2011 Local Real Estate Year in Review

Locally, our area around northern Cass County including Longville, Remer, Walker, Hackensack, Backus and Pine River had a 15% increase in the number of properties sold in 2011 over 2010!The Gallery of Homes also experienced a 23% increase in sales last year, which is 3 years in a row of continued increase. In 2011, Gallery of Homes has sold more real estate than any other Longville real estate office.

The local increase in activity as well as the overall increase in 2011 for the entire Greater Lakes Association of REALTORS is great news for everyone and a sign that our economy is improving.  We are looking forward to 2012 activity to continue to increase as well.

Here is the year end report from the Greater Lakes Association of REALTORS:

Now that 2011 is fully in the books, it’s important to discern which market segments performed well and which encountered additional challenges. This not only sheds light on consumer behavior, but also provides a preliminary look at what 2012 might have in store. For the 12-month period spanning January 2011 through December 2011, Closed Sales in the Great Lakes region were up 5.6 percent overall. The price range with the largest gain in sales was the $150,000 and Below range, where they increased 9.2 percent.

The overall Median Sales Price was down 3.5 percent to $139,000. The property type with the smallest price decline was the Water Access/River segment, where prices decreased 3.2 percent to $158,000. The price range that tended to sell the quickest was the $150,000 and Below range at 163 days; the price range that tended to sell the slowest was the $400,001 and Above range at 246 days.

Market-wide, inventory levels were down 17.6 percent. The property type that lost the least inventory was the Privately-Owned Waterfront segment, where it decreased 10.4 percent. That amounts to 9.5 months supply for Non-Waterfront properties and 15.1 months supply for Privately-Owned Waterfront properties.

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Issaquah School District - Discovering the Schools and Transport

If you will head to the eastside region of Seattle in the King County of Washington, USA, it would be ideal that you head to one of its suburbs, Sammamish where many Sammamish homes for sale and Sammamish real estate properties are found. Incorporated in the year 1999, Sammamish serves as home to 34, 104 people way back in 2000 and grew at 42, 336 based on the census of 2009.

If you are part of the population of individuals planning to move to Sammamish, it would be worth your time to find out about the schools and public transport means available in this part of Washington. If you have a family or planning to start a family when you move here, looking into this aspect is one of the most important considerations that you should not overlook.

Sammamish is served by two school districts:

• Lake Washington School District (LWSD) serving the northern area of Sammamish and the 5th largest school district in the state of Washington.

Elementary Schools

1. McAuliffe Elementary
2. Mead Elementary
3. Carson Elementary
4. Smith Elementary
5. Blackwell Elementary

High School

1. Inglewood Junior High and Eastlake HS
• Issaquah School District (ISD) that serves the southern area of Sammamish. This school district consists of elementary schools, middle schools, Skyline HS and the Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus, which is the 2nd freshman campus in the state of Washington. However, during the school year 2010-2011, the name was changed into Pacific Cascade Middle School.

As you go over Sammamish MLS, for sure you would care to spare enough time to find out more about these schools so as for you to have a broader idea on which among these learning institutions can provide the quality standard of education you want your child to benefit from.

Learning about the public transportation available is another important factor that you should pay attention to if you are really planning to move in this wonderful community.
To begin with, quality service is provided by Sound Transit (Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority operating commuter rail, light rail and express bus services. It is also served by the King County Metro, which is a division of the King County Department of Transportation.

Along with these, there are 4 bus routes serving this eastside suburb of Seattle, Washington. These bus routes provide entry to other suburbs lying east of Seattle and Seattle altogether. These are routes 216, 269, 554 and 927. All of these aim to provide ease of transport in going to work or school and roaming around Sammamish. Knowing that there are many reliable means of transportation would provide even greater confidence for home buyers to invest in Sammamish homes for sale and entice them that living in this nice and pleasing community is the best gift that they can give to their family.

Ann Arbor Homes for Sale - Homes With Acreage

Some want to leave the big city and find a home with a lot of acreage. Others want to stay in the city, but would like some land to garden, or for privacy. Whatever the reason, there are many homes with acreage for sale. There are many ways to find and pay for such homes.

How much land is an acre, exactly, and how much is it worth?

An acre is equal to 4, 480 square yards or 43,560 square feet. An acre's worth depends on a variety of factors. The most important of these factors include location and development potential:
Location: The location of the home is important in determining the value of the house and the acreage. Oftentimes houses that sit on a lot of acreage are located in scenic areas, including mountains and near the ocean. Of course, homes with acreage are also located in large and small cities. Some come with farmland. Find a location that meets your needs, and then search in that area.

Development potential: Some people purchase a home with a lot of acreage because they want privacy. Others want the acreage so that they can develop it. Of course, there are some plots of land that would be impossible to develop, (like the side of a hill) but other plots of land have the potential to be developed. Development potential may increase the worth of the acreage.
Do you need help finding and buying your dream home?
A realtor with Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) or a Certified New Homes Sale Professional (CSP) designation will be able to help you find and move into your dream house. Certified Residential Specialists have 10 years or more of home buying experience. If you are looking at Ann Arbor Homes for Sale with acreage, then you may want to find a Certified New Homes Sale Professional (CSP). They are specially trained in every aspect of buying, building, and selling a new home.

Paying for your home and the acreage:

Homes with acreage are often expensive. There are a couple of types of loans you can take out that will help lower your monthly payments--at least initially. Two of these loans are an adjustable home mortgage and an interest only loan.

Adjustable home mortgage: One way of getting into a large home with a lot of land, if you don't have the money now, is to get an adjustable home mortgage. The interest rates start out lower than most fixed rate mortgages, and so will allow you to make lower payments. Just make sure that you'll have enough money to continue making your mortgage payments when the payments rise, as they probably will.

Interest only loan: Because you will only be paying the interest on your loan, the payments are smaller than they would be with a standard loan. The theory behind an interest-only loan is that you will save the money you are not paying on the principal and invest it. If you are planning on a significant raise or an increased income, they you could use an interest only loan to get by with your large house payments. This is risky, however, for obvious reasons.

Of course with any loan, you must qualify. If you don't make enough, then start in a smaller home with smaller payments and work your way into a home with a lot of acreage.

Brighton MI Homes For Sale For Buyers

Brighton MI streets are lined with beautiful homes for sale. There are charming little retreats, family homes, vacation homes, vast country estates and small cabins. Whatever your preference, there's Brighton MI real estate  property perfect for you and your family.
 
Brighton MI communities

MI Metro has about 42 municipalities and 7 counties with several neighboring mountain and valley districts. Each of these areas offers a unique living experience.

Metro has about 42 municipalities and 7 counties with several neighboring mountain and valley districts. Each of these areas offers a unique living experience. The city of MI has more than twenty exceptional neighborhoods. There are also beautiful real estate properties in the surrounding Englewood, Lakewood, Arvada, Broomfield, Greenwood Village, Centennial, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Parker, Thornton, Wheatridge, Aurora, Lafayette, Brighton, Boulder, Superior, Westminster, Northglenn, Golden, Cherry Hills Village and Evergreen to name just a few.

The suburbs of Lakewood and Westminster lie in the west of the city. This area is a combination of old homes and new construction. The nearby foothills have the suburbs of Morrison, Evergreen, and Conifer. These could be termed as mountain communities, with excellent views, golf courses, trails, and gravel roads. The northern suburbs include Broomfield, Louisville, Boulder, and Lafayette, with housing and shopping opportunities. Another area with old and new structures abounding side by side contains the communities of Northglenn, Thornton, Commerce City, and Brighton.

The city of Michigan has more than twenty exceptional neighborhoods. There are also beautiful estate properties in the surrounding Englewood, Lakewood, Arvada, Broomfield, Greenwood Village, Centennial, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Parker, Thornton, Wheatridge, Aurora, Lafayette, Brighton, Boulder, Superior, Westminster, Northglenn, Golden, Cherry Hills Village and Evergreen to name just a few.
Brighton MI's population is very diverse, with a healthy mix of singles, families and senior citizens. This is why it has facilities for everybody - restaurants that cater to all ages and tastes, different churches representing different faiths and different recreational facilities. Brighton MI homes for sale also has a bustling nightlife and plenty of casinos. You'll never run out of places to go to when you feel like having fun.

Remember that the cost comparisons, infrastructures, amenities and available properties vary in different areas, so do your research before deciding what area to buy estate in.

New estate projects across the city.

Real estate is booming in Brighton, and more and more estate developments are being built. Aside from the many existing properties in the city area, there is also a very active market for new properties. The population in Brighton is ever-growing, so developers are offering new projects for all kinds of buyers. You can choose to have your home constructed instead of buying existing Brighton real estate properties . This way, you can get involved in just about every aspect of your home's look and feel.

Real Estate License Procedure

There is no doubt that a career in real estate can be very advantageous, as well as exciting. Of course, in order to obtain a career in this field, the first thing that you will need to do is go through the real estate licensing process. This does not need to be difficult, as long as you have a good idea of what it is that you will be facing. Here, we will take a closer look at some of the most important things that you should know when it comes to real estate licensing.

One of the things that you may be wondering about is what type of requirements there are for you to be eligible for real estate licensing. For starters, you need to be of at least eighteen years of age. You also must have graduated from high school, or have obtained a degree of equivalency, such as a GED in order to go through the real estate licensing process. Before you can take the exam that is required for real estate licensing, the first thing that you will need to do is learn more about what other requirements your state has prior to the real estate licensing process.

Most states will require you to take a course, or some form of training before you will be eligible to complete the real estate licensing exam. These types of real estate training courses are often offered by community colleges or real estate schools. You should be able to find one within your local area. It is important to make sure that you learn about all of the state requirements beforehand. Completing them is the first step of the real estate licensing process, as you cannot continue the process without these requirements.

Once you have completed all of the requirements of your state, the next thing that you will need to do is find a test center which offers real estate licensing. The cost of this examination will vary according to where you live, but it is typically around a hundred dollars. Keep in mind that is necessary for you to get your real estate licensing done from the state that you are planning on working in. For example, if you are planning on working as a real estate agent in California, you would not want to get your Real Estate License in Washington.

In order to prepare yourself for the real estate licensing examination, it is important to make sure that you look over all of the information that you learned in your real estate classes. It will also be very beneficial for you to buy a real estate licensing test kit, which will provide you with a good idea of what types of questions you can expect to see on the real examination.

Keep in mind that if you do not pass your real estate licensing test the first time, it is quite okay. You will be able to take it again, but you will probably need to wait a certain period of time. Once you have actually passed the real estate licensing examination, you will be ready to find a job with a reputable real estate agency to work for. While you may have to spend money, time and hard work to get through the real estate licensing process, you will find that it is well worth it in the end.

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Ann Arbor Real Estate - Keep These Things in Mind before Buying

Ann Arbor is the county seat of the Washtenaw County in the state of Michigan,USA. Founded in 1824, the 2009 Census Bureau Estimate counted its population reaching to 112, 920, which makes it the 6th largest city in the whole Michigan State. Its history started when it was founded by land speculators, Elisha Rumsey and John Allen in 1824. According to some stories, the name of place was derived from the names of Rumsey and Allen's wives, both named Ann and for the Burr Oaks (species of oak in the white oaks section also known as Mossycup white oak) standing in the 260 hectares of land they purchased for $800 from the Federal Government.

At present, the town is one of the frequently considered in the list of top places to live, which prompts many individuals and families to consider buying Ann Arbor homes for sale available. If you are one of those individuals who want to buy a home in this university town, it is important that you also not forget to keep in mind the general considerations that all home buyers would take into account.

You see, although Ann Arbor is one of the best places to live in the whole USA, still it is imperative that you follow essential guidelines and work on customary habits associated with wise home purchase. While it is true that the Ann Arbor real estate is one of the thriving markets at present, it would not cost you much but rather help you a lot if you pay attention to the following practices when planning to buy a home in this vibrant place with the feel of a small town:

• Make sure that you have a clear vision of what you are looking for in a home.
The moment you think about buying your home in any place, in this case, hovering over Ann Arbor Real Estate to find a home in this part of the country, you should have outlined your needs and wants in a home beforehand. This would serve as your guide in narrowing down your choices so that you would not waste your time house visiting a particular property that you know you would not consider buying.

• Trying to figure out your present financial situation would be important before proceeding with your plan
It is also important that you have a clear idea of how much you can afford to pay every month for you to be sure that you would not exceed your monthly budget. This would prevent the likelihood of defaulting payments when your budget ends up being short to shoulder all your monthly expenses.
• Make it a point to go for preapproval for a mortgage first

Always be sure that you are pre-approved for a mortgage prior to purchasing a home. Not getting pre-approved ahead of time is like misusing the agent's time and yours.
• Consider seeking the help of a reputable Ann Arbor real estate agent

Before you acquire a home, it would be more ideal if you seek help from a reputable agent. If you go alone without an experienced agent at your side, you are likely to become easily overjoyed and excited, causing you to immediately agreeing or committing to an agreement that you would later on regret. More often than not, many home buyers especially first-time ones pay greater cost compared to how much it would have been if the agent is there to do the negotiation for you.

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Brighton MI Real Estate Investors

With the never-ending changes in our Real Estate Markets real estate professionals are starting to pay attention to the sound of new commission streams of income. Some realtors have either shied away or ran-away from such terms as "Cap Rate," & "Cash-on-Cash Returns." Terms that only the 'smart' and 'numbers-oriented people use to determine if a Real Estate purchase is a "Good Deal", or not. A majority of the realtor brethren attended real estate school because they are excited and passionate about the promise of selling real estate and making a fantastic living. That being said "Times are a Changing." Even if you live in a Hot Market where residential real estate sells in 2-3 days there is an old approach to real estate that is growing faster by the day.....Residential Real Estate Investors.

This deft group of real estate investors is taking real estate and the real estate investment world into a new era! No longer accepting the crazy volatility of the Dow Jones and NASDAQ families. Unwilling to accept the investment practices of their fore-fathers these Investors throw caution to the wind for returns above the traditional 5-6% in their Roth or IRA accounts.

 These Investors are bold and oftentimes aggressive. Today's Real Estate Investors are all about the fast fix-n-flip, high appreciation, and rock solid monthly cash-flows. Cutting their teeth on investment in their own home-towns is only the beginning as the Serious Investors turn to points outside their own back-yards to other regions that demonstrate greater promise and higher returns. You may say well how does this older adult view their investment opportunities? For starters the age of these stealth hunters ranges from 28 to 68. From "Rich Dad-Poor Dad" book series to Trumps magical presence on "The Apprentice," the young real estate entrepreneurs are making their dreams happen to the tune of 3-5 acquisitions a year! Got your attention now? The typical Investor has good to great credit scores. Excellent cash reserves or hidden resources of partners with cash, and a willingness to make the deal happen at nearly any cost.

The best kept secret of all is that these investing beasts travel in packs. Where you see one another is very close behind. In other words they know the people that you need to know to grow your investor database even larger. If the Brighton MI Real Estate professional does a good job the happy clients are likely to refer many of their fellow-investors. Not just investor clients but their regular every-day real estate business. Face it, if you can demonstrate to your clients how adept you are with their largest personal purchase of real estate, then wouldn't you suppose they will be over their "trusted real estate advisors" opinion on buying a basic home, condo or beach house?

1. Real Estate Investors are literally everywhere. Successfully tapping into your current database could increase your annual commissions by 20-30%.
2. Real Estate Investors will be loyal to the professional that helps fill the gap of their investment education. Workshops, mentoring groups, finding the "golden deals" in your market makes a huge impact!
3. Investing in Real Estate Investors doesn't have to mean that you lose your "typical" residential realtor position. Being a real estate investment specialist means you are smarter than the average realtor in the market.
4. Mortgage professionals are struggling to provide real estate investors with property deals, so when you can place an investor into a good deal the referrals will begin to flow even more.
5. Real Estate Investors tend to be more conscientious about your personal time away. Investors also like to shop Monday-Friday for their deals before the "Weekend Warrior" investors get out into the competition. This translates into more normal hours and days of operation for you and your business.
6. Real Estate Investors buy-sell cycles are shorter than primary home purchasers resulting in more transactions in shorter time-frames.

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Sammamish Homes - Tips on How to Buy it Quickly

There is so little time left before the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers will expire. And buyers are rushing to buy homes with the hope they make it in time to avail of the said program. Although there are promises for the extension of the program, people are not slowing down on buying homes even to the last minute. If they end up forfeiting the privilege, then it could only mean that they have encountered home buying problems.

Some people have not closed the sale yet and the last thing they need right now are delays in home buying. But one thing you should know is that causes of delays are avoidable.

How to Buy Homes Quickly

Whether you are after the tax credit program or not, buying your homes in the shortest time possible is important. For one, this avoids waste of time and effort in your part. Second, it can greatly reduce the cost of home buying, especially if you have hired escrow services. Third, you can move into your new home the soonest and it can help you and your family adjusts to your new place.

You probably have not seen the need for quick home buying. But doing this can be very helpful, especially if you are under a time constraint. Do you want to know how to make this possible? Here are some tips to use:
1. Always prepare your finances. Even if you are planning to get mortgage, you still have to make upfront payments. Be as liquid as you can. This means you do not have to rely on selling a property or your stocks just to have cash.

2. Know the ins and outs of Sammamish Homes buying. The whole process can be very complex. If you do not anticipate the next step to be done, you can lose days from your targeted closing days. If you are not familiar with the whole process, it is best that you hire a real estate agent to guide you along the way.
3. Get pre-approved for mortgage. Being pre-approved would help you know how much you will be able to loan; hence, helps you anticipate how much available cash you need to raise. Aside from that, you will already know the likelihood of being approved for mortgage. As a result, you can be guaranteed of closing on time or even earlier in the absence of errors in disclosure.

4. Double check everything. Once you have received the necessary documents for the application of mortgage, you really have to exert effort in checking for discrepancies in the agreement. As soon as you have identified the problem, have everything corrected. The earlier the problem is recognized, the more time you have for making corrections.

5. If you must, hire a buyer's agent. If you are too much of a busy person, then you would definitely need someone to represent you while you make a living. A real estate agent can do things in your behalf without you losing control over the whole process.

Foreclosed Residential Ann Arbor Homes for Sale

You have to be prepared to do the leg work if you are looking to get a good quality bargain on residential homes for sale. It really is not that hard if you know how to go about it properly and if you are willing to do your research diligently. The potential to realize huge savings is one of the main reasons why these properties are quite popular and a lot of people have reaped this benefit.

How to Get Started

The first thing you want to familiarize yourself with is an online foreclosures subscription service. These online companies maintain a database of all foreclosed properties across the country that is updated daily or weekly. For a minimal subscription fee, you can gain access on all the services they offer including, but not limited to, filtering options that enables you to search for residential Ann Arbor Homes for Sale by price, type or location. This way you can narrow down your search according to your preferences. They will also provide a mortgage calculator to assist you in computing your mortgage payments. There will be a lot of literature on each of the properties such as the livability of the area where it is located. Proximity to business centers, schools, health care facilities and other community services.

Most of these foreclosed residential homes for sale can be purchased through various methods. Some buyers prefer to deal directly with the owners during the pre-foreclosure phase. One can also participate in home auctions held at country houses. The most popular way of buying is through a broker appointed by banks or lending institutions to sell of their inventory of foreclosed homes. Through all these ways of acquiring these homes there will be some requirements that should be met, the first of which is that the buyer has to have a good credit standing.

Real Estate Training Tips For Beginners

How much real estate training your sales team needs may vary from the needs of other companies. The type of training you need may vary also. There is however some basic needs that do well regardless of the company.

To do well in real estate sales you must know the market and be able to make judgments on what the market will be in the future. You will need to know what price to put on a property when you try to sell it, and also be able to estimate your future earnings.

Real estate training should focus on teaching the ability to forecast the market. You will need to learn what the future holds for housing, how many people will be looking to buy houses further on down the road. What types of housing will these people are looking for? What price will they be willing to pay and in what time span? You need these skills to be successful as an agent in the real estate business.

Where the real estate company wants to be a few years from now is something every realtor needs to be concerned with. The price of real estate and whether it will rise, fall, or remain steady in the future is also an important concern. To know this is a must in order for companies like this to stay in business. Every company needs some excellent real estate courses so they will be able to learn the things that help them make a profit and stay in business over time.

Knowing the right things to talk about and ask their customers is essential in real estate sales training. They will need to bond with the client and secure their trust to make sure they will decide to buy from you. It is important to take steps to see how much you and your company know about these important issues. After that, you will have a better idea of what type of Real Estate Training you will need.

There is a lot of information for anyone searching for help and advice on sales training and real estate training. There are online training courses available you can take. These courses are designed for the person already working in real estate. You will also get many useful tips and advice from these courses. These can all be practiced everyday while you work in your real estate profession. You can take notes on the right things to ask your customers for instance and apply it as soon as you talk to a prospect.

Learn to keep up with the market price of real estate and how it rises and falls. These tools will enable you to see the path your business should take. This is somewhat like hands on real estate sales training and is much more effective than other training methods.

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Issaquah School District - The Fastest Growing District

A School District or school division is an organization of public schools in a particular state that gives the residents their basic educational needs. It is headed by a school committee or school board. They are usually called school administrators. They ensure that all policies are implemented and that school activities, functions and even student-employee activities are carried out smoothly.

Most of the school districts support and participate in the city’s business operations, including television stations, public libraries, kitchens, medical clinics, school bus yard, school laundries, warehouses and police departments. There are also recreational areas available in a school district.

Oftentimes, school districts become a contributing factor to the success or the recession of the city’s economic and political status. The performance of a school district can be equated to the performance of the schools itself. Schools are not just for students. Schools are community centers. They cater to a number of different people and different businesses. Therefore, a good school should include a good learning environment. Discover why these unified district schools are making a reputable name.

Issaquah Unified School District

The success of Issaquah in Arizona is through the collaboration and commitment of parents, educators and its community. They have qualified teachers, wherein, most of them have a master’s degree, are certified counselors, librarians and administrators. A number of their teachers are also recipients of citations and awards.
In 2002, the National Principal of the Year came from their district. Issaquah School District received the Golden Bell award, the highest commendation for innovative instruction in Arizona. This district, founded in a log cabin, has now 6 elementary schools, 3 high schools, 4 middle schools and 1 alternative combination of high school and middle school. It also has a number of school buildings, libraries and recreational areas. Magnet schools were also opened to concentrate on academics, especially in Science, Arts and Citizenship and Character Education and Technology.

Issaquah has a rich mix culture, excellent tourist destinations along with a scientific but family-oriented community that knows how to established good schools and a good quality of life. The community supports the districts’ entire program by opening opportunities for both faculty and students alike. Some companies that provide it include a Lowell Observatory, W.L. Gore & Associates, a number of museums and symphony orchestras.

For the schools comfortable and safe environment, the community provides bus fleets, food services, health services and basic social services. In return, the students consistently score above national average on achievement exams, in which, dropout rates are lower than the state average. They garner gold medals in state and national competitions. They are also well prepared for careers in technology, trade and business. Graduates have been accepted at prestige universities including Princeton, Stanford and Yale.