If you’re a real estate investor and are considering buying or selling investment property (rentals, flips, commercial, etc.) here in the West Michigan area, you’ve come to the right place.
Owning income-producing real estate can be a fun and rewarding experience. There’s nothing quite like having others build your wealth and pay off your debt for you…. or taking a disaster property and turning it into something beautiful for a future owner and the neighborhood. But despite what the seminar people tell you, it’s not for everyone.
I’ve owned and managed hundreds of properties. So you can imagine I learned some creative strategies and developed systems that worked.
Maybe you have things figured out. If you do, let me know what type of properties you are looking for by clicking here. I’ll plug you into my system, no strings attached. I’ll let you know about new properties immediately as they hit the market. I’ll also let you know about the off-market properties I work with.
But if you aren’t 100% confident in your plan… or where to start… I can help. I can either give you a quick skinny on the process and help you get you moving in the right direction. Or, if you’d like something a bit more in-depth, I provide real estate investment consulting services. I’ve consulted for investors all over the country and have helped some go from A—>Z (not knowing a thing about flipping a house… to flipping one) or other more experienced investors fine-tune part of their systems. If you’re interested in getting more information about my consulting services, fill out the form below.
If you’d like to know more about what sets me apart from other agents when buying a property, click here.
My firms have tens of millions of dollars in annual revenues, with one of them being nationally and internationally recognized twice by Inc. Magazine. My business has been people. Recognizing talents, strengths, weaknesses, and abilities, to create business and client success is my specialty. So much so, that my business, my employees, and my income depends on "getting that right". Darrell makes the top of my list. I recognize qualities in Darrell that I look for in my businesses and value in friends. He is rock solid. Darrell is quick in assessing opportunities and situations. He is wise, connected, smart, quick-witted, and quick to offer help and share experiences that aids in making business decisions. He is business-savvy in the real estate industry, and combined with his deep integrity, he quickly becomes a trusted resource. He steps up to the plate to get things done. Those traits and his large body of professional and industry experiences afford Darrell a great perspective and toolkit for handling situations, scenarios, and transactions of all sizes and urgency. I simply cannot say enough in my recommendation of Darrell.
Linda C.
I had never dabbled in real estate before and had decided to try my hand at a little real estate investment. I met with Darrell DeWard and was very impressed by his knowledge and the time and care he was willing to invest in me as a newbie. At the time, I decided to buy one of his properties in Grand Rapids that was already occupied by a lease to own buyer. However, within a few months, the resident came upon hard times and gave notice. Because I was so new at this, I turned to Darrell for help and he was always there to assist and actually helped me find another lease to own resident. About a year into that situation, I was preparing to move out of state and I realized I could not handle this real estate property from that great distance. In addition, I was facing some difficult personal issues at the time and once again turned to Darrell to see if he might help. His compassion for my situation was such that he agreed to buy back the property from me in order to help me out of this tough situation that was no fault of his own. As evidenced by my story, Darrell is a man of integrity and caring. I would highly recommend him to anyone wishing to get involved in real estate investment or coaching. He is a good man and his knowledge of real estate is phenomenal. But beyond that, his investment in people is what he prizes most and that is a rare find in our day. I know God will bless him for this and I believe that you will be blessed through him.
Sheila H.
Working with Darrell has been an absolute pleasure. I consider myself very lucky to have met and worked with him. I can say this confidently because he has helped me accomplish in a few months what I was unable to accomplish on my own in 4 years! Darrell is the real deal, and has an impeccable amount of character and integrity. Thank you Darrell for everything you have done for me.
Aman S.
Overall, investing in real estate has been my dream since I was 18 years old and Darrell has made that dream a reality.
Jeff M.
I must also add that Darrell has always been a pleasure to work with at all times and in all circumstances.
Larry R.
Mr. DeWard has displayed tremendous commitment and integrity. He is good-natured, friendly, enthusiastic, and full of energy.
Clay P.
I want to officially thank you for all of our business dealings over the years. In this time I have always had 100% faith in your word, and your actions have always coincided with this. I especially appreciate your enthusiasm and eagerness to do things the right way, not just right away. Your attention to detail and planning are just a few examples of why doing business with you is a pleasure.
Scott M.
It is also fairly obvious that Darrell has a passion for helping others and a drive to succeed. I believe him to be honest, hardworking, and someone you can do business with comfortably. I was pleased to work with Darrell and wish him much more success in the future.
Steve P.
I personally and professionally think very highly of Darrell and would confidently recommend his services. Professionally, he is very accomplished. I am confident that Darrell would place his client's welfare first. He does business fairly and with a high degree of integrity.
Robert P.
I have come to greatly respect not only his incredible expertise in the area of real estate but also his impeccable character. Darrell is a man of integrity. Couple that with a savvy business sense and you have a winning combination. Darrell has been there to answer questions and meet whatever my needs since the completion of my home buying transaction. I would not for one second hesitate to recommend him to anyone. You are in good hands... with Darrell, what you see is what you get and what you will get is a smart, honest deal.
Sheila H.
I was extremely nervous and uneducated about the process but your knowledge and expertise helped make the process from signing the purchase agreement through the closing very smooth. I look forward to working with you in the future!
Wes P.
I would certainly recommend Darrell to anyone who is looking for an honest real estate professional that they can trust with the purchase or sale of their home. He does what is right for the client and works quickly. He is competent and knowledgeable about real estate transactions and how to best structure them to help the client. I have also had the opportunity to get to know him personally. Character and integrity run all the way through his life- he doesn't change when he is in front of a client versus when he is at home with his family. He is consistent.
Reg L.
I have known Darrell for several years and have found him to be a very forthright and honest person. I am more than pleased with his work ethics- what he says and what he does IS what he says and what he does. Darrell is a people person... he has that quality and ability to bring a satisfactory conclusion to his many transactions.
Gerald H.
He looked at a property that was, in my opinion, a trainwreck; and saw a vision... and created a true win-win for everyone. Darrell is extremely detail-oriented, which is important to me. He handles himself professionally. He is someone that I can trust to follow through with details.
Jeff L.
You established credibility with me and everything happened exactly the way you said. In order for things to work, it required I put my complete trust and faith in you. My experience was more than positive. Every commitment was met, and beat all time-frames involved. You under-committed and over-delivered.
Jason L.
In today's business world, you have to be extra careful of whom you choose to ally yourself with. People for the most part are solely out for themselves and what they can attain not thinking that their outcome can duly affect people around them. Now, Darrell is a person I can truly call dependable, moral, ethical, hard-working, driven, honest, and one of the most important characteristics is he is a person of his word. He is an asset to me as well as others. In whatever capacity, Darrell gives it his ALL.
Robert B.
In the many closings I have conducted for Darrell, I have not had a time when the parties involved were unhappy with his performance. In fact, most of the time, there was another deal being put together during the closing. I have had nothing but good experiences with Darrell and would not hesitate to refer business to him.
Ken F.
I have become friends with Darrell after initially becoming business associates. I have found him to be of utmost character, very sincere, genuine and compassionate. Those are very rare traits in today’s business world. His knowledge and experience, with regards to real estate investing , is without question. He’s wise beyond his years and it’s that humble persona of his that really makes an impact with me. The man walks the talk which is another reason why I really enjoy his friendship. When I’m going through some difficulties, Darrell is there to lend an ear and offer some advice. He makes the time to hear me out regardless how busy his schedule is that’s pretty priceless in my book. I’ve found that anything Darrell says I can take him at his word knowing his word is gold and he stands behind what he says. He definitely stands apart from anyone else I’ve previously ever done any business with and that makes him pretty special to be able to call him a trusted friend, as well as a trusted business associate.
Glenn C.
I have known Darrell for many years as both a business associate and friend. He has exemplified nothing but the highest level of professionalism and integrity. It is crucial to surround yourself with honest and truthful business sources. I would recommend Darrell as one of those sources. Because of the dollar amounts involved, one bad decision can be disastrous to anyone. Having the proper influence to minimize the chances of this happening to you is vital! Darrell will look out for your interest and give you an honest opinion whatever the circumstances are.
James E.
Darrell helped us get a great deal on a house we recently bought! He took care of every detail and made us feel like we were his only clients. I could rely on him with every request, didn't have to ask twice. He has a vast network of contacts and he really understands the investment market in Grand Rapids. Darrell gave us an edge with his advice on how to structure our offer. We really enjoyed working with him!
Irina C.
I was referred to Darrell by a friend who purchases investment properties for rent and he had high praise for Darrell so I gave him a shot. I immediately noticed a difference between him and previous realtors. Given that I live out of state, I had to rely on Darrell to be my eyes and ears. He gained my trust by being very detailed in his assessment of the property that I eventually purchased. After he went to an open house for the property, he wrote a lengthy email which outlined his overall assessment, specific pros, items that would need to be fixed, and other considerations. He also took a lot of pictures of items that you wouldn't typically see on Zillow or RedFin. All of this along with a few conversations with Darrell had me feeling pretty good about making a strong offer on the property. Since he does investment real estate himself, he had some unique perspectives that you don't get with a regular realtor. After I closed on the property, Darrell was still attentive and made sure we had an addendum for the seller's agent to remove any remaining items in the house since that was one of the contingencies. It was a good thing we had this in place because the seller failed to move everything out prior to close. This saved me about $1,000 in cash that it would've taken to move everything. I would highly recommend Darrell as a realtor - especially if you're an investor.
David J.
Darrell has been a wealth of knowledge for us as he recently helped my husband and I with the purchase of our first rental property. He has also been great about continuing to help us after the sale. I would highly recommend his work!
Beth S.
Darrell is a true professional and is very knowledgeable about all aspects of the real estate market. I highly recommend him to represent anyone in the sale or purchase of a property.
Vallory B.
Best Realtor experience we have ever had!! He was helpful and efficient.
Deborah A.
Darrell did a great job. He was on top of everything, answered every question I had, and got us through it all pretty quick.
Chad C.
Great guy! Very knowledgeable and was quick to respond to all of our questions!
Bravot H.
Darrell is a very unique individual. His ability to see, when we seemed confused, is unmatched. He devotes himself to ensuring every topic is not just covered, but understood. I can tell Darrell loves what he does, by the passion he puts into it every day. He comes highly recommended from several different avenues! Enjoy your time with him, you'll end up missing a "friend" when your turn is up.
Josh F.
Darrell is amazingly knowledgeable when it comes to real estate. He is very thorough and always handles every deal with professionalism and commitment. Highly recommend him for any of your real estate needs.
Soraida C.
Darrell is exceptional. He is a fantastic resource with deep knowledge of the Grand Rapids real estate market. He provides fantastic customer support with proactive updates and prompt feedback and he gets exceptional results. Darrell helped us navigate the waters of an especially tricky investment property sale and was able to sell the property above list price in a matter of days. In short, if you use another realtor when looking to buy or sell investment property on the West side of MI, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Benjamin B.
When this process started I didn't know where we were going to land but you performed exceptionally well in the midst of some real challenges with the property and the sale. We are extremely appreciative of your time and effort and you certainly hit a home run.
Benjamin B.
Darrell and his team were a pleasure to work with. His well-executed plan for selling our commercial property went smoothly from start to finish, and we were able to sell the property for more than I had hoped. I would highly recommend Darrell to anyone looking to sell a property.
Greg H.
Darrell went above and beyond for us with the sale of our commercial property. We had 24 offers in one week that he had to wade through, looking out for our best interest every step of the way. He provided construction contacts and expertise that we didn't even know we needed. Darrell is professional, trustworthy and very easy to work with. Highly recommend!
Joni H.
Here are a few more reasons you’ll want my help.
I don’t typically charge anything extra for any of these services. It’s all part of the value-added customer service I provide each of my clients:
- I have unique ways of finding the right properties at a great price. I don’t just say that. I’ve done that myself- countless times in the past… on my own flips.
- I am a great negotiator. I’ve had to deliver the gut-punching low-ball offer… and get it accepted.
- I can help you monitor and provide feedback on your property’s progress. I can stop by the property, give you my thoughts on how things are going, answer any questions or give opinions on what I would do, help give ideas on mitigating issues with contractors, etc.
- I can provide quick responses on ideas or problems with your property. Maybe you don’t know what to do with something you didn’t expect. I have ways that I can help you and often provide you an answer within minutes!
- I have construction experience. Because we managed so many remodel jobs over the years, I’ve learned a fair amount about construction. I know simple and economical ways of doing things. I can usually quickly assess how big of a deal a repair or update is… and give you a ballpark figure to plan on. And…
- I have connections and discounts with area contractors and vendors. You name it, I know the person to go to. From electricians to carpet installers. These folks will save you time, headache, and money. And…
- I know what repairs/updates bring ROI, and what don’t. The experience I have flipping houses have taught me a lot of what works, and a little bit what doesn’t, when it comes to what repairs and updates provide x% ROI. Save the wonder and headache and rely on my experience.
- I’ve also learned the value of time… and how down-time can be a killer. I’ve streamlined the entire construction process so you don’t buy a property and wonder what to do first… or next. Time is everything. If you are considering buying a property, I’ll help you develop the plan so that you hit the ground running. If you have a property that you’re having a hard time renting, I provide creative methods and solutions to getting that unit rented.
- I understand the importance of every $ when investing in property… and we keep that money in your pocket where it belongs. I not only get top dollar for my sellers, I save them thousands of dollars through the negotiation process and connecting them to the right people who provide the best service and at a good price.
- You leverage not just me…. but my whole team. You get my entire team when you hire me as your agent. We are constantly scouring my relationships for deals for my clients, implementing my marketing plans for each property, providing good communication and follow through on the entire transaction to keep the process and communication smooth. We also a professional decorator and stager that can help provide design advice and also help with decorating and/or staging your flip.
When you find a property to buy, it’s step 4 in a very adventurous and rewarding process. But… it doesn’t end there!
I treat all my investor clients very special. I know very well how important that bottom line is when you flip a home. When you go to sell your flip that I helped you buy, I’ll give you a big discount.
If you’d like to know more about what sets me apart from other agents when selling a property, click here.
Take the next step in your quest to invest in real estate.. and complete this form.