Fishers, Carmel, Zionsville, Geist & McCordsville:
The 5 Seller Strongholds Defying the 2025 Market Split
Cara Conde, voted Best Realtor Greater Indianapolis 2023–2025, shares real November closing prices, bidding-war proof, and the exact strategies that are still delivering 102%+ of list in these five elite pockets.
317-999-9888 • Meet Cara • Five-Star Google Reviews
Table of Contents
- Why Only These 5 Pockets Haven’t Flipped
- November 2025 Seller Stronghold Snapshot
- 1. Fishers South of 126th
- 2. Carmel West of Meridian
- 3. Zionsville
- 4. Geist / Fort Harrison
- 5. McCordsville / Geist Reservoir
- People Also Ask – Answered by Cara Conde
- Your 2025–2026 Seller Playbook
- Conclusion: Don’t Miss This Window
- Work With the Realtor Who Knows These Pockets Inside Out
Enjoy This Deep Dive Podcast About This Blog:
Why Only These 5 Pockets Haven’t Flipped (Yet)
While 9 Greater Indianapolis suburbs have crossed into buyer’s territory (full map here), these five pockets are still operating like 2022 never ended.
• Almost no new construction
• High-income, rate-resistant buyers
• Irreplaceable lifestyle (water, trails, top schools, village charm)
• Chronic undersupply
November 2025 Seller Stronghold Snapshot
| Months Inventory | % Reduced | Avg DOM | Avg Sale-to-List | Typical Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishers south of 126th | 1.9 | 11% | 8 | 102.4% | $15k–$35k |
| Carmel west of Meridian | 2.1 | 14% | 9 | 102.1% | $25k–$75k |
| Zionsville | 2.3 | 16% | 11 | 101.8% | $30k–$120k |
| Geist / Fort Harrison | 2.4 | 18% | 12 | 102.6% | $40k–$150k |
| McCordsville / Geist Reservoir | 2.6 | 21% | 14 | 101.5% | $20k–$60k |
1. Fishers South of 126th – The Frenzy Factory
• 12814 Braves Way – Listed $539,900 → 7 offers → closed $565,000 cash in 4 days
• 11452 Charleston Ln – Listed $475,000 → 11 offers → closed $498,000, waived inspection
• 15620 Belgrave Dr – Listed $599,900 → closed $632,000 with $15k appraisal gap
2. Carmel West of Meridian – Luxury Leverage
• 1420 Collins St – Listed $1.225M → 9 offers → closed $1.265M
• 1082 Laurelwood – Listed $925,000 → closed $975,000 all-cash, 6-day close
• 411 W 116th St – Listed $1.65M → closed $1.74M after escalation war
3. Zionsville – The Equestrian Elite
• 4800 S 800 E – Listed $849,000 → closed $890,000 all-cash, inspection waived
• 6500 Hunt Club Rd – Listed $1.2M → closed $1.28M with 3 competing offers
• 3200 W 131st St – Listed $2.35M → closed $2.49M after 48-hour bidding war
Want the complete Zionsville selling guide? → What to Know Before Selling a Zionsville Home
4. Geist / Fort Harrison – Waterfront Wars
• 10908 Harbor Bay Dr – Listed $1.49M → closed $1.55M
• 12610 Teacup Way – Listed $950,000 → closed $1.02M cash
• 7940 Geist Valley Ct – Listed $2.1M → closed $2.28M with private boat dock
5. McCordsville / Geist Reservoir – Emerging Powerhouse
• 6820 W Stansbury Blvd – Listed $799,000 → closed $835,000 in 9 days
• 9518 Timberline Dr – Listed $650,000 → closed $685,000 with escalation clause
• 5901 Port Dr – Listed $1.15M → closed $1.22M lakefront
People Also Ask – Answered by Cara Conde
Which Greater Indianapolis suburbs are still seller’s markets in late 2025?
Cara: Only these five: Fishers south of 126th, Carmel west of Meridian, Zionsville, Geist/Fort Harrison, and McCordsville/Geist Reservoir.
Can I still get multiple offers in Carmel right now?
Cara: West of Meridian — yes, routinely 7–12 offers. East of Meridian has started to cool.
What’s the best time to sell in Zionsville 2025–2026?
Cara: Now through February. Spring will bring 40–60% more competition.
Why is Geist still commanding huge premiums?
Cara: Waterfront scarcity — less than 2.4 months of inventory. Buyers will pay anything for a dock.
Your 2025–2026 Seller Playbook for These Strongholds
Marketing: Drone water shots (Geist), lifestyle staging (Zionsville), virtual twilight tours (Carmel).
Negotiation: Hold firm on price, concede on minor repairs or closing dates.
Timing: List before March 1 or risk 50% more competition.
Conclusion: Don’t Miss This Window
Five pockets. Zero signs of slowing.
While the rest of Greater Indianapolis shifts toward buyers, these five strongholds are still delivering the kind of premiums and speed most sellers only dream about.
But windows close. Spring 2026 will bring a flood of new listings — even here.
The difference between walking away with an extra $50k–$150k (or leaving it on the table) is having a realtor who knows exactly where the power sits today — not last quarter.
Work With the Realtor Who Knows Every Pocket Inside Out
Warmly,
Cara Conde
Best Realtor Greater Indianapolis
317-999-9888 • [email protected]
Detailed Explanation of this Blog:
Introduction: The Tale of Two Markets
This is an intelligence briefing for savvy sellers in Greater Indianapolis. While national headlines broadcast a consistent narrative of a cooling real estate market, our on-the-ground data reveals a more complex and profitable truth. The Indianapolis market hasn't just cooled—it has bifurcated.
While most of the region is shifting back toward buyers, five elite micro-markets are operating with complete insulation from these macro trends, performing with the same intensity as the 2022 peak. This analysis breaks down the five most critical takeaways from this market fracture, using hard data and insights from top realtor Cara Conde.
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1. The Greater Indianapolis Market Hasn't Cooled—It's Fractured.
What the data reveals is a fundamental market fracture. This isn't a slowdown; it's a split. While nine surrounding suburbs have officially crossed into "buyer's territory," five specific enclaves remain intense seller's markets where bidding wars and six-figure premiums are still the norm. This deep schism between the broader region and these insulated strongholds is the single most important story in Indianapolis real estate today.
Cara: Only these five: Fishers south of 126th, Carmel west of Meridian, Zionsville, Geist/Fort Harrison, and McCordsville/Geist Reservoir.
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2. Hyper-Locality Is Everything: It's Not the Suburb, It's the Street.
The dividing lines between a red-hot market and a cooling one are now measured in feet, not miles. Broad generalizations about a suburb's performance are dangerously misleading.
The most potent example is in Carmel, where properties west of Meridian routinely attract 7-12 offers, while the market just east has begun to cool. The same dynamic is at play in Geist, where waterfront scarcity—less than 2.4 months of inventory—creates a frenzy. As Cara notes, "Buyers will pay anything for a dock." This proves that understanding today's market requires a microscopic, street-by-street view focused on irreplaceable features.
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3. A "Secret Sauce" Makes These Pockets Rate-Proof.
Why are these five micro-markets completely insulated from rising interest rates and broader economic pressures? Their resilience stems from a powerful combination of four factors that create a unique immunity:
- Almost no new construction: Scarcity is absolute, with little to no new inventory being added.
- High-income, rate-resistant buyers: The buyer pool is less sensitive to interest rate fluctuations.
- Irreplaceable lifestyle features: Desirable amenities like water access, established trails, top-tier schools, and village charm cannot be replicated.
- A chronic undersupply of homes: The demand consistently and significantly outpaces the available supply.
This combination creates a perfect storm for sellers. The high-income buyers who can afford to compete are all fighting for a chronically low supply of homes that offer a lifestyle that simply can't be built elsewhere, rendering interest rates a secondary concern.
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4. The Numbers Are Staggering: Six-Figure Premiums Are Still the Norm.
The data from these five strongholds provides undeniable proof of their strength, with homes selling in days for well above asking price. The "Typical Premium" column reveals the real dollar advantage for sellers.
November 2025 Seller Stronghold Snapshot
|
|
Avg DOM |
Avg Sale-to-List |
Typical Premium |
|
Fishers south of 126th |
8 |
102.4% |
15k–35k |
|
Carmel west of Meridian |
9 |
102.1% |
25k–75k |
|
Zionsville |
11 |
101.8% |
30k–120k |
|
Geist / Fort Harrison |
12 |
102.6% |
40k–150k |
|
McCordsville / Geist Reservoir |
14 |
101.5% |
20k–60k |
These premiums translate into massive windfalls. Consider these real closings from November 2025:
- In Geist, a property listed at 2.1M closed at **2.28M**—a staggering $180,000 premium—for a home with a private boat dock.
- In Zionsville, a home listed at 2.35M sold for **2.49M**, closing $140,000 over list after a 48-hour bidding war.
- In Carmel, a home listed at 1.65M closed at **1.74M** after an intense escalation war.
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5. This Seller's Paradise Has an Expiration Date.
This extraordinary market window is powerful but not permanent. Sellers in these five pockets currently enjoy a profound strategic advantage due to historically low competition. That is set to change. The spring market is projected to bring a 40-60% surge in new listings, which will inevitably dilute the negotiation power sellers currently command.
Cara: Now through February. Spring will bring 40–60% more competition.
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Walk-Through Video:
Conclusion: The Only Truth Is Local
While the rest of Greater Indianapolis shifts toward buyers, these five strongholds are still delivering the kind of speed and premiums most sellers believe vanished in 2022. But this window of opportunity is closing. Spring 2026 will bring a flood of new listings—even here.
For sellers in these pockets, the difference between walking away with an extra 50k–150k (or leaving it on the table) is having a realtor who knows exactly where the power sits today—not last quarter.
