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About Grand Rapids
Confessions of a Reluctant Landlord... - Oct 26 09:12 PM
OK, I'll admit it. I've been a Landlord 3 times. This is not my chosen occupation. You see, I'm not really constitutionally set up to be a good landlord. I don't enjoy being mean, nor do I like making reminder calls for over due rent.
I entered the land-lording business because I had bought a house. My first home came with a tenant. The tenant was actually a model tenant....neat, orderly, considerate and on time with the rent payments. If this was ...
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The Battle of The Giants Vs. The Little Guys...When Big Business Sues A Blogger? - Oct 16 12:51 PM
A recent story in the Grand Rapids press, (Saturday, October 13,2007) caught my attention. The title of the article by Chris Knape was "Amway Sues Bloggers" with a subtitle that said..."company alleges fired distributor is behind negative web posts, videos."
The paper reports that the suit has been filed by Quixtar, the on line version of Amway also known as Alticor Corporation. Quixtar is asking the court for an injunction and $25,000 in damages against 30 alleged ...
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My First Blog Post...Grand Rapids Neighborhood Places - A Great Place to Be Somebody! - Mar 20 12:00 AM
This is my first blog post and I must admit that I feel a little bit like someone who has been thrown out onto the stage and doesn't know their lines. But I hope that if I tell a good story, perhaps you will come back and visit my blog time and time again.
So let me start by saying that a few years ago I moved into the Grand Rapids Neighborhoods. In fact, I live right ...
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What's It Gonna Cost to Sell My Home in Grand Rapids, Mi? - Dec 14 12:28 PM
Glad you asked! This is a Valid Question. Sometimes, the real estate process can feel as though the Costs are not readily discernible or understandable. Because a real estate transaction coordinates the services of different specialities such as title work, required inspections, real estate services and state and local sales tax, this can be a little intimidating.
To simply the process, I've compiled a comprehensive list of costs that may be a part of a real estate ...
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A Place to Scamper & Roam With Abandon...A Place to Call Home! - Jun 20 03:35 AM
"We've been waiting for you to call. When are you going to come and list our house?" A little startled, I inquired about how long they had been waiting. I had just been notified that a referral had come through and had called...I thought immediately. After apologizing for a breakdown in communication, an appointment was scheduled in short order.
3 offers and 4 months later she's waiting again. But, this time, she's waiting for her appointment ...
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Every Home Has A Story To Tell... - Nov 05 09:22 PM
If walls could talk...I wonder what they'd say. I wonder what tales they would whisper about the lives of those who lived within them.
You see, every home has A Story to tell. And every home still standing is continuing to talk..if we have the ears to listen and the eyes to truly see.
When we first encountered this home on 924 Griggs, SE in Grand Rapids, MI, the owners had moved out. The home was vacant and looked a little ...
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Harvesting Seasonal Expectations early in Grand Rapids, Michigan! - Aug 21 10:56 PM
It feels as though autumn is making an early arrival in Grand Rapids,Michigan . The days are unseasonably temperate for what we have come to expect at this time of the year. August is usually a steamy, sweltering portion of the summer which chases you to the beach to bear your arms and thighs to the sun. Altogether the entire summer has been downright pleasant. But, the later portion of August has played out with calm drizzling rain which has ...
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"Waking Up Spring in West Michigan!" - May 05 01:27 PM
Spring is in the Air in West Michigan. Gardens are beginning to blossom into riotous color. A variety of Parks & Gardens are beginning to Open. Here's a Selection of some of the luscious Beauty that is Blooming in Grand Rapids, MI & the Local West Michigan area.
Starting May 5th and continuing for one glorious week, Six Million Tulips will command center stage at the Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan. This is a wonderful time to get ...
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A Generation Behind...Not I?... My first Blog Post - Nov 15 12:36 PM
I admit I am not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to the latest and greatest in this techno world of ours. I am always eager however to inspect the tools, sharpen whatever needs sharpening, and add to the toolbox the ones that I am lacking. That is how I find myself looking at the world of blogging today in relation to the next generation. It is a tool that I needed to add ...
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The Tipping Point...When Poverty Moves to the "Burbs" - Feb 15 06:59 PM
This past week, I was talking to a real estate broker about the Open House he had scheduled. After comparing notes about local market conditions, our discussion focused on an article that had been recently published in the Grand Rapids Press about sellers in Grand Rapids, Michigan renting their homes because they were having difficulty selling them. He said, " Lola, this crisis is everywhere. I am doing an Open House today in a home that is in ...
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More About Grand Rapids...
Grand Rapids Market Reports
5 Important Real Estate Trends To Watch in Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate in 2008! - Feb 02 09:50 PM
The past 24 months have witnessed some of the most significant Trend Shifts in the real estate marketplace in Grand Rapids, Michigan. These shifts have occurred because of a variety of factors which have ranged from economic issues to emerging new technology. Here's a list of Five Important Real Estate Trends to watch.
1. Absorption Rates
There has been a significant increase in homes for sale in the Grand Rapids area. Today, there are almost twice as many homes on the market as there ...
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When Rates Go Down...Smart Buyers in Grand Rapids, MI Start Moving! - Jan 09 06:23 PM
Rates are going down. Yippee Yeah! This is Great News For home buyers in Grand Rapids, Michigan. According to a January 9, 2007 article by Inman News, the Mortgage Bankers Association, a trade group for lenders indicates that this past week the Jump in applications for loans was a whopping 32%! This is the highest one week increase for mortgage applications documented within the past 4 years.
The increase in mortgage applications is due to the fact that mortgage rates are now lower than ...
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Record Sales Increases Recorded for Homes in Grand Rapids, MI ~ January 2008 - Feb 29 11:52 PM
In a press release dated February 29, 2008, the Grand Rapids Board of Realtors announced that sales of existing homes including single family homes, condominiums, and vacation homes rose to record levels in January of 2008. A total of 996 homes were Sold in January which was an 18.9% increase over the corresponding period of time in 2007 and represented the highest number of homes sold in the month of January since 2002!
More good news for Grand Rapids ...
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Grand Rapids Michigan Area Real Estate Market ~ 1st Quarter Report - Apr 27 06:23 PM
In researching comparisons of several areas around Grand Rapids in 2007 and 2008,
I was looking for the trends we all watch:
Days on the market. Average sales Price.Units sold.Cost Per Square Foot (Main floor square footage only)Comparison from 1st quarter 2007 to 1st quarter 2008.Some areas have had quite a change, others have not been affected by market conditions
nearly as noticeably.
City Units sold Avg Sales Price Cost per Sq ft Days on Market
Grand Rapids Schools
2007 ...
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You Are the Market, and This is What YOU say is HOT! - Nov 03 09:58 PM
I love watching the trends in the home building industry. In fact, it's one of my favorite subjects to read up on. What you need to realize is that the "HOT" trends of today are because of what you said was important. See if you agree with these sources of the latest and greatest trends in home design.
Everyone knows that Location, Price, and Condition always rule! However, "new materials and new technologies are reshaping the ...
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Are Foreclosures and Short Sales affecting your sales? - Mar 24 05:40 PM
I was hearing people discussing the impact on the non-distressed homes on the market today. One agent said his sellers are really feeling the pain with so many foreclosures and short sales. The other agent said hasn't bothered my clients...
Somewhere in between is probably the reality...but then where are the majority of the foreclosed located? Are they isolated in a certain price range? What about the short sales are these happening in lower price ranges as ...
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Foreclosure Iceberg Melting in Grand Rapids ~ Short Sales Decreasing over 1st Quarter - May 02 08:26 PM
Foreclosures and short sales seem to dominate the real estate news and this past year they have
been a big icy chunk of our market here in Grand Rapids. They are the huge iceberg that is slowing
traditional home sales and cooling the market for home sellers.
But as any expert will tell you, real estate is local.
So, let's take a look at the recent stats on ...
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Have you heard the News? 93% working and only 1.77% foreclosure rate - Aug 15 07:32 PM
Have you really heard the news? We hear all the figures on how bad things and how the market is really in a slump, and look at all the forclosures.
Here are some facts for you. 93% of the workforce is working so that means 7% isn't and the math is easy. It also means that some of the 7% don't want to work and probably some of the 93% don't want to work too!
Michigan has been ...
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Grand Rapids Dream Home vs Grand Rapids Real Home - Apr 10 07:19 PM
Spring brings the urge to buy a new home or a bigger home. Lots of internet searches for the perfect
home are being done at midnight in the robe & slippers, here in Grand Rapids Michigan, as elsewhere
around the country. The mortgage rates are low, the apartment idea was great but now some
may have decided they want a piece of the American Dream. They want their own garage,
their own deck and decorate with flamingos ...
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Grand Rapids Mi Real Estate Market Housing Temperature...A little Lower than Normal - Dec 17 06:59 PM
The Truth is Very Powerful! It's more powerful than Spin. The Truth about the Grand Rapids, Michigan housing market is the primary means by which home owners can escape being held captive to the whims and negative judgements of dooms day predictors and naysayers.
In the housing market in Grand Rapids, Mi this year, the Truth has sometimes seemed obscured by all the negative news. Well, it's about the end of year and time to take a look ...
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More Grand Rapids Market Reports...
Grand Rapids News & Events
A Different Kind of Open House... - Mar 21 10:16 PM
I don't know about you, but most Open Houses that I've been to in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area recently are NOT standing room only events! So, you can imagine my surprise when I drove up to a model home this past week and couldn't find a place to park.
The event was organized by Redstone Group, a company which is building several unique communities around the Greater Grand Rapids area. My agents received an invitation while attending a mortgage seminar ...
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Watch out for this driver - Aug 28 10:06 PM
Watch out, this little girl just got her wheels and has been cited for reckless driving. She was actually stopped while handing out listing presentations to the neighbors. If seen please report to her proud father at 616-292-7329 to make sure this doesn't get out of hand.
I hope you smiled today!!!
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Martin Luther King - Jan 21 04:54 PM
Martin Luther King (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968)
“an Advocate for Peace for All”.
Today we celebrate one of our great American heroes. He fought for non-violence for all the masses. And yes to be cut down in the prime of his life. Have you noticed that some of the greatest leaders in this world were lost at such a very young age. The list is endless. There have been celebrations all across the ...
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A blessing from Above. - Oct 14 12:27 PM
Some of You may know Josh and Shelly Buck, but I bet most of you don't. Josh was a minister at an upstart church in the Eastown Neighborhood in Grand Rapids MI. At the beginning of this last year Josh was paralyzed in a freak accident while swimming on a well deserved vacation in Mexico. It left his a Partial Quadriplegic. Calvary Church in conjunction with several other local churches are in a fund raiser to ...
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Innovative Neighborhood Programs Create Opportunities for Grand Rapids, Michigan Home Buyers! - Feb 12 06:53 PM
Recently, I sat down for lunch with an engaging, young mortgage professional, Hillary Kooy, to talk about her involvement with the Garfield Park Development Corporation. The Garfield Park Neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan is roughly bounded by Cottage Grove Street to the north, 28th Street to the south, Division and Century Streets to the west, and Eastern Avenue to the east.
Garfield Park is an eclectic and diversified neighborhood which is anchored by the historic neighborhood park by the same ...
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Bank of America purchases Countrywide Financial… - Jan 11 08:03 AM
Bank of America purchases Countrywide Financial…
Just announced the acquisition of CountryWide by Bank of America. Well there is a bailout if I ever saw one. I as a matter of fact have my mortgage with CountryWide and thought what would happen if it imploded like several other banks. Well that should ease the mind of shareholders and customers alike.
Not to mention the thousands of loan officers around the country would be out ...
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Grand Rapids or Green Rapids, Michigan?? - Mar 05 03:33 PM
Should we change our city's name to Green Rapids?? Not likely, even in the month of March, but with our
reputation in the "Green Community", we certainly could. A full 11 percent of all LEED-certified buildings can be
found in the Grand Rapids area, more per capita than any other city in the nation. Grand Rapids Michigan has a
core city population of about 200,000 people, which definitely means we are one of the "little guys" in ...
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Tax Rebates and all that jazz……. - Jan 25 08:22 PM
Tax Rebates and all that jazz…….
So with this rebate what will it accomplish? 1200.00 for a couple. 600 for an individual. Now I’m not saying not to be grateful for it but how long in this economy will that money last. For some that’s a house payment. Others a car payment. Will this really stimulate the economy? In my opinion no. Is this a move by the Bush Presidency to let us know ...
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Revitalization in Grand Rapids, MI - Dec 09 03:57 PM
Now is the time to invest in urban redevelopment. More and more investors have realized the downtown and city areas or Grand Rapids, MI are becoming revitalized. They have taken large multi-family units, renovated in and out and converted them into luxury urban condos. They have done the same with dilapidated warehouses and old school buildings. Currently in Grand Rapids, MI some of these new condo developments are offering "tax free" incentives .
Why the sudden ...
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21st Annual Fair Housing Luncheon & Workshop Series.. - May 01 07:50 AM
21st Annual Fair Housing Luncheon & Workshop Series
What a power packed day it was at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza (28th and Kraft) for the annual workshop. I wasn't having the greatest couple of days but to attend this yearly event definitely changed my perspective for the better. As a staunch advocate for Fair Housing (and for some who may not know this it is the Law) it definitely bother's me when you see and ...
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More Grand Rapids News & Events...
Grand Rapids Listings
You've Heard of Viral Marketing but Have You Heard of a Viral Community? - May 14 10:20 PM
In a shortened condensed version, or more aptly put, my version of viral marketing is what every business owner yearns for. Its where you do a great job for someone and they tell 10 people who tell 10 people, who tell 10 people. O.K. maybe not 10 people each time, but you get the jist. Your reputation for business explodes because of this great reputation you have built by good ole' word of mouth advertising.
So, that's ...
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Northwest 2 Story Home - May 07 10:24 AM
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Northwest Condo - May 07 10:22 AM
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Northwest Oakleigh Woods Condo - May 07 10:21 AM
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Northwest 2 Bedroom Ranch - May 07 10:20 AM
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Open house Sunday - 5/4 Alger Heights - Apr 30 07:01 AM
Price reduced! This Alger Heights brick and stucco English tudor style home shows pride of ownership. A great home for a growing family. This home is much bigger than it looks from the outside. So much charm and nostalgia. You will enjoy the hardwood floors, large windows and the eat-in kitchen for those hurried mornings. Kitchen has been updated with new flooring, countertops, backsplash and breakfast nook. This home is located in an area where there ...
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918 Carrier Creek NE GR MIch 49503 - Apr 22 11:59 AM
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Caledonia Michigan 49316 Will Build Lot #7 Curley Trail SE - Apr 09 11:49 AM
8420 Curley Trail SE Lot # 7 is the site for new construction of a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with lots of
extras. The builder proposes to use quality materials, such as 2 x 6 construction, Pella windows,
prewired for all communication needs, 9' to 12' walls on the main floor, and walk out lower level
can be completed to add 3 more bedrooms and a full bath for an additional 2200 finished square
footage.
Located ...
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Urban Living at its Finest! - Union Square Condo for Sale - Apr 03 10:27 AM
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Northwest Brick Ranch - Apr 02 10:42 AM
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More Grand Rapids Listings...
Top Real Estate Agents & Brokers:
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Gary White~ Grand Rapids Real Estate, FLexIt Realty, a call or click away!
Flexit Realty
Grand Rapids, MI
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Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate Broker
Audu Real Estate~Grand Rapids, MI Real Estate Broker
Grand Rapids, MI
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Robert L. Brown~Grand Rapids Real Estate Flexit Realty, West Michigan
www.mrbrownsellsgr.com
Grand Rapids, MI
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Terry Westbrook ~ Realtor(R) Grand Rapids Mi Real Estate Ada/Cascade
Five Star Real Estate, LLC Grand Rapids , MI
Grand Rapids, MI
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Karen Webster...Grand Rapids, MI Realtor
5 Star Real Estate, Grand Rapids MI
Grand Rapids, MI
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Tammy Stone~ "Eco~GREEN" REALTOR in West Michigan
FlexIt Realty
Grand Rapids, MI
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Real Estate in Grand Rapids Ethan Dozeman
Platinum Realty Group
Grand Rapids, MI
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Eric Webster Grand Rapids, MI, Five Star Realty
Five Star Real Estate
Grand Rapids, MI
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Don Phelan, RE/MAX of Grand Rapids
RE/MAX of Grand Rapids, Inc.
Grand Rapids, MI
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Eric Medemar
Excell Realty
Grand Rapids, MI
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Top Mortgage Professionals:
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Mary Bigelow, Renewing Your Life!
Contractors Building Supply/Vandyke Mortgage
Grand Rapids, MI
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Alan Lacey-Greenridge Mortgage
Alan Lacey-Greenridge Mortgage
Grand Rapids, MI
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Kevin Fase, Vice President of Mortgage Production
Top Flite Financial
Grand Rapids, MI
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Joe Zender
Cascade Capital Funding LLC
Grand Rapids, MI
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Angela L Anderson-Lane
Michigan Home Financing
Grand Rapids, MI
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Dan Moralez
First Place Bank
Grand Rapids, MI
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Tom Vanderwell
Fifth Third Bank
Grand Rapids, MI
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Dave Armstrong - Senior Loan Consultant - Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Home Mortgage Pros
Grand Rapids, MI
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Steven Jones
Select Investors Mortgage Corporation
Grand Rapids, MI
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Lewis Smalligan
Exchange Financial
Grand Rapids, MI
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