The Roots Blog

The Indianapolis real estate blog, from people who invest here.

Guides, market notes, and how-tos on buying, selling, and investing in Indianapolis real estate, from a team built on investment principles.

231 articles
Roots Realty cover card reading: FHA loans in Indianapolis. What first-time buyers should know.
Home Buying

FHA Loan Indianapolis: What First-Time Buyers Should Know

An FHA loan on a $250K Indy house runs about $1,688/mo. Here is the real payment math, the $541,287 Indiana limit, and what the WSJ story does not change.

7 MIN READ
Downtown Indianapolis skyline
Market Trends

Indianapolis Real Estate Market Update

The current 30-year mortgage rate is 6.66%. Here is what that, plus the latest Indianapolis prices and neighborhood trends, means for buyers, sellers, and investors this week.

2 MIN READ
BRRRR vs new construction: 2026 math blog cover, Roots Realty Co.
Investing

BRRRR vs New Construction in Indianapolis: 2026 Math

A $195K Beech Grove BRRRR carries $1,002/mo. A $430K Fishers build carries $2,211. Both paths run on real local numbers, including the rule that kills one.

10 MIN READ
Roots Realty cover card reading: Is Indianapolis a buyer's market? What the 2026 data shows.
Market Trends

Is Indianapolis a Buyer's Market? What 2026 Data Shows

Zillow calls Indy the #1 buyer's market. Realtor.com's Market Clock still says seller's. Four medians, 27 areas, and what actually changed for buyers.

6 MIN READ
Carmel missing middle housing blog cover, Roots Realty Co.
Neighborhood Guides

Carmel Missing Middle Housing: What It Means for Buyers

Carmel's median is $630,000, up 14% (Redfin, May 2026). What the missing middle study, the WestClay PUD fights, and the 10% rental cap really change.

5 MIN READ
Residential street near the White River in Rocky Ripple, Indianapolis
Neighborhood Guides

Buying a Rocky Ripple Home After the White River Flood

White River hit 21.18 ft Aug. 15 at the 82nd St. gauge, second only to 1913. Rocky Ripple's 1937 levee is not FEMA accredited. Here is the buyer checklist.

12 MIN READ
Flooded residential street near the White River corridor in Noblesville Indiana
Market Trends

Buying a Noblesville Home After the White River Flood

White River hit 24.6 feet Aug. 15, breaking a 113-year record. Officials counted 552 impacted Noblesville units. Here is what we checked on rentals and listings.

12 MIN READ
Indianapolis home exterior after heavy rain
Home Buying

Your Basement After 2 Inches of Rain: What to Check Right Now

Indianapolis just had its fourth-wettest August open on record. Your house ran a free diagnostic on itself. Here is the ten minute walkthrough, what each finding costs, and when to call an engineer instead of a waterproofing salesperson.

Irvington · 6 MIN READ
Downtown Noblesville, Indiana
Neighborhood Guides

The Pretender Opens in Noblesville. What a $60K Stereo Says About Home Prices

A hi-fi listening lounge just opened off the Noblesville square. Operators betting long on a district is a housing signal, and Noblesville is up 8.3% year over year while Fishers is up 0.6%.

Noblesville · 4 MIN READ
Downtown Indianapolis skyline at sunset above Monument Circle and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument
Market Trends

The Indianapolis Housing Market, by Neighborhood

The Central Indiana median is $330,000. Across the 27 Indianapolis-area markets we track it runs from $100,000 to $700,000, and 11 are up year over year while 13 are down. Here is every market, with the source and reporting month on each one.

Zionsville · 6 MIN READ
Why most small Indy landlords lose money, and how to cash-flow a duplex in 2026
Investing

Why Most Small Indy Landlords Lose Money

Most people who lose money on an Indy rental did not buy in a bad market. They bought with a spreadsheet built for a different state. Here is how the Marion County tax reset, old-house repair costs, and zip-code averages quietly eat a duplex deal.

Irvington · 6 MIN READ
The Zillow Blindspot: why the best homes in Broad Ripple and Fountain Square are not online
Home Buying

The Zillow Blindspot: Why Indy's Best Homes Aren't Online

About half the homes I seriously looked at while house hunting in Indianapolis were never on Zillow. Here is what office exclusive and delayed marketing listings actually are, and how buyers get access to them.

Broad Ripple · 5 MIN READ

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