Michigan’s Foreclosure Numbers Highest in the Country

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Michigan has the highest number of foreclosures than anywhere in the country, according RealtyTrac. However, experts say this isn’t a sign of a worsening housing market. Michigan’s 2022 January figures represent a 622 percent increase over the totals in January 2021. The big leaps are due to the ending of moratoriums that kept foreclosures from moving forward. Wayne County had the bulk of foreclosure activity, and most of those were old foreclosures that were in the process a long time. According to the vice president of RealtyTrac, Michigan’s backlog is moving faster than in other states. He expects that it could take several months before the backlog is cleared out, but that the figures are not a cause for concern.

 

 

Michigan’s Last Kmart Store Has New Owner

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The site of Michigan’s last Kmart store near Battle Creek has a new owner. B. Riley Real Estate bought the former Kmart for an undisclosed amount. Prior to the store’s closing, it was a strong retail performer. That, coupled with the future growth of Marshall’s market and the planned Megasite development initiative attracted the buyer. The 86,479 square-foot building is in the Marshall Plaza shopping center and less than three miles away from Marshall Megasite, an industrial development. The developer plans to bring a mix of national retail tenants to the site.

Michigan’s Rental Aid is Backlogged as Need Continues Rise

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173,000 tenants have applied for the statewide rent aid program that was launched to help renters avoid eviction and meet their payments. Wayne County makes up about one-third of the applicants. Detroiters make up 22% of the rent help applicants. According to the chief operating officer of the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, they continue to see high numbers of requests for support. The Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey reports that between Dec. 1 and Dec. 13,  more than 100,000 Michiganders said they were behind on rent or mortgage payments. Less than half of the applications for assistance were approved as of January 7. Statewide, wait time between application and approval averages 35 to 40 days. In Wayne County, that wait time may take as long as 10 weeks. MSHDA has hired staff combat the backlog and high numbers of applications in Wayne County

Residential Sale Prices Continue Upward Trend

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Prospective buyers in Michigan’s housing market placed higher bids in 2021. A lack of inventory caused a 13.8% increase in residential sale prices in 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. There was a 3% increase in total sales. Branch County, Detroit, Bay County, Sanilac County and Mason, Oceana and Manistee counties reported higher than 20% increases in housing prices. Gratiot, Isabella, St. Joseph, Greater Shiawassee and Hillsdale counties reported less than 7% housing price increases. Antrim, Charlevoix and Kalkaska were the only to counties to report a decrease in home prices (-0.7%).

 

Adrian Mall Proposal Includes Mixed-Use Redevelopment

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An Adrian Mall proposal aims to redesign the mall into a mixed-use facility that will include multifamily residential housing, anchor business tenants, and different options for retail and dining establishments. A church and self-storage units are also planned. The Adrian Planning Commission hasn’t voted on the proposal yet, but they’ve entered into discussion about the pre-application presentation. Some commissioners expressed optimism toward the presented ideas. An important part of the project is to demolish the water-damaged and mold-laden portion of the mall. Both conditions caused the mall to be condemned two years ago.

 

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Novel Financing Helps With Inadequate Housing Issues

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An inadequate supply of housing is creating problems for businesses and crippling economic development in many communities. As a result, some communities are turning to tax increment financing. Tax increment financing (TIF) enables a developer to regain some of the upfront costs for a project by securing an increase in property taxes for a period of years and diverting them until the spending is repaid. Once the agreed-upon costs are paid off, the higher tax increment goes to local government. TIF has been around for a while but using it to allow new housing to be built that would be affordable to residents is a novel idea. It’s being used where labor and supply costs wouldn’t otherwise allow affordability.

 

 

 

Amazon to Add Four New Michigan Sites

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Amazon will add four new sites in 2022 and 2023. The announcement is expected on Wednesday. It will open its first mid-Michigan fulfillment center and three more facilities in the Metro Detroit and Grand Rapids areas. The new sites include a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center just west of Lansing, a sort center and delivery station in the Grand Rapids area, and a delivery station in Canton Township. Amazon has created more than 21,000 jobs in Michigan so far. With the new site in the Lansing area, the company expects to create more than 500 full-time jobs. The other centers will create hundreds of jobs, as well.

The Lake Lifestyle Carries a Price Tag

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A recent report from LakeHomes.com is based on real estate property for sale and listing data collected in August of 2021. It includes list price and the volume of listings. Any lake with fewer of 10 home listings for sale was eliminated from the report. Michigan has $2.7 billion in lake homes and lots for sale, with the number of listings totaling 5,508. Lake Michigan makes up for half of the top 10 most expensive lakefront areas. It is also number 5 on the top most expensive lake home markets, nationally. Smaller inland lakes also landed on the state list and include Torch Lake, Lake Leelanau and Lake Charlevoix.

COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Staves Off An Eviction Tsunami

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With the ending of the federal eviction moratorium on August 26, local legal aid funds are still being sorted out. Since the initial eviction moratorium, the U.S. Treasury has paid $25 billion to states and local governments for COVID Emergency Rental Assistance. From May to August, a total of $181,821,906 has been paid out to Michigan residents. The pace of the disbursements will continue to accelerate into September, according to the MSHDA communications director. The Director of Litigation at the Legal Aid of Western Michigan estimates that applicants are waiting 1 to 2 months before receiving a check. The processing rate varies by county and ranges from 26-72%.

 

 

Cannabis Retailer Opens in Coldwater

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Skymint Inc., Michigan’s largest cannabis retailer, opened its 15th store in half of a vacant department store in Coldwater. According to the company’s president of retail, bigger spaces like the former Sears building are appealing because it gives the store a big blank canvas with which to work. The artsy, boutique-vibed store offers 60 cannabis brands. Skymint has grown quickly since entering the retail market in 2019. It can also be found in Bay City, Big Rapids, East Lansing, Flint, Hazel Park and Lansing.