This is a common question I get when a person is considering selling their Oakland County MI home. First let me explain that most everything is negotiable; the purpose of this post is to address what is customary for the Oakland County and Lapeer County areas. Costs to the seller: commission (I normally charge 6%, […]

Why it’s best to close on your Oakland County home as soon as the buyer gets loan approval There are many reasons to close immediately after the loan is approved and the buyer is clear to close. Even if that happens 3 or 4 weeks prior to the close by date. Seller can die Buyer can die […]

Why Zillow is a Good Thing They are well optimized so my listings get good exposure. And their Zestimates are SOOOOOOO wrong!! The first is a no brainer. Free exposure with a pretty decent format. My listings are attractively displayed with multiple photos and a good description. I can edit the photos and text, and […]

Should I stay around for the showing? Many home sellers in Oakland and Lapeer County Michigan ask this question. You should leave and I should not be there either. For the showing you want potential buyers to be as comfortable as possible. You want them to feel free to express any concerns or dislikes to […]

Home prices in North Oakland and Lapeer counties have been increasing- sharply. What you can buy for $200,000 today will probably get $210,000 or even $220,000 this summer..... If a house is slightly overpriced today won't be this summer. Not every seller has the same motivations. Some want to sell quickly. Some want to sell for top dollar and we are now in a market where patience can be profitable.

The 72 hour contingency clause is often referred to as a first right of refusal; that is close but not quite accurate. A first right of refusal is an agreement between a seller and potential buyer that if the seller accepts an offer on a piece of property the potential buyer has a certain time […]

Interest rates are low- super low. How low? Low enough you can pay today’s prices for a smaller payment than 2008 prices with 2008 interest rates. Last week’s rates for a 30 fixed with 20% down and a half point was 3.625%. With good credit of course. A few weeks ago you could get a […]

When an Oakland or Lapeer County home buyer comes to us with a pre-approval letter for an FHA mortgage we will ask both you and your loan officer “Why FHA?” It’s not that we are FHA snobs or don’t want to work with FHA buyers, but FHA does come with its own baggage. Baggage that […]

Turning your home into that “dream house” Most Oakland County home buyers come to us with expectations for a home that exceed their budgets. Most people aren’t buying their “forever home” (too much time on pet finder with dogs looking for their forever homes). Many settle for something they like, build some equity and sell […]

Why Zillow is a Good Thing They are well optimized so my listings get good exposure. And their Zestimates are SOOOOOOO wrong!! The first is a no brainer. Free exposure with a pretty decent format. My listings are attractively displayed with multiple photos and a good description. I can edit the photos and text, and […]