January | 2011 | Southwest Michigan Realtor Blog

January 31, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Hockey is Part of Southwest Michigan Culture

Hockey is a popular sport all over Michigan.

Hockey is part of Southwest Michigan culture, as it is likewise in many of the Northern U.S. States. The winter sport of choice for many kids growing up is hockey. Perhaps it is the fast pace, and the speed of the game has drawn many people to the game and made it a part of popular culture.

Here in Southwest Michigan, we have many hockey teams in various leagues, and I could not begin to tell you about all of them, much less the differences in the leagues. The Kalamazoo area has the Wings (also known as K-Wings) which are a double ‘AA’ league, and Battle Creek has the Revolution which is a single ‘A’. Other communities around Southwest Michigan have teams of their own.

Hockey is a sport that is very popular in Michigan as a whole, and there are literally

Hockey is a fast paced game with a lot of action.

hundreds of teams all over the State. The most popular being the NHL team the ‘Red Wings’.

Recently I attended a few local hockey games with the Battle Creek Revolution. I filmed a lot of clips, and compiled it into a 6 minute video, which I have included in this article. I feel this short film personifies the good, the bad and the ugly of hockey, which has been drawing fans to the arenas for decades.

Hockey is a sport that does not appeal to everyone, and it is impossible to fully understand the excitement of a heavily contested hockey game unless you see one live. It is much faster paced than any other sport, and much more challenging to film, believe me on that one. I missed filming some very exiting goals and actions shots because it happened too fast for me to swing my camera to the action.

In any case, I hope you enjoy the attached video, and this brief article on one of our States favorite sports.

January 14, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Buying a new home in Southwest Michigan

Buying a new home in Southwest Michigan is a little more challenging these days in some respects, but very easy in others. Yes, if you are going through some credit problems, it can mean you need to undergo some credit repair.

Buying a home in Southwest Michigan can be easier and faster than you think.

However, if you have a credit score that is in the 620 range, you likely can qualify for a home mortgage with most lenders, provided your work tenure is at least 2 years old, and your income is stable.

Most buyers that I meet are surprised to learn that they have actually three credit bureaus, and thus three credit scores, and that lenders use the middle score when approving them for a loan program. The three different credit bureaus are called Experian, Transunion and Equifax. Each has a credit score, and the middle one is the one that is a guide for the lender.

So sometimes a little credit repair is needed, but many times it is very minor if only one

Working with a Southwest Michigan Realtor that knows the market area can help you get into a special home for you and your family.

score is low. Another important thing to do when buying a new home in Southwest Michigan is to work with a Realtor.

A Realtor can help you connect with the right lenders, with programs that can work best for you. Buying a new home in Southwest Michigan is easy when you work with a Realtor, as they can often spot things with regard to the condition of a property that may or may not be a problem for a certain type of loan.

Not all homes qualify for every time of loan program, and so when looking at homes it is important to know these characteristics. Additionally, rural properties can require additional inspections, such as well water tests, and septic inspections. Some loan programs like USDA Rural Development and Federal Housing Authority (FHA) require it.

So if you would like to find out how to go about Buying a new home in Southwest Michigan, give me a call at: 269-441-8182 or contact me through my website at: www.michaeldelaware.com.

Becoming a homeowner in Southwest Michigan begins with working with a Realtor.

January 11, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Basic Snow Removal Tips

During the winter months in most Northern state in the U.S., we have to deal with the removal of snow in order to get around. Mother Nature does not follow a predictable time schedule, and snowfall is never planned, so it helps to know some basic snow removal tips.

In fact, snowfall can frequently catch you at an untimely moment, but there are some

This is a wider snow shovel. Notice where the handle joins the blade.

basic snow removal tips that might help:

1) When shoveling, avoid filling the shovel full and overloading it and then lifting it and tossing it. You might find that you get a lot more done, and a little faster, but you can risk injury to your back, hands or wrists. Instead, fill the shovel half full when you need to lift and toss it, and bend your knees as you go along to ease pressure on your back.

2) A good item to add on my list of basic snow removal tips is to push and scrap the shovel along, as opposed to lifting and tossing whenever possible. I can do an entire stretch of sidewalk in front of my house with a good wide blade if it is soft snow, without ever having to lift a shovel full at the end. There is actually a special type of show shovel called a ‘snow pusher’ which has a wide blade and is awesome for this type of snow removal. It does a pretty good job up to about 14 inches deep.

3) Wear gloves, hats and a scarf if you are going to be out awhile shoveling your driveway.

This is a snow pusher. Notice where the difference in where the handle joins the blade.

Keeping warm is a key to efficiency. Also, if you are using a snow blower or snow plow, wear protective eyewear and especially gloves, as you might hit debris in the snow drifts that can become projectiles.

4) If you know from the forecast ahead of time that you are going to get a heavy snowfall over night, spread salt or another form of ice melting products over the walkways and your driveway before you go to bed. When you have to shovel in the morning, it will not stick to the ground and be easier to shovel away when you get up.

5) Plan your mornings to get ready to go an extra half hour before you normally have to go on heavy snowfall days. There is nothing like being in a rush and opening the garage door and seeing that you have two feet of snow to shovel before you can get out of the driveway. Trying to shovel a lot of snow in a hurry can make one get careless and be at risk of injury, so a little planning goes a long way. Pay attention to weather reports and get in the habit of looking outside during heavy snowfall periods before setting your morning alarm clock.

That concludes my short list of basic snow removal tips for this time. I hope these come in handy, and I hope everyone who has to shovel stays safe this winter! Oh! And stay warm too!

This shovel has a crooked handle designed to help ease lifting and bending over.

January 10, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Buying a Home in Barry or Eaton Counties in Michigan

Working as a Realtor in the area of Southwest Michigan, there are a few things to consider when buying a home in Barry or Eaton Counties in Michigan. These two counties are mostly rural areas, and they have a combined health department.

Homes in Barry or Eaton County are required to have a well and septic inspection before a point of sale transfer can be recorded.

What this means is that they share the same policies on well and septic inspections for the two counties, and they have requirements that no home with a well and/or septic in either county can have a transfer of sale without undergoing and passing an examination by the combined health department.

So when buying a home in Barry or Eaton Counties in Michigan, one needs to factor this in, especially as a cost, because many times banks with foreclosures refuse to cover the expenses. So if you are looking at distressed property, like a foreclosure, this can be an unexpected cost.

Not knowing many times until the septic is uncovered and parts of the system examined

Rural homes typcially are on well and septic systems.

does one learn if repairs or upgrades are going to be required by the Barry-Eaton County health department, and thus this unknown condition can make it somewhat of a gamble.

However, not only with buying a home in Barry or Eaton Counties in Michigan does this come into effect, but also if you are a seller. If you have lived in your home for year, and have had no problems with the well and septic, you could still be surprised to receive a list of repairs from this inspection.

So consulting with a Realtor in advance of selling is essential to line up the professionals to look at system records, and former tests to gain insight into what can be expected from an inspection by the health department.

For help in selling or buying a home in Barry or Eaton Counties in Michigan, give me a call at: 269-441-8182 or contact me through my website at: www.justcallmichael.com.

January 6, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Battle Creek Area Realtor

I have been a Battle Creek Area Realtor for five years now, and have sold many hundreds of homes in the region. As a Battle Creek Area Realtor I have received many awards from my works in the Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors.

Michael Delaware, Battle Creek Area Realtor since 2006.

In 2007, I was awarded the ‘Rookie of the Year’ as a Battle Creek Area Realtor for my achievement in sales, and contribution to the community. In 2010 I was awarded the Battle Creek Area Realtor ‘Realtor of the Year’ award for outstanding contribution to the community and the field of Real Estate.

In 2011 I will serve as the President of the Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors. Being an active Battle Creek Area Realtor, I have been involved with many local community programs, including the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and have fund raised and donated annually to the Binder Park Zoo.

My most important work as a Battle Creek Area Realtor is helping first time home buyers to get through the barriers of becoming homeowners, and get into their first home. I work with local lenders to help them work through any credit difficulties, and find out about the best available loan programs.

So being a Battle Creek Area Realtor is more than just selling homes, it is working with

Being a Battle Creek Area Realtor helps me assist many buyers find their perfect home.

people and helping the community, and seeing positive changes in people’s lives. Over the last few years I have not only helped countless first time home buyers, but also seasoned home buyers and investors to take advantage of the incredible deals right now in the area.

With many people losing confidence in investing in Wall Street, many local people are pulling their money from their retirement funds and investing in Main Street. So my role as a Battle Creek Area Realtor helps me to work with many people, and help them achieve their goals, be it a home or an investment property.

To contact me, call me direct at: 269-441-8182 or you can also contact me through my website at: www.michaeldelaware.com.

January 3, 2011
by Michael Delaware

Finding Your Perfect Home in Southwest Michigan

With the age we are in of massive amounts of information at our finger tips with the internet, finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan could never be easier.

Finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan is easy when you work with a Realtor.

So how do you go about finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan? You contact a Realtor that covers the area, and let them know what you are looking for. In Southwest Michigan we have a multiple listing service that allows us to not only sort and isolate property for a client we can also set up an automatic email information line for them that gives them an instant email on any new homes that hit the market that conform to their defined criteria.

So, finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan is incredibly easy if you work with a Realtor. I have many times set this up for someone, and let them look at the email over several days, weeks or months until the right home hits the market that interests them, and they call me to go look at it. This is just one service that I provide to my clients as a Realtor.

If someone does not have an email, I can print a stack of current flyers that cover property

The perfect home is easier to find with automatic emails from a Realtor and a little patience.

in the area that they are looking for to assist you with finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan. The best way to approach it is to narrow the list to the key elements that are important to you. This may be price range, but it can also include details like number of bedrooms, bathrooms, whether you want a 1 or 2 story, or acreage. Some people need to have a garage, whereas with others a basement is more important. Everyone is different.

With the age of the internet and email, it makes it easy to go about finding your perfect home in Southwest Michigan when you contact me directly at: 269-441-8182 or through my website at: www.justcallmichael.com.