Elizabeth Martin-Ann Arbor, Michigan Realtor, ABR

If you grew up in the state of Michigan or spent anytime living here in the last 50 years, you know who Ernie is. Even if you hate sports and have never listened to a Detroit Tigers game, you know who Ernie is. Ernie Harwell was a man who touched the sport of baseball just as much as he touched the lives of the citizens of Michigan.

When I worked for the Tigers in 2006, I was lucky enough to meet Ernie Harwell several times. Just knowing that Ernie was in the broadcasting booth made me feel like I was a part of history. You could see everyone's eyes light up as he walked around the press box, including the front office staff, the sportswriters and the lowly interns (namely me).

My grandpa, Don Lund, played, coached and worked for the Tigers front office and got to know Ernie quite well. When I called him to see how he was taking the news, he informed me that he actually met Ernie before either of their days with the Tigers. He met him in 1946 when my grandpa played for the Brooklyn Dodgers' AA Farm team, the Mobile Bears. Ernie was broadcasting for the Atlanta Crackers in what turned out to be a 21 inning game that was called due to curfew. Now there's a game you wouldn't forget.

I cannot begin to contemplate the number of people who met Ernie Harwell and who listened to him on the radio in his 92 years. I can only imagine how many people his voice turned into Tigers fans and baseball fans alike. Ernie's sports knowledge and enthusiasm for the game will be greatly missed. For the many fans that fell asleep to Ernie's voice on hot summer nights, we will take his voice and those memories with us forever.

Company Blog

Looking for a great Irish Pub to celebrate St. Patty's Day? Look no further than Conor O'Neils in downtown Ann Arbor! Located on Main Street, the festivities begin at 7am on Wednesday. Last year was the first year that I went to Conor O'Neils on Saint Patrick's Day and I was pleasantly surprised. Although I was not able to get there until 7pm and still had a 30 minute wait to get in, I still got to drink Irish beer and watch authentic Irish cloggers!


Conor's is a great time every other day of the year, not just on March 17th. They have pub trivia on Monday nights and music trivia on Wednesdays that you can participate in with teams of up to 6 people for $5 a team. There are lots of other events and promotions at Conor's, just check out their calendar.


Conor O'Neils has an extensive drink menu and has delicious food which includes many traditional Irish dishes. Conor's is a great place to have lunch and nothing beats sitting on their patio on a hot summer night. If you haven't experienced Conor O'Neils yet, I hope that you are able to soon!

Company Blog

I am doing my second deal with buyers who are obtaining USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan and I just have to sing the praises of this fabulous program!

This program is an alternative to FHA as it requires a 0% down payment! There are no purchase price limits and the cost of repairs can be rolled into the mortgage. The deal I am currently doing has allowed my clients to wrap in almost $10,000 of repairs into their mortgage amount for a new furnace, appliances, kitchen countertops and carpeting for a great deal on a foreclosure. We used this as an alternative for a FHA 203K loan.

The only catch is that not all areas are eligible for this program, including the city of Ann Arbor. The USDA Website is great as it has a map of eligible an ineligible areas. Here is the area eligibility information for Michigan.

It was announced today that the Ann Arbor News will be closing it's doors in July after being the Ann Arbor Area's daily newspaper for 174 years.

They will be shifting their focus towards the Internet to AnnArbor.com just as real estate professionals have been doing for years. Although most homebuyers find their next house on the Internet and not from the newspapers, I still wonder how the effect of the newspaper closing will effect real estate in our area, if at all.

As for changing my business, all I have to do is delete a line in my marketing plan and will have more money available to invest in Internet marketing.

I do know one thing that will for sure happen as a result of the Ann Arbor News closing. I'll have to introduce my parents to the World Wide Web.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law February 17, 2009

So what's in it for you?

$8,000 Federal Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers

• You are eligible for the tax credit if you purchase your first home before December 1, 2009.*
• The tax credit is $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is less.
• The money from the credit will not help you with closing costs or a downpayment as you will receive this tax credit when you file your 2010 taxes.
• You do not have to repay the $8,000 like the previous $7,500 tax credit included in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 as long as you do not sell your home within three years of purchase. The credit will be reversed if you do so.
• The tax credit is only for individuals with an adjusted gross income of under $75,000 or for joint filers with an adjusted gross income of under $150,000.

*You are also eligible if you have not owned a home during the three years prior to the date of purchase.

Here is a chart comparing the first-time homeowner tax credits from 2008 and from 2009.

You can track the status of The American Recovery and Reinstatment Act at www.recovery.gov

Legislation to Help Current Homeowners

• HOPE for Homeowners
• Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan