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“I'm not going to waste your time with vague answers. Tell me what you're trying to accomplish and let's figure out if the numbers work.”
Market Intelligence
MLS activity, off-market signals, investor margins, and a direct read on what the West Michigan market is actually doing. Updated when the numbers move, not on a marketing calendar.
The West Michigan Market, County by County
Across the fifteen counties we serve, July closed 2,107 homes at an average of $390,374, averaging 22.8 days on market, with 4,329 listings active. Rather than freeze a copy of those numbers here, I keep the full breakdown in one place at the brokerage so it is always the current month.
Active inventory, sold counts, days on market and average sold price for all fifteen counties, refreshed every month rather than pinned to the week it was published.
See the current market read →Profiles for 358 communities across the footprint: what sold, what is being built, population, income, home values and each municipality's own website.
Open the community profiles →Market Intelligence
The national headlines tell you one story. The MLS data tells you another. Kent County has held up better than most markets because the demand drivers are real: population growth, a working economy, and buyers who have not left, they have simply recalibrated. That does not mean every deal makes sense right now. It means you need someone who can read the numbers and tell you which ones do.
My focus is on the investor side of this market, which means I am tracking off-market movement, distressed inventory, days on market for specific property types, and what the fix-and-flip math looks like at current acquisition prices. If you want the straight read on what is actually happening in Kent County, reach out and I will give it to you without spin.
What I am watching right now
There is more room to negotiate than there was two years ago. But higher rates mean the payment math matters more than ever. Know your pre-approval ceiling, run the actual monthly payment numbers, and evaluate every property against the data before you make an offer. Strategy beats timing every time.
Buyer guidance →Properties that are well-priced and well-prepared are still moving. The ones sitting are overpriced, underprepared, or both. The plan starts with an honest CMA built from what buyers are actually paying right now, not from what you need to walk away with.
Seller guidance →Free Guides
Step-by-step guides covering buying, selling, investing, and relocation. Written with no agenda other than giving you accurate information. All free to read.
Pre-approval, offer strategy, inspection, negotiation, and closing explained step by step. Written for buyers who want to understand the process, not just follow instructions.
Read the buyer's guide →CMA methodology, pricing from comps, preparation priorities, marketing, offer evaluation, and the full road to closing. Written to tell you how it actually works, not to sell you on it.
Read the seller's guide →What the process actually costs, which loan programs exist, how to compete in this market, and the specific mistakes that derail most first purchases.
Read the first-time buyer guide →How to run the numbers on a rental or investment property: cap rate, cash flow, financing structure, and what the deal needs to look like before it makes sense to move on it.
Read the investor's guide →Moving to West Michigan from out of area: which communities fit which priorities, how the local market works, and how to buy confidently without being able to tour every weekend.
Read the relocation guide →Support for homeowners navigating a difficult situation: financial hardship, missed payments, divorce, or an estate sale. Your options, your rights, and your timeline clearly explained.
Read the Home Protectors guide →First-Time Buyers
Your first purchase starts with knowing exactly where you stand financially. Work through it at your own pace, get a quick read from a Legacy advisor, or come to the free live class with VanDyk Mortgage. No cost, no pressure.
A structured, self-paced workbook that walks you through the financial questions, budget math, and planning steps that show you exactly where you stand before you make a move.
Open the workbook →A short, 10 to 15 minute call with a Legacy advisor. Direct, no pitch, just a straight read on where you are and what the next step actually looks like.
Book a readiness call →A free, live class with Legacy and VanDyk Mortgage. The real numbers: loan programs, down payment requirements, and exactly what the path to a first purchase looks like from start to close.
Register for the class →Market & Timing Questions
Market timing is the wrong starting point for most people. The right question is whether your numbers work: your income, your pre-approval amount, and whether the payment fits your budget at current rates. If those line up and the property makes sense, the market becomes a secondary concern. That is what I help you work through in the first conversation.
West Michigan is not one market. Kent County at certain price points and Ottawa County are behaving differently from each other and from secondary markets further out. There are segments where well-prepared sellers are still getting strong offers. There are also segments where buyers have real leverage. The only honest answer is: it depends on exactly what you are looking at and where.
Rate timing is mostly a guessing game. People who wait for the right number often pay more in rent or miss the inventory window entirely. The question that actually matters is whether the payment fits your budget at today's rate. If it does, you buy and refinance if rates fall. If it does not, that is the honest answer and we work from there.
Active inventory, days on market, price reduction frequency by price band, and how often properties come back after going under contract. None of those numbers mean much alone. The signal is in how they move together and how they differ across price points, property types, and specific neighborhoods in Kent County.
National headlines average markets that have nothing in common with Kent County. Grand Rapids and Phoenix are not the same market. The data you actually need is local: what properties are selling for in your specific zip code, how long they are sitting, and how many buyers are competing for what is available right now. That is what I track.
The county-by-county data table is pulled weekly from the MLS. The commentary gets updated when something meaningful shifts, not on an arbitrary schedule. If you want a current read on your specific situation or target neighborhood, the fastest path is a direct conversation.
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“I'm not going to waste your time with vague answers. Tell me what you're trying to accomplish and let's figure out if the numbers work.”