Hey it's Christmas Week already.  I just wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas and the best of luck in the coming New Year.  Keep smiling and let me know if I can every do anything for you.  Be well.

Holiday video wishing you a very Merry christmas and happy new year.  From Tom Stachler real estate broker for real estate one ann arbor michigan. selling homes, condos, vacant land and commercial and income properties in and around the ann arbor, saline, ypsilanti, dexter, chelsea and surrounding areas. 

Popular Greene Farms Sub. 4BR/2.5B Home

2 Story with Open floor plan - This neighborhood is minutes from Lincoln schools and close to shopping, restaurants and highway access for an easy commute. This home has over 2200* sq ft of living space with fresh paint and new carpeting throughout.  Just minutes from Ann Arbor, this location is ideal for split commute couples (one working to the east and one going west) and gives you more house for your money than generally found in Ann Arbor itself.  

View Photos and more Listing information by clicking Here

Features Include:

• Owens Corning Finished Basement w/ Kitchenette
• Updated Deck w/ Pergola
• New Carpet and Paint
• New Privacy Fencing in Backyard
• 1802 SqFt Upper Finished Space
• 452 SqFt Lower Finished Space
• Master Suite w/ Soaking Tub
• Gas Fireplace
• 2 Car Attached Garage
• Hardwood, Ceramic & Carpet Flooring
• Prepped and Framed for Bath in Basement
• Club House with Pool
• Community with Walking Trails, Ponds and Play Areas

​Watch Video - Click the 4 arrows in bottom right corner for Larger Image

​See Attached LBP & Seller Disclosure 

* Including Basement Finished Living Area

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Looking for the Value of your Home in Michigan?

Try this Michigan Real Estate Home valuation tool to get a more accurate idea of your homes current worth that has proven to be more accurate than Zillow's Zestimate feature for instance for the tax assessor SEV or taxable value information. 

Go to www.My Price.guru to view it for yourself and if you put in your contact information, the service will send you quarterly valuation reports as well if you want.  Of course the most accurate way of getting a market report would be to drop us an email and we could provide you with a report with comps and even tweak it further with a visit to your home.  

Let us know if you have any questions or are looking to transition into another home or condo.  Just go to www.RealtyQuest.info for more information and to get the process started.  

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Given that as much as 25% of household energy costs are for water heating, it makes sense t 
evaluate various types of water heating systems with an eye toward saving both energy an money on their operating and maintenance. Here we take a look at some of the water heater options currently available for homeowners to consider.

Storage (Tank) Water Heaters – These are by far the most common type of residential water heater, In these systems, cold water flows into a tank where it is heated by gas or electric power. Once the water in the tank reaches the desired temperature, the heater will cycle on and off to maintain the temperature of the water. As the hot water gets used, more cold water will enter the tank to be heated. Most of us know the phenomenon of running out of hot water after family members take one shower after another; this will occur if the tank's storage capacity is insufficient to meet the demand. At other times of the day when relatively little or even no hot water is being used, the heater must still fire on and off to keep the contents of the tank hot. Unfortunately, it is quite inefficient to keep a tank of water hot all day, especially when the water isn't needed. Adding an insulating wrap to an existing water heater can boost efficiency and energy savings – these are inexpensive and can be installed by the homeowner. New U.S. standards introduced in 2015 include a requirement that manufacturers use an increased level of insulation in their storage water heaters.

Tankless (Demand) Water Heaters – Tank less or demand water heaters are exactly what their name implies. Rather than being stored in a tank, the water is rapidly heated by gas or electricity
once the faucet is turned on. For many homes, a tank less heater can be located close to the sink or shower to heat water on the spot. Because it reaches the desired temperature so quickly, much less water is wasted while waiting for hot water to flow through the faucet, however the results are not truly instantaneous. Tank less heaters powered by gas are usually much more efficient than electric heaters – in fact, electricity costs can sometimes negate much of the savings a tank less system might otherwise provide. Most tank less heaters will already meet the new 2015 energy efficiency requirements implemented in the U. S. Tank less systems normally cost more upfront than a conventional storage water heater, so homeowners should take that into account along with what type, size, and location makes the most sense for them.  I have an on demand system heated by a boiler that also heats our solid surface floors for instance.  There are hybrid systems with smaller tanks that provide a buffer for the on demand systems as well.  

Solar Water Heating – The basic concept of solar water heating is that the sun's energy is used t 
pre-heat water for the Home. The pre-heated water then flows into a solar tank that monitors temperature. Then it is piped into the regular hot water system, usually a storage water heater. If no water is turned on within a brief period of time, the water circulates through the system again, making it unnecessary to keep a large tank of water constantly hot. The pre-heating is done by one or two solar panels, usually installed on the roof. Solar water heating is becoming more and more popular as costs for the systems continue to decrease. By some accounts, including the California Energy Commission, a typical solar water heating system can pay for itself in as little as four to seven years.

No matter what type of water heating homeowners choose, it pays to do some research first to discover the ins and outs of various types for their specific situation. With efficiency and decreased energy use as a goal, the best choice of water heater depends on what pencils out in any given home.  Let us know if you need any recommendations or have questions.  We are always here to help both before and after the sale.  Take care.

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Home sales are on the rise and it takes a sellers edge to make their home standout in the competitive market. As real estate agents we are well aware that staging a property can enhance the appeal and get the seller a top-dollar offer.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, homes that are professionally staged result in a higher sale price compared to non-staged properties. They also spend about 73 percent less time on the market. These numbers can make for a compelling argument for your client against the cost of hiring a professional staging company.

Most buyers are pre-screening homes by viewing pictures online before they actually take the next step to see it in person. The first impression they have of the home is how it is photographed. If the pictures are not appealing, they will continue their search and disregard the home before even taking a step inside. When a home is professionally staged, it helps distract the buyer from the flaws and draw attention to the best features.

tom stachler, real estate one, ann arbor, homes, for sale, listing, selling

August 2015

The biggest overall trend for 2015 has been the awakening of the listing inventory. Even in Washtenaw, where inventories have been tighter than anywhere else in the state, there has been some relief for buyers, but mainly in the upper price ranges. So far this year has had more Home sales than 2014 and we expect that trend to continue this fall as well. The slow-down in under $250,000 segment this past month is a result of too few homes to buy, not a reduction in buyer demand. You can see that values jumped and “Days on Market” fell as a result of the inventory drop. The rest of the market followed a pattern seen across the rest of Southeast Michigan, with both rising sales and inventories. The bigger than anticipated jump in sales in June and July seems to be a result of buyers jumping in, anticipating a future interest rate increase, as well as reacting to a larger For Sale inventory. August activity, although still strong, has slowed a bit, possibly as a result of what would have been August business being pulled into June and July.

We track the number of visitors to our web sites as a way of anticipating future buyer demand. As the chart below shows, activity is equal to last year with a continuing upward trend, confirming that there is still strong buyer interest.

Home values continue to rise, but slowing from the crazy levels of 2013/14. Although not as geographically targeted, Case-Shiller tends to have the best data on true appreciation rates. The chart below shows the year over year value changes for SE Michigan, demonstrating that appreciation still healthy in the 5% range and also reflecting what we are seeing in Washtenaw as well.

Going into the fall, sellers will need to be aware that with inventories rising, home values will not move as much, and in those markets where inventories jumped quite a bit (mainly in the higher priced segments) values may decline for a short period of time until supply and demand balance again. A recent survey of home sellers showed that they have become more optimistic about the value of their home.  The graphic below compares the seller’s opinion of value to their actual appraisal. Up until March of this year, the seller’s guess was less than their appraised value, but since March they have become more optimistic, with that optimism increasing each month. That combination of increasing value optimism by the sellers and an increasing For-Sale inventory is likely to cause many properties to be overpriced this fall and winter.

 Please contact me regarding any of your real estate needs. I am happy to assist you.

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Get Instant Pricing Results - Online !

Thank you for stopping by.  I just wanted to take a moment to let you know that I value you and your good will.  I hope someday we will have the opportunity to work or communicate with each other again, however building life long relationships is what gives me the greatest joy and satisfaction in my career as a Broker/Realtor®.  I don't think of myself as selling real estate, but rather helping people change their lives. 

I would love to mail you a letter of introduction and a printed version of my digital personal brochure containing information about my background etc. while introducing you to my business philosophy.  Just click this link if you want my brochure mailed to you and then anytime you have a moment, perhaps we can chat further.  My objective is to be your Realtor®/Broker long before you actually need one.  I hope that when you have a real estate matter, question or just need a Contractor Discount/referral, you will give me the opportunity to help you with a recommendation or maybe guide you to one of the many resources found on my various websites that are also just waiting to serve you. Try out our new automated website that will provide you with the value of your Home.  Its fast and easy, just go to www.MyPrice.Guru

Even if you aren’t planning to buy or sell a property for years, I want you to feel comfortable calling me if you have any questions about real estate, the care of your property or even community taxes or any realty questions or concerns.

Contact us today if we can help and thanks again for stopping by!

Get Instant pricing on your real estate home or property.  Tom Stachler, with Real Estate One provides this free automated website to provide instant results for both a price and results.  Ann Arbor, Saline Real Estate along with Dexter, Chelsea and Ypsilanti home sales results.  

3 Michigan cities rank among nation's hottest housing markets

Lansing, Detroit and Ann Arbor are among the three hottest real estate markets nationally. A Lansing neighborhood is pictured. 

 

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Reddit

The local multi-list (MLS) Realtor associations gather data from searches on its housing website.  In March the organization measured the number of listing views as compared to the number of listings for the 200 largest housing markets in the country to come up with a list of the "hottest" markets.

Michigan cities fared well:  Ann Arbor came in third nationally, Detroit came in at position #10 and Lansing came in 20th. Among states, California and Texas claimed as many top markets.  Detroit, Ann Arbor and Lansing are among the most popular cities for real estate, according to data from the National Association of Realtors.

Here's the full list:

1. Waco, TX
2. New Orleans, LA
3. Ann Arbor, MI
4. Denver, CO
5. Santa Rosa, CA
6. Fort Wayne, IN
7. Vallejo, CA
8. San Diego, CA
9. Columbus, OH
10. Detroit, MI
11. Manchester, NH
12. Boston, MA
13. Austin, TX
14. Boulder, CO
15. Springfield, IL
16. Charleston, WV
17. Pittsburgh, PA
18. Tampa, FL
19. College Station, TX
20. Lansing, MI

The site lists 700 homes for sale in the Ann Arbor area, 2,106 in Detroit and 1,077 for sale in Lansing.

Traffic on the association website was high in March, with the website's most unique visitors ever. Home sales tend to pick up in the spring, according to the association.

"We are now firmly in the time of the year when peak demand and peak inventory levels typically occur, through spring and early summer," said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, said on the site's blog. "Buyers should expect substantial competition, especially in the hotter markets, and for affordably priced homes within most markets."  Websites like www.shelterquest1.com will help provide buyers with a jump on the market so they see listings before other competing buyers.  

 

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FHA Making Homeownership More Accessible and Sustainable?

FHA is reducing annual FHA mortgage insurance premiums by 0.5 percentage points from 1.35 percent to 0.85 percent. This reduction in premiums will produce an average savings of $900 annually for all new FHA borrowers.

More than 800,000 FHA borrowers are projected to take advantage of these lower rates in the first year, saving millions of dollars in total.

Lowered premiums will create opportunities for 250,000 new homeowners to purchase a Home over the next three years. In recent years, many aspiring homeowners have been waiting on the sidelines before Buying a new home. By making mortgages more affordable and helping create further confidence among those wanting to buy a home, the FHA premium reduction will help hundreds of thousands of additional families own a home for the first time.

The new home buying activity and benefits of the cost savings to borrowers will help further strengthen the housing market. An increase in first-time homebuyers and more affordable mortgages will help spur more residential construction and help create new jobs in the housing sector.  FHA will also be starting a automated program for lender underwriters to check appraisers pricing with assigned comps or recent home sale prices to loans.  Appraisers feel this is ridiculous and may create another 7-10 days to the appraisal process.  Look for more on this as the program rolls out.  

Each Year the Market moves Closer to a Sellers Market as Inventory Challenges Arise

There were no dramatic changes for the housing market in November and the first part of December. The median sale price increases in the last 90 days have been modest at under 2%, however the real value increase has been closer to 4%. The difference being that with a slowing upper price market, median values will tend to be lower than the true appreciation rate. The Month's Supply of Inventory (MSI) has been declining, with a small jump in November, a sign that although inventories are rising, demand is still strong. Sold properties have been rising through the fall season, but slowing in November compared to last year. Some of that decline might be weather-related and the fact there was one less business day in November this year. The slower sold pace does reinforce our feeling that the market is settling down to a more normal pace, especially in the over $500,000 segments. With buyers spread out among more listings, many sellers will feel that the market is slower than it really is. 

These charts from the National Association of Realtors focus on some of the underlying economic trends that should translate into a multi-year real estate recovery.

Household Net Worth at All-Time High 

Most people do not realize how far household net worth has risen from the bottom of the recession, and that it has exceeded the prior 2007 peak. The stock market jump has certainly helped move the numbers up, but the majority of the yellow bars are made up of home equities. Higher household net worth translates into higher consumer confidence and increased consumer spending.

GDP Growth = Job Creations (8 million lost, 10 million gained)

Going hand-in-hand with increased household net worth is the increase in total jobs, again exceeding the peak year of 2007. The jobs added during this recovery are more service-based and do not have the same buying power as those in the past, but with so many dual income families, the combined incomes create buying power for housing. Michigan as a whole may lag compared to the national averages in these two areas, but Washtenaw should actually exceed the national averages.

Young Adult Homeownership Rate (under 35 years old)

The young adult homeownership rate is one of the biggest challenges for housing growth. With tough lending standards, slow job growth and high student loan debt, young adults have a hard time getting financed. As lending standards move back to more reasonable levels, some of that first time home buyer pent-up demand will be released, moving that ownership percentage closer to 40%.

Homeowner households have not grown since 2006, but are primed to grow.

This chart clearly illustrates the effect of the housing bubble. After 20 years of growth in the number of homeowners in the U.S., we have been at a standstill for the last six years. Most economists expect the homeownership numbers to resume their growth, but probably at a slower pace than in the past. Much of that future growth is in former homeowners, who were forced to Rent, and hope to buy again the first chance they get.

National Housing Forecast

Overall, we are carrying an improved listing inventory, good economic momentum and some evidence that there is still some pent-up demand out there along with the prospects of continued affordable interest rates. The skies look good going into 2015 for stable and steady growth in the Washtenaw real estate market.

Please keep me in mind for any of your real estate needs. I am happy to assist you.

tom stachler is a real estate broker working and living in the ann arbor and saline michigan markets.  check with him when looking for ann arbor homes for sale or saline michigan homes for sale as well.  

ann arbor and saline real estate market update for january 2015