Buying Your First Home in Michigan: Where Do You Even Start?

Most first-time buyers start by scrolling listings. I'd start the other way around. Before you fall in love with anything, find out what you can realistically afford, including a pre-approval from a local lender.

In Macomb County, a budget around $250,000 to $350,000 buys a solid starter home in most communities. In Oakland County, the same money goes less far, closer to a townhome or a smaller home in a secondary school district. Neither is wrong; they're just different starting points. The house search flows from the number, not the other way around.

You need three people: a lender, an agent, and later, an inspector. I'll help you find all three and I'll explain what each one actually does for you.

Here's the thing: you do not need to sign a contract just to talk to an agent. Call me a year before you plan to buy, six months out, or the week you're ready. I'd rather answer your questions early than meet you the day after a bidding war.

School district boundaries, property taxes on the specific house (not the one next door), commute times, and what the inspection will flag. These are the details that turn a house you like into the right home.

Real estate doesn't have to be complicated. It's just a series of decisions, and most of them stop feeling scary once someone explains the why behind them. That's exactly what I do.