Tag Archive for: Life Outside of Loans

Aldea Coffee

Hometown Highlight: Aldea Coffee and Aldea Development

When exceptional coffee and social responsibility intersect, you get Aldea Coffee.

Aldea CoffeeUpon entering an Aldea coffee shop, there is a palpable culture and vibe that exudes community and service. It doesn’t take long to feel like you are with friends as you are greeted with a warm smile, learn the baristas name and receive the special care that they give each one of their patrons.

Aldea was founded to be more than a transactional coffee shop.

Aldea’s sister organization was born out of a mission to empower the farmers of LaUnion, Lempira, Honduras. So, when you pop in for a lavender latte or a coffee pour over, you are positively impacting the lives of men, women, and children in remote areas of Honduras.

You are giving those small farmers in impoverished areas the ability to plant, harvest and bring their coffee to market, where they receive fair value for the coffee beans.

Established in November, 2009, Aldea Development, a registered 501(c)3, was established as Union MicroFinanza with a microfinance focus, which has morphed into a community development organization.

The goal was to create a microfinance organization supporting small-scale farmers. Their staff lives in Honduras and learns from members of the community.

They hear first-hand what limitations, obstacles, and successes the farmers are experiencing and come up with solutions together to greater serve the farmers and community as a whole.

In a time where small scale producers are going out of business, due to the world’s coffee market experiencing a downturn. Aldea has the unique ability to provide stability to farmers. These farmers don’t have to adjust to market rates. Aldea purchases the farmers coffee and pays the farmers consistent prices that are above Fair-Trade prices.

As Aldea’s wholesale and retail business increases, more money goes directly to the farmers pocket book.

With coffee houses in two different West Michigan locations, Aldea has become a gathering place for locals to socialize, work, and just be in a space that is welcoming, calming and super hip and cool!

They are creating community in downtown Grand Haven and Muskegon, very similar to the community they have created in LaUnion, Honduras.

Next time you are deciding which coffee house to patronize, pause and remember, when you choose to purchase your coffee at Aldea, your purchasing power is positively contributing to the quality of lives in impoverished areas of Honduras.

For more information check out www.aldeadevelopment.org and www.aldeacoffee.com.

Hometown Highlights: PassPort to Growth

Hometown Highlights: Passport to Growth

Passport to Growth with your “tour guides” Rich Lohman, Dave Rudin and Leigh Lohman.

“Without continuous growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

Hometown Highlights: PassPort to GrowthIf you are looking to grow in the areas of leadership, personal development and communication, Passport to Growth invites you to take action now and give yourself the gift of growth through mentorship. If you struggle with being consistent with growth and feel that you lack the tools for professional and personal growth, this program offers a community to help you bridge the gap so that you have the exercises and tools necessary to progress and succeed.

Passport to Growth is designed to be flexible and adaptable so that even those with the busiest of schedules can operate effectively within the structure. For an entire year, members can access this mentorship program before or after work, during a break or as a designated part of you workday. Passport to Growth is Designed for individuals and larger organizations alike.

Your mentors will guide you and encourage you through the process, meeting you where you are on your journey.

Rich Lohman has been a full time speaker, coach and trainer for nine years. He is an Executive Director with the John Maxwell Speaking, Coaching, Training Team and is also a DISC certified
Consultant. His main goal is to be a resource, friend and mentor to help and challenge your growth, improve your leadership skills and help you achieve amazing success in all areas of your life.

Leigh Lohman in truth is a Realtor but she is so passionate about personal and professional growth that she became a certified John Maxwell Speaker, Coach and Trainer as well as being
a DISC certified Trainer. Along with her strong desire to walk beside people in their growth journeys, Leigh is also a recent graduate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, driving her
focus to the overall health of a person, mind, body and soul. She believes we cannot be whole unless we work on all facets of life.

Dave Rudin has been on the path to growth for over 20 years. He realized that it was necessary to make a shift to being intentional, surrounding himself with other people that had
been where he wanted to go that his growth journey really started to take off. He recognized that content alone, (books, podcasts, seminars) wasn’t enough to make great strides in personal and professional growth.

One of the primary goals is to offer affordable, weekly coaching that follows a curriculum that offers concrete action steps to take in order to have clarity in your personal and professional life.

The support from the coaches and the community gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, with a weekly coaching call, group tasks, weekly growth assignment, worksheets, discussion, Q & A
sessions, and a Facebook community to interact with. The calls are also recorded for those times when your schedule may not allow you to be a part of the live call or for the times you need additional reflection on a particular topic, you are able to go back and listen as many times as you need.

To learn more about Passport to Growth go to www.passportogrowth.com or contact Rich at Rich@woohooing.com.

Success Story: The Villegas Family

Success Story: The Villegas Family

Things don’t always go as planned – the Villegas family knows that first hand.

The family, originally from Miami, encountered a few rough patches in 2017 and needed a fresh start. Family members encouraged them to get away from the expensive Florida city and move to Holland.

Success Story: The Villegas Family“We prepared our Miami home and decided to keep it to rent it out,” said Rey Villegas. “In April of 2018, we moved to Michigan and adjusted quickly from the big city to a small town.”

“We loved it!”

The family opted to rent for the remainder of 2018 and part of 2019 to save money before purchasing their Michigan dream home.

“We started looking for our home in May,” Rey said. “Our lease was coming to an end at our apartment and we made the promise to ourselves that we’d have a home after being in Michigan for one year.”

“We were looking for a home that was fairly new – no renovations needed – with very open space, a deck and a lake view.”

Shortly after beginning their search, they found their dream home in Riley Ridge and contacted the listing agent, Luke Bouman with At Home Realty.

“Working with Luke’s team was great,” Rey said. “We worked with Mary Van Vels and she was amazing. She was so understanding and very honest with us. They exceeded our expectations!”

The Villegas Family relied on their bank for financing. After receiving their pre-approval letter, the bank informed them that they weren’t qualified to purchase this specific home in Riley Ridge. Mary suggested they get in touch with Michigan Mortgage Loan Officer Amy Hendrickson for a second look.

“Amy gave my parent’s credit a second glance and was able to get us approved,” Rey said.

The family proceeded with financing with Amy and compared their experience to that of working with Mary – Amy went above and beyond and exceeded expectations.

“Amy was with us every step of the way,” Rey said. “We loved her attitude; she’s a very happy, positive person. We would recommend her to anyone!”

Now that the family is moved into their new Riley Ridge dream home, they’re looking forward to celebrating the four seasons in Michigan.

“We’re looking forward to summer nights by the bonfire roasting marshmallows, sitting on our deck in the winter drinking hot chocolate and hot apple cider in the fall,” Rey said.

“We are extremely happy!”

Success Story: A Holland Couple Looking for Their Forever Condo

Success Story: A Holland Couple Looking for Their Forever Condo

Good things come to those who wait. Sometimes the wait is short and sweet – sometimes the wait can last roughly two years.

A Holland couple looking for their forever condo experienced the latter.

Success Story: A Holland Couple Looking for Their Forever Condo“We wanted to purchase a condo but wanted one we felt was well built, in a nice area and within our price range,” the couple said. “Some of our must haves were storage, a sunroom, and outdoor space.”

“Many condo’s that we looked at were very nice but had little storage space.”

The couple asked to speak on the condition of anonymity because of their involvement in the local community.

The search took longer than expected, but the wait was worth it when they found the perfect place to call home.

Shortly after, the search continued. This time, though, they were searching for a reliable mortgage lender.

“We were introduced through our Realtor to Hayley after we were pre-approved through another financial institution and later told they could not finance us because the condominium by-laws would not pass their condominium underwriting,” the couple said.

“This lender told us at different points that he was almost ready to close. Needless to say, we were extremely disappointed.”

The couple relied on their Realtor, Joannie Bouman of Coldwell Banker, for a recommendation.

“Joannie told us about Hayley and was confident that she could assist us,” they said. “Hayley was given the information regarding the condominium by-laws and stated that the by-laws had a clause that would make this loan unsaleable. Hayley took our application and told us she would contact investors to look at this loan.”

Both Hayley and Joannie exceeded the couple’s expectations.

“Hayley kept us informed throughout the process and we felt encouraged,” they said. “She was so accommodating.”

“We were given a gift at closing and we felt that we should be giving her a gift.”

“Joannie was so helpful in deciding the asking price and also taking us through the process of selling our current home.”

After closing, the couple took the time to update the condo and turn their new house into a home. They moved in at the end of July and look forward to settling into their new lifestyle.

“We would highly recommend Hayley for your mortgage needs,” the couple said. “Thank you, Hayley, for a job well done!”

Hometown Highlights: Jenn VanHekken

Hometown Highlights: Jenn VanHekken

What do you get when you combine a serving heart, crazy positive energy and the desire to help others? You get Jenn VanHekken.

She is quick to smile, quick to laugh and quick to contemplate!

Hometown Highlights: Jenn VanHekkenJenn’s journey has brought her to this amazing place in her life in which she finds herself coaching, blogging, podcasting, and speaking her truth and her passion so that others can find their God given purpose and inspire them to walk in the fullness of all that God has called them to be.

Before Jenn was any of those things she was and still is wife, a mom and a Child of God.

She and her hubby (and high school sweetheart) Chris have the joy of raising two amazing kids together right here in Grand Haven.

Kaitlyn is a college cheerleader who is all full of #girlpower and her son Carson spends most of his time on the baseball field, and also happens to be Chris’s mini me.

You can check out Jenn’s Podcast, “Diary of a Small Town Girl” where she interviews local hometown heroes, musicians, pastors, boss babes, artists and world changers all in our backyard of West Michigan.

When you need a dose of inspiration, a bit of local flavor, hope and laughter, Jenn’s podcast delivers. Her goal is to “inspire others through the stories they hear.”

You can check out over 40 podcasts at “Diary of a Small Town Girl.”

When Jenn is wearing her coaching hat, she works to help women find clarity and purpose through her faith-based approach.

She is a certified life coach as well as a certified Enneagram coach. Working with individuals and small groups, this technique is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation.

Grabbing a cup of coffee is a great way to learn more about Jenn and the beautiful resources she provides her clients.

You can learn more about Jenn by going to www.jennvanhekken.com.

Success Story: LaTanya Jackson

Success Story: LaTanya Jackson

Credit improvement is no easy task. It takes time, effort, a pre-determined plan and a little help from a trusted advisor.

It’s hard work, but it’s worth it for those hoping to purchase their dream home.

“I began seriously working on my credit in January of 2018,” said LaTanya Jackson. “It took me a little over a year before I was ready to buy a house.”

Success Story: LaTanya JacksonWhen she was ready, her co-worker and friend, Nakia Cooper, suggested that she get in touch with Loan Officer Dave Lehner and his team at Michigan Mortgage.

“They welcomed me and my family in a way that made me feel like I was being taken care of from the very beginning,” LaTanya said. “Being a first-time homebuyer, they never made me feel bad about asking numerous questions.”

LaTanya enjoyed getting to know Dave and his team, but described her journey to homeownership as a “rollercoaster.”

“Oh boy – where do I start,” she said. “I would find a house and within 24 to 48 hours, it was off the market. Frustrated was an understatement. By the time I found ‘the one,’ I was at my wits end.”

LaTanya’s Realtor, Eric Sikkenga with Keller Williams Grand Rapids East, helped to smooth the ride.

“All I can say about my experience with him…FUN,” LaTanya said. “He did exactly what he said he would do. He got me into the home of my dreams!”

She calls that home “Heaven.”

LaTanya has yet to move in – she making a few must-have renovations beforehand – but she’s over the moon with joy.

“Even though it needs a few things, my home feels like a little piece of heaven,” she said.

We can’t imagine another move in LaTanya’s future, but if it is, Dave will be the first person she calls.

“Dave and his team exceeded my expectations,” she said. “They were so patient and understanding throughout the entire process.”

“Every email and call was given immediate attention. They made sure I was thoroughly informed about all of my options as a first-time homebuyer.”

We wish LaTanya and her family many happy memories in their new home!

Tips to prepare your home for sale

Tips to Prepare Your House for Sale

The summer market is still going strong in West Michigan! And it’s a great time to sell your home.

You goal – and your Realtor’s goal – will be to get you the best sales price possible. Here are a few small projects you can do to make sure that happens.

Tips to prepare your home for saleFocus on the Exterior

  1. Start with power washing. Wash your siding, sidewalks, decks and any other outdoor structures to make them look good as new.
  2. Clean out your garage and de-clutter your yard.
  3. A new front door, or a new coat of paint on your current door, will give your home a much-needed face lift.
  4. Wash your windows – inside and out – so people can appreciate the view.
  5. Keep the lawn mowed and spruce up your landscape. There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars and completely redo the space, but pulling weeds and trimming trees can go a long way. If your local greenhouse is open, purchase a hanging basket or two to add color to your front porch.
  6. Don’t forget the little things. Make sure all of your exterior lights are in working order, make sure your house number is visible and purchase a new welcome mat to impress potential buyers.

Make Sure the Interior Feels like “Home”

  1. Organize and de-clutter so buyers see how much space is available inside your home.
  2. Make sure every inch of your home is clean so buyers have an easier time imaging their new life in your existing space.
  3. If the budget allows, fresh paint and new carpet can help your home sell faster and for more money.
  4. Decorate – or remove decorations – so every room has a clear purpose that will appear to a majority of buyers.
  5. Make sure you fix anything that’s broken. Buyers will use imperfections as an excuse to write you a lower offer.
  6. Before your scheduled open house, make sure the trash is taken out, kitchen counters are clear, all lights are working and dirty laundry is hidden.

The little things can go a long way!

If you’re working with a Realtor, don’t hesitate to lean on them for advice. They will help you identify the must-fix items before buyers step foot in the door.

We wish you luck selling your home!

Success Story: Dan Procko

Success Story: Dan Procko

When people hear the word “mortgage” they often think about the excitement of moving on from their current home and purchasing a new and improved dream home.

But sometimes, refinancing your current mortgage – and saving a ton of money along the way – can be equally as rewarding.

Dan Procko knows that first hand.

Success Story: Dan Procko“I purchased my home about five years ago when the market was hot and prices were much lower than they are today,” Dan said. “It was a bank foreclosure and needed some work, so shortly after the purchase I took out a home equity line of credit to make repairs and updates such as a new furnace, water heater, plumbing work, electrical and some cosmetic upgrades.”

“And now, a few years and a baby later, it’s time for another home improvement project,” he said. “I also wanted to consolidate some debt and refinance the HELOC into one mortgage payment.”

After receiving refinance incentives from his current lender, and analyzing the mortgage interest rates, Dan decided this summer was the right time to refinance.

“When the right time came, I had HomePoint Financial run a refinance scenario and, at the time, they offered me a no upfront appraisal fee incentive,” he said. “Then after running my credit and it was time to order the appraisal, they needed me to pay upfront and would not honor their incentive.”

“This prompted me to contact my realtor friend and she recommended Rob Garrison’s team at Michigan Mortgage.”

Dan reached out to Rob and his team via email. He received an immediate response that clearly laid out the steps and expectations related to refinancing.

“It was very simple,” he said. Rob and his team were quick to reply anytime Dan had questions. He was informed every step of the way.

“Michigan Mortgage was able to provide me a more competitive refinance estimate and consulted me about buying percentage points,” he said. “I felt comfortable moving forward with the credit check and ordering the appraisal.”

Dan’s comfort with Michigan Mortgage was reaffirmed when he met with the appraiser.

“First my realtor friend and now the appraiser has nothing but positive things to say about Michigan Mortgage,” he said. “The turn-around time was quick, the timeline provided was exceeded and the entire process could not have gone any smoother.”

As stated before, Dan’s refinance goal was to consolidate his existing mortgage and HELOC. When he officially closed in July, he accomplished so much more.

“I was also able to pay off a credit card, pay off my vehicle loan and have enough money to upgrade my electrical panel all while reducing my monthly bills by over $500 per month.”

A painless process, a lower interest rate and lots of money saved. What more could you ask for?

“The closing was quick and held right at the Michigan Mortgage location,” he said. “I was able to meet Rob and he introduced me to the team face-to-face, which I really appreciated in this online, email and texting world day and age.”

“I will recommend Michigan Mortgage and Rob Garrison to anyone looking to buy or refinance.”

Hometown Highlights: The Be Event 2019

BE is the most common verb in the English language.

To BE is to exist, live, take place, happen; to belong, to attend; to remain in a certain state or situation undisturbed, untouched.

Image promoting The Be Event 2019What is the BE event? A goal setting conference, featuring eight speakers, each focusing on key areas of life, ranging from relationships, finance, health, career and more.

The event is a time to be intentional about the 2019 year, creating goals, letting go of that which does not serve you and connecting with other men and women that want to BE better, not perfect!

It is a time to be filled, present, loved, accepted, excited, passionate, hopeful. It is a time to connect with our community, share common energy and to recognize and embrace the fact that we are the change that the world needs.

We all want to DO BETTER in areas of our lives, however we strive so deeply for perfection and balance that we get caught in a constant feeling of falling short. We compare ourselves to other people’s outsides, and some of us compare net worth to self worth. This conference is for anyone that has made mistakes, wants to do better, wants to connect, has a dream, wants to live with purpose and make a difference.

Who attends the BE event? Men and women who need encouragement, leaders who lead with love, community impactors, encouragers, growers and learners, evolved, evolving people who desire a commitment to each other, a desire to first BE, then DO, then HAVE and most importantly to GIVE and connect in a world that can be isolating and competitive.

You cannot command change unless you are willing to actually BE the change. Your hands, your words, your willingness to show up with integrity and kindness in all that you say and do matters. Because our world is LOUD, the BE event gives women and men alike, a space where they can see and feel each other’s light.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Jean Houston, a nationally recognized scholar, philosopher and a founder of the Human Potential Movement. She talks to audiences around the world, using her deep knowledge of culture, new science, spirituality, and human development to inspire leaders to better their lives in the everyday. Dr. Houston challenges us through engaging teaching, inspiring revelations, and humorous stories to reconnect, recharge, be liberated and engage in our communities and our daily lives.

“The entelechy of an acorn is to be an oak tree, a caterpillar to be a butterfly, and a popcorn kernel to be fully popped. We are all loaded and encoded with a dynamite purpose, a special
gift and ability that comes naturally to us—so naturally that we may even take it for granted and not recognize it as our innate, great purpose.” – Jean Houston

This year’s event will be at the beautiful and historic Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon on September 14. For additional information about the event, for ticketing and sponsorship information go to www.thebeevent.com.

When registering, use promo code Be2019. 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be?” – Marianne Williamson

Image showing a happy homeowner!

Success Story: Ashley Moran

Ashley Moran outgrew her Roosevelt Park home after five years of residence – it was time to move on to something new.

“There was no basement and I was running out of room for storage,” she said. “The backyard was huge; I had a hard time keeping up with the lawn work by myself.”

Her home sold without issue with the help of Nexes Realty professional Matt Johnson.

“Thankfully, my mom let me move back in for a few months until I was able to find my new home,” Ashley said. “I had been looking for a few months and May happened to be the lucky month when the right house came along!”

When she found the perfect home with lots of room for her “unhealthy shoe obsession,” she hit the ground running.

“Matt listens to his clients and finds exactly what they are looking for,” Ashley said. “I got a smaller yard, a walk-in closet and a kitchen with lots of cupboards. The house is only a few years old, so that’s a bonus!”

Unfortunately, on the lending side of the transaction, things didn’t go according to plan.

“My aunt and family friends referred me to Shawn Norden after I had some issues with another mortgage company,” Ashley said. “I called her in a panic because the mortgage company I was using was not the most trustworthy and my anxiety was through the roof.”

“Shawn had me send her my information and she had a majority of the work done on her end in 24 hours,” she said. “I was very pleased with how smoothly the process went.”

Shawn was able to relieve some of Ashley’s stresses and save her a little money along the way.

“Not only did Shawn lock me into a lower interest rate, but she saved me about $3,000 in closing costs,” Ashley said.

Now that she’s settled in, she’s taking the time to complete a few home-improvement projects and unpack her things. It’s been a busy few months, but she hopes the next few weeks will offer a little more free time to focus on her new home.

“I should start working on finishing the basement, but I don’t to spend my summer cooped up inside, so that will have to wait until later this year,” she said. “For now, I want to enjoy my beautiful deck in the backyard.”

“I’m so excited to have company over and grill out back there!”

Ashley hopes that this home is her forever home, but should she move again, Shawn and Matt will be at the top of her must-call list.