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bobbake.com 2.0 is now Live!

| BAKE REAL ESTATE
Screen Shot 2014-02-09 at 12.02.35 PM
Desktop Site

We just launched our new homepage which is now mobile friendly for all your devices and across browsers and operating systems including iOS and Android.  With the new website, we also have a new logo and a completely new look and feel. Site navigation was improved and simplified with direct/no-clicks to see actual listings which are now on the landing page. There’s smooth scrolling to the homes on the front page if your window is smaller. We’ve reduced the amount of visual clutter dramatically focusing attention on our product – the homes we sell.  So most importantly of all, this new design highlights our listings, your homes, and our communities of Plymouth and Northville, in the best light possible with larger and higher quality images and videos all produced in-house. Whether you are on your iDevice, Kindle, Android or just trusty old laptop or desktop, the new bobbake.com should look gorgeous, load faster, be easier to navigate, and offer a consistent experience on your phone or at your computer. Click here or either of the images to give the new site a test drive or just if you or someone you know wants to buy or sell a home in the Plymouth and Northville area.

Mobile Site
Mobile Site

Roperti’s Turkey Farm in the City of Livonia

| BAKE REAL ESTATE

ropertiWith Thanksgiving approaching, did you know there’s a working Turkey farm in Livonia among the subdivisions, businesses, parks, churches, and hospitals?  Roperti’s Turkey Farm on 5 Mile Road will cause you to do a double take if you didn’t know it was there. If you’re looking for an organically fed and free-range bird for the feast, this might be a good local source.  Otherwise, it’s just fun to drive by and see all the birds out in the yard along 5 Mile Road.

A Bit About…Salem Township – Our Featured Area of the Month

| Carrie

salem township mapPastoral Salem Township, located between Plymouth/Northville and Ann Arbor, is one of our region’s hidden treasures.  This month, I’ll be featuring information about Salem Township’s horse farms, recreational facilities, and real estate. If you’re seeking gently rolling meadows, country roads, estate sized properties with woods and ponds, and convenient access to local towns and amenities, Salem Township is definitely worthy of consideration.

9184 Currie Rd

Located in Washtenaw County, Salem Township is quite large at approximately 34 square miles, but the population is sparse at about 5,600.  When searching for real estate, it can be a bit tricky as the area includes six different zip codes – two in Northville, and one each in Plymouth, Ann Arbor, Salem, and South Lyon.  It also comprises four different school districts – South Lyon, Plymouth-Canton, Northville and Ann Arbor.

Fox Hills Lane

When I think of Salem Township, I always think of the horse farms!  You can see the horses grazing in the meadows, and many of my friends have their kids in riding lessons in Salem Township.  There are several horse farms, which specialize in different things and many offer boarding and riding lessons for children and adults.  Here are links to a few of them: Aberdeen Farm, Constantine Farms, Great Escape Stables, Willowbrooke Farm.

yaks

The last time I had seen a yak was when my husband and I traveled to Tibet 13 years ago for an out-of-the-way kind of adventure trip.  Tibet has many yaks grazing in the Himalayas, and yak meat is a common food used in a few different dishes, and the butter is used for yak butter tea. I digress…Anyway, you might imagine my surprise when I found that there is a yak farm right here in Salem Township!  Michigan Yakkers, LLC, is the only yak meat producing farm in Michigan. Yak meat is more like grass-fed beef and has great flavor and health benefits.  The yak farm is located at Currie Road, just South of Six Mile Road.  They also have sheep and ducks and I believe they sell their yak meat to Hillers Markets and Karl’s Cabin Restaurant.  You can find them on Facebook.

Look for Salem Township Part II coming soon!

5 Hot Design Trends in New Homes from REALTOR Magazine

| BAKE REAL ESTATE

With new homes and additions appearing all over town, I though the following article was appropriate for the times.

Creativity and cost-savings are the main themes driving new-home design trends today, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Here are some of the latest new-home design trends, according to NAHB:

1. “Pocket offices.” More space is being added to popular family gathering places like the kitchen and family room. As such, space devoted to formal home offices and dens are falling to the wayside. Instead of a formal home office, more new homes are incorporating a small space devoted to home management, known as “pocket offices.” These pocket offices may be anywhere, even included in a large pantry. They also might be tucked away near the kitchen or family great room. Most people today are mobile with their electronics and home office items anyway so they might not need as big of space to spread out and a “pocket office” may suffice.

2. Tucked away relax spots. Window seats and alcoves are increasing in new homes because they don’t take up much space but can still provide some private time.

3. Master laundry rooms. Laundry rooms are being added onto the master bedroom’s walk-in closet for added convenience.

4. “Shadow” units. As more families live together under one roof, “shadow” units are increasing in popularity in new single-family homes. These units may be built alongside a home and operate as a separate living unit accessed through a door from the home’s main floorplan. Shadow units may also include homes that come with at least two master suites, such as one located on the ground floor and one upstairs.

5. Rectangular home designs. Rectangular home designs are increasing in popularity because they are more cost-effective to build. The trend was once grand, multiple roof lines. But to make rectangular designs appealing, these homes may have two windows in a corner with mitered glass to allow unobstructed views and light to flow in, according to NAHB. Or these homes might mix exterior materials, such as with metal, wood, and stone to give the home a more modern look.

“There’s a Significant Uptick in Activity” According to Bob Bake, Associate Broker – Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel

| BAKE REAL ESTATE

In a recent interview published by the Northville Record Newspaper, Bob Bake, Associate Broker Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel, comments: “There’s a significant uptick in activity, especially for homes that are in move-in ready condition in appealing areas.” 

To read the full article published by the Northville Record, click here.

More Pumpkin Fun in Plymouth: Pumpkin Palooza (Formerly the Great Pumpkin Caper) is coming to Town October 23, 2011

| Carrie

Formerly the Great Pumpkin Caper, Pumpkin Palooza is a great family Halloween Party event with games & contests in Kellogg Park, Candy Stations and Photo Cut-outs on each street and a ‘Haunted’ Alley in the alley from Fleet St. to Main St. For more information about this event and other, visit the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce Website.

2011 Green Fair this Weekend in Downtown Plymouth!

| BAKE REAL ESTATE

What a perfect Spring morning to enjoy the Green Fair in Downtown Plymouth.  There were plenty of ‘Green’ products and services to explore – everything from electric vehicles to kid’s activities using recycled materials.  Combined with the perfect weather (at least for today), you couldn’t ask for a better way to spend a Saturday morning.  Even the fountain water was green!