Right now in Delta Township there is an excellent selection of inventory to pick from on some great homes. Interest rates dropped below 6% last week to put a spark of enthusiasm into the market and increase hits on most real estate websites. If your thinking of moving to Delta Township area make sure you check out the opportunities offered by the Delta Parks and Rec Department. Enrichment classes for kids and adults of all ages. You'll also find some information about Delta Township's greener awareness program and recycling program. Delta Township is also connected to two great school systems, Grand Ledge and Waverly. If you are looking for demographics about the community and desire additional information feel free to contact me or visit my website. "Expect the Best" Mike 01/21/2008

Well they may be in their eyes.  The only real way to be sure if a buyer is real is to have them pre-approved for a loan with a reputable loan officer.Buyers many times will start looking at homes far beyond their capabiltiy to buy.  So if you go through all the work and effort of showing your home...accepting an offer and then find out they can not buy; how much emotional energy have you wasted?  Not to mention real energy.  The preparation of showing you home is not easy.  It take time to clean, empty closets get it ready....only to find out the buyers were looking at home $50,000 over their real ability to buy.  When a buyer shows up at your door....do you ask if they have been to a lender?  Why not?  Do you think they are going to mind asking you to lower the price?  If you are bein... 12/09/2007

When it is time to sell how do you decide which way to go and who with?  For some it is so simple they choose the traditional methods of selling while others the less traditional ways.There is no right or wrong...just options.  The traditional method is a real estate brokerage and Realtor.  Some of the less traditional ways is the For Sale By Owner option.  We can evaluate the difference but that would be stating the obvious.  The real difference is commission.  You can talk about marketing plans, slide shows, brochures, yard signs, advertising, 800 numbers, paperwork, title companies and all the rest but now each have the same or similar types of options.  The next issue is experience, not all licensed Realtors are experienced.  Not all sellers are capable of representing themselves ei... 12/09/2007

When you live in Michigan, Lansing is a focal point even when there is not budget troubles.  Lansing has one of the more accessible expressway systems in the state.  Moving around and through town is not that much of a problem.Now the employment in the area that is quite another story.  Michigan State University employees many, the state government employs another group along with the support companies that provide services.  "Buick" has been struggling as of late and the work force has had to go through some painful down-sizing.This means the housing market is like others that have high inventory and few buyers.  Being the capital of the state one would think all roads lead to Lansing and prosperity.  The facts are each of us has to keep a close eye on our equity, saving and jobs.  Yea... 12/09/2007

Pricing your home to sell is the number one error for sale by owners make.  Realtors handle the pricing structure of a home much the same as anyone who stopped and reviewed the process.Realtors look at currently listed properties to see the competition for your home.  They next look at the sold properties...and the more recent the more valuable the information becomes.  For example homes that sold last year are not relevant in todays market...the market changes.  Realtors have another tool that most for sale by owners do not have.  They have the MLS data that gives them the homes that are pending.  The actual purchase price will not be available even to Realtors until the home sells.The bottom line is you price your home.  Realtors and appraisers only make recommendations.  Remember tha... 12/09/2007

One type of business model attracts certain types of buyers and sellers while other attract others.  The reason is driven by each individuals needs and circumstances.Today the real estate market has seen some major changes in the types of real estate selling and representation methods.  Most of the companies are working very hard to preserve their share of the market.Sellers only have one goal that is to sell their homes as quickly and easily as possible and for the least cost.  Seller that try the For Sale By Owner route have found it to be very difficult because of the lack of knowledge and opportunity to expose their properties though marketing avenues traditionally reserved for real estate agents and brokers.  Since 1995 the HomesByOwner.com website has been representing seller in a... 12/09/2007

Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and complex process. There are a few things that you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible. Number one is consulting with a Realtor to obtain all the tools and advice needed to make a smart purchase that will not have disappointing surprises prior to the closing. Attached here you will find four helpful reports on buying a home, which will give you some insight to get started. Visit MikeBowler.com often for all your real estate needs and wants regardless if your buying, selling or just in the thinking stage. There has never been a better time to invest in real estate, with interest rates at all time lows, inventories at all time highs and great prices. View over 6000 listings in the greater Lansing area and be sure to... 11/27/2007

Delta Township Growth is very impressive compared to other communities in and around the greater Lansing area. It seems to be a nice draw to have township government, Eaton County taxes and Grand Ledge Schools, in addition to the popular Waverly School District. In December be prepared to take your children to breakfast or lunch with Santa in Delta Township or get the kids on Santa's Mailing List. There is always something for everyone in this great community. Searching for Homes in Delta Township can be simplified by book-marking this site for all you searches. You can also find, school rankings, community information and other stats. Buyers and sellers find this site very informative.  I hope your Thanksgiving Holiday was blessed and your Christmas season will be joyful. "Expect the B... 11/25/2007

Despite what you hear from the media, Lansing Michigan area and the greater Lansing area in general is becoming healthier each day in the real estate market. Check out housing Predictor to see how the Lansing area is only 3.9% down from last year and noted as the best place in the nation to invest in real estate at this time. We certainly are more fortunate than Detroit and Grand Rapids. Note also, that our prices are leveling out and that window of opportunity for those first time buyers and those wishing to move up is excellent at this time.   The Holt market has been thriving for many years due to the continued popularity of the Holt school system. That's why we say "Holt, a great place to live" Our three children attended Holt schools and we found it to be top rated when it came to ... 11/22/2007

NAR recently released a counter campaign against the negative news that the media seems to focus on these days. (See Ad Here)  I wonder if we will read that 2007 will end up being the fifth highest volume in history for real estate sales from the press. We are in an adjusted market, after coming off record breaking sales from 2002 to 2005 at record breaking prices. The nice thing about supply and demand is that there is a great opportunity at this point for buyers to obtain the American dream of home ownership at lower prices, the lowest interest rates in years and plenty inventory to pick from. Lansing is fortunate that prices have not plummeted like other areas that had extremely inflated prices over the past five years. (East, West, South coasts) Currently there are over 5000 residen... 11/15/2007

There seems to be a myth these days that Mortgage money is not that easy to find, based on what the media talks about. I recently read a great article by Evan Vanderway, Cornerstone Home Loans, that Misinformation concerning rates has confused consumers. Read the Entire Article here. As a seasoned Realtor who has witnessed ups and downs of the market over the past 30 years, I feel it is important for consumers to become acquainted with the facts. That's exactly why; I have been sharing information from my Mortgage team of experts who would educate you on the process of making the right decisions. See Blog of November 4th. Great news: The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) today introduced the Lending Integrity Seal of Approval. This is designed to help consumers identify mo... 11/06/2007

1. For some people, managing the mortgage is as simple as preparing and following a monthly budget. For others, the bills are behind and the pressure is unbearable.Solving debt problems can feel like finding your way in the dark, but it doesn't have to. The Web Site, http://www.holdontoyourhome.org/ is designed to give people all of the information one needs to deal with such a personal situation.  Thanks to the vision and commitment of the City of Lansing and The Ingham County Treasurers Office, this site and any resources referred to in this site are free.2. Lydia Burtraw from Countrywide Home Loans informs me that the Michigan State Housing Development Authority has announced a rate DECREASE for it's Single Family Program, effective 11-5-07.     Interest Rate DECREASE Effective Monda... 11/05/2007

Well the Fall Season is up on us and there is plenty to do in the Lansing areafor families and single people. I hope you enjoy the opportunity to visit some of these events. NAR recently came out with new economic reports and I also have attached the 3rd Quarter Report from Coldwell Banker Hubbell Real Estate Co. The market has shown additional activity over the past few weeks and NOW is still the best time to buy a home. In other good news, the House recently pass a Tax relief bill for homeowners in trouble with their mortgages. If you have questions, or want additional information on homeownership or selling in today's market, you'll find tons of in formation at my site: http://mikebowler.com/ 10/27/2007

The Right Selling Price Affects Your Bottom LineWhen you're selling your home, the price you set is a critical factor in the return you'll receive. That's why you need a professional evaluation from an experienced realtor. This person can provide you with an honest assessment of your home, based on several factors including: Market conditions Condition of your home Repairs or improvements Time frame In real estate terms, market value is the price at which a particular house, in its current condition, will sell within 30 to 90 days. If the price of your home is too high, several things could happen: Limits buyers. Potential buyers may not view your home, because it would be out of their buying range. Limits showings. Other salespeople may be less reluctant to view your home. Used as leve... 10/24/2007

You've decided to buy a house.  Great! - you read this blog so I know you have all your ducks in a row.  You've found a great Realtor, and you've hooked up with a lender who has told you how much you qualify to borrow. Chances are you qualify for more than you want to spend.  If you're like me you want to know what the bottom line is - you want to know how much the monthly payment would be on the homes you're interested in buying.Here is a mortgage calculator that will help you find the bottom line.  10/02/2007

Yesterday Matt Bowler, the current President of the Greater Lansing Association of Realtors published a list of reasons why there is "Good News" for Greater Lansing.Some reasons that made the list:94% of the work force in Lansing is working! Lansing is the only region in the world with two new auto plants! Sparrow Health Systems is growing and building at a record pace! Ingham Regional is constructing a state-of-the-art Heart Center! Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country! The list goes on and Matt is right, the Lansing area is growing and good things are happening. An item on Matt's list that pertains to this blog, "The largest selection of homes in years is a major benefit for the buyers."  INNW?Currently in Lansing there are 1,583 homes for sale under $200,000.  T... 10/02/2007

Are you as tired as I am of constantly hearing about what is going wrong in Lansing?I'm sure you are - so for a little pick-me-up you can spend a few minutes perusing Lansing Area Capital Gains, a new website that focuses on everything going right in Lansing.  In particular I was pumped by their Capital City Comeback article.  Check it out!  10/02/2007

Here is a problem two of my sellers have experienced recently.  Hopefully someone can benefit from their stories...When they moved to Lansing a few years ago they didn't know much about the local real estate market and they wrongly assumed that what was normal back home was also normal in Lansing.The first case was a couple from Toronto who moved to Lansing and wanted to start flipping homes.  They bought a cute little bungalow on a nice street and renovated the home from top to bottom.  They did beautiful work.  The craftsmanship was perfect and all of the colors, materials and finishes they used were widely appealing.  By the time I met the couple they were already finished with all the work on the home and they had had the house listed with another agent for over 6 months.  They had ... 10/02/2007

In September the Greater Lansing Association of Realtors is reporting 282 home sales.The average listing price in Greater Lansing was $148,442 and the average sale price was $142,758. The highest sale was a home in Haslett that sold for almost 1 million bucks. Compare these numbers to September 2006 when 450 homes were sold with an average listing price of $156,237 and an average sale price of $151,010. Looking just at East Lansing sale prices are up even with sales volume down.  In September 06 the average sale price in East Lansing was $199,801, but in September 07 the average sale price was $217,810.  Goes to show you how important location is. (Infomation is based on residential home sales - does not include condos or commercial properties.) 10/02/2007

We have plenty to offer here in the greater Lansing area and here's a brag list provide by our Chamber. Keep in mind that Lansing offers the newest GM plant in the world, state government and the Spartans (MSU), which makes us very diversified. Want to tour of our city visit here. Now that I have that out of the way, maybe you would be interested in our low average home prices. These are great reasons to refer your buyers this way if they are looking for quality of life, four seasons, and a great Realtor.This post is being offered as a service to those who want to know more about communities and what we have to offer. I look forward to your little brag list to follow on your community. P.S. If your moving to the greater Lansing area, let's talk. If you know someone who is moving this wa... 08/25/2007