My Successful Real Estate Career

I have been thinking about my 18 years in Real Estate Sales - my second career after 20+ years in corporate finance. When I took the plunge and got my license in 2002 it was a "hot market" and I was very fortunate to hit the ground running.  Then we experienced the great recession. I was President of our 1,000 member regional Traverse Area  Association Realtors where we experienced a 40% drop in membership and I along with a great group of leaders in our industry navigated through all the ups and downs of a very troubled real estate market. We got to the other side, learned a lot and have great insight as a result.

Real Estate sales are celebrated annually measured in terms of  total sales dollars.  I am not the top dollar agent in my market however I have done really well ($2.5 million in 2019) and am grateful to each and every one of my clients.  I take most pride in the clients I have helped - both buyers and sellers - and where I have helped them achieve their dreams.  I was reminded of this when I saw a social media post by the owners of this  charming cabin on 10 acres with 1,000 ft. of frontage on the N. Branch of the Boardman River, 3.5 miles off a main road surrounded by hundreds of acres of state land with the exception of a few surrounding cabins and 20 minutes to Traverse City.

The current owners were celebrating their first overnight stay four years ago. This beautiful family has an abundance of children, spouses, grandchildren, family and friends who are the lucky beneficiaries of their generosity, love and kindness. They purchased this property with the hope of it becoming a legacy property and that is exactly what it has become. In fact, they even shared it for a week with the prior owner who had to sell when her job took her to Pennsylvania. I found myself smiling as I read all the comments from those who have visited and enjoyed their hospitality.

I most recently have helped a number of people sell in order to downsize and move on to the next phase of their lives; helped families find their legacy cottage to enjoy with their families; assisted a newly engaged couple purchase their Up North dream home on Starvation Lake, and so many other stories as I scroll through my closed sales.

Real estate is a people business and my goal has always been to help a client achieve their goals. I never list or sell more properties in a year than I am capable of delivering superior service. My service, reputation and ethics are everything to me. If these same qualities are important to you, let's talk. Here is link to my web page  if you would like to learn more about me.

Mary Janik, 231-384-1207, mary@homewaters.net

Peace of Mind? Piece of Land...

40 to 100 acres under $100,000

Prior to the recent virus outbreak we were already seeing a trend toward rural living in some fashion.  For some that means a 10 acre parcel within easy reach of town.  For others it means agricultural land for investment or to become more food independent.
Some people are also looking for a getaway property in the more quite corners of the state to simply escape the rigors of living in a city or busy suburb.

Now, with the peak of corona virus upon us, even more people have this thought in mind.  Many people who already enjoy their own parcel of land found a real sense of security through all of this.  There's something extremely satisfying about knowing that you're able to provide almost completely for yourself and your family off your own privately owned land.  Social distancing isn't a policy here that takes a lot of effort or thought.  It's every day life.  You have to choose to go be around other people when that social need hits you.

This post certainly isn't meant to scare anyone.  For many, giving up the conveniences of city living is simply unthinkable.  For others, the thought of being out in the sticks could not be less appealing.  If you are one of those people, however, that's been considering purchasing some acreage, we're built for the task.  Begin your search by clicking HERE to easily search acreage property throughout central, western and northern Michigan.  We made it very simple to use so you can get immediately to the properties that are most likely to suit your needs.  Here's a quick tutorial showing how best to use the search.



A number of our agents embrace this lifestyle themselves and specialize in helping buyers find the property that best suits their needs.  You may need a guide through the process depending on what your needs are.  Do you want to simply hunt?  Do you need quality agricultural land for planting crops?  Do you need a property that suites multiple purposes?  What is your budget and can you find a property that falls within that budget near your current community?  We can help you make sure to make the right choice.  There are more options than you might think.  Click HERE to see all the current properties in our service area listed under $100,000 with 40 to 100 acres.

Despite all that's going on, we're working every day as always.  We're limited from in person travel but a phone call, email or video conversation would be a great first step to beginning the process of finding your own acreage parcel.  We look forward to hearing from you soon.  Contact us today to get started.

Farwell Log Home within WBLRA! 4169 Cherry Road, Farwell, MI

Farwell Log Home on a Wooded Lot within WBLRA!

5169 Cherry Road, Farwell, MI 

$129,900

MLS #172782

Bedrooms: 2

Bathroom: 1

Finished Square Feet: 2016

.83 Acre Wooded Lot

Call or Text Shannon at Homewaters Real Estate at 989-339-1326 or call (877)820-1194 ext 711 to schedule a 
showing!

Beautiful 1 1/2 story, 2 bedroom, 1 full bath true hand hewn log home on a little over 3/4 wooded acres. True artisan style log home with one of a kind architectural appeal. Partially finished basement. Sit and relax on the 15x20 & 7x20 tiered decking or around the fire pit located under the 9x14 gazebo. If you want to be outside even on those rainy days, you can in the 6x15 screened in front porch. Lots of storage space in the 10x16 shed with covered porch area. Enjoy the 4 private lakes, which has great fishing and swimming at the 2 nice beach areas. You can't pass up visiting the club house that has an indoor heated pool, sauna, free WiFi, relaxing lounge area with beautiful lake views, game room, putt putt golf, tennis and basketball court. You and your guests also have access to the private campground with electrical hook-up, playground and bathhouse. There are several roads and trails to ride your off road vehicle or even take a nice bike ride on. 3 additional lots available. 

Click HERE to view more images of this Farwell Home for Sale!

Agent Recognition Software

Our company and our website were built to immediately put you in contact with the agent that is most informed about your area of interest. Here's a quick video on how we use technology to put our web users on the path to real estate success as soon as they begin their search.

https://youtu.be/OkJXeKgkTEE