If you have been renting because buying a home feels expensive, complicated or just a little out of reach, 742 W Kilgore Road #108 may be worth a closer look.
Priced at $109,914, this ground-level Kensington Place condo offers 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and 833 square feet in one of the most convenient locations in the Kalamazoo-Portage area.
You get your own home, your own garage, your own washer and dryer, a private patio and the opportunity to build equity—without taking on the yard work, snow removal and exterior maintenance that come with owning a traditional house.
And the location? If you know Kalamazoo, you already know how easy it is to get almost anywhere from Kilgore and Westnedge.
Comfortable, Simple One-Level Living
Main floor living at 742 W Kilgore #108
Everything you need is on one floor.
The condo has an open living and dining area, two bedrooms, central air and a refreshed bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The washer and dryer are right inside the condo and are included with the sale, along with the refrigerator, range, microwave and dishwasher.
Being on the ground level also gives this particular condo an advantage that many units don't have. The sliding door opens to your own patio with direct access from the parking area.
Bring home groceries, park nearby and walk right into your condo. You don't have to come through the main building entrance and carry everything down a hallway.
That is a small detail that can make everyday life a lot easier.
A Garage—and Room for the Stuff That Comes With Life
A private one-car garage is included, which is a wonderful thing to have when winter arrives in Southwest Michigan.
But there is something else we especially like about this garage.
There is a large storage area behind the car.
The private, extra long garage that comes with 742 W Kilgore Road #108 in Kalamazoo MI
Condo living works much better when there is someplace for the things you don't want filling your closets—bikes, golf clubs, tools, Christmas decorations, totes, outdoor equipment and all the other things most of us accumulate.
There is also plenty of additional parking around the condominium buildings, making it easy when friends or family visit.
Own Your Home Without Owning Every Maintenance Job
One of the reasons condos appeal to so many different buyers is that they offer a middle ground between renting an apartment and maintaining a traditional house.
At Kensington Place, the association takes care of the grounds and snow removal. The current monthly association fee also includes water, sewer and trash.
Residents have access to the outdoor swimming pool, clubhouse and fitness area as well.
The gorgeous pool, patio and Clubhouse that you have the right to use when you own 742 W Kilgore #108 Kalamazoo MI
The fitness room that is about 100 steps away at 742 W Kilgore #108 Kalamazoo MI
Shopping Within About a Mile
You can handle a lot of errands without going very far at all.
Nearby stores include:
ALDI — about 0.1–0.2 mile
HomeGoods — about 0.1 mile
Lowe's Home Improvement — about 0.2 mile
Pacific Rim Foods — about 0.3 mile
Meijer — about 0.4 mile
Discount Furniture & Mattress — about 0.2 mile
Metro by T-Mobile — about 0.2 mile
The Westnedge retail corridor also puts pharmacies, banking, services and additional shopping within just a few minutes.
And there certainly isn't a shortage of places to eat.
Subway, Pizza Hut, The Tangy Crab, The Root Beer Stand and Los Amigos are just a few of the choices close to home, with dozens more restaurants running north and south along Westnedge.
If you suddenly realize you need milk, something for dinner, a new shower curtain or a tool for a weekend project, you are not making a trip across town.
How Close Is It to the Places You May Go Every Day?
This is where the Kilgore Road location really begins to make sense.
Approximate distances from the condo include:
DestinationApproximate DistanceHackett Catholic Prep0.2 mileMetro bus stop at Kilgore & Westnedgeabout 0.3 mileKalamazoo Country Clubabout 1.5 milesStryker World Headquartersabout 3.5 milesBronson Methodist Hospitalabout 3.5 milesKalamazoo Collegeabout 4 milesPfizer's Portage campusabout 4–4.5 milesWestern Michigan Universityabout 4.5 milesBeacon Kalamazoo — formerly Borgess Hospitalabout 5.3 miles
If you work at Stryker, Pfizer, Bronson or Beacon/Borgess, or attend or work at WMU or Kalamazoo College, this is a pretty easy place to call home.
Hackett Catholic Prep is practically around the corner, Kalamazoo Country Club is nearby, and Metro bus service is available at the Kilgore/Westnedge intersection.
You are also positioned between Kalamazoo and Portage rather than having to choose one or the other for most of your daily errands.
Could Owning This Condo Make More Sense Than Renting?
That is the question we would encourage a potential buyer to explore.
Not because buying is always better than renting. It isn't.
But sometimes people continue renting simply because they assume they couldn't buy.
At this price point, it is worth finding out.
A rent payment provides you with a place to live for another month. A mortgage payment can also help you build ownership in something of your own over time.
That doesn't mean buying has no additional costs. You need to understand the mortgage payment, association fee, taxes, insurance and the costs that come with homeownership.
The important thing is to compare the real numbers instead of assuming.
That's Where the Veenstra Team Can Help
Jason Veenstra, Cindi Veenstra and David Veenstra - Veenstra Team Leaders
We are the Veenstra Team with eXp Realty, and helping people make wise real estate decisions throughout Greater Kalamazoo is at the heart of what we do.
That means our job isn't simply to unlock the door and point out the kitchen.
We want you to understand what you are buying.
With a condo, that includes helping you look at the home itself, the association, the monthly costs, financing, resale considerations and how the property fits the way you actually want to live.
We have spent decades helping buyers and sellers navigate real estate in this community, and we believe people make better decisions when they have good information, understand their options and have someone available to answer the questions that naturally come up along the way.
Sometimes the right answer is, “Yes, this makes sense.”
Sometimes it isn't.
Our goal is to help you figure that out.
So How Do I See If This Might Be an Option for Me?
There are really two easy first steps, and you can take them in either order.
1. Talk With the Veenstra Team
If you want to see the condo, ask questions about Kensington Place, understand the association or simply talk through whether owning a condo might make sense for you, start with us.
Veenstra Team | eXp Realty
269-350-5514
sold@veenstrateam.com
MyKalamazooRealEstate.com
You don't have to know all the right questions before you call. That's part of what we're here for.
2. Find Out What the Financing Would Actually Look Like
If the biggest question in your mind is:
“Could I qualify to buy something like this?”
Finding out is a great first step.
We work closely with Jeremy Drobeck at Treadstone Funding, and Jeremy has helped a lot of Southwest Michigan buyers understand the mortgage options available to them—including buyers who weren't sure homeownership was possible yet.
A conversation with Jeremy can help you understand what you may qualify for, what your approximate payment could look like and how much money you would need to purchase.
Jeremy Drobeck
Treadstone Funding
269-360-7109
JeremyD@treadstonemortgage.com
There is no reason to guess whether homeownership might work for you when you can find out.
And if the numbers work?
Then let's go take a look at 742 W Kilgore Road #108.
