that I was being a real estate professional.  Do you ever get frustrated because your clients are wanting to do one thing and you know better not to do it.  Lately that was happening to me.  I had two clients that weren't listening to me no matter how many times I told them to do something totally different.  I know the market and I am seeing first hand what is going on.  BUT I was WRONG too. My clients were being influenced by friends, family, and the media that you should be putting in low ball purchase offers.  But in the last few months the Metro Detroit real estate market has shifted.  You can't put in low ball offers and expect to get the home.  It isn't happen very often.  Sure it may be happening 5 to 10% of the time in certain cities.    But the majority of the time it is not h... 05/11/2009

If you are considering jumping into the world of investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and the other offerings of the stock market you want to make sure to step into these waters wisely and not make major mistakes that will cost you dearly in the long run.   Start Small   The first thing you should keep in mind when entering into the world of investing is that you should start small. This is no different than getting into a new body of water or beginning a new exercise schedule. You want to warm up first or dip a toe in the water and test out how things feel before jumping in with everything you have.   In this case give yourself a small sum of money that you are comfortable parting with to begin your investing and keep in mind it is possible that it will lose value once you begin to... 04/19/2009

Real Estate Investors discover a new way to invest in real estate while avoiding the liability exposure of property ownership and the pressure of property management   Detroit, MI - REIT expert, Earl E. Bird, III, recently spoke to a group of investors at a local real estate investors' association meeting.  He explained what REITs are and the benefits of investing in REITs as he announced the grand opening of the REITBuyer.com.   Though the website contains a wealth of educational material several of the investors requested a follow up meeting with Earl to talk more.  Earl agreed and they met for lunch so the young investors could have the opportunity to ask questions.   One investor said, "I'm just getting started in real estate investing and it's great!  I just bought a house for less... 04/17/2009

If you have a diversified investment portfolio, you probably have put some money into the real estate sector. But have you considered REITs? What about foreign REITs?   Let's start with the basics. REITs are Real Estate Investment Trusts. These are funds that invest in real estate ventures. Consider these as holding companies that take your funds and money from other shareholders then purchases and manages real estate interests such as apartments, condominiums, business buildings and industrial parks.   The way you profit from a REIT is not through the sale of land, but rather the leases and rent that are paid on the properties that have been purchased by the management group.   If you are purchasing REITs that are based in the United States there are specific rules that dictate where t... 02/21/2009

                                                             ICE & COLD WATER SAFETY By Lieutenant Denny Hughes, Farmington Hills Fire Department  The past few weeks have been brutally cold in Southeastern Michigan, (Farmington Hills, MI) but a slight warm-up is in the near future. With sudden changes in temperatures, we have to be extremely careful on and around any bodies of water, including lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.  You cannot judge the thickness of ice by its appearance, the day's temperature or the amount of snow on the ice. The depth of the water under the ice, and load distribution and underwater currents, will determine the thickness. Ice a foot thick in one area may only be a few inches thick just a few feet away. Winter enthusiasts, who have been waiting for this weat... 01/26/2009

Farmington Hills has lots of great family events.  From senior programs to activities that kids can enjoy and learn.  Here are some of the upcoming events in Farmington Hills MI  Farmington Hills Senior Events Explore the connection between stress and brain aging in a seminar presented by Dr. Scott Moffat, Ph.D., a leading researcher on brain function, on Wednesday, January 28 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Longacre House, 24705 Farmington Road in Farmington Hills. Dr. Moffat, a professor at Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology, is studying how the stress hormone cortisol affects the brain as it grows older.  Participants will learn about research into improving older adults' quality of life. The seminar is part of the Senior Division's Lifelong Learning at Longacre series, whic... 01/24/2009

Farmington Hills MI is a fun place to live.  The local community is always putting on some great community events to provide a good place to live.   Daddy Daughter Dance at the  Costick Center on Feb. 6 and 7  Calling all doting dads!  Do you have a daughter who likes to dress up and dance?  Then don't miss out on treating her to a special evening she'll always remember!  The annual Daddy Daughter Dance will be held on Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Costick Center in Farmington Hills.  You can dance the night away to music from a local DJ, enjoy refreshments, and each daughter who attends will receive a corsage.  Be sure to bring your camera to capture the memory of this fun evening.  Sign up early and reserve your spot on the dance floor!  This p... 01/16/2009

This article was written by friend of mine who I have also had a business relationship with.  She has given me permission to repost her material.  I am sure you will find the information to be valuable and useful.   Have you ever wished that you knew ahead of time how to avoid mistakes that will cost you money?  Do you realize that when it comes to your business, these mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars?  Well my goal is to help you.  I can tell you how to avoid some of the most costly mistakes so that you stay on the right track to making money, instead of losing money.   Not setting up your business in the correct Business Structure.  Many individuals don't think they need to set up their company as a "legal" business entity because it's only them working.  They don't consider... 01/13/2009

 Many years ago Detroit and it's suburbs where a stark contrast of black and white.  But the 1990's and 2000's have really changed the complexion of Metro Detroit.  There are no more lilly white cities in the Metro Detroit area.  We have become a culturally and racially diverse Metropolitan area.  We still have to work on getting Middle and upper class people to move back into the City of Detroit.  Detroit's future leader have their work cut out for them to make Detroit a "want to live there city" Here is one of the celebrations to mark Martin Luther King Day in Metro Detroit Michigan Farmington Community Library to Hold Martin Luther King Day Celebration Jan. 19    The Farmington Community Library will honor Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 19 with a full schedul... 01/06/2009

Farmington Hills Ice Arena To Host FREE Skating Clinic Jan. 10 2009   The Farmington Hills Ice Arena will host a special FREE clinic on Saturday, January 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. as part of U.S. Figure Skating's National Skating Month.  It's Great to Skate welcomes new skaters to a fun-filled event with free skating, demonstrations of different ice sports, giveaways, and raffle prizes.   Every year, U.S. Figure Skating Member Clubs reach out to the community through It's Great to Skate activities at local rinks.  The goal of National Skating Month is to increase awareness and participation in the sport, which has enjoyed consistent growth.  National Skating Month activities offer people of all ages the opportunity to learn the basics of ice skating from professionally trained in... 12/27/2008

Clear Your Fire Hydrant Simple Clearing of Snow Saves Firefighters Valuable Time and May Save Lives    Southeastern Michigan has experienced heavy snowfalls early this year and area Fire Departments are asking for your help. "We can't do our job if we can't locate a hydrant, and that puts people's lives at risk," says Lieutenant Denny Hughes, a fire safety educator with the Farmington Hills Fire Department.  Whether you're a homeowner, business owner or snow removal company, Hughes asks everyone to do their part in assuring that fire hydrants are visible to responding fire tucks. "Some contractors have nowhere to put the snow after a large snowfall," says Hughes.  "But they need to be conscious about not piling it up on or around a fire hydrant."  Homeowners and business owners are aske... 12/22/2008

Michigan property tax assessment. I recently got this email from a first time home buyer that was visiting my website Livonia Real estate and Wayne County Real Estate I recently purchased a home in Farmington Hills, MI.  I am a 1st time home buyer and had a couple of questions regarding assessment, taxes, etc.Info:The house sold for 248,000 in 1999.I purchased it recently for approx. 148,000The combined tax bill is 4908 currently Questions:Will my taxes go down because my purchase price was lower than the previous purchase price?  If so, how do I determine what they will fall to, and when they will do down? Whom do I speak to if I have questions regarding the taxable value of my Farmington Hills MI home?Thanks so much for any information you can provide.Sincerely,Ron Smith (names, dates... 12/16/2008

  Farmington Hills Youth Choir Presents Free Concert December 17  Farmington Hills evnts  The Farmington Hills Youth Choir invites the public to enjoy a free concert on Wednesday, December 17 at 7 p.m. at the Costick Center.  The ensemble will perform a selection of holiday pieces, blending their uplifting voices with the joy of the season.   The Farmington Hills Youth Choir, created in 2007 by the City of Farmington Hills, gives its members the chance to practice their vocal skills, work with others, meet new friends, and learn performance techniques in a supportive environment.  Auditions for the 2009-10 FH Youth Choir will take place in September, and are open to all interested area youth.  The Youth Choir is directed by Brian Christian, a vocal music teacher in the Farmington Public... 12/15/2008

In todays market you are told there is no money to lend. There is, and it can be done for 3.5% of the purchase price. That can even be a gift, so it is just like a zero down payment loan again. No, you do not have to have perfect credit for this program. Yes, the interest rates are very low. As a matter of fact today they can be obtained for 5.25% fixed for 30 years. Do not be fooled by the media. Call today for honest and sound advice.   12/04/2008

You can get free publicity for your business or your website with a press release.  A press release is a write up about you, your business, product or service.   A press release is the best way to create your own credibility.   The purpose of a press release is to generate traffic to your website, but you can use press releases to increase your client base even if you do not have a website.  If you have a business, product or service, that you want to advertise, a press release is a good way to get started.  Begin by deciding what your story will be.  What do you want to inform the public about?  You might be launching a new product or making a change in your company that will affect your customers.   There are many free press release submission sites on the internet.  Simply go to the ... 11/08/2008

So you are ready to buy a Metro Detroit home, but have you thought beyond buying that dream home.  If you are stretching to get into that Northville home or that Farmington Hills home, can you afford to keep it up? I have seen a lot of homes for sale lately with my buyers that were in major disrepair.  These were not all Metro Detroit foreclosures.  Many were private owners not bank owner and they needed lots of comestic work.  I have seen Northville homesthat need lots of wood replaced because the Northville home had not been painted or caulked for long periods.  I saw a Farmington home that needed a new roof.  I saw another Farmington home that needed major landscaping upkeep, and a porch that was falling apart, and a driveway replaced. If you have to stretch to make the payment, then... 11/03/2008

This investment property buyer was looking at Farmington Hills homes with another agent.  It was a 1000 square foot Farmington Hills foreclosed home.  The Farmington Hills home was only listed at $26,000.  Well the home buyer looked at the property.  It was in decent shape.  And then he wanted to go back and look at it again.  But by then the investment property was already pending. If you are looking at Metro Detroit foreclosed homes and the home is a bargain priced you need to act quickly.  If the home if priced way below current market prices for similar homes don't be a dummy and put in a low ball offer.  YOU WON'T GET THE FORECLOSURE.  SOMEBODY WILL OUT BID YOU. It is not unusual for Detroit foreclosures that are listed below market to sell at or above what the bank has listed the ... 10/28/2008

Anything worth doing should be done right. This is especially the case when it comes to filing your business name paperwork. Doing it wrong could mean someone else is able to use your business name or even take it out from under you once you have your company established.   There is some paperwork involved in this step of the process, and it needs to be done right. This is one of those times when you want to double-check you work.   First, make sure you have what you need to sign up your business name. Here's a quick checklist to make sure you look like a real business:   Phone Number - Your business should have it's own phone number. This is not to be your home phone number, because you want the state to see you as a professional business, not a person who is calling about the kids soc... 10/07/2008

When you go to look at Wayne County foreclosures you need to be prepared that many of them are in disrepair.  Think of it this way.  The homeowners couldn't pay their mortgage bill how could they think of spending money to maintain their Wayne county Home. Most Wayne County foreclosures are a mess.  Many of them are dirty and not a place you want your kids crawling around on the carpeting.  So if you have a child under five I would recommend leaving them with grandma or getting a sitter.  You definitely don't want to have them fingering the walls or sitting on the carpet. When going to look at Wayne County foreclosures bring a flashlight.  Banks have the electricity shut off and shut the water off.  So the toilet will be shut down, you can't use them.  But once in a great while you will... 10/05/2008

Farmington and Farmington Hills MI is a great place to live.  Here is one of Farmingtons upcoming events. Colonial Liberty Tea Oct. 14 at Historic Longacre House  With the days getting shorter and the nights getting cooler, what better way to warm the spirit than with a cup of tea?  Welcome the season in the manner of Colonial America, experiencing cuisine from authentic recipes at the Colonial Liberty Tea on Tuesday, October 14 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the Longacre House, located at 24705 Farmington Road, just south of Eleven Mile in Farmington Hills.  Marlene and Mac Lipon, authorities on the Colonial Era, will dress in period costume and delight you with tales of life in 18th century America.  Learn fascinating facts about taverns, coffeehouses, and how tea got to Colonial America.  Tea wi... 10/03/2008