Gladwin County Traffic Jam

This is the kind of traffic jam we get in Gladwin County!

Real Estate Outlook: Mortgage Applications Rise

If new mortgage applications are a reliable gauge of forthcoming home purchases, looks like we've got a bumper crop taking shape out there.

Last week the Mortgage Bankers Association's national survey registered a record 37 percent jump in applications...

Read the entire article...

Ivie's Comments:

This is great news. More application mean there are more people looking to buy, out there. Of course, the lower interest rates are very enticing! With home prices coming down, it's a great time for people to get a good deal on a house. If they can get an even better deal with the interest rates, that should make for some new sales!

Gladwin County gets Hit with a Big Snow Storm Dec 9th

Gladwin County received a foot of snow during a big late fall snow storm.

To view more photos of the newly fallen snow, visit our Fun Page.

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2008 Parade of Lights

The Gladwin Parade of Lights was held Dec 6th at 6pm. To view photos of the parade, visit the Fun Page.

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Find Jim & Ivie on Facebook

Jim's Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1167596609

Ivie's Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1052914009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fed plan seen as housing boon

$600 billion spending plan should help interest rates
BY MATT CARTER, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2008.
Inman News

Anyone planning to buy or refinance a home with a conforming loan is soon likely to have more buying power thanks to a $600 billion government program to purchase mortgage-backed securities and debt issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.

The plan should keep interest rates on loans eligible for purchase by Fannie and Freddie down, even if the demand for mortgage-backed securities weakens with the slowdown in the global economy. That, in turn, should provide support for housing markets, supporters of the plan said.

Read the whole article...

Our new contract due diligence clause

From The Back Woods...

Okay... If you can't reach me by phone, email me instead. This is where I have been spending my evenings. Out in the back woods!

However, I do have my Blackberry cell phone with me and I am checking and answering emails from my blind.

To see some photos of my hunting spot, go to the Gladwin Real Estate Fun Page. They are posted there.

Remember this MONSTER Buck from the 2006 Firearm Deer Season?

Remember this huge buck? Well... I am looking for more photos to post on the Trophy Page for 2008.

You you have a great trophy photo to share and the deer was taken in either Gladwin, Clare, Roscommon or Midland Counties, please send me you photo with the details and I will post it on this page: CLICK HERE

Don't forget to visit my Michigan Outdoor Resource Page. Get your e-license, look at game charts, find out your deer's age and even participate in a hunting forum. I hope you find the information useful there.

Happy Hunting!

Accidental Photo-Op - Michigan Realtor Magazine

LOL! Made it into the Michigan Realtor Magazine by accident. There's me, chatting we another Realtor. Jim is in the photo too, but facing away from the camera. This was taken at the Real Estate Convention in Detroit this past September.

(Click on the photos to enlarge view)

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Purchase offers: How low is too low? (Inman News)

REThink Real Estate
BY TARA-NICHOLLE NELSON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008.
Inman News

Q: How low of an offer should I make on a 4-bedroom, 3-bath house in Atlanta listed at $300,000? It's not a short sale or an REO, but I searched the title records and found out that the owners paid only $90,000 for it about 10 years ago.

A: The answer to your question is, as with everything in real estate, "it depends." As you can probably already tell, you're not going to get a straight dollar amount answer from me. The decision of how much to offer on any particular property is, in my opinion, the single toughest decision a home buyer has to make once he or she has selected a property -- in fact, this is the single most frequently asked question I receive.

Get the Whole Story...

Know the Details of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act

RISMEDIA, Oct. 30, 2008-No matter the circumstances, there’s a lot of stress a homeowner goes through in a foreclosure or a short sale. The loss of the home itself and any equity can add a lot of anguish to a situation that may be beyond the control of the homeowner from job loss or illness to changing market conditions.

Click Here for the Whole Article...

Ivie's Comments:

This is good news for people who have or need to sell their homes on a "Short Sale". Many people were caught in a catch 22 when it came to short sales, because of the fact that they would have to pay taxes on the difference of what the house sold for on a short sale and what was actually owed. Many people would just let the house go back to the bank instead of attempting to sell it, because of that fact. Now, owner who sell their homes on s short sale, will no longer be taxed on the difference.

I mean... really... How can someone who already doesn't have enough money to pay their mortgage, afford to pay taxes on the difference of what the house sold for, verses what was owed. Kind'a like trying to sqeeze blood out of a turnup! You think?

However, people might not be aware that there are some catches. Though, the "catches" are no way as bad as loosing the house... there are still some catches. Read the artilce to find out more.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Check out the visitor that came to our house last night. I've never seen a FOX do this. 

Click Here to See More!

SOLD!!! 10 Wooded Acres with Log Cabin

Hunters! Take Notice!

10 heavily wooded acres with a 16x12 real log cabin.

This cabin comes fully furnished.

SOLD for FULL PRICE $59,888

Excellent hunting with 100's of acres of state land just across the street.

This property features a 90x60 (9ft deep) pond with a sandy beach. Stocked with hybred Bluegill and Perch. Nice trails throughout the property, for easy access to the back.

While electricity is available at the road, the cabin is powered by a quiet Honda generator (which is included with the sale). Propane heat with an Empire Direct Vent thermostat controlled system. Window A/C and ceiling fan. Outdoor hand driven well with electric pump. Coleman hot water on demand system for cowboy showers. Clean portable outhouse. ALL INCLUDED!

This is simply a beautiful property offering some fantastic hunting opportunities! Lots of mature woods, offering an excellent habitat for deer, turkey, squirrels and other game animals.

Look at this beautiful 9 point taken in 2007!

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Washington Report: FHA Still Going Strong

by Kenneth R. Harney

The country's top housing official has an urgent message for potential home buyers: You may have heard that the credit markets were "frozen," but FHA has been open for business throughout the credit squeeze, and so are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In fact, FHA's volume has tripled and the agency is now insuring well over a hundred thousand new loans a month.

"There is no credit crisis" for individual home buyers who have at least three percent to put down, documentable employment, and at least a moderately good credit record, said Preston.

Read the entire article...

851 Oren Court, Gladwin - Smallwood Lake SOLD!

Beautiful Waterfront Home on Smallwood Lake!

This is a great deal! This home was listed for $184,888.

SOLD!

3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Master Suite

2 Car Attached Garage and 1.5 Car Detached Garage

Over 250 Ft on Smallwood Lake!

Beautiful waterfront home on a clean and quiet channel, just off of the main lake. You will really appreciate the condition of this lovely home and its setting. Exceptional view of lake from the home and deck. Nicely redone in 2000 with new windows, custom oak cabinets (in kitchen and bathrooms), covered deck, large master bedroom with roomy master bath, and much more. Warm your feet by the cozy gas log fireplace during the cooler months. Over 250 ft of waterfront for added privacy. You truly must see this home to appreciate it.

SOLD!

$169,888

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SOLD! Cute Blue Lake Access A Frame

SOLD!!! This one wasn't on the market very long. This cute Chalet at Blue Lake Estates sold for $74,500.

Real Estate Outlook: Real Estate Market Defying Odds

Posted on RealtyTimes.com

The panic and fear that have been shaking Wall Street aren't translating into negative numbers for real estate -- in fact, it's been the reverse.

While the Dow Jones index peeled off a record fourteen hundred points in a matter of days, the latest pending home sales index was moving in the opposite direction -- up strongly to its highest level in more than a year.

Pending sales jumped by 7.4 percent in the latest month, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Read the Entire Article HERE...


Ivie's Comments:

This is a great article. Despite the weak economy and problems at Wall Street, real estate sales have increased nation wide.

The media is great at spewing out all the doom and gloom in our real estate market. Thank goodness there is some GOOD NEWS out there.

Here is another part of the article, of interest that I thought was interesting: "Also - although we keep hearing about the global credit squeeze and banks' unwillingness to lend money, that's definitely NOT the case in the mortgage market. There's plenty of money available - as long as you have a solid credit history and some downpayment cash".

I find this to be true, even though loans have still been tougher to get closed. The lenders are still making loans. They are just busy dotting their "I's" and crossing their "T's". However, the deals are still closing!

I have a friend who reviews appraisals for a mortgage company and she has told me that they have been extremely busy lately. She says that they are mostly processing FHA loans, right now... and things are BOOMING in their company.

One Year ARM Ticks Up As All Other Rates Fall

McLEAN, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.94 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending October 9, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 6.10 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.40 percent.

Read More...

Are You A First Time Home Buyer?

The Housing & Economic Recovery Act that was signed into law provides up to $7500 for first time buyers. Come learn how you can use this to your advantage. It could be possible to stop paying rent and to achieve your dream of home ownership!

Your local Clare/Gladwin Board of Realtors® is sponsoring the informative seminar:

Gladwin

October 28th, 6:30-7:30 pm, Gladwin High School, Rm 112

Harrison

October 29th, 7:00-8:00 pm, Harrison Library

Clare

October 30th, 7:00-8:00 pm, Pere Marquette Library

Other Topics

Other provisions of Housing & Economic Recovery Act

An opportunity to ask questions

Learn about MSHDA’s low interest loans to improve your home

Contact the Clare-Gladwin Board of Realtors®

At 989-246-0714 for more information.

*A first time buyer is someone who hasn’t owned a primary residence in the last 3 years*

Swans on the Lake

These beautiful swans were on our lake yesterday morning. Click HERE to see more photos.

Bailout Will Help, but Pitfalls Remain

U.S.News & World Report
Friday October 3, 4:29 pm ET
By Rick Newman

The mammoth financial bailout plan is finally in place. But don't exhale just yet.

The $700 billion rescue bill that Congress finally passed will limit panic in the markets, since it gives the government vast new authority to take over sclerotic securities that have clogged the credit system and already brought down some of America's biggest companies. With the feds stepping into the bloodbath, the hemorrhaging should stop. But the economy is still in precarious shape, and unrealistic expectations about the bailout could end up disappointing consumers hoping for some kind of immediate relief.

Read the whole story...

Ivie's Comments

It's hard to say what is to come with our market. I like to be an optimist and say that things will improve with our real estate market in 2009. For us (Kehoe Realty, Inc.), 2008 was not a bad year, as far as waterfront sales and of course... foreclosure sales. People are looking for good deals these days and they have every right to. There is so much for sale right now, that buyers can really be picky about what they buy and for how much!

Halloween is going to stink this year...

Long-Term Mortgage Rates Barely Move this Week

Realty Times: Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.10 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending October 2, 2008, up from last week when it averaged 6.09 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.37 percent.

Full Story: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20081003_rates.htm

October Letter from the Heart

I just posted this months "Letter from the Heart" to my web site. 

Click Here to Read Newsletter

Google has it's on BROWSER now!

This is pretty neat. Google just came out with their own Browser! I just downloaded it and it's pretty neat. It's better than Internet Explorer. Not sure about Vista... because, I've never used it.

Check out GOOGLE CHROME.

Real Estate Outlook: Predicting the Stock Market's Affect on Housing

With the unprecedented shocks on Wall Street and the financial sector still pulsing through the national economy, it's difficult to predict just how all this will ultimately affect real estate.

But so far at least, Wall Street's troubles aren't creating immediate problems for home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals. In fact, conditions actually appear to be improving.

Read More......


Ivie's Article Review:

I like the last paragraph of this article: "So all in all, given the earthquakes underway in the financial system, things look surprisingly positive".

I agree.

This past year has been a great year for some fantastic buys. Granted, most of my sales have been waterfront cottages. The biggest thing is: PEOPLE ARE STILL BUYING! There are some great deals to be found.

As far as "off water" housing, this years statistics haven't been so optimistic. With all of the foreclosures in the area, competing with other home sales... it's been driving prices down. Investors are taking advantage of buying up many of these foreclosure homes, anticipating an upswing in the housing market, to come. Not only that, rental units are currently in high demand. Some local investors are buying foreclosed homes to fix up and rent.

Many predict that 2009 will be a better year. That’s good news! I feel that once the presidential elections are out of the way, people will get back to business as usual. Things will improve!

Viva Las Vegas!

Jim and I went to Las Vegas in early September. If you'd like to see some photos of our Vegas trip, click here!

We had a great time. However, believe it or not, WE DIDN'T Gamble! Honest truth! We were there for a convention.

Here I am with Elvis and the BRONZE GUY? What is he supposed to be, anyway?

Also, we just launched our Gladwin Real Estate FUN PAGE, for non-real estate related fun stuff. Here is the link: http://gladwinrealestatefunpage.blogspot.com

I'll post more fun stuff on there soon.

Washington Report: Snag for FHA Hope

Although Wall Street's woes got a lot of attention on Capitol Hill last week, so did the continuing crisis in home foreclosures.

Starting October 1, home owners who owe more on their mortgage than their property is worth may be able to qualify for new FHA "Hope" refinancings that cut their debt, lower their interest rates and help them start rebuilding equity.

Sounds like a great opportunity for hundreds of thousands of hard-pressed owners, but there's a huge potential snag: Their lenders and loan servicers have to agree to participate, and they may not.

Click Here to Read the Whole Story.....

Ivie's Article Review:

This sounds good, but at the same time, banks are not required to participate in the program. The reason is, lenders and bond market owners of mortgages will have to agree to write down the balances due on the loans below current market values for the house... meaning that lenders make need to AGREE to take a sizable loss in ADVANCE. However, the alterative might be that the banks still end up foreclosing. That's a loose... loose situation for everyone! When a bank forecloses on a house, normally they will only resell for a fraction of what it owed. At least, that's what I'm seeing in our market, up here in Gladwin County and surrounding areas.

30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Rates Fall for Fifth Straight Week

McLEAN, VA -- Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.78 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending September 18, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 5.93 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.34 percent. The last time the 30-year FRM was lower was the week ending February 14, 2008, when it averaged 5.72 percent.

Read more...........

Gladwin County Sales Statistics

Residential & Land Sales - Gladwin County
January 1st to August 15th, 2008

Total Residential Sales: 133 Units
Frame Built: 106
Manufactured: 20
Modular: 4
Condos: 3
Total Gross Amount Sold: $12,031,298
Average Sales Price: $90,460
Average Sq Ft: 1230

Total Residential Sales for Waterfront: 44
Total Gross Amount Sold: $6,306,288
Average Sales Price: $143,324
Average Sq Ft: 1282


Total Vacant Land Sales: 48 Units
Under 1 Acre: 18
1-9 Acres: 8
10 to 19 Acres: 9
20-39 Acres: 2
40-79 Acres: 4
80-99 Acres: 1
Over 100 Acres: 0
Total Gross Amount Sold: $2,003,918
Average Sales Price: $41,748

Total Land Sales for Waterfront: 10
Total Gross Amount Sold: $664,500
Average Sales Price: $66,450
Highest Price Sold: $120,000
Lowest Price Sols: $40,000

TOTAL GROSS SOLD: $14,035,216

Ivie's Stats
(Note: These are TOTAL Sales for Gladwin & Clare Counties. Above figures are only for Gladwin County)

Total Sales: 22
Gross Amount Sold: $2,343,288
Residential Units: 11
Land Units: 11

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Clare County Residential: 162 Units
Residential Total: $8,666,962

Clare County Vacant: 31 Units
Vacant Land Total: $1,752,299

Total: $10,419,261

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SOLD!! Cute Lake Access Cottage at Blue Lake Estates

Cute 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath, Lake Access Cottage
at Blue Lake Estates.

$89,888 SOLD!

Super cute cottage with lake access to beautiful Blue Lake. Enjoy the best of both worlds, with the lake being just across the street & the back yard bordering hundreds of acres of state land, leading to the Cedar River. This home features new windows and half-log siding in 2004, updated bathroom in 2008, full basement & more! Enjoy quiet Blue Lake with an excellent swim beach, fantastic fishing, private park with stream, playground & walking trails. Truly an up north paradise!

Take a Virtual Tour!

Click Here for More Information & Photos!

Find out more about BLUE LAKE ESTATES at http://www.ilovebluelake.com/

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Major Internet security flaw also affects e-mail

Opening allows criminals to intercept e-mails and redirect messages
By Jordan Robertson

LAS VEGAS - A newly discovered flaw in the Internet's core infrastructure not only permits hackers to force people to visit Web sites they didn't want to, it also allows them to intercept e-mail messages, the researcher who discovered the bug said Wednesday.

Considering the silent nature of the attack and the sensitive nature of a lot of electronic correspondence, the potential for damage from this second security flaw is high. But there's no evidence yet that this method of targeting e-mail has been used in a successful attack.

Dan Kaminsky of Seattle-based security consultant IOActive Inc. exposed a giant vulnerability in the Internet's design that, in one case, allowed hackers to reroute some computer users in Texas to a fake Google.com site loaded with automated advertisement-clicking programs, a scam to generate profits for the hackers from those clicks.

The flaw wasn't in the site itself, it was in the back-end machines responsible for guiding computers to that site.

The vulnerability Kaminsky found is especially insidious because it allows criminals to tamper with machines whose reliability and trustworthiness is critical for the Internet to function properly.

Kaminsky, who spoke Wednesday at the Black Hat hacker conference in Las Vegas, has given few details publicly about the vulnerability he found in the Domain Name System (DNS), a network of servers used to connect computers to Web sites.

He remained tightlipped so that Internet providers would have time to fix their machines. Many have done that, but others have delayed, leaving some people at risk.

Major vendors like Microsoft Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc. and others have issued patches — software tweaks that cover the security hole and prevent affected machines from ingesting the bogus information hackers are trying to feed them.

"The industry has rallied like we've never seen the industry rally before," Kaminsky said.

Kaminsky's talk Wednesday at the conference was packed, with people sitting on the floor of the main speaker's hall and overflowing out the back doors. His presentation instantly became one of the Black Hat conference's most anticipated after he announced July 8 that he'd found a major weakness in DNS, a critical part of the Internet's plumbing.

While some details leaked out early — security researchers accurately guessed parts of Kaminsky's discovery — he was able to keep a few juicy bits secret until the talk.

One of those was the susceptibility of many e-mail servers to the DNS vulnerability, an opening that gives criminals a way to plant themselves in the middle of the transmission from the sender to the recipient and redirect messages to their own servers, Kaminsky said.

The result: criminals have a way not only to comb through the contents of those messages, but also to gain access to other password-protected Web sites the victims belong to.

That's because most sites have a feature that allows members to retrieve their passwords by e-mail if they've forgotten them. If a criminal has access to the account where that message is sent, he can then begin snooping on the contents of that account, from e-mail, to banking, to retailer sites.

The thrust of the DNS flaw is that it allows hackers to attach bad information to packets flowing in and out of DNS servers so they change the directions they give to certain Web sites.

It's the equivalent of turning around a street sign to send drivers down the wrong street.

So someone who innocently types in the address of a legitimate Web site can be strong-armed instead into going to a malicious site under the criminal's control. Because the attack happens at the network level, and the browser believes it's visiting the legitimate site, the attack is nearly impossible for users to detect.

Click for related content:
Gaping Internet security hole discovered

Hackers target Google Gadgets

Reporters booted from conference for hacking

Many e-mail servers are vulnerable because they also handle DNS traffic, Kaminsky said. Even if they only handle internal inquiries, if they interact with external DNS servers, that's often enough to expose them to attack.

Hackers are thus able to manipulate the packets associated with e-mail traffic the same way they manipulate the packets associated with general Web traffic.

Does FSBO Work?

For Sale By Owner Can Take a Long Time

For Sale By Owner seems like a no-brainer. Put a sign out on your lawn, run a few ads in the paper or on the internet and voila, you have sold your home and made more money by not having to pay a commission. The reality is quite different. With FSBO, you are doing all the work of the entire process.

Realtors Bring in More Traffic

MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service. This is used by realtors to let each other know what real estate are available in any given area. Buyers prefer to use a realtor so that they can see the most options possible. When you sell it your self you are not listed on MLS. Therefore, it is difficult for prospective buyers to find your property as most depend on a realtor to help locate property, and agents depend on the MLS to find listings.

Read the entire article ----->

SOLD! 40 Acres with the Cedar River

SOLD!!!

I've had SOOOO many inquiries about this property, with the Cedar River flowing through it, that I thought I better post that it has "officially closed sale" as of June. It was listed for $126,900 and sold for FULL PRICE.

Twitter

What the heck is TWITTER... you ask? Well, it's a short and to the point communication tool that I'll be using for quick updates about new listings and interesting info. It's kind of like a "mini blog" with short bits of info that you can either view online or have sent to your cell phone.

When I get a new listing or have something interesting to mention, I will post a short comment to Twitter through my cell phone.

My Twitter Link is: http://twitter.com/iviebaker

Have fun with it!

Ivie

My Public Calendar!

Great News!

I now have a public calendar! This means that buyers and sellers and see what my schedule looks like. To view my calendar, visit http://gladwinrealestateagent.com/calendar

Click on the daily events to find out what times and days I am available for appointments.

Have a great day!

Realty Times

Real Estate New Network

http://realtytimes.com/

This link is also posted on the right side of this blog. Check back often for new Real Estate News Updates.

Newborn Fawn in NW Gladwin County

Yesterday afternoon, I came home to a pleasant little surprise. This doe was on our lot with a newborn fawn. Shortly after I took this picture, she ran off.

I couldn't resist going over and investigating.
At first the little guy started walking towards me. He saw my movement and must have thought I was his mother. He was "bahing" like a little sheep as he walked towards me. I can imagine that a newborn's eye sight isn't so great, right after they are born.
He kept coming closer.
.... and closer!

After he got within just a few feet of me, he realized that I wasn't his mother! He stopped in his tracks and tried to play "invisable".

Needless to say, I took a bunch of pictures! Who could resist?

This is where I left the little guy. He decided it was okay to snuggle down next to the log. I left and checked back about 1.5 hours later and he was gone. Mom came and took him to a safer location.

I never touched him. When you see a baby deer, it's wise not to get your scent on him/her. In the wild, fawns do not carry any scent. You want to keep it that way, to protect it.

New Listing! Cute Cottage on Fantastic Fishing Lake!

Cute 2 bedroom cottage in a Private Setting on Lake Four.

Located at the end of a dead end road. Great fishing lake!

$97,888 (SOLD)

Take a VIRTUAL TOUR!

If you're looking for a great fishing cottage, then you found it! This super cute cottage is located at the very end of a dead end road, in a private, wooded setting. Watch Loons and Bald Eagles from your front porch.

This cottage features a lovely knotty pine interior, open floor plan, most furnishings and a cute country kitchen.


You have to see this great cottage to truly appreciate it. Pontoon boat, 2 row boats and dock are included with the sale. Great "turn key" package!

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