When someone finds out that I’m from the south (North Carolina, to be exact) they usually ask me two things:

1. How do you feel about winter?

2. Have you been to Traverse City?

I can finally say, “YES!” to question 2. (I plead the fifth on question 1…) Recently, my fiancé and I took a weekend excursion to Traverse City for the Cherry Festival. A quick 2.5 drive got us to our hotel where we quickly unloaded and headed out to Mission Point. We stopped by Bowers Harbor Vineyard for a tasting and delicious Cidermosa. (Yes, it was amazing!!) We also took a pitstop at the lighthouse and then grabbed dinner at North Peak Brewing. After one afternoon/evening in TC, I was hooked!

Saturday we spent most of the day at the Traverse City State…

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Listen, open houses are important – but only if they are done correctly. Not every open house is the same – even in this seller’s market. Our team believes open houses are an important tool in selling your home. We’ve sold many houses AT the actual open house. It’s all in how you market the open house, work the open house and follow up afterward. That’s what sets our team apart and why we’ve made open houses successful. (Not to mention fun!)

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into an open house and what difference they make, here’s a little insight with the “Open House How-to”.

How-to: Before

Marketing, marketing, marketing! I don’t just mean Facebook and MLS, but is your agent sending invitations to other agents? In our network it’s important…

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Take the YOU Out of Your House to Avoid Getting HOSED at Selling Time!

Of course, your home is your sanctuary. At the end of a long workday or even a long vacation, there’s nothing quite like crossing the threshold into your own private cocoon and relaxing while surrounded by the people and things you care about most.

One of the greatest pleasures of owning a home is having the freedom to customize it as you wish, to express your style and personal tastes through window treatments, flooring type, exterior color and the like. But when you’re reaching for that paint can or countertop sample chip, be extra cautious. Sure it’s your home to love and lavish today … But where will you be two years down the line? Five? Even ten?

If there’s even the…

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SVG' Map of GR

If you’re a Grand Rapids resident, you’ve no doubt seen the infamous “Map of Grand Rapids” that’s been circulating its way through local media outlets and social media sites over the past few days …

Understandably, that map has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, both in the real estate sector and among the general public at large. Because we at SVG Real Estate Firm pride ourselves on our intimate knowledge and fondness for all corners of Grand Rapids and its surrounding neighborhoods, we decided to create a Grand Rapids area map of our own, based on our own experiences buying and selling property and counseling real estate clients throughout Grand Rapids and the greater Grand Rapids communities.

Here follows SVG’s very own “Map of Grand…

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Runners, rejoice! You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to fun and funky 5K runs in Grand Rapids this summer!

1. 5K Chocolate Party – May 24, 9:00 AM @ Millenium Park: What greater motivation to get up off the couch and set yourself sprinting through a 5K course than for the promise of chocolate?! The 5K Chocolate Party will feature a chocolate goody bag for all participants plus optional samples of everybody’s favorite sweet treat along the course. Still not enough for your sweet tooth? Enjoy a chocolate party after the race! Proceeds will benefit a local non-profit.

2. Totally Rad 80s Run 5K – June 14, 6:30 PM @ 4500 West River Dr in Comstock Park: Like, wow! The Totally Rad 80s Run 5K lets you travel back in time to the decade when fuzzy…

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Shake Up Your Easter Sunday at Any One of These Great Grand Rapids Restaurants!

Getting tired of the same old omelet stations, Belgian waffle bins and baked ham dishes prepared en masse that are the hallmarks of a traditional Easter feast? Why not try something different this year and branch out for brunch?* You won’t have to travel far, Grand Rapids has some of the best unconventional brunch options around – on Easter and throughout the entire year!

1. Gaia Cafe (EGR) – Located at 209 Diamond Ave NE, the intimate Gaia Cafe serves an all-vegetarian and vegan-friendly menuthat will have even die hard carnivores falling in love at first bite. Cornbread French Toast, Veggie Hash and the Mean Green Burrito are some top favorites, with rotating…

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Feeling a little left out this week? All those beach getaway photos being posted by friends in your Facebook feed got you wanting to press the ‘Block’ button and tell them to go bury their heads in the sand?

Don’t despair! West Michigan has plenty of ways to help you capture some of that spring break spirit!

Here are 10 fun ways for you to have your own Spring Break in & around West Michigan!

1. Instead of Daytona Beach, FL … A Day at the beach anywhere along West Michigan’s beautiful lakeshore! Sure, it’s a little early yet and the water will be much too cold even for dipping your toes. But the sand will still be sugar-soft, and all that sunshine and blue sky will help wash away those winter blahs for good!

2. Instead of margaritas on the…

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It’s not hard to find excitement and fun stuff to do on just about any given day in Grand Rapids. City festivals, community events and new downtown venues keep things pretty hoppin’ throughout the weeks. But what about those times when you need to disconnect from it all and find your own little quiet corner for some peaceful meditation and reflection? Well, lucky for you solitude-seekers, the city and its surrounding areas has plenty of spots for that, too!

We hereby present our list of our 13 favorite places in and around Grand Rapids to “Find your Zen”.

1. Fish Ladder – Put yourself in the thick of the roaring rapids our city is famous for and take a venture to the’ Fish Ladder located at the Sixth Street dam near downtown where stairstep…

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If you’re a resident of Grand Rapids, you know you’ve got plenty of reasons to smile. Our city has been the subject of a lot of media buzz over the years after all – seems like every time we turn around, we’ve  made it into another national Top Ten list of awesomeness.

There have been SO so many Grand Rapids recognitions as of late, in fact, that we found ourselves beginning to lose track of them all. So we decided to put together our very own ‘Top Ten’ list of Grand Rapids awesomeness, and we do hereby present to you the …

Top 10 Grand Rapids ‘TOP TEN’ National List Placements!

1. Grand Rapids #2 for ‘Top U.S. Cities’ (RelocateAmerica – 2011) – Study was based on local residential real estate markets and economies, safety/security, cultural…

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Seasonal Temperature Shifts Following Brutal Winter Makes for Noisy Houses

The calendar may tell us that springtime is nigh, but for residents throughout Michigan, below-average temperatures and winter-like weather continues to blow through our cities and towns.

At the same time, fleeting hints of the coming spring make themselves evident every now and again. It’s the time of year when a day of snow squalls and howling winds can be followed by one of sunshine and mild breezes. But once the sun goes down, the air turns frigid again … and that’s when your house might have some serious talking back to do.

We’re talkin’ bangs and pops that go beyond the usual creaky floors. Bumps and thumps from within the walls that residents have compared to…

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