Dmitry and I have been selling Oakland County real estate since 2001, and some Realtor’s would say that we have never never seen a “good” market, though we would disagree. A good market is what you make of the market you are in, afterall. I can’t control the market, but I can control how I respond to it, by seizing the opportunities that exist. Nonetheless, we’ve spent many evenings over the last 9 years telling people that their homes are worth less than they thought, and that certainly never gets any easier, even as we become more practiced in our delivery.
I rarely talk about specific clients out of respect for their privacy, but since my childhood friend, and Katya’s pediatrician, Dr. Molly O’Shea, blogged about her recent home hunting journey, I feel OK about this time. Helping people find a home is an honor and we love being part of that process. It is wonderful to see Molly and her children “build” a new home together, and to be part of their new beginnings. Molly and the kids will make that Birmingham house into a home, alive with love and and the sounds of laughter, crashing Lego’s, clacking knitting needles and the ding of the kitchen timer signalling another birthday cake needs to come out of the oven.
There are happy sellers out there right now too, though you Metro Detroiters might be surprised to hear that! We helped many sellers to shed themselves of a house last year, and our personal listing inventory is at the lowest it has been at in ages. One couple was so happy a few weeks ago, that they sent me some lovely gifts from Tiffany! Who is not excited when they get a gift in a signature blue Tiffany box?
There are stats to back up the “good”. Yesterday the Freep reported that Oakland County is the bright spot in Metro Detroit housing. Inventory is at a low, and prices have stablized. Birmingham is a local standout, bucking the trend, as it is seeing a modest increase in value! The decrease in inventory has created a lot of demand for GOOD houses. Not everybody wants a foreclosure. Just last week a group of agents I was with was lamenting about how challenging it is right now because there is not a huge supply of GOOD houses out there right now in certain segments of the market.
I have to head back out and make good. Happy St. Patrick’s day to all!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davepeckens/ / CC BY-NC 2.0 Thanks to Ben Peckens for the wonderful artwork!
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