In the spirit of celebration for these warmer months, I want to share with you some of our area’s TOP spots to visit...click the links for more info...

In no particular order:

1. Stoney Creek...Canoeing, Kayaking, running, hiking, biking, golf, water slides, paddle boating, swimming, and one of my favorites...Paddle Boarding. My daughter and I rent the paddle boards once every summer. So. Much. Fun! 

2. Erma’s... The first time we went to Erma’s was on a Monday at 3pm...and the place was PACKED! You will not be disappointed. You must, you must, you must!

3. Paint Creek Trail...Once a summer we would bike up to The Paint Creek Mill, get the kids ice cream...and bike home. The biking trails in Michigan are nearly endless. Check out Rails to Trails Conservancy.

4. Sleeping Bear Dunes...this is more than a day trip...but it is worth every second. Hike the sand dunes, drive the scenic route, and take a ton of pictures. MOOmer’s Ice Cream, rated #1 on GMA a few years back, is also a must when you're out this way.

5. Mackinac Island...I haven’t been yet, but everyone here says it is a MUST!

6. Visit our gorgeous lakes! Whether the Great Lakes, or our crystal clear inland lakes such as Lake Ann, Higgins Lake, Burt Lake, Green Lake...these places are so amazingly beautiful! And, the surrounding towns are quaint and charming. 

7. Greenfield Village is a great place for family fun...you will feel like you just stepped back in time with early Americana baseball games, outdoor activities, and loads of educational fun. 

8. The Detroit Zoo...there are always activities and events happening here, in addition to the Zoo itself.

9. Eastern Market Flower Day...May 20...Purchase your summer plants at a great price here...or just walk around, get a bite to eat, and take in all of the beauty . 

10. Up North...so, when we moved here we couldn't understand why everyone was always talking about going ‘Up North’ on the weekends. Newbies...here’s the deal...'Up North' has different meanings for different people, as stated in the linked article. For us it means anywhere about 30 miles north of where you currently are; usually a waterfront property. Stars are brighter, the pace is slower, and a bathing suit and sweatshirt is about all you will need. Up North you'll be sure catch your breath, roast some marshmallows, make amazing memories, and RELAX!

11. TIGER’s Games...If you’re not a Tiger’s fan now, you might become one after going to a game!

12. Heavner Canoe and Kayak...One of my FAV memories was kayaking from Milford to Kensington Metro Park one July 4th weekend. Cannot wait to get back out there.

13. Music In the Park...live music every Thursday in Rochester, starting June 15th.

14. Borden Park Festival of the Hills (Fireworks!)...Wednesday, June 27th this summer. This is definitely one of our family favorites!

15. Romeo Peach Festival...check this out over Labor Day weekend...be sure to catch the parade.

To be honest, some of my favorite summer activities are the simple things: dinner outside with friends, backyard fires, badminton, working in the yard, listening to the kids play flashlight freeze tag until 11 pm, the incredibly green grass, the glorious Michigan landscapes, and the gift of 18 hours of light.

What are your favorite Michigan summer memories, activities and places? 

Many of you know that my family and I moved here from Florida a little over 5 years ago. We still learn new things about Michigan life and culture. For example, one of my best friends here suggested that our boys go outside and look for antlers...since now is the time of year when the deer shed them. Who knew? To my complete shock, my son came home a short time later with an actual deer antler, found not on etsy, but in our own backyard! Michigan Spring!

As far as Real Estate goes, many of you know that we are still in a strong seller’s market. That means homes are selling in record time, many times above asking, if properly priced and marketed. If you are considering selling your home, we would love to help!

However, I still believe that now is a perfect time to lean towards home buying!
Let me share some facts from a class I attended taught by Dr. Ralph DeFranco, the Global Chief Economist for Mortgage Services and ARCH MI.

WHY IT’S STILL A GOOD TIME TO BUY A HOME:

1.  Home values are forecasted to keep appreciating...which is favorable for homeowners...yet on the flip side, unfavorable for buyers who wait longer than they need too.
2.  Interest Rates Rising: a stronger economy and job market, as well as tax and policy changes in Washington all point to one thing: a rise in Interest Rates...the higher the rates, the less ‘home’ one can afford, and the more they will pay in interest over the life of their loan. 
3. Rent prices are rising higher than inflation!  Put your money towards paying off your own mortgage and building your equity. 
4. Don’t Fear Another Bubble Bust: Our seller’s market is based on low inventory, a decrease in new construction, and an increase in demand for homes. According to the ARCH MI Risk Index, homes across the US are considered less than 4% overvalued. What this means is that there is not likely going to be a ‘bubble burst’ in home values like we all experienced 10-12 years ago. Quite the opposite.

So, if you are wanting to buy a home now, or in the near future, I would love to invite you out to one of our Free Home Buying Workshops. I have teamed up with a mortgage lender, and a title agent, and we will unpack the financial and real estate side of the home buying process.

This is a free service that we offer to our communities, so please share with anyone that you feel would benefit from our workshop!
(And...if you want to talk about buying, but cannot attend, please call me directly.)


DETAILS FOR THE WORKSHOP:

When:
Thursday, April 26th, 7-9pm

Where: 
Great Lake Crossing Office Building
1301 W. Long Lake Rd
Troy, MI 48098 (look for the directional signs)

Email, Call or Text me to guarantee your spot.
248-981-2160
*Snacks and drinks to be provided.

Enjoy your weekend, and I hope we all get some time in the sun!

Jenn

I am sure that you have heard the term 'Seller's Market' by now, but do you know how that applies to you? Let me share two stories from this week.

Last Thursday, we gave the green light to a 2 bedroom condo we listed in Royal Oak. Within hours, there were 6 showings lined up, 2 offers came in on Saturday, and by Sunday evening, we were under contract for over asking.

A few minutes ago, a friend that I referred to another Keller Williams realtor in northern Florida, told me that shortly after placing her home on the market, she had multiple offers flying in, with a Best & Final scheduled for this Thursday evening. All signs say that she will get over asking, as well.

So, is it magic? Do you just put your house up for sale, and then BOOM?!

Well, with low inventory across the nation, and a steady stream of ready and willing buyers, the pump is primed for high market value sales. However, there are still some important factors that you want to consider to maximize the sale of your home:

1. Are you properly pricing your home? This makes all of the difference. A good realtor will know what fair market value is, and how to price your home in such a way as to obtain the highest possible offer.

2. Is your home competitive in value? A good realtor will be able to help you prepare your home for listing day. They will know how to showcase your home's strongest features, as well as highlight your home's competitive value proposition.

3. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing... The time period after a home is first listed is critical for selling at top dollar. Make sure your realtor knows the whats and hows of effective marketing trends. The importance of a live MLS, such as our Realcomp, cannot be underestimated in today's market!

4. Someone to Manage the Process... With everything moving so fast, and multiple offers flying around, you have to make sure all of your i's are dotted, and your t's crossed. Hire someone who understands process, and who is committed to managing the sale all the way from the initial listing to the closing table.

Now is a fantastic time to sell. If you, or anyone you know is considering selling their home, Tim and I would LOVE to help, and we always appreciate our clients, and their referrals.

Happy Spring,

Jenn Batey

Did you know that paying $1,200 a month in rent will amount to paying $72,000 towards someone else's mortgage, in five years? Not ideal...but here's how we can help...

I wanted to invite you to a Home Buying Workshop that I will be co-hosting with mortgage expert, Christie Valli.

Our workshop will be geared towards first time home buyers, or anyone who needs a refresher on the financing and home buying process. We will be teaching about down payment assistance, equity in ownership, as well as the process by which you purchase a home in the current market. 
It's a free workshop, breakfast is provided, and we will even have some fun door prizes.

Fell free to pass this invite along. And, if you, or anyone you know, is interested in attending, please reserve your spot by emailing or calling me directly:
(248)-981-2160

Saturday, March 10th at 10am-noon

Keller Williams
901 Wilshire Dr.
Troy, MI 48084

Take Care,

Jenn Batey

Thankfully, most of the time my children are fairly healthy little humans. Today, however, I had to bring one of them to the doctors to be tested for the flu. Gratefully, the test was negative...phew.

On the way home from the doctors, I decided to make my favorite Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. This recipe has comforted my family in both sicknesses and health.

My secret ingredient is the leeks! I accidentally made this soup about ten years ago, when I realized that I only had leeks in my fridge; no onions. That mistake was the best thing that could have ever happened to this recipe...I hope you like it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of butter
Olive Oil, or EVOO
1 whole chicken
1 leek, sliced
1 bunch of celery, sliced or chopped
1 bag of baby carrots, cut in half or thirds
LOTS of Sea Salt
Pepper
Pasta (optional-I use gluten free)
Coriander, or other spices (optional)

Generously swirl the bottom of a giant pot or Dutch oven with Olive Oil.
Add the butter and melt.
Add the chopped vegetables, and a generous amount of Sea Salt (I do about 15+ turns on my salt grinder) and saute on medium high for about 8-12 minutes...make sure the leeks and celery look slightly translucent.

Add the entire chicken to the sauteed vegetables, then fill the pot with water until the chicken is covered, or almost covered.

Bring to a boil, and allow soup to boil (in between a simmer and a rapid boil) for about 2 hours.

Take out the chicken and place it into a pan with sides (so the juices don’t spill all over).

Reduce the soup to a simmer, keep simmering while you prep the meat.

Slice apart the chicken in a few places, and let it cool for around 20 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle.

After the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones. Break apart the meat into desired bite size pieces and add the chicken meat back to the soup.

Taste and re-salt. Add pepper (and any other spices you enjoy such as Coriander).

Let simmer until the carrots are a desired texture. You can add any pasta you would like, now.
Boil the pasta for the required amount of time… and your done!

*If you are going to use gluten free pasta, cook the noodles separately, and add the cooked noodles to the soup for best results.*

I like to let the soup cool for awhile, and then do a final salting, if needed.

Enjoy!!!

Stay healthy, everyone,

Jenn
 

GREAT QUESTION!

With the rise in technology, and websites like Zillow, Trulia and Realtor, one might legitimately consider the necessity of using a Real Estate Agent when buying or selling their home. Millions of homeowners are able to access 'Zestimates,' and the like, to obtain a computer-generated home value estimation. You would think this rise in technology would have put a significant dent in our industry, wouldn't you? Surprisingly, though, according to the National Association of Realtors, almost 90% of home buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent in 2016. That stat is up almost 70% from 2001. 

That begs the question...why?

I speculate the answer lies in the needs confronting our clients that cannot be met through technology, alone. Although technology definitely has it's place, and should be utilized by agents and owners alike, technology is, at its core, a tool. It can help automate your home search, it can help confirm your home value, and it can make marketing your home much more effective and efficient. However, at the end of the day, technology will never replace the education, expertise, service, and connection offered by a proficient agent. 

When our clients sit down to sign those closing docs, we consider it our job to make sure that they understand everything they are about to sign. We are intentional about educating our clients, so that on closing day, they feel confident concerning the value of the home they are about to buy and/or sell. We want our clients to have enjoyed the process, and most importantly, we want to make sure that when they are handed their new keys, they feel safeguarded and optimistic about the future ahead of them; a true celebration!

Technology is vital to our industry, and we are so thankful for that. But, always keep in mind that your home is perhaps the largest and most important investment in your life and portfolio. That investment deserves attention, service, and solid expertise...and you deserve peace of mind. 

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Real Estate...Uncomplicated