U.P. Vacation Home Prices Boom

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In keeping with vacation locales in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the prices of vacation properties in the Upper Peninsula are on the rise. With limited inventory, many of the recent cottage buyers hail from out of state and intend to use their new U.P. properties during winter months as well as summers. Realtors are seeing multiple offers on every listed property. The median sale price was $197,000 from January 1 through mid-May. That’s nearly a 20% increase from the same period pre-pandemic in 2019.

 

Human Migratory Habits Change Post Pandemic

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Although offices are beginning to reopen as vaccinations climb, many employers are still allowing employees to work remotely from home indefinitely. Those who are able to continue working remotely at least part of the time are heading for greener pastures, literally. Real estate company Redfin reported this month that online searching for homes in suburbs and rural areas has increased since the first quarter of 2020 in most major U.S. metro areas. Before the pandemic, a bigger house might not have seemed worth the commute, but if that commute is cut down to 1-2 days a week, the story changes.

Lobbyists Push to Ease Gravel Mining Restrictions

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Gravel miners and other business groups are pushing to make it easier to open sand and gravel mines in residential areas. Senate Minority Leader, Jim Ananich, is sponsoring a package of bills that a senate committee will consider on Thursday. The bills would take the approval of gravel mining permits away from local governments and give it to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Critics say this would result in the dust and noise of gravel operations coming to many Michigan residential neighborhoods.

Tourist Destination Struggles to Maintain Workforce

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A vibrant tourist destination, small town Charlevoix is struggling to recruit workers. Upward pressure on rent and home prices is scaring workers off who can’t find affordable year-round housing. The two hardest hit groups are workers who make less than $26,000 a year and professionals who make between $70,000-$100,000 a year. Rentals are scarce, as are affordable homes for sale. Recent efforts to convert part of a golf course into affordable year-round housing was voted down by residents.

Home Buyers Need Creativity in Today’s Market

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It’s a home seller’s dream come true. With parts of Michigan down to just a one-month supply of housing inventory, buyers need to get creative with their home-buying strategies. Realtors offer advice like positioning yourself to be the backup offer on sale-pending homes. Often the deals are to good to be true and fall through. Getting your backup offer in is like putting your foot in the door. Some buyers are making creative offers that include payer other buyers to take their offers off the table.  Making sure you have a realtor who is well-experienced with getting offers accepted and showings scheduled, even virtually if necessary, can make a huge difference in your success.

Michigan Realtors Shocked & Awed By Housing Market

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Michigan realtors are stunned by the dog-eat-dog housing market. The low home inventory and historically low mortgage interest rates have created the perfect storm. Michigan’s supply of housing inventory is down 61%, and the median sale price is up 13.5% from a year ago. Some realtors say a home’s listing price has become something akin to a reserve price at an auction. Buyers are bidding far above the asking price and offering cash on the table. At the least, buyers need to come to the table with substantial cash down payments.

Group Halts Work on Historic Mill Site

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Rezoning of the historic Glen Arbor Mill faces opposition.  A group was able to successfully halt work on the site for 30 days while they collected signatures to add a referendum on the November ballot. The property owner intercepted an email in an effort to discredit the group. The rezoning of the historic property remain controversial.

Lawyer – No Light at the End of the Pandemic Tunnel for Property Owners

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The future of real estate continues to be in a flux. At a federal level, GSEs have continued to extend foreclosure and eviction moratoriums through June 30, 2021. The Center for Disease Control issued its own eviction moratorium in September 2020, and the Biden administration has extended it through March 31, 2021. In Michigan, the pandemic’s eviction moratoriums have expired, although the Michigan Supreme Court has recognized the CDC Order. No formal foreclosure moratoriums were ever instituted in Michigan, but social distancing requirements have halted the proceedings that are held in courthouses which have been closed to the public during the pandemic.

Houghton Rezoning Requests Meet Different Results

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The Houghton City Council considered two rezoning requests along the Houghton Canal Road. The council approved a request from JRG Development to rezone Houghton Canal Road property from single family residential to community business. However, they denied a similar request by Isle Royale Seaplanes. Council members and residents have concerns about noise pollution, and interruption to and accidents with residential recreation vehicles in the canal. Environmental concerns were also cited.

Northern Michigan Communities Report Strong Residential Sale Trends

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Median prices for residential real estate sales increased in Charlevoix, Otsego, Cheboygan and Emmet counties. The number of residential transactions also increased in three of those counties. The quick rebound in sales once pandemic restrictions eased is due to low supply and high demand and buyers’ desires to relocate to smaller communities. This trend could cause issues if it continues as working-class families may find themselves priced out of the housing market in Northern Michigan.