Grand Rapids Michigan Real Estate Blog

This well built home situated on a 5 acre parcel with undeveloped land surrounding

it is in a prime location.  Close to Cascade- Ada shopping and amenities but in a

rural setting, this 4 bedroom two story has a great floor plan.  Three bedrooms

 and a full bath upstairs, the main level has a master suite with cathedral ceilings,

bay window, private bath, and walk in closet. 

The main living area has an open floor plan with kitchen, dining, family room

all adjacent and open to each other.  The living room has a separate entrance

to the front porch, so it could be used as a home office.  The back mud room, utility

room and full bath are  just off the kitchen and 2 stall oversized garage.

The rolling wooded hills and privacy are a premier asset, but the owners have

added a 28 x 32 Storage Barn with 13 ft door, fenced yard that can be accessed

fromthe deck or lower level walk out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listed at $ 249,900 

Contact us for a private showing - 616-292-7263

 

If you have been considering moving into a condominium, this could

be the home you have been looking for.  It has lots of pluses and is

located near Knapp’s Corners shopping and entertainment complex.

 

Take a video tour with us of this well maintained home. It has 3

bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, cathedral ceiling and skylights in the

 Great Room, and a covered deck to enjoy those summer sunsets.

 

 

 

 

 

Listed at $ 155,900   Call 616-292-7263 for a private showing.

More information available at: www.terrywestbrook.com

This  luxurious home on Watermark Golf Course is Open this Sunday,

February 28th from 3 to 5 pm.

1698 Watermark Dr SE in Cascade Township, Grand Rapids Michigan

 

 

This photo shows the Great Room with fireplace, views of the golf course,

and access to the kitchen and eating area.  This home has 5 bedrooms and 4

baths, a finished lower level with Game Room, Kitchen, Billiard Room, Theatre Room,

and Home Office.

 

Situated on the 6th tee at prestigious Watermark Golf Course, you can literally 

walk out your back door and start playing golf. Or just watch your friends from 

the deck as they tee off.

 

Listed at $ 680,000              Video Link

 

Come out and see us Sunday - We will be waiting for you!

When you live in a cold climate, the winters are long.

We find our amusements in our backyard. We have a feeder for the birds.

We enjoy watching them up close.

 

We have several other neighbors who like our feeder, too. 

They are always looking for a free lunch, free breakfast, free snack.

It becomes a part time job to keep them away from the black

gold known as sunflower seeds.

 

If startled, the moochers will fly into the air and land with a thud! 

It is about 14 feet to the ground.

We will show “The Moocher” in his dare-devil Olympic Class maneuvers……

 

The Time Trials Begin: How fast can we chase him away?

A few more Seeds before the Actual Events Begin.

Checking out the competition.

Hang Time.

The Clock Starts.

Slippery Conditions on the Vertical Planes.

Great Footwork.

Great Form on the Jump Today.

Waiting for his score and the adulation of the crowd.

 

 

 

We have gathered a list of the top East Grand Rapids Houses to buy

based on price per square foot.  Price per square foot is a great leveler.

If two similar homes are listed at similar prices, their price per square

foot should be similar.  It should reflect the interior finish of the home.

For example, if it has crystal chandeliers, marble tile, a new kitchen,

this would be more per square foot than a home that still has the

1970’s decor and/or is in derelict condition.

Please note that this list can change daily as some homes sell, prices are

adjusted and other homes come on the market.

The total square footage is noted here, although only the main floors

are used to figure price per square foot.

February 2010 – 25 TOP BEST BUY East Grand Rapids Homes

Lowest price/Sq Ft range from $75.29 to $116.65

Highest List Price -  $ 349,700

Lowest List Price -  $ 79,900

The Top East GR Homes to Buy by Price per Square Foot:

729 Gladstone Dr SE   $  79,900      800 Sq Ft   $99.88/SqFt

1148 Lakeside Dr SE    $ 89,900      900 Sq Ft   $99.89/SqFt

2361 Burchard St        $125,900    1455 Sq Ft   $109.00/SqFt

2360 Lake Dr SE         $137,000     1582 Sq Ft   $86.60/SqFt

612 Gladstone Dr SE   $139,900     1268 Sq Ft  $110.33/SqFt

 

159 El Centro Blvd      $149,900    1848 Sq Ft   $81.11/SqFt

1530 Groton Rd         $149,900    1694 Sq Ft    $97.34/SqFt

2714 Cascade Rd SE   $149,900    1900 SqFt     $115.31/SqFt

2665 Richards Dr SE   $149,900    1573 SqFt     $116.65/SqFt

1647 Franklin St          $149,900    1392 Sq Ft   $107.69/SqFt

 

2115 Tenway Dr SE      $154,900    1395 Sq Ft   $111.04/SqFt

847 Orchard Ave        $159,900    1350 Sq Ft   $118.44/SqFt

252 Hodenpyl Rd       $159.900    1489 Sq Ft    $107.39/SqFt

1433 Edgewood Ave  $165,900   1738 Sq Ft    $94.94/SqFt

2752 Robinson Rd      $169,900   1532 Sq Ft    $110.90/SqFt

 

2530 Cascade Rd SE   $179,900    2200 SqFt    $111.88/SqFt

2937 Lake Dr              $179,900   1602 Sq Ft    $112.30/SqFt

1707 Hall St SE           $189,900   2229 Sq Ft    $108.33/SqFt

2840 Cascade Rd        $199,000     2272 Sq Ft   $111.55/SqFt

2150 Anderson Dr      $209,000    3322 Sq Ft   $75.29/SqFt

 

 

1401 Pinecrest Ave   $220,000    2350 Sq Ft   $103.97/SqFt

330 Fulton St E         $263,000    3460 Sq Ft   $106.05/SqFt

1245 Woodshire Ave $269,500    2248 Sq Ft   $119.88/SqFt

1418 Woodcliff Dr     $339,500   3114 Sq Ft   $109.02/SqFt

 

1401 Breton Rd         $349,700     3873 Sq Ft   $102.85/SqFt

 

East Grand Rapids homes are selling.  If you have been waiting for the

 right time to buy, don’t wait much longer.  We are seeing definite signs

 of competition for homes in some areas, like East Grand Rapids and

 Forest Hills. Homes in good condition and priced appropriately are

selling quickly. 

*Some of these homes may be bank owned foreclosures and not habitable

as is or available for a mortgage in present condition.*

 

East GR  Real Estate Market Blogs

 

If you would like to view an East Grand Rapids Best Buy Home,

please contact us @1-888-240-1968 x 0 or email us :

terry@terrywestbrook.com

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The Ottawa Hills neighborhood in Grand Rapids has had major construction

going on all winter.  The new Christian Elementary School is going up

on the old Ottawa Hills Middle School campus.  You can read about the

beginning  phases on an earlier blog.  This campus will serve a large area

and is eagerly anticipated.  It is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2010.

We took a few new photos so you can see how it is shaping up.

We could hear the air hammers working away inside.

Lots of machinery and building equipment in evidence.

The view from the northwest corner of the lot, near Alexander Dr. SE

The former playground was kept intact and their is plenty of open space.

This new facility will be located at: 1501 Fisk St SE

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This unique A Frame home on the northwest side of Grand Rapids has an open

floor plan,  3 bedrooms, 2 baths in 1923 finished square feet.

The main floor has an open cathedral ceiling in the Great Room which is open to

the kitchen and upper loft. Large windows let in lots of natural light and a brick

wood burning fireplace adds lots of architectural appeal.

A large master suite with private bath upstairs has a loft that overlooks the

living area below.

Two bedrooms and full bath on the main floor. A  family room with fireplace on

the walk out lower level that has sliding glass door to the front of the home.

An attached 2 car garage and a large utility laundry room are also on this level.

A wrap around deck offers plenty of room for outdoor living and entertaining in

the warmer months.

Located in Shawmut Hills, close to public and parochial elementary schools

on the NW side of Grand Rapids.  A great location close to John Ball Park,

Millenium Park, 3 golf courses, and downtown Grand Rapids.

Listed at $ 123,900

More information at Westbrook Realty

As the inventory of existing homes seeks a new normal, we find that the

distressed properties are a big portion of our market.  Following the trends

in this area can give us insight into the future. The following chart shows

how they affect our market every month. And I see some encouraging information.

 

 

 Percentage of Foreclosures/Short Sales of Grand Rapids sold properties.

 

Looking at the chart you can see that Foreclosures & Short Sales control

over 59% of our current market volume in January 2010 but the $ Dollar percentage

is only 44%. I am guessing the dollar percentage of total sales will increase over

time so the short sales and foreclosures will not have as much of an effect on

current  traditional (non-foreclosure + short sale) sales.

Experts in the financial markets have written extensively about the increase coming

in the foreclosure market, last month figures were estimated to be 3 million or more

homes that are facing foreclosure in U.S. in the next 6-12 months.

 

 

So, will a buyer always go for the distressed sale home over the traditional sale? 

Apparently not.  We hear from our buyer clients over and over that they

DO NOT WANT TO DO REPAIRS or UPDATING.  They want to purchase a

home and get on with their life - not devote 6 months to 12 months of their

spare time and money on painting, repairs and updating. If they can buy a home

that is in good condition and is a foreclosure or short sale home, great! But that is

not usually the case.

We have seen that banks are starting to do basic repairs and updates before

putting homes on our local market.  What a difference this makes to first time

buyers who don't have money for extra repairs and updates.

 

 

Statistics have proven for years that when buyers get in front of the computer

to start searching for a home, the questions they want answered are:

• How big is the house?
• How many bedrooms?
• How many baths?
• What is the price?

 When we list a property and place it on the Multiple Listing Service we are competing

with all the other 3 bedroom 2 bath homes listed for sale in Grand Rapids.  Buyers

typically bring up about 40 homes on a search and look on-line at 20 of them in our

Grand Rapids market. The graph below indicates what are the top requirements

 to a Grand Rapids home buyer Home Search:

 

  What are buyers looking for when they search for a home?

As you can see from the graph above, this is the order of importance buyers

put in their home searches:

1. Square Footage
2. Bedrooms
3. Baths
4. Price
   

Price is number 4 behind Square Footage, Bedrooms, and Baths.

 

BUT Price is the ultimate point of competition.

They don't see the fabulous photos of your designer kitchen, the visual tour,

your wonderful photos of your "green thumb" garden or the newly

remodeled bathroom if your stats don't compare.  If you are not in the top 20

by Square Footage, Bedrooms, Baths, & Price, maybe even the top 10 they

don't even bother with clicking on the photos or details of  your home.

Price is the only thing left when you have 40 similar homes on the market

competing for the same buyers.  Supply and Demand will continue to rule

the real estate housing market in the forseeable future, and Price Plays a

Major Role.

 

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The New Remodeling Magazine is out with the annual Cost vs Value Report.

 

 

One of the most common questions sellers and buyers ask me is:

 "Should I remodel  or add on to my house?  

 Is adding another bathroom going to be money I can recoup when I sell?"

 

Even today’s buyers that are buying at 2000 or before price levels, need

to be smart about home improvements if they think they will be moving

 in the next 10 years.  It is always intriguing that some areas of the

country value some home additions more or less than others.

 

This report gives an estimation of the return and an approximate cost of

several common remodels, additions and rehab projects in the home.  It

is specific to different regions of the United States.  

 

 2009-2010 COST vs VALUE REPORT

 

 Since we are from Grand Rapids Michigan we have directed you to that page

but you can navigate to other areas of the country from there. We hope this

article is helpful in the decision making process,  if you are considering a

home remodel or addition.

 

As always, feel free to call me about specific questions for your specific area.

 

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