Real Esteals …

On a clear day, you can see Dennis Orlowski from this house on Belmont.

By Charles Sercombe

Real Esteals highlights some of Hamtramck’s best properties on the market, and most likely ones that you can purchase for a steal. Get them while you can folks because eventually, the real estate market will one day come back.

If you know Mayor Karen Majewski, you know she’s one extremely busy person.

The occasional mayoral reports she gives at city council meetings are filled with events and with the people she met with during the course of her duties.

She’s recently taken to wearing yet another hat in her role as mayor. If you “friend” her on Facebook, you will notice she is often alerting folks to great housing buys in the city.

Lately, she’s been promoting a former two-family house at 3290 Belmont that’s been converted into a one-family house. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, an unfinished basement and gorgeous hardwood floors.

The list price is $22,900 – an amazing deal. The only thing we noticed is that the kitchen could use an update. But still, by the looks of things it’s move-in ready.

We talked with the mayor about her real estate interest. Why the plugging?

“I think I’m a closet real estate agent,” she said, and then let out a laugh. “I’m looking at these, wishing my friends would live on the same block as me.”

Well, at least in the same city. The mayor lives on Pulaski St.

What it’s all about, she stressed, is creating a community.

“It’s an opportunity,” she said. “If we don’t take these houses, what will happen to them?”

It’s certainly an opportunity for those sitting on the fence on whether to buy now or wait until later. Folks, take our word, housing prices have never been this low.

“It’s a good time to buy,” Majewski said. “I wish I could buy them all.”

By the way, if you want to check out Hamtramck properties, there are two websites the mayor uses: trulia.com and zillow.com. Simply sign up with the sites and let them know you are interested in being alerted to Hamtramck listings.

As for the Belmont house, call Re/Max at (248) 544-1750. By the way, if you purchase it, you’ll be living next-door to Hamtramck muralist Dennis Orlowski. Maybe he can help you with selecting new paint colors for inside.