MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — A housing shortage across the country has left many homebuyers at a standstill. In West Michigan, the waterfront housing market continues to be a thriving sector amid a very high demand.
Linda Bouman of Grand Haven is among the hundreds of West Michiganders living in one of the most sought-after homes along the lakeshore. Among the communities booming with waterfront homes are Spring Lake, Grand Haven and Muskegon. In those communities, 32 waterfront properties are on the market. However, if they follow recent trends they won't be up for sale for long.
"What's happening is older people that had houses on the water are finally selling them, so we're getting more houses on the market,” real estate broker David Medendorp said. "There's demand from all over the country that's coming here because people can work from home now, so a lot of people are coming from other parts of the country to live in Muskegon and other areas to experience this."
David Medendorp has spent nearly 40 years in real estate and has sold waterfront properties for as much as $2 million. He says right now, 1,225 waterfront homes are up for sale across West Michigan. The average asking price is $600,000 and can be as pricey as $2 million. He said he maintains a positive outlook on the market, although he predicted waterfront housing prices will increase 7-14% over the next 18 months.
"It is getting expensive out here and the homes you hardly even have to put a for sale sign up anymore,” Bouman said.
She has been living in her home steps away from the lakefront for almost four years.
"I'm very blessed, it's beautiful and I feel like I'm in a snow globe in the wintertime. It's beautiful. I'm very, very fortunate to be here."
The sweeping views that the homes provide are priceless, but for the price it costs, for some it's just a thought of being able to call a waterfront property in West Michigan home.
“We have beach access right around the corner, we have a beautiful dune that will never be able to be built on and it's just quiet. Neighbors are friendly, it's just a magical place to live,” Bouman said.
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