The Most Important Thing I Do..........
The Ann Arbor, MI market is is fluctuation. It is changing almost daily.
Pricing a home right is THE MOST important thing I do.
Mr. and Mrs. Seller, buyers don't care what you "need" to sell.
Mr. and Mrs.Seller, It is not wise to "test the market for a month."
Mr. and Mrs. Seller, Yes, they can just "make and offer" but they won't.
Mr. and Mrs. Seller, The buyer is looking at all the homes in the price range you have priced the home in. Your home just does not compare in that price range.
Mr. and Mrs. Seller, Your home is helping to sell the other homes listed in your price range, because it looks like they are getting a good value on the other ones.
Mr. and Mrs. Seller, All the marketing of your home will still not sell an over-priced home.
Mr.and Mrs. Seller, get it right the first time.
A Comparative Market Analysis is only what a house is worth in a certain location, in a certain condition and at a given point in time, within a 30-90 day time period. In the Ann Arbor, Michigan market homes need to be re-evaluated every 30 days. Your realtor should stay on top of what is listed, what has sold and what has been reduced. A market value is always changing so you must change with it and price accordingly.
My website offers lots of great tips for selling your home.
Search other homes and see on-line how your house stacks up to the competition. Look at location, size and ammenities. Be brutely honest with yourself. Put on your buyers hat. Would you buy your house or another one?
Listen to your realtor who sells hundreds of homes, who see's the competiton, and sells homes every day and lives and breathes the market.
Ann Arbor Michigan, is still experiencing a buyers market. There are some great opportunities for first time home buyers. Several years back, it was impossible to purchase a home in Ann Arbor for under 200,000. If one came on the market..........it had multiple offers. Now if you are a buyer you have 30 or more to choose from.
This market data, is taken from the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors MLS data and is put together according to the 9 areas in Ann Arbor. If you picture a wheel with spokes in the wheel you will see how it all comes together in downtown Ann Arbor. Throughout Ann Arbor there is a 10.8 month supply of inventory. In the million dollar and above price range, there is showing it's most inventory with 66 months of inventory or 5.5 years. The good news is that the homes between 500-599K is the strongest with 5.9 months of inventory.
This is all the data from the 2nd quarter, with sales, inventory and months of absorption rate. The absorption rate is based on how long it will take a home to sale that is currently listed. ( if no other homes come on the market )
Graphs are created by Big House Data, LLC in Ann Arbor, MI.
You can search all homes available at Search Ann Arbor Houses.
• 3,160 sq. ft., 3 bath, 4 bdrm 1 1/2 story - 
MLS® $387,900 USD - PRICE START IN HIGH 300'S
Saline Valley Farms, York Township - BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN SALINE VALLEY, OFFERS ITS OWN LAKE & THE SALINE RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT, GORGEOUS SUB WITH MANY LOTS AND ELEVATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM WITH WALK-OUT AND DAY LIGHT LOTS AVAILABLE. HOMES FEATURE GRANTITE AND UPGRADED CABINETS, FIRST FLOOR STUDY. EZ COMMUTE TO NEW SCHOOLS, XWAYS. ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES, COME OUT AND EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE. MODEL HRS MON-FRI 11-5, OTHER BY APPOINTMENT, OR CALL AND REGISTER YOUR CLIENT FOR COMBO. PRICES START IN MID 300'S & UP. *SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE.
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Here are some of the Guarantees that the Missy Caulk TEAM, in Ann Arbor, MI gives to leads that visit and register at one of our web-sites.
Search All Listings In Ann Arbor 
Buy Ann Arbor Real Estate
Missy Caulk TEAM
Saline-Houses For Sale
WE Guarantee You a Quick Response By Email When You Use One Of our Web Sites to Search For Homes.
We answer every email, personally and ASAP.
We will call you to see how we can further help you, if you leave us your phone number.
We will not distribute your email address to others, unless you request this.
We will not set up any type of phone campaign, always asking, "When are you planning to buy/sell?"
What we will do is respond to your emails quickly, answering your questions and offering information.
If you sign up to receive our latest listings or latest news, we will periodically email you our very newest homes, as soon as they come on the market and our monthly newsletter.
WE respect your right to search for homes at your own pace and anonymously, and if you tell us to NOT contact you we will NOT contact you.
If you ask us to remove you we will remove your name from our data base ASAP.
In following up leads it is important that you build a level of trust until that lead turns into a client or raises their hand for more help. We let them set the pace of the relationship. It takes the pressure off of us and it takes the pressure off of them. It gives them the freedom to continue to look at houses at their own pace and time table.
It's official the University of Michigan Regents gave the final vote to expand the "Big House". If you are football fan, or not most everyone has heard of the University of Michigan "Big House". That is the nickname attached to to the U.M. football Stadium.
The last year has been full of controversary over whether to have Sky-Boxes in the "Big House". By a vote of 6-2 the U.M. regents gave final approval to go forward withe plan, which will include 83 luxury suites to be sold along with premium seating. The luxury boxes are the most controversial part of the plan.
Committees were formed to defeat it but to no avail. After all Division 1 Sports, especially football is very productive to the profit margin of college sports. The controversary is because the luxury suites will change the face of the "Big House" into a 3 story side-line stadium that will change the bowl shape look.
One of the things I do with my clients relocating to Ann Arbor is to take them to the Michigan Football Stadium and show them the " Big House". Most of them have watched games of Michigan football for years so it is a real treat.
We get out and look, because when you drive-by on State and Main Street, it is not very impressive. It is built into the ground and from the street level looks prettyunimpressive. Only when you get out of your car and walk into it do you get the WOW factor. For all it's liberal philosophies it is a very conservative program. Most people don't like change and want it to look and stay the same.
Did you know we still have male cheerleaders ?
I love Michigan Football ! We have season tickets and with a family of 7, we fight over who's going to the game. 
Since my daugher, Christa and Buyer Agent on The Missy Caulk TEAM, bleeds Maize and Blue, she always manages to go.
Here is is June and I'm already singing, " Hail to the Victors"! The new U. of M. stadium with the luxury seats will be started right away but not finished until 2010. Hey, who hosts Ohio State that year ??
Go Blue !!
Search All Homes in Ann Arbor
The housing market in Ann Arbor, MI and Washtenaw County continues to show favor to buyers. Our MLS is coordinated by the different areas in Ann Arbor, (nine of them) and in Washtenaw County the MLS is coordinated by school districts.
The areas of Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, Manchester, Milan, Whitmore Lake, and other areas a little further out are separate searchs.
The list price of homes is down 13% from May 2006 to May 2007. With the average list price $217,559. When I became a licensed Realtor in 1995, the average list price was aproximately $269,000.
The average sale price in May 2006 to May 2007, is down 10% with the average sale price $212,623.
The number of closings is down 33% from May 2006 to May 2007. Year to date closings are down 16% from the same time frame last year.
Many areas are back to the prices in 2002. Builders are offering incredible incentives and it is hard for the existing homes, even those priced right to sell. In the last 7 days, 280 Single Family Homes and Condo's have been reduced. In the last 28 days that number is 890 homes and condo's reduced.
Currently there are 352 homes on the market in Ann Arbor, between $175,000 and $250,000.
- I remember a time when a home in Ann Arbor in that price range would sell in a month with multiple offers.
- I can remember first time home-buyers having to write several offers before they would get their offer accepted.
- I remember when a house with ugly brown and orange wall-paper sold in a day and buyers were glad they got it!
On May 3rd I wrote a post about nominating Activerain for the Inman News Innovator Award.
Well, it has happended ActiveRain is nominated and in the finalists for the Most Innovative Media Site !!!
The other groups nominated in that category are:
Active Rain Real Estate Network
Business Week's Hot Properties
New York Times' Real Estate Site
Wall St. Journal's RealEstateJournal.com
Curbed.com's real estate network
"60 Minutes" Multimedia Article/Segment Site
The Inman News Innovator Award is one of the most prestigious and coveted honors in the real estate industry. Now, it's your opportunity to honor and highlight the most remarkable innovations of 2007!
Since the launch of the Innovator Awards in 1997, Inman News has recognized companies who have demonstrated extraordinary powers of innovation through the use of technology or the Internet that positively impact the real estate industry.
Past winners include Trulia, Redfin Direct, RE/MAX International Inc., UrbanDigs.com, PropertyShark.com, Google Earth, Century21 ClickIt, RealLiving, MetroCities, Curbed.com, ApartmentRating.com, NY Times Real Estate, HomeGain, and many other innovative companies.
For all of you that helped nominate them, thanks and let's keep our fingers crossed. If you subscribe to Inman News take a look and the five categories of those nominated.
Winners will be announced at the Real Estate Connect Conference for Technology on Aug 1-3.
Missy Caulk
RE/MAX Platinum
734-302-1500
Attachment(s): APR 07 AAABOR Monthly Stats.pdf
Plaxo is a new product I use to stay in touch with my clients. It is not NEW, but it is new to me. 
Plaxo 2.0 is a free download that synchronizes all your contacts and keeps them current. Don't ask me how it does it, that is better left to Karen George, Jeff Turner or Neal Bloom. All I know is it is a great time saver and keeps all my data current on both my Desktop and Tablet P.C.
Plaxo integrate your calendars, tasks, notes in Outlook, 9 (which I use), or Outlook Express. The feature I use most is the tool bar for my Outlook. It updates my contacts when anyone in my data base updates there information so I am always current.
When I first started using Plaxio, it went through my Outlook Contacts and eliminated duplicate copies ( yes, it asks you first ) Since I have 3200 contacts in my Outlook, WOW that was that a time saver and it got rid of invalid emails for me. I've been wanting to do it for years.
I always send Birthday Cards to my clients, now it sends me an ALERT in my email and right from my desk top I can send them a birthday card on their birthdays.
I I serve on a non-profit board in Ann Arbor, MI called Student Advocacy Center. SAC, is a Advocate for children displaced from their school, either by Expulsion or Special Needs or a long Suspension.
One of the board members, birthday is today. I had this response in my email today.
This is so sweet of you, Missy! Thank you incredibly much! How did you know it was my birthday. Do you have the re-sponsibility of making dear cards for Board Members on their birthdays? (I'm 73 -- Ruth, believe it or not, is 4 1/2 years older.) I'll remember this for however many more years I'll be alive. (My daughter insists that I live till I'm 103, because I just remortgaged my house for 30 years. I'm trying to see if I can pay it off in 20. I'll be only 93 then. Love, March
The card I had sent her was just to honor her. You know at our age, we don't get lots of cards from friends or associates that we know. Our clients love us when we remember them. I have found using Plaxo keeps me organized and not so forgetful. Once again, it sync's automatically. Nothing to do once you download Plaxo. I found it so helpful, I pay for the Premium Service which is only 49.00 per year
"The internet will never replace the realestate agent; however the agent who uses the internet will replace the agent who does not."
I like this quote, not sure where I got it, but have had it saved in my files for awhile. When I first got into the business, the buzz word was realtors were not going to be around anymore. That was scary just starting my career. Now we have found that the internet doesn't replace us at all but those agents that use the internet ARE replacing those that don't.
Look around your communities and see if that is not true ! I know some agents that are still using AOL for their email and rarely check it. What's a blog ? What is a podcast ? What is SEO ? What is a widget ? It is a never ending battle to stay on top of it all, but it is a necessity that we do.
Look at agents around the country that are new to the business. It is overwhelming what they have to learn. But, then there are those that hit the ground running and are selling millions their first year. They have grown up with technology, it is the air they breath so they can jump in and their careers just take off.
In Michigan you can get your realestate license with 40 hours of classroom study. I was walking through Walmart a few years ago and I overheard this girl talking to her mom, in a Southern accent, "I'm gonna get me a real estate license". You can get it for 240.00". I died laughing (to myself of course). Every year it requires more skills whether in the classroom or just staying on top of technology.
" Those that learn more earn more " a favorite quote by Dave Liniger, co founder of RE/MAX with his wife Gail.
The news for the 1st quarter in Ann Arbor has not been good. Attached you will see the results of Big House Data that updates me monthly on the Ann Arbor housing market with good data.
Attachment(s): MAR 07 AAABOR Monthly Stats.pdf
I am having fun with a new technology device. It is found at http://vflyer.com and is widgets for marketing my listings. It can be sent out to others using a flyer format or scrolling widgets. I post my widgets on my blog
Check it out here Your first 10 are free, but I am so excited after I used my 10 up I bought a package for a year.
Wednesday afternoon was fantastice weather in Ann Arbor, one of those days where you are not sorry you live in this state. My family and I set outside on the deck and talked, had a glass of wine. Everyone was smiling and laughing. I had done my usual trec to the Saline Recreation Center for my work-out. People that normally have their heads down were saying hello. Wow, I thought this most be Spring is here. People are really friendly and nice.
Thursday morning we woke up to S-N-O-W. It has been cold now for the later part of the week and now there is more snow. I listed a house on Wednesday and I had on my sandles, I know because I was sinking in the wet, soggy, backyard taking pictures. The next day I had on my boots again.
And the National Association of Realtors (NAR) thinks they are having a hard time predicting housing outcomes due to strange weather patterns. I can't imagine why ?????????
Unusual weather patterns and problems in the subprime lending marketplace are creating challenges in assessing housing market conditions, but a recovery is likely this year, according to the latest forecast by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, says there's some ambiguity about the current housing market. I agree November and December were fantastic and I have posted before that they were my best months.
According to David Lereach, "Our goal each month is to fine-tune the forecast based on the latest housing data and a variety of economic indicators, but extraordinary weather variations are skewing home sales and clouding the picture," he says. "Underlying trends point to a housing recovery in 2007, but it will take a couple months for us to get a better handle on it. Existing-home sales are expected to slowly improve from what appears to be the cyclical low last fall, but we think there will be some additional pain in the new home market, which hopefully will start to rise later in the year."
For critics who don't understand the weather impact on seasonally-adjusted sales, Lereah says they'll likely be reminded about the consequences throughout this spring.
Here's what's happened and how it's likely to play out: In December, unusually mild weather brought out shoppers and January existing-home sales rose, Lereah explains. "However, a sudden chill in January slowed shopping activity relative to December and pending sales, based on contracts, fell," he says.
The biggest weather impact from February has yet to be seen. "February's winter storms brought markets to a halt in much of the country, and it was the coldest February since 1979 - that should drag sales down in March," Lereah says. "This means we may not see an upturn in closed transactions before May 25 when we report sales for April."
But, I'll say again, "it is GREAT DAY to BUY a HOUSE in ANN ARBOR, MI ". There is no question that the weather does effect the moods and the buying decisions of people. We have all scheduled OPEN HOUSES and then had a snow storm keep everyone home, or a tornado, or just a dreary gray day can do it. I found it interesting that internally you know these things and it was nice to read about it in REALTOR MAGAZINE.
Well back out in to the elements !
I do pay for leads, it just depends on who I am paying. Since last July I have worked with two technology genuises in Ann Arbor and I have been paying for leads ( by being at the top of the search engines ) in Ann Arbor and surrounding area.
We ( my TEAM ) and I have closed 7 homes and it has more than paid for itself. My Buyer Agents are happy and we are all busy, all of November and December. I have more than paid for the investment.
Currently, I am working with a lead generation company out of Canada and having a custom web site designed that I am hoping will get me to the top of the search engines organically.
I have 900 plus leads in my que that we are following up. It would have taken me infinity and beyond to pick up that many potential buyers from OPEN houses and all the traditional ways of picking up leads.
I believe the success I have had over the years with converting buyers on the internet are two-fold: 1) if they give phone number, call immediately. This is better than a floor call and you connect in much the same way. 2) drip campaigns to stay in touch until they are ready to show their face.
Since 2004, tracking my sales and listings...........77% is referred from past clients, friends, co-workers etc. The other 33% is internet buyers and sellers that I first connected to on line.
I rarely advertise in the newspaper or Homes Magazines. Not one sale in 3 years, but I will continue to put my money where I see results and that is the internet and the leads it brings. On more thing, if I try something a couple of months and it doesn't produce, I drop it. Once I paid HouseValues 700.00 per month for listing leads.........stupid and expensive. Therefore, I'm not saying ALL lead generation systems work, but the ones that do are invaluable.
• 2,350 sq. ft., 2 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story
-
MLS®
#2616481
$574,900 USD
Scio Township, Ann Arbor
-
EXQUISITE, YET COMFORTABLE HOME, ON 2 GORGEOUS AC IN SCIO TOWNSHIP. 2 OUT-BUILDINGS, USED FOR HOME OFFICE, WOULD MAKE EXCELLENT DAY CARE, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL HOME OFFICE. TOTALLY ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED IN 1998, HUGE GREAT ROOM ADDITION WITH EXPANSE OF WINDOWS. SEVERAL DECKS AND PORCHES TO ENJOY THE LUSCIOUS GARDENS. HARDWOOD FLOORS BOTH ORIGINAL AND NEW. GORGEOUS VIEWS AND SETTING . FIN W/O LL ONLY MINUTES TO HURON RIVER AND DOWNTOWN W/SCIO TAXES.
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