Sellers Market? Buyers Market?

If you're selling you definitely want it to be a sellers market.  But what does that really mean?  It's all supply and demand.

If the demand is greater than the supply it is a sellers market. The reverse, it's a buyers market.  Some times we experience a 'balanced' market.  So here's how to figure it out. In real estate, if the supply of homes in a given price range is under 6 months, it is a sellers market. If the supply is around 6 months it's a balanced market.  Supplies over six months is a buyers market.

Real estate practitioners talk about 'absorption'.  That means that if you divide the current inventory by the number of average monthly sales for the last 12 months,  you get the months supply.

Right now (8/1/2017)  in Livingston County we are overall in a sellers market with a total absorption of 3 months, across ALL price ranges.  But in the $151,000-$200,000 range (popular with first time home buyers), the months supply is only 1.5 months. You got it - Sellers Market!!

$401,000-$500,000 is a 5.7 month supply, or a balanced market.  Go to $501,000 - $750,000 and we have 15.6 months of supply - a very strong buyers market.  So you need to have a better reference point than just your whole county, or township, or city.

We can take this a step further and break down by school districts or even neighborhoods if the neighborhood is big enough.  It doesn't work well in a community of 60-70 homes.

image courtesy of renjith krishnan/freedigitalphotos.net

Howell Melon Festival – August 14-16th

Get ready to have some fun!  Howell’s Melon Festival starts tomorrow!  The Melon Run features a 5K/10K, a 1 mile run, a Tot Trot and a Mascot Dash – a 100 yard out and back course by mascots sponsored by local businesses.

There’s a Bike Ride, live entertainment, children’s events, a fine arts show, car show, steam train rides, and more.  Check out the full roster of events at http://www.howellmelonfestival.com/and come out and visit Downtown Howell.

And if you're looking to purchase a home in Howell, give me a call!

image courtesy of Howell Melon Festival

India Pale Ale (IPA) Day – August 7th

It must be an omen that IPA Day falls on Friday this year.  If you’re into craft brews, you know what an IPA is all about.  For those into other types of drinks, here’s a quick explanation of an IPA.  The important letter is the ‘A’ – for ale. No, wait, it’s the ‘I’. I guess they’re all important now that I think about it.

Way back, the 18^th Century to be exact, Britain ruled the waves.  Sailors found that beer didn’t quite survive the long trips o’er the seas so a London brewer (attributed largely to George Hodgson) developed a highly hopped, pale in color ale that could survive the voyage. (Sailors often drank the darker porters of the time.) Of course, the trip to India was a long one (6 months), and there many voyages there, so the new beer was coined India Pale Ale. (For an interesting read on this topic, check out this article on the Smithsonian site.)

Today, most local micro- and craft-breweries have at least a few versions of IPA on their list, as well as it’s cousin the American Pale Ale. And there’s no shortage of local or regional brewed and bottled IPA’s either. Most supermarkets have a pretty decent selection of craft beers from which to choose.

If you’re in the Livingston County area, a couple of my favorites are the D.I.P.A. (double IPA) at Brewery Becker, in DowntownBrighton, and the Torn In 2 IPA at Eternity Brewing in Genoa Township (Howell zip code). Not to leave out a local brewery, if you stop in at Block Brewing in Howell, their Hop Genius IPA is first rate, too!  If you celebrate #IPAday, please drink responsibly. Most craft brews are higher in alcohol content than production beers, so they often pack more of a punch. Breweries usually list the ABV figures on their menu for reference. 

This is a great way to unwind after a long day of viewing homes, too.  And if I can help you with real estate questions, feel free to contact me.

Photo credit Bob Smith, Torn in 2 IPA, Eternity Brewing, Howell, MI

Today Is - National Eat Ice Cream For Breakfast Day!

No lie.  According to the only documentation I could find, this day was created out of sheer winter boredom sometime in the 1960s. A Rochester, NY mother decided it was time to give her kids something to look forward to other than another dreary winter day. So, she came up with this idea to liven things up.  (Almost) first hand reports say you can build excitement by telling the kids about it in advance.

Photo courtesy rakratchada torsap/freedigitalphotos.net

List My Home In January???

Yes, it may seem counter-intuitive to many homeowners, but there are some great reasons to beat the ‘spring rush’ for listing your home by doing so in January.

I know all the reasons for not doing so. I’ve heard them every one of my 17 years in the real estate business.  In no particular order, they’re:

• People will track up my home because of sloppy weather
• Nobody’s really looking to buy this time of year
• It’s too much of a hassle
• We just want to relax after the busy holiday season

Rather than address these statements individually, let me say this – January is a fairly robust month for getting homes under contract. In Livingston County, over 200 homes each January since 2010 are shown, get an offer, are negotiated and reach an agreement.  And remember that 2010 and 2011 were not rosy years for selling real estate.

Don’t wait for sunny weather if you need to sell.  I can show you ways to maximize your home’s appeal for selling right now.  Figure a sale in 60 days and where does that put you?  Right into the middle of March for a move-out date. Take advantage of lower competition and buyers that are motivated.  Of course they’re motivated. Why would they be looking at houses now instead of waiting for nicer weather?

Call me for an honest opinion of your home’s value AND marketability.  It’s free.

Please visit and 'like' my facebook real estate page.  I constantly post short items of interest to both current and future homeowners.  It's at http://www.facebook.com/MichiganRE

image courtesy Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Howell's Opera House to Host Oktoberfest

People say that everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, so it stands to reason that you can be German during Oktoberfest.  The Livingston Arts Council will be hosting Oktoberfest at the historic Howell Opera House on Friday, October 3rd, beginning at 6pm. 

There will be live music, craft beer, German wine and a full German dinner for $25/person.  Want to come and listen to the music and partake of the cash bar only?  That's just $10/person. Get more info and buy tickets at: 

http://howelloperahouse.com/event/oktoberfest/

Things Are Popping Around Livingston County!

The Michigan Challenge Balloonfest gave Howell area residents something to look up to (balloons quietly gliding overhead) on the last weekend of June.  Then we had the area Independence Day parades.  I went to the one in Brighton – I believe it was the most entries they’ve had in recent years. And the weather was perfect.

Business news has been exciting, too.  The Brewery Becker, a new brewery opened up in the west end of downtown. Originally the Western Hotel, it was known by most locals as the ‘pink hotel’ for many years because it was once covered with a pink siding.  I went to the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce’s ribbon cutting and wow! – is this building an eye opener.  It looks great on the outside and even better inside.  Three levels, reclaimed wood for the bars, wrought iron staircases to get you to all three levels, and of course about 10 or 11 of their own beer creations.

Howell’s Shark Club is changing their format totally, as well.  The ground floor bar is becoming a brewpub that’ll serve home-brewed beer and the upstairs nightclub will be converted into a banquet center.  No word on whether the charity poker room on the ground floor is staying as of now.  Not sure if they’ll keep the ‘Shark Club name’ yet, either.

Then we have Lake Trust Credit Union breaking ground on a new $30 MILLION HQ building In Brighton Township, just minutes from downtown Brighton.  They’re leaving Lansing for Livingston County.

Great House, Acreage - Howell Schools

Introducing 3098 Coon Lake Rd, Howell MI 48843.

This newer home (Built in 2003) has a full basement, HE water heater, water softener, 200 amp electrical service and a 3 car garage.  It is a modular home (built to the same codes as an on-site built home) on 3.06 acres, although there is a natural gas easement that runs through the property.  The lot size is irregular.

It's been repainted, recarpeted, new kitchen appliances installed, gutters have been replaced and the house power washed.  Three bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1792 sq ft of living space in a private setting, yet just minutes from the I-96 ramps at Pinkney Rd (D 19). Howell Schools. 

See the entire listing on my website by clicking here.  And while you're there, check out my new map-based MLS search functon, too!

I am a full-time real estate professional at Preview Properties, PC.  Contact me at 810-220-1478, through my website, or my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichiganRE.

Recent Genoa Township Sales

Here’s a list of the sales in Genoa Township for the first week of March 2012 (March 1-March 8).


$485,000 – 5861 Hartford Way, Pine Creek Ridge

This was a new build that sold quickly. It’s listed as 1 day on the market and was listed at $399,900. My guess it went under contract earlier in the construction process and the buyers wanted some upgrades that increased its value. It’s great to see more new construction popping up in the area again. Brighton schools.

$236,000 – 5440 Sharp, East Crooked Lakefront

This was my listing and it sold in 15 days for $16,000 OVER list price. Pretty deplorable condition and it took a lot of groveling to get the bank to list it in ‘as in’ condition, but it received multiple offers because there’s just not any Crooked Lakefront property out there. Both were cash, as-is offers. It got 18 showings in the first 10 days! Normally, I’m pleased to have banks do rehab work on foreclosures to make them more marketable, but they would have lost money on this one and it was very likely a new owner would do massive remodeling anyway. It really needed an owner that would be able to see beyond its current condition to see its potential. Howell schools.

$146,000 – 6369 Sundance Trail, Prairie View Hills

This was another foreclosure, first listed at $166,900. Owned by Fannie Mae (FNMA), it sold in 48 days, but at a $20,000+ discount from list price. Its last sale showing in the MLS was in 2004 for $278,900. That’s quite a discount, even for a 1974-built home. Brighton schools.

If you want to buy a Genoa Township home, give me a call. I’d love to help you.

Brighton Optimists' Camel Race February 4-2012

On February 4, 2012, the Brighton Optimists will have their 4th Camel Race at Crystal Gardens, 5768 E Grand River, Howell 48843.  This fundraiser features admission, a great meal, and draft beer/house wine tickets - all for just $30/person.

There will be door prizes, giveaways, 50/50 raffles and of course, wagering on the camels.  The betting is parimutel style (like at a horse track).  Local businesses have 'adopted' camels which will be decorated and on diplay prior to the start of races. There will also be a contest for the 'best decorated' camel, where those in attendance vote.

This is a State of Michigan Charitable Gaming activity (License M70719) and proceeds go to the youth activities of the Brighton Optimist Club and their 501c3, the Optimist Foundation of Livingston County. This group puts on the Free Fishing Derby for Kids every June at the Brighton Millpond and sponsors a 'Spring Break Fun Day' for elementary school-aged children every spring.  While their activities are free to the kids, it still takes money to conduct the events.

For more information and to purchase tickets through a secure online site, please visit http://www.bigcamelrace.com/.

Holiday Spirit in Howell Michigan

OK, I admit it. I’m a big proponent of shopping local. I don’t care if you’re from Waterford or Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Brighton – patronize your local shops.


A couple of weeks ago, some business owners in Brighton got together and made a video about just that topic.

Now we have a great promo video of being in downtown Howell during the Holidays. A lot of video was shot during the Fantasy of Lights Parade (which everybody should see at least once!) and really gives you the feeling of shopping in a downtown area.

Big box stores and malls are fine for some things, but don’t forget about the folks who work right there on your Main Street. They usually do a lot more for your community than the big franchises (sorry, corporate policy doesn’t let us do that) and they really are more a part of your town than the big outfits.

Make a pledge to yourself that you’ll do at least some of your shopping at the smaller, local businesses this year. And while you’re in your downtown, why don’t you stop at a local restaurant for lunch or an appetizer and try something new?

Support The Troops - Rush Time!

Hey, Livingston County! One of the Brighton Optimists, Donna Campbell, is helping a friend collect items to send over to the troops in Afghanistan.  She'll be collecting items Thursday morning at the Bauery Restaurant at Mt. Brighton, during the weekly Brighton Optimist Club Meeting.  An excerpted list of items that are wanted are:

lotion, sunscreen, deodorant - all travel size; chap stick, soap, eye drops, disposable razors; individual packets of trail mix, beef jerky, and general munchies; disposable cameras, small toys like beanie babies that the troops can hand out to the kids over there; zip lock bags and holiday decorations, duct tape, writing paper. Optimists, let's fill her vehicle up THIS THURSDAY - then go ring bells for the Salvation Army. Bring your stuff to Mt. Brighton at 7:30 am Thursday, December 1st.

All Livingston County residents - if you can stop by with some of these items, please do so.  Stick around for breakfast on the Brighton Optimist Club if you wish.  If you can't make the early hour, drop your items off at Campbell's Collision on Grand River just east of Whitmore Lake Rd.   Let's help make the Holidays a little nicer for our troops!

12 Days of Gleaners

Last year, local radio station WHMI (93.5 FM) in Howell, Michigan, began a program to raise money for Gleaners Food Bank of SE Michigan. WHMI partners with the Howell Soft Cloth Car Wash for the 12 days prior to Thanksgiving to raise funds. With Gleaners’ buying power, $1 will feed 1 person for 1 day.


Volunteer organizations each take a day and solicit change from the customers at the carwash. Today is the day that I help out with the rest of the Brighton Optimist Club. We’ll be on site from 10am to 6pm. My shift is from noon to 1pm.

WHMI was pleased with the contribution level in 2010, their first year, but hope to do even better this year. Gleaners of Livingston County cannot meet the needs of the county on their own, and regularly food from other Gleaners locations have to be brought in. If you live in Livingston County, consider stopping by today between 10am and 6pm to make a small monetary donation. No family should have to go hungry and the needs are more acute during the holiday season.

Kudos to WHMI and the Howell Soft Cloth Car Wash for their efforts, as well as to the Brighton Optimist Club and other community groups that each take a day for service to those in need.

Save The Wildlife 5K Run and Walks



New Nature Zone at the HCNC


This past Saturday I volunteered at the Howell Conference and Nature Center’s ‘Save The Wildlife’ 5K. It was a beautiful morning for the runners and walkers, cool and crisp at the start, then sunny and warming as the race concluded. It was also perfect weather for the volunteers, who sometimes struggle to stay warm without the assistance of generating a little extra body heat via exercise.

The 5K course traversed the trails on the property with a decent uphill on both of the first two miles, but the runners had the benefit of a good downhill on the last mile. It was great to see so many ages participating in the run and walks. Excellent support, smooth operation of the race and all of the athletes that I spoke with indicated they’ll be back next year.

The race staff has really become super organized in this third year of the event. This year the organizers went to full ‘chip’ results – start and finish timing – with the B-tag technology. A B-tag is where an RFID device is part of the runner’s bib (number) that they wear. It records their time from when they cross the start mat till the time they cross the mat at the finish line for an accurate event interval. This is different than ‘gun time’ where everybody has the same starting time, even if you’re the last person to cross the start line. Competitive runners certainly prefer a chip-timed event.

The Center has a lot of great activities - a Wild Wonders Wildlife Park, summer camps, a ropes course and zip line and Michigan’s tallest climbing tower. There’s also the new Nature Zone Center, periodic wildlife photo workshops, special events and don’t miss the new courtyard. The families of the participants had plenty to do while they waited for the athletes to finish their event.

The race started promptly at 10am with the first 5K runner coming across the finish line with a time of 19:29. Awards were wrapped up by 11:40am, leaving plenty of Saturday left for other things. Funds from the race will be used for the wildlife rehabilitation center

The Howell Conference and Nature Center is one of the area’s jewels. Great family activities, environmental education, and they are generally the ones called when an injured animal is found. If possible, they’re rehabbed and put back into the wild. They do accept general donations, donations of needed supplies for the infirmary, or gifts through the animal adoption program. You can visit their web site at http://www.howellnaturecenter.org/index.htm, or better yet, drop in for a visit.

Melon Festival in Howell This Weekend



photo credit: Maggie Smith



OK, it's not exactly the Woodward Dream Cruise. (For those non-Michiganders out there, the Dream Cruise is a huge car party in Detroit's north suburbs. So large that it's actually the world's largest one day automotive event. Click the link for more info)

But the Howell Melon Festival is in its 51st year and is quite a party, all the same. A wide range of events include the Melon Run with both a 1 Mile, a5K and a 10K, and other funs things like melon dash and melon roll and tot trots.

Get a taste of melon ice cream, take a steam locomotive ride, a river boat ride (on Thompson Lake), or perhaps a trolley tour. Try a taste of melon wine, tour the Howell Historical Museum. Add a Fine Art show, sidewalk sales and some interesting activities like a watermelon seed spitting contest, a bubble gum bubble-blowing contest and you’ll find something to do in Howell this weekend. The entire downtown area is the location.

If you’re planning to visit, check the schedule and parking maps first. This is a BIG weekend in Howell, and we want you to have a blast! And if you decide to look for a house in Genoa Township or one of the other nearby areas while you're here, give me a call!

Two Livingston County Cities Get Tree City Designation for 2010

The Arbor Day Foundation recently released its list of 2010 Tree City Awards. Howell, Michigan was named a Tree City for the 23rd straight year, and Brighton, Michigan received that honor for the ninth year in a row. Congratulations Howell and Brighton!

Four standards must be attained to achieve this recognition, which is open to communities of any size. There must be a Tree Board or Department, a tree care ordinance, an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, and a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita.

The Tree City USA  program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and is run in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April, this year that's April 29th.
For a complete list of Michigan municipalities that won this award, visit the Michigan DNR website.

Howell Condo Market – Buyers Market!

Whether you’re a Real Estate Professional or an interested consumer, you’ve likely noted that the condo market is glutted and has more potential deals than the larger total housing market.

Looking at condominiums that are located in the two Howell, MI zip codes (48843 and 48855) we can see how badly condos are faring in the current economy.

In calendar year 2007, there were 55 condominium sales recorded in the RealComp MLS. They showed an average sales price of $127,756, a median sales price of $120,000, and a total sales volume (total sales dollars for all 55 sales) of $7,026,554.

In 2008 (through 12/14/08), there were 48 sales with an average sales price of $85,543, a median sales price of $82,950 and a total sales volume of $4,106,053.

These are tremendous one-year drops in value by any standard. The average sales price is down 33%, the median is down almost 31% and the sales volume has dropped over 41%! To make it worse, with 214 units available in these areas right now, there is over a 53 month supply of condominiums (214 available divided by 48 sales this year for 12 months, or an average of 4 sales/mo).

Foreclosed unit sales in this area have tripled, from 6 in 2007 to 18 in 2008.

New construction has essentially stopped, and some builders/developers have either lost unsold units to foreclosure, gone bankrupt, or both. Homeowners in some condo associations are having a myriad of issues to handle, too.

If the development has not had enough units sold to invest the residents as Association Board members, the developer retains control. Some Associations are finding that while they’ve paid their monthly dues, services are not being performed (snow plowing, landscaping) because there’s not enough money in the fund.

Developers often base the starting dues on a certain number of sales per year and a maximum build out time. They may even stipend some of the early costs to get new sales in their communities. When the sales stop and there are many units left to build, it’s bad for everyone.

Built-out, established communities are also grappling with the loss of monthly dues due to bank-owned properties. When a condo goes into foreclosure, those dues stop (often dues are one of the first payment to be deferred when owners get into financial trouble, even before foreclosure). If your association is working on a tight budget and the number of foreclosed properties keeps climbing, it can really hurt the whole community. Banks do pay these back dues at closing, but it certainly creates a short-term budget crunch for the association.

There are definite deals out there in the condo market, but remember to do your homework before you commit yourself. If you’re considering a unit in a development that has a lot of empty sites, be extra careful. Once you analyze the Association budget, it may still be worth pursuing, but make sure you’ve got as much information as possible on which to base your decision.

Clean, Affordable Genoa Twp. (Howell) Condo – Great Condition!

Enjoy life in Hampton Ridge Condominiums. This bank-owned property is in move-in condition, features all appliances, and is conveniently located near the retail area of Grand River Avenue and Latson Road. Only five minutes from Historic Downtown Howell or ten minutes from downtown Brighton’s restaurants, shops and the Mill Pond.

This two bedroom, one full bath condominium is an upper end unit and has a one car attached garage. Hampton Ridge also has a clubhouse and an in ground pool, and you’ll enjoy the affordable monthly association fee of just $150. Close to I-96 Exit 141.

Ample grocery and retail shopping within a few minutes drive include Meijer’s, WalMart, Kroger, Kohl’s, Elder Beerman, Tractor Supply Company, Staples, OfficeMax, Radio Shack, Dunham’s Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx and many others. A variety of restaurants are also within that driving time.

MLS# 28192691, priced at an affordable $79,900!
See more pictures at:Realtor.com listing page http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1105035034