Approaching Year end 2010

We were all hopeful in the middle of the year that sales would pick up and things would improve.

As it happened the frightful political and economic times have sent all but the most nerveless into real estate hiding.

I suppose there is a fine line between 'persistent optimism' and 'obsession' but where the line is I don't know - hopefully I haven't strayed over it yet!! I am optimistic that the market will come back but I cannot say quite when.
I am sure that it has to do with the unceratinty of how much tax we will be asked to pay in the New Year and how much of an increase we will see in our Health insurance bills.

What I do know from experience is that in the next 5 years home prices will go higher and that now is a great time for lower income people to acquire a home at excellent rates.
For investors also the opportunities are amazing right now - how long that will last is probably also tied to the popular feelings about taxes etc.

There is a lot of pent-up demand - we know that because we have not stopped showing property and talking to people. When these people decide it's time to put pen to paper, if you are selling, now is the time be be sure that you are asking a realistic price because the prices of 2 years ago just will not wash today.

Keep well and get realistic; now is the best 'buyers market' we are ever again likely to see.
All the best
Quintus

Summer is here

Summer is here in Pentwater, The streets are busy and we got some strong indications of interest from prospective buyers at our open houses over the weekend.
Note our 'Open Houses' are attended by an agent at the advertised times (barring accidents!!)
I see some people advertising 'Open House by Appointment' - well, our listings are "Open House by appointment" all the time.

We had someone in the office over the weekend asking for 100 feet on Lake MI for around $30,000 - we figure if we find one of these we won't be telling anyone about it!

We Have 8 Reduced Price listings in our weekly Brochure dated 1st June 2010 and 10 New Listings.

Of course these are all on the web too.

Keep well
Quintus

Housing recovery

The Case-Schiller index indicates today that the housing sales improved by 0.6% this month past and that house prices have risen slightly.
Also noting that average (across the nation) house prices are down 30% from where they were in early 2006.

That is GREAT news.

We are experiencing a stronger market - our first quarter sales have been stronger than last years marginally.
Whether or not that will be sustained throughout the year remains to be seen butour Brokers are confident in the future of the Pentwater Market.

Looking at the market today it is bifurcated in that there are very good opportunities out there and yet quality homes in good locations are holding and possibly increasing in value and commanding interest from potential buyers.

So good signs all around.

Enjoy Spring - keep well
Quintus

Trouble with passwords???

If you are troubled with remembering passwords here is a trick to help .
You will not have to actually memorize passwords any more except for one basic piece to the puzzle.
Let's say your name is Jeremiah Heep and your phone number (last four digits) is 4325
Well, everyone can remember their own name I hope!

Make a password that is like this JhHp (First and Last letters of your names noting the case also)
Add the first and last numbers from your phone number (45) So that your password becomes
JhHp45

Now this is the part that you have to remember - the only part.

All your passwords have this as their core. (But remember you can contruct it your own way so long as you can remember it)

Lets say you want to sign into your Google account your password becomes:-
JhHp45G or JhHp45google etc.

Just exactly how you create the password for a given web site depends on how you think of that site; for example
Hewlett Packard - HP or hp (password becomes JhHp45HP)
Norton - NAV or norton etc (password becomes JhHp45NAV)
Paypal - pp (password becomes JhHp45pp)

This way you can pitch that little book you write down passwords in!!

Hope everyone had a great Easter
Keep well
Quintus

Spring is on the way in Pentwater, Michigan

So, the Windfarm nonsense keeps coming - Recently the Government anounced a huge (could it have been $2.2 billion) program to clean up the Great Lakes. Very commendable.
However, with the next wave of their magic wand they want to make our Great Lake into an Industrial Electricity generating plant. Go figure!, as they say.

On the Real Estate front - Real Estate in Pentwater, Hart and Shelby and Silver Lake is still being sold at what we think is a marginally increasing rate.
I have to believe that before the year is out real estate asking prices will start to firm up although at present they are still high especially in the Second Home Market.

Sales are happening in part because the very low interest rates currently available enable people to buy at excellent rates not to mention excellent prices.

There was a lot of Realtor activity in and around Pentwater over the weekend. There were showings of the condominiums (Harbor View on Hancock St near Cenzo's) and residential homes in Pentwater and homes near Ludington and Shelby.

The weather has been just perfect for a walk on the beach and so plan on it soon.
Keep well
Quintus

Lengthening Days in Pentwater Village

As we slide into Spring there are more signs that people are getting fed up waiting for 'whatever'to happen.
A Lake MI View property in the $350,000 price bracket just sold - it was a long time in the making but it was and is.
In our office we are working on several $300,000 to $400,000 transactions presently so that should be encouraging for all of us.
Today we had a visit from the USDA / RDA lady who talked about the amazing financing deals that can be had via the USDA for low and very low income earners.
Call us for details.
In Pentwater Village and township most of the homes seem to be second homes but there are alot of residential homes in Oceana County.
Check these sites:-
www.pentwater-real-estate.com
www.mwsrealty.com

We are busy

2 closings this week and the snow is getting deeper as I write!!
We have agents showing property and one sale negotiated so far this week.
So - no complaints at the present!
There are just great opportunities out there right now. I can't believe that the house in Hart for $31,000 expired this am - maybe it will get re-listed in the next day or 2.
Apparently everyone is still hibernating because that is the opportunity of a life time.

If you snooze you lose, as the saying goes!

Up North in February

Well, you know it's Up North at this time of year!
Actually it has been nice weather, dry and not too cold.
Last night the Village of Pentwater Council members approved a resolution to send a letter to our senator and representative and the Governor in which it was stated that Pentwater Village does not approve of the Wind Farm proposed for Lake Michigan.
It seemed to be unanimous with lots of approval from those present including yours truly!

February Real Estate in Pentwater

So far the phones have been ringing fairly steadily. People looking for homes and land which is, of course, music to our ears.
It is understandable because there are a lot of excellent bargains to be had.
A house in Hart for $34,000 - Yes it's true and it is in a nice area , Can't be bad for someone with a little money to invest.
Just think - put down $7000 (approx 20%) and borrow $27,000 at 6% (say)
That makes monthly payments of $227 for 15 years or $350 per month for 8 years.
As a rental you should be able to get $400 - $500 per month.
I call that a sweet investment.
Bythe way interest rates are not up to 6% yet!
Have a great week and think about it!
Quintus

Wind farm and Real Estate Values

While the proponents of Wind Energy are going around asserting that a Wind Farm in your neighborhood will increase your property values I have my doubts.
The noises coming from Local Governmental circles re the wind farm proposal are not entirely encouraging to those of us who are against it.
Is it because they want these wind turbines in the Lake or do they just want them somewhere?

Personally I don't mind if they just want them somewhere - just don't ruin our beautiful unique (in the true meaning of the word) lake.
I'm all for alternative energy sources and how about putting scrubbers on the exhaust from Coal fired plants and using Natural gas of which there is now an abundance. What about getting the French over here to show us how to build a modern Nuclear Power system since I doubt if we now have the ability to do it ourselves.

Well, now that I got that off my chest!! - the real estate values are being impacted right now by the general malaise in the market.
The good news is that our phones have been very busy lately and we are looking forward to a better year in 2010.

Lake Michigan Property values

Finally the Lake Michigan water front property values are under pressure - foreclosures may this year make this part of the real estate market difficult.
Already it has been a slow market but now that the numbers of foreclosures seem to be increasing in this market it will give entry level investors a good opportunity while putting others under pressure to sell.
Ultimately the property values will strengthen and increase but I can't say just when that will happen.
One thing I can say for sure is that Foreclosures and the prospect of a Wind Farm close to shore are 2 factors that must go away before we will see any confidence return to the market.
The Wind Farm business also affects the second home market in general. No-one wants a second home in an industrial area - which is what our playgrounds will become if this Wind Farm nonsense as allowed to proceed.
WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND YOUR SENATOR ! ! ! - now!!!
Please!!
The GOOD NEWS is that a lot of people who could not afford a home previously are now in the market and acquiring nice homes in the under $150,000 range.
Keep well
Sincerely
Quintus

Wind Farm Woes

There is a tremendous concern presently that a Wind Farm might appear in lake Michigan only a mile or 2 from our beautiful shoreline.
Take some time to contact your Representative and Senator to tell them that you don't want this to happen.
And if you, perhaps, do want it to happen then either you do not have an interest in Lake MI shoreline in Oceana County or you are under a misunderstanding about what this wind farm will do for us. Or maybe you stand to gain from the Millions of dollars of Taxpayer money that will be used to create such a monstrosity.

Public Meetings are to be held in Shelby High School at 7pm on the 18th Jan 2010
and in the Peterson Auditorium in ludington at 7pm on teh 19th January.
Contact me if you want further contacts and info.

A new year - a new program

This year I plan to write here more prequently - Hows that for a start?

Major fight coming up on the part of the land owners along the shoreline of Lake MI - The Wind Farm.
I will try to provide some info - First there is a meeting on the 18th Jan in the Shelby High School. Followed by another in the Peterson Auditorium in Ludington the following night - it would be great if so many people turned up that they could not all get in the building!
There is a Facebook group "people against the Lake Michigan wind farm"

On the real estate side - sales have been staedy but small residential homes only. This is a good time to buy - no doubt about that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Quintus