Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk

If you are a Realtor like myself, or in any profession, you are aware that gas prices are over the top of the roof. I mean really ? Where is the outrage ?

Here is a link to find the lowest price gas prices in Washtenaw County. There is not a lot of difference but some and every 10 cents can help.

If you are driving around, looking at houses for sale in the Ann Arbor Area, start your home search here and save that gas money. You can save homes to your favorites, with Google Maps, Google Satellite Images and Multiple Photos.

Yesterday, my daughter and I went and video taped a home for an out of town buyer. We blogged on it on my other blog, BlogAnnArbor. If you want care to see it.

Ask yourself, is my Realtor doing that for me ?

Are you stuck looking at the 8-10 photos on a web site?

*** We would love to be able to serve your realty needs in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas of Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti.***

Share This

Well, the Spring market is FINALLY here in the Ann Arbor Area market. It has been a while since we have had this flurry of activity in Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Ypsilanti.

This past week, from April 18 to April 25th, we have had 71 homes go under contract in one week. Prices of homes under contract range in price from 49,000 to 499,000.

The condo market is a bit slower with only 10 condos going under contract. Those condo’s have been priced from 69,000 to 373,000.

If you are a seller, and not seeing activity on your home it is time to make a price adjustment, spruce up the yard, get new photos of the outside.

There is nothing more frustrating to potential buyers than to see, photos of your home in the snow.

First impressions matter, many times when I am out showing homes to a buyer if they don’t like the look of the outside, they say, ” no, let’s skip this one”. I hate that because I know the seller has spent time getting ready for a showing. But, when the buyers are on a mission to find a house, they don’t want to waste time going in one that doesn’t have look good from the outside.

My buyer agents have been writing competing offers these past two weeks. The homes selling the best are priced “below” market value. If you are a buyer, we know you are looking for a “bargain” and there are many homes listed and priced to sell. Don’t miss out. At the rate homes were moving this week the Spring Market is here.

You can begin your home search here at Search Ann Arbor Houses. All the homes in the MLS are available not only for Ann Arbor but the entire area of Washtenaw County.

Share This

Share This

Paul Bunton is the Chief of Police in Saline, Mi. He became Chief of Police when he arrived in Saline from the Ann Arbor Police Department. I have known Paul and been involved with him through the Saline Chamber of Commerce and Saline Schools.

Last Saturday, during the Michigan Spring football game held at Saline High School, I shot, (no pun intended) a video of him speaking about the safety of Saline, Mi.

VideoAd by Mixpo

Share This

Lately, it has been all over the news about the amount of foreclosure’s throughout the United State’s. According to reports,foreclosed homes are up 57%. That figure is staggering. Keep in mind, it is not 57% of all homes being foreclosed on, it is 57% up from the normal amount of 3%.

Not good, but not as bad as the media would make it out to be. If you are in trouble with your mortgage, Call your lender ASAP. Don’t wait for the letters to start arriving at your door. Many times, once a home is foreclosed on when the Realtor goes in to see the home and get it on the market, in the kitchen drawer sits all the letters from the bank.

Open those letters.

Call your bank.

They don’t want your home. Many times they are able to adjust your interest rate or hold off the forclosure. But, you must open the letter, read it and call them.

The HUD website is a good resource to find out more tips to avoid foreclosure.

One other caution, BEWARE of ANYONE who offers to pay your back payments and PAY off your debt. You have probably seen signs driving around Ann Arbor, “we buy your home for cash.” Sounds good, huh?

Due to the amount of homeowners in trouble, the scam artists are out in full force.

They may call you up, knock on your door with a pile of papers and have you sign documents that will give THEM the deed to your home. They look professional, act professional and seem like the “answers to your prayers”. They are not. They are wolves in sheeps clothing.

I had a lady call me a few weeks ago, because this had happened to her. She signed papers she did not understand, looking for relief, she gave her home away. They didn’t make the mortgage payments like they had promised.

Call your lender, should this happen to you. There is also a hotline number to call 1–800–4FRAUD8.

Here is a video to show you what to be aware of:

***The past two weeks, several of my buyer agents have been writing offers on foreclosed homes throughout Washtenaw County, they are competing with other offers in most every situation. The foreclosed homes are going quickly. If you need a list of foreclosed homes in Ann Arbor or Washtenaw County contact the Missy Caulk Team at 734–821–0757. ***

Next post… What is a “short sale” and how can this help me avoid foreclosure.

Share This

Today was the much anticipated Spring game where the University of Michigan Wolverines gave us a glimpse of the new “spread offense”. There was a lot of excitement in the air to see new head coach, Rich Rodriguez and the unfolding of the offense.

The game was held at Saline High School, where all my children have attended or graduated from. Saline has a top notch football stadium and it was fun to see the Wolverines on the field.

It was so cold……………….and windy, worse than most of our fall games.

It was exciting to see Michigan go into a no huddle offense and take most of the snaps from the shot gun.  

Included is an audio of Rich Rodriguez summary on the game today, posted my Jim Carty of the Ann Arbor News.

We were invited inside the stadium because the Missy Caulk TEAM with Maria Labie our preferred lender from Citizens First Bank were the exclusive sponsors for the Maize and Blue game. Due to it being in a smaller stadium the “The Big House”, it was not open to the public.

My daughter, Christa and Buyer Agent on our team was in the press box and did a quick interview with Sam and Andy on WTKA, Sports Radio in Ann Arbor.

Here is some footage I shot with my new flip video.

Remember it’s C A U L K….like around the bathtub and windows.

GO BLUE !

The Missy Caulk TEAM

734–827–0757

Share This

Every year the Saline Chamber of Commerce honors three citizens at their Business Enterprise Award Reception.

This year the awards go to Betsy Marl for the Citizen of The Year. Besty was born and raised in Saline and has been a first grade teacher since 1975. She is married to Gary Marl, former owner of Saline Dodge in Saline.

Taylor Jacobsen is this years recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Taylor was also a teacher in Saline Schools,where he taught art for 40 years. Taylor also graduated from Saline High School. He is a founding member of the Saline Historical Preservation Committee and was involved extensively in the restoration of the Weber-Blaess one room school house. A school that he attended as a child formally called the Lodi Plains School.

Finally the George A Anderson Vision Award goes to newly elected Saline Schools Superintendent Scot Graden. Formally a teacher, football coach and Community Education Director for Saline Schools, Scot has been involved in many project around Saline. Scot has served for eight years as the Chairman of the CARES Mileage Advisory Board. The board annually gives out grant money to fund various projects around Saline, including Soccer, African American Culture and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County and is currently funding the restoration of Henne Field.

Congratulations to Betsy, Taylor and Scot.

The Youth of the Year Award, which is also presented the night of the Business Enterprise Awards goes to Andrew Schantz. Andrew is a Jr at Saline High School and was responsible for the Dress for Less Saline which donated homecoming and prom dresses to benefit Charity. He has been chairman of the Saline Youth Council for 2 years and is running for FCCLA, which oversees 250,000 youth.

Congratulations to you Andrew.

This is a great, fun event honoring our Citizens and we hope you can attend and get to know and congratulate the current winners.

Tickets are $20.00 per person and can be purchased by calling the Saline Chamber of Commerce at 734–944–4494 or visiting their web site at Saline Chamber.com The event is held at Saline High School and is Friday, April 18^th.

Share This

The Smithsonian has taken on the task of finding the best places to retire. Ann Arbor was named in the guide to Cultured Retirement. Initially naming 15 cities throughout the United States, I was excited to see Ann Arbor named in the Heartland Region, along with Lexington, Ky (the college I graduated from) and St. Louis.

Where to Live Next is the series and they would appreciate your comments by adding favorable comments about our town.

To read the entire review of Ann Arbor and add your comments on why you think this is a great place to retire, you can click here to the Ann Arbor page.

Access to health care, public transportation, performing arts, museums, restaurants were some of the criteria used to determine Ann Arbor being a great place to retire for cultural diversity.

Share This

Let’s see if I dig really hard I can find some good news! Ok, the amount of homes and condos being listed is down, 42%.

That is good news and mostly attributed to Pfizer homes for the most part being gone.

The average sale price in March for Washtenaw County is down to $205,400. That is just unbelievable.

Rather than interpret the data here are the charts for your review. All data is from the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors, where I serve as a Director and compiled by Big House Data in Ann Arbor.

If you are a buyer this is A GREAT TIME TO BUY !!

Share This

Attorney General Mike Cox issued an important opinion this week clarifying the proper application of an obscure exemption contained in the Michigan Transfer Tax Act. The opinion, arising out of a request from Representative Martin Griffin (D-Jackson), should afford certain home sellers immediate financial relief as Michigan’s real estate market continues its road to recovery.

Exemption “t”, as designated in the Michigan Transfer Tax Act, sets forth that a seller may seek an exemption from paying the state transfer tax if the following criteria are met:

1. The property must have been occupied as a principle residence, classified as homestead property;
2. The property’s State Equalized Value (“SEV”) for the calendar year in which the transfer is made must be less than or equal to the property’s SEV for the calendar year in which the transferor acquired the property; and
3. The property cannot be transferred for consideration exceeding its true cash value for the year of the transfer.

With property values and corresponding SEV declining due to the struggling economy, home owners and real estate agents first took notice of the exemptions possible applicability under the State Transfer Tax. However, absent an official interpretation, there was little awareness of its proper application.

The opinion from the Attorney General uses examples to show how the application would apply. One example illustrating application provides:

If the SEV of the principle residence when acquired in 2006 is $74,000.00 and the SEV when transferred in 2008 is $72,000.00 then criteria one and two above are satisfied. You can establish the true cash value by doubling the SEV at the time of transfer. In this case the true cash value is $144,000. If the sale price in 2008 is $140,000.00 then the sale does not exceed its true cash value. All three criteria are satisfied and the exemption would apply.

The Attorney General’s opinion provides immediate relief to home sellers already faced with the reality of declining value on their single greatest asset.

Sellers should be cautioned that a request for the exemption that fails to meet all three criteria could bring a penalty equal to 20% of the tax assessed in addition to the tax due.

Additionally, no similar exemption exists in the County Real Estate Transfer Tax Act.

This is good information for Michigan homeowners that are in the process of selling and afford them some relief.

Share This