It Is Personal, It’s Real Estate.



September 1, 2010There are many cases that the “personal” gets in the way of the “business,” when it comes to real estate; if the two are ever separate to begin with. For the seller, there are many reasons selling their home will be personal, and this can and often does effect the transaction.  Seller’s personal life can impact have a negative or a positive impact on the home buyer. Here are some...

How is “The Market?”



August 31, 2010I have been reading a lot of conflicting news about the housing market.  Some experts are hopeful, others are not.  Can we still draw some useful conclusions?  What conclusions, about the home market can we draw from the experts? 1) The status of the home market is… local. It could be sunny and seventy  in Denver while it is the storm of the century in the mountains.  (Though,...

Local Knowledge May Help You Find Your Dream Home



August 27, 2010Yesterday I was going for a stroll, when I met another one of my neighbors.  We had the typical new neighbor conversation; covering names, family members, abridged employment history and date moved to the neighborhood.   She has been here about 25 years.  I’ve been here about 2 months.  I told her that I was previously renting in the Denver University area, about a mile away from Wash...

Are You Ready for Home Ownership?



August 25, 2010I have read many articles that help people decide if they are ready to become a home owner.  They tend to focus only on the financial obligation of home ownership.   Can you afford the monthly payments?  Do you have good credit and manage your credit?  Can you afford the maintenance of a home?  Especially now, these questions are on everyone’s mind when thinking about home...

Location, Location, Location: Live by the Light Rail



August 23, 2010Looking for a good investment in Colorado?  You may want to consider buying a home near the light rail.  In a study done in 2008 by Your Castle Real Estate home values increased about 4% while the majority of Denver home values dropped by at least 7%.  The study focused on home values along the South East line over the 2 years after the line opened. Plus, as the light rail becomes...

Relocate to Colorado: We Love Parks



August 20, 2010Parks add Value to Property…and Life Parks don’t just add to your quality of life, they can also add the value of your home.  According to a paper written by John L. Crompton from Texas A&M University in 2005, a property that is neighbors with a park can have an increased value of as much as 20%.* That’s why on a home for sale by a park will tell you on their MLS listing.  For...

Colorado Home Loans Have Gone On Sale, Part Two



August 19, 2010One of our exclusive buyer agent's also created another interesting chart showing a different perspective on what dropping interest rates mean for home owners’.  How much of a loan can you get for $2,000 per month?  In other words, for $2,000 a month, for 30 years, what can you buy? Your monthly mortgage payment is made up of principal and interest.  If the interest portion goes way down,...