Dave's Real Estate Blog... Hot Properties, Cool Agent

Oh yeah and Frankies here...

2011-10-06T08:40:00.003-05:00

Well, October has been busy so far... Between working, and campaigning, we managed to squeak in a new addition to the ever growing Henderson family. Anthony and Jessica Belmonte introduced Francesca Anne Belmonte to her very proud Grandparents (Kelly & I) Saturday night. She was 8 lbs. and an ounce, and 20.5 inches long... she has the thickest head of dark hair I've ever seen on a baby related to the Hendersons. Pretty sure that comes from the Belmonte side of the family. She's adorable, and a nice balance to the group of grandkids... Bella needs the help with all these boys tearing it up around here.

Bella started kindergarten this year, where does the time go? She's all grown up, now if we could just get her brothers to be so mature :0)

I'm busy these days on the campaign trail, the election is just barely a month away... don't forget to vote, and tell your friends you know me...

The Ligers 2011 fall softball team finished their season with a 10-0 record, not too shabby from a group of guys managed by a 50 year old. Theres plenty of time to retire in the coming years, but for now... Ligers rule :0)

Dave junior came over last week to borrow a motorcycle for a quick trip. It took over a half hour to get them started between dead batteries and low tire pressure... I hope next summer we can get a little more ride time in. You know it's been a bad riding season when none of your stuff works and you don't even notice it...

Real Estate has been on an uptick the last few weeks as well. The most recent report indicates that values are up over last year by about 1.2%. Nothing to get too excited about, but in comparison to the 15% declines we've seen in the last few years... that's a huge improvement. I've had a couple short sales approved this summer... they still take a lot of time, but at least they're getting done. I'm currently working with 3 buyers that should be able to put sales together this fall.

Interest rates for a 30 year fixed are teetering around that 3.8% mark... but you still have to jump through hoops to get those rates. That said, even the rates you and I can get are still extremely favorable, and there is a good supply of decent homes on the market.

With values either at bottom or starting to inch up... the perfect storm of buyer power is right now. Call me, and we can start to look.

We appreciate your support and referrals as always, keep them coming.

Dave & Kelly

I never thought being 50 would ever get here...

2011-09-01T08:56:00.003-05:00

But here it is. It seems like forever since I updated the blog. So much has been going on this summer, it's been tough to find time to keep in touch.

I'll keep it as short as possible, I know you all want to scoot out of here for a long weekend. I missed Kels birthday blog in July, sorry ... I'll make it up to you when you get old like me. My Ligers team ended in third place this season, but lost 26 -25 in the final game of playoffs for a second place showing. We're sweeping through fall league so far with a 5 - 0 record. Golf is practically over, we are playing for first place tonight, we'll see if we can hold on to a lead.

Kelly & I haven't even looked at the motorcycles in over a month, we've been to Chicago with Jessy & Anthony a couple times, Kellys been traveling for work just about every week, and the weather has been smokin' hot all summer, to warm to ride most days.

Jessy is due the end of this month bringing the grandbaby tally to 5. Can't wait for Frankenberry (Francesca) to arrive. Hopefully she comes in on my birthday (did I mention I'm 50 this month?), would be a great surprise.

Bella starts kindergarten this fall, she is so grown up, and very excited for school. Austin and the twins (they have names, but I really can't tell them apart, so they're the twins), are doing great. Austin loves Pee Paw... until Anthony comes to visit... then it's hello Tony, good bye pee paw.

Dave & Lauren are handling their huuge family pretty well. It takes them forever to get out of the house, and another forever to unpack the kids and get them in to wherever they're going, but pretty much taking it all in stride.

In case you haven't heard, I decided to run for Troy City Council. As if I needed anything else occupying an already full dance card. The election is November 8th, and I have been promised, the biggest time issue is running for office, it will be routine once elected. I appreciate you sending a good word to anyone you know that lives in Troy.

Kel has a big golf week planned this month for us to celebrate my big 5-0. We're heading to three very nice golf courses in Northern Michigan, and a little stop in Traverse City. Looking forward to getting away for a few days.

On the Real estate front... it has been a little quiet lately. I ended August with a closing, and I have three buyers I'm working with right now. The market is still a bit quirky, but a home priced right and in good condition flies off the market. The feds promised to keep rates low for the next two years, so buying a home right now is an excellent idea.

As always, I'm looking for referrals. It's the right time to buy and the right time to sell... an odd combination that hasn't been around for a few years... call me :0)

See you next month

Dave & Kelly Henderson

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Uno de Juno...

2011-06-01T08:09:00.004-05:00

I remember sitting here last year writing my Uno de Juno blog... I invented it (or so I thought) because of a trip to Mexico I took a couple years ago on Cinco de Mayo. I was speaking with our cab driver (as best as I could being uni-lingual), and he told me essentially that the majority of Mexicans don't really celebrate the holiday. I figured if Americans can go so crazy for a Mexican holiday that really isn't... I can invent my own. But if you google Uno de Juno, there are only a few references to the "holiday" and even wikipedia deleted presumably a bogus page devoted to Uno de Juno. Oh well, so much for original thought, but I'm celebrating today by showing two different buyers homes :0).

Real estate, has been hopping. You may have noticed I skipped May altogether... or maybe not, consider it my gift of vacation to you. It has been extremely busy in these parts, best first half of a year i've had in the last 3. Prices are still down, but homes priced according to market and that are in good condition, move quickly. Rates are great still, it is still a great time to buy... just be ready to pull the trigger on an offer when we walk into the perfect home, or someone else will. We haven't seen that dynamic in a couple years either.

The ligers are off to a great start, we have won 3 of our first 4 games, still can't get past our nemesis team. Golf is in full swing and I'm actually starting to play respectably (knock on wood) this year. Rain must be my switch. Kellys playing in a league this year as well, but between rain and travel, she has only been out once this year. Maybe tonight. Haven't had the motorcycles out much, tough to ride when all you do is hydroplane.

Jessy and Anthony are working on getting their first home in preparation for baby number 1. Hopefully they'll close and be moved in by the end of June. Not sure if she wants me to broadcast this, but grandbaby number 5 is going to be a girl. Bella is sooo happy.

Dave, Lauren and the tribe are great. Still can't tell the twins apart, I had it down pat when they were new, but not at all for me these days... I just refer to them as the twins, I figure I'll just ask them who they are when they get old enough to tell me. Austin is a complete hoot right now. He stepped out of babyhood to all entertaining boy. Bella just takes it all in stride, there's a lot of dudes around her, she really seems to enjoy spending the night with G-diddy and MeMa for some reason.

Well that's all for now, need to get out there and celebrate this grand holiday. As always, I truly appreciate your referrals. Without them, a Realtor has nothing.

Dave

Whew got this done even before I mailed my taxes in...

2011-04-14T13:30:00.002-05:00

Sorry about the delay, believe it or not, I've had a ton of requests to step on the gas and get the blog out this month already. I figure if I can find the time to scrape my tax return together, I sure as heck ought to be able to whip up a little blog material.

This has been one of the busiest March/April spring booms I've seen since I became a realtor. It's even dwarfing last years surge due to the Tax credit. We may be turning a corner.

Real Estate One reports last week that we are down to about a 4 - 7 month inventory of homes compared to about a 14 month inventory last year this time. That in itself doesn't equate to a sellers market or increased prices... there's a lot of time between now and then, but it's a positive step in the right drection.

One of the strangest phenomenons currently is that even though it is a "buyers" market, there aren't enough quality homes available to meet the buyers needs. Thats usually what happens in a sellers market. The explanation is simply the condition of foreclosed homes and short sale homes and the high percentage of those as a total of homes for sale. (making the assumption that homes owned by someone with equity and a desire to move are in better condition overall).

That said... I'd really love a referral from someone you know that wants to sell. Priced right, they fly off the shelves today... completely opposite of what was happening a year ago. And I'm out of inventory as of April 29th.

Interest rates continue to teeter around the 5% +/- mark... now is the time to buy a home. (call me).

As for Club Hendo:

We couldn't be any busier. Kelly has been traveling quite a bit for work, thankfully the weather has been too marginal to worry about getting the motorcycles out (yet). We're both getting ready for Golf leagues, they begin the first week in May, and of course the Ligers started spring training last Saturday with our first softball practice. League starts April 25, pray for sun.

Dave & Lauren are busy as heck with their tribe, Austin called me grandpa the other day for the first time. I may have my facts wrong, but I think it was his first actual word... if not, I'm claiming it anyway. Just delivered the wood for Bellas new swing set (some assembly required). Anyone know how heavy a 16 foot 4"x 6" is or how far it sticks out the back of a 7' bed pick up truck? I do... and it is really heavy and it sticks out roughly 9'. Thankfully no Troy police observed my trip home. The twins are starting to get chunky finally. I think Dave & Lauren finally discovered they had 2 more kids and started feeding them :0).

Jessy came home last week for spring break, we spent some time shopping at baby stores with her... getting pretty excited for her new addition, should be late September, hopefully just in time for G-diddys 50th birthday. Anthony and Jessys jobs are going well, Anthony picked up a winter coaching gig at his school to fill the gap between football seasons. Who knew a football coach could be a great girls badminton coach. He is currently full stride into the season, and has propelled the girls from a winless season last year into a team that has now won some games and understands what competition really is... not sure they love the tough physical training part, but so goes life with Coach Bels.

Thanks again for all your referrals, Kel & I truly appreciate the trust you place in us with your family and friends. Have a great tax month... see you in May (Go Red Wings)

Dave

Spring fever is here.

2011-03-01T11:19:00.003-05:00

I can tell spring is in the air. I've had a noticeable uptick in inquiries about real estate the last couple weeks. Folks are getting a little anxious for the spring feeding frenzie we all hope is around the corner.

Just received some info from the local mortgage rep... rates have been teetering around the 5.25% mark for a bit. Also got the scoop on the real estate Federal Tax that was slipped in on the health care bill. It appears it's the real deal effective January 1, 2013. It's a 3.8% tax and as it relates to real estate, it appears to be a capital gains tax, but there are a lot of caviats.

First, it is not imposed on all real estate transactions, only on the gains less losses of a real estate transaction. It is only imposed on individuals with an adjusted gross income over $ 200,000, and couples with an adjusted gross income of over $ 250,000. I put this info out there since I've had a lot of questions recently about the rumored real estate tax in the bill... by all means, check with your accountant especially if you are planning on selling a rental property after January 1, 2013.

I wanted to give out a shameless plug for a doctor in the Troy Chamber of Commerce. He told me at our meeting this morning that he is looking for companies that would like to offer a free perk for an employee appreciation day. If you think your company would be willing to have Dr. Todd Camarata and his crew come in and give employees massages on their breaks... give him a call. He did this at my office in December and everyone loved it. Call Dr. Todd at 248-338-7477 and tell him I sent you. You won't regret it.

With Spring around the bend, my Ligers softball team is lined up to start playing around mid April. First break in the weather we'll start practicing. Kel & I are chomping at the bit to hop on the motorcycles. Uncle Jim has his annual trip down to the St Pattys parade in Detroit on the motorcycles. We've gotten pretty lucky a couple years, and we've been kind of unlucky a couple years weather wise. We're hoping for Sunny and 50.

The cold and flu season has hit the fam hard. I've been texting a lot the last couple weeks due to my failing voice... if you don't get a verbal reply from me, but a text... you know why. Sorry and thanks for the patience. The grandkids all had strep throat, and flus, but at last it seems like we're all breaking out of it.

Anthony and Jessy came home last week to meet the twins. We took advantage of the time to have Austins first birthday party a few days early. He loves cake, and doesn't mind feeding himself. Mema didn't even stress out about cleaning blue frosting off everything in his vicinity.

As always, thanks so much for your referrals. They are appreciated. I am really putting the push on for listings these days though. It seems like anything listed these days that isn't a short sale gets good traffic and sells (pricing is critical though). Not sure I'm ready to say the market has bottomed out or not, but there are good signs of activity the last few months.

If you know anyone considering selling their home, even if it's months out... I'd love to talk to them. I do a lot of consulting, and don't mind at all getting to know your friends and family... you never know when they might need a great Realtor.

Thanks and have a warm March

Dave

Only three months away from better weather...

2011-02-08T16:43:00.005-05:00

Only a few more weeks away from the spring real estate rush. Historically spring brings all the shoppers out. When? Tough to nail down but it usually coincides with sunny days and people coming out of hibernation. If you're thinking of selling, the time is now to get your home on the market. If you're a buyer looking for the right window, the time is now to beat the rush. Why compete with all the procrastinators on offers?

Interest rates are still low, financing is tough right now, but I know people. Appraisals are still tough but sellers are becoming more understanding of the market after so many years of frustration. If the Realtors do their homework during negotiations of an offer, the actual deal is typically closer to what an appraiser will approve when the time comes. It pays to go with a professional, again I know people :0).

Enough of that ... big news on the home front again. So the twins were born last month, and like a week later I get a call from Jessy asking if I was ready for grandkid number 5. Before I could spit out "what did David and Lauren do?" She told me she and Anthony were going to have a baby around September/Octoberish... Big time fun these days. Sadly I'm afraid he/she will be a Bears fans, but who could really blame "it"... i'm sure we can secretly convert the youngster to a Wings fan though.

Stay tuned for more news as it develops.

Jaxon and Carson are doing well. I had Carsons i.d. dialed in by the shape of his right ear, but the last time we were over, even that changed a bit. not sure I'll ever get them sorted out. I told the kids they better not shuffle them, that could really mess them up later in life especially if one of them has to get finger printed for work or something. Austin and Bella are doing great, Bella seems to enjoy helping, Austin just keeps saying "whats that" and pointing... Austins first snow storm yielded him an awesome fort... "whats that?"

Kel & I are fine... just watching a lot of t.v. buying time for better weather to hit and the bikes to come out of storage.

Thanks again for all your referrals. Don't be afraid to send folks my way for consultation these days. It's such a tough market, there are lots of folks with lots of questions... I'm happy to help.

See you in March

Dave

The only thing constant is change...

2011-01-12T13:32:00.003-05:00

Wow, that's a big logo. Not sure how to shrink it, so I'll only keep it here for the month.

Lots of news in Real estate this month, but I'm saving that til last... Lauren delivered the twins she's been hiding from us for the last several months on 1/10/11. Dave tried to talk the nurse into waiting til the cool birthday but none of the women would cooperate. Jaxon Paul came first at 6 lbs and some change and Carson Michael hit the streets at just under 5 lbs. both about 19 inches long. Good thing they came, it looks like Jaxon was hogging all the food from his brother in there.

Mom and babies are doing great (see pics lower right column). So 4 kids under 5, and 3 under 1 year old... glad I set the diaper standard for grandpa early (none ever). :0)

Jessy & Anthony came to visit over the holidays for a couple weeks... we had a great time, shopped ... a lot... and took Anthony out to teach him how to shoot clay pigeons. He's a quick study, and after his first confirmed hit, his football nature came out and it turned into a competition. I don't want to tell you who lost, but it wasn't the rookie.

Yours truly made an office change just before Christmas. Real Estate One in Troy is where I hang out these days. I mailed my 2011 calendars with the new business card. If you didn't get one, the post office goofed, or I don't have your current address. send me and e-mail, and I'll shoot one out a.s.a.p. All my contact info remains unchanged so please and thank-you... feel free to send me your referrals as always.

On to Real Estate news. Across the board Realtors are talking more and more optimistically about the state of our market for 2011. Interest rates are inching up, but remain under 5% (4 3/4 - 5%) lately depending on credit scores and type of mortgages and length of mortgage.

If you were one of the unfortunate group that fell on hard times 3 years ago and had to either short sell or were foreclosed on... depending on the type of mortgage you apply for, you might be in the clear to gain approval for a new mortgage. Bankruptcy requires a 2 year wait, FHA loans and victims of short sale a 3 year wait.

If you are anxious to jump back into the property ownership game, and want more information, give me a call... I'll turn you over to the right individual. Then lets start looking for that deal.

May 2011 bring you health wealth and happiness.

Dave & Kelly Henderson

Let the count down begin... 23 days til Christmas...

2010-12-02T12:23:00.002-05:00

Where the heck did the year go? None of you probably even noticed that I skipped the November blog. Between closings, holidays, elections and any number of a thousand excuses, I just didn't do one.

I thought on such a cold snowy start to the holiday season, I better do some catching up. First off, Homes have been selling like hot cakes. 5 closings in November is even better than the bunch I was able to close the first of the year. It ain't over yet, but thankfully this has already been the best year in about 4 in my business... no records, but steady for a change.

A couple nuggets from the closings this month should shed some light on the market in general... My first one was a first time home buyer... the search process was quick and we found a home that wasn't bank owned or a short sale. His mortgage broker broke a record in getting the approval and it was a seamless transaction. The second one was a home that was priced well,in good shape, and in a marketable area. I mentioned priced well because that's key today. I listed it Friday, and we had an offer by Sunday. Might be a record for me. Number 3 took a little longer but was a nice family colonial on a great street. It was my listing and we got through the appraisal and inspection process with flying colors, but the mortgage for the buyer took forever it seemed. Underwriters are dragging people over the coals these days before they'll write a mortgage. Number 4 and 5 (o.k. I fudged a little but they should have closed in November) are slated to close tomorrow (fingers still crossed). I mentioned mortgage underwriters, both deals have great borrowers but the mortgage folks have delayed both closings for over 3 weeks now for a myriad of reasons. It's tough out there folks, no matter what you read about how easy it is to get a great rate on a mortgage, you still need bordering on excellent credit to get one.

All said, this is still a great time to be a Realtor and to buy a home. I spend a lot of time these days consulting on all kinds of Real Estate issues. Feel free to call if you have any of your own.

The fam is great. Bikes are put away for the winter, and we're settling in for hermit season. Big plans this month are a visit to Chicago with Bella to the American Girl store (don't ask me... I just go where Kel tells me to go). Anthony and I will have to find some male bonding experience in Chicago to avoid boredom. Jessy & Anthony are planning a trip here near Christmas, so we have that to look forward to. Dave & Lauren are well... Lauren looks like she could have the twins any second now... they need a little more time to make sure all their parts cook as long as they can, but you know how twins can be... Did I mention it's going to be 2 boys? Austin has gotten so big already... he's not walking yet, but he stands pretty good, and he talks... but it's some kind of language I've never heard before.

Gordy has been out hunting with me a few times and so far I haven't left him behind... Dave and Anthony went with me a couple weeks ago. We were able to help Anthony get his first taste of bird hunting... good times that day, and no Dick Cheney incidents.

I'm sure there's tons I haven't talked about but shame on me for skipping a month. See you in January... have a great holiday season

Dave & Kelly

p.s. a sincere thank you for all the referrals you've sent my way... Your family and friends are an important part of what I do.

Another month slipped by... 79 days until Christmas...

2010-10-07T08:13:00.003-05:00

We should be hearing Christmas music at the stores any day now.

For now, Fall is definately here to stay, cool crisp evenings, hit or miss warm days, leaves turning colors... love this time of year. I've been reading much about economic improvements in the news. I'm hopeful that you all are feeling a little confidence in your personal economic situations. We may not be on a huge uptick, but I get the sense that we have at least stabilized in Michigan, and a slow methodic recovery is on it's way.

I think I mentioned earlier this year that I had one of the best first quarters in real estate that I have had in the 10 years I've been a Realtor. Most of my profession chalked it up to the free Obama bucks that were enticing first time buyers into homes. There was a marked stall in my personal business in May, but it has been steadily improving over the past several months. The last week in September ended with an accepted offer on one of my listings, and 2 accepted offers for buyers I'm working with. 3 in one week is a rarity these days. Q-4 always proves out to be strong in my business matrix, and with a strong supply of good homes, great low interest rates (teetering between 3.7% and 4.5% in some cases), and a little confidence restoration in our economic climate, I look forward to fall 2010 standing up to years past.

Thanks as always for your referrals... Always treated as my own family, and very much a vital part of my business.

On to the fam...

September was just a busy extension of the rest of our fun filled summer. I figured with the wedding behind us, we'd slow down a bit. Trying to balance an increasingly busy real estate market with family stuff is difficult at best.

We went with Dave & Lauren, Bella and Austin to Yates Cider Mill. Bella rode Snickers, and taught Austin how to climb a tree (pics below). Dave is busier than ever traveling for work, and Lauren is busier than ever working and chasing after two kids, the youngest just figuring out how to manipulte the stairs.

Jessy is full swing into her job in Chicago. We stopped out there last month for a visit, and saw her new office and school... very nice. We got to watch Anthony coach his high school football team and sadly saw a rare defeat. They are a ranked team in Illinois, and we naturally showed up for the game of the century against another ranked team where they fell 34-32... Awesome game though... see pic below for candid photo opp of coach Bels.

My Ligers Fall softball team logged in a 10 - 2 record and went undefeated in playoffs for the third trophy this year. Good times playing ball with Dave jr. This old man sat most of the season nursing my sprained ankle and then followed it with a pulled quad muscle. Better be a long winter so I can rest up for spring ball.

Went to San Diego with kelly last month while she was away on a biz trip. Lots of fun for a pseudo vaca. More so for me than her. I golfed a couple times and sat by the pool. Not a bad gig really. She continues to accel at QEK selling in a tough economic environment.

Haven't quite put the golf clubs or the motorcycles away yet, but I think it's just about time.

See you next month, Maybe a recipe for Thanksgiving coming your way... let me think about that.

Welcome to Fall, where did this summer zip off to?

2010-09-03T09:07:00.002-05:00

I've never been much of Hallmark Holiday kind of guy, but I just noticed Grandparents day is September 12th this year... I never knew there was such a thing, but what the heck. I suppose it's not even a bad thing to have to share that with Keldo since they don't give us each our own day.

Interesting factoid about Labor Day... The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. It became a federal holiday in
1894, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshalls during the Pullman Strike (a wilcat railroad strike). President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Now you know...

Rough real estate news the last couple weeks. Nationally it appears that the slow down everyone feared after the expiration of the first time home buyer credit is on us. The good news is that NOCBOR (my local real estate board) reports the 27 % decline in the number of sales from June to July doesn't represent the number of sales contracted in those two months. It represents the number of sales closed according to NOCBOR. There was a decline in the number of contracted sales in Oakland County from June to July, which at this point appears to have only been about 4%.

August’s Oakland County figures for sales contracted appear as though they will be slightly, better than July’s figures. Here is a list of contracted sales (expected to close) by month: March - 1,688; April - 1,844; May - 1,434; June - 1,559 and July - 1,495.

In short, making a one month assessment of the local real estate market is a little misleading given the wide range of dates between contract date and closing date due to the length of time it takes these days to close short sales (3 - 6 months is typical). Also using such numbers does not allow for seasonal differences in sales, a huge impact during vacation months.

So never fear... we are still seeing market improvement despite what you may have read online.

The Fam...

Things are great, although we haven't seen much of anyone this past month, catching up on life and work after the wedding. Almost zero miles on the motorcycles this summer. My fall softball team is off to a great start at 5 wins and one loss (which we will avenge next Wednesday night). Golf league is almost over, and Kelly & I head to San Diego this month for 5 days (she's working I'm going along for the free ride). Lauren & I have birthdays this month... as Dave jr. pointed out this is my last year to be considered the old young guy... I'm heading into young old guy status (49 this year).

Thanks again for all the referrals... I closed a couple sales this month that were referred to me by friends. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

See you in October.

Dave

So much to report, so little space...

2010-08-05T15:27:00.004-05:00

Slow news month in August... I suppose Dave & Laurens anniversary and Woodward Dream Cruise 2010 is going to be the highlight. August 21 is the date (for both)... all the cool kids are going to be there. the photo above is a 1965 Dodge Dart I restored about 10 years ago (with a little help from friends). I miss hanging out on Woodward with it after I sold it, but the motorcycles allow us quicker access to parking near the Avenue.

Now lets talk about real estate, that way you'll get good information before I bore you to tears with the wedding and the surprise I promised you last month.

Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel and Bankers home loan have teamed up and introduced an interesting new program for "sidelined buyers". What is a sidelined buyer? A sidelined buyer is one that for any number of reasons can't participate in the purchase of a new home right now... but specifically those that may have been forced into selling a home in a short sale. There is a required waiting period before a short sale buyer can get another mortgage... therefore they are sidelined and can't take advantage of the great home deals and interest rates that are out there right now. Give me a call if you are that buyer, and I'll put you in touch with the right people at Bankers Home Loan to see if you qualify.

Interest rates are still unbelievable, and prices are still great. Give me a call to get pre-qualified for a mortgage if you want to jump into the fun pit.

Now for the events of the last couple weeks...

I'm not even sure which of the kids to start with... either one is going to blame the other for being a thunder stealer.

Jessy & Anthony got married July 30th in Chicago... what a great wedding they had. The kids planned the whole thing themselves down to every detail with little input from us for sure. All I can say is they have pretty unbelievable taste. Anthony surprised Jessy with a ride to the church in a 1969 Rolls Royce... I got to tag along with her & Kelly. I told Jessy & Kelly that i am a lucky guy to have been able to walk down the aisle with 2 of the most beautiful brides ever. I tried breaking my ankle 4 days before the wedding playing softball... thankfully it was just a bad sprain and I was able to walk her down the aisle and do the daddy daughter dance without a cast. I posted a couple pictures here, but if you have a facebook account, friend me and you can see a bunch more random shots from attendees. The legit pics won't be ready for a few weeks.

Dave junior was a groomsman & Lauren was the matron of honor... both gave great toasts at the reception. Bella was the flower girl, and enjoyed spending the day with Aunt Jessy getting her hair did and make-up like the big girls...

We welcome Anthony into the family, and can't wait to see them again when they get back from their honeymoon in Cabo. I hope they wait to have kids though until we settle down a little from her brothers big news... (nice intro to this months surprise)

Dave & Lauren are expecting again... we were happy and a little concerned at first because the newest addition is due Early February. His/her arrival will be just before Austins first birthday... Irish twins anyone? O.K. now for the big news... Laurens having actual twins... that's right Irish triplets. Whoah what a houseful that's going to be. G-Diddy times 4. I posted a scan of the latest ultrasound, wierd I know, but I asked her for it so I could verify for myself that it was in fact twins. Second opinions always help. Something told me I should have looked for a 5 bedroom house when they bought in October, but who knew...

Finally... the Troy Ligers sponsored by Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel (me) took second place with a 10-3-1 record in our innaugural softball season. We are hot and heavy in the middle of playoffs currently. Possibly 3 games this coming Monday night. Stay tuned, I'll post our trophies next month when they don't get overshadowed by weddings and grandkids.

Thanks again for your referrals. I am experiencing a very good 2010 so far. Through mid July, I already have sold twice the volume sold in the same period 2009. That is only possible with the help of family and friends that refer clients to me... I appreciate the help.

Thanks, and see you next month

Dave

Happy Independence Day.

2010-07-07T16:18:00.003-05:00

Sorry to be so late with the blog, I know how you all sit around waiting for it every month. Hopefully you all had as much fun as we did hanging around with family and friends celebrating the nations birthday. While we were watching the fireworks in Clawson the other night, the question about where the fireworks tradition began came up... well by now you know if I don't know the answer to something, and can't make up a reasonably believable fabrication, I'll research it here. Wikipedia says this:

On July 3rd, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations (fireworks), from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.

Now you know the rest of the story :0)

Well this month, Kelly celebrates her birthday, it's not the big one, or even a big one, but I'm still struggling with what to get her after celebrating almost 30 of them with her... maybe something for my motorcycle :0).

The next couple weeks is a full list of Jessy to-do's. She is moving into her new condo this weekend, the bachelor bash is sneaking up, then the wedding at the end of the month. Seems like this year has zipped by.

Austin and Bella continue to be the best gift kids can give their dad... not being greedy or anything, but I can't wait for more grand kids :0).

On the real estate front:

I continue to roll with buyers. The feds extended the drop dead date for the first time home buyer credit from June 30th to the end of summer. The extension only applies to purchase agreements already written before April 30th. The extension allows a little cushion for banks to get approvals completed, and short sales negotiated.

Still a good time to buy though, prices are low, and there's a bunch of inventory... just make sure you're patient with your realtor, there's tons of stuff he/she needs to navigate through to get a deal done.

Thanks again for the referrals. They are appreciated. See you next month with wedding pictures.

Uno de Juno... Can I make up my own holiday?

2010-06-01T11:00:00.002-05:00

Not to minimalize Cinco de Mayo, but I like the sound of my new holiday better. I'm betting about 70% of those that read this aren't reading it today (Uno de Juno), but are more appropriately either recouping from, or extending one of the best Memorial Day weekends I can remember in about 15 years. That's no problem, you can wish me a belated happy holiday when you get back to the grind.

As for Memorial day... it is one of the few days the feds set aside to honor those that have made the supreme sacrifice in defense of this great nation. Not many days pass that I don't consider our armed forces, and their contribution to my freedoms. Keep memorial day alive 365 (another slogan... dang I'm full of 'em today)

As we expected, the April 30 deadline on the first time home buyer credit slowed the traffic a bit. The good news is that estimates show a pretty good clearing out of a lot of old inventory in the local housing market. Offers written by the deadline, have to close by June 30th, so we won't know until then the full impact the credit had on the market.

That said, I am working with several buyers, so traffic for me personally has been steady. I've submitted 3 offers in the last 2 weeks, and have 2 closings coming up in the next 2 weeks. Steady traffic for the first half of the year. Keep the referrals coming. I truly appreciate the trust you place in me with your friends and family...

Speaking of family :0)

We are rapidly approaching the wedding month. Lots of busy work getting ready. We had the Detroit bridal shower/golf outing last week, and the Chicago shower/golf outing this coming week. Too many pics to do justice posting them here... you can go to facebook for the full review if you want. If we're not friends already, send me an invite... I stay realtor neutral there.

Austin is growing like a weed... he is almost sitting up on his own. Kind of funny in a mean way watching him sit there until he face plants on the davenport (facebook friends will get that). Bella turned 4 last month, but I swear i think she's 14. She can touch the bottom of the pool this year... and keep her head out of the water... at the same time.

Kel & I are doing well. We've had the bikes out for a few rides, I've been golfing a bit, and my softball team is off to a great start with a 5-1 record... and only a couple minor injuries (if you don't count a broken arm by one of the players).

Thanks again for a great start to 2010... can't do it without a little help from my friends :0). See you in July.

Dave

Spring is here...

2010-05-06T13:12:00.004-05:00

May has turned into a crazy month these days... May 2, 3 and 4 we have Anthony's Bellas and Dave jr's birthday. May 8th Kelly & I celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary, It's hard to believe I'm that old, but Kelly??? for sure. UPDATE - Kelly just noted it is 28 years not 29. I suppose now I am going to need the extra year to save up for the really nice trip I'm going to have to plan for our 30th to make up for my poor math skills :0)
May 9 is Moms day (in case you haven't bought your cards yet, and May 27th Jessy's birthday (not to mention Memorial day). All this activity is one of the reasons the blog is a couple days delinquent... sorry about that.

I was going to blather on about the history of Cinco de Mayo, but I missed my opportunity by a day. Besides I was informed by a cab driver in Puerto Vallarta a couple years ago that it's really not a national holiday in Mexico. From what I can gather on the internet, it is celebrated in one state in Mexico, and at numerous bars in the U.S. Any reason for happy hour and a buritto I suppose.

Gordy is still living with us. I haven't reached the end of my rope with raising a puppy quite yet. Although, if anyone has any suggestions for curbing his need to dig all the plants in the back yard up, I'd love to hear it.

The countdown to the wedding is well under way. A shower this month, another in chicago next month, then the big day For Anthony & Jessy in July. Jessy is feverishly applying for work in Chicago. She has had a few interviews already, and feels pretty confident with her prospects.

Dave, Lauren, Bella and Austin are great. Bella has really accepted her new brother into the fam with open arms. She's lightened up on G-diddy a bit. I can even walk in and say hi to Austin first without being shunned. Sorry no new pics this month, we had sort of a snafu on the computer... all my files mysteriously disappeared (pics and all). I was able to recoup the important ones, and I had backed up a bunch of stuff last month, but we have about a one month vortex.

Golf league started this week, and Dave jr and I have a softball team that has a record of 2 - 1 already. Just trying to keep up with the young guys, but it's getting harder each year.

As for Real Estate... The first time home buyer credit expired April 30th. There was a huge flurry of activity for about 3 weeks prior to that. Needless to say I am off to a pretty good start for 2010. It doesn't appear that there will be an extension of the credit, so the industry has a wait and see attitude right now about the affect the expiration will have locally.

The good news is, I think we saw a pretty good amount of homes flushed from the system. Now if we can just keep steadily improving, we should be in good shape moving forward. I picked up 3 new listings this week, and still have buyers in the pipeline... all is good with the world.

As always, I truly appreciate the referrals you graciously give me. Hopefully you know by now, your family and friends are my family and friends.

See you in June.

Happy Ostern everyone...

2010-04-05T14:13:00.003-05:00

While I was with the family yesterday celebrating the defining day for Christians around the world, someone asked what the word Easter meant. In keeping with last months definition, I figured i better look into it. That's what old age does to you, you start to actually get concerned with things you've never given much thought to.

There are two relatively accepted potential origins of the word Easter... as with many holidays, it looks like there is a pagan root to the word as well as one not associated with the pagan term.

Eostre - was a pagan Anglo-Saxon Goddess. The mythical figure is said to have been the goddess of the sunrise and the spring. The direction of the sunrise, East, is named for her. In Norse mythology, the name is spelled Eostare. Another considered the Norse/Saxon goddess of spring is Ostara. Eastre is believed to be an ancient word for spring. -OR- Another idea involves the history of the Frankish church (Germans who settled in Rome during the fifth century). There the celebration of Christ's resurrection included the word alba, which means white (the color of the robes worn during the resurrection festival). Alba also meant sunrise. So when the name of the festival was translated into German, the sunrise meaning, ostern, was selected, likely in error. One theory is that Ostern is the origin of the word Easter.

So there you have it.

We also celebrate April Fools day in our house... It has become a little tough around here to fool anyone since they all live so darn far away. Phone gags just don't have the same flair. I am always a little nostalgic for a couple of the pranks I pulled on the kids this time of year. Like the one year I stopped at Little Caesars to pick up a couple empty pizza boxes on my way home from work. As I drove by the kids playing in a neighbors yard, I raised the empty boxes and slowed down so they could get a good look... they raced me home that night, and needless to say, Kelly & I had to pack the fam up and take them out for pizza that night. They still get a chuckle out of it though... memories.

Oh yeah... what about real estate? Well it has been very busy lately. Mortgages are getting tough to obtain, and the first time home buyer credit expires in just 25 days. If you want to take advantage of the credit, this is literally zero hour... call me today.

FYI, Senate Bill 395 was introduced in Michigan recently, it requires property tax assessment notices to be sent to property owners at least two weeks before the meeting by the local Board of Review. Last week, the Bill passed out of the Senate, and is now awaiting a hearing in the House Intergovernmental and Regional Affairs committee. This bill would allow us property owners sufficient time to gather the required information necessary to fight our assessments. I'll keep you updated on this one.

For the family... all are doing great, Jessy & Anthony are starting the countdown to the wedding (late July). Looks like everything is in order. Dave Lauren Bella & Austin are doing well, Austin is growing... what an eater. I had a three day stretch with him wrecking my shirts while I tried to burp him... I think I'm leaving that task for the professionals from now on.

Kel & I have had the motorcycles out a couple times... the recent string of great weather has been very encouraging. Golf and softball, look out, here we come.

Thanks again for all your referrals, I appreciate you passing my name on to your family and friends. See you in May.

The Ides of March...

2010-03-03T08:55:00.003-05:00

Thankfully I only post to my blog once a month. Do you realize how tough it is coming up with interesting stuff to post that often? Notice I'm 3 days late on this one... mainly because i've been busy, and procrastinating.

I was thinking this morning about March sayings, and I've already posted about in like a lamb out like a lion stuff, and probably way too much St. Pattys info (as if there could be way too much St. Pattys info)... so the Ides of March came to mind... then I thought, what the heck are the ides of March... here's the research :0)

The term idūs (ides) originally referred to the day of the full moon. The Romans considered this an auspicious day in their calendar. The word ides comes from Latin, meaning "half division" (of a month).

The ides of March is the name of March 15 in the Roman calendar. The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C.

Whew, I got that off my chest :0)

I mentioned earlier that I have been busy this month. Thanks to you and your referrals, this has been the busiest first quarter I've had in the last 8 years in the real estate business. I'm sure part of the business uptick is due to the first time home buyer tax credit that expires soon, but I'm thankful for the head start into 2010.

Speaking of the credit... it is 10% of the purchase price up to $ 8,000 for first time buyers, and $ 6,500 for buy up buyers, and it expires April 30th. As of this writing you only have 58 days to write a Purchase Agreement, so call me today.

On to the family... This has been a pretty exciting month for Clan Hendo... in fact I am already prepared for the grief I'm going to get for headlining this months blog with the Ides of March.

Mema and G-Diddy are proud to announce the arrival of Austin James Henderson on February 23. He was 8 lbs 14 oz. and 20 inches long with a pretty good amount of dark hair. Lauren and Austin are doing great, and the family couldn't be any more proud... we now have 3 generations of Hendersons in Troy. David now has 2 options for the hockey/baseball/football player in the family.

Kelly was on a business trip to Florida and arrived at the hospital from Metro at about 5:30 pm... Austin arrived at 6:30. He's a good listener out of the gate... Kelly told him before she left to hold off until she got home. Bella is adapting very well to helping mom with baby chores, but I think she's going to follow my lead on only helping to change "certain" diapers. In fact if she's followed my example at all... she might just avoid all of that scene.

Anthony and Jessy came in for the weekend to hang out with the family to enjoy Baby Austin. I've posted a few pics to check out.

As always... thanks so much for indulging me on my blog... Thanks also for all your referrals. Your family and friends are my family and friends.

See you in April, maybe I'll be posting some motorcycle photos by then.

Not sure how the groundhog became the annointed one...

2010-02-02T13:39:00.004-05:00

But I wish they'd pick a rodent with a better climate... a little more conducive to non shadow seeing.

For all you snow lovers, I apologize. It's my fault this year. I donated my old snowblower to Dave & Lauren, and bought a new one, figuring that if snowfalls this year were similar to last year, I could use a manly machine. As it stands now, I've started it once, and that was simply to make sure it worked. It's bad when you have to start a monthly maintenance program on your new snowblower that includes starting it once a month, (just because) and lubricating all the moving parts.

Gordy is now 8 weeks old. He's a really cute dog with an attitude to boot. If he and I remain friends through his house training, he'll make a pretty good hunting dog I'm sure. We've lost nothing of value (yet), but he really likes to exercise his choppers. Bella especially is not a big fan of that since she is just about the perfect size for him to nibble.

Bella is getting ready for her new brother to join the fam. I'm sure Lauren is past ready to have him here. I think we're expecting his arrival around the end of this month or early March.

Kel & I went to Chicago to check out the reception hall for Anthony and Jessys wedding this summer. They have an event the last Thursday of each month where wedding families can taste test all the food. It was all pretty good, so I wasn't much help trying to whittle down the choices. We took a road trip with the kids to Milwaukee and toured the Miller plant and made a stop off at a restaurant I used to think was pretty cool (the safehouse). Turns out after 25 years, it's not as cool as I thought it was :0)... sorry guys, but it was just an hour and a half each way.

Kel & I are well... nothing new to report, just working hard and trying to stay warm. Just a mere 3 months before golf and motorcycle season is on us... I guess I can last.

Just a reminder to all... the First time Home buyer tax credit expires April 30th this year. Anyone wishing to take advantage of a couple Obama bucks should call me today. Purchase agreements have to be accepted by April 30th, and the sale has to close by June 30th. O'B's are also available for anyone that would like to buy up from their existing home... give me a call for details. the same time lines fit both categories.

Sales have been steady the first part of the year so far... I'm optimistic. 2010 is going to be a break out year for us all.

As always... thanks so much for your referrals. Your family and friends are what make my business great. See you next month

Dave (& Kelly)

Happy New Year... Funny how fast a decade flys by.

2010-01-04T11:14:00.002-05:00

Hey all

Is it me or does it seem like it was just last year we had a Y2K scare that sent everyone out to Lowes buying generators? 10 Years have flown by, and as I think back on the decade, life as we knew it in 2000 is vastly different than today.

In 2000 we had a flourishing economic picture, both of my adult kids were in high school, we just moved into our current home, and I was contemplating a career in Real Estate. There was no talk of terrorism, 9/11, weapons of mass destruction, or anything other than a normal fear of flying.

Fast forward to this past week... I have a grandchild with one on the way, my youngest will be married in July this year, both kids have settled into great careers, and Kelly has kept me around for another decade. Although we have been experiencing our share of economic uncertainty... we still live in a great country with more opportunities at our fingertips than most of the earths population.

Things have been a little sluggish in real estate around the holidays this year. I'm currently working with several buyers though, so the first quarter 2010 is shaping up to be a good one.

First time home buyer credit is still available until April 30th, and move up buyers can get $ 6,500 as well... if you're thinking about a move... give me a call.

Christmas was a blast, Dave & Lauren spent it in their own home, so it was a bit quiet around here. I also failed to bring the camera over for Christmas eve or morning, so this year the pics are pretty scarce. Anthony & Jessy came to town after Christmas, and we were able to spend some quality time with them all over the holidays.

Kelly decided to surprise me with a new "son" for Christmas. He's a chocolate Lab named Gordon Howard (no surprise as Gordie Howe is Kels favorite sports figure ever). Gordy apparently helps fill the void left when the kids moved out with Bella. No sense enjoying being empty nesters I suppose :0)

I hope you all have a happy New Year, full of family friendships and prosperity. See you in February.

Dave & Kelly

Is it me or was this the fastest year in history?

2009-12-03T11:43:00.004-05:00

Hard to believe 2009 is practically behind us already. Last week we were able to reflect and express thanks for all the great things in our lives... families, friends, freedom and our good fortune to have been born in the greatest country on the planet.

This month we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It seems sometimes that fact is lost in the hussle and bussle of Black Fridays, Christmas parties, politicos that try to remove him from the holiday that it is. Just imagine showing up to a surprise brthday party for yourself, and although everyone is celebrating, no one there says happy birthday or even acknowledges that it is you... the reason for the get together... Awkward :0)

Just keep the reason for this great holiday in the front of your mind as you wind down the year. If I see you and say Merry Christmas, don't be offended or take it the wrong way... if your faith differs, wish me a Happy Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanza or Festivus. I respect your freedom to celebrate your religion the way you see fit.

The real estate world has been vibrant the last month. I reported great activity for November (5 closings in a 2 week span). That is the best 2 week snap shot of time I've had in my 9 years as a realtor. The good news is the feds extended the first time home buyer credit through April 2010, and added a $ 6,500 credit for current home owner/buyers (again through April 2010).

First time buyer by definition is anyone that hasn't owned a home in the past 3 years. Current home owner/buyers must have lived in the home they are selling for at least 5 of the last 8 years they have owned it. Income limits for these credits are $ 125,000/year single and $ 225,000/year for married couples. Max price of home for eligibility is $ 800,000.

So give me a call... there are tons of homes on the market under $ 800K, I'll find the perfect one for you.

I just mailed out the new calendars for 2010... if you don't receive one this week, it means I probably don't have your current home mailing address. If you'd like one for your fridge, e-mail me with the details, I'll get it out this week.

Fam news...

One of the 5 closings I had this month was for David Lauren & Bella. They found a great home in Troy, not too far from either grandparent. We've spent a significant amount of "bonding time" removing wallpaper, carpet, bathroom fixtures and painting. They moved in completely the day before Thanksgiving. Still a little work to be completed, but don't all homeowners have a never ending list of stuff to do? We were able to off load most of the pantry and fridge, and surprisingly, I have managed to lose 5 lbs. since Thanksgiving. A testiment to their ability to cook for sure. Bella wasn't too sure about why we moved all her belongings out of her room and into her new strange house... it looks like she has warmed up to her new hot pink room with princess castles all over the wall though.

Anthony & Jessy came home over the holiday and were here almost an entire week. They're going to kill me after reading this, because I didn't take one picture to post. Not even a record of our second annual (and potentially final) Fryball Friday. We stoked up the turkey frier at 11:30 and started frying Anthonys Ponzeratis (sp), corn dogs, a huuuuge assortment of dessert pies, chicken wings pickles... enough frying to make the average healthy adult run screaming for a bottle of lipitor.

Last week was a prime example of why I enjoy Thanksgiving above all other holidays. Relaxing with the whole fam...

Kelly & I got the bikes out for the last couple fair weather rides in November... not sure if we are anxious enough to keep our streak alive. I have ridden my motorcycle once a month for 52 months... if we get some nice breaks this winter I'll keep it going, but No way am I doing a repeat performance of last January. It was 28 degrees when we finally found our window of opportunity to ride.

Thanks again for all your real estate referrals. We sincerely appreciate every new client/friend we meet. Have a great Christmas Holiday, and we'll talk again in 2010.

Happy early Thanksgiving...

2009-11-02T08:27:00.005-05:00

Any of you that have kept reading the blog each year know how much I love Thanksgiving. It is the one time of year set aside to reflect on all you are thankful for without the added stress of Santa Clause, or the Easter Bunny... if they ever turn the turkey into a Thanksgiving icon... watch out.

I changed up the look of the blog a little this month... hope you like it. Make sure you scroll down past all of the blog entries and check out all of my listings, and for sure check out the business partner section. Lots of great people to do business with there. I've worked with them all at one time or another, they'll treat you like family.

This month is a busy one in real estate. The home buyer credit expires Nov. 30th and as a result I am jammed up with closings. Unless you're a cash buyer, you've missed the window at this point. The feds are contemplating extending the credit, but have postponed voting on it a couple times. Rumor has it they are thinking about an extension through June 2010... time will tell.

I stumbled onto something the other day from my Coldwell Banker office. There is a little known tax credit available to sellers that have sold a home worth less than their SEV. Apparently this has been on the books for several years, but until the last couple years... has not been that important. In a declining market however... you may be entitled to a little tax money back if you've sold a home in the last few years.

A seller does not have to pay the State of Michigan portion ($ 7.50 of the $ 8.60 per thousand) charged at a closing. The property must have been a homestead (not a second or income property), the SEV at the time of sale is equal to or less than it was when you purchased the home, The current sale price does/did not exceed the true cash value (2 times SEV) at the time of sale.

You must file for this exemption within 4 years of the sale of the home in question. I have a form I can e-mail you. All you need to do is complete the form, check with the city your home was in to make sure the SEV to sale price meets the criteria, and if you are due a refund... wait for the process to take place. Let me know if you think you are entitled to a refund. On a $ 200,000 home, the refund could be as much as $ 1,500.00

So for the family...

Last month I was reminded that I failed to put any details about the engagement party for Jessy & Anthony. I mentioned we were going in the September Blog... but must have blacked out prior to writing the October blog. Oops, sorry Belmonte fam. We did attend the party in early September in Chicago. It was a great opportunity to meet new family members, and renew acquaintences with those we've already known for a while. Sort of a pre-cursor to the wedding next year, this is gonna be a fun one. Only thing missing was the shotski... whoever is in charge of that better make sure its at the reception.

Anthony finished his high school football coaching debut season with a 6 -4 winning record... up from last year. They plan on heading home this coming weekend for a couple days to hang out at Club Hendo... where there are no wave offs :0)

Dave & Lauren are past the biggest hurdle on their new home... the appraisal. All is set for closing we think around Nov. 12th ish. They are balking at having Thanksgiving at the new place though... maybe next year. Of course Fri-ball Friday is happening the day after with the turkey frier... anyone have any ideas for interesting things to deep fry, feel free to send them my way. We fried just about everything in the pantry last year...looking for fresh ideas.

If you noticed the pics to the right, Bella was a hoot carving pumpkins last week. She was all about cleaning the guts out of the pumpkin... until she actually saw them, then pretty much turned on G-diddy and his slimey pumpkins. Oh yeah, she's all of a sudden decided to call me grandpa, sounds pretty grown up... stupid pre-school.

Kelly & I went on a color ride on the motorcycles last week. Weather was brisk, but no rain. Probably time to put them away for the seaon, just wish we'd have been able to put a few more miles on them... maybe next season.

Hate to sound like a broken record, but thank you so much for all your referrals. Without your family and friends, Real estate transactions are tough to come by. Everybody knows someone in real estate... hopefully I'm your go to guy.

Happy Thanksgiving... see you in December.

This months recipe... Ginger snap pumpkin cheesecake. I made this last week for a dinner party and it was great. If you don't have a spring form pan, go out and get one. You won't regret it.

INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• ¾ cup graham crackers crushed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 TBS flour
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, graham crackers pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Blend pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust.
4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

I give up, I've accepted fall...

2009-10-07T16:14:00.004-05:00

This month I want to start by saying thanks for all your referrals over the past two months. I have been busier this Summer/Fall than I've been in the same time period over the last three years. Ahh the good old days :0). I'm certain the first time home buyer tax credit (which expires Nov. 30), is largely the reason. There are still about 2 or 3 good weeks left to be able to search for a home and get in on the credit before it expires... call today if you're interested. At this point, no short sales or foreclosures, but I'll find you a great privately owned home that we can act on quickly if you're interested.

Interest rates are teetering about 4.9 % for a 30 year fixed mortgage... and home values (prices) have been dropping at a steady 10 - 15% again this year. Who wouldn't want to buy a house right now?

That said, we have been seeing gains in unit sales since the first of the year, and a decline in new listings... that is a recipe for recovery of the real estate market in most every professionals view right now. Clearing inventory out decreases supply and increases demand. Not sure how far out, but if the trend continues values have got to increase (and so will prices). This is the perfect time to buy.

On to the family... One of my referrals this month was Dave & Lauren. They put an offer in on a home in Troy. If all goes well, we might see them close early November... which means Gramma Kelly is going to have her work cut out for her stripping wallpaper and painting. She's got to make sure everythings done for Thanksgiving at Club Hendo II.

Bella began pre-school this month, and is having a good time. We're not sure how we're going to cope without her here everyday after they move. Good thing their new home is close.

Anthony is full swing into the football season, coaching a local (to Chicago) high school team, and I'm sure dreaming big dreams about Da Bearz going to the super bowl this year... The Lions did step out of their way last week, so they could get one game closer to the prize. Jessy is working full time in a school with autistic children. She is gaining lots of experience these days, and seems like she's enjoying life after college.

Kelly & I are great, we just closed the pool, and are moving Club Hendo back indoors. We haven't had a lot of opportunity to ride the motorcycles this year... we do have a Sunday trip to Lapeer planned to go to the drag strip. Should be a good time, weather permitting.

Again, thanks so much for letting Kelly & I help out with your friends and family and their real estate needs. We truly appreciate the business, and please know that we treat them all like they're our own family. See you after Halloween.

Dave

P.S. no pumpkin seed recipe this year... but how about a little hot spiced cider? Great beverage to settle under a blanket Sunday afternoon while falling asleep to a Lions game :0) Enjoy

•3 quarts apple cider
•12 whole cloves
•1 cinnamon stick
•1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation:
In a large saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Strain and serve hot spiced cider hot in mugs. Makes 12 cups of hot spiced cider.

Labor day marks the end of summer for most...

2009-09-10T09:34:00.002-05:00

But did it really even get here this year? I'm not sure it was the exceptionally long winter or the unseasonably cold and rainy summer, but I'm just not ready to go to fall so soon.

The only redeeming factor is that despite the lack of heat outside, the real estate market is beginning to really get hot. I have been very busy this last month or so. Some of the increase is due to the fact that once you find a nice home for someone... there's an offer on it already, so it's back to work. This is a great thing for the economy, but buyers are suddenly finding it challenging to get the perfect house. I've even experienced multiple offer bidding on a few homes recently, something we haven't seen in several years consistently.

I have to believe that it's the first time home buyer credit expiration date (Nov. 30, 2009), but this might be just the feeding frenzie we need to propel us into better days.

Speaking of the first time home buyers credit... it's 10% of the home sale price up to
$ 8,000.00 given at tax time next year... get it while it's hot... Call me, I can find you that home, I've even perfected locating homes that are not short sale or foreclosures, because we all know... getting involved in those is a long process, and will definately put you in jeopardy of missing the credit.

You have a window of between today and October 25th (ish) to buy and close to get your 8K.

As for the fam...

All are doing well, we had a great time on our staycation over Labor Day. The pool was warm and the sun was sort of out. Bella started pre-school this week, and I'm sure is doing way better than all the rest of the kids there. Lauren began her new career at Lamphere schools, and quickly discovered she was working with the wife of someone David was in Iraq with... it is truly a small world. David had a little stomach surgery this month and is recouperating like a champ.

Jessy & Anthony are doing well, Jessy started her new job in Chicago a couple weeks ago... we haven't heard much about it yet, but we are heading to Chicago tomorrow for their engagement party and I'll be able to gice you a pretty full report next blog.

Kell & I continue to plug along but we've both been so busy that there's not much free time activities to report on... that's a good thing.

As always, thanks so much for your referrals. I truly appreciate the support you continue to give.

Dave

The Dog Days of Summer are here...

2009-08-05T11:27:00.002-05:00

I've probably said that phrase dozens of times in my short lifetime, and never gave it much thought. As I began to type it in the title I wondered what the heck does that mean? So in my never ending quest to assist you in your day to day life through my blog... here's an interesting nugget of information to get you through your day... The term "Dog Days" was used by the Greeks, as well as the ancient Romans after Sirius (the "Dog Star"), the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun. The dog days of summer are also called canicular days.

The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose just before or at the same time as sunrise. The ancients sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather. Now you know :0) (source Wikipedia)

Speaking of Sirius... Siriusly Good news in real estate... Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6% to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May, and is 6.7% above June 2008 when it was 88.7. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was in July 2003. This is good news for our area for sure. There's still a lot of real estate to be sold before we see any significant increase in home values, but we have to start somewhere, and (knock on wood) it appears that we are beginning the slow climb out.

Be sure to check out my listings link above... there are several homes I currently have on the market that need a good owner.

The fam is doing well... Kelly loves her new job, and has spent a lot of time traveling the first month. Not sure if getting a break from me is the major contributing factor to her love of job or not though. We haven't spent a lot of time on the motorcycles these days. The weather has been uncooperative at best, seems like whenever we get a break in the action to ride... Mr. Rain is threatening and we decide to stay home.

Lauren accepted a position with Lamphere Schools this month, and is beginning her new career in the next couple weeks. Jessy is just about finished with her summer off between school and beginning her career in Chicago. Anthony is starting his coaching debut with a local (to Chicago) private schools football team. David continues to accel at his career with TACOM... it's hard to belive it's been almost a year since he returned to us from the Army.

Bella continues to brighten our home, and at 3 she can just about swim end to end in our pool without adult assistance.

We really appreciate your help as we continue to grow the real estate business. Without your referrals, this tough market would have been a lot worse... Thanks so much for your help.

See you next month.

Dave, Kelly & the rest of the occupants at Club Hendo

Happy Independence day (belated)

2009-07-09T08:28:00.004-05:00

Hey all, it's a little delinquent I know, but I'm finally getting around to the blog this month. Optimistic news seems to be showing up everywhere for our state. Here's a little ditty I dug up from Foreclosures.com Michigan: As the auto industry has unraveled, foreclosures in the motor state have soared. Yet the Michigan Association of Realtors reports residential home sales as reported by 41 of its local associations are up more than 8.5% YTD as of April over year-ago numbers. The Detroit Board of Realtors reports sales up a whopping more than 23%. Affordability is the name of the game. At least 15 Michigan local Realtor associations report average home prices statewide off more than 30% over year ago numbers in April.

What that means is... prices are down but sales are up. People are finally starting to realize the time to buy is now because of the bargains out here. This is a critical recovery piece for our real estate market... the quicker we can get some of this inventory out of the system (even at all time low prices), the quicker we will see the shift toward a sellers market and some stability. We need that perfect fulcrum balance between a buyers and a sellers market to stabilize.

As I prematurely announced last month, the stimulus package Gurus were supposed to be defining a way to use the $ 8,000 first time home buyers tax credit as cash down at closing... after beating our heads against the wall for a month, there is still no sign that this will happen. Still, $ 8,000 from the feds April 15th is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick... so hop on board the stimulus train, call me and lets find that home.

Now for the Henderson news:

June and the July holiday season has been fast paced. Jessy relocated to Chicago, and has been working in a residence caring for Anthonys grandfather for the summer. Her new job begins in August, and shes very excited to get her career off and running. Anthony invited us to Lake Geneva for the 4th of July... it was sort of a pre-sample of how crazy our chicago wedding might be next summer. We had a ball getting to know his family a little bit better. We took the motorcycles out there and other than breaking Kellys handle bars... Anthonys maiden big trip went pretty much without incident.

Bella is getting so big and really likes the pool this summer. Her swim classes have given her tons of confidence, and she's starting to use her skills to really swim short distances. Dave & Lauren are expecting my second grandchild... looks like a March arrival. Not sure how mema and g-diddy are going to be able to spoil a second one as much, but we'll give it the old college try. David is rehabbing a torn mcl in his knee these days... he's not sure how or when the tear happened, but it could be "an old Army injury". Jumping off tanks is tough work... i did it once, They're really tall.

Real estate is hopping for me, it's been a busy spring/summer, and quite a bit of activity still on the horizon. Kelly has settled into her new career at QEK and loves it. The great thing is her office is located about 2 miles from home... she even pops home for lunch frequently.

Thanks again for all of your referrals... I truly appreciate the confidence you place in my service. Next months blog I will try to be a little more prompt with.

2009-06-01T14:07:00.000-05:00

Summer is almost here... just wish the weather would show us.

2009-06-01T13:49:00.004-05:00

Hey again. It's that time of month. May soared by without too much to report. Softball is in full swing, golf season has begun, and motorcycles have been ridden... just wish the weather would change a bit to make it more comfortable to ride.

Red Wings are hot & heavy in the battle for the cup, with a pretty good head start into the final series. As you can see by the pics below, Dave got a block of tickets for us all to go to the second game of the Wings Hawks series. Anthony & Jessy blasted home for the day and went with us. We told Anthony if he was going to wear the jersey, he needed to take the helmet... just in case there was an incident. Turned out there were plenty of hawk fans there, so although he took a little verbal heat, there were no attempted assaults that night (other than the one in our front yard).

Jessy & Kelly took the week last week in Chicago scoping out the church, hall and other assorted stuff required for a wedding. I stayed behind fully understanding my place in this whole affair... just tell me where, when and what to wear. Bella's already to dance with me, but I think she's going to enforce the no beard rule... I think shes tired of it. Just wish she was old enough to understand Red Wing traditions.

Kelly just received good news on the job front... she should start her new gig this week. She is relieved and very excited. She passed her drug test with flying colors... good thing Jessy warned her away from the poppyseed muffin the other day.

Real estate is kickin'... mostly first time homebuyers, but that market has got to take off in order for the "trickle up theory" to take hold.

Note the blog entries below... June 10 is a seminar for first time home buyers held by Coldwell Banker Schweitzer. I'll be there, and there's limited space available, so please give me a call if you'd like to attend this informative meeting. Learn all about how the stimulus package is shaping up to be a real motivator for first timers.

Also note the cycles for sight flyer below... great charity bike ride for the Shelby Lions on June 7... Kelly & I are participating again, and would love it if you wanted to join our "gang".

See you all next month... hopefully the weather warms up by then.

Thanks again for all your referrals... I sincerely appreciate them.

Dave

Where has the winter gone???

2009-05-06T14:32:00.002-05:00

At last a break in the bad weather. The bikes are out, and Kel & I are trying to find time to ride. Softball is well under way, Dave & I found a team to play together on. My goal in life was to keep playing long enough to be able to be on a team together. With the goal met, lets hope I still have a couple good years left.

Golf league just began this week, I apologize in advance if you go to voice mail after 4:00 on Tuesdays. I promise to make it up to you on the weekends.

April was full of Henderson news. Jessy graduated from Western with her masters in Speech Pathology. She found work in Chicago, and plans to move there when her graduation trip to Disney is over. Her & Anthony decided against Mexico due to the risk of swine flu recently. I told her I was sure it was just montezumas revenge, they just now have a name for it.

Anthony, Dave & I hit the links last week for a quick round of golf. I was heading toward a respectable 40 something when Anthony decided that he needed to ask if he could marry Jessy. I told him it would be o.k., but then I hit an 8 on the last hole plunging me into the 50 somethings... He did say he hesitated to ask for fear of wrecking the round, but do you think that stopped him??? He proposed and Jessy accepted the other night (hence the delay in getting the blog out, I told him I would wait so he could make this months edition).

Kelly & I are both very excited to welcome Anthony into Club Hendo... We are now confident that both kids have chosen a path of longevity in marriage through fine spouse selection... just like Kelly did :0)

Speaking of that... Kel & I celebrate 27 great years of marriage May 8. It has been a great 27 years with a prefect soul mate. Full of surprises and twists, but great none the less. May is turning into one of those months that requires weekly parties. Anthony, Bella, David & Jessy all with birthdays, our anniversary, mothers day and of course Cinco De Mayo.

Kelly continues the career search... she has had many interviews with 3 very good possibilities on the horizon. We're confident that she'll land a job soon, and this will be just another blip on the radar of life.

Enough of that... Real estate is cranking up. This is the busiest spring I've enjoyed in the last three years. I am hopeful that the activity reflects an improvement in our economy, and an end to the market slide we've been in for the past five years. We're not seeing increases in prices yet, but if we continue to sell the inventory out there, pricing will have to follow.

My business is built on referrals, and I appreciate each and every one you have provided me. If there is anything I can do to assist your friends and relatives, whether it is simply advice, or transaction assistance, please don't hesitate to pass along my name and number.

Thanks, and see you in June...

April Showers bring May flowers...

2009-04-03T13:14:00.003-05:00

I wish I had a better joke to use every April, but I'm just lame enough to use the same old tired one... If April Showers bring May flowers... what do May flowers bring? You guessed it... Pilgrims.

Finally it is starting to feel a little bit like spring around here. My toes are beginning to warm up, and we've actually been on the motorcycle a couple times. We opened up portions of Club Hendo in the back yard yesterday... it looks like we'll phase the other areas in as weather permits.

The photo this month... I thought it was appropriate to commemorate April Fools Day as well as State making it to the final four. I'm not much of a b-ball fan, so consider this pandering to all the rest of the sports junkies out there.

Jessy finished her internship at Beaumont last week, and is relieved that she only has one more paper, and her formal graduation in April... then she officially joins the work force, and adulthood. The day Kelly & I have been waiting for... getting her off the payroll :0). We couldn't be any more proud of her accomplishments. She worked extremely hard to earn her Masters from Western Michigan. To celebrate, her & Anthony are heading to Mexico later this month to relax for a week. I think she's considering a move to Chicago for employment. We'll miss her around here, but at least it's not California.

Bella is doing a great job potty training... this will be a huge step toward her independence... since G-Diddy is a little reluctant to have grandfather grandaughter outings. I'm not real big into the diaper thing :0). Dave & Lauren enrolled her in a swim class at the Troy Community center, and she just passed her class. It is funny to see how comfy she is in the pool compared to last summer when she moved here. Dave & Lauren continue their efforts to fatten me up with good home cooked meals everyday... just can't resist the alfredo.

Kelly & I keep plugging away. March has been very busy with real estate. I've written a few offers, and have a few more buyers I'm working with... much better start to '09 than '08. Kelly is actively seeking a new sales position, and has had several good interviews over the last couple weeks.

As for Real Estate...

This is a market that still strongly favors buyers. A recent client locked in on a 30 year mortgage with a 4.62% interest rate. The stimulus package offers first time home buyers an $ 8,000.00 tax credit, and there are a llllooootttt of homes on the market to chose from. Spring is here, if you are interested in selling a home... right now is the time to list to take advantage of the busiest activity time of the year. If you are a buyer... there are tons of deals to be had, you need to give me a call today so I can help you find one.

Thanks once again for all of your referrals. I truly appreciate the trust you place
in my ability to service your friends and family.

Let me know how I can help, and have a terrific April.

How to effectively appeal your property tax assessment

2009-03-03T16:25:00.004-05:00

http://www.gophouse.com/publications.asp?District=41

Hey guys, as promised the above link is an in depth look from our local representative on how to put together an appeal. Cut and paste the address into your browser then click the link in the body of the newsletter on how to appeal and follow the instructions.

Naturally since this newsletter is from my local representative Marty Knollenberg, your community information will be different, and some of the forms may be different as well.

I hesitated sending this information out because of item number 8. Obviously since I am a realtor, I have access to the information required for you to put a tactical assault together for your community. I am happy to do this for you, but after struggling with trying to determine how many of you might reach out and ask me to do the report, and knowing if I have 200 requests for this information how many hours I'll be sitting in front of the computer compiling it for you... I am asking for a nominal fee of $ 25.00 to provide you with an in depth Comparative Market Analysis that will be specific to your individual home and neighborhood. The city of Troy is using 10/01/2007 through 09/30/2008 as their comparison time frame to fight your taxes today... just make sure you provide me with the appropriate dates for your city when asking for this report. I am limited to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties for the most accurate information.

Let me know if you are interested... I hope the information is helpful

March - Officially the last completely winter month of the year...

2009-03-01T13:02:00.003-05:00

Thank goodness there's light at the end of the tunnel. I was telling Kelly the other day, this is the first year ever that I was wishing I was in a sunny climate already. I've always been a big fan of our awesome Michigan season changes, but the continuous string of single digit and low teen temps has made toe-cicles out of my feet. Bring on a little bit of that global warming already :0).

In case you missed all my recent blog and spam interruptions, quite a few changes have taken place in my business lately. I am firmly settled in at Coldwell Banker Schweitzer. All of my business has made the transfer, I have cards and signs now and am 100% full steam ahead, and ready for spring selling season.

My new office is great, the people are warm friendly and professional, and it is conveniently located so I can service clients at a more centrally located facility
(18 & Rochester Rd. in Troy).

Thanks so much for all of your congratulatory remarks and wishes for success with the move... I appreciate your thoughts.

As for the stimulous package... if you know anyone remotely interested in buying their first home... send them my way. The new package allows for a first home buyers tax credit of $ 8,000.00. What a bargain !!! All you have to do is stay in your home for three years and there will be no repayment required. That $ 8,000.00 can go a long way toward remodeling or vacationing... heck on a $ 150,000 home, it could pay 6 or 8 months mortgage... buy a new home, stay there free for 8 months, that's huge.

I don't know about you but I've received several e-mail notices and snail mail postcards from politicians promoting "how-to" seminars to reduce your property taxes. I haven't personally sat in on one yet, but plan to in the very near future. Could be a lot of political hype, but I'm sure we should be able to gain one or two valuable insights in our down turned market.

As for the fam... All is well on the Hendo front. Our semi Irish family is anxiously waiting St. Pattys day. I remember about three years ago going to the St. Pats parade in Detroit on the motorcycle and it was actually warm... that's a mere 16 days away.

Lauren enrolled Bella in swimming lessons at the Troy community center. It is amazing how comfortable she is in the water... just last summer she was a bit afraid to jump in the pool. Can't wait to splash her this summer.

Dave recently joined the Army Reserves and travels to Ann Arbor once a month for his weekend committment.

Jessy completed her resume' and is currently circulating it to try to locate a job in her clinical fellowship program... it looks like she is determined to move to Chicago... Anthony hasn't been around much this month, but I need to mention his name so he doesn't think I forgot about him :0).

Kelly's back is rehabilitated, and she's been playing hockey again with her team. She had a short relapse after hitting the free weights at lifetime last week, but it looks like just a small setback. I guess she's not going to be able to catch up to my guns this year...

Thanks again for your referrals... make sure you mention the $ 8,000 stimulous tax credit for first time home buyers and pass my name along... Your friends and family, are my friends and family.

See you in April

Dave

Nothing is constant but change...

2009-02-14T14:18:00.004-05:00

Hey again... Lots of stuff happening this month. I just wanted to point out the new look on the right side of the Blog... I have recently made a move to join forces with Coldwell Banker Schweitzer in Troy. My new office is near 18 mile on Rochester Rd. It's a little more centrally located for me, and makes it much easier maintain contact with the office throughout the course of a busy day.

My 6 years at Century 21 have been productive, working with a great group of people... this new change will be essentially in appearance of my business cards, your fridge magnet, and yard signs. All of the great services you are accustomed to with me as your realtor stay in effect. My contact info is all the same, so feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions you might have .. or referrals you may come across.

As always thanks for your help with my business

Dave

2008 v 2007 Sales Stats

2009-02-06T16:34:00.001-05:00

Happy February... Punxsatawney Phil saw his shadow...

2009-02-03T14:25:00.006-05:00

Legend has it that means six more weeks of winter is in store. I don't know about you all but I'm not sure I can take another six weeks. You know it's bad when the temp hits 34 degrees and you're o.k. to go outside with a sweater on. Talk about being conditioned for winter.

Between all the women in our house now and the constant battle of the thermostat, I just can't shake the chill.

January was pretty uneventful around here. We are settled in with Jessy and her dog and Dave Lauren & Bella... our routine is pretty much established. Kind of fun at dinner time with three families performing our own version of Iron Chef Hendo. Jessy is somewhat of a stir fry freek, Dave & Lauren seek out the occasional fish dish, I stick with the meat & potato's, and Kelly forages through the fridge for her typical salad or chicken... rotating in an occasional pot roast or pork tenderloin... No wonder I can't shake the last 8 pounds from Christmas.

Jessy is full throttle into her internship at Beaumont... she has her good days and her stressful ones... three more months and she's free of this phase of school. Anthony has popped over from "C" town a couple times this month to make sure Louie stays in line... and to get all of his vehicle maintenance taken care of at Hendos garage.

Dave has settled into his position at TACOM... he entered the superbowl pool this weekend from work and won the 4th quarter for a cool hundo. Lauren & Bella continue to amuse the whole house... Bella has enough energy for all 6 of us... I don't know how Lauren keeps up.

Kelly & I are plugging away at our jobs... no big news to report there. The pic you see this month is of David his cuz Cody and Gramma Nancy. I added it there because Cody is leaving in about 7 days for the Air Force. We had his going away party this past weekend. His brother Keith joined last year, and is currently stationed in Alaska. Just can't keep those McDonald genes out of the service...

Real estate seems to have stalled a bit. It looks like the $ 700 billion bailout hasn't trickled down to us common folk yet. Mortgage rates are still low, but it seems like the banks only want to sell money to perfect credit scores these days.

I'm sure 12 feet of snow on the ground, the new administration, and general economic "good news" daily is having an effect on sales as well.

Spring is just around the corner... lets hope for a quick thaw, and a fast start to a boom 2009 real estate season.

As always, thanks so much for your referrals. My business depends greatly on them. See you March 1st... hopefully we'll have the motorcycles rolling by then.

Happy New Year... Let's start '09 out with a bang.

2009-01-05T21:13:00.002-05:00

Hey all,

I know most of us are breathing a big sigh of relief that '08 is a memory. The New Year holiday is a time to reflect on all the great things we lived in the past twelve months though. I won't bore you with all the details... if you're interested, scroll through the past few months of blog entries to see why '08 was full of great changes for Kelly & I.

Although the house is jammed these days with kids and stuff, it is a far cry better than the empty house we've had for the past 5 - 7 years (for now anyway :0)).

Bella was asked to skate at a boys hockey team practice that was short a few players over Christmas break. When she got there Mema Kelly discovered they were skating with Chris Draper. She did very well with a little help from David & Kelly... Grampa as usual was pretty much useless on his skates. Got a few good pics though.

Christmas was very nice... we all pared back on the gifts a bit but it was the best Christmas in a few years having the whole family back for the holiday. We kept the Christmas Day tradition alive having dinner at Kubla Kahn, even though Jessy ditched us heading to Chicago to ski with Anthony that afternoon. Anthony made it up to me by getting me footie pajamas though... all is forgiven :0)

I'm sure I'm not alone in making New Years resolutions... The biggest one I made is the one about not breaking my new years resolutions before January is over. Naturally I'm going to eat better, exercise and lose a little weight, be a better husband, father and grandfather, and focus very hard on making my real estate business excel past the last three years.

Fortunately I can keep the first few without much outside intervention. The last one is going to require the same gracious efforts of all of you as usual, and possibly a little help from above :0).

We're days away from a new president, and economic issues and global unrest loom over our heads. Ronald Reagan understood like no one in recent history that a happy population is a prosperous population. My wish for the new year is for all of us to find the happiness and peace within us, so we can fight 2009 back into prosperity.

Real Estate is starting out well so far... We were able to end 2008 strong, and I'm working with several buyers currently, and some of my listings are seeing pretty fair amounts of traffic (even in January). A good first quarter is a great way to set the stage for the remainder of the year...

Thanks again for your referrals, I promise next month to publish a blog with substance :0)... stay tuned, and have a fantastic 2009.

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-01T16:34:00.004-05:00

Well, I considered a You Tube video this year, but just ran out of time to make it. Besides, it is a little awkward reviewing it later on and the kids think I'm a nut case anyway :0).

It's been a very busy month for me in the real estate biz. I've worked with several buyers in the last month, and am currently working with a couple more in time for the Christmas holiday. I've had a couple showings on my listings as well... people are still moving.

I have a four year streak on writing up Purchase Agreements on the night before Thanksgiving... Just goes to show if you don't take time off around the holidays, the business can be there.

We are still slow in comparison to years past, and the market is still lagging. Hopefully our new government will spark our economy, and the auto makers will get their cash soon, and our economy will get a jump start. Here's to great things in 2009.

The family news is probably going to take up a bit of blog space this month... hope you don't mind.

Dave Lauren & Bella are doing great. Bella has her first sled and we're anxiously waiting the first good snow so we can make a great snowman, and pull her around the yard. I even had to blow and bag the leaves so we don't wind up with a "hairy" snowman.

Daves job is going well, he's settling in and enjoying it.

Jessy was just accepted at Beaumont Hospital for her final semester internship. She is moving back home mid December to finish her education. Almost finished... now if we can just find someone to sublet her apartment in Kalamazoo, we'll be great. It's a houseful but it should be great having everyone back home for a while.

Anthony came in and stayed for Thanksgiving... naturally we spent just about every night playing Presidents and knuckleheads (thats the p.c. term for what the college kids actually call it :0). He has pretty much convinced me that I can't live without the new iPhone... can't wait until my latest phone contract is up. I think I'm all over it. You can tell the measure of a football man when he comes to your town and maintains an air of politeness even while watching your home town "team" get their butts handed to them on Thanksgiving (again)...

Kelly is on the mend with her back issues... the MRI shows she has a compressed disk. She started physical therapy a few weeks ago, and it seems to be working. Still no hockey for her, but she's not pushing it. David is helping her with all the decorations. Not sure which one is the bigger "Clark Griswold" of the two of them. She loves the decorations, and he had the boxes out of the basement three days before Thanksgiving (might be a record).

To finish, thanks so much for another successful year in the real estate business. Your help in these tough economic times are greatly appreciated. Thanks for thinking of me and recommending me to your friends and family... always appreciated.

You're calendars are in the mail in the next week or so. If you don't receive one, it may be that I don't have your mailing address. If you don't get it by Christmas... feel free to call me and I'll make sure my records are straight, and get one right out.

Thanks again, and Merry Christmas to all

Dave, Kelly & the Fam

3rd quarter 2008 Oakland MLS stats

2008-11-05T08:58:00.006-05:00

Click the pic for close up view of the stats

3rd quarter 2008 Macomb MLS stats

2008-11-05T08:41:00.003-05:00

Click the pic for a close up view of the stats

November - one of my favorite months of the year...

2008-10-31T12:06:00.003-05:00

Hey all,

I'll skip the pumpkin seed recipes this time and resist the urge for a seasonal you tube video (maybe December), and simply wish everyone a happy and peaceful Holiday season.

On the serious and business portion of our November blog, whatever your political views are (whether you're right or wrong :0)) ... make sure you go out Tuesday and excercise your right to vote. The last two elections were decided by hundreds of ballots not thousands or millions... make your voice be heard.

The two blog entries directly below this one are great articles regarding fall home prep and fighting tax assessments in a declining market. Both are relavent articles to brush up on.

As always thanks so much for your referrals. Your family and friends make the difference in my business. The last three years have been tough on my industry, but we keep plugging away, and find ways to sell homes and get buyers into the multitude of great opportunities that are available.

Click the above link to my listings to see what I currently have in inventory, and use the Century 21 search engine to look for homes in areas you might have interest in... For that matter, call me or drop me an e-mail and I can set up a search for you and send periodic listings of homes you may have interest in.

So you're all waiting to hear about the family I know...

Jessy is slugging out the toughest semester of her college career to date. She's doing very well, and is anxious for this to all be over in April, so she can join the ranks of the employed... so are we frankly :0).

Dave Lauren & Bella are well. Dave started his career at T.A.C.O.M. finally this month and enjoys it very much. He started playing hockey in an adult league, and other than a lack of wind, he's doing pretty well. Lauren has her hands full with a very active 2.5 year old. I have to admit, Bella has me-ma and G-Diddy wrapped. Christmas is going to be a real ball this year.

Kelly has been fighting a pain in her lower back (no that's not a metaphore for me), which has hampered her ability to play hockey this year. Still going through testing and treatments to figure it all out.

I'm finally recouping from all the aches and pains from softball... it's tough getting old. We haven't quite retired the motorcycles to the corner of the garage yet, but little time is being spent riding these days.

Let me know if I can help with any of your real estate needs, whether you need to buy, sell, or just need advice... always willing to assist.

Dave

Appealing assessed value - click article for full view

2008-10-31T11:54:00.001-05:00

This article was in this months realtor magazine... thought it might be interesting given our declining market over the past few years.

Fall clean up and winter prep tips...

2008-10-31T11:48:00.003-05:00

Hey all,

Cooler weather is on us, and we're all scrambling to get our places prepped for the winter ahead. Dave Jones of Accu-Spec (see link above) recently sent this out to his clients and I thought it was a good check sheet of things to do for winter prep. I figured I'd forward this to you... Daves a great guy and does good work if you need help with any of these items. His contact info is below.

FALL

Clean debris from gutters.

Make sure that downspout extensions are in place.

Turn off circuit breaker or pull fuse block for central air.

Furnace should be cleaned and checked by contractor.

Check furnace filters and humidifiers.

Check all exterior caulking and reseal as needed.

Install storm windows if present.

Install storm doors.

Check brick chimneys for mortar cracks.

Check roof shingles and flashings.

Check window and door weather stripping.

Winterize irrigation systems.

Turn off exterior hose bibs.

Winterize lawn equipment.

Tune up snow blower.

Check attic for proper insulation and ventilation.
[12-18" of insulation is recommended along with proper ventilation.]

Make proper reservations for warm weather destination for January or February... You will need it!!!

Please call if you need help preparing for this winter.

Dave Jones

Accu-Spec Home Inspections

248-393-1250

New bailout package... Daves thoughts

2008-10-06T07:38:00.005-05:00

Hey all...

Love the idea or hate it, we have a new new bailout package in place. My head has been swimming for two weeks trying to talk with people in the know, and analyze the info spilled on the t.v. from the talking heads.

For what it's worth, here's my take on it (from a Realtors perspective). The last several months we have seen banks tightening up standards for new mortgages as well as other sources of credit. Appraisers have been brutally adhering to stiffer and stiffer requirements placed on them by the banks. Unless you have spotless credit (a tall order these days), banks either deny loan applicants or bump them into higher interest packages.

Small businesses find it very difficult to obtain loans for cash flow, and even home equity lines of credit have been frozen (even if you were current on your debt repayment).

This tightening of the reigns is a direct result of mortgage companies lenient lending policies over the last several years, and the subsequent decline in the real estate market and plummeting home values. Many mortgages were written in the past few years for 100% of a homes value, plus a 10% equity loan allowing a buyer cash out, and no money down. Some professionals argue that too many loans were given to people that couldn't afford them in the first place... that's a topic for another day.

People, when faced with the realities of losing their jobs or taking wage cuts, often find themselves in the quandry of selling a home they have to pay the bank to get rid of... the result... they simply find it more financially beneficial to flip the keys to the bank and move on.

The bailout in theory allows the fed (you & I) to buy these mortgages off the banks books and relieve some of the pressure from them. This again in theory allows the bank a clean slate, and should make obtaining a loan (hopefully with a little common sense behind them) easier.

All that said... I am reservedly optimistic about the bailout. Can I say I was against it, but now I'm for it ? :0) (not to say I won't be against it again in the coming months)... no one seems to really know what the true outcome will be.

The real estate market and it's impact on our economy...

There are a few things we know about our economy today. Our auto industry is in trouble. We need to find a way to compete in the world market, or find replacement industry for our remaining work force. In the mean time, we currently have too much local business to support the local workforce and way too many homes on the market to be purchased by way to few buyers. The economy has a natural trickle down effect, and business will self level, and housing prices have been dropping and will stabilize sooner than later (we all hope).

While we wait for both to happen... this is a tremendous opportunity for buyers. I've preached this before, but if you are a first time home buyer or are looking for vacation home or investment properties, now is the time to buy. If you have stability in your income, and can qualify for a mortgage (I can help with that), housing prices are at levels similar to 10 years ago in some cases.

If you have a home to sell and want to buy up... now is the time. As long as you have equity and don't need to pay the bank most of the value of your home to get out, take your lumps on what you thought your house was worth, and know and understand the home on the other side (the high side) of the transaction is experienceing the exact same thing. You will undoubtedly make up the difference of the loss of your sold home plus plus plus on the buy side.

Take the initiative, price it smart, and you won't regret it. When we finally see real estate beginning it's rebound, we'll see the entire economy in detroit follow suit. That's how important your transaction and faith in our community are.

Give me a call if you need any advice about home values, obtaining a mortgage, or any general info about the market... I'm happy to talk.

Family...

At long last, David got out of the Army on 9/11 this past month. He returned home after a 32 hour drive from California on the 13th... just in time to go to the Lions game and watch them get crushed... but it was a good father/son outing anyway.

Bella & Lauren were pretty excited for him to come home as well, and Bella is soaking up tons of attention her dad is able to give her with his current vacation status. Dave was able to land a job at Tacom and starts work there on October 15th... thanks for all your support over the last 7 years.

Jessy & Anthony are doing well... Jessy is in the middle of her most difficult semester to date at Western, and can't wait until April when she is finished with her masters. Anthony is hard at work back in Chicago, and although he hardley rubs it in our face... gets to be a fan of three teams that are better than the Detroit teams... Too bad about those "Black Hocks".

Kelly & I are well, golf and softball are over, and bike season is just about to end. Kelly is playing hockey already this year, and I'm about to start my hibernation phase...

Again thanks for all of your referrals, they make my business flourish.

See you in November... after election day.

Fall is in the air...

2008-09-04T09:27:00.003-05:00

There has been a flurry of activity with families scrambling to get into their new homes before school begins. Interest rates are holding well, but mortgages are getting tougher to obtain with banks tightening policies regarding money down, appraisals, and credit scores.

It still looks like a pretty strong buyers market, but housing prices have stabilized a bit... check out the article at the bottom of this blog for a quick explanation from an organization named Global Insight... interesting reading.

I have several new listings this month as well as a couple in the works, and a few pretty significant price decreases. Hit the link above for my listings... I'd appreciate you forwarding that link to anyone you know that might be looking for a great home in the area.

The family is great... Dave came home for a quick 4 day weekend to attend a family wedding. Lauren & Bella really have missed him and Bella is being a real trooper about the whole move. She is counting down the days until he'll be home. He is released from the Army on 9/11, and will drive home with his brother in law... we expect him to rejoin civilian life with us around 9/14...

Jessy was home for two weeks for summer break and Anthony joined us for the wedding as well. She just returned for her final push toward her masters... she should be finished in April, and I know she's looking forward to starting her career.

Kelly & I are well... haven't spent a lot of time on the motorcycles. Between weather oddities and Bella (& Laurens) ice cream fixation we've been a little busy evenings.

We appreciate all of your support in our real estate business... your referrals are appreciated. Please don't hesitate to pass my information on to anyone that has a real estate need, or anyone that just has a question they need answered... I'm happy to help.

See you in October

Dave

Global Insight WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Insight, the world's
leading company for economic and financial analysis and forecasting, today
released the second quarter 2008 update of the U.S. housing valuation
analysis, House Prices in America, showing that single-family home prices
continue to fall across the country, though at a slower rate than last
quarter, and that extreme overvaluation of house prices is essentially
nonexistent, a sign the nation's housing "bubble" has popped and house prices
reflect a healthy balance in relation to long-term fundamentals.

Nationwide, house prices are down 4.8% from a year ago, this housing
cycle's peak high point. Prices fell in the second quarter in 152 of the 330
metro areas covered in the study, representing 46% of all single-family
housing units in the U.S. The second quarter decline of 5.3% (annualized)
compares with a 6.6% decline in the first quarter 2008, which represented 267
(81%) of 330 metro areas. For comparison, 295 (89%) declined in the fourth
quarter of 2007.

California, Florida and Michigan continue to account for the most severe
losses, representing 43 of the 50 worst performing metropolitan areas.
California and Florida had been among the most overvalued states for the past
several years. Michigan continues to struggle with the impact of a slumping
economy.

August is Dream Cruise Month

2008-08-05T08:51:00.004-05:00

The dog days of summer are here. Not sure how yours has been going but ours is zipping by fast. Bella has been with us for over a month now and we're enjoying every minute of her visit. She has overcome her dislike of the pool, she's becoming a pretty good golfer (just need to work on her take away a bit), but she misses her daddy. He exits the Army 9/11/08 and will be home within a week of that date... we all can't wait.

Woodward cruise is just around the corner (8/16)... can't wait, maybe we'll see you out there.

As for real estate... my business has picked up quite a bit with the help from your referrals. I appreciate the opportunity to help your family and friends. Below is an excerpt from MCAR's August magazine. I thought it explains pretty accurately the current state of our real estate trends. There's also a link at the bottom of the article to the actual MCAR website. If you copy and paste this link to your tool bar http://www.mcaronline.com/default.asp?id=16 and scroll to the bottom of the page there are two PDF files you can download that show actual stats for June '08 vs '07. as well as the second quarter numbers for both Oakland and Macomb counties. It lists the info city by city. Thought you might be interested in seeing whats happening in your neighborhood.

Again thanks for your referrals, Kelly & I aprpeciate the business.

Dave

Now for the article:

For just the second time this year, sales figures for Oakland and Macomb counties in June posted negative numbers. Oakland’s overall sales were down almost three percent compared to June 2007, and Macomb’s overall sales dipped almost two-and-a-half percent. It’s still an improvement over the 2006-2007 timeframe, when sales in the two counties dropped 10 and 11 percent, respectively.

Of the Oakland municipalities that posted the greatest sales increases,* the top three – and five of the top seven – had a median sale price in the five-digit range:

Oak Park sales increased 61 percent (median sale price: $40,000)
Southfield sales increased 45 percent (median sale price: $71,000)
Pontiac sales increased 37 percent (median sale price: $19,500)
Both Novi ($266,345) and White Lake Township ($200,000) saw higher median sale prices, but then Hazel Park ($29,500) and Waterford Township ($99,950) contribute to the affordability parade.

Speaking of Novi, it was the only municipality in June to experience a decrease in listings and an increase in sales, sales volume and median sale price.

Oakland municipalities that experienced sales drops included Rochester Hills (down 37 percent), Birmingham (down 32 percent) and Orion Township (down 27 percent). Interestingly, though sales were down, the median sale price in Birmingham increased 52 percent (to $432,500).

Macomb municipalities* experiencing year-to-year increases in June sales included:

Shelby Township, up 16 percent
Macomb Township, up 12 percent
Sterling Heights, up five percent
Macomb municipalities that experienced sales decreases included Washington Township (down 20 percent), St. Clair Shores (down 17 percent) and Roseville (down 15 percent). Just like Birmingham in Oakland County, Washington Township experienced a sales slide while the median sale price increased, this time by 20 percent.

* Among municipalities with 15 or more sales.

Happy 4th of July...

2008-07-07T09:41:00.003-05:00

It seems like the nice weather just barely got here and we're already half way to Fall.
This has been an eventful month. Lauren and Bella moved back to Troy to get settled in before Dave gets here in September. We've got them all set up in the house, and most of their household goods stored.

Gramma Kelly (me ma) and G-Diddy are having a great time getting to know Bella. She's quite a smart little girl, and although it's an adjustment having people in the house again after so many years of quiet time... we're adapting well and enjoying every minute.

David surprised us and popped in for the weekend on leave. He really misses his family, and it was tough to drop him off at the airport again, but he's got 66 days until he's home permanently... and he's counting every one of them.

Jessy & Anthony came home to join the fun for the 4th as well... it was a great time having the whole family back together again. We're a little exhausted, but there's plenty of time to catch up on our sleep.

Bellas learning to swim in the back yard, and we even squeezed in a few minutes to teach her the basics of a golf swing. Dave, Anthony, Kelly & I played a little golf this weekend. When Bella gets old enough, she's gonna make a pretty good cart mate for Gramma.

Real estate has been steady, I've been getting my share of listing appointments and have been working with several buyers over the last month. The May numbers from MCAR didn't show an increase, and in fact the average prices are continuing to show declines. Good buyer traffic is always encouraging though, and we'll just keep plugging away doing my part to clear out the local inventory.

Thanks again for all your referrals. They are appreciated.

Dave

Congrats grads...

2008-06-02T09:52:00.002-05:00

It seems like this summer we are bombarded with graduations and weddings. I thought I'd send a quick note out to all that we know about so far.

Anthony Belmonte - Western Michigan University
Clorrissa Pennington - Athens High School
Maggie Smith - Berkley High School
Rachel Coleman - Troy High School

June Weddings -

Keith & Rochelle McDonald
Rachel Bukowski & Dan Rutenber

All this means busy weekends in June for us. Congrats to all.

Jessy is back at school for part two of her grad program, she's busier than ever and is working now with older patients that have suffered from strokes. She really enjoys this new twist in her career path. Hopefully she gets really good at her craft before I need her services :0)

Lauren and Bella move home the end of June. She and David have been busy getting all their ducks in a row preparing for the move, and it looks like all is going to go smoothly. We expect him to exit from the Army mid September and return here... stay tuned for big sigh of relief.

Kelly & I are finally full swing into biking season, golf, and softball. The fun never stops.

Real Estate is alive and well... Had a very good May, and it looks like June is stacking up fine as well. Plenty of inventory out there if you need a home, right now is the time to buy. Metropolitan Realtor Magazine publishes monthly stats for the area. i just received the mag last week, and it looks like the first quarter of '08 sales units are up about 30% in Macomb, and about 9% in Oakland County. Total sales dollars are only up 2% for Macomb though, and down 10% in Oakland... that equals buyers market, and the results are falling prices still.

Interest rates are holding steady and I'm ready willing and able to help you buy your first home, or that investment property you've been talking about.

Your friends and family are mine.

See you in July

Dave

Happy Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-05T15:09:00.004-05:00

Hey all,

Sorry the blog is a few days late. I know you anxiously wait for it each month.
Spring real estate selling has begun. The nice weather has sparked some good activity for us this month. A recent Free Press article indicated that there was about a 19 - 20 month supply of homes on the market today. If no one else listed a home, and we sold what's on the market to the current volume of buyers, it would take 20 months to unload them all... = Buyers market. There is absolutely no time like the present to buy a home, whether it's your first one, or an investment property... there is something out there right now, that is absolutely perfect for you. And, I'm just the right Realtor to find it for you. Mortgage rates are great as well, so don't be shy, let's hurry up and buy.

This month Century 21 Town & Country introduced a new partnership with a property management firm. BEKA Management is ready, willing and able to help out with your property management needs. If you own a rental property or are considering buying one, BEKA can find tennants, negotiate leases, and coordinate lease with option deals as well. If interested in finding out more, give me a call... I'll put you in touch with the right people.

Enough of the business you say???

All is well in our house. May is a busy month... Jessys friend Anthonys birthday is May 2, My granddaughter turned 2 on May 3, Davids birthday is May 4th, and Jessys birthday is May 27... throw in Cinco de Mayo, Mothers Day, Memorial Day, and our 26th anniversary... we are busy in May.

Speaking of Cinco de Mayo... Kelly & I went to Mexico last week with Jessy & Anthony. Aunt/Cousin Kathy kept a close eye on my business for me while we were away. I told one of our cabbies I was disappointed that we were coming home before Cinco de May... we were going to miss all the hoopla. It turns out that Cinco de Mayo is essentially an American holiday. Who knew?

Kelly & Jessy went parasailing out over the Pacific, while Anthony and I bravely held their sunglasses and purses so no frisky banditos swiped them. We went to the bull fights, and I'll spare you the "gore". Suffice it to say that we didn't last the entire night night in the bull stadium... but neither did the bulls. Interesting sub culture down there to say the least.

Mostly hung out by the pool and enjoyed a much needed mental break. Learned all about the Peso... by the end of the week Anthony just told me to put my thumb over the last zero on the dinner bills so it would look like an American amount... that seemed to help :0).

Dave & Lauren are getting anxious for their return home this summer. Gramma McDonald & Marv gave Bella her first motorcycle for her birthday. Lauren tells me it's the closest thing to a motorcycle ride she's going to get until she's 25... let's see... she'd rather have me give her daughter a ride when I'm 70 and can hardly hold a bike up than allow a little 2 year old enjoyment... whatever :0) As always see below for nifty pics this month.

Well thats it for now... as always, your referrals are appreciated. Your family and friends are my family and friends...

Thanks

Dave (& Kelly)

April showers bring May flowers... I'll refrain from the lame Pilgrim joke this year :0)

2008-04-01T15:12:00.004-05:00

April Marks three significant things in the Henderson household. April 15th is Tax day... hopefully you're getting a refund. April 1 is my 5th year anniversary at Century 21, and April 1 also is my favorite holiday of the year, April Fools day.

I'm not sure why I like it so much, but my poor daughter Jessy usually gets the brunt of my "joy" each year. I've brought empty pizza boxes home from work and laughed as I held them up in the car window to bait them into a mad dash home for "dinner" (of course I paid for that one), I've dyed the breakfast milk green, I had Jessy call Mr. Lyon at school (naturally it was the Detroit Zoos phone number)...

This year, I needed an accomplice. I gave Anthony (Jessys boyfriend) the spare key to her car about a month ago. Late last night he stole it from her space, and relocated it to his apartment complex. Naturally this morning after a little panic, she located her car and was 20 minutes late for an appointment (because of her sophomoric fathers prank). Fortunately her professor understood and got a good laugh out of it, and her only punishment is to make up the assignment I made her miss. I suppose next year I need to find more constructive ways to amuse myself that don't disrupt her life... but we'll all laugh about it some day :0)

Dave & Lauren are anxiously waiting September when they get out of the Army and move back home (so are the grandma's & G-diddy). Kelly's company just finalized their fiscal year end, so our life should become a little less frantic.

Real estate is plugging along. I have some new listings, a few buyers I'm working with, and we're all anxious for spring selling season... if the weather actually starts cooperating.

Here's a few interesting stats I picked up from a presentation I did for a business referral group for the Troy Chamber of Commerce this month.

I ran numbers comparing 2006 to '07 & '08 real estate sales in Royal Oak, Troy & Rochester... if you are interested in a similar comparison for your city, give me a call, I'd be happy to do it for you. It helps to see things in print.

Number of homes currently for sale (inventory)
Troy = 597
Rochester = 751
Royal Oak = 708

Number of months supply of current inventory based on 2008 YTD sales
Troy = 12 months
Rochester = 12 months
Royal Oak = 11 months

Average sold price over three years
2006 2007 2008
Troy = $ 235,751 $ 200,098 <$ 35K (15%)> $ 190,390 <23% vs. Jan. 07>
Rochester = $ 253,419 $ 225,867 <$ 27K (11%)> $ 163,726 < 15 % vs. Jan. 07>
Royal Oak = $ 164,729 $ 139,800 <$ 24K (15%)> $ 114,359 < 11% vs. Jan.07>

($ 2,000 - $ 3,000 per month drop in prices = critically important for sellers
to pay attention to pricing for any chance of sale)

Rentals almost doubled from ’06 to ’07 in most markets
Troy number of homes for rent increased in ’07 by a total of 13% of all listings
Rochester number of homes for rent increased in ’07 by a total of 10% of all listings
Royal Oak number of homes for rent increased in ’07 by a total of 14% of all listings

These numbers are important to pay attention to when marketing a home. It almost doesn't even matter these days how well equipped a house is to a buyer. They just want a great price... and they'll find it. Banks are tightening up as well, the last word I received from a recent appraisor was that banks are now only allowing them to go back three months for sold comparables. Even if a home sells, there are no gaurantees the bank will appraise it for the buying price, which means the buyer either makes up the difference in cash, or the seller drops the price. Anything short of either situation results in a lost sale.

Words to live by when selling a house... location location location... price price price.

As always... your friends and family are my friends and family. I appreciate all of your referrals. See you next month.

Dave

Mona Vie is the latest craze... and really good for you.

2008-03-19T16:26:00.003-05:00

These days we're all striving to be the best we can be. Whether it's family, career or health, there's a lot competing for our energy.

I stumbled on an interesting product that has the potential to assist my current diet and exercise program and potentially add a couple bucks to the bank roll.

Mona Vie is a relatively new fruit juice to the market place. It is a blend of several fruit juices with the main draw being the Acai berry. It has all the phytonutrients and antioxidants your body needs to stay healthy. The product I purchase has glucosamine to aid in joint strength. The product is packaged in wine like bottles, and all you need is a shot of Mona Vie in the morning and one in the evening to see the benefits. It also tastes really good.

I mix it in my protein shakes before a workout. It's a real meal replacement that way as well for anyone trying to watch their intake a bit. There's a rumor that a shot with vodka makes a nice Mona-tini, and hangovers may not be as bad... we'll have to test that I suppose.

The other benefit (and it's a biggie) is that the product is only available through Mona Vie distributors... Michigan is a relatively new territory for the product, and although I have been a bit of a skeptic about multi level marketing programs in the past... this one actually has a product that is beneficial to health, and one I actually personally use. A distributorship runs $ 39.00. A very small price to pay to get in on the ground floor of a potentially huge product boom.

Ground floor and tons of activity can equate to a nice paycheck if you work the program.

If you'd like more information about a distributorship or product, give me a call anytime.

Dave

In like a lion out like a lamb...

2008-03-03T14:16:00.002-05:00

March is the best... we typically start to see light at the end of the snowy tunnel by the end of the month. Then there's St. Pattys day, where everyones Irish (even my kids :0)).

We just returned from our "Christmas visit" to the Army base. We were able to leave the kids with a couple late christmas gifts, and a nice strain of the flu I obtained en route.

The morning we left, the temps were in the teens, and we enjoyed weather mostly in the 70's out there... temper that with the fact that they live in the middle of the mojave desert, where the most entertainment you get are the howling coyotes at night, and the occasional tank round shaking the window blinds... oh yeah and our almost 2 year old granddaughter that is developing quite a mind of her own. I thought I was having flashbacks of raising Jessy all over again... they're almost twin personalities seperated by 21 years. Don't miss a couple of the pics below, Bella is really growing fast.

Jessy is really enjoying her grad program, and her boyfriend Anthony will be graduating this spring from Western. We are planning a graduation trip for May for them... stay tuned for details.

Kelly & I squeeked in our February motorcycle ride logging in 12 miles on 2/21. It was really cold, and I was chipping ice off the driveway for three days prior, just so we could get out of the yard. 31 months straight and counting.

Make sure you read the post below... it gives a little insight about how to treat the current market. It is a great time to buy if you're a first timer, or if you're buying up... (formula for the buy up below).

As always, thanks for keeping Kelly & I in mind when you run across anyone with a real estate need. We appreciate your referrals... also click the link above (My listings), to see the great homes I have for sale.

See you next month

Dave

No better time to buy a home than right now.

2008-02-22T17:23:00.003-05:00

I don't have to really tell anyone that prices are the best we've had in a decades around here. With the Fed continually slashing the prime rate, mortgage rates are holding steadily low as well.

If you are a first time buyer (or know someone that should be)... call me today, There are literally thousands of well priced starter homes... we'll find you one.

If you are contemplating an upward move... call me today. The market is perfect for you. Yes you'll probably suffer a little on the selling price of your current home, but keep in mind that on the home you purchase (assuming you're upgrading), you'll get to take advantage of the seller on the higher end home...

Here's how it looks on paper. If your home used to be worth $ 200,000, but now you bite the bullet and are lucky to get $ 160,000 for it (20% decrease in estimated value), you lose $ 40,000.

If you buy a home that used to be $ 400,000, that is now worth $ 320,000 (the same 20% decrease in estimated value)... you are able to purchase $ 80,000 more home for your money.

So bite the bullet on the perceived $ 40,000 loss, to gain $ 80,000... you are $ 40,000 ahead of the game.

Keep in mind that if you wait for prices to come back up... not only will your home increase in value... but so will your dream home.

Now is the time... call me for more details, and let's get horse trading :0)

Good news for a change to start the new year...

2008-02-22T17:18:00.002-05:00

A recent article in the MCAR magazine showed increases over 2007 for January... Good news for a change. Also note the most affordable communities in the country info ... all posted in the article below.

January residential sales in Macomb County showed an 8.5 percent increase in sales over the same month in 2007, according to recent figures. Leading the charge among municipalities with 15 or more sales: Roseville, with a year-to-year boost of 42 percent. Also showing year-to-year increases: Macomb Township (27 percent), Eastpointe (23 percent) and Warren (16 percent). Of those, only Macomb Township experienced an increase in sales volume (a modest one, at just over 1.5 percent). Shelby Township saw a 19 percent decrease in sales year-to-year, and Clinton Township’s sales dipped 7 percent.

In Oakland County, Troy sales posted a 22 percent increase year-to-year among municipalities with 15 or more sales. Troy was recently listed as one of the most affordable U.S. housing markets with a population of 500,000 or more in a report from the National Association of Home Builders; the city’s median sales price for January was $217,500. Orion Township’s sales increased 17 percent in the same timeframe, with a 4.5 percent increase in sales volume. Listings for the county, meanwhile, rose a modest 0.5 percent.

About that affordable housing markets list: not only did Troy appear in the 500,000 and up category, so did Detroit and Grand Rapids. In a separate category of markets with fewer than 500,000, even more Michigan communities appeared: Saginaw, Monroe, Bay City, Lansing, Flint, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. In terms of affordability, Michigan is the best-represented state on the list. The least affordable state? California.

Thankfully January zipped by this year...

2008-02-01T14:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a quiet month of '08 so far. If you're counting down... just 90 days until glimmers of summer hit. Every year I question why we stay in this cold state.

Kelly & I went to the black tie event at the auto show this month. Crossed paths with Jennifer Granholm and Kwame (before the text scandal hit :0)). Shook hands with Thomas the Hit Man Hearns, and saw a couple nice cars. Tough to get all excited about all these flex fuel cars though. They look exactly like the regular ones, except they have a flexfuel sticker on the side.

Jessy is back to school and is now swamped... she has a full work load with classes and clinics... and a bunch of patients.

Dave & Lauren are well... Dave has been in the field a bit this month, and has a pretty good case of short timers disease. They are getting pretty excited about their move back home this summer. They're a little apprehensive about our job climate, but we told them it'll all be fine... someone out there has got to be able to hook a couple patriots up with jobs when they get home.

We are planning to head west to visit the end of February. Dave tells me I better get my right arm in shape... He plans on beating me at golf on the WII.

Happy Ground Hog day... hopefully he sees his/her shadow tomorrow... or not... I can never remember which is the good scenario. All I know is my sister Heather was born on Groundhogs day, and there's usually at least a couple months of winter left after we eat cake :0).

As for real estate...

2007 ended on a high note for me personally as usual. It seems like the last quarter of the year brings out a lot of activity. Pretty slow for January so far, but I've got a few very nice listings, and have been getting a good amount of phone traffic the last couple weeks. It's just a matter of time before the levy breaks for '08.

Please click the links above and check out my listings. If you know anyone interested in any of these properties... make sure you forward the link (and my phone number) to them.

I have one piece of vacant Troy property listed at a phenomenal price
I have brick ranch's listed in Royal Oak, Clawson, Farmington Hills, and Warren
I have bungalows in Utica
And last but not least... investment properties listed in Auburn Hills (three plex)

Check these out... and as always, thanks for your referrals. Your family and friends are my family and friends.

Dave

Top 10 reasons it's a great time to buy Real Estate

2008-01-03T07:45:00.000-05:00

Article by Paul Pastore, Broker Agent News

1. selection, selection, selection. There are about 57,000 resale homes on the market in Maricopa county(Phoenix). Regardless of the price range a buyer desires, there are plenty of houses from which to choose. Just a few years ago the resale inventory dropped below 5,000 units. A buyer was forced to make compromises if they were going to locate the home of their dreams. There is a great selection of attached homes, condos, and townhouses. You can find large lots, small lots, and a lot that will accommodate your boat or RV. There are lots of options in this market.
2. No Bidding Wars. In 2005 we had one client that made an offer on ten homes. They lost the first nine to the 'feeding frenzy' that existed. Other buyers bid the properties up substantially from the original listing price. There were escalation clauses where buyers authorized their agents to outbid other offers by thousands of dollars. There is no competitive bidding in this buyer's market.
3. You can make an offer. A few years ago when you made an offer, the only question was how high above the list price could the buyer reach in hopes of being the best offer on the table. Today the sell price list vs. price ration is about 96%. A seller will not be insulted if you 'make them an offer they can't refuse'.
4. Patience is tolerated. In the hot seller's market that existed everything was rushed. Find a house before other buyers did. Hurry up and make the offer. Today a buyer can take their time. Look at several homes and think about your decision for a few hours.
5. Due diligence is welcomed. In this market a buyer is encouraged to obtain a home inspection, termite inspection, and appraisal. In 2005 many buyers waived these contingencies in order gain an advantage with multiple offers.
6. There are plenty of specs. In the not too distant past buyer had to 'play games' if they wanted a new home. There were lotteries and waiting lists in order to obtain new construction. Some buyers slept in their cars in order to get to the head of the lines. R.L. Brown estimates that builders have thousands of specs ready for immediate occupancy.
7. Repair requests are welcomed. After a buyer completes a home inspection, they are allowed to submit a repair request to the seller. In the past a seller might insist the home was sold 'as is'. Many times, there were back-up buyers waiting for a primary buyer to upset the seller whose home was increasing in value almost daily.
8. Few, if any investors. It is estimated that one third of all sales in 2005 were to investors. These non-owner occupied buyer caused the market to inflate and affordability to decline. Mortgage fraud became commonplace. It's a great time to buy without having to compete with hundreds of prospective landlords.
9. Location, location, location. Today's buyers can find homes closer to work. In the past buyers flocked to Maricopa and Queen Creek in order to find affordable homes. In this market, reasonably priced homes are within biking or walking distance to schools, rapid transit lines, and relatives.
10. Real Financing is available. The 'wink, wink' zero down, no doc, adjustable, sub-prime loans are gone. Fixed rates are back. FHA financing, first time homeowner bond programs, special loans for teachers, and police officers are back in business. It's a great time to buy real estate!

Happy 2008

2008-01-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

What a fast 2007 we had. The older I get the quicker they go by. Hopefully 2008 will be slower, healthier, and more prosperous for all.

The Holidays were great. Dave & Lauren couldn't make it back from California, but sent us lots of great Christmas pictures. Jessy & Anthony came home and stayed for a while... they left for Chicago for the New Year just in time to miss the Toga party.

Louie is the smartest granddog ever... he learned to ring the Christmas bells at the door to go out, and Gramps started teaching him to sit stay and come over the holidays.

Jessy helped me find Kellys new Christmas decor for her car... it took us about three hours to locate them, but it was worth it.

Just in case you were wondering... I'll post another you tube video next month. I don't want to spoil anyone with too much video.

Real estate ended this year with a bang as usual... For whatever reason, I end up working with lots of buyers from Thanksgiving through Christmas... odd because that time is historically not as strong as other times in real estate in general. I'm getting the reputation as the Holiday Home Seller.

NAR has declared 2008 as a leveling out year... hopefully they are right, and we can start to pull ourselves out of this two plus year slump.

As always, thanks so much for your referrals this past year. I enjoy each and every transaction you send my way. You never have to worry about them being handled with prompt professional service.

Have a great 2008

Dave & Kelly Henderson

Merry Christmas

2007-12-04T15:20:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone...

As you can see, I've figured out You Tube... watch out. I just wanted to say thanks for another great year, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy holiday season. I hope 2008 is a healthy happy prosperous one for you all.

Make sure you check out the Detroit News article from November in a blog below.

Jessy, Louie & Anthony should be making it around town sometime over the holidays will post new pics of their family next month... Lauren and Isabella came home the week before Thanksgiving and spent time with us... what a great time that was. (pics attached to prove it)

See you next month

Dave

Detroit news article 11/5/2007. Front page of the business section

2007-11-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

Career Makeover

New path paved in real estate. Tired of corporate downsizing and budget cuts, Troy man is doing well in a tough market. Brian J. O'Connor / The Detroit News

Every career has its ups and downs, but when the "downs" consistently outnumber the "ups," it's time for a change.
That's what Dave Henderson decided in 2004. The 46-year-old Troy man had had his fill of downs, between corporate cutbacks, budget slashing and employee downsizings.
"After a while, you just get tired of having to play the corporate chess game," Henderson says. Now a real estate agent in Troy, Henderson is making his own way in a tough business, but says he's doing well.
"The first year was getting my feet wet, and the next two years I easily surpassed what I made in my last job," Henderson says.
• Where he came from: Henderson started in an automotive training program during high school, then landed a job at a Kmart automotive center. He started doing oil changes and tires in 1978, but by the early 1980s was in charge of the service center in Cheboygan. He then moved back from the north and took a job with Ziebart International Corp.
"When my son was born, we wanted to get out of northern Michigan and get back close to family," Henderson says.
His work at Ziebart included training and quality control for the auto rust-proofing company, before he moved up to handling franchise sales, including finding locations and working with commercial real estate deals.
• What changed: When a headhunter came calling in 1995, Henderson moved to Matco Tools to oversee franchise sales for the Great Lakes region.
After about a year, though, he fell victim to a corporate restructuring. The company eliminated an entire level of management -- including Henderson. To replace his job, the firm helped him open his own franchise.
"It's a business where it's a lot of stress," Henderson says. "I needed to get out of there. I sold the franchise and Ziebart hired me back."
• Moment of truth: Back at Ziebart, though, Henderson found another round of cuts and downsizings.
"I lasted as long as I could, but they realigned things and made me a regional director," Henderson says. "It was going to put my butt on the road forever and that's when I thought, 'I have to get out of here. I've already paid those dues.' "
Henderson turned to real estate. His franchise experience had given him a lot exposure to real estate sales, and he and his wife had bought and sold several homes of their own.
"It was right up my alley," Henderson says. "It was kind of a natural. I thought, 'I can do this.' "
• Stumbling blocks: He started the courses and pre-licensing work he needed while keeping his job. An uncle, who had 32 years in real estate, helped him line up a position with Century 21 Town & Country. After more training, Henderson went to work part time in 2003, before leaving to sell homes full time in January 2004.
"I realized quickly that if you're going to make the real estate jump it's not a part-time gig," he says.
Another adjustment was the independent nature of being a real estate salesman.
"There's the lack of somebody over you telling you what to do," Henderson says. "It takes quite a bit of motivation to get in the morning when there's nobody barking at me."
• Words of wisdom: In a sales business such as real estate, good relationships are a key, Henderson notes.
"You rely on past customers, friends and relatives to start your business. Referrals are everything," he says. "I went through my memory with golf leagues and hockey rosters to find names that I could tap to kick-start the business."
Henderson also uses every piece of technology he can to keep in touch and help customers, from checking online listings with a PDA to sending regular e-mails and posting his own Web log.
The best part of the job is the interaction with people at important moments in their lives, Henderson adds.
"I like people," he says. "I'm interested in getting to know them. Buying or selling a house is an exciting chapter in the lives, and to be involved in it is exciting, too."

You can reach Brian O'Connor at (313) 222-2145 or boconnor@detnews.com.

Happy November... Thanksgiving is on it's way

2007-11-01T11:02:00.001-05:00

Hey all,

It's hard to believe another month has slipped by us. We are just 45 shopping days until Christmas. Naturally shopping days mean something much different than they did in the 60's with most stores staying open 24/7 these days.

Thanksgiving is my favorite of all holidays. Not exactly sure why, I'm not a huge Lions fan, I don't particularly like turkey, and I despise cranberry sauce. I think I enjoy it simply because of the name and time of the year. Fall is full of pleasant weather, relief from the heat, great colors and smells in the air. Thanksgiving says it all. It's a great time of year to reflect on the previous 12 months and be thankful for all the great relationships we have nurtured throughout the year, and the blessings that we (as Americans) often take for granted.

I've posted a seperate blog below regarding sub prime lending. I didn't want to neglect my responsibilities as a Realtor, but since the article was so long, I didn't want to make a blog so long that you'd all be sleeping by the end.

Last week, Jessy showed up with her new puppy. His name is Louie, and in an effort to endear me to him, she immediately started telling me about my new "granddog". We spent last weekend shopping for Louie and getting to know him. he's a Westie, and a pretty nice puppy (see pic below right). I just hope when she brings us news (after grad school and after the wedding) that she has a new grand "thing" for us... she won't name it Louie :0).

Kelly & I are anxiously waiting for Lauren and Isabella to show up on Nov. 11. Looking at the pictures Lauren is so good about sending us, she has grown up too much since we saw her last in May. Plenty of spoilage is going to happen this month... (sorry louie :0))

The bikes are under wraps for now. You never know when that random 70 degree November day will hit, and we'll need to spank the throttle a few times though.

Kelly has me on a very firm work out and diet regimen these days. Still feeling sore from a day at the gym two days ago. I was able to snag a couple snickers bars out of the candy bowl last night... not telling her where I hid them though.

As always, thanks for all your referrals. I appreciate the good words and confidence you place in my business. Your family and friends, are my family and friends.

Dave (& Kelly)

Non Conforming / Sub Prime mortgage lingo cleared up

2007-11-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

These days you can't turn on the t.v. without hearing the words real estate bubble burst, sub prime loans coming to roost, non-conforming loans ... yada yada yada.

I thought I'd take a minute and at least inform about what the mortgage terms mean, and try to explain why the news insists on making the topic the front of your daily conversation.

A non conforming loan is one that does not conform to Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) guidelines because the amount is too high or because FNMA underwriting or other criteria are not met.

An example of these are jumbo mortgages, or loans that were given with second mortgages that allowed the borrower to buy a home with -0- down. They are also referred to as sub-prime. Those who have a financial situation that is complicated or unusual (small business owners with "unvarifiable or low stated income") and don't qualify for conventional lending may find that a non conforming mortgage loan is the preferred option.

Conventional lending is fairly safe for the bank and the consumer because the amounts are reasonable and can be paid back (on paper). However, non-conforming loans are much riskier for the lender not only because of the larger amounts of money lent, but because the borrower may share far less information. With less risk, there are better interest rates; therefore, with a non conforming mortgage loan, the interest rates may be much higher, as the lenders see the chance of foreclosure to be more likely. Borrowers have to be smart and decide what is more important: privacy or saving money on interest.

Hopefully that is clear as mud now, but why all the hype lately? After 9/11 mortgages were being issued and re-financing was being done at a record clip. It was not uncommon to see a mortgage and a home equity loan given to a family that was 10 - 20 % more than the appraised value of a home.

Naturally, the extra 20% loaned out on a mortgage did nothing to increase market values. Since the re-fi boom, we have seen literally 10's of thousands of jobs leave the Detroit area, K-mart, Ford, Chrysler, Delphi and a host of other corporate cutbacks and bankruptcies being the major contributors.

A great majority of those formerly employed families either left the state or filed bankruptcy resulting in either mortgage foreclosure and/or an overwhelming quantity of homes thrust into the market for sale with very few potential buyers to clean up the mess.

The resulting buyers market has forced a downturn in housing values over the past 3 years... those same homes that were financed for 20% over value are now worth in most cases at least 20% less than they were 3 years ago.

This is making the financial world rumble lately regarding sub prime loans coming due. Many balloon mortgages, interest only loans or other non conforming scenarios will either need to be refinanced this year or next or owners will be paying huge mortgage costs that they cannot afford in our already over taxed region.

Re-fi's may be difficult considering a home of lesser value than 3 years prior not being able to gain a favorable enough appraisal to warrant a new mortgage with better rates... a real catch 22.

Hopefully none of you are in that situation. If you are, feel free to call me anytime to have a confidential discussion about potential repairs. I've got plenty of contacts in the mortgage and finance arena that can give sound advice and assistance.

Dave
248-321-0151

October, the official end to summer time activities...

2007-10-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Hey all,

Where does the time go? Octobers here, acorns are everywhere, leaves are changing color, and falling... everyones winterizing sprinklers, raking leaves, and generally getting ready for winter.

With a better than normal summer behind us... let's get ready for my favorite two months of the year (Nov./Dec.). More on the reasons why next month.

I have posted below a report from the National Association of Realtors web site regarding the housing market outlook for the next two years... in short, they're forecasting a market recovery in 2008. Back-to-the-historical norm in 2009. I just saved you about three paragraphs of reading time... sorry to have spoiled the ending.

I hope the pro's are right, because they've under forecast the woes for the past two years... hopefully they've underforecast the upturn as well.

Don't forget to hit the link above to view my listings... There are several homes for sale that are really great, with great owners that could use our help finding a buyer in this haystack of a market.

Rates are great with the recent fed slash, and there are a million homes to pick from, so if you're even thinking about buying, and are at all concerned about prices increasing, and take any stock in the NAR report below... you need to call me today to find a home, and beat the rush :0).

Personally...

Kelly & I are well... She started playing hockey again this season. Broken ankle is healed up nicely, and just a little pain & stiffness after a good skate.

Jessy has started heavily into her masters program at Western, and is working in a clinic. She has several patients that she is getting to know, and really enjoys the new phase of her education.

Dave, Lauren & Isabella are great, and the latest word is they have decided to get out of the military. If that holds... Lauren is expected to move home around May '08 with Bella, and Dave will follow around the end of July or early August. I appreciate his desire and ability to serve our country the way he has for the last 6 years, but I'm anxious to have them all home again soon.

They plan on living with us until he lands a job and gets himself acclimated to Michigan again. Not sure where we'll stash all the stuff, but we'll figure it out. Jessy already has announced that she's moving home as well... can't have Bella around without her favorite aunt near by. I knew we should have installed a shower in the basement when we did the bathroom :0).

Golf season is over, and yours truly with his steady as ever partner Ed Pennington took first place this year in the league... I just hope Ed isn't too tired from carrying me all year. (gratuitous trophy photo below).

The last couple weeks, I've tried my hand at drag racing with the motorcycle... Kellys cousin Jeff took me out to the drag strip to show me the ropes... It's a really fun time, but I'm finding out that there's a lot more involved than just grabbing the throttle and going fast. So far, nothing has broken, and Jessy thinks we're going through our mid life crisis :0)...

I hope you all are well... as always, I appreciate any referrals you bring my way. I treat your family and friends as my family and friends (maybe even better :0))

See you next month.

Dave
248-321-0151

NAR's forecast for the next two years...

2007-10-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

Getting Back on Trackby Lawrence Yun, Vice President, NAR Research
U.S. Economic Outlook(300k PDF)Glimmers of hope late this year.
The Forecast: Charts

Mortgage rates to remain well below 8 percent.The summer has been tough – historically high temperatures in many parts of the country, Midwest floods, and almost everywhere major airline flight delays. Housing didn’t have such a great summer either, with home sales and price appreciation still waiting to recover. The subprime mortgage mess didn’t help either. So everyone wants to know: now that the summer is over, when can we expect the housing sector to get back to normal? There’s actually a sequence of events we should look for that need to happen before housing is back on track, and as each of these occurs, the closer the housing recovery will be. Let’s take a look at them. Mortgage Rates Will Stablize FavorablyDespite the headline news coverage of turmoil in the mortgage market, mortgage rates have actually been falling for borrowers who take out prime conforming loans. Because these borrowers account for the majority of home buyers, affordability conditions for most buyers have improved. FHA loans – the traditional financing vehicle for low-and-moderate income households – have also begun to build market interest and momentum. FHA loans offer very attractive rates nearly comparable to those of conforming loan rates and save homeowners a bundle – about $180,000 in lower interest payments over a 30-year loan cycle compared to high-interest rate subprime loans. A near-certain legislative change that will allow higher FHA loan limits in high cost areas will further free up the mortgage market to offer safer alternative products (i.e., FHA loans) and away from subprime loans. It is important to note, though, that subprime loans may make sense for some home buyers such as young couples with large income potential but little downpayment. But the subprime market share at most should be no more than 5% rather than the 20% market share of recent years.While mortgage rates look good for conforming and FHA loan clients, the same is not true for jumbo loan borrowers. Without the backing of a guarantee by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, bond investors are shying away from jumbo loans. As a result, interest rates on these large loans have increased and will significantly hold back home sales in the high cost housing areas like California. The whiplash will be short-term, however. After sorting through the numbers, bond investors will likely conclude that jumbos are quite safe – even without the government guarantees. A million dollar borrower generally has solid credit and pays bills on time. Any temporary legislative change in raising the loan limit well above the current $417,000 or in permitting the GSEs to purchase jumbos loans to include in their portfolios will mitigate the crisis. (The median prices will artificially trend lower during the period of jumbo loan crisis just due to fewer higher priced home sale transactions). Pent-Up Demand Will be UnleashedConsider this – four million net job additions in the past two years during the housing market slump. Yet, home sales have fallen. As home sales fell, people doubled and tripled up because apartment rents increased at their highest pace in five years. These people are waiting to buy a home. Then there are the approximately two million marriages that occur each year. Those newlyweds are waiting to buy a home. About four million babies are born each year – forcing some families to consider trading up from a smaller house or condo to a larger one. Homebuilders Take HeedThe inventory of both new and existing homes is at high levels. Builders have already cut back production and are encouraged to cut back even further. The market needs less inventory additions in a time of transition. Wall Street should and will punish any builders who add to inventory in the current market. Why build only to lose money on the home? With builders cutting back, inventory will fall. Some home owners of vacant homes will also consider the juicier rent growth and take their “empty” home off the market. In addition, many owners are in a no hurry to sell their home that they actually occupy (except perhaps for those in the few areas of the country that are losing jobs), and they may also choose to delay listing their home for sale or de-list it. Unleashing of that pent-up demand for home buying will also eat into inventory. Drawing Down the InventoryThe law of (lower) supply and (higher) demand will then firm up home prices. The media will be forced to report on the price gains. Many potential buyers, with solid financial wherewithal, will regain confidence. The wheels of housing turn faster and faster. The full unleashing of the pent-up demand could mean about two million additional homeowners. Such absorption into the marketplace will bring down the current existing-home inventory of four million units and the new home inventory of one million units to a total of three million homes (new and existing) available for sale. That level of inventory equates to a 5-6 months’ supply – generally considered a balanced market condition. Balanced Gains AheadAs the housing market recovers, potential home buyers (both first-timers and repeat purchasers) will gain more confidence in the housing sector. This, in turn, will drive more demand for homeownership, helping to keep inventory at or slightly below market balance and spur additional increases in home price appreciation. In sum, a closing of the subprime market does not directly mean equally lower home sales. FHA/VA and conforming government-backed loans will pick up a large chunk of the former subprime market. The jumbo loan concerns will be mitigated over time with better market knowledge, and will be assisted by changes in legislation permitting higher loan limits. Pent-up demand is strong. Inventory will move in the right direction. Builders are assisting by holding back production. A market recovery in 2008. Back-to-the-historical norm in 2009.

Fall is in the air...

2007-09-04T06:37:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe the summer has zipped by so fast (again). Kids are heading back to school, school busses will be holding up traffic to work again, almost time to stash the golf bag, think about putting the motorcycle away and the last major holiday until Thanksgiving is in the rear view mirror.

Enough of the depressing news whew. We had a pretty eventful August, with several real estate transactions closing... sales are still sluggish though, but don't despair... I usually maintain a pretty good fall and winter volume, and have written offers on Thanksgiving as well as Christmas eve. Keep the faith, we'll snap out of this soon I'm sure.

I recently joined realtor.com which has always been a pretty significant investment for realtors. It is important to do this in order to gain the best exposure for your listings. I now have the ability to enhance all of my listings with more photos, specific info regarding contacting me personally about your home that I have listed... who's most qualified to talk with buyers than the guy that listed your home? Realtor.com pulls all the info from the Multi Listing system. I pay for both Oakland and Macomb county and place all listings on both services for better exposure. Century 21's main website also hosts our specific listings and links buyers to our Town & Country site as well. Rest assured that you are getting the max on-line exposure for your listing with my service.

Which brings me to our new lead router system... with all this on-line exposure, and consumer access to all this information, it is critical to be the first realtor to react to on-line inquiries. Lead Router is a new system that Century 21 Town & Country uses that alerts agents about buyers that have inquired on line or via phone about our listings. My phone rings within seconds of a search inquiry, and all I have to do is answer the phone and the customer info is forwarded to me via the phone as well as e-mail. I can call back right then and discuss the info "while it's hot", rather than a few days later when the buyer forgets all about what they were looking for. What an impression that makes from a service standpoint. In my profession, what is there to offer but service with a smile?

If you haven't done so in the past few months of seeing this blog, please click around in the links above. You will see all of my listings, and how they link into realtor.com as well as the Town & Country web sites. There are also a lot of other fascinating sites to link to as well... enjoy, and if you have something you feel could be important info on my site, I'd be happy to check it out and potentially place it in the links section... always looking to improve and help out.

As for the family... Jessy returned from California visiting Dave & Lauren and her very cool niece. She is all moved in to her new apartment and starting her masters in just a few short days. Several trips to Kalamazoo, and bunch of labor later, we have her all set up for the comfort she is accustomed to :0)

Dave & Lauren are well, and we hope to see Lauren & Bella in October as they pop home for a couple days to visit. Dave has one more year in the Army and he's flipping coins about another enlistment, but it seems like he's leaning heavily toward returning home and living with us while he looks for work around here. If anyone knows where they need a great tank mechanic... give me a call :0)

Kelly & I are well... but missing the kids. Can't wait to squeeze Bella again. Bike nights are almost history for the summer. It gets pretty cold at night to ride, and we've been caught in a couple pretty grueling rain storms this month that have added an element of excitement to the sport... But, hockey starts again this week, and she can't be talked into retirement even after breaking her ankle this past spring... here we go again.

Thanks again for your referrals. They are appreciated, and we treat them as our own family and friends.

See you in October

Dave

FYI... this is from an inspector friend of mine at accu-spec (see link above). Don't forget to change your air filter getting ready for Fall.

Breathe easier -- buy a decent air filter for your furnace
By Master Handyman Glenn Haege
The easiest way to improve your home's air quality and arguably your family's health can be found at your local hardware store and won't cost more than $100 a year.
One of the highest rated filters is the True Blue Allergen MERV 11. It's available at ACO for $7.99. A 3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen, also rated at MERV 11, lasts 3 months and costs $22.99. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, which is a rating of the effectiveness of air filters in removing contaminants from the air and is dependent on the particle size of the contaminant.
Before your eyes cross, stick with me. I want you to be a more informed consumer.
Three caveats:
1. The best brochure I have read on this subject is 3M's nine-page "Breathe Easier Filtration." I found it is on the Filtera Web site, listed as the 3M Filtration Brochure ( www.filtera-b2b.com/businessfilters/resources.htm) at the very bottom of the page.
2. You can buy filters almost anywhere. to but shop the Web for information. Some of the retail Web sites I recommend are: allergybuyersclub.com, filtermarket .com, filtera-b2b.com, filters-now.com and ushomefilter.com.
3. If you, or anyone in your family, have asthma, allergies or any type of heart or breathing condition, don't rush out and buy anything based on this article. Over the next few weeks, I am going to cover other indoor air quality issues so don't make a buying decision until you have all the information.
The disposable furnace filter is the first line of defense for your family's air quality. If you have natural gas forced-air (most of us do), your furnace is equipped to use a 1- or 2-inch air filter. It can be adapted to use a 4-inch-thick media filter.
Washable furnace filters are also available. They sound like a good idea until you start cleaning them.
One- and 2-inch filters usually have to be replaced monthly. 3M Filtrete and some electrostatic filters have to be replaced every three months. Thick media filters can last one year.
Most filter manufacturers brag about their filter being efficient down to 1 micron in size. Many dangerous pollutants are much smaller and pass right through. Your family would breathe easier with a more effective filter. Tune in next week.
Hope to see you soon
Dave Jones
www.accu-spec-inspections.com
248-393-1250

Chuck Norris fast facts...

2007-08-29T13:14:00.001-05:00

I'm sure all of you are Chuck Norris fans. If not you will be after clicking the link below.

Just a little senseless fun for the new month...

Click here or Chuck will personally roundhouse kick you into next week :0)

http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/page1.html

August 27th Mars as big as the Moon fact or fiction?

2007-08-27T08:24:00.000-05:00

Hey gang... I was anxiously awaiting August 27th to view the spectacular that I had seen in several e-mails, and web site postings.

The story says that tonight Mars will be as large as our moon in the night sky. It is making a close pass (something like a gazillion and a half miles or so) by earth tonight. It seems that even though it does come closer to earth about once a year, it is still about 88 times as far away as our moon... not a chance to see the big red orb unfortunately.

Here's a link to snopes that describes the phenomenon and exposes the myth to this one... browse around snopes for fun next time you get an e-mail... you might find a myth or two busted.

Performing my civic duty, trying to keep you from wrenching your neck looking for Mars when it ain't there... :0)

http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp

Dave

The dog days of summer are here..

2007-08-06T09:51:00.001-05:00

As I write this blog post the skies are overcast, and we're in the middle of a much needed rain system in the middle of the driest summer I can remember. Not that I'm complaining... on the dry golf courses, I think I've added 20 yards to my tee shots with the massive rolls.

July was full of fun, Jessy visited California mentally preparing for her push to earn her masters. She split time staying with her aunt on the coast, and her brother and niece at the Army base in the desert. She returned last week, and we spent a couple days moving her into her new apartment at Western, and assembling all the great furniture she picked out at Ikea... what a thrill that was.

Dave is apparently having withdrawals from Michigan as he has totally redone his backyard landscaping to include his new sod (see pic). He attempted to seed the yard, but the starving birds were doing a number on the plantings. Also note the recent pic of Dave & daughter. We hope they'll be home for Labor Day so Gramma can spoil Bella a bit.

Kelly & I spent a little time up north after the 4th of July relaxing & fishing with friends... (nice bass pic, and gratuitous Pennington collision plug :0)). Although we didn't ride in the Thin Blue Line this year, we perched on top of M-53 to watch the line of bikes go by... quite a site.

We had a minor computer breakdown this month. I was able to retrieve all the info lost to a blown hard drive caused by a power surge, thanks to a couple conversations with Jon & Justin and their helpful tech tips. I had to call on the expertise of Mike Whelan at your pc Pitstop to bail me out of a few glitches, and to speed up old betsy as best as he was able. He even sat with me at my house to go over keeping my pc clean and running fast with the newly installed firewall and anti virus stuff... very professional, and you can find a link to Mike above if you require a little coaching. Thanks Mike.

Real estate has been sluggish all year (again), but the last several weeks have been busy busy. I posted an article below that was forwarded to me regarding people leaving the state. I'm not sure we can say they're leaving in droves, but we do lead the country in households leaving the state for greener pastures.

Selling a home these days requires aggressive pricing, and/or complete updates to kitchens and baths. It's pretty competitive out there.

As always, thanks a bunch for your referrals. They are always appreciated, and treated as family.

See you in September

Dave

Michigan leads nation in outbound relocations...

2007-08-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

United Way Research Mover Finds Many Saying 'Goodbye' to Michigan, Region

An analysis prepared by United Van Lines, the nation’s largest household goods mover, shows a growing number of Americans packing up their belongings and heading to the West and Southeast, leaving Michigan and neighboring states behind.
As part of its 30th annual “migration” study, the company analyzed households it assisted with moves in 2006, and the effect of Michigan’s continuing job losses is clear. United Van Lines found that the number of customers moving from the Central Northeast region, which includes Michigan, increased. The company tracks customer moves over 12 months, and reports on the communities that see large numbers of residents leave and their most popular destinations.
In its study, UVL identifies three categories -- high inbound (55 percent or more of moves going into a state), high outbound (55 percent or more of moves leaving a particular state) or balanced. Although the majority of states were in the balanced category last year, several showed more substantial population shifts.
States in the Central Northeast generally showed an outbound trend, according to UVL. Ranked No. 2 on the high outbound list in 2005, Michigan tied for the top spot last year with 66 percent of moves headed elsewhere. The 2006 rate is a 2.1 percent increase of over the prior year.
Other Central Northeast states that topped the outbound list include New York (59.5 percent), which has been a high outbound state since the survey was established, Indiana (58.2 percent), a high outbound state since 1993, and Illinois (55.7 percent), which has been on the list since the survey’s inception. Other list holdovers include New Jersey (60.9 percent, on high outbound list since 1997), Pennsylvania (57 percent, high outbound list for the past three years) and Ohio (55.8 percent, ranked since 1992).
The nation’s West and Southeast states were happy to receive in 2006. North Carolina emerged as the top Southeast destination (64.0 percent inbound) for UVL customers. Other Southeast states making the list include South Carolina (60.6 percent, and on the high-inbound list for 13th consecutive year), Alabama (57.5 percent, fourth appearance on the list) and Tennessee (55.8 percent in 2006). Although not considered high inbound states, others also welcomed large numbers of new residents. Georgia at 53.9 percent, continued its 25-year trend of high inbound volume, while Kentucky (52.9) percent is on a five-year and Mississippi (50.1 percent) saw its inbound rate last year rise 3.2 percent over 2005.
Movers are also going west, evident by the number headed to Oregon (62.5 percent high inbound, and a member of the list for 19 years). Nearby Nevada (59.9 percent), New Mexico (57.9 percent, a 3.7 percent increase), Utah (56.0 percent, up nearly 6 percent) and Arizona (55.4 percent) also made the list.
Idaho’s (59.3 percent inbound) ranking has held steady for the past 19 years, and Montana’s for five years (55.0 percent inbound).
Although not considered high inbound, other Western states experienced an increase over the prior year including Colorado (54.7 percent inbound), which saw a 1.2 percent increase, and Wyoming (54.4 percent inbound), which boasted a 4.3 percent rise.

Happy Independence day and whew we made it (so far)

2007-07-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

July is probably the biggest and most enjoyable holiday month of the year (discounting the obvious Christmas season of course)... barbeques, fireworks, remembering what makes this a great country to live in, graduations etc.

Jessy was given her sheepskin from Western Saturday. She knocked out a 5 year program in 4 years. Her degree is a Bachelor of Science, major was speech pathology/audiology. Not sure who worked harder at it, her or kelly with her constant moral support chats. Ready or not, here comes the masters program in August.

Typically a grad will come out with some endearing note to the parents written on top of their cap... not our Jessy... check out the pic on the lower right. She knew "your mom goes to college" would choke her old man up ... if you don't understand, run out right now and rent Napoleon Dynamite. Gotta love it.

Dave, Lauren & Bella are doing well also. So far Dave has stayed stateside in beautiful downtown Ft. Irwin without further deployments to the overseas sandbox... Bella is getting so big now, but hasn't grown her vocabulary much past "who's that?" yet... maybe aunti Jessy can help her with that with her new degree.

Oops almost forgot about real estate... I guess you know where my priorities are now... Things are plugging along slowly but surely. Still waiting on the analysts promise to come true for a boom economy for '07... haven't seen any sign of it yet.

I have a few new listings this month. Check them out on the link above. I am working on two more in Farmington Hills, and Lake Orion... should hit the MLS in the next few days.

As always, thanks so much for your referrals... your friends and family are my friends and family.

Dave

June is Biker madness month

2007-06-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

Well, we're back from our 25th Anniversary trip. We revisited our honey moon trip to Chattanooga, only this time we went on the bikes. Kelly & I logged in over 1,500 miles in 6 days. We started in Chattanooga, rode to Pensacola Florida for a Family re-union, and back to Chattanooga again. In Chattanooga, we Slayed the tail of the dragon (Deals Gap, NC), over 318 hairpin turns in 11 miles. A real nail biter of a ride. We cruised the Cherohalla Skyway, with some of the most gorgeous views in the country. We rode to Frostbite Falls, and Lookout Mountain as well ... What a beautiful state to ride motorcycles in.

Can't wait to return to the area someday to see the sites we missed this time.

Back to reality though... real estate is still surging ahead, although a little sluggish still. Lots of inventory still on the books, and interest rates linger around 6 3/8 %.

Thanks again for all your referrals. Check out all my listings at the link above. There are some really nice homes for sale, and the time is great to buy...

Family notes...

Jessy Graduates June 30th... onward and upward from here. Masters here we come.

Dave Lauren & Izzy are well in California, and the pool opens June 7... Summer here we come.

May is National buy a home month...

2007-04-25T07:27:00.000-05:00

Well, not really but they designate months for everything else, why not real estate? April has turned out to be a pretty strong month... lots of activity is beginning to happen.

MAR reported that home sales in Michigan were up around 23% in February compared to the same period in '06. That number was very encouraging for the area, but was tempered by about a 6% decline in March. As I mentioned April has been very good to us, I wrote 7 offers for purchase in April, and 2 lease agreements. Traffic is beginning to build on listings as well. The more homes that are sold and inventory clears off the books, we'll begin a rise to normalcy for '07 (hope springs eternal :0)).

Open house traffic continues to be dismal though in most markets. It's generally felt that with so many homes on the market, people aren't running all over the countryside trying to locate a home before it disappears from the market. There are a thousand websites to do a real estate search, and agents are clammering to assist every buyer that wants to go through a home. When the tide starts to shift toward sellers again, I'm certain that traffic will start to build as well.

We went to visit Dave, Lauren and Isabella for her first birthday this past weekend... where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that she was born and I was posting photos for all to see. Dave just returned from a month in S. Korea, Izzy's walking now and has started talking, but I'm pretty sure she's picked up a foreign dialect somewhere :0) Dave dragged me up Mount Blackie on the base Saturday to show me what he does every morning around 6:00. I proudly made it, but I was a lot more winded than jr. And I was shown up by a 48 year old firefighter that made three trips up and down running in the same time span I made one trip walking.

Here's a couple pics from her big b'day weekend.

Jessy is graduating this spring from Western with her undergrad degree, and has been accepted into their Masters program for Speech Pathology. She is excited to begin the new journey, and has become a real smarty pants :0)

Kelly's ankle has started to heal, she has begun a normal life after crutches and casts... still pretty tender in the ankle and swelling still haunts her, but I don't have to carry her around anymore.

Me... all that matters is that golf season and motorcycle season have finally gotten here. No more snow or cold weather. Well, that and May 8 marks Kelly & my 25th wedding anniversary. We have planned a short trip at the end of May to motorcycle in Tennessee. It's hard to believe she hasn't kicked me to the curb after all these years... for that I'm grateful :0).

Thanks again for all your support with my business. Your referrals are important to me, and as such I treat them all as my own friends and family... see you in June.

If April Showers bring May flowers... what do May flowers bring???

2007-04-02T09:05:00.000-05:00

Pilgrims... nyuk nyuk nyuk. That was one of my dads favorite spring time jokes. It's a shame that most of the people on my e-mail list didn't get the opportunity to meet pops... he was a one of a kind guy, and he really thought he had a good sense of humor. I guess I feel a little obligation to carry his torch, so you can't blame me :0). If you'd like I can compile a list of his top corniest jokes and post them here... Good project for Mays blog.

Don't forget Easter Sunday next week, and all that the holiday represents. It's more than colored eggs and chocolate. Not that there's anything wrong with those :0).

March showed signs of life in the real estate business. Buyers seem to be moving around a bit. Our office had three listings receive multiple offers last month. We probably didn't have three multi offer sales in all of '06 combined. It's early to say the tide has changed from buyers to sellers, there's still a tremendous amount of inventory out there to clear off. It is good to see signs of life though.

Motorcycle season has gotten off to a quick start with all the mild weather, and Dr. Kelly has self diagnosed that if she wears a leather boot in place of her air cast, she's good to ride. You can't keep those Harley women down. Golf season is just around the corner... since I don't have any May jokes, I'll just have to come up with a good Golf story.

The kids... Jessy is anxiously waiting to hear from several schools she's applied to for her masters. She graduates this spring from Western... It's good to have a brainiac in the family. Dave, Lauren & Izzy are well. Dave is in South Korea seeing another part of the world for a month. Lauren is busy planning Izzy's first B'day party (May 3), and Gramms and I get to go out there at the end of the month to visit. Looking forward to that. Here's a gratuitous grandbaby pic (9 months)

Thanks again for all of your support... I appreciate any real estate leads you send our way. Please know that I take great care of your friends and family, and treat them as if they were my own...

See you in May

Dave

2007-03-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

"They don’t build them like they used to". You have heard this statement before and maybe this is not a bad thing. Here are some things to consider if you are purchasing a home that is 50 years or older. Especially if the home is virtually original condition.

The home probably has a block foundation opposed to poured concrete. Block foundations are strong, but can become bowed-in from hydrostatic pressure. The tar on the outside can break down over the years causing the blocks to fill with water. The clay drain tiles around the foundation can also break down over time. Evidence of bowing or water may lead to costly waterproofing repairs over time.

The foundation and the exterior walls probably are not well insulated, allowing heat loss. The windows, if original, are probably single pane wood or metal and are inefficient by today’s standards. The attic probably had little or no insulation or ventilation, which could lead to potential mold problems along with heat loss. Wood framing members over time can begin to sag causing uneven floors and wall cracks.

The plumbing system is likely galvanized pipe, that can build up with rust and cause low pressure over time. Copper is a common material today. Cast iron drains may fill up with tree roots and debris and cause drainage back ups. All drain piping today is P.V.C. Old plumbing fixtures may require updating along the way as well.

The electrical system may consist of knob and tube wiring, which is outdated. Most of the wiring is not grounded, and there were no such things as G.F.I.s. The original fuse box was probably a 60 amp main panel and the whole house may be on 4 circuits!

The heating system may have been a gravity furnace with the ducts wrapped with asbestos insulation or a boiler in which the pipes were wrapped with asbestos. The original systems had efficiency ratings of app. 40%-50% opposed to today’s standards of 80%-95%.

The interior walls and ceilings may be plaster. Over time gravity takes its toll, and the plaster can pull away from the wooden lathe causing cracking and sags. These too may require future attention. Closet space is also minimal. [Did these people not own any clothes???]

At one point or another, all of these things have to be considered and potentially updated. Typically older homes have had some of the work already completed.

Other old home tid-bits that people may ask about: The small metal box on the side of the home near the back entry door is the milk chute, the metal door on the foundation is the coal chute, and the metal box next to the furnace is the incinerator. Last but not least if there is a structure in the basement the size of Fermi it is a gravity furnace!

When I perform inspections for new home buyers, I inspect all of the areas mentioned above. I'll give you a written analysis of inspected areas and provide recomendations regarding any item requiring attention. An educated home buyer, is a happy home buyer.

Dave Jones
www.accu-spec-inspections.com
248-393-1250

The Wheel of Lunch

2007-03-07T10:45:00.000-05:00

Well, I think I've seen it all... The link below is a wheel you can spin to help you decide what's on the menu today for lunch. We've all had difficulty deciding where to go, and this little tool takes the decision making right out of the process. It even gives you handy info regarding the location of the winning recipient of your lunch time presence.

Just type your zip code in and spin away.

Have fun and happy dining.

http://www.coverpop.com/wheeloflunch/

Happy March, spring is just around the bend

2007-02-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

Much to look forward to this month in addition to spring. Daylight savings begins a week or so early, and of course the Irish in all of us is about to explode.

Naturally, I’m anxious for the start of the spring real estate feeding frenzy… how’s that for optimism?

I posted a few new articles since I launched the blog last month, redesigned the site a bit and added several links and contacts for people and places I do business with. I’ll keep posting info that I think will help you stay more informed about real estate, and don’t be offended if I post a ridiculous item or two along the lines of the great pumpkin seed cook off newsletter last October.

Be sure to browse around a bit on the site. If you have any questions relating to real estate (or anything else you think I might know something about), feel free to e-mail me or post here… I’ll dig into it and come up with something.

Kids are great, grandbaby’s almost walking, Kelly & I are doing fine if not a little frost bit from our monthly rides in January and February… Maybe March will throw us a 70 degree day. Check out the photos, I think my eyelids were frozen shut.

And of course... I'd be happy to help you or anyone you know with their real estate needs. Whether it's buying, selling, or advice, I'm just a phone call away.

Thanks for your referrals, see you soon

Dave

Top 15 Home Updates from HGTV

2007-02-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

In this competitive selling market, there are two things that can be done to sell your home faster than the neighborhood competition. 1) select the appropriate selling price and marketing strategy with the assistance of a Realtor, or 2) Have more updates than all the other homes in your area.

# 1 is easy as long as there's enough juice in the deal to satisfy the bank at closing, and you're comfortable with what's left.

# 2 can be a little more complex... what updates should I perform, how much should I spend, and will I get any of that investment back at the sale? All valid questions and all difficult to forecast (if not impossible).

HGTV posted this general guideline and I thought it was interesting enough to outline the info, as well as provide a link to the article. Enjoy the read, and happy remodeling.

In order, from greatest return on investment to least return:

Minor bathroom remodel - 102% return. Consider replacing flooring, reglazing tub, recaulking and regrouting tubs and surrounds, replace or install tired glass shower doors, replace counter tops sinks and vanities, light fixtures. Remove outdated wall coverings and replace with fresh neutral paint schemes.

Landscaping - 100% return - Curb appeal is everything. Make the home look great for MLS photos, and build drive by desire. Trim overgrown trees and shrubs, plant flowers and shrubs that add color and vibrancy to the yard. Replace or replant areas of the lawn that need help.

Minor kitchen remodel - 98.5% return - Kitchens that are functional and modern win the race. If you've lived in the home since it was built and haven't done anything to update this area, it likely needs a make-over. Minor remods may include refacing (or repainting) cabinets, new counter tops with modern colors (consider Corian or granite depending on budget), update sinks and fixtures. Add recessed lighting, and definately get rid of the chicken patterned wall paper, opting for neutral warm colored paint.

Basement remodel - 73% return - The key here is don't overdo it. Adding a wet bar or bathroom is extravagant and can lend itself to your enjoyment, but extreme costs may not be recovered in the short term. Chopping up a basement isn't recommended either, too many walls and rooms can detract from the usable floor space of a basement. Consider dropped ceilings and appropriate flooring for warmth. Establish well defined entertaining areas, and if the budget permits, drywall the perimeter and any storage areas or rooms you develop.

For more complete details regarding these and other improvements, check out this link http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_kitchen_bath_remodeling/article/0,1797,hgtv_3749_4969950,00.html

Everything you wanted to know about septic inspections

2007-02-13T16:38:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I sat through a presentation from Mike Kalkhof of The Home Team Inspection service (see link below). He was given the opportunity to shed some light on the ins & outs of septic inspections, specifically as it relates to Macomb county laws.

A septic system has to have a certification in Macomb before a property transfer takes place. A typical certification is good for a year. These days it is shrewd to wait for that inspection until after a buyer is found. Calling Mikes Home Team, he will take care of all necessary paperwork and additional phone calls for the tank cleaners.

Mike charges for his inspection, and you can expect an additional charge from the septic pumpers. The total costs can range from about $ 400 - $ 600 (or more depending on the size of your tank).

Mike takes core soil samples from your field to determine the condition of the drainage in and around your field. The pumping company removes any debris from the inside of the tank, and Mike performs an inspection of the tank and discharge pipes. He also spends time inside the home and or under the crawl space to determine general condition of the plumbing.

Mike swears that after your septic system gets done with your waste water, it should be good to drink... me, I'll stick with bottled water :0).

Once the inspection is complete, Mike gets a certificate from the county saying you're good to go, or will give you the bad news about any repairs that might be necessary. You can confirm the info with the county, but any repairs would need to be made prior to closing. If repairs cannot be performed in that time frame, typically an amount of money from the proceeds would be held in escrow until such time the repairs are performed shortly after closing.

All this, at the sellers expense.

Mike can answer any of your specific questions regarding wells or septics. Check him out on the link below.

Outlook looks better for '07

2007-02-13T16:28:00.000-05:00

The other day while traveling in Chicago, I clipped an article out of the USA Today. In a nutshell the experts (87 % of them) indicate the bottom is near for the real estate market, and depending on who you listen to, it's already hit, or should be complete by summer.

What that means to you & I is that from here on out we should see inventories getting smaller, prices equalizing, and our listings will hopefully sell quicker.

Last nights evening news showed that there are 7 times more foreclosures in Michigan than any other state. If you use those figures, 1 home out of every 100 is estimated currently in foreclosure. That is huge, and is a mirror into the general state of our economy, and the driving force of our housing "slump".

That's why it's so encouraging to see the USA Today publish good news for a change. A good boom economy begins with confident consumers.

Let's welcome a phenominal '07 with open arms.

Year end results are in for '06

2007-02-13T16:10:00.000-05:00

Well, it doesn't take but a look at the news lately to know that the real estate market has been a little rough this year. MCAR publishes stats monthly from the MLS, and here's what it looked like for FY '06 as compared to '05.

Oakland county listings are up 22 %, total sold units are down 22 %. That equates to a buyers market and declining prices. Total sales volume is down about 25 %.

There is no total available for median sales price drops for Oakland, but Troy was down 2 %, Rochester Hills was down almost 7 %, Hazel Park was down 14 %.

I like to temper the bad news with a little good though... Bloomfield Hills average price increased 27 %, Addison Twshp, was up almost 9 %, and Rochester was up almost 15 %.

A look at Macomb County shows similar results...

Macomb lisitngs are up 15 %, Total sold units are down 23 %. Total sales volume is down almost 30 %, and the average selling price is down almost 6 % over '05.

Poor performers in average sales volume were Washington Twshp., down 9 %, Warren down
9 %, Sterling heights down 9 %, Shelby/Utica down 12 %.

Only three communities showed an increase... Armada, Harrison Twshp., and Lenox.

Check out the next blog to see what the experts are saying about 2007. Thank goodness a new year.

End of January cold winter blues...

2007-01-29T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to my first monthly blog. I thought this might be a better way to communicate back & forth about what's happening in our household as well as keep you posted on the real estate front.

Christmas was a blast with so much activity around the house. Jessy and Dave & lauren were all home (with Isabella), and with all the holiday hoopla, we were a little exhausted to say the least when everyone left.

Kelly is trying to whip me into shape... my first week in the gym has provided me with a twisted ankle, a pulled rib, and leg muscles that are just now able to coordinate walking again. Isn't good health fun?

Real estate is still sluggish, but I've been blessed with a great finish to 2006, and a pretty nice start to 2007. Hopefully with all this buying activity, some of the old inventory will flush from the system, and allow us to get back to a real economy around here. I'm optimistic.

Golf season starts in April, so does motorcycle season... it was nice having a mild start to our winter, but it has made me a little more anxious than usual for the nice weather to get here. Soon enough I suppose.

Jessy is graduating from Western this spring, and heavily pursuing schools to complete her masters in Speech Pathology... you go girl. Dave is heading overseas in April for a month to train, and there are rumors of another Iraq deployment before summer... lets hope not.

Have I told you about my wonderful granddaughter??? :0)

See you in a few weeks