Hi,

                I just wanted to take a minute and give you an update on the market.  (Like you need one! )

 Two remarkable stories in the Grand Rapids press this weekend really put into words what I have been telling people who ask, and it was great to see that same information validated by the GR Press.

 I know it's been a rough year for sellers.  It's been a rough year for almost everyone in this economy.  We've all seen our home values plummet, and we've all wondered what the best thing to do is.  Wait? Sell? fire-sale? short sale? foreclosure?  Many buyers are in a dilemma because money lending practices are more stringent, and the plethora of home choices make it difficult to make a decision for many.

Now, more than ever, more and more homes selling are foreclosures.  Just last month, nearly 70 percent of the homes sold in the entire GRAR real estate board were foreclosures.  Unbelievably high! That's right 70%!

If you are one of the sellers in this market, and you think your agent is not doing a good job about representing you, take a closer look at their regular efforts, and their marketing materials.   You may be more surprised to find out they are doing more than you know.

If you are a real estate agent and have a seller call you for an update, you may want to take a look at your personal contact plan.  Buyers and sellers are just people who have questions, sometimes they think about what's going on,  but do not ask, so it's up to you, the real estate professional to be pro-active and just give them a call once in a while.

You got answers, they got questions!

Mark Douglas

When you consider all we have, compared to those who have nothing, we are rich beyond compare.

Happy Thanksgiving......  and thank you.

I can't believe it.  I actually had someone try to pull, what may be, an equity skimming situation on someone that lives around here, in COOPERSVILLE!  AGAIN!

This is the second time that I am personally aware of where some of our citizens have almost been scammed.  What happens is this...  Someone starts getting a bit behind on their mortgage, to the point that a bank sends information out on public notice. (about 2 missing payments).  A third party then calls the homeowner, and spins a yarn about how they will take care of everything, just sign over certain rights to your house and "rent" from them.  Meanwhile, they take out all of the equity, never make a payment, and leave the homeowner high and dry without equity or a place to live.  I personally do not know of any "legit" operation doing this.  Perhaps there are people and companies out there that can help, but be VERY careful when dealing with someone like this.  Enlist the help of a professional.  Either in the form of an attorney, or a professional real estate agent.

Michigan one of the top ten mortgage fraud states listed by the FBI. (Federal Bureau of Investigation).  Many of the scams include a HELOC (Home Equity Line Of Credit) where the "scammer" gets the homeowner to sign over certain rights that allows the "scammer" to cash in on the homeowners equity.

For some really interesting information on the FBI and mortgage fraud, follow this link.

http://www.fbi.gov/publications/fraud/mortgage_fraud06.htm

Be careful out there.

Mark

That's what I do. (with a little help from my wife)...

ok a lotta help... 

We're here to be helpful and make a living.  Confidentiality is always the theme, so don't worry about anyone hearing your woes, or your achievements, or your motivations from me.  I try to earn respect from every customer, so they talk to other people here in town in a good manner about my business, and will refer their children and family members to me when they choose to make a real estate change in their lives.

Foreclosures.   Sellers and Buyers.  Growing Families.  Shrinking Families.  Seniors.  Empty Nesters.  Divorces. First Time Buyers.

If you can think of it, we've probably handled it.