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.

Once again in 2009, Keller Williams Grand Rapids is ranked in the top 25 real estate offices in the nation for Keller Williams Realty National. This year, Keller Williams Grand Rapids was ranked #14 out of over 740 offices nationally and #1 in it’s region for units sold. We are also ranked 17th nationally and #1 regionally for our profitability. We may not have the most agents in our office in Grand Rapids, but what we do have is the most productive and most efficient group of real estate professionals. It is a great company to work for and I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful organization with very high standards in culture, training and client satisfaction.
If you have not already chosen a real estate company to represent you in a buying or selling need, please consider Keller Williams and The Sprich Group for your real estate needs.

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.

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.

The property at 111 Middleboro in Grand Rapids has lowered it’s price to $499,000. Please check it out, it is a great value!!!! #747570

2216 Burton Pointe Open May 17th 2-4 pm
5 bedrooms
3 1/2 baths
3100 square feet
$309,900
Mls# 753362
Dir:North off Burton east of Spaulding

Schools: Grand Rapids Public

Click anywhere in this post to see more information!

One month of good statistics does not make a trend, but a second month in a row surely starts to make you feel better. The number of homes sold in the Grand rapids area was 1% higher than February 2009, and March’s numbers are up over 19% as well. This trend has ended a 11 month stretch of downward sales in the Grand Rapids real estate market. Sales of single family homes was up 5% in February and 23% in March.
Also, there has been a drop in inventory over the past couple of months. In February, the Grand Rapids real estate board had 8942 residential listings and for the month of March, there were a little over 9,000. that is now 8 straight months of a decline in listings in our local GRAR system. That statistic as is as good the rise in home sales.
As long as these trends continue and mortgage rates stay at or below the 5% rate, we should continue to see homes sales on the rise and the local Grand rapids real estate market should continue to rebound.