Gary White FlexIt Realty~Real Estate & Updates, Grand Rapids & West Michigan

The big boys are coming back the Auto Makers are hitting the road for Grand Rapids Michigan.  Cobo Hall may be the largest auto show...BUT!

Not everyone is going to show at Cobo Hall, Detroit in 2009.  That is a coup for Grand Rapids Michigan.  Nissan/Infiniti, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Land Rover and Suzuki are skipping Cobo Hall. 

The economy is affecting everyone including the auto makers budgets.  BUT...they are not skipping showing their new cars in Grand Rapids Michigan.  This could be very good for the Grand Rapids real estate market too.  The exposure to what a great area of the country this is will be showcased at the same time to some very influential people.

We have excess labor capacity.  We have production facilities and best of all we would love to have them in the West Michigan area.  I can not think of too many people that would turn down a job in West Michigan with the earnings potential of a automaker unless it is UAW management.  The workers want their brethren to work.  Now that means politics...we can only hope the brainiacs think before they open their mouths.

I look forward to having the 2009 auto show at DeVos Hall.  It may bring in a barrage of reporters from the national press to cover this auto show since many of the manufacturers are skipping Detroit.

Let make the most of this great opportunity.  By the way the tickets are $12.00 for Adults, $6.00 for school age and Seniors while children under 6 are still free.

Here is a link to the website, North American International Auto Show. www.naias.com

Michigan has topped the 9% unemployment rate with over 650,000 jobless in Michigan. 

That is the number that are drawing unemployment.  That number does not include those that are no longer eligible for benefits and not working.

The numbers mean that Michigan still has over 89% of the workforce working.  That may not be a 100% but we will never hit a 100% no state has ever hit 100%. 

One thing that is critical to our state is jobs.  We are one of the few states that actually build things....cars.  I can not say that the business of building cars has been managed very well but that is what we do.

The other resource we have is our natural resources as a vacation state.  Can't really give high marks for the management of vacation land resources either.  We need to draw visitors to our beautiful state.  The private sector does their part but closing of state parks the fuel tax, it all has a negative impact on visitors long before we had energy issues or the recession.

Michigan's unemployment is at critical mass but we have other issues local government have to contend with including the automakers.  They have so many companies that supply them in Michigan.  The small machine shops, plastic plants, plating companies, mirror, transmission components and more.

Housing starts are at an 18 year low nationally.  People are still buying homes.  The demand for new homes is not there right now.  That is because of the lending.  We will see new products introduced as the financial markets settle in and level off with a comfort that the toxic paper, as the foreclosures with lower real value than paper value are called, is purged from the system.

Many buyers a concerned, sellers are seeing painful drops in value and wondering what is next.  This is a great time to buy if you have good credit.  If you are living in an apartment and wonder what you should do...don't take my word for it....call and look for yourself.  There are some extremely good values in Michigan.

You will never be able to buy more home for the dollar than now.  Interest rates are very good, below 6% in most cases.  Bring your good credit and be able to buy your dream home, the rewards for keeping great credit.

We are an authorized HUD broker and have a Bargain Hunters price list.  Let us know what you are looking for and we will narrow the list and email it to you.  One thing you should know.  It does not cost you a dime to use our experienced Buyer Agents...but it could save you thousands!  Sorry, if you are under an agency contract we can't help you until it expires.

Call Toll Free 877-677-4699 Ex 703 or Email
garywhite@FlexItRealty.com For your "Free" Bargain Hunters List ©2008

I have to say I love the holidays.

I enjoy seeing the family especially the ones I like!  I do like all of them but some more than others...you may be able to relate.  I like seeing the kids, how much they have grown.  I like catching up on all the new things in peoples lives.

We are empty Nester's for more than 12 years now.  The house is quiet.  My wife and I can talk in normal voices.  We are not ducking from flying objects or video games with shells going off or cars crashing filling the air with sounds.

I love the smells of food cooking...I like eating it better.  We had made plans with the family to have thanksgiving at our home.  Just a small gathering of In-law....I affectionately call them the outlaws...they grin, not really a smile.

Two days before Thanksgiving we get a call....my brother and sister-in-law from Cleveland want to join in on the festivities.  No problem the more the merrier.  They have four kids with the youngest being 6.

You revisit your grocery list....you just added six to the list.  Sleeping...OK we have the beds...bedding, towels, wash cloths, all the stuff you packed away...extra blankets. 

Think of the families that are selling their homes.  How would you like to get a call to show a home the day after a holiday?  I showed one the afternoon of Thanksgiving.  They were in town and this was the only day they would be here.  The home was vacant...OK.

Two days later our home is back in order.  The sounds are back to normal and my wife and I are wondering how we did all those holiday's with so many family members in the same house.

The quiet is a welcome refuge.  I didn't hit black Friday shopping even though my daughter-in-law hit the lines at 4 am.  I was calmly checking my eyelids!  Sleeping is what you are supposed to be doing a 4 am.

How did you handle the holidays?

One of my clients has made a gesture that I think deserves to be recognized.  I know she didn't do it for recognition.  It was from the heart and should remain private.

So for that reason unless she lets me later I can tell you who she is I will just has to share the story without disclosing her name or photo.

My client has had a massive responsibility or taking care of two mentally challenged siblings.  Both parents passed and she stepped up.  Her brother now in his early 70's has been her charge now for 30 years.  Her sister also mentally challenged just pasted away a year ago who was also with her for 29 years.  She worked and provided a home for them.  She loved them even for their flaws that were created by an accident not at birth.  She has heard all the slurs from people hollering retard at her brother and sister.

She goes to church every Sunday and brings her brother.  One woman at the church touched her heart.  She has a rattle trap of a car that runs on a wing and a prayer.  She lost her son eight years ago as the result of serving our country.  She has two daughters in California but Michigan is home.  She wants to stay.  She has a pretty good job of more than 15 years now. 

She has a home that is in sad repair.  Sounds like many people in our society.  This lady that my client reached out and touched had no idea this was going to happen.

My client, hired people to make the home repairs, my client gave her one of her own cars!  At 57 the woman that my client helped had not much time left to save for retirement years and do home repairs.

My client isn't rich.  She is one of those people with a warm heart that sees a need and if she can she will help.  At this stage in her life she has a bit more so she gave from her heart.  She was going to sell the second car.  It is in good condition and better than the friend has driven in years.

The tears flowed and hugs all around.  My part was just stopping by before the event took place to discuss my clients second home listing.  The events unfolded and I couldn't help but share.  I took some photos but when I asked my client if I could use them....she said, I would rather you didn't it wasn't for recognition it was to fill a need.

If only we had more Margarets in the world.

Selling your prized possessions to make ends meet?

My wife was getting a her hair cut from a long time beautician she has become friends with of the last 20 years.

It doesn't matter if you are in a beauty shop, grocery store or getting gas....conversations turn to the economy.  Eventually if they know you are connected to real estate that topic comes up too.

Her friend has known we are in real estate.  She told my wife things have started to slow down for her.  The people that were faithful clients that she could count on every two to there weeks are not once a month or even every six weeks.

She said she has resorted to selling things to make ends meet.  Today she said she was going to sell her plasma!  I never gave it much thought until that people would part with some of their prize possessions to make ends meet.  Today's economy has caused people to do what they have to do to make it.

So when my wife told me of her friend selling her plasma my thought immediately when to the Plasma Television. 

If that had only been the case.  She has been selling her blood plasma every two weeks to make ends meet!  It was her prized plasma TV but her prized blood!

I did not take the time to look at the statistics to see if plasma donations are on the rise but hearing this I can imagine they must be up all over the country.

I wonder how many agents are selling plasma to make ends meet to their next closing?

The trickle down of all those billions that have been spent to prop up the economy have not made much of an impact on our community or West Michigan...has it hit your economy yet?

If you are thinking of selling find out how you can get featured on Realtor.com and have an Exclusive Virtual Tour of your home on the nations largest real estate website visited by more buyers than any other website according to reported statistics for website hits. (sorry we can not serve those already under contract)

Call Toll Free 877-667-4699, Local 616-784-2360

More Buyer Exposure, Faster Sale!  ©2008       Authorized HUD Broker ~ Buyers Save Thousands!

Bright spot for Kent County and the city of Grand Rapids Michigan

Would you wonder what to do with 9.7 Million dollars?

Kent County and the city of Grand Rapids Michigan have already decided what to do with a federal grant of just that amount.

There are areas of the city that have be very hard hit with foreclosures leaving many properties vacant and/or abandoned.  They are going to use the money to target blight.

The money is allocated to rehabilitate properties and also remove any lead based paint that may be lurking in these older structures.

Then once the purchase and rehab has taken place they are going to work with lower income families to help get their lives stabilized with low down or now down rent to own programs.

One of the keys is a education program on home ownership and budgeting.

This will keep people in homes stop the spread of drugs and other activities that cloud a community and its growth potential.

All I can see is good from a program like this if all the money is managed and used properly.

What are your cities doing to revitalize areas hit with high foreclosure rates and vacant properties?

Michigan well on its way to being the most taxed state on fuel.

I can see that we have roads that are some of the worst in the 48 contiguous states all you have to do is travel outside the state.

One of the problems that we face is jobs.  Unemployment is surging in Michigan.  The new home construction market is in the tank.  High losses than the national average in builder bankruptcies and closings.

I can see why large road construction companies would propose a gas tax hike of 18% to pay for new roads and bridges.  The problem is when the construction companies are the only ones using the roads! 

We are seeing gas below $2.00 a gallon for the first time in a long time.  Does anyone really think this is going to last?

Didn't anyone pay attention when homes were selling nearly everyone was working?  Nobody said free rides, free money although that may be what the bailout did....hand out free money to banks so they could buy each other.

I cannot imagine hiking the state gas tax and raising vehicle registration from $90.00 to $135.00 as an average for a license plate.

I like the road construction companies thinking of themselves but the average Michigander is not flush with extra money right now.  Maybe they didn't hear that only a couple of months ago there was only one U-Haul trailer available for rent in Michigan for public use.  

Wonder why?

The rest were loaded and people were leaving Michigan.

We need to get people working.  We need to sustain long term jobs....not tax those that are already hurting.

What is your state doing to raise money for public services?

Builders are leaving the market by the dozens.

It is a difficult market when 60% of the homes in your market are foreclosures or short sales...it is even more difficult if you have to sell new homes at the high end of the market.

We have seen the number drop substantially within the membership of the local home builders association.

The membership has dropped enough to cause the local home builders association to put their building up for sale and close ranks so they can sustain the association and be fiscally responsible. 

New home construction in the Midwest fell by 13.7% with an expect drop to 650,000 units monthly on a nationwide basis by mid summer of 2009 as opposed to current rate of 791,000 new home starts.

This impacts many areas of our economy and expands the already difficult situation for building related services.

How are the builders doing in your area?