North American International Auto Show

One of the premier international auto shows in the world!


Held at Cobo Center.


Public Show is when all of us get to check out the cars.
January 14

Charity Preview Gala

                                                  January 15-23

                                                  Public Show
                                                  http://www.naias.com/

Public Show

2011 FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL

Bundle up the family and head to

Downtown Rochester 

January 28 (6-9 p.m.)

29th (10 a.m - 9 p.m.)

30th (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Tubing Hill, Ice Skating Rink, Snow Play Area, Dog Sledding,

Tastefest & Beer Tent, Fireworks . . .

Fire and Ice Festival

NOTEWORTHY SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN CHARITIES

SHARING & CARING

This time of year, many of us are able to sit around an abundant Thanksgiving table counting our blessings, indulge in wonderful holiday gifts or travel to see family and friends. Many are not so fortunate. Included are a few of the noteworthy and deserving organizations in the greater southeastern Michigan area that strive to help out those in need. If you can - give of yourself, your time or money, or lend a helping hand to someone in need.



WAYNE COUNTY LIGHTFEST

With 4 1/2 miles of giant animated displays and nearly a million lights along Hines Drive, it's the Midwest's largest Holiday Light Show. Drive through
7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Nov 18 - Dec 31, 2010
Wayne Country Lightfest Website

AMERICA'S THANKSGIVING PARADE

The theme for the 84th America's Thanksgiving Parade® is Celebrate the Spirit. The theme chosen by The Parade Company, allows for everyone to celebrate in their own way. Celebrate time together with friends and family, celebrating the spirit of the holidays, and the spirit of community pride.

One of the country's oldest and most celebrated Parades, will step off at Begins 9:20 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 25, 2010.

America's Thanksgiving Parade Website

FORECLOSURES IN MICHIGAN

Michigan is among the hardest hit foreclosure states in the Nation. In August 2010, the state’s foreclosure rate increased 128% over August 2009 and it remains among the top five states in the Nation in foreclosure totals. In July 2010 alone, 1 in 241 housing units in Michigan received a foreclosure filing.

FORECLOSURE IN THE NEWS

Reported by crainsdetroit.com, Michigan is not likely to be impacted by the issues raised with national lenders, said David Trott; president of Farmington Hills based Trott

& Trott PC involved with about 2/3rds of all Michigan foreclosure filings. At issue has been a practice by banks to use so-called “robo signing,” putting signatures on some court documents without reading them. In Michigan less than 1% of all foreclosures go through the courts, so affidavits signed without being read will not likely be an issue according to Trott. “Our process is much simpler here, and we typically don’t have affidavits,” Trott said. “I’d be surprised if this is the basis to unwind any foreclosures in Michigan.”

FUN IDEAS FOR FALL

The crisp weather of fall is almost upon us and football season is well underway. While the prospect of relaxing into a lazy Sunday schedule calls to many home owners weary from the routine of weekend lawn mowing, why not prepare some fun activities to enjoy during the upcoming cool weather.

- Get fall and winter sports equipment ready for action.

- Stocking up on crossword puzzles, compelling books and other brain-stimulating items.

- Dust off board games and plan playful activities. Set up a series of game nights to host for friends and family

- Get rid of any unnecessary summertime items and clean your home from top to bottom

- A great time to get your house ready for group gatherings and other social activities.

Make sure you have plenty of open, inviting space in which to host people so your home will accommodate any and all guests!

 

8 SMART FALL HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS

Continue to mow your lawn until the first frost. Remove the leaves when your grass has stopped growing.

Falling leaves clog your gutter. Not cleaning your gutters can lead to wet basements.
Clean your outdoor furniture. Refinish it if necessary to prevent rust. If you store it inside, allow for airflow so you avoid moisture damage.
Schedule any indoor painting you need done. The weather is usually ideal for leaving windows open for ventilation.
Check your insulation in your attic, basement and other areas. If you find any dirty spots, it often indicate air leaks into or out of your home. If you find any holes, seal them with caulk.
Exterior lighting is very important. With dark days ahead, check all your bulbs and consider using timers to turn lights on at dusk and off in the morning.
Properly discard or store paint, caulk or adhesives in a heated area to prevent them from freezing. Check with your local hazardous material recycler for instructions on discarding products that could be toxic. Drain all gasoline-powered tools.
Clean and/or repair your chimney. Before you light the first log, get your chimney cleaned and make any necessary repairs.

GET INDOOR SPACES READY FOR FALL

Maintain your pipes. Wrap your pipes with heating tape every winter. Keep your house warm - at least 65 degrees.
Check your heating systems. Be sure to maintain your furnace, boiler, water heater, and wood-burning stove and have your heating system serviced every year. Change your heating and air conditioning filters regularly.
Know your plumbing. Learn where and how to shut the water off. If your pipes freeze, the quicker the water is shut off, the less chance pipes will bust.

Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Dust build-up in ducts is a major cause of indoor pollutants and can increase incidences of cold weather illnesses.


.

GREEN BUILDING TAKES OFF IN REAL ESTATE SLUMP

Green building remains the bright spot in an otherwise dull U.S. real estate market as companies and homeowners look to lower utility bills according to an article in the USA TODAY. In fact, green building has increased from 2% in 2005 to nearly one-third now.


The Washington based USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) program is set up like an arbiter of a sort of building Olympics. Projects earn points for various features. Use renewable cork flooring, for instance, get a point in the materials and resources category. Use paint that doesn't give off toxic substances — score a point for indoor environmental quality. There are categories for water efficiency and energy. Pay the fees, rack up enough points, and win a basic, silver, gold or platinum rating. Around 155,000 designers, contractors, consultants and others have studied up online using courses, and then passed the test to earn the designation LEED Accredited Professional — or "green associate." Employ a LEED AP on a project and you get a point for that.

The number of homes receiving LEED approval tripled last year, from 1,151 in 2008 to more than 3,000 in 2009. Homes, like office buildings, get points for water conservation, energy efficiency, durability, location, air quality and other factors.

SELLER INSPECTIONS

A Great Tool for Competing Against Foreclosure Listings!

They Aren’t Usually the Bargain Buyers Expect: Banks will price a foreclosure near appraised value unless there are MAJOR defects. There is almost always a significant investment needed to bring the condition to a "move-in ready" state. Sellers can make their properties more enticing by having them problem free.
It Can Take a Long Time to Close on a Foreclosure: Banks will rarely respond quickly to get these poorly performing assets off their books. It can takes weeks to respond to offers & counteroffers. Prepared sellers will fare well in competition because buyers can close and move in on a realistic schedule.
Disclosure of Defects is Non-existent With Foreclosures: Banks will disclose nothing about the condition of the foreclosure home. Its "buyer beware" even with a home inspection. Some lenders will want some or all of the problems discovered during an inspection corrected before closing. The smart seller will have done their own pre-listing inspection and corrective action repairs.

MICHIGAN'S ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW-SLOWLY

In an article from Crain's Detroit Business, Shawn Wright discusses some postive news for Southeast Michigan's economy. At its lowest point in January, the PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) showed a 45.2. Over the last six months, the index has indicated a consistently expanding economy to July's level of 56.7. As we see sustained growth in the economy, purchasing managers should become more comfortable with hiring once again. And, as people feel more confident in their job security, the economy, and housing prices, we should see some leveling off of the real estate market.

For Shawn's complete article, click here

MICHIGAN APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM EXPANDED!

According to a recent story by reporter John Lund of WILX-TV, Michigan will now add furnances & hot water heaters to the list of appliances available for rebates from the State of Michigan. It is another effort to stimulate the economy & help homeowners upgrade their inefficient appliances to more energy saving versions.

Rebate Website

Starting Aug. 1, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth will offer rebates on hot-water heaters and furnaces. But those products are just the new addition to the Michigan Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program.
"Most of our rebates- we've given out 62,000 rebates, and most of them have been for refrigerators, clothes washers and dish washers," said Department of Energy's manager of technical assistance, John Sarver.
The program, part of the Federal Economic Recovery Program, has been around since February. It is like last year's Cash for Clunkers in the automobile industry. Except, this time, it's major appliances.
"This is most likely a one-shot deal, from the federal government," Sarver said. "These are federal dollars administered by the state to save energy, but also stimulate the economy."
The Michigan Trade Up program is similar to others around the country. But analysts say that Michigan is giving out more rebates than any other state.
"If we stay on the schedule, we should give out about 115 to 120,000 in rebates and that's about 13 times the amount of rebates other states will give out by the end of our program," said Stephanie Epps, appliance analyst for the Department of Energy.
Available at retailers wherever appliances are sold, the new eligible appliances are rated "energy star" or better, and are strictly for residential usage. Over $2 million is available for the furnace and hot water trade-ins, while $6.6 million is available for fridges and washers.
"Quite a bit of money available, but we're thinking that with the addition of the natural gas furnaces and hot water heaters, that the money will go fairly quickly," Sarver said.
Sarver estimates that the programs funds will be depleted by November.
FULL STORY

HIGHER END HOMES BRING MULTIPLE OFFERS

Metro Detroit buyers in the $500,000 plus market are finding in hard to buy "move-in" ready homes. Houses in good condition often bring multiple offers. If they are persistant, they can find a house with all the "extras", but in many cased these houses need some work. The inventory includes many foreclosed and short sales house where the fixtures have been stripped or the condition of the house requires some work. For a great article on this subject, visit "Good deals are at the high end, but finding them takes some work"

What You Should Know Before You Refinance Your Mortgage

It all depends on three factors on a sliding scale:
1. How much you can reduce your interest rate.
2. How much you’ll pay in closing costs.
3. How long you plan to live in the home.
The real key is the break-even point. That’s the number of months you should plan to keep the home after refinancing in order to recover your closing costs. For example, if you pay $3,000 in closing costs and you manage to lower your mortgage payments by $150 a month, you would reach the break-even point in 20 months. As long as you plan to live in the home longer than that, refinancing could be worthwhile. It’s a sliding scale. The smaller your savings, the longer you need to stay put.
There are a couple strategies to tweak the sliding scale by minimizing the price of closing costs when you refinance.
1. Ask your current lender to refinance you. In order to keep your business, your lender may be willing to waive certain closing costs.
2. Ask for the "reissue rate" on your title insurance, a savings of 40 to 50 percent.
3. Ask for an automated or drive-by appraisal, which is cheaper than a full-fledged one.
4. Get your lender to skip the credit check. After all, the company is intimately familiar with your payment record.

REFINANCING - How to Make It Work

If you have decided that refinancing makes sense for you, follow these tips to make sure you do it wisely:
1. Shop around for interest rates. The Internet is a good place to comparison shop, but be wary of unknown companies.
2. Hold the line on closing costs. Some lenders are taking advantage of low interest rates to jack up their closing costs.

3. Start with the bank that currently holds your mortgage. They may give you a good deal just to keep your business.
4. Avoid paying points. When you refinance, you can deduct only a portion of the points each year.
5. Don’t try to outsmart the market and wait for interest rates to hit their low point. If the numbers make sense, jump in!

JULY EVENTS ON THE WATER

Over the past 10 years, “Quake on the Lake” has gained a reputation as one of the premier summertime events in/around Oakland County, Michigan.
The “Quake” has become a “must attend” event for North American Inboard Hydroplane owners and drivers; and since its inception, nearly 350,000 people have witnessed world-record racing performances from the top teams in the business. The event is the proud recipient of 17 American Power Boat Association (APBA) world speed records being set in 5 different racing classes making Pontiac Lake one of the fastest one-mile race courses in the country!

New for 2010 the “Quake” will feature an awesome carnival complete with midway and over 15 amusement rides such as the Enterprise, Space Loop, Spin Out and Mulligan Wheel as well as national musical recording artists headlining the stage on Friday and Saturday evening

The 16th annual Meijer St. Clair Riverfest will be a three-day extravaganza held Friday, July 23- Sunday, July 25, 2010. Located on the banks of the St. Clair River in beautiful downtown St. Clair, MI. http://www.quakeonthelake.org/

Meijer St. Clair Riverfest

started in July of 2006 in conjunction with the St. Clair River Classic formed over 15 years ago by the Blue Water Offshore Racing Association. This event combines the power of Offshore Racing with National Recording artists performing on two of the three nights culminating with spectacular Offshore racing on the St. Clair River. The Riverfest has grown into the largest event in St. Clair County with it drawing well over 100,000 visitors annually since it began. http://www.stclairriverfest.com/

FARMINGTON FOUNDERS FESTIVAL

Founders Festival!
July 15, 16, & 17

Downtown Farmington invites you to Go Play in the Streets for a weekend of music, food, and fun activities geared for all ages. Go stroll through the Crafters Marketplace and Farmers and Artisans Market. Visit the Main Stage for great music and catch a Movie Under the Stars. Cheer on a parade, make crafts with the kids and run around the Go PlayGround. There's lots to see and do.