​Let’s reconnect.  As our country opens and things try to get back to “normal”, we can explore some fun ideas for the summer.  We can do what we’ve always done year in and year out and enjoy it like we have every single time.  Or we can explore some new outdoor adventures or activities.
Our country is so vast and filled with so much beauty; it won’t take long to think of something fun and exciting to do.  If you live in Michigan, you can visit the many downtown areas filled with restaurants or you can visit rivers and lakes and hit the water ways.  There are so many options from Southeastern Michigan to the majestic beauty of Western Michigan to the Upper Peninsula. 
Take your pick, but whatever you do, don’t stay inside all summer long.  It’s good to get out and feel the fresh breeze of summer on your face.  If you want to travel in Michigan, check out the state’s website (Michigan.gov) for the adventures that await.
 
-Natasha Hughes Smith

​Realtors run into difficult clients from time to time.  Let’s face it, we all can be difficult once in a while.  However, when our client is being difficult about completing the Seller’s Disclosure Statement, we have to stress the importance of it and how not completing it can make a deal go south!
If the statement is not completed and provided, the buyer can cancel the deal right up to closing.  And in Michigan if one is not provided or partially completed and the buyer has an issue with something after closing, the buyer can bring action for silent fraud.  So, if you encounter a client who is reluctant to complete the form, make it clear that the law put this is place to protect both seller and buyer.
-Natasha Hughes Smith

​Today’s metal roof is not the same as your grandpa’s.  Today’s metal roofing provides energy efficiency, style and is easy on the environment.  Metal roofs are fully made from recycled materials and can be recycled once they have completed their lifecycle protecting your home.  Everyone wants ways to save money and to keep the house cool when it should be cool and warm when it should be warm.  Metal roofs do this well and can help home owners reduce their energy costs.
Metal roofs come in a variety of colors and patterns; so, owners can be creative when selecting a pattern and color that reflects their own personal style.  However, the cost of metal roofs is more expensive than asphalt shingles; so customarily, owners that make this investment intend to be in the home for a decade or longer.  So, if you are thinking of getting a new roof, check your options.  You might want to go metal.
-Natasha Hughes Smith

What could be better than living in a tightknit community?  Living in a tightknit community in Lathrup Village is better.  You can own 1.94 acres in a beautiful subdivision, where the neighbors look out for one another and are actively involved in community affairs.  You can build one home or divide it up into one or two additional parcels to sell.  There are a few options for builders and home buyers who want to build new construction.  This dream can be yours.  Check out the links below to take a tour of the property and to get more information about the listing.
https://youtu.be/Q5XBknIgAa8
​https://matrix.realcomponline.com/.../19600FORESTDrive
​-Natasha Hughes Smith

​Spring is on its way!  Can’t you feel it in the air and see it?  With Spring time comes cleaning time.  Here are some tips for Spring cleaning and getting organized.
It’s sorting time.  That’s the first step in decluttering your place.  This is a job for everyone- spouses and children.  Even the dog can carry something to one of the purge piles.  Don’t be afraid to purge.  If the item is not being used, it’s just taking up space.  If that’s the case, there’s no purpose being served.  Purging might equal trash for the stuff that should never see the light of day or the donation pile for good stuff that’s no longer used or wanted.
Spring cleaning does not have to be overwhelming.  You can work a room at a time. Before you know it, your entire house will be clean.  Just be mindful to maintain, so that you don’t re-clutter your home.  Spring time is the time for a fresh start, so start it with a clean and fresh home.  Spring into it!
-Natasha Hughes Smith

According to Cheryl Fenton as featured in Select, a special edition of the Sunday Detroit Free Press,  bookshelves are one design feature that is on point for interior design this spring.  Here you can find a quick recap of some of the design features that are predicted to be in fashion this spring.

1. Lights- Neon rooms and lights. My twelve year old great-niece is on trend with her LED string lights lining her bedroom ceiling to wall edges.  If that's a little out of your comfort zone,  you can add wall signage to add color.  This trend is popular with all ages.
2. Minimalism as done by the Japanese known as Japandi.  This style provides comfort and simplicity by using neutral color schemes, sleek lines and unfinished woods or bamboo pieces.
3. Shelves are back.  They could be built-ins, open shelving or floating shelves.
4. Separate spaces- People want defined spaces now instead of open floor plans.  If you have an open floor plan,  you can use creative ways to make separate spaces with furnishings used as dividers or actual room dividers.
5. Trend setter- you can become a trend setter by creating your own unique style by using your imagination.
-Natasha Hughes Smith

“Sometimes one can become lost in a big company and lose sight of how what one does truly helps or impacts the end customer. If you are one of those, think of a fire brigade, a line of people passing buckets of water from one to the other from a source of water to the site of the fire. An individual in the brigade may not be able to see the end result, i.e., the water being thrown on the fire to put it out, but the contribution of the individual is indispensable to the final outcome.” – Grant Bright, Former Project Lead IBM
 
There are lots of services in the atmos now that focus on providing a service void of human interaction.  Profits are generated and given to a few who create the apps and machines used for self-checkout and the like.  But have you considered what is lost?

There’s a clerk who was downsized because he is no longer needed because the machine will check customers out and make them scan their own items and bag their own groceries.  In fact, the customer completes work that the clerk used to do subsequently increases the profit of the shareholders.  All the while, the clerk is unemployed, not able to provide for his family and not able to contribute to his local economy.

The same is true for apps that tout that they can sell homes for the homeowner.  It seems quick or less of a hassle as they are one click, two clicks away from listing the house.  But what is the cost?

The cost, is the lost livelihoods of skilled and licensed professionals who work diligently to protect the interest and the rights of the homeowner.  Remember there is always a cost.   All that seems good isn’t.
 
-Natasha Hughes Smith

​The holiday season is upon us.  May we gather with our household and create memories that will linger long past 2020.  May we take stock of our many blessings despite our circumstances so that we can rejoice.  May 2021 bring greater blessings, joy and hope in the coming months.

People need people.  One part of being a business owner is providing great customer service.  Sometimes customer service can take on a different look other than selling services or products.   It’s connecting to people.  Sometimes a potential customer just needs to feel recognized and seen.  A hello or quick conversation can go a long way; however, the end result may not be immediate.

Businesses are built on relationships and interpersonal skills.  The more we connect the stronger the business relationship will be and the greater the opportunity for expansion through referrals.
 
-Natasha Hughes Smith

The year 2020 has seen families, businesses, schools and health care professionals face unbelievable challenges and fears.  Yet through it all, mankind is showing resilience and determination.   Yet, there are still more challenges facing us as we wrap up the year that was 2020. 

Our nation has seen strife that has not been experienced here in nearly 60 years.  Some Americans feel hopeless about the economy, the health crisis and the election.  We as a nation must remember that when we unit, great things are possible.  We must also remember that as long as we yet have breath in our lungs, there is hope.
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I encourage all to be that hope and change that they want to see in others.  Know that every voice and every action make a difference in our immediate world and that in turn affects the vast world we all call home.  So, let us get out there and allow our voices to be heard.  Vote!
 
-Natasha Hughes Smith