Pumpkin Festival in Rochester Hills

Rochester Hills has already begun to get into the Halloween spirit. Last Saturday, the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm put on an elaborate celebration. The 16-acre complex hosted its very own Stonewall Pumpkin Festival. Once again, it proved to be a great success. Over 2,500 community members attended the festival during the day and 3,500 community members took part in the events at night—a combined total of 6,000 participants.

Upon entry, the museum’s volunteers equipped guests with a pumpkin, stencils, and carving tools. Food items were also donated on site in support of the Rochester Area Neighborhood House food pantry. Hayrides, make-and-take art projects, and other forms of entertainment, including a Dracula Meets Elvis family concert and children’s garden crafts, were also available for adults and children.

The event has been held for nine years and this year’s certainly did not disappoint its community members. The 85-degree weather was an added bonus and, no doubt, a major contributor to the immense turnout. From 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. individuals ventured back to the farm for a lighting and display of the pumpkins on the Stonewall.

Mayor Bryan Barnett made an appearance at the event as well. C & G News reports, his kids annually “pick out a pumpkin and cut and carve it, and then we go back in the evening and they light it.” Mayor Barnett takes pride in the festival, believing that “it is one of the events that makes our community [Rochester Hills] unique.”

If you missed out on the event, the pumpkins will likely continue to be on display at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm for quite some time. If you don’t have a chance to make it over, Rochester Patch has uploaded some pictures onto its website. It is not too late to start carving your own pumpkins-get inspired and show off your creativity, and add a splash of festivity to your home’s exterior.

visit: rochester hills real estate

Personal Touches On Your Home’s Exterior

Mlive.com recently published a great article about personalizing your home. The first thing that catches my eye when I visit an individual’s home is its exterior color. According to the article, there is a growing trend towards uniqueness and customization. That is, more and more individuals are beginning to modify the exteriors of their homes in order to make them more personal. This is a very important quality, which you ought to consider when searching for and purchasing a new home.

Your home is an opportunity to express yourself and enhance the aesthetics of your entire neighborhood. Better yet, adding a bit of color to your home does not mean you will automatically relinquish its sophisticated appearance. Simply add an accent of dark brown, caramel color, or another earthy natural hue. You may not want to paint your house a radiant yellow or vibrant blue (but, if you do, go for it!). So, what about applying a touch of maroon or dark green to the roof and window frames? Mlive.com reports, “One of the hottest trends for exterior enhancements is to select vinyl windows with exterior color frames that complement the overall look of the home.” This can turn a simple structured home into one that pops. You could also try a different type of wood or stone and apply it to the window frame. In other words, the sky’s the limit.

Adding a personal touch can never be a bad thing. Feel free to express yourself and show off your creative side. Why not paint the front door a navy blue or olive green? These small changes will make you feel even more comfortable when you move into your new house. Just splash a bit of color onto that blank canvas…and you will feel right at home.

more: west bloomfield real estate

In My Neighborhood: The Rochester Hills Public Library

One of Rochester’s treasures is the Rochester Hills Public Library, a beautiful, educational, and innovative aspect of our community. Rochester has a long history of valuing information and the pursuit of knowledge, and a number of societies and associations (the Rochester Literary Society founded the first library here in 1872, which led to the Rochester Literary and Library Association, the Rochester Lecture and Library association, and the Avon Ladies Library Association) have continued to support the library. (source) Before the library we all know and love, it was the Avon Township Free Public Library (1925), which moved from its location at the Rochester National Bank building to West University Drive, then into its own building also on West University. (source) The library is currently located at 500 Olde Towne.

Today, the RHPL remains a central part of the community, providing educational programming for all ages and innovative programs like the Kindle e-Book borrowing program. It also serves as a center for local history resources, providing assistance with genealogy projects, as well as programming and resources to support literacy and reading in the community.

The RHPL also comes to you, putting literature on the road in its Bookmobile. The Bookmobile serves members of the community who may not have the access to the RHPL that others enjoy due to economic, physical, or other obstacles. The Bookmobile has over “3,000 popular items for children, teens and adults including books, DVDs, music CDs, video games, graphic novels and much, much more.” You can view the schedule on the website.

A great library really adds value to a community, and the RHPL serves us well. It’s facilities like these, which reflect a community-wide love for the availability of knowledge, that make a city a desired place to live.

know more about : rochester hills real estate

In The Bloomfield Area: Our Town Art Show & Sale

Communities work to keep their local economies and the arts alive, and the Bloomfield/Birmingham area has a unique event that combines both each year. Next weekend, 10/13 through 10/15, the 26^th Annual Our Town Art Show and Sale will take place at the Community House in Birmingham, MI. A celebration of Michigan’s rich artistic community, the event will showcase over 300 pieces of artwork, featuring more than 200 artists, and give attendees the opportunity to buy and sell artwork.

The Community House began in 1921, when “a small group of women officially committed themselves to the concept that ‘a house big enough for dances, mass meetings, concerts and plays’ was need in the community, and they pledged to raise funds to establish such a center.” (source) Since then, the Community House has worked to build community through programming, and promoting the arts. Its mission is to “improve and enrich” the lives of community members, providing numerous and diverse opportunities to bring the community together, celebrate diversity and promote education and cultural awareness.

The art show will raise funds to benefit The Community House’s outreach programs, and there will be a wide selection of art in different mediums and styles available. Art can revitalize a community and keep its members engaged. According to the Urban Institute’s Arts and Culture Indicators in Communities Project, cultural vitality is “a community’s evidence of creating, disseminating, validating, and supporting arts and culture as a dimension of everyday life.” Will you be joining in the vitality next weekend?

for more: west bloomfield homes for sale

Knowing Which Homes for Sale in Ann Arbor Michigan You Can Afford

Homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the county seat of Washtenaw County, come in all sizes, shapes, colors and prices. Prices start at under $100k for older properties, condominiums and "pre-foreclosures" and top out at $20 million for a 120 acre "sanctuary". Architectural styles range from classic to modern, ranch to Nantucket. With one district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there is truly something for everyone in the Ann Arbor homes for sale listings.

The land comprising Ann Arbor was originally purchased from the federal government for $800 by speculators John Allen and Elisha Rumsey in 1824. Needless to say, property values have increased dramatically since that time. The story goes that John and Elisha both had wives named Ann and that the original "arbor" consisted primarily of burr oak. The city has strived to remain true to its "Tree Town" nickname, preserving numerous acres for parks and recreation areas. Some say that there are nearly as many trees as residents in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1824, incorporated as a village in 1833 and chartered as a city in 1851, Ann Arbor has a long and interesting history. Originally, the founders had hoped that their village would become the state capital, even setting aside forty acres of land for the purpose. But, when Lansing was selected in 1836, the land was donated to the University of Michigan, beginning Ann Arbor's history as a "college town".

The original 40 acre donation is now part of the Central Campus, one of the three residence halls at the university. Even with the sixth-largest campus housing system in the United States, there is still a large market for off-campus housing, primarily in the form of condos and lofts. Advertising in the Ann Arbor homes for sale listings often targets graduate students, research assistants, faculty and their families, by relating the location of the house to the university. With undergraduate programs ranging from literature to engineering, one of the largest research facilities in the country and numerous popular athletic teams, the University of Michigan attracts both people and employers to the area. Employers are attracted by the students. Likewise, students often stay in the area, because of the employers. Some stay to complete graduate programs. Others find careers at the university, which provides about 30,000 jobs to Ann Arbor residents. The resident population is continuously growing.

Buyers and investors may see a large number of properties coming on the market over the next two years. Pfizer, the city's second largest employer, announced in January 2007 that it would be closing the large research facility located there by the end of 2008. Lay-offs and other changes in the automotive industry may also cause an increase in the number of homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan, although the impact will likely be less dramatic than in other parts of the state, since new employers are constantly moving in. Google recently announced plans to open an office employing around 1000 people.

The number of Ann Arbor Homes for Sale is constantly changing. At the time of this writing, one popular realtor had over 350 listings for the area. Efforts by the city government to control "urban sprawl" has meant less new building and fewer new homes than in some areas. Newly built homes account for less than 10% of total listings. Disturbingly, there are more than 50 homes in pre-foreclosure status in Washtenaw County.

Foreclosure can severely damage credit ratings.

Sometimes, there are alternatives for these owners willing to work with potential buyers on lease option agreements. Lease option (also called rent to own) is also an alternative for people with poor credit ratings, willing to work to improve and for those with no savings for down payments and closing costs. In fact, there are simple, but creative solutions for all buyers and options for any seller that is frustrated with seeing the for sale sign in the front yard for months on end. There is a buyer out there for every one of the homes for sale in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Buy-Sell-Michigan-Real-Estate.com are real estate investors who can help find motivated buyers a home if they can't get traditional financing and help motivated sellers sell their homes on terms or for cash.

Fire Prevention Week in Rochester Hills

Safety first! Fire Prevention Week is coming up in Rochester Hills, happening 10/7-10/15. On October 7, from 7-9pm, stop by the Lowes parking lot at 3277 Rochester Rd. to see fire trucks, ambulances, and other rescue vehicles and live demos of what they can do. Apple cider will be provided, as will the chance to chat with firefighters.

Five fire stations in Rochester Hills will host open houses on Sunday, October 9 from noon to 3:00pm. Visitors will get another chance to meet fire fighters, see the trucks and take a station tour, as well as enjoy hot dogs, donuts, and cider.

For more information, see the Rochester Hills city website to download the event flyer.

Fire prevention and preparedness is incredibly important. Preventing fires can save lives and help you avoid severe damage to your home and others’. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, “About 3,500 Americans die each year in fires and about 18,300 are injured.” (See detailed information on fire prevention and preparedness at their website.) It is especially important that the younger members of our community understand the basics of fire safety, so that they can keep themselves safe and pass the message along to others.

The National Fire Protection Association’s report, released in May of this year, found that from 2005 to 2009, there were an estimated 373,900 home structure fires each year that U.S. fire departments responded to. On average, the fires caused 2,650 civilian deaths, 12,890 injuries, and “$7.1 billion in direct property damage per year”. They also found that cooking equipment is the leading cause of these home fires and injuries. You can find a link to the complete report here.

Please visit for more : homes for sale in troy mi

Some Thoughts On Real Estate and Working From Home

I’ve written before about gas prices influencing home buyers’ decisions, as increasing prices make the commute to work more expensive make housing options closer to work more attractive. Another trend that we’re seeing is increasing numbers of businesses transitioning workers to working remotely, at least part of the time. Cutting down on commuting costs, office space and equipment, and allowing employees to work from their own computers are all attractive money-saving moves, especially for small- to medium-sized businesses. (See this article for more information on trends in telecommuting).

This creates demand for home offices, which can present an interesting challenge to the homeowner with limited interior space if you haven’t planned for them. It’s easier to plan for one if you’re currently shopping for a home, and can look at homes with space and facility requirements in mind. If you’re looking for a home where you can set up a long-term home office, what should you be looking for?

It depends on what you need from your office. Will you ever have to meet with clients or coworkers there? Will you have sensitive documents or data that need to be protected? Do you need to be able to teleconference? Will you need large spaces to draw up blueprints or drafts, or to create models? What kind of technology do you need? Depending on how much space your equipment will take up, a walk-in closet may not be enough. Look for homes that have either a designated home office space or a room that you could easily convert into an office that meets your every need.

If you suddenly find yourself working remotely and have no plans to move house, now’s the time to get thrifty. Two spaces that are often under-utilized in the American home are the attic and the basement. If you have space in either, consider putting in a little work on the weekend to clean them up and make a space for yourself. A benefit of setting up shop in either of these spaces is that they are often very quiet, so you can work undisturbed. It’s possible that you won’t be able to carve out your home office its own space, so consider devoting a corner of your living room, den, or even your bedroom to your workspace. Again, where you set up shop depends on what your job requires—if you’ll be meeting with clients or coworkers, maybe the bedroom isn’t the best place.

If you’re really strapped for space, consider your storage options. Devote a closet, cabinet, or crawlspace to storing your files so that you can access them when you need them, but they won’t eat up workspace. As our lives and our jobs adapt, so too should our homes! Your career needs are crucial factors for choosing a home, or for choosing to move out of an old one.

more: northville realtor