really enjoy being able to work with friends. I also enjoy supporting my friends in what they are trying to accomplish. I can wear many hats, just like most and can put on the Realtor hat while taking care of business and put the friend hat back on when we’re done.

My views are basically…Why make a friend suffer because they are your friend? It’s not fair for the friend struggling to support their family and watching helplessly as the friend hires a complete stranger. I do believe everyone is entitled to their own philosophy and in case your wondering, I am still friends with these two people regardless. But, they won’t stop hearing about it, I can assure you that.

If you decide to venture South on 446 or 37 and then East on Hwy 50 you will end up in Brownstown and in town on the right before the first stop light is: Azteca! I will drive the 50 minutes to go there if I’m craving Mexican food because I no longer live in Brownstown and mm mm mm…I just ate there last night and I’m getting hungry again just thinking about it. It is truly amazing, very consistent and the owners & everyone working there are so sweet, friendly and attentive, not to mention everything is priced so reasonably. And for the extreme bargain hunter, there is always the buffet…all you can eat.

Before your seat has a chance to get warm, your super scrumptious salsa and chips will arrive, wonderful, however I highly recommend that you add their tasty guacamole and queso dips, just be careful not to eat so much that you are too full to eat the main meal. Because you don’t want to miss out on such things as: cheese enchilades smothered in a zippy mole sauce, chile rellenos covered in an amazing sweet tomato sauce, crispy, tasty mushroom and cheese quesadillas, the most generous shrimp fajitas, custom chimichangas, the fajita taco salad and much more!

You might think I’m obsessed, but I’m not alone, I have found many other fans even more enthusiastic than myself. I highly recommend it and if you do happen to venture out, just tell them the red head sent you. Oh, and if you are a margarita drinker then definitely have one of their Cadillac Margarita’s!!

When I think of the Dalai Lama, I think of his endearing smile, just emitting happiness, peace, spirituality, strength, selflessness, and I also see a very driven, wise man with a strong mission for the future. It’s so humbling to think of The Dalai Lama and his fellow religious leaders completely giving of themselves in order to preserve and protect their Buddhist faith, people & country. Plus, taking the time to travel all over the world to educate and inspire the masses…it’s truly amazing.

If you have never checked out the Tibetan Mongolian Center on 108 acres in the southeast corner of Bloomington, then I highly recommend doing so. The Center is interfaith and everyone is welcome to come visit and walk the grounds and see all of the religious structures and symbols (such as the two traditional Tibetan Stupas), or take their nature trails through the woods to experience the peace of the unspoiled surroundings. Or you can check out the Cultural Building whose big room contains a traditional Tibetan Butter Sculpture and a library of books on Buddhism to investigate. The Cultural Building also has the most wonderful gift shop called the Happy Yak with a variety of beautiful, unique gifts – many of which were brought directly to the US from Tibet by Monks. I buy gifts there all the time and people always love them because they are so special.

To learn more about the Dalai Lama’s visit, the Tibetan Mongolian Cultural Center, or Buddhism in general, and to get a whole list of events happening this week, check out the website www.tmbcc.net.

These are just a few that I have come up with and that’s not even including the festivals and cultural events, restaurants, outdoor activities & recreation, sporting events, music, fundraising, scholastic, art exhibits & galleries, etc…I have neglected to mention in this particular blog. Please continue to check out my ramblings to discover what I discover in Bloomington and around Southern IN. It just seems to keep getting better and better, the more I find out.

The Story Inn, little Nashville & Brown County State Park:
If you haven’t taken a trip to Brown County for the day, then schedule it because this is the perfect time of year for it. You could start the day hiking around Brown County State Park, which is absolutely beautiful with the trees, plants and flowers in full bloom.

Then after you’ve worked up an appetite take a drive to the Story Inn for lunch in the restaurant, tavern, and beer garden or purchase a picnic to eat out on their beautiful grounds. The food is amazing…whether it be breakfast (try the to die for crispy hash browns with melted white cheddar), lunch (ask for the dill dressing for your salad, yum) or dinner, which is always exquisite…you can’t go wrong with the delectable appetizers, entrees & desserts. Make sure to ask for a tour of the guest rooms in case you want to plan a special overnight occasion.

Then after having a wonderful meal, head back to little Nashville to walk off your lunch and do some shopping. The town is chalk full of artisan shops and galleries and also many ice cream, fudge and candy shops. Plus, there are a couple wineries in town and many B&B’s and restaurants too…something for the whole family.

I have done a similar day as this for out of town guests and they loved it.

Blue Springs Caverns, Spring Mill State Park & Apple Acres:
My sister and her husband visited last summer and I decided, since I had never been, to take them to Blue Springs Cavern and underwater cave where there is no light and blind fish. We arrived in their gift shop and looked around while we waited for the tour to start, then we followed the guide out and down a descending road which got steadily colder as we went down.

With the help of flash lights, we were guided to our boat and off on our hour long journey through the dark cave. It was so interesting with the rock formations throughout the cave and we even saw a blind crawdad and blind fish, which were completely without pigment. At one point at the far end, they turned out all the lights and we sat in complete darkness and silence…it was fascinating, none of us had ever experienced anything like it. It was like a whole other world below that we never knew existed.

On the way back to Bloomington, make sure to stop by Spring Mill State Park to get a little exercise after sitting in a boat for an hour and check out the old village & flour mill, the astronaut museum, the trails, the pool and the lodge.

If you didn’t get a bite to eat at the lodge or you just want a snack make sure to stop by Apple Acres to sample their apple cider and pick up some of their specialties like fresh apples of course, peaches, cantaloupe and other produce, homemade peanut butter, honey and lots of sweet treats like caramel covered apples.

Check out some of the photos taken last year at the event, they say it all…the food was fantastic, the entertainment was world class, the Auction items were amazing, the games were a blast, it was just a major success all the way around!! People who decided not to go last year were very much regretting their decision after hearing all the raving reviews from everyone attending, especially considering it was the Inaugural Event.

Last year the Auction raised over $8,000 after expenses, enough to purchase much needed new shelving for the Lakeview Library. Because of all of the support we received from businesses, individuals and the staff and parents at Lakeview, we were able to become the highest grossing fundraiser in Lakeview history. We would like to continue that tradition and raise even more money to help fund the teacher development program at Lakeview this year.

Please contact Gina @ Lakeview’s office, ph#: (812)824-7061 for more information on how you can help and be a part of this year’s event taking place on Saturday April 17th, 5:30 pm at the Eagles Nest at Eagle Pointe Golf Resort.