Posted by Miracle Dream Homes at 12:20 pm
From left, Mick McGraw, CEO at Eastbrook Homes, and Bob Sorensen, the vice president of sales, talk about their business in one of Eastbrook?s model homes. Eastbrook and six other West Michigan home builders will have a tour of homes beginning Sept. 16.
MUSKEGON ? A group of West Michigan home builders have a story to tell and they weren?t going to let the cancellation of the longtime West Michigan Parade of Homes get in the way.
The group of seven home builders working in southern Muskegon County and northwest Ottawa County have quickly put together the West Michigan Lakeshore Tour of Homes. The builders will be showing off 12 homes from Sept. 16-25.
?We couldn?t let the home tour die ? that?s not the right message to send the public,? said Eastbrook Homes Vice President Bob Sorensen. ?And right now, those of us in the tour are doing fine.?
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? The West Michigan Lakeshore Tour of Homes: The builders, the homes and tour schedule
The West Michigan Lakeshore Tour of Homes message is that the American dream of building your own home is available and affordable despite lingering economic difficulties, Sorensen said.
Eastbrook ? the large Grand Rapids-based home building company with developments in both Muskegon and Ottawa counties ? will see business increase 30 percent in 2011, Sorensen said. The builders on the tour are taking advantage of the consolidation of the new home market after the Great Recession when many builders in the region went out of business, he said.
Home No. 1: 5540 Lister Court, Muskegon by Smith Development. Three bedrooms, two baths in 1,398 square feet for $169,000.
?Our group believes that the American Dream is alive and well,? Sorensen said. ?It?s what we believe here in West Michigan.?
Tour of Homes organizers said the longtime Shoreline Builders Association Parade of Homes slated for late September was cancelled about three weeks ago due to lack of participation.
Attempts to reach Shoreline Builders Association officials were unsuccessful. Association members said the group?s board of directors would be meeting later this month to discuss its future.
Between Eastbrook and David C. Bos Homes, a group of competitors quickly put together the new West Michigan Lakeshore Tour of Homes. Others joining the new event are Michelle Tanner Homes, Smith Development, Ronald V. Stroup Builders, Gales Builders and Jim Tibbe Builders.
Gary Smith of Smith Development said his company will constructed from eight to nine new homes this year, some of them on speculation and others custom built for specific owners.
Home No. 6: 18252 Lost Creek Lane, Spring Lake by David C. Bos Homes. Three bedrooms and 2.5 baths in 1,608 square feet for $319,000.
Smith Development has a home on the tour at 5540 Lister Court in Fruitport. The 1,398-square-foot home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms is listed for sale at $169,900.
?The market is improving from a couple of years ago,? Smith said. ?But the high-end homes have not yet come back in Muskegon County. The Muskegon market right now is mainly under $200,000.?
The West Michigan home builders say for those who can financially swing a new home and are credit worthy with lending institutions, the market provides some great values.
Home No. 8: 603 Lakeview Lane, Spring Lake by Ronald Stroup Builders. One bedroom, two bath condominium in 1,486 square feet for $214,000.
Most favorable for new home buyers are longterm interest rates which are at historical lows of 4.25 percent fixed for 30-year mortgages. For most of West Michigan, the job market has stabilized and the region and state maybe finally looking at an economic recovery, the home builders say.
?The buying power that you have to obtain the absolute value for your money is amazing,? Sorensen said. ?The values are there today but the pressure is for interest rates to go up and also for prices as the cost of supplies increase.?
The price of oil affects home construction prices from fuel needed to transport materials to the building site to oil-based products such as roofing shingles, home builders say.
?As an industry, we are on an upward track albeit gradual,? Sorensen said.
The West Michigan Lakeshore Tour of Homes costs $5 a ticket for adults with all proceeds going to the Tri-Cities Love Inc.
Email: dalexander@muskegonchronicle.com
Article source: http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/lakeshore_home_tour_to_highlig.html
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