Road trips are wonderful. Previously, I’ve written about things that 80+ hours in the car, Carlsbad Caverns, and Great Sand Dunes National Park taught me about my real estate work.
For the last installment, I thought I’d talk about something that hit me like a ton of bricks while I was in Yellowstone National Park. And it all starts with cheap houses in Grand Rapids…
1. Looks Can Be Deceiving
We all love great deals. Whether we’re looking for a place to live or an investment property, we all want to find the ‘diamond in the rough.’ However, looks can be deceiving!
In Yellowstone, the bison are everywhere. They graze and meander through the park slowly and peacefully. They will walk mere feet away from tourists, ignoring them in favor of the next tasty treat. It’s very easy to think of them as calm, docile animals.
However, two minutes on Youtube shows that when bison attack, it is brutal. They weigh hundreds of pounds, are extremely fast, and can make a human look like a ragdoll in about three seconds.
Cheap houses in Grand Rapids are similar. While a house can appear solid on the outside, you have to really understand the place to know if you’re getting a good deal. If a house has a foundation problem or an electrical issue, you might be in for a rough time. Take the time to understand the home before you buy it!
2. Finding the Best Places Takes Time and Effort
Yellowstone is amazing. From Old Faithful to Lamar Valley, there are breathtaking sights throughout the park. Anywhere you go, you won’t be disappointed. However, many of the best sites aren’t in the guidebooks.
The park is enormous, and there are some great hikes that you’ll never find in a brochure. There are amazing views that only a few people have ever seen. And some of our favorite wildlife photographs happened because we were willing to wander. It took knowledge, persistence, and plenty of backtracking to find our favorite spots.
Cheap houses in Grand Rapids (that offer good value) are also hard to find. You have to explore off of the beaten path, and keep looking for quite a while. It really helps to have recommendations from good professionals, and a tip from a friend can make a big difference.
3. Look where other people won’t
Yellowstone is one of the most popular natural parks in the world. And most people there want to see amazing, rare wildlife. Grizzlies, wolves, and rare birds are all ‘big ticket’ items for photography buffs.
The majority of folks gather in the ‘likely’ spots to see these animals. It’s interesting to see hundreds of humans all gathered in one spot to try and glimpse a single bear. We traveled to Lamar Valley several times, only to leave without spotting a grizzly.
On our last day, we saw three of them. We weren’t in a spectacular location, but we were still keeping an eye out for interesting things. As a result, we spotted two cubs and a mother bear in a meadow, frolicking 150 feet away. It was incredible.
It was also incredibly lucky.
Finding good, cheap houses in Grand Rapids can feel like locating a needle in a haystack. You can search for months for a good deal without any luck. However, if you’re persistent, one will suddenly fall into your lap. You have to keep searching, discovering new areas, and looking where other people won’t.
Many people will see an older house, and pass immediately. They don’t realize that with a few inexpensive fixes, they could have the nicest home on the block for a good price. Or, because they are only looking in the ‘likely spots,’ don’t realize that a neighborhood has improved recently.
Look for houses with a wide lens and a careful eye. It is worth the effort, and your persistence will pay off.