Mears
Explore this community
Median $240K·Walkability 1.7/10·Schools 6.3/10
Driving through this stretch of western Michigan, the landscape shifts from gentle inland woods to something altogether sandier—literally. The dunes materialize around you, massive and quietly dramatic, drawing a million visitors annually to experience what amounts to the continent's only true sand-desert east of the Mississippi, all within arm's reach of Lake Michigan. Year-round locals live alongside a seasonal tide of tourists chasing dune buggies, drag racing, and seven-mile rides through two thousand acres of quartz-soft sand that glaciers left behind; the permanent community swells with summer energy and contracts to something quieter come fall. Properties here lean toward investment cottages and multi-bedroom rentals—oversized lots, detached garages for storing toys, guest houses—built for people who mean to either escape here repeatedly or let others do the escaping. The lighthouse at Little Sable Point stands in the distance; the annual Apple & BBQ festival anchors the calendar; the sand drag racing facility has been going since 1983. It's a place where you're never more than a few miles from water or dunes, and the whole economy runs on that fact.
Why people love it here
Hart High School
- High — 2.7 mi away
- Hart
- 3 rated schools in district
Park-rich area
- 5 parks within 1 mile
- Johnson Square Park: 5 min walk
- Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail: 18 min drive
$240K median
- 4 sales in last 12mo
Notable nearby
Conventional Mortgage Calculator
Median home price in Mears
Estimated Monthly Payment
$1,632/mo
Property tax and insurance are estimates you can edit — not a quote. Tap either figure to enter your own.
The interest rate shown is not an annual percentage rate (APR). Rate displayed is the current average 30-year fixed rate from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey and is subject to change without notice. Your actual rate, payment, and costs may vary. Contact a loan officer for a personalized quote.
Guild Mortgage NMLS #3274. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS Consumer Access. Not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to underwriter approval; terms and conditions may apply. Subject to change without notice. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for full eligibility requirements on tax deduction.
4 homes sold in Mears this year. Thinking of selling?
See what your home is worthBased on 3 rated schools nearby
Range: 5/10 to 8/10
School District: Hart Public School District
Walkability
Car-dependent
Overall walkability score out of 10
Based on actual walk/bike/drive times to nearby amenities via Mapbox
Hansen Foods
Subway
Johnson Square Park
Unnamed playground
Wyckoff Lake
Unnamed beach
Hart Public Library
Crime in Mears is reported at the city level, not the neighborhood level. The FBI doesn't publish reliable crime rates for individual neighborhoods, and within any community crime varies street to street. For an accurate, comparable picture, see the jurisdiction-wide figures for Oceana County.
Oceana County crime & safety stats →To buy a median-priced Mears home (around $240,450) at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, you'd need roughly $43k/year in household income to qualify — an estimated monthly payment of $1,621 (principal, interest, property tax est., and insurance).
| Down payment | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | $1,621/mo | $43,223 |
| 10% (+PMI) | $1,866/mo | $49,748 |
| 5% (+PMI) | $1,948/mo | $51,942 |
Estimates use a 6.66% 30-year fixed rate (current Freddie Mac average), an aggressive ~45% housing-to-income ratio (roughly what FHA underwriting can allow for a buyer with no other monthly debts — your number depends on your debts and credit), this area's median sale price, plus estimated insurance and PMI below 20% down. Not a commitment to lend, and not an APR — your actual rate and payment will vary.
Solar potential
~$930/yr in electricity from a typical rooftop solar system
Produces ~6,505 kWh/yr · offsets ~62% of a typical home's use
Utility, solar, and service details for Mears are compiled from public records, municipal sites, and NREL / U.S. data.gov, and can change. Electric/gas can vary by address — confirm with the provider before relying on them.
🍕 Restaurants(5)
Fast Food
Restaurant
Pizza Factory
Restaurant
Frickin Chicken Shack
Restaurant
☕ Coffee(1)
Golden Bakery Donut Shop
Café
🏫 Schools(7)
Round Lake School
Garver School
Wilson School
Oceana Intermediate School
Crystal School
+2 more within 5 miles
🌳 Parks(5)
+2 more within 5 miles
🚴 Trails(7)
Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail
Bike Path
Bike Path
Bike Path
Unnamed bike_path
Bike Path
+4 more within 5 miles
📚 Libraries(1)
Hart Public Library
Atlas — Grand Rapids Real Estate
Local real estate specialists
Questions about Mears? Our team can help with availability, schools, and what it's really like to live here.
Frequently asked about Mears
- What do homes cost in Mears?
- The median home value in Mears is about $240,450. Individual prices vary by street, size, and condition.
- How active is the Mears housing market?
- no homes are listed in Mears right now, and 4 homes sold here in the last 12 months. Listings refresh throughout the day from the MichRIC MLS.
- What schools serve Mears?
- Mears is served by Hart Public School District. Its highest-rated assigned school is Hart High School (8/10).
- Is Mears walkable?
- Mears scores 1.7/10 for walkability — a measure of walking, biking, and driving access to groceries, dining, parks, schools, and transit.
Top contributors in Mears
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