Saugatuck Real Estate | Pat and Pam Murphy, Realtors

VISITORS BUREAU SET TO CELEBRATE "COOLEST SMALL TOWN IN AMERICA" VICTORY PARTY

Saugatuck, MI...September 11, 2010 marks the date that Saugatuck/Douglas and Laketown will fill the area with music, festivities and dancing in the streets to thank fans for voting Saugatuck one of the "Coolest Small Towns in America".

Following an intense nationwide voting campaign, sponsored by Budget Travel Magazine to determine "The Coolest Small Town in America", Saugatuck is keeping its promise.  During the final hours of the three month "vote-off", the Convention and Visitors Bureau tried to spur voters on to push Saugatuck back into third place by offering to throw the biggest Victory Party the area has ever seen if fans could achieve that goal. When Felicia Fairchild, Executive Director of the Saugatuck/Douglas Visitors Bureau, threw out that challenge she was taking a calculated risk because she had no budget to support such an event.  Fairchild later confessed, "I took a giant leap of faith!  I was simply counting on the good will of our entire community to help us carry it off."  Saugatuck was bumped from third to fourth place in the last weeks of the contest by a very aggressive California campaign;  but the Visitors Bureau Board of Directors decided to proceed with the Victory Party regardless.  According to Fairchild, "We are ignoring the fact that we didn't come in third and are calling it a victory anyhow."  She added, "Heck, we still placed fourth in the nation!" 

Fairchild's risk paid off.  Laree Waanders, Branch Manager of Chemical Bank,  stepped forward as an event co-sponsor by providing some help to pay for official event T-shirts which will be sold to raise funds to defray costs of the celebration.  According to Ms. Waanders, "We think Saugatuck is the coolest and we are really excited about this event! I thought it was appropriate to help the Visitors Bureau out by contributing some funding."  Eddy Curtis, jazz musician, also volunteered to organize the many popular bands and musicians, all Saugatuck loyalists, who offered to donate their time and play free of charge from 3-6:00 p.m. throughout the streets that day.  They include Lew Russ, Soulz of Rhythm, Jimmy Pop, Eddy and the Breakers, Chaos, What Not Band, Freddy De Gennaro, Tom Bryant, Randy Johnson, and Vibra Sabrosa.  Coral Gables and Tower Marine collaborated to put salsa music on the harbor as co-sponsors of the event as well.

  Event organizers will officially kick off the celebration on September 11, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.  in downtown Saugatuck at the corner of Mason and Butler Street where Senator Patricia Birkholz, Representative Robert Genetski, Saugatuck Mayor Barry Johnson and Budget Travel Editor Nina Wildorf have been invited to preside.  At 2:00 p.m. following a brief tribute to the victims of 9/11, a Victory Parade led by the Saugatuck High School band will proceed victoriously down Butler Street, go left on Main Street and return via Water Street to Culver Street. 

  Bands and musicians located throughout the town will play in the streets from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Butler, Hoffman and Mason Streets will be blocked to traffic during that time so that people may dance in the streets! At 3:00 p.m. The Village Puppeteers will perform a puppet show for kids free of charge at the Woman's Club on Hoffman Street. Tables with volunteers will be located throughout the town where visitors can buy event T-shirts and pick up "I Voted For Saugatuck"  buttons that will make them eligible to participate in all drawings and promotions offered by area merchants, bars and restaurants.  Street seating will not be provided in order to keep fire lanes clear, but guests may bring beach chairs or blankets to just sit and listen.  Streets will be reopened to traffic at 6:00 p.m. at which time all music and entertainment will resume on location at most local bars and restaurants.The Douglas Down Town Development Association is providing a free shuttle bus between Saugatuck and Douglas where Center Street will be blocked off for a "Wine Tasting and Art Stroll".  The event will include  live jazz by Jim Cooper, outdoor and indoor art exhibits, wine tasting  (for a small fee) and appetizers provided by local restaurants from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Additional transportation between the two towns will  include private water taxi service, Interurban Bus service, Harbor Duck Adventures (call ahead ) and  ground taxi services. Carpooling is also recommended if possible. 

The Douglas Dutchers Vintage Baseball Team will play an exhibition game against the South Haven Barkpeelers at 2:00 p.m. at Beery Field in downtown Douglas. The Mount Baldhead15K challenge will kick off Douglas events at 9:00 a.m. sharp with pre-race registration available on Friday evening September 10th as well as Saturday morning.  The 5K begins at 9:15 a.m.  "Little Feet, Big Feat" 1K Children's Run will be held at 7 p.m. on September 10th at Beery Field. 

To round out the area's activities for the weekend, Friends of The Felt Estate will be holding a three day outdoor concert called "Rock the Felt". Headliners include The Guess Who on Friday September 10th  and Pop Evil on Saturday September 11th . The event is located in Shore Acres Township Park adjacent to the Felt Mansion and the Saugatuck Dunes State Park.  

For more detailed information on all Saugatuck area activities log on to  or call the Saugatuck-Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 269-857-1701Saugatuck Victory Party Schedule of Events

We've never had more choices-in how we live, how we communicate, how we play, what we eat!  Yet all these choices are hardly the norm!  Many

families today are separated by war, struggling to find work and keeping their homes, and wondering how they'll handle the rising cost of living. 

In the spring, we waited to see how the end of the federal homebuyer tax credit would impact housing sales.  Then, just 10 days before the April 30 expiration of the credit, catastrophe struck the Gulf Coast, and real estate there headed into the summer with an out-of-control oil spill and lots of unknowns about their region's future.

Meanwhile, throughout the country, real estate agents continued the frustrating task of trying to close sales for sellers in financial distress. 

Amidst all this uncertainty, I've seen positive signs!  In the Gulf Coast it has been heartening to see that the cleanup is happening much faster than many of us anticipated and a permanent fix to the Deepwater Horizon leak is on the way. 

Also I have been impressed with the poise and resiliency I've seen in so many people that I see each day where I work and live, here in Saugatuck/Douglas, MI

and all over.  The times are interesting yet we are maintaining a mind set of, "Today's challenges.....tomorrow's opportunities!"

Never thought my husband, Patrick, Patrick Murphy Builders, LLC, and I would ever be restaurant owners, since our expertise is Custom Building, Remodeling and Real Estate.  It has been very gratifying since we bought Wicks Park Bar and Grille in downtown Saugatuck w/our family in an economy that is so up in the air.  But we took the phrase from above and with a lot of hard work and perseverance we now have another source of income.

With real estate at all time lows, now and I mean now, is a fantastic time to buy.  Call me today so we can chat about all your real estate needs!

your friend and Realtor for Saugatuck/Douglas and the Lakeshore, Pam

SAUGATUCK, MICHIGAN- The 23rd Annual Taste of Saugatuck will be held Sunday,    August 22 from noon until 7:00pm at Wick's Park and Water Street in downtown Saugatuck.

This family event brings together over a dozen local culinary artisans and restaurants preparing a vast array of edibles. Featured items this year include BBQ sandwiches, Margarita chicken, Gyro wraps, Saganaki, roasted chicken, pork ribs, ice cream desserts, pizza and various wraps & sandwiches, just to name a few. Some of the restaurants joining Taste this year include: Mermaid Bar & Grill, The White House Bistro, Wicks Park Bar & Grille, The Hickory Pit, Spectators, River Market, Kilwin's and more. In addition to the largest line up of food in recent years, a beer tent featuring beer from the Saugatuck Brewery is available along with wine from all three local wineries, Fenn Valley, Tabor Hill and Round Barn.

As always a special kids corner will be available to entertain the kids. This year will also see the return of Shoreline Realtor's "Celebrity Dunk" Tank. There is no general admission charge for this annual event. Food and beverage tickets are available in fifty-cent increments and no single taste item is more than $5.00, making it a very affordable afternoon for a family.

Taste of Saugatuck, through its association with the Saugatuck/Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau, raises funds from this event for local school scholarships and events. This year, additional sponsorship is provided by the Stage Sponsor: Chemical Bank.

The Gazebo in the park will feature live entertainment all afternoon. The day begins with West Michigan's Rock & Roll legends, Rock Shop. "Tombo", Ron, Rich and Bob have been featured all over west Michigan. Their classic rock sound with "dueling" guitars will have the crowd on their feet. Rock Shop performed this summer at the Coral Gables Deck, and is a White House Bistro year-round favorite.

Returning to headline Taste this year is Holland's Random Play. Playing favorites from the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, this high energy band of six blends keyboards, flute, saxophones and more with its traditional four piece, rock driving guitar, bass and drum sound.
Over eight thousand attended Taste last year, and an even larger crowd is expected this year. Visitors and locals alike mingle while enjoying great food, great music, and great wine and beer in a beautiful Saugatuck downtown setting. "When you get to Saugatuck, you can hear the sounds and smell the great food as you drive into town," Additional information is available from the Saugatuck-Douglas Are Convention & Visitors Bureau at either 269-857-1701 or www.saugatuck.com

WICKS PARK BAR & GRILLE WILL BE SERVING UP THEIR FAMOUS, AND I MEAN FAMOUS, FISH TACOS!

SEE YOU ALL ON WATER STREET AND WHEN YOUR TUMMIES GET NICE AND FULL WITH ALL THE FABULOUS FOOD, STOP BACK AT WICKS PARK BAR & GRILLE!  WE WILL BE SERVING UP ONE OUR SPECIAL DRINKS OR WE CAN POUR YOU A TALL ONE FROM ONE OF OUR MANY BEERS ON TAP!

Hello All:

This summer the Visitors Bureau has had the pleasure of working with Spencer Merpi, who has produced  the following Oval Beach video for Saugatuck, Douglas.  I think this is an outstanding piece of work and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbJpYmkAvTI 

With our hot, hot summer here in Michigan, how about taking a few days off and come to visit our beautiful beaches here along the Lakeshore of Saugatuck Douglas.  Our restaurant, Wicks Park Bar and Grille has been rockin' all summer of live entertainment every Friday and Saturday.  Try one of our drinks specials during the week and also our delicious catch of the day of Whitefish, Wallyeye or our wonderful lake perch.  And our number 1 best seller, our Fish Tacos!

Also, if you need a place to stay our quiant Mary's Street Cottage located by Wicks is ready and waiting for you.  We are directly in the heart of Saugatuck walking distance to everything!!!

And after staying and seeing the sites and falling in love with Saugatuck, Douglas, I can be available to show you around and possibly view some properties for sale.  From condos, townhomes, single families homes and water front properties to buy for either a 2nd home, investment property or if you are thinking about a place to retire, this is the place.  Just read my bio page on the web site!!!

Again, thanks for a terrific summer!

Pam

Fannie Mae Loan Quality Initiative

June 1, 2010 marked the beginning of Fannie Mae's "Loan Quality Initiative."  If you're not familiar with the initiative, now would be a good time to become familiar with it.  Why?  Well, one of the provisions in the initiative is "credit reveritication" on the day of funding.  If your credit changes more than 2%, it's back to underwriting for approval!  You need to know how to protect your financing by making smart moves between first and second verification.  There are several other important considerations to the initiative as well.

Fannie Mae's loan quality initiative: Another potential snag with financing (Boston Globe)

Borrowers: Beware the Second Credit Report (Smart Money)

For the fine print, don't miss Fannie Mae's page dedicated to the initiative:  Fannie Mae

Just another hurdle to face but let me take you through every step of the way when you purchase your property here, in Saugatuck/Douglas Lakeshore Area!

Pam