By Mara Walsh

I have a fun announcement for fellow Michigan lovers: I finally got my Michigan real estate license! I say “finally” because we have had a home in Harbor County and specifically the New Buffalo/Union Pier area for over a decade, so this has been a long time coming!

Honestly what pushed me over the edge to go ahead and get my Michigan license is age old supply and demand! Michigan home sales are through the roof. 2020 saw record numbers in home sales, with a 38% increase in homes sold along the SW Michigan gateway areas near Lake Michigan. Further, a 21% increase in the average sale price! That’s not just a result of the pandemic. All of SW Michigan has experienced a steady climb in homes sold, average sales price and total dollar volume over the past 10 years. Our neighboring counties in NW Indiana also experienced growth in homes and a median volume of 10% on average. I have become somewhat of my friend’s Michigan expert, so it only made sense to be able to actually help friends and family find a great Michigan home.

We bought our first home in Michigan over ten years ago, in an amazing community with a neighborhood pool and close proximity to the beach called Lakeshore Cottages. We would drive up on summer weekends (just a 75 minute drive from the city), and spend our time beachcombing, lakeside dining, antiquing, biking and savoring the sunsets! You truly cannot beat the sunsetting behind Lake Michigan; gorgeous! The beaches are not just beautiful, but so soft featuring dozens of dunes that the kids love. Our son was five years old at the time, and he absolutely loved heading to Michigan each weekend – we did too! To me, Southwest Michigan is the Hamptons of the Midwest: a space to truly relax, slow down and unplug, yet still so conveniently close to Chicagoland.

Just recently we sold our beloved New Buffalo/Union Pier home. Our plan is to spend more time in Michigan after our son heads to college, so we bought a home in Sawyer, which is just eight miles north. We were able to find a bit more land and privacy, which we are already enjoying,

One aspect of our vacation home I love so much is that there is something different to do with each season. In the spring and summer we spend tons of time at the beach, Warren Dunes, hiking, and riding bikes. In the fall and winter we pick apples, head to the pumpkin patches, snowshoe, cross country ski and walk our dogs on the snow filled beaches! Taking the train from the city to the New Buffalo train station is also convenient and fun. In just 40-50 minutes you are in a totally different community – think of commuting from downtown to Naperville!

Having just recently gone through the buy/sell process myself, I have so much knowledge to share! I decided to hang my license with a wonderful boutique brokerage I found along the way called People’s Property, managed by Ryan Keller. I was so impressed with Ryan’s extensive professional network and on-the-ground knowledge of the area and I am very excited to be working with him. Combining Ryan’s local expertise with Busby Group’s concierge-level service will be a huge asset to future clients! And, of course, I am still hard at work in Chicago for all of our buyers and sellers there too!

For those heading to the Harbor County / Southwest Michigan area, I am sharing a few of my area favorites.

Harbor County Shopping: