COVID-19 & The Return to Real Estate
Governor Whitmer Eliminates Remaining Real Estate Limitations and Reopens Much of the State. Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-110, rescinding her “Safer at Home” Order, and moving the entire state to phase four of the MI Safe Start Plan. This action removes most of the restrictions that real estate brokerages and clients have been operating under. As we reported last week, Michigan Realtors® was working with the Governor’s Office to remove the previously imposed...
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Housing Affordability
The Ultimate Truth About Housing Affordability There have been many headlines decrying an “affordability crisis” in the residential real estate market. While it is true that buying a home is less affordable than it had been over the last ten years, we need to understand why and what that means. On a monthly basis, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), produces a Housing Affordability Index. According to NAR, the index… “…measures whether or not a typical family earns enough income to...
Read MoreiBuyers: Is The Convenience Worth The Cost?
Forbes | Post written by Chase Marsh, Forbes Business Council There has been a lot of hype around a newer real estate technology trend referred to as “iBuying.” In early April, Zillow announced that it was expanding its foray into the iBuyer space it originally launched in May 2017. Other companies like Opendoor, Knock, OfferPad and even Redfin are either engaged in the space or are testing services, but what does this mean for you as a homeowner thinking about selling? As the co-founder of an...
Read MoreFSBO Worse Than Foreclosure?
13 Reasons Why For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Can Be Worse Than Foreclosure Even though foreclosure is one of the most catastrophic events any home owner can face, a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) can be much worse. With a foreclosure, the potential loss for a family is limited to their home or the amount owed to their lender, whereas an FSBO gone bad can leave a family in even bigger distress. The liability is often not limited to the value of the home: In the case of false advertising, the liability is...
Read More4 Things NOT to Do When Selling
So you’ve decided to put your home on the market. Congratulations! Hopefully, you’ve brought a rockin’ REALTOR® on board to help you list your spot, and together you’ve done your due diligence on what to ask for. As you start checking things off your to-do list, it’s also important to pay mind of what not to do. Below are a handful of things to get you started. Don’t over-improve As you ready your home for sale, you may realize you will get a great return on...
Read MoreUnderstanding Home Comps
Before you put your home up for sale, understand how the right comparable sales help you and your agent find the perfect price. How much can you sell your home for? Probably about as much as the neighbors got, as long as the neighbors sold their house in recent memory and their home was just like your home. Knowing how much homes similar to yours, called comparable sales (or in real estate lingo, comps), sold for gives you the best idea of the current estimated value of your home. The trick...
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