Before the housing crisis, only about 10 percent of U.S. real estate transactions across the country failed to close. Now, with the tightened reins of the lending industry, it is more common for about a third of purchases and sales to fall through. One of the most...
Investors flocking to Western Michigan
A study released in September indicated that Grand Rapids was second in the nation for job growth from 2010 to 2013 and pinpointed the metro area as a magnet for the manufacturing and health care industry. Real estate investors have made the connection between the...
Is there anything you shouldn’t include in your will?
An estate plan can include a variety of legal documents that document your wishes while you are living and after you have passed away. One of the most important documents to include in your estate plan is a will. A will is a great way to protect your wishes and...
Investors plan on fixing up four Riverfront buildings
Oakland County residents may have heard that Triton Properties Company, a real-estate investment firm based in Denver, announced on Nov. 11 that it had purchased four apartment buildings in the Riverfront section of Detroit. A spokesperson from the company was quoted...
City contemplates fining tenants for violations
Michigan residents may be interested to hear of a proposed bill that could affect tenants in Lansing. The proposed law would shift the burden of maintaining a property from the owner, where it currently sits, to the person living on the premises. The stated purpose of...
Same-sex couples and estate planning
For same-sex couples there have been a lot of changes over the last few months. With the United States Supreme Court's ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act many of the former challenges for same-sex couples have been removed. Michigan residents may be interested to...
Rules for being a landlord
Michigan, like many other states, saw the value of homes drop during the recession. Many homeowners realized that they would make very little or perhaps loose money on a house. While waiting for the housing market to recover, many owners in this situation found...
Landlord-tenant dispute leads to arson charges
Landlord-tenant disputes are not uncommon in Michigan, but rarely do they get as extreme as one recently did in New York. A Westchester County landlord set two separate fires outside her home early in the morning of November 3. Her own family members, including two...
Trusts are not only for the rich in Michigan
In Michigan, trusts may have a reputation that they are only for the rich. People think of trust funds and with that rich people who are trying to avoid taxes. However, many people do not understand that trusts can be useful for middle class families in a variety of...
Financing options might be too costly for Michigan developers
As Michigan investment firms begins to roll out new forms of financing intended to give the commercial real estate market a much-needed boost, many developers might wonder if they are affordable. Several firms have announced plans to start up mezzanine funds, but this...