|
September 2nd, 2010
Today we take a brief departure from our “Ann Arbor Real Estate Series” to announce: “J. D. Power and Associates Ranks Prudential Real Estate Highest in Satisfaction Among Home Sellers.
Real Estate consumers have spoken. Prudential Real Estate Network ranks “Highest Overall Satisfaction for Home Sellers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms,” in J. D. Power and Associates 2010 Home Buyer/Seller Study.
The study measures customer satisfaction of home sellers and buyers with major national real estate companies and includes 3,096 evaluations form 2,817 respondents who bought or sold a home between March 2009 and April 2010.
Among home sellers, Prudential Real Estate scored highest on a 1,000-point-scale. “This distinction underscores the satisfaction level and consistency of our network through challenging times in our industry,” said Jim Mallozzi, Chairman and CEO, Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services. “Affiliate to affiliate, our sales professionals are the local market experts who market and price homes right, while providing attentive service. The more you know us the more you love us.”
 If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Real Estate, home buyer, home sellers, J.D. Power anad Associates, prudential, Real Estate
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
August 10th, 2010
In the last two blogs, we’ve covered the real basics of a home search - type and style. Let’s take a look at a typical MLS (multiple listing service) sheet and define a few more of the items you’ll see.
 Generally, you’ll see the nuts and bolts information about a particular home for sale in the top inch or two of the layout - depending on which website you’re on, it may be to the side of the property photo or directly below it. This will give you the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, acreage if any, year built, size of home, and current listing status. There are several items to be aware of:
Square footage: the number you see on the should not include any lower level finished area unless it is a walkout basement or has full egress windows. Sometimes Realtors will note that there is an additional number of square feet in the lower level, but our MLS guidelines note that below grade square footage should not be included.
Bedrooms in basements: these aren’t included either - unless it’s a walkout or has egress windows, so read the descriptions to get full information.
Listing status: a home will be marked as “Active”, “Pending” or “CTS”. Active homes are listed and do not have offers. Pending homes have offers in on them and are awaiting closing. CTS indicates that we can “continue to show” meaning that there is an offer submitted on the property but not all contingencies have been removed…we’re seeing lots of these lately because of the volume of short sales on the market awaiting approval from the banks.
Most websites advertising Ann Arbor Homes for Sale will also include information on what school district (and often which specific schools) the home is located in, association fees (if applicable), whether the house has well & septic or public water and sewer, size of the garage, and other general amenities.
The tax information the website should indicate both a tax amount AND a tax year. Taxes get confusing sometimes because those taxes change from year to year, when the home is sold, and also there are homestead exemptions that may or may not be in place. To add to the confusion, some counties pay taxes in arrears and some pay up front, so make sure that you ask your Realtor how the taxes are paid when you find a home of interest.
Next time we’ll take a peek at more of the lingo that’s used in real estate transactions. In the interim, if you have any comments, suggestions, or ideas, please let us know!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor Real Estate, home buying, Home Search, home selling, Homes for Sale, rental
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
August 3rd, 2010
We started this series to talk about internet real estate jargon. Last time we took a look at one of the basic search criteria that most folks use and described some of the differences between condos and single family homes.
Today, let’s talk about home styles.  It’s interesting to note that most homes do not fit precisely into any one category. Lots of times, older homes have gone through renovations that took on different architectural details that the current homeowner liked. Newer homes often incorporate samplings from a variety of historical periods and styles. Let’s look at a couple of the styles represented in the Ann Arbor real estate market.
BUNGALOWS: Bungalows are one-and-a-half story homes. Typically most of the living space is on the main floor and the house centers around the living area with minimal hallways to connect to other rooms. In the Greater Ann Arbor Area, we typically find the upstairs used as a bedroom or added living space, and if it has a garage, it will be detached from the structure. Even within the bungalow family there are many distinctive styles, but they’ll all have the centralized living area.
RANCH STYLE: Ranches were a uniquely American style and are single story homes. In the Ann Arbor real estate market, theres a pretty even mix of those that have attached garages and those that don’t. The thought behind the original builds was to have a long, low-to-the-ground profile, with minimal use of exterior architectural decoration - a casual home.
TWO STORY HOMES: The majority of the homes not identified in one of the two categories above falls into this division. There are a plethora of homes styles to choose from - Cape Cod, Victorian, Colonials, Gothic, Greek, and on and on. So how do you know what style you’re looking at or for? There are some great websites available to help you define your tastes. If you Google “architectural styles”, you’ll get fabulous references with photos to scroll through that can help you put a name with a style!
If you’re interested in learning more, just email us, or respond below and we can help you!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Real Estate, home buying, home selling, Homes for Sale, Prudential Snyder & Company
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 27th, 2010
We’ve talked a lot about Ann Arbor Real Estate, the short sale and foreclosure market, and the changing housing market. The internet gives us a plethora of information on Ann Arbor homes for sale, but often the jargon used by Realtors goes undefined. With that thought in mind, I’m going to run a new series to help home buyers and home sellers decifer the details shared in our marketing pieces and listings.
Let’s start with the basics today: What is a condo?
- If you own a condo, you do not own the land surrounding your living space.
- A condo owner owns only the unit itself, which is taxed as an individual entity, and sometimes a percentage of the common areas of the community.
- Condo communities may provide such shared facilities as a pool, gym, tennis courts and clubhouse, all maintained by the condo association, which takes care of all day-to-day management tasks. This is one of the key advantages of condo living — all of the joy of using the amenities, none of the hassles of maintaining them.
- Condominium owners pay a monthly fee to the condo association, which also sets the rules for the community.
There are well over 100 condo communities in Ann Arbor alone. Each development is centered around the unique needs of its owners and has a distinctive set of accommodations and special features that make it exceptional.
If you’re interested in learning more or have any comments or suggestions, please let us know. In the next blog, we’ll take a look at the different types of single family homes available in the Greater Ann Arbor Area.
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor Real Estate, Condo Communities, Foreclosures, Greater Ann Arbor, home buyers, Home Search, home sellers, home selling, Homes for Sale, Prudential Snyder, Realtors, rental, Short Sale
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 22nd, 2010
The folks at Broadway Security put out a great flyer filled with tips on how to keep your home safe while you’re on vacation.
 Here are a few of the highlights that may help:
- Do not leave messages on your door or answering machine indicating you’re not home.
- Don’t post Facebook or Twitter notices talking about the fact that you’re away.
- Never hide keys under doormats, flower pots, etc.
- Have someone mow your lawn while you’re away.
- Leave a car in the driveway.
- Use timers for interior lights.
- Have Post Office hold your mail, or make arrangements for someone to pick up mail and newspapers while you’re gone.
- Keep your garage door closed and locked at all times.
- Don’t leave valuables or jewelry lying around - especially not within view from the windows.
- Trim bushes & trees around home to prevent hiding places for intruders.
- Video or photograph the contents of your home with serial and ID numbers.
Of course one of the greatest defenses is to get to know your neighbors - they’ll help you watch out for suspicious people or vehicles at your home and you can help keep an eye one theirs as well.
If you have any other helpful tips or suggestions, we’d be happy to hear from you!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other Ann Arbor real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor Area, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor Real Estate, burglary, burglary prevention, home buying, home selling, rental
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 19th, 2010
Love it or hate it…it’s almost here! The annual Ann Arbor Art Fairs will bring half a million visitors to the city for several days this week. For those of you unfamiliar with the Fairs, there are actually four non-profit fairs - The Original, Ann Arbor Street Art Fair; the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair; the State Street Art Fair; and Ann Arbor’s South University Art Fair.
Not only will you find art exhibits, you’ll find children’s activities and musical performances for your enjoyment. The Annual Townie Party is tonight at the Terrace to help raise funds, and the setup on Wednesday night always draws a good local crowd as well.
 This year, Visit Ann Arbor.org has added the Ann Arbor Art Trolley to the list of transportation options for getting around. If you’re interested in finding other ways to Shuttle to and from this fabulous event, visit the official Ann Arbor Art Fair website Maps & Travel page at: http://www.artfair.org/main/main.jsp?id=8
The Fairs run from July 21st-24th, 2010. They’re open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While you’re in town, if you’re interested in learning more about local real estate, give us a call! As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Art Fair, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Real Estate, home buying, home selling, Prudential Snyder & Company, rental
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 12th, 2010
Once again, Ann Arbor MI has made the top 50 on the CNNMoney.com best small cities to live in! For 2010, we’re ranked at #46. Here’s the article from the website…
WINNERTop 100 rank: 46
Population: 116,000
Compare Ann Arbor to Top 10 Best Places
Football season may be this city’s most popular pastime, but residents of Ann Arbor would insist that the city is always a great place to be.
This friendly college town has all the perks of a much bigger city. The downtown area is a mecca of arts and culture, with museums, theatres, and galleries. Golf courses and biking and hiking trails are never far away.
The University of Michigan campus is the major employer in the city, but Border’s Books and Domino’s Pizza also both have headquarters here. –B.D. |
Interested in making a move to the Ann Arbor area? Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor MI, Borders Books, Domino's Pizza, home buying, home selling, Prudential Snyder & Company, real estate needs, rental, Top 50 places to live, University of Michigan
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 6th, 2010
 Summer is coming with its warm breezes, maintenance concerns and seasonal chores for homeowners. In addition to the inevitable mowing, tree trimmingand other yard work, summer is also a great time to step up maintenance efforts around the home. Despite the hassle and time scheduled repairs can take, quarterly home maintenance and preventative measures can keep all areas of the home in good condition for years to come. To help homeowners accomplish this goal, we recommend the following summer maintenance tips:
- Clean and seal decks. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck. Let it dry 24 hours and apply deck sealer.
- Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean chimneys. Taking care of this task in the summer-rather than in the peak autumn season-allows plenty of time for repairs before the next heating season.
- Wash the exterior of your house using ordinary garden hose pressure and a mild detergent. Pressure washers are not always the best idea-they are powerful enough to force water under the siding, where it can encourage mildew and rot.
- Caulk exterior joints around all windows and doors. Caulking helps keep the house weather-tight and reduces energy bills. It can also help keep insects and vermin out of the house.
- Clean lint from the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Because lint is incredibly flammable, this common build up can create a fire hazard.
- Check the operation and condition of attic fans and roof-mounted turbine vents. Attic fans run on little energy and can greatly reduce cooling costs.
- Repair cracks in concrete patios and driveways. For most cracks less than ¼,” applying concrete caulk is a good way to make repairs. For larger cracks, substitute concrete patch for caulk. Whether the cracks are large or small, repair is necessary because water that finds its way into cracks will soften the ground underneath and cause more cracking. Prevention is key to avoiding costly future repairs.
- Clean and repair rain gutters. For clogged downspouts, try using barbecue tongs to reach in and remove leaves. To repair loose gutter nails, consider replacing them with extra-long lag screws.
- Remove/drain sources of standing water in the yard that could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, including birdbaths and kiddie pools.
- Ants and flies are attracted to typical barbecue fare. Serve food and beverages indoors and reserve outdoor space for eating and entertaining.
Courtesy of:
If you have any other ideas or recommendations, we welcome your comments or suggestions!
As always, we here at Prudential Snyder & Company Realtors are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs.
Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Add new tag, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, home buying, home selling, Homes, Prudential Snyder & Company, real esate needs, Realtors, rental, summer home checklist, summer home maintenance, summer honey-do list
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
July 1st, 2010
Per CNNMoney.com article - By Tami Luhby, senior writerJune 30, 2010: 10:40 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — First-time homebuyers will have until Sept. 30 to close on their purchases and land an $8,000 tax credit under a bill passed by the Senate late Wednesday.
President Obama is expected to sign the bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House on Tuesday. The deadline had been June 30.
The bill doesn’t help anyone currently shopping for a home. Buyers must have signed a contract by April 30 to qualify for the tax break. At issue is when the deal must be finalized.
Qualified existing homeowners also have until Sept. 30 to close on new homes and receive a tax credit of up to $6,500.
Congress has been trying to pass the extension for the last month, but it got caught up in Washington politics. Only when it was separated from a larger jobs bill did deficit-wary lawmakers sign off on it. The extension will only raise the deficit by $9 million.
An estimated 200,000 people have missed out on the tax credit because they wouldn’t have been able to close by the end of business Wednesday. Many are trying to take advantage of short sales, which are complicated deals to complete.
The Senate approved the stand-alone homebuyers tax credit shortly after a failed attempt to advance a bill that combined the credit with an unemployment benefits extension.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the chamber will take up the benefits bill again once a replacement for the late Senator Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., is named. Byrd, the longest serving member of Congress in history, died Monday at age 92. 
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Properties, Ann Arbor Real Estate, home buying, home selling, Homebuyer Tax Credit, homebuyer tax credit extension, Homes for Sale, Sell My Home, Tax Credit
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
|
June 29th, 2010
 If you have a home built prior to 1978 and you’re interested in doing any renovations, you need to know about recent changes in the laws regarding lead-based paint remediation.
Make sure that when you’re interviewing contractors you ask if they have already completed their certification and training courses so they’re compliant with the new directives.
In general, any activity that would disturb lead based paint in a home, apartment, daycare or school will be included. Any contractor who is paid to perform renovations is required to adhere to the new EPA regulations. Violations can result in fines of up to $32,500 per day!
If you, as a homeowner, are making the changes to the home, you are exempt. Other exemptions can apply for contractors in certain situations (emergency repairs are one such example).
If you’re interested in learning more, you can find more information on the EPA site at: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.
As always, we are here to assist you with any of your Ann Arbor Area home buying, home selling, rental or other real estate needs. Call us at 734-747-7500 or 734-747-7700 weekdays, or 734-660-0105 evenings and weekends. We’re also available via email at info@prusnyder.com or online at www.prusnyder.com anytime.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe our Blog RSS feed!
|
|
Tags: Ann Arbor Home Search, Ann Arbor Homes, Ann Arbor MI, Ann Arbor Properties, Ann Arbor Real Estate, EPA, home buying, home renovations, home selling, lead based paint, Prudential Snyder & Company
Posted in Ann Arbor Area Real Estate |
Add Comments »
|
| |
