Saturday, April 18, 2009

2297 Heil Road, Gladwin - 20 acres SOLD!

Nice Home on 20 Beautiful Acres Near State Land

SOLD!!! $97,888

Wow! Don't judge this book by it's cover. This is a very nice mobile home with many nice updates! Enjoy 20 rolling acres with a nice 4 seasons creek flowing through it. Nice trails and excellent hunting.
Enjoy watching deer and turkeys right out your back window!

This nicely updated home has new Pella windows, vinyl siding, new shingled roof, ceramic tile oversized bath with whirlpool tub, wood laminate floors, efficient outdoor wood burning alterative furnace (plus a propane forced air furnace) and so much more. The 32x12 outbuilding has in floor hot water heat. Concrete sidewalk is already piped in for in ground heat (but heater not yet installed). Property is already set up to have a pole garage built with in floor hot water heat. Heat pipes have already been run. Need to see to truly appreciate!


SOLD!
-------------------------------

Friday, April 17, 2009

Michigan Homeowners Implementing Green Alternatives to Asbestos

Located in the mid western part of the United States, Michigan is renowned for being the eighth most populous state in the country. Hosting four out of the five great lakes, automotive industry and beautiful sceneries, the state is one of the ideal places to call home. The path to home ownership is an exciting time, but one that will bring other responsibilities into your life.

Having the assistance of a professional real estate agent can make the process smoother and less stressful. Many older homes may need additional repairs or remodeling. This is especially the case when these homes still harbor older, corrosive building materials.

Used in many construction applications for the greater part of the 20th century, asbestos is a fibrous mineral that possesses many intrinsic traits. In most situations, asbestos appears in roof shingles, dry wall, attic insulation, popcorn ceilings, joint compounds and electrical wires. It’s flame resistant and durable qualities made it an ideal choice for many industries. Potential Gladwin, Michigan home buyers or those seeking to remodel an older home should be aware that homes built before 1980 may still contain asbestos materials.

This by no means should make you jump out of your seat because asbestos exposure is easily preventable by taking simple precautions. There are now many green insulation options that replace the need for asbestos.

According to the experts, the general rule of thumb is if the asbestos is in good shape, it's posing no apparent risk. If it's in bad shape, it could be a problem. In many situations, the best action in dealing with asbestos is no action at all. However, if an inspector deems removal necessary, it must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling asbestos materials.

Prolonged exposure to asbestos can cause related lung ailments such as pleural mesothelioma, a form of asbestos lung cancer that accounts for three percent of cancer diagnoses in the country each year. Due to the fact many mesothelioma symptoms are similar to less serious ailments, mesothelioma diagnosis is one of the more difficult tasks physicians encounter.

With growing education and technology in green sustainable energy and building resources, Michigan has taken actions to ensure safety and health is a top priority in this great state. Non-profit organizations such as Michigan GREEN, consists of energy consultants and companies who have joined forces with schools, government agencies and conscious individuals to promote the cause of renewable and green efficiency throughout the U.S. Its goals include increasing public awareness on energy efficiency, renewable energy and application of new green technologies to increase the youth’s awareness of energy conservation.

Focusing to rid Michigan of asbestos use and other harmful materials, they also focus to protect the water and open spaces. With many health options such as cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose, Environment Michigan is working hard to give the state the healthy environment that the people deserve.

Friday, April 03, 2009

Q & A on First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit

In 2008, Congress enacted a $7500 tax credit designed to be an incentive for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home. The credit was designed as a mechanism to decrease the over-supply of homes for sale. 

For 2009, Congress has increased the credit to $8000 and made several additional improvements. This revised $8000 tax credit applies to purchases on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.


---------------------------

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Property Tax Assessments... OH MY!

Well... most home owners have probably received their property tax assessments and wondering... WHAT THE HECK! I found this document posted by Oakland County (LINK), explaining how properties are assessed and why your TAXABLE values probably didn't go down, (unless your SEV happened to go down with it). If your SEV did happen to come down but your Taxable Value didn't... this document will explain why that is.

I've had several calls by "NOT SO HAPPY" home owners over the past week, asking me to get them information to fight their increases. It might not be so easy to fight...

Friday, February 20, 2009

Commentary: House Prices Will Rise Greatly over the Next Few Years, Buy Now

“Those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it.” So spoke Sir John Buchan, the First Baron of Tweedsmuir, back in the mists of time often referred to as “the good old days.”

Read why it's a good time to buy now...

Enhanced Tax Credit Provides Outstanding Opportunity for Home Buyers

A tax credit of up to $8,000 is now available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Unlike the tax credit enacted in 2008, the new credit does not have to be repaid!

Learn how you can take advantage of this $8,000 tax credit to buy the home of your dreams.
http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

Monday, February 02, 2009

Buyer Advice for Purchasing a Home

by Phoebe Chongchua
There's a lot of doom and gloom being spread in the media about the housing market and overall turbulent economy. But, if you're in a position to take advantage of falling housing prices, getting a loan and moving forward with a real estate purchase could, in the long run, add strength to your financial portfolio.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Repairs That Help Sell Your Home

Most sellers know of some repairs that need to be made to their home, and a lot of sellers have many items on that list, but not all repairs are equal or, rather, not all home improvements rank high in the buyer’s mind.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Hot Market: Michigan Market Not Just About Auto Industry

I know this isn't refering to the Gladwin Area. However, it's happening in Ann Arbor. This should also be good for us up here in the north.  If there are new jobs in Ann Arbor and people are still doing well in Ann Arbor, then that could also mean that people will continue to buy vacation homes, up here in the north! Granted, that some of these are foreclosure sales, but others aren't.

Article: 
Ann Arbor, Michigan's market has begun the swing toward normalcy as foreclosures are driving up pending sales statistics, according to the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors. Sales have continued to drop, but pendings (the houses that have contracts, but not yet settled) have surpassed year over year numbers for the last five months.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

9 Housing-Market Head Winds for 2009

By Luke Mullins, USNews.com Dec 19th, 2008

With home prices having dropped a painful 21 percent from their 2006 peaks, property owners everywhere could use a splash of good news in their New Year's Eve cocktails. But as a nasty recession is now part of the picture, the chances of an aggressive housing market rebound next year are dim. "A lasting recovery in the housing market?" says Mike Larson, a real estate analyst at Weiss Research. "I don't see it in the cards until the back end of the year—if that."

Read the Article on Yahoo News...

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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.

----------------------------

Saturday, December 06, 2008

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.

-------------------------

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

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...