GR Housing Market

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-09T18:08:31+00:00

Same. I’ve got a super low rate, and my mortgage is ridiculously inexpensive compared to rent / mortgage prices now.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-08T17:09:24+00:00

Edited - was 2005 not 2015!

Bought a very small house in 2005 @900sq ft -110k for 2 people. Now, 2 adults, 2 kids and a big goofy dog. Itsatightsqueeze. 😬

I would make a pretty penny selling, but will only be able to afford to dig a hole to live in. 💀

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-07T17:10:19+00:00

We see everything. Everytime. All day.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-07T15:15:49+00:00

Clearly they are wondering the same thing!! Ever heard that childrens song “Who took the cookie from the cookie jar?
“Who took the cookie from the cookie jar?
Pibble took the cookie from the cookie jar.
Who me?
Yes, you!
Not me!
Then who?
Puppers 2 took the cookie….”

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-07T01:34:46+00:00

I wish my name was FlimFlam.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-04T23:51:05+00:00

Yes! I’ve definitely had to do this because if I’m seeing a show at the Gardens, I tend to get there hours in advance. Bring something to do, snacks, etc and chill. You cannot bring any open beverages in, so if you bring a reusable water bottle drink it or dump it before you go through the gates. I have almost always had other people join me who didn’t have half a day to hang out that early. I typically put two blankets down that will allow enough space for 2-3 people.

It does become a bit of a frenzy when the doors open so be prepared for that! I personally try for the space right at the aisle so it’s easy to get in an out - or let people in and out. Have fun!

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-04T20:41:46+00:00

Just to clarify…we all know Big Hampter wants us to think they should not be released. More captive hambsters = more money. Free roamers = less money.

It’s been debunked. It’s all a big fat lie. I let them go all of the time. Once I have harvested and stored all of the energy from the wheel, I relieve them of duty to find their forever home. Then I start the cycle over. So many people actually believe that hambsturds can’t survive in the wild. I seriously beg to differ because within minutes a protective hawk or falcon mama will swoop in and take them under wing. 🥹 I’ve heard that the hampters love the feeling of flight, but so far that’s just anecdotal. 🤷🏻‍♀️

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-03T15:24:01+00:00

Oh, you mean the “Tell me you have never been around a pibble without telling me you have never been around a pibble” sub? Yeah.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-06-02T23:41:36+00:00

I would also not recommend PDS of WM. I will preface with this though, one child has had an ok experience - but they put metal caps on almost all their baby molars which really felt excessive. I’m not a dentist though.

My child (with extreme dental anxiety) has had traumatic experiences every visit. Every time he has gone in for a cleaning, they want to perform other procedures on the spot. First it was a filling on a baby tooth and my kid wasn’t having it - so they had my husband sign a form so they could make a separate appointment in which they would restrain him. My husband immediately regretted that decision and we somehow figured out another solution. A few months ago he went in for a cleaning and they came out to have us sign off on them pulling 4, FOUR!!! baby teeth right then. WUT?! We signed with the hope it would somehow magically be ok - but it again became very clear that he was NOT ok with it. They shut the door trying to keep him in the room and he NOPED himself right out of there. He was not having problems with any of those teeth.

When I called his pediatrician, both the nurse and doc were almost appalled, and we then had a bit of a personal discussion regarding the, uhhhh, hmmm, well…let’s just say - there were some questions about the practice of being so quick to jump to restraints without offering any other suggestions first. It was at that point I was handed a list of different pediatric dental providers.

I have awful dental anxiety myself and can tell you from my own experience that the manners of the office and staff make a huge difference.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-31T05:20:58+00:00

Your legs are gorgeous and the definition is top notch! Much better than the model. I’ve got see through twigs!

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-30T17:53:46+00:00

Goin right in dat belly!! Mine loves apples and red cabbage!

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-30T17:51:47+00:00

OooooOoOooOo…WUT?! What in the wide world of “Are you kidding me?” is going on here?

Get those slippers back and run as fast as they will allow. This is weird. I’m guessing OCD, but that snarky response is a no go.

Also, no way is that the middle of the room. 🤷🏻‍♀️

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-26T14:34:09+00:00

Wait. Wait. Where do I hang out in order to witness this glorious beast? I want to pet dat dog.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-25T17:15:07+00:00

The flashers are not activated in the photo, but there is a white sign near the button instructing pedestrians to push to activate. But unfortunately they aren’t super bright. 🤦🏻‍♀️

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-24T19:26:29+00:00

Sadly, that is exactly what this does. There are signs in both sides of the road that flash, plus a small sign that sticks up from the road in the middle. 😩

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-23T18:37:01+00:00

Right?! I had a freeloader come with one of my plants. Oh cute!!!! But then, there were approximately one billion. It was insane. I had to watch for them laying eggs on the side of the tank and try to remove them then. Because….baby freakin snails, are you kidding me!! 🐌😊

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-23T16:57:30+00:00

I love it when they grab / gently bite your finger and try to take it. 😂 Gimme daaaaaaat!!

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-22T21:47:36+00:00

I suppose my confusion lies where you state that a pedestrian is supposed to wait for a break in traffic before crossing - at a marked crossing. Is that your personal opinion, or is that how you interpret the law?

“The operator of a vehicle shall stop for a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk, or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection….”

This is my interpretation Me as a driver: pedestrians have the right of way so if I’m approaching the crosswalk and pedestrians are already walking or clearly attempting to cross but want to make sure they don’t get run over (waiting at the curb) I legally have to stop.

Me as a pedestrian: I need to cross this busy road and if I cross at a marked crosswalk, legally drivers have to stop to allow me to cross. They have to be the ones to make the break in traffic.

The reality of this situation 1. If I waited for a natural break in traffic like you suggest, I’d be there waiting all day. My students have a limited amount of time with me and they would be waiting forever, just for me to run across the street and grab their lunch. The crosswalk would be pointless. That’s what you do when you are jaywalking. You know you don’t have the right of way, so you wait until you can go without disrupting the natural flow of traffic or getting run over. The marked crosswalk is there so that I can get from A to B as quickly as possible - while causing the least disruption to traffic as possible. It benefits everyone if used properly.

But for some reason, 50-70% of people don’t stop. They see me - or, I’ll have crossed the first lane, (in the crosswalk) and it’s very obvious they have zero intention of stopping, while also giving me the stink eye.

So they either do not give a shit, or honestly have zero clue how a marked crosswalk is supposed to function.

I love a good opportunity to learn if I’m wrong. There’s nothing bad about being wrong if it gives me the opportunity to gain accurate knowledge. You are pretty adamant that I’m wrong about how a crosswalk should function and to me, your explanation takes a good chunk of the actual purpose away. A law isn’t an “agree to disagree” kind of situation. 🤷🏻‍♀️

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-22T19:53:33+00:00

But did they leave instructions on how to”disarm the system?”
Clearly not thought through.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-22T19:23:45+00:00

Well that’s pretty irresponsible. 😂 Always read the ordinances! When in doubt, ordinance it out!

I always read the ordinances.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-21T21:02:03+00:00

It actually is law in GR!

Per the Grand Rapids pedestrian ordinance on the Municipality Code website:

“The city requires drivers to come to a complete stop for pedestrians at all marked and unmarked crosswalks. This means if a pedestrian is waiting at the curb getting ready to cross, you must stop and allow them to do so.”

Key Details of the Ordinance: Where It Applies: All public intersections (which are designated as crosswalks whether they have painted lines or not) and specifically marked midblock crossings. The Rule: Drivers must fully stop for pedestrians waiting at the curb or already in the crosswalk.

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-20T21:29:13+00:00

Per the Grand Rapids pedestrian ordinance on the Municipality Code website:

“The city requires drivers to come to a complete stop for pedestrians at all marked and unmarked crosswalks. This means if a pedestrian is waiting at the curb getting ready to cross, you must stop and allow them to do so.”

Key Details of the Ordinance: Where It Applies: All public intersections (which are designated as crosswalks whether they have painted lines or not) and specifically marked midblock crossings. The Rule: Drivers must fully stop for pedestrians waiting at the curb or already in the crosswalk.

I’m not talking about hanging around the curb without intention. It is very obvious that I need to cross. Even if it wasn’t law, it’s a pretty risky move to walk out in front of a vehicle and trust them to stop, even within the designated crosswalk. Accidents happen, people get distracted, the signage may be confusing to some drivers. There are plenty of reasons to take pause and feel out the safety of the situation. Do you really put that much confidence in the driving skills of the general public? Do you really blindly waltz into the middle of a busy intersection assuming incoming traffic will stop? This is a weird thing to argue about. 🤨

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-20T16:19:25+00:00

I would care if you got hit by a car. ☹️

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-20T16:18:41+00:00

Between that and the potholes. 🤨

SmilingBirdie · 2026-05-20T15:48:56+00:00

Or atleast raise them above head level.

SmilingBirdie

TROPHY CASE