At Home in Southwest Michigan

You worked for weeks getting your home show-ready: organizing, cleaning, and finishing up those half-started projects. The sign went up, the people came through, and you accepted an offer. Maybe this all happened faster than you anticipated; some homes go under contract in just a few days, and the speed of the process can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Here are some of the most common questions that I'm asked by sellers:

1. What do I need to do now?

The home inspections are the first order of business. Bu...

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Traditionally, spring is one of the busiest times of the year for real estate. However, the coronavirus outbreak—and subsequent stay-at-home orders—led many buyers and sellers to put their moving plans on hold. Across the country in April, new listings fell nearly 45%, and sales volume fell 15% compared to last year.¹

Fortunately, as restrictions have eased, we've seen an uptick in market activity, most notably here in Michigan where real estate had been completely shut down. And economists at Realtor.com expect a rebound in July, August, and September, as fears about the pandemic subside, and buyers return to the market with pent-up demand from a lost spring season.²

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These days, it seems like everyone's looking for ways to cut costs and stretch their income further. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your household expenses without making radical changes to your standard of living. When combined, these small adjustments can add up to significant savings each month.

Here are 20 things you can start doing today to lower your bills, secure better deals, and begin working toward your financial goals.

1. Refinance Your Mortgage - For prime borrowers, mortgage rates are at or near historic lows. Depending on your current mortgage rate and the terms you choose, refinancing could save you a siz...

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"What is happening in the real estate market right now?"

That's the question I keep getting asked, so here are the facts to give everyone a better idea.

The National Association of Realtors conducted a flash survey* last week to get a feel for Covid-19's effects on the behavior of buyers and sellers nationally. Here's what they found:

• 60% of buyers have postponed the buying process for a couple of months.
• 12% of buyers have postponed their search indefinitely.

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It looks like a lot of us will continue to work from home for longer than we thought. And although at some point many will return to their offices, I predict there will be a significant segment of the workforce who will make working from home their new normal.

If you've hastily set up a work area with the expectation that it's only temporary, you might now be feeling the need for a more permanent arrangement. As I've been largely working from home for the past several years while homeschooling my children, I'll gladly share my best practices for home office bliss.

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