June 19, 2008 RE/MAX Grand Lake hosted The Grand Lake Real Estate Symposium at Royal Bay Theater in Grove, Oklahoma. The event was attended by about 100 Grand Lake area business people, bankers, builders, and developers. The meeting reviewed projects around the lake, looked at sales over the past 4 years, and the general economy in the lake area.

Infastructure is important to people looking to invest in retirement homes, second homes, waterfront homes, or investment property. Grand Lake does have projects completed, ongoing, and starting to fill the various needs in the lake area. The crown of all projects is the new Integris Grove General Hospital which is starting actual dirt work for construction of a brand new 58 million dollar state of the art hospital in Grove next week.

Craig General Hospital in Vinita, Oklahoma has the Grand Lake Medical Park at Langley for minor emergent care and visting specialty clinics. This facility has been open a couple of years and now they have another like it almost finished at the Monkey Island entry on Highway 125.

The lake area now has 3 surfaced airparks in Ketchum, Monkey Island, and Grove for weekenders who fly to the lake.

Modern waste treatment plants are on Monkey Island and Grove. Monkey Island also is adding to it’s water system with added wells and storage for water.

Schools are a high priorty and Grove has a brand new Early Learning Center to compliment it’s fine high school and middle schools.

Delaware County has a small tax to support the "Green Dumpster" program for trash disposal. The green dumpsters are placed around the county for easy access to dump your trash property and not along the road.

Grove also just finished Phase 1 of a new downtown re-vitalization project with new sidewalks and street lamps. Grove also has a new post office.

Road work is beginning soon on the Highway 59-5 lane project from Sailboat Bridge to Downtown. Utilities have just been completed for the new highway project. The south end of town has a 5 lane project finished a couple of years ago.

There has been several new businesses come to the lake area in the past few years including Lowes and Walgreens. There are several new home developments under way and more in the planning stages including Crown Pointe condos on Monkey Island and the Vilas Del Lago in the Cleora area. The Preserve is a new gated community nearing completion of roads and utilities and currently selling waterfront and lake view lots with boat slips at the south end of Grove on the lake.

The Grottos new home development near Ketchum is coming along nicely and offers terrific views of the dam. Emilia Estates is a new development east of Ketchum on the lake ready for new homes to be built. The Coves is enjoying a nice building spree of new homes on interior or golf course lots. The Vintage near Cleora just stared a new phase of this popular development.

The Peninsula continues to work toward its multi-million dollar plans for a new hotel on the tip of Monkey Island on the grounds of the former Shangri La. The Delaware County Commissioners will vote soon on a Tif District property tax proposal for The Peninsula.

Patricia Island, Grove’s finest water and golf development continues to build and sell homes around its popular golf course. Governors Retreat II is also starting lot sales on their new home development south of Grove.

Grand Lake has the infastructure, the churches and civic clubs, a great casual lifestyle, beautiful views, and several new home developments to choose your place for a retirement home, get away retreat, second home, or waterfront home.

Call Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300 for information on Grand Lake real estate. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island. Follow the link in this website to our real estate web site and MLS search.

We all hear gloom and doom about real estate on the tv and in newspapers everyday. What we don’t stop and realize is that it is not gloom and doom everywhere in the nation. True, Florida, Nevada, and California and some other area have real problems. The price of homes in these just mentioned stated soared through the roof for five to seven years and now the market is taking a big chunk back. In Oklahoma, as well as several other midwestern states, the market was a nice steady increase in price over these same years that is now holding. The market is not robost nor are there fire sales to be had. It is a good steady market with nice price appreciation over time at a substainable pace.

Grand Lake in Northeast Oklahoma is a great place to have a retreat, weekend home, second home, retirement home, or a full time home to live in while working and raising your family. There are many opportunities from waterfront homes, golf course homes, homes in the woods, lakeview homes, small acreage homes, or a home in town. You might like Grove with a new Integris Hospital to be built soon, or Langley and South Grand Lake for access to the yauht club. Zena might be for you if you like seculsion. Monkey Island is popular with weekenders and retirees.  You can select a $100,000 home to a $1,100,000 or more home. You might like a condo such as Crown Pointe on Monkey Island. Perhaps a new waterfront home at the Grottos with an ocean like view is more to your liking.  A lakefront home on Patricia Island that also has golf course views might be your style also.

The point is that Grove, South Grand Lake, and the entire Grand Lake area offer opportunities to people with all budgets for a lake home of their own.

Go to the link button for MLS search and look at listings offered currently or the link to www.grandlakeokhomes.com for our featured listings.

Call Joe Neill at 918 640-3300 or Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 for information on homes at Grand Lake. We are the Grand Lake team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island.

We all read stories in the newspaper or hear comments on TV and radio everyday about poor economy, high gas prices, and housing crisis. I do not want to belittle these problems in many parts of the country nor look down on the under privledged in Oklahoma. However, Oklahoma’s broad based economy in general is great. Unemployment is 3% or less across the state, housing prices are steady and more affordable than many sections of the country, and while we dislike high gasoline prices and its does put a burden on many, countless others are prospering from the higer energy markets. Oil fields are hiring at good wages, royalty owners and oil people have money to spend and it is trickling down in the Oklahoma economy.

The point of all this, if you feel comfortable with your economic status, don’t feel guilty about buying a home at Grand Lake. You need a retreat away from the fast paced life we all lead. Real estate at Grand Lake is not robust but deals are happening everyday. Prices are basically steady but as in all markets there are some deals to be found. There is a nice selection of waterfront homes, golf course homes, and lakefront building lots. Homes and lots in Grove or Monkey Island, The Points, or The Coves offer many fine luxury homes. Equally nice but lessor priced homes or lots can be found in the more remote areas of Zena or Northeast of Grove.

Interest and sales of waterfront homes and lots in particular have picked up over the recent Memorial Day holiday. For best selection of homes or lots on the market I would not tarry if a new lake property in on your horizon. Now is a good time to buy on Grand Lake.

Follow the link to our web site with our featured listings and the entire MLS of the Grand Lake area. For more information call Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island.

Grand Lake is the playground of the midwest. Located in Northeast Oklahoma with Grove the largest city on the lake. Patricia Island Estates is Grove’s premier golf course home addition. There are many fine homes on the water and on the golf course enjoyed by full timers, retirees, and weekenders.

We have a waterfront home listed that has great curb appeal located on  5037 Lake BreezeDrive Patricia Island.  The home has a detached guest suite that is wonderful for guests or live in parents. The main home has terrific waterviews from most every room. This home has the most storage/closet space I have seen. The floor plan is very usable with a library/office on the main floor along with the living room, half bath,  dining, dinette, kitchen, utility, and master bedroom and bath suite. Upstairs you will find two guest bedrooms, one full and one half bath, large game or media room, wet bar area, and game table area.

A patio graces the length of the back of the first floor and a deck goes all across the length of the second story providing full lake views and enjoyment of the lake breezes. The front of the home views the Patricia Island Golf Course.

This wonderful executive lake home is offered at $669,000. It can be viewed in our featured listings.

For more information on this home or other Grand Lake or Grove, Oklahoma homes can the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake, Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300.

Grand Lake in Northeast Oklahoma is enjoyed by many from several states. It is the water playground of the midwest. Development land and vacant building lots on the lake are hard to find in the right location.

We have several nice building spots available.

07-3391 is 3.21 A w/162′ Shoreline for $175,000

07-3388 is 19.98 A w/ 919′ Shoreline for $450,000

07-3389 is 6.29 A w/ 757′ Shoreline for $240,000

08-106  is.70 Acre w/ 110′ Shoreline for $189,900

The above can be found in our featured properties at the web site. All have blacktop roads to property, nice trees, great views, and nice rolling land.

Not listed but owned by myself or partners are

Patricia Island Building Lot  with 150′ water frontage–Grove’s newest and finest addition    $300,000

3 A w/880’shoreline near Grove cleared, utilities set up, ready for your project whether it be one home, single family homes or up to 48 condos for $1,450,000

Coming Soon  Ocean Like View Lot in One of Grove’s Most Exclusive Areas with 226′ Waterfront for $340,000

For your home or multi-home building development contact The Grand Lake Team at Re/Max Grand Lake. We have the best land available. Call Joe at 918 640-3300 or Aaron at 918 801-5645. 

The Lodges @ Pier III, a unique development property on the shores of Grand Lake

The Lodges @ Pier III is a unique and beautiful property on the shores of Grand Lake at Grove, OK in NE Oklahoma. This 3 Acre parcel of ground on the Honey Creek arm of Grand Lake just outside the city limits of Grove is in a quiet and secluded spotand has nearly 900 feet of shoreline. The area is ready to build on and Grand Lake and Grove in particular is ready for condo development.

The Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri has been known for condo lake living for twenty years or more but Grand Lake, while having a few condo projects over the years has been known for individual dwellings along the waterfront. Today’s cost of waterfront property and building cost have priced many people out of the market for a free standing home. Also, many afflueant near retirees today want to travel and/or own multiple homes as they go into retirement living. A condo with lock and leave answers this later question and a condo is cost effective in comparsion to a free standing waterfront home.

Securing permits for a marina on a lake can be a long drawn out process, sometimes taking 12-18 months. At The Lodges @ Pier III proper permits are in place for a new 50 slip boat marina. Water and gas utilities from Grove Municipal Services are at the property with approval for use for a 48 unit development. The Grove sewer line is about .2 mile from project and approval of use is in place with easements for sewer line in place with the Delaware County Commisioners. Northeast Oklahoma Electric is the electric provider with service at property.

Old structures and boat docks have been removed. A Phase I and Phase II Enviromental Survey have been done giving the property a clean enviromental bill of health. The property is ready for final site development.

A feasibility study has been done that shows estimated cost that look very doable and a very favorable demographics study.

This 3 Acre property with nearly 900 feet of shoreline with deep water on the shores of Grand Lake is ready to go, utililities authorized, and permits are in place for marina. The project is in the county so no building permits are needed. Comply with county sewer sanitation requirments and national building codes and you are ready to go day one.

This is truly a unique property in a great location and an idea ready for Grand Lake at Grove, OK. Call Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300 for more information. This property will not be found on our web site or multilist. Call or email for a full packet on the project. Email inquires to aaronhughes@remax.net

It's not bad everywhere

I read the Tulsa World every morning before starting my day. I usually find something interesting. The past couple of days there have been articles on unemployment in Oklahoma being under 3.5%. This is as good as I have seen in my life time.

Another article tells of the medium home price in Tulsa area being up about $5000 over last year. This goes along with what we are seeing in the Grand Lake market.

We know there is gloom and doom in many states, but Oklahoma is alive and well. Now might be a good time to invest in Oklahoma real estate and Grove, Oklahoma and the Grand Lake area is the place to be. Invest in something you can enjoy. The waters of Grand Lake offer great fishing, boating, sea-dooing, and sailing. It’s great to lay in a hammock under a nice shade tree and enjoy an afternoon reading a book too.

Our market is good but not robust, primarily due to all the national press on the bad real estate market in areas such as Florida and California. Our area did not appreciate 30% in one year like some did for three or four years in a row. Thus our market did not get over inflated. We have had a steady up market but at a much slower pace.

We have watefront homes, golf course homes, development land, investment type property, and income type property to choose from. Follow the link below to our web site and view our featured listings and search our entire MLS. Call Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300 for more information. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island. We hope to hear from you soon. 

Great details and woodwork in this like new home

Patricia Island is the newest upscale home development with golf course on Grand Lake at the west edge of Grove, OK. The winding street is a very scenic drive as you wind around the lake shore with waterfront homes on one side of the street and golf course homes on the other. You can enjoy the best of water sports and golf in your new home at Patricia Island.

Our list number 08-1136 is a wonderful four bedroom/three bath golf course home with so much attention to detail and woodwork. The alder stained wood crown molding, library shelves and entertainment center in family room, the kitchen cabinets, and doors with diamond carvings on both sides add such a special touch to this home. The home has been priced at $354,500 and was a good buy at this figure but seller would like to move now and just lowered the price to $335,000. It truly is a buy now with nice trees and views. Check it out on our featured listings at the link below.

Call Aaron Hughes @ 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill @ 918 640-3300 for more information on this home or our other Patricia Island listings. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island.

Bernice Nature Center

Grand Lake is known far and wide as a playground for fishermen, boaters, and sailers. A little known fact is just how many things there are to do around Grand Lake off the water.

One attraction is the Bernice Nature Center located in the Bernice State Park just east of Bernice on Highway 85. The center opened in the fall of 2006. Former State Senator Rick Littlefield was the one who got the funding to make this attraction happen. This is just one of the projects the Senator accomplished during his many years of service to NE Oklahoma.

The center features an aquarium, honey bees at work, toads, lizards, snakes, coons, squirrels, a beaver, bobcat, and many more alive and stuffed animals and reptiles of the area. The walls are lined with facts and information on wildlife in the Grand Lake area.

The center is open Monday thru Friday 9-4:00 during the winter. Summer hours are 9-4:30 Friday thru Tuesday. Hours are subject to change but you can call 918 257-8330 for more information.

This is just another thing to see and do at Grand Lake. Hope you are planning your outing to the area.

While thinking, think real estate on the lake. Call Joe at 918 640-3300 or Aaron at 918 801-5645 for information on waterfront homes, lakeview homes, golf course homes, retirement homes, or whatever your dream home is. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island. Follow the link below to our featured listings and MLS search.

Comments on April 2008 Housing Market

I am sure that you, like I, have read numerous articles on the death of the home market. It is true that in certain states such as California, Arizona, Nevade, and Florida that home sales have been down both in number of homes sold and the price of the sale. All states are not the same however.

This morning I read an interesting article in The Tulsa World newspaper by Al Unser, CEO of Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors. Yes, he is associated with the industry, but who knows better than someone in the business the state of the business. You need to go to tulsaworld.com and read his article on April 24, 2008 in the business section, page 24.

The author points out you would not listen to the weather forecast on the east coast to know the weather in the midwest nor should you look at the housing forecast on either coast to know the market in the midwest and in particular, Oklahoma. Tulsa home sales prices were up 5.2% in 2007.

The economy in Oklahoma is good and unemployment at almost all time lows. You can buy a home in Oklahoma and feel assured that it’s value will hold steady to increase. Oklahoma homes did not go up 20 or 30% a year in the past and thus do not have to adjust from the over inflated markets like some areas are doing now. Any market that goes straight up, must adjust at some point. It is also true that a steady paced up trend is much easier to maintain.

Give Oklahoma credit where credit is due. You may purchase that retirement home, full time home, lakefront home, golf course home and rest assured that your value will be there next year and five or ten years from now.

A great place to retire or enjoy that second home is Grove, Oklahoma on the shores of beautiful Grand Lake in Northeast Oklahoma. Grove real estate and Grand Lake real estate listings offer something for every price range and taste. We have retirees coming here from each coast to live a nice quiet life with city ammentities in a country setting. The lake is wonderful to enjoy sailing, fishing, or boating. The golf is great nearly year round with our moderate climate. Give it some thought if you would like to settle somewhere new. You will not be disappointed.

Contact Aaron Hughes at 918 801-5645 or Joe Neill at 918 640-3300 for more information. We are the Grand Lake Team at RE/MAX Grand Lake in Grove and Monkey Island. Follow the link below to our featured listings and MLS search.