Marvelous Mary Novak CDPE Sells MI Real Estate

I just attended an outstanding meeting sponsored by the Livingston County Women's Council of Realtors and let me share with you what I learned!

The panel consisted of several top notch, highly successful realtors. One in particular, works with lenders and lists only foreclosed properties. She discussed that lenders are pricing their properties to sell---the notion that you can purchase a home for 50% of the bank's listing price is false. You may be able to get the property for 2-3% under asking price but THOSE DAYS ARE OVER where you could "steal" a property--several agents spoke about writing offers on bank owned properties and offering up to an additional 25% over asking price for the property. In my experience, I have written offers on bank owned properties for OVER asking price and still have been outbid. Trust me--your realtor is not trying to squeeze you for a few extra sheckles to put into their pocket.....they are trying to help you acquire a home! As an agent, I don't enjoy making the phone call that tells the buyer YOU WERE OUTBID or worse yet, the lender thanks you for your offer but no counter. The next time you think about low-balling on a property, you better decide if you plan on just writing and submitting offers OR if you are a serious buyer!

Currently inventory in certain price points are drying up so be prepared to put your highest and best offer out there.

"Professionally Bringing Buyers and Sellers Together"

The Howell Area Lions Club is offering FREE VISION SCREENING. The screening is intended for children ages 1-5 years old. To pre-register stop by or call Youth Services at 517.548.0720 Ext 107. The screening will take place at Howell Carnegie District Library, located at 314 W. Grand River Howell MI 48843 (www.howelllibrary.org)

"Project Kidsight" has grown from the effort to prevent blindness and has been active in MI for 10 years. This program is endorsed by Children's Hospital of MI, Kellogg Eye Institute, Michigan Opthalmolgolical Society, The Michigan Dept of Community Health and others.

For your information 1 in 20 kids aged 1 to 5 has an eye problem that can premanently affect vision if left untreated. "Project Kidsight" screening detects seven diseases and qualifies as the manadatory vision screening required by the state of MI prior to entering kindergarten.

Spread the word! With everyone's health insurance being cut--this is a FREE program!

Have we bottomed out? Is the recession over? I don't know the answer to either question, but what I do know is that listings are down and home sales are up in Livingston County--what this could mean is that the real estate market could be slowly moving into a seller's market. Yep, you read it right--seller's market. Check out the stats below recently released from the Livingston County Board of Realtors and you decide.... It is true prices are depressed but maybe that means that the "real" value of real estate is finding itself.

2009 Versus 2008

Listings* 609 727

Sold 184 143

Sale Price $145,000 $175,600

*Only includes residential only--not condos, commercial, vacant land

(This statistical information, although not guaranteed, is from data I believe reliable. )

So if you are a homeowner who has been thinking about selling their home, be prepared if your home is priced RIGHT for possible multiple offers. That is what us realtors are seeing in our negotiations.

Being the good little citizen that I am, I went ahead and scheduled my yearly check-up. Especially with the possiblity of Obama's health care plan being voted in--hey, that is another story-- My doctor told me that Blue Cross Blue Shield of MI had contacted her and told her that she was being required to ask her patients if they would take certain tests. No problem, I thought--my insurance carrier is being proactive rather than reactive So, my doctor ran the tests that Blue Cross Blue Shield had asked her to ask me about. Well today I receive a statement from BCBS showing me what I will OWE my doctor for some of these tests that were run because my Doctor doesn't accept what BCBS pays as adequate. My question--does anyone know of a doctor who ACCEPTS what the insurance companies pay as payment in full?

Receiving the statement from Blue Cross Blue Shield was a another stab to my heart after their rates were raised in MI. My monthly increase is $50/month. When will the bleeding stop?

ITS OCTOBER AND ITS FREE MAMMOGRAM TIME AGAIN!

Free mammograms available to some Livingston County residents

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and residents of Livingston County who are over age 40 and don't have insurance that covers mammograms might be eligible for free mammograms.

A mammogram is an X-ray-based image that has been proved to detect a majority of breast cancer, According to the American Cancer Society, regular mammography is the most effective screening test for the early detection of breast cancer available to women today.

"We have two offices in Livingston County offering the Title 15 program, free mammograms provided by the state of Michigan for those who qualify," says Phyllis Bennett, physician reimbursement representative with Livingston Obstetrics and Gynecology. One of those offices is adjacent to the St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital in Howell on Byron Road and a second office in the Woodland Health Center on Grand River Avenue in Genoa Township. "In addition to being over 40 and not having proper insurance, a woman must also meet certain income guidelines to qualify."

Bennett says the Title 15 program began about seven years ago, and that Livingston County Obstetrics and Gynecology sees up to 80 patients every year who qualify for free mammograms.

"It's no secret that early detection saves lives and increases treatment options," says Tamara Rummel, area executive director of the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, who says that it is important that the nation's underinsured population have access to mammograms.

Breast cancer ranks third among cancer deaths in women in Michigan (after lung and colon cancer) and second in the nation (after lung cancer). It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Michigan women.

According to Kady Davenport, communications specialist for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, during the past decade, an average of 80 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Livingston County. Between 2000 and 2004, there were an average of 16 deaths per year in the county due to breast cancer. Early detection through mammograms and clinical breast exams remain the most effective weapons against breast cancer according to the Livingston County Department of Public Health.

The Michigan Cancer Consortium recommends monthly breast self exams for women age 20 and older. Women should report any breast change promptly to their health care provider. Mammography is recommended annually for women starting at age 40.
Free mammogram information: Call 1-877-221-6505.

Lisa Carolin can be reached at lcarolin@livingstoncommunitynews.com or at 810-844-2010.