Things were looking pretty grim when I last posted.  In Michigan, nobody is going to deny that things are sad.  Ask Congress. My husband lost his job in the auto industry on October 28, 2008 after nearly 20 years as a dedicated and continually valued professional.  At first it felt devastating but then with the severance package we felt empowered.  A huge bonus to leave?  Well, I guess that is better than, soooooorrrryyyy.  Or a note on the door when a person arrives for work one day. We paid down debt and allowed ourselves many months of expenses, not even allowing that I would make a dime in real estate - that is a pretty iffy proposition in Michigan as well.  Tomorrow is a new day and it started the day my husband lost his job.  Amazing what adversity will do to the spirit! I felt I ... 12/15/2008

You may think, scuba in Ann Arbor, Michigan? Well Larry, Kevin and I took classes from Dave and Rachael Kasper  of Huron Scuba on Jackson Road.  Kevin was 13 and we all learned at the same level.  Learning the calculations of air time, depth and dive time was one part.  We went to the EMU pool to take some classes and then to a quarry in Ohio for our certification test. We have been on trips with Huron Scuba and really enjoy the Kaspers. Dave was a lawyer and Rachael was an engineer at General Motors. One of our favorite trips was to Dominica.  The dive boat literally picked us up right outside our room at our beach.  Dave's Dad was on this trip and he partnered few dives with Kevin.  This is one of the few islands that makes its own water.  We got to dive off a waterfall in the rain fo... 12/14/2008

Another gripe session from your favorite Buyer Agent. I get so tired of seeing homes that have "steam heat" listed as "hot water heat", and both steam and hot water listed as "gas forced air". Just now a new listing came up for an eighty year old luxury home. The pictures show steam radiators. The air conditioning is listed as wall units. But the listing still says gas forced air. For all you first time home buyers and listing agents who don't know the difference here is a quick summary: Steam heat uses convection to get the heat from the furnace to the rooms. That is, steam is hot so it rises, in the pipes, right up from the basement to the room that needs the heat. Steam was used in new construction from at least as far back as the 19th century till about the 1940's. The downsides are... 12/10/2008

Ann Arbor Real Estate Market : Title Insurance Video  Why a Buyer Pays?  www.KathyToth.com The video below presented by Tom Richardson of www.LibertyTitleCompany.com discusses why the buyer pays for title insurance.  Title insurance insures that you are being given legal clear ownership/title to the property you are buying. Title insurance provides protection from past events, which may or may not be a matter of public record.  Without clear title, you could have the following issues come up: Missing heirs claims (Grandma Moses comes forward) Falsely personating ownership of the property Forgery Forced removal of existing structures Clerical errors Confusion due to similar names Unsatisfied claims on property, not shown on title search Fraud in execution of documents Deeds executed unde... 12/10/2008

Ann Arbor Real Estate Market: Title Insurance Video - Why a Seller Pays?  www.KathyToth.com The video below presented by Tom Richardson of Liberty Title Company discusses why the seller pays for title insurance in Michigan.  Title insurance indicates that the seller is transferring  clear and marketable title to the property.  Title insurance provides protection from past events, which may or may not be a matter of public record.   In Michigan, the Seller pays the owners title policy equal to the sale price. All liens including mortgages and taxes will be paid at the closing to prevent issues below (not all inclusive list): Missing heirs claims (Grandma Moses comes forward) Falsely personating ownership of the property Forgery Forced removal of existing structures Clerical errors Confus... 12/10/2008

Ann Arbor Real Estate Video: What is Title Insurance? Liberty Title is part of my Ann Arbor real estate team. This is a video from our title company of choice.  I need to make certain that my clients get the best service and advice possible.  So I partner with Tom Richardson of Liberty Title. In this video, he describes what title insurance is.  Simply put, it is information and insurance. Ann Arbor Real Estate Title Insurance www.KathyToth.com  1 InsuranceThe insurance portion of title insurance is fairly small. Your title policy basically protects you against a specified category of risks relating to "defects" in the title to the property you are purchasing. These include forgery, mental incompetence of a party, lack of access to a public right of way or a lien or claim of interest in... 12/09/2008

Holiday festivities abound at this time of year. If your Ann Arbor area home is on the market, your celebrations may feel constrained by the need to keep your home ready for a showing at a moment's notice. You may have had to replace some of your favorite holiday decorations with some less traditional, more neutral winter décor. Fortunately, your efforts to reach out to potential buyers could definitely pay off in the long run! During the time leading up to the winter holidays, people refocus their priorities on their home and family. There is a feeling of wellbeing that is not always present throughout the year. The arrival of the New Year brings a sense of starting over. Consequently, most Michigan sellers and brokers who have sold a home during the holiday season remember the experie... 12/06/2008

How will this impact the Ann Arbor Real Estate Market? Detroit Three submitting restructuring plans to Congress Several years ago a client recommended I read "The End of Detroit" by Maynard from U of M. My client had lived through a downturn in Texas during the oil crisis when the housing bust lasted for years. So I read the book and was made aware of what had happened around me. I discovered the shrinking Detroit market share and how it was being eroded. To be living here and wake up to the precursor of what is unfolding now is gut wrenching. My husband worked for Ford for 33 years. In 2001 I asked if his economic reports had changed and did the auto execs see a shift? He said no. As a former auditor of Ford Motor, I knew the massive data that was available to him and just figured what... 12/04/2008

Some Ann Arbor Area houses on the market sell before they even get a sign up in the front yard while others just sit there without taking any action. You've had your house on the market and people are touring your home, so, why isn't your home selling? There could be several reasons that a house doesn't sell quickly. Here are some considerations: When you get ready to hire an agent, make sure you talk to several before making your final decision. If one agent thinks your house can sell $20,000 more than the others, stay clear. More than likely, that agent just wants your business, will wait a few months for the house not to sell, then, convince you to lower the asking price to what you probably should have asked for in the first place. Make sure your seller's agent is working with a rea... 12/03/2008

  I saw this in Concentrate Ann Arbor today: More roundabouts around the corner in Ann Arbor I just came from Costco up in Brighton where my wife and I both take the Silver Lake Road exit to avoid the Lee Rd. roundabouts. Now we'll have more in Ann Arbor to work with. The good news is once you go through them a dozen or so times they really do start to make sense. The roundabouts at M-14 and Skyline Highschool really work well. It is just a matter of getting used to change.   If you are interested in buying a home in the Ann Arbor or Brighton Michigan area, and you want someone on your side, let's talk! Call me at 734-945-1593.    Jon Boyd, Broker/ManagerThe Home Buyer's Agent of Ann Arbor, Inc.Click here for information on Ann Arbor real estate homes for salemember office of http://nae... 12/03/2008

I began a conversation with a few of my Twitter friends regarding a recent post on how to recover losses in your 401k/IRA accounts. Using Twitter, you're limited to only 140 characters, and my answer to where investments should be made, and why, is a lot longer than 140 characters! The Question From @tvanderwell: "devil's advocate time - when prices are down, how do you persuade people that RE is the place to invest" My answer: "have you LOOKED at your stock holdings recently? When should you buy those same stocks, when you did or now?" So the question has been posed: As an agent, I know inherently that real estate is THE investment to make, but how do I educate my clients that it's a GREAT investment option RIGHT NOW? Look at how many of the world's richest people gained their wealth:... 12/02/2008

The Michigan Theater is a lovely historic theater in Ann Arbor on Liberty near State Street which has been remarkably preserved and continues to get the support of the Ann Arbor community, while it provides a lovely glimpse into the past and what the theater experience used to be for moviegoers.  The organ playing was the norm in the old days and she is a beauty from the outside as well as the interior! If you love the architecture of glorious buildings, look at the detail from the exterior of the building.  I am keeping the photo large so you can see the beauty in true form.   If you would like to be a supporting member I would encourage you buy the CD which is available at Border's Stores throughout Ann Arbor.  It is a great CD of live performances artists who came to town and played ... 12/02/2008

 Considerations Ann Arbor Home Buyers Should Make  If you are considering the purchase of an Ann Arbor home in Washtenaw County, we have a few important considerations we would like you to think about as you begin the process. 1. Find a real estate agent who stands out from the rest. Selecting the proper agent is not always easy, but by asking a handful of questions, you can help identify the ideal agent that fits your needs. You can find this FREE report on my website under Keys To Selecting The Right Agent. Hire an Ann Arbor Buyers Agent; the seller pays the commission, so this is free to you. 2. Make sure the Seller's asking price is fair by comparing it with other homes in the neighborhood and area. We could send you a price comparison sheet of homes sold in your area, which will he... 12/01/2008

The International Luxury Home Market Report looked at 38,380 homes on the market this week to determine what is happening nationally in the luxury real estate market.  It appears that the buyer's market is in full swing in this market segment.  Average days on market is 150 with median price per square foot about $300.00. The full report can be viewed here.  The top 10 most expensive zip codes in 31 market cities were examined. Atlanta Honolulu Raleigh Durham Austin Houston Sacramento-Tahoe Baltimore Las Vegas Salt Lake Boston Los Angeles San Diego Charlotte Miami San Francisco Chicago New York Seattle Cleveland Orlando Silicon Valley Dallas Philadelphia Tampa Denver Phoenix Twin Cities Detroit Portland Ventura     Washington DC Source: Altos Research LLC The global financial market mel... 11/29/2008

Saturday evening Ann Arbor is a special evening for all folk music fans and the area’s most famous actor is going to perform. Consider yourself lucky if you get tickets to see Jeff Daniels & Company; he does a famous job of celebrating Michigan in song and has many local performers with him. He started this show a few years ago and always plays Saturday after Thanksgiving.  People have said he is funny on stage and can play a mean guitar.  I’m sure most people think of Jeff Daniels from his acting career but he is from Chelsea, Michigan and continued to live here and has raised his children here as well as supporting the arts in this area. Jeff Daniel is also a playwright and his productions can be viewed at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea. He is playing at the Michigan Theater at 8... 11/28/2008

Could it be possible? Can someone actually roast a turkey quickly? Wouldn't it be wonderful to not have to get up at 6 am to start the bird that would be carved to feed guests for a 2 pm dinner? Could you actually roast a turkey in half the time? Would it be just as good?  I just had to find out. I first started on this quest about 5 years ago. After many failed attempts      I came across the  perfect method. The answer is YES!                                                                  Creative Commons Attribution  http://www.flickr.com/photos/r_gnuce/ Not only could I roast the bird in less than half the time,  but the white meat was Moist, not dry and tasteless like in most of the birds I have sampled. Amazing. I had found the holy grail of holiday meals.  So what is the secret... 11/26/2008

Wishing You & All The People You Know Happiness On Thanksgiving & Always! I was searching around for something interesting about Thanksgiving Day.  I found a site that I thought was great.  There are all sorts of interesting and funny Thanksgiving Facts including click here to learn more about: The First Thanksgiving The Pilgrims’ Menu Thanksgiving Fun Facts Mayflower Myths Thanksgiving Quiz History of the Turducken and Much More! One of the joys of Thanksgiving is the chance to tell people how thankful we are for them, so Thank You, I hope that you have a great holiday!   Click here to search all Ann Arbor area Michiganhomes and condos with pictures and tours - FREE! Kathy Toth and Teamwww.KathyToth.comKeller Williams Realty 11/25/2008

I was recently contacted by Jesse Herman, the Awareness Coordinator at the Mesothelioma Cancer Center . Lately Jesse has been reaching out to real estate bloggers in efforts to getting some of our information published. As she reached out to me, I told her I would be glad to help her get the word out to the danger of asbestos in remodeling. Homes built before 1980 likely have asbestos insulation in them. When homeowners remodel, they may expose themselves to asbestos, which could lead to the deadly cancer called mesothelioma. There are many environmentally safe and healthy ways to insulate your home.   In Ann Arbor some of our most desireable area's are in downtown area of Ann Arbor, Burns Park and The Old West Side. The homes built during this time period are built between 1860-1940.  ... 11/25/2008

It is with sadness, but not surprise that I share the announcement that the Ann Arbor Public Library is postponing the rebuilding of the downtown library.  This is a great plan and very exciting but I must say I'm happy that the board has realized we can not afford this building at this time. The plan is wonderful, exciting but very expensive and we are going to wait until our market turns around before they move forward.  The public library will continue to support the downtown library so we don't need to worry about failure for our vibrant downtown in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  It will remain a wonderful place to visit and in the future there will be exciting plans for the downtown library. 11/24/2008

Several excellent cider mills operate within the county of Washtenaw in Michigan, which itself is renowned for its many cider mills.  One of them was named as one of the top ten cider mills in the country by Fine Living Magazine.  This mill, the centerpiece of Alber's Orchards and Cider Mill, was established by John Alber in 1890 and owned by the Alber family until Mike and Therese Bossary (from Ann Arbor) purchased the orchards and mill.  The Bossarys upgraded the operation to meet modern sanitary requirements, but the original mill still does the work of pressing apples.  Saturdays and Sundays, you can watch the mill in operation. The apple blends are choice as the Bossarys grow over 35 traditional and 65 heirloom varieties.  Every week the blend is differently delicious and the many ... 11/23/2008