Monthly foreclosure activity in Michigan increased in April, up 8 percent from the previous month to 19,173 properties with foreclosure filings. This latest state total also represents a 77 percent year-over-year increase in foreclosure filings from April 2009, according to the latest RealtyTrac® U.S. Foreclosure Market Report. “Michigan reported a jump in foreclosure activity between March and April, with a total number of filings well above what was reported for this time last year,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “Unemployment in Michigan also rose to 9.9 percent, even as employers added new jobs and retail sales increased, sendi Complete Story

Trulia.com and RealtyTrac recently surveyed U.S. adults to get some insight into what people *think* is involved with buying a foreclosure. Here are the Top 10 Myths that came up, and the facts to set the record straight: Foreclosures need a huge amount of work. 92 percent of consumers expressed that if they bought a foreclosure, they would be willing to make home improvements after they closed the deal, with 65 percent being willing to invest 20 percent or less of the purchase price. Although stories of foreclosures missing plumbing and every electrical fixture are very memorable, many foreclosed homes need only the cosmetic improvements. Complete Story

Is there any way to assure real estate success, to purchase real estate at the bottom of the market, sell at the top and face no risk in between? It would be great to say that the answer is yes, and greater still to have such knowledge, but the central reality of investing is that such certainty does not exist. There's always risk, including the risk of not doing anything and missing an opportunity. But if it's true no form of investing is risk-free, then it's equally true that there are steps which can be taken to reduce marketplace perils, especially when considering foreclosures, short sales and distressed properties in general