Wynne's Whims and Updates...St. Clair and Macomb County REALTOR and Notary Public

Marine City Music and Arts Festival July 9 -12 2009 - A Fantastic Weekend For All

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:44:27 -0500

Welcome to Marine City MI. The Marine City Music and Arts Festival (a wonderful display of area talent)has been approved as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization! Make a tax-deductible contribution today! Call Marine City Chamber of Commerce. 226 S. Water St. Marine City, MI 48039 . (810) 765-4501 chamberoffice@marinecitychamber.net for more information.

TICKET INFORMATION

All musical performances are free. See Schedule for other events and show times for music events

Cover charge for the Beach Party $2.00 for adults - id check - wristbands

FOR BEACH PARTY AND NAUTICAL PARK:
Purchase tickets for beverages and food at the ticket booth.
One ticket = $1.00
14 oz. glass of beer = $2.00
First 48 oz. pitcher of beer = $5.00
Beer refill = $4.00
10 oz. glass of wine = $3.00
Food = $4.00 maximum

Entrance fee for quilt and photography exhibit $3.00 per person
$2.00 with the donation of one can of food

See You there.

A Special Request - Making The Best of IT

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:00:12 -0500

The seller of my listing 5411 Pointe Drive, East China MI requested an Open House On Sunday, we reduced the price, posted to several websites, put signs out for the week, advertised in the Detroit Free Pressand arrived in plenty of time to set up flyers etc. Open house was from 1-3PM. One never knows if the buyers will come to an open house in this area. It is far from X-way. Most of my buyers today come from Internet advertising and referrals. But my seller wanted me to try it. What sellers today don't understand that 9 out of 10 buyers will do one of 2 things - locate a good buyer's agent to help them with their purchase or go to the Internet themselves and "window shop" then call and make an appointment.

The View was a great serenity moment for me. I had my lap top with air card and did some web updates, answered a few calls, made some appointments for Monday and had one visitor. They did not stop because of any of the Open House efforts I put forth. They saw my car and stopped to "catch up".

Not worried about the dollars spent, or time away from home. I have a happy seller, I had a wonderfully productive 2 hours, renewed an acquaintence and went home. What would you do???

Do You Qualify for the $8000 Tax Credit

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:18:08 -0500

Most have heard about the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers. Here are a few tips to see if
you are eligible and how to go about claiming it.
Full Story: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20090410_mrktconditions.htm

When wishing to take advantage of this credit make sure you get financial advice before buying or doing your taxes.

What You Ought To Know About People Reading Your Blog

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:06:06 -0500

Incase you missed this post, here it is again.

Via Lisa Udy Realtor Utah Real Estate Specialist (Logan Utah Real Estate Youngblood Real Estate LLC):

We all know the people on ActiveRain that read our blogs, they leave comments and we get to know who is reading them. But what do you know about the consumer who is silently reading your blog? Do you even know who is reading your blog? Do you know how they found your blog? Do you know where the people live that are looking at your blog?

I do, and so can you.

Here's How:

I'm sure you all know about the great Google analytics, the problem with Google analytics is it doesn't currently work with your ActiveRain blog. How sad, I know! :( There is a solution, the website analytics called Get Clicky does work with your blog. It's super easy for the beginner to use. I have been using Get Clicky for about 2 weeks now, and I know I couldn't blog without it. Here's what the search results look like for today on my blog.

This is a screen shot showing the search phrases people found my blog with. If you click on each search phrase, it will then take you to another page that shows you what search engine was used. It will also show you where they live, how long they were there, IP address, and time on site. And if I can use it, I know you can.

This is what it looks like when you click on the search phrase, you can see all the information such as bounce rate compared to site bounce rate, average time per visit, average time spent, actions, and how many people visited with this search phrase. Easy to read, and you can get some valuable information.

What I can gather by looking at this is:

Someone found my website with the term "what is a Realtor suppose to do," but they were only on my site for 5 seconds. This means that I didn't give them what they wanted. :(

Now, I can go search this very same phrase in Google and see what competition I have. Once I check out the competition I can then blog about what a Realtor should do, and make my blog better.

So the next time someone searches this same term, or something like it in Google, I can have the correct information for them and make them happy. This will bring them back again and again, or maybe even a subscriber!

I do this with all the search terms that people use to find my blog that I would never have thought of without Get Clicky. This is a great tool to tweak the blogs that people are currently finding, and a great way to come up with new blogs to write about.

If you do this, you will soon see the effects, and you will turn up in the search engines for more and more long tail keywords. This will help you become an authority in Google's eyes, which will lead to higher rankings for your more competitive keywords.

I am no expert with analytics, and there is a whole lot more to learn out there. This is something simple I think the basic user, like myself, and maybe you can use, to help you increase your blog's performance.

How Do I Get Clicky!

I thought you would never ask...all you have to do is go to their home page, hit the Register Now button and sign up! It's free for the basic account, you get the premium account for the first 21 days, and if you want to pay for the premium account you can. Once you have registered your user name it will ask you what website you want to use. Go to your homepage of your blog, mine is http://activerain.com/blogs/lisaudy ,yours should be something similar, and add that to the website portion of the sign up page. Once you have done that it will generate your HTML code to copy and paste into your blogs description.

This is what the HTML code will look like.

Where Do I Copy The HTML Code To MY Blog To Make It Work?

If you go to your blog home page, hit the Settings button on the left hand side of your screen. Once you click, it should take you to a screen that looks like this:

If you see the blog description box this is where you paste your HTML code. (It's right below the blog title box, the 2nd box down.) As you can see, I have my code at the very top of my description page. Kind of hard to see, but it's there I promise you!

Once you have pasted the code go ahead and hit update, and voila! You can now spy on the people looking at your blog just like me! If your having any trouble with this go ahead and email me I would love to help you out! Lisa@LisaUdy.com

For more blogging tips from the Newbie's point of view check out these articles:

What You Oughta Know About Blogging

How To Be A Successful Blogger: From The Newbie's Point of View (ME!)

6 Steps to Build Your Foundation as a Blogger

Lisa Udy

Youngblood Real Estate

www.LisaUdy.com

Lisa@LisaUdy.com

Use the Activerain Search Button to Save You Thousands!!!

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:30:15 -0500

All you bloggers on ActiveRain this is a great tip also check out:
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1029259/Are-Youre-Listings-Priced-to-Sell-Really

Via Jeremy Blanton (ActiveRain Corp.):

While in Atlanta last month at REtech South one of the comments that I heard an Activerain member was, "Jeremy, there is just so much stuff and I have no way of learning it! I need someone to teach me!" My response was, why do you need to pay someone thousands of dollars to train you when it is all right here on Activerain!

Many people contact me regularly with questions of how to do something and they seem to always finish the posts with, "Sorry for bugging you, I didn't know where else to find the answer." Most people do not realize that at the top of your blog is a google powered search engine that only searches through the information contained on Activerain.

So how can this be a useful tool? Well, to start, lets say you once read a great post by someone named Jeremy, but didn't subscribe to his blog. Now two weeks later you cannot find your way back to his blog. If you do a search of just the word Jeremy, you can find every post on Activerain with the term Jeremy.

So As you can see, the results show up fast (.23 Seconds, WOW). The first entry on the list is a post written by someone about me. The Second is a link to my outside blog. The third is the one that actually takes them to my profile on activerain. If you notice at the top of the search bar, there are a few ways to filter your results. It I click on the members filter, you will see how the results change.

Now, the results just shows members of our community. So what about some of the other filters how could they come in handy. First, maybe you are rather new to real estate 2.0 and do not understand what twitter, facebook and all these other networks are and how they can create business. So, you may want to read some posts about Activerain's Outside Blogs. What a better place to look than a group on it. So, if you type outside blogs in the search box and filter by groups, here will be your results:

One of the great features of Activerain is that it is a community made up of members who give back to the community on countless occasions. With over a million posts on Activerain, there is a good chance that you will be able to find the answer to any question by using the search button.

In closing, if you have any questions on how to do anything on Activerain, or whatever else, use the Activerain Search button! It can save you thousands on training!

I leave you with a few searches to get you started:

Rainmaker Membership on Activerain

Outisde Blog

Listing Router

Vision

Increasing SEO

These are just 5 great topics to learn more about. Share any other great searches you use as you begin exploring all of Activerain!

Cathy Velarde Sapgetti Dinner Benefit 3-29-2009

Real Estate One Westrick — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:07:31 -0500

Another opportunity to help a local family. Anita's is hosting a fundraiser for Cathy Velarde to raise money for her to purchase hearing aids. She hasn't heard her childrens' voices in 9 years... as if that weren't enough, she can not get a job without being able to communicate with others in good times, and she keeps to herself as it is cumbersome trying to communicate with those who do not know sign language. The bottom line is she doesn't know a lot of people in the community and it will be tough to raise the money needed ($2,500) because she doesn't have any family in the area, etc...

So, I would like to invite everyone to help if you can. First and foremost, by coming to Anita's and meeting Cathy and her family and secondly, if you are able donate anything they family would be very appreciative (any donations can be dropped off at Anita's Place). You may have met her kids as they have been doing the best that they can to spread the word.

Along with the Spaghetti Dinner... Salad, hot from the oven breadsticks, beverage, and bite size treats we call the Cinny Minnies. $18 per couple for good food and a chance to help a neighbor in need.

Thank you for your consideration! We hope to see you there! Sunday, March 29th 12-6 pm.
John, Dominic, Tony, and the Anita's Place family.

Tweeting The Content of Others on ActiveRain--Better than Reblog

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:31:14 -0500

This is very interesting for all ActiveRainers and Tweeters

Via Cathy Tishhouse Royal Oak Real Estate (RE/MAX Showcase Homes):

The AIG fiasco has been the focus of much opinion and emotional conversation. My nephew posted a thought about it on his Facebook page and I made a quick uninformed comment. My niece (his sister) responded with a lot of interesting points about what is really going on. Shortly after, I read AIG is just a Smokescreen! by Katerina Gasset - a well written and informative view about the reality of what is going on with AIG and the bailout.

I was sure my niece would enjoy reading it and posted a link on her Facebook page. The ActiveRain logo came along with the link - showcasing ActiveRain. My niece commented on the link saying it was excellent and with all her friends who read her page, Katerina Gasset's post received more attention. My niece is also on Twitter and tweeted the link. All of a sudden it dawned on me-why didn't I do that-like reblogging? I don't have a large amount of subscribers on AR so I never use the reblog button. I subscribe to many of the top bloggers so I figure everyone has already read a post. But the same doesn't hold true on Twitter. I am always looking for stories I think worth tweeting and often retweet my favorites.

Having seen the light, I went back and tweeted a link to Katerina Gasset's AIG post. There is a wealth of information on AR that I can share with my followers on Twitter. That morning I had also read a very funny post by Brigita McKelvie on Curtain Rods and tweeted the link. For those AR bloggers on Twitter, this is a great way to share each other's great posts and create traffic to ActiveRain. It would have been interesting to track Katerina Gasset's statistics to see if they increased. So, let's make a habit of tweeting our favorite contributions of our community and create more traffic to each other's blog-not to mention sharing the wealth of content here on ActiveRain. We love Google juice.

Metro Detroit Realtor selling Real Estate in Southeastern Michigan. TishHouse sells Houses - selling Oakland County Real Estate with RE/MAX Showcase Homes in Birmingham, Michigan. Helping People in a challenging market by specializing in Short Sales. See what my clients have to say about my extraordinary customer service. Follow me on Twitter.

Michigan Real Estate Asbestos Prevention Information

Real Estate One Westrick — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:25:27 -0600

Purchasing or moving into a new home is the investment of a lifetime. The path to home owner ship is also one that will bring additional responsibilities into your life. Used in many construction applications for the greater part of the 20th century, asbestos is a fibrous mineral that possesses many intrinsic traits.

In most situations, asbestos appears in roof shingles, dry wall, attic insulation, popcorn ceilings, joint compounds and electrical wires. It’s flame resistant and durable qualities made it an ideal choice for many industries.

Potential Michigan home buyers or those seeking to remodel an older home should be aware that homes built before 1980 may still contain asbestos materials. This is not to make you frightened because asbestos exposure is easily preventable by taking simple precautions. There are now many eco-sustainable options that replace the need for asbestos.

Asbestos that is in a good state is not considered harmful. If any asbestos is located in your home, the best thing to do is leave it un-disturbed until a home inspector can determine the best course of action. Although asbestos exposure does not always lead a related illness, long term inhalation of its fibers can cause a rare but severe ailment known as pleural mesothelioma . Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new mesothelioma cases are reported every year in the United States alone, while researches are constantly searching for a mesothelioma cure.

According to the experts, the general rule of thumb is if the asbestos is in good shape, it's posing no apparent risk. If it's in bad shape, it could be a problem. In many situations, the best action in dealing with asbestos is no action at all. However, if an inspector deems removal necessary, it must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling asbestos materials.

As responsible inhabitants of Earth, we are obligated to nurture and sustain this planet. With growing education and technology in green sustainable energy and building resources, Michigan has taken actions to ensure safety and health is a top priority in this great state. Non-profit organizations such as Michigan GREEN , consists of energy consultants and companies who have joined forces with schools, government agencies and conscious individuals to promote the cause of renewable and green efficiency throughout the U.S.

Recycled building materials that are viable options to asbestos include: cellulose, cotton fiber and lcynene foam. These environmentally sustainable products can also reduce annual energy costs by 25 to 35 percent. The move to a greener lifestyle will build on the change to healthier methods of building products, home remodeling and renovation. These new environmentally-sustainable alternatives create healthier, quieter and more energy efficient homes in the 21st century.

Real Estate One Westrick Supports Community Resource Fair Hygiene Item Drive

Real Estate One Westrick — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:51:11 -0600

On March 10th, the St. Clair County Community Services Coordinating Body is sponsoring our 2nd annual "Community Resource Fair" from 10am-4pm at St. Clair County Community College. This event is geared toward the growing number of county residents who are homeless or at-risk of becominghomeless. Last year's Community Resource Fair drew a much larger crowd than we expected. We had approximately 650 people attend, over 35 vendors providing services, and more than 150 volunteers. We outgrew our facility before the doors even opened!

This year, with unemployment at an all-time high in our community, we are planning for a minimum of 1,500 attendees. We will be distributing personal hygiene kits, spring and summer clothing, and business attire. In addition, the Resource Fair will provide an array of community services, including on-site medication reviews, breast exams, mental health assessments, blood pressure checks, eyeglass repairs, haircuts, and more.

Please help us spread the word about this valuable community event. We could use your help with collecting personal hygiene items for the hygiene kits that will be distributed at this event. We are in need of 1,500 kits for men/women, and 500 for children. The following items will be included in the kits: Toothbrushes for adults and children Toothpaste for adults and children Bath toys for children Bubble bath for children Shampoo and conditioner for both adults and children disposable razors shaving cream full size bars of soap dental floss Deodorant. Items may be dropped off by Feb 13 at my office in Marine City:

Real Estate One Westrick
505 West Blvd
Marine City, MI 48039
810-765-8167 for pick up

East China, Michigan 5411 Pointe Drive

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:59:42 -0600

January 20, 2009

Looking For The "River"
East China, Michigan 5411 Pointe Drive
b -

Water side of home boasts lots of windows for viewing ships passing from many lands

East China St Clair River front home. Comfortable 3 bedrooms 2 bath cedar/vinyl sided home features Cathedral ceiling in living room/kitchen. Oak kitchen with appliances. Huge 24×12 beck to relax on and enjoy passing ships from many lands.Home has been well maintained and shares driveway and driveway up keep expense with adjoining land owner to the south. Garage w/storage area. Steel seawall, Quick Possession - Be ready for summer on the beautiful St. Clair River. You can view more details of this listing and some extra photos are here too.

This home has appliances and is ready to go offering immediate possession at close. Call Wynne Achatz 810-765-8167 for your private showing today.

Cash In NOW

Real Estate One Westrick — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:47:03 -0600

Only a few more days to cash in your Active rain Points for a discount on Trulia Membership? Why not join me and many other Rainers that have already taken advantage of the generous offer. Heck I got $75 of a one year membership - such a deal . Offer ends Janurary 23rdn so get your bonus today for posting, referring and commenting on Activer Rain.

Less Than 6 Hours Left

Real Estate One Westrick — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:36:47 -0500

Via Wynne Achatz, Michigan REALTOR® and Notary, :

Have you placed your vote....There are 100 GREAT women to choose from....See the list of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Real Estate. I am honored to personally know know more than half of these super, giving women. All You Michiganders...We have our own Pat Vredevode as a nominee. AZ you have Joeann Fosland and Frances Flynn Thorsen and the list goes on...hurry over to

http://activerain.com/blogsview/700094/OFFICIAL-VOTE-for-The

and make your vote now...

Stefan is paring the list down to 20 women with an online vote.

Have a wonderful day! Votes for top 20 here (select no more than FIVE):

Less Than 6 Hours Left

Real Estate One Westrick — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:37:05 -0500

Have you placed your vote....There are 100 GREAT women to choose from....See the list of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Real Estate. I am honored to personally know know more than half of these super, giving women. All You Michiganders...We have our own Pat Vredevode as a nominee. AZ you have Joeann Fosland and Frances Flynn Thorsen and the list goes on...hurry over to

http://activerain.com/blogsview/700094/OFFICIAL-VOTE-for-The

and make your vote now...

Stefan is paring the list down to 20 women with an online vote.

Have a wonderful day! Votes for top 20 here (select no more than FIVE):

Photography - Microsoft's Photosynth

Real Estate One Westrick — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:14:37 -0500

The future of photography

A lot has changed since the early days of photography. And we continue to make advances.

WE all know that digital photography opened up whole new possibilities. I stumbled upon the live labs website and was blown away at one direction photography could take.

Microsoft's Photosynth is a new way to view pictures. It weaves together thousands of photos. The subject can then be studied from all sides. It's a lot like walking into a picture! Simply amazing, isn't it?

Microsoft has a limited number of collections. In a way, that's good. Otherwise, you could spend hours navigating through the photos!

TO SEE THIS COOL SITE, GO HERE: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/default.html

Algonac/Clay Twp Four reasons to visit over June 22, 23, & 24

Real Estate One Westrick — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:44:37 -0500

Four reasons to visit Algonac/Clay Twp over June 22, 23, & 24

1. The tall ship Highlander Sea will be on the waterfront and offering onboard tours. Ocean Express will be displaying an 49 ft Ocean Express Cat race boat outside the museum from Friday through Sunday.

2. The annual Antique Boat and Car show takes place at Algonac Harbour on Saturday

Miss America 10 will be on display.

3. Sunday is the annual Log Cabin Day throughout Michigan. The Log Cabin on the Clay Twp property will host special activities from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

4. The Algonac Museum is open from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm with exhibits highlighting
Chris-Craft, Gar Wood, and much more

These events are bound to be fun filled with a great weather forcast for the weekend.

Algonac Michigan and Surrounding Area Events

Real Estate One Westrick — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:38:31 -0500

ALONAC MICHIGAN! We are busy here in Algonace trying to do things to bring folks into our community, here are some fun events going on here this summer.

GACC Summer Events: Save the dates!!

July 19^th- Monthly Membership luncheon - located at: Cheers on the canal

August 2^nd- 3rd Annual Wine Tasting- located at: The Algonac Harbor Club

Click here for event flyer - http://www.algonacchamber.com/Wine%20Tasting%20Flyer%2007.pdf

August 10, 11 & 12- 4^th Annual yard Sale Trail- vendor space available in the park.

Click here for vendor info- http://www.algonacchamber.com/Antique%20Yard%20Sale%20Trail%20Contact%202007.pdf

August 18 & 19^th- Chris Craft Classic Hydro Plane Races- Fantasy Seating available thru the chamber

Click here for more info- http://www.algonacchamber.com/hydro%20fantasy%20seating%202.pdf

September 16^th- 10^th Annual Car Show & Duck Race-

Click here for Duck Race info - http://www.algonacchamber.com/Rubber%20Duck%20Race-%2007.pdf

Click here for Car Show sponsorship- http://www.algonacchamber.com/car%20show%20sponsorship%20flyer%2007.pdf

Come on Over to Algonac Michigan and share the fun!

Serene and Beautiful and The Lord Only Created SO MUCH OF IT

Real Estate One Westrick — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 15:58:37 -0500

It's calming, refreshing and after a long day at work staring away at it will offer comfort and solitude. The St. Clair River Which extends from the Southerly Mouth of one of the 5 Great Lakes, Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair.It is a river in central North America which actually drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the International Boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is also a significant component in the Great Lakes Waterway with shipping channels permitting cargo vessels to travel between the upper and lower Great Lakes.

Crossings (Compliments of wikopedia)(picture from my website)

This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the St. Clair River from Lake St. Clair upstream to Lake Huron.

This list is incomplete; you can help by going to wikopedia and expanding it.

Crossing	Carries	Location
Russell Island Ferry	Algonac, Michigan and Russell Island, Michigan
Walpole-Algonac Ferry	Algonac, Michigan and Walpole Island, Ontario
Sombra-Marine City (Bluewater) Ferry	M-29 St. Clair Parkway	Marine City, Michigan and Sombra, Ontario
St. Clair Tunnel	Canadian National Railway	Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario
Blue Water Bridge	I-69 I-94 Highway 402	Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clair_River"

Marine City, where I live, is located centrally along the river between St. Clair and Algonac. The waterfront here is unbelievable. People found that an hour or more one way to and fro work was worth the drive. They had the river to come home to. Will this all change with the rising prices of gas. Only time will tell. The reality is that our Higher Power, the Creator of heaven and earth, only created so much of this beautiful river to see ships from many lands. It is premium. But because of the depressed economy we are finding hard to get the premium price. There are some great waterfront bargains out there.

Future Blogs about these fine homes for sale along the river right now are forthcoming. One that was featured in an earlier blog:
History repeats Itself...Marine City REALTOR Shares a Story -1945 Parker Street, Marine City. MI 48039 Beachfront has just reduced

price to $299,900.

Another fine Waterfront home located across from the river with riverfront property is going to be featured in my next blog Can You Help Me. This will be featured on a featured listing blog.

Harsens Island, Michigan To be Or NOT To Be Harsens Island Bridge Project

Real Estate One Westrick — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:39:25 -0500

DEQ hearing draws more than 200 attend Harsens Island meeting The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has until Aug. 9 to make a decision about a permit request to build a bridge from mainland Clay Township to Harsens Island. Officials from the DEQ listened to comments from area residents at a public hearing last week. The Detroit International Bridge Co. wants to build a 1,950-foot drawbridge from a site off Pointe Tremble Road in Clay Township to a property on the island adjacent to a marina and a house east of the Champion's Auto Ferry landing. READ More

This Is the Hot Topic of the Island Right now - Margaret Jeans restaurant has been sold for the bridge development. She currently is leasing waiting to see when he last day of serving the best food in the area will be.

Harsens Island, Michigan is a beautiful island accessible by ferry or your boat only. here are some great pictures

And a Map

SUMMER SCHEDULE
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs continously
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

WINTER SCHEDULE
Begins December 1st - (May start later depending on demand)
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs every 15 minutes on the hour
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

RATES:
*$5.00 per vehicle
$2.00 Mopeds and Motorcycles
$4.00 per axle for single wheel trailers
$12.00 per axle for larger vehicles and trailers
$80.00 - book of 20 commuter tickets
* This rate will be increased to $6.00 per vehicle effective Jan. 1, 2005
All other rates will remain the same

Champions Auto Ferry to Harsens Island Phone Number 810-748-3757SUMMER SCHEDULE
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs continuously
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

WINTER SCHEDULE
Begins December 1st - (May start later depending on demand)
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs every 15 minutes on the hour
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

RATES:
$6.00 per vehicle
$2.00 Mopeds and Motorcycles
$4.00 per axle for single wheel trailers
$12.00 per axle for larger vehicles and trailers
$80.00 - book of 20 commuter tickets

Champions Auto Ferry to Harsens Island Phone Number 810-748-3757

of the island. What do you think? We look for your comments.

Marine City REALTOR Helps Senior Sellers Sell Their Homes and Buy New Ones

Real Estate One Westrick — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:01:33 -0500

Taking the Seniors Real Estate Specialist class now sponsored by The Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® was one of the best classes I have taken.

The designation, which certifies that a practitioner is proficient in serving clients aged 50 and older, has surged in popularity in recent years, say Gary Thomas, chairman of the board of SAREC.

"Older home buyers have special financial and lifestyle needs," says NAR President Thomas M. Stevens. "The SRES designation indicates advanced education and commitment to this population. With the oldest of the baby boomers turning 60 this year, and given the importance of the emerging senior market nationwide, the number of REALTORS® earning this designation is likely to increase dramatically over the next few years."

The SRES designation was developed by the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council, which was created in 1997 to focus on the needs of home buyers and sellers aged 50 and over.

To earn the SRES designation, you must complete a two-day course covering issues such as specialized housing options and asset protection. You can then carry the designation on a provisional basis for as long as one year, and must execute three senior property transactions during that time.

- REALTOR® Magazine Online

Reasons To Earn Your SRES®

More the than 50% of my listings and sales right now belong to the senior community. These folks are very fragile and this is a very emotional experience for them. They usually are scaling way back in size and Stuff to make life easier for themselves and their loved ones. With this move also comes reality. The reality that there may not be much time left. Certainly not the time they usually want or hoped for. Many of the seniors wonder where the time went and want to make the best of their retirement. They need extra TLC - I enjoy this part of my real estate consultanting so much - it is very rewarding and lasting friendships are made.

History repeats Itself...Marine City REALTOR Shares a Story -1945 Parker Street, Marine City. MI 48039 Beachfront

Real Estate One Westrick — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:35:12 -0500

We all know that beach-front is very limited no matter where it is. God only created so much beach-front in any specific area and in Marine City, Michigan, there is some but not a lot. Beach-front here in Marine City is scattered along the St. Clair River in various parts.

Over 40 years ago my father sold a waterfront lot to a nice couple. They built a lovely step saving waterfront home on 65' of beachfront.

This conveniently laid out custom ranch has had only the one owner. Now the owner has had to move to assisted living, his daughter came back to the establishment to resell the beautiful lot now with a nice house it. It's on the St. HUGE PRICE REDUCTION Clair River, south of Marine City. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, quality Brick ranch, 1 Owner, across from Fawn Island. Anderson windows, new front storm door,all new kitchen , granite counters, carpet,floors. Views of river from kitchen, dining room, living room, and master bedroom. Walk around attic+ garage attic. Lovely shaded yard and sandy beach. New front porch and walkway. Florida room off living room is a great retreat to relax and see ships from many lands pass on by. Priced at only $260,900

9,900.

Anyway, this is an honor to list this property again and see history repeat itself through another generation of REALTORS.

Do You See the Spell Check?

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 03:22:53 -0500

Thanks Active rain for that little spell check tool. . Now we should all make use of it. Yes including me.

Just wanted to let the ActiveRain Community know that there is a great FREE spell checker here.

Since most online text applications do not have a spell check function, I found this to be a great tool. Now just have to remember to use the tool everytime. Does anyone in our ActiveRain Community have any other spell check tools?

WHO IS THAT CUSTOMER THAT BECOMES OUR CLIENT

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:37:10 -0500

I was going through some papers and found the below tucked away in a 1996 day-timer. Thought it would be interesting to share with the Active Rain Community. The Active Rain Community has given so much to others and I am so happy and privileged to be a part of Active Rain. being a part of this Active Rain community has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Word: cus·tom·er (kst-mr) KEY

NOUN:

One that buys goods or services.
Informal An individual with whom one must deal: a tough customer.

A CUSTOMER is the most important person ever in business. . . in person, phone or mail.

A CUSTOMER is not dependent upon us . . we are dependent upon him.

A CUSTOMER is not an interruption of our work. . . he is the purpose if it. . . we are not doing hima favor by serving him, he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

A CUSTOMER is not an outsider to our business . . . he is part of it.

A CUSTOMER is not a cold statistic. . . he is a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like your own, and with biases and prejudices.

A CUSTOMERis not someone to argue and match wits with. Nobody ever wins an arguement with a customer.

A CUSTOMER is a person who brings us his wants. It is our job to handle them profitably and to ourselves.

As I see it Good Customert Relationships align and empower all parts of your organization to:
Build long-term customer loyalty
Increase customer value, and
Grow recurring revenues and profits.

So what do you think? Is a customer someone that enhances and makes your business? Maybe you have anything to add to the list?

What Really Matters - A Home Inspection

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 01:54:57 -0500

Buying or selling a home can be stressful. A home inspector is suppose to create a peace of mind with the home inspection. Often the opposite happens. The buyer is asked to absorb a lot of detail and information in a very short time. (Most inspections take 1-3 hours.) In that time there are reports, photos, checklists, photos, possible environmental issues to be addressed, and any questions that you have that need answering. Take this and add the sellers disclosures and issues you noted on your home preview - talk about overwhelming! What should you do? This article is to help you get a handle on the purpose of a home inspection and to offer some home inspection procedures.

We suggest you relax. Most of the inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These things are all nice to know about. Just remember that that the issues that really matter will fall into 4 categories.

Major defects. This would be structural or mechanical failure.
Something that could lead to a major defect. A small roof flashing leak, for example.
Something that may create problems when it comes to the financing or legally living in the home.
Safety issues such as exposed wiring, or gas leaks.

Anything in these areas should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected immediately and at a low cost. This can protect both the property and a life.

Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of the defects uncovered during an inspection. Understand that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. know that no home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already on the seller's disclosure, obvious issues noted while walking through before your made your offer, or nit-picky items.

If you are a HOME SELLER You could sell your home for more by getting a pre sale inspection

Scope of the Home Inspection

Below is a generalized list of items included in our full home inspection. There is not enough space here to list everything that will be inspected. Parts of a house that would have to be damaged or are unsafe to inspect will not be inspected. If you have any questions, please call me.

Structure - The foundation, floors, framework, chimney. This will also include the inspector entering the crawl space, basement and attic when applicable, and if possible. I have no problem entering almost all attics and crawl spaces.

Electrical- Service line, capabilities (volts/amps), main breaker, fuse/breaker box (location and internal condition) proper grounding, correct sizing of breakers and/or fuses, panels (location and internal condition), wiring installation, condition of wiring, electrical distribution, operation of GFCI/AFCI's, switches and outlets, light fixtures.

Plumbing - The condition of water supply and waste removal systems, including evidence of leaks, proper venting, etc. All operational water fixtures and drains will be operated and inspected. Numerous fixtures will be run at once to test for proper water pressure and drainage from the sewer line.

Heating - Operational check and visual inspection of the primary heating system, including duct work, radiators and pipes (for boiler systems), and a test for carbon monoxide to verify the condition of the heat exchanger for forced air or gravity systems.

Air Conditioning - Operational check and visual inspection of the central AC system (weather permitting - the outside temperature must be above 65 degrees).

Exterior- Porches, decks, grounds (including grading, drainage, etc.), masonry and siding, fascia, trim, eaves, soffits, sidewalks, driveway, windows, doors.

Roof- Covering material, gutters, downspouts, flashings.

Interior - Cracks, water stains, fit of windows and doors, level and structural condition of floors.

Garages / Out-buildings - Structural condition, roof, floor, doors, windows, electrical, automatic door openers, miscellaneous features.

Now go get that home inspection.

0 (vacant Lot) on Urban Drive, East China Michigan

Real Estate One Westrick — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 05:38:20 -0500

90' lot foot frontage on Urban Drive hs lots of trees and is approximately 300 feet deep. $59,000

This lot backs up to 5816 RIVER ROAD, EAST CHINA , MI, 48054, priced at $349,900.

You can buy them both for a discount.

Algonac Michigan Market Reports, Wynne Achatz Algonac Michigan real estate agent

Real Estate One Westrick — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:07:48 -0500

Market Conditions for Marine City, Michigan

Reported by Wynne Achatz. Michigan Notary Public, Senior Housing Real Estate Specialist, ABR, CRS, GRI, LTG, Nar ePRO, Internet Certified, RRC

Updated April 1, 2007.

Current Market Rating: 2

1	2	3	4	5
Buyer's			Seller's

Current Price Trend: 2

1	2	3	4	5
Falling			Rising

Marine City has some great bargains right now. It's a great time to be a buyer !!!

Interest rates are still under 7% and homes in Marine City are more affordable than ever!

Don't miss out on this great time to buy the home of your dreams in the Marine City Area!!!

There are 92 listings vs 81 last year same time.

Current Avg List Price $136,165 vs average list price of $138,341 six months ago.

74 listings SOLD vs 144 Sold in the same time last year.

Current Avg Sold Price $114,314 vs average Sale price of $121,088 in 2006 same time.

If you are thinking of moving to Marine City, It's time to consider making your move.