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Jackie Hawley
Oakland County Michigan Real Estate Homes for Sale

Oakland County Michigan Real Estate Homes for Sale Clarkston Real Estate


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Choosing Your Buyer's Agent


In today's real estate market, choosing the right agent is more important than ever. With the rapid changes in available mortgage programs, the large influx of foreclosed homes, short sales, houses assessed for more than they're selling for and a plethora of other factors, make choosing an experienced, knowledgeable, full time agent even more important than in the past.

Once you've made the decision to purchase a home (or investment property) the first two things you need to do is contact a loan officer and contact a full time, experienced real estate agent. It's a good idea to interview two or three professionals just like a seller would, then select one to work with exclusively.

When you work with multiple agents, none of them will work as hard for you as they would if they know they have your loyalty. Multiple agents will send you the same listings (or they should if they're using the same search criteria) so there's really no advantage to working with more than one agent. How much work (and time) can you expect a person to invest in your search when there's a good chance another agent will show the property to you?

There's more to finding a house for a client than plugging the search criteria in the MLS and emailing it to the buyer/client. The first time I show you houses I get a good idea of what you really like and dislike. If you want automatic MLS updates, I will be happy to do that for you, but I will also go through the updates myself and cull out the crap and only send you houses that suit your needs. I grew up in Lake Orion and have sold in the North Oakland and Lapeer areas for over 20 years and know the area well. After I get a good idea of what you do and don't like in a house I use that knowledge of the area and my experience to help you find the home that best suites your needs as well as considering the investment aspect of the purchase.

Both my associates, Marcia, Stacey and I look out for your best interest, educate you about the process, and we will work harder for you than any other agent will. By having three agents on our team, you won't be working with an agent who is always trying to "fit you in."

  • Upon our first conversation I will question you thoroughly so I can start your first search. There's a good chance that search will change after I've shown you a few houses, but I need to get as much information from you as possible to make that search a thorough one. I would hate for you to buy a house and find out later that there was something you might like better that I never told you about.
  • I will discuss agency with you which has been required in this area since 1994
  • The first time either of us shows you houses we will show you a variety of homes in a variety of areas (such as different subdivisions or different lakes if you're a lakefront buyer) but that still meet your basic criteria
  • After the first trip out to look at houses I will go back the the computer and alter your search criteria. We then look at EVERY listing that comes up, the additional photos the listing agent supplies, if the house is in Oakland County we look at aerial views, then pick out the houses we feel will best fit your needs
  • Once you've found the house you want I will pull comps (comparable sales) and together we will put together an offer. Then the negotiations start.
  • Once we've come to terms with the seller we schedule the home inspection (I can recommend a very good home inspector if you don't already have one).
  • After the home inspection I will order the title work and get the pertinent information to your loan officer who will order an appraisal and convert your "pre-approval" into a mortgage commitment, then we proceed to closing (this typically takes approximately a month from the time our offer is accepted to close)

Below are just a few things that set the Jackie Hawley team apart from other agents as well as some myths or common misconceptions about purchasing real estate, and the facts. Please don't hesitate to call or email if you have any questions.

248-736-6407

Jackie@JackieHawley.com

  • We are all experienced, full time Realtors who are knowledgeable about our market area
  • We have a full time assistant who helps with the phones, paperwork, computer work, etc which frees us up to devote more time to you
  • With out of the area buyers or transferees we will preview houses for you and take photos and/or video to send to you before you make that trip to Michigan. This will help you weed out some of the homes you wouldn't be interested in
  • We advise you on the investment portion of your purchase. We point out potential repairs (neither of us are builders, but we've both seen literally thousands of homes and will probably see problems the typical buyers might overlook), we discuss re-saleability, WE WILL GIVE YOU OUR OPINION - it's not our goal to just hustle you into the first house you express interest in
  • When we look at houses, we give you the full listing of each house along with the listing history, the public records sheet (which may show what the seller paid and how much the mortgage is) and if the house is in Oakland County we attach an aerial with the property lines outlined in red
  • Most importantly we listen to your wants and needs and we look out for YOUR interests 100%  

Myth: The new taxes will be based on half the new sales price.

Fact: There are 2 assessments on your tax bill: your taxable value and the state equalized value (SEV). Upon transfer of ownership the SEV becomes the new taxable. That may be higher than half the sales price.

Myth: Sellers are coming down 20%, 30%, 40% and more.

Fact: In the Orion, Oxford, Clarkston area, sellers are coming down about 5 or 6% on average. It's your agent's job to help you determine what is a fair price to pay. Some sellers are coming down more than the average stated above, but some houses are selling for more than asking price.

Myth: Short sale means it will close fast.

Fact: Short sale is when the seller owes more on the house than he will be able to sell it for so he is asking the bank to take a reduction on the payoff. Sometimes this can be accomplished in a matter of days but often times it can take anywhere from 3-6 months to hear an answer from the lien holders. And at that point they can outtight reject the short sale or counter.

Myth: Foreclosures are the best deals.

Fact: Sometimes they are better deals. Some are beat up and some are pristine. But the foreclosures have had a big influence on setting prices that have forced regular home sellers to lower their prices in order to compete with the foreclosures.


A Tale Of Two Taxes


It was the best of times (when your house was assessed). It was the worst of times (now)…it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity… it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…

Two houses in Oakland County Michigan- both priced the same. Both in the same township with the same tax base. The difference- The tax amount.To the tune of a tad over $2800/year or $235/month. This is not chump change and it is very important.

When you get pre-approved for a $300,000 sale price, the loan officer had to use some number for taxes. In reality, when you get pre-approved for a mortgage, you’re really getting pre-approvedfor a maximum house payment amount.

In the example above, the difference in taxes is because of the assessments and the fact that one of the houses is in the village and has a village tax. Both are on the same lake. So- how does that $2800 additional annual tax affect your buying power?

To make the math easy, I’m going to assume an interest rate of 4 3/8%. At a 4 3/8 per cent interest rate $5=$1000 of sale price. Or annual tax. A difference of $235 in house payment equalsabout $47,000 in purchase price. OR- house A with higher taxes would need to sell for $47,000 less than house B in order to have the same monthly house payment. Or- you can pay $300,000 for house B and have the same house payment as you would if you paid $253,000 for house A.

When I show you houses, attached to the MLS sheet is the public record that gives recent tax information and an assessment history. This will also help you determine what your new taxes will be. So when we’re looking at things like size, location, price, we also need to pay attention to the property taxes.

Jackie Hawley
Cell: (248) 736-6407
Jackie@JackieHawley.com  


How to Calculate Your New Property Taxes


Right now in Oakland and Lapeer County Michigan many houses are assessed higher than their true market value. Many home buyers are under the false assumption that they will only be stuck with that tax for the first year. That the new assessment will be half the sale price. This is not correct!

When I show you houses, one of the sheets attached to the listing is the public record report for the house that is available through our MLS. This public record sheet (or PRD) will give the taxable value and the state equalized value as well as the annual tax amount.

The taxable value is the number used to calculate your taxes. The taxable value times the millage rate equals your annual tax bill.  Upon transfer of deed (sale) the SEV will become the new taxable. In this market there’s a good chance the SEV will be higher than half the sale price.

I showed a house the other evening that is listed for $278K. The SEV and the taxable are both $163,610. Multiply that by 2 and you will be taxed like your house is worth $327,220. That is going to make a difference on your monthly payment.

This isn’t to say your assessment won’t drop next yearstate law states that the assessed value is to be one half of the assessor’s estimate of market value of your property, and that the taxable value has to be less than or equal to the assessed value. And once ownership is transferred, and a new taxable in place, that taxable value is capped at 5% or the rate of inflation- whichever is less.

Many townships are dropping assessments across the board. The house in the above example was assessed at $198,670 in 2006 and has dropped each year since. You may also fight your assessment through your township and appeal to the state if you are not satisfied with the results.

For the purpose of determining what your costs will be when purchasing a home, you should figure the worse case scenario and figure your new payments based on a tax amount that uses the SEV plus 5%. When your taxes end up lower- treat yourself! Or put it against the principle of your house.

Jackie Hawley
Cell: (248) 736-6407
Jackie@JackieHawley.com


Buying a "Normal" Home Listing - Not a Short Sale or Foreclosure


Since non-distressed sales make up about half of all sales in North Oakland and Lapeer Counties, below are the 5 most recent blog posts I wrote about buying "normal" or non-distressed home listings (not short sales or foreclosures) in Oakland County MI. For a complete list please go to my buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com and click on the "buying NON distressed homes" category. Or simply click on this link for posts covering topics such as the purpose of the home inspection, what is an earnest money deposit, why you need title insurance, what are seller concessions, etc.

My buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com is a pretty complete resource for all aspects of purchasing a home in Oakland County Michigan with articles covering how to write an offer, the home buying process, how to figure your new taxes after purchase, market conditions for various areas including my predictions about future market conditions. And of course it is a pretty complete resource for all that is involved in buying a short sale or foreclosure listing.

Jackie Hawley

cell: (248)736-6407

Jackie@JackieHawley.com

Southeast Michigan Home Buyer Information » buying NON distressed homes
Oakland County Home Prices on the Rise BUT Housing Is Cheaper
Oakland County Home Prices on the Rise BUT Housing Is Cheaper When most Oakland County MI home buyers purchase a house they are buying under a certain house payment amount. Many factors go into that amount including home price, property taxes, mortgage interest rate. Your mortgage pre-approval is really an approval for a certain monthly […]
CCS = SALE PENDING- Oakland County Michigan Homes for Sale
CCS = SALE PENDING Tired of calling your agent with Oakland County homes you find on Realtor.com or on your agent’s IDX site (consumer MLS) only to be told that many of those Oakland County homes are pending? And many of those same homes are still showing as active a month or two or six […]
Writing an Offer on an Oakland County Michigan Home
Writing an Offer on an Oakland County Michigan Home Unless you’re a cash buyer, our standard purchase agreement contains a financing contingency. Even if you are pre-qualified you need this contingency to protect yourself. If your financial situation changes after writing the offer (such as job loss) you need the protection of the financing contingency. […]
Seller Concessions Explained- Southeast Michigan Real Estate
Seller Concessions Explained- Southeast Michigan Real Estate This is my attempt at a very simplified explanation of what seller concessions are. Example: You want to buy the house you just looked at and want to make an offer of $200,000. You need $5000 in seller concessions (seller paying all or part of your closing costs). […]
Oakland County Home Purchase- What is the Deposit? How Much Should it Be?
Oakland County Home Purchase- What is the Deposit? How Much Should it Be? When you  make an offer on a house in Oakland County Michigan one of the questions I will ask you is: How much of a deposit to you want to give me? Partially because it is a space on the purchase agreement […]

Buying a Short Sale- The Good The Bad and The Ugly


Below are the 5 most recent blog posts I wrote about buying short sale listings in Oakland and Lapeer Counties. For a complete list please go to my buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com and click on the short sale category. Or simply click on this link.

My buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com is a pretty complete resource for all aspects of purchasing a home in Oakland and Lapeer County Michigan with articles covering how to write an offer, the home buying process, how to figure your new taxes after purchase, market conditions for various areas including my predictions about future market conditions. And of course it is a pretty complete resource for all that is involved in buying a short sale or foreclosure listing.

Jackie Hawley

cell: (248)736-6407

Jackie@JackieHawley.com

Southeast Michigan Home Buyer Information » Short Sale
Buying an Oakland County MI Short Sale Listing- What to Expect
Buying an Oakland County MI Short Sale Listing- What to Expect Between what I’ve heard on TV and radio, read and from conversations I’ve had with clients, potential clients, other agents, relatives, friends… I have learned that there are a whole host of definitions for the term “short sale.” And most of them not very […]
What is a Short Sale? Oakland County MI Real Estate
Oakland County MI Real Estate A short sale is when the house is offered for sale by the owner (person as opposed to a bank) who owes more than what is owed. Once an offer is accepted, the bank has to agree to reduce the mortgage payoff. Usually some of the leg work has been […]
Buying a Clarkston Short Sale? What to Expect
Short sales in Clarkston Michigan – click here for the very basics including my attempt to define exactly what a short sale is and the basic steps involved. Below is more about what to expect throughout the short sale transaction. Short sale listings can be some of the best bargains available in Clarkston MI, but […]
Making an Offer on an Oakland County Michigan Short Sale Listing? The Asking Price Means Nothing!
Making an Offer on an Oakland County Michigan Short Sale Listing? The Asking Price Means Nothing! First a quick run down about how the short sale process works. Owner lists a house with a real estate agent. The owner owes more on the house than he can sell it for and is either unable or […]
Southeast Michigan Short Sales- Why You Should Avoid Many Of The So Called “Short Sale Specialists”
Southeast Michigan Short Sales- Why You Should Avoid Many Of The So Called “Short Sale Specialists” I will preface this post with a kind of anti-disclaimer: If you have to sell via short sale, I DO NOT WANT TO LIST YOUR HOUSE. If you are a past client or a friend, I will list your […]

The Nuts and Bolts of Buying a Foreclosure Listing


Below are the 5 most recent blog posts I wrote about buying foreclosure listings in Oakland County MI. For a complete list please go to my buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com and click on the foreclosure category. Or simply click on this link.

My buyer blog at http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com is a pretty complete resource for all aspects of purchasing a home in Oakland County Michigan with articles covering how to write an offer, the home buying process, how to figure your new taxes after purchase, market conditions for various areas including my predictions about future market conditions. And of course it is a pretty complete resource for all that is involved in buying a short sale or foreclosure listing.

Jackie Hawley
cell: (248)736-6407

Jackie@JackieHawley.com

Search the MLS

Southeast Michigan Home Buyer Information » Foreclosures
Buying an Oakland County or Lapeer County Foreclosure? What to Expect
Buying an Oakland County or Lapeer County Foreclosure? What to Expect Or more precisely what not to expect. Don’t expect to be able to negotiate anything other than price. Think $150 to re-key a door is high? Too bad. There’s no way around it and you won’t get the key at closing. It may be […]
Can A Seller REALLY Enforce That The Buyer Not Resell For A Specific Period Of Time?
Can A Seller REALLY Enforce That The Buyer Not Resell For A Specific Period Of Time? A lot of the bank and government owned listings specify owner occupied only for the first couple weeks or for the first month. They require the buyer to sign a document that the house will be their primary residence […]
Lake Orion MI Foreclosure Listings Are NOT Available For Sale BEFORE Hitting The MLS
Lake Orion Michigan Foreclosure Listings Are NOT Available For Sale BEFORE Hitting The MLS I am asked multiple times a week if I can let someone know about Lake Orion MI foreclosure listings before they hit the market. When I say “there is no way” I am then often asked about RealtyTrac. RealtyTrac reports foreclosure […]
Am I Overpaying?
Am I Overpaying? Is the listing overpriced? What is the house worth? All questions, or variations of questions, most buyers ask when buying a house. They are valid questions with not easy or pat answer. The value of the home depends on your point of view. Webster defines “value” as “a fair return or equivalent […]
Michigan Foreclosures- New Buyer Fee to Consider
Michigan Foreclosures- New Buyer Fee to Consider It is customary in Michigan real estate transactions for the seller to pay the transfer tax- both state and county- to the tune of .86 of a per cent of the sale price. Bank owned homes backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been exempt from this […]

Local Market Conditions North Oakland County MI


Below are the 5 most recent blog posts I've written about the local market- sales data, neighborhood and lake information. You can see all the posts I've written about the local market by going to http://SoutheastMichiganRealEstate.Wordpress.com and clicking on the market conditions category on the right hand side or simply click here.You may also want to check out post about lakefront real estate, and local recreational attractions.

Jackie Hawley
cell: (248)736-6407

Jackie@JackieHawley.com

Oakland County Lakefront Homes for Sale

Oakland County Lakefront Home Sales and Lake Data

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Southeast Michigan Home Buyer Information » market conditions
Oakland County Home Prices on the Rise BUT Housing Is Cheaper
Oakland County Home Prices on the Rise BUT Housing Is Cheaper When most Oakland County MI home buyers purchase a house they are buying under a certain house payment amount. Many factors go into that amount including home price, property taxes, mortgage interest rate. Your mortgage pre-approval is really an approval for a certain monthly […]
Lake Oakland Real Estate Sales Clarkston and Waterford Michigan
Lake Oakland Lakefront Home Sales Real Estate Sales Clarkston and Waterford Michigan Home prices on all sports Lake Oakland are up from last year- both median and average sales prices. More houses have sold in 2012 than in 2011 and a smaller percentage of those homes are short sales and foreclosures. There are currently 6 […]
Orchard Lake, West Bloomfield MI Lakefront Home Sales
Orchard Lake, West Bloomfield MI Lakefront Home Sales, Oakland County Michigan Orchard Lake is a 788 acres all sports lake in West Bloomfield Michigan. So far in 2012 there have been 7 sales on all sports Orchard Lake, ranging in price from $638,000-$940,000. In 2011 there were 5 lakefront home sales on all sports Orchard […]
Lower Straits Lake, Commerce MI Lakefront Home Sales
Lower Straits Lake is a 235 acre all sports lake located in Commerce Township, Oakland County Michigan. Lower Straits Lake connects to Middle Straits Lake. Water flows from Upper Straits Lake into Middle Straits Lake then into Lower Straits Lake and back into the Huron River. Water levels can be supplemented by water that is […]
Lower Straits Lake Commerce Twp MI Lakefront Home Sales
Lower Straits Lake Commerce Twp MI Lakefront Home Sales Median sales price on all sports Lower Straits Lake and the average sales price on Lower Straits Lake are both more than doubled this year over last year. This doesn’t mean prices went up over 100% in just a year’s time. But if you are a […]

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Jackie Hawley


Jackie@JackieHawley.com

 

Jackie Hawley
 
Jackie Hawley
Email Jackie
 
Phone: (800)401-1444
Cell: (248)736-6407

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Oakland County Michigan Real Estate Homes for Sale Clarkston Real Estate


About e-PRO why hire an e-PRO to sell your southeast MI real estate About Jackie Jackie Hawley, Realtor, e-PRO, full time real estate sales About Kari Kari Butz, Realtor, buyer specialist, representing buyers in their southeast MI home search About Michigan MI statistics, informative links, real estate news, homes for sale Avoid Buyer Errors Buying real estate in southeast MI, Oakland county MI, Lapeer county MI, Macomb county MI Birmingham/Bloomfield Area Listings Real estate listings in Birmingham MI and Bloomfield Michigan Michigan real estate and homes for sale covering Lake Orion Michigan houses, Oxford MI homes, Clarkston Michigan homes for sale, lakefront, luxury homes, relocation, FHA buyers, first time buyers. Homes for sale in Oakland county MI, Macomb county MI, Lapeer county MI.
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