home selling: Classic Ottawa Hills/Iroquois Three-Story -- New Price!
- 12/07/07 05:27 AM
1572 Alexander Street SE (Ottawa Hills/Iroquois Area) $319,900 Classic elegance is the hallmark of this plantation-style, all-brick two-and-a-half story home. From its white columns in the front that remind you of "Tara" to its soothing colors throughout, this home offers real comfort, southern style. Its kitchen is open and inviting, ready for a crowd to gather with its glasses of wine and stories of the day. The original butler kitchen makes a great wet bar and wine closet. Dress the table for dinner in the formal dining room or enjoy the convenience of the eating area, warmed by the corner fireplace. Upstairs, the … (1 comments)
home selling: A Christmas Visit from Mary & Penny, Tooth Fairies
- 12/07/07 03:31 AM
As some of you know, as my daughters were growing up, I wrote them poems from their own, individual tooth fairies. While many people have suggested I get them published, I've never found a publisher who shared their enthusiasm. Nevertheless, I have received many requests for the one I wrote one Christmas. It is below. I hope you enjoy it and forward it on to your friends and family. With my heartfelt wishes to all of you for a joyful holiday season, here is "A Christmas Visit From Mary and Penny. _______________ Dear Jennie and Katie, 'Tis Christmas again, with snow deep and white. Hand-in-hand we flew … (5 comments)
home selling: The Story of the Frog and the Scorpion
- 12/02/07 04:36 AM
Once upon a time there lived a frog. He was a happy little frog, for the most part. One day, soon after a downpour, he hopped his way to the river. The river was swollen from the rain and its current raced over rocks and trees. Just as he was about to jump into the river to swim across, he heard a small voice whispering, "Hey, Mr. Frog, hey, over here." He looked all around before saw the scorpion sitting close to his webbed foot. "Mr. Frog, will you please give a ride across the river?" The frog looked at the scorpion and … (6 comments)
home selling: Black Friday and the Golden Calf
- 11/27/07 03:29 AM
Black Friday: The busiest Christmas-shopping day of the season. For years now, I've heard the day after Christmas referred to as Black Friday and I've thought, "What an odd name for a day filled with buying gifts for our loved ones to celebrate the holiday season." The moniker conjurs up images of people jumping out of buildings on Black Tuesday (October29, 1929), when stock prices crashed on Wall Street, or Black Monday in 1987 when the stock exchange feel even sharper. How in the world could gift-buying hold the same dark experience? This year, curiosity nearly killed this cat. I just had … (1 comments)
home selling: PLEASE READ AND FORWARD TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN/WOMAN
- 11/21/07 04:33 AM
Following is a letter to my US Representative, Vern Ehlers. He responded to my blog post "When Will the Fed Wake Up -- parts, I, II and III." He replied to tell me about House Resolution 1852 which raises the cap for FHA loans and permits FHA flexibility in their insurance rates based on a borrower's credit score. Great ideas, I think, but it is my opinion that until the internal workings and policies at FHA are addressed, the lending problems with FHA will not go away. If you agree with any for these suggestions, please forward them to your Representative or Senator. You … (1 comments)
home selling: Didja' Ever Chase a Ball Downhill?
- 11/20/07 05:04 AM
Last night at my daughters' band concert, I ran into another band kid's dad, a former Realtor, and we talked about today's real estate market. He left the business a year or so ago to pursue his dream. It was certainly the right decision for him. He asked me, though, how the business is; he's been hearing so many negative news reports, etc, and yet he sees my blog posts where I'm continuing to sell homes in 30 days, or 60 days or 90 days. "How are you doing that?" he asked. I replied, "Have you ever chased a ball downhill … (7 comments)
home selling: SOLD!! within 36 dayS!!!
- 11/20/07 04:33 AM
NORTHWEST G.R. CHARMER (Covell/O'Brien Area) Extremely well-maintained ranch-style home near the Mines Golf Course. Great area, 3 bedrooms, 1 full bath, 2 half baths, 2 stall garage, finished basement. Central Air, aluminum siding, finished rec room on lower level. For more information, visit http://www.donphelan.com/ or call me at 616-648-0800. Don Phelan RE/MAX of Grand Rapids, Inc. e-mail: donaldrphelanjr@ameritech.net
home selling: Perception is Reality.
- 11/15/07 05:48 AM
On Wednesdays we gather together, the agents in our office, for a few slices of pizza and brainstorming. Pizza - especially sausage & mushroom -- is an essential ingredient for brainstorming. There's an enzyme it in or something that releases a thought-production hormone. Hey, it's my story, okay? So, we're throwing ideas around about how to get listings sold, how to get price reductions, get sellers to hire home stagers, painters, landscapers, whatever. Then this agent pipes up and says, "It's just the media. The media is so negative it's making the buyers believe it's such an awful market they can steal homes. … (6 comments)
home selling: Must We Really Allow Political Correctness to Replace Good Sense?
- 11/15/07 04:10 AM
Forgive me for what may border on a rant, but please, can we all stop being so careful? Can we stop taking ourselves so seriously and try laughing at the nonsense instead of getting caught up in it? In today's news it was reported that a department store in Australia has prohibited its Santas from using the phrase "Ho Ho Ho!" because it might scare little children and it could be perceived as derogatory towards women. The store actually suggested the Santas replace "Ho Ho Ho!" with "Ha Ha Ha!" Can you imagine some old guy in a red suit and beard … (9 comments)
2-story living room with lots of glass to let the sun shine in highlights this home's contemporary floor plan and decor. The lot is larger than other lots in Bailey's Grove and is heavily wooded (see photos). Open floor plan provides a large kitchen perfect for entertaining. Master bedroom suite is large enough to accomodate a king-size bed comfortably. Professionally landscaped with underground sprinkling. Stove, refrigerator, washer & dryer stay. For more information visit http://www.donphelan.com/ … (3 comments)
home selling: Most Businesses Have Loss Mitigation Departments. Do You?
- 11/14/07 05:07 AM
For those of us who approach this business as a business, a successful career in real estate depends on loss mitigation. Have you ever asked yourself how much money you spend on each listing, whether they sell or not? What is your total marketing and self-promotion cost PLUS total cost of advertising your inventory for a year? Make your total marketing costs for a year and divide by the total number of listings you take in a year. Let's say, on average, you place 5 ads per week at a cost of $50 per ad. You do it 50 weeks a year. … (0 comments)
home selling: It’s not a Want-to Market, it’s a Have-to Market.
- 11/14/07 03:17 AM
Remember a long, long time ago - in a galaxy far, far away - when homeowners would say, "I'd like to sell but I don't need to sell" and we took their listing, put it on the MLS, wrote some ads, scheduled couple of open houses? That kind of motivation just doesn't cut it in today's market. As one of my agents said in a recent meeting, "It's a Have-to Market, not a Want-to Market." If a seller is not in a must-sell situation, they may not be motivated enough to do what it takes to sell a home in a … (3 comments)
home selling: For Moms and Dads of Teen or Tween Girls ONLY
- 11/09/07 01:44 AM
Yesterday, a lender walked through my door and saw the following piece on my wall. I'd written it back in 1998 when my now-college-freshman daughter was nine. the lender said, "You should share that. All of us parents have experienced those moments and it's nice to remember them." It has nothing to do with real estate but, for what it's worth, here it is: ______________________________________ Dear Jennifer, Today I watched you run. You came out of school as you always do -- your head upright, back straight, shoulders square. Your eyes scanned the rows of cars, their motors idling, all with parents waiting for their … (3 comments)
home selling: SOLD!!!!
- 11/08/07 05:44 AM
KENOWA HILLS WALKOUT RANCH UNDER $200,000 Kenowa Hills Walkout Ranch -- One-owner home shows pride of ownership. Cul-de-sac, brand-new deck, fully-fenced, professionally-landscaped backyard and sidewalks make it perfect for spending time outdoors. Underground sprinkling, too! Elegantly maintained and ready to move into! 2,400 square feet finished, open floor plan and cathedral ceilings, living room with fireplace, large kitchen with plenty of cupboard space, pantry, built-in desk, true main floor laundry, mud room, full bath off mud room. New furnace in 2003. New microwave, vinyl flooring, hot water heater, dishwasher all within the past 5 years. Immaculate! To search for other homes, … (0 comments)
home selling: When will the Fed wake up? Part II -- a Piece of the Solution?
- 11/08/07 05:03 AM
Our legislators and the Fed are prescribing remedies that have worked historically to control inflation and avoid recession. But what they don't seem to recognize is today's economy is dangerously flawed, and it appears to me they continue to treat the symptoms rather than cure the cause. What's the answer? I believe we must spur manufacturing of products made in the U.S.A. and sell them globally. I believe we must create a national program to help buyers with bad credit 1) buy homes and 2) repair their credit (in that order). I believe we must loosen credit requirements and make loans available … (0 comments)
home selling: When will the Fed wake up? Part II -- the Cause
- 11/08/07 05:01 AM
CONTINUED FROM PART I The Fed recognizes we are in a housing slump. The Fed recognizes our economy is on the brink of recession, in large part because of the housing slump. So, they cut interest rates in an effort to spur the economy and give the housing market a shot in the arm. There are two fundamental problems with their strategy: •1. People don't jump into the housing market and start buying when interest rates go down. They may start shopping, but they don't start buying until interest rates hit bottom and start moving up. Why? Because they fear losing the lowest … (0 comments)
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