Entries by Jill Garrison

Is there a “perfect” time to buy a home?

No matter what is happening with home prices and mortgage interest rates, the right time to buy a house is when you are ready to take on the financial and emotional responsibilities of homeownership. It’s easy to fall in love with a house, but committing to one for the long term can be more challenging. […]

Should I Hire a Real Estate Agent to Sell My Home?

There’s a reason nearly 90 percent of sellers use a listing agent: selling a home takes time, knowledge of neighborhood trends, and negotiating skills. So, while eliminating the agent’s commission – 6 percent of the sale price, on average – sounds tempting, try to resist. According to the National Association of Realtors, 82 percent of […]

Hometown Highlight: Valeo

With all of the fitness options out there, Valeo strives to be just a little different in their approach. Located in downtown Holland, Valeo has a hip, industrial vibe and the space offers every client an awesome environment on their journey to better health and wellness. What does “Valeo” mean? “Vuh-lay-oh” is Latin for “Have […]

Tips to Establish Credit for the First Time

Picture this: You live rent-free with a family friend, own your car outright, you are debt free and pay everything in cash and all the while you have been able to save thousands of dollars since starting a new job three years ago. You’re in the perfect position to buy your dream home. Right? Not […]

Hometown Highlight: TCM Counseling

TCM Counseling is not unlike so many of the amazing non profit organizations that organically came about when a need arose in the Tri Cities area. For 40 years, TCM Counseling has been providing accessible and affordable professional therapy services along the lakeshore. TCM’s mission: to offer help and healing for all, by providing accessible […]

“On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink”

Every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. To help combat these staggering numbers, every Wednesday during the month of October, North Ottawa Community Hospital (NOCH) will be offering any woman the opportunity to stop by the Breast Evaluation Center to get an annual screening. Walk-ins are welcome and […]

The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying a Home

Are you thinking about buying a home but have no idea where to start or what to do? You aren’t alone. First time home buyers are often bombarded with conflicting information regarding the home buying process, depending on who they are talking to. The process is simple, given the right advice from the right professionals. […]

Hometown Highlights: Stand Up for the Cure Muskegon

Stand Up for the Cure champions the fight to #SaveLives! Since 2012, Stand Up for the Cure (SUFTC) has been providing free breast cancer screenings while uniting paddlers, fitness enthusiasts, yoga practitioners, medical professionals and the breast cancer community from California to Florida and Michigan to Washington in an effort to save lives. The mission […]

Hometown Highlights: The Bodhi Tree Juice Co.

If you are lucky enough to have meandered through one of West Michigan’s Farmers Markets and stumbled upon the Bodhi Tree Juice Co. and stopped for a taste, you know that you have experienced something special. In the summer of 2016, Renee Randell and her husband John started bringing their own blends of organic vegetables, […]