Ribbon Cutting Today at P & J Plantiques - 04/30/10 07:30 PM
Ribbon Cutting Today at P & J Plantiques  
The date is April 30th, 2010 and the event of the day in Big Rapids is welcoming P&J Plantiques to the area business community. The Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting ceremony today at 3pm down in Rogers Heights where they are located. The owners, Patrick Aymar & Jeff Cauffman, have done an awesome job creating an environment where Plants and Antiques live harmoniously waiting for a good home. I thought I was surprised by the number of antiques when I went inside but the number of plants … (0 comments)

Home Buyer Tax Incentives Pass Quietly - 04/30/10 06:45 AM
Home Buyer Tax Incentives Pass Quietly  
The waiting is over. For the last few months many of us Realtors® have been waiting for the rush of buyers bottle necking to take advantage of the Homebuyer Tax Credits ending today. As of this morning I am still just waiting. I have had one...yes I said one, buyer looking to take advantage of the tax credits, but of course they were pre approved for RD only which is out of money. I have talked with lenders, Realtors® and even home inspectors and appraisers and everyone was waiting for the dance that never … (0 comments)

Hunters Heaven in Big Rapids, Mi - 04/28/10 06:18 AM
Hunters Heaven in Big Rapids, Mi  
Just listed what could be the best hunting parcel I have ever had the pleasure of listing. This totally wooded 30 acre parcel is a hunters dream come true. One of the few left that you could purchase and close on by 3pm and be hunting from one of your own stands by 4pm. Close to expressway for easy access and yet a total remote feel to it. There are already 3 food plots in along with paths cut through for easy access to one of the 2 elevated blinds. Has water in the … (1 comments)

Farmers Market in Big Rapids - 04/27/10 08:02 AM
Farmers Market in Big Rapids  
It is said that April's showers bring May flowers. Another May arrival is the Downtown Big Rapids Farmers Market. What a great way to help the local farmers and enjoy fresh produce all right here in Big Rapids. From May through October, every Tuesday and Friday you have an opportunity to experience some of the areas best veggies, meats, eggs, baked goods, flowers and all sorts of side items. On Fridays there is even live music in the Pocket Park next to Chemical Bank from 12pm-2pm. If you haven't had a chance to try the … (0 comments)

In Town Surveys - 04/26/10 02:48 PM
In Town Surveys  
Recently I had the pleasure of selling a house up in Reed City, MI. The selling agent and I have worked together before so I was looking forward to another smooth transaction. Title work came back a little off showing a 10' strip of the adjoining lot was bought but never Warranty deeded so smooth is out the window and now I am hoping for being able to close. After seeing the legal description and visiting the parcel something didn't add up so we requested a survey. It was an estate sale so the sellers were reluctant … (0 comments)

Life With No Reverse - 04/26/10 01:26 AM
Life With No Reverse  
Back in January of this year my Ranger's transmission started acting up. I completely lost reverse. I love my truck and getting rid of it is not an option so repairing it makes sense. Trying to save a few dollars I decided I would repair it myself. I looked online and found this particular year had trouble with some solenoids and a valve body inside the transmission so I called our local Ford garage and ordered them. Figuring it would only take a few days I didn't think it would be to tough maneuvering without reverse … (2 comments)

Big Rapids Homes For Rent - 04/25/10 07:22 AM
Big Rapids Homes For Rent  
One of the most frequent calls I get are for rentals in the Big Rapids area. While I do not personally have any to rent out I quite often can point you in the right direction. I have even thought about contacting the local landlords and compiling a list for my website for those who would rather rent than own. Why would you pay another person thousands of dollars a year building no equity escapes me but there are those that renting is a better fit and to be a true housing specialist we have … (0 comments)

2010 Mecosta County Expo is a Huge Success! - 04/24/10 03:30 PM
2010 Mecosta County Expo is a Huge Success  
The 2010 Mecosta County Community and Family Expo is over for the year and to say it was a huge success is an understatement. Brilliantly orchestrated by the Chamber Staff the event was the highlight to most everyone who attended. From a sold out crowd of vendors to a nonstop flow of  consumers the day had no real dull moments as there was always something going on. The dancing mascots were a huge hit along with the very talented young singers from the Big Rapids area. All age groups of kids were … (0 comments)

My Life! By Design Ripple Effect - 04/23/10 04:15 AM
My Life! By Design Ripple Effect.  
A week ago I decided to try the contest that featured Tom Ferry's new book "Life! By Design". From the moment I started reading I knew something huge was about to happen. Before finished the exercise I had ordered the book and was uncomfortably inching forward. I decided to do the exercise and found the exercise on completing the half circles really hit home. In this past week there are half circles coming out of closets everywhere. Seems like for everyone I close two more open which makes me wonder if there is an … (4 comments)

Rise and Shine at Cran-Hill Ranch...WOW! - 04/22/10 01:08 PM
Rise and Shine at Cran-Hill Ranch...WOW!  
This morning the Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce Rise and Shine was held at Cran-Hill Ranch just east of Big Rapids near Rodney, MI. Our host, Scott Barger, gave us a detailed description of Cran-Hill and introduced us to his staff as well as offering a guided tour to those who hadn't been there. I was completely amazed by the number of activities I had no idea existed out there. Cran-Hill Ranch is devoted to being a ministry through which God is transforming lives into the image of Christ through Youth Camps, Family … (0 comments)

Big Rapids Student Housing Specialist - 04/21/10 09:18 AM
Big Rapids Student Housing Specialist  
If you are attending or planning to attend Ferris State University and looking to get away from the rental scenery we can help. There are many issues surrounding students living off campus that you will need an experienced agent to help guide you through including Zoning, Parking, and even renting extra rooms to friends requires a different approach.
Located in downtown Big Rapids we are familiar with the area and can guide you through the process of finding the right home, negotiating the contracts and finally helping you to close on your new home. … (0 comments)

What a Weekend to Visit Big Rapids! - 04/21/10 03:15 AM
What a Weekend to visit Big Rapids! Every weekend is a nice time to visit our little slice of paradise on the Muskegon River but this weekend, April 24-25, 2010 is a GREAT time to visit. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. we have a double header. We have the Mecosta County Community & Family Expo held at the Big Rapids Middle School and at the South end of town Ferris State University is holding Ferris Fest 2010 from noon to 6pm at the Campus Quad (Wink Arena if rains) and if that is not enough Sunday the Verve Pipe … (1 comments)

Verve Pipe is Coming to Big Rapids - 04/21/10 02:07 AM
Verve Pipe is Coming to Big Rapids There is a great buzz on the streets of Big Rapids these days. The ever popular group, the Verve Pipe will be putting on a kid's show at the Big Rapids High School this Sunday, April 25th at 3PM. Best of all it is absolutely FREE but you still need to get tickets. Pick up tickets at The Pioneer in downtown Big Rapids on April 22nd or April 23rd. For more information, contact your The Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce at (231) 796-7649. Keep in mind, even though tickets are free, they are … (0 comments)

100th Post and still more questions than answers. - 04/20/10 02:37 AM
100th Post and still more questions than answers. For my hundredth post I had planned something spectacular that everyone would want to read and could learn from as I have learned from so many but when I starting typing it was my inquisitive nature that appeared in print. Still so many questions and with each answer...new questions. I read quite often about the successes of my fellow Active Rain posters and how they are getting clients right and left from their posts but I don't remember anyone every telling me they came to me because of my blog. Ok...no one has … (7 comments)

Rise and Shine at Cran-Hill Ranch - 04/19/10 03:53 PM
Rise and Shine at Cran-Hill Ranch  
This month's Rise and Shine will Be at Cran-Hill Ranch on Thursday April 22nd at 7:30am until about 8:30am. The Rise and Shine Events are another great example of what the Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce does to help build area business. I am excited about this month's Rise and Shine because I have not had the opportunity to visit Cran-Hill in quite a while and they have a lot to offer.
A little bit about Cran-Hill Ranch: Per their website Cran-Hill Ranch is devoted to being a ministry through which God … (0 comments)

Search Stories video for Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - 04/19/10 06:51 AM
Search Stories video for Lake and Lodge Realty LLC  Much thanks go out to Bryan Watkins for this mornings post about Google's Search Stories. After seeing his I had to give it a try and I was pretty happy with the results. At first I ran into issues as my Flash Player needed updating but within a few minutes and a couple clicks I was up and running. Anything to get more web presence has to be a good thing and I really like the way Active Rainer's share technology and tips with each other. Thanks again Bryan.

… (1 comments)

My LIFE BY DESIGN or ReDesign: Mission to Self Improvement. - 04/16/10 10:42 AM
My LIFE! By DESIGN or ReDesign: Mission to Self Improvement  
Yikes...That pretty much sums up my feelings after reading the Preview of Tom Ferry's new book Life By Design. ActiveRain has a way of sneaking up on you. We start out looking for points and business and end up building relationships and genuinely wanting to help each other in our endeavors. This exercise like most was me just checking out the newest contest but before I made it through the first page I was overwhelmed by that nagging feeling I get when things are going to get uncomfortable. Usually this … (4 comments)

Plumbing What The.... - 04/16/10 06:49 AM
Classic What Were You Thinking I guess anytime you see six different types of plumbing materials used within a few feet of each other you have to wonder what the rest of the home has been constructed like. I am also guessing this person was not a licensed plumber so further inspections as always might be a good idea. Funny part was there was no attempt to conceal this handy work, it was in plain view. Showing did end soon after though.

… (2 comments)

Things That Make Us Say "What the..." - 04/15/10 02:10 AM
Things That Make Us "Say What The"... As people that make a living showing other peoples homes we see things daily that make us think "WHY?". There is a contest on FaceBook looking for pics that make you think WTF and it made me reminisce about some of my all time favorites. I remember showing a house that was locked when we got there. Keep in mind we could have used the key but I always ring or knock first and someone from inside said "Just a minute" and then within a short time let us in. The entry into the … (7 comments)

Did I miss the tax credit rush? - 04/14/10 04:34 AM
Did I miss the tax credit rush?  
For quite a while now most of us have been expecting a last minute rush of first time home buyers wanting to get the homebuyer tax credits. Lenders I spoke with were predicting a bottlenecking of loans slowing the process but I have had very few that have said the tax credits even entered into their thoughts. It leaves me wondering if I missed something or if maybe just maybe yet another dangling carrot will be expiring without our area seeing the big bang. Don't get me wrong, business has picked up nicely … (10 comments)

Are you a Self Starter or Self Stopper? - 04/13/10 04:58 AM
Self Starter or Self Stopper  One of the greatest things (and not so great) about our chosen field is we have the ability to set our own hours. For the self starter that means being able to work around family functions and appointments. For the self stoppers it means more time to play and get drawn into things that aren't making us money. I worked at an office a few years ago that had several agents. There were a few that excelled at the profession, a few that really needed to change career choices and most were somewhere in the middle. … (3 comments)

Words to the Midnight Poster - 04/12/10 03:36 AM
Words to the Midnight Poster  
Alright, I realize writing a blog post at 3 am might in some places seem extreme but my best thoughts are in that few hours of the night without phones ringing or kids screaming and I consider this "my time". Recently I wrote a post on whether or not I may want to consider rehab for my real estate addiction and Don Spera mentioned it would make for a good post or even a group so here I am in true fashion...4:26am writing about the midnight posters. It is not like I go to bed … (0 comments)

Business Cards Printed at Home - 04/12/10 03:18 AM
Business Cards Printed at Home  
Recently I met up with a young builder who wanted to leave me his business cards to give to potential clients. I immediately noticed they were poor quality home printed cards. I mentioned to him he may want to wait until he got better cards for me to give out and he was offended. I know when just starting out money is tight but if you can find enough money to spend $300 on an air nailer, then $30 for the card that gives potential clients a first impression of you and your work should … (3 comments)

Who painted your picture? - 04/12/10 02:30 AM
Who painted your picture?  
Every agent started somewhere. Most were lured into the real estate world by illusions of making tons of money doing very little work and golfing or enjoying life the remainder of the time. Some were painted an unrealistic picture of the life and times of a Realtor® Since becoming a full time agent I have found that real estate requires more hours than any job I know of in any profession. While it is true we don't lift heavy objects for 8 hours or sweat in a factory on third shift we still put in very … (1 comments)

Ten Must Do's When in Big Rapids, Mi - 04/12/10 02:29 AM
Ten Must Do's When in Big Rapids  
Located about 50 miles North of Grand Rapids, Mi just off Exit 139 on US131 lies a great place to live. You call it Big Rapids, I call it home. If you ever are in the Big Rapids area there are a number of ways to spend a day. One of my favorites is looking at houses with me. lol. Ok for some that may not be on your agenda, so here is a list of 10 things you must do when visiting Big Rapids:
Check out our Riverwalk. You can spend a … (1 comments)

Wanted...Relaxation Tutor - 04/12/10 02:06 AM
Relaxation Tutor  
Let me start by saying I am not a slow learner. I am a rather quick study of most things and feel quite at home learning almost any skill. I may have found a subject matter that I need help with. Relaxation. My wife constantly tells me I really need to learn to relax. I thought looking at properties on my day off was relaxing but if you are a real estate agent it appears you are a workaholic needing a hobby. I have tried a few and while golf seems to rate right up there I still … (1 comments)

Real Estate Agent Rehab - 04/12/10 01:53 AM
Real Estate Agent Rehab  
While doing my morning reading of the ActiveRain blogs the other day someone mentioned how many of us were awake a 4am working away. Like most things I run across at that hour it got me thinking. Thinking about what an addiction my real estate career is. After all Wikipedia describes an addiction as a persistent behavioral pattern marked by physical and/or psychological dependency that causes significant disruption and negatively impacts the quality of life of an organism. That explains all the family events I miss for showings and why while most sane people are sound … (4 comments)

Social Networking does not mean Social Bombarding - 04/11/10 06:56 AM
Social Networking does not mean Social Bombarding  
I love the new benefits of Social Networking. While I gave up on the tweeting process I still am a FaceBook addict. I had my 52nd birthday a couple weeks ago and at 2:30am (when I start my day) I had already received over 50 Happy Birthday messages from people I hadn't seen in 20 years. I have also sold quite a few houses off FaceBook. Lately though there has been a growing concern that commercialism will one day ruin a good thing. Where before it was friends and colleagues asking to be … (7 comments)

Pros and Cons to a One Man Show - 04/11/10 02:31 AM
Pros and Cons to a One Man Show  
When I first got into real estate I had a five year plan. First three years were raising the bar in sales each year, fourth year was to be a learning year and by year five be a Broker. First three years were on target and in my forth year I obtained by Brokers license. Starting a company in 2008 had it's own challenges but being a one man show my overhead was low so I think it actually helped. Not having the traditional negative vibes from some agents also worked to … (8 comments)

Big Rapids Riverwalk - 04/09/10 09:35 PM
Big Rapids Riverwalk  
Next time you are in the Big Rapids area you owe it to yourself to check out our Riverwalk. In all there are 3.64 miles of Riverwalk to enjoy.  Our Riverwalk connects 4 parks: the White Pine Trail State Park , Northend Riverside Park , Swede Hill Park and Hemlock Park and each is well worth the time invested to check them out. The entire project, which was community led, raised over $1,000,000 and included financial support from the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust Fund, The Michigan DNR Trust Fund and the City of Big Rapids along with … (0 comments)

Michigan Art Walk at Ferris State University - 04/09/10 07:55 AM
Michigan Art Walk at Ferris State University  
I have posted a few times about ArtWorks in downtown Big Rapids and how it the remodeling was incredible. Just South of there on the Campus of Ferris State University you can find the Michigan Art Walk. This is another amazing example of Michigan artists and their artwork. I know of 25 examples that can be viewed by walking this route.
There is a great video on the Ferris Website here: Michigan Art Walk Video and their website can be found here: Michigan Art Walk . I have had the opportunity to … (3 comments)

Loyalty...a Two Way Street? - 04/08/10 08:09 AM
Loyalty...a Two Way Street?  
As Realtors, we know our fiduciary responsibilities and who we owe our loyalties to but wouldn't it be nice if Loyalty were a two way street? If after months of searching for the perfect fit for our clients, they didn't call the person on the sign and enter into an agreement leaving us out in the cold...alone. Wouldn't it be a better world if we didn't have to worry about time and energy spent on a client who would drop us at a moments notice. Where we could finish eating dinner BEFORE calling them back, without … (3 comments)

Curious about IDX conversions - 04/07/10 04:05 PM
Just curious if any of my fellow techy ActiveRainers have experimented with setting up their own IDX pages instead of paying the IDX host sites? I have a great guy that does my IDX but would like more control over what is displayed and how searches are ran. I have been thinking on Open Realty as they seem to be one the best I have found but not sure about setting up MySQL databases> I do all my own website design and maintenance but this may be a touch over my head. I am the Broker so my Board will give … (2 comments)

Thanks to all the "Silent" Partners! - 04/07/10 07:29 AM
Thanks to all the "Silent" Partners  
Most of us Realtors know how important it is to get your name and face out there, so we are plastered on billboards and belong to many organizations. We are on the radio, in newspapers and try our best to be a household name. I am sure we all have that special person or persons who help daily but never are recognized for their efforts. They are a "silent". My silent partner is my wife Nan. She is at every listing taking all the photos I get credit for, She goes with me on … (3 comments)

Mecosta County Band of Locals - 04/07/10 02:33 AM
Mecosta County Band of Locals Seems like everywhere you go these days there is a strong push to buy local. Here in Big Rapids and Mecosta County we have the Band of Locals Campaign. It truly amazes me how many discounts are available through the Band of Locals. Lake and Lodge Realty is a member as I do always try to buy local first. Here is a snippet right from the Chamber of Commerce Website:
The Buy Local First phenomenon is gaining momentum in Mecosta County!  In an effort to gain market share for Mecosta County businesses and service providers, a … (1 comments)

Evolution of a Blogger - 04/06/10 04:43 PM
Evolution of a Blogger  
As I have mentioned in the past when I first joined ActiveRain it was strictly in hopes of improving my search engine placement. Like most overachievers I raced in the point system trying to break all known records and soon realized that wasn't going to happen. I would go in everyday and read enough posts to comment on for the max points but a weird thing happened. One day I had reached my 10 posts but kept reading. Then something else...I learned something new by reading one. Why hadn't I noticed this phenomenon before? I wondered … (5 comments)

Spring Has Sprung...Be Careful Out There! - 04/05/10 12:21 PM
Spring Has Sprung...Be Careful Out There.  
Spring has filled the air and buyers are starting to pick up steam for a great spring season. I want to wish all my fellow Realtors® the best season ever and remind you while everything this time of year appears picture perfect we still have to be careful. With the rising number of vacant listings and foreclosures we also see a rise in crime. Be especially careful when showing these as no one knows for sure who or what you may find living in them. Twice last year I went to show vacant foreclosed … (2 comments)

Slow down and enjoy the ride! - 04/03/10 07:09 AM
Slow down and enjoy the ride!  
This morning while reading the posts I noticed a lot of anger over the proxy errors here on Active Rain. It caused me to write a quick post about patience (or lack of it) and after I had posted I started to think about the other areas in our lives where we were lacking that virtue. Things like riding behind someone enjoying the scenery while we are pressed to get to our next appointment or sitting in a drive through cussing out someone three cars up for not knowing what they wanted before pulling … (8 comments)

Patience is a virtue...not required on Active Rain - 04/03/10 06:25 AM
Patience is a virtue...not required on Active Rain  
When I first joined Active Rain it was more for trying to increase my web traffic that anything else. After a while I evolved a little and now my morning ritual includes the "reading of the posts". Lately with all the server errors I have noticed a lot....a ton of posts all similar in topic. Anger over the server errors we all encounter. It always reminds me of when my mother would say "Patience is a virtue" and how that would make me more angry. We as a people have really turned … (66 comments)

Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce - 04/02/10 04:06 AM
Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce  
Being an Ambassador for the Chamber here in Big Rapids, I see a side to the Chamber some never see. When I first opened my business it was the Chamber who reached out make me feel welcome to the community and after joining the Chamber a whole new world opened for me. Being part of the Chamber and being able to welcome new business to the area is only a portion of the value I have found here. The networking opportunities are endless. Every month we hold a couple of events to meet your … (0 comments)

2010 PDS Easter Egg Hunt in Big Rapids, MI - 04/02/10 03:49 AM
2010 PDS Easter Egg Hunt  
This Saturday, April 3rd from 11:00am to noon at Hemlock park right here in beautiful Big Rapids, Michigan is the PDS Easter Egg hunt for children ages 0-7. What a great way for the kids to enjoy Easter with the Easter Bunny. In case of rain it will be held at the middle school. Hemlock park also features PlayScape, tennis courts, a ball diamond, numerous picnic areas and a paved walk path along the river with fishing platforms. If you haven't had a chance to experience Hemlock Park, this is a must do. For more … (0 comments)

Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce Lunch and Learn - 04/01/10 07:43 AM
Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce Lunch & Learn  
On April 7th at 11:30am at the Big Rapids Public Safety Building right here in beautiful Big Rapids the Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding a "Lunch and Learn" event on the topic "Smoking Ban Law" with a speaker from the Michigan Health Department District #10. Bring your own lunch. While it is a free event and open to the public you must RSVP to the Chamber if you plan on attending. You can contact the Chamber by calling (231) 796-7649. Should be an interesting Lunch and Learning … (0 comments)

Shouldn't "Waterfront" Be Near the Water - 04/01/10 07:25 AM
Shouldn't "Waterfront" Be Near the Water  
One of the most confusing and often misunderstood categories in our MLS is "Waterfront". One would think it would be a no brainer with the answer to two simple questions.
1. Is there water?
2. Does the water actually touch the parcel?
Amazingly enough that one word takes on a life of it's own and can mean anything from "private frontage right on the lake" to  "down the road around the corner next to the house that can almost see the water". Waterfront should mean you have direct water frontage and Water Access … (5 comments)

 
Greenrandy Rainmaker_large

Randy Ostrander-Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Big Rapids, MI

More about me…

Lake and Lodge Realty LLC

Address: 107 N. Michigan Suite B, Big Rapids, MI, 49307

Office Phone: (231) 796-5253

Cell Phone: (231) 250-9802

Email Me

<!---- start copying here ----->Author Bio: Randy Ostrander, Broker/Owner of Lake and Lodge Realty in Big Rapids, MI covers all of West Central Michigan. He does work weekends so he can be there wheneve you are ready to handle all of your real estate needs. <!-- insert your own bio between the <p> tags ---->


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