Amazon to Add Four New Michigan Sites
/in Grand Rapids, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisAmazon 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
/in Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisA 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
/in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisWith 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%.
Macomb County’s Big Red Orchard For Sale
/in SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisThe Big Red Orchard in Washington Township is on its way out. The site includes 11 buildings-a main barn, a market, a pair of residences, a retail shop, a cold storage building, a feed bar and a garage. Owner Ryan Moore is auctioning off the farm equipment and selling the property in November. Four years ago, Moore purchased the property known for apples, cider and doughnuts in order to supply the restaurants he had bought. Moore wants to divide the property into small sections for single-family home development.
Cities Rethink Parking Rules
/in Detroit, National, SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisThe city of Ann Arbor recently voted to remove all minimum off-street parking requirements. Detroit is reviewing its zoning code, possibly implementing new rules regarding how many parking spaces are needed for uses like housing, retail and industrial. Both examples are part of a growing trend in Michigan and around the U.S. as cities rethink their parking rules. Complying with Detroit’s parking requirements is a pain and poses a threat to business growth. Some Detroit-area businesses and organizations think the parking minimums are old-fashioned and block the development of vibrant neighborhoods. Others remain skeptical of entirely scrapping all parking minimums.
Metro Detroit Rents Begin to Soften Amidst All-Time High
/in Detroit, SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisAlthough metro Detroit’s average rent growth is 5.14% annually, and metro Ann Arbor’s is 7.14%, metro Detroit’s rent market is beginning to soften. According to CoStar Group Inc., asking rents are $1,214 a month in the metro area. In Ann Arbor, the average asking rents are up to $1,443 a month. The largest annual increase between both areas was in Saline, with rents up 26.56% which equates to $1,311 a month. Birmingham/Bloomfield area averages $1,815 a month, which is down from $1,857. Detroit’s west side has the most affordable rent at $726 a month. According to CoStar’s director, inflation, rising interest rates and home sales prices, increasing maintenance costs and a rush of renters wanting t lock in rates contributed to increasing rents.
Hard Rock Affiliated Hotel is Coming to Kalamazoo
/in Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisThe former Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing site is being redeveloped under the REVERB by Hard Rock brand. Plaza Corp. Realty Advisors, Inc. and Dora Hotel Co. are partnering to bring the new hotel to the site at 225 Parsons St. in Kalamazoo. With a long history of respecting historical elements during its redevelopments and renovations, Plaza Corp. will maintain some historic parts of the 103-year-old property. The new hotel will include a gym, bar, brewery, restaurant, banquet facility, auditorium and museum. Construction and renovation are expected to be complete in fall 2023.
Legal Action Taken Against Former Collier Advisors Who Started New Firm
/in Grand Rapids, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisColliers International U.S. states it has commenced legal action against 10 former senior brokers who split from the company to form their own firm, Advantage Commercial Real Estate Services, alleging, among other things breach of fiduciary duty and use of confidential information. Several of the brokers were majority owners in a firm that Colliers acquired in 2016 in an effort to strengthen its presence in West Michigan. The proceedings provide a new slant on what was perceived as an amicable split in January.
Western Michigan Is A Seller’s Market for Homes
/1 Comment/in Western Michigan /by Dave NykanenIn the past four months of 2020, the number of homes sold exceeded the number of homes listed, demonstrating the continuing residential real estate boom, and showing that the residential market continues to be very seller-friendly.
Buyers Continue Bidding Wars
/in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisIt continues to be a “dog-eat-dog” world for home buyers. Brokers advise clients to get pre-approval, save, and have some cash to bring to the table. Many home buyers are waiving home inspections, bidding before seeing the home, paying cash, and paying thousands over the asking price to get to the closing table. With more buyers than sellers, the competition is vicious with the average home going for $10,000 over the asking price. Appraisal guarantees are deal-makers, and buyers will have a hard time winning a bid without one.
Study Takes Aim at Home-Grown Marijuana Market
/in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisMuch of Michigan’s marijuana industry is outside mainstream retail outlets. The Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association commissioned a study says that millions in taxes and fees could be captured from illicit marijuana markets. While there is no current legislation concerning home cultivation, the information from the study will be used to inform legislators in Lansing. It’s speculated that the MCMA may seek to change the state law passed in 2018 in order to upend the home cultivation rules. The interest is in bulking up the legal retail market and tax revenue.
Short-term Home Rentals Create Debate
/in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, SE Michigan, Western Michigan /by Tracy WillisTwo Michigan bills that address short-term home rentals have created intense debate about who will determine how to regulate dwellings like Airbnb or vacation rentals. The Ann Arbor-based Michigan Municipal League and Lansing-based Michigan Association of Realtors are on opposite sides with each asking its constituents to email, call and write to their local legislators about the bills. Under the bills, a short-term rental would be a residential use of property. It would be a permitted use in all residential zones. It would not require a special use or conditional use permit, and it would not be a commercial use of property. Opponents of the bills call them a “cookie-cutter approach” to legislation that ignores the different needs of Michigan communities.
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Justice Department Sends Antitrust Signals
/in National /by Tracy WillisThe Justice Department backed out of a proposed settlement with the National Association of Realtors in regards to real-estate agents’ high commissions. Although in the past, the government has brought antitrust cases and then decided to dismiss them, they have never agreed to a proposed settlement and then backed out. There’s speculation that this is a signal from Washington that antitrust enforcers are ready to address the exorbitant brokerage costs that American homeowners pay, often 2 to 3 times higher than the rest of the developed world.
Tenants Terrorize Landlord: No Eviction In Sight
/in National /by Tracy WillisQueens, New York landlord, Vanie Mangal, spends her days supporting Covid 19 patients and her nights facing harrassment from her tenants. Some of her tenants haven’t paid rent in over 15 months, and she has lost over $36,000 in rent. They’ve also destroyed or damaged her personal property. The federal government and the state of New York imposed eviction moratoriums. The moratoriums have hit small landlords especially hard. An estimated 28 percent of New York’s 2.3 million rental units are owned by landlords who have fewer than five properties. Landlords can seek pandemic financial assistance, but the aid is too slow, and it comes with certain strings attached that limit the actions the landlord can take against unruly tenants.
Rental Market Experiencing Inflation
/in National /by Tracy WillisWith people continuing to work virtually and relocating to less expensive cities, along with the influx of millennials and Gen Z renters, the rental market is beginning to surge as the economy reopens. Rent prices are up 7.5% nationwide, three times more than normal. Experts predict that rent prices will continue to climb. This could be a warning sign that higher inflation is here to stay longer than the federal government has predicted.
Jefferson Chalmsers’ Apartment Building Revived
/in Detroit, SE Michigan /by Tracy WillisThe renovated Marlborough Apartments in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood have opened. Jefferson East Inc. and its subsidiary, East Jefferson Development Corporation are responsible for the renovation of the 1927 building that houses. 8 unit apartments. They are also renovating another circa 1929 property on the north side of Jefferson. It will have 15 units. According to Mayor Mike Duggan, the second property has stood vacant for 50 years. The two properties will reserve a total of 13 units for tenants with incomes between 50% and 60% of the area median income. The two and three bedroom units will range from $848 to $914 a month.
Some Question Bedrock’s 10-Year Tax Break
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisA month ago, Detroit City Council Members stressed that stricter requirements for affordable housing are part of the $60 million tax break deal given to Bedrock’s Hudson’s site project. However, Bedrock LLC is almost completely in compliance with those requirements already. As a result, the company won’t have to change much of anything in exchange for the 10-year tax break deal, including not having to add any affordable units to the project. Some question if the city’s requirements for Bedrock are stringent enough. The Hudson’s site project is expected to be finished in 2024.
Corktown Receives A $50 Million Facelift
/in Detroit /by Tracy WillisThe Michigan Department of Transportation and the city of Detroit are co-funding a $50 million renovation of the Corktown neighborhood. The makeover will include dedicated lanes for autonomous vehicles, raised bike lanes and the removal and repurposing of its red brick pavers. The goal is to tie into Ford Motor Company’s renovation of Michigan Central Station and the vision of creating a connected corridor from Detroit to Ann Arbor. Corktown’s old brick will be removed, restored and reincorporated into other aspects of the roadway’s design. It will be replaced with new red concrete pavers. MDOT will fund $42.7 million, and the city will fund $7.32 million.