In an article by Jim Hargar of The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids home sales are up 5.7% from 2011 and the average Grand Rapids real estate sale price was up 3.1%. Another piece of news to pass along is the average days on the market for a home in the Grand Rapids real estate market was down from 90 to 77 days. For more on this article, click here.

East Grand Rapids real estate values are one of three communities in the Kent and Ottawa Counties that saw their property values rise. The other two communities were Cannon Township and Courtland Township. According to Brian Donovan, East Grand Rapids city manager, East Grand Rapids home values are up 1.75%. As I have said in many of my blogs, real estate values are driven by the strength of the school system and East Grand Rapids has one of the strongest public school systems in the State of Michigan. For a more in depth look at this article by Rick Wilson of the Grand Rapids Press, click here.

Keller Williams Grand Rapids now has a Commercial real estate division. If you have any commercial real estate or investment property needs, just contact me at Keller Williams Realty and I can give you the direction necessary. Thank you for considering Keller Wiiliams and The Sprich Group.

Here are a few items form a survey done in 2009 polling home buyers and home sellers in 2009 by the National Association of Realtors.

Here are five highlights:

90% of home buyers use the internet to search for a home.
84% report that photos are the most useful information.
77% purchase their home with an agent.
85% sell their home with an real estate agent.
The median age of all home buyers is 39, same as last year.

Take a look at this stunning new listing in Thousand Oaks development, in Grand Rapids Township, Northview Schools!!! #776604

Take a look at this article in the Grand Rapids Press :

Take a look at this great new listing in Cedar Springs on almost 5 acres which is set up for a horse farm. This home has been updated from floors to walls to kitchen and basement and roof. They are very meticulous in their work and I suggest you make an appointment to see this home. Just click anywhere and take a look.

Don’t miss this great new listing in a highly desirable area just west of Breton Village. This home has been updated with paint, new kitchen, new bathrooms and gleaming hardwood floors everywhere. Just click anywhere, and take a peek!

Home prices rose for the third straight month in August, data Tuesday showed, a key sign for a broad and sustained housing recovery.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index of 20 major cities climbed 1 percent from July to a seasonally adjusted reading of 144.5. While prices are down 11.4 percent from August a year ago, the annual declines have slowed since February.

Prices are at levels not seen since August 2003 and have fallen almost 30 percent from the peak in May 2006.

The latest index shows a widespread turnaround with prices rising month-over-month in 15 metro areas since June.

“If the increases are consistent across the markets, this is key,” said Wharton School real estate professor Susan Wachter before the index was released. “Then we’re seeing the formation of a bottom.”

However, Wachter along with other industry experts still worry that rising unemployment and more foreclosures could stifle the rebound. Another unknown is whether a temporary federal tax credit for first-time buyers will be extended to help boost sales.

First-time homebuyers can receive a credit of 10 percent of the sales price, up to $8,000. The real estate industry is lobbying Congress to extend the credit past the Nov. 30 deadline. Top Democrats in the Senate are pressing a plan that would prolong the credit but gradually phase it out over the next year.

Not all metros posted gains in August, though. Prices in Las Vegas, Seattle and Charlotte, N.C., all fell to their lowest levels in August. Prices in Las Vegas have plunged by 56 percent since peaking in April 2006, the largest peak-to-trough decline of all 20 cities.

Just a quick reminder to turn your clocks back on November 1st for Daylight Savings Time!!!!