metro detroit: Macomb Count MI first time home buyers - is the $7500 tax credit right for you?
- 09/14/08 12:12 AM
There has been much written about the new $7500 tax credit that is being offered by the government to those who meet the following guidelines: Purchased a home to be used as your primary residence between April 9th, 2008 and July 1st, 2009. First time home buyer: A first time home buyer is described as a home buyer who has not owned a home as their principal residence within the last 3 years. If you are married both spouses must meet this guideline. Income: Your modifiend adjusted gross income for a single person must not be more than $95,000. (Married people … (5 comments)
Wow. WOW. I still have trouble believing it, and it happened to my buyer client. The bank owned home below (overgrown trees and shrubbery included :-) was sold to my buyer client in just 15 days from start to finish. The home is located in Marysville MI (St. Clair County)Here is what transpired during the process: Offer made and submitted to asset manager/bank (HSBC)Counter offer made by asset manager and conveyed to the buyer.Counter to the counter offer was made by my buyer to the bank/asset manager."Best and final" offer asked for by HSBC."Best and final" offer submitted to … (9 comments)
metro detroit: A fabulous new trend: Home buyers saying "NO"
- 06/19/08 10:29 PM
“No, I don’t want that payment” - Home buyers in Michigan are smarter this year. Much smarter, and I'm thrilled to witness it. I represent many home buyers in my real estate business. I enjoy them, and I am happy as can be finding and showing homes to potential buyers. The interaction between a buyer client and a buyers agent is fun, hectic at times and precious to me. Most days you can find me driving all around Macomb County and the Metro Detroit area viewing homes, taking photos and meeting with buyer clients. This year I’ve noticed a trend … (16 comments)
Eleven years ago I began my career as a real estate agent. When I first started I had a wonderful broker, Tony McHugh, who was always available to answer questions and give you a pep talk when needed. One thing I remember clearly about my time with Tony was his comical way of putting things into perspective.
Before my coveted license came in the mail to Tonys office he talked to me about coming in to the office to get a feel for things, and to listen and learn from others. I remember that first Friday … (13 comments)
metro detroit: What will you be doing at 1:05 today?
- 03/31/08 12:35 AM
As I look outside and see gray skies and wet roads I can't help but wonder how many Metro Detroiters are counting the hours until 1:05 this afternoon. Why am I watching the clock? Because it is officially spring in Motown! The Detroit Tigers will open the baseball season at home taking on the up and coming Kansas City Royals. First pitch is schedule for 1:05 pm. Justin Verlander ( Rookie of the Year for the American League in 2006 and in 2007 pitched a no-hitter at Comerica Park) will be the starting pitcher for todays game.I hope to get all … (19 comments)
metro detroit: The truth about "Zero Down" advertising
- 03/24/08 10:46 PM
In the Metro Detroit area the popularity of FHA and VA mortgages is higher than I have witnessed in years. One of the reasons for the increasing use of these mortgages is the potential for the borrower to acquire a home for no money down. "Teaser" ads that I'm seeing in many places tell potential buyers that they can purchase a home with "Zero Down". This is true. With the VA program this can be done. With FHA a down payment assistance program is needed. What the "teaser" ads fail to mention is that you will still need money in your pocket/ … (15 comments)
metro detroit: Perhaps now they'll believe.
- 02/26/08 10:41 PM
For several years those of us who live in Michigan and work in the real estate industry have been shouting out to anyone that will listen that the housing slump hit us earlier than most areas of the country. Why did it hit us so hard and so much earlier? Our economy is different. The foreclosure woes to hit the Metro Detroit area were for the most part, in my opinion, because of loss of jobs. While other areas of the country are experiencing housing-bubble bursting and investor foreclosures we were being smacked upside the head with the loss of bread … (18 comments)
metro detroit: Metro Detroit home sales show an increase - yes, an increase!
- 02/14/08 08:13 PM
Awesome timely article from Louis Aguilar of the Detroit News this morning. The article shouts out the fact that Metro Detroit home sales in January areUP by almost 15% from that period one year ago. Also wonderful news? The City of Detroit led the way with a gain of 45.5%.May I repeat that? The City of Detroit LED the way with a gain of 45.5%!Mr. Aguilar cites his source for this information as Realcomp™ and it's participating real estate brokers and agents. My take? It's about damned time that we see terrific news about our housing market on the front page of … (11 comments)
metro detroit: A Foreclosure + a FHA Buyer = A success story!
- 01/30/08 09:37 PM
In the Metro Detroit area two scenarios we are seeing on a daily basis in the real estate industry are the increase in homes on the market that are foreclosures (bank owned) and the growing popularity of FHA mortgages for home buyers. Typically many home buyers who want to purchase bank owned homes have been frightened off by FHA mortgages, feeling that the inspection guidelines have been too restrictive. Bank owners of these homes have also been slow to offer FHA terms as one of their purchase guidelines along with conventional or cash terms because they were likely worried about … (25 comments)
metro detroit: I'll say it until I'm blue in the face - Real estate IS local.
- 01/29/08 09:48 PM
There has been much written and talked about lately about the “right time to buy”. In the Metro Detroit area we have witnessed a downturn to housing since 2002. Homes have taken longer to sell, the supply has outpaced the demand, and the prices that home sellers have been receiving for their homes has been less each year. Other areas of the country have been experiencing this only recently, or within the last 2 years or so. When you read the national news please keep this in mind. National data does not tell the “local” story. Are we at the end … (32 comments)
metro detroit: Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.
- 01/12/08 09:03 PM
Recently in Macomb County MI our Multilist service, Mirealsource™, added the capability for real estate agents to include up to 12 photos of a home that has been placed on the market for sale. Realtor.com also allows now for many more photos than they have in the past, as well as the other Multilist in the Metro Detroit area, Realcomp™. Please know that when you hire me to market your home and work for you and with you to I will sometimes make decisions that are contrary to the popular opinion of others.I place photos of your home online for all the … (27 comments)
metro detroit: An update to "I was proved wrong and I hope it continues"
- 01/05/08 07:18 PM
A few days ago I wrote an article about an offer that a buyer client placed on a foreclosed upon home and how quickly we received a response from the bank/owner. Karen Moorhead and I have been in contact with each over this past week, as she also has an offer in on a home and has yet to receive a signed purchase agreement back from them. I thought I would update all of you on this progress of my clients offer and pass along the news that all is still well and moving along much quicker than I could have … (17 comments)
metro detroit: I was proved wrong and hope it continues!
- 12/31/07 11:38 PM
This past Friday I wrote an offer on a bank owned property for a buyer client. We got together for lunch near his workplace and I came back to my home office to fax it over to the listing agent. I had cautioned my buyer that we probably would not hear anything until at least the end of this week because of New Years Eve and New Years Day, at the earliest. Truly I was not expecting to hear back until the week of the 7th. Yesterday morning while preparing a dessert for a New Years Eve party I received a phone … (29 comments)
metro detroit: What you see is what you get - no kidding!
- 12/27/07 10:04 PM
Have you looked at my photo? It isn’t a glamour shot. No fancy “make me look gorgeous for the moment” photo. I’m in my late 40’s and don’t try to hide it. Yet. ( I reserve the right to do so at a later date.) I haven’t had time for a manicure in a month. My hair could also use a touch up to cover some of the gray that’s showing up, but I’ll get to that. Sometime. My car? I drive a Ford Taurus. Sometimes it looks as if I live in it because my files and notebooks and an … (27 comments)
metro detroit: I'm not going anywhere.
- 12/14/07 10:16 PM
During my conversations with people in Metro Detroit I hear a recurring theme. How is the real estate business? Are you staying in the industry? Why don’t you get out? I always have mixed emotions when I am asked these questions. The first response is always “Business is different this year”. The second response is “I’m not going anywhere.” The answer to the question “Why don’t you get out?” is much more lengthy. Grab a cup of coffee and I’ll answer it. Michiganders are a tough breed. We celebrate the highs together and ride out the lows as a community. I … (41 comments)
metro detroit: REO listing brokers - Provide good service to your client or please leave the business.
- 12/05/07 08:33 PM
I will be sending off my first complaint letter today to a bank/lien holder and their REO department about the brokerage firm that they have hired to market their property. In the letter I have detailed my experience showing a buyer client of mine their property that has been on the market in Metro Detroit since May of this year. I'm also calling one of the two Multilist systems that I belong to today to lodge a complaint and report a violation on this same brokerage firm. Both of these things I have never done before and wished I had over … (21 comments)
metro detroit: LaTroy Hawkins – Let Metro Detroit be your next home
- 11/29/07 08:56 PM
I’ve been reading of the Detroit Tigers interest in free agent pitcher LaTroy Hawkins and hope that the Tigers organization and Mr. Hawkins and his agent can come to an agreement to bring him to Detroit. Perhaps if Mr. Hawkins knew more about Metro Detroit and Tigers fans it would help sway him in his decision about where to play next season. Mr. Hawkins, first, I would like you to pick up the phone and call others who play for the Tigers, and those who have played here in the past. Ask them about Tigers fans. Hands down we’re the … (11 comments)
metro detroit: The typical Metro Detroit foreclosure family.
- 11/24/07 09:23 PM
**I am putting my disclaimer upfront: The story I am writing is not about any one particular family, it is merely an observation from a real estate agent in Metro Detroit who has watched the downturn in our real estate market unfold. It is also a story that I've heard more times than I've wished by families who work hard, have purchased their piece of the American dream and have faced financial stress that they didn't realize was coming. Lola Audu wrote an excellent article yesterday entitled "When the pant legs are two different sizes". Lola is a real estate broker … (35 comments)
I'm
a firm believer that the best real estate relationship is a
partnership. We work together to achieve your goals - whether
it be in purchasing your first home or selling your present
home to purchase another or to relocate.
Please
feel free to email
me at any time. I would enjoy chatting
with you and getting to know you.
There has been much written about the new $7500 tax credit that is being offered by the government to those who meet the following guidelines:
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