About Rick Curtis

Licensed Realtor with Key Realty Delta County in Escanaba, MI

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Rick Curtis

“The greatest mistake you can make in this life is to be continually fearing you’ll make one.”

Elbert Hubbard

Buying Vs. Renting

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Rick Curtis

What’s better: buying or renting a home? It depends on you. My wife and I have done both at different points of our life. One advantage of renting is the convenience of not having to make a hard commitment to the area you are living in. Another is when you rent you don’t have to worry about the maintenance factors, (ex: furnace going out, appliances breaking, etc) because your landlord addresses these for you. You pay your rent and go about your day to day. However, you don’t develop any equity in your property. For example, at the end of 10 years renting, you have paid for the privilege of renting, without any equity in where you live.

If you decide to become a homeowner this changes quite a bit. All of a sudden you are responsible for everything. If the furnace goes out (and you know, this does happen!), you have to either fix it yourself or find someone to fix it for you. You become “Master of your Castle” and how you handle each occurrence is up to you. Hopefully you will start to develop equity in your home. Check out this Forbes article about the 7 financial advantages of home ownership.

Being a renter or homeowner is a matter of preference. If you are looking for a long term avenue for building equity, home ownership is a way to helping you accomplish this.

For more information about the difference between renting vs. buying check out the following:

Fidelity Rent vs. Buying

Nerd Wallet Rent vs. Buy Calculator

If you have questions about the home buying or selling process in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, feel free to contact me. Whether your purchase or sale of a property is in the near future or further down the road, I’m here to help you on your real estate journey. My name is Rick Curtis and I am an Associate Broker with Key Realty Delta County in Escanaba, MI. Call/Text (906) 280-6118 or email Rick@KeyRealtyUP.com

Upper Peninsula Pic

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Rick Curtis

Picture taken along Lake Michigan in Wells State Park in Menominee, MI. If you have a nice picture of the Upper Peninsula that you would like to share, email it to rick@keyrealtyup.com

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Rick Curtis

“It is entirely possible that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we are unaware.”

Albert Einstein

Should Home Buyers get an Inspection?

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Rick Curtis

Home inspections are a tool all buyers can use. Some do, some don’t though. A home inspection breaks down the nitty gritty and provides a detailed look at the property you are considering buying. In the past my wife and I have bought homes with and without them.

Consider how much you are investing in the property you are buying and if the cost is worth the price being paid. In our area, they generally vary in price from $300-$600 depending on the size and other factors of the home.

When buying a home, knowledge is power. Typically, the more information you know in a real estate transaction, the more bargaining power you have. For example, if you know that the electrical inside the home is not wired correctly, this could become a bargaining chip inside of a negotiation. The seller may be willing to reduce the purchase price or make concessions after you have learned more details about the home from the inspection report. As a realtor, I recommend that my clients purchase this report when buying their homes for the best experience possible.

In the current housing market, some buyers may choose not to include this contingency item to make their offer more competitive, if this is done I would strongly suggest doing a detailed walkthrough when you see the home or have a qualified contractor/inspector present when your showing is being completed to ensure you are aware of possible concerns that will help you make your offer accordingly.

Check out this article for more information:

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/make-the-most-of-your-home-inspection/

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Rick Curtis

“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”

Marilyn Monroe

New Listing in Gladstone!

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Rick Curtis

1202 Minnesota Ave Gladstone, MI 49837

Check out this beautiful home just listed in Gladstone and close enough to walk to either Downtown or to Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach!

Details include:

4 , 2 , Garage

MLS 1131809

Offered at: $129,900

Address: 1202 Minnesota Ave

Gladstone, MI 49837

Click the link below to view the MLS Sheet:

https://buff.ly/3MrmaaM

How Can I Serve You?

Call or Text (906) 280-6118

Rick Curtis

Key Realty Delta County LLC

928 N Lincoln Rd

Escanaba, MI 49829

Show Your Buyer the Light

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Rick Curtis

Have you ever walked into a room and just felt depressed, maybe your mood downshifted and you weren’t sure why? Something I’ve realized over the years is that when there is not enough light in a room, it just doesn’t feel inviting or warm. When my wife and I walked into the home we currently own, we were instantly drawn to the natural light pouring in.

After having countless conversations with others, there seems to be a similar conclusion regarding light. When you’re staging your home for a showing, let the light shine in. Do a room by room audit and ensure that each has the maximum amount of light possible. Allowing the light in will help show prospective buyers your home with the best possible viewpoint. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Open all shades and blinds in your home.
Change out old light bulbs and fixtures.
Consider the decor in the room. Sometimes no matter how much light is in the room, the dark colored flooring or decor could be something difficult to overcome.
Add more lighting if needed.
Clean the windows to ensure that all grease and markings are not visible and the potential buyers get the best views possible out of your homes windows.

For more suggestions, check out this article at realtor.com