but I am slammed right now.  I have quite a few buyers trying to cash in on the Metro Detroit first time home buyer tax credit.  We only have about 40 days to get a purchase contract accepted if you need a mortgage. I have been going out 3 times a day with different buyers for the last 7 days.  I am actually confused on somedays when another real estate agent asks me to give them feedback on a home I saw two or three days ago.  That could be one of 40 -50 homes that I have seen. It's a good thing that so many people are taking advantage of Metro Detroit real estate bargains.  So many nice homes still under $100,000.  It is amazing .  I was on one street where there was a Westland HUD foreclosure and bank foreclosure.  Both were great prices but there was still a $20,000 difference in pr... 09/20/2009

 You have found a Metro Detroit home you are ready to buy.  You are doing your purchase agreement, now is the time to specify that you want a home inspection.   In our purchase offer a inspection contingency is a standard clause.  This inspection clause tells both the buyer and seller how long they have to do the inspection and how long everybody has to respond to the inspection results.  Now is the time to specify how long you have to do the home inspection and how long the seller has to respond to the deficiencies.  The inspection clause says that you have the right to back out of the purchase agreement if the house does not meet your standards or if the seller doesn't repair the deficiencies.  YOU SHOULD NEVER NOT HAVE A HOME INSPECTION DONE,  even if it is new Metro Detroit home you... 08/30/2009

 If you are moving to Metro Detroit here is a little relocation information so you know what the weather is like here.  In August it's hot and humid here most days.  We have some good thunderstorms during the month.   On most days it is in the 80's  but we do get some days in the high nineties. Metro Detroit's average yearly rainfall 33 in August's average rain accumulation: 3.1 in August's average high temperature: 81° F August's average low temperature: 62° F August Record high: 104° F on Tuesday, Aug. 6 1918August Record low: 38° F on Sunday, Aug. 29 1982 The sun rises about 6:30 and sets about 8:40 What is nice about the Metro Detroit area is that we don't get hurricanes, earthquakes, and very seldom do we get tornadoes.  We do get storms with high winds that does knock out power to... 08/11/2009

Yes Farmington Hills now is going to offer Homebuyers Assistance Through Neighborhood Stabilization Program  The City of Farmington Hills is now offering help to qualified people who wish to purchase vacant foreclosed houses in the City as their principal place of residence.  The program is intended to stabilize neighborhoods and provide affordable housing to those who meet the criteria. Get the help you need to buy a Farmington Hills foreclosure.  Under the newly-established Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), individuals who meet specific program guidelines can receive financial assistance to purchase vacant foreclosed houses in Farmington Hills. The program is being financed by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) in an effort to address the statewide proble... 07/29/2009

Good news for the economy as Dryer Vent Wizard creates jobs for the unemployed   Detroit, MI -- Dryer Vent Wizard is a dryer vent service, repair and installation company who services over 50 major markets in the United States.  They recently announced a new franchise training program to boost the economy and create jobs.   "Don't Let Your Dryer Start a Fire, Keep Your Home Safe & Sound" are part of Dryer Vent Wizard's ongoing campaign promoting dryer vent safety & fire protection.  They offer dryer vent safety tips to consumers and their website contains a video and brochure with valuable information on dryer fire prevention.    Dryer Vent Wizard is planning to open franchises in more areas soon.  They welcome inquires about owning one of their Dryer Vent Wizard franchises in the Unite... 07/22/2009

That's a common question I get from a Metro Detroit first time home buyer.  There is no rock solid answer.  I will break this up into Metro Detroit foreclosures, short sales, Metro Detroit HUD homes, and private owned houses. What happens is that we send the offer to the listing agent.  Then PRIVATE OWNED HOUSES - the listing agent tries to contact the homeowner.  The homeowner may be out of town on business, may have a family emergency so it may take time to get an answer.  Remember this offer isn't more important than the sellers job, or the sellers kids, or the sellers family function.  So the offer may sit on a desk for a day.  But the average response time for a private owned home is usually anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days. METRO DETROIT FORECLOSURES - The listing agent usually wor... 07/07/2009

I had a client put in an written signed offer on a Metro Detroit foreclosure last week.  It was a nice Farmington Hills foreclosure.  I sent it over to the listing agent along with the copy of the deposit money.  I sent via email and fax and requested confirmation of receipt.  The listing agent email me back to confirm he got it.  The listing agent is also the broker. The Metro Detroit real estate agent/broker emailed me and said the bank had a counter offer of 192,000.  He said to send a counter offer back as we were close to working out a deal.  I talked to my client and and I emailed the listing agent/broker that we would accept the offer. Well imagine my surprise today (2 days later) when I got an email from this broker stating that he had received two more offers and that it would ... 07/05/2009

Farmington Hills Real Estate Update Here is a quick Farmington Hills sold homes update for one of my buyers to see what is going on recently.  Here are all the colonial homes that have sold in the 2200 -2950 square foot range in the last 30 days.  Look at the sold price versus the list price.  There were five that sold for over list price and two more that sold very close.  But on the other end there were some that sold for 10% less.   The average days on the market for these homes were 91 days. ADDRESS LIST PRICE SALE PRICE DOM SP PER SQFT SQUARE FOOTAGE YEAR BUILT 38500 LANCASTER DR 144900 153700 11 59.7125 2574 1985 30856 WOODSTREAM DR 161500 156900 35 62.0648 2528 1971 31165 APPLEWOOD LN 169900 175650 16 65.5165 2681 1976 38632 SOUTHFARM LN 195000 180000 165 64.7482 2780 1959 28423 ... 06/26/2009

I see a lot of  foreclosed homes in a week.  Last week I was working with a Metro Detroit relocation buyer that was a young doctor from Providence Hospital in Farmington Hills MI.  I have been working with quite a few young doctors moving into the area lately.  They have been doing their residency at Providence Hospital or Botsford hospital. But back to the story.  When looking at Metro Detroit foreclosures whether it is a Farmington Hills foreclosure, Northville foreclosure, or Livonia foreclosure there are some homes that just can't be mortgaged. What happens is that the former owners either destroy the house, or were in the middle of a renovation, or steal some of the house.  Or there is mold. Here are some pictures What no kitchen.... where am I going to do the dishes honey?  Unmort... 06/06/2009

Lani is one of those agents that get the job done.  She answers her phone and responds when you email her.  It was just a small deal too.  I had a Farmington relocation client that was a young doctor at Botsford Hospital.    He was in the residency program at Botsford hospital and was looking for a place to live near the hospital. It was only a lease for a $1000 but Lani took care of business like it was a $500,000 deal.  I can tell you the difference, because I was working with two different Michigan relocations for young doctors at the same time. The other guy took 7 days to get the answer for the lease.  He told me he had the lease signed on Friday and I didn't get it until Tuesday.  It took him a total of 10 days to get a signed contract!  So it is a pleasure working with an agent l... 06/04/2009

Farmington Hills Open House ~ 17 May 2009 (edit/delete) Very clean! Custom built 3 BR 3 BA home w/open floor plan is move in ready! Soaring ceilings & lots of light. Deck off MBR w/WIC & drwalls to deck. Great for entertaining. Access to deck off kitchen/DR area. FR features FP w/doorwall to patio. Lovely .45 acre treed lot w/beautiful backyard, meandering Rouge River & playhouse w/electricity. Some updates: appliances, kitchen, baths, lighting, bow window, carpet and landscaping. Sellers offer Purchasers a 1 year home warranty.  Click here for more information 05/12/2009

that I was being a real estate professional.  Do you ever get frustrated because your clients are wanting to do one thing and you know better not to do it.  Lately that was happening to me.  I had two clients that weren't listening to me no matter how many times I told them to do something totally different.  I know the market and I am seeing first hand what is going on.  BUT I was WRONG too. My clients were being influenced by friends, family, and the media that you should be putting in low ball purchase offers.  But in the last few months the Metro Detroit real estate market has shifted.  You can't put in low ball offers and expect to get the home.  It isn't happen very often.  Sure it may be happening 5 to 10% of the time in certain cities.    But the majority of the time it is not h... 05/11/2009

If you are considering jumping into the world of investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and the other offerings of the stock market you want to make sure to step into these waters wisely and not make major mistakes that will cost you dearly in the long run.   Start Small   The first thing you should keep in mind when entering into the world of investing is that you should start small. This is no different than getting into a new body of water or beginning a new exercise schedule. You want to warm up first or dip a toe in the water and test out how things feel before jumping in with everything you have.   In this case give yourself a small sum of money that you are comfortable parting with to begin your investing and keep in mind it is possible that it will lose value once you begin to... 04/19/2009

Real Estate Investors discover a new way to invest in real estate while avoiding the liability exposure of property ownership and the pressure of property management   Detroit, MI - REIT expert, Earl E. Bird, III, recently spoke to a group of investors at a local real estate investors' association meeting.  He explained what REITs are and the benefits of investing in REITs as he announced the grand opening of the REITBuyer.com.   Though the website contains a wealth of educational material several of the investors requested a follow up meeting with Earl to talk more.  Earl agreed and they met for lunch so the young investors could have the opportunity to ask questions.   One investor said, "I'm just getting started in real estate investing and it's great!  I just bought a house for less... 04/17/2009

If you have a diversified investment portfolio, you probably have put some money into the real estate sector. But have you considered REITs? What about foreign REITs?   Let's start with the basics. REITs are Real Estate Investment Trusts. These are funds that invest in real estate ventures. Consider these as holding companies that take your funds and money from other shareholders then purchases and manages real estate interests such as apartments, condominiums, business buildings and industrial parks.   The way you profit from a REIT is not through the sale of land, but rather the leases and rent that are paid on the properties that have been purchased by the management group.   If you are purchasing REITs that are based in the United States there are specific rules that dictate where t... 02/21/2009

                                                             ICE & COLD WATER SAFETY By Lieutenant Denny Hughes, Farmington Hills Fire Department  The past few weeks have been brutally cold in Southeastern Michigan, (Farmington Hills, MI) but a slight warm-up is in the near future. With sudden changes in temperatures, we have to be extremely careful on and around any bodies of water, including lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.  You cannot judge the thickness of ice by its appearance, the day's temperature or the amount of snow on the ice. The depth of the water under the ice, and load distribution and underwater currents, will determine the thickness. Ice a foot thick in one area may only be a few inches thick just a few feet away. Winter enthusiasts, who have been waiting for this weat... 01/26/2009

Farmington Hills has lots of great family events.  From senior programs to activities that kids can enjoy and learn.  Here are some of the upcoming events in Farmington Hills MI  Farmington Hills Senior Events Explore the connection between stress and brain aging in a seminar presented by Dr. Scott Moffat, Ph.D., a leading researcher on brain function, on Wednesday, January 28 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Longacre House, 24705 Farmington Road in Farmington Hills. Dr. Moffat, a professor at Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology, is studying how the stress hormone cortisol affects the brain as it grows older.  Participants will learn about research into improving older adults' quality of life. The seminar is part of the Senior Division's Lifelong Learning at Longacre series, whic... 01/24/2009

Farmington Hills MI is a fun place to live.  The local community is always putting on some great community events to provide a good place to live.   Daddy Daughter Dance at the  Costick Center on Feb. 6 and 7  Calling all doting dads!  Do you have a daughter who likes to dress up and dance?  Then don't miss out on treating her to a special evening she'll always remember!  The annual Daddy Daughter Dance will be held on Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Costick Center in Farmington Hills.  You can dance the night away to music from a local DJ, enjoy refreshments, and each daughter who attends will receive a corsage.  Be sure to bring your camera to capture the memory of this fun evening.  Sign up early and reserve your spot on the dance floor!  This p... 01/16/2009

This article was written by friend of mine who I have also had a business relationship with.  She has given me permission to repost her material.  I am sure you will find the information to be valuable and useful.   Have you ever wished that you knew ahead of time how to avoid mistakes that will cost you money?  Do you realize that when it comes to your business, these mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars?  Well my goal is to help you.  I can tell you how to avoid some of the most costly mistakes so that you stay on the right track to making money, instead of losing money.   Not setting up your business in the correct Business Structure.  Many individuals don't think they need to set up their company as a "legal" business entity because it's only them working.  They don't consider... 01/13/2009

 Many years ago Detroit and it's suburbs where a stark contrast of black and white.  But the 1990's and 2000's have really changed the complexion of Metro Detroit.  There are no more lilly white cities in the Metro Detroit area.  We have become a culturally and racially diverse Metropolitan area.  We still have to work on getting Middle and upper class people to move back into the City of Detroit.  Detroit's future leader have their work cut out for them to make Detroit a "want to live there city" Here is one of the celebrations to mark Martin Luther King Day in Metro Detroit Michigan Farmington Community Library to Hold Martin Luther King Day Celebration Jan. 19    The Farmington Community Library will honor Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 19 with a full schedul... 01/06/2009