The Delta Rocks! Family Festival is this Saturday, June 25th from noon until 7:00 p.m. at Sharp Park. There will be a FREE continuous shuttle from the Lansing Mall to Sharp Park from noon to 7:00 p.m. courtesy of Delta Township. The annual event features clowns, live animals, children’s make-it take-it craft booths, inflatable attractions, pony rides, games, face painting, super sling shot, trackless train rides, petting zoo, business expo, concessions and much more!
Admission and parking are free as are the vast majority of the activities. More information!
The 43rd Annual Fireworks will be held July 3rd at Sharp Park about 10 p.m. Delta Township invites you to join thousands of other area residents for the Independence Day celebration.Plus a live concert will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the amphitheater. A concession stand will be open for purchasing refreshments or you may bring your own picnic lunch, grill, or cooler. Sharp Park also has playgrounds, tennis courts, a basketball court, a fishing pond, and more!
Delta Township is a great place to live, work, and play. You can visit the community website at http://www.deltami.gov/ to find events, parks and recreation information, mapping, tax information and almost everything you need to become familiar with the Delta Township area.
These events are just two examples of wonderful family events taking place this summer in and around the Greater Lansing Regional area. Stop back to Living in Greater Lansing often, bookmark it or subscribe on right column. You can also visit Living in Greater Lansing on Facebook.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Community Information and Homes delta township lansing area community by .
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Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. Greater Lansing is no exception to the norm these days. Nearly 10 million people use Foursquare to let their friends know where they are at, tips about the business they are fratinizing and rating the service that is provided.
By “checking in” via a Smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges also. Once they have checked in at the location, they can then Tweet it or place it on Facebook, or both. You may be asking yourself; what the big deal is and why should I care. People want to learn about good service and they care more about what their friends think than some advertisement or special logo on the front door.
Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues. The tips section is very beneficial to out of town guests and locals. I see this being used to rate real estate companies and agents in the near future, in addition to consumers and agents using it to check-in to current home listings and rating them after a tour.
Merchants and brands leverage the foursquare platform by utilizing a wide set of tools to obtain, engage, and retain customers and audiences. I can see this becoming part of our daily lives in addition to sites like Yelp, Aggies’s List and others. My point is, that consumers are online with smart phones, iPads, and other computers a good share of the day and depend on their friends for advice on where to eat, shop, and stay when traveling or just taking a trip across town. What are your thoughts on this? Are you using a location based app on your Smartphone?
You can connect with me on Foursquare here
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in lansing area community real estate Uncategorized by .
The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau produced a great video to help promote “Why meeting in Greater Lansing is a smart idea. After all we’re home to MSU. Central, friendly and affordable. 90 minutes from 90% of Michigan’s population. With 4,300 hotel rooms, unique entertainment, safe & walkable downtown, hundreds of dining options, flexible venues and one-of-a-kind shopping, Greater Lansing is your place to come together!
The Greater Lansing area is a great place to live, work, and play. If you have questions regarding the real estate market, communities or anything else, just contact me. Hope you enjoy! Mike
Mike Bowler Sr.
Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood
517-492-3400
Selling your home is an involved process that affects your family and your future. Before you begin this process, you’ll want to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information. When should you sell? How do you get the best price? What kinds of renovations should be made prior to the sale?
These home selling reports will assist you in answering the many questions that arise during the home selling process. When you’re armed with the right information, and an experienced real estate professional, you’ll be closer to reaching your goal – selling your home fast, and for the best price. Get all four right here! Common Selling Mistakes – Learn the top nine selling mistakes, and what steps you can take to avoid them.
Selling Your Home - Remember what first attracted you to your house when you bought it? What excited you about its most appealing features? Now that you’re selling your home, you’ll need to look at it as if you were buying it all over again.
Surviving the Sale – Getting a good price for your home is important, but minimizing stress and simplifying the selling process can be just as essential.
The Right Selling Price – When you’re selling your home, the price you set is a critical factor in the return you receive. Learn several factors to base the assessment of your home.
Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
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The Greater Lansing area has plenty to offer this summer for the entire family. Be sure to visit Vermontville on April 29 through May 1, 2011 for the Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival. There’s something for everyone—Mid-America rides, talent show, arts and crafts, flea market, two parades, petting zoo, princess pageant, various displays, games, free entertainment, a pancake derby, and arm wrestling, and of course syrup.
Mason Spring Fling May 5th – 8th
On May 5th through the 8th the Mason Spring Fling is being held in Downtown Mason, Michigan. This outdoor art festival will be held rain or shine around the Ingram County Courthouse in Downtown Mason. Michigan’s award winning Photographer Michael Peychich will be among the artists participating in this years event featuring his new series of Michigan waterfalls.
Victorian Days in Grand Ledge, Michigan May 7th
The first Saturday in May on the 7th, Grand Ledge celebrates Michigan artists, local culture, and their rich Victorian heritage by inviting visitors to join Grand Ledge for historical demonstrations and themed activities in their beautiful downtown, overlooking the river and picturesque ledges. The event and all activities between 10am and 5pm are free of charge.
Top it off with the performance of “Chicago” at the Wharton Center, May 12th through the 15th in the Cobb Great Hall. There’s never been a better time to experience CHICAGO, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy and thousands of standing ovations.
Greater Lansing, Michigan is a fun place to live, work, and play. Bookmark this site or subscribe on the right to stay up to date on “Living in Greater Lansing” plus you can visit us on Facebook.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Community Information and Homes lansing area community by .
A Better Stronger Greater Lansing, Michigan is created by Ambassadors, Team Lansing Foundation, and the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Community Information and Homes Uncategorized by .
The Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center founded in 1965 will be celebrating it’s 47th anniversary this year. It’s located at 113 S. Washington Square in the heart of downtown Lansing. The Gallery continues it’s spirit of community through many services and cultural programs.
One of their programs is an Art Scholarship Alert that offers entry to students living in 10 counties: Ingham, Clinton, Eaton, Ionia, Shiawassee, Barry, Livingston, Calhoun and Jackson. This expansion offers opportunities to over 50 school districts.
The Gallery also offers a Gallery Shop that represents artwork created by over 100 Michigan artists. The Gallery features jewelry, sculpture, paintings and pottery that range from fine art to hand crafted gifts.
Business Hours are Tuesday – Friday 10:00 – 4:00 PM and Saturdays and the 1st Sunday of the month 1:00 – 4:00 PM Admission is FREE. Make Lansing Art Gallery one of your “Tour Your Own Town” agenda items for the entire family if you’re looking to enhance their creative juices.
Kresge Art Museum
Kresge Art Museum is located at Michigan State University’s and houses the collection of over 7,500 works of art. Portions of the collection are on continuous display, offering a rich diversity of style, technique and media. Kresge takes pride in the variety of Greek, Roman and Egyptian artifacts; medieval and Renaissance illuminations; and European and American paintings, prints and sculptures.
Current exibitions can be found on the Kresge Art Website in addition to hours of operation.
Part of the Mission of Krege Art Museum is to serve as a dynamic resource for the understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts in their responsiveness to the human spirit. You’ll want to make this a must see this year for your family and friends as you discover your own town. Admission is also FREE.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Community Information and Homes east lansing lansing area community by .
Mar 11
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Owning a Home in Greater Lansing
Owning your own home in the Greater Lansing Real Estate Area can be a veryrewarding experience — especially when tax time rolls around. Three tax items in particular — the mortgage interest deduction, the property tax deduction and the capital gains exclusion — can provide significant financial benefits to home owners when the time comes to settle up with Uncle Sam.
Mortgage Interest Deduction
The interest you pay as part of your mortgage payment is deductible on your federal tax return and may also be on your state income tax return depending on where you live.
This deduction applies to first and second mortgages, up $1 million of mortgage debt. Your lender should provide you with one or more IRS Form 1098s, which will provide the amount you may claim on your tax return. To benefit from this deduction you must itemize your deductions using a Schedule A Form.
You may also deduct the interest on money you borrow against your home to finance housing or non housing-related expenses. An example is a home equity loan, which many home owners use to remodel their home, pay off credit card bills, buy a car, finance a vacation or pay for educational expenses.
Property Tax Deduction
State and local taxes paid on the assessed value of the home are also deductible on your federal return. Like the mortgage interest deduction, itemizing is necessary if you wish to deduct property tax payments.
Notably, for many home owners the combined deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes exceed the standard deduction — currently between $5,700 and $11,400, depending on filing status. When this is the case, home owners are able to deduct or “write-off” many other items including charitable contributions, state income or sales taxes, medical and dental expenses, tax preparation fees and other miscellaneous allowable deductions, which collectively can reduce your federal and state income tax liabilities dramatically. Research by economists at the National Association of Home Builders indicates that for the typical home owner, these savings can exceed $5,000 in the first year of homeownership.
Capital Gains Exclusion
Perhaps the biggest advantage to owning a home is the ability to avoid paying capital gains when it is sold. Under current law, married home owners filing jointly may exclude up to $500,000 of capital gains and single tax filers may exclude $250,000 from taxation. This exclusion applies only if you have lived in your primary residence for two years or more. But the exemption may be used repeatedly as long as the residency rules are met.
The tax benefits conferred on home owners by the federal government are substantial. Annual benefits, such as the mortgage interest deduction and the property tax deduction, along with the less frequently used benefit of the capital gains exclusion, make homeownership more tax advantageous than almost any other investment. Take advantage of it! Be sure to consult your tax advisor about the deductions you may be eligible to claim.
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Grandma and Grandpa had an afternoon out with two of our grandchildren this afternoon to spend a few hours visiting exhibits at Impression 5 Science Center in downtown Lansing. An 8 year and 5 year old can find all kinds of entertainment here.
The Grossology attraction, based on the Children’s bestselling book “Grossology” by Sylvia Branzei was our highlight of the day. The exhibits certainly are gross, exploring all the slimy, mushy, and sticky, yet scientific things that occur every day in the human body. Our grand kids really got a kick out of the creativity and enjoyed the laughs we had touring the various explanations of why we burp, have gas, and running noses.
Impression 5 is a wonderful hands learning environment that has over 1000 hands on experiences ranging from water, electricity, magnetic fields to the science of our human body. While we were there, a birthday party was being celebrated in the “Birthday Room” visitors were testing the exhibits, and having plenty of fun. I would highly recommend you visit this Lansing attraction frequently to spend adequate time with each project. The Mission of Impression 5 Science Center is to facilitate learners of all ages in exploring, understanding, and appreciating the wonders of the physical world.
As a side note, we even had an opportunity to visit the largest railroad exhibit that was 22’ x 100’. The Capital Area Railway Society model trains were running through model communities designed and built by local model railroaders.
When I went through the Greater Lansing Tourism Ambassadors Program sponsored by the Greater Lansing Convention and Travel Bureau, I made a commitment that I needed to start touring my own town to discuss some of the highlights more intelligently. One of my highlighted visits so far is Impression 5 Science Center. While you’re there don’t miss a chance to shop in Impression 5′s Science Store! This gift store is fully stocked with many scientific and amusing toys, t-shirts, and wacky gift items for everyone. You can learn more here.
Impression 5 is now a member of the Association of Childrens Museums and the Association of Science and Technology Centers! This means that Impression 5 Science Center Family Plus or Supporting Members receive free or reduced admission to over 400 museums and science centers! There are many benefits to becoming a member of Impression 5 Science Center that will keep you and your family entertained year around.
“Expect the Best” Mike
Posted in Community Information and Homes lansing area community by .
I had the opportunity and pleasure of learning more about the Greater Lansing Regional Area today by taking a five hour seminar being held at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing and provided by the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau. It’s called Greater Lansing Tourism Ambassadors Program and required several hours of pre-class reading and researching, the five hour session and a test at the end of the day. Those attending are expected to continue with additional site visits, meetings, and education.
Becoming a Certified Tourism Ambassador for Greater Lansing was something I never thought about until I happen to read about the program on Lansing.org. After seeing the great deal of research and planning that GLCVB put into this program and the knowledge, tools, and quality information it provides frontline candidates who buy into the program, I said; why not all business people.
I’ve always considered myself an ambassador of the community; I serve anyway, just like most REALTORS who provide the best information on lifestyle, community, schools and property information. All business people and especially REALTORS can benefit from this program and at the same time contribute to the community by knowing the history, attractions, events, industry highlights, and other services provided by all the communities in the Greater Lansing area. You will be surprised what you don’t know, it’s an eye opener.
Currently there are 175 CTA’s in the Greater Lansing area, with over 7000 nationwide and growing weekly. Originally designed for frontline hospitality employees, I see this spreading to all people in the service industry. Think about this; on the average day over 2100 Greater Lansing hotel/motel rooms are occupied by 2.6 persons. That is 5,460 people per day. How many of those visitors frequent your business weather it’s your restaurant, gas station, department store, or real estate office, they deserve over the top service, someone who can answer their questions, and make them feel welcomed to our community. The object of this program is to expand our knowledge, enhance our performance, and to BETTER SERVE our customers.
You can learn more about how you and your employees can share the vision being provided by GLCVB on their website. I plan to start becoming a better tourist of my own town by discovering and becoming more acquainted with the attractions, events, and services that Greater Lansing communities have to offer. As I discover and learn more about each of these attributes, I will share them here on “Living in Greater Lansing” Blog.