Grand Rapids Michigan Real Estate Blog

Grand Rapids Cascade Township Home on 5 acres Just Listed

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:13:34 -0600

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

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The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate, the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in West Michigan. Grand Rapids Michigan is a vibrant, growing metropolitan area with a diverse business community, great medical research & services, numerous universities, plus lively arts and entertainment of all kinds.

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

NE Grand Rapids Applewood Condo Listed!

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:10:02 -0600

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

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Kentwood Michigan Top Best Buy Homes - February 2010

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:57:21 -0600

We have gathered a list of the TOP Kentwood Michigan 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. The price 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.

The total square footage is noted here, although only the

main floors are used to figure price per square foot.

Lowest prices/Sq Ft range from $32.37 to $68.15 in Kentwood this month.

February 2010 31 TOP BEST BUYS in Kentwood MI Homes

The lowest list price is $ 29,900

the highest list price is $194,900

Top Kentwood MI Homes to Buy by Price per Square Foot:

7213 Regal Ave $29,900 750 Sq Ft $39.87/SqFt

126 58th St SE $29,900 772 Sq Ft $38.73/SqFt

337 60th St SE $48,600 1457 Sq Ft $33.36/SqFt

453 Pine Place St $49,900 1248 Sq Ft $39.98/SqFt

3394 32nd St SE $54,900 1696 Sq Ft $32.37/SqFt

4525 Grantwood $57,900 1470 Sq Ft $60.31/SqFt

36 58th St SE $59,900 1540 Sq Ft $57.60/SqFt

303 60th St SE $59,900 1520 Sq FT $39.41/SqFt

5444 Eastern Ave $59,900 976 Sq Ft $61.37/SqFt

315 60th St SE $60,000 864 Sq Ft $69.44/SqFt

155 Wavell St SE $70,000 1350 Sq Ft $51.85/SqFt

2097 60th St SE $70,000 1300 Sq Ft $53.85/SqFt

245 58th St $79,900 1200 Sq Ft $66.58/SqFt

4528 Grantwood $80,000 1650 Sq Ft $64.00/SqFt

74 Jonquil St SW $82,900 1280 Sq Ft $64.77/SqFt

4651 Brooklyn Ave $99,900 1800 Sq Ft $67.73/SqFt

3075 Paris Park Dr $103,900 1711 Sq Ft $60.72/SqFt

876 Bellewood Dr $109,900 2282 Sq Ft $48.16/SqFt

4072 Brookmeadow $112,900 1978 Sq Ft $57.08/SqFt

1570 Marwood Dr $114,900 1686 Sq Ft $68.15/SqFt

4361 Plymouth Ave $119,900 2800 Sq Ft $66.98/SqFt

1449 48th St SE $119,900 2260 Sq Ft $67.40/SqFt

2528 Mapleview Ct $119,900 1992 Sq Ft $60.19/SqFt

1456 54th St SE $122,000 2125 Sq Ft $57.41/SqFt

3615 Kalamazoo Ave $124,900 2725 Sq Ft $45.83/SqFt

5848 Valley Lane Dr $129,900 2046 Sq Ft $63.49/SqFt

1820 Pembroke St $137,900 2224 Sq Ft $62.01/SqFt

1889 60th St SE $139,900 2436 Sq Ft $57.43/SqFt

1260 44th St SE $140,000 2877 Sq Ft $65.91/SqFt

1160 Edsel St SE $179,900 3128 Sq Ft $62.51/SqFt

3350 SandyHook Ct $194,900 2969 Sq Ft $65.64/SqFt

Kentwood & Wyoming have been hit hard by unemployment, auto-

motive plant shutdowns and loss of population. Although many homes

are listed as Short Sales, these transactions can be extremely difficult

for most home buyers to consider as a purchase.

Please keep in mind the time alone [3-9 months] of negotiating with

the banks makes it almost impossible for some buyers to consider.

Please note that this list can change daily as some homes

sell, prices are adjusted and other homes come on the market.

Check back often or just subscribe to our blog to get

up-to-date local real estate information that you want to know.

More Kentwood Michigan Real Estate Articles

*Some of these homes may be bank owned foreclosures and

not habitable as is or available for a mortgage in present condition.*

If you would like to view a Kentwood Top Best Buys Home,

please call 1-888-240-1968 ext 0 or email us at:

terry@terrywestbrook.com

All information is subject to verification & no liability for

omission or error is assumed.

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

East Grand Rapids Michigan Top Best Buy Homes - February 2010

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:59:03 -0600

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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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Grand Rapids Michigan Watermark Golf Course Home Open Sunday Feb 28th 3-5pm

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:54:19 -0600

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!

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Kentwood Michigan Open House Sunday Feb 28th - Bailey's Grove 12- 2 pm

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:43:25 -0600

We have 2 Open Houses this weekend. They are both fabulous homes.

The first Open House is scheduled for 12 to 2 pm at:

3592 Meadow Grove Bailey's Grove in Kentwood.

This home has 6 bedrooms, 4 baths, a great open floor plan and finished lower

level. The home sits on a wooded lot that borders on a nature area in Bailey's

Grove. A finished lower level with game room, craft room, bedroom with daylight

windows and a full bath.

A lovely gourmet kitchen with working island, large pantry, and all appliances

included. A main floor utility room and flex room with bath. Video Link

Listed at $ 264,900

Come and see this home this Sunday, Feb 28th. We will be waiting for you.

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

New Ottawa Hills Listing ~ Grand Rapids Michigan PENDING SALE

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:36:09 -0500

A charming Tudor Style home is now available in Ottawa Hills. This

area has been a wonderful neighborhood to live in Grand Rapids

since the 1930's. There is a new neighbor coming in the fall of

2010: a new Christian Elementary School.

This quality built home has hardwood floors on the main floor and

the 3 upstairs bedrooms. A large living room with fireplace, bay window

and adjacent sunroom.

VIDEO LINK

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

2 NE Grand Rapids MI Open Houses - Sunday Sept 20th

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:24:24 -0500

We have 2 wonderful homes open this weekend. The first Open House is on

2847 Winesap Avenue, just south 3 Mile Rd and just east of Leffingwell,

from 12 to 2 pm. SOLD

This home has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, large finished rec room down,

freshly painted, new carpeting, and all appliances included. The backyard

is fenced and quite large, plenty of room for hobbies and gardening

The second Open House is at 2103 Shetland Dr NE from 3-5 pm.

$ 174,900 MLS #754426

This is a fabulous condo in Applewood II estates, north of Knapp.

It is in great condition with many added extras, not found in typical

condos of this size. It has 2 bedrooms, a den/office, finished

lower level with a walk out, a workshop in the basement, main

floor utility, and lots of light. The kitchen has hardwood floors,

a new solid surface countertop and a large master suite.

More pictures and details available on our web site www.terrywestbrook.com

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Grand Rapids Township Michigan Home SOLD!

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:34:52 -0500

Looking for a great home in Forest Hills School District?

This 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch with finished basement and large

fenced back yard has been painted and re-carpeted top to bottom.

It will be listed within a few days.

Sneak preview, this home in a nice NE Grand Rapids Township neighborhood will

be listed and available for viewing soon. Many updates, good condition.

Private Backyard, fully fenced.

Living Room

Dining Room

Recreation Room Down

If you would like further information about this home,

please contact me directly at:

1-888-240-1988 ext 0 or email: terry@terrywestbrook.com

Grand Rapids MI Real Estate - Westbrook Realty

photos by Bonnie Westbrook

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Affordable Home in Forest Hills School District SOLD!!

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:14:50 -0500

Looking for a great home in Forest Hills School District?

This 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch with finished basement and large

fenced back yard has been painted and re-carpeted top to bottom.

It is a short walk away from Orchard View Elementary School and minutes

away from the East Beltline and Knapp's Corners.

This home in a desirable NE Grand Rapids Township neighborhood, well maintained

and available for viewing.

Private Backyard, fully fenced.

Living Room

Dining Room

Bedroom

Recreation Room Down

If you would like further information about this home,

please contact me directly at:

1-888-240-1988 ext 0 or email: terry@terrywestbrook.com

Grand Rapids MI Real Estate - Westbrook Realty

photos by Bonnie Westbrook

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Short Sales Revisited

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:08:57 -0600

The following was a post we did in February of 2009. Not much has changed

in 1 year. We are expecting the government to start incentives to banks and

second mortgage lenders to encourage the short sale process instead of

waiting for foreclosure. The house usually sells for a higher price, the credit

of the seller is not affected for as long, and the neighborhood is not affected as

adversely.

The term Short Sale has nothing to do with the time it takes to close this

type of transaction. It refers to the money the bank or mortgage holder

will receive from the sale of the property. The closing will be "short" of the

funds that the seller owes on the mortgage. In other words, they are upside

down: they owe more than the home is currently worth.

Since we don't live in a past world where the home "was" worth more or a future

world where it "may" be worth more, this is the sad financial situation many

reluctant home sellers find themselves in today, selling at a loss. It doesn't

make for happy campers.

The Short Sale scenario usually doesn't have anything to do with greed or

mismanaging money. Many of the cases we see are typical families that

bought a home, fixed it up a little, and then got a job transfer, had a job loss,

a divorce, a family death or illness occurred which drastically changed their

financial situation.

What the falling prices on homes does is trap the homeowner. He can't sell it

for what he paid for it------ he has to take a loss, go bankrupt, or lose his credit

rating. How many people have equity in their home, or savings, or a 401K they

can borrow from to pay their losses? We see that occasionally, but it is not the

rule.

The banks and mortgage companies are in an especially difficult situation.

They are going to take a loss, no matter what happens. The object is to stall,

wait, and negotiate until they get the best outcome they can for their company's

bottom line. Okay, companies stay in business by minimizing losses.

But, and this is a big but, stalling, and prolonging these transactions until the

potential buyers walk away is hurting everyone. Delaying a month, two months,

three months on answering a decent real estate offer hurts the bank, the seller,

the buyer, and the real estate agent. This kind of time lag is typical of short

sales. I have heard getting these transactions to close as compared to " trying

to land a 747 on a blade of grass. "

Real Estate agents don't like to get involved in these transactions because they

are prolonged, messy, tons of paperwork, many, many frustrating phone calls,

and at the end of the transaction, the bank or mortgage company will typically

"short" the commission the agent has worked for. This is another sticky wicket

because the contract is with the seller, not the mortgage lender. So, this has to

be negotiated again, if you are fortunate. If not, you take what they will give

you.

Short Sales are becoming a much more common transaction as banks are

deluged with foreclosures and calls from homeowners requesting help. The recent

* Recovery Act may be a relief valve, allowing some people to reduce their mortgage,

save their credit and their home. The first week of March the US government will

tell us what the perameters of their plan are going to be.

*We have seen little effect from the Recovery Act yet.

Make sure your agent has the experience and knowledge to get you through the

minefield of short sale negotiation, if you are buying or selling.

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

Foreclosures & Short Sales Dominate the Grand Rapids RE Market

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:12:52 -0600

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.

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

We are Watching The Squirrel Winter Olympics 2010

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:19:40 -0600

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.

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

New Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School Under Construction

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:20:55 -0600

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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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263

NW Grand Rapids Michigan Home Just Listed

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:53:18 -0600

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

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We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry 616-292-7263