Michigan Real Estate News

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Real Estate One Academy Wants More Required Training Hours

According to Bonnie Richter, the director of the Real Estate One Academty, real estate education needs to change to keep up with the needs of consumers. Real Estate One is pairing new agents with experience Realtors in an effort to keep more people in the field. Richter says there’s an enormous interest in real estate careers. Classes are full and in high demand, but the longevity is not there. People don’t expect the career to be as demanding as it is. Richter believes that license instruction should require more hours (60 at a minimum), as there isn’t enough time to get all of the information in with the existing instruction requirements. In addition, beefing up the instruction time would better protect consumers so that licensed real estate professionals would have the needed expertise.

 

 

Director of Planning and Development Engages Neighborhoods in Revitalization Efforts

The director of Detroit Planning and Development, Antoine Bryant, thinks of Detroit as a “city of neighborhoods.” He has reached out to residents to talk about blight, flight and a lack of investment in neighborhoods that have felt left behind while Detroit’s downtown and community corridors have gained attention. Bryant has intentions to grow Detroit with projects that preserver architectural history and value the input of neighbors. In an effort to avoid building up downtown commercial sectors first, Bryant intends to engage neighborhoods as part of the revitalization process. His primary goal is to connect with residents in all of Detroit’s 200 neighborhoods while working through challenges with food deserts, vacant land and safety. 

 

 

Slow Pace Continues for Hudson Site Project

Dan Gilbert’s Hudson site project broke ground in December 2017. The original plan intended the tower to be taller than the RenCen, but even after the downsizing of its planned tower, it’s a long way from being complete. According to experts, it takes about four to five years to build big skyscrapers in the U.S., yet the Hudson site development is moving slower than recent projects in Chicago with higher towers. The pandemic’s negative impact on the demand for office space, more hotel rooms and more luxury apartments may be factors in the slow pace of construction. According to Mayor Mike Duggan, people who have office buildings are rethinking the amount of office space they’re using. Convention business has also been impacted. Downtown hotel occupancy was 36% in September, 34% drop from the previous year. The $900 million-plus project had an original completion date of summer 2022.