Today, the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors  (GRAR)  launched it's Local Ad Campaign encouraging home buyers to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities offered in today's market.  The ad campaign utilizes a clever mix of  nostalgic news tidbits in tandem with current unique opportunities to highlight and illustrate why it makes sense to invest in a home NOW.  The campaign features a re-design of the Associations' website and provides opportunities for local brokers to take advantage of the well designed advertising campaign in their local offices. This effort, the first of it's kind, launched by the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors also mirrors a historic first time $40 Million Network campaign  by the National Association of Realtors now headed by Grand Rapids Broker Associate & President of NAR, Pat Vredevoogd Combs. 

This campaign comes at a particularly opportune moment in the associations 100+ year history. GRAR has always been a progressive leader in the rights of the home owner & has fought hard to redress historic injustices in the Grand Rapids area.  A quote from the Association website on its Mission Statement & history indicates the wide variety of areas in which GRAR has been outspoken in issues which propelled it into the national scene as a progressive leader:

• "For over a century, the Association has addressed itself to questions of millage, public housing, zoning, planning, and bond issues. In every case, the basic consideration was the protection of property rights and values. These considerations were evident during the years around 1965 when property rights and human rights seemed to come into conflict. It was 1965 when the Association adopted a position that established the right of a free housing market without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, and sex. Later, in 1988, the Association further adopted handicap and familial status as protected classes. This landmark position of the Association was considered a forerunner in establishing equal rights policies, and Boards all across the country adopted these policies."  (Quote from Grand Rapids Association of Realtors Mission Statement)

Great Inventory Level:  Listings are up slightly this year BUT so are Sales!  January & February Sales figures were within 3% of last years sales & March's numbers though not completely tabulated are looking strong. Year to date the Board records indicate that listings within the 1st quarter are approximately 23 % of last year's totals so far & 21% of last years sales.  Homes are Selling because they are priced more realistically than 3 or 4 years ago. 

Great Interest Rates: Interest rates are actually trending downward during the 1st quarter of this year.  The average 30 year interest rate as of March 14th was 5.86. 

Great Location:  An increasingly sophisticated city with a burgeoning downtown entertainment district, Grand Rapids, Michigan combines the best of city life with the benefits of a small town community and values.   It has also become a leader in innovative health-care facilities such as the Meijer Heart Center & the DeVos Children's Hospital.

Now is the time to take advantage of some great bargains. In the best world possible for a home-buyer, the following conditions would apply:  Great House, Low Price, Low Mortgage Rates & Desperate Seller. While most Seller's are not Desperate, they are Realistic.  So Home Buyer 3.5 out of 4 is Not Bad.  Don't miss this opportunity!