Livingston County Museums - Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my post on Livingston County museums.  The first post had three venues, as does this one.  If you happen to find one that I missed, please send me the information. I'd love to include it in a future post. 

The Howell Depot Museum.  Unfortunately, this museum is closed in the winter months.  When it's open it has a replica of a general store and the station master's office.  Hand-operated signal equipment, old telegraphy equipment, artifacts from WW I and WWII and some of the original rail sidings are still there, too.  Next time you're in downtown for a festival or Farmer's market, stop by and check it out.  They have both a website and a facebook page.

The Refrigeration Research Museum is just a couple of blocks outside of downtown Brighton.  If refrigeration is your game, this is the place to see, but you'll need to schedule an advance appointment.  Their exhibits trace the history of mechanical refrigeration from the early days (1890-ish) to around 1960.   They do have a website to help you plan your visit.

The Arthur Secunda Museum. Billed as the 'largest display of public art in Livingston County', and I believe it.  Secunda's striking graphic images are often reproduced in different palettes and placed adjacent to each other, some on paper that he made himself. This is no quick walk-through, either. Open weekdays, 9am-6pm and some Saturdays (but call ahead). It's located in the Chrysler Building at Cleary College in Genoa Township (Howell Campus).  Not sure who Secunda is? Do your research on this Detroit-born man and one of Michigan's most prolific artists.  The museum has both a website and a facebook page to make that a little easier.

Livingston County Museums

If you've been in Livingston County for a while, you're familiar with the number of museums in the Ann Arbor area - just about 30 minutes away.  But did you know about some of the local museums right here in Livingston County?  I have six to share with you, but I'll post three today and three next week.  In alphabetical order they are:

The Aeronca Aircraft History Museum.  Even some pilots in the area don't know about this online-only museum, which began in 2010.  Aeronca was the first company to build a commercially successful general aviation aircraft. They also built a popular trainer aircraft during WW II and some observation planes, too. These days, Aeronca builds components for large companies like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed and Northrop Grumman. Their website has a large amount of pictures, schematics, manuals, videos and yes, apparel for sale.  They also have a great facebook page, too.  Contact them by facebook, email or the listed phone number.

The Florence B. Dearing Museum in Hartland.  Located right in the heart of the village, this museum is located in the old Township Hall. It's named for the Cromaine librarian that started the collection of items representing the history of the Hartland area. Operated by the Hartland Area Historical Society, hours are irregular. They can be contacted via their web site or facebook page.

The Hamburg Historical Museum. Located in a building that dates back to the 1850's, they thought they were losing their building a few years ago, but an arrangement was made with the Hamburg Township Historical Society, the Hamburg Township Board of Trustees and the Hamburg Township Library Board to save this museum. They operate a tea room, a 'Basement Treasures' gift shop and a model train area.  An active fundraiser is called 'Raise The Roof' to replace an old section of flat roofing.  This is a fairly new museum, too, started in 2004. Check out their facebook page.

Most of the museums are looking for new members and volunteers.  If you have an interest, contact them through their respective web sites.

Next week, I'll finish off with the Howell Depot Museum, the Refrigeration Research Museum, and the Arthur Secunda Museum.  If I've missed a Livingston County museum, please send the information to me and I'll recognize it, too.

Aeronca logo courtesy Wikipedia
Hartland logo courtesy Florence B. Dearing Museum facebook page

How To Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment

Yes, it's that time of year again.  Residents are getting their assessments and some won't be happy - so unhappy that they'll want to appeal.  If that's you and you're in Michigan, State Senator Joe Hune has a very nice guide on effectively appealing your property tax assessment.  You can find it at:

http://www.senatorjoehune.com/

In the last couple of years, I know of residents that were actually able to prevail with a reduction because of this guide and through the helpful services of a friendly REALTOR that ran really great comps for them.

Social Media Posts

It’s tough to keep up with social media feeds, isn’t it? Friends, family, friends of friends, games, news – it’s all there.  I’ve had a couple of messages thanking me for some for specific real estate items that I posted and thought I’d do a short list of the most recent ones.  

If you missed them the first time you can go back and see them at your convenience.  If you want to see new posts in the future make sure you ‘like’ the page at http://www.facebook.com/MichiganRE to get the feed in your timeline.

• Peculiar People Day, a lighter look at life
• The curse of the first offer, of interest to sellers
• Will interest rates stay low? Industry news of interest to all
• Recycle tech items for free. Get rid of your old electronics safely
• Acoustic Café at the Historic Howell Opera House. Things to do
• Plymouth Ice Festival, Jan 9-11, Plymouth MI. Things to do
• Modest home price growth predicted next 12 months. Industry news
• Millennial generation home buyers. Perspective piece from an industry source
• Winter weather FAQ. Safety review for all in our great State

Content requests and comments are always welcome, by the way.

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

Senior Real Estate Designation Received

I’ve worked in real estate for 16 years and have had my share of transactions with elderly clients.  Because of the graying of our population, I decided to ensure that I will always do the best for my clients in the older age groups. I have recently completed a course of study and been accepted into the Senior Real Estate Specialist Council, a group that has knowledgeable and passionate members serving the 50 and older market.

If you know somebody that needs this kind of specialized real estate knowledge in my market area, it would be my privilege to assist them. Likewise, I know that often people are reluctant or not ready to make a major life change but may still have questions.  I am always willing to be a resource for area residents, their families and their friends.

Signs Of Spring

We live in a big country.  We have almost every conceivable global climate within our borders. It shouldn’t surprise us that here in SE Michigan, we can have a very lovely Spring day while our friends in Colorado are getting hammered by a snow storm.  But there are always little joys if you have your eyes and ears open.

I had the windows down as I drove today, and in a wetland area, the peepers were almost deafening.  I pulled over and just listened to the chorus of small frogs carry on for a number of minutes. 

My tulips have started to sprout, but are still quite short.  Our winter has been stubborn this year, so even with a couple of warm days, I expect more cold days to come.  Visiting a listing today, I was made happy by the appearance of another harbinger of Spring – the crocus.

Sitting in an unassuming garden bed, they were the only splash of color present.  The iridescent purple petals offset by bright orange anther were like little spotlights in an otherwise drab setting.  I grabbed my camera and took a few shots even though the overall setting was not the most attractive, but let’s face it, crocuses don’t hang around long.  You had better enjoy them when you can!

They sprout and blossom to announce the end of the winter season, then promptly go back to ‘stealth’ mode until the following year.  I’m glad I caught them when I did, and I’m glad I could take a few minutes to enjoy the spring peepers, too.

 

photo by Bob Smith

Earth Day 2013

In case you didn’t know, Earth Day falls on April 22^nd of each year.  Started in 1970 to support environmental protection, this event is now fully international.   The Earth Day Network is emphasizing the ‘Face of Climate Change’ in 2013, but in truth there are many facets to Earth Day, and many ways to celebrate it and support environmental wisdom and consciousness.

Too much trouble to recycle?  Start with something small.  As small as a 9 volt or AAA battery.  Don’t just dump them in the trash, find an old bucket or margarine tub and put the used batteries in it.  When it’s getting full, you can likely find a recycle point right in your community.  As an example, my post office has yellow buckets (look just like a kitty litter bucket) under the counter in the 24 hour area of the building.  Next time you’re at the Post Office – drop ‘em off!  My County (Livingston) has a list on their web site of all the municipal collection sites and the restrictions (no car batteries).

How about newspaper and office paper recycling?  Don’t dump them in the trash.   Put them in a cardboard box and when it starts to get full, find a paper recycling bin near you.  You know there’s one close by.  They’re usually brightly colored so you really can’t miss them.  Look around Elementary Schools and Churches.

Then you can move up to light bulbs.  My local Lowe’s Home Improvement store has a bin right as you walk in.  You can take the burned out bulb with you to be sure you’re buying the correct replacement, and then leave the bad one there for recycling. How easy is that?

There are many, many things you can do all year round – so start now and don’t wait until Earth Day 2014 to act. Celebrate Earth Day every day!

Outdoor Projects Create More Living Space

It's time to enjoy the great summer weather in Michigan! And some of us come up with ideas to make our homes even more enjoyable.   Here's a couple of articles that may be of interest for your patio or deck space.

• 

  Smart Options: Patio Pavers

  A broad selection of patio pavers accompanies increased demand for outdoor living spaces. Read
• 

  Smart Upgrades for Decks

  A few cost-effective add-ons can give a modest deck an edge and deliver a handsome payback should you sell your house. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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.

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!

To Hell and Back

Yup, and it only took a little over an hour.

I had to preview a bank owned property today. It was what I euphemistically call ‘a Purell ®‡ house’. You know, the kind that you can’t wait to get back to your car to wash your hands with Purell®? This kind of property has made me an expert and turning lights on and off with my elbows, by the way, so my wife will be pleased to learn that you can teach an old dog new tricks. The house was in the Pinckney zip code, but really it was just a bit west of the lovely hamlet of Hell, Michigan. Yes, there really is a Hell, Michigan.

And jokes abound, of course. In summer, if your city is warmer than it is there, you can honestly say it’s “hotter than Hell.” In winter, if you record a lower temperature, it’ll be “colder than Hell.” Meteorologists’ from around the world actually call the general store to find out the temperature so they can work one of those little gems into their weather broadcast. If you feel the need to check the weather in Hell, this link will do it for you. You can then amaze your family, friends and acquaintances with little known weather knowledge. You may even win a free drink at your favorite tavern with a properly phrased wager.

But it goes on. Some taxpayers take their returns to the general store in Hell to have a hand cancellation that reads, “Hell, Michigan” before mailing to the IRS! No lie. Rumor has it that ‘Dear John’ and ‘Dear Jill’ letters also get the hand cancellation treatment, but I’m betting that texting and emailing are cutting into that market.

Now, Hell is no novelty to me since I live fairly nearby and have visited it on many occasions. Hell is not a novelty to me for other reasons, but I won’t digress. The Dam Site in has dam good burgers and pizza, Screams Ice Cream Parlor serves great goodies and you can buy all sorts of Hell emblazoned merchandise at the store (with the Post Office inside. There are only three buildings in Hell and if it’s too hot for you, you can walk down to the creek and dip your feet to cool off a bit).

There’s a fairly new miniature golf course, and frequent events that can draw an amazing number of people. In September of this year, a new Guinness Book of World Records milestone was met when Hell hosted the longest ever parade of hearses, with 51 vehicles officially participating.

It has been a while since I’ve been to Hell and I was both pleased and surprised to see a new sign! Yes, a piggy back on the Pure Michigan (Michigan’s Official Travel and Tourism site) campaign, with the sign at the right. Also, I’m not sure when Hell starting billing itself as ‘The Hysterical Town’, but today there were no signs of hysteria, mass or otherwise. If I had been a little later I would have stopped for a Smitty’s Burger at the Dam Site Inn, but alas, this was an earlier in the morning expedition.

People get married in Hell (guess they want to get the worst part out of the way early), and you can actually be the Mayor of Hell for a Day! If you’re planning a visit, the official road to Hell is Livingston County Road D 32, otherwise known as Patterson Lake Rd (at least east of Hell). Drive to Pinckney, turn left at the park in the center of the Village (Howell Street), then go down to the first stop sign and make a right. It’s just a short jaunt to Hell from there.

And if you want to find a house in Hell, call me. According to some, I've been an expert for years.


‡=Purell is a Registered trade mark of Johnson & Johnson.

Housing Market News

I receive bulletins from the Chief Economist at Comerica Bank, Robert Dye. A couple of the recent emails that pertain to the housing market indicate that home sales dipped 0.3 percent in September, while prices are down 3.5 percent from a year ago. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) gained 0.3 percent in September and is up 3.9 percent for the year. September 2011 housing starts were up a hearty 15 percent to a 658,000 unit pace, but this is judged as ‘not sustainable’. This data is a compilation for the nation and the report was subtitled, “More of the same, No Breakout, No Backslide.”


If you’d like to subscribe to these periodic emails, visit the page at http://www.comerica.com/economics, then follow the link titled, “Subscribe to Newsletter.”

The Red Barn

One thing that seems to stay constant in my real estate life is an appreciation of architecture, form, light and color. Some pretty typical-looking homes just seem to catch my eye. I guess the same thing goes for cars, people, animals, and yes – even barns.

I was driving to a new property assignment yesterday morning. There was a moderate fog at my first stop, and as I neared my second destination, the sun was poking through and burning the fog off. I’ve passed this particular barn many times over the years, but coming out of a foggy patch into the sun and seeing this dilapidated old barn in that exact light made it seem as though I were seeing it for the first time.

Of course I pulled over and grabbed my always available camera to snap a few shots. This one was at f5.6, 1/1000 sec exposure and ISO 800. It’s definitely the one I like the best.

Livingston County Homes - $100K or Less

I still chuckle when I see marquee signs on Real Estate companies that say things like, “87 homes under $100,000 – Stop In For A List”. I chuckle not because they provide the list, but because the numbers can change by the day, even by the hour. New listings are coming on to the market constantly. Agents can enter new listings into the MLS 24 hours a day. And of course homes that have just gone under contract will fall off the list, too. If you're working from a list prepared two weeks ago - good luck!


But I recognize that it is a popular price range, so I thought I’d do some research as of exactly 06:52 this morning, on Tuesday, July 26, 2011. Here’s what I found.

In Livingston County there are 135 single family residences (SFRs), or detached homes, for sale in this price range. The lowest is $19,500. Located in Unadilla Twp in the southwestern corner of the County, the MLS remarks say it is not habitable and is just a shell. It was built in 1900 and is 1000 sq ft in size on a 100 x 131 ft lot.

There are also 42 condominiums for sale in this economical price range. The lowest priced is in Hidden Harbors on Green Willow St., just off Grand River across from Meijer’s in Brighton, listed at $23,900. They are smaller units in a ‘stacked’ configuration, like an apartment building.

First time home buyers looking at the low end of the housing spectrum should consider a couple of things before they start to look. First, the lower the price, the more likely it is that the house will need significant dollars to repair, even if it you can do it yourself. So when you get pre-approved (I recommend you do this before you ever look at a house), talk to your loan rep about rehab loans. If you qualify for FHA financing, there are FHA rehab programs out there, the 203K and the 203 Streamline.

The likelihood of needing repairs is quite likely and sometimes you can do repairs yourself, other times you must hire a contractor. Be prepared.

Condos are sometimes in better condition because the Condo Owners Association maintains the exterior and grounds, but occasionally there is significant interior work to be done. You also have to find out if the condo community is FHA certified. Your loan rep or Real Estate agent can do that for you. If you have to go FHA financing, there’s no point in looking in communities that aren’t FHA certified.

Investors with cash are definitely the ‘king’ for choices in the low end of the housing spectrum. They are often quite astute with estimating repair costs and they can quickly qualify or disqualify a property for their model of either renting and holding or repairing and selling. When estimating your budget, don’t forget about property taxes, homeowner association fees and maintenance. It’s always good to be able to have six months of rent in reserve for repairs and emergencies, too.

If you’re thinking about a low priced property, work with an experienced agent. I’d be happy to talk to you about your plans and formulate a search just for you.

Lower Priced Homes Predicted To Drop Value Faster

A new study says that lower priced homes will have steeper price drops than their higher priced counterparts, according to a report by DSNews.com.

Already discounted heavily, many of these lower end properties are ‘distressed’. Before the housing market tanked, this market was robust due to the proliferation of subprime and ‘teaser’ mortgages and lower down payments. With the tightening of credit conditions and lending requirements, this market has been hit harder than the higher priced homes that are generally dominated by repeat buyers.

But the higher priced homes face valuation drops, too. The analysis was prepared by Capital Economics, a macro economics consultant that provides international and property research. Their methodology used existing Standard & Poors Case-Schiller data that was weighted for 16 major cities and then created a national housing model. Their reports are available only on a subscription basis.

Feel free to call or email me if you have questions about the local Real Estate market. Get quick updates on my new blog postings by visiting and 'liking' my facebook page.

Livingston County Market Stats – Through May 2011

Using data from our Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Realcomp II, Ltd., we are seeing a continuation of the existing trend of lower inventory and shorter time on the market.

Through May, and comparing years 2009, 2010 and 2011, inventory has gone from a year to date (YTD) figure of 2840 in 2009 to 2455 in 2010 and the current 2150 for 2011. That’s a drop of just over 24% in the last two years.

Both the total number of residential sales and the total sales volume (price of all sales combined) is lower in 2011 vs. 2010, almost 9% lower for number of sales and 6.5% lower in sales volume, but the average sales price is up about 2% for 2011 and the median sales price is just slightly up over 2010 as well. That's likely an indication of higher overall prices on a per sales basis.

Days on the market continue their decline, too. In 2009 it was taking an average of 135.2 days to sell homes. That dropped to 125.6 days in 2010 and this year it’s at 119.2 days. That represents a home selling about two weeks faster than just two years ago.

For buyers seeking a home for $100,000 or less, the news is not good at all. In 2010 (through the end of May), there had been 330 homes sold in this price range. In 2011, there had been 284, an almost 14% drop. Part of this is due to lower inventory, but some of it is also due to the fact that lower priced homes tend to get multiple offers and may be bid up and over that $100,000 price mark. That’s another reason for buyers to be ready to move quickly when they find the right house.

If you're going to be looking for a house soon, work with somebody that understands the dynamics of today's market and can help you create a winning plan.  My success rate with buyers is very good.

Brighton Optimist Free Fishing Derby For Kids, June 11, 2011

The Brighton Optimist Club has been around for 34 years. For the last 25 years, they've conducted a free fishing derby for the area youth, aged 16 and under. It started with some Optimists, some kids and some worms. From its humble beginning with about 30 participants, it's grown to a 300-400 kid event.

The entire event is free and includes souvenir photo mock fishing licenses, bait, age group trophies, door prizes, entertainment and food. The really little ones get to try their luck at the L'il Angler booth where a clip on the end of a fishing line is dropped over a partition and they 'catch' a goodie bag full of things. The Optimists even have a large display tank where some fish swim for a few hours during the event. Big ones, little ones that are especially well colored, even the occasional turtle might find its way into the tank. They are all released at the end.

There are even some loaner rod and reels outfits available, a casting contest, and some new outside activities, too. The Howell Conference and Nature Center will be there with some raptors, Kensington Metropark's Nature Center will be on site, as will Heavner Canoe and a visit by the Brighton Area Fire Department. A block or so away, the Brighton Farmer's market will be in high gear, too.

This year the club has commissioned a children-themed work of art that ties into the Fishing Derby, and have donated it to the City of Brighton. It's been named "It's A Keeper" and it will be a year round outdoor display at the millpond, near the Imagination Station playground (which might not have been created without the Optimists' efforts). It will be installed before this year's event, but the official dedication will take place around awards time, 11:00-11:30 AM. The artist is local, Mike Monroe, and he will be present as well as City dignitaries. It should be a great day.

Average Down Payments Reported; Rents Are Increasing

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released a number of economic reports. One summarized the average down payments provided by home buyers for different parts of the country. (We’re in the East South Central, along with WI, IL, IN and OH.) Our area works out to be in the 5% zone (lowest in the country), but the figures vary greatly and the national average is 8% down payment. Middle Atlantic States (NY, PA, NJ) led the crowd with an average 12% down payment amount.

I know from working with local lenders that even the ‘affordable’ housing purchase programs are now requiring some form of down payment or increasing the percentage needed to purchase. 100% financing may be on the way out, and that is probably a good thing.

Another recent report highlights the fact that nationwide rents are increasing. The report does not specify amounts, but merely indicates that monthly rentals are getting more expensive. With the foreclosures that are still occurring, this is not a surprise. Those folks will have a short term reality of renting for the most part.

Livingston County Market Report - Through April 2011

In reviewing the year to date (YTD) stats through April 2009-2011, we are facing lower prices, shrinking inventory and quicker sales.  First the raw data.

Listings went from 2,269 (YTD) in 2009, to 2,012 in 2010, and now for 2011 we're at 1,647. That means this year's listings are down 18% from last year and own over 27% from year 2009.

Sales (YTD) were at 599 in 2009, jumped to 771 (a 28+% increase) in 2010, but we're at 679 for 2011. That represents an almost 12% decrease for 2011 vs. the 2010 data. The fact that we're seeing more sales in 2011 than in 2009, even though there are fewer listings could be interpreted to mean that there are more properly priced distressed listings on the market, or it may signal a pent up demand on the part of buyers.

Personally, I believe that motivated buyers who have seen enough properties are deciding to not play games with extensive offer-counter offer-counter counter offer situations because they've been beaten by other incoming multiple offers before they get get a house under contract.  Also, in the under $80,000 range the investors are coming in with (mostly) very realistic cash offers. Their money is making pennies in other investments and the time to buy is now, especiall with a fairly robust rental market.

Our Multi List System (MLS) report says that residential units available (again, YTD) have declined from 2283 in 2009 to 1387 in 2011. That's a 39% difference.  At the same time the Days on Market (DOM) went from 141.5 in 2009 to 119.8 in 2011, a 15% decline.  So an almost 40% decline in units available with a 15% shortening of the time on the market means that a lot of buyers are getting beat out before they ever decide to write an offer. With new construction a shadow of its former self, buyers in large part HAVE TO go with existing homes.

If you're a buyer that is not yet committed to working with a Realtor, feel free to call me for a short confidential interview and evaluation of the housing market dynamics and homes in your price range. Unless you have a lot of questions, we should be able to meet and go through that data in less than 35 minutes.