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Saturday May 2 ~ 9 AM at The Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum
US Congressional Representative, Vern Ehlers will hold a public town
meeting on Saturday, May 2nd to hear from his constituents in the
Third Congressional District.
The Museum is located at 303 Pearl Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids.
If you have questions or comments about living or doing business in the
Third District, please attend the meeting and let Rep. Ehlers hear your
concerns.
The Third Congressional District covers Barry, Ionia and most of Kent County.
DEMOCRACY is based upon the conviction that there are
extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people.
Harry Emerson Fosdick
1878-1969, American Minister
Yes, that is exactly what I said to my newest sellers last night. Their home
just went on the market yesterday. A buyer just waiting for this type of listing
found it within hours of putting the sign in the yard and going live on our MLS.
They called me to get details while we were on our way to take pictures and
get measurements to enhance our listing on our web site and the Multiple
Listing Service. Then they called their agent and he scheduled a showing
for 6 pm.
I received another sign call to show the property last night on my way over to
my clients to present the offer the first buyer wrote.
I haven’t seen this pace of activity on a listing in quite some time here in the
Grand Rapids market.
So my new listing is pending after being on the market less than a day.
This is what can happen when homes are prepared for sale correctly and
priced correctly.
Congratulations to my now homeless sellers, time to find them a
new place to live.
If you would like information about Wyoming or Grand Rapids
Area Homes, please contact me through email or my web site.
Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Michigan
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
This Wyoming Michigan 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch home has just been listed.
A great backyard and large deck, storage building all set on .85 acre of land
off 52nd Street just north of the Medical Facilities at Burlingame and 68th St.
Right across the street from Gezon Park, a great location near major
expressways and yet it seems like you are our in the country with the
mature shade trees and large, fenced back yard. Minutes away from
Pines Golf Course and LE Kaufman Golf Course.
1939 52nd St SW
MLS # 753093 Offered at $ 104,900
Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids Michigan
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Photos by Bonnie Westbrook
Forest Hills is actually a school district in Ada Cascade MI. This market
is always active. These Grand Rapids suburban communities have
wonderful neighborhoods, some new and some older with Top Ranked
Forest Hills Public Schools, and private schools, such as Ada Christian
& St Roberts that attract many home owners.
This report will cover the Feb 1, 2009 to April 28, 2009 real estate
market activity.
Forest Hills MI Listings over $300,000
The absorption rate for Forest Hills MI is 17.3 months, which means if no
new listings come on the market, it will take 17.3 months to sell the existing
homes at the current rate of sale. This rate is down from last month, sold
prices are up slightly. Inventory is ticking up, but sales are holding
fairly steady. Your Forest Hills 300K+ home has a good chance to sell if
it is in good condition and priced correctly.
Active Forest Hills Listings -225
Average price – $633,519
Average price per square foot – $201.55
Low price – $300,000 High price – $2,700,000.
Sold Forest Hills Listings – 23
Average SOLD price – $539,372
Average Sold price per square foot -$ 168.63
Lowest sold price – $310,000 Highest sold price – $1,325,000
Pending Forest Hills Listings – 16
Forest Hills Listings $100,000 to $300,000
The Absorption rate for Forest Hills homes in this price range is 6.28
months, which means that if no new homes enter the market, at the
current rate of sales, it will take 6.28 months to sell all current inventory.
There are 197 Forest Hills Active Listings
Average Price $213,567.
Average Active Price/SqFt is $119.82
Average Active Days on the Market – 119
High Price – $300,000 Low Active Price – $104,900.
Sold Forest Hills Listings -58
Average Sold Price – $193,873
Average Sold Price per square footat $96.78
Average Sold Days on the Market is 100 Days.
High price is $299,900 low sold price – $100,000.
36 Pending Sales
Market Synopsis: Although the absorption rate is one of the lowest in
the area, for the under 300K homes, this market area is still seeing
some reduction in sold price and price per sq ft. With more active listings
coming on the market in the spring, this will not help current inventory
sell faster or for more money. Your home must be priced competitively
and be in great condition to see the best offer from a Forest Hill buyer.
Ada Cascade Market Report March 2009
Ada Cascade Market Report December 2008
Ada Cascade Market Report October 2008
Ada Cascade Market Report Sept 2008
If you would like specific information about an Ada Cascade or
Forest Hills MI Homes, please contact me directly.
Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Photo of Forest Hills Eastern High School by Bonnie Westbrook
Lowell Michigan Real Estate Market Report ~ April 2009
Lowell Michigan is located on the Flat River just east of Grand Rapids, MI.
It has really grown in the last 20 years, in many ways. Lowell has a great
school system, a thriving business community, a lively arts society, and
is one of the best kept secrets in Kent County.
These are the statistics for home sales in the Lowell School District.
Active Listings: 153 Active Listings
Average Price: $257,040
Price per Sq Ft: $131.73 (Main Floor only)
Average days on the Market: 89
PENDING: 18 homes
SOLD: 52 Sold Homes
Average Price: $ 141,826
Average Price Per Sq Ft: $ 83.42 (Main floor only)
Average Days on the Market: 54
Expired: 43 Expired listings
Average Expired Price: $255,400
Average Price Per Sq Ft: $144.02 (Main floor only)
Average Days on the Market: 113
Absorption Rate for Lowell Listings is 17.48 months for the
current housing inventory. If no other homes enter the market, it
will take 17.48 months for the current homes to sell at the current
rate of sales.
Lowell Homes that are priced competitively are selling and selling
fairly quickly compared to the greater Grand Rapids area.
As you can see by the statistics, the homes that have their price
per square foot under $80 are seeing the most activity. There are
quite a few foreclosure or short sale homes which are bringing
down the average sales price and square footage rates lower than
they might normally be, but both average list price and average sold
price are up from last months stats.
Some sellers have retired from the market and will try again soon,
filling an already saturated market.
They might find a better buying market, but price is still king.
Today’s buyer is looking for a well priced bargain in great condition.
Lowell Michigan Real Estate Market Report March 2009
Lowell Michigan Real Estate Market Report February 2009
If you would like additional information about Lowell
Area Homes, please contact me through email or my web site.
Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Current market conditions have brought home prices down to levels
we haven’t seen in 10 years. All price levels and amenities have been
affected.
Now may be a great time to purchase a Waterfront Home in Kent
County, Michigan.
I have included a list of 14 homes in Kent County in the
$200,000 to $300,000 price range with private water frontage.
DOM Address Price
178 8820 66th St SE 209,900
30 8181 84th St SE 209,900
12 8555 Je Ne Be Dr NE 234,900
63 7744 Thornapple Bayou Dr 235,000
217 7720 Thornapple River Dr 259,900
188 2474 Grand River Dr NE 274,900
147 3001 Thorncrest Dr SE 249,900
221 7349 Kilmer Dr SE 275,000
38 5901 Coit Ave NE 269,900
28 5956 Myer Lake Ave NE 269,876
60 3683 Jupiter Ave NE 275,000
95 9101 Parmeter Ave NE 295,000
63 472 9 Mile Rd NE 299,900
63 8870 Brower Lake Rd NE 299,900
If you are eligible for a first time buyer tax credit, buying this home could
be less than you think. The above link will take you to an explanation
of the 2009 tax credit and some possible applications I have provided.
If a leisure lifestyle appeals to you, this may be the perfect time to make
your move. I am always available for questions or details concerning
West Michigan real estate.
Top Buys Kent County Waterfront Homes March 2009
Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Rockford Michigan is a picturesque small town north of
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
It has a vibrant downtown shopping area with boutique stores,
restaurants, and a beautiful downtown park, Pebbles Park.
Rockford is located right on the Rogue River. Though it is small,
it has many attractions and large suburban housing areas
surrounding the downtown area.
We hope you enjoy our video tour of Rockford Michigan.
Rockford has a large public school system with state of the art schools.
Wolverine Worldwide is also located in Rockford on the Rogue River and
employs many people in this area. If you aren’t familiar with their name,
they make Merrell, Hush Puppy, Sebago, Track’nTrail, Hy-Test, Patagonia,
Cat, Harley Davidson, and Bates Brand Shoes and clothing. They have an
outlet store right next to the factory and that is always a good place to
go shopping in downtown Rockford.
Grand Rapids Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 all rights reserved
Photos by Bonnie Westbrook
Current Absorption Report ~ Rockford Michigan ~ April 2009
Rockford Michigan Real Estate Market Report March 2009
Current Absorption Rate for Rockford Michigan is 24.69 months
on average, which means if no new listings come on the market,
it will take 24.69 months to sell current inventory. This is a
slight increase since last month. If you don’t need to sell
your Rockford home, don’t put it on the market. If you have
to sell, it must be priced correctly and be in excellent condition
with the huge inventory available, buyers can be picky.
The under $200K market is moving faster than the over $200K.
Homes Less than $200,000 Since Oct 1, 2008 sold prices are
still declining, even though 20 homes sold last month in Rockford
Public School District.
The over $200K market is starting to rise in average price and
price per square foot over the last month, though inventory is
still very high.
204 Active Rockford MI Listings under $200,000
Sold Rockford Homes: 87
Average sold price $ 135,626
High sold price $196,330
Low sold price $40,000
Average Sold Price/SqFt $87.67
Over $ 200,000 Rockford MI Homes
159 Active Rockford MI Listings
Sold Rockford Homes 16
Average Rockford List Price: $ 352,855
Average Rockford Sold Price: $ 346,500
Average Sold Price/SqFt $135.57
High Sold Price $ 515,000
Low Sold Price $200,000
Inventories are increasing with the spring market and sales are
slowing in Rockford over the last 7 months. The absorption
rate is extremely high at 24.69 months. It is imperative that you
have your home in great condition and priced correctly. Over-priced
homes will not sell in this buyer’s market.
If you have any questions about a Rockford or
Grand Rapids MI homes, please contact me directly:
1-888-240-1968 ext 0
email: terry@terrywestbrook.com
Rockford Michigan Absorption Report ~ Feb 2009
Rockford Michigan Absorption Report ~ January 2009
Rockford Michigan Top Best Home Buys ~ April 2009
Grand Rapids -Ada Real Estate – Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Photo of Rockford Public Library – Downtown Rockford by Bonnie Westbrook
Caledonia Michigan is a quiet little suburb about 25 miles from Grand Rapids
downtown, and about 6 miles from the international Gerald R Ford Airport.
Originally a farming community, this growing Grand Rapids suburban area
has a wonderful newer school system, a low crime rate, and low air pollution
index.
If you are considering relocating to the Grand Rapids or West Michigan Area,
Caledonia is a viable option to consider seriously.
We have put together a short video of photos of the Caledonia area.
Please contact me directly if I can answer any questions about Caledonia
Michigan homes. 1-888-240-1988 ext 0
email: terry@terrywestbrook.com
Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
Current Caledonia MI Absorption Report
Absorption rate for Caledonia MI Market is currently 11.6 months,
which means if no other homes come on the market, it will take
11.6 months for the current inventory to sell at the current
sales rate. This stat is up over 10 % from last month.
There are 158 current active listings, from $39,000 to $1,100,000 in
Caledonia MI.
The current average Caledonia home listed price is much higher
[about $304,067] than the average sold price [$174,781].
20 Pending Home Sales, and 88 Sold Homes since Sept 1, 2008.
The average sold price/Square foot is $ 98.38
This shows me that the upper end of the Caledonia market is slower
to sell (12 sales over $200K) than the lower end (under $200K) is selling.
Sold price per square foot continues to slide downward, overall. There are
some excellent buys in Caledonia, don’t wait until they are gone.
Caledonia March 2009 Real Estate Market Report
Caledonia December 2008 Absorption Report
If you have any questions about Caledonia or Grand Rapids MI
homes,please contact me directly through my web site.
Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights Reserved
Photo of Ruehs Park Caledonia Michigan by Bonnie Westbrook