If you look to the south of town, things start to get a little less congested.  Wyoming is still somewhat of an extension of Grand Rapids itself, but the new get into Byron Center, Cutlerville, and even Caledonia if we stick to the southeast side a little bit.  Let’s hit them one by one.

Wyoming, as I said, is kind of like Grand Rapids Junior.  There’s a lot of older commercial areas that have been around for a long time and are in need of repair and updating.  There are a lot of small developments that have been around since the late 50’s.  It is home to the somewhat famous Frederick Meijer Gardens, a botanical garden and museum owned by the Frederick Meijer Foundation.

Byron Center definitely has a small town feel to it, because that’s what it is.  It has a small city center with a hardware store, some restaurants, churches, grocery stores, and so on.  The surrounding land is either developed into sub divisions, farmland, or single family homes on a large parcel of land.  If you venture out farther south you’ll find less and less people and more and more farms.  It has easy access to both M6 and US 131, so the ride into town is low impact.

Caledonia is to the east of Byron Center, mashed between the Cascade/Kentwood area and Byron Center.  It is closer to the airport than Byron Center, and is what I would describe as a more modern, planned version of Byron Center.  Many people that work over on the southeast side of the city make their home in Caledonia because it’s a nice compromise between pricey East Grand Rapids and Byron Center, which is a little farther away and a little bit more of a drive.

West of Grand Rapids you’ll find Hudsonville, Grandville, Zeeland, and Holland.  A little to the south you’ll run into Grand Haven.  Both Holland and Grand Haven are right on the lakeshore, and are amazing cities to live in.

Hudsonville is known as the Michigan’s “Salad Bowl”.  There’s a lot of farmland there growing vegetables to include onions, lettuce, corn, and many others.  It’s really a beautiful part of the state, and in the fall it absolutely can’t be beat for color and that nice blanket of leaves that you accumulate with a lot of trees in one area.  The public school system there is second to none, from preschool on up through their high school.

Holland is a great place to live and has a lot to offer both from a cultural standpoint and an outdoor standpoint.  With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, you won’t have to look too far for things to do in the spring and summer.  And while the water temperatures may be a little cool early and late in the season, the beaches are always open for a picnic, fishing, or a walk on the pier.  Holland is second only to the Netherlands as the tulip capital of the world, and holds Tulip Time each and every year.

Grand Haven is Coast Guard City, USA, and there isn’t a chance you won’t realize it while you’re there.  Grand Haven holds Coast Guard Festival every year, and it’s a nationally recognized festival honoring the Coast Guard and their storied history on the Great Lakes.  The beaches, camp grounds, and charter fishing are second to none.

If you’re looking for information on how to sell a house, make sure you do some research and planning so you don’t waste your time.