Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk

On May 20, at 7:00 pm at the Pittsfield Township Administration Building, Saline Sustainability Circle will feature a presentation on wind turbines by John Sarver of the Michigan Energy Office.

Mr. Sarver is part of the Michigan Wind Working Group, and will speak on the different types of turbines currently in use in Michigan, the feasibility of wind generation in our area, and ideas for ordinances and guideline for heights and locations for wind turbines in communities in Michigan.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America program has a goal that 20% of all electricity will come from wind power by 2030.  Michigan has the wind resources and technical and manufacturing capabilities to make a major contribution to this goal.

Will ultra low frequency noise be a problem?

What is “shadow flicker” and can it be abated?

Are birds and bats affected?

If large propellers aren’t feasible in a more urban or suburban setting, how about barber pole or roof mounted turbines?

Saline Sustainability Circle meets on the third Tuesdays of most months. Locations of the meetings rotate among the member communities and organizations: City of Saline, Saline Chamber of Commerce, Saline Area Schools, Saline Township, Lodi Township, York Township, and Pittsfield Township.

The public is invited to attend and learn more about a renewable resource that is gaining popularity throughout Michigan. For more information, please visit www.salinesustainability.org.

More information on wind and other alternative energy can be found at Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Growth website at www.michigan.gov/eorenew.

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One of the things I have been doing in the current market is having all my sellers who need to move before their home sells is to have it Stagged.

It has been said that people buy with emotion and justify the price. When you walk in a empty, vacant house, there is NO EMOTIONS involved. The rooms looks cold and bare. Many buyers have a hard time visualizing how their furniture would fit in the room.

This is why when builders are developing a new subdivision they always have a model home. Did you know that most model homes are the ones people tend to build, even if they have floor plans and other elevations available?

True…

The model home is all stagged and they can imagine themselves living there. Therefore, stagging a home in Ann Arbor, Saline or anywhere in Washtenaw County helps the homes sell faster. Recently I listed a home that was originally listed my another agent. The dining room ceilings were ORANGE and below the chair rail was a different color of orange. The closets were filthy, the fireplace and family room were painted. Over it needed painting and stagging. So my seller agreed to have it done. We are closing on this home on May 16th.

Here are two separate shows on stagging one before and one after. Which would you rather see if you were looking. This home at 1258 Waterways is closing on May 16th too.

Click her to see the difference in a stagged and unstagged home.

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Today, is the first day of May, the weather is still chilly and the market is also chilly.

Last year from April 1st 2007 to April 30th, 2007, we had closed on 148 homes.

This April from April 1st to April 30th, 2008, we only closed on 29 homes. Now if that is not discouraging enough, of the 29 that sold, 9 were rentals and three were foreclosure’s.

This is discouraging for home sellers who have a home to sell in either Saline or Ann Arbor.

If you include the entire MLS for the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors, this would include all the way from Brooklyn in Lenawee County to Brighton, down through Western Wayne County, there were 373 closings in 2007 in the month of April and only 82 for April 2008.

This means that out of the 1000 Realtors in Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors, only 82 got a paycheck of any kind in the month of April.

The Missy Caulk TEAM had 9 of those closings in April, making us with about 11% of the total closings. Of the nine closing we had in April, three of the clients were referred to us, and six were buyers from the internet.

My thoughts are, if you are a Realtor and not working the internet you are missing out. Since 77% of all buyers are going on line to look for houses, you must have a STRONG internet presence. When I say strong, I don’t mean a web site. Everyone has a web-site. Your web presence must include PPC ( pay per click) campaigns, and a good follow up system to nurture those initial leads and most important a home search site that is so good the buyers come back again and again.

Good photos are a must. ( did I say good? ) Virtual tours are extremely important. I do a virtual tour on ALL my listings, regardless of price and even on rentals. I saw a photo the other day in our MLS with I guess the seller sitting in his back yard, and another one of a child watching TV. Now that really helps sell houses.What were those Realtors thinking?

Having trouble selling your Ann Arbor or Saline house?

Give us a call or visit us at our home search site.

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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.***

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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