Farmington Hills Real Estate and Events talk Michigan

October is almost on us.  What that means to first time home buyers is that as of October 1 they only have 30 days to get a signed purchase contract.  So we are down to the wire now.  No fooling around.  If you want the $8000 you need to get outh there looking.

Because you can't wait until the last minute to find a home and hope to get a signed contract.  Otherwise you will be getting into bidding wars and "settling".   You don't want to just settle at this point.

I read a blog about somebody getting 500 friends.  They were adding real estate agents that commented on their posts.  I myself see facebook in a different way.  I myself have never been a hard sell real estate agent.  I don't call my friends for leads.  I don't ask them for business.

I look at Facebook that way too.  I guess I'm there for friends.  A way to stay in contact with old friends, long distance family, business acquaintances, and clients.  I honestly like you all out there but I don't want to have the majority of my friends as real estate agents.

I don't want facebook to be about real estate all the time.  I don't want to jam real estate down friends and families throats.  I want to be normal.  Real estate is just one part of my life.  If I just talk about real estate when it is relevant then it fine.  But I want to hear about what people are doing.  What their garden like.  Your true personality comes out when you communicate on facebook.  That's what I love about facebook.

Here are 5 quick tips to sell  your Metr Detroit home quicker and for more money.  Metro Detroit home buyers want to move in plug in the TV, put the drinks in the fridge, and put their feet up on the couch.  Metro Detroit home buyers do not want to paint, remove wallpaper, redo the house.  Buyers want the home "move in ready"

So here are my 5 tips to sell your Metro Detroit home quicker:

1.  De-clutter - get all the knic knacs off the shelves, counter tops, refrigerator.  Open up the rooms by getting rid of a few pieces of furniture.  Most rooms should only have 3-4 pieces of furniture in them.  Organize and straighten up your home.  Store all your excess stuff at a storage locker or a friends house.

2.  Deodorize - nothing kills a home sale quicker than bad smells.  Smoke outside, repaint to get rid of the smell.  Find the source of the odor and eliminate it.  Some smells that offend home buyers.  Pet odors, fishy smells, mildew smell, old person smell, curry, cigar or cigarette smoke.  You may not smell it but may offend a buyer.   Buy a Cinnamon, or chocolate chip cookie candle and burn it before showings.  Don't over do it though.  Don't go crazy and over spray smelly deodorizes.

3.  De-personalize - Take down you personal and family pictures.  If you have collections put them away.  If you are country themed or ultra modern loosen up the them.  By appealing a larger number of hopme buyers you are more likely to sell your home quicker.  The buyer may not like country.

4.  Neutralize - Get rid of the flowered or vegetable wallpaper.  Repaint that purple wall.  Tear up that patterned carpeting or shag carpeting.  Again you want the home to be move in ready.  So people do not have to do anything.  A neutral color will appeal to a greater number of buyers than that dark red wall.

5.  Update - Updated homes sell quicker.  So if you are in the home and want to update the kitchen or bathroom.  Do it.  Enjoy it while you live there.  This is a general rule:  Most updates increase the value of the home.  Sure you do not get it all the money back but it helps sell the house.  An updated kitchen will sell twice as fast as a 20 year old kitchen.

These five Metro Detroit home sales tips will help you sell your home quicker.  Listen to your Metro Detroit Realtor.  Your Metro Detroit Realtor knows what helps sell a home and every house is different.  So they may have tips particular to your home.  For more tips give me a call on my cell at (313) 310-9855 or email me at info@RussRavary.com

If you live in the Metro Detroit Real estate area I will be glad to walk through and tell you what you should do to get more money for your home.  Have a great day.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent serving Livingston, Oakland, and Wayne County

If you have a Northville relocation in your future or thinking of buying Northville real estate you will be surprised to find out that Northville MI only has 9 foreclosures currently.  Metro Detroit home buyers have been snapping up foreclosures because they feel they are competitively priced. 

We may have reached the bottom of the Metro Detroit real estate and Northville real estate market.  I honestly won't make that prediction that the worst is over but right now I am seeing multiple offers on many homes I have been bidding on for clients.

The average market time for these Northville foreclosures is only 69 days.  Late last year we were up to 4 to 6 months average market time.  That has dropped dramatically.

Here are all the Northville foreclosures that have sold in the last 60 days.

What is great that is if you are looking to buy Northville real estate, Northville home prices have gotten a lot more reasonable in the last few years.  The bottom line in my opinion is that Northville is going to be one of Metro Detroit top cities in the years to come.  With a great old time downtown, beautiful historic homes, and a wide variety of home styles many people love to call Northville home.

Russ Ravary your Northville real estate serving Livingston, Wayne, and Oakland County

Comp information courtesty of Real Comp II ltd.  Homes sold above have been sold by various Realtors.

A couple of weeks ago one of my first time home buyers was getting close to getting a clear to close on his loan.  I emailed the listing agent on a Monday that we wanted to close on Thursday.  I never got an email back from her at all.

The next day I talked to the mortgage loan officer and we determined it probably won't happen Thursday.  I email the listing agent that it wasn't going to happen on Thursday but I would let her know when it could take place.

Wednesday about noon I called and emailed the listing agent that we wanted to close on Friday.  Late in the afternoon about 5 the agent called and said it could not happen on Friday because the title company could not do it.

I emailed her back and said I couldn't understand in this economy on how they couldn't fit a closing in.  My first time home buyer was anxious and wanted to move in.  He wanted to close. 

• Unfortunately the listing agent has been in the business too long and has forgotten that clients are first. 
• Unfortunately the listing agent let the title company dictate when the closing should take place.  
• Unfortunately I found out that the listing agent was in a relocation class that week.  She most likely didn't want to miss class.

I emailed her and asked why the title company didn't hire a contract closer to close the loan.  Thursday morning we communicated and said her office was trying to get it done but doubted it could be done.  In her years of experience she said title companies couldn't be ready to close in 2 days!!!!!!

What was she that out of it?  Even in the refi boom of 2003 I knew of title companies doing 1 day closings here in Michigan.  In this economy they can do next day closings all day long.  Unfortunately this listing agents office called me at 3:45 on Thursday afternoon to say we could close on Friday.

By that time the mortgage company couldn't guarantee documents to arrive at the title company until 4:00 on Friday nite.  Not a good situation.  Not a smart move to try to close with trying to rush documents at 4:00 on a Friday nite.   It took the listing agent almost 8 hours to get it scheduled after they decided they could do it. 

 Again the listing agent was in her relocation class.  She relied on her office to take care of the setting of the closing.   Do you think she even took the time from her class to make a call to the title company?  No I don't think so.  She was too busy.  She didn't care.  I have always been able to set a closing with one phone call while I was on the phone.  I didn't have to wait 8 hours to set a closing.

So we said we would set it up for Monday at 1 in the afternoon.  I emailed the listing agent again to confirm the closing and to send me the address of the closing.  Again no response from the agent all day Friday.  Saturday I sent off this terse email.

 I know you say you have an excellent reputation and you do your best.  But again yesterday I sent an email about the closing time on Monday and GOT NON RESPONSE AT ALL.  I don't know if you are still in the relocation conference or showing clients homes, but we would like to close up this current deal.  Hopefully you got this confirmed with your title company.  From past experience trying to set a closing with your title company I know it takes 7 hours - 24 hours to see if they can fit it in.
 
Can you confirm the closing time at 1 and the address of the location on Monday. 

She sent me an email saying the lady in her office that was setting the showing said the title company was going to confirm with me.  Unfortunately they never did.

My suggestions to this agent are:

1. Respond to emails..... it's common courtesy  
2. When you take a deal see it thru.  Don't go to a class or go out showing houses if there is work to do on a deal that is close to closing
3. Fire the title company.... if they can't schedule a closing to fit your and the clients needs then they aren't very good.  The days of a title company controlling closings are gone.  Too many good ones out there that do great jobs.
4. Fire your helper.  She didn't do a great job.  If it takes 8 hours to schedule closings then she is eating too many bon bons, or she is overloaded in work.  If she needs help get it for her or better yet do some yourself.
5. Step up and do what needs to be done to help get the deal done.

The bottom line is your reputation with me and my buyer is in the dumpster.  It is trash.  You were too busy in class.  You put your needs in front of a clients.  You didn't take action and didn't even have the common courtesy to respond to emails.  It only takes a minute to reply to an email but you didn't.

Unfortunately as a Metro Detroit realtor we do not always deal with real estate agents that are professional or do what they are supposed to be doing.  We sometimes have to push the other agent to get their end done.  But the bottom line is that we are closed on Monday at one.  Not when we really wanted to close but it will close.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent

                            Search Metro Detroit foreclosures get the latest foreclosure listings emailed to you 

doesn't me it is yours.  I had a buyer call me over the weekend all upset.  He had driven by the house and a lawn ornament that was in the flower bed was missing.  He was all upset about it.  He thought if it was in the picture it was part of the house.  He thought it was his.

So I had to explain to him that lawn ornaments like gnomes were personal property.  The grill or the flower hanger doesn't come with the house.  If you are a buyer and want something like that you need to tell your agent that you want this or that out of the house.  Your agent then will ask for it in the purchase contract.

You may not get it but you might.  The seller may have emotional attachments to the item.  But normally what is included in the home sale is anything that is permanently attached to the house.  Some of the items that are included are

• shelves
• light fixtures
• curtain rods

What is not included is any personal items like pictures, lawn equipment, furniture.  I have had people take down the light fixtures or take plumbing fixtures.  It is wrong, you will have to put them back.  I have had people try to switch out fixtures after the purchase agreement is signed.  You can't do that.

As a buyer I recommend you to take pictures of the home so we have proof of what was in the house.  If you are a seller take down what you want out of the house before it goes on sale.  Make the switch before you put it on sale.  I did have one client say it's so nice it will help sell the house, but I want it.   If you want it take it down.  Don't do a bait and switch.

But bottom line lawn ornaments are personal property.  If it isn't attached to the home it belongs to the seller unless it is listed in the purchase agreement.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent

Yes it has been a different day again.  We have a deal under contract that is supposed to close soon.  We finally got some out of state bank account paper work in.  We have been waiting for it for a week.  My clients parents where on vacation out of the country.  They had given my client a large sum of money.

In today's banking world any large deposit into a buyers account has to be tracked.  The bank will want to know where the money came from and why they gave it to the buyer.  It's that simple.  They will track it or you aren't going to get the loan.

So if you got $1000 or more deposited into your account be ready to show where it came from and why the they gave it to you.  The bank has to get that information.  Some of the reasons they want to know this information is

1. The bank wants to make sure you are not getting a loan to buy a property.   You may not qualify with the extra payment to pay back the "loan"
2. The bank want to make sure you are not a straw buyer.  A straw buyer is where you are buying the property for somebody else.  Usually a straw buyer is committing fraud by getting around the banks regulations.
3. With short sales banks will not sell to family members.  Some families are trying to buy their own home back at a cheaper price through another family member.

So if you are moving money into your bank account be sure to get written proof of where it came from and why you recieved it.  The bank is going to want to know.

I hope this helps you prevent a problem with your mortgage transaction and your home purchase before it happens.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent  

          Search the latest foreclosures listingsand  get the latest listings emailed to you 

I have been telling out of state and out of country investors that want to buy foreclosures in Detroit that they are crazy.  Growing up in the suburbs I have seen the gradual decay of the City of Detroit.  I myself don't see a solution to revive Detroit.

Now LIFE MAGAZINE is writing a series about the death of Detroit.  They are right.  Detroit is dying a slow death and there is no way to stop it.  One of the major reasons Detroit will never grow is the school system.

It has a school system that is in shambles.  No celebrity begging citizens to send their kids to Detroit schools is going to change how bad the school system is.  No school superintendent going to bus stops begging the kids not to go to charter schools or private schools.  It's not going to work trying to convince parents and students that Detroit schools are the place to send their kids.  The parents know better.

It's not that the teachers are bad or the teaching is poor.  It is a accumulation of trying to teach to some students that have parents that never graduated, that have no jobs.  To them there is no proof that education works.   In some families there is nobody telling the kids they need to graduate to get a good job.  In no way are the kids bad.  But there are a few kids that help bring down the whole school system.  The drugs, the violence, the apathy, the corruption are all part of the problem which has destroyed the school system.  Without a decent school system nobody is going to move to the city.  Why move to a city where you can't raise your kids. 

Life magazine is writing about the death of Detroit and showing it to the nation.  I hope other major cities learn before it is too late for them.

   Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit  real estate agent

                              Search Metro Detroit real estate listings

Are you thinking of buying Northville real estate because you are relocating from out of state?  Or just moving within Michigan, here are some great reasons to buy a Northville home.

1. Northville schools ..... Great school system.  With a recently built new high school Northville public schools rank among Michigans best school systems.
2. Northville crime rate .....   Northville has a low crime rate.  You can safely walk down the street any time of the day or night.  The likely hood of you getting mugged walking around is almost non existant.  Like any metro area you still need to take pre-cautions.  You still need to lock your car and lock your doors.  There are always random crimes even in nice cities like Northville.  But I would rank Northville as very safe city
3. Close to expressways.  Northville is located on the western edge of the metro Detroit suburbs.  M-14, I -275 and I-696 are with 5 minutes of Northville.  When you live in Northville you have quick and easy access to get downtown Detroit, to the airport, or to where you work.  Even though we have our construction season, metro Detroit road system is set up that if there is one road that is congested or shut down there is another road to go down

This is just my first part of my series on why you should buy Northville real estate.  I hope it gives you a glimpse into what Northville MI is like

Russ Ravary your Northville real estate agent serving Wayne, Livingston, Oakland County

                     Search Northville homes for sale and search Northville foreclosures

Photos courtesy of Real comp II Ltd

I hate to say it but nothing really will every replace working.  Sure you might get lucky and get a few big real estate deals to make a decent living working only 20 or 30 hours a week.

But buyers and sellers like real estate agents that they can talk to after 5 or on weekends.  I see so many agents that won't do that even though they are struggling.   Am I a superstar ?.... I would say not.  I'm just a real estate agent that isn't afraid of putting in the hours.  Sure I am working to hard right now.  But the way metro Detroit economy is I need too.

So my opinion is whether you are a real estate agent or any other person trying to make it in this economy.... it takes more than 30 or 40 hours to make it sometimes.  You need to do what it takes even if it means longer hours or doing something you have never had to do before.

Russ Ravary your metro Detroit real estate agent.