Grand Rapids Parade of Condos 2009 - June 12-14

 If you are in the market for a downtown Grand Rapids condo and you have an afternoon to spare, the Parade of Downtown Living  is a perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with the various buildings and locations. Open houses will be held at the Riverhouse, Hillmount, Park Row, Fitzgerald, Boardwalk and Union Square.

Admission is $10.00 for all three days. You can purchase a wristband at any of the condos on the tour and ride the shuttle buses to and from each. Parking is free and is located at the following lots:

• City Lot Area 7 is south of Michigan and north of Pearl
• Northwest lot is behind Boardwalk Condominiums
• Northeast lot is located at the Park Row Condominiums on Union St

All buses will be marked Parade of Downtown Living and run every 20 minutes or so.

 [Gallery not found]

 Volounteers are on board each bus to point out the various city landmarks. If you would like to volounteer and get a free weekend pass, call 616-459-3133.

For more information on the downtown condo market, visit my website at GRRealEstateInfo.com or contact me any time.

Timing Is Everything

 Even in this market you have to move fast when opportunity presents itself. I had posted a couple of days ago about some great deals that had just been listed. A Cityview condo foreclosure and a Monroe Terrace condo foreclosure. The Cityview condo I just knew was going to go fast and when I found out about it the morning it was listed, I notified my buyers and contacts of this great deal. I went to show it the next day and was probably going to write an offer on it today or tomorrow, but it turns out they had accepted a cash offer last Friday. Whoever got this one, scored. It did need some work to be sure, but there was nothing a good hose down, some paint and carpet couldn’t cure.

The Monroe Terrace condo at 600 Monroe Ave NW, I had been watching since it got listed. It had several price reductions and finally sold this weekend as well.

What this shows is that even in this market, these condos will sell if priced correctly and it’s a good idea to have everything ready before you start looking. With a foreclosure property, you will typically need proof of financing in the form of a pre-qualification letter from a lender and an earnest money deposit of $1000.00. I would get these ready ahead of time because it isn’t fun to find a great deal only to lose it because you couldn’t write an offer straight away.

If you have any questions about Grand Rapids real estate in general or Grand Rapids condos in particular, please visit my website or contact me any time.

Downtown Grand Rapids Condos For Rent/Lease

I am offering 5 new Grand Rapids condos and lofts for rent. I’ll have more details on these soon but basically, I will have 2 condos for rent at the Brickway Residences for $900/mo and 3 condos at Cherry St Lofts for rent at $900/mo.

 The Brickway Residences are located at 56 Monroe Center, right in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. These are new, trendy, urban lofts with ~830 square feet, 1 bedroom and 1 bath right over XO Asian Cuisine. These condos include laundry and there is parking right around the corner. Brickway Residences have exposed brick walls, hardwood and concrete floors and are perfect for the student or someone wanting to live downtown.

Click Here for more information on this rental opportunity.

 Cherry St Lofts are located at 143 Cherry St, 3 blocks south of Fulton.  These are also new Grand Rapids lofts with parking, laundry and a nice roof top deck with gas grill and a hot tub. Close to St Marys and Cooley Law School, Cherry St Lofts would make a great home for students on someone working at the hospital. I have three of these condos available with one immediate occupancy.

Click Here for more info on this rental opportunity.

For more information and , please visit my website or call me @ 616-570-1871. More info and pics coming soon.

Epicenter of Downtown Grand Rapids Condos Getting a Facelift

 Monroe Center in downtown Grand Rapids could easily be called Condo Central. There are several condo developments in various stages of development. We have new construction condos like the affordable Fox Lofts and new executive condos like the McKay Towers. We have nearly completed projects like the Brickway Residences (already sold out) and Monroe condos. We have recently completed condos like the gorgeous 65 Monroe condos and we have several established condos like Cityview, Front Row and Peck condos. Several of these condos are located in a Grand Rapids Renaissance Zone, which means that City and State income taxes and property taxes are waived. In the extended zone, taxes are waived until 2017.

As reported by David Czurak of the Grand Rapids Business Journal, several buildings on Monroe Center from the five story Kendall Building on the east end, to several historic buildings on the west end will be the recipients of long overdue renovations. Brice Bossardet of Virgin Soil LLC is working his magic on the Kendall building but he won’t be alone. Brice has done a fantastic job renovating the old building over the top of XO Asian Cuisine and converting them into the Brickway Residences. He has also rehabbed the eyesore at 65 Monroe into really incredible condo lofts and that project alone has significantly improved the look of that corner of Monroe Center.

Locus Development with John Green and Andy Winkel plan to rehab three landmark buildings which are each over 130 years old. They are looking at a $4.5 million dollar historic rehab to the upper floors of the Flat Iron, Herkner and Groskopfs buildings. The work they are planning will conform to historical renovation standards the project will seek LEED certification. Locus Development will be asking for local and state grants and state and federal tax credits to help with the project’s costs.

Developers like these with the vision and the will to carry these projects through are a definite credit to the city and developments like this will only help condo sales and property values in the downtown Grand Rapids core.

If you have any questions about the Grand Rapids real estate market in general or the downtown condo market in particular, visit my website or contact me any time.  

Affordable Downtown Grand Rapids Condos – Today’s Showings

 It really is a great time to buy a downtown condo, or any home in West Michigan for that matter. Grand Rapids’ condo prices have been adjusting downwards and interest rates are at record lows. You can lock in a rate in the low 5% range on a condo and with inventory still high, you have a nice selection of condos in any price range with which to compare.

I recommend using a buyer’s agentwhen looking to purchase any property. A knowledgeable buyer’s agent can potentially save you thousands of dollars but more importantly, they can share with you their input and insight to the various downtown condos in Grand Rapids.

This afternoon I am showing one of my clients some really great condos in downtown area. These are affordable, well priced condos in the $160,000 and under range. We will be seeing Avenue 23, 47 Lafayette, Boardwalk condos, Waters Towers condos, the Hillmount, Cherry St Lofts and Park Row condos. I’m looking forward to it.

Click Here to Preview Today’s Showings.

If you have any questions or would like to take a tour of some downtown condos, email or call me direct at 616-570-1871.

A friend of mine showed me this slick little program and I thought I would throw together a quick slideshow of pictures from the various downtown condos. Hope you like it.

I’ll have to get out on a nice sunny day and update some of the pics.

Let me know what you think!

Brickway Residences – Downtown Grand Rapids Condos

Unique Downtown Condos

 The Brickway Residences are a great new condo development right in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids’ Entertainment District. This area of the city should be called  Condo Alley for all of the unique downtown lofts and executive condos that can be found here. The Brickway is located above Xo Asian Cuisine, (billed as the finest Chinese Restaurant in town) at 56 Monroe Center,  next door to Little Bohemia and close to other trendy shops and boutiques. The sidewalks on this strip are heated during the winter months and right accross the street is a favorite coffee shop of mine, West Coast Coffee. You can shop for groceries at Grand Valley Market and get ultra fast and delicious subs at Jimmy Johns.

Brickway Residences were developed by Virgin Soil LLC which began construction in February of 2008. The 9 unit project has moved fast and construction is nearly complete. Brickway offers 1 bedroom urban condo spaces with about ~850 sq/ft of downtown living. Prices start at $150,000 and association fees are a very reasonable $150/mo which covers water, sewer, trash and basement storage. Very telling is that the units have all been spoken for. This developer also built the 65 Monroe Condos and has a unique flare for building attractive , contemporay downtown condos. Covered Parking can be found around the block for ~$140/mo.

 If you are looking for a downtown Grand Rapids condo, what makes the Brickway condos such an attractive choice is their location. You are within walking distance to many attractions; The Grand Rapids Art Museum, Clubs like The Bob, Schools like Cooley Law School, GVSU and Fitness facilities. In my opinion these condos will make a good investment. They are attractive, well built units which have an excellent location and are surrounded by much higher priced condos and penthouse condos.

*Prices from $150k - 1 Bedroom available 
*From 850 Sq/ft
*Association fee: $150/mo
Coverage: Trash Pickup, Water, Sewer, Snow Removal, Insurance
Features Incl: Secure entrance. Hardwood Floors, Loft Style.

For more information on purchasing these or any other downtown Grand Rapids Condos, visit my main website at GRRealEstateInfo.com or contact me anyime.

Affordable Downtown Grand Rapids Condos

With GVSU, Davenport University, Cooley Law School,  and all of the other schools downtown I thought I would put together a list of affordable downtown condos under ~$160k. There are a few cool spaces within a few minutes walk to the downtown core and present a good opportunity to own instead of paying rent. First time buyers also benefit from a $7500 tax credit. These condos also offer a good investment opportunity.

Avenue 23 Condos at the corner of Fulton and College are 1 bedroom condos with a little over 500 sq/ft for under $80k. Association fees are ~$150/mo and these condos come complete with  bamboo floors, stainless appliances, granite countertops, cool lighting, patio, parking and LOCATION! Great price for the first time buyer.

47 Lafayette condos are located just north of Fulton on Lafayette in the Heritage Hill Historic district. These condos are “rare” 2 bedroom/1 bath condos for under $120k with ~750 sq/ft living space. They come with plenty of storage, washer/dryer hookups, appliances, cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, off street parking (garages still available for purchase) and more. A common room is planned, a patio for grilling and secure main floor bicycle and/or moped storage. Units sold in white box condition for under 80k and ready for your creative touches.

Fox Lofts have changed their floor plans to include a few, more affordable, smaller spaces. These condos are located in prime location on Monroe Center just west of Ionia and are priced at $109k and $119k which gets you 1 bedroom, 1 bath and ~550 sq/ft. Association fee is small at $125/mo. These condos will have a cool urban style with original hardwood floors and exposed brick and feature stainless appliances, granite countertops and slate tile. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is a few steps away as well as Rosa Parks Circle, shops, boutiques and more.

Hillmount condos in the Heritage Hill Historic District offer a great community with fitness center, large rooftop deck and a very generous standard package. Upgrades are available as is parking and secure entry. 2 bedrooms can be owned for under $160k with association dues in the $300/mo range. The Hillmount is located at the corner of College and Cherry and is about a 15-20 minute walk to the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.

The Brickway Residences are another development with a great location at 56 Monroe Center between Ionia and Division in the heart of Grand Rapids’ entertainment district. Trendy shops and boutiques, grocery store, museums and coffee shops are all a few minutes walk from the Brickway condos. The sidewalk out front is heated for convenience during the winter months. Parking must be purchased separately and will cost ~140/mo and the ramp is less than a minute’s walk from the building. Brickway Residences offer 1 bedroom spaces with ~800 sq/ft for under $160k. I’ve worked with this developer in the past for my clients and can definitely vouch for their creativity and passion for building unique downtown condos.

Boardwalk condos are a very cool community about 1 mile north of the downtown core located at 940 Monroe. This building is fully loaded with amenities including J.D Reardon’s, Endurance Fitness Center, salon, pool/hot tub, secure covered parking, tall ceilings with the original exposed wood beams, laundry hookups and more. Boardwalk condos have the added bonus of being right across the street from the Grand River which boasts great salmon fishing near the fish ladders. Monthly association  fees are $200 and up and 1 bedrooms with ~600 sq/ft can be purchased for $125k. Studios are also available.

Cherry St Lofts now occupy the old Dayton Apartment building at the corner of LeGrave and Cherry. These are 1-bedroom condos with over 900 sq/ft of living space and feature hardwood floors, fireplace and a nice rooftop deck with a hot tub and very large kitchen areas. The building itself is an appealing red brick exterior and boasts a great location close to St Mary’s and a few blocks from Cooley Law School and the center of town. Off street parking is available.

Fulton Flats are a new condo rehab downtown located at 460 Fulton St, a few minutes east of the downtown core. This recent conversion offer location and amenities found in much higher priced units including a generous standard package with Hardwood Floors, A/C, Balconies on select units, Washer/dryer hookups as well as a private entry and parking.

Peck Condos are located at 40 Monroe Center at the corner of Division in the same area as much higher priced condos. These condos offer 1 and 2 bedroom units with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tall ceilings and basement storage. You can own a 1 bedroom Peck condo for under $150k and association fees are a very reasonable $112/mo for 750 sq/ft. There are higher priced units in the building and each condo comes with a dual washer/dryer unit.

Hope you found this helpful. Make sure to visit my Grand Rapids real estate website to search the entire Grand Rapids and Lakeshore MLS and/or research your next move. We work with rentals and FSBO’s as well so we may know of some condos that won’t be listed on the MLS.