According To CNN Money on May 7th, 2008; Grand Rapids, was ranked 8th in nation as the one of the fastest growing real estate markets with a projected appreciation rate of 1.9% by May of 2009, This is in sharp contrast to the other side of MIchigan in which CNN projects that The Farmington HIlls Market which is the only major Market to have negative 5 year appreciation of -7.5%, and is also projected..(read more)
Have you ever seen a dog chasing after a car? To a sadist, it might seem very funny.
No matter how fast the dog runs, it will never catch the car. The dog will never slow the car down. And, the dog will never bite a moving tire. What must the dog be thinking?
Today, many sellers are running after the market, the same way dogs chase vehicles.
What are these sellers thinking? Their home is the..(read more)
Daily Real Estate News | April 16, 2008
Why Selling Now Makes Sense
Home owners who are reluctant to sell because prices have fallen, should do the math, and realize that the market downturn could work in their favor, say practitioners in hard-hit, but still pricey Boston.
Their reasoning may work in many other parts of the country as well.(read more)
Real Estate buyers are usually highly focused on the purchase price of a property. This is a legitimate concern. The purchase price is one of the most important considerations in a real estate transaction. But at the same time home buyers too frequently treat interest rates as a secondary concern. Many buyers will stress over $300 or $400 in negotiations over purchase price. But when told that interest..(read more)
The Grand Rapids Association of REALTORS reports that sales of existing homes, including single-family homes, vacation homes, and condominiums, rose to record levels in January of 2008. The Association reported 996 sales in January of 2008 - an 18.9 percent increase over the same period last year, and its strongest January sales report since 2002. This comes on the heels of the Association's report..(read more)
It's a record year in western Michigan for out-of-state investment, which likely surpassed $150 million, estimated Colin Kraay, investment adviser at Grubb & Ellis|Paramount Commerce in Grand Rapids.
In the last days of 2007, the firm negotiated the sale of 17 industrial buildings for $35 million to $40 million to California-based Core Realty Holdings - a return buyer in the region. Core in 2005..(read more)
Even though now doesn't seem to be the ideal time to sell your home, you can take heart in knowing that small actions may make a difference in getting your home sold.
"Scentmosphere" isn't exactly new but it is rapidly becoming a way to attempt to attract buyers.
"When [buyers] walk into a house before they actually see anything in that house, because they breathe, they are smelling...(read more)
Selection, selection, selection. There are about 10,000 resale homes on the market in Grand Rapids Metro Area, Regardless of the price range a buyer desires, there are plenty of houses from which to choose. Just a few years ago the resale inventory dropped below 3,000-4,000 units. A buyer was forced to make compromises if they were going to locate the home of their dreams. There is a great selection..(read more)
Myths of Credit Scoring
There is a tremendous amount of misinformation spun into the marketplace regarding consumers' credit rights. Here are a few examples of the most prevalent myths.
Myth #1- When I pay off an account, it will no longer be reported or be considered negative…Wrong!
Myth #2- If a negative item is deleted, it will just come right back on my report…Wrong!
Myth..(read more)
When you make the decision to sell your home, you are under no obligation to hire a real estate agent or broker to help you with the sale. Nonetheless, most people prefer to hire a real estate agent in order to better protect themselves. And, it also puts them in a better position to successfully sell the home in a short amount of time.
When you hire a real estate agent, you gain access to a wealth..(read more)
