[mostie]

Speaking of yellow jackets- funniest thing happened to me the summer before I left for here- I was stung on the arm by a yellow jacket, never been stung by one in my life- boy did that hurt! Where was I when I was stung? Out in the country, gardening, etc.?

Huh uh....I was sitting at my desk in an air conditioned office at work- the little bugger had lit on my pocket when I was outside, came in with me, then stung me on the arm when I put it down by my side- LOL

[geenah03]

I am ever more fascinated with the continuing posts on this thread. I try and look daily to see what's new... by the way, can anyone give me any ideas as to what to look/ask for when it comes down to buying a home? "Daisymay4" has mentioned something about an "ice shield"...Do most homes, because of the region, already have this installed? Or is it really something that we should look into when it comes to homes? I know the region is colder than where I am from, so I'd like to get opinions and inputs. By the way, is it really true that during the winter months, you hardly get any sun? Thanks!

[Coldjensens]

Insulation and heat are definitely good features to have in a house here.

A basement with minimal water intrusion is important to most people. If it has a sump system, it is probably ok, but not definitely. You can usually see the signs of water intrusion if there is a problem.

A long driveway is nice because it gets you away from the road, but remember that you have to shovel or blow it out regularly during the winter.

Walk around neighboring property. If there are low spots/standing water mosquitoes could be a problem. My solution is to ignore them, but some people think this is a big deal.


Storm windows are a good idea. The new double paned windows do the same thing. Storm windows are easier to maintain, but you have to put them in/take them out each year.


Wood siding in rough condition will be very very expensive to paint the first time. Once you get it in shape, maintenance and touch ups are not too bad.


It is bright and sunny today. Absolutely beautiful outside. It is only 16 degrees, but very very pretty. It was sunny one day last week. It comes and goes. November and February are probably the worst. I remember in 1988 (or 1987) it rained nonstop for 47 days from October through the beginning of December. Ick. That is rare though. The Detroit News used to have a contest where people would guess how many hours of sunshine there would be in February. (hours not days). I do not know whether they still do that.

All in all it is not terrible. It makes you appreciate the sunny days. I spent some time outside today to enjoy the sunshine even though it is 16 with howling icy wind.

You will not need sunshine. You will have Kwame's antics to brighten your day.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by geenah03

I am ever more fascinated with the continuing posts on this thread. I try and look daily to see what's new... by the way, can anyone give me any ideas as to what to look/ask for when it comes down to buying a home? "Daisymay4" has mentioned something about an "ice shield"...Do most homes, because of the region, already have this installed? Or is it really something that we should look into when it comes to homes? I know the region is colder than where I am from, so I'd like to get opinions and inputs. By the way, is it really true that during the winter months, you hardly get any sun? Thanks!

Never heard of it, and we live in the snowbelt in West Michigan. I would discount anything said by someone in the Michigan section who has less than 10 posts. It's the same doofeses re-registering under different names and making stuff up and preaching apocalypti.

[Bydand]

Ice Shield is that 3' wide strip of thick sticky rubber material that is placed right along the edge of the roof when they are putting on a new roof. It seals very good and keeps the water that backs up behind an ice dam and gets under the shingles from leaking into the house. It tends to be a bit expensive, but cheaper than fixing a water stained ceiling. I've seen 1 strip laid down and I have seen people go all the way to the ridge with it. Most are 1 or 2 strips wide.

[mgordon1450]

I have a client that has a autistic child, and they want to move to either Caledonia or Jenison, as they have told me after their research, it seems these two school districts have the best tools to offer autistic children. It would be great if you could come and visit and sit in some of the class rooms to see for yourself.

[deeannapayk]

HELLO! We moved to Clayton California in 2006 from Michigan, but came back after a few months. Life is VERY different in California! If you are considering the Grand Rapids area, I had friends that lived in ROCKFORD. Beautiful quaint little town. Not sure where in CA you are from, but don't expect all the diversity in MI that you have there! I worked in Burlingame and looked for a place to live in San Mateo. WOW! It was like another country for me! Quite a big part of why we came back to our home state of MI. Not to mention the housing in CA is WAY too high! Hope this helps!
St. Charles, MI

[geenah03]

Thank You mgordon1450... I will look into the two you mentioned. We are going to be in the GR area next week for a few days. Hopefully I can hit several places and get a certain feel for the areas. Can you guys let me know what the weather is like there at the moment? I know the word "cold" will most likely be included... but would like to know how cold it actually is so I can prepare the layers of clothes I will be have to bring. Also, are there certain areas and/or neighborhoods that you can suggest that I see, visit or totally avoid? Thanks again everyone! I truly appreciate all of your help.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by geenah03

Thank You mgordon1450... I will look into the two you mentioned. We are going to be in the GR area next week for a few days. Hopefully I can hit several places and get a certain feel for the areas. Can you guys let me know what the weather is like there at the moment? I know the word "cold" will most likely be included... but would like to know how cold it actually is so I can prepare the layers of clothes I will be have to bring. Also, are there certain areas and/or neighborhoods that you can suggest that I see, visit or totally avoid? Thanks again everyone! I truly appreciate all of your help.

20's to 30's with a chance for snow pretty much every day.

10 Day Weather Forecast for Grand Rapids, MI - weather.com

Right now there is about 6 - 8 inches of snow on the ground, and the roads are all pretty clear but wet. No school closings today.

You'll be fine with a winter coat, gloves, good boots (it's wet and slushy), and maybe a hat or earmuffs. Most of the natives here just wear Merrells or hiking boots/shoes outside most of the winter, but if you're going to be trekking in and out of the car checking out houses and schools, boots might be a better bet. Also, it wouldn't hurt to pick up an ice scraper and a bottle of windshield wiper fluid when you get here (unless you're renting a car, then skip the fluid).

http://www.camlhk.com/ice%20scraper/snow%20scraper%20(xd502)2.jpg (broken link)

Both can be found at any gas station fairly cheap.

[Coldjensens]

Funny, over near Detroit it is about 50 degrees and clear. No snow at all, but lots of mud.