In a recent article in the July issue of The Grand Rapids Magazine, East Grand Rapids ranked # 1 in both school rankings and community life.  Some of the criteria used for schools were: graduation rates, test scores, crime rate, teacher education, diversity, tax dollars, class size and so on. Some of the criteria used for community life were : housing prices, housing density, housing value change, crime rate, violent crime rate, park acreage, voter turnout as well as other facts. Please go to your nearest newstand and check out this article on my home town of East Grand Rapids. It is not available on line at the Grand Rapids Magazine site.

1. Grand Rapids was ranked as one of the 5 most affordable cities to buy a home in the United States.
2. One of the top Health Care communities in the midwest and will be “home” to Michigan State University Medical School in 2011.
3. Downtown Grand Rapids, unlike other cities, is continuing to grow and prosper with more hotels, restaurants and nightlife than ever before!
4. Our public and private schools are some of the finest in the State with many ranked nationally.
5. Our theater, arts and entertainment continues to grow; bring bigger and better venues to Grand Rapids such as Artprize.
6. Many universities and colleges are either based in the greater Grand Rapids area or have satelite campuses here giving you the opportunity to further your education.
7. This contines to be a giving city, as many of the Philanthropists give generously, making Grand Rapids an attractive place to live and raise a family.
8. We have the perfect size city to live…. Not too big and not too small.  Total population of the metropolitan area of Grand Rapids:  Approx.- 500,000.
9. Grand Rapids is only 30 minutes from the beaches of Lake Michigan, 2 hours from Detroit, 2 hours from Chicago and 2 hours from some of the most beautiful northern Michigan countryside you will find.
10. Grand Rapids is host to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, a top cultural destination known internationally.

In a recent article in the July issue of The Grand Rapids Magazine there is a ranking of all of the Grand Rapids area school districts. They used many criteria in this ranking system: Head count, State funding, economic disadvantaged, graduation rate, dropout rate, Average ACT scores, MEAP scores, local source revenue, school tax, operation expenditures, instructional expenditures, taxable property value, diversity, “highly qualified” teachers, students per teacher, physical assaults by students, weapons possession, adults with high school diploma, adults with bachelors degree. Click here to see the results: Click here for more results:

We just dropped the price on this wonderful Dean Lake home with over 107 feet of private lake frontage. This Grand Rapids area home, Northview schools, has over 4300+ square feet and has gorgeous views of Dean Lake.

Take a look at this great price on a nice family home just listed in Rockford Schools!!!! Just click  here to see a newly listed property in Blythefield Acres, Rockford.

Don’t miss this new listing in Rockford schools!!  4 bedroom and 2 baths and over 2300 square feet of family living sitting on almost a half an acre. This fantastic family home in Rockford is priced to sell!!!

Why buy a home in East Grand Rapids?

Well, being a resident of East Grand Rapids for over 40 years and growing up here, I would call myself an expert in the East Grand Rapids real estate market.

East Grand Rapids boasts one of the top public school systems not only in the State of Michigan, but Nationally. Our students go on to further their education at an astounding percentage rate.

East Grand Rapids can also brag about it’s outstanding athletic programs as well being able to say that they have the most state championships of any public high school in the nation, at 112. That includes all sports, from football to basketball to golf and swimming , tennis and so on.

East Grand Rapids also has a wonderful arts program with a fully equipped “opera house” and one of the best music and singing departments in the state.

But the school system is not the only reason to buy a home in East Grand Rapids. There are other facets to this wonderful city that are worth writing about. The city has a small knit closeness that is hard to find these days. Your children will be able to walk to school, (no busing), walk home for lunch and most of all, never more than a few blocks from their friends. Families in East Grand Rapids tend to stick around as they grow up and create families of their own. So, many generations of families continue to live in and around the area and enjoy the many things this city offers as the years pass along.

East Grand Rapids is home to Reeds and Fisk Lakes and wonderful Collins Park at Reeds lake. There is Gaslight Village, full of great shops and restaurants, and a bike and running trail around Reeds Lake. There is Friday night football games; a true tradition in East Grand Rapids, the 4th of July fireworks shot over Reeds lake, the Reeds Lake Run, the many parades and art festivals and just the ever present families always walking and riding bikes around the streets and sidewalks of East Grand Rapids.

East Grand Rapids is home to some of the most beautiful architecture seen in Western Michigan. These homes were built from 1880 to 2009 and range in price from $135,000 to $3,000,000. Character is everywhere. If you want classic, modern, waterfront, brick, art-deco…whatever, you will find it here, and I am the real estate agent in East Grand Rapids to help you. I grew up here, I was educated here and have put both of my children through the East Grand Rapids School system.

East Grand Rapids has great history, great families and great houses. If you want to learn more about East Grand Rapids, just give me a call, and I will be more than happy to let you in on this Western Michigan’s best kept secret.

Take a look at this great article about Grand Rapids Real Estate!!!!

Check out this article on the Grand Rapids Real Estate Market by Cami Reister of the Grand Rapids Press. It shows again that the Grand Rapids Real Estate Market is continuing it’s come back.

We just dropped the price of this newly updated home in Rockford to $128,900. Just walking distance to downtown Rockford, the Pine Trail and other activities. Don’t forget about the $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit!!!! 157 Rollingwood – #760307