We are not a national franchise. We are not an algorithm. We are a locally owned Kalamazoo company that has spent 16 years buying houses from real Michigan families in real situations.
Written by Michael Johnson, Founder & Lead Buyer — 7 Lakes Properties · Last reviewed: June 2025
In 2008, Michael was working as a residential real estate appraiser in Kalamazoo when the housing crisis hit Michigan hard. He watched neighbors, colleagues, and strangers lose homes to foreclosure — not because they didn't want to sell, but because the system moved too slowly and the options were too few.
One situation stayed with him: a retired schoolteacher on his street who received a Notice of Default in January, listed her house with an agent in February, and lost it to sheriff's sale in April — because the traditional process simply couldn't move fast enough for her circumstances. The property sat vacant for two years after that.
Michael closed his first three cash purchases in Kalamazoo in the spring of 2009. He founded 7 Lakes Properties with one operating principle: treat every seller the way you'd want a family member treated. That principle has not changed in 16 years. Every decision we make — on pricing, on process, on how we communicate — is filtered through it.
"The fastest path to building a great company is to be genuinely useful to the people you serve — especially when they're in a hard place."
Michael closes first 3 purchases in Kalamazoo County. Company founded on a single principle: seller welfare first.
Added dedicated transaction coordination so sellers always have a point of contact throughout the closing process.
Acquisitions team grew to cover Michigan's major metro areas. 100+ homes purchased to date.
Earned Better Business Bureau accreditation and A+ rating. 500+ Michigan homes purchased.
Team of 8 covering all 55 cities in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. 800+ homes purchased.
12-person team. 4.9-star average. Still answering calls from the same Kalamazoo office Michael started in.
The philosophy behind every offer we make, every timeline we set, and every seller we serve.
7 Lakes Properties uses our own funds to purchase every home we acquire. We are never a middleman generating leads, assigning contracts, or earning commissions. We buy, we renovate, and we resell — directly participating in Michigan's housing market as owners, not facilitators. Every seller signs a purchase agreement with us as the named buyer, and we close through a licensed Michigan title company at every transaction.
Our offers are based on after-repair value, estimated renovation scope, and current Michigan comparable sales. We show sellers our reasoning. If a seller disagrees with our assessment of value or repair costs, we explain our position and invite a counterargument. We do not use high initial offers to create emotional attachment and then reduce at the closing table — a practice common enough in this industry that it has a name. We have never done it.
We can close in 7 business days. We can also close in 90 days. The timeline is the seller's choice. We carry holding costs on every property we buy — so faster closes reduce our costs. That means our natural incentive is to push for speed. We override that incentive every time a seller needs more time. Their life situation takes priority over our carrying cost calculations.
We have told sellers — after receiving their inquiry — that they should list with an agent instead. If a home is in excellent condition, in a seller's market neighborhood, and the owner has 60–90 days to wait, they will almost certainly net more through a traditional listing. We believe telling a seller this when it's true is more valuable than closing every deal we can. The sellers who trust us most are often those who we told honestly: "you might do better elsewhere."
Michael Johnson grew up in Michigan. He went to school in Michigan. He raised his family in Kalamazoo. When he founded 7 Lakes Properties in 2009, he had no interest in building a company that operated nationally from a call center. He built a Michigan company because he understood Michigan — the market, the neighborhoods, the specific legal landscape, and the communities he was serving.
That local grounding is not a marketing position. It's the reason our offers reflect real Michigan comparable sales rather than national averages. It's the reason we know the difference between a Genesee County tax lien and an Oakland County judgment lien in terms of resolution timeline. It's the reason our title company relationships in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Detroit mean closings that move faster and encounter fewer surprises.
National buyers can buy in Michigan. But they cannot know it the way a team that has done nothing but buy Michigan houses for 16 years knows it.
We show every seller exactly how we calculated their offer — after-repair value, estimated renovation costs, and our required margin. If you ask, we explain. No smoke, no mirrors.
We never make verbal-only offers. Every offer is documented before any agreement is reached. Verbal "ballpark" offers are a tool of high-pressure buyers — we don't use them.
We close through a licensed Michigan title company on every transaction — no exceptions. Sellers are protected by title insurance law. We never ask a seller to hand over a deed without title company involvement.
We do not assign purchase contracts to unknown third parties. When you sign with 7 Lakes Properties, we are the buyer who closes on your home. No surprise at the title company table.
We have walked away from deals — or told sellers to list instead — when a cash sale clearly wasn't in their best interest. Our long-term reputation is worth more than any single transaction.
Every home we purchase is renovated and resold to a family — improving the housing stock in Michigan neighborhoods. We are not holding companies. We actively improve the properties we buy.
The people who evaluate your property, coordinate your closing, and answer your calls.
Step-by-step operational process — what happens between your first call and closing day.
Evidence-based comparison: what separates 7 Lakes Properties from typical house buyers.
