Michelle Gordon

SPICES TEAS'S AND SOUPS..........OHHHH MY!

My visit here is always so much fun! I love to cook and I love to try new recipes and flavors, and this is just the place to do it with.

Bill the manager is very knowledgeable of spices and what they can be used for. Spice Merchantsin EGR has been open since October 2006. They have 2 other locations in Ann Arbor and in Saugatuck. I know this because when I am shopping in the East Grand Rapids location, I hear thecustomers talk about traveling to the Saugatuck location for the last 4 years and are very excited that they have opened a store here is EGR, so they can shop locally.

You will find a variety of flavors, as they do hand mix their own blended spices. They also carry 60 different kinds of teas and have soup mixes, rice blends and grains.

In addition to their flavors, they also carry tea accessories, spice containers, spice racks and a few cook books.

The last time I was there, I was looking for a good hot sauce for my son. (He loves his hot stuff).

They were able to pull out a book and show me where each hot sauce's came from, what pepper it was made from, how hot it would be, etc...........not your normal spice shopping experience, much more upscale and personalized. Great place to shop not for just your self, but maybe for a house warming gift, or a wedding gift?

Located at 2213 Wealthy Street SE 616-233-0044 or toll free 1-866-977-4239 on line orders are taken, Gift wrapping available. Hours Monday - Saturday 10am - 6:00pm.

2237 Wealthy Street SE, is a horse shoe shaped street, in the center of EGR with many exciting stores to choose from. Eventually, there will be residential and office space added to this area. Pedestrian friendly, with heated sidewalks, cobble stone paths, outdoor sculpture's and a Regatta Plaza are all just steps away from Reeds Lake. You truly get the urban shopping experience when you visit Gas Light Village.

One of the Sculptures you will find at the rear/center of this shopping plaza is a sculpture called the Regatta. Jade Pig hired 2^nd Globe Studio's to design this piece of art made of steel, aluminum and fiber glass. When walking on the pebbled path, facing the art, it makes quite the impression, the colors are so vibrant, and truly catch the vibe of EGR.

In the summer there is water works shooting from the ground (right in the center of the shopping court), and when the weather is warm enough the kids jump and play in the water.

Yes a small town with big ideas!

I thought I would share with you a couple of pictures from my back yard. It is so pretty here! We just had another major snow fall. It is a winter wonderland. Any one for ice skating at the pool?

Grand Rapids is so pretty when the snow falls. East Grand Rapids, Downtown Grand Rapids and Holland (about 30 minutes away) all have heated sidewalks. So you can enjoy the view of the newly fallen snow while walking around the town, however the sidewalks will be cleared of all snow and slush.

A place to live, work and raise a family!

East Grand Rapids, know as a premier residential area, has one of the lowest crime rates in the state and in the nation. A small town that thinks big!

In the days to come, I will be covering the shopping district of Gas Light Village. East Grand Rapids has so many wonderful shops I can not just do this in one post. So I will highlight a business each day. You will find many one of kind treasures in these locally owed stores.

Below you find links to maps. If you are shopping for a home in East Grand Rapids the first map will help you scope out the location of the homes that you are interested in. The second is a Reeds Lake Trail map.

Reeds lake trail is used for walkers, joggers and bicycle riders. Reeds lake trail runs 4.2 miles of gravel and paved path. You will find friends and families getting their daily exercise here. And yes, everyone smiles and waves hello as they pass you by. My daughter and I, in her middle school years did some great mother-daughter bonding riding our bikes around Reeds Lake!

The last link is to the City of East Grand Rapids. At the bottom of this page is video's of East Grand Rapids, community. No, they did not stage the people walking around gas light village; this is really how it is. A very vibrant and friendly area!

Map of East Grand Rapids

Reeds Lake Trail Map

East Grand Rapids

INSTEAD OF RENTING! This is what my husband and I did for our son, and we are so happy we did!

In Bold letter are the updates to this blog as of 11/19/2009

A Good thing does not stay around for ever and time is running out!

Our son tells us that Grand Rapids Community Collegehas one of the largest enrollments this year then they have had in a long time. We think it may have something to do with the economy. If your child attends or is going to attend GRCC you may want to consider buying a home instead of renting a place for them to live in.

Local college enrollment is still very high everywhere - more kids are staying local - even if it is just for the 1st 2 years.

FHA is a loan that allows for co-signers and does not look at credit scores. So if your child has no credit established yet, this type of loan is ideal. Your child is the primary on the loan (he/she must live there) so you do not have to worry about non-homestead taxes.

I believe now the credit score per FHA has to be a min of 500 - however lenders can make thier own qualifications and most have - in our area min of 620 of both buyers is required.

So now you need a little fore-thought and have a plan. If this is something you want to do with your college student - you need to create credit for them. They need to talk to a lender to see what they can do to establish credit. A couple of ways is open their own major charge card account. Use it and pay it off each month, or you can add them to your charge card account. However to make this a learning experience for them - opening their own charge card account and having them make payments is a good thing.

Not only are you supplying them with an education, but you can help them establish credit at the same time. You can teach them about home buying, home management, budget control and home repair. A valuable life lesson that they will use for the rest of their life.

In our area there is also classes they can attend to learn more about home ownership and home repair.

There are so many affordable homes on the market right now, and home buying assistance programs from the city, that I do not understand why more people do not go this route.

We still have many great programs - the newest is get the lead out. Grand Rapids is committed to getting the led out of our city homes.

We found a home for our son in Alger Heights, 4bd 2 bath and 2 stall garage. He has two roommates who pay rent. Depending on your purchase price, it is very possible that the rent paid by roommates can either cover the mortgage or subsidize it so much that it would be less money out of your pocket each month, then paying rent.

Our update, our daughter is now attending college. Renters are gone and both of our kids live in the home. "she" occupies the top half. "He" occupies the bottom half - with living room and Kitchen as common area's. This has been great as they now have bonded as adults and have a great relationship. Mom and Dad's rule - do not call us to tatle tale - it has worked for a year thus far! He takes care of the outside, she takes care of the inside - Our son is in charge of paying the house hold bills (writting them out - we still supply the means) but it took a while but is bills are now paid on time and has created a schedule for himself.

We think of this as an investment in our son's future. Not only is he building credit with the home he bought, that hopefully when he graduates in 4 years that he can sell for more then he bought it for and pay off some of those student loans. Or he can keep it till he is ready to move, or start his Real Estate Portfolio, or sell and make no money (who knows how long till our market has an up-turn) so we break even, basically live there for free..............hmmmmmmmmm?

When our son gradualtes he will keep this home and hopefully start his family here. (one more year) and will buy a home with our daughter and she will have renters. As this has been a great experience for us. We do not want to be landlords - however this is NOT a landlord situation - it is merging our children into the world of independence!

Grand Rapids City has a down payment assistance programthat can help with the closing cost and pre-paids.

This program is still around - restrictions apply - home must be in good shape.

Garfield Development Corporation has a purchase and rehab program, which you can buy a home in desperate need of repair and they come in a "fix" it for you.

This program is now gone - but many others like it are around.

HUD homes have a program right now if you buy a HUD hom -

HUD still has the $2,000 owner occupant incentive.

Seller can contribute up to 6% towards closing cost with FHA financing. There is FHA 203Kfinancing where you can finance the needed repairs to the home, so if you buy a home in foreclosure for 50,000 and it needs 20,000 in repairs, not only do you have a good investment you have a home that looks like new, with new mechanical. What a great selling feature when it is time to sell the home!

New program for Michigan buyers - MSHDA 80/20 loan - neighborhood neighborhood stableization program - in brief - buyer contributes 1% to purchase and recieve money for upgrades. Resrictions apply, so talk to you Michigan lender about this.

All of these programs have rules and regulations. Some will have income levels, some will only apply to target area's., etc........ I have added the links so you can find out more details on each pprogram.

We picked Alger Heights for our son, due to he wanted to live in a family neighborhood. (Yes he was born at the age of 45) However why not make an investment in a home by the medical mile, close to GRCC, possibly a very good investment for what is to come.

If you go to my testimonial page, you find a letter from a student who bought a home. He attends Kendal College. He has a 4 bedroom home in Eastown and loves it! He has 3 roommates; they all agreed to split the mortgage 4 ways. Let me tell you they would NEVER find a home to rent as great as the home he bought and pay a little as he does to live there.

He has since graduated, ahs a full time job and a great home he is still living in - now does not need the renters!

You would not only be helping your child and yourself, you will be helping our community by buying these homes................a good service to all.