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...

“Fix and Flip”: What Are Accurate Expectations?



March 23, 2012Here are some important tips for beginner investors interested in fix and flips.  Determine if you have what it takes to become a serious fix and flip investor and set realistic expectations about your potential profits in this type of investment in the current market conditions. What is a fix and flip? In short, a “fix and flip” scenario means that an investor buys low and sells high....

What Affects Negotiating Real Estate?



March 21, 2012Do things like how long the home has been on the market and the economy affect how much a homeowner is willing to drop? How long a home has been on the market? If a home seller has had a difficult time selling, does this mean that they will accept lower offers?  In general, our buyers agent’s study of about 10,000 home sales in the Boulder and Northern Denver shows that most home...

What You Need to Know About Home Sellers During Home Sale Negotiations



March 19, 2012To understand why most homes sell for so close to the listing price, we can take a look at the home seller’s point of view. A home seller is trying to get the highest amount possible during the home sale negotiations.  They made an investment in purchasing the home, and of course, would like to see the greatest returns possible.  Or, in a less happy tale, they are in a situation where they...

What You Need to Know About Negotiating Real Estate Price in the Current Market



March 16, 2012The real estate market has been struggling, so I should expect home sellers to accept really low offers, right? Wrong! These days, it is easy for home buyers to dream of getting the deal of a lifetime for their next home purchase.  Stories in the news might make us think that sellers will accept just about anything.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, we think.  Home sale data does...

Avoiding home foreclosure in your Colorado home



February 8, 2011Many of us realize that one of the best ways to avoid foreclosure is to make sure you made a smart investment in the beginning. Exclusive buyers agents are dedicated to helping buyers evaluate their financial status, finding homes in good neighborhoods, and making sure the offer is competitively priced. If you've done all the right things at the beginning, but are still finding it's tough to...

Making a List, Checking It Twice



December 8, 2010So you have decided to buy a house, now it’s time to make your Naughty and Nice list.  In other words- what are the things you want in your home, and what are the things you don’t want?  Here is a list to help you get started. Also, a few tips about your list: 1)      Create a master list. If you are house hunting with someone, try this exercise.  Each of you make your own list (no...