Two homes. Two seasons. One agent who actually gets it.
Most agents in Scottsdale have never spent a summer Up North. Most agents in Northern Michigan have never sold a condo in North Scottsdale. I've done both — and honestly, that changes everything about how I can help you.
So when you say you want a place you can fly into in November and leave behind in April without a second thought, I'm not piecing that together from a brochure. That's just my life. I know which communities are set up for part-time owners, which HOAs will take care of things while you're back home up north, and how to make a second home feel like a second season — not a second job.
I speak Northern Michigan. I speak Scottsdale. You'll only have to explain yourself once.
The math that makes a second home make sense
The Little Traverse Bay area is paradise from June through September. Then the lake freezes, the marina empties, and you're staring down six months of gray. A lot of families around here have started doing what I did: instead of fighting the Michigan winter, they decided there was a better option.
A winter home in Scottsdale isn't a relocation — it's a rotation. You keep everything you love about Up North summers and add a desert winter where the biggest weather problem is deciding which patio to have dinner on.
What people from this area tend to gravitate toward:
-Lock-and-leave condos & villas — low maintenance, gated, and easy to walk away from for months at a time.
-Luxury single-family homes — for families who want space, a pool, and room for the grandkids over the holidays.
-Golf community properties — a lot of us already golf up here; Scottsdale just stretches the season to year-round.
-Turnkey furnished homes — fly in, unpack nothing, start enjoying.
This is built for a specific kind of buyer. Sound familiar?
-You spend your summers around Little Traverse Bay — Bay Harbor, Petoskey, Walloon Lake, or somewhere in between.
-You're done "wintering" in Michigan and ready to actually go somewhere warm.
-You want a second home, not a move — your roots Up North aren't going anywhere.
-You'd rather have a place that's yours than book a different rental every January.
-You want someone who knows both ends of the trip, not just the transaction.
If you're nodding at a few of those, you're exactly who I love working with.
Where Northern Michigan families are landing in the Valley
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Walkable, social, lock-and-leave condos near dining and nightlife. Great for couples who want zero maintenance.
Grayhawk
FAQs
How does owning a home in two states actually work?
It's more manageable than people expect — especially with the right property type. John helps you choose a home built for part-time ownership (think gated communities, HOAs that handle landscaping and exterior upkeep, and smart-home setups you can monitor from Michigan). The goal is a place you can leave for six months without a second thought.
Isn't a second home just a money pit?
I don't know Scottsdale at all. How do I even start?
Can I see homes if I'm still up in Michigan?
When's the best time to buy?
Get John's buyer guide
Meet John Schrei
John Schrei didn't stumble into split-season living — he planned it.
After nearly 30 years in frontline sales and leadership, John understands that the biggest decisions people make are as much about identity as they are about investment. He splits his time between Northern Michigan and Scottsdale by design, which gives him something most real estate agents simply can't offer: he understands both ends of the move.
He knows what a Northern Michigan family is leaving behind — the Up North identity, the community, the sense of place — and he knows exactly what they're looking for when they land in the desert. He knows which Scottsdale communities are actually built for people who are only there half the year. And he understands the emotional calculus of holding onto one home while building a life in another.
Most agents know one market. John knows the whole journey.
If you've been thinking about a seasonal residence but aren't sure where to start, reach out. He's not going to sell you on a lifestyle — he's already living it. Worst case, you get an honest conversation. Best case, you find your place in the sun.
