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Are you Considering a Post Quarantine Move from you Home?

Monday, June 8, 2020
by Tom Stachler,ABR,CDPE - Group One Realty Team
Has quarantine forced you to consider a split from your Home?
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Has spending more time at home lately had you reconsidering your space? The quirks you lived with just a few months ago might not be so easy to dismiss when you're stuck with them all day, every day. Here's how to tell if your relationship with your house can recover or if it's time to move on.

You have no appetite for a renovation
Your home might be a good candidate for a makeover, but if the thought of living in a dusty construction zone with contractors coming and going is unbearable to you, then it's time to start over. There's no shame in foregoing renovations for something move-in ready. After all, there will be plenty of eager DIYers happy to make you an offer.

You're not crazy about your neighborhood
You know what they say: location, location, location. We'll put up with a lot for our home to be in a nice spot, close to work and in a good school district. But maybe that spot doesn't work for you anymore. Do schools still matter or are your kids older now? Are you working from home permanently and your commute is no longer a factor? When you're no longer tied to a specific neighborhood, the possibilities are endless.

You'll want to call someone for this one

It's just too small
If the quarantine has made your small space feel even more crowded, or you need to make space for a new home office (or two), it might be time to upgrade.

It's too old
We all love a heritage home. The architecture! The charm! The 100-year-old... everything. You may have been ready for the sweat equity when you moved in, but when paired with everyday life, 'this old house' can feel more like 'this new nightmare.'

If the emotional and financial toll of living in a home that is just too much of a project is getting to you, consider shopping for a new one. A new construction home might not give you the same character, but you will get a house that's brand new in every way and a warranty to boot.
The Mortgage Business Is Alive, Well, and Online
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With some segments of the economy tentatively reopening, many who are Buying a home or refinancing an existing mortgage may be wondering how and where to get financing. The good news is, the loan process hasn't changed much, and it can all be done online.

While some loan officers still prefer to meet their clients in person, more and more mortgage professionals are equipped to meet virtually and communicate by phone and video conference. Loan officers know many borrowers can't take off work during the day in order to meet, so they tend to work on-demand, around their client's schedules.

The rest can be done remotely as well. Clients can submit loan applications online, which are then reviewed at the mortgage office. The loan is then submitted to an online automated underwriting system, or AUS. The AUS then provides a list of all the items needed for a final approval.

Loan officers get their rates online. They order third party services like credit reports and appraisals online. For years, the mortgage industry has been moving toward a remote-ready model, so for many professionals in the sector this isn't a ‘new' normal. Just normal.

For those currently in the market for a loan, there's no need to wait. The mortgage industry is alive and well. And online here.
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Michigan Shelter in Place Order Partially Lifting.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020
by Tom Stachler,ABR,CDPE - Group One Realty Team
Governor Whitmer Partially Lifts Stay-At-Home Order
 
After ten weeks of a statewide lockdown, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed Executive Order 2020-110, partially lifting Michigan’s coronavirus stay-at-home order.  Pursuant to the new Executive Order, which expressly provides that any work capable of being performed remotely must continue to be performed remotely, the following businesses and activities may resume:  
 
WHAT IS OPENING
 
Effective immediately
 
  • Outdoor social gatherings and events so long as people maintain six feet of distance from one another and the assemblage consists of no more than 100 people. Michigan residents may gather indoors but the group must not exceed 10 people and all gatherers must continue to wear face coverings when in enclosed public spaces. 
  • Outdoors parks and recreation facilities, but only to the extent social distancing can be maintained. 
  • Office work and home services, such as housecleaning, that is not capable of being performed remotely. 
  • In-person services at places of religious worship.  
 
Beginning Thursday, June 4
 
  • Retail stores, but capacity must be limited to 50%.
 
Effective Monday, June 8
 
  • Indoor and outdoor dining rooms at restaurants, food courts, cafes, bars and clubs, but capacity must be limited to 50% of normal seating, groups must be kept at least six feet apart, employees must wear face coverings, and rigorous disinfection protocols must be followed.
  • Day camps for children, libraries, museums and public swimming pools (outdoor swimming pools only), but capacity must be limited to 50%. 
 
All businesses that reopen are subject to robust safety measures outlined in Executive Order 2020-97. Among the directives in that Executive Order are: developing a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, designating one or more worksite supervisors to monitor the COVID-19 control strategies, providing COVID-19 training to workers, conducting a daily self-screening protocol, and maintain social distancing at least six feet apart. 
 
WHAT IS STILL CLOSED
 
  • Facilities offering “non-essential” personal care services, such as hair, nail, tattoo, piercing, tanning, massage and spa services. 
  • Indoor theaters, cinemas, performance venues, casinos, amusement parks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor climbing facilities, indoor dance areas, skating rinks, trampoline parks, and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities. 
  • Indoor gyms, recreation centers, sports facilities, and exercise studios (outdoor classes, practices, training sessions or games provided that coaches, spectators and participants maintain six feet of social distancing). 
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