As always, we at the Kathy Toth team like to keep you informed with the local situation in Ann Arbor and around the greater Michigan region.

Economist Dana Johnson had this to say about the local economy - “Earlier this month, the Commerce Department reported that real GDP in Michigan declined 1.5 percent in 2008.  With auto sales particularly hard hit by the disruptions in financial markets and the national recession, Michigan inevitably will underperform again in 2009.  In gauging the potential for a turnaround in the Michigan economy, however, nothing is more important than the timing and vigor of the recovery of the national economy. And in that regard, the evidence of stabilization is increasingly widespread.”

To read the full release, please click here to open a PDF containing a current economic brief detailing the complete picture of Michigan at the present time.

The full release contains a boat load of useful information including graphical representation of data. One graph in particular is of interest - entitled “Michigan Residential Building Permits” showing the sharp decline of new permits being issued between 2006 and 2009. With the level of inventory available for purchase at the moment this is to be expected. After all buyers have the best opportunity for decades to purchase the home of their dreams at a great price!

Click here to search Ann Arbor Real Estate using our complimentary Ann Arbor Real Estate MLS Search service. Alternatively please contact Kathy Toth and the team if you need more specific assistance in your Ann Arbor Real Estate needs.

www.KathyToth.com
Keller Williams Realty

Broke in Ann Arbor?

In Ann Arbor, we are acutely aware of our unemployment rank in the US.

This is an interesting tool to watch the job changes in the US over time. It is a video of sorts from 2004 of job growth and decline in the US. TIP Strategies Inc., an economic consulting firm, has mapped out U.S. job-loss trends using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. You can press the “play” button to watch as green circles (representing job growth) shrink and then blossom into red circles (job loss) over time.

Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Also, you may like to take a look at this:

Ann Arbor & Washtenaw County Michigan Unemployment Statistics: New Google Tool Ideal For Researching Ann Arbor Real Estate!

www.KathyToth.com
Keller Williams Realty

In January, three Michigan-based start up companies received seed funds from the Michigan Pre-Seed Captial Fund - this is a collaborative effort from Michigan’s 12 SmartZones.  Ann Arbor Spark is the fund administrator.  So far this fund has invested in 30 Michigan companies.  Skip Simms, Michigan Pre-Seed Captial Fund Administrator, said that the rumor businesses are not starting up right now is a myth.  According to Simms, “Innovative businesses with a solid business plan are attracting funding and choosing Michigan to locate and grow.”

The three most recent funding recipients were:

1. SenSound - developer and marketer of software, testing services and integrated testing systems for aerospace, medical device, automotive, consumer appliance, and industrial machinery manufacturers.
2. Creative Byline - a new model for the book publishing industry that brings together authors and publishers.
3. Biotectix - a biomedical device manufacturers partner that develops and implements customized materials to improve the safety, longevity, reliability, biological interaction, and energy-efficiency of such devices.

The Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund is an equity fund that invests in technology-based companies.  They receive the same return as their third party investor sponsors and use these monies to reinvest and serve as seed money for the continuation of the fund.  To qualify, start-up companies must be a representative of one of the Michigan’s identified competitive technologies and have the sponsorship of its local SmartZone. Companies must also have received grant, angel or venture capital funding greater or equal to funding requested of the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund.

This is a great boost for Michigan’s economy!

Click here to search all Ann Arbor area Michigan
homes and condos with pictures and tours - FREE!

1. Las Vegas
2. Denver
3. Charlotte, N.C.
4. Phoenix/Mesa, Ariz.
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Seattle
7. Orlando, Fla.
8. Washington, D.C.
9. Atlanta
10. Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg, Fla.

So Las Vegas is the winner!    The West and the South are where people moved last year.

Remember “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”  - Churchill

If you are looking for the latest updates in the Ann Arbor real estate market, just give us a call.

FREE MLS Search - View Current Homes for Sale Search the local Ann Arbor MLS and find the homes for sale in your desired area. Stop looking through 3 different papers, get the whole Ann Arbor homes list here for FREE. Plus receive daily updates via email, for any new listings. All for FREE - no strings attached!

Find Out  the Value of Your Ann Arbor Home Get an over the net estimate of how much your Ann Arbor home is worth - FREE! We search the local MLS, along with data the public does not have access to, and find out how much your home is worth in current market conditions.

That’s right, gas in Ann Arbor is the lowest it’s been in four years.  Thanksgiving travellers will greet a welcome site at the gas stations this year!  Last year at this same time, local motorists paid $3.15 per gallon.  This year the average price is hovering around $1.79 per gallon.  The Michigan state gas average is $1.76 which hasn’t been attained since January of 2005. 

Flint, MI was the cheapest across the state with a $1.71 per gallon price while the highest prices showed up in the Marquette area at $2.08 per gallon.  All numbers are as reported from AAA which surveys 2,800 Michigan gas stations daily.