Scott Fitton, RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals

03/18/2023

Those looking for a home, or just people in general, might be seeing and sensing some panic in the markets due to the recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. This is not unreasonable, but these also aren't panic inducing events, especially in real estate.

For the real estate market, this has actually been a good thing. Weird, but true. Interest rates have been falling in recent days as the 10-year Treasury Yield has dropped to a now 3.438% rate from a high of 4.091% just 2 weeks ago. This is important for real estate markets because mortgage interest rates track the 10-year Treasury Yield.

Historically, mortgage interest rates will be between 1.5-2.0% higher than the 10-Year, which puts current interest rates back in the low 6% range, which is what we have been seeing advertised by lenders (though take those with a grain of salt, and watch out for those hidden fees).

Like most things real estate, this isn't a hard and fast rule. Rates won't always track perfectly, but it's a good rule of thumb. We definitely miss those low-3% interest rates we had in 2020 and 2021, but historic lows don't stick around forever. Right now, rates are holding steady well below historical averages (~8%) right around 6%. We're adjusting and will continue to do so as the markets continue to change.

07/01/2020

Congratulations to our happy sellers!

06/26/2020

Full listing is live for 1615 S Canal Rd in Lansing! Fully renovated 4 bed, 2 bath farmhouse! New finishes throughout with a beautiful kitchen and new hardwood floors. Plus, it's energy efficient with solar electric and a high efficiency furnace. $234,900! Come see it today!

Come see this beautifully remodeled farm house on the west side of Lansing in the Grand Ledge School District! This home was fully updated and remodeled in 2017 with all new hardwood throughout, expanded kitchen with granite countertops and new appliances, installed solar electric panels, high effic...

06/25/2020

Coming Soon (and live tomorrow)! 4 bed, 2 bath nearly 2,200 sq ft updated farmhouse. Fully renovated with a 1st floor master, new hardwoods throughout, large kitchen with new appliances and granite countertops, large deck and oversized 2-car garage. Has solar electric, a high efficiency furnace, and new water softener for the well. Low utilities! 1615 S Canal Road. $234,900!

06/22/2020

Self-promotion isn't my favorite thing (understatement), but we're still here answering questions and getting people where they want to be. We've got some good stuff cooking, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, we're out here enjoying the beautiful weather with the kiddo playing with some rocks on his bridge. Perhaps his favorite daily activity.

08/12/2019

Good day here at 2801 Hillcrest!

08/07/2019

Come see this beautifully maintained ranch in a quiet, friendly neighborhood right near the Flint Golf Club. This 3 bed, 2.5 bath home features over 2, 000 finished square feet of living space, hardwood flooring, 2 fireplaces, tons of storage, and a partially finished basement with a transferable lifetime warranty. Check it out today!

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2801-Hillcrest-Ave_Flint_MI_48507_M47796-51047

08/02/2019

PSA time!

Be sure to keep a record of your deed and title insurance policy! It is rare to have any issues with claims of ownership, but these documents are vital for insuring your right of ownership on your home.

These can be kept digitally or as a physical copy, but be sure to have them and know where they are.

I may be speaking from personal experience here. We bought our home several years before I got into the real estate business and I knew very little about the process, but more importantly the details of real estate transactions. It turns out, there was an issue with the legal description of the property in the deed that was submitted to the assessor's office which prevented them from transferring full ownership into our name. I hadn't noticed and didn't think to look for that on future documentation. Poor attention to detail Fitton!

Fortunately, we were able to resolve this issue quickly by providing the assessor's office with a copy of our warranty deed as well as the title insurance policy. These are both important documents: One stating the transfer of ownership has taken place, and the other giving an insured guarantee that all information on that deed is correct with full legal backing. Your real estate agent should be making sure all details are accurate. Ours did not, and at the time I didn't know the questions to ask. Be informed (unlike the previous version of myself)!

So go check your records, check your local property lookup site, and be sure you don't have a surprise issue waiting for you down the road! It's highly unlikely you have a problem, but having the correct documentation can fix any issue you might have with little to no trouble.

05/02/2019

After a weird image licensing dispute, we're back!

This one sold back in March, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity (though delayed) to thank my dear friends Sean and Christy for entrusting their home to me, and for being so gracious in enduring a difficult process. It's never easy when a deal falls through at the last minute, but these two were wonderful, and in the end we were able to find that offer and get their house sold. It is sometimes hard to find good people, and these are truly terrific people.

04/24/2019

A truly excellent program providing college scholarships to Lansing school graduates, now coming up on 1,000 scholars! Another great reason to .

The Lansing Promise has helped nearly 1,000 students go to college since 2012, contributing $2.3 million in scholarships, per officials.

02/20/2019

Newly listed home in Okemos. Freshly remodeled in a great neighborhood with terrific neighbors!

I may be biased about the neighbors part, but they're my friends and I like them.

For sale: $299,000.