Tim White

As we near the end of the First Quarter for 2009, homes sales along Lake Michigan have already matched a six year high for the quarter. Four homes have closed to date, with an average sale price of $554,250. That's over $2M dollars in volume in just three months, along the lake shore alone.

Statistically, since 2003, first quarter sales along Lake Michigan have equaled 15% of the yearly number of homes sold in OceanaCounty. If this trend continues, we could be looking at a record number of sales for 2009. With 4 sales for the first quarter, we could see as many as 26 sales along the lake shore this year.

The sale price versus list price percentage is down 6%, and there are presently 26 homes active on the MLS. This indicates a higher motivation to sell on the part of the sellers, and means more opportunities for potential buyers.

Communities along the shoreline that have been difficult to buy into are now coming available. Many of these communities contain homes that have been handed down from generation to generation. With the current economic upheaval, property owners are now putting their homes on the market. This could be your chance to acquire a vacation home in one of these highly desirable areas.

Availability and motivated sellers are just a couple of reasons to consider buying along the lake shore today. As if that weren't enough, interest rates have fallen yet again. A 30 year fixed conventional loan today is just 4.75% (consult your lender for a current rate quote).

Low prices, low interest, and a great selection. Sounds like a buyer's market to me.

But sellers shouldn't feel left out in the cold either. I've got good news for you as well. The average days on market has fallen significantly since last year. And the high numbers of sales in the first quarter means there are buyers out there who want to buy your home. If you've been contemplating selling your lake house, this could be the perfect time to cash in on that vacation property investment.

The key to getting the most for your dollar is working with a team of professionals. At Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt, we are your best option. Did I mention that of the four sold homes this year, our team handled three of them? Of those three, our team handled both the seller's and the buyer's sides. What does this mean to you? It means we are leading our market in both listing and selling Lake Michigan properties.

Contact me to learn more about Lake Michigan properties. You can visit my website to search properties, or give me a call and I'll be happy to do it for you. Our area is home to some of the best summer recreation to be found. Silver Lake, Pentwater, and Stony Lake are all great vacation areas, and you can search for properties on those lakes from my website as well. Our team takes pride in our exceptional customer service. We want to serve you, and look forward to hearing from you soon.

One of my most valued friends is Jaime Woodall. I met Jaime about four years ago when I started attending First Baptist Church in Hart. My family and I were new to the church, and Jaime was the youth pastor there at the time. Jaime and his wife Kris welcomed us into the church family, and Jaime and I really connected.

Over the first year or so, Jaime and I would meet for coffee, and talk about some seriously deep stuff. I'd never had a friend I felt so comfortable talking with. Jaime opened up new doors for me, and encouraged me to build my relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jaime is not your typical pastor, at least not the way I came to expect pastors to be. I grew up in Southern Kentucky, where I attended Southern Baptist churches, and never established a real relationship in any of those churches. Jaime is laid back, easy to talk to, and has a very approachable personality. He is a great listener, and doesn't push his opinions on you.

As we became friends, Jaime encouraged me to do some public speaking to other churches' youth groups. With my Marine Corps experiences, and the struggles I have had with my own faith, he helped me reach the conclusion that I had something to offer young adults. I have done a few of these speaking events since, and the rewards have been amazing.

In August of 2007, Jaime and I both announced that we would be leaving First Baptist. I had been given orders to deploy to Iraq, and would be gone for a year. Jaime felt called to do missionary work in Northern Michigan, planting churches. It was a tearful Sunday when we stood in front of the Congregation together and said our goodbyes. We didn't know if we would ever see each other again.

I stayed in touch with Jaime while I was in Fallujah, and we encouraged each other in our endeavors. Jaime was dealing with the upheaval of his family, and I was dealing with my family's sense of loss with me being deployed. Jaime guided me to seek strength in Christ, and I hope I helped him do the same.

I returned from Iraq last September, and returned to First Baptist Church. Jaime was having some success up in Petoskey, and I was happy for him. I missed him and his family, but I knew God was using them for His work.

Today was missionary Sunday, and Jaime came to town to speak to the Congregation. He shared with us how his ministry in Petoskey had grown, and the lives that he and his group had touched. It was amazing. Now Jaime is preparing to move to Boyne City, to plant a church there.

I love the way Jaime ministers. It is a message of love and salvation. He doesn't push, and allows you to come to Christ at your own pace. He fosters a desire for you to want you to learn more without you even being aware of it. Then when you have questions, he is there to answer them.

Jaime is affiliated with Genesis. Genesis has stripped away the dated religiousity that hinders so many from seeking out God's word. Genesis seeks to encourage building a relationship with Christ, fostering goodwill, and community service. Please visit their website by clicking the image below.

Please include Jaime and his family in your prayers, that he may continue to do God's work, and change peoples' lives like he changed mine.

Come and meet me in person Saturday, March 28 at the 3^rdAnnual Cottage and Lakefront Living Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, MI. I'll be showcasing some of our finest lakefront and vacation properties from 1pm to 4pm. This is a great chance to connect with Lake Michigan property owners and prospective buyers.

The Cottage and Lakefront Living Show is held in downtown Grand Rapids each year, and is attending by dozens of exhibitors from across the state. You can find me at the Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt Booth. In addition to real estate professionals, some of the other exhibitors include:

•· A wooden boat building class

•· Camping and hiking outfitters

•· Wildlife artist

•· Sandcastle building (and demolishing!)

•· Home improvement contractors

•· Builders

•· And more!

For exhibit times and ticket information visit http://showspan.com/CLG/Home.aspx

I'll be bringing along information on some of our team's spectacular lakefront home listings, and answering questions folks may have about the Oceana County area. I've been a resident here for 15 years. In that time I've fished nearly every hole in the county, and I'm a regular at the beach in the summer. I can also tell you where you can find the best meals around. Stop by and let me brag up the area, it's one of my favorite past times!

Oceana County is a premier destination for vacation living, and has many activities for all ages. Off-road enthusiasts come from all over to ride the dunes at the Silver Lake State Park. The dunes open April 1^st, so start planning your vacation now. You can get permit information HERE.

There are many other attractions in the area, as well. To find out more, visit the Hart Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce. You can also visit Localism.com, where I'll be posting current event schedules throughout the summer.

Being in the sales and service industry as long as I have been, I'm pretty daggone fussy about the way I am treated by those providing a service to me. I guess you could say I grade on a pretty stiff curve. I hold myself to an extremely high standard. Because of this, I expect others to do the same, and am often disappointed.

Not so today, however.

I purchased my domains from godaddy.com a little over a month ago, and I really didn't expect much from an internet based company that charges just $9.99 per year. So, when the next day I get a call thanking me for my business, I was pleasantly surprised.

That representative further went on to ask if there were any questions I may have about my new subscription with GoDaddy. I had a bunch of 'em! The rep took the time to answer all of them, and I was left speechless (a very RARE occurrence for me, take my word for it).

Well, today I was trying to configure this crazy new Vista Windows Mail, and I was going nuts doing it. My old laptop had Outlook, and I was fairly adept at that, but I haven't purchased a new copy of Outlook, so Windows Mail is what I have to work with for now.

For the first time I can remember, the idea of calling a customer service department didn't fill me with dread. I wondered if GoDaddy would be able to repeat the level of service I had experienced on my first call. They surpassed it.

The representative, Jay, admitted he wasn't overly familiar with the Vista version, but said he was willing to walk through the set up with me, and help however he could. After going through and figuring out all the POP3 and SMTP watchamacallit thingamaroos, it looked like I was all set.

I thanked Jay for his help, and prepared to say good bye when Jay said, "Hold on. Why don't you give it a test and make sure it's working ok before I let you go. Just in case." He could have bailed, but instead, he stuck around to make sure I was 100% satisfied. How cool is that?

Jay didn't even try to slip in a last minute sales pitch to try to get me to buy more services, like some cable companies I could mention (I'm saving that for a "rant" blog).

So, if you ever want to experience what customer service should be like, and get a great deal on domain registrations, head over to You won't be disappointed.

I just had to post this testimonial I received today. I was having a fairly crummy day, and losing my motivation, when I received the following email from a past client:

"When we were looking for a new home, Tim worked with us to identify what we really wanted in a house, from the neighborhood and location to the details that make it something that you can call your own. Without question, Tim went above and beyond in his customer service.

Let me be clear: Tim never sold to us. He never pushed. He was always responsive to our questions and concerns.

Bottom Line: He LISTENED!

In the end, we narrowed our choices down to two homes. We bought from Tim because he understood us, he cared about us, and he took the time to make sure we made a good decision that we would be happy with.

I highly recommend Tim to anyone who is selling, buying, or passively looking at real estate. He is a top performer, a trustworthy agent, and worth every penny. This is the guy you want to partner with.

Thanks, again Tim for all of your hard work. Our family truly appreciates it!"

- Jeremy Hoogesteen (Grand Rapids, MI)

WOW! This is exactly WHY I am in Real Estate! Jeremy validated every core principle I stand on, and I really needed to hear it today. It was just the boost I needed to keep plugging away. Thanks Jeremy!