Asbestos Removal and Greener Alternatives

There are many things to consider when remodeling or purchasing an older home, which is common in the real estate industry. Homes built before 1980 have the strong likelihood of containing asbestos. Due to a steady progression of technology and green sustainable methods, there are many ways to ensure your home or property is asbestos free. If you are interested in saving money, remodeling and improving your carbon footprint, here is some information to get you on the right track.

Used in millions of homes throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, asbestos insulation can become a real dilemma for homeowners due to causing a variety of health problems, including malignant mesothelioma and a variety of other lung ailments. Mesothelioma takes the lives of thousands of people each year and has lead to a variety of mesothelioma lawyers throughout the nation. Manufacturers of asbestos products knew about the harmful effects of asbestos and continued manufacturing the products anyways.

Non-regulated asbestos material can be legally performed by homeowners, regular contractors, or licensed asbestos abatement contractors as long as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are not violated. Asbestos removal in public facilities, homes and workplaces must be undertaken by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Once the removal is complete, green insulation options should be given serious consideration, such as: Cellulose, Cotton Fiber and Lcynene.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC), in a study conducted in 2003, estimated a savings of $50-$65 per square foot for well-constructed green buildings in the U.S. (see table below) during that year. The numbers continue to improve as more eco-friendly options become available, and those kinds of figures have finally begun to attract those who thought eco-friendly construction was just a bunch of hogwash.

September Market Update

Here are our results for September as well as the metro area. The number of showings continues to grow over last year, indicating that there are still a lot of buyers circling. The current economic uncertainty will affect some of that, particularly in the upper end markets. Since the majority of our market is under the FHA limits, we do have plenty of money to lend and even above $300,000 we have money at great rates, it just requires a real down payment now.

Buyers may be hesitating for a number of reasons; personal financial uncertainty, looking for a better deal, etc. The best advice is to not get caught up in the short term view. A home purchase, particularly in today’s environment is a long term investment. Take advantage of the opportunities today, they will never be better but don’t try to time it perfectly. Values may fall, but if they do significantly it will be because mortgage availability and interest rates have changed for the worse as well. If you are comfortable with your employment prospects and you are not using your stock portfolio to live on (it will come back), then now is the time to buy!

Bail Out Program?

I am sure many of you have or will be getting questions from your clients on how the current financial crisis will affect the real estate market in the short and long run. Since the details of the program are still in debate, the best that can be said is that a very sweeping program certainly will be passed and its effect will help stabilize the financial markets, allowing an increase in availability of mortgage credit and foreclosure relief to many, all very good things. This is a big ship to turn so there will be some immediate market euphoria (some of which has already happened) but the actual benefits will take some time to trickle down. In the short run, it will be interesting to see if lenders pull back on short sale negotiations since they may view those loans as the ones they will sell to government, thus avoiding a write off.

I don’t think our world will be affected much by all of this except for maybe some short term hesitation to jump from some buyers. So far, from John Adams perspective, we have not seen any mortgage access issues since 85% of our market is eligible for FHA for FHA/MSHDA and there is not a shortage of those loans. It is the less than 20% down conventional mortgages that have seen the biggest squeeze. If you come across some buyer hesitancy, remember the Financial Package is designed to stabilize and improve the housing market, and it will eventually bring with it increased interest rates as a consequence of the enormous size of the additional government debt. Both of those results will reduce the bargaining power a buyer has today, so the importance to buy now is even stronger. For Sellers, no change in strategy, if they need to sell now, cut the price hard to stand out in the crowd, or pull the home off the market and wait.

August Market Update

August followed the same trend as July and for the most part the past six months, a rising rate of sales (in terms of number of homes sold), a declining inventory of available homes and a decline in home values. No new news there, except the news that the trend continues, which is a very good sign (except for the home value part, but that will right itself when inventories fall to 6-8 months). Add to that a more stable mortgage market with the bail out of Freddie and Fannie (and even a rate decline!) and you have all the ingredients for an acceleration in our recovery. Not anything earth shattering for us in Michigan, since job growth overshadows any other housing influencers, but still good news for all.

What does this good news mean for Buyers and Sellers? For Sellers, price is still king and will be until our inventories fall from 12-18 months to 6-8 months. As we begin to move off bottom and see more good news trends, one of our bigger challenges will be keeping Sellers expectations reasonable. It will be very easy for a Seller prematurely feel the good signs mean their home will sell for more. There is still a lot of market absorption left before that can happen. Although the number of homes sold should continue to rise for the balance of this year and next as well, home values will continue to fall so don’t wait to sell, be aggressive and price ahead of the market, or take your home off the market and wait until 2010 or beyond when prices begin to rebound to better fit your target value needs. For Buyers, the advice does not change as well; the next three to four months will be a perfect storm of even lower interest rates and low prices. Rates should go up next year, negating any gain by waiting for lower values. If a buyer hesitates, waiting for a better price next year, ask them to make what they think will be next year’s offer today, you would be amazed at what can be created in this market. Finally, it can never be said enough, when you are selling and buying in the same market, you can’t loose, your gain on the buy will always beat or at least equal the gain (or loss) on the Sale.

Market Update - June 2008

The number of homes sold is a mixed bag with lower value markets gaining over last year with Northwest Michigan showing the steepest decline. However, in all markets home values are still declining and we can expect that trend to continue through the end of next year as well. On average the rate of value decline is running around 1% per month.

The Northwest Michigan/Traverse City market is showing a steeper sale unit decline which should begin to narrow next year. Because of a stronger base economy their recovery will be faster so the entire state should wind up at the same spot by the end of 2009. It is interesting to note that although the market is slowing in Northern Michigan, so far home values there have shown the most stability.

How will the auto changes and specifically the GM change affect our market? With over 60,000 homes currently available for sale in Southeast Michigan, the 2,400 or so reductions will not have a major impact except in markets with high GM employment. In the short run the buyer pool may contract until the employees of GM and their suppliers know who is going and staying. What this means to Seller’s is they may need to be more aggressive in pricing if they want to generate a sale by the end of the year.

What is the best overall advice for Sellers for the balance of the year? It is the same as the first half. Focus on being one of the top 5 best priced homes in your competitive range. We will not be moving out of a buyer’s market for at least 24 months so price aggressively enough to more than match the market value declines. Distressed sales are your value benchmark (you don’t have to match the value of the poor conditioned foreclosure down the street, but you do need to move toward it). On average the spread between the foreclosure and non-foreclosure sales prices are running about 20%, but that does vary quite a bit depending of the condition of the homes.

For Buyers, move now! Every indicator says interest rates are going to rise over the next 12 months. Any gain by waiting for the price to drop will be lost in higher interest rates.

First Quarter Real Estate Market Results

There have been few years that have started out with as many mixed signals at this year. The MLS numbers published in the papers show some real growth in terms of homes sales yet our collective pocket books (Sellers and Realtors) don’t seem to be feeling the good news. I was skeptical about the MLS numbers and in fact held off on sending out any market data until we could detect some consistent pattern in the market. It appears the drop in March was somewhat weather related, with many “March” buyers finally coming out in April. In short, the good news is the combination of bargain prices and great rates are beginning to both draw new buyers and cause old buyers to act. However, there has been a pretty strong pricing “bribe” to bring them out. Prices will continue to fall 8-12% this year from last year (it will feel like 15 to 20% when based off the asking price). These bargains are drawing down the listing inventory, so each month we are moving a step closer to a balanced market. There is still a wave of foreclosures yet to hit the market. The foreclosure and tax relief bills in process at both the state and federal level will help smooth out the remaining foreclosure lump. If they are delayed, the pricing pressure from short sales and foreclosures will continue into the third quarter of 2009.

Financially stressed sales (either foreclosure or short sales) still make up 50 to 70% of pending listing sold, indicating that buyers are drawn to the perceived potential bargains they represent. Sellers who are not in that category still need to adjust to compete or their piece of the buyer pie will shrink in half.

As we have said before, this does not mean a buyer should wait until next year to buy. It is unlikely that interest rates will remain this low. Further cuts by the Fed in short term rates will continue to cause long term rates to rise. Any delay in trying to buy at the bottom will be lost in higher interest rates.

The Rule of Thumb is a 1% increase in interest rates wipes out any gain from a 10% drop in home values. It is more likely rates will rise by more than 1% over the next 12 months than values will fall by more than 10% in most of our markets. The rules have not changed for this year or next. Now is the time to buy, what you lose on the sale of one home you will gain on the purchase of another. Vacation homes are at all time bargain prices as well.

Many Sellers are not in a position to make a move, regardless of potential bargains. They should, with your help, take a hard look at their housing needs over the next 24 months to determine if selling is in their best interest. As much as we love to help them sell their homes, our best advice for some is to wait, if they can afford to do so.

Icy Hot - Plymouth, Michigan

Plymouth, Michigan is one of the oldest communities in Michigan. The population of 10,000 lives in an affluent and active community. Downtown is built around Kellogg Park. The clock tower next to the park is a highly recognized town symbol. In nice weather, the park abounds with people walking their dogs or dining at one of the many locally owned restaurants built around the park.
But in January, bundle up and adopt a faster pace as you walk among the exquisite ice sculptures. Some are sponsored by companies or schools. Many of the sculptures take your breath away (if the cold hasn’t already done so.) Some, like the sculpture incorporating all the Scooby Doo characters along with the big dog himself make you point and say, “Look at that!” Many of the dining spots and shops have sculptures outside their business; for example, a mortar and pestle outside the drug store. And Michigan always seems provide plenty of cold weather for this event.

And if it’s too darn cold, duck into one of Plymouth's many charming shops that offer special and unique gifts. Or step into the Book Cellar and Cafe for an array of books, magazines, or a relaxing lunch. Or if it’s just coffee you crave, choose the Plymouth Coffee Bean Company, Starbucks, or Panera. The choices are endless. Locally owned restaurants such as Compari’s, the Box Bar, Fiamma Grill, and more are situated right around the park; as is the 336 Main Martini Bar.There is also a special shop for items made in Michigan.
Many other restaurants, ethnic and American, and pubs are close to downtown Plymouth; too many to mention. For a very special treat, have tea at Sweet Afton’s Tea Shop and enjoy scones with cream and other delicacies.
Go to www.doplymouth.com for a complete listing of eateries, stores, and more!
The Plymouth-Canton school district is also a big draw. A progressive and highly ranked district, its campus is well-equipped and beautiful!
Many of Plymouth, Michigan's inhabitants live in charming homes within walking distance of Kellogg Park. But even those not lucky enough to live a walk or bike ride away can choose from many tree lined subdivisions. Real estate in Plymouth has always been strong, as this is a very popular place to live. Homes range from old to new, every style and type.
Plymouth, Michigan is located in Wayne County and is an active and liveable community with much to offer all ages.
And frankly, if the cold is not your thing, stick around for Plymouth’s summer Art Fair. It’s worth the wait!

(Photos of Clock and downtown Plymouth used courtesy of Greg Smith and may not be reproduced.)

Wisteria Lane Has Nothing on Detroit

You heard us! Say it loud, we’re from Detroit, and we’re proud!
It’s true, the metro area boasts many beautiful communities with lovely homes and graceful lawns; where neighbors really do stroll down the street to visit. (Thankfully, you will not find as much of the drama as you do on Wisteria Lane. But for a look at Real Estate One’s own version of the “Desperate Housewives”, check it out below!



What a lovely group! There is Sara “I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business” Leach, Christy “what was I thinking?” Smith; Clint “Ms Hospitality” Wheeler, Kathy “Go Buckeyes!” Spieker, and Danielle “Wolverine Woman” Dorsch. Who wouldn’t want to come here to live?

But that’s not all! The rest of Michigan is no slouch either. Come take a drive heading north. You’ll be amazed at the many beautiful lakes in Michigan, even in the metro Detroit area there are more than we can mention here. The drive north is truly a feast for the eyes in any season. From the thumb to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan boasts recreation of every kind and more beautiful views than you can imagine.

Summer brings out flowers galore throughout Michigan; in every community throughout the state. It also brings out the boaters who drink in the sunlight and take every free hour they can muster to live the lake lifestyle. The fishing (which they also do in winter, we might add) may fill the body; but Michigan’s beauty will feed the soul.

Fall speaks for itself with hardwood trees everywhere displaying beautiful fall hues. This is a great time to get good golf deals at the many golf resorts throughout Michigan. And if a member of your party is not a golfer; they can enjoy the spas or great restaurants.

Winter brings out skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers from all over. And why not- Michigan dressed in white is stunning. The white birch forests are starkly beautiful in the winter. And following a day of fun in the snow comes evenings with hot chocolate and roaring fireplaces- indoor pools, too, if the snow didn’t provide enough exercise.
One Web site you might want to visit is www.upnorthmichigan.com where you can find resorts and getaways throughout our beautiful state.

At www.realestateone.com, you can look at properties for sale throughout Michigan. Lakefront homes or hunting cabins, and everything in between are available with a click!

Real Estate One in Michigan Takes the Polar Plunge In a Big Way

Come on in, the water's- WOW- 35 degrees!Even so, 23 intrepid Real Estate One employees and agents made the plunge into the Detroit River on a cold February Saturday. A large crowd of supporters was there to cheer them on. Who says Michiganders don't know how to have a good time during the frozen winter!
Last year, Stuart Elsea, our intrepid President of Financial Services, lost a bet and took the plunge- the only plunger from Real Estate One. But this year, after months of urging, cajoling, badgering, and (we hear) even DOUBLE DOG DARING, 23 plungers jumped into the frigid waters.



Below is just our list of jumpers and their outrageous costumes. Our team raised over $13,000!! Woo hoo! That's half of the total for the day.
Plungers and cheerleaders met at the Detroit Boat Club (a gorgeous old building that needs restoring - just a hint!)Then the plungers (85 in all) paraded past the cheering crowds in a wild array of costumes! Real Estate One was definitely no slouch in this department. Josh Lowry of the accounting department won first place, with his costume called "Wash Tub Bather". He used striped suspenders to hold up a wash tub with white balloons that looked like bubbles. Long johns and a fancy shower cap finished off his costume. After the plunge, he pretended to scrub his back with a big brush! President Dan Elsea and managers Dave Reese and Tony Camilleri dressed up as the "Three Amigos", sequined jackets, sombreros and all. Patrick Novak won fourth place as John McEnroe.

Conne Terova wore her business suit to please her supporters who put her in first place with $2200. Candice Elliot was a sassy "Cat in the Hat" attended by Bianka Bailey and Sara Leach as Thing 1 and Thing 2. Other costumes included Ken Zak dressed as Robin Hood, Larry Bsharah braving it in a toga, and Marc Reneau, hilarious as a schoolgirl. Three Happy Feet Penquins made the plunge, scoring a third place prize for their costumes. They were managers Mary Nicole, Kathy Solan (who won third for fund raising with $1200), and Robin Finegan. Managers Suzanne O'Brien and Al Melfi made a charming pair as Sandy and Danny from "Grease".
Clint Wheeler was a show stopper in his purple plush suit. Randy Repicky was a scruba diver who jumped twice, taking a hot toddy with him the second time, a gift from a crowd member. Jill Polenz wore a "fake bikini t-shirt" and jumped with Rebecca Fallin, dressed as a Real Estate One sign.
AND there was one SURPRISE JUMPER- Stuart came back for a repeat jump. He wore a Pistons uniform, shedding his pink wig and tights, for a sportier look!













People are already being recruited to jump next year! Start warming up now; although the jumpers say that water was fiiiine!

Detroit - Getting Great Attention from National Press

Some good things are happening in Detroit. The New York Times and The Washington Post separately listed Detroit as a “must see” destination for travelers in 2008. The casino, Book Cadillac and Detroit Institute of Art restorations (see our separate blog on the DIA). Of course, The Henry Ford, Greenfield Village, and the Rouge River Plant Tours should rank right up there, tooIn Bloomfield Hills, the Cranbrook Institute offers top flight educational programs as well as exhibits and so much more. Check out their site: http://www.cranbrook.edu/

The price of airfare is more reasonable out of Detroit compared to other large airports. Always a bonus in the winter when we Detroiters go in search of sun!

Detroit has so many suburbs that are like small towns within themselves. We will continue to feature some of these towns on future blogs.

Now for the “not so sunny” news. The housing market is down 6.4% nationwide! But housing (being a non-moveable commodity) is still up in some areas and down far more than the national average in others. Michigan is in the “down more” category, although the figures vary widely from suburb to suburb. One interesting statistic is that 25.5% more homes were sold in the city of Detroit last year. Prices, however, had dropped significantly and foreclosure sales were way up.

Many predicted the “housing bubble burst” years ago. When the average price home is out of reach financially for families making the average salary, the market is out of balance and will correct itself eventually. The good news for Michiganders is that if you take a loss on a home here, you’ll make it up on the home you buy elsewhere.

The sub-prime collapse and slowing real estate sales are pulling the entire country into a slump. Other segments of the economy are holding steady and haven’t shown much change, so Wall Street should rebound. Confidence is the key, and people do not expect to “ever” lose money on a house. So confidence is in short supply, because man’s castle may no longer be his home.

BUT there is some good news…Our Relocation America almost set a record last year with 937 sales. Many of those families were relocating out of Michigan but certainly not all of them!

Our Websites continue to grow! We attracted a million unique visitors last year. Surf the net for properties in other cities. Dealing with other Web sites makes ours look that much greater! On ours, you don’t have to register to look. Our Customer Care department runs a Live Chat and also spends the day on the phone calling back people with questions or interests in some of the properties. Most other cities, you have to register before you can view properties; and you have to sift through a ton of Web sites before you find one that is fairly comprehensive.

Just How Bad Is The Detroit Real Estate Market?

Everyone is asking this question along with the follow-up- “What will happen in 2008?” The first question has two levels; the raw numbers and the underlying activity and energy behind those numbers. The raw numbers do not look that bad, showing our markets down overall by 5-11% in terms of unit sales. And in fact the market shows somewhat better in terms of units if you add leases into the count. In many markets, with leases added in, there were actually more unit sales in 2007 vs. 2006.

It is the energy it took to put those sales together and the home value shift which generates the second part to the “just how bad is the market” question. This downturn is the most significant in the past 30 years, not because the market is off so much (the unit drops were as big or bigger in 1991 and 1981) but that homeowners are in a different position. With higher leverage and less equity, negotiations become tighter and foreclosures more frequent, which cause home values to fall more, resulting in a downward value cycle we have not seen before. In spite of this downward value pressure, there are more buyers than in prior downturns (but more listings as well) and the buying opportunities are also at a level most of us have never seen before.

Another core reason for the feeling that the market is way off is the draw of bank owned homes. We are still running over 30% of pending sales from bank owned listings (but only 15% or so of total listings). The result is the non-bank owned home market is actually off 30% or more. Combine that with the number of unmarketable homes for sale (sllers are unable or unwilling to move to the price point required to sell their home),and you can get a lonely feeling some days.

The market has also supercharged the significance of the internet in home marketing. It has become the ultimate sorting process to help buyers through the inventory choices. Curb Appeal has to a major degree been replaced by Web Appeal.

What about 2008? The positive trends are, 1) after nearly three years, sellers do understand the market and either are pricing for the market or in many cases taking their home off the market,)2)we are all much better at working with the market, handling short sales, using the web to display our properties and setting an effective pricing strategy, 3) the word is getting out that, if you can find a way, buy a home now.

There are two main negative trends; our economic climate and home values. Our economy will not change dramatically in 2008, but beyond it will move from being a drag to a positive influence (abeit a slow growing one). Prices will continue to fall this year and most likely into 2009. Does this mean as a buyer you should wait until 2010 to buy? Attempting to time the market has never worked well in stocks or real estate. In spite of the choices, houses are not like stocks and bonds. Each is unique so there is no guarantee that perfect home will be there when the market is “perfect”.

What is the best advice for a Seller for 2008? Foreclosures are your competition. Be aware of those that compete with yours and remember you have an advantage. In general, foreclosures do not compare on condition and “user friendliness” in terms of offers and negotiations. However you will still need to price within the same range as the competing foreclosure homes. Overall, regardless of condition, you should be pricing your home as one of the five lowest in your competing market.

What is the best advice for a Buyer in 2008? Don’t forget about the other 80% of the market. Foreclosures may offer the best price, but a non-foreclosure may offer the best value in terms of condition and price. Look for those homes with recent price reductions, they indicate a flexible seller. Also, with mortgage credit issues still lingering, make sure you have a solid pre-approval before you start shopping.

Keep in mind that there has never been time when our clients needed our services more. Transactions today can be more emotionally draining, but they are also more rewarding, either helping buyers achieve a once in a life time opportunity or helping a seller out of a significant crisis or in many cases both in the same sale.

Here are our numbers for the year, again for over 40 years more than any other broker in the state of Michigan.
Full Year 2007
Sales Volume for 2007 (Closed Transactions): $2.45 Billion
Number of Homes Sold/Leased: 14,025
Number of Unique Visitors to our Web Sites: 1.15 Million
Number of Buyers visiting our Open Houses: 48,498
Number of Showing Appointments for our Listings: 169,710
Number of Mortgage, Title and Insurance Policies closed: 6,725

Our agents did a remarkable job adjusting to our market. We gained market share at a time when most of our competition did not. Our company successfully shifted the approach to selling real estate and is poised to have some great success in the upcoming year.

Birmingham - A Walkable Community

Birmingham, Michigan (MI) has been selected as one of the most "Walkable Commnities" in the U.S.A.

If you get a chance to visit and see the quaint, upscale stores that line downtown Birminghamm, take a day and stroll. You will certainly have a memorable experience.

Homes match the rythmn and style of the community. Real Estate One and its "boutique brother" Max Broock Realtors currently have 272 homes listed in just the city of Birmingham.

Upscale homes like this line city streets, many built as far back as the early to mid 1800's. Many of the homes are within walking distance of the charming downtown Birmingham area. Luxe shops along with trendy restaurants, coffees bars, and theaters define downtown Birmingham. Residents love the mix of entertainment and home life the community offers.

But even now, with Michigan's challenging economy, Birmingham is not an inexpensive place to live.

The average home was listed at $690,000 and average sales were running at $325,000.

The median income for the city of Birmingham is $100,000 and their schools score high on national tests.

The population is just below 20,000 which gives this Detroit suburb a small town feel.

Oddly enough, the town was founded in 1818 by four men with a joint vision. Elijah Willets, Benjamin Pierce, John Hamilton, and John West Hunter named Birmingham after England's great industrial district. Instead of seeking rich farm land, they wanted to build a manufacturing based economy. By 1860 the industrial base was gone, and Birmingham was morphing into the residential/professional/retail community it is today.

The population tends to the young side; 35% are between the ages of 25-44; 26% between 45-65. They are also well educated. Over 38% hold bachelor's degrees and 25% have earned masters' degrees. Not surprisingly, Birmingham's public and private schools score high on standardized tests at all levels. Over 98% of high school graduate in this upscale town.

An active downtown draws residents and non-residents. With theaters, museums, and shopping, Birmingham, Michigan is a great place to spend a little time!

Currently Birmingham has a 23 month supply of homes for sale. Real estate there is similar to other communities in Michigan. Areas are carrying a higher listing inventory than usual, and prices are sliding. But if you are in the market for a home, never has choosing Birmingham cost you less.

For more information, visit their Web site at http://www.birmingham.mi.us/. For a list of downtown activities, check out http://www.enjoybirmingham.com/.

Why Detroit Is A Great Place to Live - DIA

Detroit offers a wealth of culture and entertainment. The newly renovated Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is a steal at $8 per person. You are greeted by radiant disks suspended from the ceiling; they look like thousands of twinkling lights. The museum itself is an architectural treasure. Its extensive collection offers a variety of art styles and artists and boasts many originals including Van Gogh's self portrait. Of course there is a "no touch" rule in place, but you can get up close and personal with the artwork; so you can admire each brush stroke or pen strike. (Did you know that some historians think Van Gogh had Meniere's Disease and cut off his ear in a vain attempt to stop the constant roaring in his ear?)

The DIA hosts many special events, some free with admission and some with extra fees.Friday Night Live, the museum stays open to 10 p.m. So grab a bite, enjoy live entertainment, drop in workshops, or a tour of the fantastic museum. Recently, The Dance Project of Holland, Michigan performed a dance choreographed to represent the painting "The Garden of Earthly Delights."

Entertainment varies greatly as artists from all media perform.Target sponsors Family Sundays with art classes for all family members included in the price of admission. Brunch with Bach is another popular wintertime tradition.

You can also buy year long memberships. There are a number of sponsor levels available, but an individual membership can be purchased for $65 or a companion membership for $80. There are discounts for students and senior citizens. What's not to like?

So if you are moving to Detroit, put a big smile on your face. The Detroit Institute of Arts is only one of many attractions that make the metro area a GREAT place to live!

Keep checking back in! There is more to come on sports, real estate, autos (of course), education, and music in the Motor City!

(Photos used courtesy of Greg Smith and may not be reproduced.)