Monday, April 14, 2014

Wanna Buy A Home?? Cheap? How about Detroit!


                The Detroit government has invested in digital government by implementing a new website meant to auction off Detroit’s many abandoned homes.  According the article, the homes available on the site need some tender loving care (TLC) and vacant.  The purpose, according to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is to force current owners to fix up the properties and occupy or rent them out “or risk deeding them to the city.” (Helms, 2014)

                Several Detroit areas have been targeted by the city in efforts to help revitalize the city.  Any current owner that does not agree to provide a plan for fixing up and reoccupying, those homes will end up on the auction.   Bidders are vetted for the ability to pay.  If the bidder wins the home, they are given a limited time period to obtain a mortgage and required to provide a plan for fixing and reoccupying the home. 
“HOW IT WORKS
  • Homes soon available for auction can be viewed at www.buildingdetroit.org. Open house previews are set for April 27, with the first auction set for May 5.
  • The city is preparing to take up to 79 negligent property owners to court this week in the Marygrove neighborhood on the citys west side. Homes where property owners don’t agree to fix up the houses and get them reoccupied could be forfeited to the city, with auctions possible in June.
  • Talmer Bank has agreed to provide up to $25,000 in forgivable loans to people who purchase and agree to live in the Marygrove homes only.
  • For more information, go to www.buildingdetroit.org; call 1-844-289-3522 or email info@buildingdetroit.org(Helms, 2014)
                In a way this is an interesting mix of e-government and e-commerce.  Detroit is a struggling city that was hit very hard by the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis.  This is an innovative way of attempting to repopulate the once great city.  While Detroit has a long way to go and only time will tell if this initiative is successful, Detroit has an innovative plan of lessening the vacant housing problem plaguing the city.  Mayor Duggan said “This is not for the kind of speculators we’ve seen in the past.  This is only for people who are serious about fixing up the house and being good neighbors” (Helms, 2014).  So if you’re interested in owning property in Detroit, here is a way to do it.  That is, of course, if you want to live in Detroit.               

Bibliography

Helms, M. (2014, April 14). Detroit launches auction website to help sell abandoned homes. Retrieved April 14, 2014, from Detroit Free Press : http://www.freep.com/article/20140414/NEWS01/304140133/Detroit-land-bank

2 comments:

  1. Now a days, buying home in any area is not so easy and cheap. In this scenario, Detroit auction sounds good to try. Thanks for sharing this post here. - Cash house buyers in Glasgow

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