Urban Living Condo in Union Square Open April 13th!

Location, location, location. Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan is the location! As discussed before there has been a lot of changes in Grand Rapids. Besides the fantastic restaurants, bars, and fun activities. Many condo projects have come about and people who live in downtown Grand Rapids, love downtown Grand Rapids.

For more information about Downtown see the following blogs:

"Favorite Places to Hang in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan"

"The Nightlife in Grand Rapids, Michigan a Draw for Many"

Urban Living Prevalent and Open to View this Sunday

Downtown Grand Rapids has all the comforts and fun of the big city and yet is still a very affordable place to be a part of. Downtown is perfect for urban dwellers that long for

• a sense of connection to their neighbors and surroundings


• beauty of the arts


• and the certain energy and vitality that exists in this area

There are many condo projects that offer urban living. One condo development with its own unique style of exposed brick, huge windows, high ceilings, hardwood floors is Union Square Condos. Union Square Condos offer a community within a community with the outdoor pool and hot tub, exercise room, community clubhouse, and game room.

Take advantage of the tax benefits offered at Union Square with the Renaissance Zone and save on personal and city income taxes~a real tax advantage for many.

Check out this listing (600 Broadway #324) that will be OPEN this Sunday, April 13, 2008 from 1-3 pm. Others will be open as well and see what Union Square is all about!

Here's some other great Grand Rapids websites to visit for more information of what's going on in downtown Grand Rapids: .. visitgrandrapids.org, grnow.com, grcity.us, city-data.com, city/grand-rapids-michigan.html, downtowngr.org, and of course don't forget the local blogs and real estate information at:

www.seegrhomes.com !

The Nightlife Tends to Draw the Grand Rapids Crowd

I've already given you some of my favorite places to eat in wonderful downtown Grand Rapids, here's some popular hangouts that tend to draw the crowds into downtown. Depending on what you are looking for, these restaurants/bars are very good options to gather together.

Popular hangouts/bars

Bar Divani - cozy, relaxing atmosphere . Enjoy the wine tasting and fine dining experience.

J Gardella's - Can't decide what mood you're in and where you want to be? You may want to try J Gardella's which contains three floors: the plush level, classic décor, and the fun level of games, pool table and the jukebox.

Taps -Extensive draft list with over 30 different beers, multiple TVs, karaoke and live music and upstairs dance floor

McFaddens - Popular with many for the pool upstairs, TV's and great dancing floor.

The Black Rose - Great Irish pub

Moxies - Live DJs Tuesday through Saturday each week with a large dance floor.

Monties - Trendy atmosphere that's a popular hangout because of the great dancing music and drink specials that are offered on most nights.

MoJo's - Be a part of the crowd, join in and sing with MoJo's dueling piano bar. Make a request. They are absolutely amazing players and keep the crowd laughing.

The B.O.B. - Stands for The Big Old Building which houses three bars in addition to several restaurants and a comedy club in a restored, four-story warehouse across from Van Andel Arena.

Margarita Grill - Cantina atmosphere featuring dancing, DJs, drink specials and special hosts from MTV.

 

The Hot Entertainment Spots ...www.seegrhomes.com for more!

Planning the Key to Home Buying Success

Buying a home is a process and while it looks easy (and it can certainly can be), a little bit of planning can make the process so much smoother for you and for me. My goal is to make sure there are no kinks in the process and that it does run smooth. However, did you know that there are 88 types of turbulence or things that can go wrong with the house buying process?

Realistically, it starts with your motivation? Why do you want to buy a home? What are you looking for? Are you planning on living in this home for a short period of time or is this the dream home that you've been yearning for? What's your lifestyle? Basically, what are your priorities that you'll need in this home?

Let's discuss the main purpose of the home. Answering some of these questions will give you a clear direction in helping you find the ideal home.

 

• 1. How long are you planning on living in the home?
• 2. How important is it that this home realizes has your most valued desires?
• 3. Are you buying or building for the greatest profit or your dream home (retirement home).

They say that there are three important things in real estate... location, location, location. O.K. I guess there is just one!
To read more articles on home buying, green homes, and foreclosures, visit. http://www.seegrhomes.com

Where Are Your Favorite Places In Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan?

They say real estate is all about location and downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan is definitely the location to hang out. Thanks to the great many contributors, our grand city of Grand Rapids, Michigan has some great spots that attract a number of different people and personalities. If there was a common thread of "like" regarding downtown Grand Rapids, a lot of people would say that they are drawn to the area because of it's beauty and vibrancy.

The beauty of the Grand River which flows through the city, beautiful sculptures, favorite parks such as Ah-Nab-Awen Park, and Rosa Parks Circle are certainly items that draw people to our Grand city.

In the past 10-15 years, Grand Rapids, Michigan has been a city of change. Some of the most notable changes include our medical mile and fantastic specialized care facilities. The addition of the Van Andel Arena, which is the largest venue in West Michigan and houses some of our best concerts and ticketed events, has truly put Grand Rapids on the map. Other favorites of many residents include the many museums, such as the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. But probably the biggest draw is the nightlife and some of the best restaurants and bars in town.

Here's some of the favorites of Downtown Grand Rapids:

The Black Rose - comfortable Irish pub with live music, quieter sitting areas, good food, dark wood, cozy theme

San Chez Bistro -Spanish authentic food and fun with selection by tapas, smaller sized dishes that can be shared with others at the table. The San Chez has earned their place in Grand Rapids and continues to remain one of Grand Rapids' favorite restaurants. Just ask anyone.

To see more of the favorite hotspots, check out http://www.seegrhomes.com

Are HUD Homes in your future?

What are HUD homes?
HUD homes are GOVERNMENT foreclosed homes. These are homes that are run through the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) program. The FHA program was a program that many REALTORS didn't like to use because of it's strict regulations. Today, the government has come up with a great program to assist many first time home buyers of HUD foreclosed homes, it's called the HUD Initiative Program.

The Basic Guidelines
If the home and owner-occupied buyer qualifies for this loan, it means an earnest deposit of $1000.00 initially, $100.00 total at the end. (YES, that is not backwards...at close, the out of pocket costs will be $100.00 and the $900.00 could possibly be refunded to you!) It also allows for up to $2500.00 in closing costs to be covered. It's a fantastic program with some guidelines but it allows a lot more first-time home buyers to qualify for a home.

The Ins and Outs from an Expert
From what I understand of the program, it is one of the better mortgage programs that have been put together although it is very new to the marketplace. Fortunately, I have someone that knows the ins and outs of this BRAND-NEW mortgage program, and I would love to refer them to you.

So if a HUD home is in your future and you're looking at investing in a great property, just give me a call at (616) 318-6101 at any time or email me!

For more information about HUD homes, visit www.seegrhomes.com