Monthly Archives: October 2008

Forest Hills Michigan ~ Real Estate Market Report ~ Watermark Residences ~ October 2008

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The Residences at Watermark are located on Watermark Golf Course just

south of Cascade Road. If you don’t like golf,  get defensive when a stray

golf ball rolls into your “yard” you probably would be better off not buying

 a home or condo at Watermark. Of course you would be missing out on the

best golf course in Grand Rapids (no prejudice here, just the facts, folks)

Yes, I play Watermark golf course every chance I get. Watermark is a premier

course with a friendly group of players. We have an excellent grounds staff

and a great pro shop staff.

Watermark single family homes and condos are a very attractive

place to live. Quality built homes with access off Cascade Road and

Spaulding Drive, you are close to the airport, 28th Street shopping,

I96 expressway and close to Cascade, Ada, and Forest Hills schools and

shopping areas.

Watermark Residences Entrance

Watermark Residences Entrance

                                Watermark Residences

                  October 2008 Real Estate Market Report

For Sale:

There are 8 active Watermark Homes currently on the market.

The average Watermark Homes current active price is $ 774,313.

The average Watermark Homes current price per sq ft is $ 226.06.

The average days on the market for active Watermark Homes is 73.

Sold:

There have been 5 Watermark Sold Homes this year.

The average Watermark Sold Homes price is $ 515,000.

The average Watermark Sold Homes price per sq ft is $200.16.

The average days on the market for Watermark Sold Homes is 68.

If you would like further information about Watermark Residences,

Cascade or Forest Hills Homes, please contact me directly.


Grand Rapids – Ada Real Estate – Five Star Real Estate

Copyright 2008 All rights reserved

photo of Watermark Residences Entrance by Bonnie Westbrook

Custom Built Home in Forest Hills Michigan ~ Too Late Sold!!!

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Custom Built Home with Privacy in Forest Hills
Main Photo

Location: Stoneshire Estates

New in 2005, this 5 bedroom 4.5 bath home minutes from Forest Hills Central Middle and High Schools is just what you have been looking for in a home. A custom built quality constructed home with many extras, such as a 3+ stall garage, wonderful setting in Stoneshire Estates, professional landscaping, underground sprinkling, generously sized rooms throughout and tastefullly decorated. Large master suite with private wooded views, a den/ office, formal dining room, living room with soaring ceiling, and a Gathering room with large kitchen, eating area, and family room with fireplace are all on the main floor. Owners have added a fabulous maintenance free deck off the Gathering room for added entertaining space. The upper level has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a study area at the top of the stairs. The lower level has a bedroom and full bath finished. This walkout level has high ceilings, finished to drywall in some areas and open to finish as you desire. A total of 3629 finished square feet of executive style living with mature trees and private views on a dead end street.
Information
Contact Information
Terry Westbrook
1-888-240-1968×0
Pricing
Price: $512,000.00
Property Location
5970 Stratford Glen Court SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
View Map
Links
Features
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4.5
Year Built: 2005
Subdivision: Stoneshire Estates
Lot Size: 119x292x110x268
Garage Size: 3+
School District: Forest Hills Public
Square Footage: 3629
Agent Name: Terry Westbrook
Broker: Five Star Real Estate
MLS #: 734699
Attributes
Appliances
Range/Oven
Full Refrigerator
Dishwasher
Sink Disposal
Microwave
Interior Amenities
Fireplace
Hardwood Floors
Kitchen Island
Vaulted Ceilings
Basement
Walkout Basement
Exterior Amenities
Grass Lawn
Fruit Trees
Maintenance free Deck
Professionally landscaped
Underground sprinkling
Front Porch
Photo Gallery

Wm Seidman discusses Financial Crisis at Grand Valley State University

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Wm Seidman discusses Financial Crisis at Grand Valley State University

We had an interesting start to our day yesterday. We had a sit down

talk with  William Seidman, commentator for CNBC, former FDIC chairman,

and Grand Rapids native son.  Well, actually we were sitting in the audience

with about  200 other Grand Rapidians while Bill told us how he believes

we got into this  financial crisis.  He was scheduled to talk about  which

presidential candidate would be the best one for our financial times.

With all that has happened in the last few weeks, his advice was sage and

to the point.  

Check out their financial advisors.


Neither candidate is a businessman or financial expert, so they will be

getting lots of advice.  Try to find out who is advising them and vote

for the candidate whom you considered to be well advised.  He also said

we are in uncharted waters with this whole financial mess. It will take

some original thinking to get us out. And we need to come out of the

“PANIC STAGE” we are in now.

We caught a few minutes of Bill’s Talk at the GVSU downtown campus

that you can sample on this short video:

Bill Seidman Talk at GVSU 10-9-08

 

 

Pricing Your Home is Crucial to the Sale

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Pricing Your Home is Crucial to the Sale

When we sit down with potential clients to list their home, there are so many

issues and hot buttons to discuss.  Inevitably we come to the one where we

really have to agree  to get the home sold quickly and for the most money- 

PRICE

 

Most homeowners want to start high and then come down – if they have

to – to sell.  Of course, they are hoping their home is an exception, it will

sell for more than the market value of all the other homes in the area.

We see this over and over again.

 

If you don’t price your home within the price bracket it will eventually

sell for, you are hurting your chances of selling it for top dollar.  If you

price your home correctly – You are not giving away money!!

 

Money, Money, Money

Money, Money, Money

 

I repeat,

YOU ARE NOT GIVING AWAY MONEY.

 

This phantom money that you think you might get if the one person

comes along who will do anything, pay anything to own your “special”

home does not exist.

 

Let me repeat that  –


The uneducated buyer with money falling out of their pockets,

sprinkled in fairy dust,  so you can make the money you would like to out

of your home sale —– DOES NOT EXIST!!!


You are not letting go of money, you are letting go of the dream

scenario where you get the price that is 25-30% over market value.

It isn’t going to happen.

 

What will happen, is your home will be posted on the MLS, online,

many places where buyers can look at it.  Buyers then compare your

price to others, and say, why would I buy this house??  There are

10-15 others I can look at that are competitively priced and look great.

 

Then….  they are gone.

They don’t come back and revisit your home as an option.

 

Other homes are new on the market to consider.  Yours has been rejected as:

  • too expensive
  • too much work
  • not what they are looking for

 

The first month your home is listed is usually the only month that gets

high traffic.  Some of our sellers will listen, most don’t.

Sadly, two, six, eight months later, we are still trying to get them to

agree to the price they should be listed at, if they want their home to sell.

Chasing this downward price spiral is not the best way to get top dollar

from your home.  When it first hits the market it has the most exposure

and best chance of getting the best price!

 

 

Copyright 2008 All rights reserved

Photos from Flickr Creative Commons photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/2904370326

_____________________________________________________________________________

The authors of the this blog write about Grand Rapids Real Estate,

the Greater Grand Rapids MI area, and what it is like to live in West

Michigan. We believe: Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live!

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Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate

Contact Terry   616-292-7263

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