Ernestine Williams Broker/Owner

3767 Inkster Road

Inkster, Michigan 48141

Business Phone: 313-274-3141

Fax: 313-274-5146

One stop website for buying or selling a home in Michigan.Save time online!

You know it takes a lot of time to search for homes online...but thanks to Michigan's multiple listing service(Realcomp Ltd.) you can visit one website which will enable you to find homes which are located in the multiple listing, by address, radius miles and more, get information about Michigan housing related news updates, buying and selling tips, locate inspectors and much more. Bookmark this website!

Save time online with this one stop website and find homes and everything you want to know about homebuying in Michigan.

To visit the website and explore read more here.

Cheapest, quickest, credit Clean Up Service in Michigan! Talk to Ms. Freeman

Clean that credit up! Offiong Freeman can help you do it quick and on the cheap!

Have you checked your credit scores and FICO scores lately? You could have things in your file keeping you from making big purchases, such as a home, a car and more. Health, life and other insurance purchases along with job and career opportunities, rely more on what your credit and FICO score is.

Here are some tips from Offiong, who has been in the credit field for two years, one of my facebook friends on Credit repair. (Her facebook page can be found here. )

Offiong's Tips:

1) Contact credit bureaus and clear up the errors and ensure those errors never return.

2) Realize that under certain conditions, if you have filed bankruptcy you can get help with future purchases.

3) Don't just clean up your credit, but find someone who can teach you how to keep the credit score high.

4) Discover how to use credit cards to build your scores. Don't cut them all up!

5) Learn about the difference between a credit score and FICO score and how the FICO score is determined by: Payment History, Use of Credit, Mix of credit cards, Number of inquiries into your credit history and what your credit history is.

Contact Offiong at : Precise Management: 300 River Place in Suite 5350, on E.Jefferson & Jos Campau in Detroit MI. 48207. Phone Number ( 313) 566-5565

Email Address: offiong_freeman@yahoo.com

The credit score and the FICO score made simple!

Yada Yada Yada. Oh boring...look you've got to understand the basics when it comes to your money and getting a good loan. I've searched the web and the best video is by no other than Suze.

Here is a link that will help you once and for all to understand the difference between a credit score and a FICO score. Click below on Suze's Explanation.

Suze's Explanation

Shout out to Mark Watterson's picture of the FICO score graph and his blog is excellent in explaining the FICO score. You can't get enough of this, if you're serious about making money. And for those who can't get the you tube video, and those who can, Mark's site is necessity to understand how all of this works practically. Click below to go to Mark's site.

Mark's Website

Willie help me with finding the best location.

Location is the key factor in finding a home which , by the way, can give you a greater return on your investment. But what if you are not in the position to buy a home in the best neighborhood?

Location is still the answer. People tend to think of location as a certain geographic area. Although the geographic area is one of the standards for a great location, one can look at specific location factors , even , within a community.

Here are some things to consider:

1. In the geographic area where you can afford to live, you still want to look for the best location of the property. Is the property located near a major shopping center? Is it near a park? Is there a body of water near by such as a lake? Is it easy access to a major freeway? Is it close to your place of employment? Is it near a new and upcoming area? Is it near a major tourist attraction such as a new stadium? Is it in a great school district?


2. Sometimes your purchase is within a community, such as within a gated community ? For example, what if you're buying a condominium which is located in a high rise? You'll want to look at the location of the building. Within the municipality, where is the building located? But most important, what about the location of the condominium unit? Does it have great views? What floor is it on? Within the building is the location of the condo in a quiet area? is it near the trash room? is it near an elevator? Is it a corner unit?
   

A great location is subjective. Pick the location which works for you, your budget and your personal and social needs.

Online tools to help with picking a location: google maps, newspapers, city data
census information
city compare

Is there a location ,in Michigan ,you'd like to learn more about, call me.

Willie 1-313-274-3141

Willie, the housing market is so bad--what should I do now?

After providing information on land contracts many of you contacted me. It's apparent from the comments and questions that sales people aren't doing their job. I'd like to see as many renters, who are capable and ready to buy a home--in a home. But in reality, there are many sales agents whose focus is the client with the most earning potential. No problem. We all have our market.

But socially and politically, I'm concerned about the number of minorities and low income folks, who after this latest housing fiasco, will be left without honest guidance and encouragement to find a home. During this last housing crisis--despite the read the fine print argument--many homeowners had great credit scores and finances and were still steered in the direction of bad mortgages.

So now in this new era: the post housing crisis era of 2008 what will happen now?

These tips are for those who still have a dream of finding a home:

1. There are still opportunities to buy a home, but you must be aware. You must trust your instincts, use your common sense and be wary of any deal which sounds too good to be true. Find the best home, you can for your income level in the best neighborhood you can. If at anytime in history, you need an agent who knows where these homes are and has a history of the neighborhoods.
   
2. You must, no matter how you live--renting, leasing-- continue to research on techniques to strengthen your credit score and apply them.
   
3. You must look objectively at your debt. Ask yourself, why you're in debt? why are you spending your money on things which depreciate in value? where will you be in five years? what if you lost your living situation tomorrow, what would be your plan B.
   
4. Do you have a plan? what is your exit strategy from your current situation?
   
5. Are you investing time in self development? are you learning new things?

Call me, with your questions and concerns,
Willie 1-313-274-3141, http://www.redcarpetkeimwillcooperate.com

Willie, I've made some mistakes, but I really want my own home and have some limitations with upfront money.

We've been discussing the importance of buying a home and finding an honest agent. But here is the question I get more than any other: What about qualifying? First , I know some of you will pay your living expenses on time. I know some of you, due to reasons beyond your control , aren't in a home right now and may have a situation where you need a home and need someone to believe in you and you will pay your house note and responsibilities, if given a chance. But, you don't have that much money to buy a home? This post is for you. If you're looking to buy in Michigan, I can help you. Stay with me now and consider the following:

1. In Michigan, and some other states, one can buy a home using a legal arrangement called Land contract. There was a time in the past for many African Americans, in which this was the only way they could purchase a home because they could not get loans. Fortunately, it's still legal to buy a home like this.
   
2. You can buy a home on land contract. Think of it as a layaway plan but you're using the product you've purchase. But like any real estate venture you need to have expert information on how to do that and what the pros and cons are. Now don't get nervous here. I don't care what anyone says, there are pros and cons to buying anything of value. So this "pros and cons" language should not frighten you away, if you truly want a home;
3. Which leads me to my next point: Do you truly want a home? will you remain committed to being responsible to make your payments and honoring your word? If you consider yourself to be that type of person then I can help you explore how land contracts work and what you need to know and where to find them in Michigan.
   

Call me and ask about buying a home on Land Contract in your area.

Willie 1-313-274-3141

The Deep look within 3 point guide to finding an honest agent.

I know you don't want to get screwed(excuse my french). Are you attracting a "screwer" into your life? By now, you know many have lost their homes due to bad mortgages, carelessness in reviewing mortgage documents, badly structured mortgages, and bad advice--unfortunately from those in my own profession.

Read my lips: if you don't find a honest real estate agent, you will get screwed big time! You wouldn't just hire any doctor to do surgery, would you? You wouldn't hire any old joe off the street to fix your car?

People will spend more time and effort on things that don't really matter, then they would on a large purchase such as a home. Beyond the general recommedations of just finding a salesperson who is successful, or a sales person with a license, here is something to think about. Could the agent you find be a reflection of what you're about?

1. Is the salesperson 100% committed to you and your needs? could the answer can be found in yourself? are you 100% committed to the best in your self? are you realistic and honest about your potential? have you looked at your own strengths and weaknesses? have you carved out a plan to become a better person? Remember: Like attracts like. For example, if you have big dreams but nothing to back it up--meaning no substance--is it possible you'll attract that type of sales agent into your life?
   
2. Is the salesperson only interested in showing me properties where they can make a big "killin"? how do I really know he/she is really interested in helping me to get a property which I can afford? The answer: it's within you. How many times in the last week have you told your self "no". How many times have you gone without something you wanted badly because you were disciplined enough to know that everything you think is good, is not good for you? Do you set boundaries for yourself? Answer these questions. What are you about? Think about this: If you can't see the greed and lack of boundaries in your own behaviors, you won't be able to see them in your agent?
   
3. Is this salesperson running game? The answer: how much do you read? how much research do you do before you make a decision? do you know the pros and cons of all your decisions? are you indecisive? do you follow the crowd? are you more interested in "putting on the big show" and minding details later? do you have a deep desire to get rich quick? do you believe that "faking it until you make it" is the only way?
   

Look at this; take time, sit down and really contemplate these issues. I know it sounds harsh, but in life, you attract that according to what you are. For example, if you're impressed by externals: how a person looks, what kind of clothes they wear, what kind of car they drive, and those things mean more than character, a person's intent or values, just what type of agent(or for that matter--any person) do you think you'll attract into your life? All that appears beautiful is not. Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder and also the beholder's soul. One must take time to look at oneself. To thine own self be true.

All man's troubles come from not knowing how to sit still in one room. (by Blaise Pascal)

If you want to talk call me,
Willie 1-313-274-3141

6 ways to quickly find your dream home.

Looking for homes, next to filling out papers for the closing--we'll come to that later, is the most exciting, yet time consuming and draining process of the home finding process. Try these tips to narrow the field and find your dream home fast:

1. Remember in the last couple of posts, we discussed obtaining printouts of homes from the MLS. Another method for generating personal printouts, is to bookmark your favorite pages of homes ,you've found on the internet. One popular website which helps you to gauge what homes are selling for in a neigborhood is craigslist.org. Find your state and local area on craigslist. Another, website which closely resembles the MLS is realtor.com. Websites are used by at least 60% of people to preview homes, before meeting with an agent: get an overview of the market during searching the internet. Print out some of the homes for your personal files, if you don't have a handy laptop to take with you while home shopping.
   
2. Budget your time wisely. Set up some time to look at homes on your own(many homes have lockboxes--ask your agent). And only after you've narrowed the neighborhoods down to a select few, have a good idea of the type of home, and perhaps narrowed it to 5 homes from your personal search, and serious about looking for homes, contact the agent and set up an appointment. Leave some time for the agent to suggest some homes for you to see.
   
3. Before visiting homes, use the bathroom, take medications , carry some tissue, bottled water and some finger foods. Make sure to take a pencil and pad with you for notes. Wear comfortable shoes and outfits--some homes have steps and the enviornment may not be easy to maneuver.
   
4. Visit the neighborhoods in the early morning, while most are working and traffic is light, and don't forget to check out the same neighborhoods in the evenings and weekends.
   
5. Use mapquest online, or an offline map of the area for charting the homes in an order which saves gas and time. I suggest an average viewing of 3-4 homes per session and making copious notes about home details such as colors, special design features, the neighborhood and other things to trigger your memory of each home.
   
6. At the end of your trip, set a goal to eliminate particular home features which will not work for you. The overall objective is to find the home which you can live with. There is no "perfect" home. Usually you will have to settle on some feature or condition. The perfect home is usually the one you build yourself to your own specifications. Ask your agent about homes they may have seen on private agent showings.
   

Tired...well we haven't even started to look at homes yet.
As usual, if questions please call me,
Willie 1-313-274-3141

How low can you go??? Cheap Home Alert! 9500 dollars 1500 square ft.

Believe me, I hate seeing people loosing their homes. But these homes are on the market, and this one shows you the state of the foreclosure and bank owned homes in Michigan. In 2004, this home sold for 73,500 and now it's 9500 dollars. And it could go lower: who knows? but the longer it stays on the market, the more work needs to be done. 1500 square feet. You know that's a lot of footage. 3 bedroom, 1 bath. Call me and I can put you in touch with Mr. Joseph Manuel over at Era Realty, the list agent. In the mean time check out these pictures.

Remember, I told you to have an imagination. Picture this home painted with new flooring, and cabinet and fixtures you got on the cheap at a home depot. Surely you must have that relative who needs a place to live, or a family member who needs some stability at a decent monthly income. And then, if you're brave and will take some tips from Mr. Landlord, you can learn his tips for renting. Yes the market is tight. Homes like this work better for professional investors with resources.

But who knows, this could be the beginning of a new real estate home investing career!

Call me, Willie 1-313-274-3141

Florence Street, Inkster Michigan

7 ways to get the best cheap home on the market.

You meet with the agent. You've got enough money to make a 10% downpayment on a home which costs 50,000 or $5,000 and you may be able to pull tightly to get closing costs--then again you may be more limited in raising closing cost. Your credit score is average to good. It's todays market. What do you do?

1. Do you have your locations pinned down to three neighborhoods? if not ask the agent to show you either in person, or give you lock box permission to see homes yourself, in those three neighborhoods---and don't forget to ask the agent which homes he thinks you should look at and why? Be explicit : that you can't afford more than 50,000 and you're willing to go cheaper if the right deal occurs in the right neighborhood.
   
2. In your search, think long term living. The days of flipping properties is a gamble. So at least commit yourself to three years of owning.
   
3. Don't forget to check and see if the agent knows of homes where the seller will be flexible and help you meet some of the terms. You may not have to spend the $5,000 and may even get help with closing costs.
   
4. Ask the agent to show you foreclosures, real estate owned homes from his multiple listings and REO lists. Tip: print out the addresses and details about each home. Study them!
   
5. When you look at a home, look at it's possibilities with paint and new flooring. Also, keep in mind that some of the walls can be eliminated. Many homes in the foreclosure and REO market are in good shape. But there are some which really look bad(for lack of a better word) But--Bad can be good--it may be that many people will not make offers on that home and if it's been sitting on the market, you will be able to get a better bargain.
   
6. Ask the agent, which things in the home are cheap things to fix and or would take more work. Can you live in the home with some of it's defects?
   
7. Get a recommendation for a good inspector. I repeat: You need a good inspector and bid with the contingency of an inspection.
   

More questions, Call me:
Willie 1-313-274-3141 Red Carpet Keim Will Cooperate, Inc.

3 tips to get your agent to work hard for you.

Secrets to working with an agent. Part II. The agent is your business consultant and partner. Here are hot tips:

1. Tell the agent the truth about your needs, your desires and your income. At some point, during the transaction the information will become apparent anyway. If your agent can see you've told them the truth, the trust factor is increased and the agent should become more of an advocate for you. Secret: many people shy away from the truth, because they feel the agent might withdraw or not show them homes. It's better to find out in the beginning, what you can honestly afford and what the agent can do for you, than to waste time.
2. Discuss your credit score. Even if you are reading this and have not committed to the home buying process. Now is the time to work on your credit or what is called a FICO score. If your credit score is low, the agent can explain the realistic options for you. It's also probable you will need to focus on building good credit whether than buying a home at this point. Secret: Many people aren't aware of their credit scores can be improved in months. There are many books on how to build up credit scores. Also, your agent and/or a lender has free materials on how to strengthen your credit score.
   
3. Ask questions, no question is a dumb one if you don't know. For example, ask the agent about how to buy cheap in a great neighborhood. Discuss neighborhood issues, recently sold homes in neighborhoods, features such as schools, crime, civic affairs, area strengths and weaknesses, which homes have recently sold for less than it's value. Secret: many agents who are acquainted with the neighborhood and or active in neighborhood organizations know about homes which will be coming up for sale before they hit the market. The great advantage to an agent is having your own private resource to inside community news.
   

Thanks for coming by, and if you have a question, please call me.
Willie 1-313-274-3141