"A Mind is a Terrible thing to waste" The Ann Arbor Library is located at 343 S. 5th Street in Ann Arbor. We also have 4 branch libraries, Mallets Creek, Traverwood, West Branch, and Pittsfield. All the branches serve anyone living within the Ann Arbor School District and others can join for a fee.       Mallets Creek Branch was opened in 2004, and was awarded the 2005 American Architects Award for Sustainable Design. It features solar heating, a vegetated green roof, natural lighting, captured and filtered storm water. Most of the materials used are from renewable resources. To read more about all the green materials and sustainable design, you can read here about the Mallets Creek Branch.    Mallets Creek branch is located at 3090 E. Eisenhower, Ann Arbor 48104     Traverwood Branch ... 08/03/2008

"It's Your Home; Let's Talk About it" Listeners call in for home improvement advice from a handyman    Ann Arbor, MI-Keith Paul of HandyPro Handyman Services, Inc was interviewed on an Ann Arbor, Michigan radio show Saturday, August 2, 2008, to answer home repair and improvement questions from listeners as they called in.    One caller asked for advice on cleaning unsightly residue from his gutters, caused by climbing ivy.  He described the condition, saying his gutters had the measles.  His wife tried scrubbing them with steel wool, which removed the residue, but it also took the finish off, exposing the bare metal.  Keith offered several solutions, including using a scotch brite pad with cleaning solution of bleach and water or vinegar.  He told the homeowner to use a primer or kill s... 08/03/2008

Ann Arbor Recognized as a Great Place to Retire To AARP The Magazine today announced the top 10 healthiest cities to live and retire in with Ann Arbor, Mich., taking the #1 spot. Ranked #1 Healthiest City to live and retire in, Ann Arbor continues to stand on a national level as one of the greenest, smartest and healthiest places to live.  "We are thrilled to receive this recognition from AARP because it affirms the city's efforts toward green, clean, and active living," said Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje. "With 162 parks and a variety of recreation opportunities, our residents would agree that Ann Arbor is the #1 place in America to live." AARP Magazine chose cities offering the best opportunities in terms of educational resources, local economy, crime rates, quality of life and many ot... 08/01/2008

Many people wonder what Howard Brinton is about and I thought it appropriate to include these video clips Part 1, 2, 3 from the Orlando closing session this year so you could see what it is like to be surrounded by the very best minds in our industry and to experience the passion for growth and quest for learning that is contagious in this environment.  If you have an opportunity to attend 2009 in Denver, I encourage you to sign up for it at www.gostarpower.com.   I hope to see you there. Ending Session of Howard Brinton Orlando Part 1Ending Session of Howard Brinton Orlando Part 2Ending Session of Howard Brinton Orlando Part 3   Blessings and to your continued success in Real Estate.  If you are ever in Ann Arbor, MI  be sure to look us up www.BuyAnnArborHomes.com.  I would love to giv... 08/01/2008

Ann Arbor Ranks As Healthiest Home Town In America AARP recently ranked the Top Healthiest Cities in America and it was no surprise to find Ann Arbor, MI at the top of their list.  Ranked #1 Healthiest City to live and retire in, Ann Arbor continues to shine on a national level as one of the greenest, smartest and healthiest places to live.  This national and exposure and distinctive honor should not be taken lightly.  AARP Magazine chose cities offering the best opportunities in terms of educational resources, local economy, crime rates, quality of life and many other variables that put Ann Arbor right at the top  of their list. Visit The Bouma Group Blog to learn more about how Ann Arbor ranks on other Top National Lists.   08/01/2008

The book, How to Win Friends & Influence People*, consistently makes the top five whenever there is a survey of most influential or inspiring books, and is often second only to the Bible. Dale Carnegie outlines - in very simple steps and examples - how to be nice without letting yourself get walked on.The section titled, Six Ways to Make People Like You, reveals six traits kind people of the world share: Become interested in other people. Note that he doesn't say "show interest," but rather "become interested" - change yourself for real, rather than practicing handy habits. Especially in business, it's critical that we learn to see prospects as people rather than as sales. Smile. There's probably nothing so positive and contagious as a simple smile. If you have trouble smiling sincerely... 08/01/2008

Local Handyman Company's business has grown exponentially as they are recognized for being affordable and honest    Ann Arbor, MI-Keith and Debra Paul of Canton, Michigan started out as a local handyman referral service in 1993.   Soon their business grew so that they were unable to keep up without expanding their business and hiring more contractors.  Now they have franchises all over the US.    Well known in the Southeast Michigan area as an honest and affordable home repair and improvement service, HandyPro is a member of the Better Business Bureau with no complaints.    HandyPro provides many services including carpentry, cabinet repair and install, flooring, plumbing, electrical, decks, seamless gutters and much more.  No job is too big for them to handle; no job is too small to be... 07/31/2008

Ann Arbor was just named the Number 1 City to retire in for healthy living.  Everyone wants to be healthy and everyone will eventually retire. Sounds good to me ! AARP worked with Bert Sperlings Best Places, they looked at hundreds of cities throughout the United States for the 20 measures of vitality. They looked at both the physical aspects of the communities like air and water but also at the health and habits of those who lived there. Just a few of the 30 criteria, they looked at were: Life expectancy, Healthy eating score (how many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains did average resident consume, Hospital beds per capital and number of fast food restaurants. You can read the entire list of the 30 criteria used by AARP magazine here.   Ann Arbor is a college town and home to the Un... 07/29/2008

Everyone wants to know what they need to do to get their home sold in Ann Arbor in a buyers market. Homes that are selling have done the 10 steps listed below. You have a part and the Realtor has a part. Together you can make it happen.10 Easy Steps to Sell Your Home in Ann Arbor1) Hire a technology Realtor2) Curb AppealMake sure the first impression is a good one. Paint the front door, trim the hedges, plant some flowers. Simple really.3) Hire the Realtor that tells you the truth4) Price it right from the beginning.Don't reduce the price and chase the market down. Homes in Ann Arbor need to be priced in the top 5 best homes to look at for buyers. Price it right in the beginning.5) Make sure your Realtor has a huge internet presence.  6) Have your home professionally staged. 7) Use a Re... 07/28/2008

A Bachelor Pad No More! Our company just completed staging a house in Ann Arbor (Michigan)--and the Realtor made the staging investment! I thought I'd share some before and after photos to demonstrate how staging with RE:STYLE can completely change the functionality as well as the look and feel of a home. I must apologize upfront, as these photos are not up to my usual standards, and I will be retaking the Afters. (Regretfully, the Befores no longer exist--duh!)  This is what you saw when you walked in. The lockbox was actually on the sliding doors off the deck, as there is no walkway up to the front door!  We moved the TV and switched out the big couch with the love seat in the Living Room. Then we added artwork and accessories to warm the space, and some margaritas to show a lifestyle... 07/27/2008

The Bouma Group Leads The Local Real Estate Industry   The Ann Arbor Business Review recently featured The Bouma Group on the front page.  Martin Bouma has continued to lead the local Ann Arbor Real Estate Industry as the Top Realtor, while many other agents are struggling to overcome a difficult market shift.  According to BrokerMetrics, The Business Review reported that Martin Bouma sold 84 units, however The Bouma Group recently closed on it's 100th transaction and even leads in volume per Realtor with just over 23 Million Dollars in sales. As over 85% of all home buyers begin their searches online, The Bouma Group has perfected it's target marketing techniques through numerous resources, including exclusive websites www.condohotline.com/annarbor and www.subdivisionhotline.com.  Home... 07/24/2008

Yes, according to the AARP, Ann Arbor has met all the criteria of being the #1 healthiest city in the United States.  In an article of the upcoming AARP Magazine it states that over 20 measures of vitality, including not only the physical aspects of a community (clean air and water), but also the health and health habits of it's residents.  Ann Arbor has always been an active community who spends alot of time outdoors, even in inclement weather.                      Another factor taken in to consideration, was     the accessability to health care.The University of Michigan Health Center is one of the largest university medical centers in the world, and it created the first human genetics program in the US in 1940... Above: Locals Gather at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market   The other US ci... 07/24/2008

Summer is in full swing with plenty of exciting scheduled events still happening at Gallup Park and Argo Canoe Livery. Set aside some time for these dates of scheduled events: Thursday, August 14 7pm to 8:30pm $5/child, all ages welcome with adult "Bring your children out for some basic fishing fun!  Instruction, poles and bait are provided on the docks at Gallup Canoe Livery."  Preregistration is required... Saturday, August 16 8pm to 11pm $18/boat, bring a flashlight! "What could be better than paddling a canoe under the light of the moon?  Join in to watch the wildlife settle in for the night as you float up and down Gallup Pond. The Gallup Canoe Livery stays open late for this special summer night..."      Gallup Canoe Livery Schedule May 24 - September 1Everyday: 9:00 am - 9:00 pmS... 07/22/2008

Ann Arbor has always been environmental minded and stays well ahead of other major cities in our nation in terms of making inovative strides in our city. Typically an award that goes only to State Senators and State Representatives, Our Mayor Hieftje has become 1 of 3 Mayors in the State of Michigan to be honored with the Environmental Leadership Award. He has taken many steps toward making Ann Arbor eco-friendly, including putting together a plan to have the entire City of Ann Arbor using 20% renewable energy by the year 2015. We got off to a great start with a fleet of 20 Hybrid-Powered City Buses which will save the city over 811,000 gallons of diesel fuel over the 12 year service life.....Long term, AATA plans to replace all 69 buses in their fleet with hybrids making them the first... 07/21/2008

  Downtown Ann Arbor High Rise Condominiums Located in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, Ashley Terrace Condominiums are architecturally distinctive and offer the very best in metropolitan living.  Built by distinguished developer Joseph Freed and Associates, this high rise association offers 99 units including luxury penthouses.  Spacious balconies give you a panoramic view of downtown Ann Arbor and Kerrytown. To learn more about the location of Ashley Terrace, community amenities, and for an up to date market report on these popular downtown Ann Arbor condos, visit The Bouma Group Blog.  To preview more condominium listing and sold information, go to Ann Arbor's Condohotline.  You will have access to the Ann Arbor MLS, color photographs, floor plans, site maps, Association Bylaws and m... 07/17/2008

Ann Arbor, Michigan was just named number 27 in CNN's Money magazine of best small cities to live in. Here is a snapshot of the information on Ann Arbor. I thought it was pretty interesting that the photo they used was of the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, since I had just written a localism post on the Farmers Market. Excellent schools, affordable housing, restaurants, jobs were some of the criteria used to determine the winners. Since I have been blogging on Activerain, I have met many of you through your writing and as a looked through all the cities I was able to attach a Realtor or lender with most of the cities named in the article. Check out the entire report and see if you city is listed. Always exciting to see your city represented in this list, as we know Ann Arbor is a wonderful s... 07/14/2008

Oh there are many times when Ann Arbor, Michigan is the best place in the world...some would think of fall with UM Football or winter snows which are beautiful as well as the springtime when it's cool enough to run a 10K in the Arboretum.  But none of these wonderful times compare to summertime in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My favorite time of the year is the fabulous summer with the fairs all summer long.  We start with Summer Festival and Top of the Park.  It is a party which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year and I was there to document the evenings often with my camera as well as video camera.  The Top of the Park is free for all of Ann Arbor and there are wonderful performers who sing, dance or perform comedy at the Summer Festival and these events help pay for the free events.   ... 07/14/2008

Burns Park is an neighborhood within the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as a first rate elementary school and local park. This is a classic wonderful neighborhood within walking distance of the University of Michigan and has always been in high demand. The prices of homes are currently at a historic low point and will not stay here for long. If you have wanted to buy in Ann Arbor within walking distance of the "U" (as described by locals...University of Michigan to everyone else). Here are some of the homes for sale which currently start at $175,000 for a 2 bedroom 1 bath up to a 5 bedroom 3 and a half bath for $875,000. I am happy to show you any home in the Burns Park area. This is the lowest you have seen a 3 bedroom home for $270,000 in Burns Park in years! The market will retu... 07/13/2008

Should you buy or rent if you are moving to Ann Arbor or the surrounding areas in Washtenaw County ? We get asked that question frequently. The answer is "it depends on your individual circumstance". One of the first things to ask yourself is, How long will you be living in Ann Arbor? In the past it definately made more sense to buy, but now it really depends. If you are a Medical Resident and will only be here 3-4 years, then perhaps renting is the best option. Do you have a dog, that needs space to run? All of those personal decisions should enter into your decision. Here is a mortgage calculator that you can play around with. Put in what it will cost you to rent, and along side of it put it the monthly mortgage payment. You can add in the interest rate you have been quoted, and the c... 07/13/2008

I made my first visit this year to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. I enjoy going, it is a happy place. Today I took my camera and when I took a photo of some fruits and vegetables, I gave them my business card and told them to read my blog. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the growing season and features locally grown crops, flowers, herbs and plants. There is also different artists that sell their art work when it is open. Today I ran down and got some fresh corn, yummy Michigan cherries, and some lilys for my table. The Farmers Market is located at 315 Detroit Street in Ann Arbor, and is known as the Kerry Town District.   Many of  the streets are still bricked and it is a charming place to take visitors. Parking is hard but there are structur... 07/12/2008