Metro Detroit’s Affordable Housing Shortage Continues

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High rent is pushing people to look for new homes, but buying is a challenge. Multiple offers come in over the list price and over the budgets of many of the buyers, and that’s if they can find something within their budget. Renters and first-time buyers are especially struggling. Insufficient new construction, zoning rules that limit where housing can be built as well as wage growth that hasn’t kept up with inflation contribute to keeping the supply low. Average sales prices of homes in Michigan have risen 84 percent between January 2013 and October 2021. Pre-pandemic, nearly one in five homeowners spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing. That figure worsened over the pandemic.

 

 

Fairlane Town Center Has Sold to Redeveloper

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Sources have identified the Dallas-based Centennial Real Estate company as the new owner of the Fairlane Town Center. The company specializes in mall and open-air shopping center redevelopment. The purchase also includes the Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, Texas. Both properties are currently owned by Florida-based Starwood Capital Group, which is delinquent on its commercial mortgage-backed securities debt on the properties. Centennial took over another Starwood mall mortgage earlier this year.

 

 

Rising Mortgage Rates Impact The Housing Market

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Rising mortgage rates are not dampening buyer demand. However, getting an offer accepted is no small feat. The rising mortgage rates haven’t brought down prices yet. Buyers could be feeling a sense of urgency to find a home before rates increase further.

 

Ann Arbor Nine-Story Development Breaks Ground

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The construction of The Glen, a mixed-use development on the corner of Glen Avenue and Ann Street has finally broken ground after several years of delays. It was approved in 2017 and was scheduled to open in 2018. Technical changes were made in 2019, and construction was to begin in 2020 when the pandemic delayed it further. It’s now expected to open in 2024. The building will house 164 hotel rooms and suites and 24 apartment suites. It will also include a fine dining restaurant, meeting and event spaces, retail shops and 241 parking spots.

Detroit Home Buyers More Practical As Home Prices Increase

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According to Jeanette Schneider, RE/MAX of Southeastern Michigan president, homebuyers are becoming realistic. They’re less likely to waste time looking at homes that do not address their needs. This shift is in contrast to last year when buyers were willing to take what was available out of fear of not getting a house.  Inventory is still limited and prices continue to rise. March’s median sales price was up 10.7 percent from last year. However, the increase is lower than the previous year. The number of sales fell in March by 8.7 percent, but pending sales were up 2.3 percent.

 

 

Rehabbed & Ready Program Restores and Refurbishes Detroit Properties

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Detroit Land Bank Authority’s Rehabbed & Ready program has refurbished residential properties across Detroit neighborhoods. They typically gut the homes, put thousands of dollars worth of work into them (including new electrical, plumbing, windows and landscaping) and sell them to new buyers. The Land Bank took a loss on some of the homes that had fire damage or asbestos issues, but the home sales lifted the neighborhoods’ home prices. The Land Bank’s goal is to restore existing value into homes. The program has sold nearly 100 homes since 2015 and is expanding over the next three years to restore an additional 200 houses. The goal will continue to be adding residences and raising property values.

 

 

Judge Orders Packard Plant Demolition

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A Wayne County Circuit Judge has ordered the Packard Plant owner Fernando Palazuelo to immediately demolish the deteriorating industrial site and foot the cost of the demolition after missing a trial date. The Peruvian developer and his attorney missed a March 24 trial date. The structures that sit on two 2-acre sites are dangerous and threaten the public’s welfare. The demolition could cost millions of dollars and has been ordered to begin by early June. It’s required to be completed by the end of June. Palazuelo has until April 21 to pull permits for demolition of his portions of the plant.

 

Ann Arbor Rezones Briarwood Mall Area

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The Ann Arbor City Council recently voted to permit reclassifying over 200 acres around Briarwood Mall under the city’s new TC1 transit-corridor zoning category. The rezoning of 68 properties in the State Street and Eisenhower Parkway commercial area makes way for downtown-style development on the city’s south side. According to the mayor, the council’s steps will create a substantial amount of housing units in the city.  The goal is to encourage high-density, mixed-use development. Building height limits range from 550-300 feet and depend on how close sites are to residential areas.

Rocket Promises a “Fast 15 Guarantee”

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Rocket Pro TPO launched a program that guarantees financing to close in 15 days. The move is meant to convince brokers to choose them over the rival United Wholesale Mortgage. Called the “Fast 15 Guarantee,” Rocket Pro TPO plans to run the promotion until the end of the month and promises to award a $2,500 lender credit to borrowers whose loan does not close on its promised due date. Government, FHA and VA loads do not apply, and the program isn’t available in 16 states, including New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Former Rock Venue Listed For Sale

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Detroit’s former leading rock hall is for sale. The Grande Ballroom at 8952 Grand River has been listed for $5 million. It’s currently owned by Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church. In its glory days, the building hosted touring guests like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who, along with Michigan acts like the Frost, and MC5. The Grande is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that status may offer a financial windfall to its developer due to the State Historic Tax Credit Program.