Monday, October 29, 2012

What a Deal!

A 30 year fixed-rate mortgage hasn't always been the standard. As part of FDR's New Deal in 1934, the Federal Housing Administration was created to help Americans purchase homes with affordable terms.

Prior to then, many loans had an amount due at the end of the term called a balloon. Most mortgages had adjustable interest rates even though some might be fixed for a short time. While banks would loan money on a home, they retained the right to call the note due at any time which could exert considerable stress on borrowers.

FHA, during this time, introduced mortgages that offered a fixed rate of interest to the borrower for a 30 year term. This fully amortized loan provided borrowers a financial vehicle that would help them achieve the American Dream while minimizing the risk of having a loan called without the resources to pay it off. It brought long-term stability to the housing market and helped stimulate the economic recovery at a very difficult time in our nation's history.

Roughly, a third of the mortgages created in 2011 were less than 30 year terms. Many homeowners, similar to those after the Great Depression, would like to get their home paid for as soon as possible. Shorter term mortgages typically have a lower interest rate but higher payments due to fewer years to amortize the mortgage.

9556 M-18, Gladwin MI - Restaurant For Sale

Restaurant in the Meredith Area!
Shar-al's Restaurant was once known for it's great breakfasts and lunches.
Now looking for someone to make it their own and open it up for business!

$79,888




Are you looking for a restaurant that offers a nice country location with local traffic? If you want to open your own business offering some good home cookin', this may just be the place. This used to be a popular restaurant in the area. It's located on the main route between Gladwin and Houghton Lake, in a very visible location. It's clean and waiting for someone to open it back up for business. Equipment is being sold for $10,000 and it looks to be in great shape. (Mobile home is currently rented for 300 per month





Friday, October 26, 2012

40 acres Ritchie Road, Gladwin MI - SOLD!

Affordable 40 acres with the Wheeler Drain 

SOLD!


40 acres near Sugar Springs and Secord lake. Great location on a paved road, with the wheeler drain going through it. Great hunting land with lots of deer, turkey, grouse and rabbits. Mix of trees, open, wooded and wet areas.






10633 Poplar Ct, Harrison MI - SOLD!

Great Get-Away or Full Time Home in the Woods on 5 Acres
3 bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 1 Car Garage on 5 Acres

SOLD!


Enjoy peace, quiet and seclusion. This home/get-away has a ton of potential! It sits on 5 nicely wooded acres in a private setting near thousands of acres of state land. This home has a nice fireplace and spacious kitchen. Roast marshmallows over an open fire at the fire pit area, surrounded by mature trees and wildlife. Wake up to birds singing in the morning and deer standing in your yard. Lots of "home" for the price! Hurry! This one won't last long!





Thursday, October 25, 2012

4899 East Shore, Alger MI - Secord Lake Cottage

Affordable Waterfront Cottage on Secord Lake

3 BR, 1 Bath, 1 Car Garage

$74,921




Are you looking for an affordable get-away on beautiful Secord Lake? Enjoy this gorgeous view of the lake in the more northern and less traveled part of Secord Lake. There is state land across the river to the north. Nice solid lake bottom for swimming. Well maintained cottage with several updates, such as new windows and carpet in 2004 and new rock riprap seawall 2005.





Wednesday, October 24, 2012

9615 Lily Lake Rd, Gladwin MI - Large Home on 20 Acres

Large, well maintained home on 20 acres.
3 BR, 2 Bath, 2 Car Garage and 64x32 Pole Barn

$99,993





Well maintained home on 20 rolling acres. Plenty of room for the family. Enjoy plenty of living space with a super sized living room and family room and master suite with it's own private bath. There is also a nice sized utility/laundry room with access to the attached 2 car garage. All bedrooms have walk-in closets. No close neighbors on either side. Lots of deer in the area and offers some fantastic hunting. Has a large 64x32 pole barn with cement floor and a workshop room.






Monday, October 22, 2012

Rent or Buy?

The question plaguing every tenant who wants a home of their own is whether they should continue to rent or is it the right time to buy?

The combination of good prices and low mortgage rates make it considerably cheaper to own than rent in most markets. Assuming a person is qualified with a down payment and won't be moving for several years, there may not be a better time to buy a home.

In the example below, the total house payment is $1,281.01 compared to $1,500 to rent the same home. Before you consider any of the financial benefits attached to home ownership, it's cheaper to own than to rent.

The net cost of housing falls to $764 or just more than half the house payment when you consider the principal reduction due to normal amortization, a modest appreciation and the tax savings along with a reasonable maintenance expense that a tenant would not have to pay.

One of the biggest benefits is the growing equity. As the value goes up, the unpaid balance goes down. A favorable leverage causes their low down payment to grow to $40,609 in a short seven years based on a modest 1% appreciation.

There's an expression often heard in real estate circles: "Whether you rent or buy, you pay for the house you occupy." You're either buying it for yourself or you're helping the landlord buy it.

Check out a Rent vs. Own to see how your numbers will compare to this example or call me to do it for you.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Ten of America's most haunted houses - Yahoo! Homes

Ten of America's most haunted houses - Yahoo! Homes




Unless, of course, we’re talking about dream haunted house features.
It’s October, and we’re forgoing the usual roundup of eye candy in favor of some cobweb-draped places most people wouldn’t dare put a down payment on.
Tales of horror, glimpses of ghosts and a bevy of cobweb decor — it’s all here.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Contributing Factors

Rental properties have four primary factors that contribute to a return on investment. Based on market conditions and investor strategies, the individual motivating factor can change for property owners.

There was a time when the benefit of tax savings to offset income from other sources was considered important to some investors. However, in today's environment, they are more likely valued as incidental benefits.

Some investors expect appreciation to deliver the satisfactory results which can be reasonable over time if a reliable appreciation rate is used. Savvy investors today are using conservative estimates for long-term holding periods.

Leverage occurs when borrowed funds are used to control a larger asset. Positive leverage can actually increase the yield on an investment.

The fourth component that contributes to a property's yield is the cash flow. When the rents are greater than the expenses of operating the property and servicing the debt, there is a positive cash flow. A property with a good cash flow doesn't have to go up in value to justify the investment.

The combination of lower prices, incredibly low mortgage rates and rising rents are attracting investors to rental properties that include single-family homes in predominantly owner-occupied neighborhoods.

Even if you were to ignore the benefits of tax savings, potential appreciation and leverage, the attractive cash flows make rental property a very smart investment alternative. If you're curious, contact me for more information.

80 Acres Oberlin Road, Gladwin MI - SOLD!

80 acres with a Large Cabin and Pole Barn

SOLD!


Are you looking for a nice hunting camp with lots of deer, turkey, ruffled grouse, trails, several blinds and even a large cabin with a pole barn? You just found it. This nice 80 acre parcel has several established trails and blinds throughout. Mixture of trees, food plots and terrain. The cabin has running water, electricity and an attached pole barn for storage. Walk through the maze of connected trails. Lots of deer, turkey and bear in the area. Adjoins 1000's of acres of state land. Already set up for deer hunting with several blinds and food plot areas.





Sunday, October 14, 2012

5 Acres Drummond Road, Alger MI - Adjoining State Land

5 Acres of Wooded Property Adjoining approx 239 acres State Land!

$21,111




Nicely wooded 5 acres adjoining 240 acres of state land. Great place to build or camp. Private surroundings with lots of wildlife. Located between Gladwin and West Branch. 1000s more acres of state land nearby.





Saturday, October 13, 2012

5415 Blue Lake - Nice Cottage with Great View on Blue Lake

Nice 3 Bedroom Cottage on Beautiful Blue Lake!

Come fully furnished! Great Family Get-Away!

$113,998




Affordable 3 bedroom cottage on beautiful Blue Lake. Enjoy some of the best fishing in the area and one of the cleanest lakes in the state of Michigan. This home is in great condition, even though it has a dated interior. This home features 2 fireplaces, an extra large living room, a lower level kitchen, dining room and game room in the walkout and plenty of sleeping space. Come fully furnished, including the dishes. Enjoy what Blue Lake has to offer, including a wonderful swimming beach, a park, picnic area and walking trails. There is even sandy bottom waterfront in front of the cottage. You will fall in love with the lake, once you see it. Truly a hidden gem in the NW corner of Gladwin County. Come see for yourself!








Friday, October 12, 2012

JJ Saw Bucks - Deer Habitat Developement - Food Plots - Custom Pole Barns

JJ Saw Bucks - Deer Habitat Developement - Food Plots - Custom Pole Barns

Tis the season for hunting, but next year you may want to consider checking these guys out!

Here is our endorsement:


We were invited by JJ SAW BUCKS to tour their property back in the Spring of 2012. We thought that we were just going over there to just see some food plots and trail systems they had created. After all, there are several people who do those types of services in the area. However, we were AMAZED at what we actually saw. These guys actually go ALL OUT in creating the ideal deer hunting property. They have over 80 acres that they have developed into a DEER MECCA.... and that’s not exaggerating!

What REALLY AMAZED us was their knowledge of what draws deer in and makes them STAY THERE. I know that almost sounds crazy, but they have actually perfected several methods that actually keep the BUCKS BUSY, staying on their property most of hunting season. They do everything from creating strategic buck scrapes, fashioning ideal buck beds that bucks will actually use, install contraptions that help bucks remove velvet from their antlers and more. 

They have a unique patent on a blind design that we've never seen before. They are octagon tower blinds that offer supreme views on all sides. They custom build these blinds to their customers desires. Anything from tinted glass to carpeted floors and walls. I swear, you could camp out in one of these all season!

They also had several food plots strategically placed all over the property and trail systems leading to all of them. They even create their own unique blends of seed for their food plots. 

You almost have to SEE IT to BELIEVE IT. We had to! You should to give these guys a call and set up your own appointment to see what they do.

~ Jim and Ivie Baker

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Mortgage Rates Hit All-time Record Lows for Second Consecutive Week | RISMedia

Mortgage Rates Hit All-time Record Lows for Second Consecutive Week | RISMedia

Freddie Mac recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates falling to new all-time record lows for the second consecutive week on mortgage securities purchases by the Federal Reserve and indicators of a weakening economy. 

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Looking for photos for the Hunting Page

I'd like to post more photos of local deer taken during the 2012 season, including Youth Hunt photos. Please email them to me, if you'd like them posted. My email address is on the trophy page: http://acreage.gladwinrealestateagent.com/trophypage

Also, we have made some changes to the ACREAGE web site. I updated the graphics and some of the photos to give it more of a OUTDOORSY look: http://acreage.gladwinrealestateagent.com/ We will be updating the banner and personal photos when Jim and I get our new personal photos done. We are going with an Up North/Outdoors theme with the web sites. It's going to look great when we get everything updated! I will post the links when we have everything updated.