Week starting on June 19, 2005

• Under $100,000.00
• From $100,000 - $150,000.00
• From $150,000 - $200,000.00
• From $200,000 - $300,000.00
• From $300,000 - $400,000.00
• From $400,000 - $500,000.00
• From $500,000- $600,000.00
• From $600,000 and above

My criterion for determining the best deals of the week is the SEV (State Equalized Value) of the homes in the market. State Equalized Value (SEV), is based on the assessor's opinion of the market value, and on the millage of the home. Under Michigan Law, all real estate is given a SEV for tax purposes. Therefore, SEV is considered the 'true cash' value of the property. However, SEV is not the market value. It is common practice to double SEV to obtain the fair marketvalue.

If you examine the SEV of homes in the market, you will notice that some homes are listed at a price higher than twice the SEV while others are listed below their SEV-based fair market value. Although there are several factors that help determine the listing price (such as the neighborhood, location, school district, condition of the home, interior and exterior features of the home, etc.), SEV-based determination of fair market value is a good place to start if you are looking for a good deal.

Hence, please take my list of best deals as a good starting point as you search for good value. Start with the list and study the other features of these homes. Perhaps you will find a gem of a house.

How can you find the SEV of a property? You can ask your realtor. If the property is in Kalamazoo city, you can find the SEV from this site.

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