Blood Drive October 30th at Preview Properties in Brighton

Going to be in the Brighton area on Friday, October 30th?  Hey, it's the day before Halloween and you get a great opportunity to do a little reverse-Dracula-ing.  Our office is hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive that day from 11:00 AM to 4:45 PM at 130 W. Grand River, Brighton 48116.

Afterwards, forget about the traffic and browse around the downtown businesses or treat yourself to a great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in the area.

To schedule an appointment you can log in at redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code Preview, or call Lisa at 810-220-1505.  Another great way to make an appointment is by using the Red Cross Blood App, available for Apple and Android platforms at the app store or google play, respectively.

New Buyers Alert - Recorded Deed Notice Scam

When you buy a property, a deed is signed at settlement (closing).  It goes to the County Registrar of Deeds for recording and is mailed back to you. Depending upon the County, it may be a few weeks to even a few months.  Any recording fees were paid at closing.

There are companies that are sending out very official looking notices, complete with 'respond by' dates to new homeowners.  They want you to get a 'Current Grant Deed' and 'Property Assessment Profile', you can pay by phone (usually an 888 toll free number), and charge $83.  These documents are worthless and they are NOT your real deed.

Sometimes these official looking notices come to homeowners before the true deed arrives in the mail.  Please don't waste your money.  If you have questions, contact your Realtor, the title company that handled your settlement or your County Registrar of Deeds.

And as always, feel free to call me with real estate questions.

Realtor Confidence Index August 2015

Every month, the National Association of Realtors does a nationwide survey. For August, 3,065 Realtors answered.  We know that real estate is local, but nationwide trends are interesting to see, too. This report will be available to the public shortly, but here's a sneak peek.

Market activity is up vs. August 2014, but actually down a little from last month, July 2015.

Buyer traffic is up and generally we still have tight inventory supplies.  In Livingston County, inventory is tight at the $250,000 and under price points, but loosens up as you climb in price.

Homes are selling faster, at an average of 47 days to go under contract with another 42 days to close.  In Livingston, days on market (time to get an accepted offer) are at 60. August 2014 figures were at 65 days.

Nationally, first-time home buyers were 32% of all sales, cash sales represented 22% of all sales, investment properties were 12% and distressed properties were down to 7% of all sales.

Michigan Realtors responding to the survey feel that the outlook for detached homes and condominiums is strong for the next 6 months, but demand for townhomes will be weak.  Again, real estate is local and some markets may buck this trend.

Michigan Realtors also expect to see prices increase 3%-4% over the next 6 months, and the median days on market for the survey was at 30 or less days!

Residential rents continue to rise, showing a robust market for investment property owners.

The biggest delays in settlement (actually closing a home purchase) were finance related at 47% of cases, then appraisal issues at 22%.  

For home sales that 'fell apart' (didn't close), the big issues were home inspection related or environmental at 32%, then financing at 25% and appraisal issues at 13%.

Purchasing or selling a home may seem overly simple to many, but there's a veritable mine field of problems out there.  If you're planning to buy or sell real estate, please work with a dedicated, full-time real estate professional to make sure you have the smoothest and most profitable transaction possible.  Feel free to contact me through this page if you have any questions.

Single Family Property Renters More Likely To Purchase A Home

Freddie Mac  (the Federal  Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) released a report last week indicating that renters living in a detached house, a condo or a townhouse (a single family rental, or SFR)  were more likely to purchase a home than a renter in an apartment community.

Overall, 55% of renters responded that they intend to continue renting for the next three years. When the data is broken down into the categories above, however, 55 percent  in a SFR intended to buy a house in the next 3 years, where only 36 percent of apartment dwellers (multifamily renters) said the same.

Of course, rental satisfaction plays a large role in this decision.  68 percent of renters claiming to be happy with their rental experience plan to continue renting vs. 32 percent that intend to buy a home.  Apartment renters reporting a happy experience were at 67%, compared to 60% of SFR renters.  This may be due to the fact that apartment communities often have on-site daily management tending to repairs and issues, where many SFR renters have to deal directly with an individual landlord.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that renter households is up again for the 10^th straight year.

Image courtesy of Stuart miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Lakeshore Pointe in Howell Michigan

Lakeshore Pointe is a community of about 248 homes just off Golf Club Rd, between Grand River Avenue and Eager Rd.  Minutes from Chemung Hills Golf Club, downtown Howell and the new retail area developing around Latson/Grand River/I-96 interchange, this is a great location within the Howell school district.

There are some lakefront homes, but most are not.  All have lake access, however. The community has resident-only waterfront parks, picnic areas, walking trails and two marinas on all sport Thompson Lake.  There is no through traffic and the occasional speed bump on the private roads keeps things quiet.

The Homeowner's Association (HOA) does have architectural/aesthetic, vehicle storage,and landscaping guidelines and is professionally managed by a local property management company.

As of this post, there are five active listings, five pending listings and in the last 12 months there have been twelve recorded sales.  Only one sale was a distressed (bank-owned) property and because distressed homes are usually sold at a wide discount, it is removed from the stats below.

Two of the five active listings are larger lakefront homes.  They average out to a list price of $166/square foot while the three smaller, non-lakefront homes are at $126/square foot in price.

The 11 non-distressed sold properties were an average of 1807 sq ft (finished basement space excluded) and sold for 97% of the original list price and 99% of the last list price, at $129/square foot. On average, they took 83 days to sell.

Original List Price	$240,627
Last List Price	$236,618
Sales Price	$234,258

Generally, overpricing makes your competition look better and takes longer to sell your own home. You must always take updates into account when determining your listing price.

If you're thinking about selling in Lakeshore Pointe, or in the larger Howell area, call me for a detailed analysis of your neighborhood's prices and marketability.

Photo credit: Robert Smith, copyright 2015

Today Is World Mosquito Day

Who knew that there was a day set aside for the Michigan State bird?  Just kidding, but some years it feels that way.  Today is World Mosquito Day, established in 1897 to raise awareness about the causes of malaria and how it can be prevented.  In this part of the world, there are worse things that get transmitted by mosquitos than malaria.

Use today to review your personal environment.  Do you have areas that catch and hold water accidentally?  If you can’t change that, perhaps a mosquito trap would work.  You can also visit the American Mosquito Control Association for more information and tips.

image courtesy of vectorolie/freedigitalphotos.net

August 19th is Photography Day

Yes, August 19^th is Photography Day. Are you an amateur, a pro, a hobbyist?  Doesn’t matter if you don’t have a great camera, you’ve got a phone, right?  Celebrate Photography Day by taking pictures of something different today.  A cloud formation, a bird, your garden, even a funny bumper sticker.  Then post it online. It doesn’t matter where, the idea is to participate.

So get out there and shoot a few pictures and post them to celebrate Photography Day.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/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

The Livingston County Community Alliance

The Livingston County Community Alliance is an anti-drug coalition that wants to raise awareness of and prevent underage drug, alcohol and tobacco use.  They have a lot of resources available and they conduct a ‘Run Against Drugs’ 5K every year to raise money for their efforts.  This year the 12^th Annual Run Against Drugs will be on August 29^th at the First United Methodist Church in Howell.

Perhaps one of their most visible programs is the Big Red Barrel Project, where they provide a location to safely dispose of unused or outdated medications.  Throwing meds into the landfill or flushing them into the water treatment system is not a good solution.

Big Red barrels are permanently located at a variety of municipal police stations, including Brighton’s Michigan State Police post, the police stations in Fowlerville, Hamburg, Pinckney, Unadilla, Green Oak, Brighton and Howell, and the Livingston County Jail.  There are also single day collection sites that can be found on the LCCA web site. 

Please note that you should bring the meds with their original labeled bottle and a baggie to the location. Dump the pills into the baggie on site, seal it then drop the baggie into the barrel.  Liquid meds can be poured onto paper towels until it is fully absorbed, then place the towels in a baggie, seal it, and dispose of it at the barrel.  No syringes or needles are accepted. 

All Red Barrel locations are provided at no cost to you and are ‘no questions asked’.  One of the next public event locations will be at the Senior Power Day (see my blog post about it) on August 7, 2015 at Pinckney High School.  If you’re planning to attend, the Red Barrel will be there!

LCCA logo courtesy of LCCA website

Senior Power Day for Livingston County 2015

For the 28th year, the Livingston County Consortium on Aging is presenting its Senior Power Day. The event is scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2015, from 9:00am to 3:00pm at Pinckney High School.

There will be vendors from 9:00am-1:00pm and entertainment from 1:00-3:00pm.  Free transportation to and from the event will be provided by the Livingston Essential Transportation Service (L.E.T.S.) by calling 517-546-6600. Call your local community Senior Center to pre-register for lunch, which is provided by Senior Nutrition.

A document shredder truck will be present to dispose of sensitive old documents, and Red Barrell will be present for medication disposal, both from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The Key Note Speaker this year is Detroit Tiger Historian Kerrie Ferrell.  Please join the group for a day of fun, food, information and door prizes provided by the vendors.

As a Senior Real Estate Specialist, I take pride in being able to direct my clients to trustworthy and able service providers.  Meet some of them at Senior power Day. And feel free to call me with any real estate problems or needs.

image courtesy of Livingston County Consortium on Aging

Senior Citizen Day at Michigan State Fair

The Michigan State Fair opens Friday, September 4, 2015 with a Senior’s Day, at the Suburban Showcase in Novi, Michigan.  Your local Senior Group can get reserved tables, continental breakfast and box lunches, and admission to the fair for free if you’re 62 or older and part of a group.  Ages 50-61 are just $6 as part of a group or $8 as individuals.   This does not include individual parking, fair rides, circus or tickets to events.  However, there is free bus parking if your senior center has or hires one to transport your group.

Special senior programming happens from 10am-2pm, with open fair exploration from 2pm-6pm.  There will be door prizes, games, contests and tote bags for participants. 

Have your group leader register your group online here. 

As a Senior Real estate Specialist, I have knowledge and skills that many real estate professionals lack.  If you have real estate questions, or need real estate services, please feel free to contact me.

image courtesy of Michigan State Fair

Exterior Home Improvements That Increase Resale Value

There’s no doubt that ‘curb appeal’ plays a big part in getting a home sold.  I’ve had buyers call me after I set up an appointment that they requested to say that they drove by a home and were no longer interested.  Something can either grab you and pull you in or turn you upside down and make you run away.  Here are a few ideas for making your home look better AND getting a good payback.

Replace Your Front Door.  This can be huge, even if it costs a bit more than $1,000.  If you judge your door to be alright, I’d like you to still take a critical view of it.  Remember that buyers will be standing there for a few moments while their agent deals with getting the keys out of the lockbox.  Clean it, repaint it, replace the tarnished doorknob and lock hardware with new, shiny stuff.  Don’t forget to look at the entire entryway to see if it needs power washing, a touch of paint or some bright flowers.

Landscape Update.  A good landscaping makeover will not only get you a higher sales price, it’ll help sell your house faster, too.  Consider talking with a local landscaping company to see what you can do that fits your budget.  Generally a company will get things done quicker than you can yourself, if your time frame is short.

Exterior Repaint.  This is a great time to inspect your siding, too.  Some composite sidings have had issues with product breakdown, so be sure to check it over, replace sections as needed and be sure the caulking is intact.  A home inspector will find the issues, so it’s better to head it off.  Vinyl siding?  Consider a good power wash to brighten things up.

Read the rest of the suggestions here.

More sellers come onto the market in the summer (60% of all homes sold in 2014 entered the market from May to August). If you're looking to buy - now's the time! Contact me for help with your search.

image courtesy of lawnstarter.com and RISMedia

Walk or Run Safely To Prolong Your Life, Not Shorten It

Running and walking are popular ways to get some exercise, stay fit, and to lose weight. Having been an avid runner I'm hyper-aware of staying safe where pedestrians and motor vehicles or bicycles intersect.  That's why a recent local incident was so hard to read.

A runner on a rural road was found some hours after a hit and run accident.  Still alive, he suffered life threatening injuries.  As I read the report I was immediately upset that the driver didn't stop; that they didn't try to make an anonymous call to emergency services; and then with the injured runner.

You see, the runner was clipped by the passenger side view mirror which means he was running WITH traffic instead of AGAINST traffic.  Because the police recovered the mirror itself they determined it was from a GMC truck or large SUV.  

Here are a few tips for everyone on foot, running or walking:

·         Use sidewalks or hike/bike paths whenever possible

·         Always face the traffic and stay as far left as possible

·         Wear lighter colored or reflective clothing and even carry a headlamp or flashlight if it's dark

City settings have other guidelines, too:

·         Cross streets at corners

·         Stop at the edge of a parked car and if traffic is present, make eye contact with the driver before you step into the roadway

·         Obey traffic signals, again making eye contact with drivers is a good idea before stepping into the street

·         NEVER let young children (10 and younger) cross alone

·         Older adults may need to allow more time to cross a busy street, too

When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, the pedestrians are killed or injured in over 80% of those incidents.  Go out and get your exercise, but please take a few precautions to stay safe.

image courtesy of Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Brighton & Howell Upcoming Events - Week of July 6th

Wow! There's a lot going on locally in the next week or so.

Let's be musical first.  Howell's Concerts at the Courthouse on Friday, July 10th, 7pm will feature the Rhythm Society Orchestra.  This 15 piece group has won the Big Three Battle of the Bands 7 times, including this year. This is a free, family-oriented and pet-friendly event on the lawn of the Historic County Courthouse on Grand River in Downtown Howell.  Bring your lawn chairs.  Hosted by the Livingston Arts Council and the Historic Howell Opera House. Free.

Switch over to Brighton on Sunday, July 12th at 7pm for the Kiwanis Gazebo Concert.  This date will feature the Whatabouts & the Whoevers, a 60's girl group band. Pre-show at 6:30pm, FREE, food available, no dogs allowed.  Main Street in Downtown Brighton at the Millpond. Note that Main Street parking is reserved for classic car parking only.

How about the eats, you ask?  Glad you did!  A Taste of Brighton is running Friday & Saturday, July 11-12, from 10am to 10pm.  Street performers, family fun zone, arts & crafts, wine & beer gardens - and of course, GREAT FOOD!  Voted one of Michigan's Best Festivals by Detroit A List. Crack the bank vault combo at the State Bank Safe Booth and win $10,000.  Hey, it's worth a shot. More info here.

And don't forget the local Farmers' Markets.  Brighton has its market on Saturdays from 8am-1pm in the Municipal Lot off First Street, by the Municipal Building.  Hartland's is also Saturday, 9am-2pm at the Old Hartland HS, on M-59 just west of US-23.

Howell's Farmers' Market is Sunday, 9am-2pm, on State & Clinton Streets, next to the Historic Courthouse. And so is the Green Oak Farmers & Community Market, at 11299 Grand River, 48116 - at Alan Drive (between US-23 and Pleasant Valley Rd). They're open 10am-3pm.

Fowlerville has a Farmers Market, too. Wednesdays at the parking lot of the Village Office, 2pm-7pm.

If you can't find anything to do the weekend after the Holiday, it's not our fault.

Is Your Contractor Licensed - Does He Need To Be?

This time of year a lot of people have projects that they hire out.  Did you know that in the State of Michigan, any residential construction or remodeling project that costs more than $600 requires a licensed contractor?  Many people don't! (Homeowners working on their own residences are exempt.)

There are two categories of licensee - a residential builder, and a residential maintenance and alteration contractor (M & A).  A builder can start a home from the ground up or do any kind of repairs.  An M & A contractor is licensed for specific trades and services and should only work in those areas.  All licensees receive a pocket card that they are supposed to keep on their person.

So what are the trades that require an M & A license?  

• Carpentry
• Concrete
• Excavation
• Insulation
• Masonry
• Painting & Decorating
• Siding
• Roofing
• Screen & Storm Sash
• Gutters
• Tile & Marble
• House Wrecking
• Swimming Pools
• Basement Waterproofing

It's not hard to spend more than $600 on repainting, for example, so make sure if you hire it out it's done by a licensed contractor.

Things like fences, awnings, pavers without mortar, carpeting and vinyl floors (not wood) and even house moving do not require a license.  A short but helpful document from the State of Michigan can be found  here:  http://goo.gl/Pr8MN6

A clue that your contractor isn't licensed is when he asks you to write your payment check to him personally, not to a company name.  Always, always, always insist on seeing proof of insurance, and their license to protect yourself.  You can do your own licensee search here:  https://www.lara.michigan.gov/colaLicVerify/lSearch.jsp

Announcing The Once A Month Pinckney Market

The Village of Pinckney's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has configured the Farmers' Market and their successful community yard sale into a combined, once per month market.

Expected vendors will range from produce, baked goods, arts and crafts, flowers, home goods and more. Non-profit organizations can also have booths.  Each month will have its own theme and the market hours are 10am-4pm.  

Announced dates and themes are:  

• May 9th - Mother's Day/Flower and Starter Plant Day
• June 13 - Dads and Grads
• July 11 - Pinckney Picnic Days
• August 8 - Summer Harvest
• September 12 - Fall Fun

Vendor application and yard sale applications are available on their web site at: http://villageofpinckney.org

Realtors' Annual Food Drive for Gleaners

For the last 13 years, the Livingston County Association of Realtors (LCAR) have been collecting food and money for Gleaners Community Food Bank (GCFB).  It started out with just a downtown Brighton location at the millpond and was/is still called 'Fill The Gazebo'. But a number of years ago, we branched out to locations in Howell.  Some large markets gave permission for us to collect, too, and if you hit the main intersections of Brighton or Howell you'll see volunteers with containers to collect that pesky loose change that accumulates in your vehicle console.

Gleaners can amazingly provide 3 meals for 1 dollar. And by donating money instead of non-perishable food, there's less handling and loss.  But the food items are greatly appreciated, too. Livingston County is viewed by some as not needing this type of event, but the need is actually so great that we don't collect enough food within the County to serve our residents.  That's right, food has to come in from other Gleaners locations to meet the need.

So please plan to donate something.  A few bucks in loose change, a generous check made payable to "GCFB", or drop off food at these locations from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, May 2nd.

• Downtown Brighton's Millpond Gazebo on Main Street
• Howell Gazebo near the Livingston County Courthouse on Grand River
• GFS Marketplace in Brighton
• Kroger in Brighton, Howell, Hamburg and Hartland
• Wal-Mart in Howell and Hartland

Suggested items to donate: tuna, Spaghetti O's, canned meat, and chunky soup.   

You can also drop off food and checks at my office, Preview Properties, 130 W. Grand River, Brighton 48116 if you can't make the food drive.  Or you can make a monetary donation online that will get credited to our food drive and is tax deductible at:  www.gcfb.org/FilltheGazebo

Last year, we collected 5,300 pounds of food in addition to $11,431 in cash donations. This provided a grand total of 38,692 nutritious meals.

image courtesy LCAR

Howell Opera House Events - Weekend of April 25-26th

There's plenty to do at the Howell Opera House this weekend.  Today, beginning at 6pm is 'Opera Art Live', an evening of Hor d'oevres, cocktails and observing 30 artists creating ART LIVE on site.  Silent auctions of that art and an artist afterglow will conclude the evening.  Admission $12 in advance or $15 at the door.  Proceeds will go towards art programs at the Opera House.  Call the Livingston Arts Council office at 517-540-0065 for more info.

Go home, get a good night's sleep, then come back at 10am on Sunday for the last Howell Winter Market. This every-other-Sunday event takes up the slack left by the absence of the summer Howell Farmer's Market.  Billed as a family oriented marketplace, there are arts and crafts, baked goods, and other small production food items.  No admission fee.

Image courtesy Bob Smith

Ask For An Invitation To A Personal Home Buying Class

Free Personal Home Buying Class

Because you are thinking about buying a home, and you may be a bit nervous sitting in a room full of strangers, I’m offering a personal home buying class.

There’s no obligation for this free one hour overview of the home buying process, and we’ll schedule it at a mutually convenient time.  After this session, you’ll have an improved understanding about buying a home. You will learn about potential challenges and pitfalls, discover how to manage them, and understand the most powerful concepts of the home buying process. As a bonus, you’ll receive my exclusive, free Home Buyer Information Kit.

Sometimes prospective home buyers haven’t compared loan types or are unaware of available mortgage loan programs that are beneficial.  For this reason, you can choose to have an experienced mortgage lender attend to answer specific financing questions.

Work with full-time, experienced professionals to get the best results.  We know how to help you get on the road to celebrating your first anniversary in your new home at this time next year! Contact me today at 810-220-1478 or through my facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/MichiganRE