home buying tips

I sat down recently with Vincent Newsome from National Mortgage Funding to talk through the questions I hear most from buyers, and a few of the answers surprised even me. If you're house hunting anywhere in Metro Detroit, especially in one of our water communities like Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Flat Rock, Trenton, Rockwood, or Woodhaven, these four topics come up constantly. Here's what I...

Most people buying or selling a home in Metro Detroit assume the number their real estate agent gives them and the number a licensed appraiser produces are roughly the same thing — just delivered by different people. They are not. They serve different legal purposes, they are produced through different processes, and confusing them has cost real buyers real money right here in our market. This post...

If you planning on buying and selling a house at the same time, there is a conversation most agents are not having with you before you make an offer. After seven years working with buyers across Metro Detroit, I can tell you those gaps are not small.They are the difference between a smooth transaction and a deal that falls apart three weeks before closing.This post covers the 5 things your realtor won't...

Just got engaged? Congratulations. Truly — this is one of the most exciting seasons of life, and I love seeing couples step into it. And if you're here because I handed you my card at a bridal show, or because you Googled me after, I want you to know: you are in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. I'm Leslie E. Martin, a real estate agent serving all of Metro Detroit. I work with...

Most buyers sit down with a lender and wait to be told what they qualify for. But what lenders know, and what buyers rarely think to ask, can make a real difference in what you can borrow, what you actually pay at closing, and whether you walk into this process set up to win or scrambling to catch up. I sat down with Vincent Newsome, home loan advisor at National Mortgage Funding in Troy, Michigan, for...

Are you asking yourself how mortgage rates impact your home affordability in Metro Detroit or whether you should wait to buy a home? You are not alone. Mortgage rates directly influence how much you can afford, what your monthly payment will be, and the competitive landscape for both buyers and sellers in today's market. In this article, I sit down with mortgage expert Vincent Newsome to explain in...

Should I Buy a Home Now or Wait? Short answer: it depends, but not on headlines. If you've found yourself asking "Should I buy a home now, or should I wait?" you're not alone. This is one of the most frequently searched real estate questions on Google, YouTube, and AI tools, especially among Metro Detroit buyers trying to make sense of today's market. In this guide, I'll walk you through how to...