Back in September I wrote a post about the end of my Treo 650. I put up with the dropped calls, broken bluetooth radio and other shortcomings for a couple more months before I had to switch. Our local Best Buy made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I was eligible for an upgrade and they were offering the Curve for free. So I got one. I've had it for about a month and the verdict is in-I love this thing. It has a decent size full keyboard and great looking screen. All my contacts and memo pad entries transferred easily from the Treo with the software that came with the phone. The voice dialing searches all my contacts just by saying the name. No setup was required for this feature. The phone has full GPS capability and it works great. I still use my Tom Tom but this is a good backup. The ca... 12/26/2008

The annual Saint Clair Shores Christmas Tree lighting ceremony hosted by the St. Clair Shores Activities Committee is Friday, December 5th at 7:00 p.m.   The event takes place in front of the library located at 11 mile and Jefferson. Along with the lighting of the Christmas Tree, there will be caroling and refreshments will be available inside city hall.   Also, Santa Clause will be arriving there on a fire truck! Dress warm and enjoy the start of the holidays in our wonderful city of Saint Clair Shores!     If you would like information on buying or selling Saint Clair Shores real estate contact:  Mike Mitchell - REALTOR ®                                                                  GMAC The Kee Group Direct: (586)291-2652  http://www.mmhomesearch.com/   12/05/2008

If you would like to know what your St. Clair Shores home is worth in today's market, give me a call to schedule an appointment for a free market analysis (cma). No pressure, no obligation                   ST. CLAIR SHORES MARKET REPORT FOR NOVEMBER - HOMES                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There were 30 home sales that closed in November The average list price was $98,977 The highest list price was $155,000 & the lowest was $18,000 The average sale price of those 30 transactions was $94,278 The average total days on the market was 187            Of those 30 closed transactions, 11 were bank owned. The number of c... 12/04/2008

Rock Tops Granite has been awarded the fastest growing company in Michigan with over 15 locations nationwide   Macomb, MI - Charlie Thiede, president of Rock Tops Granite, was recently interviewed.  When asked about how his company was able to grow so rapidly in today's economy, Charlie explained, "Talent plus technology equals growth.  We use the latest in high-tech equipment for cutting and shaping the natural stone products like granite and marble to fabricate a custom countertop with a perfectly finished edge.  Due to the high cost of this technology, other companies are still using hand routers and grinders to work the edge of the stone.  This procedure of slowly grinding the stone by applying pressure with a hand tool can take days.  Even the most experienced, diligent of workers ... 11/12/2008

If you would like to know what your St. Clair Shores home is worth in today's market, give me a call to schedule an appointment for a free market analysis (cma). No pressure, no obligation                   ST. CLAIR SHORES MARKET REPORT FOR OCTOBER - HOMES                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There were 46 home sales that closed in October The average list price was $107,495 The highest list price was $250,000 & the lowest was $44,900 The average sale price of those 55 transactions was $101,741 The average total days on the market was 160    Of those 46 closed transactions, 21 were bank owned and 1 was canal front. H... 11/03/2008

One of the treasures of St. Clair Shores is Wahby Park located on Jefferson on the Nautical Mile.                    It is not your traditional park, you won't find any kids playing there, it's more of an adult park. It features 2 reflecting ponds with fountains, a walking path with benches and drinking fountains, a wedding gazebo and several sculptures. It is also a pretty popular place for not only weddings, but also for wedding pictures.       In addition, the scenery is just beautiful with the trees and plants, and landscape designs & sculptures.               Wahby Park is just one of the amenities St. Clair Shores has to offer. If you're considering moving to St. Clair Shores I'd be happy to assist you, feel free to call or email me.   Mike Mitchell - REALTOR ®                   ... 10/17/2008

I've had many people ask me about HUD homes, and what exactly a Hud home is. When someone buys a house with an FHA loan and defaults on the mortgage, the lender forecloses on the home. FHA then pays the lender and then HUD becomes the owner of the home. So quite simply, a Hud home = FHA foreclosure. As of October 15th 2008 there are currently 29 Hud homes active on the market in St. Clair Shores. I've been in alot of Hud homes in the Shores and surrounding communities. Just like your regular bank owned homes, there are some in pretty nice condition, some need a little love, and some need a whole lot of work. Currently, Hud is offering FHA financing for just $100. down. Yes, you read that correctly, $100. down! In addition Hud will allow you to ask for up to 3% in closing costs, and with... 10/15/2008

ST. CLAIR SHORES REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2008   If you would like to know what your St. Clair Shores home is worth in today's market, give me a call to schedule an appointment for a free market analysis (cma). No pressure, no obligation                   ST. CLAIR SHORES MARKET REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER - HOMES                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There were 55 home sales that closed in September The average list price was $101,664 The highest list price was $274,900 & the lowest was $15,750 The average sale price of those 55 transactions was $97,452 The average total days on the market was 175    Of those 55... 10/02/2008

DVW receives an overwhelming amount of letters and emails, thanking service people for a job well done and for their advice on dryer vent maintenance and fire safety   St. Clair Shores, MI -- The U. S. Fire Administration reports over 15,000 dryer fires annually; most of these tragedies could be prevented with proper dryer vent cleaning and maintenance.  About 80% of Americans have clothes dryers, yet most are unaware that annual dryer vent cleaning keeps their dryer running properly and prevents dryer fires.  The service providers, at Dryer Vent Wizard of California, make sure their customers understand what needs to be done and how it will prevent a clothes dryer fire.   Mike Zalac, owner of DVW of South East Michigan, receives email, letters and phone calls from customers who just wa... 09/20/2008

ST. CLAIR SHORES REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT - AUGUST 2008   If you would like to know what your St. Clair Shores home is worth in today's market, give me a call to schedule an appointment for a freemarket analysis (cma). No pressure, no obligation. Wow, I can't believe summers over already!                   ST. CLAIR SHORES MARKET REPORT FOR AUGUST - HOMES                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There were 53 home sales that closed in August The average list price was $137,088 The highest list price was $509,900 & the lowest was $25,500 The average sale price of those 53 transactions was $130,823 The average total days ... 09/09/2008

The Woodward cruise is over. But for vintage car enthusiasts, the cruising season continues next week  in St Clair Shores. From 5-7 PM on Wednesday August 27, Harper Avenue will be filled with classic cars from Old 8 Mile road to Martin (11 1/2 mile). Its the annual Harper Avenue Charity cruise to benefit Kiwanis childrens charities. You can donate at 20 locations along the route or buy t-shirts on site or at the official cruise website here. So, if you are into cruising with your classic or just watching, pay us a visit on Wednesday the 27th and remember, its for a good cause. 08/19/2008

ST. CLAIR SHORES REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT - JULY 2008   If you would like to know what your St. Clair Shores home is worth in today's market, give me a call to schedule an appointment for a free market analysis (cma). No pressure, no obligation. The summer selling season continues! I'm happy to report that 63 homes closed in July up from 56 in June. That's a 12% increase from June. There were 54 closings in May and 52 in April.                   ST. CLAIR SHORES MARKET REPORT FOR JULY - HOMES                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There were 63 home sales that closed in July The average list price was $124,893 The high... 08/04/2008

HandyPro will fix and repair things for homeowners and wait until they close the sale of their home to collect their fee    St. Clair Shores, MI-Keith Paul, president of HandyPro Handyman Services, Inc. has a great program for people planning to sell their home, but need to they close the sale of their home.   HandyPro offers a list of the top low-cost, highest return improvements and repairs that are ideal to have done before selling a home.  They provide free estimates with no obligation to anyone interested in the Home Seller Program.    Even in today's market, a home that is well maintained will sell more quickly with less room for negotiating the price down.  HandyPro promotes their Home Seller Program with local real estate firms.  "HandyPro is a company you can trust.  I've even ... 07/31/2008

So You Want To Buy a Bank Owned Property.Separating Fact From Fiction.You’ve decided it’s time to take to advantage of the current market and buy a house. And, if you are like a large percentage of buyers in St Clair Shores today, you will probably be looking  at some bank owned properties. You will also be bombarded with stories and advice about dealing with the unique challenges associated with them. So, let’s look at the basics. But before we start, a disclaimer. I am licensed in Michigan and this post will be based on the system in place here. Every state is different and things that may be true here could be totally different where you live. If you have questions ask a local agent or attorney.First, how did these houses get where they are?  The short answer is: the homeowners could... 07/29/2008

Looking for something to do the weekend of July 24-27? Come to the St Clair Shores AquaFest 08. Locals will remember this as the annual Venetian Festival. The fun takes place along Jefferson Avenue between Nine and Ten miles roads, The "Nautical Mile" here in the Shores, and gives visitors a chance to see what the Lake St Clair waterfront and area bars, restaurants and marinas have to offer. It starts with the Nautical Mile Car Cruise on the 24th 6-9 PM. Come and see classic cars and enjoy DJ music along the route. All the local businesses will be participating in this event. On the evening of the 26th you can watch the Nautical Mile Boat Parade of Lights. Boat owners decorate their boats with every kind of light you can imagine, its a very cool event. There will be other events all wee... 07/23/2008

If you are an agent, you have heard this question from a potential buyer. If you are a buyer you have probably asked it. A BUYER AGENCY AGREEMENT? Why should I sign this? I don't want to commit myself to one agent when I can have several of them working for me. If I sign this you wont have any incentive to work hard on my behalf. The reality is that none of that is true. A good experienced agent will not work under those conditions. They know that every agent has access to the same MLS listings. The good agents will however have a better knowledge of the inventory, they will know that the great ranch with 3 bedrooms, basement and a garage that looks like your dream home on paper is actually too far from the elementary school for your kids to walk. They will know that the house that is s... 07/22/2008

Are you looking for the best web site to search homes for sale? Sign up for a free Listingbook account. Not only can you search St. Clair Shores homes for sale, but any home in Macomb County, Harper Woods & the Grosse Pointes also! What is Listingbook? Listingbook is your own personal web site. You can view any home or condo for sale listed in the area multiple listing service (MLS) Get your FREE Listingbook account here!  With Listingbook you can: set up your own search criteria save your searches mark your favorites find out when a new listing comes on the market                         find out when a listing has reduced the asking price leave notes on properties with questions or comments for me send me a message with questions or comments receive morning reports in your email daily... 07/21/2008

Are you considering buying your first home? Are you tired of paying rent and ready to start investing in your own home? It is a buyers market. I know..... you've heard that over and over on the news. So what does that mean to you? It means that there is a surplus of listings on the market so you have a lot to choose from and the opportunity to take advantage of declining prices. You may be able to buy a home now, that a few years ago would have been out of your price range. These reasons make it a great time to buy a home. Here are a few tips for you if you're considering buying your first home    What are you looking for in a home? Decide what features you want in a home and which are most important to you. These features may be different for each individual buyer. If you absolutely ha... 07/19/2008

  Are you relocating to the Detroit area? Are you into boating or fishing? Then you should seriously consider St. Clair Shores. St Clair Shores is a city of just over 60,000 on the shore of Lake St Clair which sits between, and is connected by the Detroit River to Lake Erie to the south and by the St Clair River to Lake Huron to the north. It covers approximately 11.5 square miles and has almost 5 miles of shoreline. The area from 9 mile to 10 mile road along Jefferson Avenue has most of the commercial ventures on the shoreline, and is known as “The Nautical Mile” All the marinas, restaurants and taverns are here, spread out among condos, dive shops and other assorted businesses. The rest of the shore has lakefront homes, both on the main lake and the many canals that lead to it. While ... 07/19/2008

I actually posted on this last year, but I feel it is worthy to repost, as I work with many first time buyers and this subject always comes up. You want to purchase your first home. You've already been pre-approved for a mortgage and you're working with a REALTOR. You find the home for you. You are going with an FHA loan and a Zero down gift program. Remember, ZERO down, does not mean ZERO out of pocket. Zero down means, zero down payment, there are other, what I call, out of pocket costs. When working with first time buyers, I've noticed that many are unaware of these prior to me explaining the process.                Out of Pocket Costs, You Should Be Aware Of:                                                                                                           EMD or Earnest Mone... 07/17/2008