Here is a recent testimonial from a happy Grand Rapids real estate seller working with the Sprich Group.

Tom,
I want to thank you for the wonderful results that you helped to bring about in the sale of Mom’s condo.  Your service, availability and attention to detail were very professional.

Both my Mother and myself truly appreciate your help and if anyone asks us who helped us, what Grand Rapids real estate agent did you use to sell, The Sprich Group and Keller Williams will be a easy answer for us.

The Yahnke Family

Grand Rapids real estate on Dean Lake has just been reduced!!!! This wonderful 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home on Dean Lake in Northview Schools has a beautiful setting sitting on a hill overlooking Dean Lake. 3700 Manderley is on a private road off of 4 mile. This home offers over 3700 square feet of living space and has decking on the back of the home all the way down to the dock and lake. Living room, and family rooms with fireplaces, wet bar, kitchen with eating area, main floor master suite with his and hers bathrooms, 3 season room and the list goes on. The lower level has another fireplace, huge family room and 3 more bedrooms. This Grand Rapids home is priced to sell!!! $449,900!

The Grand Rapids real estate market is on the move!!!!  The flowers are blooming…the families are out and the weather is warming up. What does all of that mean for the Grand Rapids real estate market….”buying season is here”!  I have spoken to many of my fellow agents at both our Keller Williams Grand Rapids office as well as other Grand Rapids real estate agents across the city and everyone is busy busy busy!!!  Buyers and sellers are very active this spring and so it is time to get involved in the Grand Rapids real estate market.  According to the Grand Rapids real estate board, sales are up for the month of April and inventory is still on a decline compared to 2010.  What does that mean to you as a seller…it means  get your home priced to sell,  get your home ready for buyers, put out some flowers, get your lawn greened up, get rid of the weeds, spruce up your landscaping, paint those tired walls and have your home in move in condition. What does it mean if you are a buyer…it means get your financial situation ready for a purchase. Talk to your local lending institution and get pre-approved. Talk to your Grand rapids real estate agent and get out there and start looking for your new home in the Grand Rapids area. Interest rates are still very attractive and there are very good deals in the market, so now is the time to buy.  This is still one of the best times you will ever see to buy a home. Home prices are still very attractive, interest rates are still very attractive and there are many choices out there to choose from.

Grand Rapids real estate Condominium in Bayberry Condominiums has just been lowered!!! The price of 1348 Thornberry Court  has been reduced to $199,900.  This condo is in Forest Hills Schools and has Kentwood taxes. This is a wonderful condo and many in this community have sold for much more.  Click here for more information.

East Grand Rapids real estate open house today from 2-4 at 50 Glenview.  This home is in the “Golden Triangle”, so you get East Grand Rapids schools, but Grand Rapids township taxes. This home is perfect…..and completely updated everywhere. 2-3 bedrooms, 2 baths priced at $238,500….condo type living in your own home. For more information, click here.

The Grand Rapids real estate market is ready for Spring and here is why.

1. The Grand Rapids Real Estate Board is reporting the lowest inventory of homes since 2005.  That is great news for sellers, as they try to sell their home and  buy a new home. As the Grand Rapids real estate market inventory comes down, prices will go up. This not only will help the Grand Rapids real estate market, but will also help help the Grand Rapids economy in general.

2. Interest rates are still very attractive and still near all time lows. This still makes buying a home  in Grand Rapids very affordable.  Remember, for every percentage point that interest rates go up, it is basically like paying an extra 10% for the home you are interested in purchasing.

3. Many Grand Rapids home sellers have been listed for more than a year and sometimes for more than 2 years. They are ready to deal…which makes buying more attractive.

4. With the economy starting to recover, people are starting to feel better about themselves. This then makes buyers and sellers more apt to get out into the Grand Rapids real estate market and get the Grand Rapids home buying or selling process underway.

5. Grand Rapids real estate has been stagnate or in a decline for 4 years plus. To hear that the Grand rapids real estate market is starting to turn around is good news for everyone…..so buyers, get out there and buy. Sellers, get your home priced right, so you can then be one of those Grand Rapids buyers.

6. Springtime is here. The next 5 months are the busiest in Grand Rapids real estate. You want to be priced right if you are a seller and you want to take advantage of the interest rates and great deals if you are a buyer. So contact your Grand rapids real estate agent and start to make it happen.

Buying  or selling a house in the Grand Rapids real estate market is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life,  so don’t you think you should have the “right Grand Rapids  realtor’ to help you in that decision? If you were going to invest your life savings into the stock market, wouldn’t you spend some time and find what you thought would be the “right investment advisor ” to help you make those decisions? If you were in a court battle , don’t you think you would want the ‘right lawyer” that specializes in your type of legal matter.  Well, the same thing goes for buying or selling a home in Grand Rapids.  I will just go through a few of the reasons why you want the “right realtor’ for your home buying or selling needs.

You want a realtor that sells Grand Rapids real estate for a living, not part time. It is important to find a realtor that is the “main bread winner” in the family. The agent  needs to be  hungry and needs to be a provider  for his or her family.

There are many Grand Rapids area realtors out there that help buyers and sellers in the real estate business on a part time basis or do it between jobs to help subsidize their income. They are not in it for the long term, they are in it to make a quick buck. You want someone that has your long-term lifetime goals in mind. That realtor wants you to come back in the next 5-7 years to buy or sell their next home. Or, hopefully, they will be very happy with their experience with their Grand Rapids real estate agent and will refer that agent to their family and friends. Part time or short-term realtor does not have those long-term goals on their minds. All they are thinking about is $$$$, not the needs of their client.

You want a realtor that has knowledge of the Grand Rapids real estate market. Hopefully, you can find someone that has been a lifelong resident, or a longtime resident of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. That Grand Rapids agent should carry a great deal of knowledge about Grand Rapids area schools, pricing, market, drive times, and other important things that a newcomer to the Grand Rapids area may have trouble finding out. These are very important things to have in your pocket when looking to buy or sell your next home.

You want a realtor that has a strong personal website. Over 88% of all buyers and sellers today are on the internet everyday looking for their next home. If your realtor is not positioned on the internet with a website that feeds to all the national sites, then he is not the realtor for you. His or her website should have their listings on their site, a way to search for homes in the area, information about the area both Grand Rapids  real estate and other  surrounding areas. But, most of all, it should have some pertinent information about his or hers own person. Buyers and sellers should be able to go that site and get a feel for who the realtor is and what his or hers standards are when helping a buyer or seller in the Grand Rapids real estate market.

You want a realtor that works for a “national or international” broker. If you are working with a “local” broker, you again are missing out on the national relocation services that a national firm can offer you as a seller  or buyer. If you are planning on moving out of the area, with a national broker, like Keller Williams, they can refer you to another office of that same firm that has an office in your next destination and offer you the same services that you had here.

The last thing to look for when choosing the right realtor is to choose a realtor that will have time for you….personally. There are many agents that have many other seller’s agents and buyer’s agents working for them. The problem with that scenario is that when you think you have hired that agent that other people talk about, you never get a chance to work with him or her. You may work with someone else from that team or group, and that isn’t what you signed up for.  So, when interviewing Grand Rapids real estate agents, make sure you find out “who” is going to be your agent.

Hopefully, these are all helpful hints for choosing the “right realtor” in Grand Rapids for you when are buying or selling your next home.

In a recent article in the Grand Rapids Press,  according to the Julie Rietberg of the Grand Rapids real estate Board, the inventory of homes for sale in the Grand Rapids real estate market is the lowest since 2005. That is good news for both buyers and sellers. When inventory drops, prices go up and that helps everyone in this economy.  We should see this steady decline in inventory over the next few years as we slowly climb out of this housing mess that we have been in for 3-4 years now.  Take a look at this article and you will see a little more of what the housing market is doing in Grand Rapids. Click here.

Check out this article in the Grand Rapids Press as well as Mlive.com. It speaks about the outlook for Grand Rapids and all of Western Michigan in regard to the real estate outlook for 2011. This article addresses interest rates and the fact that they are still very attractive, open houses, why you should buy a home now, why sell your home now, and how the Grand Rapids real estate market is reacting to the economy.  The article was written by Cami Reister.  Click here to view the article:

Take a look at this great article and video put out by AOL real estate. This will help both buyers and sellers in the Grand Rapids real estate market. This will equip you with some of the knowledge you need to get a deal done. With the help of a licensed realtor, you should be ready to tackle today’s tough real estate world. Click here: