I live in EGR, so this should not surprise me, most homes here are sold by word of mouth. However after my listing hit the MLS I was amazed to find out just how many "renters" are in the area that are just waiting for the right home to come a long.  Some have been waiting for over a year.  Most of these people do not have a buyers agent as well. Now, after sending out an e-mail to fellow agents (I must admit I do very well at the net working) seeing if there are any homes that could be sold, that are not on the MLS in EGR............... Again I was surprised!  We really need to pull this all together.  When asking home owners who have decided not to list, "why?" They commented they do not want to be the home that sits on the market and does not sell.  However I wonder how many people th... 03/22/2009

Were we spring cleaning?  Nope, more like doing the stuff that should have been done last fall.AND cleaning winter crud out of flower beds where crocus and daylily are hopefully sending out their first leaves.  Rhododendron buds are growing.  Forsythia buds, too.  I should cut some branches to bring in so they'll bloom.Hellebores that get sun are sending up blooms!And so it begins.Soon I'll be happily perusing greenhouses for new/unusual plants.I LOVE spring!image from:http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/904/741606.JPGmine aren't blooming yet! 03/16/2008

 According to a news article in The Grand Rapids Press, 21 couples got married for free in the wedding chapel in Hell (pictured here).  Six other couples renewed their vows."We've both been married before, and we both have said it would be a cold day in Hell before we did it again,"  said one happy couple.    Hell's mayor was on hand dressed in a tux and snow boots.  He gave each couple a cupcake (devil's food), free chocolates and champagne and a title to grant ownership of one square inch of Hell. And that is the real estate connection that makes this post belong in AR! image from: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hell2u.com/images/hell_wedding_chapel 03/04/2008

It's the end of February here in Grand Rapids.  We're tired of looking at snow.  We'd like to treat our eyes to some flowers in bloom while we're waiting for the bulbs in the yard.Check out Ludema's at 3408 Eastern SE.     What a wonderful place to escape winter!                        You'll find potted primroses, cyclamen and spring bulbs        And the fragrances are heavenly.             You might even find a cute, feathery chick to take home.      Ludema's also does fresh and silk flower arrangements,     and there's a cooler of fresh cut flowers so you can grab     some color for your home.     Call them at 616-452-2961     Or visit their web site      Photos by Eric Webster 02/25/2008

 I realize the carpets, padding and furniture have to go, but what if it's still there after that?  And after a good cleaning and fresh paint?One of my first posts was asking how to get rid of cat pee odor and I got several good suggestions.  Our cat pee house is no longer a cat pee house!I'm hoping all you clever people will come through again.image from:http://mumpy.typepad.com/gimpy_mumpy/images/mothballs_1.gif 02/22/2008

Every year, during the January thaw, I walk to my garden beds and look for the snowdrops.  Right now, they're about an inch high and the white color is showing on the buds.  They'll look like this pic in about a month.Snowdrops are unassuming little plants with teardrop-shaped white blooms that are about 1/2 inch long.  They look delicate.  I grow them because in the dead of a northern winter, they're a reminder that spring is coming.  They bloom long before the crocus.  They push right up through the snow.Our January thaw is over now.  We've had bitter cold and an 8 inch blanket of snow in the last week.  Will this affect the snowdrops?  Not at all.  They're tough and they wait out harsh conditions.  When this snow melts back, they'll be taller and closer to blooming than they are now.... 02/01/2008

 Gorgeous home in impeccable condition, beautifully decorated.  Fantastic location with wonderful views.  Sellers who are realistic and who have a sense of humor.  And it all fell out of the internet sky.  No door knocking.  No phone calls.  Can I get an "Amen"? Stay tuned for our new listing.I love my job!image from http://utahpictures.com/images/Deseret_Peak/smSunBeam.jpg  01/14/2008

I was thinking recently about a fellow I knew when I was 8 years old.  We lived in a farming community and every farm had a barn and every barn had several un-neutered cats.  In the spring, people were desperate to get rid of kittens.  Many farms had a "Free Kittens" sign.  This guy named Jim was a friend of my older sister's.  He never failed to find homes for his farm's cats.  Here's how.Instead of waiting for someone to drive in because they saw a "Free Kittens" sign, Jim took the kittens to prospective owners.  Who did he take them to?  Not other farm kids, but girls he knew from school who lived in town.Jim "staged" his offering by putting a cute bow around each kitten's neck.  Then, he placed them in a basket with a handle and proceeded to drop in on girls he knew.  The kittens lo... 10/30/2007