Buying a new home should be a time of excitement and celebration of achievement, but it can also be a time full of questions and anxiety. Especially for first time home buyers. However, if you arm yourself with the knowledge of what to expect and how to plan ahead, you can alleviate that stress.

There are 10 main things that every buyer should be aware of when searching for a home. It’s important to remember that the average person or family lives in their home for 13 years, so the decisions you make today will affect you for years to come.

Bank Pre-Approval

First thing first, unless you have a large amount of cash on hand, before you purchase a new home you must get approved for a loan. This typically begins with getting a pre-approval…

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In a recent article, we covered Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Novi, Michigan, in which we gave a lot of info and stats on demographics, the low crime rates, employment, schools, etc. All of that info is important to consider when moving to a new city, however, it doesn’t quite explain what it’s like to LIVE there.

 

In this article, we’re going to take a deeper look into Novi itself, along with some of the places to go and fun things to do. We’ll cover some of the local parks and share some info on what makes living in Novi, well… Novi!

 

LOCATION (Heading downtown)

Although we already touched on Novi’s location as far as proximity to downtown Detroit, DTW Airport, and Pine Knob, we wanted to dive a bit deeper into this. To do…

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As you probably know by now, Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away on Sept 8, 2022, at 96 years old. At the time of her death, she had held the throne for over 70 years, longer than any previous monarch to reign over the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. She led an amazing life full of charity and grace. She also had some amazing places she called home.

To put into perspective just how long Queen Elizabeth’s reign was, she took the throne in 1952 just 7 years after World War II had ended, while Winston Churchill was still the Prime Minister of England. To cover 70+ years of accomplishments made by the Queen in this article would prove impossible, however as a real estate company, our curiosities were piqued in reviewing the primary…

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If you’re considering moving to the Metro Detroit area, there are several areas to choose from, and not all cities may fit your needs. However, if you’re searching for a centrally located city that’s safe, diverse in culture and history, and has fantastic schools, lots of parks, shopping, and activities, you may want to consider the city of Novi!


Oh, you’ve never heard of Novi? It’s a good thing that we’re experts in Real Estate and very familiar with the ins and outs of the surrounding areas. And Novi just happens to be one of our favorites. Read on to learn more about what it looks like to move to this awesome city! 

History (What's in a name?)

Novi was first organized as a township in 1832 on land taken from Farmington Township, before…

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Halloween is just a couple of days away, but the real estate & financial market update isn’t as scary as some portray. Yes, shifts are continuing to take place in both markets, but where does that lead us heading into November 2022? Let’s take a look at what’s happening and how that affects us here in Metro Detroit and beyond.

Gas Prices

We had previously seen a 99 day decline on gas prices moving through the summer into September, but couldn’t quite make it past the 100 day mark. A group of countries including Russia and the OPEC Nations who control 50% of the oil supply decided to ship 2 Million LESS barrels of oil per day to countries that rely on the supply such as Europe and the United States. Why? It’s all about the Benjamins. They feel…

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It's nearly November 2022, meaning the holiday season is upon us! This of course brings lots of fun family events to Metro Detroit and you won’t want to miss our top picks taking place in and around the area. 

From holiday lights, to outdoor adventures and local & historic festivals, you are sure to enjoy one of the many events taking place this month!

All Hallows Illumination

Bring a carved, lighted pumpkin out to celebrate the 4th Annual All Hallows Illumination of Frog Island Park! Occurring the day after Halloween each year, this event promotes hope and excitement for the new season. Come dressed in costume to the park, admire the Jack-o-lanterns as they light up the amphitheater, and enjoy entertainment of fire spinners from Ypsi Jam,…

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One of the best entertainment opportunities of living in Metro Detroit is the amount of amazing concerts and comedy acts that visit the Motor city each year and its various venues. As we inch toward the holiday season, the peak concert season has officially come to a close. However, there is still a diverse lineup of exciting shows coming to town in November 2022. We even managed to squeeze in a couple of musicals for good measure.

 

CONCERTS

Smashing Pumpkins / Jane’s Addiction

Little Caesars Arena
Nov 2

Click here for tickets and info 

Tegan And Sara

Majestic Theatre
Nov 2

Click here for tickets and info 

     

Cheap Trick

McMorran Place Sports & Entertainment Center
Nov 4

Click here for tickets and info 

Too…

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The real estate market has been quite the ride over the past two years. Yet as many know, some changes have been taking place in recent months. At its peak, people were flocking to buy homes due to record low interest rates. Now however, rates have increased in combination with the pullback in stocks and bitcoin causing many buyers to disappear from the market entirely.

 

Let’s discuss some of the facts and why people may not be interested in purchasing a home at this time, and some valuable info for those still seeking to buy or sell a house.

Interest Rates

Back in January the market was still very hot, with interest rates for a 30 year fixed mortgage available as low as 3.5%. Today, those rates have nearly doubled to 6.5% or more, as the…

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Southeast Michigan may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of fantastic hiking trails, but thanks largely in part to our wonderful State Parks and Metropark systems we have dozens to choose from right here in the Metro Detroit area! 

 

Paint Creek Trail

Location: Lake Orion, MI to Rochester, MI / Oakland County
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Length: 8.9 Miles
Type: Point to Point
Highlights & Amenities: Wooded, Wildlife, Wildflowers, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding, Dog Friendly

Paint Creek Trail is a heavily used, easy point-to-point trail of 8.9 miles, located in Oakland County that stretches between Lake Orion at its north end and Rochester at the south. Originally built in 1872 as a stretch of railroad by the…

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Halloween is quickly approaching. Children are getting excited to don their costumes for a night of trick-or-treating, haunted houses are in full swing, and one street in the small, historic village of Romeo, Michigan is well underway in their preparation to do Halloween unlike anywhere else in Metro Detroit. 

Romeo is home to about 3,900 people and home of the Peach Festival (Michigan’s second oldest), which began in 1931 and takes over Labor Day weekend, drawing between 5,000 to 6,000 visitors annually. The largest and oldest festival in the area is the Armada fair, which began in 1872 and draws a crowd of roughly 25,000 people each year. In its 42 years of existence, Terror on Tillson Street and their over the top Halloween decorations have…

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