How Saline Area Home Buyers Can Boost Your Credit Score By 100+ Points

This Monday night we are having another free class. But this time it isn't just for home buyers.

"How To Repair Your Credit & Boost Your Score By 100+ Points!" Is a class about dispelling some of the myths of credit and showing you exactly what is possible and why in terms of improving your credit file.

You know that your credit file is critical in determining what kind of home loans yu qualify for, but did you know that potential employers will check your credit? Did you know that your credit score has a dramatic impact on your insurance rates? Even renting an apartment is impacted by what is in your credit files.

Why do we know so much about credit and how to improve it? Because as we have been looking out for the best interest of home buyers for close to 20 years, and that includes helping buyers with their credit files dating back for over 15 of those 20 years.

So, come to the free class Monday night, June 23rd and find out all about what can be done to turn your credit around in the next six months.

Again the class is free, but pre-registration is required.

Call the voice mail system at 734-223-9831 and leave a message with the number of seats you would lie to reserve, your name(s), and a phone number we cal call to confirm your reservation.

And, we will see you Monday night!

How To Buy A Foreclosure Class Tuesday Night

Next Tuesday evening we will be having another one of our classes on how to buy a foreclosure.

This class is not about trying to sell home study courses or some "get rich quick" idea. It is just a straight forward informative class on the opportunities and pitfalls that come with buying a foreclosure.

We also cover that close cousin of the foreclosure, the short-sale.

We talk about defining the terms, the foreclosure time-line and we spend a lot of time talking about actual examples from right here in Washtenaw County.

The class is free but you must reserve your seat by calling 734-223-98313 leaving a message with your name, the number of seats you would like to reserve, a phone number where we can call you back for confirmation, and where you found out about the class. (In March we ran out of space)

Mortgage Troubles in "Declining Markets"

Home buying expert Ronn Huth from the Boston area is facing some of the same challenges we are here in the Saline / Ann Arbor area with the "declining Market" label.

In this declining market lenders have changed their lending guidlines to essentially require 5% more downpayment for any given conventional low downpayment program.

On Ronn's blog he gets some insight from nationally recognized mortgage expert Dawn Davis at Rate One Mortgage in Memphis.

If you are looking at using less than 20% down in this area, take a look. Declining Market Explanation

Class for Saline first time buyers (Free and informative)

Coming up on April 14th we have our Free home buying class on Monday night.

This class is packed with information on the processes and challenges involved in buying your first home.

Click on the link above for more information.

Foxes guarding the hen house

Just heard from an Exclusive Buyer's Agent out west who found something from their professional licensing bureau that caught her eye.

The Iowa licensing bureau fined a Nebraska broker and 5 of his agents $7,500 for practicing real estate in Iowa without an Iowa license. The company, a Prudential franchise, was licensed in Omaha, they were just doing business in Iowa.

Here is the interesting point:

The broker that was guilty in Iowa is a member of the real estate commission in Omaha! The guy helps write laws in Omaha and he breaks them in Iowa!

Manpower survey shows more bad news coming

Here is an article from the Free Press about a Manpower survey that predicts lower employment levels for both Washtenaw and Livingston Counties.

Not good news for real estate values, but it is good news for home buyers. (Bad employement figures will help hold prices down.)

Important Update on Challenging Pittsfield Township assessments

I just heard from a past client about his experience challenging his assessment in Pittsfield Township.

He bought a home that had been foreclosed. (He actually bought it from the bank.)

When the assessment came in significantly higher than what he had purchased it for he called the township assessor's office.

The assessor reportedly told him that they don't count repossessed homes in their property valuation calculations. --- Because they feel the seller is desperate and can't collect fair market value for the home. ---

Interesting.

What is even more surprising is that they said they don't even count some of the Pfizer relocation transactions. Again arguing that the seller was desperate and sold for below fair market value.


More to come on this interesting bit of news...