Memorial Day my husband and I, our two teenagers, and my daughter's boyfriend went for a walk out on the Grand Haven pier. First thing I realized immediately was that I was going to freeze as I had forgotten my coat. As we briskly walked down the pier I noticed a new building and wondered what was up with that. What I found out was that was no ordinary building and that my little community was going "green"!

Grand Haven State Campground is leading the way to providing a more earth friendly atmosphere in West Michigan--The Other West Coast! Today is the big ribbon cutting ceremony as they proclaim to the world how progressive they are by opening one of the first state "green" shower and toilet facility.

So what makes it "green"? The shower and toilet facility is equipped with many energy saving basics. My personal favorite are the light sensors that make the lights come on only when someone is occupying the particular facility--I need those for my bathroom I am sure. But that isn't it. They are saving electricity and water in several ways! The 4 private and 8 family shower facilities have on demand water heaters with timers and low flow toilets and urinals. To further reduce the use of electric, windows have been installed to let the natural light in. There are also solar panels that power the ventilating systems for the showers and toilet facilities.

Apparently it is one of the first campgrounds to try this. Personally I couldn't think of a better place to try this--have you ever tried to get into Grand Haven State Campground? Nearly impossible. It is always packed because the campground sits right on the beach. But don't think you can just go to the beach and check it out! It is only for the campground.

My second thought was, I wonder how much this cost Michigan. Our state is leading the way in foreclosures (although we are no longer first--yeah!!!) and really can't afford spending money that doesn't need to be spent. I was happy to hear that the $750,000 project was funded by a land conservation fund. It will be exciting to exactly how much money this shower facility will save! Hopefully I will do a follow-up in the fall to let you know what happened!

I am proud of the community I live my life in called West Michigan--The Other West Coast!

Just got a call from someone looking for a nice Rental Spot. They are going to be in town for one week and we need to line up some Rentals for them. i don't have a lot of contacts in Spring Lake and Grand Haven who own Rentals, but i am willing to show them yours. They are looking to pay between 1000 and 1200 a month with a year lease.

I have a couple that I am going to show them, but I would prefer to have a whole list that we can show them. So if you have anything let me know.

My first few blogs have been related to real estate so I thought it was time to write about Grand Haven. As I write this blog I am looking outside to a sunny, albeit, windy day. We have had about 7 straight days of sunny warm weather. Unfortunately, it is going to come to a halt for a few days.

How do you go from 75 / 80 degrees one day and snow flurries the next? That is what we have coming within the next couple of days. The good news is it won't last. We have turned the corner and the warm weather and sunny days are ahead of us. This is such an exciting time as the trees have buds and the flowers are blooming all around us.

If you like the diversity of having four seasons, Grand Haven is the place for you. You will have the opportunity to experience beautiful vibrant colors in the fall, white glistening snow in the winter, the rebirth of nature in the spring and the warm sunny days of summer.

I recently drove to Lake Michigan to eat lunch by the water. The city was in the process of getting our beaches prepared for another active summer as visitors come to enjoy Lake Michigan and various activities. See http://www.shorelineguide.com/ for a complete schedule of events.

The beaches of Grand Haven and surrounding Lake Michigan beaches have been voted some of the nicest, cleanest beaches in the country. If you love boating, watching boats, laying in the sun, building sandcastles, festivals, art shows or taking a leisure stroll on the boardwalk, Grand Haven has it for you.

What a difference a year or two makes in the world of real estate. A couple of years ago we could get a loan with lower credit scores and finance the purchase of a home at 100% of the sale price and roll our closing cost in also.

The actions of two to three years ago have put us in a very tough situation now. Unfortunately people were put into loans that they shouldn't have been put in. The housing market hit a wall and prices started tumbling. Homeowners that had financed at 100% or who had pulled equity out of their house found they owed more on their home than it was worth. Those that have to sell their home find they can't afford to do so because they are upside down with what they owe compared to the value of the home.

While this is a very tough position to be in, it is not hopeless. Many people feel their only option is to let their home go to foreclosure. It is NOT the only option and it shouldn't be in your thought process. You have the option of doing a Short Sale.

A Short Sale is a process that needs to worked out in cooperation with the lending institution that holds your loan. You will be required to fill out documents that show your financial status. You will want to have you Realtor be in touch with the lender as well so they can determine the appropriate price to get your home sold as fast as possible.

The idea of a short sale is this; if you owe $100,000 on your home and the market value is $95,000..... your Realtor may suggest putting your home on the market for $90,000 subject to the banks approval of a short sale. It is wise to have your lender and Realtor in agreement as to the bottom line price.

Let's say you get an offer for $88,000..... the offer goes to the bank and they review what their total loss would be between the $100,000 you owe and the $88,000 offer, minus commission, closing cost, transfer tax, title insurance, etc... Let's say the final number comes back at $80,000... the bank would have a loss of $20,000. They can agree to the offer and they would forgive you for the loss of $20,000.

Why would the bank do this? It is estimated that the cost of taking a home into foreclosure is about $40,000 to $50,000. It becomes a business decision on their part. The are not in the business of owning homes.

What are the ramifications for you? Your credit rating / report will take a hit for a couple to three years, but it is much better than having a foreclosure and taking a hit on your credit for 7 years.

If you find that you are in trouble or heading into trouble, talk with your Realtor and lender and head it off before it becomes too late.

One of the best past times in the summer is boating on Lake Michigan. I love to walk the Grand Haven Board Walk and watch all the boats going in & out of the channel. You can boat from Spring Lake into Lake Michigan for a day of leisurely sun and swimming. From there you can go down to Holland or Saugatuck and grab a nice lunch and then catch the gorgeous sun set on your way back to your boat slip in Grand Haven.

For some, their weekend cottage is actually a boat ~ whether it be a stunning yacht or that beautiful sailboat, most boaters work all week dreaming of the upcoming weekend of being on the water...sun on their back, warm breezes and mist spraying their hair ~ quenching their soul for the love of being "one" with the water.

I am most drawn to the large Clipper Sail Boats gracefully sailing along the horizon, filling me with a sense of romance with the water.

And the names....reading the names of boats is such fun. I do not own a boat, but have often thought about what I would name one if I did...maybe it would be called "Out On Showings".

Regardless of the kind or size of your boat, there seems to be a huge camaraderie amongst boaters. They laugh together, dine together, and have a deep shared love for playing on the water.

Below are links to some of the Grand Haven area Marina's.

- http://www.wharfmarina.com/

-www.grandislemarina.com

- http://www.northshoremarina.com/

- www.southerngrandmarina.com

http://www.barrettboatworks.com/

Renee Parker, Realtor

Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt

616-850-1116

callreneeparker@yahoo.com

Well, I lived through the organization of the Card Board Sled race in Grand Haven to tell about it. My first year doing the event was quit the learning experience for me. I never dreamed so many people would come out and join in the day's fun activities. We had over 130 sleds register for the race (with 1-10 people per sled) plus all the friends and family to cheer everyone on! It was a great, great day!! Lots of snow. Lots of sleds. Lots of wipe outs.

Thanks to WZZM13 we now have this fun video showing some of the high lights of this Winterfest event. Click below to view.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86909

Harbour Front Condo's in Grand Haven, Michigan are located in the old Story & Clark Piano Factory in the heart of downtown Grand Haven with beautiful views of the harbor, marina and a nice walk on the boardwalk to the lighthouse and beach.

The Story & Clark Piano factory was built in the early 1900's with manufacturing through 1984. After the manufacturing of piano's ended, renovations began to turn this factory into over 60 Condo's complete with a resturant and shops. The original floors and brick walls are found through out this building and many of the condo owners have also kept the flavor of the original architecture, making this a true gem. Each condo is unique. You can find studio condo's perfect for that weekend get-away to 3 story condo's, complete with dumbbell waiters to bring up your groceries from the lower level parking. Prices vary as each condo is so unique. Ranges any where from $159,00 to $795,00. Contact me for information on the Condo's currently for sale.

For many of the Condo's the elevator in Harbour-Front allows you to go directly from the comfort of your home to dinner at Porto Bella Italian Restaurant, grab a coffee and morning newspaper at the Coffee Grounds, or shop in one of the fabulous boutiques without going outside. High ceilings, brick walls, beautiful wood floors, location...this is truly one of Grand Haven's finest historic buildings.

Looking to buy or sell a home in the West MichiganLakeshore communities? One the best places to live and vacation! Call me today.

Renee Parker, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt

616-850-1116

callreneeparker@yahoo.com

I guess we won't need to have the snow brought in for this weekends snow events in Grand Haven~ Winterfest 2008. The local news said tonight that we have a total of 19 inches right now and more to come. So all you card board sled competitors...get building those sleds!

The race begins this Saturday Jan 26th at 11am at Mulligans Hollow. Registration begins at 10am. All entrants must wear protective head gear. Call me for the general rules if you are interested in joining the fun. There will be prizes for Best Wipe Out, Best Use of Cardboard, Most Creative, etc.

Let the race begin!!!!

(even our local Coast Guard joins in the fun! What a sled guys!)

Renee Parker, Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt

616-850-1116 Direct Line

Callreneeparker@yahoo.com

Grand Haven Michigan is often referred to as "The US Coast Guard City" and has celebrated the Coast Guard for 83 years with a festival, which today has become a week long event each summer.. This years event runs from July 23 - August 3, 2008. (I will post more details later) The Coast Guard festival is one of the largest festivals in Western Michigan, attracting more than 300,000 visitors. The community has also created a National Memorial Service during the week ~ giving honor to those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Grand Haven residents are proud! Proud to be part of the lives of our Coast Guard families living here along the Lake Shore.

The Grand Haven Coast Guard sits on the Grand River with a beautiful view of the light house and Lake Michigan. http://www.uscg.mil/d9/grugh/

There is no place better to be part of the Coast Guard family than in beautiful Grand Haven, Michigan.

For information on buying or selling a home in Grand Haven ~ call me today! I would be proud to be part of this exciting time in your life.

Renee Parker, Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt

Direct Line ~ 616-850-1116

My town of Grand Haven is a very tourist community. With that comes a lot of rental cottages around town. A lot of the people are able to get what we call a "Winter Renter" for the months of Sept-May and then rent weekly in the summer tourism months. It is a great investment. If you are well informed.

I met a woman who purchased a cottage style home and it was licensed as a rental. It was in an area that the tourist love....walking distance to downtown, the pier, boardwalk, parks and Lake Michigan. She assumed that she would rent it out in the winter months and then do the weekly rentals all summer long. After she began renting weekly, the City contacted her and told her that this home was not zoned for "Seasonal Rentals" and that she would need to cease all weekly rentals immediately. You can imagine her shock and disbelief. She purchase this as an investment property only to find out that there are two types of Licensed Rentals in the area. Also, the zoning areas had changed for the "Seasonal Rentals" due to many of the areas being high residential and the folks living in those areas did not want it to become Party Central during the summer months.

She assumed and her realtor either did not know the zoning guidelines or just did'nt speak up at the time of purchase. She was given the Rental License at the time of closing, but it was not for the type of renting she intended to do. Now she owns an investment property that she never would of purchased if given the correct information.

The moral to this story is....KNOW your zoning. Especially in a resort town where a lot of people like to invest in rental properties. Just because it looks like a great location for rentals...does not mean that it can be used as such. Zoning changes. You need to keep well informed if you sell to investors!