DISCOVER A BRAND NEW WAY TO DOWNSIZE IN Michigan WITHOUT THE ANXIETY OF MARKET UNCERTAINTIES

My Journey From Medical Professional to a Trusted Downsizing Advisor in Southeast Michigan Decide Whether to Stay or Go, and Move Forward with Confidence, Not Regret.

Deborah Lee Darling

I grew up right here in Brownstown Township, Michigan, and graduated from Woodhaven High School back in 1988.

Like many young couples, I married young, had my first daughter, Kayla, and then faced a divorce shortly after. I was determined to create a stable life for my daughter, so I put myself through ophthalmology school and began a career helping people see clearly — literally.

For over 26 years, I worked in eye care, assisting doctors and caring for patients, including veterans at the VA Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Life led me to Tennessee, where I supported my husband during his military service, working as an optician and office manager in Clarksville. But no matter where I went, my heart always belonged in Michigan.

After more than a decade away, I came back home to Downriver, but as my kids grew up, moved out, and started families of their own, I found myself facing a new season of life — an empty house, and the question: What’s next?

When my daughter Jody moved out, I officially became an empty nester. That’s when I made the decision to leave my full-time job at the VA and fully pursue a new passion: real estate.

I knew what it felt like to face major life transitions and overwhelming decisions. I wanted to help others going through the same kind of change, especially homeowners like me who weren’t sure where to begin when it came time to downsize.

That’s why I built my Should I Stay or Should I Go? 5C™ System — a simple, step-by-step plan to help empty nesters gain clarity, organize their home and belongings, calculate their best financial move, sell confidently, and complete their next chapter with peace of mind.

It’s not just about selling a house — it’s about guiding people through one of the biggest emotional and financial decisions of their life, with care, patience, and a clear plan.

Today, I live back in my hometown of Brownstown with my wonderful husband Keith, and I get to spend precious time with my beautiful grandbabies.

I know firsthand how important it is to simplify life so you can focus on what really matters: creating new memories, not feeling stuck in old ones.

Helping my clients confidently move forward into their next chapter is not just my job — it’s my passion.

I help homeowners in Southeast Michigan who feel stuck about where to start with downsizing get the clarity and confidence they need to make their next move — without pressure, confusion, or regret.

My Journey From Medical Professional to a Trusted Downsizing Advisor in Southeast Michigan Decide Whether to Stay or Go, and Move Forward with Confidence, Not Regret.

Deborah Lee Darling

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IT'S ALL ABOUT HELPING Empty Nesters looking to downsize get the clarity and confidence THEY Deserve

At Find a Darling Home, we don’t just help people buy or sell—we help them move forward with clarity, dignity, and heart.

Our mission goes beyond real estate. Every move we guide is an opportunity to create meaningful change—both for our clients and our community.

We proudly support causes that matter, including:

🧵 Quilts for Kids – bringing handmade comfort to children facing serious illness and trauma

🚚 Move For Hunger – turning every move into a chance to fight hunger across Michigan

🌍 Rotary & Kiwanis International – giving back locally and globally through service and leadership

👩‍💼 Women’s Council of Realtors – empowering women in real estate and community leadership

When you work with us, you’re not just finding a home—you’re helping us build a better Michigan, one act of kindness at a time.

Experience some of our CLIENTS' Success

Sold a Home in Allen Park MI

We had a great experience with Deborah as our real estate agent! We went into the process not knowing what to expect, as the property was in need of some TLC and with the market and economy being in such a conflicted time. But after a relatively short period, we had the property sold at our asking price!
Deborah gave us great suggestions to market our property that would bring the right returns on our spending without unnecessary costs. She was a knowledgeable and calm source that helped us to be proactive while waiting for the right offer.
Couldn’t recommend her enough! She was very available with answers to any questions and was willing to go the extra mile to help us sell our home with as little stress as possible. Thanks again Deborah!

-Frank

Sold a home in Monroe, MI - Purchased a home in Washington MI

Deborah, made the experience of selling a home stress free and easy. Her kindness, and understanding went a long way. Thank you so much!m."

-Peggy

Purchased a Home in Southgate

Deborah was incredible to work with! After having rough luck with another agent we were referred to Deborah and she worked tirelessly to find us our Darling Home. She did a great job keeping us informed, was constantly available for any of our questions or communications and ultimately gave us the advice that made the difference and caused our offer to be accepted. Then when life got in the way and we tested positive for COVID the day before our closing, Deborah went above and beyond to make it still happen by completing the final walk through for us and helped us schedule to a socially distant closing at the very last moment. We couldn't have done this without her and would absolutely recommend Deborah to anyone looking to buy a home.

-Megan

Purchased in Wayne, MI

Deborah is one of the best realtor in the state of Michigan. She works hard for you, she picks up the phone every time you call, don’t matter what time. She knows what she’s talking about when it comes to homes. she always on top of new codes that change all the time and makes sure you understand how everything works. After working with Deborah she will become a new family member as she did with mines. I would recommend her to anybody who looking for a home, she is great!!!

-Christopher

Sold in Milan, MI - Purchased Home in Brighton, MI

We had a great experience both buying and selling our home! Highly recommend and you won't be disappointed. The process was easier than expected and we had great direction along the way!

-Emily

Purchased Home in Wayne

Deborah is the BEST!!! My husband and I didn’t have a great experience our first time around trying to find a home. So we had given up a little and we were nervous because we didn’t want the same things to happen to us. But someone recommended Deborah to us and she changed our whole outlook on everything. Deborah made my husband and myself feel like family, she made sure we knew what we needed to know about buying a home. Even when things got rough she made them feel easy never not answering our calls or texts. If we didn’t understand something she made sure we did. She worked tirelessly with us for a year and now we’re in our HOME! We appreciate her so very much. ♥️

-Arielle

Sold a Home in Milan, MI

Deb Darling is truly a top notch realtor. Everybody knows the pictures sell the house. In the past, when on the buyer’s side, I wouldn’t even bother with listings with bad, lazy, out of focus pictures. For my house I was selling , she did 360 views of all rooms. She used a “fly-through” device to simulate a drone flying through the interior and created a movie of my house with delightful music behind it. Then she did an actual drone to capture the exterior and aerial view of my property. Needless to say, I was very very impressed. She made me see my house I was selling in a whole new light and beauty that gave me confidence it would sell fast, and it did. I had an offer after just one week. The care a realtor puts into each listing is a testament to and a reflection of their sincerity in having real passion for what they do. She has a fantastic reputation for a reason. She loves what she does. I would highly recommend Deb Darling to help anyone and everyone to Find THEIR Darling Home.

- Rabecca

Purchased a Home in Dewitt, MI

Syed Mohsin was so helpful and efficient. He helped with every part of the process and helped us to sell our property as quickly as possible! He is a very nice person and very professional as well.

-Amanda Halilovic

Purchased A Primary Home in Wayne

Deborah was able to find me a home on time and within my budget.
Without her calm guidance, I wouldn't have been able to succeed.
- Luke

Investor - Purchased in Detroit, MI

Wanted to make sure I took time to write a review to let others know, if you are looking for an agent in the Michigan area, Deborah is the agent for you. Excuse me, I meant to say REALator. Real Estate Agents are a plenty, but its not often where you find one that is not only attentitive to your needs, but also ensures your closing experience is a pleasant one. I am an out of town investor and Deborah did a lot of the intangibles that cannot be overlooked. I was and am still very much impressed at the attention to detail you take at your craft. I appreciate being a value add in every way possible. I have found my agent for Michigan. Thank you again Deborah for being the professional you are!

-Theodore

Investor - Southeast MI

I’ve truly enjoyed working with Deborah Darling of “Find a Darling Home EXP Realty”. She is one of the most dynamic agents I’ve ever worked with, in over 40+ years as a Realtor and Broker. I only wish she was part of our team, bringing her knowledge, awesome people skills, ethics, and professionalism to our firm. We need more Realtors in the business like her, and it has been my honor and privilege to know & work with her. She’s a “FIRST CLASS” Agent, always going above and beyond, and even a better person!

-Harlan

Sold Home in Milan, MI

-Dave

Purchased Primary Home Lincoln Park, MI

Deborah was incredibly helpful and supportive through my entire home buying process. Even during occasional hiccups in the process that were at no fault of hers, she helped me navigate through it all. I couldn’t be more thankful for both a wonderful realtor and even greater person. There really isn’t a better agent you could trust more. Thank you so much!

-Erik

Sold A Home Lincoln Park

She was great! Extremely helpful and made the process easy and painless

-Corey

Relocation to MI

I highly recommend Deborah Darling as your Michigan Realtor!! She really cares about her clients and goes above and beyond to help them either find the home that is perfect for them or to successfully sell their home. She is definitely the best realtor to have on your side!

-Trish

Sold Multiple Homes in Detroit, MI

Deborah Lee Darling is a professional, knowledgeable, and patient guide through the process of buying a first home. She is an excellent communicator, and I particularly appreciated her (frequent) assurances that there 'are no dumb questions'. Even when I didn't know what I wanted, Ms. Darling was an active listener and used her expertise to narrow the scope of the house hunt. I happily recommend Deborah Lee Darling for real estate services.

Alex

Purchased Homes in Staton, MI

The best person in the entire world. Above and beyond when it came to everything

-Seth

Land Purchase in Taylor, MI

Deborah handled the paperwork on point
I was pleased with her professionalism

-Edin

Sold Home in Milan, MI

Deborah was excellent and helped us through our indecisiveness working overtime to deliver everything ahead of schedule. Would highly recommend her for anyone looking for a great agent!

-Jon

Purchased Two Primary Homes Lincoln Park

Deborah is very pleasant, professional, prompt and comes with a great deal of experience and knowledge. She has been very helpful with every step of selling and buying. She has represented our family in 3 separate matters and everone has been very pleased. Moving forward, she is the Realtor I will use.

Thank you Deborah for everthing and for always going the extra mile!

-Sheri

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if downsizing is the right move for me right now?

Great question — and it’s one of the biggest reasons people grab my 5 C’s to Clarity™ guide. If your current home feels too big, too expensive, or too much to maintain, it might be time to explore your options. I walk clients through a step-by-step process to help them decide confidently.

Will I really save money by downsizing?

In many cases, yes — especially when factoring in lower utility bills, taxes, and maintenance. But the real savings come from clarity: understanding the total cost of staying versus the benefits of going. I help you crunch the numbers and see the full picture.

Do I have to fix up my house before I can sell it?

Not necessarily. Some buyers are happy to purchase homes “as-is,” and I also work with ExpressOffers for cash options when appropriate. We'll evaluate whether repairs, staging, or a quick sale makes the most sense for your goals and timeline.

What happens to all my stuff if I move to a smaller home?

You’re not alone — this is one of the top concerns! I guide clients through manageable steps to sort, donate, sell, or store their belongings without overwhelm. You don’t have to do it all at once — you just need the right plan and support

Is now a good time to sell in Southeast Michigan?

Absolutely — especially in areas like Brownstown, Wayne County, and Downriver where inventory is still low. But timing also depends on your personal goals. I offer free home value assessments to help you make the smartest decision.

What if I’m still not sure if I’m ready?

That’s completely okay. The Should I Stay or Should I Go? system is all about helping you get clear — not forcing a move. We’ll talk through your options at your pace, with no pressure or judgment.

OUR Darling guarantee

I personally commit to walking with you every step of the way, at your pace, with no pressure or confusion.

The right fit?

As you can imagine, our service unlike any other experience out there and as such, we go to great efforts to maintain the quality & exclusivity of our services

THIS COULD BE RIGHT FOR YOU IF:

You're dreaming of owning a home in Michigan or are on the path to becoming one
You can dedicate few hours each week to crafting your dream home journey
You're geared up to take bold, even if not flawless, steps towards your goal
You're financially prepared to invest in turning your home-owning dreams into reality
Your aim is to enhance your lifestyle, not just for yourself, but to contribute more to those around you

THIS MAY NOT BE RIGHT FOR YOU IF:

You are hesitant to find your footing in the real estate market, either as a buyer or seller
You're hoping for instant, effortless success in the housing market
You're only interested in free insights but aren't ready to put in the effort
You're hesitant about the value of investing in your own real estate journey
Your goal is solely to increase your wealth without the desire to contribute to the community or others

If this resonates with you and you're eager to tap into all that I've achieved in becoming one of the leading experts in Michigan real estate (which includes direct, daily access to my personal insights and guidance), then you know your next step...

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