Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation is busy renovating seven homes in its cluster of neighborhoods -- North Rosedale Park, Rosedale Park, Grandmont and Grandmont #1 -- with the plan to sell them to qualified homebuyers. "We've ramped up our rehab activity," says GRDC executive director Tom Goddeeris. "It doesn't make sense to be adding more units when we have such beautiful homes sitting empty."
Goddeeris calls one home that was recently completed on Bretton Dr. in North Rosedale "the nicest house we've ever done." The four-bedroom three-bathroom dwelling features hardwood floors, a dramatic staircase -- and there is a purchase agreement for the property pending for $137,000. "It's a sign of the times that we are even getting our hands on some of these houses," he says.
Most of the other half-dozen homes are three-bedroom, but a couple are four-bedroom and one even has six. There are stucco cottages and big brick colonials and the average price range is $70,000 to $80,000. "This is one of these neighborhoods that still has market appeal," says Goddeeris. "This is a real opportunity for people that are first-time homebuyers to get such a great value on a home."
GRDC has been supported in its efforts by
Community Legal Resources and the
Vacant Property Campaign. Prior to obtaining title to vacant homes, a team of volunteers manage basic upkeep of the properties to keep values from dropping.
Anyone interested in purchasing a home renovated by GRDC should contact homeownership program manager Brad Mattison at 313-387-4732, ext. 101.
Source: Tom Goddeeris, GRDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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