Screen Appeal Is the
New Curb Appeal

I prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) using recently sold homes that are similar to yours in size, condition, location, and features. Active listings and expired listings factor in too. They show what buyers are and aren't willing to pay right now. The goal is a price that reflects current market conditions, not wishful thinking or a lowball designed to generate quick offers.

It depends on what needs work and what it costs to fix. Some repairs like leaking roofs, non-functioning HVAC, electrical issues, will show up in every buyer's inspection and give them grounds to renegotiate. Others are cosmetic and may not be worth the investment. I'll walk your home before we list and give you a prioritized list: what to fix, what to disclose, and what to leave alone. Every dollar you spend should come back to you at the closing table.

Yes. Michigan law requires sellers to complete a Seller's Disclosure Statement disclosing known material defects: roof condition, water damage, mechanical systems, structural issues, environmental hazards, and more. Sellers are required by law to complete this form. Failing to disclose known defects can expose you to legal liability after closing. I'll walk you through the form and make sure it's completed correctly.

Michigan seller closing costs typically include: Michigan state transfer tax ($3.75 per $500 of sale price), county transfer tax (varies by county. Washtenaw County is $2.10 per $500), title insurance for the buyer, any outstanding liens or prorated property taxes, and real estate agent commission. Total seller-side costs commonly run 6–9% of the sale price, depending on the transaction.

If the buyer is using financing, the lender will order an appraisal. If the home appraises below the contracted price, the buyer's lender won't finance the difference, and you have a problem. Options at that point include: renegotiating the price down to the appraised value, asking the buyer to cover the gap in cash (an appraisal gap clause), or canceling the contract if there's an appraisal contingency. A well-supported asking price, one backed by real comps, reduces appraisal risk significantly.

Contingent means you have an accepted offer, but it's subject to conditions, typically inspection, financing, or the buyer selling their current home. If those conditions aren't met, the deal can fall through. Pending means those contingencies have been cleared and the transaction is moving toward closing. Both statuses mean the home is off the market for active showings, though contingent homes sometimes continue accepting backup offers.

Yes. At closing, your outstanding mortgage balance is paid off from the sale proceeds before you receive your net equity. As long as your sale price covers the payoff amount and closing costs, you're clear. If you owe more than the home is worth, that's a short sale, a different process that requires lender approval. I'll help you understand your net proceeds before we list so there are no surprises at closing.

Don't dismiss it outright. The asking price isn't a floor. It's a starting point for negotiation. A below-asking offer might be the opener from a serious buyer. I'll review every term: price, contingencies, closing timeline, what the buyer is asking for in concessions, and help you decide whether to counter, accept, or decline. Sometimes a lower offer with fewer contingencies or a faster close is worth more than a higher offer with complications.

In most SE Michigan markets, well-priced homes go under contract in 2 to 5 weeks. Ann Arbor, Northville, and Canton move fastest. More rural or smaller communities like Milan and Dexter take longer. The biggest variables are list price accuracy, condition, and season. Spring is the strongest selling window across the region.

Late March through June is the strongest window for selling in Michigan. Buyer activity peaks in spring, school-year calendars drive family timelines, and homes photograph better with greenery and natural light. Fall can also be strong, but winter listings tend to see less competition from buyers. If you need to sell in winter, pricing and condition have to be sharp.

If a home has been on the market for 3-4 weeks with strong showings but no offers, the feedback is about price. If showings are low, the problem is price and marketing. A price reduction is most effective in the first 30 days. The longer a home sits, the more buyers assume something is wrong. I would rather price right from day one than chase the market down.

The fastest sales come from three things: accurate pricing from day one, strong professional photography and marketing, and a home that shows clean and well-maintained. Overpricing is the single biggest cause of a slow sale. I will tell you what the market supports, not what you want to hear, because that is what actually gets homes sold.

Land has a much smaller buyer pool and fewer direct comps, so pricing takes more judgment: soil quality, road access, utilities, and zoning all move value in ways square footage doesn't capture on a house. Marketing leans more on plat maps, survey details, and use cases (buildable, recreational, agricultural) than on staged photos. Land also tends to sit longer than a house, so realistic pricing from day one matters even more.