October | 2010 | Southwest Michigan Realtor Blog

October 27, 2010
by Michael Delaware

Some Advice for the Fall in Michigan

The change of color in the leaves is a good reminder for preparing your home for winter.

I thought I would put together some advice for the fall season in Michigan. Fall is a great time of year, as the weather begins to get a little colder, and the leaves begin to turn color. It is a true spectacle of nature, but also a good time to start preparing your home for the winter months.

The first thing to address is water lines. Do you have any outdoor water lines that need to be shut off for the winter? This can include outdoor faucets, sprinkler systems and swimming pool lines. With sprinkler systems, it is a good standard action to have the lines blown out with air to prevent freezing.

This time of year is not only about raking the leaves in the yard, but one should also make sure the gutters are cleaned. Leaves have a remarkable way of finding their ways into the gutters and clogging them. Trimming bushes and trees that go dormant this time of year is also a good strategy before winter. If you have any outdoor vegetables, you will need

Leaves find their way into gutters and exterior vent pipes, so Fall is a good season to get these cleaned.

soon to do a final harvest. Checking exterior vents on your house to make sure that there is no debris clogging them that could cause problems with your furnace or dryer vent is a good tip as well, because these can easily freeze.

Another important thing to check this time of year is that all windows are property closed and sealed for the winter. Making sure that storm windows are also on, and in correctly in place is also important to reduce heating bills. Checking weather stripping around doors, and also making sure your attic is properly insulated is another step that can help reduce heating bills.

Red hues in Piper Park in Battle Creek, Michigan

If you use a wood burning fireplace, remember to not store wood too close to you house to prevent infestation. I hope some of these tips will be useful.

If you are in the market for Southwest Michigan Real Estate, I would be happy to become your local Realtor. Call me at 269-441-8182 or visit my website at: http://www.michaeldelaware.com/. Though my website you can also fill out a form and send it directly to me, as well as find information on becoming an investor in Battle Creek and search for available property.

Traveling Southwest Michigan's back roads in fall offers a beautiful display of color.

October 25, 2010
by Michael Delaware

An Ideal Time for Residential Property Investors all over Southwest Michigan

This is an ideal time for residential property investors all over Southwest Michigan. Residential property investors will find that prices have never been lower for acquiring quality rental property.

Rural Rental Properties can be a great long term investment.

The landslide of foreclosures in recent years has hit Michigan hard, spurred on by job loss, and other harsh economic conditions. This has displaced many from their homes, and created an increase in bank owned properties.

It is an ideal time for residential property investors all over Southwest Michigan. Rural or small community rental property has many desirable aspects and some negative aspects. On the valuable side of the equation is that there is often a demand from renters for the quiet country life, and therefore these types of rentals in most areas, if the home is in good condition are easy to rent.

The negative side of it is that most of these properties are on a well and septic system, and

There are many great deals around Southwest Michigan these days.

renters can sometimes be hard on septic systems. I have encountered several renters with small children frequently having plumbing calls for the child flushing some toy down the commode. Imagine what this kind of behavior can do to a septic system?

However, careful screening and a solid lease agreement that defines responsibility for certain types of repairs is often the solution for resolving these concerns. Right now in Southwest Michigan, there are many small communities where lower priced homes can be acquired that make good rentals.

Investment property prices have never been lower in history.

This is an ideal time for residential property investors all over Southwest Michigan. Working with a Realtor that knows the area can be a great benefit to getting the jump on the best deals on the market. Frequently you will find manufactured homes on small acreage going for a song, and if you are willing to hold this kind of property for several years, it can be a good return on investment.

Manufactured homes currently are more challenging to finance, and are often slower to sell, but they can be great low cost deals for an investor. Many of these types of homes require very little repairs, and are in good condition, but just have the stigma of being a manufactured home. They make good rentals, and often the asset management companies will sell them from cash at lower prices to offload them from their books if they have been on the market for awhile.

So for information on prospective investment property in Southwest Michigan, contact me through my website at: http://www.michaeldelaware.com/ or give me a call at: 269-441-8182. As a Realtor in the Southwest Michigan area, I will be happy to share my experiences in the various areas to get you started with your portfolio of rental homes. This is an ideal time for residential property investors all over Southwest Michigan.

Sometimes a manufactured home can be a great investment.

October 20, 2010
by Michael Delaware

Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan

Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan is in demand for first time home buyers in Barry, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Branch and St. Joseph Counties. These are all Counties that I

Most rural homes are on a well and septic system in Southwest Michigan.

cover as a Realtor in the area of this part of Michigan.

What is the appeal of Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan? The popular appeal for many buyers is to get away from the city for a life of quiet. What many new buyers do not realize is that Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan, as with any rural area, have their own details unique to this life that one does not come across on the city.

The main difference is in utilities, when it comes to living in Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan. Let’s look at a comparison of each. Water: in the City, you have city water lines running into your house. In the country you have well water, so the water essentially comes in from the ground through your well pump. Wells require care annually, even if they are in constant use. It is recommended that you get the water tested each year, especially for bacteria and nitrates.

Rural Homes have a high appeal to buyers seeking the quiet of the countryside.

A failed bacteria test could mean that the system needs cleaning, usually with bleach and other special well cleaning products. Nitrates can seep into well water from chemicals in nearby agriculture fields, etc. You may need to consult the County environmental Health Department to find the best resolution for this problem, if you test and find a high concentration level of these chemicals in the well.

A very important thing to remember with Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan, or any rural property, is that wells run on electricity. So, if there is a power outage in the area, frequently the rural areas have power restored last, due to the power companies priorities on restoring power to the largest groups of people first. That usually places Rural Homes at the bottom of the list. So a prolonged power outage means no water as well.

So when acquiring Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan it is always recommended that a back-up generator is acquired in the event of such an occurrence.

Most rural homes are eiligible for USDA Rural Development loan programs.

With sources of heat, natural gas does not always run out to Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan, so alternative fuel sources like propane and oil are common. These can sometimes be more expensive than natural gas, especially if the house has poor energy efficiency.

So there are some differences to take into account when seeking to buy Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan. If any of these issues are not to your liking, then perhaps this type of property is not the best choice for you. However, one of the better loan programs currently for first time home buyers is the USDA Rural Development residential loan program, and it allows for 100% financing.

To find out more about this program, you can visit my website at: http://www.michaeldelaware.com/ and see the links I have there. Rural Homes in Southwest Michigan often offers beautiful quiet settings, and low noisy vehicle traffic, which is perhaps the greatest appeal. Working with a Realtor that knows the area, and is familiar with rural property is essential to getting you the right property.

October 19, 2010
by Michael Delaware

Boardwalk Plaza in Downtown Allegan, Michigan

A view of the beautiful lake and boardwalk in Allegan, Michigan.

A place that I visited this summer was Boardwalk Plaza in downtown Allegan, Michigan. It is also known as ‘Riverfront Plaza’. What most impressed me were the boardwalks that wound around behind some retail and commercial buildings on one side, and the other side was this beautiful lake.

Boardwalk Plaza in downtown Allegan is nicely landscaped, and quite picturesque. There is a public gazebo for weddings, and the lake has a great backdrop in itself.

No article about Boardwalk Plaza in downtown Allegan, Michigan would be complete without mention of the old iron bridge, which has quite a history in the town. It used to be a two lane bridge until concerns about its strength became a matter of community debate when City Council members suggested the idea of removing the old bridge for over safety concerns.

The iron bridge in downtown Allegan near the boardwalk and riverfront.

The members of the community organized and fought the decision, and the bridge has been preserved as a one lane bridge and remains to this day one of the unique features just off of the Boardwalk Plaza in downtown Allegan, Michigan.

When you are traveling around Southwest, Michigan I recommend a stop there during the summer or fall. You can have a relaxing ice cream on the benches, and admire the beautiful scenery of the Boardwalk.

As a Realtor that travels a lot all over Southwest Michigan, Allegan is one of the places I have most enjoyed stopping at. For property information around Allegan, you can contact me through my website at: http://www.michaeldelaware.com/ or call me directly at 269-441-8182 and I can arrange to send you active for sale listing information in the area.

Having a beautiful area like Boardwalk Plaza in downtown Allegan, Michigan is a great community draw, and it is refreshing to see a community take pride in its tourism.

A view of the fountains and boardwalk in Allegan.

October 17, 2010
by Michael Delaware

When Autumn Comes to Michigan…

When autumn comes to Michigan, we are treated with a spectacular array of colors

Autumn beauty along Michigan roads.

in various hues of red, yellow, green and gold all over the landscape.

As a local Realtor, I frequently travel roads all over the Battle Creek and Calhoun County area, and I find myself often in awe at the beauty of it all.

I really love this time of year, and consider it very special and unique. The weather starts to get cooler, and nights are colder when autumn comes to Michigan, but the beauty of the leaves on the trees in inescapable. Knowing that soon they will be all gone, and there will be people busily working in their yards raking and burning leaves as winter creeps in behind it.

When autumn comes to Michigan I find myself trying to catch the last breath of summer, and take advantage of any hint of a warm day, knowing it will soon be gone for awhile. However, as an amateur photographer, I really do love this time. Although

Gold and red hues of autumn in Michigan.

perhaps people driving behind me on a country road are annoyed when I pull off to take photos, I still cannot pass up taking that compelling photo when I see a chance. I have come to realize that if I pass it up when autumn comes to Michigan, if I wait a few days to go back and get the shot because I am in a hurry to get to my next appointment, everything has changed.

So I try to keep my camera handy at all times, and catch what I can, when I can. I never tire of looking at the splendor of the many hues of gold, yellow, and red that offers such a variety and mix, and it changes at every turn.

So when autumn comes to Michigan, despite the reminder of ‘winter is coming soon’ I still take time to admire the beauty.

The gold and orange shades of autumn in Michigan.

October 15, 2010
by Michael Delaware

Troxel Realtors Receive Association’s Highest Honors

On October 13th, 2010 at the Battle Area Association of Realtors General Membership Meeting, two of Troxel Realty Co. LLC’s Realtors received high honors for outstanding

Left to right: Michael Delaware 'REALTOR OF THE YEAR', Al Morehart, Broker & Kasi Casterline 'REALTOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR'

service as professionals. Realtor Kasi Casterline received the annual award for ‘REALTOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 2010’ for her active participation in the Board activities, as well as community volunteering with the Battle Creek Food Bank and highway cleanup projects.

I, Michael Delaware, Realtor was given the annual ‘REALTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD 2010’ for my service to the Association, and also for being an active volunteer at my church and the Battle Creek ‘Big Brothers, Big Sisters’ organization. Troxel Realty Co. LLC is a residential and commercial Real Estate brokerage that sells properties all over Southwest Michigan. Many of the agents are involved in the community in various ways, and all are active members of the Michigan Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors.

2008 award recipient Mark Brown presents Michael Delaware with his '2010 REALTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD' at the October luncheon.

Troxel Realty Co. LLC is located at 720 Capital Ave SW in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Office is supervised by Al Morehart as the Broker. It is not a common occurrence for one office to win both awards in a given year. In fact Troxel Realty Co. LLC had a Realtor win ‘REALTOR OF THE YEAR’ in 2009 as well, so the Realty office is one that exemplifies community involvement, and professionalism among its agents.

If you are considering buying your

Kasi Casterline holds her '2010 REALTOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR' award.

first home, or perhaps are expanding into acquiring investment properties, I would be happy to assist you in the buying or selling process. You can reach me through my website at: http://www.michaeldelaware.com or call me direct at: 269-441-8182. I look forward to working with you.

I can take you through the entire buying and selling process, and make it easy for you to accomplish your goals. Let’s work together to find the perfect home for you!

October 15, 2010
by Michael Delaware

The Southwest Michigan Countryside

As a Realtor that sells property in an eight County area, I frequently find myself

A road on my travels coming back from Delton, Michigan.

traveling the back roads. In the Southwest Michigan countryside we have our many rolling hills, curvy roads, and wildlife and pot holes to add to the excitement on a day when you are running a tight schedule pushing deadline appointments.

Then there is the weather, which adds its wonderful element of surprise from heavy rain storms, to frozen roads and snow storms. It may sound odd, but somehow I like traveling around looking at property in all the nooks and crannies of the Southwest Michigan countryside.

I typically will find myself most often in Calhoun, Barry and Kalamazoo Counties, however,

An old truck I drove by that was parked in a field in Barry County this past Spring.

my travels frequently take me to Branch, St. Joseph, Hillsdale, Eaton and even Jackson Counties in any given month. I log a lot of miles on my van, and I bounce around on a lot of surprise potholes, now and again. It is not uncommon to see deer, water fowl, foxes, rabbits and even wild turkey in many of the places I go.

Then there are the domestic animals like horses, sheep, cows and the occasional country dog. I have head to head stand offs with large dogs in my van before,

A hot summer dip for one pig in Branch County.

and on one occasion, a lazy cow took his grand old time getting out of the road. So running about the Southwest Michigan countryside, despite the many adventures and climate related excitement, there is always the beautiful scenery that many do not pause to admire.

I have grown accustomed to taking my camera with me when I go out on assignments to look at property, or make my way to an appointment with a client. The Southwest Michigan countryside grows on you, and it is hard not to admire its hidden beauty.

I hope you have enjoyed some of my photos in this posting in my first blog entry of the ‘Southwest Michigan Realtor Blog’.