Natural disasters, theft, and other home security problems can arise no matter the technology or attention that you give to your home. But preparing your home with practical safety measures is a powerful way to enhance the safety of your family, and alleviate the problem or damages these incidents cause.

Northern Michigan isn’t exactly the most dangerous place to live in the U.S., but even the safest places on earth are far from perfect. Theft, fire, and weather are a possibility no matter where you turn. Those who desire more safety for their family can easily improve their security with a few intentional investments of time or money.

Here are a few ways to improve the safety of your Northern Michigan home:

1. Always Give The Appearance Of

YOUR SOURCE FOR REAL ESTATE INVESTING IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

We're thrilled to announce the launch of brookwalsh.com. This site has been designed to provide you with the valuable information you need to help make your home search simple and stress-free. 

OUR SITE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH:

• State-of-the-art technology;
• Unparalleled information;
• 24/7 access to the most current listings of homes;
• Advanced search features and agents that understand your unique homebuying needs. 

Our Blog has informative tips and information to guide you in this exciting journey.

With the rising cost of rent in Northern Michigan, you might be thinking this year is finally the year you’re going to buy a home. This is an exciting time for anyone, but there’s one big thing that stands between you and your dream of owning: a mortgage.

While you might feel financially ready to take on a mortgage, it’s ultimately up to the lender to deem you responsible and financially stable. One of the ways they do that is to take a peek into your credit history. Maxing out your credit card in college or forgetting to pay a bill here and there might not seem like a big deal at the time, but it could come back to haunt you later in life when trying to apply for a large loan.

If you've been informed you have imperfect credit and need to boost

Thanks to its awesome snowfall and abundant skiing, winter is one of the best times of year to visit Northern Michigan. However, the storms that bring all that cherished snowfall have the potential to derail your travel plans. Follow these tips if you are driving to Northern Michigan in winter and want to have a safe and smooth journey.

Look at the Weather

The biggest factor to take into account when driving to Northern Michigan is the weather. If there are big storms making their way through Michigan, you might want to think about postponing your drive until they have moved through.

If you are itching to hit the slopes and make the most of all that new snow -- or if your travel plans don't allow you to reschedule -- simply plan for your

Buying a home is an exciting time in many people’s lives. It’s the point in your life when you stop paying rent and start building equity with a mortgage. While there are many practical benefits to owning a home, something many people don’t discuss is the tax breaks.

As tax season is upon us, let’s take a look at some of the unique tax breaks that homeowners are able to take advantage of:

MORTGAGE INTEREST

For many first-time home buyers, one of the most pleasant surprises come tax season is the knowledge that your mortgage interest is tax-deductible. At the start of January, you should have received a notice from your lender letting you know how much mortgage interest you paid throughout the year. Homeowners are allowed deduct the tax

The purchase of your first home can be an exciting and exhilarating process. Homeownership is something that many people dream of. Owning your own home means not being held accountable to a landlord. It means the freedom to paint, remodel, and redecorate your space how you like. It means creating the perfect space for you and your family to build a life together and create memories that will last a lifetime.

For most people, the purchase of a home is also the largest transaction they will make. This can be daunting. Few buyers have the resources to buy a home outright, and this can make the buying process even more complicated because lenders are involved too. One of the biggest challenges that new home buyers face is understanding the buying

 "I have completed two good size transactions with Brook and found him to be honest and forthright. He has an excellent knowledge of the area, and what is going on in the area. It was a pleasure to do business with him. - Al Mancini"

We at BrookWalsh.com are incredibly lucky to work with such a kind and incredible individual like Al. 

Brook Walsh is from Northern Michigan and understands lifestyle based real estate investing which is one of the reasons he's chosen to pursue his dream of helping real estate investors with their home buying needs. Learn more about Brook or start your home

It was a very busy and exciting time for Brook Walsh, NorthernMichiganEscapes.com founder and Associate Broker for BrookWalsh.com. Brook toured a wonderful family around Boyne City and East Jordan as they looked for Lake Charlevoix waterfront property. The clients were somewhat hesitant to take on a second home as they led quite busy lives and wouldn't be using for the next few years. Brook explained the lifecycle of ownership based services Northern Michigan Escapes provides for their clients and that gave them the peace of mind to make such a considerable investment. How did it turn out after a little more than a year, read their heart warming client testimonial.

ABOUT 1 WATER ST UNIT 9 IN RESORT COTTAGES ON LAKE CHARLEVOIX

"Brook has an advantage in Northern Michigan real estate, he knows a lot of home owners with high end properties, as well as mid range properties. With his wife Rachel, they own and operate a very successful property rental business, of which I was a customer. When I was ready to sell, Brook found a buyer and sold my property at asking price, because he knew who to call. That's his advantage, knowing the area, networking, and knowing other owners, and those who rent looking to own. If you are looking to buy or sell, you will do well with Brook" - Howard Ice

At BrookWalsh.com we are incredibly lucky to work with clients like the Ice family. 

In this post you’ll learn how to do a 1031 exchange with real estate. Topics include: 1031 exchange rules, types of exchanges, success stories and more. Continue reading to learn how to use this powerful strategy!        

Introduction:

A 1031 Exchange, also called a Starker Exchange or Like-Kind Exchange, is a powerful tax-deferment strategy used by some of the most financially successful investors. This is, perhaps, even more true as we head into 2018. Why? Because in many U.S. cities prices real estate have surpassed the “bubble levels” of a decade ago. Because of this, many investors think that today is the optimal time to exchange properties in expensive markets for cash flowing properties across the country.

If you’re interested in