How do HOAs work?

When you purchase a home, there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay a homeowners association fee, especially in gated communities, townhouses, condominiums, and other similar planned neighborhoods. The idea is to keep common areas clean and maintained, and there’s usually an HOA board that is responsible for setting the rules and regulations.

Each HOA is different, but most have the same core elements. You’ll typically pay your HOA fees either monthly or annually, and it’s an important factor to consider when you’re weighing your options for a new home. So what is typically included in your HOA fees?

First, the fun stuff - Amenities are typically the big perk of living in a community with an HOA. While you lose out on some of the freedom of living without an HOA, you instead get community amenities like a maintained pool, gym, clubhouse, tennis courts, and other amenities. The HOA fees pay for cleaning and maintenance, so—in theory—you’ll always have a clean pool whenever you want to use it.

Protecting the community HOA fees often contribute to insurance for the community amenities, as well as a fund for unexpected repairs to damaged community property—think damage from weather or accidents.

General maintenance - Your HOA fees will go toward maintaining the general safety and upkeep of the community. This means things like elevator maintenance for condominiums, snow removal, and trash/recycling services.

Be active in the association -There may be a board of directors, but homeowners associations exist for the betterment of the entire community, and every voice matters. HOA meetings—and the amenities they support—provide great opportunities to meet your neighbors and make your community a better place.

Would you like more information to help you with your real estate decisions? Please contact Wally Kleit: 313-598-4899. 

Budget friendly projects with a big ROI

Not all home improvement projects are created equal. Some renovations may cost a lot but not add significant value to your home. This list goes in the opposite direction: Here are some inexpensive home improvement projects that will not only increase your enjoyment of your home, but will also increase the home’s value.

1.     High quality ceiling fans: In a recent National Association of Home Builders survey, ceiling fans ranked No. 1 as the most-wanted decorative item. If your ceiling fans are outdated, replace them with something in the $400 range—it’ll make a big difference when it’s time to sell.

2.     Trees: Mature trees can be worth as much as $10,000 toward the value of your home. Trees also protect your home from the elements and prevent erosion.

3.     Energy efficiency: Buyers are increasingly interested in saving energy, so any efficiency update is worthwhile. Switching from a wood to gas fireplace is a great start.

4.     Outdoor lighting: Exterior lighting is great for highlighting the accents of your home, and you can typically expect a 50 percent return on investment.

5.     Molding: You can finish a room with crown molding or railing for as little as $1.50 per foot if you take a DIY approach, and it’s extremely desirable among prospective buyers.

Don't let bad smells affect the sale of your house!

We've all been there. Stepped into a room and smelled something bad. And then we made an immediate judgment. This is what buyers do when they go into a home and smell cat litter or a musty basement. Read these handy tips for killing some of the top causes of bad smells in a home:

• 

  You Can't Detect These 4 Stinky Smells, But Your Guests Can. Smell Better Fast

  You’re noseblind to your home’s odors. Here’s how to find and eliminate the smelly culprits. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2016 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

To discuss more ideas to get your home sale ready, please feel free to contact me!
Wally Kleit Broker/Owner  at: 313-598-4899 /  wkleit@yahoo.com

Southgate, Michigan: A Fun and Affordable Community to Live In!

Photo credit: City of Southgate 

One of the best decisions I made when deciding where to open our RE/MAX Innovation office was to choose Southgate, Michigan. Southgate is not only a friendly and progressive small-town community, but it also offers many family-friendly activities and centralized access to some of the important places we need to go.

Looking for outdoor recreation? You have plenty to choose from. If you are a golfer, then you may want to hit the greens at Southwind's Golf Course. There is ice-skating, figure skating and hockey leagues at the Southgate Civic Ice Arena. Plenty of recreation opportunities can also be found at one of the nine neighborhood parks and play fields as well as two community parks.

One event that residents look forward to in Southgate is Heritage Days. This 4-day festival includes a carnival, arts & crafts fair, live music, a "taste of the town" and fireworks. A car show follows the parade.  This year's event is scheduled for Thursday, June 16 through Sunday, June 19.

Looking for good places to eat? Southgate offers plenty of local restaurants and major chain restaurants that you can view at this link. One of our personal favorites is the Southgate Grill where we have always experienced good meals and friendly service.

Shopping is plentiful in Southgate and offers many additional options in neighboring cities. Check out this link for a list of local options. If you are looking for a shopping mall, there is Southland Center located in Taylor, Michigan. You can also find most any major retail store located within a 10 mile radius of Southgate.

Access to the airport, hospitals and colleges is important to many families. Detroit Metro Airport is approximately 11 miles away. Nearby hospitals include Henry Ford Wyandotte, Beaumont Hospital and Kindred Hospital. Additionally, there are many universities within close driving distance such as U of M Dearborn, Henry Ford College, Wayne State University and more.

Lastly, not only is Southgate a friendly community, it is also an affordable community to buy a home in. The median house price is $94,000 and is expected to rise 3.4% over the coming year per Zillow.  Our RE/MAX Innovation team loves the community of Southgate and is proud to grow our business here.

*If I can help you find or list your home in Southgate, Michigan or the Metro-Detroit area, please contact me for a free consultation and market analysis: 313-598-4899. Thank you! Wally