Benzie County~The place to be!

As REALTORS® in northern Michigan, we have the opportunity to be out and about most of the time.  Like most, we do tend to take our lives for granted, not always relishing the uniqueness of our northern Michigan lifestyle and environment which we call home.  As REALTORS® with Homewaters, we have the chance to work in an area where most come up to play.

Yesterday, I was working with clients from downstate who were beginning to look for a vacant river or inland lake parcel, and we actually looked at more than 12 parcels throughout Benzie County in just under 4 hours.  I think that was a first in terms of looking at so many parcels in a relatively short period of time.  But what I realized is that you can still get a lot for your money in Benzie County, and if you have the right REALTOR® who has your back, it can make all the difference by making the process smooth and seamless.  I have become somewhat of an expert in terms of rivers, lakes, and homes in Benzie County and surrounding areas; and I have learned throughout my years in real estate how to make others' dreams come true when it comes to either buyer or selling property or homes.  And I always make sure we have some fun along the way. When it comes to working with clients like I did yesterday, I found out in advance exactly what they were interested in before we started on our sojourn looking for property. I asked how much they wanted to spend, among other specifics about their dream parcel. Then I went to work to not only find the right parcels, but I also anticipated their questions in advance of  looking at the various parcels, so I was able to answer their questions as they were assessing whether or not they wanted to keep a parcel in their possibilities list or move on.

If you're starting to think about purchasing either a vacant parcel or home in northern Michigan, don't look any further for your REALTOR® for MI Life, because it's me.  In the process of searching, please take a look at my new listing on a sweet inland lake in Benzie County, within minutes of everything we have learned to love about Up North: the Dunes, inland lakes and rivers, Lake Michigan, Beulah, Frankfort, Traverse City, and even the new L.A. Brewery and a great restaurant called the Stone Oven in the Village of Lake Ann.  Click below to see the parcel on Bronson Lake or give me a call at (231) 715-9037. You can read more about me here. Let me be your REALTOR® for MI Life and make the buying or selling process smooth and easy.

https://www.homewaters.net/search/search-results.html?q=jeri

Never a Dull Day in Paradise

Growing up in Northern Michigan and living here most of my life I can honestly say that Mother Nature always keeps things interesting and keeps us on our toes weather related. Living on a Peninsula surrounded by huge bodies of water creates weather systems that occur seemingly out of nowhere. Take for instance the month of April, Kalkaska County received 40 inches of snow since April 1st and we had some pretty incredible winter weather throughout the region.

We started our march toward Spring last week and we are experiencing some extraordinarily warm temperatures which are rapidly melting the April snow causing all sorts of happiness around the area. It's the little things like walking the beach with a 5 year old who gets pure joy out of throwing pebbles in the water.

Here in Kalkaska County we have 90 lakes and 3 rivers. You are never more than 5 miles away from a body of water.  Some of the cleanest lakes in Michigan are in Kalkaska County and our Selling and Buying season is in its infancy for 2018. Great market to sell your waterfront or recreational property if that is something that has been part of your long range plan.  It is also a great time to buy if that is part of your current goals. I know the lakes of Kalkaska County intimately and have represented beautiful properties which are some of the best values in the 5 county real estate market. I am asking for your business to represent you as a buyer or seller in today's competitive market. I am available to discuss your needs and help guide you through the process.  Click here to learn more about me and search available listings or contact me at mary@homewaters.net.

TC real estate market security

Working as a REALTOR in Traverse City is so great because it feels like it is in its own bubble, safer and more stable than many other places. It is so huge to feel some sense of safety in the real estate market that I am helping clients to buy and sell in. As a young family I have personally felt secure buying and selling homes in the Traverse City area. My job as a real estate agent is so gratifying as I get to help people selling their homes move on to the next chapter, whether it is bigger or smaller, in town or out of town, it is great to see them feel the excitement of moving on. We all know how difficult the home buying process can be but getting to explore the different areas of town with my clients can be so much fun as we learn so much about every neighborhood and I really see what their needs and wants are of a location.

Safety and security in the home selling and buying process are so crucial and although Traverse City experienced a bit of the recession we were not hit nearly as hard as many other cities were, which is why I love it here and feel safe buying and selling in this market. The average home price in Traverse City is soaring now at $317,576! Take a look at the numbers below, they illustrate how great our market in Traverse City has been over the last 15 years (Average Home Sales Price by Year):

2002- $155,931

2003- $163,736

2004- $181,724

2005- $198,367

2006- $193,148

2007- $195,954

2008- $175,449

2009- $158,956

2010- $181,203

2011- $202,627

2012- $204,034

2013- $197,918

2014- $227,793

2015- $269,465

2016- $280,678

2017- $317,576

At HomeWaters Real Estate we love helping people with any and all of their real estate needs. If you have any questions please give us a call or email we’d love to chat with you! 

Clare Bailey

(231)994-3763

clare@homewaters.net

260 Acre Central Michigan Retreat - $699,000

If you are someone who has been looking for a sizable piece of acreage, within 2 hours of Michigan's metropolitan areas you know that they are kind of tough to come by.

This unique 260 acre tract has a true Northern Michigan feel; and is located only 1.5 hours from greater Lansing and Grand Rapids, and 2 hours from metro Detroit. The home itself is 3,700+ square foot, triple A frame design, built in a mid-century modern aesthetic, and located on a blacktop road. 3 large additions (including skylights and full window walls) were added in 1997 to give the home an octagonal shape. The open floor plan allows natural light to flow easily throughout the entire house, and the 21 foot vaulted ceilings give the home a very spacious feel. Additional touches include a floor to ceiling fireplace in the great room, and a solar porch with stone wall perfect for watching resident wildlife. There is plenty of outdoor storage space in the 24’ x 30’ pole barn and adjacent potting shed. The acreage is comprised of rolling hardwoods, pine and poplar swales, along with expansive huckleberry marshes and 3 separate spring fed ponds. 240 of the 260 total acres are enrolled in a conservation easement, providing a tax savings to the owner. For the sportsman; hunting and trapping opportunities abound. Game species are abundant, and include deer, turkey, waterfowl, grouse, partridge and beaver. This versatile property would make a fantastic hunting club, weekend getaway or year round residence. This property is priced well below a recent appraisal at $699,000

As an avid sportsman myself, what I am most drawn to about this property is the sheer size and diversity of the habitat. As it is, this property could easily accommodate 6-8 hunters at a time, and with a little strategic planning maybe more. 

There has been very little activity on the property in terms of habitat improvement or forestry. This untapped potential leaves the door wide open for the next owner to build it into a premier hunting property to suit their own goals and desires. 

For a private showing call: Jason Manderbach (989) 621-7004