You’re ready! Whether it’s time to move, upsize, downsize, or buy your first house, you’ve decided to look for homes for sale in Grand Rapids MI.
You’ve made a great choice. This is a wonderful place to live, and whether you are in the city or the surrounding areas, like Wyoming, Kentwood, Caledonia, or Rockford, there are great neighborhoods all around.
But how do you find them? Just starting your search can be daunting. Here are three great ways to kick-start your house hunt.
1. The Tried and True
Real estate professionals have been around a long time. We are very fortunate to have some excellent Realtors in the area, who can help you find homes for sale in Grand Rapids.
If you want to go this route, the process is straightforward. First, take some time and choose the RIGHT Realtor. The right person will save you boatloads of time, and prevent major headaches. Second, Make sure you sign a Buyer’s Agency agreement. This will ensure that they are looking out for your best interests throughout the process.
Third, they will bring you houses from the MLS (multiple listing service) that meet your criteria. You can take a look at them, often from the comfort of your computer, and then visit the ones you like.
Once you’re ready to make an offer, your agent should help you with your numbers, strategy, and paperwork. If your offer is accepted, they will guide you through the inspection and closing process.
Having this help can be an enormous benefit. If you would like to have steady help throughout the process, this may be be your best bet. Typically, the buyer’s agent will receive between 2.5% and 4% of the sale price for the home.
2. The Tech Savvy
You have a world of housing information available at your fingertips. By utilizing the internet effectively, you can quickly find homes for sale in Grand Rapids from the comfort of your living room.
One major advantage of doing a digital search is that you can explore a LOT of options very efficiently. You are not limited to the MLS. You can cast a wide net, and use a variety of sites to find the perfect house.
For instance, you can start at Realtor.com, which has a lot of great, up to date listings from the MLS. You can search ForSaleByOwner.com, FSBO.com, and others to find places that are listed directly by the homeowners. You can look at Craigslist for truly local ads, focused in the nearby community. Trulia and Zillow have listings available as well, and that is merely scratching the surface.
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by your options online, because there are so many resources. However, since you can view and visit on your own time, this can be an excellent choice. You can also find some great deals this way.
Once you’ve found some places you like, you can contact the listing agent or homeowner directly to set up a showing. If you don’t hire a realtor, have a real estate attorney guide you through the closing process. Make sure to get a good inspector for the house as well!
3. The Old School
This is one of my favorite ways to find great houses. Start by choosing some neighborhoods that you like. Drive around, get a feel for the area, and take a close look at the surrounding homes.
Try knocking on a couple of doors. Ask people if they know anyone nearby looking to sell their home. Let them know that you really like the neighborhood, and are considering moving in. Most people will be friendly!
If you fall in love with a house, and no one answers the door, look them up in the phone book. Alternatively, you can leave them a note, asking if they’re interested in selling.
Not everyone that is interested in selling their home has it listed on the MLS. Perhaps they have been putting it off, or pulled their house from the market because it wasn’t selling. However, plenty of people would be happy to sell to someone who is excited about their home and neighborhood.
If you’re willing to jump into a fixer upper, don’t ignore the houses with chipping paint and weeds in the yard. Often, those houses can end up being the prettiest house on the block with a little TLC!
This method takes more leg work, but you can find houses no one else is even considering. This type of home may also have more buying options available, such as land contracts or lease options.
Whichever method you use, remember that there are plenty of great homes for sale in Grand Rapids. Stay persistent, keep your eyes open, and you will find a fantastic one.