When you call 7 Lakes Properties, you're speaking with one of these people. 12 Michigan-based professionals — every one of them accountable to a single standard: treat every seller the way we'd want a family member treated.
Michael founded 7 Lakes Properties in Kalamazoo in 2009 after watching the 2008 housing crisis expose a gap in Michigan's real estate market: sellers in hard situations with no fast, ethical path forward. He personally reviews every complex transaction and remains actively involved in acquisitions. Michigan native, 16+ years in residential real estate, father of three.
Sarah manages the operational side of every purchase — from the moment an offer is accepted to the moment proceeds hit a seller's account. She built and oversees the transaction coordination process that ensures sellers always have a named point of contact and a clear timeline at every stage. She joined 7 Lakes in 2011 as our first team hire.
David conducts property walkthroughs, evaluates renovation scope, and prepares offers across Michigan's western region. With 12 years in residential real estate — including time as a licensed contractor before transitioning to acquisitions — his property assessments are grounded in actual renovation cost data, not estimates from a national formula.
Our acquisitions team handles initial seller inquiries, property research, walkthrough scheduling, and offer delivery. Every team member has Michigan market experience and is trained on 7 Lakes Properties' offer methodology. When you receive a call from us after submitting a form, it will be one of these people.
Handles initial calls and walkthroughs for properties in Michigan's eastern corridor. Manages time-sensitive foreclosure and probate situations requiring fast response.
Manages the Grand Rapids metro and lakeshore markets — among Michigan's most active for both residential sales and cash buyer activity.
Covers the southern corridor from Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor. Works closely with David Martinez on complex property assessments and renovation evaluations.
Transaction coordinators manage every open purchase from signed offer to funded close. They coordinate directly with title companies, lenders (for mortgage payoff), probate attorneys, and sellers. If you have a question about your transaction status at any point, your transaction coordinator is your primary contact.
Manages open transactions from accepted offer through closing day. Coordinates title search timeline, lien resolution, and closing appointment scheduling with sellers and title companies.
Ensures sellers always know where their transaction stands. Handles document requests, answers seller questions, and coordinates with attorneys on estate and divorce transactions.
Handles initial inquiries, form submissions, and ensures every seller hears from a team member within 1 business hour of contact.
Manages purchase fund availability, wire transfer coordination, and ensures proof of funds is available to sellers on request.
Manages post-close renovation projects, contractor coordination, and eventual resale of acquired properties to Michigan families.
Every person on our team is trained on a single operational standard before they speak with their first seller: the 7 Lakes Properties Seller Welfare Protocol. This is not a sales script. It is a set of commitments about what we will and will not do in every seller interaction — including the commitment to tell a seller when we are not the right buyer for their situation.
We do not hire people whose primary background is high-pressure sales. Our acquisitions team members come from real estate, construction, or financial services backgrounds — industries where accuracy matters more than closing rate. We'd rather make accurate offers that sellers trust than high initial offers that get renegotiated at closing.
