This past week, I was talking to a real estate broker about the Open House he had scheduled.  After comparing notes about local market conditions, our discussion  focused on an article that had been recently published in the Grand Rapids Press about sellers in Grand Rapids, Michigan renting their homes because they were having difficulty selling them.  He said, " Lola, this crisis is everywhere.  I am doing an Open House today in a home that is in foreclosure and there are a total of 3 in MY neighborhood."I understood.  Not so long ago, forclosures were confined to areas where there was less economic growth.  The suburbs seemed insulated from this scourge.  Not long ago, brokers debated whether it was appropriate to disclose if there was a financial crisis as that might prejudice the sa... 02/15/2007

To read part 1 of The Tipping Point...When Poverty Moves to the Burbs...In 2002, Malcolm Gladwell published a bestselling book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Gladwell's book popularized this term into a oft repeated cliche.  However, the original term was coined in the 1960's by a sociologist Morton Grodzins who was studying integration trends  and white flight in suburban neighborhoods.  Grodzin defined the"tipping point" as the dramatic point at which something unique becomes common.Today, another type of tipping point is upsetting the balance in many suburban communities.  Poverty has come knocking and for the first time in history, there is more poverty in the suburbs than in the cities.  A related Newsweek article indicates "currently, 38 million A... 02/15/2007

 Having never experienced snow, my Father asked me during a visit home to West Africa in the late 80's what winter was like. I gave him the best description I could muster; I said "you see that refrigerator over there; it's like opening the freezer door, sticking your head inside, shutting the door and being trapped inside".  His shudder of dread at the thought ended that conversation!Yes, we're definitely in freezer mode here in West Michigan.  The lockdown started a couple of days ago when cold winds began to bear down in a foreboding manner.  This was soon followed by a steady downpour of the "cool white stuff", so much so that within 48 hours Grand Rapids was blanketed by nearly a foot of snow.   Schools, businesses and churches all shut down. The temperature has been so cold that e... 02/05/2007

Please Extend your Umbrellas to Welcome Keith Jarrett Keith is the Manager for First American Title Company in Kent County. Since the earliest days of my real estate career, I have worked with First American Title Company.  First American Title Company has always demonstrated excellence and professionalism and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to be of service to our clients.  Keith has been involved in a variety of areas of the real estate industry.  In addition to his experience in the title industry, he has worked as a Loan Originator and as a Real Estate Agent.  This comprehensive understanding of the process makes Keith a valuable resource as well as excellent manager. Our team at Audu Real Estate has also appreciated the service through our local escrow closing agent Tam... 02/01/2007

**Please Note:  Due to Winter Storm in West, Michigan, there has been a Schedule Change . **Blogging 101 for Real Estate Professionals will be Held on FEBRUARY 19th, 2007Success Strategies for On-Line Marketing will be Held on  MARCH 5th, 2007Staging Dynamics will be Held on MARCH 19th, 20072007 On Track for Success Learning Series    Introducing an innovative lecture series for real estate and mortgage professionals.  The rapid rate of change in the real estate industry has introduced a whole new skill set into the profession of home selling.  A decade ago, who could have envisioned that words like:  Staging, Website Marketing, or Blogging, would become dominant themes in the industry.  In a sense what is now required is a whole new mindset.  This lecture series provides a comprehensiv... 01/30/2007

Search for Home Listings in Grand Rapids & Surrounding Areas by School District:We place a high degree of importance on education in West Michigan.  We have a number of Award Winning school districts in the area.  You can search for homes in the school district of your choice by clicking the links below.  In additon Grand Rapids has a number of Charter Schools which provide excellent options for our children and their families.  If you would like detailed information about any of these communities, our office can provide a detailed E-Neighborhood profile which will provide address information, class to teacher ratios, and expenditures per pupil in additon to other valuable data.  This report can be prepared for comparisions of up to 4 different areas at a time.  One more Value Added Ser... 01/20/2007

 The Emergence of the "Wisdom Practitioner"...5.  In 2007, it won't simply be about whom you know but how you integrate that with what you know and why that is relevant.  As real estate consumers become incredibly savvy at finding out information, there will be an urgent need to making sense of this torrent of information.  Knowledge without wisdom is limited in its usefulness.  We will see the rise of the "wisdom practitioner", consultants who know their market, understand their clients and have reliable and effective methods of connecting with the their audience. The "wisdom practioner" will be a human portal of connectivity for clients, services, referrals, recommendations, inspiration and guidance.  These enlightened visionaries will transform the meaning of agent fiduciary. (Author... 01/17/2007

Peering Through the Bubble & Climbing the Palaver Tree! "We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! "1 Corinthians 13:12  Quote from Message BibleOn any given sunny day, all along the African coastline, discussions range from the mundane to the serious, but without fail, the colorful, often loud and lyrical prose of spirited discussion usually includes at least a little of what is known in colloquial terms as "palaver" .  As a child, I was warned not to create "palaver" an admonition which usually occurred when I was about to involve myself in some major mischief.  I always... 01/07/2007

Today's technology is providing a more dynamic and productive environment to work in. For example, through my website you can submit a complete on-line, secure loan application with Cascade Capital Funding LLC or pre-qualify for a home loan. You may also evaluate your different financing options by using our interactive calculators and going over various mortgage scenarios.My mission is to be your one and only stop for your real estate financial needs. My goal is to provide quality service to my clients. Furthermore, I pledge to help borrowers overcome roadblocks that can arise while securing a loan. If you are in need of a mortgage loan, below you'll find my contact information. http://www.jzender.com/ Joey ZenderCascade Capital Funding LLC4141 Embassy Dr SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546-2418... 01/06/2007

If you've built up some equity in your home, when you refinance, you may be able to "cash out" some of that equity to pay off credit cards or other revolving debt, improve your home, help pay for college, or anything else you can think of. The same is true of refinancing costs: If you have enough equity in your home, you may be able to roll some of the cash due at closing into your loan.Some of the "cash needed to close" as it's sometimes called includes settlement costs and fees, prepaid interest, escrow reserves, state or local government charges, or even extra funds needed to pay off your existing mortgage. Some or all of those costs can sometimes be financed as part of your new mortgage loan.But you have to be careful. It's not always the case that you can borrow up to 100 percent o... 01/06/2007

When you decide to buy a home or refinance a mortgage, it's a big step. You can trust us to find the loan program that's best for you. Buying a new home is a source of anxiety, frustration -- and a huge sense of accomplishment. You didn't pick the house that was best for someone else, you picked the one that's right for you! Trust our professionals to find the mortgage loan that best fits your needs, too. "Less paperwork and more personal attention" means you enter a frustration-free zone from application to decision. Getting the right mortgage loan is like getting the keys to your new house! We can help you get there.Refinancing your current mortgage has never been easier. If you thought refinancing meant getting buried under mountains of paperwork, think again! We make it easy and wor... 01/06/2007

We Welcome Tom Vanderwell of Fifth Third Bank as a Guest Contributor on our Blog.  Tom's weekly insights  about the mortgage industry are enjoyable reading and also educational.  Please contact Tom at: thomas.vanderwell@53.com for the Latest Mortgage Rates  as well as information on the wide variety of loan options he has available.  So from Tom.... Here's the latest on interest rates.  Since they really haven't hardly budged since last week, rather than ramble on about nothing, I'm going to take a minute and share a few reactions to the activities that have been taking place literally just outside my office downtown over the last few days.   So, here are some reactions/conclusions: 1. President Ford was a man who wasn't afraid to do what is right even if what's right isn't popular. 2. ... 01/06/2007

  Zillowing the Zillow!  Yep, I actually decided to do this.  You may ask, exactly what I was doing.  Well, zillowing is a verb I've invented to describe the action of going on-line to check your home value through a site called zillow.com which will give you what is known as a zestimate of your homes value.  Since, as far as I can tell from my research and dictionary searches, both zillow and zestimate are not established nouns in the English language, this calls for an invention of a verb to ascribe meaning to the actions performed in tandem with these newly minted terms.Being a real estate broker, I make it my business to be astute about the correct valuation of property.  This activity can be described as capricious as it involves the skills and investigatory acumen of a statisticia... 01/04/2007

  Yes, this was an actual title for a sermon that I heard today.  A little surprising given the assumption is that most people who are listening to sermons have presumably submitted to a philosophy which promises the follower that adherence to the principles espoused guarantees "eternal life".   However, in a world that is becoming increasingly fundamental with about the same rigor as it is becoming dangerously fanatical it is increasingly clear that "getting a life" or even losing it to hopefully gain it (for instance as is practiced by suicide bombers )is a real concern for many people. My thoughts meandered a little during the sermon as I began mulling about what "getting a life and where & how that might occur" would be relevant to the challenges of being a Realtor.  Standing on the... 12/31/2006

In the past several years a service called Staging has gained national attention due to the need to showcase homes.  Initially this trend was observed in homes that needed some "sprucing up" to justify the exhorbitant prices in super heated segments of the market.  But as the market cooled, it became increasingly apparent that every home needed to look its best to be competitive. For  homeowners, the investment of time and/or money in properly staging and presenting a home is becoming an imporant tool in preserving equity and enhancing the prospects of a successful sale.It is important to understand that an agent who shows up at your door for a scheduled showing is probably showing 5-10 properties in single day to their buyer.  After about 5 homes, all of them begin to look the same and... 12/29/2006

Transformational Building- Continuation of "Transforming the Nature of the Transaction!Locating a builder was easy, selecting the right one to take on a custom home project was infinitely more complicated.  The Grand Rapids Home Builders Association  on-line at  http://www.hbaggr.com/ was a great starting point.  The site is full of great information about the homebuilding process as well as the names of several builders and other subcontractors who specialize in custom home design and construction.  Through our real estate network of contacts, we had met several builders and compared notes to decide on whom to approach.  Ed & Penny were also hard at work, following up on numerous leads that they had received.  It's important to understand that the process needs to collaborative and can... 12/28/2006

I relish the opportunity to stop by the upscale eatery in Macys when I am in the southwest side of the city.  Through my frequent visits, I have developed a relationship with the Manager, Margaret who runs one of the best deli/cafes in Grand Rapids. Anyway, my appreciation for good food and tasteful presentation led from general acknowledgement and pleasantries to a conversation about Margaret's dream.  She wanted a house on the lake.  Now in Michigan, the term "on the water" can be debatable.  I've seen homes advertised on ponds that were breeding grounds for mosquitoes referred to as your own "private lake".  Well, Margaret was talking about what we term "real water", the big lake, Lake Michigan.  She had a price in mind which she knew would be a challenge to find, but she courageousl... 12/13/2006

  Is My Home Ready to Sell ?   Quiz/QuestionnaireThe Grand Rapids Real Estate Association currently has over 10,000 listings for sale.  On average 1000+ homes have sold every month which means there is ample supply of homes for sale for every buyer.  The good news is that homes are still selling and motivated Homeowners are exploring New Options to ensure that their home is one of them.  This Quiz is designed to assist you in determining how competitive your home is the current Grand Rapids Market and can easily be utilized in any real estate market in which there is more than 6 months worth of inventory in the Current Listings for Sale.  Use the Key below to help you determine your Competitive Index Quotient.  *(This tool has been designed by Lola Audu, CRS of Audu Real Estate to assis... 12/12/2006

 The Art of GivingThe frenzy of activity that marks the month of December is unmatched.  End of year parties and activities, gift buying, and holiday shopping can rapidly merge into an experience which is taxing and depleting emotionally, physically and financially.In our desire to give materially, we are unaware of the toll that we unconsciously exact on our spirits and our bodies.  The truth is that wholesome giving cannot be primarily defined as a material activity although it may manifiest in a physical material form such as money or gifts.  In its highest context, giving is a spiritual activity which can manifest in any number of forms for the intended recepient.To explore this concept further, let's take a more intimate look at different levels of giving.  The most basic form of g... 12/12/2006

Grand Rapids, MI:  The last couple of days have been a breath of fresh air as winter took a temporary holiday break and the sun dazzled us with its glorious warmth.  Well, let's qualify warmth, no it's not beach weather, but the combination of sunshine, no snow and no blood curdling wind gusts is the winter-time equivalent here in Grand Rapids, MI.  For real estate enthusiasts, this is good news.  Although, the lure of over crowded shopping centers cannot be resisted by some, there are many people who are tired of cabin fever and can't pass by the opportunity to peak at a home that's Open for an Open House.  Being "couped up"  in your own house because of wintery conditions makes the lure of seeing someone elses home that much more appealing.The Grand Rapids Multiple Listing Service now... 12/11/2006