Grand Rapids MI Current Events Archives | Honeybee Homes, LLC | We Buy and Sell Grand Rapids Real Estate

4 Steps to OWNING the Outdoor Space in Your Grand Rapids Home

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Summer is here, and it’s great to be outside!

Well, if you like your outdoor space, that is.

Unfortunately, many people don’t take advantage of their yard, porch, or balcony because they don’t enjoy the area. Perhaps it’s too cluttered, or simply feels too small. Maybe yard work and landscaping seem overwhelming, and you’re not sure what to ‘do’ with it.

Have no fear! You don’t need to be stuck inside with your A/C or box fans all summer. You can love your outdoor space, and make it one of the best parts of your Grand Rapids home. So where do you start?

1. Make ONE Goal

First, figure out what is most important to you for your outside area. Do you want to be able to make dinner on the grill? Do you want a fun play-area for your kids? Do you just want a slip and slide?

Whatever the case is, start with ONE goal. It can be very overwhelming to try five things at once. A single target is much easier to hit! Continue reading “4 Steps to OWNING the Outdoor Space in Your Grand Rapids Home” →

How to Win at MONOPOLY (and Then Apply Those Lessons) – Part II

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In Part I of this post, we talked about a few excellent ways to win at MONOPOLY. In the board game universe, those strategies and ideas will serve you well, and lead you to many victories.

But what about the real world? Sure, it might be fun to win on a cardboard square, but how can we apply these same principles to our lives? Fortunately, the game offers many parallels, and if we learn those lessons, we can put ourselves in much better financial positions.

1. MONOPOLY Lesson – Buy everything you land on.
REAL LIFE Application – Buy assets, not liabilities.

In Monopoly, buying everything you can early is a good strategy. It provides assets you can use later, and each one can be a key piece in creating monopolies, making trades, and building wealth.

This works in the game because every purchase in the game is a money-maker. Even the cheapest properties, with no houses added, will give you a few dollars in rent. Real life is very different! Continue reading “How to Win at MONOPOLY (and Then Apply Those Lessons) – Part II” →

How to Win at MONOPOLY (and Then Apply Those Lessons) – Part I

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Do you hate Monopoly? Do you feel like the game is all about luck? It can be an extremely frustrating experience, especially if you’re on the losing end.

Because of our work in real estate, we get asked about this game a lot. And as it turns out, there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you win. On top of that, there are a ton of real-life lessons we can pull from this 80 year old game. So grab your tiny metal dog, and dig in!

1. Buy everything you land on.

In the beginning, everyone starts from the same square, with the same amount of money. So, once you roll the dice for the first time, what is your best move? BUY EVERYTHING.

If you land on it, purchase it. This is by far the cheapest and easiest way to acquire properties, and all of them get snatched up in a hurry. Don’t worry if you don’t have any other properties in that color, or it’s a low rent part of the board. Each property is an asset that you can use later to build a monopoly, mortgage for cash, or trade. And since every property makes money, you’re off to a good start.

Even you have to mortgage a property to buy a new one, it is worth it. Those cards become very valuable!

2. If someone is selling property, buy it.

If another player doesn’t want to buy a property THEY land on, it goes to auction. In other cases, people will want to sell a non-performing property to get some cash. If you can, buy these properties as well. Continue reading “How to Win at MONOPOLY (and Then Apply Those Lessons) – Part I” →

3 Great Places to Grow Your Grand Rapids Real Estate Network

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Want to flip houses or own rental properties? Great! The world can use more quality homes for people to buy and rent. But as we’ve mentioned in previous posts, you can’t do it alone. You will need to work with realtors, appraisers, title companies, inspectors, and many more folks in order to be successful.

If we work together, we can all achieve more. Here in Grand Rapids, we have a great advantage – there are some great groups around! Here are three you should check out if you want to grow your Grand Rapids real estate network.

We are involved in all three of these groups, and get great value from each. So jump in!

1. Rental Property Owners Association

Otherwise known as the RPOA, this is a group that focuses on helping landlords and real estate investors succeed. As of this writing, they are the largest landlord association in Michigan, and are able to offer a wide variety of benefits and services. Continue reading “3 Great Places to Grow Your Grand Rapids Real Estate Network” →

6 Great Reasons to go to the Michigan State Fair

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The Michigan State Fair is back! Here at Honeybee Homes, our work is real estate, but we all need a chance to unwind. So let’s look at one of Michigan’s oldest traditions, and remember why it’s a great way to spend a day.

Many of us have great memories of the state fair. The rides, the delicious food, the fun animal exhibits, and more. But life gets busy, and it can be hard to work it into your schedule. Especially in West Michigan, because it’s a bit of a drive.

So is the Michigan State Fair worth the trip? Yes! Here’s why:

1. Great Music

Concerts are normally a lot of effort. Getting tickets in advance, a lot of time spent in the car, finding seats, and then the packed parking lot afterward. Not here! There is great music all day, throughout the event.

Normally, you couldn’t even see a single show for the fair admission price. Here, you have your own music festival at your fingertips. Continue reading “6 Great Reasons to go to the Michigan State Fair” →

5 Reasons to Make ArtPrize a Priority in Grand Rapids

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Here at Honeybee Homes, we work in real estate. But we also love West Michigan, and all of the great sights, events, and experiences that can be found here.

So while there’s still time to plan for the coming month, we wanted to shine a bright light onto a great event: ArtPrize!

What is ArtPrize? An amazing event where art takes over Downtown Grand Rapids, turning the whole city into an interactive museum. It also offers the largest art award in the country, giving out over $500,000 to the artists.

Why should you make ArtPrize a priority?

1. Radical Openness

In most of the art world, things are pretty tightly controlled. Curators and moderators make entries to larger events difficult. While this works to keep quality high, it can make it tough for even talented artists to get their work shown.

At ArtPrize, anyone over 18 can submit their work, and any venue within the designated Grand Rapids district can host art. This creates a wonderful open world of art, where turning a corner puts you in front of a beautiful sculpture, and walking into a hotel introduces you to a fantastic new artist. Continue reading “5 Reasons to Make ArtPrize a Priority in Grand Rapids” →