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Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate News

By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
I'm Smiling and so is my client! I had one of my listings selected as a finalist for the NBC Today Show with Barbara Corcoran.  How do they find you?  They search internet and find your website descriptions and photos.  How do they make the initial selection?  Looking at virtual tours of homes, considering square footage,property descriptions and of course value.  That is what the show is all about values in different regions of the country. So you don't believe in websites...virtual tours cost too much, you say?  My seller was ecstatic when I contacted him to take some additional shots of his home specific for the Today Show. We already had the home staged and it is a real beauty...showing craftsmanship of years gone by.  It was built originally by a wealthy family in 1926.  The detail...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
Fewer homes available for buyers?  Sellers pulling homes off the market? Many buyers never consider they may not find the right home because it simply isn't available. When you consider all the homes on the market for sale a new statistic I heard on National Public Radio shows why so many sellers and buyers may not have the real facts. "The housing market has fewer homes available today than at any time in the last 42 years", said the broadcaster.  That is an incredible number to consider.  So I decided to see if I could verify that fact.  I could not.  I found lots of other facts but not this housing market statistic that many would hear and take as fact. I did find the national inventory is at a 12.5 month supply of homes available at the current sales rate.  About double what more re...
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By Lola Audu, Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI ~Welcome Home!
(Lola Audu~Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate)
Have you ever had a home remind you of a song?  The melody that's threading through my mind right now is the Billy Halliday classic, Summertime, where the Livin' is Easy.  And perhaps appropriately so, as we just listed a delightful, tastefully appointed home on 2181 Easy St. in Wyoming, MI! Why don't you take a meandering stroll or drive down Easy St. to visit this classic two-story home.  No stress or Short Sale hassles here!  It's easy to appreciate the well maintained lawn and the welcoming porch which frame the entrance into a home which is move in ready!   There are several places to spread out and enjoy the company of friends and family.  Relax in the gracious living room which features a bay window and wood burning fireplace, or wander past the kitchen into the family room with ...
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By Katrina Cole, Inlanta Mortgage, Business Development Manager
(The Jonathan Arnold Team of Inlanta Mortgage)
So are you ready for ArtPrize this year? ArtPrize is an different type of art competition.  The general public determines the winner of the two and a half week event.  With artists coming from around the world to show their talents off in Grand Rapids, MI.  This is an amazing event that brings together a diverse group from around the globe to one place where they can indulge in ART. ART IS IMPORTANT SOME DETAILS: This year ArtPrize is held from Sept. 22-Oct. 10 There will be $449,000 in prize money awarded The top 10 entries receive a prize ANY property in downtown Grand Rapids can be a venue ANYONE attending the event can vote   NEEDED INFO: Opening Day: Sept. 22 6-10PM Monday-Thurs 5-8PM Friday-Saturday NOON-10PM Sunday NOON-6PM LINK to exhibition centers Full Calendar Complete Map Vi...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  Roselle Park River Festival – Ada Michigan  Oct. 2, 2010 Saturday October 2, 2010  10:00 am – 4:00 pm   Free Ada Township is celebrating!  There will activities for all ages, plus food, music, and river stewardship information. The new park – Roselle Park is a 247 acre nature preserve with paths along the Grand River and floor plain.   Special Activities for the Day: Exhibits by local conservation organizations Hands on and discovery activities for kids Kayak and canoe information Live Music Walking, Hiking, and Biking Snacks Available FREE ADMISSION Share this post :  
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  Ada Michigan Ada Park Youth Programs Fall 2010 Fall is a wonderful time to explore nature and the creatures that live here as they get ready for winter.  Ada Township Park is offering Youth Programs for Fall 2010.  Please contact mfitzpatrick@adatownshipmi.com or call 676-0520 for pre-registration information.     Discovery Days  - Ada Park Learning Center 10:00 am – 12:00 noon   Age 3-5 yrs.  $4.00 per youth Be a Nature Detective Wednesday & Thursday, Sept. 15 & 16 Use your senses to learn about the natural world, Look for shapes  and colors in trees and flowers. Listen with ears like a rabbit for  sounds in the woods and field. Go Batty Wednesday & Thursday, Oct. 13 & 14 Find out why bats are so important, lean about their  amazing adaptations and make a bat finger puppet. Super Squ...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
  Buyer Anxiety created when being unprepared to buy. The issues facing buyers is the unknown.  That is why buyer inspections is a reality in the home buying process.  Before you spend money on inspections make sure your financing is in order. Make sure you know how much you can afford.  Know how much it is going to cost you to get a mortgage.  Compare costs...like the origination fee required to get the loan.  Do all your work get prequalified before you start your home search. You may find something on your credit report that isn't yours.  You may find something that was paid off a long time ago but the company that processed the payoff didn't discharge the loan.  Leaving the balance open and still on your credit report reducing your credit score.  The best time to find these flaws in...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
Sellers have just as much anxiety over the selling process as buyers do getting their financing and purchasing. Sellers do not understand that a purchase agreement is not a guarantee their home is sold.  You can outline the selling and buying process yet the reality is never as real until the jolt caused by a lost sale. Sales can fall apart because of inspections.  The inspection can expose problems in electrical, plumbing or structure.  The required repairs to correct the problem or problems could mean a sale or loss of sale. This happens when one side or both won't do the completed repairs or compromise.  The required repairs are just that required to meet the purchase agreement.  On the other hand if the buyer loves the property and home...the buyer might allow some of the repairs to...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
Scams are part of the Internet...but when it happens to you it's personal. Email scams need to be exposed as soon as they are discovered to help people avoid them! I just caught a out of country scam artist using my listing to collect rent money and security deposits.  The phone number is 234-703-896-0955 or the other number 234-704-233-6976.  They create an email account using Yahoo.com it can also be any other free service to create an email account.  They stole my photos, property descriptions and posted them on craigs list with their contact email. So far I have had 5 calls from people thinking this is too good to be true!  They were right! The imposter says they are out of the country and want to rent the condo.  The wife just can't part with her beautiful condo at this point.  So ...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  Grand Rapids Forest Hills Home Inventory Climbs This graph shows the housing inventory available in the Forest Hills School District for the last 14 months. Forest Hills Area has been one of the strongest markets here in the Grand Rapids region. As you can see, sales remained strong during the late 2009 and into spring of 2010, with sales failing to keep up with home inventory in July, supply starts to climb steeply.     The Reasons: 1.) The tax credit that expired at the end of April was a bonus for buyers that were already searching for housing.  But it doesn’t appear to have convinced fence sitters to enter into home ownership, regardless of interest rates that are lower than anything we have seen in over our 37 year career in real estate.   2.) Traditionally, home ownership in the...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  Kentwood MI Top Best Buy Homes August 2010 We have listed the TOP Best Buy Kentwood Michigan Houses to buy, based on price per square foot.   Price per square foot is a great leveler.  If two similar homes are listed at similar prices, their price per square foot should be similar.     The price should reflect the interior finish of the  home.   For example, if the home has crystal chandeliers, marble tile, new windows, new mechanicals & a new kitchen, this would be more per square foot than a home that still has pre-1980’s accoutrements, decor and/or is in poor condition.   August 2010  29  TOP BEST BUYS in  Kentwood MI Homes Lowest prices/Sq Ft range from $36.06 to $58.97 in Kentwood  this month. Lowest list price - $ 35,000 Highest list price - $169,900 Top Kentwood MI Homes to Buy...
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By Mary McGraw, 2015: Solar Energy Is Still A Simple Machine!
(GLREA)
    UPDATE: The tours were fantastic! On my tour we had a great group from Architects to Lumber Sales. We were able to introduce several new people to the LEED for Homes project and the affordable homes we toured sent the right message... It doesn't have to cost a lot of GOLD to go GREEN!! It is just smart building practices.... Make plans for next year...this is truly a worthwhile event!         GREEN BUILDINGS OF WEST MICHIGAN: YOU ARE INVITED! COME TOUR WITH US SEPT 10 & 11!   About 30 miles inland from Lake Michigan, along the banks of the Grand River you will find Grand Rapids, Michigan. G-Rap as my kids call it. Over 2,000 years ago, people associated with the Hopewell culture occupied the Grand River Valley. The Ottawa Indians began several villages along the Grand River around A...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  East Grand Rapids Michigan Top Best Buy Homes August 2010 We have a list of the Top Best Buy East Grand Rapids Houses to buy based on price/square foot.  Price per square foot is a great leveler.  If two similar homes are listed at similar prices, their price per square foot should be similar and it should reflect the interior finish of the home. For example, if it has crystal chandeliers, marble tile, a new kitchen, this would be more value per square foot than a home that still has the 1980’s decor and/or is in derelict condition. Please note that this list can change daily as some homes sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come on the market. August 2010 – 23 TOP BEST BUY East Grand Rapids Homes Lowest price/Sq Ft range from $78.36 to $114.43 Highest List Price -  $ 315,000 Lo...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
27% and Counting Many articles have already been written on the drop in the national housing market sales of a whopping 27%.  What's behind the numbers? The economy, the economy, the economy!  That is part of the issue for sure but not all.  Take the changes in lending.  Look at the appraisal process.  The economic outlook for jobs has consumers fearful.  Yet we as a country we are saving at the largest rate in decades.  This also alarms economists.  This means the money that normally goes back into the economy is going into savings account for 1% or less (current bank interest rates), in most cases.  The number of homes being sold is at the lowest level in decades.  The home prices are also low, the interest rates are exceptionally low too, so why.  The simple fear of the unknown drive...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
                           Foto Friday - Play Time at the Childrens' Museum! We all need to take time off to enjoy our families. Our grandson, Evan is visiting this week from Chicago.  He wanted to take me for a ride in the yellow VW "Bug" at the Children's Museum in Grand Rapids - What a Ride! Currently, they have Curious George Exhibits for the children to explore, besides the other exciting hands on exhibits.  Don't forget to visit the honey bees who live and work at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum.
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
We have gathered a list of the Top Best Buy Caledonia Michigan Houses to buy based on price per square foot.   Price per square foot is a great leveler.  If two similar homes are listed at similar prices, their price per square foot should be similar.  The price should reflect the interior finish of the  home. For example, if the home has crystal chandeliers, marble tile, & a new kitchen, this would be more per square foot than a home that still has the 1970’s decor and/or is in a derelict or tired condition. Please note that this list can change daily as some homes sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come on the market. Check back often or just subscribe to our blog to get up-to-date local real estate information that you want to know. Caledonia Public Library Lowest price/Sq Ft...
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By Terry & Bonnie Westbrook, Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re
(Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner)
  Forest Hills Michigan Top Best Buy Forest Hills Homes (Ada-Cascade) to buy, based on price per square foot for August 2010.  The homes listed below might need updating with new carpeting, paint, and kitchen–bath redos at a minimum to bring them to current market standards. They might need major repair work done, such as new roofs, new plumbing, electrical & other major mechanicals. Check back often or just subscribe to our blog to get up-to-date local real estate information that you want to know. The total square footage is noted here, although only the main floors are used to figure price per square foot, not the basement, even if finished. Please note: This list can change daily as some homes sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come on the market. Top Best Buy Homes - Forest ...
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By Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375, Real Estate Services You can Trust!
(Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions")
Playing Chicken with your largest asset? The last thing you want to do is "Play Chicken" when selling your home.  The Michigan housing market is a buyer's paradise right now.  You hear the jargon "buyers market" which is a catch all statement.  The fact is buyers are seeing more homes before they make the final decision. This means your home has to end up on the top of the list or you will not get an offer.  This also means that your agent has to be on the top of their professional marketing techniques or your home is going to sit on the market and help other homes sell before yours. You have seen many times in my articles and newsletters about marketing takes more than putting a sign in the front yard.  Sellers think that hiring an agent is like hiring the company.  That couldn't be fu...
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By Lola Audu, Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI ~Welcome Home!
(Lola Audu~Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate)
The View from the House on Brookmeadow... The idea started to percolate after reading the article.  A small write-up about a local real estate agent caught her eye. She had toyed with the idea of putting the house up for sale before, but this time the process proceeded rapidly. Signs, pictures, internet promotions and potential buyers all appeared in rapid succession. As November blustered its' way into December, the cold chill of winter finally yielded to the unrelenting sunshine of spring.  But, it seemed that inside, an eternal winter had settled in for the long haul.  Potential buyers remained skittish about putting in offers. Meanwhile, the free fall continued unabated.  I watched as neighbors lowered their expectations.  My proud community was plagued as distress sales wrought hav...
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