Charity Throughout the Year

Please allow this to serve as a warm, heartfelt thank you to all of the many generous and benevolent contributors who donated to the Suitcases For Kids initiative here in Southwest Michigan.

This year’s effort raised approximately $2000.00 in cash contributions as well as a small truckload of shiny new travel bags and suitcases for our Berrien County area foster children.

Of course, the requisite personal care items which are stocked in these bags were collected as well and it was with great pride and humility that we presented these items this past Friday 14th, 2007.

While there are always rewarding moments that arise I thought I would share one particular moment that moved all of us on the day we organized and distributed the items.

A very colorful and vibrant back pack was stocked with some comfort items which could have only come from the heart of another child. A child’s blanket, socks, tee shirts, a music CD of children’s songs, and the donating child’s favorite bedtime story book complete with a Polaroid photo and a handwritten note explaining how good it felt to be helping!

The child in the photo was all of three and a half feet tall!

Have faith in humanity, there is hope for us all!

We chose to work on this program during the summer to illustrate that the need is ongoing and not seasonal in nature.

Many organizations endeavor to tie their charity work to the holidays as it seems the most logical of times to reach out to those in need.

I think that if I could instill one message it would be that those who are in need are in need right now.

Make a difference today.

Investing In Foreclosures: Southwest Michigan Real Estate

The real estate market is experiencing a staggering amount of foreclosures nationwide and all indicators show that this trend will continue. The growing number of such properties in lender portfolios continues to create further instability throughout the marketplace as the number of available homes for sale increases while the number of available buyers decreases.

This stagnation is also compounded by the recent rise in interest rates as well as the increased scrutiny of underwriting due, in no small part, to the collapse of the sub-prime market.
Many qualified buyers are finding it more difficult to obtain financing and the result has been an even greater tentativeness by these buyers seeking an opportunity to capitalize on this market trend. Even home sellers are reticent to list their properties which includes those of the high income bracket.

The third point on this triangle is the advent of new construction units which is usually a residual effect of a previous upturn in the market. Not long ago ( perhaps eighteen to twenty four months ) when the rates were in the four or five percent range on Adjustable Rate Mortgages, many investors and speculators began to add to the housing inventory by developing sites and constructing new homes. The result: even more homes for less buyers.

The cumulative effect has been reported almost daily as more and more families lose their homes to foreclosure and our nation suffers through this vicious cycle of surplus and tenuous financial stability. However, like all markets which ebb and flow, there is always opportunity if you know where to look.

The foreclosure market offers a plethora of varied inventory and in many circumstances an opportunity for future windfall. Due to the large number of these type of homes there exists a much greater level of negotiability and as such, a great deal of opportunity for the educated consumer.

The potential investor must be advised that many of these homes are left in deplorable condition and will be offered for sale “As Is” with the sellers offering no concessions. These homes will need repair and updating and will require the purchaser to provide earnest money and will almost always allow a very short time frame in which to conduct any due diligence relating to structural, mechanical, or environmental concerns.

The upside is the alluring aspect of this type of real state transaction because all markets eventually recover.

An investor with a good line of credit and a reasonable amount of contracting knowledge and expertise can truly find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The key to success lies in having access to the necessary market data and this is where having a knowledgeable Real Estate Professional is invaluable.

Your chosen professional should have pertinent market data, financial solutions, an understanding of local municipal codes, and most importantly be a visionary.