Eric Reou Joins Kathy Toth Team of Keller Williams Realty

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Photo1Kathy Toth and Team REALTORS® welcome Eric Reou to the Ann Arbor Area Real Estate Experts team as our Client Care Manager, Listing Coordinator.  “Eric’s customer service skills make him a great addition to our team,” Toth said.  Eric previously held a position with Goldstar Mortgage, and this knowledge will be very beneficial as well.

Toth is confident that her team will continue to provide outstanding service to Ann Arbor area home buyers and home sellers.

Kathy Toth & Team REALTORS® have several open positions for those considering a career in Real Estate or a career move to Keller Williams Realty.  Details are continually updated at http://www.KathyToth.com/job_opportunities

Kathy Toth and Team have been serving Washtenaw County real estate including Dexter, Ann Arbor, Chelsea and Saline clients for over 24 years. They are among the top one percent of REALTORS® nationally and have been featured twice on House Hunters HGTV. Kathy works directly with listing and buyer representative partners towards exceeding her client’s expectations while meeting their real estate purchase or sale objectives.

Kathy is an Associate Broker, Accredited Seller Representative, Certified Distressed Property Expert, and Certified Commercial Investment Member Candidate.

Kathy Toth and Team

Your Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts

Keller Williams Realty

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Kathy Toth and Team are Washtenaw County, Michigan real estate experts who will guide home buyers and sellers through the entire real estate process. Our extensive knowledge of Washtenaw County areas, combined with decades of expertise in the local real estate market is extremely valuable to helping you achieve your goals. For quality service and personal attention during your real estate transaction, contact Kathy Toth and Team for all your home buying and selling needs.

We want to be your real estate agents!

 

 

Guide to Short Sales in Ann Arbor

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Definition and Process

The term “short sale” in real estate, is defined as a house which is up for sale, but at a lower price than the amount remaining on the mortgage. Short sale homeowner’s are usually in a financial strait situation, such as a major illness, job loss, or a divorce. Short sale homeowners, now must sell their homes, for far less than their mortgage amounts. A short sale is the better option than filing or going into foreclosure. Owners continue to own a house that is being sold as a short sale, unlike a foreclosure, where the lender or the bank becomes the owner.

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Short Sales in Ann Arbor

Yes, a short sale is a negative for a homeowner’s credit, because it can appear on your Michigan credit report, as a pre-foreclosure transaction. If there is an advantage to a short sale vs. a foreclosure, it is that the homeowner is still in control of a sale and not a lender, but the sale proceeds go to the bank or lender. The laws in Ann Arbor, Michigan, supports the homeowner’s short sale process. The state of Michigan also encourages lenders and banks to work with indebted homeowner’s rather than go into foreclosure, which is not good for the real estate market in Ann Arbor.

Short Sale Support

The average Ann Arbor short sale closing time frame, is between 60 and 120 days, especially, when homeowners sign up for the federal Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (“HAFA”) program. Under the HAFA program, short sale homeowners receive immediate feedback from bank lenders, even before they place their home on the market. When seller’s apply for a short sale, it is up to an Ann Arbor lender to approve their borrowers application. The Michigan HAFA rules, encourage lenders to free borrowers from repaying the monetary difference between the short sales price and the remaining loan amount, with no financial judgments against them.

Short Sale Closing

A benefit of the Ann Arbor HAFA program is in the closing transactions, where short sale homeowner’s can possibly receive $3,000 in moving assistance, because seller’s can not remain in the house. An Ann Arbor real estate short sale closings, includes the buyer, the seller, and the seller’s bank or lender representative. At the closing, the difference between a short sale and a standard realty closing, is that a lender pays the seller’s closing costs and not necessarily the buyer’s. However, short sale buyers can negotiate for some partial payment of their closing costs.

Michigan Association of REALTOR’S Published State-Wide August 2013 Stats and We Are Looking Good!

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The Michigan Association of REALTOR’S (MAR) compiles and publishes a monthly analysis of each of the 40 participating REALTOR Associations. Our local Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTOR’S submits our local stats to MAR each month.  This is a great way to stay abreast of Residential Sales across our entire Pure Michigan State.

How Much is My Home Worth?Ann Arbor has been holding very consistent.  Our August year-to-date average price was $251,943 up from 220,738 last August 2012; a 14.14% increase.  And our 2013 year-to-date price was up in August 17.59% from $217.175 last year to $255,384 in August this year.  We are still improving – See the Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTOR’s report for September 2013.  We still need far more listings.  Just click here to  find out what your home is worth and have a report sent directly to your email inbox. We have buyers ready, willing, and pre-approved to purchase their new homes.

Looking around Michigan, the areas by the water showed nice improvement this year, like for instance Emmet County Board in the northwest lower peninsula that includes Alanson, Bay Harbor, Conway, Harber Springs, and Petoskey fared very well with a 77.20% increase making their average price this year $402,325 up from $227,046 – a whopping Average Price increase of $175,279.  Amazing.  The number of total average sales was only up by 4 units but still an improvement.  Take a look at some of the other areas I have highlighted below.  The number of units may not be huge in some areas but the state is showing so many great signs of improvement. Check out these waterfront properties.

Click chart to view a larger image of the entire report.

MAR August 2013 Statistics

Are you looking for some entertainment this weekend.  Michigan plays Indiana a home game this Saturday, October 19, 2013 with a game start time of 3:30 pm ET.  Go out on the Huron River, it’s not too cold yet.  Canoe the Huron River.  Not to soon to pick out your Pumpkins and set the theme for Halloween.  You know what I mean – Just Have Some Fun ! !

Kathy Toth and Team are Washtenaw County, Michigan real estate experts who will guide home buyers and home sellers through the entire real estate process. Our extensive knowledge of Washtenaw County combined with decades of expertise in the local real estate market are extremely valuable in helping you achieve your goals. For quality service and personal attention during your real estate transaction, contact  Kathy Toth and Team for all your home buying and selling needs.

View Our Listings  |  Like us on Facebook  |  Follow us on Twitter  We want to be your real estate agents!

Kathy Toth and Team are your Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts at Keller Williams Realty.

Want to Sell Your Home? Clear the Clutter

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One of the greatest challenges to getting a home sold quickly and for top dollar is clutter. Many homeowners don’t realize the impact clutter has on a home sale and in buyers’ minds. From a single first impression, the clutter stacked around your home could drive away buyers and leave your home sitting on the market. In order to get the best offers, here are some tips to help you get rid of the clutter and sell for top value:

Ann Arbor Cluttered Home
by Nicole Lanteri, On My Agenda LLC

Clean Out the Clutter

When a person is looking at houses they want to be able to see how their belongings will look in the new house and that can be a bit difficult if there is not a single space clear anywhere. Even a little bit of clutter can make home buyers lose interest in your home, so it is best to eliminate anything that you do not absolutely need before showing your home.

Depending on the season, since it does snow quite a bit in Ann Arbor, you may have shovels and salt on the front porch. these should be moved when showing your home to show exactly how much room is on your porch. It is very important to do a once over of the walkways before you put them away so that there is no ice for anyone to slip on. Even if you normally keep your coats and boots near the front door, they should be put away when showing you home because with them there, the first thing someone sees in your house is clutter.

Don’t Over Decorate

While it can be a great idea to place decorations around your home, more than a few vases of flowers and a few pictures would be over doing it. Tons of pictures on the wall and a vase of flowers everywhere possible may look great to you, but it may seem like you are trying just a little too hard to prospective buyers. And if it does not fit their taste there is a chance that they may not like it. It is best to let the house speak for itself.

Don’t Forget About the Garage

The inside of your home may be perfect, but do not forget that most prospective home buyers will want to see the inside of your garage to see how much room is in there. Many people just cram everything into the garage and don’t really worry about it. If you have too much stuff in there and you have nowhere else to store it, it may be a good idea to get a storage unit.

De-Cluttering Your Ann Arbor Home & Selling

If you follow these tips for de-cluttering your home you should have no problem getting your home to stand out from the massive amount of homes on the market. This will hopefully get your home sold quick for the price that you want. To learn more information about selling your home in the Ann Arbor area, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook:

Home Sellers eBook

Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS MLS Sales Report Reveals a Positive Upward Trend Heading into Fall

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The Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS has published the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Sales Report for September 2013.  In a nut shell – More positive statistical data to share with our friends.

  • Fall HarvestThe Average List Price year-to-date is up 17% from the same time last year.  Last year’s year-to-date Average List Price was $219,128 compared to the year-to-date average list price this year of $255,726.
  • The September Average List Price is up. When comparing September 2012 @ $222,616 to the September 2013 Average List Price of $264,983.  The Washtenaw County areas is up 19 % over last year.
  • Average Sale price year-to-date is up 18%.  The 2012 year-to-date Avg Sale price through September was $211,168 compared to this year’s – year-to-date Average Sale Price of $250,029.  Up 18% year-to-date.
  • Average Sale Price for September – 2012 was $214,059 and this year, September 2013, the Average Sale Price was $257,998. Up 20.5%.
  • New Listings were up 24% comparing September 2012 to this year, September 2013.

The stats continue to reveal the steady, upward trending market in all of Washtenaw County and especially Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. The Spring market was strong and we are heading into this beautiful Fall season just as optimistic. Seller confidence is gaining.  This is an excellent time for Sellers to consider placing their homes on the market.  Click Here to view the MLS Sales Report as a larger image.  We have buyers ready to purchase and pre-approved with their lenders.

 

September Ann Arbor Area Board Stats

Are you looking for fun this weekend? Take the entire family & friends and head over to Wiards Orchard for a picture of Fall and don’t forget your camera.  You can also enjoy a delicious taste of cider at the Dexter Cider Mill.  The Dairy Queen in Dexter closes for the season the last day of the month – it’s your last chance for that Banana Split that you have put off all Summer.  Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy everything outdoors because we all know what’s coming.

Kathy Toth and Team are Washtenaw County, Michigan real estate experts who will guide home buyers and home sellers through the entire real estate process. Our extensive knowledge of Washtenaw County combined with decades of expertise in the local real estate market is extremely valuable in helping you achieve your goals. For quality service and personal attention during your real estate transaction, contact  Kathy Toth and Team for all your home buying and selling needs.

View Our Listings  |  Like us on Facebook  |  Follow us on Twitter  We want to be your real estate agents!

Kathy Toth and Team are your Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts at Keller Williams Realty.

Ann Arbor Area Real Estate; 10702 N. Platt Road

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Blog 1 Blog 2

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3.5

Square Feet: 3,600

See Virtual Tour for 10702 N. Platt Road

One look at this beautiful home in Milan and you’ll want to call it home. With four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, you won’t be short on space. The great room boasts a two story ceiling and a wood burning pellet system.    The large kitchen offers everything from a center island to an abundance of cabinetry to counter space.  A door provides access to the rear deck.

A first floor master bedroom suite offers a true retreat from any day. Wall-to-wall carpeting, a walk-in closet and a private deck makes for the perfect in-home getaway.  For additional comfort, a master bathroom awaits you with a soaking tub, dual vanities, and a walk-in shower.  Continue upstairs, where you will find three additional bedrooms all generous in size provide ample space for residents and guests alike.   A walk out lower level completes the home with another family room and bar.

Outside, the spacious rear deck is the perfect place to relax and revel in your new home.    Additional amenities of this home include;  a three car garage, a study breeze way and a large outbuilding for storage or hobbies.      This could be the Ann Arbor real estate that you’ve been looking for!

ANN ARBOR AREA REAL ESTATE Listings

1710 S. Lima Center Road

8829 Redstone Drive #11

Kathy Toth and Team

Your Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts

Keller Williams Realty

View Our Listings

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Kathy Toth and Team are Washtenaw County, Michigan real estate experts who will guide home buyers and sellers through the entire real estate process. Our extensive knowledge of Washtenaw County areas, combined with decades of expertise in the local real estate market is extremely valuable to helping you achieve your goals. For quality service and personal attention during your real estate transaction, contact Kathy Toth and Team for all your home buying and selling needs.

We want to be your real estate agents!

 

 

How to Set a Listing Price for Your Ann Arbor Home

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Setting the right listing price for your home is essential as this predominantly dictates how fast you can sell the house. House prices that are set too high may repel prospects and may induce a rather lengthy waiting period. This could lead to gradual devaluation of your house as average market prices fluctuate. On the other hand, setting it too low will not allow you to maximize the potential value for your property. This is something to consider especially for those nearing retirement or is already retired and looking to pool in all their savings.

Ann Arbor Homes for Sale

Understand the Buyer’s Perspective

Look at it from the other side of the coin. Put your shoes in the situation of the potential buyers that come to view the property. Will you be pleased with what you see? Will you be convinced to pay that much money for it? If you have doubts on it or feel a hint of difficulty in putting a final price on the house, there’s a good chance that you are overvaluing the property and not really looking at it in the most sensible way possible. If you can’t even convince yourself to buy the property you are selling, how will you convince others to shell out loads of money for it?

Get a Home Valuation

Hire an appraiser. Home appraisers are often hired by the seller to determine the most accurate price possible. Home appraisers have extensive knowledge in the real estate market. They know current market conditions, average prices for different housing types, and so forth. They are usually inexpensive and the information you get from them is more than enough to compensate for this additional expenditure.

Talking to your real estate agent would also help, since they can provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA). These documents provide an in-depth analysis for what other properties have sold for and the potential of what you could sell for. Real estate agents are also great experts at pricing homes competitively to get the most value and offers available.

whats-my-home-worth-banner

Do the Necessary Legwork

Do your own research. You cannot blame anyone if you sell your property too cheap hence it becomes practical to do the research yourself. Look online for prices of houses that are similar to yours. This will give you a clear view of what price range to begin with. Another option you might have to get the listing price you want for your home is to add incentive. You can negotiate the contract between you and the buyer, or you can add in the furniture (so the buyers don’t need to get new ones).

Set the Price & Sell Your Ann Arbor Home

Determine how much time you have to sell the house. In some cases, patience is important to secure the best prices. If you immediately require the money, you may not have the time to wait for the best offers. To learn more information about selling your home in the Ann Arbor area, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook:

Home Sellers eBook

 

Dexter Library is a State-Of-The-Art Facility in Dexter MI

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The Dexter District Library is an outstanding state-of-the-art, high tech facility located at 3255 Alpine Street in Dexter, MI.  The library is situated on the northeast edge of downtown Dexter in a beautiful setting overlooking Mill Creek.

Where has the Dexter Library been located over the years.  Here is a short summary.  The library was first opened back in 1927 by the Dexter Woman’s Study Club where they began by placing reading materials on a shelf in a local store and soon moved to the little building at 8050 Main/Central Street that is now occupied by Hotel Hickman’s Chuck Wagon BBQ.  As the community grew so did the library.  The Library then moved to a spacious 2-Story Home located at 3137 Baker Road which is now occupied by Dexter Bike and Sport.  In 1996 they moved to the former Methodist Church Education Building at 8040 Fourth Street. Plans moved ahead for a new library to be built.  A millage was put to the citizens and passed.  Property on Alpine Street acquired.  They prepared the building envelope which meant burning down a home on the current site.  (I was there the day they burned down the house to help prepare the building site – see photos below) And finally in 2009, the Dexter District Library opened in its present location on Alpine Street. Read the History of the Dexter Library.

The library has been a huge success.  Enjoy a short tour of the Dexter District Library.  

The Dexter District Library has so much to offer the Dexter Community and card members.  Patrons have available an extensive selection of books, catalogs, movies along with downloadable audio books, music, and e-books.  Just ask the librarian, they will be happy to assist you.  Once you are a member you will be able to login  from your home computer for easy access to download materials, check for availability of your favorite book and simply enjoy the library from your own home.  They library, also, has a monthly book sale, so if you want to increase your home library this is a great way to make a selection or just come and browse so see what is available.

The Dexter Library also sponsors events for Adults, Teens, and Children. Here are all the current events hosted by the library and these are updated monthly. You can even sign up for a computer class or learn how to use email.  Another great reason to become a member of the library is to be able to purchase discounted tickets to the Detroit Zoo but only if you are a Library Cardholder so check out the full details and go to Detroit Zoo – Tickets and More.

Have you needed to host a meeting but do not have the space in your facility?  The library offers meeting room space up to 298 people maximum when the rooms are combined.

Do you want a library card?  Please read this library article about how to get your library card.

Take time to visit the Dexter Library, you will be so glad you did. Below is a map to the library.

View Larger Map

Library Hours are:  Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm.  Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm and feel free to call the library for further information at 734.426.4477

Click here to search for Dexter and Ann Arbor Real Estate using our complimentary Ann Arbor Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively, please contact Kathy Toth Team if you need more specific assistance in your Ann Arbor Real Estate needs.

 

Halloween Decoration Ideas for Your Ann Arbor Home

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Decorating for Halloween can involve the entire family. To begin, select a large orange pumpkin together for the front door area. Carving a spooky face and adding lights inside will set the mood. Now comes the fun part — how to create a one of a kind Halloween experience for the little trick or treaters that will ring your doorbell. Ask each family member what they like best and incorporate their ideas into the decorations.

Ann Arbor Halloween Home
by Between Naps on the Porch

Halloween Decoration Ideas for Your Home

There are the typical plastic spiders to hang up dangling from fake cobwebs and the stuffed black cats placed in windows. But you can also try unusual things this Halloween. Some people have displays of Autumn items such as a scarecrow or pumpkin patch in the yard. A friend decided to pretend to be the scare crow and as the children walked up he moved slightly. It took a few minutes for them to realize that the stuffed scare crow was moving and they would get the candy and run screaming down the steps.

There are eerie sounds like creaking doors and spooky noises to greet the children as they ring the doorbell. Or you might add chuckling or boo sounds to the pumpkin by the door. It will amuse children when the pumpkin talks.

Also, add some of the deep purple lights on windows or front gates. Not only do they look beautiful but they cast a glow on the pumpkins by the door. Or you can decorate with strings of miniature lighted pumpkins. These light the entryway of your house without being to bright.

Halloween Party Ideas

If it’s a Halloween party you are throwing add dry ice to the table in a “witch’s cauldron.” The overflowing mist will provide atmosphere to the night. Sometimes, in Ann Arbor it can be cold even as early as Halloween. So when you use decorations outside its best to not use cardboard cut outs as they won’t hold up. Instead, think of plastic or natural fibers such as ghosts made of weather resistant cotton. A display of ghosts can be created in the front yard to attract trick or treaters.

Plan ahead so that you have the time to make a Halloween night to remember. You can use different sizes of pumpkins each with a scary or cute face to decorate outside. When the pumpkins are lighted their glow will be welcoming to passers by.

Halloween Home Decorations
by FOCAL POINT STYLING

Halloween in Ann Arbor

Halloween in Ann Arbor can be magical. Its a wonderful close knit community 35 miles west of Detroit. Near the Huron river it has dense forests and hills. The University of Michigan is located here as well as the Nichols Arboretum.

When holidays arrive its great when everyone gets into the decorating. Driving down the city streets look at the shops to get some new ideas. Work with your neighbors to make a whole block a Halloween spook adventure. Creating a spook house is another idea you might consider. With black cats and candy corn it is sure to be a hit.

Need a Home Perfect for Decorating? Explore Ann Arbor Real Estate

Ann Arbor’s Halloween Attractions & Pumpkin Patches

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Ann Arbor is a beautiful tourist town that offers a wealth of amenities to local residents and visitors. October brings many fun, family-oriented events to the Ann Arbor community, including several great haunted attractions and corn mazes. If you are looking for some fun Halloween thrills this fall in the Ann Arbor area, you should check out these exciting attractions that are coming up.

Ann Arbor Halloween Cemetary
by Sk12

The Brandywine Cemetery

  • Where: 2727 Brandywine Street in Ann Arbor
  • When: October 30th and 31st. Gates are open between 7PM and 7:30PM, gate closes at 9PM
  • Price: Free. Donations are accepted for area charities each year. This year’s contribution will go to the local food bank
  • More Info: Click Here

The Brandywine Cemetery Tour is a haunted attraction that is located in the southeast part of Ann Arbor. This beautifully detailed cemetery contains amazing sculptures of gargoyles, tombstones and various props that are used for haunted attractions throughout the city. This gore-free event is a fun way for the entire family to enjoy the spirit of the Halloween season. Each year the Brandywine Cemetery takes up donations to benefit local Ann Arbor charities.

Slaughterhouse Adventure

  • Where: 5781 Grand River in Fowlerville
  • When: Open every Friday and Saturday starting on October 4th, from 7PM to 11PM
  • Price: Slaughterhouse, Haunted Maze and Haunted Hayride are all $13.00 per person, per event. Combos and Group Discounts are available. Price for Haunt-Free Corn Maze is $6.00, children under 4 are free.
  • Phone: (517) 223-9140
  • Web: Click Here

The Slaughterhouse Adventure located in nearby Fowlerville offers an abundance of thrills and chills for all ages. There are plenty of spooky attractions and gore-filled mazes to take part in at this annual Halloween event, as well as a family-friendly haunt-free corn maze. The Slaughterhouse Adventure and Grand River Corn Maze guarantee that you will have an experience like no other, whether you travel through the haunted maze, take a tour of the Slaughterhouse, or travel along on the Haunted Hayride. There are combo packs available so that you enjoy two, or all three attractions at a discounted price.

Ann Arbor Corn Maze
by Lulu Hoeller

The Blast Corn Maze

  • Where: 6175 Daly Road in Dexter, MI
  • When: September 1st through November 9th, from 5 PM to 10 PM on Fridays, 11 AM to 10 PM on Saturdays and 11 AM to 8 PM on Sundays.
  • Price: $7.00 for Adults and $5.00 for Children ages 5 to 12. Children under 4 are Free. Group rates of 15 or more people are $5.00 per person. Hayrides cost an additional $3.00 per ride.
  • More Info: Click Here

The Blast Corn Maze is a family friendly event that is located in Dexter, MI which is not too far from Ann Arbor. There is a ten acre corn field that features 3 ½ miles of trails with three exits. Kids can play on the mountain of straw or in the corn box before of after walking through the maze. Other attractions include the Corn Cannon, Cow Train, Duck Races, Pedal Car event and Picture Props. There will be pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds, corn stalks and straw bales available to purchase in October.

Halloween in Ann Arbor, MI

The Ann Arbor community has a lot of fun and spooky attractions to offer local visitors and residents each year. Whether you are hoping to experience the scariest entertainment in town or get lost inside a corn maze with the entire family, you are sure to find an event that will suit your fright level in or around Ann Arbor.

Learn More About the Ann Arbor Area