Vance Shutes, your Saline, Michigan blog

Home : Blogs : Vance Shutes, your Saline, MI Real Estate Connection : Vance Shutes, your Saline, Michigan blog : Archives February, 2008

Our Long Winter of Discontent - 02/29/08 09:47 AM

It's snowing again. And so continues our long winter of discontent here in Michigan.
So far this winter in Saline and Ann Arbor, we've had a lot of snow. But by the end of February, most of us are thinking about Spring. Our typical winter gives us about 42" of snow. Global … (6 comments)

Lockbox? What's that? - 02/27/08 07:46 AM

When your home is listed for sale with a Realtor®, other Realtors® will be interested in showing your home to their prospective buyers. It is best that you are not at home during any showing. If you're in your home during a showing, the prospective buyer will feel uncomfortable about the … (2 comments)

What Every Seller Should Know - Part III - 02/25/08 09:16 AM

Once you have an accepted offer on your home, there are a few things that you should know. For the most part, these are general ideas, applicable to most forms of real estate. Check with your Realtor® to be sure.
•1. The Earnest Money Deposit
When the prospective buyer writes an offer to … (2 comments)

What Every Seller Should Know - Part II - 02/22/08 09:02 AM

While your your home is up for sale, there are a few things that you should know. For the most part, these are general ideas, applicable to most forms of real estate. Check with your Realtor® to be sure.
•1. Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the term used for the first impression a … (0 comments)

What Every Seller Should Know - Part I - 02/20/08 08:28 AM

Before you think about putting your home up for sale, there are a few things that you should know. For the most part, these are general ideas, applicable to most forms of real estate. Check with your Realtor® to be sure.
•1. Selling is a 4-step process
A B C D
Sale <-> … (2 comments)

What does it mean to be an Associate Broker? - 02/18/08 09:14 AM

When you see the term "Associate Broker" after my signature, what does that mean?
In each Real Estate sales company, there can be one, and only one, Broker. In my case, the Broker is "Real Estate One", a Michigan corporation. Yes, an inanimate corporation can be a Broker - Michigan allows such … (2 comments)

What's That Smell? - 02/15/08 09:05 AM

Oooh, that smell! Can you smell that smell?
Other than being a great song from Lynrd Skynrd, it's not something we, in the Real Estate business, ever like to hear.
One of the things my parents taught me, from an early age, is that you never get a second chance to make … (16 comments)

Should I Go For Sale By Owner? - 02/13/08 10:33 AM

When it comes time to sell your home, one of your options is to sell your home yourself. Since it's always a good idea to consider the "flip side" of your decision, let's look at your "for sale by owner" (FSBO) from the perspective of a buyer.
Buying FSBO real estate has … (4 comments)

What does it mean to be a GRI? - 02/11/08 10:50 AM

When you see the letters GRI as one of my professional designations, what does that mean?
Developed for members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and offered through State REALTOR® Associations, the GRI designation is obtained by attending a specific, intensive series of a minimum of 90 hours of classroom instruction, covering … (4 comments)

Don't Buy a Home? - 02/06/08 08:09 AM

Don't Buy a Home.
What? Are you kidding?
As a Realtor®, my job is to help people to buy or sell their real estate. When someone wants to hire me to solve their real estate needs, I am very gratified.
But sometimes, it's better for my client to NOT buy (or sell) a home. … (13 comments)

What It Means to be an e-Pro - 02/04/08 08:45 AM

When you see "e-Pro" as one of my professional designations, what does that mean?
e-PRO Certification is an online training program offered by the National Association of Realtors® to certify real estate professionals as Internet Professionals.
Now, as an "internet professional", having the e-Pro designation does not mean that I spend all … (2 comments)

We Hold These Truths - 02/01/08 09:35 AM

OK, I have to get something off my chest!
We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Lately, though, it seems that we want less of each - less freedom, and certainly less bravery. For example, we are willing accomplices as we allow our local, state, … (0 comments)

Related Links:

All member posts for February, 2008

New members in February, 2008