The FHA 203(k) Loan Program is essential for Battle Creek.  What is the FHA 203(k) Loan Program?  It is a residential loan program offers by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) that allows for not only the purchase of a home, but also some needed repairs. The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website describes the program as follows: "The Section 203(k) program is the Department's primary program for the rehabilitation and repair of single family properties. As such, it is an important tool for community and neighborhood revitalization and for expanding homeownership opportunities. Since these are the primary goals of HUD, the Department believes that Section 203(k) is an important program and we intend to continue to strongly support the program and the lenders that participate in it... 08/29/2010

Further compounding the problem of declining property values and an influx of foreclosures, the City of Battle Creek is self generating an even further bite in tax revenues for its own City operation.  In 2005 the City of Battle Creek enacted the Vacant and Abandoned Structures Ordinance Chapter 1456.  This ‘Vacant and Abandoned Structures Ordinance Chapter 1456' had the good intentions of reducing and removing blight from the community.  Certainly there is a problem with some homes that are too far gone for even an expert investor, but many homes are not even given a chance to be restored under the guidelines and enforcement of this ordinance as it exists. However, with foreclosures being listed by bank and mortgage companies, the enforcement of this ordinance is further reducing prope... 08/28/2010

When property taxes are calculated in a Municipality, they are driven by one primary source of data, and that is home sales. Home sales drive taxable values, city budgets and forecast the future. In Michigan, the tax assessment department in each City or township has an appraiser or tax evaluator that evaluates each property in a given district, and determines its taxable value for the coming year.  This information is drawn from sales recorded in tax records, and the local Multiple listing service of the local Board of Realtors in the area to search for at least three comparable sales to determine the value of a given property.  Comparable sales can draw from as far back as 2 years depending on the municipality.  In fact, the City of Battle Creek website has this to say about property ... 08/28/2010

The Real Estate monkey in Battle Creek, Michigan is chasing the City Commissioners and they do not yet know it.  What is the Real Estate monkey?  For lack of a better description, it is that quiet mysterious thing that sneaks up on you, and jumps on you when you least expect it.  Kind of like the appearance of the sub-prime loan and adjustable rate mortgage fiasco sneaking up on so many.  Some of the trends in the marketplace are clear to a Realtor who is in tune with the Multiple Listing Service and is in active in local Real Estate.  However, the Real Estate monkey in Battle Creek is sneaking up and will soon pounce, and perhaps knock a few people over senseless. For example, let's look at property tax evaluations that are done annually.  The City tax appraiser uses comps that go back... 08/27/2010

Home Buyers in Battle Creek have a lot of options available to them if they use a knowledgeable Realtor who knows the area.  I have worked with many home buyers in Battle Creek, and helped them become successful homeowners.  One of the valuable services I provide is my website, which I try to keep up to date with current information on the latest loan programs, trends and market conditions.  Home buyers in Battle Creek visiting my website at www.michaeldelaware.com will find a new link on my website for ‘Real Estate Today Radio' which broadcasts a weekly show from the National Association of Realtors on all aspects of the housing market across the country.  It also provides useful tips and information to help home buyers and sellers in the Real Estate market.  This is a new feature I ju... 08/26/2010

This evening I attended a City Commission meeting at City, and had to pause and admire the Stained Glass Windows. These are true stained glass windows in Battle Creek City Hall, and are of good quality construction and design.  One of the stained glass windows in Battle Creek City Hall depicts the origin of the name of ‘Battle Creek'.  You can see in the center circle, a land surveyor having a struggle with a local Native American by the crossing of two rivers.  The fight was provoked by a local trapper, who saw the surveyor as a threat, so he encouraged two Native Americans he knew in the area to go attack him at his camp.  They were unsuccessful, and the surveyor bested them both and tied them up.  He marked on his map, the ‘Battle by the Creek' and the name ‘Battle Creek' carried for... 08/26/2010

Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan consists of 433 Acres, and contains over 600 animals of 140 different species.  The zoo was opened in 1977, and has grown to become a major attraction for the entire Southwestern region of the State.  Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan is one of the largest zoos in the State, and features a large variety of animals and plants, including the Wild Africa Exhibit. Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan also offers a train, a tram, and even a custom made carousel. In the near future, the zoo plans to add a theater. The Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The main area at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Mich... 08/26/2010

The Top Five Things a Buyer needs to buy a House in Battle Creek, Michigan or anywhere...  What are the top five things a buyer needs to buy a house in Battle Creek, Michigan or anywhere?  Here is a basic list that all buyers can follow, anywhere and achieve the goal of homeownership.  1) Use a Realtor.  Why is this on the top of the list?  The home is the most important purchase you will make, and one of the most expensive purchases you will make in your life.  If you were dealing with a major financial matter with a business, you would use an accountant.  It you were dealing with a major legal situation, you would use an attorney.  These are the recognized professionals in their fields.  In the field of Real Estate, you need to use the top professional there is, and that is a Realtor.... 08/26/2010

Great Places for Coffee in Battle Creek, Michigan... hmmm...  When you really need a great cup of coffee, you need to know the Great Places for Coffee in Battle Creek, Michigan.  My wife is Colombian, and she has indoctrinated me into being an aficionado on a great cup of coffee.  We often seek out places in town that are either near downtown, or near places we frequent.  One of the commonly known great places for coffee in Battle Creek, Michigan is Starbucks.  Now, I know this is a chain outlet, but they serve pretty good coffee.  Starbucks has three locations in town, one in downtown, one at Barnes & Noble Bookseller and the third at a drive through near Harper Creek Village.  Another great place for coffee in Battle Creek that is also a chain outlet is Caribou Coffee.  Once again, a ... 08/20/2010

Compiling a Battle Creek Area Real Estate Market Report 2010 requires cramming a lot of numbers pulled from our local multiple listing service, and breaking it down into sections.  In researching my Battle Creek Area Real Estate Market Report for 2010, I decided to break it down into school districts.  I chose also to break it down by quarter, so there would be some kind of way to measure it.  I was pleased to find that the number reflected in my Battle Creek Area Real Estate Market Report 2010 indicate an improving market in the second quarter over the first, not only in number of homes sold per school district, but also in the distinctive rise in the median sales price per home.  Each school district in my research for my Battle Creek Area Real Estate Market Report 2010 showed an incr... 08/20/2010

Battle Creek Real Estate & Battle Creek Homes for Sale... When you hit the search engines today, looking for homes this is the hot topic: ‘Battle Creek Real Estate & Battle Creek Homes for Sale' when it comes to searching property in our area.  Sometimes it comes up as ‘Battle Creek Real Estate and Battle Creek Homes for Sale' or ‘Battle Creek Real Estate| Battle Creek Homes for Sale' as well.  They are basically the same search criteria, and subject content.  So what are all these websites doing that advertise Battle Creek Real Estate & Battle Creek Homes for Sale?  A lot of these sites advertise Battle Creek Real Estate & Battle Creek Homes for Sale, but to the consumer they do not really seem to make available current information.  The truth is they are pulling information from the i... 08/13/2010

Matt Giraud, American Idol Finalist is coming to Battle Creek!  Matt Giraud, American Idol Finalist is coming to Battle Creek!  Matt Giraud, American Idol Finalist is coming to Battle Creek! Spread the word!  The concert is open to the public, and benefits Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Battle Creek.  Matt Giraud, American Idol Finalist will perform in Battle Creek on Thursday, August 19th at 7:00pm at the W.K. Kellogg Auditorium located at 50 West Van Buren Street near downtown.  It is time to get excited!  Matt Giraud, American Idol Finalist is coming to Battle Creek!  Whenever I have mentioned Matt Giraud's name to American Idol fans, they all recognize his name.  They are usually very excited to hear that Matt Giraud, the popular American Idol Finalist is coming to Battle Creek. Matt ... 08/12/2010

One way or another, I seem to find myself in downtown Battle Creek a lot.  People are always asking me about dining in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan.  Where are some of the best places to go dining in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan?  One of my local favorites is the Griffin Pub.  It is a German style restaurant with an American taste, and it is a hotspot for dining in downtown Battle Creek.  It is great for lunch or dinner, and they have a lot local beers on tap.  Another favorite is the BC Bistro, which is a few doors down from the Griffin.  Talk about ‘Dining in downtown Battle Creek'!  You have not lived until you have had one of the many exotic sandwiches offered at the BC Bistro!  Oh boy, are they good!  It is also a great place to take a business colleague or guest for lunch.  ... 08/10/2010

Battle Creek Real Estate and Battle Creek Homes for Sale... The massive search line on google these days is: ‘Battle Creek Real Estate and Battle Creek Homes for Sale' when it comes to searching property in our area.  So what are all these sites doing that advertise Battle Creek Real Estate and Battle Creek Homes for Sale?  They are pulling information from the internet, but not the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the area.  So one might search for property there, on these national sites that advertise ‘Battle Creek Real Estate and Battle Creek Homes for Sale' but the information is quite often found to be lacking in accuracy.  The best local resource for searching for homes in the area is the visit the public side of the MLS called: www.swmric.com and then search for listings there. ... 08/08/2010

Over the years that I have lived in Battle Creek, I have always heard people talk about taking a shopping excursion to Chicago from Southwest Michigan.  Every year the Kalamazoo Association of Realtors and the Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors charters a bus around the holidays to go for a shopping excursion to Chicago from Southwest Michigan. As a local Realtor, I try to stay connected to what is popular in the community. There is also the convenient Amtrak train system as well, which stops in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles and Michigan City on the way to Chicago.  Recently I took the Amtrak, which I covered in another blog post, when attending the National Association of Realtors Leadership Summit in Chicago.  By train Chicago from Battle Creek is less than 4 hours.  By car or... 08/07/2010

I just took an Amtrak to Chicago from Battle Creek, Michigan.  I went there for the National Association of Realtors 2010 Leadership Summit, and the mode of transportation my traveling companion and I chose was the Amtrak train.  I had never really experienced travel by train.  In fact, I had never given it much thought.  The Amtrak to Chicago from Battle Creek, Michigan surprisingly was quite affordable.  I went to the conference with the Association Executive from my local Board of Realtors, and we spent just $30 per person, each way.  I have since learned that you can drive to Michigan City, Indiana and take the Amtrak there for around $6! An airline ticket would have sure been a lot more hassle, so would have been the drive by automobile.  I am the newly elected President for my Boa... 08/07/2010

The 2010 International Summerfest & Black Arts Festival in downtown Battle Creek was this past weekend.  Hosted and organized by the Urban League of Battle Creek Young Professionals, the 2010 International Summerfest & Black Arts Festival in downtown Battle Creek is a newly organized event by a community of volunteers.  If you enjoy a variety of live entertainment, fresh cooked food from an international menu, and some original arts and crafts, then this festival is a must to add to your future list of events in downtown Battle Creek.  I walked around and enjoyed looking at all the arts and crafts, and the variety of food was out of this world.  The 2010 International Summerfest & Black Arts Festival in downtown Battle Creek was not a city festival, but it did cover the entirety of Mill... 08/07/2010

I thought I would take a minute and offer some advice for the home buyer in Battle Creek, Michigan.  The best advice for the home buyer in Battle Creek that I can start with is that they obtain the services of an experienced Realtor that knows the area.  That being said, I have also listed here seven points of advice for the home buyer in Battle Creek which is as follows: 1) Get your pre-approval for financing (unless you are going to pay cash) before you go looking.  Shopping before this is in place can delay the process, and perhaps cost you the perfect house because of an impatient seller. 2) Look at several homes, but at the same time, realize that sometimes the first home can be the perfect home, as can be the 50th home you see.  So ‘seeing a lot of homes' is good practice, but rea... 08/01/2010

Looking for Battle Creek Real Estate listings online?  So many of these national sites have cropped up in recent years, and buyers gravitate towards them because they seem to have information and seem to be user friendly.  It has been my experience that these sites do not offer Battle Creek Real Estate listings online, but more of a collection of confusing information.  I often receive calls from a client I have been working with for awhile, and they ask me to find out about a property they saw was for sale on one of these sites, and when I do more times than not I find the listing is an expired listing, sold listing or is pending sale.  Battle Creek Real Estate Listings online are best found through a direct public access through our Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  Our MLS in this are... 07/30/2010

Stop renting and start owning in Battle Creek, Michigan.  Do you know what it takes to make the transition from being a continual renter, to a happy homeowner?  It takes a change of mindset in your life, and decision to work towards that goal.  Stop renting and start owning, in Battle Creek, Michigan!  You can become a homeowner.  Oh, sure, there may be some hurdles you will have to overcome.  However, it can be done.  Working with an experienced Realtor is a great way to start.  Sometimes I do a lot of coaching in my job.  I coach renters to stop renting and start owning, in Battle Creek, Michigan!  Yes, they often have barriers.  This is true, more often than not.  Here are some basic guidelines to follow if you have poor credit, low income, and little or no savings. 1) Change you hab... 07/30/2010