Our Story

Two Educators Who Built a Real Estate Business Together

Realtors and Investors who love helping people move into their next chapter...personal or business.

Mike and Angelle Batten
How It Started

We Were Teachers First

Mike and Angelle Batten became a team the day they said "I do" in 1996 — and became a team of five pretty quickly after, with the arrival of a daughter and twin sons two years later. Ask either of them and they'll tell you: raising three kids together taught them more about partnership than any business class could.

They met as educators. Angelle eventually left her classroom and a consulting career behind, and Mike spent years as an elementary principal. But after owning rental property for a while, Mike realized he'd fallen for something else entirely — he loved learning about houses, evaluating deals, and negotiating well. He went on to become a licensed builder, which gives our clients a rare advantage: real, hands-on knowledge of construction, renovation, and what a property actually needs. Becoming a Realtor just made sense. A few years later, Angelle joined him full time, bringing the customer service and marketing instincts she'd built running her own coaching company.

Turns out, teaching and real estate have more in common than you'd think — both are really about guiding someone through a big decision, well.

Mike and Angelle Batten with their three kids
Every Season

We've Probably Helped Someone Through It

Real estate isn't only exciting milestones like a first home or an upsize. We've walked clients through divorce, the loss of a parent, estates and probate, foreclosure, sudden relocations, and homes that needed real work before they could sell. We're grateful to walk alongside people through the hard situations, not just the happy ones.

First Homes Move-Up Buyers Investing Divorce Death & Estates Foreclosure Relocation Damaged Homes Downsizing
Our Timeline

A Little Bit Of Our Story

1996

We Said "I Do"

The year Mike and Angelle became partners in life — and, without quite knowing it yet, in business too.

1998

A Team Of Five

A daughter and twin sons arrived, and the Battens learned early on how to work well together under pressure.

2010s

Realtors + Investors

Along the way, we became investors ourselves — buying, renovating, and holding property, which gave us firsthand insight into what makes a house a smart investment.

Today

Here For Your Move

Now grown, their kids still gather around the table every chance they get — and Mike & Angelle bring that same family-first care, plus years of hands-on investing experience, to every client they help.

What We Believe

Why We Do This Work

When you love the home you live in, it's easier to love your whole life — because your home touches every part of it. That's the belief behind everything we do.

1

We Do The Homework

Market data, comparable sales, honest pricing conversations — before we ever recommend a strategy, we've done the research to back it up.

2

We Tell You The Truth

Sometimes that means recommending a list price lower than you expected. Not because we want you to get less — because we believe it helps you get more.

3

We Think Like Investors

Because we invest in real estate ourselves, we look at every property with an owner's eye — understanding what adds value, what's a red flag, and what a smart offer looks like.

4

We Don't Take Your Trust Lightly

Every referral, every question, every "we trust you, let's go with your recommendation" means something to us. It's the whole reason we love this work.

5

We Help With Complicated Situations

Estates, inherited property, homes that need work, tricky title issues — we've handled complicated transactions before and know how to navigate them calmly.

6

We're Straightforward, Not Salesy

You'll always get our honest read, even when it's not what you hoped to hear. No pressure, no scripts — just real advice.

Life Lately

Beyond The Business Cards

We're a family business, so life outside of closings tends to sneak into our newsletter — and we like it that way.

The Batten family in front of the Manhattan skyline

All three kids in town at once (plus a Manhattan skyline) doesn't happen often — soaking up every minute.

The Batten family at the gym together

A family workout day — turns out we all showed up in matching black without planning it.

Angelle striking a playful pose at the airport

Trying to sneak movement into travel days... even if it means stretching at the gate.

Credentials

The Details

Brokerage

KW Realty Living
Brighton, MI

License

Mike Batten
MI License #6501394088
Licensed Builder

Focus

Buying, Selling & Investing
Livingston, Oakland & Washtenaw Co.

Let's Tal