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GKAR

The Greater Kalamazoo
Association of REALTORS® (GKAR)

Robin Pompey, Chief Executive Officer
5830 Venture Park Drive
Kalamazoo MIichigan 49009
Phone: 269 382-1597

(GKAR) is a professional organization committed to representing REALTOR® and homeowner issues to our local, state and national units of government.

GKAR is also the location of the Michigan Real Estate Academy. For information on the Real Estate Salesperson Pre-licensure Course and Continuing Education Courses see the column to the right with the Michigan Real Estate Academy headline.

It's a Good Time To Refinance

By RACHEL LOUISE ENSIGN

For homeowners who have been waiting for interest rates to fall even further before refinancing, it might be time to pull the trigger on a deal. Rates are moving up-and could stay higher for a while, experts say.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to...

Read more about it...

The Step Forward Campaign To Help Prevent Foreclosures

The Michigan Association of REALTORS® is partnering with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) on the Step Forward campaign to prevent home foreclosure. MSHDA has more than $500 million available in the Helping Hardest Hit Homeowners fund, and we are working together to preserve the dream of homeownership in Michigan.

Please join us! Spread the word that at-risk homeowners can learn more about this valuable program at MSHDA's Web site, www.stepforwardmichigan.org/. The client application process is fast, easy and confidential.

FREE Credit Report
You can request one FREE copy per year by visiting the website or calling 1-877-322-8228.

Inman News

• NAR flexes political muscle
  
• Are big brokers delivering on tech, training promises?
  
• Mortgage rates head deeper into record territory
  

View all >

Seth Godin Marketing Blog

• The quickest way to get things done and make change
  
• Digital analogs are no longer sufficient
  
• Hard work on the right things
  

View all >

Industry Related Links

National Association of REALTORS®

Michigan Association of REALTORS®

Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce

Industry Related Links

Information on How to Appeal Your Property Taxes

• How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment
• Tax Credits - Mathieu-Gast Act
• Form 4293

Michigan Real Estate Academy

5830 Venture Park Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 373-1554

The Michigan Real Estate Academy offers a variety of Real Estate Courses and class schedules, all held in our comfortable, state of the art facilities. We are conveniently located near I-94 and US-131, in the Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORS® building.

For all students who do choose to register online please stop by our office and pick up your textbooks before class begins. There are required reading assignments. We are available Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Please call us at (269) 373-1554 if you have further questions.

The Michigan Real Estate Academy 2012 Education Schedule

Click here for more information about real estate classes and the Michigan Real Estate Academy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Kalamazoo, Michigan - May 10, 2012 - The Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORS® (GKAR) announced their response today to the Monthly Cumulative Sales Report for April. The data displays continued encouraging housing news for Kalamazoo area home buyers and home sellers alike.

"Existing homes "sales closed" and "sales pending" continue their upward trend from the same time in 2011, in the Kalamazoo Area, for the tenth consecutive month. The spring home buying season reached a record number of "sales pending" that we have not seen since April 2006. With the latest contract signing activity, I expect the sales figures will be equally good," said 2012 GKAR President Bill Evenboer. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the nation's leading advocate for homeownership and housing issues, has been aggressively pursuing more loan modifications to help the recovering housing market.

Read more...

Welcome New GKAR Business Partner Members!

New Business Partner Office
CertaPro Painters of Kalamazoo/Battle Creek
Susan Watson
5047 W. Main St. #347
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 270-3150
mwatson@certapro.com

FOR RENT:

MATTAWAN: Single family home, three bedroom, two full baths, large kitchen, appliances furnished. Hardwood floors. 22109 Robins Way, Mattawan.$1200/mo. rent, $1200 sec. deposit. No Pets. Call Barbara Carpenter at Golden Star Realty at 269-657-4830. Available now.

Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) Enhancement Legislation Signed by the Governor

5/1/2012, Governor Snyder signed legislation providing homebuyers a fair process when it comes to their property taxes.

Senate Bill 349, sponsored by Senator Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) creates two Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) filing dates; one on June 1st, and the other on November 1st. Additionally, this legislation allows bank-owned properties to retain their PRE so that buyers can qualify at the lower rate of taxation. This is particularly important since foreclosures have flooded the market in recent years.

Click here to read more FAQ's regarding the new law & to Download The Department of Treasury's Guidance on the PRE Enhancement.

BETTER BECAUSE OF A REALTOR®

Members of the Michigan Association of REALTORS® giving back to their communities throughout the great state of Michigan.
Click on image below to view video