Michigan Real Estate News

Timely  |  Relevant  |  Informative

Detroit Home Buyers More Practical As Home Prices Increase

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

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.

 

 

Ann Arbor Rezones Briarwood Mall Area

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.