Hands on Museum? It’s in Kerrytown.

Zingerman’s? Yep, that’s Kerrytown too.

Kerrytown Market and Shops owner Joe O’Neal made a conscious decision to rent space to locally-owned businesses – to choose a Sweetwater’s over a Starbucks – for example. It’s just one of those things that has helped preserve the historic neighborhood’s unique character.

The Kerrytown District is part of what used to be an African-American neighborhood, and Relyea says its history includes a lot of Underground Railroad activity.

Relyea opened the Kerrytown Concert House in 1984, converting the pre-Civil War house, one of the oldest in the neighborhood, into a 100-sea performance venue, with teaching space upstairs. The Concert House hosts everything from theater groups to kids’ piano recitals to an avant garde jazz festival in October.

Lest you doubt that there’s always something interesting going on in Kerrytown, on August 21 the Kerrytown District Association sponsored "Nash Bash"– a mini country music festival complete with beer, barbecue and performers from Nashville. Nash Bash was rounded out by "Trunk-A-Palooza," a garage sale where people sold things out of their car trunks.

I love to take a break from the Ann Arbor Real Estate Market to explore the unique shops and grab a bite to eat; I invite you to explore and let me know what your favorite is.

When Ari Weinzweig (663-9304) and Paul Saginaw (913-0059) opened Zingerman’s Delicatessen in an old, brick building in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown District back in 1982, they had two employees, five stools at the counter and no idea this thing would grow so big.

Today, Zingerman’s shares its name with a family of Ann Arbor area businesses that all build in some way upon the original plan - providing great food in a service-oriented atmosphere that is not only good for customers, but also for employees, the community and the environment.

The original deli outgrew the confines of its home at 422 Detroit St., absorbing the house next door and the space between the two buildings, which now provides sunny outdoor seating.  Zingerman’s Next Door sells pastries, chocolate and baked goodies, along with coffee roasted by Zingerman’s Coffee Company, and when Weinzweig is in, you can often find him at his desk – a table tucked in a sunlit corner near the back door.  Back in the original deli, you can find big, serious sandwiches with names like Mary’s Commute, Wayne’s Inheritance, and The Ferber Experience.  Zingerman’s Bakehouse supplies the handmade bread, and the cheese comes from Zingerman’s Creamery, where they also make gelato.  A true foodie mecca, Zingerman’s constantly strives to be better, whether that means fresher, more authentic ingredients or better service. Its customers reap the rewards.

The Zingerman’s empire also includes Zingerman’s Roadhouse, home of the best ribs in town, Zingerman’s catering and a mail order business. Zing Train is Zingerman’s customer service consulting firm, and Bake! a hands-on teaching bakery with classes for adults, kids and families.

When I have hosted REALTOR luncheons, I pick up deli trays from Zingerman’s and don’t mind if I have leftovers.  My all time favorite is pastrami and their brownies.  What is your favorite?

ORLANDO, FL—Kathy Toth of Keller Williams in Ann Arbor recently returned from attending the top educational opportunity offered in the real estate industry, the STAR POWER Annual Conference.

Presented by internationally acclaimed educator and trainer, Howard Brinton, this Conference brought together over 1,500 of the most progressive, forward-thinking professionals in real estate today to share their methods of success. The faculty consisted of 170 of the continent’s top-producing real estate professionals, all ranking in the top 1% of all REALTORS in North America.

Kathy Toth, a REALTOR with Keller Willliams, had this to say about the experience: “This Conference and the STAR POWER Systems have armed me with the best tools available to provide the highest quality of service to my clients. In addition, I continue to build a tremendous network for referring my clients to the best agents all over the country when they’re considering a move or looking to buy a second home. I also received invaluable insight on the benefit of operating from a business philosophy, and incorporating the latest technology to keep me on the cutting edge.” 

As a part of the Conference, Kathy received information for consumers about the top six mistakes that sellers can make when selling a home, as well as a questionnaire for evaluating and hiring a real estate professional. As a public service, Kathy has decided to make these two reports available at no charge. Anyone wanting this information can check the reports on www.KathyToth.com, call 734-669-0337 or e-mail the request to info@KathyToth.com. Or they may drop by the Keller Williams Ann Arbor Market Center, located at 2144 S State Street  Ann Arbor, MI.

 Support local Michiganders and delight in surprise offerings

I love to go to the markets in our area; you can’t beat the quality of really fresh food.  Ann Arbor Farmers Market Manager Molly Notarianni suggests shopping without a list – it’ll help you stay flexible to take advantage of the wonderful and unexpected. If you’re looking for something special, call the manager.

The 150-vendor farmer’s market in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown (315 Detroit St) has been around since 1918 and is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays (hours?). Come early for the best selection, or shop for bargains at the end of the day. Most vendors appreciate cash.  For information call 734-994-3276.

There’s another Ann Arbor market in the Zingerman’s Roadhouse parking lot at the corner of Jackson and Maple Roads. It runs Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from June 19 through September 25. This Westside Farmers’ Market provides farm fresh local produce, meat, plants and artisan foods. Jen Salisbury can tell you more at 734-665-9399.

The Dexter Farmers Market in beautiful Downtown Dexter (8140 Main Street) overlooks Mill Creek and Warrior Creek Park. You can pick up fruits, vegetables, herbs, jams, baked goods, flowers, plants and handmade crafts. The market is open Saturdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and Tuesdays 4 p.m.-7 p.m. For more details call Courtney Nicholls 734-426-8303.

The Chelsea Farmers Market started in 1990 and is open May through October, Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m.-noon on Chelsea’s Park Street. There’s a variety of produce – including organic - from local farms, along with farm-raised meat & eggs. You’ll also find flowers, plants, shrubs and trees, home-baked breads, pies and cookies, fresh honey, homemade jams and local art and crafts. Your contact is Debbie Rydzon.

The Bushel Basket farmer’s market is open on Wednesdays from May-October, 2:30-5:30 p.m. on the Chelsea Community Hospital campus. Joan Lutchka, (517) 522-4596, can tell you more.

Michigan.gov has a great farm produce calendar that’ll also tell you what each market carries.  Other search sites for markets are Farmers Market Search and Celebrate Michigan Farmers Markets!  Let’s keep it local and support our buddies.   If you know of others, let us know via comments below so we can all visit and support our local vendors.

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How To Use The Web To Find The Lowest Rates | Click here
According to recent surveys, the Internet has been used for more than 50% of the general adult online population when it comes to shopping for the best mortgage rates. Learn why so many people are using this method.

Loans, Mortgages, And Financing Options | Click here
While shopping for a home is exciting, it also means you need to do some research to find the best loan. Finding a good loan can make a huge difference in your monthly payment as well as the overall process. Here are some tips to help you along your way…

Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of June 26, 2008:

30 yr. fixed:   6.45%
15 yr. fixed:   6.04%
1 yr. adj:        5.99%
30 yr. jumbo:  6.98%

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This is an article titled Fearing Foreclosure?  Consider  a Short Sale that I found in the Broker Agent News…it is a great article, full of great info on Short Sales. 

Below find a short summary of the article written By Bobbi Dempsey.  If you need more, click here to read Short Sale Can Prevent Foreclosure in its entirety

If you are one of the many homeowners who have fallen behind on your mortgage payments and you don’t see any way to avoid foreclosure, a short sale may offer you the least painful way to resolve the situation.

What’s in it for a seller?
Obviously, the ideal scenario would be that you magically catch up on your mortgage payments and keep your home. But for an increasing number of Americans, that is not a realistic possibility, so it’s to your advantage to take an active role. This is what a short sale is all about — resolving the problem, as opposed to simply hiding from your lender and hoping the issue will go away or, worse, walking away from the property.

Two short-sale killers
Before you even start considering getting involved in a short sale, there are two situations in which an attempt at a short sale is almost certain to fail.

The lender’s motivation
Why would your lender let you walk away from the home and forgive the shortfall on your loan? To save time and money. Foreclosures are expensive and time-consuming for lenders. Once the lender realizes that a foreclosure is inevitable, a short sale may seem like the lesser of two evils. Plus, short sales help the lender look good on paper — the property was never listed as an actual foreclosure, which helps the lender’s numbers.

By Bobbi Dempsey • Bankrate.com 

Related Links to help Sellers Sell
Advertising Your Home | Click here
The more your home is advertised, the more people will know it’s for sale, which increases the chance of it being sold quickly. What method of advertisement do you use? Discover what methods we find most productive, maximize on the exposure of your home.

How To Sell Your Home | Click here
There are nine steps in selling a home. If you are one of the many having problems selling your home then this article is for you.

More Ann Arbor Area Short Sales and Foreclosure Info
Ann Arbor Short Sales
Distressed Sales on Ann Arbor Real Estate

Kathy Toth and Team use emerging  technologies to help you effectively buy or sell Ann Arbor real estate.  Kathy’s comprehensive website offers many informative, free reports with tips on everything from kitchens that sell and refinancing tips to buyer pitfalls, first time home buyer information and rental information. 

One of Kathy’s exceptional seller reports is titled, "How to Advertise Your Ann Arbor Home Successfully".  You should use a listing agent for various reasons including to make sure your home is being advertised through the right and most effective vehicles.  Some forms of real estate advertising have a much greater success rate than others.  This report will allow you to learn some of the "tricks of the trade" so you can ensure that your real estate agent is using the best possible means to get your home sold quickly.

You can obtain this free Ann Arbor Home Advertising report today by filling out a simple, no obligation, web form.  All that’s required is email, first and last name, interest and phone number.  Your data will be kept private and will never be released to anyone.  If you’d like a more personalized and complete response, please fill out your correct phone numbers.

Enjoy!

  Spring is typically a good time for homeowners to start preparing to sell their homes because families interested in moving will often look now so that they can buy a home just in time for the kids to go on summer break.

Landscaping and curb appeal are among the top areas that buyers notice first. In fact, some studies show that good quality landscaping can increase the value of a home from 5 to 11 percent. Elements such as curving flowering beds and design sophistication attract buyers more easily than just rectangular boxes filled with flowers. Plant size and the diversity of plant material are also important to buyers. And colorful plants that often don’t cost much to put in such as annuals can really brighten the look and the appeal of a yard.

That’s why as the country gradually starts to thaw out, many sellers start to spiff up their homes and gardens to make them irresistible to buyers but these things can bring unwanted guests as well. If you don’t plan carefully, you could be building an attractive garden that leads a trail of ants right inside your home.

"If you build a beautiful mulch garden around your home, you want some sort of a concrete barrier or some other material besides wood between the mulch area and your home," says Nic Izatt, branch manager for Antac Pest Control.

Izatt says it’s very important to not have any earth-to-wood contact. He says that having a garden too close to your home without any barrier can encourage ant and termite colonies to develop.

So while you may be looking to create value and appeal give consideration to things that might not only attract insects (which can be a minor or major problem) but also consider how the overall landscape is working in a yard.

The American Society of Home Inspectors cautions buyers and sellers that, as they are enjoying the pretty landscape, they need to be sure to give a careful check on how the elements all function together. For instance, are the plants healthy? Is the placement of large trees, the garden or lawn in a hazardous position or sloping toward the home? Is foliage too close to the home? Again, this can become a breeding ground for insects. Taking note of these types of possible landscape issues can help to ward off future headaches.

Here are a few things to watch for when either getting your yard ready for sale or when looking to buy.

Get to the root of it: while seeing exactly where trees roots are located can be a bit difficult, spotting any obvious signs of lifting or cracking sidewalks or driveways can be an indication that there is a root problem. The opposite also poses a problem. If you see areas where the yard is sunken in, that could indicate a leaking sewer line resulting from a root interference problem.

Know the topography: understand potential risks such as if you’re located at the bottom of a hillside. In heavy rains the water will flow downward toward the foundation of your home, possibly causing flood.

Limb control: notice if tree limbs are out of control, branching out in every direction and touching the roof or interfering with power lines. Watch out for tree limbs that are hanging over chimneys as animals can climb down the chimney but also the branches could block the draft, creating higher carbon monoxide levels in the home.

Close-up look: closely examine plants in your yard and be sure that you don’t see mushrooms or fungus growing at the bottom of the trees as that can be a warning sign of a health issue.

Landscaping that’s been thoughtfully created and taken care of will be a huge benefit to both the seller and the buyer.

Article taken from the May edition of The Realty Times Update
Written by Phoebe Chongchua

 Additional Tips from the Toth Team
Landscaping and homescaping
First Time Buyers’ Dos And Don’ts

 There are probably few things in life that are as exciting–or as nerve- racking–as the search for a house. With an organized home buying plan, you can minimize a great deal of the emotional impact. By determining your buying power, your wants and needs, and having an organized search plan, your chances of a stress-free experience are much better.

Gertrude Singer, a Realtor with National Realty suggests that buyers, and especially first-time buyers consider a few issues when preparing for and purchasing a home.

· Run before walking. This is easy to do once the decision to buy a home has been made. It means rushing off looking at homes, surfing the web or calling on advertisements before doing some up-front preparation.

· Don’t over-buy the first time. A large and beautiful home with little or no furniture tends to be empty and cold. A life where almost every dime of your earnings goes to the support of your house wears thin very quickly and is a frequent cause of family stress. Leave yourself some breathing room!

· Compare mortgages. Don’t simply accept the first plan presented to you. Spend time comparing to get the most advantageous plan for your requirements and financial situation

· Get mortgage pre-approval. Pre-qualification and pre-approvals are a necessary part of the home buying process. Not only will it give you an exact price range for your purchase, pre-approval will add a great deal of strength to your offer.

· Don’t wait for the "perfect" home. Many first time buyers make the mistake that they will, if they look around long enough, find a home that has a full 100% of their needs and wants. Instead, it makes sense to determine the most important of your needs and the most desired of your wants and selecting a home that meets the majority of them.

· The inspection process. This can involve skipping a whole house inspection completely in order to save the relatively small amount of money involved, or it may involve using a friend or relative with limited experience to conduct the inspection. In either case you run the risk of not exposing potentially expensive–or even hazardous–defects in the property. Protect yourself by investing the $200 to $500 for a professional inspection.

As soon as you’ve completed the pre-qualification portion of the loan, you will be ready to start looking for your new home. As you start into the process, one very important step is often overlooked - scouting out neighborhoods.

Sometimes people will find a home and be so thrilled with their find that they fail to look at the neighborhood in which the home sits. You should consider many things, for example, if you have a family, is there a park nearby for the kids? Are the schools appropriate for your kids? If you enjoy having things close by, check out restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Is the neighborhood clean and safe?

Take a Saturday or Sunday when most people are home and get in your car to drive around. Start exploring different areas until you find one or several that appeal to you.

Take a notepad with you and jot down names of subdivisions, general appearances of the homes to include maintenance and landscaping. Are there kids outside playing around the same age of your kids? If you’re elderly, is this a quiet neighborhood with other elderly people?

If you are working through a real estate agent, once you outline the things that are important to you, they should be able to provide several neighborhoods as starting points.

Schools- Just as good school districts are important if you have kids, they are also important if you don’t have kids. Buying a home in a reputable school district is a huge advantage for a future sale. Typically, homes with good schools attract more buyers. If you want to determine a good district from a not so good district, you can always conduct Internet research. For example, go to www.homestore.com, choose a geographical area or zip code, and you can find out just about anything you want to know. Other options would be to ask your real estate agent for information, talk to other people in the neighborhood, or even take a tour of the school.

Crime- Determining crime statistics in a neighborhood isn’t as difficult as you think. Using either www.homestore.com or www.Realtor.com, you can enter a specific geographical area or zip code and research the crime in that area.

Suburbs generally have lower crime rates but living in a suburb may require you to drive further distances to work, school, etc. On the other hand, cities have higher crime rates but are far more convenient. The choice is really yours and the type of lifestyle you prefer.

As you drive around, here are some additional things you can do to check the crime rate:

· Look for obvious signs such as bars on windows or doors · Look for gang graffiti · Talk with the local police

Family- As you probably know, buying a home isn’t just an investment. It’s a place of safe haven, fun, memories for the entire family. Because of this, after considering the community, you need to consider the number of bedrooms and baths. Will you need a closed garage? Are schools within walking distance for the kids, if not, where are the nearest bus stops?

Property Value/Taxes- Another very important factor when buying a home is property values of other homes in the area. You don’t want to buy the most expensive or least expensive home. Also, check on property taxes to see how much they’ve jumped in the past few years.

What happens if you find two houses that you like equally or perhaps both you and your spouse each have one house that you love?

Making the final decision needs to be done rationally and not led by emotion. Sometimes this is hard to do but to ensure you get the right home, it’s an absolute necessity. It might be necessary to write down all the needs versus all your wants in order to make the right decision.

You should also take your time if possible. You may not have the luxury of time, which makes buying a little more challenging. The best situation is to look at many homes and don’t make an offer on the first house you see. In addition, look at houses more than once. If there is one or two that you like, wait a day, then go back, and look again. Usually the second time around you will find something you don’t like or something you do like that you didn’t notice the first time.

Related Links
First Time Home Owners - Must Know Facts!
VIP Buyer Program

Click here to search all listings in Michigan with pictures and tours -FREE!

When selling a house, we all share the same goal - to sell it quickly and at the highest price possible.

If you’ve placed a house on the market, you may have possibly enjoyed the thrill of receiving that first offer. Unfortunately, you may have also experienced the disappointment of a much lower offer, or one that doesn’t come for weeks or months.

Most people buy a house for emotional reasons, most real estate professionals agree. The desire for a comfortable home and lifestyle propels buyers to purchase a specific house.

The easiest way to understand this is to remember your own experience of purchasing a home. You had some idea of what you were looking for, and you probably clutched a list of desirable features. You may have looked at several houses, but none of them seemed just right. Then one day it happened when you least expected it - there it was. Within minutes you knew this was the one; you were overtaken by a powerful emotion. If two houses are similar, buyers will choose the one that touches them emotionally.

The same mind-set applies when the roles are reversed, when you are the seller and not the buyer. Only when a buyer "feels" as if your house can be a home will they acknowledge that it could be. The emotion that overpowers the prospective buyer can be compared to love at first sight.

There are several ways to approach a buyer, but one of the most important ways is to make sure when your house is ready to be placed on the market, it plays to the largest audience. Selling your house should go quickly, smoothly and profitably. Dressing your house to achieve a profitable sale can help you buy your dream home.

Gertrude Singer, a REALTOR with National Realty in Florida, said that the first and most important step to dressing for success is uncluttering.

"Clutter makes rooms and the entire house feel smaller. Uncluttering makes every room in your house look and feel more spacious. Your goal is to create a roomy, comfortable feeling that’s inviting to prospective buyers,".

Uncluttering also means organizing. Show buyers that you have a place for everything and everything in its place. By putting everything away neatly, buyers will feel that by living in your house they, too, could be well organized. Ultimately, less is more.

Another important step is cleaning - not just everyday cleaning, but a thorough spring-cleaning. According to John Kuehne with Pruitt Real Estate, Inc., "a deeply clean house not only looks great, it feels uplifting, and as new as when you first bought it."

Kuehne also suggests removing any old and stained carpeting and replacing it with light colored tiles to give the impression of a large, clean room. An unclean house will create doubt and apprehension in a prospective buyer.

If anyone in your household smokes, consider smoking outside, and use a carpet freshening agent each time you vacuum. Singer also suggests burning scented candles or baking a batch of cookies to give your house that homey, lived-in feeling.

Now that you have done away with the clutter, your house is sparkling clean, and the scent of cookies baking in the oven permeates the entrance to your house, your next step should be to concentrate on repairs.

A house will not sell for top dollar if any detail, whether large or small, is in need of maintenance. These would include a leaky faucet, a cracked tile, or peeling paint. These may signal a warning to a buyer, creating the fear that larger maintenance problems could be lurking beneath the surface.

Kuehne suggests the seller make a complete list of repairs, small and large. Look at the house through the buyer’s eyes. Replace any cracked or broken window panes, repair wood rot, re-caulk where needed, patch all cracks and nail holes, replace missing or loose tiles, replace old carpet, tighten loose doorknobs, and lubricate squeaky hinges. These fix-ups will ultimately help you receive the offer you want.

And, finally, a word about a beloved member of your family: your pet. Pets that live in your house will make a strong, possibly negative statement. Research shows that half of all potential buyers are either allergic to, dislike, or are afraid of pets. While your house is on the market, keep Fido outside as much as possible. If that’s not possible, be sure to clean, vacuum and neutralize odors daily to keep your house smelling fresh. Consider asking a neighbor to watch your pet in their home while you’re showing your house to prospective buyers.

There is no magic to getting the most for your home. Every house will sell;, eventually - it’s just a matter of when and for how much. It only takes one buyer, but which one? You decide.

Related Links
The Kathy Toth and Team Home Selling Team’s Guaranteed Sale Program
The Kathy Toth and Team can help you Stage Your Home

New Listings in the Ann Arbor Area
714 Leona
9401 Wildwood Lake