Buyer interest has also been sparked by recent media attention on the great summer activities that are available in northern Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse city have both been highly ranked among American vacation destinations, and locals say that the...
Lawyer sues Michigan judge and two lawyers over Rosa Parks estate
A lawyer is accusing a Michigan judge and two other probate lawyers of conspiracy in attempting to bilk civil rights icon Rosa Parks' estate out of $507,000 in legal fees, according to court papers. Ms. Parks' estate consists of several thousand pieces of civil rights...
Supreme Court decision limits recovery for home buyers
Mortgage agreements are complex and difficult for many consumers to understand. Prospective buyers often rely on the expertise of their realtor and the advice of their mortgage company representative or banker to help them parse the language and terms of the...
How Facebook insiders are using trusts to avoid estate taxes
Facebook is in the news for more than launching its first initial public offering these days, as one news article reports. We thought Michigan residents might be interesting in learning how Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and several company insiders are using a...
Existing home sales increased last month
Experts say that the increase in existing home sales last month is yet another sign that the housing market is stabilizing and will soon improve. Purchases of existing homes increased by 3.4 percent in April.Industry analysts say that improvements in the job market...
FTC warns timeshare owners of fraud risks
The Bureau of Consumer Protection at the FTC is warning anyone who owns a timeshare to expect a call from phony companies perpetrating a fraud. The scheme has become so widespread that the FTC says timeshare owners all over the country can expect to be approached and...
Important factors to consider before investing in real estate
With housing prices and interest rates at historically low levels, many Detroit residents consider this to be a good time to invest in real estate. However, just because a price seems low doesn't mean that the property will be a worthwhile investment, so prudent...
Michigan: Mother’s Day gift idea, why not peace of mind – Part 2
As discussed in last week's post, if your parents do not yet have an estate plan in place consider discussing the possibilities during the month of May. According to the Alzheimer's Association, in the United States more women than men have the disease or some other...
Historic Penobscot building purchased
The Penobscot building in Detroit's downtown financial district is one of the city's most iconic skyscrapers. Built originally in the 1920, it is actually three buildings that are interconnected. It was the tallest building in Detroit for about 50 years.The purchase...
Springtime home tours start in Detroit
Many major cities have a tradition of spring home tours of notable area residences. Being a part of a home tour can help homes that are for sale get better visibility and can help bring notoriety to the neighborhood.In Detroit this spring, homeowners associations from...