I came across this tool for home owners in Michigan.  It is on Michigan's Treasury Department's website That link goes directly to where you enter the Taxable Value to calculate the taxes you will pay for the new home you own or are plan on owning anywhere in Michgian. You can find your NEW HOME in GRAND RAPIDS by searching here the basically you are searching the GRAND RAPIDS MLS There are several new homes for sale and to learn more about Kent County you can go directly to the Kent County site PROPERTY SEARCH The provides great information like property sold data and TAXABLE VALUES of property for all of Kent County.  So you take the Taxable value that you find on the new home you are looking at to own and go to the Michigan's Treasury Department's website and punch in the numbers alo... 03/21/2007

Join us for an In-depth Look at the New Way to Market Yourself On-Line.  Be noticed on the internet FIRST! Get involved with a "Community Of Knowledge". Market yourself Worldwide! Communicate and share Thoughts, Ideas and Referrals with other real estate professionals worldwide! Build Lasting Friendships in a Busy World. Date:  April 11, 2007 Time:  11:30 A.M. Where:  Noto's Restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Exceptional full lunch provided! Cost:  $25/per person CALL  616-283-7832 or  EMAIL craigboening@sbcglobal.net                    Someone will win a handheld GPS navigational unit... easily used to find your next destination!!   Stay connected to today's latest marketing tools.     03/21/2007

Driving home from work, you notice that your next door neighbors did it last night.  You're sure it wasn't there when you left for work early this morning, but now it...the For Sale sign...is boldly strutting it's stuff on their front lawn daring you to pull over & surreptitiously swipe a flyer from the over-stuffed information box.  They've  put their home on the market!  You find the urge irresistible...Your must know what price they are asking for their home!You may have been mulling over the idea of putting your house on the market for some time. Or, perhaps, it's a sudden turn of events like a job transition or change in life circumstances which propels this topic front & center.  Maybe, it's the unrelenting curiosity of wondering just how much money can currently be drawn off the ... 03/21/2007

We all know that time passes quickly, but every so often we experience a situation which really brings this point home.  As I opened the door to my office today, she was already there.  Smartly dressed in light weight spring coat, she looked relaxed and smiled brightly as I walked in.  It had been years since we had seen each other & there was so much catching up to do.  After a quick tour of my new office, we decided meet for lunch at a local Italian restaurant. As we caught up on work & life, she said..."I read your blog about your oldest son.  I can hardly believe he is a senior now?  I remember having lunch with you at the Chinese restaurant when he was nine!"  That was nine years ago!  Was it possible that Sarah & I had not been to  lunch for almost 9 years? Yes, we had touched bas... 03/20/2007

 One of the benefits of owning a condo in downtown Grand Rapids is the Tax Free zones that some of the condos reside in. Michigan was one of the first States to implement these zones and it proved to be so successful that other states followed suit. These zones were designed to spur jobs, investment and redevelopement and the Grand Rapids' Renaissance Zone has become the most successful in Michigan. We continue to lead the state in Renaissance zone projects with over $250 million dollars invested so far. By law the following taxes are waived:Michigan Single Business Tax Michigan Personal Income Tax (for GR Renaissance Zone residents only) Operating Property Tax Levies (except debt taxes) City Income Tax (for GR Renaissance Zone residents and businesses only)These taxes represent nearly ... 03/20/2007

This is a program that not alot of homebuyers know about or take advantage of. Please visit the Grand Rapids official website to learn more about the Grand Rapids Homebuyer Assistance Fund.  It offers up to $5000 towards downpayment and closing cost assistance for a first-time homebuyer in Grand Rapids.  Please learn more and you can find your new home at the Grand Rapids Homes Search Easily learn more about owning a Grand Rapids home. Plenty of homes for sale in Grand Rapids with over 1675 currently for sale properties on the Grand Rapids MLS for the City of Grand Rapids and all of Kent County. Search the GRAR MLS City of Grand Rapids Homebuyer Assistance Fund CD Home Contact Us FAQ Grant Information Reports & Plans Homeownership Housing Rehab Lead Hazards Davis-Bacon Neighborhood Asso... 03/19/2007

Downtown Grand Rapids is a growing area that continues to develop and become more vital and attractive to citizens of Kent County and all parts of Michigan. There is everything from shopping, dining and events to hopping nightlife. Making Grand Rapids an exciting big city experience minutes from Lake Michigan and all the miles of sandy beach. Along the Grand River downtown are riverwalks, a historic bridge in nearby Ada. Grand Rapids has an amazing cityscape that is alive way into the night with dancing, music, and hypnotic energy.  The skyline right now shows several cranes as construction continues on the Michigan Ave. Medical Mile spurring economic growth and revitalization for downtown Grand Rapids.  Several condo conversions of old buildings and proposed condo projects like Tall Ho... 03/18/2007

From time to time, I work with clients who are having a really difficult time leaving a home.  Sometimes, it is a home that they have lived in for decades which holds a lot of precious memories.  At other times, circumstances have changed; perhaps a job transfer which necessitate a move.  It is a really difficult thing to be dealing with the normal stress of showings and a move and also wrestle with the fact that deep down inside...you're not really ready to leave...just yet. Over the years as I've counselled with my clients, I've realised that there are a number of reasons why people struggle to let go of a dwelling...even when they know they must.  One of the biggest issues is fear of the future and the unknown.  Other times, it is the feeling that by leaving, they will be separated f... 03/15/2007

I talked with him yesterday morning to tell him the news.  His offer was largely accepted, just a few slight modifications. Certainly not anything we coudn't work through.  Closing was scheduled for next month.  By the end of the day, I'd received a call from his friendly title rep, offering to pull the commitment and help in any way possible. Next there was a call from the appraiser asking for access to the home to complete the appraisal.  I was impressed!  This was taking efficiency to a whole new altitude.  But something was a little off...I hadn't received written notification that my counter was accepted.  Realising that his clients may have been at work and that he may not have been able to get the signatures, I waited.  After a couple of hours, I placed a call into the agent.  Th... 03/14/2007

Our local market in Grand Rapids, Michigan has witnessed an unprecedented increase in homes going into foreclosure.  This is not unlike many areas of the country.  If you're considering a purchase of a  home that is in pre-foreclosure or in the redemption period during of a foreclosure it is important that you are aware of some important situations which will impact the process and /or your ability to successfully execute a transaction.  This list is not all inclusive.  Please be advised that consulting with a real estate professional with experience in this area is highly recommended. Do not expect things to be Normal.  According to the wonderful writer Erma Bombeck, "normal is a setting on a dryer".  That being said, there are a number of  aspects of the process which you are fairly l... 03/13/2007

First start off with 1612 homes for sale in Grand Rapids Public Schools. I use that as an area to measure Grand Rapids by.  The actually city of Grand Rapids may be slightly different but for our purposes it works well. For the last 12 months 2943 homes in Grand Rapids, Michigan have expired.  Most of the Grand Rapids Homes have been re-listed, but some have just decided not to sell their homes right now. Currently listed for sale in Grand Rapids are 1612 homes for sale listed on the GRAR MLS. In the last 12 months 2073 homes have sold in the biggest city of Kent County, Michigan.  Divide 2073 by 12 gives you 173 homes in Grand Rapids, MI that sell every month on average. Divide 1612 by 173 homes and that gives you 9.3 months of inventory of homes on the Grand Rapids Real Estate Market,... 03/12/2007

If anybody is working with a level of investor that is into buying state of the art condo's in an up and coming area (Grand Rapids, MI), you should take a minute to preview the website of Tall House.  It is a proposed and approved by the city of Grand Rapids an eleven story building nestled in the historic heartside neighborhood. In the shadow of the Van Andel Arena, Tall House is near a variety of restaurants, health clubs, retail shops, college campuses, hospitals, museums, theaters, hotels, convention centers and more.  Please view the Sales and marketing package online here.  Please share with me any thoughts or ideas for potential avenues to market this project. Prices start at just $160,000 pre-construction prices. Reserve your new condo today!! 03/07/2007

Affording a home is one of the biggest challenges facing new home buyers.  The median income in 2006 for US families was $59,600. A CNN Money.com article by Les Christie quotes  National Association of Home Builders President David Pressly as saying, "40.4 percent of all new and existing homes sold during the third quarter were affordable to families earning the median."  In a related January 2007 news release by the National Association of Realtors for housing projections for the year 2007, NAR Economist David Lerah indicates that the market will steadily improve during the year after what he terms a "soft landing" for the industry in 2006.  The national median price for all housing is expected to rise 1.5% to $225,300 while the increase in new homes is expected to rise 3% to $248, 900... 03/04/2007

She eventually got back to my house 1/2 mile away and let my parents know what had happened.  Once my parents got out to the field and yes I was still unconscious they call 911.  The local volunteer fire department responded first drove out to the field and stabalized me.  They then brought me out to the road where an ambulance was waiting.  The ambulance transported me the 20 miles to Spectrum Health the Butterworth Campus at 100 Michigan Street N.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan.  After running the various tests ran on an unconscious person they diagnosed me with a closed head injury.  I kept my family in suspense as I laid in a  coma...to be continued.     03/04/2007

  In the contemplation of spring, a faint stir begins to whisper underneath the blanket of snow.  Unobserved, and unobtrusively, the acorn having shed it's hard shell like a pair of worn out pants prepares to begin it's slow upward ascent. Absolutely dead and lifeless - as long as it remained a seed, it remained powerless.  Even a squirrel could have its way with the acorn then. It was rolled on, and rolled over, kicked and ignored and finally buried and left alone.  But underneath the cool shroud of darkness, deep within the earth...life renewed again, imperceptible to the observing eye, the seed became a sapling rooting further downward, excavating the deep rich terrain of the soil to dig deep for the nutrients it will need to burst forth into the sun.  And we exclaim as awareness daw... 03/02/2007

This post was inspired by Rich Jacobson's blog post of February 27, 2007 "Blogging for Hire", Paying For Someone Else's Voice.I just got back from one of my favorite luncheon spots, Marie Catrib's restaurant & bakery . This eclectic diner had a very unassuming entry into the crowded Grand Rapids, Michigan restaurant market approximately two years ago.  I didn't hear about the restaurant on the radio or evening news.  It wasn't featured in a magazine article nor did I receive coupons inviting me to "check out" the newest local sandwich shop.  The manner in which Marie Catrib's restaurant emerged onto my radar was through a conversation with a fellow broker.  Somehow our musings touched upon food; it was close to lunch time.  She asked me if I had ever gone to Marie Catrib's.  I had never... 02/28/2007

Read Part 1 of Living Outside the Box I entered the Grand Rapids, Michigan real estate market just before the markets began its remarkable upswing.  In 1995, faxes and e-mail scans were not the primary means of delivering an offer.  Face to face negotiations required patience, persistance, and a thick skin.  If it was NOT a particularly attractive offer...well, let's put it this way, the dining room table in the home of a disgruntled seller could easily become hostile territory.I tried to heed the advice of my trainer who urged us "Rookies" not to take things personally.  The challenge for me was this:  How do you NOT take it personally when you are embarrased and/or humiliated during an offer presentation?  How do you NOT take it personally when another Realtor's rudeness or incompeten... 02/26/2007

I just finished watching the New Season opening for American Idol with my kids.  (We taped it)  Minniapolis was the setting for future idol hopefuls to preen their skills before the judges.  As a converted Idol fan, courtesy of my teenagers, we were all in stitches with some of the contestants desperate antics and obvious delusion about their skill set and blatant lack of talent.A comment that was reiterated frequently  by the judges was, "you don't sound like yourself" .  There were also an amazing number of hopeful contestants in Minneapolis who seemed to loose their voices; one going so far as to appear to be listening to music from an imaginary earpiece while mouthing the words with barely any recognizable vocalization.Another frequent mistep was contestants who forgot their lines. ... 02/25/2007

My husband, Ben, was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer this past November.  I know I should've been more scared when we found out, but his calm and knowing his family history (his brother had it as well as other members of the family - even though we didn't find all this out until later) seemed to make this all part of the grand scheme of things.  I've been the one most nervous about the surgery but tried not to let him know or let it show.  He had his surgery last week Thursday.  The prostatectomy was performed by Dr. Jeffery Casamento and Dr. Rodriguez with Urology Assoc. here in Grand Rapids, MI, who both did an amazing job!  Besides the catheter, Ben's doing fine. I've found myself baking a lot.  Those of you that know me know I love to cook, but baking is not my forte.  I'm not sure t... 02/22/2007

Have you ever received a backhanded compliment and wondered how to respond?  You're not sure whether to say thank you or bug off.  Well, in the Blogosphere, Hijacking a Blog Post is rapidly becoming an issue that every Blogger must be aware of.  When search engine results for Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate Agents  began to consistently rank my Blog on the first page, some of my Blog Posts were hijacked!  In it's most benign form, hijacking can be construed to be the on-line version of a back handed compliment.  In it's malignant form, it is just plain THEFT.  As a very new Blogger,  I was not anticipating this type of problem.  But as more of my posts became indexed on search engines, I began to notice links to sites that I did not recognize. Initially these links re-directed the se... 02/21/2007