Redford, MI

Some people are way too extreme in their views. We have gone to far in some of our views. Can't we coexist? This week in Detroit this suspect killed two people. One guy that was killed was an anti-abortion activist. The activist I guess used graphic displays and the suspect didn't like them.

But to kill somebody because you disagree with their views? Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life it shouldn't be your prerogative to kill somebody else over their views. Don't you become just as bad as them?

We need to co-exist. The suspect killed two people and guess who was the third person on his list? Can't guess. It was a local metro Detroit real estate agent.. I hope I never get somebody so mad at me that they want to kill me.

I think the survey that the real estate agent got back must not have been so good either. Luckily the police caught the guy before he killed anybody else. So before you go off the deep end step back and think. Co-exist is my key word for the day.

It is very easy to sabotage your home negotiation and make the seller not want to do business with you. It is real easy.

BE WISHY WASHY!

Before negotiation you need to know what you want out of the negotiations.

• You need to know when you want to close
• How much you want to give as earnest money
• When you want to take possession of the home
• How much you want to pay for the home
• What else do you want besides the house (like the pool table)

Here is one bad example.

List Price & terms $190,000 possession immediate

Buyer Offers $180,000 30 days possession $8000 in sellers concessions

Seller counters $185,000 30 days possession $4500 in sellers concessions

Buyer counter offers $185,000 60 days possession $8000 in sellers concessions

Seller Counters $185,000 30 days possession $8000 in sellers concessions

Buyer now wants $185,000 90 days possession $8000 in sellers concessions

Sellers and Buyers can't agree on 90 days possession Dead deal

The buyer realized halfway through negotiations that they needed more time to get their money together. It made their real estate agent look foolish. The seller thinks the buyers are crazy. And it wasted everybody's time.

If you want to close the deal you have to compromise. You can't start adding more things on in the middle of negotiations.

• The buyer offered $180,000 so it would be stupid to ask for $170,000 in the middle of negotiations
• The buyer asked for $8000 in sellers concessions it would be dumb to ask for $15,000 in concessions when you are getting close in negotiations
• The buyer asked for 30 days possession, then upped it to 90 days. That's crazy. It threw a wrench into the negotiating gears.

You are going the wrong way. Think of it this way how would you feel if the seller came back and now asked for more than list price after you had 2 out of the 3 items agreed upon. You will get mad. I guarantee it.

By asking for more than what you originally asked for in the middle of negotiations usually has a bad outcome. So decide what you want before starting and compromise or stand firm. BUT DON'T RAISE THE STAKES IN THE MIDDLE OF NEGOTIATIONS.

Being wishy washy in your negotiations will most likely cost you getting the house. So know what you want before hand.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent

Search Metro Detroit foreclosures

What's the best deal in Redford homes for sale are they Redford foreclosures? If you are looking at Redford Homes for sale it is good to know what they have been selling for. By knowing the Redford Homes sales prices you can make a solid decision and rest easy that you are not overpaying for a house.

In the last 90 days 94 Redford homes with 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, basement, and garage between 900 and 1000 square foot have sold. The average sold price was $42,849. So you think you should not pay over $37,100 for any Redford home for sale that meets that criteria.

But you have to look at the criteria a little deeper. If you run a search you will find that 65 of those 109 sold homes were Redford foreclosures. The cheapest Redford foreclosure sold for $9000 and the most expensive was $62,500. The average price of all the Redford foreclosures was $33,714. 35 of those Redford foreclosures sold at or above the list price. Some for as much as $5-7,000 over list price.

26 homes being sold by private owners at the average price of $63,465. The price range was $24,000 to $86,000.

There were 7 Redford short sale homesthat sold in the last ninety days. The average sales price was $54,507. The price range was $24,000 to $73,000.

So drawing from this information private homeowners are getting more money than the average Redford foreclosure. The highest price foreclosure was $10,000 less than buying a private owned Redford home. But you have to remember that those foreclosures are probably in much worse shape than a regular Redford home for sale. So the key is to determine how much it will cost you to bring a foreclosure home up to the same condition.

And remember the person that paid $62,500 for that foreclosure may have gotten a superb home. You have to take into account the condition of the home when looking at Redford homes for sale.

If you are buying or selling a home in Redford, Michigan, and you are in need of a little guidance, a lot of honesty, it would be my great privilege to represent you in your pursuits.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit real estate agent

Search Redford foreclosures and Redford homes for sale

Redford home buyer tips

photo courtesy of Realcomp II Ltd

The metro Detroit real estate market is all over the map on what is going on. I noticed one high end sub (Stonewater subdivision) has some of the highest average list prices it has had in the last year. First time home buyers are snapping up the houses under $150,000. They are using that first time home buyer tax credit before it disappears in late November. Even the homes that are under $250,000 are moving faster.

It isn't unusual for low priced foreclosure homes to have multiple offers.

I am noticing short sales in the city of Detroit priced as low as $5000. I wonder how many lenders will actually sell the homes for that price? I wish I had the time to track about 10 of those cheap City of Detroit short sales to see what will really happen and how many will close. There a fewer number of under $10,000 Detroit foreclosures.

Still lots of Metro Detroit short sales that are falling apart. There are fewer amount of homes and foreclosures currently on the market right now than last year.

With Chrysler and General Motors in the bankruptcy phases the upper end buyers are missing in the market. The confidence in Metro Detroit's economy is shaken so it is hurting the housing market.

This is just my take on the real estate market at this time

Russ Ravary your Wayne and Oakland County Real estate specialist

The Metro Detroit real estate market home values have dropped dramatically. Homes in Detroit and any city that borders Detroit have lost a lot of value. I would say many of Detroit's good suburbs have lost 35 -40% of the home value. The homes in cities that border Detroit, Detroit itself, and other marginal cities have lost 50% or more in home value.

You can point out the "rough" cities or "less than prime areas" in Metro Detroit just by looking at the home value drop. When I say less than prime or rough areas I would say the areas that insurance has higher rates in, where the police are called more often. The working class neighborhoods. The areas the perception is where some people think the area is going to get worse instead of better.

These suburban areas outside of Detroit a few years back you found a few houses for under a $100,000 but 90% of the homes sold for more than a $100,000. Now you can find decent homes for $25,000 and nice brick homes for as little as $50 - $60,000.

And I wouldn't myself call these bad areas. If I was a young guy just starting out I would buy a home there in a heart beat. I bought that way when I was young. And I made out when I sold it. Sure some of them don't have the absolute top notch schools but they have good school systems that will give your child the education they need to get into college or survive in life. The teachers and administrators care.

There are a lot of opportunities to buy homes and have payments less than what people pay for rent. That is what I like. It makes financial sense. Sooner or later these homes will be worth a $100,000 again. Sure it may be 15 years but who cares.

You own the home! You are building equity instead of putting into the landlord's pocket. You are getting a tax deduction. Those are the benefits. And you have the chance of greater appreciation than some other cities.

Whether it is Warren, Oak Park, Dearborn Heights, Wayne, Redford, Livonia, Taylor, Romulus, Lincoln Park, Wyandotte, Redford, East Pointe. There are some great deals in Metro Detroit real estate under $60,000

• under $50,000
• under $40,000

So who cares if it is not a hoity-toity neighborhood. Blue-collar, working class homes in neighborhoods around Metro Detroit are a bargain right now. Feel free to call or email me with any questions.

Search Metro Detroit Homes for sale and get the latest foreclosures emailed to you daily, weekly, or monthly.

Russ Ravary your Metro Detroit Realtor.