Macomb County, Michigan
Local mortgage guidance for Fraser buyers and homeowners, with options shopped across multiple wholesale lenders and one Michigan broker who stays with your file.
Wedged into roughly four square miles of central Macomb County, Fraser is a compact, blue-collar suburb hemmed in by Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township and Roseville. Its housing stock is overwhelmingly mid-century: brick ranches and colonials built during the 1950s and '60s for the workers who staffed the region's auto plants. That industrial DNA still runs the local economy, Continental Plastics and the Schaller Group anchor a base of automotive-supplier and precision manufacturing work, with Fraser Public Schools and the City of Fraser among the larger payrolls. With about 14,726 residents and easy I-94/I-696 access to Detroit's job core, the city sells itself on affordability and location rather than flash. The Garfield Road corridor threads City Hall, the schools and the Fraser Lions Carnival grounds into a tidy civic spine.
By the numbers
Values move. Treat these as orientation and let us pull current figures for the address you are considering.
Typical home value, from the market research on this page
Typical rise in taxable value the year after a home sells, 2026 Uncapping Study
Property tax current owners pay, as a share of value. A buyer's bill can reset higher the year after a sale
Residential ZIP code: 48026
At a roughly $235,000 median, most Fraser buyers land comfortably inside conforming loan limits, so jumbo financing rarely comes into play here, this is FHA, VA and Conventional territory. Plan on a household income near $75,000 to $90,000 to carry the payment comfortably, factoring in Fraser's effective property tax of about 1.49%, well above Michigan's about 1.05% median. Homestead millage sits in the high-40s versus the mid-60s for non-homestead, so filing your Principal Residence Exemption is not optional bookkeeping; it materially lowers your payment. With the city's own median income near $64,354, MSHDA down-payment assistance and first-time-buyer programs can close the gap on these brick-ranch price points.
Nearly every Fraser purchase fits well under the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750, so loan size is rarely the constraint.
The market
Fraser is one of Macomb County's value plays. Redfin pegged the median sale price in 48026 near $224,933 in May 2026, while Zillow list prices ran closer to $240,000. The market has cooled, price per square foot is down roughly 12% year over year, yet homes still move in about 22 to 28 days and frequently draw multiple offers. Demand is driven by what Fraser offers under $250,000: solid brick ranches, a sub-30-minute Detroit commute and full Fraser Public Schools coverage. The softening simply means well-prepared, pre-approved buyers finally have a little negotiating room they lacked a year ago.
Where to look
Established single-subdivision of brick ranches and colonials. Prices run about $220,000 to $280,000.
Mid-century ranches on residential lots with mature trees. Prices run about $210,000 to $275,000.
A mix of ranches and larger single-family homes. Prices run about $230,000 to $300,000.
An older, well-rooted residential neighborhood. Prices run about $210,000 to $270,000.
Attached-home and condo community for lower-maintenance living. Prices run about $200,000 to $280,000.
Fraser's subdivisions are remarkably consistent, mostly 1950s-60s brick ranches and colonials on mature, tree-lined lots (RE/MAX Michigan): All of Fraser falls within Fraser Public Schools (about 4,535 students across eight schools, including Fraser High).
Downtown Detroit sits about 15 to 16 miles away, roughly 25 to 30 minutes by car via I-94/I-75.
Michigan property taxes
The year after a Michigan home sells, its taxable value resets to half of the assessor's market value, so the seller's tax bill is not your tax bill.
In the City of Fraser, our 2026 Uncapping Study found taxable value typically rises about 52% the year after a sale. On a $225,000 home, near the typical Fraser value, the first-year tax goes up roughly $1,840 at the Fraser schools rate. We build your payment on that post-sale number.
Looking at a Fraser address? Our Michigan property tax calculator finds that property's published 2025 millage and works out the tax to plan for after you buy.
In Michigan, don't just look at the current tax bill. Understand what could happen after ownership changes.
Local resources
The official offices behind the tax and school details on this page.
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As of mid-2026, homes in the 48026 ZIP sell for roughly $225,000 to $240,000 (Redfin’s median sale price was about $224,933 in May 2026, while median list prices ran near $240,000). Prices have cooled over the past year, with price-per-square-foot down about 12% from 2025, so buyers have a bit more leverage than they did.
To comfortably afford Fraser’s about $235,000 median home, plan on a household income of roughly $75,000 to $90,000 per year, depending on your down payment and rate. That range accounts for Fraser’s effective property tax of about 1.49%, which is higher than the statewide median and adds meaningfully to your monthly payment. Fraser’s own median household income is about $64,354, so down-payment assistance or a co-borrower can help bridge the gap.
Quickly. Homes in 48026 typically go under contract in about 22 to 28 days and often draw multiple offers. Even with prices softening in 2026, Fraser remains relatively competitive thanks to its affordability and location, so buyers should be ready to move on a well-priced listing and get pre-approved before shopping.
Fraser’s effective property tax rate is about 1.49% of value, above Michigan’s about 1.05% median. Homestead (principal-residence) millage runs in the high-40s of mills versus mid-60s for non-homestead, so claiming your Principal Residence Exemption matters. On a $235,000 home, expect roughly $3,000 to $3,500 in annual property taxes, which we factor into your qualifying payment.
Popular Fraser subdivisions include Fraser Estates, Fraser Meadows and Fraser Meadows North, Emerald Estates, Mulvey Farms, and the lower-maintenance Villas of Pine Ridge condos. Most are 1950s-60s brick ranches and colonials on mature, tree-lined lots, generally priced from the low $200,000s to around $300,000 depending on size and updates.
Fraser is served by Fraser Public Schools, which covers the entire City of Fraser plus parts of Roseville and Clinton Township. The district enrolls about 4,535 students across eight schools, including Fraser High School, one middle school, six K-6 elementaries and an early childhood center, and uses a competency-based learning model. School boundaries can affect resale value, so confirm the assigned school for any address before buying.
Tell Samantha what you are trying to do in Fraser and she will tell you what actually matters for your situation, including whether the timing is right.
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Align Lending LLC, NMLS #2041154. Samantha Shelton, NMLS 1647301. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Figures on this page are market research for orientation, not a quote. This page is for educational purposes only. It is not a credit decision, a preapproval, a commitment to lend, or an offer of credit.
Fraser brick ranch to live in? I'll build the homestead tax into your budget.
Samantha Shelton · Broker Owner and Senior Loan Originator · NMLS 1647301
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