Thursday, January 31, 2013

Custom AuSable River Cedar Home

Now listed below $400,000, this custom home is ready for the next owners to enjoy as much as the current owners have.  Perched over a sweeping bend of The AuSable River's Holy Water section, the home offers long views of the river approaching the property.  It's fantastic trout water with an average depth of 1' to 3' over a mostly gravel bottom making it home to prolific mayfly and caddis hatches.  There's plenty of room for the owners plus any family and friends who may want to visit with three levels of living space including an open kitchen/living/dining area, beautiful sun room, lower level family room and multi level decking.  Custom woodwork throughout adds warmth and charm.  A large detached garage also has a workshop and upstairs bonus space.  This property is proudly represented by, Chad Brown, Principal Broker.  Contact him at your first convenience to set up a time to tour the home or click HERE for more details.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Gladwin County Real Estate Market Conditions Year in Review

 
Gladwin County Real Estate Market Conditions Year in Review 2012

Looking back over the Gladwin County real estate market sales and statistics for 2012 I can't help but feel pride over what I've accomplished.  I am very aware that my success couldn't have been realized without each and every seller and buyer who placed their trust in me.  The support of my staff, Sherri and my husband and son, Jason and Chandler, played an integral role as well.  Combining that with the Homewaters brand and the encouraging owners, Chad & Mandy, allowed for another record breaking year.  I personally sold 73 units this year for $5.1 million in home sales I was able to make it possible for so many  people to find their slice of heaven, or to accomplish the sale of their home.  Smashing the 2012 sales totals by selling $1 million more in 2012 than in 2011 was no small feat.  I can attribute the success in part, to many, many hours of hard work, a passion for my career, a competitive attitude, a thorough understanding of the existing market, an ability to competitively price a home, the extensive internet marketing I offer clients, the use of the latest technology that improves my efficiency and allows me to carry more inventory along with my follow up and communication skills.  As I gear up for a strong 2013 I am excited to see what sales records will be broken and to meet new people placed in my path during the year that I will be lucky enough to help accomplish their dreams.  

Homewaters Recreational Real Estate serves all of Northern Lower Michigan and this year we were able to participate in over 200 transactions for a grand total of over $30 million in sales.  At Homewaters, we truly feel like we are selling a lifestyle and not just a piece of real estate and our commitment to the communities we serve is certainly translated through our sales figures.
Below is a comparison of 2011 and 2012.

The following data was obtained from the Clare/Gladwin Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service and reflects residential home sales only.
                                                       
                                                               2011                2012
Number of Listings                              1339                1351
Average List Price                               $105,312          $101,003
Average Sold Price                             $70,626            $75,098
Number of Sold Listings                      565                  644
Average Days on Market (for solds)  241                  234
% of Asking Price Received               89.1%              90.4%

Referencing the grid above you can see there were 12 more listings in 2012 with a lower average asking price than the previous year.  However, the average sold price rose!  Perhaps sellers were more realistic or aggressively pricing their properties this year.  The strategy worked because there were 78 more sales than last year!  That is an average of 6.5 more sales every month.  Days on market remained stable as well as the percent of asking price the seller received.  More inventory selling means more buyers in the market and points to a tightening up of the real estate market in this area.  There are signs of a return to a more balanced market and a shift towards a seller's market.  I think this market shift will be gradual but I think it is safe to say the worst is behind us!  I hope this information has proven to be valuable to you and can serve as a guide towards your future decisions to buy or sell real estate.           


http://midlandonline.com/wwwroot/images/people/48254g.jpg?189512

Friday, January 25, 2013

Affordadle Travere City Home, Close to Everything!

10140 Grandview Ct Traverse City $164,900
If your are looking for a new home in the Traverse City area under the $200,000 price point then take a look at this great ranch home located less than five minutes from Downtown Traverse City.  This home is located in a recreational paradise with West Grand Traverse Bay public water access, TART Trails, parks, Skiing and so much more just minuets from your front door.  Basic features of this home include 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, attached 2 car garage, large corner lot, fenced back yard, full unfinished  basement.  

Click here for more details about this wonderful Home   

Steve Scheppe
(231) 590-5823 Mobile



Monday, January 21, 2013

Join us at The Cottage and Lakefront Living Show

While the current single digit temperatures make it seem like winter will never end, spring will be upon us before we know it.  We take this time of year as a great opportunity to help our clients get the jump on the buying season by advertising at a number of trade shows.  The first is The Cottage and Lakefront Living Show in Novi.  February 21st through the 24th, the agents and brokers of Homewaters, L.L.C. will be exhibiting at this show and introducing our clients' properties to buyers interested in finding their own cottage in northern Michigan.  This show features boats, docks, builders, paddle boards, design firms, home decor and anything else that can help people enjoy their cottage at the lake.  If you're a seller looking for unique and inventive ways to advertise your property this season, contact us at your first convenience to learn more about this opportunity and our overall marketing strategy.  If you're a buyer stop by our booth and say, "hello".  Until then, get out there and enjoy the winter because it will be gone sooner than you think!!  Click the logo to learn more about The Cottage and Lakefront Living Show.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Congratulations Steve Shcheppe! TAAR's 2012 Rookie of the Year!


Congratulations to Sales Associate, Steve Scheppe, on being named The Rookie of the Year for The Traverse Area Association of REALTORS for 2012!  This is two years in a row for Homewaters, L.L.C. with Sales Associate, Matt Geib, taking home the honors for 2011.  Steve's focus is on The Peninsulas of Old Mission and Leelanau Counties including East and West Grand Traverse Bays, North and South Lake Leelanau and the other inland lakes of Leelanau County.  If you have a real estate need in those areas, contact Steve and find out how he's been able to help so many other clients achieve their real estate goals.  Click on Steve's photo to learn more about him and his approach to real estate. 

Here is the text from Steve's nomination letter...


Steve joined our firm in March of 2011 after selling his successful landscape/service business.  It was his experience in that venture and other previous businesses he managed where Steve gained the essential skills needed to be successful in the real estate industry.  He was used to working long hours that were often unpredictable.  He recognized that a successful business relied on building strong customer relationships and winning over those clients who can sometimes seem impossible to please.   And, most importantly, knows that any business is only as successful as the effort one is willing to put into it.

Steve was tasked with the daunting job of competing against some of the biggest names in Traverse City real estate as he pursued a career listing and selling properties on Grand Traverse Bay.  With a well defined strategy and his willingness to work as hard as needed to be successful, Steve has found early success by closing over $2,700,000 in volume in just his first 18 months.  These sales include a variety of property types including a number of premium bay front properties that went previously unsold with very prominent REALTORS.

I’ve received numerous comments from fellow REALTORS and other industry professionals that have had the opportunity to work with Steve directly about how professional, courteous and attentive he is to each and every transaction.  He had to deal with a number of extremely demanding clients and very complicated transactions during his first 18 months.  By remaining solution oriented, he showed an impressive ability to keep all parties on course and eventually close a number of transactions that could have very easily fallen apart if not managed properly.  It’s great to know that someone of Steve’s integrity is now proudly representing the real estate industry in our area.

Busy with a new baby coming into their family (his third), Steve still found time to attend a number of WCR events, YPN events and volunteer with The Watershed Center to do beach clean up to take care of the area he now services.  Now a member of WCR, Steve has shown a willingness to sacrifice his own personal time to improve his own business and the REALTOR community in Traverse City.
We’re very proud to have Steve representing our firm in The Traverse City Area and are very confident he’ll continue to add to his early success and become a very valuable member of the REALTOR community at TAAR.  Thank you very much for your consideration.  I believe Steve is certainly deserving of the honor.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Midge McGinnis, 2012 Top Producer for Homewaters, L.L.C.



Congratulations to Midge McGinnis for being the top producing agent for Homewaters, L.L.C. in 2012.  Midge and her Marketing Director, Bethanne Masse, enjoyed a terrific first year with Homewaters.  For the past decade, Midge has been among the highest selling agents in the Houghton/Higgins Lake Area and she didn't skip a beat in 2012 after joining Homewaters.  With a total closed sales volume of $7,950,000 and the highest average sales price of any agent in The Houghton Lake market (over $114,000), Midge proved that you don't have to necessarily slash prices in order to get sales in this market.  2013 should be another great year for Bethanne and Midge as they continue to service their Houghton Lake Area clients and begin to aggressively pursue The Higgins Lake Area.  If you have any real estate needs in the Houghton/Higgins Lake Area, please contact Midge at your first convenience and we're confident she'll work tirelessly to earn your business!  Click Bethanne and Midge's picture for more information on them and view some of their current inventory.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Gladwin County Market Conditions for December 2012




Real Estate Market Conditions for December 2012
Gladwin County is located in rural Northern Michigan and is conveniently located within 3 hours of Detroit and 2-2.5 hours of Flint and Lansing making it easy to come "Up North" for the weekend. But, we encourage you to stay longer. After visiting Gladwin you will want to spend much more time here! Gladwin, Michigan is an area popular for its scenic lakes (including Wixom Lake and Secord Lake), plentiful state land, quaint parks, Amish communities and down town shopping. Gladwin is primarily a second home/resort community due to the amount of waterfront homes. Gladwin, Michigan has real estate to accommodate every buyer from very affordable cabins to luxurious homes. As a life-long resident of Gladwin County I know the area well and the real estate market even better!   
780 Quillette, Beaverton, MI               
Wixom Lake Waterfront Easement       
     













MLS #158291           $179,000                

  
1043 McKimmy, Beaverton, MI
Wixom Lake Waterfront














MLS #158295                         $139,900

The real estate market conditions in Gladwin, Michigan along with most areas of Michigan, remain somewhat challenging, but appear to be stable! There is a slightly improving economy, stable values and less days on market than before. If you are interested in buying your first home or your vacation home, it is a fabulous time to buy! Interest rates are very low for qualified buyers, and a lot of inventory remains. It should be noted inventory levels are lower than in previous years which indicates a shift from a stable market to a sellers market. I believe the shift will be a slow process however. Homes remain more affordable then they have been in years! Buyers: With winter here sellers may be willing to negotiate lower sales prices. 
Let me help you find your special place to escape to or to call home. Sellers: Your home needs exposure to the market all year long! List today if you are serious about selling!

Here are the latest real estate market conditions for Gladwin, Michigan and the surrounding areas of Beaverton, Harrison, Clare, Rhodes, Bentley, Wixom Lake and Secord Lake. In December I had 3 closings and currently I have 6 pending.....sales continue to be strong!!

The Clare/Gladwin Board of Realtors currently has 770 homes for sale through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and 56 of those were new to the market in December. The number of new listings is 6 less than last month. The average asking price of the homes currently on the market is $103,990 and the average days on market for those homes has been 293 days. These stats are only slightly different than they have been the last 3 years clarifying my theory that the Gladwin, Michigan real estate market conditions are stable! Residential asking prices range from $7,500 - 950,000.

During the month of December we saw 42 homes sell/close in the area. This is the same number of sales as we had in November. The average asking price was $94,584. The average sales price was $84,974 and the average days on market for these homes was 245 days. The average days on market is 8 days more than last month. The sellers received an average of 89.8% of their asking price.
In Gladwin 107 homes expired from the market unsold in December. The main reason homes don't sell during their listing period is that they were priced incorrectly for the real estate market conditions and or condition of the home. In any market it is imperative that a listing be priced as competitively as possible for its condition in order to have the best chance of selling. To learn more about why homes expire from the market visit this link to a page on my website. If you're thinking about selling your Gladwin area home one very important fact to know about your real estate market conditions is the absorption rate. The absorption rate will tell you how long it will take for the current inventory of homes in Gladwin, Michigan to be absorbed by the market if no other homes come on the market. The absorption rate for December is 1.5 years! If you want your Gladwin, Michigan area home sold you need to know this number to help you price your home accordingly.