Saugatuck Real Estate | Pat and Pam Murphy, Realtors

Museums are the newest buildings to go GREEN!   Have you been to downtown Grand Rapids lately?  If not, go & see the towering cranes constructing medical research centers, new restaurants opening up in revitilized area all around the city & a special gem, the Grand Rapids Art Museum. 

Despite conflicting priorites, it is possible to create a certified green museum, as demonstrated by Michigan's Grand Rapids Art Museum, which is rated LEED gold.  Advanced mechanical systems, including an "enery wheel" that blends old and new filtered air, help to reduce energy costs.  But the most striking advance is actually a throwback to much older museums:  oversized skylights that crown the galleries.  Banished decades ago, the skylights, here call sky lanterns, are back with triple layered glass that blocks the UV rays, while internal louvers deflect direct sunlight.  A fabric scrim layer further diffuses the light. 

READ MORE ON WHAT THE ARCHITECT HAS TO SAY!

Perfect Getaway for a Night, a Weekend or a Season!  On Jan. 13th the National Trust for Historic Preservation

named Saugatuck/Douglas one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.  Since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has annually selected communities across the US that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination.  From dynamic downtowns and stunning architecture to cultlural diversity and commitment to historic preservation, the selected destinations boast a richness of character and exude an authentic sense of place.

 You can also click on saugatuck.com to read what people are saying about these neighboring harbor towns of Saugatuck/Douglas, nestled near the shore of Lake Michigan.

Don't forget to contact me for all of your real estate needs.  Just read what a client of mine , Art & Sue Lanciers from Ohio has to say about my professional services in finding them a 2nd home here, in Saugatuck & Pat, my husband, of Patrick Murphy Builders, LLC in remodeling their condo they bought in October, 2008.

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Home Builders Association of the Holland Area - West Michigan Lakeshore Parade of Homes June 12 - 21, 2008.

Patrick Murphy Builders, LLC award winning custom home builder. Look for his beautiful "The Perryman II" floor plan to be in this years Parade of Homes. Fully furnished, 2600 sq ft of designer features, showcased in this years Patrick Murphy's home. From the inviting front porch, the outdoor shower to the contempory design farmhouse, you will fall in love with this home.  All located near Douglas Beach & Tower Marine.

Call or email me today for a personal showing on this outsiding home built by my husband, Pat Murphy.

With the holiday season here, loved ones from all over the country will be making the trek home for their annual get-togethers!   "Coming home" can also mean a path to personal discovery.  The possibilities of coming home to ourselves, physically & spiritually.  This is a gift that we can discover & give ourselves.  A Michigan native, Stewart Francke, has an inspiring story of his love of music & his personal gifts.

Speaking of home, why not say, "Yes, to Michigan."    Michigan's had a rough go of it lately-to say the least.  Many have left the state due to necessity, and some have left simply to seek out greener pastures, but for those of us who remain, Michigan is the home we love!!!!

And what's not to love???  Surrounded by the largest bodies of fresh water in the world.  Michigan is unique.  We Michiganders have water everywhere we look.  I think, sometimes I take that for granted until I travel outside the state & find that being surrounded by water is not the norm.

Michigan is simply beautiful but what I love most about Michigan, moving here from Chicago, are the people.  Here in Saugatuck/Douglas, these 2 small towns discover the power of Networking through the people who live & work here. 

 I call it network weaving!! 

Find pen & write down five (5) things that you're grateful for.  Tack the list to your bulletin Board, or tape it to your bathroom mirror, or wear it around your neck if you have to.  Because this year you could probably use the reminders.

"These are the times that try women's souls."  to Paraphrase Thomas Paine.  Who cares that he was talking about the American Revolution?  We've had revolutionary drama of our own in 2008.  Wall Street is-well, What is Wall Street now, exactly??-and we're barreling toward an election that, no matter how it turns out, will leave a good many of the people in this country bitter and disappointed.

In anticipation of Thanksgiving this year, it is the mundane things that quickly come to my mind to be grateful for.  And this year that feels just right when Mother Nature, the economy, and our whole political landscape seem to be in course correction mode, it's time for us all to think small.

Remembering to be thankful for the roof over your head or your children's health or your enduring relationship with your partner-those are biggies, for sure.

On the day the stock market dropped 777 points, gave me a slight case of heartburn!!!  I remember that real estate speculators & borrowers who were overleveraged risked getting burned but that the rest of us would be just fine.

That was before I understood the extent of the subprime market and the credit debt swaps and how they would affect those of us on Main Street.

I think we all are responsbile in some way for the current credit crunch.  We didn't package risky securities for big commissions as they did on Wall Street, but many of us benefited from the easy money that was available to refinance our homes or buy second ones.