Real estate market sizzling; jobs following: Colliers International | West Michigan adds 19 jobs

A strong real estate market can make a lot of people happy. It is good news for neighborhoods that are being revitalized, local governments that are adding to their tax base, buyers, sellers, employers and, perhaps not always top-of-mind, job seekers.

Colliers International | West Michigan (Colliers) has added 19 new staff over the past 12 months, thanks to blazing hot market, says Colliers Mike Murray. "The current state of the real estate market in West Michigan is an extremely active market in all the segments," he says. "Retail, industrial, office and investment ... this activity is also felt state- and nationwide. Contributing factors are pent-up demand from the recession, employment growth, and increase in consumer spending, which also coincides with consumer confidence."

When it comes to real estate hot spots Murray says multiple factors have contributed to the recent spurt of development on the west side but he anticipates more development all over the city. "The west side of Grand Rapids is a 'hot spot' due to its close proximity to downtown, accessibility, growth of GVSU along with the boundaries of the highways," says Murray. "It lends itself to a unique pocket of manageable development. However, 'hot spot' can be used to describe the greater Grand Rapids area as we are seeing growth, activity and excitement all over town."

For those in the job market, Colliers anticipates continued growth into 2015. The firm recently launched Colliers 360 Training Program, a  13-week paid program that provide an opportunity for those interested in the real estate industry to be introduced to a career path and a role within Colliers International | West Michigan.

To learn more about Colliiers, you can visit their site here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.