North Harbor Blog
North Harbor Real Estate invites you to explore Northern Michigan and all it has to offer through our featured blog articles and videos. Let us share with you through our eyes all there is to love, do, explore, and embrace when you live, work, play, or visit.
First Time Homebuyer Savings Account Program
New First Time Homebuyer Savings Account Program for Michiganders By Beth Flynn If you’re thinking about buying a new home for the first time you may feel overwhelmed by the frenzied state of the housing market. Homeownership might seem out of reach to you because...
Destination Michigan Islands
Destination Michigan IslandsBy Jeff Wellman You don’t have to travel to the tropics to enjoy an island vacation. Michigan is home to several island destinations where you can escape and relax, surrounded by beautiful water views. The waters of the Great Lakes that...
Local’s Summer List
Local's List for Summer FunBy Jeff Wellman Locals always know the best things to do. Here’s our locally sourced summer bucket list for the best things to do in Northern Michigan. If you know, you know! Jump off the break wall in Petoskey - This is a rite of passage...
Buying Vs. Renting
Buying vs. RentingBy Jeff Wellman When looking for a new home many people find themselves wondering if they should buy or rent. Both are serious financial commitments, yet they’re very different. Many factors go into deciding whether buying or renting is best for...
Five Northern Michigan Beaches to Visit
Five Northern Michigan Beaches to Visit By Jeff Wellman The Northern Michigan region has miles and miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan at the tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Developed beaches with plenty of amenities can be found along with wild, natural...
All About Title Insurance
Title Insurance: What You Need to KnowBy Jeff Wellman Title insurance is one of the many elements you’ll hear your mortgage lender talk about if you are shopping for a new home. But what is title insurance, and why do you need it? When you close on your new home,...
Ernest Hemingway’s History in Northern Michigan
Ernest Hemingway's History in Northern Michigan Ernest Hemingway, a Pulitzer Prize winner and one of America’s most important authors, spent the first 22 summers of his life in Northern Michigan. It was there among the Northern Michigan woods and waters Hemingway...
Advantages of a Cash Offer
Considering a cash offer can be an advantage By Jeff Wellman Making a cash offer on a home gives buyers an advantage in a competitive real estate market. What is a cash offer? When a home buyer purchases a home with a cash offer, it means they offer to buy the...
Our Favorite Inland Lakes
Our Favorite Inland LakesBy Jeff Wellman Lake Michigan gets all the attention, but Northern Michigan is home to several beautiful inland lakes that offer many different options for recreation and relaxation on the water. Boating, fishing, swimming, and kayaking are...
Staging Your Home
Staging Your Home for Sale By Jeff Wellman Staging your home for sale will help it sell faster and bring in the best offer possible. What is home staging? If you look through real estate ads, you might notice photos of beautifully decorated homes void of clutter...
Upcoming Area Events
Upcoming EventsMOREL FESTIVAL MAY 12-14 | ALL DAY | BOYNE CITY, MI Fungi lovers from around the country come to seek that elusive local delicacy: the morel mushroom. Meet other morel hunters, share recipes, and enjoy a plethora of mushroom themed events. ...
Why Choose a Career in Real Estate?
Why Choose a Career in Real Estate? By Jeff Wellman A career in real estate might be the perfect job opportunity for you, whether you’re just entering the workforce or want to change vocations. Here are nine reasons why you should choose a career in real estate. ...
Northern Michigan Day Trips
Five Northern Michigan Day Trips to Take This Spring By Jeff Wellman Are you looking for a little adventure now that the snow has melted? Here are five Northern Michigan day trips you can take this spring to help you kick cabin fever to the curb! Mackinac Island ...
5 Signs It’s Time to Sell Your Home
5 signs it’s time to sell your home By Jeff Wellman Every home we live in over the course of our lives serves a different purpose. From the house you grew up in, to your starter home, the house you raise your family in and beyond, some are meant to serve us a few...
4 Main Mortgage Types Explained
4 Main Mortgage Types Explained By Jeff Wellman As a prospective homebuyer, researching mortgage types is just as important as researching the types of homes and neighborhoods where you want to live. Many types of mortgages exist, and there are different types to...
Tips for Listing Your Home This Spring
Getting Your Home Ready For A Spring Sale By Jeff Wellman The Spring Real Estate market is just around the corner. You may be considering listing your home, but know that there are some things that could help get you a higher return. Although its a seller's market...
Selling “As Is”
2 Things to consider when selling your home "AS IS" By Beth Flynn You may have heard of homes being listed and sold in “as-is” condition. Sellers will often put their homes on the market in as-is condition when they lack time or simply don’t want to do repairs...
Enjoying Winter Around Lake Charlevoix
Enjoying Winter Around Lake CharlevoixBy Jeff Wellman Downhill Skiing Mt. McSauba is a quaint ski hill near Charlevoix that offers something for the whole family or group to enjoy. The slopes are perfect for the beginner or intermediate skier, with some of the best...
Top 5 Sales of 2021
Top Sales of 2021 By Jeff Wellman Wow! What a year 2021 has been. It's no secret that the state of the real estate market has been willd this year. Multiple-offer scenarios, bidding wars and cash offers have become the norm, and are the result of tight inventory,...
Fine Dining In Northern Michigan
Fine Dining in Northern Michigan By Jeff Wellman As a Northern Michigan local and self-proclaimed foodie, I have definitely tried my fair share of local restaurants time and time again. A question that I commonly receive from clients and people new to or exploring...
New York Times Featured Article
North Harbor Christie’s & Lake Michigan Featured in the New York Times! By Jeff Wellman North Harbor Christie’s International Real Estate was recently interviewed and featured in The New York Times Online. Lakefront destinations have been gaining popularity...
Area Art Galleries
Area Art Galleries By Jeff Wellman Art galleries are fantastic places to reflect, gather inspiration, and look at life from a different perspective. Michigan artists and artisans are incredibly diverse, and we’re lucky to live in a place with so many galleries and...
The Perfect Cups of Coffee
The perfect cups of coffee in Northern Michigan By Jeff Wellman What is it that makes a coffee shop a great one? Is it purely the coffee itself, or is it the aroma, the ambience, the ability to get work done easily? The décor, staff, and of course, the coffee, all...
Dog Friendly Activities
Dog Friendly Activities In Petoskey & Beyond By Jeff Wellman When you plan your visit to Petoskey and the surrounding communities, you don’t have to worry about who’s going to watch the dog while you’re away, or about leaving them home for long periods of time...
Mountain Biking Up North
Mountain Biking Up North By Jeff Wellman Mountain biking seems to be gaining more and more popularity lately and it is an activity that I have been enjoying in Northern Michigan for years. There are so many beautiful trail networks in our area to get out and bike...
Fall Color Tour
Must-Visit Places for Amazing Michigan Fall Colors By Jeff Wellman There is no better place on earth to see the dynamic and vibrant fall colors than in Northern Michigan. With our dense, old-growth forests, scenic great lakes, and rolling hills, the landscape...
Sailing in Northern Michigan
Sailing in Northern Michigan By Jeff Wellman Sailing, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to enjoy and experience the waters of the Great Lakes in our backyard. There’s nothing quite like pulling up the sails and making your way out into the expansive blue...
Lighthouse Getaways
Lighthouse Getaways By Jeff Wellman Though not as necessary as they once were for guiding ships through the Great Lakes, Michigan’s lighthouses are still destinations for travelers, history buffs, and locals alike. Their historic pasts, grand architecture, and the...
Boyne Thunder
Photo courtesy of Boyne Thunder Speed, Excitement and Fun! By Jeff Wellman What could be a better way to spend a beautiful summer day than watching high-powered boats speed across some of Michigan’s most beautiful bodies of water? Boyne Thunder is a highly...
Petoskey Restaurant & Winery Guide
Petoskey Restaurant & Winery GuideWhether you're into high-end dining experiences, or no-fuss, down to earth eateries, there is a restaurant in Petoskey that you're sure to enjoy. This handy guide includes a map of Petoskey restaurants and wineries, as well as...
Hiking in Emmet County
Hiking in Emmet County By Jeff Wellman Life in Northern Michigan is all about easy access to the outdoors. What better way to get out and experience the beauty of the area than going out for a hike? Emmet County has miles of trails that are a great way to immerse...
Golfing Up North
Must-try Northern Michigan Golf Courses By Jeff Wellman The state of Michigan has nearly 800 golf courses, so picking one to play could be a shot in the dark. Fortunately, we’ve made some of those tough decisions a bit easier on you by outlining some of our...
Morel Mushroom Hunting
Morel Mushrom Season in Northern Michigan Each spring in Northern Michigan, we tie up our hiking boots, put on the bug spray, and take off into the woods, hunting for the morel mushrooms. The tasty fungi grow in every county in Michigan, sprouting up April thru...
Petoskey Wine Region
Petoskey Wine Region There’s something for everyone visiting Northern Michigan - especially wine lovers. The Petoskey Wine Region was established in 2016, covering six counties with currently 14 wineries. It is also one of five federally recognized American...
