It is an exciting opportunity to purchase Lake Michigan real estate and provide your family with a place to go relax and enjoy the beautiful setting that is the Western Michigan coast. However, if you just purchase a home or cottage and don’t make any changes to it, you might just feel like you are renting from someone else. In order for your vacation property on Lake Michigan to really feel like a second home, you will want to add some personal touches that represent you and your personality.

One great way to make a property feel more like your own is with a minor renovation of a kitchen or bath. The kitchen and bathroom are two of the most used portions of the property, so redesigning them to exactly your tastes is a great way to make it feel like…

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 Purchasing waterfront property is a dream come true for most people but it also comes with its share of risks.  One of the risks of living on a lake, river, or other water source is the exposure to potential floods. Rising water tables, wind-driven waves, worsening weather patterns and spring thaws all contribute to a growing increase in the need for flood insurance.   A standard homeowners policy excludes any coverage for a loss resulting from a flood.  A water and sewer backup endorsement may be purchased and will provide some coverage in the event that your sump pump fails or can’t keep up but if any ground water enters the residence from another source, there will be no coverage.

 Flood insurance can be purchased both through the private market…

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For sport fishermen, Lake Michigan is one of the most attractive spots in the country to get a line wet and see what they can catch. As one of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Michigan is home to a wide variety of species and can be receptive to many different types of fishing. For the uninitiated, taking on the vast waters of this Great Lake can be quite intimidating. However, once some local knowledge is gained, there certainly are fish to be found.

Among the popular species of fish that are targeted by anglers in Lake Michigan include trout, salmon, walleye, smallmouth bass, and more. Each of these species has specific rules and regulations attached to it, so be sure to consult the laws that apply to the area that you wish to fish. Four…

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Sue Thoms | sthoms1@mlive.comBy Sue Thoms | sthoms1@mlive.com  Follow on Twitter 
on April 08, 2014 at 2:58 PM   Visitors make their way toward frozen Lake Michigan at Holland State Park in the evening of Sunday, February 23, 2014. Holland-Grand Haven was ranked highest for physical health in Gallup Healthways 2013 State of American Well-Being.Chris Clark | MLive.com 

The Holland-Grand Haven area fares well in a national report on Americans' health and happiness - ranking No. 1 for physical health and access to basic necessities.

The rankings are included in the Gallup Healthways 2013 State of American Well-Being report.

Overall, Holland-Grand Haven ranked 26 of 189 metropolitan statistical areas. That’s an improvement over last…

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