Wow! Beautiful color is everywhere in Canadian Lakes. The colors are vivid this year. We expect the color will last a couple of weeks yet. Take a drive to see Canadian Lakes and the beautiful colors. While you are at it, stop by and see me at Coldwell Banker to get our latest deals. It’s a great time to buy a home! Click the photo for more information on homes at Canadian Lakes:
Let’s go to the cottage! These words bring sweet memories as I think back about our cottage years. In fact, they are never ending times. The cottage was a place we went to year-round and spent quality time together with family, extended family and friends. Memories abound when you have a cottage and they are years that you will always cherish and want to continue with each generation. We visited friends last night that are here from Lake Tahoe. And when I say here, I mean they are at the cottage on Horsehead Lake. They, like our kids, grew up at the cottage. They are now married and having children and have come to spend two weeks at the cottage. This is home away from home, a haven, a place to go to recharge. And we recharged each weekend in the summer, and many of them spring, fall and winter.
When our kids were in college and had time to come home, it was to the cottage they roamed. The cottage was home because that is were their fondest memories were made. There is nothing like a cottage; and what a time to invest in a cottage. We have a good inventory of cottages around the lakes in the area. A changing of times for many families that have to sell for some reason. But what a great time for someone to start their cottage memories by investing in this vacation market. I can remember a time when you could not find a cottage on our lake to buy. If someone did want to sell, there was someone in the neighborhood that knew someone who wanted to buy it. They never hit the market!
I think this is one purchase you will never regret. A cottage is so much more than a vacation property. It permeates the very people it houses with sights, sounds, smells, and great times! Our first cottage was 700 square feet, had three bedrooms and a pull out sofa – one bath. We had the best times there and still recall all the fun things we did when we are all together. Our second cottage was 5 bedrooms and baths, and I remember having 50 people for my 50th birthday and what a celebration weekend it was! Big or small and cottage does it all.
Thinking about a cottage? Come and see what our area has for you! There is a nice selection to choose from with prices all around good!
Check it out —- we may have something for you:
Summer is here! Finally the season we all long for has arrived. Thankfully it has brought along some warm weather. The weekends have not been the best weather so far this June so we welcome the warmth and the sun! Boating season has begun as has the golf season. At Canadian Lakes we have many clubs and activities that have started as well. It is a great time to look at homes and we have a great selection of water front properties to choose from as well. Join the fun at Canadian Lakes and the surrounding area lakes with vacation home ownership. Check out all the great homes here:
The mighty Muskegon is how people refer to it around here. We took our boat on a cruise of the Muskegon River on Sunday. We put it in at the River Landings Resort and had a four hour cruise on the Hardy Dam Pond. Beautiful water, beautiful scenery and just a beautiful day all around. It was such a relaxing day and the sights were amazing. There were so many carp jumping, it was as though the water was boiling. The swans were beautiful swimming and splashing about. There were about ten turtles perched on a log. And, although the water is still cold, we saw one wakeboarder – a diehard to be sure. What a beautiful place to consider living or a vacation property. I will have to explore more on the Mighty Muskegon!
See my photos here:
Up, up and away is something my first time home buyers are now crying. After doing pre-qualification work, then shopping for their first home, it all comes down to offers. Some of what they see, and like, while shopping is beginning to get “scooped-up” quickly. They are starting to see the trends of upward prices and limited inventory. That’s good news for sellers, but not especially for first time home buyers on a tight budget. How you can get ahead of the rest of the buyers is to be prepared. Here are a few tips to keep it straight and get it done:
Get it done should be your mindset when shopping for a home. With the proper planning it should not be hard to accomplish your goal of buying a home. So don’t let that perfect home go up in price, up in a bidding war, and away from your hands! Get it done!
See an inventory of the area’s homes here: 
No money down is a term heard often in Real Estate today. What does no money down really mean? I have had first time home buyers come in to “shop”. They are pre-qualified with a bank for a “no money down loan”. Now I know the banks are informing the client about the loan products they will be using. There are certain products that require “no money down”. But “no money down” does not mean “no money at all”.
Buyers shopping for new homes do need to have some money to buy a home. First of all, you will need a “good faith deposit”. This usually consists of cash deposit made when putting forth an offer on a home. Most of the time, and especially when buying a foreclosed home, the deposit required is a minimum $1,000.00. Next, you will need money for inspections. Typically, inspections run $350 and up. An average home inspection is more near the $400 mark. Inspectors expect to be paid at the time of inspection. What about lender expenses. Are you expected to pay for the appraisal? Will the lender be rolling expenses into the mortgage? When first time home buyers are shopping, these numbers can be overwhelming. If you expect to buy a home with “no cash” this can be a shocker!
Buyer’s beware, no money down does not mean no cash required. There is a difference and you should be prepared. It’s great to get pre-approved with a lender. This gives you an edge to know what your buying power is. Next look at your household budget and decide how that fits in your overall plan. Next, establish a cash fund to use for expenses during the purchase process. Planning will elimate all the surprises for new home buyers.
For more help with purchasing a home, or answers to any real estate questions, please get in touch with me.
Spring is here, so says the calendar. But, in northern Michigan we have yet to feel it in the air. The sun has been shining, the temperatures say 40’s, but the air is so brisk that it feels like winter is still around. Regardless, people have been coming in to look at lake front homes already this year. Want to see what is new in lakefront homes? Check out my website for all the latest listings. Get your mind set for summer – it’s right around the corner.
The Canadian Lakes Garden Club met for their annual spring brunch on Wednesday. The Inn at the Rustic Gate hosted the event for the ladies. The Inn is a historic farmhome that has been transformed to a lovely Bed and Breakfast Inn and worked perfect for our smaller group. The brunch was delicious and nicely presented family style on the old mission style farm table that sat the entire group! The Canadian Lakes Garden Club talked about their upcoming garden season, future event speakers, and the changes for the gardens around Canadian Lakes in 2013. It sounds like the Garden Club year will be fun and we are all looking forward to it.
Arriving at the Inn
Canadian Lakes Garden Club – Spring Brunch
SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE EVENT AT http://www.facebook.com/kadamscblakes.
Today is the Canadian Lakes Winter Carnival 2013 at the Highland Haus. I stopped in this morning to serve hot dogs with our Coldwell Banker Lakes team. Since they were so well equipped to handle that job, I ventured out to see the action. The kids were having so much fun, it made me want to be a kid again. Sledding, ice sculpting, ice skating, sleigh rides, face painting, clown balloon making, arts and crafts all were going on while the Mom’s, Dad’s, Grandpa’s and Grandma’s were all hanging out and having fun catching up with other families. Out on the patio the Morton Township Fire Department were grilling up the dogs. The Canadian Lakes Association and Coldwell Banker Lakes were inside serving the dogs. There were cookies galore, hot cocoa, chili donated by Gregory’s Grill, popcorn and snacks for all. The event is still going on through the day, but I had office duty this afternoon so all of the Coldwell Banker Lakes team could enjoy the event. I would say the Canadian Lakes Winter Carnival 2013 has to be one of the best ever with all the wonderful snow we were blessed with this week! A perfect day all around. See the Canadian Lakes Winter Carnival event here – click on the photo!
For information on Canadian Lakes real estate visit my website at http://www.canadianlakeshomes.com
The Canadian Lakes Winter Carnival will be here soon. Saturday, February 9, 2013 at the Highland Haus and Alpine Haus from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sleigh rides, snow sculpture contest, ice skating, sledding, ice fishing derby and much more will take place. The snow is perfect for our Winter Carnival this year. Hope to see you at the Winter Carnival. We will be serving Hot Dogs and cocoa! For more information e-mail me at www.kadamscblakes@gmail.com.
Kathleen Adams, Associate Broker, Coldwell Banker Lakes Realty 