Pat Vredevoogd-Grand Rapids, MI Broker

How cool it is to see so much excitement and energy generated here in Grand Rapids, MI with Artprize. Artprize is an Art competition with huge monetary prizes but with judging by the public on line. A very community based free flowing competition with art as the centerpiece.

I was walking around on Friday taking a look at the artists and the art all over downtown and was amazed at so many things! Check it out at www.artprize.org

First I was amazed at the positive attitudes of everyone. From the artists who were engaging the public in discussions about their work - to the throngs of people out to see the art - to the merchants who housed the art - and just the various folks enjoying the festivities - they were happy!

Smiles were on the faces of everyone - what a wonderful attitude stimulus. Here we are in Michigan. We are faced with some mighty economic challenges and we can take some time to enjoy and be positive! Hurrah!

Secondly, I was amazed that this great opportunity to see the art and engage these artists is all FREE. Sure you can buy a wristband to take the shuttle around the loop of venues and get a book with all the artists in it - but you certainly don't have to. The GR Press has published all the maps and the venues and you can find them online - so it would be very easy to see everything totally free. This in itself makes you smile :))

'Third - It is building a great sense of community. Sometimes when we are in some difficulties we tend to hunker down and curl up inside ourselves when in reality we all need to reach out to each other and support one another to get through any tough times. What a collaborative venture this has been - the art community is hanging out with the shop keepers who are opening up their businesses to the throngs - it is a cooperative circle that is building a wonderful community of help for one another.

Fourth - Its FUN! Smiles are great! Paper Airplanes flying in the wind and as my granddaughter Anna says "got dumped on my head and it was so cool" making people laugh.

Fifth, it's bringing business to the entire community. Restaurants were full - hotels were sold out - hot dog vendors were dogless by early afternoon - Great Business Builder for our Grand Rapids area!

Thank You to everyone associated with Artprize - You've made my home town proud!

I'm not sure what has happened to the general civility in the real estate marketplace - but along with my 401K it seems to have diminished considerably.

Here is my wish-list for all agents that we work with as we bring buyers and sellers together here in the Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate Marketplace (after all that is what our job is - isn't it?)

1. Have a fool proof way to get a showing set up. This means day and night, weekdays and weekends - I am trying to show your listings and would appreciate the courtesy of a call back or an email back. This includes how I get in to the property.

2. Be accurate with the facts on the listing or website. Time is important to the buyers when looking and to sellers who have to clean up and get their homes ready to sell. If the house really has only one bedroom and you list it as a 3 bedroom - you are wasting every-ones time in showings.

3. Return phone calls or emails. We are all busy - don't try to prove you are busier than everyone else by never returning a call - all it serves is to aggrevate and does not help in putting transactions together.

4. Know the market. It is our job as professional Realtors to know the zoning, know the property tax implications, know the mortgage status of our listings - and everything pertinent to selling - or buying - so we are the experts. Let's make sure we get that information on our listings and accurately portray it for the selling agents.

5. Smile and Be Nice - We are all in this together. Our market is picking up and we need each other to make 2009 a great year for our customers and clients.

Well March Madness is going on in the Grand Rapids Real Estate market just like it is happening on the Basketball Courts right now.

It is a mixed story - there are winners and there are losers in this market just as there are on the basketball courts.

The big winners today are the buyers who can take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit (first time buyers or someone who has not owned a home in the past 3 years), low prices, huge selection and low interest rates.

Other winners are move-up buyers who - even if they have to take a hit on their homes that they sell - will make it up on the home they buy and will still be in the dirvers seat. Winners are also those sellers who have owned their homes for a while or have not run up their mortgages to close to purchase price and are selling in today's market - there are still buyers out there looking for their dream house.

Unlike March Madness in Basketball - there is not one winner that will be crowned National Champion - in the real estate game there are loads of winners that can capitalize on this March Madness Marketplace.

My advice to all who find themselves in the "possible winner category" is to find a Realtor who you like and who has the credentials to help you - and let them lead you through some of the mine-fields of this market full of short sales (which often never close) and foreclosures (which need special attention to get accepted and closed).

Add comment March 22, 2009 <!--<em>patsplaces</em>-->Edit

The past few weeks have been very interesting in the real estate markets here in the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Area.

A lot of negative publicity has been the talk of the town, yet many are watching patiently for Washington to take the lead and put together a stimulus package which should have some positive news for actual buyers and sellers.

At our Open Houses this weekend we were VERY busy. One of our Open Houses was in the Caledonia area and we had 8 groups of prospects through - one calling back and having serious interest. It has been a LONG time since we have had this much activity and interest! WHOOPEE!

In setting up showings this past weekend there were actually 20% of the homes I wanted to show that were sold. We are excited and are very positive with what we are seeing out in the "real world."

Now we just need to turn all this interest into some concrete sales. The homeownership ladder is ready to climb. Our first time homebuyers create the first rung on this ladder - they are out looking and are buying now - which kickstarts the rest of the real estate market as move up buyers can buy their next home.

Stay positive and encourage your congressmen and senators to work together to put a great stimulus package together with real estate at its center.

Along with some new snowfall peeks the sun! Along with all the negative news that is overwhelming us lately comes some rays of positive news and hope! Grand Rapids is a great place to live in and invest in. It is the beacon of positiveness in a state where negative news has become the norm.

It is January - the birth of a new year - the opportunities stretch out before us and it lends excitement to anyone who can open their eyes to see it. A new Administration is getting ready to launch in this great country of ours.

Change is in the air and it feels like a fresh breeze is going to blow through - perhaps ridding us of some negativity and as well giving us a boost to see the new ideas taking shape for the future. Interest Rates are at a historic low, inventory is at a historic high, lenders are lending - what a great time to buy the house of your dreams!

The sun came out today and the phone calls have increased - Our open houses this weekend were busy with actual qualified buyers - showings have picked up - here's hoping that this is starting a positive trend.

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Pat's Team is made up of Pat Vredevoogd (Broker since 1971), Linda Sheiko - Realtor, Guy Combs - Realtor and Lois Engelsman - Support staff. www.PatsPlace.com

Our Team works together to make positive things happen for folks looking to buy or sell real estate in the Grand Rapids real estate marketplace. We specialize in the SE and NE areas of Grand Rapids, Ada, Rockford, Caledonia, East Grand Rapids and all areas inbetween.

We love first time homebuyers and offer real estate counseling throught the process. We also specialize in the medical community from Intern to Resident to Doctors practicing in our community.

Integrity Rules our Team - We feel that honesty and fairness are an intregral part of a real estate transaction! We live by the Golden Rule of Real Estate "Treat and Work with Buyers and Sellers as you would like to be treated if you were a Buyer or a Seller" since we all have been there and done that.