I just posted an article of what I wrote to my database about a conference that I went to that I felt really changed my life.  I was given insight into so many things in my life that I'll never fully be able to express everything that happened.  The one thing I have known is that I love to give others encouragement.  Lately, I've had some stumbling blocks and really haven't been that encouraging person to myself or others, but now I have my desire back to give everyone encouragement.I believe one of my greatest assets is the ability to love people for who they truly are.  Yes, we all put up facades and I can even be annoyed by a particular attribute of someone, but I do have a great way of seeing the positive side in an individual and because of that I'm able to see people for what an a... 08/02/2007

We have all heard how many people it takes to change a light bulb.   How many does it take to make a sale?  Do you know?                                       This does not have a simple or single answer....not surprising is it.When your agent sells your hometo a buyer who is not represented then the number goes down.  If a buyers agent brings a buyer then the number goes up.  If your home is purchase by a relocation company then it changes agent.  Here is a list of the people that could be involved in your sale.The listing agent.The buyers agent.The buyers themselvesYou the sellerStagersStorage companiesThe inspection companyThe lenderThe appraiserSurvey companyThe title companyRepair companies, if repairs are requiredThe title company closerMoversThis just names a few that will be dir... 07/31/2007

The link provided below is a map of the entire state of Michigan and the counties it contains.  This picture is provided by the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors for public tax information by county.It is helpful when searching West Michigan for Real Estate to know where the counties are if you are unfamiliar.You can search many different Real Estate Websites by geographical area, but county inormation is important for tax data and socio economic data. 07/31/2007

Lots of articles have been written on "how to select a Real Estate Agent".  Most of the articles focus on the key elements of the past.  Yes past things that are already over, gone, kaput.Here is a novel thought, what has the agent done this year?  Do they have listings?  Do they work with buyers only and you are a seller and buyer?  Have they met their education requirements?  Realtors are required to have a minimum of 6 hours of continuing education each year or a total of 18 hours in 3 years.  You would be shocked at how many put that off until the last minute.Have they filed bankruptcy?  You would be surprised how many agents are in debt up to their eyeballs.  That means they are going to think more about the commission and how it is going to help them than your best interests.Do th... 07/30/2007

The Grand Rapids Press had a very nice article in today's Sunday paper.  It was worth the read to see the history of the bridge.  I did not know many of the facts concerning the bridge.  I was 10 years old when the bridge was completed and remember the big stir it caused at the time.I remembered the Yugo being blown off the bridge during a high wind event.  I was shocked at the time that a car, even a Yugo could be blown off the bridge.  I also remember the worker painting the bridge in 1997 falling to his death.  I did not know it was 60 feet.  I thought it was higher for some reason but the result was the same.  I did not remember the toll was $2.50 to cross the bridge....but that is each way...so $5.00 is the real toll and it is better than swimming.  Today 50 swimmers swam the strai... 07/29/2007

Every 5000 new members I write a blog documenting the milestone. 20,000, 25,000, 30,000, 35,000 and now 40,000!!! It looks like about every 2 months we increase by 10,000 members.  Congratulations everyone!!!Does anybody have a brief comment they can share on the success that they have been having with this awesome networking opportunity?Please share!!!Real Estate Investments are a great value in Grand Rapids, MI because of the high number of foreclosures.  Now is the time to get into the Single Family Rental Phenomenon!!  07/26/2007

We all hear commentary everyday concerning the stock market, housing market and job outlook.  Here are some thoughts that you won't hear.  Hopefully they make sense so you can make the best decision possible for you and your families future.Are you happy where you live?  Is your job stable? Do your children like the school system, do you?  If you really like your neighborhood and school system why not remodel and stay?  The consideration is will you overprice the home for the neighborhood?  If you are going to overprice the home you must be prepared to stay a long time, since you will not be able to get your money out of your investment.  On the other hand if you are one of the lowest priced homes in the neighborhood this could be an easy decision.If the answer is no, the decision is ma... 07/21/2007

I hear about all these wonderful marketing plans, I even have one, but the truth is if you do not know who is going to buy your home you may not be advertising in the right places!Think about this and then consider who are the buyers for your home or property.                                The buyer for a two story may not be the same buyer for a ranch.  Some buyers can not handle the stairs so a two story in not in consideration unless it has a main floor master, then the upper bedrooms are guest rooms.  Most parents do not want to be separated from children in case of emergency like fire, storms and other events.  So this limits them to certain types of homes.  Some people want seclusion so a sub-division is probably not for them.  Some buyers are looking for low maintenance and mini... 07/21/2007

Income property can be a blessing or a cursedepending on how you manage your investment.  Tenants are the key to your success.  If you have tenants that pay on time and maintain the property like it is theirs you are blessed or maybe you just know how to interview tenants before the destroy your investment.Recently I have been showing a potential buyer duplexes and quads.  We have seen everything you can imagine within the same price range.  Some should be condemned others are over crowed and nothing is to code.  We have found that most investors are buying renting and using the life out of the properties.  We did find one gem however.  This was after review 30+ properties on the MLS and looking a ten of them.  The gem was priced in the mid range of the market.The key....tenants!  The t... 07/20/2007

 From time to time, one has the fortunate privilege of being introduced to a person, business or service that exceeds your expectations. My introduction to Sananda Spa & Salon in Grand Rapids, Michigan is just such an experience! However, the path to this connection is often littered with dashed aspirations and less than hoped for outcomes.  Such was my experience in locating a good hair dresser in Grand Rapids, Michigan This makes the discovery even sweeter.  It may seem like a "small thing" to get a good haircut and style.  But just ask John Edwards who has suffered endless media attention and focus on his $400 "doo", a good style... is no small matter.  Although I can't relate to the price tag, I sympathize with his desire to have a special touch on his manicured tresses.Every '"girl... 07/19/2007

*This is the Conclusion of a 6 Part Series on Short Sales.  Click here to read the Entire Series.Perhaps the most daunting element in a short sale may be the period AFTER you have secured an offer.  You may be in one of two stages:  the Pre-Foreclosure Stage in which payments are being made but are late and it is increasingly difficult to keep your head above water or in the Redemption Stage which in the State of Michigan is normally 6 months not withstanding some special circumstances.  (Contact our office if you need information about situations in which the redemption period may be shortened)After you have an offer which is acceptable to both parties, the purchase agreement must now be presented to the bank.  You will need to give formal notification/permission to the bank to allow t... 07/17/2007

*This is Part 5 of a 6 Part Series.  (Click here to Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)The decision to sell a home through a Short Sale is usually arrived at after a protracted and sometimes lengthy battle to preclude having to exercise this option.  This process can understandably produces a lot of strong emotions, and confusion.  Getting through this process will take an enormous amount of energy and concentration.  It is far better to resist the temptation to take out your frustrations on innocent or uninvolved parties and invest your emotional and mental reservoirs in successfully negotiating a solution!  A Short Sale does NOT magically Solve all problems!  It is a tool which can be utilized in certain situations to alleviate the hardship associated with the necessity to sell a hom... 07/16/2007

*This is part 4 of a 6 Part Series. Click here to read (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)Sometimes, even taking preventative measures does not preclude situations which make it necessary to sell a home through a Short Sale.  Short Sales are an option to consider if your home will probably NOT sell for the Amount You OWE on the Loan after you have paid all the costs associated with selling your home.  A Short Sale is a negotiated Solution which requires patience and persistence.  It's not a simple negotiation.  It will require negotiating with a potential buyer, jumping through the hurdles to get an acceptable offer to all parties AND THEN Negotiating with the bank & perhaps their subsidiaries including the Investor who may suddenly seem to appear out of "nowhere" with a monetary interest in y... 07/15/2007

Two weeks ago it was the Boston Globe with a nice op ed piece on what a great city Grand Rapids, Mich. is and how the coastal cities could take a cue from the Midwestern cities and what they have to offer.  (See my previous blog) Now, dateline, July 11,2007 in the NY Times has an article on the Health Mecca known as Pill Hill in Grand Rapids.  I said it before and I'll say it again.  It was just a matter of time.  With a depressed residential Real Estate Market, high unemployment and enough good things despite the weather, going on in West Michigan, it is only a matter of time before Fortune 500 companies realize what this area has to offer.   http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/realestate/commercial/11hill.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1&oref=slogin&oref=sloginIf I were a CEO, CFO, or on the Boar... 07/14/2007

 *This is Part 3 of a 6 Part Series on Negotiating a Short Sale. Click here to Read: (Part 1) & (Part2)Are you Looking good on Paper but Bleeding Slowly to Death from a Thousand Paper-cuts?  Over-extension is the bane of life for many people.  Access to easy credit and low interest rates persuaded many of us that the right time to buy is NOW!  Except that the NOW went on forever and the WHY or DOES THIS MAKE SENSE was rarely pondered with intense scrutiny.  If you could qualify, it was proof positive that you could handle it. Never mind that the standards in some cases were ridiculous (come on..no doc, no verification)  Most who are in this category have not defaulted..YET and don't want to. But stopping the bleeding will require some changes.Here are some simple things which can be sta... 07/14/2007

When you say to someone, "I provide an exceptional level of customer service".  What does that really mean?  For one everybody has a different expectation of what that means.  I can show you an example of being above the rest.  Here it is:You thought I was going to show you and example of customer service above the rest? Well it is, if you notice the smile on my daugter's face?  That is what it is all about.  As long as your client is smiling through the whole process you have accomplished your goal. 07/14/2007

*This is part 2 of a 6 part series.  Click here to read Part 1.Well if you're a Seller who is having difficulty making your mortgage payments, it is better to be proactive rather than scrambling to react to an ever increasing level of stress and challenging circumstances.  This is because you have more options available to you by accepting the responsibility of reigning in a financial situation which is charging out of control.  As the increase of Foreclosures runs rampant throughout the country, some banks are even being proactive in approaching customers who are showing indications of difficulty with making timely payments. There are several  common elements which are often factors when a distress sale is called for.  This is a summary of what we often observe:  There has been a Job L... 07/13/2007

* This blog post is part of a 6 part Series on Short Sales.Short Sales are a hot topic in Grand Rapids, Michigan right now.  Indeed in the entire country! Currently about 1 out of every 13 homes on the local real estate board has a little red tag in the listing comments that reads:  sale subject to bank's acceptance of short.  When real estate agents see these notations, many groan.... Why?  Because, negotiating a short sale is the Wild West of Real Estate these days! There is no shortage of surprises, twists and turns in the process.Five years ago, a home that was in Foreclosure listed on the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors Board was a rarity.  I have been selling real estate for almost 12 years and only within the last  3 have I seen this sort of dramatic upsurge in Vacant homes ... 07/13/2007

There a hundreds of real estate agents in West Michigan and you're probably wondering, "What sets me apart?!"  I can promise you five things about my performance and business philosophy...My Five-point PromiseI promise to keep communication a #1 priority.  I will market your home with very effective methods.  You will be shown the best homes that achieve your family's lifestyle.  Your transaction will be completed with integrity and honesty.  We will have a great time in the process!  As your real estate agent, I will represent your best interests throughout the entire process.   Isn't it nice to know that honest people still exist.  07/13/2007

Recently, I came back from a trip and was flying into our local Gerald R. Ford airport.  As I was waiting for my luggage, I spottedthe Grand Rapids 2007 Visitors Guide and decided to take a peak as to what was actually in it.Of course, there was the guides to the local restaurants, clubs, entertainment arenas.  What caught my attention was the TOP 10 Visitor Favorites.  This list is what supposedly draws visitors to the Grand Rapids Area or what they appreciate most about Grand Rapids.  Here it goes starting with the least favorite to number 1.10. Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park... very cool place to go and a lot bigger than you think it is.  You should take the tram to see all that is there.9. Downtown Fun... Big city excitement in the small city of Grand Rapids.  People lo... 07/09/2007