Snow Country Real Estate proving 2008 a better year than 2007!

A quick look at the statistical reporting the WUPMLS provides us shows that Snow Country Real Estate has sold $3.5 million, keeping us 3rd in sales volume within our board. It's a big increase over $2.3 million in sales at this time last year. We still have 3 agents in the Top 10 Producers list too!

All Western UP offices combined show $20.3 million in sales with average sales amount of $65,000 - compare that to last year sales of $16.7 million and an average amount of $60,000.

Who says the real estate market is down?! In Gogebic County and Hurley, WI we're selling more and the average unit price is up. Not to say some properties aren't having to be marked down in our neighborhoods, but well-maintained homes are holding their own. We're off to a good start in the 2nd half of 2008.

Just a quick Blog to let you know I'm taking a class regarding Blogging! I'm a real estate agent with a "techie" background so anything I can do to reach more out-of-town buyers via the internet the more I'm interested in learning about it.

I've done simple web site development for a number of years and try to use all the (free) tricks available to make sure my web site gets decent placement in the search engines and adding a blog is one way to do that. I started this blog last winter, mostly writing about infrastructure improvements in Ironwood and about Snow Country Real Estate and the "state of real estate" right now in the Upper Peninsula. I've kept it pretty impersonal, only did one personal blog about my frozen pipes in January.

The class I'm taking (4 weeks down and 4 to go) offers a lot of helpful hints on creating a blog, making it interesting, finding your "writing voice" and gearing it towards your readers. Hopefully, by the time the course is done, I'll be starting to write more entertaining information about Ironwood, Hurley and the surrounding area. My goal is to provide as much info as possible to people looking to retire here, relocate, or buy a vacation place, but I also want my blog to be a quick resource for local people to use to get info about area activities or web links and most certainly, for real estate needs!

Snow Country Real Estate still ahead of 2007 sales!

Reports from the Western Upper Peninsula MLS Board show total sales dollars for this year in our region is over $10.6 million with SCRE 3rd in sales volume. The region, as a whole, is ahead of 2007 by $3.1 million!

We have 3 agents in the firm in the TOP 10....and the file cabinet in the office which contains "to be closed" transactions is still looking very full.  

Spring is generally the season when people get serious about selling or buying, so I've talked to quite a number of people in the past month. The comment I hear most often is "the real estate market is really down" and fortunately, I've been able to honestly answer that our local market is stable and rising. I always give specific examples of what I'm working on or have just closed and also mention what's going on with the other agents in my office. Everyone reacts with surprise to that info, but are usually pleased. Real estate may be bad news in the national media, but "real estate is local" and the Ironwood, MI and Hurley, WI area is definitely holding its own!