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Marrs Mortgage Group Rate Update for August 13th

Interest rates increased this week due to inflationary concerns, despite a solid retreat in crude oil prices and the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold off on the idea of raising them in the near future. With the Feds keeping rates stable to prevent a further decline in consumer spending, inflationary concerns have seemed to raise rates on their own. However, it is still a great time to buy a home with low rates, high inventory, and plenty of motivated sellers. According to Bankrate.com, over two thirds of experts and analysts surveyed believe interest rates will rise over the next 35-45 days. Please keep this in mind when considering purchasing, as an increase in rate can cost you thousands more in interest over the life of your loan. Read the rest of this entry

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Ann Arbor Mortgage News Update

Last week, President Bush signed a new housing bill intended to rescue many of the troubled homeowners across the U.S. in fear of forclosure. It includes over $300 billion for homeowners in fear of losing their homes to trade in their current loans for more affordable mortgages. The bill also includes measures to fix up forclosed homes and to provide tax credits to first time home buyers. It was designed to help stabilize the market, aside from falling home values and rising mortgage defaults. Read the rest of this entry

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Ann Arbor Receives National Recognition

Ann Arbor is quite simply the best place to call home.  It was no surprise when AARP Magazine recently named Ann Arbor as the #1 Healthiest City to live and retire.  This honor and national exposure should not be taken lightly.  AARP The Magazine chose cities offering the best opportunities in terms of local economy, quality of life, educational resources, health care facilities, crime rates, accessible means for exercise and many other variables that allowed Ann Arbor to shine brightest among the very best cities in The United States!  Read the rest of this entry

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Marrs Mortgage Group Rate Update for July 31st

Mortgage rates dropped slightly this week after hitting a record high for the year of over 6.5% on the 30 year fixed last week. Some of you may be familiar with the various advertisements online flashing news about rates being at all time lows and being able to get a $300,000 mortgage for $750/month. These are the type of lenders and advertisements that have caused such a negative impact in the mortgage industry and in some cases have lead homeowners into forclosure.

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Visitors, new residents and current residents just looking for something to do can find a variety of opportunities in Ann Arbor.  There are always great parks for nature lovers.  The following parks are great to explore:
·    Argo Nature Area
·    Bandemer Park
·    Barton Nature Area
·    Cedar Bend Nature Area
·    Gallup Park
·    Hunt Park
·    Island Park
·    Matthaei Botanical Gardens
·    Nichols Arboretum
·    Riverside Park

There are also great cultural events happening in Ann Arbor.  Upcoming events include the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival (August 2-3) and the Edgefest Music Festival (October 15-18).

However, if you just want to find somewhere to kick back and relax at the end of a long day, there are great clubs and bars available.  A few of the favorites include:
·    Arbor Brewing Company Pub and Eatery
·    Ashley’s Restaurant and Pub
·    Aut Bar
·    Connor O’Neil’s
·    Grizzly Peak Brewing Company

If you are ever searching for things to do in the Ann Arbor area, be sure to contact us, your Ann Arbor real estate specialists- we are here to hep you enjoy Washtenaw County.

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The Bouma Group Leads The Local Real Estate Industry

The Bouma Group was recently featured on the front page of The Ann Arbor Business Review.  As many agents are struggling to overcome a difficult market shift, Martin Bouma continues to lead the local Real Estate Industry as the Top Realtor with most units sold.  The Business Review reported that Martin Bouma sold 84 units, according to BrokerMetrics.  However, The Bouma Group recently closed it’s 100th transaction and even leads in sales volume per Realtor with just over 23 Million Dollars. Read the rest of this entry

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The 49th Annual Art Fair

The 2008 Ann Arbor Art Fair proved to be one of the best in recent history. Local hotels were booked as over 500,000 people emerged on the streets of downtown Ann Arbor, enjoying the sights and sounds of one of the Top 10 art fairs in the country. Every type of artist from photographers to sculptors to jewelry artisans were featured in an array of tents with the usual visionary magnetism that draws so many loyal art enthusiasts to our lovely city. What set this year’s art fair apart from previous years were the exciting work shops and live performances. The Ann Arbor Art Fair continues to get better every single year, and this annual fair was no exception!

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Marrs Mortgage Group Mortgage Rate Update for July 15th

Mortgage rates dropped this week as investors grew anxious of corporate earnings and as stocks fell, so did bond yeilds and interest rates. As interest rates continue to fluctuate from week to week, experts in the industry are finding it difficult to predict their next move. However, according to Bankrate.com, the majority of experts polled predict that rates will fall slightly more or remain the same for the rest of this week.  Read the rest of this entry

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The Original Ann Arbor Street Art Fair! 

The 49th annual Ann Arbor Street Art Fair begins July 16-19, 2008 at the Diag on Central Campus at The University of Michigan and at the north end of Ingalls Mall Lawn.  The Art Fair that draws over 500,000 visitors to Ann Arbor welcomes 174 juried artists as well as eight new artists from local universities and and colleges.  Enjoy Eco-Art Projects, party with locals at the Townie Street Party and lose yourself in a whirlwind of artisan tents and gourmet food stands!  Visit The Bouma Group Blog next week to read about the highlights of The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair.

Handy Information For Ann Arbor’s Largest Art Fair

• Getting There - Find the best route to The Ann Arbor Art Fair
• Artisit Directory - Find your favorite artists or discover the latest and greatest on the art scene!
• 2008 Visual Art Workshops- Don’t miss this exciting work shop led by local artists
• 2008 Performances on The Lawn- Experience local musicians and performance artists
• Imagination Station- Featured at The ArtZone on the south end of Ingalls Mall Lawn offering fun activities for the whole family!  Be sure to check out Fantasy Faces, a popular stop for face paintings!

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Don’t Miss This Market!

The Bouma Group recently listed 2 homes that were under contract in less than two weeks, one of the homes received multiple offers.  As the Ann Arbor Real Estate market is beginning to shift, we are seeing more and more buyers take advantage of the opportunities that may be gone sooner than many expect.  Interest rates have continued to climb in recent weeks and experts predict that they will continue to ascend through the end of the year and into next year.  This leaves a window of opportunity for each and every home buyer!

Location And Condition Mean Value

The home that you are looking at today, but want to wait on is the same home that someone else saw yesterday, and is consequently making an offer on today!  It happens all the time and the key to taking advantage of this fantastic market is to move fast.  It will be important to meet with your Realtor and learn more about the home buying process in advance.  It is a buyers market in Ann Arbor, but not all houses have the same location or meticulous condition.  The bottom line is this - great houses sell quickly in every single market!  To learn more about the Ann Arbor Real Estate market, please visit our Search Page.  You will have 24/7 access to the Ann Arbor MLS!  Click here to contact one of our Buyers Agents!

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