Metro Detroit

NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY 2023

February 15, 2023

THE COSTCORCHARDS

…OF VILLAGE OAK SQUARE PLACE GATE. OR WHATEVER.

Living above a convenience store, corner store, or bodega (depending on your geographic dialect), has long provided the ability to grab a couple of necessities on a moment’s notice, with limited hassle.

Now, as Amazon©, Instacart®, and other same-day delivery services fight for the quickest turnaround time on deliveries, our favorite big box warehouse may very well be looking for ways to get out of the delivery fight and just move their prospective delivery recipients upstairs instead.

It was recently reported that Costco™ is working on a deal that would make them the ground floor tenant of a Los Angeles-area residential development featuring 800 apartments spread over a 5-acre site.

If successful, this could lead to similar developments across the country and, from what we’re reading in some of the blogs and comment threads out there, discussions about retrofitting current locations with multi-story residential components sorta caught our attention.

Residential above commercial? Nbd, it’s been done for centuries. Adding residential to an existing non-residential structure? Hey, we’ve seen it happen here in Downtown Detroit, so also, nbd.

However for some reason adding Costco™ into the mix makes this a headline grabber, and we aren’t entirely sure why people are so polarized about this.

Let’s talk it through…

Does it seem weird at first glance? Kinda. Is it actually weird? No, not really. Would it be weird to live above a mega-warehouse-store? In an urban area, probably not; in a rural area, maybe? But maybe not, if a ton of other amenities were added? Have we gone full Donald Rumsfeld when it comes to answering our own questions? Goodness gracious, yes.

We are curious to see where this goes, and if successful, it leads to the redevelopment of their current rural and suburban locations.

Thoughts? Let us know what you think!

CURRENT LISTINGS

OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION COLLECTION

LOT #15 | WHISPERING RIDGE ESTATES

The roof is on and windows are in, on this BRAND NEW/NEVER-BEEN-BUILT ranch floor plan by Strathdale Development. Featuring 3 bed/2.5 bath/2,450 sqft, a 3-car garage, and a ton of high-end finishes, we are excited to see this home take shape.

Located near Benstein & Glengary in Commerce, Whispering Ridge Estates is located in a particular section of the township that might be the only one which doesn’t require navigating 2-lane roads while winding around every lake in Oakland County, resulting in commute times that range from 30 min to the Donner Party. Yay! Connect with us for the details!

43154 W. 13 MILE | NOVI

Don’t let the address fool you; this relaxed section of 13 Mile crawls to a 25 mph roll, as passersby take in the spectacular views of Walled Lake, located across the street. Yes, this lot offers literal “lakefront” living with Walled Lake in front of your home.

Built by Kensington Family Homes, this Kendall floor plan features 4 bed/2.5 bath, a home office, and a 2-car side entry garage, along with all the high-end finishes you’ve come to expect from Kensington.

This home is also situated on the same block as the new Robertson Brothers neighborhood Lakeview, so your new home will be part of the amazing transformation of this otherwise existing neighborhood.

And of course, you get award-winning/awe-inspiring/otherworldy/all-the-things Novi Schools. This home is currently being trimmed and painted; completion is anticipated for early spring.

Connect with Lou and Jeff (if you’re already working with us), or reach out to Julie or Kim directly for the details.

7533 GILMAN | WESTLAND

Westland is the BESTLAND and this beautiful new MOVE-IN READY ranch by Kensington Family Homes offers all of the luxuries and efficiencies of a new home, while still offering the charm and conveniences of an existing neighborhood.

Located a block from the Middle Rouge River and all the parks surrounding Hines Drive – including Middlebelt Hill Park! – you’ll also find yourself in close proximity to shopping, dining, and Garden City Hospital (though not necessarily in that order).

Featuring 3 bed/2 bath and nearly 1,330 sqft, it also offers an attached 2-car garage, plenty of high-end finishes, and desirable Livonia Schools!

Connect with Lou and Jeff (if you’re already working with us), or reach out to Julie or Kim directly for the details.

OUR NOT NEW BUT NEW TO YOU COLLECTION

All of our current re-sale listings are under contract – YAY!

IN OTHER REAL ESTATE NEWS…

NEW CENTER/TECH TOWN | DETROIT

Last week, it was announced that Henry Ford Health, Michigan State University, and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores would be teaming up to invest a massive $2.5B into the Henry Ford Hospital campus on West Grand Boulevard and the surrounding neighborhoods. The centerpiece would be a $1.8B new hospital tower across West Grand from the current hospital, that would rival the neighboring Fisher Building in height. New development and the re-development of existing buildings would expand across the Lodge Freeway into TechTown as well, strengthening the ties between both neighborhoods while growing them considerably. Of note to us, is the reconfiguration of One Ford Place into a residential development, which currently houses office space for Henry Ford Health. While details of the residential component are limited, it does appear roughly 550 residences are anticipated… [read more]

SUMMERLIN | LYON TWP

The long vacant parcel located behind the CVS parking lot near Kercheval and St. Clair is set to become a residential development, albeit for rent, not for purchase. The parcel, initially cleared for a senior housing complex that got shelved during the recession, is set to become a 4-story building with roughly 77 apartments and street level commercial on the CVS-facing side. This project represents one of several for-rent residential projects under construction or coming to The Village/Downtown Grosse Pointe… [read more]

SAXTON TOWN LOFTS | PLYMOUTH

Back in September 2019, we shared a proposal for townhomes on the site of the former Saxton’s Lawn Center in Downtown Plymouth; fast forward 3+ years and one global pandemic later, and we have progress. Foundations went in late last year for the 10-unit development, featuring plans that will offer over 3,000 sqft when factoring in interior + private/attached exterior living space; prices currently start at $1.3M. Completion of the Alexander V. Bogaerts-designed/Bosco Building Company-built project is expected for later this year… [read more]

BUILDERS: DON’T JUST LIST YOUR HOMES…

GET THEM IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT BUYERS!

Our website caters exclusively to new-home-specific buyers, so in addition to the usual audiences found on the MLS, Zillow, etc., we also bring you local buyers searching specifically for new homes, by creating original, organic content, and pairing it with a social media strategy that guides prospects directly to your listing; and we do it for less than what resale agents charge.

Get in touch to find out how we can sell your homes AND save you money in the process.

AGENTS: BECOME AN EXPERT…

WE ARE THE HOME FOR NEW HOME SPECIALISTS!

Join us. We are growing our national network of New Home Experts® agents across the United States and beyond.

If you are a builders sales rep looking for something different, or an agent/broker with a masterful level of experience selling or building new construction homes in your local market, we want to talk.

Set your business apart from competitors by focusing on this lucrative real estate sector; one that most other agents are either afraid of, intimidated by, or both.

Interested? Let’s chat about the life of an “expert” and if it’s the right path for your career.

CONTACT US

Questions about your new home search? Call or email us today – we look forward to hearing from you! Not ready for that kind of commitment? Check out our new-home-specific-search and email us incognito. Use a name like Boyd Schidt. We’ll never know it’s you…

Lou Bitove & Jeff Bortnick, owners of The New Home Experts®, have more than 35 years combined experience in real estate, much of that with builders like Pulte & Toll Brothers.  They also provide market research for area builders, developers and national firms.  If you’re considering a new home, remember: the builders rep represents the builder, not you.  Work with the only local agents in Metro Detroit to specialize in new homes, and save money in the process – ask us how!