Michael Delaware, CRS, e-Pro

Urbandale Area Investment Properties in Battle Creek, Michigan are becoming quite popular. There are many reasons for this. Urbandale homes have a common thread in design, and their own unique charm.

As investors are finding out, the Urbandale Area Investment Properties in Battle Creek are quite accessible to the Fort Custer Business Park District, which employs people that work at DENSO and related factories in the Industrial park. One can take a short cut through Fort Custer Drive from Michigan Ave, and arrive on Dickman Road within minutes from Urbandale.

Urbandale is also accessible to not only Battle Creek, but also Augusta, Galesburg and Comstock in Kalamazoo County. Urbandale has bus lines, grocery stores, shopping plazas and a small commercial district.

Another reason Urbandale Area Investment Properties are popular with investors, is that the homes are very similar in design and construction in the area. A lot of the homes can be acquired for an investment under $50,000 and the square footage of the homes is very consistent. A common Square footage for Urbandale Area Investment Properties is in the range between 800 to 950 square feet. One can acquire 2 and three bedroom homes in this size, and it is easy to predict a rental return on the investment.

A majority of the homes are ranch designs, and come with and without a garage. Another interesting aspect is that a majority of the homes were built in the 1940's and 1950's, so they all have a similar construction, and troubleshooting becomes more predictable when encountering repairs. So Urbandale Area Investment Properties have a consistency of construction that other areas of Battle Creek does not.

Landlords have reported to me that rent for a three bedroom in their Urbandale Area Investment Properties range from $600 to $700 for a 3 bedroom, and $550 to $650 for a 2 bedroom depending on the proximity to the schools and bus lines. So, when looking at an initial expenditure for Urbandale Area Investment Properties, one has the purchase price, the cost of repair, and any operating costs such as insurance and property taxes to consider.

With some sales prices for bank owned REO (Stands for ‘Real Estate Owned') properties, investors are sometimes acquiring these homes in the 800 to 900 square foot range for as low as $25,000. With some luck, and quick action in buying the homes, one can pick up Urbandale Area Investment Properties which will bring a good monthly profit margin, or ‘return on investment'.

Some of the homes I have helped investors acquire in the area are fully paying back their original investment in 2 to 3 years, which makes the future returns much higher. With the stock market being unpredictable, it makes sense for investors to focus on deals in rental properties.

Working with a Realtor that knows the area, and has rentals of his own in Urbandale, can help you isolate the best properties for you to start with. Urbandale Area Investment Properties are a good starting point for any Battle Creek area investor. Give me a call if you are interested in Urbandale Area Investment Properties, and I will help you acquire some good ones to get you started.

These two beautiful rivers run through Battle Creek, Michigan. The Kalamazoo River runs through Battle Creek, and joins with its tributary river, the Battle Creek River, right in downtown.

Along the banks of the Kalamazoo River, one can see the Kellogg company headquarters, silhouetted in the background by the two towers downtown. From a bridge over the river, one can see the manicured lawns adjoining the waterway inviting an afternoon stroll along its banks.

When one walks or takes a bike ride just a few blocks to the North, one crosses the Battle Creek River. The Battle Creek River, follows the linear path bike trail, and passes by the famous ‘Clara's on the River' restaurant that was created from a former railroad station.

These two beautiful rivers run through Battle Creek, Michigan. Not many towns of this size have the advantage of rivers in their downtowns; according to a recent lecture I attended by Battle Creek Unlimited at a local Country Club. The beauty of being able to take a walk along the river is perhaps what inspired early settlers to make their home here.

These two beautiful rivers also were the inspiration of an early miller, Sands McCamly who oversaw the building of a millrace between the two rivers at one point in history, laying the foundation of the milling of grain along their banks.

The established mill industry could perhaps be attributed to local resources that help to later supply the cereal industry. During the early 1800's, the milling industry thrived because these two beautiful rivers run through Battle Creek, Michigan.

The Kalamazoo River continues its journey through the downtown, and onto the community of Marshall. The Battle Creek River continues onto Bellevue, and eventually into Charlotte. Spending a summer afternoon down by the river on a quiet walk, or having lunch at the outdoor café at Clara's are just some of the benefits as these two beautiful rivers run through Battle Creek, Michigan.

Piper Park in Battle Creek, Michigan is perhaps one of the most family friendly parks in the city. Boasting one of the best playground areas in town, the modern play equipment was installed around 2001 and draws children from all over through four seasons.

Piper Park in Battle Creek also has a baseball field, a walking/running path and shaded benches throughout. For runners coming to run the paths, it should be known that 5 times around equals 2 miles. It has a few slight hill sections on either end of the park, and it is asphalt paving in good condition all the way.

There are also two pavilions with picnic tables for birthday parties, BBQ's and family get-togethers. I have lived across from Piper Park in Battle Creek for 9 years, and have enjoyed looking out my windows year round to see what it happening in the park.

During the summer months there is always a baseball or softball game in progress at various times of the week, of all age groups in the baseball diamond. Other times people are out there kicking a soccer ball around or playing Frisbee.

Piper Park in Battle Creek is a part if the community recreation programs included in the city parks and recreation departments, and there are leagues and playing times for some of the sporting activities that take place here.

During the winter, after a good heavy snow, people of all ages are sledding down the hill on the southern end of the park, enjoying the ride. There always seems to be joggers and walkers taking advantage of the paths, and children playing in the playground in Piper Park.

My favorite time to walk in Piper Park in Battle Creek is in the early morning during the week, as it seems I have the park all to myself. It is also a great place to take your dog for a walk.

Probably the best thing about Piper Park in Battle Creek is the shade trees and animals that call the park their home off and on through the year. Mostly squirrels, geese and other smaller animals, but I recall the first few days I lived in my house looking out the front window early one morning and seeing several deer in the park. There is even one squirrel whom I refer to as 'White Tip' that have seen for about three years now that lives in the same area of the park. He is all black, with a white tip to his tail. He greets me on morning walks. You can see his photo to the right here.

Piper Park in Battle Creek is one of the best kept secrets of the people that live in the North side of town, and is a great place for you next family outdoor gathering! So bring your walking shoes, and come out to enjoy the beautiful Michigan weather! Take Capital Ave Northeast and turn left onto North Broad Street, the park is on your right. Battle Creek is just a fun place to live!

The Fallen Officer Memorial in Battle Creek, Michigan is a tribute to the history of police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The project to design and create the memorial followed the aftermath of the loss of one of Battle Creek's finest officers: Laverne Brann, a detective whom was killed by gunfire in 2005 while making a visit to a suspect's house during an investigation.

Having personally met Mr. Brann on one occasion at a public ceremony and having had the honor to be present when he received numerous awards for valor in the line of duty, I can say only that he was a man of few words, and he had an air of kindness about him. Having had the opportunity to shake his hand and converse with him briefly, I will always remember him as a hero of the Battle Creek community whenever I wander by the Fallen Officer Memorial.

The Fallen Officer Memorial in Battle Creek, Michigan was designed and funded through donations from community organizations and police officers from all over the country. It consists of a brick wall with plaques dedicated to each of the six Battle Creek officers who died in the line of duty. There is a brick walkway of dedications also, and garden opposite a beautiful bronze statue.

The statue depicts an officer holding the hand of a little girl, who appears lost, but at the same time she conveys a look of trust to the policeman whom she in company with. It represents the symbol of the police officer looking out for the safety of others in the community.

The Fallen Officer Memorial in Battle Creek, Michigan was dedicated on June 10, 2008 before a crowd of police officers, community leaders, media and supporters from all over the State of Michigan. Over $350,000 was raised from approximately 500 contributors in the community to construct the memorial. While the project was ongoing, I help raise $1500 from friends, and members of my church. I also helped the Board of Realtors raise over $2000 to donate to the project as well. Some people asked me once why I was spending so much time on fundraisng for this project when it was ongoing. The only response I could give was 'How could I not?' Police officers contribute to much to my profession as a Realtor, by making the communities safe. How could I not get involved to honor them?

The Fallen Officer Memorial in Battle Creek is located downtown between the Battle Creek Police Department headquarters, and City Hall. It is a shaded area, complete with benches and a flower garden of Michigan wild flowers. It represents a reminder of those who dedicate their lives on a daily basis to protecting our community, and it is a respectful tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

When touring through Cereal City, be sure to visit the Fallen Officer Memorial. It is a beautiful dedication to some true, and often forgotten, heroes of our society.

Conference centers for businesses in downtown Battle Creek Michigan are provided by the Kendall Center, which also offers lifelong education resources. Students attending programs here can earn degrees in Manufacturing Engineering, Business Administration and Professional Teacher certification among some of the programs on their curriculum.

Being essentially a branch of the Western Michigan University, conference centers for businesses and private and civic organizations are available. Located in the heart of downtown Battle Creek, the Kendall Center was a gift to the University from several community and private organizations and is a symbol of the shared commitment of Western Michigan University and The City of Battle Creek to quality, lifelong education.

Named in honor of the late Roy and Beulah Kendall, this is a completely renovated three story, 24,000 square foot facility. It houses conference centers for businesses, along with twelve beautifully furnished classrooms, two computer labs, advising offices for faculty, an executive conference room and a state-of-the-art interactive compressed video conference room, as well as satellite downlink connections.

The Kendall Center is completely wireless, allowing web access from the conference centers for businesses and anywhere in the building. Additionally, the WMU-Battle Creek-Kendall Center is a popular training facility for businesses and private and civic organizations. The convenient, comfortable, professional environment makes the Kendall Center an ideal location for meetings. The Center's conference staff provides comprehensive planning and training services to clients.

Holding a special regional meeting, or local training session, using the buildings conference centers for businesses is locally accessible to area restaurants and downtown parking.

There is free 3 hour parking, and also daytime parking at a downtown parking deck and also at the Kellogg Arena across the street. It is also convenient to the downtown Starbucks, and Brownstone Café coffee shops. There is also food brought in from local restaurants at the conference centers for businesses.

So, when looking for conference centers for businesses in downtown Battle Creek Michigan, one should consider the Kendall Center as a popular local resource.