“Paths are made by walking”
Franz Kafka
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Tag Archives: Sale
Fishing dock in Escanaba
Do you you love to fish? If so, the Escanaba area is the perfect place to buy a house. The fishing on the Bays De Noc is so good, several professional fishing tournaments have been hosted here. The Bays are known for the awesome walleye fishing. Other types of fishing include salmon, bass and whitefish. During the winter, you will see countless ice shanties on the bay as people additionally enjoy ice fishing. Click on the linked words above for more local information about fishing. Also, check out this guide from the DNR.
Reasons I choose to live in the UP
My family has lived in different areas throughout the years. Soon after my wife and I had our first son we moved home to the UP. We decided to pack up and drive north to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind. There are many reasons we were called home to build our life.
1.) The people- Yoopers are a very special type of people. The people who live here have your back. I once broke down in Crystal Falls on my way home to Hancock. A local repair garage owner, who I did not know, offered to drive me the hour and a half home. This is one example of many.
2.) Pace of life- this is huge for me, personally. Living in the U.P. offers a significantly slower pace of life I have come to appreciate. In the city, my wife and I both had long commutes in heavy traffic. Now we are both minutes from work and love the extra time we have with our boys.
3.) Nature- the vast amount of wildlife and landscapes are truly breathtaking. There is continually more to explore and appreciate. Locally around town we are always heading out on an adventure to a trail, park or beach to enjoy as a family.
4.) The “big lakes”- there is always something to do at the lake and this is where my wife says her “soul feels free”. Something about water as far as the eyes can see make me reflect on life.
Wells State Park
Are you looking for an adventure that is not too far away from town? About 30 miles south of Escanaba you will find a beautiful Michigan State Park, Wells State Park. This park has a lot to offer. The park has a scenic campground with campsites so close to the lake, waves will lull you to sleep at night. There is an updated playground, rustic cabins and a sandy beach for your enjoyment. Take a walk down the beach or a nature trail to get your daily dose of the outdoors. After you close on your new home, pack up your gear and head out to play.
Home Buying: The Search
Buying a home is a big task. It can be overwhelming at times. One way to simplify the process and organize your thoughts in a list. I tried to find the perfect app to help make it easier to remember the houses we were looking at. However, nothing was a good fit so we resorted to an “old fashioned” pen and paper list. When we were purchasing our home, our family sat down and made a list with the following categories:
MUST Haves
DEAL Breakers
WISH List (Bonus items)
MINUS (Non-deal breaker negatives)
Our list looked like this:
MUST Haves:
- At least 3 bedrooms
- At least 2 bathrooms
- Updated Kitchen
- Updated Bathroom
DEAL Breakers:
- Creepy Basement
- Outdated electrical system
WISH List:
- Garage
- Fenced Yard
- Updated Exterior
MINUS
- Small lot
- Really close neighbors
- Outdated utilities
After writing our list, we numbered each house and took a copy of our list to have an easy way to remember the big items for each one. It really helped with our search and we were surprised when we found our house, how it match our list. Of course it did not match perfectly, no house can ever be PERFECT, but it helped find the one that was right for us.
What does your list look like?
Quote of the Day
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why”
By: Mark Twain
Winter Wonderland
This morning we woke up to the trees frosted over. As long as this winter has been, it truly was beautiful. I love the times where the buzz of life is paused and we can appreciate the moment. The frost did not last long, as the sun came up, just as many moments in life pass us by. Nature’s reminder to stop and breathe from time to time.
Sledding at Ludington Park
Winters in the U.P. are long, so it is important to find activities to participate in to get out of the house. One fun activity is sledding at Ludington Park. On sunny winter days one will find people basking the sunshine overlooking the frozen lake as they enjoy a ride down the hill. This activity has it all: a beautiful view, fresh air and a thrill. Enjoy this winter activity and many more after the purchase of a home here.
Ideas to increase the value of your home to potential buyers
There are multiple ways to increase your home value from minor tweaks to major upgrades. What are some ways to add value to your home without breaking the bank?
1.) Installing new knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets.
2.) Painting the rooms in your home to present a fresh, new look to potential buyers.
3.) Change out the front door to make your home “pop” with curb appeal.
4.) Upgrade or change out light fixtures if they are dated or don’t go with the property.
5.) Add crown molding
6.) Upgrade appliances
For more ideas to increase the value of your home, check out the following links:
1.) Realtor.com
2.) HGTV
3.) DIY Network
How much house can I afford?
What we want and what we can afford may sometimes be a different story. We may want the most expensive lake home in our neighborhood or the log cabin of our dreams, our budget may not be on the same page with us. So, when looking for that next piece of property to purchase, a necessary question to ask is, “How much can I afford?”
According to bakrate.com your monthly payments should not equal more that 36% of your monthly income. This figure doesn’t only factor in your mortgage payment but all payments, like credit card, student loans, car loans etc. Taking on too large of a payment will put a strain on your budget and make other things, like saving for retirement or your kids college education more difficult. Take a look at these articles for more info on helping you determine how much home you can afford for your next purchase:
1.) Bank Rate
2.) Dave Ramsey
3.) Zillow
4.) Consumer Reports
Upper Peninsula Homes 