Blog

We are so proud of Jodi Smith and our colleagues Bryant Mitchell and Jamecia Adams on the genesis of the Realtors Community Fund. Their vision to support affordable housing and make home ownership a reality for lower income individuals has turned into an incredible partnership with ICCF. Already established to provide financial coaching, down payment assistance,…

One of the biggest myths when purchasing a home is assuming you will pay the same taxes as the current home owner. You can use this simple calculation to estimate your annual taxes: Take the purchase price and divide it in half. Then drop the thousands and multiple that by the average tax millage for…

How accurate are Zillow Zestimates, appraisals, property tax assessments???

GR Home Team Clients & Friends – NEVER discuss or send wire info via email to anyone. If you plan to wire funds – always call us directly to make those arrangements. Breaking News – We have been notified that a closing yesterday afternoon was canceled due to the fact that the wired funds were intercepted by hackers resulting…

From the New York Times: Grand Rapids Michigan A furniture-making city champions urban renewal and art. The early 20th-century furniture companies Herman Miller and Steelcase established a creative community in central Michigan’s Grand Rapids, one now flourishing thanks to a confluence of urban revival and arts funding. The 138,000-square-foot food hall Grand Rapids Downtown Market,…

What fun we had celebrating with new and old friends at Brush Studios. Sorry if you missed it. We hope to see you at our next S.I.P. event.    

Everyone is Always invited! Join us for our next S.I.P. Event Wine & Canvas Night at Brush Studios, March 27th @ 6:30pm. Register here.

Forest Hills neighborhood : $200K-$500K East Grand Rapids : $300K-700K Condo : $100K-$300K

Our office received this very sweet note from a recent past client today. The GR Home Team was an outstanding group of women to work with when selling my home. I was living out of state during that time and had complete confidence & peace of mind knowing they were in charge. Keller Williams would…

Buyers have a long list of what they want when home shopping, but one of their biggest desires: A good deal. “And no matter where a seller prices their property, they’re looking to negotiate,” says Patricia Szot, president of the MetroTex Association of REALTORS®. But that’s not all they want. Bankrate.com recently asked real estate…

With buyers scarcer, sellers must up the ante to convince them that their property offers what many want most — top value for dollar expended. Here are eight fast fixes: Buff up curb appeal. You’ve heard it before, but it’s critical to get buyers to want to look on the inside. Be objective. View listings…

Home loans rates have hit another ALL TIME LOW! 4.375% on conventional 30 year loans 3.875% on conventional 15 year loans 4.500% on FHA loans Sitting on the fence or still thinking about getting a good buy? It is time to act and take advantage ofunprecedented rates and low housing prices in Grand Rapids. Have…

From May 28 through June 12 you will have the opportunity to view 49 homes in the 2010 Spring Parade of Homes.   You don’t have to be shopping for a home to attend the Parade of Homes. Here are some of my favorite reasons to attend the Spring Parade: See friends also out touring…

It’s that time of year when local assessors are completing their valuation of your home and sending out the annual Notice of Assessment. This article can help you understand the terms on your statement and give you the tools to appeal your property tax assessment if you feel it is too high.   What is…

It’s that time of year when local assessors are completing their valuation of your home and sending out the annual Notice of Assessment. This article can help you understand the terms on your statement and give you the tools to appeal your property tax assessment if you feel it is too high.   What is…

The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 has extended the tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence. It also authorized a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified repeat home buyers. $8,000 First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance The $8,000 tax credit…