fbpx
Click here for a FREE guide Simply Selling FAQs!
Trusted West Michigan Realtor

Your Trusted Real Estate Guide in
Greater Grand Rapids MI

SOLD! 8705 Thome Dr, Sparta MI 49345

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD! 8705 Thome Dr, Sparta MI 49345
  • by
SOLD! 8705 Thome Dr, Sparta MI 49345

5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, 3 stall garage, Walkout Lower Level, 2.4 Acres. Sold for $549,900.

This one of a kind home is what dreams are made of! Expansive walkout ranch located on 2.4 acres overlooking an apple orchard yet in a neighborhood setting. Kitchen with custom cabinetry & walk in pantry, office/den, living room with cathedral ceilings & stone fireplace, generous sized primary bedroom suite private bath with double sinks, jet tub, walk-in shower & walk in closet, spacious family room and game room, main & lower level laundry rooms both with washers & dryers, new furnace, newer hot water heater (3 yr +/-), opportunities to add living space in bonus room over garage and unfinished portion of basement, lots of storage. Convenient location only 4 mi to the schools, 7 mi from Alpine shopping conveniences, & 9 mi from downtown Rockford.

Neighborhood Tour: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgaJfLRFzsE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Liz Opatic, 616-293-9952 lizopatic@gmail.com

RE/MAX SUNQUEST, 616-949-6980

SOLD: 7144 Eastwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD: 7144 Eastwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428
  • by
Sold!! 7144 Eastwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428.

4 beds, 2 1/2 baths, Fireplace, Front Porch, New Carpet (Family Room and 4th Bedroom), New A/C in 2021, Fenced Back Yard, Underground Sprinkling, listed for $284,900 and sold for $333,750.

You’ll fall in love the minute you pull up in the drive! This Jenison ranch offers curb appeal in spades with beautiful landscaping, a front porch that will impress your guests and be your favorite outdoor space. Inside you will find a spacious living room with a bay window, kitchen with updated cabinets and counters, dining area with laminate floors, cozy family room with brand new carpet, a fireplace and sliders to the back yard, spacious bath with double sinks, half bath off kitchen, the primary bedroom has plenty of space for your furniture, 2 additional main floor bedrooms, finished basement with a bedroom (new carpet), bathroom, laundry, mechanicals and storage. 2 stall attached garage, underground sprinkling, enjoyable fenced in back yard with a patio, storage shed. Only ½ mile from Rosewood Park, 1.1 miles to Georgetown Library, 2.6 miles to 196 Highway.

More about the Jenison community

RE/MAX SunQuest,  (616) 949-6980

Buying New Construction? Mistakes to Avoid

Brand new carpet, fresh paint, shiny appliances – what’s not to love about buying new construction? ⁣
⁣
While that new home feel is intoxicating, buying new construction can be tricky without some initial know-how. So you can experience all the pros and none of the pitfalls, here are some mistakes to avoid when purchasing a new construction home.⁣
⁣
Failing to research the area ahead of time. It’s easy to fall in love with a neighborhood and floor plan before doing your due diligence about the surrounding community.

  • Ask around to assess what’s happening (or not happening!) in the area that may impact your home’s value down the road.⁣
  • Research the school district, even if you do not have kids or ever plan to have kids, the school district ratings affect the real estate values in the area.
  • Drive through the neighborhood at several different timeframes of day to get a feel for what it’s like. If you’re looking for a quiet subdivision and drive through during mid morning it may feel quiet. If you drive through again during the evening there may be more chaos and traffic through the neighborhood. This is helpful to know when making a decision.

Not thoroughly vetting your builder/developer. A builder can make or break your experience buying new construction, so make sure you do your research. And don’t just take their word for it.

  • Ask for referrals. Talking to other clients that have experienced the building process and even more importantly have lived in a home that was built by the builder can be extremely helpful. A reputable builder should have former clients that they can put you in touch with.
  • Read online reviews. Be careful to put too much weight of these. Most people tend to be more willing to share negative experiences vs. positive experiences. Still I highly recommend reading what you find and keeping it in the back of your mind. If there are a lot of negative reviews, this is definitely a red flag.
  • Consult your Realtor. Realtors work with builders and sell spec homes all of the time. Your Realtor is a great resource for you in this process. In fact, I highly recommend that you involve them in the whole process. They will absolutely be your advocate and help you avoid common mistakes.


Waiving the home inspection. Heads up! Newer homes can have just as many problems as older homes, so don’t waive the home inspection. It can alert you to things your builder overlooked or didn’t properly complete.⁣

Not asking about what type of warranty the builder will give you with the home. Don’t just assume the home comes with a warranty. Find out what is covered and for how long.

Considering building a new home? I offer a free new construction guide to help you in the process.

Download Your FREE Copy of Buying New Construction


⁣

4 Tips For Buying a Home

Buying a home is such an exciting time in your life. Whether it’s your first home or you are a seasoned pro, here are 4 great tips for you to remember during the process:
⁣
Buy in a great school district even if you don’t have kids. It’ll help your equity grow quicker and make reselling down the road easier.⁣

You don’t have to buy at the high end of your price range. In fact, you shouldn’t. Leave room in your monthly budget for repairs, renovations, and the unexpected.⁣ Living above or nearly at the top of your means can be very stressful!

You can ask the sellers for items you like or need such as furniture, artwork, or appliances. They may say no, but then again, they may say yes!⁣

Home Inspections are a great time to get to know the house that you are buying. Make sure to take the time to attend the home inspections. While you are there the home inspector, that you’ve hired, will show you the good and bad about the house and give you great tips on how to maintain your home (which is also one of your largest investments).

Looking for more tips on buying a home? Email me today!

SOLD: 3955 Kentucky Ln, Hudsonville MI 49426

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD: 3955 Kentucky Ln, Hudsonville MI 49426
  • by

SOLD! 3955 Kentucky Ln, Hudsonville MI 49426

4 beds, 3 baths, built in 2013, pond frontage, cul-de-sac street. Sold for $384,000.

This home is in impeccable condition and ready for you to move right in! Spacious room sizes, vinyl plank floors in kitchen and dining area, kitchen offers a snack bar & newer stainless appliances that will stay (including a french door fridge & a double oven), living room with plush carpet , main floor laundry (washer & dryer stay), large primary bedroom with 2 closets and private access to bath, finished daylight lower level, new composite deck (2021), gorgeous landscaping with UG sprinkling, no neighbors behind you, backs up a pond that’s great for fishing & paddle boating, cul-de-sac street, extra parking pad in driveway. Located in the City of Hudsonville but has the country feel. Close to Hughes Park (0.6 mi) & Downtown Hudsonville (1.5 mi).

SOLD: 3107 Waterford Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI 49505

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD: 3107 Waterford Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI 49505
  • by

3107 Waterford Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI 49505

4 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1,419 square feet, built in 1950, 1 stall attached garage, listed for $189,900 and sold for $240,000.

This cape cod has lots of potential and is ready for you to make it your own! Featured include a covered side entry to dining area, galley kitchen with plenty of storage, family room with newer windows that faces the back yard, 2 main floor bedrooms, living room with large picture window, upper level with 2 bedrooms, lower level with rec room and laundry room, lots of storage, 1 stall attached garage, deck with steps to yard.

Desirable location near all of the conveniences on Plainfield (shopping, restaurants, entertainment), highway access on I-96 (less than 1 mile), Riverside Park (less than 2 miles).

Sold By: Liz Opatic, @Home Realty, 5789 Balsam Dr

SOLD: 7224 Crestwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD: 7224 Crestwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428
  • by

7224 Crestwood Ave, Jenison MI 49428

4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 2,608 square feet, 2 stall garage, built in 1963, 0.63 acres. Listed at $324,900 and sold for $355,500.

This Mid Century Modern home on a private wooded lot is much larger than it appears! French doors opening to the original slate tile in foyer, stunning windows with tons of light (per previous owners replaced in 2016), kitchen with stainless appliances (french door refrigerator) & a snack bar, dining area with laminate floors, half bath, spacious living room with a brick fireplace, sunroom that’s a perfect place to take in the beautiful wooded view, the upper level has 2 spacious bedrooms & a full bath, lower level has 2 bedrooms & a bath as well, in the basement you will find a large rec room & office space with a fireplace walkout access to the back yard.

Outdoor features include deck space spanning the length of the home, a firepit area, storage in a shed and built in under the deck, fenced wooded back yard (no neighbors behind!), 2 stall attached garage, underground sprinkling, new roof (replaced in 2021), A/C replaced in 2018 (per previous owner). Great location close to Rosewood Park (1 mi), Georgetown Library (1 mi), Jenison Jr & High Schools (2.6 mi), 196 highway access (2.3 mi).

Sold by: Liz Opatic, Realtor, @Home Realty, 5789 Balsam Dr

Pros and Cons of New Construction

If you’re thinking about buying or building new construction consider these pros & cons:

Pros of New Construction

  • Custom-fit: Customizing your new home is the biggest pros of building new construction. It gives you the chance to design almost every inch of space to meet your needs.
  • No renovations: When you build or buy new construction, there’s no need for updating because your home will be up to date with materials, colors, and design from day one.
  • Builder warranties and financing incentives: Many builder warranties will cover anything that happens to the home within two years of the date of purchase.
  • That new home smell! Moving into a new home knowing that no one has ever lived there is an amazing feeling — plus, major systems and appliances won’t need replacing anytime soon.

Cons of New Construction

  • Cost: All that custom stuff? It comes with a price. On average, it costs around 20% more to have a new home built than to buy an existing one.
  • Limited options: Unless you build an entirely custom home, you may be limited in your design, floor plan, and finishing options.
  • Fluid sticker price: Because of delays, change orders, and added costs, it’s hard to know how much your new home will cost until the welcome mat is out.
  • Timeline: You can be kicking your feet up in an existing home in as little as 30-45 days. New construction? Stretch that timeline out to at least 3-12 months. 

Considering new construction? Use my guide to assist you through the process. There you’ll find questions to ask the builder, pros & cons checklist, lender information, a list of builders and some of the available communities in West Michigan and more! Click here to download!!

How Showing Your Home Works

We will decide together on how to handle showings. We can set parameters as to the hours and days that showings are allowed, and how to notify you in advance.

We will use a system called Showingtime which will allow you to respond to showing requests via email, text or phone.

Usually we use an electronic lockbox that allows buyers’ agents to access your house key. These boxes also notify me any time they are opened, so no one is accessing your home without my knowledge.

If you have pets in the home that need to be tended to during showings, we will work out the best way to handle them. Furthermore, I will try to get feedback from each showing and pass that information back to you.

I will be there for you every step of the way and will be available for all questions or concerns.

SOLD: 1101 Sunrise Ln, Walker MI 49534

  • Sold Homes
  • Comments Off on SOLD: 1101 Sunrise Ln, Walker MI 49534
  • by

1101 Sunrise Ln NW, Walker MI 49534

2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 966 square feet, 2 stall garage, built in 2005. Listed at $269,900 and sold for $301,500.

Great opportunity to build equity by finishing the lower level! Beautiful bi-level home on a large lot (.39 acre) in Kenowa Hills school district. Open floor plan, cathedral ceilings, the kitchen offers a center island and brand new stainless steel appliances, dining area with sliders to the deck, living room with large windows bringing in lots of light. Spacious primary bedroom with dual closets, 2nd bedroom on the main level, bathroom with double sinks.

The lower level is unfinished and has the potential for 2 additional bedrooms and a bath, the brand new washer and dryer (approx. 1 year old) will stay, the water heater is newer (+/- 1 year), newer A/C (+/- 3 years), possession at close. The outdoor space offers a deck, large yard and underground sprinkling. Awesome location in a neighborhood with sidewalks, near Zinser Elementary (0.8 miles), Walking/Biking Trail (0.2 miles), and only 2 mi from all of the conveniences of Standale.

Listed by: Liz Opatic, Realtor, @Home Realty, 5789 Balsam Dr