All brick ranch with hardwood floors in living, dining and all 3 bedrooms. Kitchen has been remodeled and bath has double sinks and a jetted tub! Half bath on main level is convenient to the main floor family room with fireplace! Dining Area has built in china cabinet and entry hall in spacious with large closet. This home has been well taken care of - per owner, new roof June 2006, solar panels help with energy efficiency, and many newer windows. Convenient location and lots of square footage make this a must see today!

Fabulous brick ranch, updated and ready for new owners. Very quiet and well kept northwest neighborhood just one block North of Sullivan Ball Field. Hardwood floors, new paint, fireplace, rec room in basement and 3 season porch makes this a must see. Ready to move in! Kitchen appliances included. This one is a must see today!

Pottery Barn beautiful describes this Multi-Level home.  Wait till you see the warmth and beauty of the 4 Bedroom, 3 full & 2 half bath home.  One acre lot gives you a private feel, yet the convenience of a neighborhood.  The oversized garage (26x22) has room for your extras.  Don't miss this on your tour - sure to delight!

Enjoy the view from this sharp 2 bedroom condo overlooking the lake and grounds. New carpet and flooring, new paint, ready for move in! Rear access with only one step into unit also slider connects you to the common yard, lake, paths, grills, gazebos, etc. One car enclosed garage with opener and extra storage. Save on rent and build equity here!

Regular entrance has steps, lakeside door into laundry only one step,

Main floor living with attached garage and barrier free.  Shows like new.  2 bedrooms, 2 baths.  All appliances included.  Lovely front patio area.  If you want beautiful views, no steps, and an attached garage, this is for you!

More than move-in condition, this daylight ranch shows better than new. Hardwood floors, extensive custom cabinetry in Living Room and Family Room, 2 fireplaces, Andersen windows, glass block shower, cedar decking, security system, and the list goes on. Golf Course frontage affords beautiful views and privacy. Below recent appraisal. Must see!

Open floor plan with cathedral ceilings, spacious kitchen with snack bar on island, wooded lot and great location.  Close to mall, highways, etc.  Master Suite has private bath and walk in closet.  Better than new.  Decorator colors, show great.

Lots of questions these days is centered around the home tax credit as it has been altered.

Rick Veldman with Met Life Home Loans provided me with the following information:

First-time homebuyers who purchase homes from the start of the year until the end of November 2009 may be eligible for the lower of an $8,000 or 10% of the value of the home tax credit.  Remember a tax credit is very different than a tax deduction – a tax credit is equivalent to money in your hand, as opposed to a tax deduction which only reduces your taxable income.

The tax credit starts phasing out for couples with incomes above $150,000 and single filers with incomes above $75,000.  Buyers will have to repay the credit if they sell their homes within three years.

If you have personal questions regarding mortgage, you can call Rick at 616-285-2100.

And, of course, I'd love to be your real estate consultant!

Prices are not going to magically return to the hayday of 2005-2006.  We need to get back to looking at what is good for each individual situation.

Do you need more room?  Are you moving up?  This is a perfect time for you.  Even if you sell your current home at a reduced amount, you will also purchase your next home at a reduced price.  This means that net value to you will increase.

Please call me for any questions or assessments you might like to discuss. 

The real secret to flipping houses at a profit, it making sure you know what the market will pay for that house when it is ready to sell.  Everything is determined from that figure, i.e., what you pay for the distressed property, what your budget will be for upgrades and repairs, and what profit you need to make in order to make it worth the time.

And speaking of time, it is crucial to stay on your timeline.  If finding the right price is the secret, then finishing the house so that market is still viable is essential.

Always, always, have a Realtor on your side that knows the marketplace inside out.  Their knowledge and expertise can save you both dollars and frustration as you travel this path.

Happy Flipping!

This is also the time that sellers are surprised that they are getting showings on their listed home!  But as I always tell sellers (and potential sellers), we still sell houses during the holidays.  In fact, we find many serious buyers during the holidays especially with relocation buyers.  The trailing spouse has a few days with the kids out of school to come and look at their potential new home.

This year is no exception.  During the past few days, the holiday showings on my listings have started.  Remember sellers everywhere - the smells of Christmas sell!

Deb Pawloski, Realtor

616-292-1721

www.YourAutomatedAgent.com

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability.  Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows.  Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life.  It’s important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial “comfort zone.”  To that end, it may be more important to lock in today’s relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today’s market.

If you have not owned a home in three years, you qualify as a first time home buyer.  If you buy a home after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009, you qualify for this credit.  Call your friends who just bought a home since April 9th and tell them they may take $7,500 off their tax bill if they qualify.  It has to be your principal residence, so rentals do not count.

The tax credit is 10% of the cost of the home, up to a maximum of $7,500. This is not an additional deduction that lowers the amount of income to be taxed, it is a tax credit.  In other words, you take $7,500 off your tax bill.  But there is a catch; the credit you receive now is actually an interest-free loan that must be repaid.

The loan has no interest, and will be paid back over 15 years.  You get the credit on your 2008 taxes, but you start paying it back on your 2010 taxes that are due in 2011, so you get at least two years without a payment.  You pay back 6.67% of the credit each year, so for a $7,500 credit the payment is $502.50 per year.  If you stay put for 15 years, you pay it off with no interest.

What happens if you sell the house?  You pay the balance back at the closing.  So, you get $7,500 now, and pay the rest of it back if you make money on the sale of your house.  What happens if you do not make enough money when you sell your house?  They forgive the rest of the debt. 

Other restrictions stipulate that you have to buy your first house in three years before July 1, 2009, not have super high income, not use bond financing and buy anywhere in the US.

If you’d like to learn more about this program, please call me!

Beautiful 2 story home in award winning Jenison school district. 1 mile from the High and Middle schools. This beautiful home has been updated with new custom windows, paint, stain glass windows, and custom wood trim and cabinets. The fence, air conditioner, roof, hot tub, sprinker system, and backyard fence are relatively new. If you love beautiful wood with an arts and crafts feeling than you should see this house.

Private retreat on 10 wooded acres complete with 10 acre "pond" stocked with fish.  Two story living room with a wall of windows overlooking nature.  Fabulous first floor also includes office, gourmet kitchen, dining area with two-sided fireplace, 4 season room, 1/2 bath, main floor utility room and a spacious master suite.  Upstairs, the bridge overlooking the wall of living room windows also houses a library and reading nook.  One side of the upper level has a bedroom with a private bath, and the other side has two bedrooms with a "Jack & Jill" bathroom.  The walkout level has a game room, family room/theatre with fireplace, wet bar/kitchenette, and so much more.  Many upgrades - solid surfaces, tile flooring, geothermal heat, and the list goes on.  Come and see this wonderful place to call home.