Farmington Hills Real Estate and Events talk Michigan

I read Bill Cherry's blog about THE WHITE LIE -- EXACTLY WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE FROM A REGULAR LIE?

As real estate agents it happens all the time.  People do want free values.  I had somebody ask for it on my website two days ago.  I looked up the house and found out they had just bought the foreclosure.  I'm sure they just wanted to affirm that they got a "deal".  What they didn't realize is that it takes time to do a CMA, and to get a good true value.

But the one that gets me more is when clients use multiple real estate agents and we don't know about it.  I am busy enough in life without competing unknowingly.  I myself would rather spend time with my family.  I would rather spend time with a client that is working exclusively with me.  I don't go and tell another client about a great deal when one of my clients puts in an offer on a home.  It's not ethical.  I am working for that client.  I work exclusively for that client and don't work against them.

I just expect the same thing.  But once in a great while a client works with multiple agents.  I have had them sign exclusive buyer agency contracts and then expect to be let out of the contract.  I put my full energy and time into finding a client a home that fits their needs.  I am willing to spend my gas, and put miles on my car in the hopes of helping them find a home. 

Sometimes there are personality or time conflicts and I have no issues with us going separate ways.  But I don't want to be "used".  I don't want to be lied to.   I don't want to find out after 3 months and seeing 25 houses that you found a house with another agent. If you want to use multiple real estate agents just be sure to let the agents know.   Let the agent make the decision if they are willing to work that way.

I myself would rather spend time with my family, or with another client than do that.  But each agent can make their own choice.  Just don't be like the client last year that wasted my time.  He would always be late.  He was using multiple agents and never told me.  Then he sent me this lengthy email (big lie) telling me that he was putting his search on hold.   I later found out it was a lie and that he had put in an offer on a home with another agent.  I think his line to me is that they were try to find the best opportunity for them

They were users.  They didn't care about others people time or money invested.  It was all about them.  I don't want to work with people like that.  I don't have time in my life for users and inconsiderate people.  There are too many great people out there.  I closed over fifty homes last year and I can say those clients were the salt of the earth.  They were good people.  I had one bad apple out of a lot of great, kind clients.

I guess I was very lucky! At fifty years old and a wife with cancer I have taken a different view on life.  Life is too short to deal with jerks, users, or people that are inconsiderate.  There are thousands of good clients, nice people that are honest and considerate.  I'll keep working with them and leave the "others" to somebody else.

Just my take on things......

There is one sure way to drive me crazy if you become a client of mine.  Nothing drives me crazier than not being able to get a hold of you after we submit an offer. 

Once you put in an offer you need to be accessible by phone.  Don't shut off your phone for hours at a time.  Please check your email.  Please check your voice mail.  Things come up that sometimes I need to talk to you.

 I had it happen today.  Yesterday we put in an offer for a West Bloomfield foreclosure.  They told us late yesterday we lost out on the offer.  I emailed them this morning to keep us in mind and keep us as a backup offer.

Today at 5:35 in the evening they called.  They had a counter offer. They wanted an answer to the counter offer tonight.  I needed to be able to reach my client immediately.  They wanted an answer tonight and it was already 5:35.  I luckily was able to reach my client within an hour.

There has been other times my clients have disappeared off the face of the earth for over 8 hours.  One client did lose out because they were unreachable.  It's not unusual for the bank to demand a 24 hour response.  I remember once having a client get off the subway in New York so they could get a check to overnight to me at 4:00 in the afternoon.

 Of course no two home purchases are alike but here is a general home buying time line.  It doesn't matter whether it is a Plymouth condo or a Commerce Twp lake front home. 

The key to the whole purchase process is to jump and get your part done as quickly as possible.  Drop what you are doing and get it done.  Then you will probably wait and wait.  But that is why you rush around and get your part done.

If you delay getting your part done then the whole process is delayed.   The other party will add to the delay because there is "no rush".   

I hope this home buying timeline helps you understand what happens and when.

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I read a blog this morning about a writer commenting that good mortgage people were leaving the business.  I too have noticed that for the last two years.  Some of the good guys that made over six figures left the business because the amount of business and the size of the loans have dropped off.  Add to the lower refinance business it makes it tougher for any loan officer.

But that is the way of the world.  Businesses change, people are no longer needed for the profession.  Lets look back through this century on jobs that have disappeared.

• street car drivers
• buggy makers disappeared after the invention of the automobile
•  milkman and coal delivery men went by the wayside
• typewriter salesmen and repairmen are gone now because of the computer.  Remember word processors
• Photo retouchers was an industry that employed many before computers and photoshop, adobe, and other computer programs

Yes it is the way of the world.  Change is inevitable.  I worked in the sub-prime business as a wholesale account executive for Chase Manhattan Bank.  I remember whole floors of underwriters and support staff for the different sub-prime companies.  I remember the extravagant parties they threw for loan officers at the conventions.  I knew quite a few people that made over $200,000. 

Now those offices are empty and quiet.  The people have moved on to different career.  Many of the jobs no longer exist.  Many of the people that made $200,000 a year will never see that kind of money again.  Some are making $35,000 a year now.  Many of those people have lost their homes because of the changes.

Change is unevitable.  Change is going to upset our lives if we live long enough.

My thought of the day is:

Life is like a roller coaster.  We all do good when times are good.  But the true measure of a person is how they handle life when times are tough.  How will you react when life gets tough?  Are you able to pick up what's left and adapt to the change?  Or are you going to just complain how bad life is?

It's your choice on what road to take.   Will you stay a buggy maker?  Neither road is easy or smooth.  But one does lead to better times!

Just my thoughts

I sold a Southfield home, or should I say I helped my client buy a house with no grass.  The whole yard was covered in snow for the past 2 months.  We saw the house a couple of times.  But I never thought of digging through the snow to check if there was grass.

But my client closed last week on the house and this week the snow has been melting.  He was noticing there was pea gravel in spots where the snow melted.  So he started digging in a few more spots.  The whole backyard was pea gravel!!!

Who would have thought.  Here in Michigan I tell my clients to pull off some of the snow to look at the roof.  But I would have never thought that a whole back yard would be full of pea gravel instead of grass.  This is one story for my book on real estate stories.

But my advice to anybody buying in Michigan, when there is snow on the roof is too pull a few spots off.  Make sure the roof is good.  A new roof on a average size house could cost up to $9000.   It's always better to look at a house when it isn't snow covered.  But it is extremely important for you or your home inspector to check out the condition of the roof when there is snow on it.

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Yes short sale scams are in full swing here in Southeastern Michigan.  I know of one agent that does some short sales.  When the bank does the BPO he tries to influence to a low ball amount.  If the bank does a low BPO and then accepts that low number, the property now has a below market price that the real estate agent knows about.

Then the real estate agent has his "partner" put in an offer at the low ball price.  Of course the bank accepts it.  The partner buys it.  Then the agent re-lists it for the "partner" after some repairs.  The agent has become part of the transaction by influencing the banks appraiser for a low price and then having somebody he knows buy it at that price.

Gone are the ethics of a real estate agent.  We as real estate agents are supposed to work to get the best price for our clients.  The banks in short sales are our clients too.  Not cheat them by having a friend of ours buy at a low price we influenced the bank to take.

THIS IS UNETHICAL.  THIS IS FRAUD.  This agent made $30,000 off the first deal and is in the process of making $50,000 plus off his second deal.  I'm sure he will continue to do it as he is not breaking any laws.  But he sure isn't working in the best interest of his clients.  I'm just glad he doesn't represent me.  

I don't know about you but after mid February I get tired of winter.  Yes I love how the trees look after a fresh snowfall.  It looks so peaceful and quiet in the morning after a snowfall.  And I love being able to work or stay at home after an exceptionally big snowfall of 12 inches or more.

But about mid February winter wears me down.  Michigan usually has grey skies in the winter.  I am one of those people that need the sun.  So a day like today with bright sunshine revives me.  I love it. I think I am one of those people that need to put their face in front of a sun lamp because I am lacking sun in the winter.  I need the vitamin D that the sun gives off.

When the sun comes out I get invigorated!  I get energized!  So thank goodness spring is just around the corner.

Unfortunately the real estate market is not coming back anytime soon here in Southeastern Michigan.  We are not going to see rapid appreciation in home values in the next five years.  It is simply because of the economy and all the foreclosures.

All the people that have gone into foreclosure can not buy a home for at least three years.  Many will never be able to buy again because the lenders guidelines have changed.  Then they have to save for a larger down payment.  The trend is for buyers to have at least 5% down.  This is a big change for many of the home buyers that bought with no money down.  So many people won't be able to buy for years to come.  Less demand causes home values to remain low. 

We need more buyers, more people to create more demand and higher home values.  Yes home values are going to go up.  But not at 5 or 10% rate in the next few years.  We are going to see a slow appreciation in home values in the next five to ten years.  As a metro Detroit first time home buyer or Oakland County home buyer buy for the long term.  Buy for a 7 to 10 year period.  Here in the Detroit area we are not going to see home buyers trading up rapidly every two or three years.  The years of rapid home appreciation is gone.

So if you are planning to buy in Southeastern Michigan, think in the 7 to 10 year range.  I hope that the economy and housing recover sooner but be safe.  Make sure that they home you pick out can fulfill your families needs for the next 7 years. 

So it doesn't matter whether you are buying Canton real estate or a Farmington Hills home the best course of action is to play it conservative.  Just my thoughts.

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My thought of the day is:

When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people."

Chinese proverb

Northville Michigan is a great upscale community in Western Wayne County.  With a great school system, and easy access to freeways makes Northville a place to look into when researching where to live in the Metro Detroit area.  What is nice about Northville is that it has a central downtown that is still vibrant.

With uniques stores and locally owned restaurants downtown Northville is a destination for both the local residents and the surronding cities.  Here is a short video of downtown Northville.  Now this is just an amatuer video shot by me and it definitely is not going to win an Oscar in the short film category.  I just wanted to show people that are relocating to Northville or metro Detroit what Northville looks like.

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Here are the latest list of Cass Lake real estate and lake front homes for sale in Oakland County Michigan.

There is a 3300 square foot home on Cass Lake in Keego Harbor to lease for $4000 a month.  But the price range of homes on Cass lakes is from $79,733 for a 907 square foot home up to a $2,499,000 for a 12108 square foot home.

Cass Lake is Oakland County's largest lake.  It has small cottages all the way up to mega mansions with the latest amenities.  If you would like more information about any of these lake homes email me or call me and I will get you the latest list of homes that fit your wants and price range. 

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