Andrew Ingram - Grand Rapids Real Estate

Grand Rapids Real Estate Trends March Madness Market Report

Grand Rapids Home Sales Increase in March The Grand Rapids real estate market had a good month in March which saw a 19.5% sales volume increase compared to the same period last year. Additional good news shows that the percentage of foreclosure sales has dropped for the third consecutive month. This could be that more people are selling their Grand Rapids home as a Short Sale, instead of letting their home be foreclosed.

These foreclosure and short sales will continue to depress the market as they typically sell below market value however, the number of "regular" single family home sales also increased in March, over the same time last year.

970 single family homes sold last month versus 812 a year ago. The average Grand Rapids Home Sales price is up 2% from February however it is still down 20% from one year ago. The average sale price of a home today is $97,351. Active listings remain stead at slightly under 9000 listings which is close to February's numbers.

So while the market remains slow, there is a slight uptick in activity which is a good sign as we are entering our typically busy season. From personal experience, I have been quite busy this first quarter and am excited for what the rest of the year holds. For more information on the Grand Rapids market, visit my website at GRRealEstateInfo.com or contact me any time.

I get quite a few requests for condos in East Grand Rapids, unfortunately there aren't many options at the moment. It's too bad too because East Grand Rapids is a great area with many things to do and see including Gaslight Village, the Grand Rapids Yacht Club, Joan Collins Park and Reeds Lake. There are cool shops and boutiques, restaurants like Rose's, plus East Grand Rapids is known for having the highest rated school district in the Grand Rapids area.

East Grand Rapids condos that are available are Schoolhouse condos, Lakeshore Club condos and a new, upscale condo project being developed called Bagley Townhouses.

Schoolhouse Condos

Schoolhouse Condos are located at 2006 Wealthy and offer 1 and 2 bedroom units from $120,000. These affordable condos don't come up for sale often and go pretty fast. Association dues are ~$190/mo.

Lakeshore Club Condos

Lakeshore Club Condos are located at 2311 Wealthy in downtown Gaslight Village and accross the street from Joan Collins Park and the Grand Rapids Yacht Club. Great location! These are 2 bedroom condos with about 1150 sq/ft and start in the $180's with an associaiton fee of $400/mo.

Bagley Townhouses

Bagley Townhouses are a new development in Gaslight Village, located on Bagley between Wealthy and Lake. These should be very well done 2 story townhome style condos and I am excited to see the completed model. Prices will start in the $390's with a monthly association fee of $175 and over 1600 sq/ft of living space. Bagley Townhouses will offer all of the usual amenities like granite counters, hardwood floors, terraces etc. I think these will sell well based on location. Occupancy is projected for late 2009.

Have a great day!

Ok short and sweet time. Maybe someone can tell me how gas companies can get away with overnight increases of 50 cents or more and then take their sweet time to lower them back down.

No I am not impressed. This has always bothered me even when it was only a 10 cent increase. Last week I was sitting in Starbucks looking at $3.68/gal. The next day it was $3.95 and then a day later it was $4.19/gal.

Hello? It's going to take a month or two to come back down, if it comes down at all. How can they get away with this? I know it's about them maximising their profits and that's fine, it's business... but come on.

Yours truly,

Angry gas-guzzling mini-van owner

RENATUS ON THE HILL CONDOS IN HERITAGE HILL

A new condo development, Renatus On The Hill Condos are located at 253 Prospect ave NE in the Heritage Hill district, just south of Michigan Ave. A unique living space in an historic building, these new condos will be a great addition to our Grand Rapids Downtown Condo scene. I had a tour a few days ago and am very excited to see the finished product. You won't believe the incredible stained glass and woodworking craftsmanship and just have to see it to truly appreciate it.

Renatus Condos will feature high quality finishes such as stone surface countertops, solid wood flooring, fine ceramic tile and carpeting. No cookie-cutter condos will be found here as the residences will be unique and individualized to your particular tastes. Each unit offers a minimum 1.5 baths and built-in cabinets with fold-away beds. Renatus On The Hill condos also offer spectacular "Sanctuary" units with 3 bedroom options and an enormous 3500 square feet of living space. These executive condos are priced in excess of $1M.

Renatus Condos on the Medical Mile are within walking distance to one of the nations largest healthcare and research centers which include Spectrum Health, Lemmon-Holton Cancer Pavillion, Helen Devos' Children's Hospital, The Van Andel Institute and the Seccia Center. No matter what your preferrences are, the world class Renatus design team will make your dream living space a reality! Deeded parking is included and pets are allowed.

Heritage Hill is recognized as Grand Rapids' first neighborhood and is populated with over 1300 homes and more than 60 architectural styles including Classical Revival and Victorian Style Homes. Included in these are the Voigt House and the Frank Lloyd Wright designed, Meyer may Home which have been renovated are now museums and open to the public.

Condo Prices from $240's to $1M+
800 - 3500sq/ft
1, 2 and 3 bedrooms available. Minimum 1.5 baths.
*Association fee: tbd.

*Coverage: Trash, Lawn/Yard Care, Water, Sewer, Snow Removal, Insurance, Heat
*Features Incl: Unique European Flavor, Rooftop Decks, Gas Grill, Patio, Soaring Ceilings, Beautiful original woodwork and incredible stained glass windows.

For more detailed information on these or any other condos, feel free to visit me on the web at GRRealEstateInfo.com. If you are planning a move to Grand Rapids, ask about our Relocation Packages.

The forth-annual 28^th Street Metro Cruise is on. The Cruise is a 2-day event-taking place on Friday, August 22^nd from 1 - 9pm and Saturday August 23^rd from 9am - 9pm. This year, at least 13,000 special interest cars and 230,000 people are expected to attend.

I took the kids there last year and we had a great time. One of my son's favorites was the ‘bounce off", where Low Riders would compete to see whose machine could hop the highest. That was quite an amazing sight. I've done that "by accident" in Dad's old Chevy but never by design and needless to say. he wasn't impressed.

It's fun to see the many different cars on display and you can see the pride and meticulous attention to detail the owners have taken to restore and maintain some of these beauties.

Schedule of Events from the Official 28th Street Metro Cruise Website

Many concession stands for snacks and drinks are available. Bring the family and have a great time or just cruise 28^th street in the family minivan.