Category: Home Search Strategies

How Much To Spend on Colorado Housing



May 15, 2012One critical step in the home search process is determining how much to spend on housing.  The amount that you ultimately spend on housing is personal, and will of course be limited depending on fund available (either through income or loans).  But, it is important to consider how much you want to spend carefully, and to take into account both up front costs and ongoing costs. Up Front...

Resources for Choosing the Best Colorado School District



May 14, 2012In our last blog, we talked about the importance of considering the school district when choosing your next home.  Not only does it impact where your kids might go to school, but it can also add value to your home. How much flexibility do you have in your home search? For many, a reasonable commute to work is the first limiting factor that determines where you will live.  If you have...

The Importance of Determining the Current Market Value of a Home



May 7, 2012As a home buyer, you want to know that you are making a good investment.   Part of making a good investment means knowing the value of a home, in the current conditions.  This way, you  will know when to walk away from a bad deal. Or, recognize the deal of a lifetime if it shows up. But how do you determine the value of a home?  Is it the listed price or asking price of the home?  Can...

Why Buy A House in Colorado: Investment & Ownership Benefits



April 27, 2012Why Are You Buying A Home: I beleive that there is a distinct difference in what the home buying experience and ownership will be like for a person looking to make an investment compared to the person just looking to own.  In the past, real estate was a conventional and reasonably safe investment.  Now, reading investment blogs and articles, many argue that it is often a better investment to...

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...

Home Buying Basics: Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval



November 15, 2010What is pre-qualification? Pre-qualification is the first step towards securing a loan.  Typically, the pre-qualification process is a phone interview with a lender, but some lenders allow you to submit information online.  The lender is gathering information about your financial status to make a tentative decision about whether or not they will loan you money.  They will ask about your...