What Is it Like to Work with a Denver Buyers Agent



April 20, 2012Two years ago, I worked with a Denver Buyer's Agent who was a member of both the Colorado and the National Associations of buyer's agents.  Since it is now the beginning of "home buying season" (many home sellers put their home on the market in the beginning of the summer), I wanted to recap the highlights of what working with a buyer's agent  was like when we purchased our home in the Denver/...

Stay On Track During Home Walk Throughs With Buyers Agent



April 18, 2012Stay informed and don't rely on your emotions. Buying a home is an emotional experience, and you want to LOVE the home you purchase.  But, it’s also an enormous investment and making an emotional decision can be disastrous, or at the very least, a waste of money.   Shopping is naturally an emotional experience, and working with a buyer's agent can protect you from making a bad decision...

Why Work with a Buyers Agent (Besides Saving Money)?



April 16, 2012This morning I was going to write another blog about the ways our buyer’s agent saved us money- preventing us from making bad deals, helping us find good ones, pointing out significant structural damage or repairs before we got to the inspection phase (or worse, ownership phase), and using his experience to recommend special inspections that were unusual but helpful in our area (sewer line...

Pitfalls of Making a Low Offer on a House



April 13, 2012Your Buyers Agent Can Help You Get the Best Deal While Avoiding Pitfalls of a Low Ball Offer We have been talking alot about negotiations, seller patterns and what to expect during negotiations.  A common misconception is that during a down economy, sellers will accept really low offers.  With the help of your buyer's agent, you can make the lowest reasonable offer, get a great deal on your...

Colorado Buyers Agent vs Zillow & Trulia (Part Two)



April 11, 2012Here are the 2 most important steps in buying a home where these great websites fall short...very short. 1.  Choosing an agent: You found a house you like on Zillow or Trulia, and now you want to see it.  Luckily these websites provide you with the contact information agents that work in the area.  But here are some (scary) things you should know before you make that call: * Calling an...

A Close Look at Zillow & Trulia



April 9, 2012Zillow and Trulia can be fun free resources beginning your home search...its easy and exciting to begin your search from the comfort of your own home, without making a commitment to an agent or brokerage, and just seeing “whats out there”.  Filled with pictures of homes, different search options and other tools, it is easy to spend hours on these websites. How are Zillow and Trulia Useful?...

Assessed Value: How Accurate Is It?



April 5, 2012Every odd year in Colorado, an assessor for the state assesses the value of homes to determine taxes due on your home.*  Last year, our assessed value was about $5,000 less than the amount we paid for our house earlier that year.  Not a fun little bit of information to get in the mail!  Does this mean that our home had lost value over the last year, or, possibly, that the assessed value is a...