Re/Max Finest of Michigan 701 E State St. Johns MI

06/23/2026

Running central air all day keeps a home comfortable. It also adds up fast, especially through the hottest stretch of summer.

Our latest post covers eight practical ways to reduce indoor heat without relying on your AC to do all the work. Some are free. Some are a one-time fix. A few are longer-term investments for homes in consistently hot climates.

It's on the blog now.

Running the AC all day is expensive and not always necessary. Here are eight practical ways to keep your home cooler this summer, starting with the fixes that make the biggest difference.

06/16/2026

The buyers who are actively searching in June and July are not browsing casually. Families need to be in before school starts. Relocating buyers have a start date at a new job. Buyers who missed out in spring are ready to move.

That level of motivation changes how offers come in and how negotiations go. Sellers who understand the summer buyer profile going in are better positioned to make smart decisions when an offer comes in.

We published a post this week that breaks down exactly who's in the market right now and what it means for your listing. Read it now.

Summer buyers are motivated, deadline-driven, and more decisive than spring browsers. Here's what sellers need to know about who's in the market in June and July and how to position a listing for them.

06/09/2026

Planning to buy your next home while selling your current one?

Do you sell, then buy? Buy, then sell? Or try to line up both closings around the same time?

This week, we’re breaking down the three main ways to make a move, so you can understand the options before you’re in the middle of them.

Read the full post here

Buying a new home while selling your current one is one of the most common and most complicated moves in real estate. Here's how to think through the options before you commit to a direction.

06/04/2026

5 BEDROOMS. 3 BATHROOMS. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.

Looking for a home that gives you options?

This unique property in St. Johns can work for so many different lifestyles.

✅ Large 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom layout
✅ Two kitchens
✅ Attached 2-car garage
✅ Great setup for multigenerational living
✅ Opportunity for rental income potential
✅ Plenty of room for a home office, hobby space, or growing family

Whether you're looking for a traditional family home, a place for multiple generations under one roof, or a property with income-producing possibilities, this home offers flexibility that's hard to find.

💡 Live in one area and rent another.
💡 Give older kids, parents, or guests their own space.
💡 Create the ultimate work-from-home setup.
💡 Enjoy a home that can adapt as your needs change.

A home that gives you options.

Message me for more details or to schedule a showing!

06/02/2026

Pricing a home this summer takes a more current read than pricing one earlier in the spring.

Our latest post explains how to think through pricing before you list this summer, including what data matters most and how to avoid starting too high in a market where buyers are comparing carefully.

Read the full guide at the link below.

Pricing a home takes more than checking recent sales. Learn how active listings, price reductions, buyer search behavior, and current competition can help guide your list price.

05/26/2026

A smaller home can be wonderful to live in, but only if the space works with your everyday life.

If you’re living in a smaller home, thinking about downsizing, or trying to make your current space feel a little easier, this one’s for you.

Read our latest post for simple ideas that can make a small home feel brighter, lighter, and more comfortable. ⤵️

A smaller home doesn’t have to feel cramped. Use these practical small-space living tips to make your home feel bigger, brighter, and easier to live in.

05/19/2026

Selling a home you've owned for 15, 20, or 30 years involves decisions that most seller guides skip entirely. What do you do with decades of belongings before you list? Which original features need updating and which ones buyers will love? What happens with capital gains on a home you bought at a fraction of today's value?

We put together a practical guide for long-term homeowners covering exactly these questions, from sorting and prep to pricing, logistics, and what to think through before committing to a listing date.

If you're starting to think about what selling looks like after years in the same home, this one's for you. DM us the word SELLING and we'll send you the full blog post directly.

Selling a home you've lived in for 15 or 20 years involves decisions that most seller guides don't cover. Here's a practical look at what's different and how to approach it.

05/18/2026

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒𝐍’𝐓 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄… 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐘

One of the biggest mistakes sellers can make right now is pricing a home based on emotion instead of market data.

This chart shows what happens when an appraisal comes in LOWER than the agreed contract price. The farther apart the appraisal and contract price are, the more likely buyers and sellers are forced back into stressful negotiations. In many cases, deals can even fall apart completely.

📉 Amount by Which Appraisal Falls Short of Contract Price = More Renegotiation Risk

That’s why setting the RIGHT listing price from the start matters so much.

A trusted local agent with experience selling thousands of homes in the area understands:
• Current buyer behavior
• Local appraisal trends
• Neighborhood pricing patterns
• Financing and negotiation strategies
• How to price competitively without leaving money on the table

Anyone can throw a number on a house. The right agent knows how to position it so it appraises, attracts qualified buyers, and gets to the closing table smoothly.

In today’s market, pricing strategy is everything. The market leaves clues and signals everywhere. Use a REALTOR® who knows how to read them before your deal becomes another statistic.

05/13/2026

𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍’𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆

Everyone hears “homes are selling fast”… but the real story is happening underneath the headline numbers.

Here are a few local market signals from the last 30 days that caught my attention:

• Clinton County is sitting at roughly **0.7 months of inventory**
(Anything under 4 months is considered a strong seller’s market)

• Buyers negotiated about **11% off asking price on average** before closing

• Median list price per sq. ft. was **$169**
• Median sold price per sq. ft. came in at **$183**

That last one is important.

It tells us buyers are still paying a premium for homes that are clean, updated, well-marketed, and priced correctly.

At the same time…

New listings are getting attention FAST. Many are going under contract in single-digit days, while the full process from listing to closing is still averaging around 70 days once financing, inspections, and paperwork are factored in.

What does that mean for buyers and sellers?

Preparation matters more than ever.

The people winning in this market usually are not the ones reacting last minute. They’re the ones understanding the numbers early and building a strategy around them.

That’s where local experience makes a difference.

The RE/MAX Finest team has helped buy and sell thousands of homes across the Tri-County area, and staying connected means you get more than listings. You get real insight into what’s actually happening in our local market.

Thinking about making a move this year?
Or just like staying informed on the St. Johns and Clinton County market?

Drop a comment, send a message, or follow along for more local market insights.

05/12/2026

If you're buying a home, you already know AI search tools are useful.

But they can't tell you what the seller needs from this deal, what your offer has to look like to win, or what the listing left out.

Check out our latest post to find out where that line is.

Comment SEARCH below and we'll send you the link.

AI tools have changed how buyers search for homes. Here's what they do well, what they can't tell you, and why 85% of buyers ranked their agent as their most useful resource in their search.