You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2008.
Fact: Grand Rapids citizens like their beer.
There are six flourishing micro-breweries/or brew pubs here.
Award winning brewers have come up with stouts and ales that discriminating
beer drinkers will make a pilgrimage to Grand Rapids to taste. No kidding, we
had friends in from Cambridge MA last winter and they had to go to Founders
to get the Breakfast Stout. In fact, we had a Beer tasting Christmas Brunch
that was fantastic……… Then I took a nap.
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Bourbon Aged Stout
is touted as one of the best beers in Michigan
by RateBeer.com. Supporting our local economy and small
business is just one of the reasons I can think of to make
local beer the only beer we drink. You can havea great
tasting, exquisitely brewed beer from a local brewery,
make a greencontribution, and support the Michigan
economy.
How about that for the top 3 reasons to have a
beer with dinner tonight?
Some say the secret to great beer is the small batch
and a master blender. Several of the breweries here in
Grand Rapids are well known to craft beer enthusiasts and
small batches mean that this beer is only available locally
and isn’t produced in sufficient quantities to bottle and
distribute.
The names alone are intriguing:
- Old Curmudgeon Ale
- Devil Dancer Triple IPA
- Bone Crusher Stout
- Hoppy Holidays
- Snowblind Warmer Ales
So if you want to taste the Grand Rapids Beers,
you will have to come to our “River City” and
have a pint to see what you have been missing.
Local Micro-Breweries & Brew Pubs:
Arena Brewing Co.
25 Ottawa SW Next to VanAndel Arena
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Big Buck Brewery/ and Steakhouse
2500 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512
Bob’s House Of Brews
20 Monroe Ave NW (The B.O.B.) Grand Rapids, MI 49341
Founders Brewing Company
235 Grandville SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Grand Rapids Brewing Company
3689 28th St Grand Rapids, MI 49512
Schmohz Brewing Co
2600 Patterson SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Beer and ale volume
4 gills = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
9 gallons = 1 firkin
2 firkins = 1 kilderkin
3 kilderkins = 1 hogshead
2 hogsheads = 1 butt
More websites for beer aficionados are:
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate
Founders photo from their website,
pint of beer from freefoto.com
The enactment of the Michigan legislation to offer rebates and aggressive
tax incentives to movie production companies in Michigan has prompted Tictock
Studios,based in Holland, Michigan, to announce plans to operate a financing and
production company with the ability to invest up to $20 million per project with
most films comingin under $10 million. Their first film will be “Tug,” which
qualifies for the incentive programs and is set for production in early
summer.
Tictock, which bills itself as the first Michigan-based studio, has acquired the
ReddiWhipfactory in Holland and plans to renovate the 76,000-square-foot
facility with private money and some state credits.
Holland based TicTock Studios, has hired Jeffrey Stott, a well known Hollywood
producer to help implement the job training that will turn the unemployed in
Michigan into behind the scenes technical jobs in the movie and film industry.
The Michigan legislators have passed and Governor Granholm has signed into
law a bill with the most aggressive incentives to date to bring film crews to
Michigan to make their movies in the future. This strategy has worked for other
states, like Louisiana and New Mexico. TicTock Studios will take online
resumes if you would like to be in the movies behind the scenes.
They are looking for people with trades backgrounds, such as electricians,
painters, & set technicians. There is also a job training program is in conjunction
with Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, MI that started its initial
class
on April 7th.
You might be seeing a lot of Michigan sunsets in the movies soon!
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
Sources: Variety & LA Times Articles
Spring brings the urge to buy a new home or a larger home.
Lots of internet searches for the perfect home are being done at midnight
in the robe & slippers, here in Grand Rapids Michigan, as elsewhere around
the country. The mortgage rates are low, the apartment idea was great
but now some may have decided they want a piece of the American
Dream. They want their own garage, their own deck for barbecues and
decorate the yard with flamingos, if they choose to do so.
Let’s take a peek at that midnight computer search & see what the
average consumer is searching for……….
I like to call this the “Dream Home Wish List.” It seems buyers are
ever optimistic and consistently put these parameters in for top
home search requirements, year after year, here in Grand Rapids.
Price | 90,000 – 99,999 |
Architectural Type | Ranch |
Basement Type | Walkout |
Number of Bedrooms | At Least 3 |
Number of Baths | At Least 2 |
Garage Size | At Least 2 Stalls |
Square Feet | 4,000 or more |
Zip Code | 49506 |
County | Kent |
School District | Forest Hills |
Project Name | EXCLUDE ALL CONDOS |
Age | 5 to 25 Years |
Riparian Rights | Lake Front/Private |
Acreage | 1 to 5 |
Lake Name | Lake Michigan |
Air Conditioning | Yes |
Fireplace | Yes |
Anyone would buy this house in a nano-second, if it existed,
………. but it doesn’t.
A 4000 sq ft ranch house in Forest Hills Schools with acreage alone would
have you in the higher price brackets [300K-500K] immediately. A 4000 sq
ft ranch house on Lake Michigan is in the multi-million dollar category.
So much for the Dream home for most of us…..let’s go back to reality.
So just what did the average home buyer purchase last year
and this year in the Grand Rapids area?
Last Year in 2007:
- 3159 households bought a house for $99,999 or under
- 3278 households bought a house for $100,000 – 149,999
- 1846 households bought a house for $150,000 – 199,999
First Quarter 2008:
- 1409 households bought a house for $99,999 or under
- 754 households bought a house for $ $100,000 – 149,999
- 420 households bought a house for $ 150,000 – 199,999
It looks like prices have dropped dramatically and more people are buying
in the lowest price bracket of under $99,999. But these statistics are not
comparable. About half of the homes selling for under $100,000 in 2008 are
bank foreclosures. The homes’ value and price sold are not the same.
Please refer to my other posts on bank foreclosures for the reasons:
Foreclosures are NOT fun – Be prepared to earn your bargain
Are Foreclosures are Selling Faster than Traditional Homes?
Stripped and Violated: This House could be Next Door to You
The average foreclosure price is $78,400 compared to the overall
average home sale price of $119,600.
When the short sales are taken out of the total, the average home
sale price is now $160,900.
Bank foreclosure houses are typically not priced to compare to the
homes in the neighborhood in good condition. The foreclosure homes are
usually abused and need lots of work to be similar in value to other houses
in the neighborhood. Some need literally everything to be habitable!!
Most households ended up spending more than they thought they would.
To get the home of their dreams, they spent between $100,00
and $200,00, on average.
If a first home or larger home is in the plans for you, we would
be honored to assist you in the process of purchasing the
“home of your dreams”.
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
If you are wondering what to do on a Saturday night in Grand Rapids,
I’d suggest attending the Roller Derby ! I just got this update from the Roller
Derby Gals and thought I would pass it on. I have mentioned the
Grand Raggidy Roller Girls before ( see links at bottom of article) for an evening
of unparalleled fun and flat track skating prowess, it doesn’t get any better!
Hope to see you there!
Copy of the email I received from Grand Raggidy Roller Girl,
Bette Mangler:
Roller derby girls are known for being tough as nails and fearless
to a fault. The Grand Raggidy Roller Girls are a prime example of that
tenaciousness. The hometown league’s Travel Team has never backed down
from a challenge, and that’s just what they’ll face when they kick off their
season April 26th against the phenomenal derby powerhouse known as
the Windy City Rollers. The Windy City Rollers of Chicago have jumped the
ranks in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association(WFTDA)in the past year.
In August ’07, they took second place at WFTDA’s Eastern Regionals,
earning a coveted spot at Nationals that fall in Austin, Texas, where they made
a strong showing. They currentlyare WFTDA ranked 7th in the nation, sharing
the top ten with such big names as Carolina, Texas and New York. Simply put,
these ladies kick all kinds of derby butt.
They’re also a close sister league and longtime friends to the GRRG, and the
two leagues are excited to finally meet on the flat track for the first time.
The Grand Raggidy Roller Girls Travel Team is ready for the challenge and
the elevated level of competition that the April 26th game promises to bring.
The GRRG were able to place 11th at WFTDA’s Eastern Regionals this
past August. The recent restructure of the league leaves the newly formed
Travel Team with most of the league’s strongest, fastest and seasoned players.
And since the GRRG skaters no longer compete against one another, they’re
sharing all their secrets, teaching one another new tricks, training harder
and getting way better, way faster. Not to mention, they’ll be unveiling
some great, new Travel Team skaters this season.
The GRRG’s new venue has a smaller capacity, and tickets are sure to be in
high demand for the season’s events. Buy early to ensure a seat. Stay tuned
for more updates, or check out gr-rollergirls.com.
Event details:
Saturday, May 17
Doors at 5 p.m.; action at 6 p.m.
Rivertown Sports, 2605 Sanford Ave SW
Tickets are $10 presale, $15 at the door
Limited pre-sale tickets available through brownpapertickets.com.
More Derby Articles:
Championship Bout – Final FaceOff
Warning: Roller Derby is Addictive
Biff! Bam! Oomph! Roller Derby & Real Estate
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
Five Star Real Estate, LLC
photo of the Grand Raggidy Roller Teams courtesy of their website
You know the saying about good guys finishing last, well, I’m not so sure.
This recent scenario is pretty typical of a dilemma the real estate
agent faces every day.
I recently went on a listing appointment. It was a referral from a very happy
past client, the home was about 6 years old, professionally decorated and
had many extras. A very nice house to have listed.
EXCEPT…the seller didn’t want to move right away, they wanted to
list this spring and move in November.
I did my CMA and told them their price would be around $300K as the BEST
possible outcome. The house next door just sold for $270K and
they included a $10K item of furniture to seal the deal!
I was firm about my price, but I conceded we could start at 310K or 315K,
if they wanted to test the market for a few months.
They interviewed two other agents who had also been recommended.
They went with the agent who told them it would sell for $330K. That is what it
is listed for on our MLS now.
Real estate agents have to make a decision at the presentation.
Do we want to buy the listing at the higher price and deal with a disappointed
seller for 6-15 months?
The other option is to be firm and if the business comes your way it will be
salable and you will get paid for your efforts.
I recently listed a home for the correct price and it sold in three
weeks for full price.
If I had been the Good Guy wearing the White Hat and agreed to
their $330K price, I know I could have gotten the listing. Then during
the 5-6 months when they weregetting really serious about selling, we
could have lowered the price and it would eventually sell, maybe by
spring 2009.
What is the right thing to do?
Telling the seller the truth cost me a listing?? Yes.
My Deduction:
Listening to the client —+— Motivation —+ — Price
All of these go hand in hand to come to an understanding
with the seller. I wasn’t patient enough to offer the option of setting
a higher price and waiting with them to realize their price was unrealistic.
This has been the case with so many listings over the last year and a half.
So I suppose I’m wearing the Black Hat in this Situation.
Or will I be wearing the Black Hat when I list at their price and
it still hasn’t sold in 11 to 12 months? You betcha.
I will be the one who has failed to sell the house even though
the sellers set the price.
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Grand Rapids Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
In my Homebuyers Series: Part One: Know what you are looking for before you start
& Shop for a Mortgage
In my Homebuyers Series: Part Two: Make sure your Realtor knows what you are looking for
and Location, Location, Location are covered in depth.
Tip No. 6 – Use your agent to narrow the prospect list. – A good agent brings to the table an
in-depth kowledge of the current houseing inventory in their area, and continually updates that
knowledge by touring homes as they are placed on the market. This to your advantage. Trying to personally
see every available home that might fit your needs would be an overwhelming process. If you are thorough
in communicating your needs and what you can realistically afford, then your agent can help you narrow
down the list of prospective homes to those that best suit your needs.
This will save you much time and energy.
When the time comes to settle on one home, you can do it with the confidence that you’ve
made a well-informed choice.
Tip No. 7 – Show interest in everything you see – As you tour the homes on your “short list,” find
something to admire in each one. If you don’t show any interest until you’ve finally fallen in love with a
home, then you’ve just put yourself at a competitive disadvantage. Never let anyone know how badly
you want a home – it will cost you money!
Tip No 8 – Shop with your head, not your heart – Don’t forget the purpose of your
“Needs” and “Desires” lists.
Shopping for a home is an emotional process.
Your heart will cost you money; using your head will save it.
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact me: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
The Forsythia is the unofficial sign of spring for me here in Ada Michigan.
Whether we have a cold, wet spring season or a dry, warm sunny one, this burst of chromium
yellow joy from Mother Nature can lift the heart. While we were out cruising today on our
Monday errands, such as putting up Open House rider signs on our listings for this coming
weekend, we got to see a whole lot of forsythia bushes in bloom. They are hardy here in the
north and can survive our sometimes brutally cold winters. Themost charming aspect of this
shrub for me is the fact that the flowers come before the leaves. This plant likes to party
before it gets down to the business of photosynthesis! You have to admire the show.
The bushes are covered with thousands of brilliant yellow star flowers, well
just see for yourself. We did a few drive-by shootings today on our outing:
Copyright by Bonnie Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website: Terry Westbrook.com
Five Star Real Estate, LLC
photos by Bonnie Westbrook
Clotheslines are considered old fashioned and unsightly in some American neighborhoods.
Why is this?
When did hanging out your clothes for the sun and wind to dry them become obsolete and unsightly?
In some areas of the USA, outdoor clotheslines are banned by town ordinances, such as: Poughkeepsie,
NY, Schaumberg, IL, Vallejo, CA and all the historic districts in Columbus OH.
According to Alexander Lee over at LaundryList, 5-10% of US residential electricity is used by home
clothes dryers, the second most costly appliance we have in our homes. Oh, and they
also attribute 15,600 household fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries a year to automatic
clothes dryers in our homes, with a national cost of $99 million dollars.
I can recall helping my Mother & my Grandmother hanging out the clothes. It was a magical sight to
see the sheets and towels catch the wind, snap and try to sail away. There was also something
verytidy and domestic about seeing everyones pants, socks,and underwear lined up
on the line. It was a visual sign that you belonged to this tribe, your possessions were right there
on the line with theirs.
I have many fond memories of a day camp made on the clothesline with a big blanket and some
rocks to hold down the edges. It was our fort, or hide away, our secluded retreat from
the adult world for the day. We got to take our lunch of jelly bread sandwiches inside the
tent which made them taste much, much better. If you were really brave, you could sleep overnight
out in the clothesline tent – but this was only for intrepid souls who didn’t mind the night sounds,
animals and bugs, like me, my little brothers were not up for it. In their defense, they were
only 2 and 5 years old at the time.
Let’s reconsider the lowly clothesline on Earth Day and here after, as a means to
dry our clothes responsibly and not add to the energy grid and polluting the earth.
We get clean, fresh smelling clothes (sunshine is a natural germ killer and bleaching agent] and
our children can have visual memories of the family rainment literally flapping in the breeze.
Copyright by Bonnie Westbrook 2008
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale
Greater Grand Rapids Area Information
Contact: 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website: Terry Westbrook.com
Five Star Real Estate, LLC