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Buying A Home

October 2021 in Review

October Recap!

Hey Neighbor,

We hope you are doing well. How is it already NOVEMBER? We couldn’t jump into this new month without stopping by to give you a few company highlights and updates from October! Keep reading to hear about our client appreciation event, Haven Homes of Detroit, our quarter update & MORE! 

 

Our listings are selling FAST! 

Multiple Offers, Multiple Showings AND sold for OVER ASKING PRICE! 

Click the button to schedule a listings consultation with our team of agents.

Official Corporate Sponsor For:

Haven Homes of Detroit

Haven Homes of Detroit seeks to become a source of reliable, safe housing for women hoping to make positive life choices if the barrier of housing was temporarily removed. 

We sat down with our friends and clients Aaron and Kristen Short as they filled us in about their vision for HHOFD. 

After shooting our coffee convo video with them and helping them find their first HAVEN HOME we decided to become an official corporate sponsor. 

The Packer Group donated our 100th commission check this year to Haven Homes of Detroit…watch the video and stay for the ending to find out the official amount! 

We can’t wait to see the incredible transformation they will do to this new home but also in the hearts and lives of every person who walks through their doors. 

Quarterly Market Update

Get the FACTS…

Jeff goes into detail about the current Real Estate Market so that you DON”T HAVE TO. 

Watch this video to see if selling or buying a home right now is the best decision for you. 

#BeInformed 

Client Cider Mill Appreciation Event!

It was so great to see our past and current clients at our cider mill event. Bringing everyone together is important and sharing our gratitude for your friendship over the years means the world to us. 

We are already looking forward to next year at the pumpkin patch! 

Click HERE to view more photos! 

One Last Thing…

Our ISA is busy booking appointments! 

If you aren’t sure where to begin with the home buying or selling process, reach out to Shar and she can get you started and answer your questions! 

Text, email or call Shar by clicking this link: https://campsite.bio/shar 

Take it all in.

Love taking in the views? Tag us on social media next time @thepackergroup – we would love to see your favorite peaceful views & share them with the TPG FAM.

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September 2021 Recap

A Month Full Of Memories.

In this blog we will recap this past month and discuss our large amount of Debt, new additions to our team and fall traditions! 

Keep reading for more… 

$90,000 in Debt?

Jeff shared his incredibly personal debt story with us this month and it was so great to hear all of the awesome feedback!

We want to motivate our clients to be DEBT FREE! As a Dave Ramsey endorsed Real Estate Team, we prioritize financial freedom and encourage our clients to make wise decisions with their money.

Make sure to watch the Debt Video!

What people are saying about it…

“Amazing!!! Dave Ramsey’s system works when you follow it step by step and be intentional! We are just two months away from having no debt because of this system!”

“Great Video!! Thanks for sharing your story!”

If you have questions about becoming debt free, contact us! We are passionate about financial freedom and we want to help you achieve your goals. 

Welcome To The Team!

Welcome Shar, The Packer Group ISA. 

We are so happy to announce that we have a new ISA on our Team! Shar has been killing it and booking appointments for our team of Agents. We can’t wait to see all of the incredible things that Shar will do.

An Invisible Employee? 

We also hired ANOTHER team member at our last big meeting…well sort of.

This past month our Director of Operations, Kris Hohl – was reminded of the importance of knowing our mission statement thoroughly as an entire team and invented this new employee to hire on our team. It’s easy to get lost in routines and tasks and forget about our “Why”. It just so happens that our mission statement or “why” statement conveniently spells out the name, Chip W!

So, we welcomed Chip onto our team and into our offices so that we have a daily reminder that our values are alive everyday by the way in which we communicate with one another and with our clients.

For those of you wondering, Chip W. stands for…

Client Experience, Hardworking, Integrity, Proactive & Work-Life Balance.

Look! There’s Chip now, hard at work on his Packer Group computer!

Swipe through our core values!

All you can eat Donuts!
Fall Client Appreciation Event.

Face painting, donuts, cider, hayrides and pumpkins! The #TPGFam is ready for this fall season. 

Every year we rent out a barn at Three Cedars Farm for our past clients to come on by and enjoy all of the fun fall festivities. 

This year we had an incredible face painter from Color Carousel. It’s always such a fulfilling feeling to see our past clients together in one space and listen in on all of the new memories they are making in their homes that we helped them buy. It’s also so great to see their families grow and change and stay in their corner throughout all of the ups and downs. 

Thankful. 

We are so thankful for another year to serve our clients and to watch our past client list grow year by year! Being a Real Estate agent is a special job, we get to be included in one of the biggest decisions our clients make. We love watching clients reach their goals and we are constantly looking for opportunities to celebrate them and let them know we care! 

Once someone works with one of our Agents, they become part of the TPG Family and we couldn’t be more happy about that. 

As we prepare for the weather to get a little cooler and the leaves begin to change colors we are hopeful that the rest of this year will be well. We are cheering you on to reach your goals and we are only a phone call away when you need a helping hand. 

Color Carousel

Stay Connected! 

 

Because we are constantly updating our socials, make sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Questions, comments or concerns? 

Email us! 

[email protected] 

734.707.7992 

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Coffee Convos

We began the coffee convos series with the ultimate goal of featuring locally owned coffee shops to encourage our sphere to explore their communities and support local. Having our entire team featured in each video was also a top priority for us because we want our online presence to reflect our team and everyone on it well. We want our clients and future clients to feel like they can really get to know their agents and staff here at The Packer Group in a relaxed and laid back setting. Sitting down with a great cup of coffee and having quality conversations regarding Real Estate, as well as the individual stories and passions that each team member brings seemed like the perfect way to help people get to know us on a more personal level and feel comfortable coming to us with their questions too.

Since setting our goals we have now completed 5 coffee convos, featuring 10 different people and 5 awesome locally owned coffee shops! We are looking forward for this series to continue to grow and for our online audience to feel like they know the people that make this team so special and the unique stories, expertise and personalities that they bring to the team. Check them out below! 

Coffee Convo #1

This episode features The Packer Group’s director of sales, Jerry Yatooma and a former client of his, Brittany Ramaut. This episode was especially fun to do since it was our very first one AND Jerry got to sit in with a client of his who he helped sell & buy a home during the pandemic. A very impressive story if we do say so ourselves.

Coffee Convo #2

Design, Decor & MORE! this episode featured our home stager, Gail Silver and our Agent Jaime Jones. These two ladies were such a blast to sit down and talk with. Oh…and we can’t forget to mention that milton made an appearance too! This episode featured coffee from Crafted Beanery Coffee Cafe in Belleville, MI.

Coffee Convo #3

Our BRAND NEW agent, Lisa Enge Bird joined our team leader Jeff Packer for this third coffee convo regarding downsizing and some of the most rewarding parts of being a real estate agent. This episode featured coffee from Coffee + Cream in Livonia, MI.

Coffee Convo #4

Our favorite husband and wife duo! 

Director of Operations, Kris Hohl & Real Estate Agent, Steve Hohl sit down and answer some of our toughest questions yet!

This episode features Espresso Elevado in Plymouth, MI.

Coffee Convo #5

Realtors, Ben Cockrum & Melissa Chan sit down to discuss health, fitness and Real Estate. These two agents are constantly keeping our team motivated and driven. Their individual passions in CrossFit reflect their natural propensity to be passionate for their clients and to work hard to get their offers accepted and into the home of their dreams. 

This coffee convo features coffee from Plymouth Coffee Bean in downtown Plymouth, MI. If you are in the area make sure to stop by and have a seat on their scenic outdoor patio. 

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Selling A Home

The House That Sold For $25,000+ Over Asking Price

Have you heard the incredible story behind the home on Warren Road?

When we first interviewed this couple when we were listing the home, their genuine love and care for this house was felt and embedded in every detail. We are thankful to have captured this beautiful story as they turned to a new chapter in life. We are honored that they trusted us as their Real Estate Agent and Team to help them make a huge move and sell their home.
Fast forward to now…their home SOLD for $25,000 OVER asking price!
We are even more excited to share their testimony video with you. Make sure to stay tuned!

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5 Things Home Sellers Commonly Forget

When you’re selling your home, you’ve got so much to do! Minor repairs and updates, clearing closets and cabinets of clutter, staging, choosing a Realtor, deciding on as asking price, and, of course, dreaming of getting your “big check.”

So in the midst of all of that, it’s understandable that some things just get overlooked. If you’re thinking of selling your home soon, don’t forget to do these five important things … and of course No. 6, which is to call us!

1. Give your home the Yelp treatment

You’d be amazed at the small things that can turn a buyer off. A doorbell that doesn’t work, a garage door that squeaks, missing window screens – all of these are minor problems, but they can leave a bad taste in the mouth of prospective buyers. Go through your home and imagine it as a hotel you’re staying in. How would you rate it on Yelp? Better yet, get a friend to come over and do it for you. They’ll notice things that you overlook because you see them every day.

2. Clean inside everything

Prospective buyers are going to open your cabinets and closets and cabinet drawers. While potential buyers generally understand that you’re still living in your home (& therefore the junk drawer STILL exists!), having dirty or exploding drawers and closets can be a turn-off. Make sure everything is as inviting on the inside as it is on the outside. Yes, even your silverware drawer needs to be organized. Yes, you need to vacuum INSIDE your closets. Clean your aquarium. Hide the embarrassing stuff under your bathroom counter. People who visit your home are looking to make one of the biggest purchases of their lives. While everything doesn’t have to be spotless, don’t let your home’s hidden areas send your home shoppers running for the door.

3. Google your address

90% of all buyers look for homes online, so it’s a good idea to make sure all the information you can find about your home online is correct. Websites like Zillow can give an estimate of your home’s value, but if the details about your home are wrong, the estimate will be, too. Also, the Google street view of your home may miss recent upgrades. If so, you’ll want to mention that in your home listings so potential buyers will know ahead of time that what they see on Google is different from what they’d see in real life.

4. Make a list of everything that does not convey

Most every purchase agreement says that anything that is attached to the house (wall, ceiling, outside, etc.) is sold with the house unless stated otherwise in the contract. So if you want to

keep the flat-screen TV that’s mounted in the living room, your grandmother’s antique chandelier, or those handmade towel rods, you’d better make a list of exclusions now so you don’t end up in an argument (or court) later.

5. List all the improvements you’ve made to the home

Buyers love to know that they won’t have to worry about costly repairs for a while if they buy your home. That’s why you should go through your house and write down every improvement you’ve made. A new furnace, roof, plumbing, and other big-ticket items are especially tempting to prospective buyers. Plus, showing that you’ve invested time, money, work and love shows that you truly care about the home (and therefore have probably taken great care of it).

6. Call a great Realtor (like us!) who will walk you through all of the above steps

You want the advice of a seasoned Real Estate professional to maximize your home sale profit. Call us today and we’ll do our very best to earn your business. You’ll be surprised to learn about all we have to offer.

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5 Mistakes First-Time Homebuyers Will Want To Avoid

Thinking of buying your first home? Congratulations! It’s a big step in the right direction toward a stable financial future, and a place to make your most precious memories. However, there are some common first-time homebuyer mistakes that can potentially derail your plans, cost you more money, and significantly raise frustration in the home-buying process. Here are 5 common first-time homebuyer mistakes you definitely want to avoid.

Putting off saving for your down payment

The down payment is typically just a small percentage of the overall price of a home, but that doesn’t mean you should take saving for it lightly. You’re not going to be able to get that kind of cash out of your couch cushions. (& if you are able to, invite us over for movie night!)

The ideal amount to put down on your home is 20% of the purchase price, because at 20% you won’t be required to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI typically costs about 0.5%-1% of the loan amount annually. For instance, on a $200,000 mortgage, avoiding PMI by putting down 20% or more might result in savings of over $80-$160 a month for the first 2-5 years of the loan!

It’s worth the time and effort to save as much as you can for your down payment. Start now, even if you don’t plan to buy a home for 5 or 10 years. A 20% down payment on a $200,000 home is $40,000.

Can’t hit that mark? Don’t panic, you’re not alone, and that shouldn’t discourage you from buying a house. Since 1991, the average annual increase of home values is around 3.5%, which means you’re still making gains despite the cost of PMI, and PMI doesn’t stay around forever. There are loan options out there for first-time home buyers than will allow as little as 3% down. Still have questions about mortgages? Click here to learn more, or give us a call! (734) 707-7992

Not knowing your credit status

Nothing is worse than getting excited about a house but then finding out your credit isn’t good enough to get a mortgage. Meet with a trusted lender to discuss mortgage pre-approval (which includes a credit check), just so you know where you stand. If there are errors you need to take care of, this will give you time to get things in order before you fall in love with a home. That leads us to our next avoidable mistake…

Forgetting to get a pre-approval letter

A pre-approval letter shows the seller that you have been vetted by a mortgage company and are likely to be able to get a mortgage. Most sellers will not accept an offer without a pre-approval letter.

It’s relatively easy to get a pre-approval letter. Just contact a lender and tell them that you need to be pre-approved. You’ll have to furnish documents proving your income and debt, and they’ll run a credit report. Once everything is delivered and checks out, you’ll get a letter you can use whenever you put in an offer on a house.

Not budgeting for end-of-sale expenses

When you think of buying a home, you probably think of the down payment and your mortgage payments, right? That’s certainly the biggest chunk of money, but that’s not everything you’ll need to budget for.

Closing costs, moving expenses, repairs, home inspection, homeowners insurance … there are lots of small expenses to consider that happen at the end of the process. Having a buffer of cash will make your life much easier. Keep in mind that closing costs alone tend to be between 2-5% of your loan amount.

Hiring the wrong buyer’s agent

As a first time homebuyer, you need guidance from a professional that’s empathetic to your needs. You want to look for a buyers agent that’s willing to act as a teacher, mentor and guide – educating you every step of the way and eliminating any confusion.

The best way to find the right buyer’s agent is to start reading reviews online, and then interview your candidate in-person. Always choose someone that’s not only well-reviewed and recommended, but also that you get along with well.

We want to be here to guide you through this process, so if you’re looking for more first time home buyer tips, advice or support, we’re here to listen! Schedule a no-obligation consultation with us today.

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