Residential Real Estate

Avoiding mistakes when buying a residential property

Buying a home can be a wonderful step for your family, but purchasing real estate can be an arduous and complicated process. From inspections to transferring the title, there are many steps before you can take ownership and move into your new Michigan home. Due to the complicated and expensive

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Smoke-Free Provisions in Apartment Leases

Throughout Michigan, more and more owners of market-rate apartment buildings are choosing to make their properties smoke-free. This makes good business sense because: There is a preference by tenants for smoke-free facilities. The rehab cost for a unit occupied by a non-smoker is much lower than the cost for a

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Construction issues can plague residential real estate deals

Any real estate transaction can get instantly complicated, especially when new construction is involved. When new construction is under contract, residential real estate deals may hit snags that require legal support or intervention. Those in Michigan who are embarking on any kind of new construction project can be better prepared

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Residential real estate transactions often require legal help

For many people, a real estate transaction is the biggest financial decision they will ever make. While the ins and outs of residential real estate may seem fairly clear, any residential real estate transaction or issue generally can benefit from legal support. The complexities of a residential real estate deal in Michigan,

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Residential real estate transactions require legal support

The buying, selling and renting of residential real estate property is a legal transaction, one that may be the most valuable transaction you make. Just like any other legal transaction, a residential real estate transaction can become complex and require legal intervention in the way of negotiations or litigation. Michigan homeowners

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Unique challenges for women and their estate plan

Not all estate plans are alike, just as no two women are alike. The process of creating an estate plan is highly personal for anyone, and women may have unique challenges as they move forward with that process. Michigan women who have not created an estate plan or who have

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Important to have legal help with residential real estate deal

The act of buying or selling residential real estate can be the biggest financial decision or venture some people ever undertake. As with any important financial undertaking, it is advisable to have sound advice and up-to-date information. For those deciding to sell or buy residential real estate worth more than

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Figures show more Americans are purchasing vacation homes

Dreams of buying a new car or boat, taking a trip around the world or even renovating a home have been stymied for many people in recent years thanks to the fallout from the recession, which saw record foreclosures, falling home prices, a jump in unemployment and battered retirement accounts.

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Residential real estate transactions need special attention

For many people, a real estate transaction may be the biggest purchase or sale they ever experience. Residential real estate transactions need special attention, as they can often entail a great deal of money and possibly a great deal of confusion. Because every Michigan residential real estate transaction is as

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Huge estate up for sale in western Michigan

In the early 20th century, Holland Furnace Co. was the largest employer in Holland, Michigan and one of the most important businesses in the state. Its founders amassed significant wealth, including a massive estate known as Hazelbank. That residence is now on the market. Its owners are asking for $18.9

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Government sells hundreds of distressed homes

Government officials recently announced the sale of almost 700 distressed homes that it owns as a result of defaulting homeowners with government-backed mortgages. The problem of what to do with all of this real estate has apparently been creating some uncertainty in the market. While experts say that the recent

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Renting versus owning

Deciding whether to rent or own a home is a big decision for Oakland County residents. Many families are still getting back on their feet after the tough recession, and choosing how and where to spend money and determining the best type of investments can be difficult. Housing prices and

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Rising home prices signal overall economic improvement

The number of sales of previously occupied home has risen 7.8 percent between August and July this year. The increased activity in the housing market is at its highest level in over two years, at a seasonally adjusted rate of 750,000. The new numbers are significant because they are higher

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Detroit housing market leads nation in growth

Home prices rose by six percent in the Detroit area in May and June, leading the country in growth in what many experts say is a rebounding housing market. The average increase nationwide was 2.3 percent. “We seem to be witnessing exactly what we needed for a sustained recovery; monthly

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Buying vacation homes: getting your best investment

Though real estate law often deals more in disputes than in vacations, purchasing a vacation home can be a great investment for you and your family, and by using the law, you can work to protect your new asset. Negotiating for the best purchase agreement is a great move with

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More parents investing in housing for college students

Moving a child into their first college dorm has been a right-of-passage for many families as an offspring moves onto the next phase of their life. However, the dorm system is losing its popularity and more and more students are choosing to live off campus. College towns or neighborhoods with

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High-end home prices dropping

We’ve written in the past about the difficulty faced by owners who invested in a larger, more luxurious home during better economic times. Many owners who bought in the early 2000s have continued to hang onto their homes even as the mortgages may be underwater, in hopes that the prices

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Home price index improves in many major cities

The home price index published by the S&P and Case-Shiller is one of the central economic indicators that many experts use to evaluate the recovery. While single months of data are not definitive indicators of how the economy or the housing market is doing overall, the numbers that come out

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Are “green” homes worth more?

We’ve written before about the trend in the housing market favoring energy efficient homes. Here in Michigan, some discerning buyers have sought out homes with specific features that make it more environmentally and less expensive to maintain. These features include sky lighting, geothermal heating systems, solar panels, improved insulation and

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Detroit home sales increase in June

More homes sold in the Detroit metro area last month compared with the same time last year, according to recently released data. This improvement is one of several signs of a slowly healing housing market for the Detroit area, which suffered significantly during the recession. Home prices are still 30

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State grants help prospective homeowners make the leap

Deciding to buy a home is an exciting and daunting prospect, whether it’s your first purchase or you’re a seasoned residential real estate investor. Low home prices have contributed to a favorable real estate market for buyers, but many families are still suffering from other symptoms of the recession and

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Single-family home rentals on the rise

Single-family homes have been a hallmark of the American Dream and ownership has been an important life accomplishment for many people. However, the housing bubble and foreclosure crisis has turned the industry on its head in many ways and owning a single-family home is becoming less and less common. In

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