LinkedIn has been a great business media for networking for me over the past six month's.  if you have never had a chance to check it out, I recommend that you do so if you are in the people business and depend on referrals to build your business.

I was connected the other day to an avid blogger and business owner Kathie M. Thomas (nominee for the Australian of the Year Awards 2008). The neat thing is I was her 1000th connection. The other neat thing is the very same day I connected with Pat Gillespie, Gillespie Group as my 500th connection. Granted, nobody won any prizes or bells and whistles did not ring, however the power of networking was moved one more step toward what's called the six degree's. Regardless if I travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, Orlando, Florida or Sidney, Australia, I have the connections with LinkedIn. Some great ideas flow in the question and answer section of this site and the mastermind concept helps everybody. I always make it a point to include my LinkedIn Profile button on all my emails and websites and also my Blogs for contact reasons in my real estate business in and around the greater Lansing area. "Expect the Best" Mike

I'm seeing an increase in housing activity the past week or so. I had 3 showing appointments set on the same listing within the past 24 hours. Now that has been rare this past year. But, it tells me that buyers are getting the message that now is the time to make their move.

The home buying process can seem complicated, but if you take things step-by-step, you will soon be holding the keys to your own home according to HUD, Homes and Communities. They list 9 steps to Home Ownership which give a pretty detailed list of items for your use.

We are experiencing a return to the more traditional lending standards that were in effect before the housing boom of 2001 -2005- lending standards that support a stable economic environment for both home-buyers and the nation at large.  Buyers will likely need to get their credit in order, save more for down payments and work harder with their sales associate to find a suitable home.

I normally provide the names and phone numbers of Mortgage Originators to each buyer for them to compare services, closing costs, and additional fees involved in buying their home. The team effort that is created in the home buying process is important, so that all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

The Mortgage Originator is only one of those team members of your Realtor. A few more covered in future Blogs would be the home inspector, the Title Company, a Concierge Coordinator, an Attorney and many, many more. When a Realtor sells a house, many people are put to work.

Feel free to visit my websitefor additional tools and articles on buying or selling a home in the greater Lansing market. I Specialize in Lansing real estate, DeWitt, Grand Ledge, Holt, Okemos, Haslett, East Lansing, Bath, and Ingham, Clinton, Eaton County. You can search real estate here for all these areas.

"Expect the Best' Mike

When is the best time to buy a house? With many markets reporting an abundance of homes for sale, and interest rates remaining at near historic lows, now might be one of the best times in recent memory. While today’s real estate market does offer advantages to buyers, consumers still need to be savvy in order to get the best deal they can.

Following are some things that the professionals at Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation think every homebuyer should keep in mind:

Don’t Try to Time the Market. When home prices are lower, it is very tempting for potential buyers to try to wait as long as possible in the hopes that prices will decline even further. This strategy can be detrimental because when there is high inventory, smart sellers price their homes properly – not according to past sales but according to current conditions – so their homes will sell in a timely fashion. Once a home is priced to what the current market will bear, buyers will make offers.

Shop Around. But Don’t Wait Too Long. The National Association of REALTORS reports that, on average, homes stay on the market for 7.5 months. The increased inventory gives homebuyers a great opportunity to compare homes that meet their needs. However, this does not mean that homebuyers should procrastinate. If you find a house you love, put in your bid and negotiate. Don’t provide an opportunity for another buyer to make an offer.

Watch Mortgage Rates. Studies such as the 2006 Coldwell Banker^® Homeownership in America Index revealed that that majority of people move based on lifestyle changes such as new job, marriage, divorce or family expansion. Pay attention to the mortgage rates and recognize that buying a new house will likely result in a change in mortgage rates. How much? A monthly payment of a 30-year fixed 5.875 mortgage rate on a 300,000 loan is $1,774.61. The monthly payment at today’s 6.381 rate is $1,872.79, representing a $98.18 increase.

Negotiate on the Incentives.Sellers eager to move their homes may offer you a variety of incentives such as cars, trips, and even credit card bill payment. If you accept an incentive, make sure it makes sense for you. Instead of having your bills paid, you may opt to have the seller renovate the master bathroom or install new flooring. Of course, you can always ask the seller to simply deduct the amount in question from the list price.

Buying a home in the Lansing area, including, Okemos, Grand Ledge, Holt, Dewitt, Mason, Haslett, East Lansing, Dimondale, Eaton Rapids, Delta Township or Bath? Visit MikeBowler.com for more information and properties to search.