Saint Joseph, MI Real Estate, Homes For Sale, School & Area Information

St. Joseph is carefully nestled on the southern tip of what has been termed "The Riviera of the Midwest." This deepwater port town is a growing resort community - part of a "small town" chain stretching from the state line in a spectacular arc along Lake Michigan. The lakeshore is peppered with remarkable sand dune formations and lined further inland with a lush countryside that produces some of the nation's finest orchards and vineyards. It is the largest non-citrus fruit growing region in the nation.

St. Joseph is located in Southwest Michigan. This town sits on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. This resort area is a favorite with both locals and vacationers. Silver beach, 1,600 feet of sandy beach shoreline, the historic St. Joe Lighthouse and the Silver Beach Carousel are attractions in the area.

The locals refer to the area as "St. Joe". If you like museums, St. Joe has several for both the young and old. This tourist resort has it all. Great shopping, restaurants and parks. The homes in St. Joe range from $100,000 in small neighborhoods to over 5 million on Lake Michigan waterfront. Two of the largest companies in Berrien County are located in this area, Whirlpool and Lakeland Medical Center.

The Southwest Michigan Mini Maker Faire is a family, friendly event that allows individuals of all ages and backgrounds to come together and share their creativity with their friends and their communities. Maker Faire's are popping up all over the US. This unique event draws everyone from crafter's, woodworking, robotics, backyard tinkerers, scientists and anyone who wishes to participate. St Joseph Whirlpool Centennial Park hosts the Faire. This great video shows the fun that everyone had last year.

In addition to real estate, I have a passion for education and the arts. Maybe that is why I'm drawn time and time again to the plays and musicals produced by a local theater group, The Twin City Players. It's a non-profit organization run mostly by volunteers. he Twin City Players is one of the oldest, operating community theaters in the state of Michigan. They draw their talent from local community members and from the local schools. School age children are welcomed to expand their horizons and develop their talents. While providing family entertainment and keeping the arts alive, the theater offers an opportunity to community members to showcase their theatrical abilities. Whether it be acting, dancing or singing, performances are well orchestrated producing an enjoyable and relaxing, often times comical, afternoon or evening of entertainment. Tickets are reasonable. If you are drawn to community involvement, I'm sure they could use your talents as well. Check them out!

I found a video the other day that I thought captured St Joseph in a wonderful way. This amateur video maker did a great job showing what St Joseph and Southwest Michigan has to offer. Our Lake Michigan sunsets await. We cannot wait to see you!

I'm not a much of a golfer myself. I have found that it is a sport that is much harder to do than it appears, but have friends and family who are very good and love to play. I think of the guy in the video below when I hear from loved ones that say they can't wait for the weather to change so that they go and play around.

Saint Joseph is becoming a golfer's dream destination, the newest addition being the Jack Nicklaus signature designed course. Add May 24-29, 2016 to your calendar and come to the Senior PGA Championship which is being held here. This event is presented by Kitchenaid who is part of the Whirlpool Corporation, one of the area's largest employer. Whirlpool is very active in the community and sponsors many local events, including the 70.3 Ironman in August.

Saint Joseph is well known for beautiful Silver Beach, a favorite vacation stop for many in the summer. But you may not know that we have days where the lake has waves perfect for surfing!
Now we are becoming a place people enjoy paddle boarding.

While I was running around my new neighborhood - I just moved into my new house - I came across Kedzie Kids Park. Kedzie Kids Park is located on Kedzie Street in St. Joseph. This park is a small neighborhood park. There is swing set, tunnel slide, old fashion slide, benches and picnic table. The park also has a bicycle rack to hold kids bikes.

Lakeland Medical Center is one of the largest employers in Berrien County. It is located on Napier Avenue and employs over 3,800 professionals. They are a not-for-profit community hospital in St. Joseph.

There are two other hospitals in this health care system: Lakeland Hospital in Niles and Lakeland Hospital in Watervliet. The hospital system also has rehabilitation centers, two long-term care residences, home care and hospice services, a regional cancer center, an outpatient surgery center and over 30 doctor office locations in the area. They have served the area since the 1800's.

John and Dede Howard Ice Rink Arena is located off Walla Drive next to Whittlesey Park. This family-oriented ice rink was made possible by the Howard Family. The rink has a partially enclosed roof, an NHL sized, 200' x 85' ice rink. There is a concession stand, warming shelter and for the guys a Zamboni. You can rent skates and the building for private use. This arena has open skating, hockey team playing and a year round recreation program. This rink is a great addition to St. Joseph and much appreciated by the community.

Tiscornia Beach Park is located in St. Joseph on the north side of the St. Joseph River. It's a little bit hard to get to, you have to go through the residential district north of the St. Joseph River. There is a nice beach with direct access to the North Pier and St. Joseph historic lighthouse. This beach does not have a life guard, so it's a swim-at-your-own-risk beach.

There are public restrooms near the entrance of the beach and a picnic shelter with tables off the beach near the south side of the parking lot. There is no playground at this park. The Coast Guard Station and West Basin Marina are just down the street.

While walking on the bluff in St. Joseph, I came across two unique historical markers. The first marker told about the first fort built in the area. Fort Miami was built in 1679 by a French explorer named Rene Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle. At the time, the St. Joseph River was called Miami River. The fort sat at the mouth of the Miami River, where the City of St. Joseph now sits. It originally was built to be used for a mission and trading post. This historical marker is part of the City of St. Joseph's permanent collection of Touch Tone Art & Culture.

The second marker I came across was dedicated to La Salle. In 1902, the Algonquin Chapter of The Daughters of American Revolution had a glacial boulder from the St. Joseph River moved to the park in the City of St. Joseph to dedicate the landing of La Salle and the building of Fort Miami. This historical site is also part of the City of St. Joseph Touch Tone Art & Culture collection.

State Street in St. Joseph has a variety of shops. There is a toy store named The Toy Company. I visit this store a lot when I need a gift for my niece or nephew. There is a unique bakery that caters to your four legged friends named Fuzzy Butz. State Street has the G & M Variety (an old time five & dime), and Schaller Gallery which is a great place to find one of a kind handmade pottery and other handmade artistic pieces.

In the summer you will find lines of tourists and locals at both Kilwin's Sweet Shop and Yo-Bubbs Frozen Yogurt. Third Coast Surf Shop has a store on State Street that has a full line of surf gear, clothing and accessories. The White Pine Winery showcases Southwest Michigan's wines and also has a tasting room. This street has lots of other shops that help make State Street in St. Joseph a great place to visit and shop.

Lions Beach Family Park is located at the south end of Lions Park Drive in St. Joseph. This is a quiet family beach park. Generations of area residents have been coming to this park for years to enjoy a great day at the beach. When you look around you can easily see why everyone keeps coming back. This beach is strictly "swim at your own risk". There is no life guard. This does not seem to matter to most people. Lions Beach Family Park has a picnic area with tables and grills. There are restrooms, volleyball and shelters. They have a great playground. There is a small parking lot that runs along the beach.

This beach is an ongoing project of St. Joseph Lion's Club. I saw a sign that said "If you enjoy the park, thank a Lion." I am told that the club cleans, paints and upgrades the park every spring. If you have time in the evening, this is a nice place to watch the sun set. It also has a view of the St. Joseph lighthouse and piers.

My husband Chris and I go to Silver Beach Pizza all the time. We love both the pizza and the view. This restaurant opened about 10 years ago shares a building with the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Amtrak Station. There is a waiting room with a self service kiosk to buy tickets. Amtrak has two trains a day. One leaves for Chicago at about 9:30 am and returns at about 8:10 pm.

Silver Beach Pizza has outdoor dining and a great menu that includes appetizers, salads, pizza, calzones, sandwiches, Kids Menu, full bar and "take-n-bake" pizzas to cook at home and as welll as a full take out menu. The take and bake is great in the winter. This restaurant is about 200 yards from Silver Beach Center. We enjoy the this place in the off-season because parking is difficult in the summer.

Today we decided to have lunch and watch the kids play in the Whirlpool Compass Fountain. The fountain was opened about 6 years ago. The fountain has a 200 foot diameter and is powered by 28 water jets and 8 water cannons that spray water 35 feet into the air and a 150 foot splash pad. The water cannons normally run every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour but they did not go off today while we were there.

Today I decided to take a walk along the water in St Joseph and just enjoy what the area has to offer. I have walked this trail so many times for exercise, but I had never taken the time to really look at what was there. I decided to add the Howard Family Recreational Trail to my website so I took pictures of everything I could find.

I have walked by the Charles Parks "Sand Castle Sculpture" hundreds of times and never took the time to really look at it. It is a bronze sculpture with two kids and a parent building sandcastles. The caption reads "What dreams are made of". There is a Touch Tone Plaque that states it was donated in 1989. As I walked along the trail I took pictures of several sculptures. I was told by a fellow walker that most of the sculptures were donated by the Krasl Art Center.

The trail offers a great view of the Truss (Swing Bridge). The bridge is mostly left open to allow boats to go through and closed when trains need to pass. It is worth figuring out the timetable of the swing just to be able to experience the structure in action.

The trail is about 1.8 miles long and follows both the St Joseph River and Lake Michigan. I hope to see you exploring this wonderful trail!

Silver Beach Center is one of the newest, year-round entertainment venues in Southwestern Michigan. It is a great addition to the charm of Saint Joseph. I love strolling around the center which has the Silver Beach Carousel house, Silver Beach Amusement Park Museum, and Shadowland on Silver Beach. Curious Kids' Discovery Zone by Curious Kids' Museum is located above the bluff. My niece and nephew love to go there when they come visit . Then across the way is inactive Whirlpool Compass, Silver Beach, and pier to the historic lighthouse. This is a great community to live in and enjoy. I love it here!

Riverview Park is a multipurpose park with trails and picnic areas which includes a covered picnic section, various playing fields, playgrounds, and parking to enjoy the sunshine or sit and watch the lazy river. Families, pets, and bikes are all welcome here. This park is located close the expressway (94) and local eateries Panera, Moes, Mr. Goodies, and Joe's Diner.

Summer is nearly in sight and I cannot wait to spend some time at the beaches in Southwest Michigan! Jean Klock Beach in Benton Harbor happens to be my favorite of the area as it tends to be a lot less busy with a lot less children (as I don't have any...yet). You can always count on catching some uninterrupted rays at Jean Klock.

If you are looking for busy family fun, you will have to check out Silver Beach in Saint Joseph. An added bonus for the folks with families are the bathrooms, concessions, as well as the Whirlpool Compass Fountain.

Have a dog? None of the beaches in the area really 'allow' dogs. But you can be safe in taking your dog to Lions Park Beach in Saint Joseph--just down from Silver Beach or Jean Klock Beach which seems to be a bit liberal on the dog rule as well! Volleyball on Silver Beach is always a happening adult activity and can be for the novice or advanced player!

See you all at the beach this summer!

A lot of my clients tend to be in the market to remodel vs. in the market to purchase a new home, and with that comes the question, "who do you recommend as a contractor?"

There are several area contractors that I would recommend depending on your wants and needs. Today I would like to highlight Jake Estkowski with Estkowski Contruction. Jake has a phenomenal team of subcontractors that have worked with him for decades, locking in a culture of detail and skill. His quotes/estimates are line by line which allows enormous flexibility in budgeting and or scaling back if needed.

Jake worked on my home and I can not say enough about how the project turned out. He works with a company "Homecrest" kitchen cabinets which he provides great savings in the most expensive part of a remodel project: THE KITCHEN! Our project was a full gut project, which I would say had its headaches as you can imagine but if Jake was not at the helm, it could have been a lot worse! He is not only managing the site but also provides much needed guidance for first time remodelers.

His resume includes many influential people in the area including the Mayor Daley family from Chicago. I am sure you will not find an unhappy client in his long list of clients.

If you would like some additional information about Jake or some guidance about remodel projects, please do not hesitate to send me a note.