Principal Residence Exemption Passes Michigan House and Senate

This legislation should be signed by Governor Snyder in the next few days.  It's a victory for home buyers wishing to purchase foreclosed homes, often in lower price ranges and on tight budgets.

It allows banks to claim and maintain the Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) during the listing period.  That means that prospective buyers will be able to get the lower Homesteaded property tax rate.  Why is that important?

Since many buyers of foreclosed homes are younger and on tighter budgets, and because their loans usually require property tax and insurance escrows, having the house homesteaded keeps their tax escrow smaller.  Many such buyers have been knocked out of qualification due to the extra property tax burden on a non-homesteaded, foreclosed upon house.

The bank will have to apply for this exemption, and at least in the beginning they probably won't be aware of it, so agents like myself that list foreclosed homes will need to explain the process to them and get them to understand that this will help market the properties to owner occupants.

The bill also changes the old May 1st homestead application deadline to June 1st, and also adds another date of November 1st each year so buyers that do purchase non-homesteaded properties won't have to wait a full year to get the homestead benefit.

Some of you are probably thinking, "Why should banks be let off the hook! They should pay the higher rate even if a new owner gets the lower rate", I'm betting.  Well, guess what? The're not off the hook.  They will still pay the non-homestead rate as a separate line item on the closing statement. 

The very best thing would have been for 'instant' homestead exemptions for owner-occupant buyers at closing, but procedurally that wasn't possible,so this really is the next best thing.  Municipalities will get the taxes owed and new homeowners will not be penalized for long periods of time. 

Thanks to the Michigan Association of Realtors for their efforts in getting this legislation passed.

UPDATE 5/1/2012 - Gov. Snyder signed this bill today.

Unhealthy (But Rewarding) Choices

Credit and Debit card reward points are a fixture today. You can get cards that give you bonus points for air fare, travel, or general use – to be redeemed out of a catalog. Years ago, I remember my local bank giving 4 points per dollar for the first six months your account was active. It later downgraded to 2 points per dollar, then one point. Now, it’s one point per two dollars spent. Guess we were having ‘too rewarding’ an experience, America.

Scanning my online bank account, I noticed a promo (yes, embedded into my online account statement!) for 40 points per dollar (!) when I dine at Burger King®. Wow. Over 200 reward points for a fast food combo meal – quite a deal. That would be equal to me having to spend $400 elsewhere.

It struck me that I had just read an online article about particularly unhealthy food choices and that there was a Burger King® entry on that list. So I double checked and yes, bringing up the bottom at number 11 was the Whopper with cheese. 760 calories, 47 grams of fat and over 1400 mg of sodium. Yum. Make it a combo to get a 1500 calorie meal. That’s about two-thirds of the recommended daily caloric intake, by the way. And they were at the bottom of the list.

Now, I’m not singling out Burger King®. To the contrary, there are a lot of unhealthy choices that we make every day. And it’s not just a single franchise or food type. What did strike me is that we could get such a crazy ‘reward’ for such a generally unhealthy choice. Buy combo meals for the family of four and get a bonus 800 points! I guess if it’s a special treat, that’s one thing, but somehow I think most people eat a whole lot more fast food than I do. Good marketing? Perhaps.

Or maybe we’ll be able to use our rewards at the local hospital to defray the cost of our next cardiac stent procedure.

This is one of an occasional non-Real Estate post. Because sometimes you just have to write about other things.

831 Meadowlark Ln Now Listed - $79,000

If you've been following my blog, you know this home has been close to listing. Well, it came through at an affordable $79,000.  This house is in move in condition, with fresh paint and carpet, and new kitchen appliances. Located in the City of Howell, it's in a neighborhood with public sidewalks and city water and sanitary sewer.  It has a great fenced backyard and a large deck with its own privacy fence.  You can see the entire listing on my websit at:  http://www.realestatemich.com/10/listing/22031

New Howell Listings Coming Soon

Both of these homes have just completed renovation work. They are in 'move-in' condition. I expect them to be listed sometime this week at an affordable price for first time buyers, and there will be no offers considered for the first 7 days, then offers from owner occupants only till day 13.  Contact me for more information. Wells Fargo pre-approvals will be needed for ofers on both of these homes.  NO REAL ESTATE SIGN PLACED UNTIL LISTED.

307 Chilson Rd, 48843

MLS# not yet issued
Listing Price: $ not yet determined
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 1 full
Sq.ft: 1044

Amenities: Disabled access ramp, 1 car garage, new range.

Description: 1953 built, great location near to Grand River. Close to newer retail district at Latson and Grand River and Downtown Howell just minutes away. 1 acre lot, deck. Interior remodeled, 3rd bedroom upstairs.

831 Meadowlark Ln, 48843

MLS# not yet issued
Listing Price: to be determined
Bedrooms:# 3
Baths:#1 Full, 1 Half
Sq.ft:# 1598
Acres: 0.18

Description: Fowler Heights Sub in the City of Howell, municipal services, fenced yard, great deck w/privacy fence. Cement floor basement with four feet clearance is suitable for plenty of storage. Fresh paint, carpet, minor repairs and new appliances. First floor laundry.

Feel free to pass this along to anybody you know that may be interested.

New Listing-7637 Athlone, Brighton 48116

This home is located in the Tara Glen subdivision of Hamburg Township, just south of Winans Lake Rd and east off Hamburg Rd.  It's a contemporary 1 story home featuring three bedrooms and two full baths, built in 1980, with 1776 sq ft up and about 400 ft of the 1280 sq ft basement finished.  Wrap around decking, plenty of windows and a walkout basement.

It's been re-carpeted, repainted, three custom trapezoid-shaped windows and both garage door openers have been replaced as well as new appliances installed-including a cooktop, over/under microwave/oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. There's a dramatic stone fireplace in the living room.  Brighton zip code with Pinckney schools, the home is a short distance from US-23 and reasonably close to retail centers along M-36 or in nearby Brighton.

While the kitchen cabinets/counters and baths could use freshening for modern styles, it is very clean and in move-in condition.This home is priced affordably at $139,900 or $78/sq ft. It is a foreclosed home. See the complete listing at http://www.realestatemich.com/10/listing/21976