Meet Stacy The Realtor

STACY CATALDO, SFR®

Your Southeast Michigan Real Estate Agent

WHY DID STACY BECOME A REALTOR?

Stacy and her husband rented a lot of homes. In the course of 15 years, they rented and moved 10 different times. So yes, that’s a lot, a lot of searching, a lot of moving, and a lot of stress. How does this relate to becoming a real estate agent? Let’s start from the beginning.

ALWAYS FINDING THE HIDDEN GEM

Stacy always managed to find a new place to rent. She loved the hunt to find the hidden gem. They have rented apartments above bars with wide open spaces, cozy homes with luscious flower gardens, unique upper flats in Wyandotte, historic homes with magnificent hardwood floors. Every time they moved, she would fall in love with their new home thinking this was the last time they’d ever need to move. How wrong she was – every time.

STACY’S HOUSING EXPERIENCE

Let’s get to the big question. Why did they move so often? While each place had its charm, each rental was a learning curve. For example, one upper flat they signed the lease during the winter only to find out in the summer the windows didn’t open. That was a scorching summer with books propping open windows. Another rental, they soon discovered the fuse would pop each time they ran the microwave. This led to putting the microwave on the floor and plugging it into the garbage disposal plug under the kitchen sink for the appliance to run.

The most stressful of all the moving they did, a whopping five times – yes, five different times – the landlords decided to sell their properties that Stacy and her husband were renting. Honestly, in today’s market, who could really blame the landlords for wanting to sell? The market is hot for sellers. This led to Stacy wanting to understand the housing market and what she can do to break the cycle of renting and moving.

The transition from renter to homeowner can be confusing for some. Stacy became interested in real estate because of the ongoing housing shortage. As a renter, how would her and her husband find a home to buy? Stacy soon realized that their situation was common for first time home buyers.

FINALLY BUY OUR FIRST HOME

They started the search fir their first home when the landlord told them he was selling the house they were renting. The market was hot and he wanted to sell before things went down. They didn’t blame him because it made sense.

What made the situation difficult was the short timeline we needed to be out and the rise in the cost of living. To make things complicated, rent in Southeast Michigan has gone up exponentially, homes were selling as soon as they got on the market. How were they with little to no down payment able to get a new home? 

Luckily, Stacy recently got her Michigan real estate agent license before the fifth landlord told them he was selling the home. Stacy will tell you, knowledge is power. The knowledge – about knowing the buying options and setting goals for those options – made the difference. That is what took them from renting to owning – the knowledge.

There are many homeowner programs and mortgage options out there. The process of buying a home can be overwhelming. Stacy’s housing experience motivates her to help others find a place they can call home. 

CERTIFICATIONS

She is certified in short sales and foreclosures.  If you’re looking for a Southeast Michigan real estate agent that specializes in short sales and foreclosures, get in touch with Stacy the Realtor.  Buying and selling homes can be an emotional process, especially when dealing with short sales or foreclosures. Stacy is here to guide you through the process. She will provide you the right knowledge to make educated decisions about buying and selling your property.

Stacy Cataldo is a licensed real estate agent for the State of Michigan. She serves Metro Detroit including Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, including the Downriver area.

MI License # 6501440263