One of the best things about living in Ann Arbor is Restaurant Week, which runs from January 16-21 this year. Ann Arbor is home to a wide variety of fantastic restaurants and this is your chance to try out that new place you’ve been hearing about, or visit your old favorite spot and enjoy a delightful meal at a low fixed price. Lunches are $12, with many places offering 2 for $12, and are one to three course meals. Dinners are $25 for three course meals and most offer a choice of selections for each course. Regular menus are also still available if the fixed price special isn’t your game. Participants in this winter’s Restaurant Week are: Downtown Ann Arbor Restaurants Arbor Brewing Company The Arena Argiero’s Bandito’s California Style The Black Pearl The Blue Nile Blue Tractor Café Fe... 01/15/2011

Thinking of selling it yourself to save money? Think again…. In the current financial state and housing slump, many Washtenaw County homeowners need to sell their Ann Arbor area homes and are considering for sale by owner (fsbo) to save on Realtor commissions. It is possible to sell your home yourself, but why deal with the time and headache. Here are just a few reasons it pays to use a trained professional. Reason #1: Real Estate Expertise. A real estate agent has the knowledge and expertise to guide you through the entire home selling process. This includes determining an accurate sales price, qualifying prospective purchasers, knowing the proper inspections required, communicating with the banks and title companies, making sure you understand all paperwork, protecting your best inter... 01/12/2011

The home inspection is a vital step in the home-buying process.  A qualified home inspector will take an in-depth look at the home to identify the overall physical condition of the home.  The home inspector will point out any issues with the home that may cause problems in the future.  Your home inspection report will provide detailed information about the structural condition of the home and about the roofing, exterior, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, and more.  It's a good idea for the buyer to be on hand during the home inspection so you can ask the inspector any questions you might have.  I feel it is a class on your future home. Our Ann Arbor buyers agents would be happy to explain the home inspection process to you in depth - just give us a call or contact us a... 01/11/2011

Thinking of going it alone to save time and money?                   Think again... But you're saying to yourself, 'All of the information is right there on the internet; the home buyer's checklists, the mortgage rates, hundreds of real estate websites with all of the search functionality ever needed to find my dream home’. Oh it's possible to do it yourself, but not recommended if you really want to save time and money. Reason #1: It’s FREE. As a home buyer, you do not pay for your realtor services. In the business of real estate, the home seller compensates both agents in the transaction, the agent the home is listed with and the agent that brings the buyer. Reason #2: Knowledge. Savvy realtors know the local market and individual neighborhood trends. They have toured many homes in m... 01/07/2011

Inventory in the Ann Arbor school district continues to drop. At the end of September there were 654 homes for sale with 22.8% under contract. Here at the end of December, that number has dropped to 513 homes for sale, which is a 22% decrease in inventory, with 22.6% under contract, which has stayed consistent. This gives us a 6.2 month supply of housing for the Ann Arbor school district, which has decreased by 19% in the last quarter of the year. Now, the $400k - $600k price range is seeing a lower housing supply and is joining the more competitive under $400,000 market, with the months supply of housing ranging from 5.2 - 6.5 which is still considered a balanced market. The under $100k market is seeing a 3.8 months supply of housing, putting it into a sellers market for the first tim... 01/04/2011

Burns Park Homes and Statisticsf show that this area commands a high sold price per square foot. (edit/delete) One of the most interesting areas in Ann Arbor is Burns Park; see homes for sale here;located in the heart of Ann Arbor and is popular with professors who ride bikes to University of Michigan, medical students who can walk to campus. The community is made up of a wide variety of 3 story, old classic with mahogony woodwork, new luxurious properties and small homes with classic hardoods, arches, and treed lots. It's location means that it is walkable and very convenient to Ann Arbor shopping, the Amtrak Station as well as Detroit Airport (which is about a 30 minute drive away).  To find the best deals and foreclosures in Burns Park, contact your Ann Arbor Real Estate experts: 734... 01/02/2011

One of the most interesting areas in Ann Arbor is Barton Hills; homes for sale here; located just north of the Huron River and West of US 23.  If you are looking for videos on the Barton Hills Community, click here.  There are three videos:  Country Club, Golf Course, and Barton Hills Subdivision.  The community is made up of a wide variety of luxurious properties. It's location means that it is convenient for downtown Ann Arbor, the Amtrak Station as well as Detroit Airport (which is about a 30 minute drive away). The area is convenient but also tucked away from it all. The Barton Hills neighborhood even has their own website! To find the best deals and foreclosures in Barton Hills, contact your Ann Arbor Real Estate experts: 734-669-0337. 01/02/2011

Click for Country French Homes for Sale Here.   For more information on Country French Estates, click here. We are here to find you the best Ann Arobr Real Estate Deal. 01/02/2011

Regarding style of houses selling in Ann Arbor, this chart shows that the 3 story home still brings the highest sold price per square foot at $189.00 over the last 2 years.  This is an update to a previous article on House Styles.   The next most popular style is 2.5 story home selling at $181.00 per sq. ft.   These two styles are predominantly unique to Ann Arbor Real estate.   The next most popular is the bungalow5 story at $168.00 per sq. ft.  Once again, the bi levels command the least price per square feet in 2009 and 2010.  This data is provided by www.AffinityValuations.com.  For more details on the Ann Arbor real estate market statistics, click here.  Thinking of selling your Washtenaw County home? Want to know what your Ann Arbor Area home is worth? There is still an abundance ... 01/02/2011

Where should I live if I want to walk to University of Michigan? Simple question? Not so much. Where are your classes? What part of campus are you going to be on the most? University of Michigan is divided into four different area's. North Campus Central Campus Medical Campus South Campus. Are you in University of Michigan Medical School? If you are a student in the College of Engineering, Theatre and Dance, College of Architecture and Urban Planning or the School of Music they are located on the North Campus area. Central Campus is the location of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, and is immediately adjacent to the medical campus. Most of the graduate and professional schools, including the Ross School of Business the Law School and the School of Dentistry, are on Centr... 01/02/2011

Search Area 82 Westside of Ann Arbor South of M14 and Main Street is the boundary on the East side. This Ann Arbor area 82 includes desirable west side of Ann Arbor. Schools are Bach, Eberwhite or Haisley for elementary school; Slauson or Forsythe for middle school (depends on location) and usually Pioneer High School. There are 81 active homes for sale with bedrooms ranging from 2 to 6 and baths from 1 to 4. The size of homes for sale range in square feet from 11 to 7,500. List prices range from $99,999 to $1,195,000 and average list price per square feet is $368.52. Courtesy of Affinity Valuation is the chart below which explains the 2 year inventory trend. When comparing average sales prices per month, they have been declining in 2010 compared to 2009.     The overall trend for fiutu... 01/01/2011

When Should We Start Looking If We Want to Purchase in_____??? This question is so common I almost hate to blog on it. But, it is asked so often I wanted to share my answer. In Ann Arbor their are plenty of homes to buy. Purchasing a home is not the problem, selling one is. In Ann Arbor our typical closings take 30-60 days to close. The majority close in 45 days, that gives your lender time to gather the documents, order the appraisal etc. If a purchaser wants to be in by June, we advise looking in late March or early April. If they want to be in a home by August in time for school, then we advise starting to look in late May, early June. If you start looking too soon, and find your dream home, then the chance of a seller waiting over 60 days to close is slim. So you will be disappointe... 12/31/2010

How long do short sales take in Ann Arbor is a question I get asked quite a bit. The answer is it depends. Depends on the bank… Depends if there is two loans… Depends if the agent knows what the heck they are doing… One of the first things we do on the Missy Caulk Team is collect EVERYTHING the bank(s) are going to require UP FRONT. It is called the “Short Sale Package” and includes, last 2 pay stubs, hardship letter, last 2 years of tax returns, authorization forms and financial work sheet. Once we have collected this from the sellers, we label each page with the sellers last name, the loan(s) numbers and the last 4 digits of the sellers Social Security numbers. This goes on every single page, because banks are known for loosing them. Then we wait for the offer to come in. Once it does... 12/30/2010

December Ann Arbor Real Estate Podcast - Real Estate Activity and Special Holiday Advice for Buyers and Sellers! Ann Arbor Real Estate Podcast for December 2010: This month's edition covers Ann Arbor real estate market activity and then we offer some special advice to help buyers and sellers make the most of this holiday season. Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning. Related Posts Saline Real Estate Market ActivityDexter Real Estate Market ActivityChelsea Real Estate Market ActivityAnn Arbor Real Estate Market Activity Click here to search all Ann Arbor Area Michigan homes and condos with pictures and tours - FREE Kathy Toth and Teamwww.KathyToth.com 12/24/2010

Year to date the most expsive homes sold in Ann Arbor are below: ML#    ST LF   AR ADDRESS             LP               SP            Sold Date  3000212 S RES 81 225 CORRIE $ 1,475,000  $ 1,150,000 05/21/10 3002414 S RES 86 2784 KENILWORTH $ 1,195,000 $ 1,134,000 07/19/10 3003616 S RES 86 381 ORCHARD HILLS $ 1,250,000 $ 1,200,000 06/04/10 3005105 S RES 86 788 Arlington Blvd $ 1,675,000  $ 1,675,000 08/16/10 3006896 S RES 81 3650 DALEVIEW DR $ 1,499,000  $ 1,350,000 12/10/10 3007024 S RES 81 325 BARTON SHORE DRIVE $ 1,599,000  $ 1,475,000 11/01/10  3003134 S RES 81 3967 DELHI GLEN LANE $ 2,400,000 $ 2,400,000 06/08/10 3009546 S RES 86 1051 Belmont $ 1,249,000  $ 1,180,000 12/01/10  More detail with photos is here: RES - E-mail  The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, is no... 12/24/2010

Ann Arbor Real Estate Podcast for December 2010: This month’s edition covers Ann Arbor real estate market activity and then we offer some special advice to help buyers and sellers make the most of this holiday season. Features special guest Terri Murphy of US Learning.   Related Posts Saline Real Estate Market Activity Dexter Real Estate Market Activity Chelsea Real Estate Market Activity Ann Arbor Real Estate Market Activity Click here to search all Ann Arbor Area Michigan homes and condos with pictures and tours – FREE Kathy Toth and Team www.KathyToth.com Keller Williams Realty 12/22/2010

Welcome to 1706 Charlton on the west side of Ann Arbor. This charming 1938 home is in pristine condition on a quiet tree-lined street.  If you have school age children they can walk to Eberwhite Elementary and Slauson Middle School. Hardwood floors throughout, with a private backyard and a two garage detached garage. We will hold this open after the holiday's if it is still on the market. Homes on the West Side of Ann Arbor sell really well. People love the location and being able to walk and ride bikes to downtown Ann Arbor. I have more photos on my Flickr Stream and you can watch the show below. West Side of Ann Arbor - $199,900Bedrooms: 2Bathrooms: 1Year Built: 1938Lot Size: 46X94Garage Size: 2 carSchool District: Ann ArborSquare Footage: 980Agent Name: Missy CaulkBroker: Keller Will... 12/14/2010

The Ann Arbor Area is roughly 30 minutes West of Detroit Metro Airport and home to University of Michigan.  We have an array of housing opportunities for students and families from old to new and from multi family, to Ann Arbor condos, to single family homes.  Want to consider lakefront living? If you like horse farms, golf courses, and fields or downtown urban Ann Arbor, there is a perfect place to call home for you. Call us for a tour of Washtenaw County. We know you'll find this to be a truely awesome place to live! For everything you'd like to know about Ann Arbor, click the link. For Ann Arbor Real estate statistics clcik here. For videos of Ann Arbor area properties and communities, click here. 12/14/2010

In the past year the trending sales price has sloped up from around $135 to just about $145 per square foot. This past month has shown the greatest increase in average sales price per square foot by leaping up to over $160. Is the real estate recession ending? We have several months needed to answer this question. In the meantime, we will celebrate the little wins, and keep posting updates. Check in with our blog frequently for the latest information. Area 81 - Northwest Ann Arbor: The sales price per square foot in area 81 is a roller coaster with many ups-and-downs. The trend reports that although we are going up and down, we are still slowing trending toward an increase in SP/Sqft. The low number of sales result in unstable bounces in the data. Area 82 - Midwestern Ann Arbor: Since ... 12/10/2010

Price Per Square Foot in Ann Arbor Elementary Schools. This chart is provide by Affinity Valuation and my good friend Pete Hendershot. He did the graph in July for each Ann Arbor Elementary Schools based on price per square foot. This next graph is medium  square footage by  zip codes (48103,48104,48105) in Ann Arbor. Location, location, location!! Ann Arbor homes for sale Ann Arbor is in Top 10 of Cities For Young Families (annarborrealestatetalk.com) ********************************************* Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com Our TEAM of 6 buyer associates are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.   Free Ho... 11/29/2010