Indianapolis Star: Housing market is 'weird' and 'strange.' Prices also are surging.

Home prices are going up. Buyers are frustrated they can’t find houses. Sellers who want to move to either larger or bigger houses are staying put, because they don’t know if they’ll be able to find a house. It’s a conundrum. Read about what experts - like me - are saying in this article published in the Indianapolis Star.

You can see the full story here.

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Women of Westfield

Danielle Carey Tolan had been mulling over an idea for a couple of years to bring together women, give them a voice, empower and inspire them. For two years, she jotted down ideas, even sketched possible logos. This spring, Women of Westfield was born. By fall, there were 900 members, all women who live or work in Westfield.

 “It came to fruition, and we’re hitting the ground running,” said Carey Tolan, who is the trustee for Westfield Washington Township, and can hardly contain her excitement for what women are accomplishing in her city.

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Fishers couple seek best date spots in Hamilton County (and I helped)

When people are moving from out-of-town (or haven’t lived in the community long), they don’t just want to know about houses and neighborhoods, they want to know what they can do once they move here. They often ask about restaurants, parks and other attractions, festivals, where to buy furniture, get their pants hemmed. I’ve lived in Hamilton County for more than 30 years, and I like to know what’s going on, so it’s rare I don’t have an opinion. But Mike and Emily Malott started asking me even more questions on our drives to look for their perfect first home. Then after settling into their home, they had another question. What are the best date spots for a young without kids?

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Sweet Melissa's Honey & Hive

After Melissa Wrin’s husband, Bill, brought bee hives to the backyard, he challenged his wife to help figure out what to do with all the honey the bees were producing. Melissa loves a challenge, and she also loves natural products. So, she started making lotions and lip balms. Friends and family loved the products, so she created Sweet Melissa’s Honey & Hive, where she is growing her business just a few yards from the bees. Her products have become so popular, the bees can’t keep up with demand. Learn more about Honey & Hive. Want to see more about the bees, check out the 2018 video.

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The Nickel Plate Express

Climb aboard a historic train and ride the Nickel Plate rails from Noblesville to Atlanta in northern Hamilton County. You’ll find a variety of excursions, including a super hero trip where kids are encouraged to dress in the costume of their favorite super hero. There are wine tastings and dinner trains. Check out all the upcoming excursions at www.NickelPlateExpress.com

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Gallery 116

Tracy Gritter, owner of Gallery 116 talks about what’s new for the holidays, including new ornaments, a bowl for pitsatchio lovers from an artist in Clayton, Ind., new candles, ornaments, bags and a whole lot more. The store will be open for Black Friday and for Shop Small Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with specials going on both days. It’s located at 8597 E. 116 St., in Fishers. www.giftshopfishersin.com

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Ignite

Ever wanted to try your hand at painting? Have a great idea for a custom T-shirt, but don’t know how to screen print? Maybe you’ve dreamed of making your own movie. It’s all possible inside Ignite, the new maker space on the lower level of the Fishers Library. The space is divided between an are for kids, who can color, make crafts, paint and more, and an adult section, where you can check out a pottery wheel, a screen printer, Mac computers or even equipment in the small theater. Learn more during this week’s One Minute in Hamilton County.

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Ask Cheese Woodworks

Chris Hayes turned his Fishers garage into a workshop where he and his wife Tonya make all kinds of woodworking items. You can see - and buy - them at the Fishers Arts Crawl on July 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Nickel Plate District in downtown Fishers. Their shop - Ask Cheese Woodworks - will be at Dottie Couture on 116th Street. Almost all the wood he uses for these unique items is from Indiana, most of it rescued after storms. One of his favorite pieces to turn is those pesky Bradford Pears, they may not be able to withstand a storm, but they make great ice cream scoops. See Chris at work and learn a bit more about his woodworking hobby in this week's One Minute in Hamilton County. Want to learn more about the Arts Crawl? Go to www.FishersArtsCouncil.com. 

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Home Place Gardens offers affordable housing

Home Place Gardens is the newest project by the nonprofit, community development organization, HAND. Located off 106th Street between Westfield and College, Home Place Gardens has 10 homes offering rents from $350 for a one-bedroom duplex to $950 for a three-bedroom home. The homes are for people 55 and over, and two of the homes will be leased by families escaping domestic violence.

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