Central Michigan's Saginaw is known for producing NBA player Draymond Green and Stevie Wonder, it’s also home to residents who take pride in their grit and resilience. “Sure, some people describe our city positively as ‘Saginawesome,’ but others use ‘Sagnasty,’ which might sound negative. I’d argue it reflects a sense of pride because we’re a hardworking city with a lot of grit and toughness,” says Greg LaMarr, communications and marketing director for Saginaw Future Inc.
Once a car manufacturing powerhouse with companies like General Motors, Saginaw is emerging as a major healthcare hub. The city boasts several medical campuses, including Covenant Medical Center, MyMichigan Medical Center, Ascension St. Mary’s Towne Center ER, and Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine.
Cathedral District is full of architectural history and modern amenities.
The Saginaw sign can be seen in Frank N. Anderson Celebration Park in Cathedral District.
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Saginaw community is divided into townships
The city's 43,000 residents are divided among 27 townships that include historic districts such as Heritage Square, established in 1975, and Cathedral District, established in 1979. Century-old Victorians can be found in Heritage Square, while mid-century ranch-style homes line the streets towards the city limits. The median home price ranges from $100,000 to $200,000, with bungalows being the predominant housing styles and is significantly lower than the national median of $420,000.
Adams Boulevard offers a variety of housing styles including Dutch Colonials.
Cozy Cape Cods and ranch homes are common in Buena Vista.
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Riverfront park at Saginaw River is under construction
Saginaw County Parks feature over 900 acres of land, including 21 miles of hiking trails, five fishing access sites, and picnic shelters. Within the city, there are 24 parks to choose from, with most of the space being occupied near downtown. A new 5.5-acre site along the Saginaw River is being constructed as a new waterfront destination and community park.
Butman-Fish residents venture down to Riverfront Saginaw as it stretches by the Saginaw River.
Meet up with friends at Rust Park in Saginaw near Adams Boulevard.
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Fashion Square Mall, downtown Saginaw, acts as retail, restaurant hub
While Saginaw lacks multiple retail districts, Fashion Square Mall is located just off Interstate 675, offering options from department stores like Macy’s to street fashion brands such as Hot Topic and Aeropostale.
“It’s my long-standing wish for someone to invest more in Fashion Square Mall. On the flip side, we have plenty of bars and restaurants downtown,” says Linda Sarmiento, a Realtor with the Sarmiento Dream Team at Berkshire Hathaway. Downtown Saginaw is home to dive bars, cocktail lounges, and diverse ethnic restaurants. Local hotspots include Pasong’s Cafe, Jake’s Old City Grill, Retro Rocks, and Fralia’s.
Explore unique and interesting finds at Freeland Antique Mall.
Cathedral District's shopping area is full of historic appeal.
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See art museums, tea ceremonies and whacky sports
Arts and culture is centralized in downtown Saginaw. The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History explores the region’s history and is housed in a French Revival-style building from1898. The Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, Temple Theatre, and Dow Event Center, which promote different art forms, are also here. The Japanese Cultural Center offers a 500-year-old tea ceremony as part of its community service to the city. The Saginaw Outhouse Races at Hoyt Park have featured teams racing outhouses designed to slide across surfaces for a decade. It’s a tongue-in-cheek competition that has captured the attention of video producers tied to ESPN.
Adams Boulevard kids love to visit the Mid-Michigan Children's Museum for interactive exhibits.
Stop by the Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens, just a few minutes walk from Adams Boulevard.
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Million-dollar investment into public school system
Saginaw Public Schools is the city’s central school district, serving nearly 5,800 prekindergarten through Grade 12 students, with an overall grade of C on Niche. The district oversees 17 schools, including Saginaw High School and Arthur Hill High School, once historic rivals merged to form Saginaw United High School in late 2024. The new school’s $99.5 million facility is in downtown Saginaw. Saginaw Valley State University, a four-year institution, and Delta College, a community college, are located in University Center, an unincorporated community 10 miles north of the city limits.
Butman-Fish children are offered a great education at Herig Elementary School.
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Thousands use Saginaw public transportation system
More than 3,300 people ride the S.T.A.R.S., Saginaw’s public transportation system, by bus daily, providing about a million rides annually. However, the city remains car-dependent, with locals able to access interstates such as Interstate 75, which connects directly to Detroit. I-675, a 7-mile loop, takes residents through downtown Saginaw and north toward several townships. MBS International Airport, located 15 miles north of the city, is served by two major airlines—Delta and United—with daily nonstop flights to cities such as Chicago and Detroit.
Crime and environmental concerns
According to the Saginaw Police Department, violent crime in Saginaw decreased in 2024 compared to 2023. School closures often occur due to subzero temperatures or heavy snowfall. “There’s nothing out of the ordinary, but we did have the dam failure five years ago, which was a rarity,” says Sarmiento. While the Edenville Dam failure in 2020 caused record flooding in Saginaw County, the city does not face frequent flood risks.
#1 REAL ESTATE TEAM IN WEST MICHIGAN (RealTrends/Wall Street Journal 2018- Present)
#1 BHHS REAL ESTATE TEAM IN MICHIGAN
#2 BHHS REAL ESTATE MEDIUM TEAMS WORLDWIDE 2023
Born & raised in Forest Hills, my passion for Grand Rapids started long before I began my career in Real Estate. I am deeply involved in our local community & love meeting new people on a daily basis! I am extremely tech savvy and consistently change my marketing strategy to stay ahead of the ever-changing real estate market & also the competition. I have 2 business degrees from Western Michigan University (Go Broncos!), one in Finance with an emphasis in Real Estate, and the other in Computer Information Systems. As any successful Realtor, I have current market knowledge and excellent negotiating skills. I'm a full service Realtor and my goal is to exceed your expectations & serve all of my clients to a level that they want to refer me to all of their friends and family. Additionally, I've been a member of the Forbes Real Estate Council, Entreprenuers Organization (EO) in Michigan, and BHHS National Rethink council
Kara, my wife, partnered with me in 2010 to really start growing the Brace Homes brand & team. She has lived in Grand Rapids since 2002, attended GVSU (Go Lakers!) and graduated with a B.S. in Economics & Business. We're consistently a Top team locally and rank in the Top 20 nationally for ALL Berkshire Hathaway Realtors. As a team, we always have someone available to help with your real estate needs and we've helped over 3100 West Michigan families move! In our free time, we enjoy skiing, traveling & spending time with our Daughter Landry & our Golden-Doodle, Gracie.
CREDENTIALS Accredited Buyer representative - ABR Certified Residential Specialist - CRS Internet Certified by National Association of Realtors - e-pro Senior Real Estate Specialist - SRES At Home With Diversity Certified Specialist - AHWD Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource - SFR Graduate Realtor Institute - GRI BHHS Luxury Collection Specialist BHHS Relocation Specialist
Graduate of Western Michigan University BBA in Finance emphasis in Real Estate and a BBA in Computer Information Systems Graduate of Holloways Real Estate Institute Eagle Scout
AWARDS Top 1% of all Grand Rapid's Realtors 2011- Present #1 Real Estate Team in Grand Rapids For Volume (WSJ-RealTrends 2017-Present) Berkshire Hathaway Chairman's Circle in 2011-Present Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Top 100 Worldwide 2012, 2013, 2014 (27th), 2015 (19th), 2016 (17th), 2017 (23rd), 2018 (17th), 2019 (13th), 2020 (4th), 2021 (2nd), 2022 (4th) #1 Berkshire Hathaway Agent in Michigan 2014-Present #1 Real Estate Team in Grand Rapids For Units & Volume (WSJ-RealTrends 2017-2022) #1 Real Estate Team in Grand Rapids for Volume (WSJ-RealTrends 2018-Present) #1Real Estate Team in Grand Rapids For Units (WSJ-RealTrends 2021) #1 Real Estate Team in ALL of West Michigan For Volume (WSJ-RealTrends 2021-Present) Grand Rapids Association of Realtors - Most Professional/Congenial Award 2017 Grand Rapids Association of Realtors - Most Unusual Property Sold Award 2017
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