PRICE REDUCED! Offered at $139,900

Welcome to 238 Carlton Ave. SE in Grand Rapids!

A classic home nestled within walking distance to the numerous shops and restaurants of Eastown, 238 Carlton offers rich details throughout with stained glass windows, hardwood floors and crown molding. The main floor offers a spacious foyer, wonderfully updated kitchen with breakfast nook, open living room with fireplace and formal dining room. Upstairs reveals four bedrooms and a renovated full bathroom. Potential to add additional living space lies in the unfinished walk-up attic. The lower level provides laundry space, workbench and storage room. Outdoor features include the one stall garage and large front porch to enjoy the warmer seasons. Additional updates include central air, electric and plumbing.

4 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom

Contact Blu House Properties at 616-776-9055 or info@thinkbluhouse.com for additional information or to schedule a private showing of this or any other Grand Rapids homes for sale. We’re always here to help!

9000 sq ft, including 2000+ sq ft for the private master suite

Custom imported woodwork

16 acres

1200 sq ft guest house

Infinity pool

Private gated entrance

Offered at $2,250,000

In the heart of this 16 acre estate lies this elegant 9000 sq ft home for sale offered by Blu House properties gives breathtaking views of the Grand River Basin.

Built only with fine quality and care this home features hardwood throughout, custom woodwork, Viking appliances, granite countertops, a state of the art security system, over a 100 windows, a theater room, a work out room and more. The architecture is focused on a fixed radius throughout, culminating into the two level turret unique only to this property.

This home is perfect for entertaining inside and outdoors. Features outside for you and your guests to enjoy include the private 1200 square foot guest house, the infinity pool, a gorgeous patio with outdoor fireplace and a chipping green all nestled on a secluded wooded lot. There are simply too many amenities to list in this exclusive home, it is a must see.

Thursday, July 01, 2010, 11:14 AM from the Grand Rapids Press, by Cami Reister

Grand Rapids area home sales in June were 27 percent lower than a year ago and 8 percent lower than two years ago.

While those numbers are nothing to smile about, the average price of homes sold last month was $117,061, up 3 percent from 2009, according to the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors.

That price increase marks the seventh month in a row that the average price registered a year-over-year increase. Year to date, the average sale price is 13 percent higher than last year.

“While homes under $100,000 are still a majority of the sales, we are seeing an increase in the percentage of sales in the $250,000 to $500,000 homes,” association CEO Julie Rietberg said in a statement.

Four homes priced above $600,000 sold last month, including one price above $1 million.

Foreclosures and short sales made up about half of last month’s sales.

The drop in sales could be a continued effect from federal home buyer tax credit, which required purchase agreements to be signed by April 30. But Lola Audu of Audu Real Estate was hoping for better results.

“The whole structuring of the tax credit was to precipitate a soft landing,” she said. “This is lower than two years ago, so it’s pretty startling.”

As we develop this site, we will be putting up additional information about the various neighborhoods within Grand Rapids, Michigan. These areas will include:

Alger Heights
Auburn Hills
Baxter
Belknap Lookout
Black Hills
Cherry Run
Creston
East Hills
Eastgate
Eastown
Fuller Avenue
Fulton Heights
Garfield Park
Heartside
Heritage Hill
Highland Park
John Ball Park
Madison Area
Michigan Oaks
Midtown
Millbrook
North East Citizen Action
Oakdale
Ottawa Hills
Ridgemoor
Roosevelt Park
South East Community Association
South East End
South Hill
South West Area Neighbors
West Grand
Westside Connection

By Dona DeZube, FrontDoor.com

Wondering if you’ll be able to recoup the cost of your next home remodeling project? It’s tough to know in today’s market.

With uncertainty ruling real estate, it’s not surprising that seven of the top 10 projects in the 2009-2010 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report are exterior upgrades. About 4,000 real estate agents and home appraisers were surveyed for the report.

It makes sense. With so many houses for sale, a fabulous exterior is exactly what a home seller needs to lure in potential buyers.

Find out what 10 projects have the best return based on their cost and the value they add to your home.

Value of Remodeling Projects Down

Overall, the average value of home improvement projects declined for the 33 projects in 80 cities that the magazine condenses into a single number for the Cost vs. Value report.

“That one cost-to-value ratio number has been dropping since 2005,” says Sal Alfano, editorial director of Remodeling Magazine. “The rate of decline has slowed, which is a good thing, but this is such an odd year that the data is hard to interpret. Take the results with a grain of salt because of the unusual market this year.”

Projects found at the bottom of the list include home offices (48 percent return) and sunroom additions (51 percent return). What do they have in common? Both are expensive and don’t have broad appeal.

Sunrooms aren’t used as much as kitchens or bedrooms. And, while a home office is great if you work from home, it won’t add value when you sell, especially if you took away a fourth bedroom to create your workspace.

Check Local Figures Too

Along with its national figures, Cost vs. Value also offers complete regional and city data, which can be downloaded for free at www.costvsvalue.com. However, even the local information should be used carefully.

The survey, Alfano says, provides a baseline estimate of value, not a guarantee that you’ll actually recoup any particular value for an individual remodeling project.

“None of it should be taken literally by a homeowner,” he warns. “The fact is that they’re averages and hypothetical and the areas we survey cover MSAs [Metropolitan Statistical Areas] that are huge and you have neighborhoods where prices fluctuate.”

The best way to use to data is as a measuring stick. Decide whether you’re in an upscale or mid-range neighborhood and then use the average local prices to make sure the price you expect to pay for your next project is reasonable.

#1: Steel Front Door
Return on investment: 128.9%

Installing a mid-priced steel door costs less than $1,200 and creates nearly $1,500 in value. “Real estate agents look at that and say it doesn’t cost anything, it’s the first thing the buyer sees, and it spruces up the whole house,” says Alfano.

#2: Fiber-Cement Siding
Return on investment: 83.6%

Adding new siding is like buying a new outfit for your house and fiber-cement siding is the upscale choice. It costs a little more than foam-backed vinyl siding, but it adds more value too, according to the Cost vs. Value report.

#3: Attic Bedroom
Return on investment: 83.1%

Can’t afford to move because your house is worth less than your mortgage but need more room? Spend about $49,000 to create a 15×15-foot bedroom and a bathroom in your attic and you’ll recoup an estimated $41,000 when you resell your home.

#4: Wood Deck
Return on investment: 80.6%

A 16×20-foot wood deck will give you a better return than the same deck built with a composite. The composite costs about 50 percent more, and the return with a composite desk drops to 71 percent. “Ninety percent of my buyers aren’t concerned with decking material,” says Susan Huerta, an agent with Long & Foster Real Estate in Clarksville, Md.

#5: Vinyl Siding (Mid-Range Neighborhoods)
Return on investment: 79.9%

When choosing replacement siding, follow the neighborhood. If everyone is using vinyl, there’s no gain for you in opting for more expensive, fiber-cement siding.

#6: Foam-Backed Vinyl Siding (Upscale Neighborhoods)
Return on investment: 79%

If you live in an upscale neighborhood, consider foam-backed vinyl siding to increase energy efficiency. Consider the bottom-line cost including window trim and do the math first to make sure you’ll see real savings on your utility bill.

#7: Minor Kitchen Remodel
Return on investment: 78.3%

Updating the kitchen by refacing the cabinets, adding a new laminate countertop, sink and faucet, then finishing up with a new resilient floor will bring your kitchen up to date for an average cost of about $21,000. Ripping it all out and starting new will run you $57,000 and returns only 72.1 percent, according to the Cost vs. Value report.

#8: Wood Windows
Return on investment: 71.5% to 77.3%

Since the return is about the same for vinyl and wood windows, consider what’s standard in your neighborhood. As with all remodeling projects, your safest bet is to match, but not exceed, what the Joneses have.

#9 Vinyl Windows
Return on investment: 76.5% to 76.6%

Be wary of any claims window companies make about how much new windows will save on your energy bills. “The payback on windows isn’t always quick, unless you’re living with a really old set of windows,” Alfano says.

#10: Basement Remodel
Return on investment: 75.4%

In the Cost vs. Value report, this is a big project — creating a 20×30-foot family getaway with a wet bar, recessed lighting and bathroom with shower. In essence, you are adding living space. Average national tab for all that is about $62,000, and you’ll get back an average of $46,825 at resale, the survey predicts.

Offered at $44,900. Call Blu House today for more information at 616-776-9055

Come see this charming 4 bedroom and 2.5 bath home located in the desirable Ottawa Hills neighborhood on the boarder of EGR. Just two blocks from the new Christian Elementary school opening in Fall of 2010.Enjoy plenty of extra space including a 4th bedroom/in-law suite, family den, and family room in basement. Other amenities included 3 fireplaces, hardwood floors, lots of natural daylight, french door off of living room to patio and fenced in yard. This is not a drive by and with a few updates this home has a lot of potential equity. This won’t last long and the owner is very motivated.

Offered at $184,900. Contact us at 616-776-9055 to learn more about this home today!

Built in 2004, this four bedroom home offers vaulted ceilings and plenty of potential. With some cosmetic changes and cleaning, this home will look like new. Additional potential in the lower level as it would be easy to add in another bathroom and family room. Great location in Caledonia but Kentwood Schools. Attached 2 stall garage, central air and underground sprinkling are a few extra features.

Everything you want in your first country home. Tastefully redecorated and restored with care. Upon entry you will see a multi-windowed front sun porch that overlooks the crossroads of an era gone by. This is great work or relaxation space. Living space features gleaming hardwood floors, and a bonus 4th bedroom or office. The kitchen is well appointed with included appliances, new countertops and refurbished cabinetry. Conveniently located off the kitchen is a main floor laundry/full bath. Upstairs you will find 3 good bedrooms and a bathroom with many possibilities yet to be discoverd. Warm summer nights will be enjoyed on the deck overlooking the ample backyard. A refurbished 3 story barn with overhead garage doors offers all the space you need for parking vehicles, and storing all the toys you need for great country living. Experience a peaceful and relaxing life in a location perfectly located near the highway.

Cute 2 story with everything you need. Three bedrooms with convenient second floor laundry and modern bath. Main floor features gleaming hardwood floors, working fireplace in spacious living room and formal dining space open to kitchen. A perfect sized family room on the rear of the home exists to a large deck and fenced backyard. The lower level features more living space in a newer rec room with fireplace and storage with updated mechanicals.