Saugatuck, MI

Hello Activerain users. As an open, proud, intelligent and informed member of the gay and lesbian community, I hold myself out professionaly to all people from every facet of life. I treat all people with respect and dignity, offer everyone the same level of care and hold each and every one of you as if you were my only client or customer. My reputation as a solid professional, skilled negotiator and informed analyst gives you my client/customer an upper hand as other professionals in this business look forward to working with me. My first love is the hunt, give me a mission and I accept it with determination. Whether it is a buyer you want for your property, or a home for your own enjoyment it is I who gladly accepts the challenge and looks forward to bringing you satisfaction. I specialize in vacation property such as cottages, condominiums, boat docks, lake homes, farms and retreats; from the simple to the elegant and everything in-between. Northwest Indiana, Southwest Michigan and the Lake Michigan shoreline are the areas where my knowledge will work for you as the vacation home hunter. www.ask4mario.com Proud Intelligent Informed Who else would you ask for? Ask for Mario!

Mario Zarantenello, Realtor

312-925-8552

Saugatuck, Michigan, and Douglas, Michigan are located in Saugatuck Township, Allegan County. It is interesting to compare the sales of residential real estate and vacant land in Saugatuck, Douglas, and the rest of Saugatuck Township in all of 2007 against 2006. This Study covers January 1st of each year through December 31 of the same year.

Check out the statistics and you will see it is time to buy and be ready for next summer!

RESIDENTIAL SALES

Residential Sales Total Dollars Average Sales Price Over $1M

2006 158 $53,203,565 $279,000 5

2007 156 $48,328,759 $256,250 3

The number of homes sold remains somewhat constant but the total dollars expended are less and the average sales price has declined about 10%. This is a favorable time to purchase residential propery in Saugatuck Township. There are more opportunities to purchase at a greater discount in the township than in Saugatuck City or the City of the Village of Douglas.

One lovely home in the township was originally listed at $365,000 and is now bank owned with an asking price of $229,000!

HOMES OVER $1,000,000

Two of the five homes at a sales price of over $1,000,000 that were sold in 2006 were sold at a discount over $300,000 off the asking price.

One of the three homes sold at a sales price over $1,000,000 sold in 2007 was sold at a discount of $300,000 off the asking price. Given these statistics there is a good chance of getting a considerable discount on a Lake Michigan home -not on each and every home but there are some sellers who have indicated a willingness to negotiate.

LAND FOR YOUR HOME TO EITHER BUILD ON NOW OR HOLD FOR LATER DEVELOPMENT

Land Sales Sales over $1M

2006 66 1

2007 44 None

Sales of Land Parcels are clearly down. Some of this is probably due to the sharp drop in Planned Unit Developments - PUDs -in the Township in 2007. Many of the developments approved by the planning commissions prior to 2007 are still on the market. Therefore, any new developments have been put on hold.

There is a large supply of land available and the majority of land parcels, both lots and acreage, are on the market for well over 120 days prior to receiving offers. It is a very good time to pick up either a lot or acreage in Saugatuck Township.

To see all properties listed in Saugatuck Township go to my website mysaugatuck.com. and search for property or call Dee Dee at 616-836-8535.

I have some clients who are definitely ready to buy and we just get on with it. Others can't seem to make a commitment. Some of this probably has to do with Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan, being resort communities and these are often second homes. No one will be living in the street if they do not buy their second home.

However, there is something else going on too. Clients are watching the real estate news from the media and have decided that they will wait until things get worse. Are things definitely going to get worse and do these clients have a crystal ball that will tell them the absolute bottom of the market? And if they are in love with a property, will it still be around when things are worse?

I tell them buying a property is not like buying stock. One share of Dell stock is like any other share of Dell stock but the real estate property they fall in love with will not be like any other property. There is a similarity between stock and real estate in that it is good to buy on the way down and not on the way up. It is impossible to gauge the very bottom of either the stock market or the real estate market.

How do you handle this? I hate to see these clients making mistakes. Instead of "buyers remorse" they will have "non-buyers remorse" Thanks

There is lots going on in Saugatuck in the winter so if you need a get away, come on over. There are movies at the Saugatuck/Douglas library for adults every other Tuesday. Right now we are having Carole Lombard movies and free popcorn. There are also activities for children and young adults throughout the week. Their number is 269-857-8241.

Several of the restaurants are having music on the weekends and lots of them remain open in the winter.

There is a wine series dinner at Clearbrook Restaurant on the 18th. 269-857-2000. and a women's pamper weekend at Twin Gables Inn 269-857-4346.

The newest addition is the bowling alley in Douglas which has just been renovated and has a new chef and very affordable and delicious meals. The Bowling Alley has piano music on Wed and Fri and karaoke on Fri and Saturday. A fun place to just hang out.

The bike trail through the township and Saugatuck is operable and kept clean of snow so you can bike or walk on a sunny day.

The SCA (Saugatuck Center for the arts) is having art classes for adults, an ongoing exhibition of art, and entertainment in the evenings. For a full schedule you can call them at 269-857-2399.

The Red Barn is in rehearsal for a play to start Feb 1, 2008. There are also movies here on the alternate Tuesdays of the library movies. Their number is 269-857-5300.

February brings a winery weekend as well as a Sweetheart Sampler and Culinary Tour at The Grand Escape Inns. The Marti Gras parade and bash at the Dunes Resort. 269-857-1401. Another Pamper Weekend. A murder mystery at the Kirby House

The Historical Society is still working on the renovation of the Old School House. You can be involved.

Come on over. We are waiting for you and you can always call Dee Dee at 616-836-8535 to see the great deals in real estate available right now. Lots to see and do. Saugatuck is a great place for a second home or your retirement home. Michigan is very friendly from a tax perspective to retirees.

Ask yourself Where will you spend next summer or the rest of your life?

Happy New Year from Saugatuck! Last night during a large number of elegant and not-so-elegant house parties in the communities of Saugatuck and Douglas, we were visited by a winter wonderland. Coming home was a little slick but we all live close. This morning we woke to natures gorgeous display.

The party I was fortunate enough to be invited to featured shrimp cocktail, salmon from Scotland - our hostess being a native of Scotland and along with being an excellent hostess a first rate artist-. rack of lamb and all the trimmings topped off by chocolate moose and fresh berries. The fireplace was going and the snow was falling outside as we spent time with friends. I couldn't help thinking how lucky I am.

This is a small community. We don't even have mail delivery in the two towns of Saugatuck and Douglas because the towns are too small. Everyone collects their mail from post office boxes. This gives us time to meet and greet each other. There is a lot of comraderie. Living in a small community, we look out after each other and tend to display a little better manners in public probably because everyone knows who you are. We hold doors for each other. We comment on each others dogs, We don't cut each other off in public because we will just hear about it later.

Come on over for a visit to one of our historical bed and breakfasts. There are a number of events going on in January. There are free movies at the library every other Tuesday starting on the 15th. Currently we are working on Carole Lombard movies. On the alternate Tuesdays there are movies at the Red Barn. There is a pamper weekend at Twin Gables Bed and breakfast for women later in the month and a wine series dinner at Clearbrook. The bowling alley has just been renovated and serves great food at reasonable prices. Lots of events and plenty to do. Or just sit by the fire and do nothing. I was going to reorganize my basement when I got snowed in but the book and fireplace are sounding better and better.

And you can always check out the real estate. Quite a number of homes available at reasonable prices. If you have always wanted to have a second home in Saugatuck, NOW IS THE TIME! Mortgage rates are low and properties affordable. See all the homes on my website - mysaugatuck.com.