Ann Arbor Undressed : January 2009

How To Appeal Your Property Assessment

There are five workshops being held in the following locations.

Wayne County:

Detroit:

Friday, January 30 at 7:00PM. Wayne Community College, Eastern Campus, The Eastern Campus is located on Conner Road adjacent to I-94.

Macomb County:

Macomb Township: Saturday, February 7 at 2:00PM. Clinton/Macomb Public Library, North Branch, 16800 24 Mile Road, 48042

Washington Township:

Friday, March 6 at 7:00PM. Washington Township Hall, 57900 Van Dyke (1/2 mile north of 26 Mile Road)

Oakland County:

Troy: Wednesday, February 11 at 7:00PM. Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois Rd. (room 304)

For More Information Call 313-278-8383

This is an important year to consider appealing you property assessment. This year the CPI is 4.4% . Your CV will increase. Your SEV will likely decline. Your TV will likely increase. Did I mention that we will define terms at the workshops?

You owe it to yourself to attend and find out how to do this, as many folks in Michigan are paying taxes on what the home sold for several years ago.

Currentley there is a Bill in the Michigan Legislature on how to give the homeowners relief if they are selling a home in Michigan and already bought a new one. The bill is to allow you to continue to pay taxes on both homes with the Homestead Exemption.

***Originally announced on Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk blog***

If you live in the Ann Arbor Area and are thinking of buying a second home in Florida, this may be the time. As you can see from my friend Bryants blog post the homes are very affordable. 

Right now if you are like me....and haven't seen the ground in months for the snow it sounds pretty good to me.

Give Broker Bryant a call as you will be served well and have a ton of fun house hunting.

Missy Caulk

Remember how in high school and beyond you would hear a song on the radio, sing it at the top of your lungs? Then years later you will hear that song on the radio and every word comes back?

I do as I'm sure you do.

So I heard this rapper, that raps about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Site design. His name is Chuck Lewis, and I first heard him on a blog where he did a a song on SEO and I was impressed. It was everything all the SEO Specialists on Activerain talk about but set to a rap.

Here are two of my favorites. The first one is long but well worth the listen as he is interviewed at the WordPress Camp by Matt Mullenwig, the creater of WordPress. 

You can find his videos on YouTube.

American Title Company is located in Ann Arbor at 3005 Boardwalk.

I have used American Title for most of my years in the business. The staff is excellent and provide great service. Recently I had a closing there and Debbie Ellison one of the owners let me do a quick video interview of her.

The processor I work with is Tim Ehlert. It is wonderful to work with one person that gets back to me right away.Lately I have had to have him update HUD 1's for me quite often with those short sale offers.

American Title has been in business in Washtenaw County since 1962, and is independently owned an operated. Several years ago we were closing on a home and Greg Ottaviani, President noticed that the signature on the sales contract did not match the signature on the listing agreement. He called me into his office and pointed out the discrepancy.

The listing agent and I had to get in my car and drive to downtown Detroit to have him sign the sales contract as I was a notary and we needed to make sure he understood the contract as it was a divorce sale. I was thankful someone was overseeing the sale and wanted to make sure there was no fraud involved.

In this short 3 minute interview I asked Debbie how they looked out for fraud in short sales. (My first attempt using IMovie on my Mac with the flip)

The Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors is sponsoring a Workshop on Social Networking on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 from 10 a.m. to Noon

Ross Johnson, Chief Creative Officer of 3.7 Designs will be your instructor. This hands-on workshop with:

Benefits of Social Networking

Selecting the networks you wish to participate in

Building your profiles

Social Networking Etiquette

Profile Upkeep

Bring your laptop for this hands-on workshop!

Free to Ann Arbor Area Realtors.

For non-AAABoR members, the cost is $25, please call the Board office (734.761.7340) to register.

I'm going but should I?

***Originally posted on Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk***

Last week I received my Short Sale Certification and will currently be available to assist homeowners in Washtenaw County that are in this unfortunate situation.

The first step will be to see if we can get you a loan modification of your current mortgage by working with your lender.

In 2005 we had the highest number of home mortgages adjustments.(ARM)

In 2007 we were only selling about 10% of homes selling short. That has risen now risen and will continue to rise in 2010 as many ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) are due to re-adjust again.

The banks are now more willing to work with you to adjust your loan, or sell your home short of what you owe.

In Michigan we have a 6 month redemption period by statute where a homeowner can pay all the fees, bring their home mortgage payments current and "redeem" their home. (It is very rare when this occurs but it is the law).

For a bank to wait for 3 months to begin the foreclosure process, then a sheriff sale, then another 6 months to put the home on the market as a RE0( Real Estate Owned) property, they are loosing a lot of money.

More and more of the banks are now willing to work out a short sale solution.

The most important thing to do if you are a homeowner who is late on your house payment is to speak to a Realtor that explain the process to you. There are so many ins and outs that you need to make sure your Realtor knows ALL the steps necessary to help you.

I have dealt with Short Sales but wanted more training to be able to manage them in an efficient manner and provide all the documents to you the bank will require.

I'll post on Short Sales in more detail in the coming weeks, but if you are in that situation, please don't wait another month.

Give me a call, for a private consultation at 734-821-0757.

Search the Ann Arbor Area MLS

Today one of my team members asked me, "Are condo's selling in Saline?" Yes, they are. It is the same situation as single family residences, the homes priced the best, and look the best are selling. An over-priced condo or home is not selling.

There are 42 active condo's on the market in Saline. Three condos are for rent.

There are three condos on the market between 68 and 89,000.

There are 8 condos on the market between 133,900 and 199,000.

There are 12 condo's on the market between 200,000 and up to 300,000.

There are 6 condo's on the market between 300,000 and 400,000.

There are 8 condo's on the market between 400,000. and 525,000.

Now a total of 47 condo's sold in Saline, MI last year between January 2008 and December 2008. Nine of those were rentals. The highest price condo sold in 2008, sold at 400,000.

The absorption rate is not bad going into the new year. If you are a seller and own a condo on the market or thinking of selling it is critical to price your home right from the start. Chasing the market down is not good for you. If you do not have to sell then just wait or either accept the market conditions as they are.

Search Saline Homes and Condo's with Google Maps, Google Satellite Images and multiple photos.

If you need to sell and are upside down on your mortage, then consider a "Certified Short Sale Specialist". That is a Licensed Realtor or Broker who has gone the extra mile to educate themselves on the Short Sale Process and have the skills to negotiate you through the process.

I attended the Inauguration of President Obama yesterday. No, I wasn't there in the flesh, but I was there with my camera. The Peaceful Transfer of Power is the amazement of out Republican form of government.

I took photos, I cried, I prayed.

Here are some shots I took. I love the one of President Obama with the flag interposed behind him. I did not alter it, it is just the way the photo came out. It is my favorite one.

I like millions of other Americans am hopeful for the future and will pray for wisdom for out leaders and those who have authority over us. Today is a historical day in our history. Who would have known that barely 41 years ago we were only hopeful of the dream Martin Luther King had for our nation. We still have a long way to go, but we are on our way.

That is my son Matthew singing.

Argyle Advisors is a new company in Ann Arbor. It is owned by Rob Guilloz, who is the former IT Director at the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors.

Rob was the Mover and Shaker at the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors that kept all the 1000's of Realtors up and running with the MLS and technology problems.I can testify personally that Rob is good and very responsive to calls when you need help.

Some of the service Argyle Advisors provides are:

• Technology Consultation
• Search Engine Optimization and Marketing
• Website Service
• Computer Training
• PC Set up
• Computer Optimization
• Software Install

For Realtors in the Ann Arbor Area, Argyle Advisors is also available for:

• Custom Listing Reports and Flyers
• Custom CMA Presentations
• Video Walkthrough Tours
• Listing Photos
• MLXchange Customization and Optimization
• Web and Email Hosting
• Domain Registration and Management

Argyle Advisors was founded on the premise that small businesses, individuals, and small non-profits should have access to he same services as larger firms at prices they can afford.

Visit his site at Argyle Advisors

RGuilloz@ArgyleAdvisors.com

Call 888-778-1068

It is with great confidence I recommend Rob and Argyle Advisors to you for your business and computer needs.

***Originally posted on Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk***

Every year in January, we send all of our clients out a copy of their HUD statement. We do this so they don't have to go digging for those closing statements and to remind them to share the information with their accountants to see if anything is deductable.

Actually here is the system we use:

• After the closing we make a  copy of the HUD
• We address the envelope with their address on it
• We put it in a file
• Then in January we attach a letter, thanking them for their business and include it.
• It is a way to provide "after the sale" service
• We get a great response from it

Here is copy of my Yearly HUD letter, you can use it or modify it. (Colleen is my assistant so that's her name, not violating any privacy)

December 30, 2008

Colleen Bean
1372 Armstrong Dr.
Chelsea, MI 48118

Dear Colleen Bean,

Sincerely,


Missy Caulk and TEAM®
(Christa, Betty, Pattie, Terry, and Judy)
Keller Williams
(734)821-0757
(734)216-2822
Missy@MissyCaulk.com