Today we’re here with a tour of this incredible property located at 7663 Buffalo Trail, Castle Pines.
In the video above, you’ll see an example of our 3D Matterport camera in action. This technology allows you to walk through a home without ever leaving your chair.
Spanning 8,753 sq ft and 1.8 acres, this home features seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The dining room offers a fantastic view of the surrounding area, and the kitchen is fully updated. A large, luxurious fireplace connects the kitchen to one of two living spaces, and there is a second fireplace on the main floor as well.
Don’t miss out on this beautiful custom home!
The family room has fantastic windows that provide a gorgeous view of Daniels Gate Park. The main floor also features a mud room and a laundry room.
The guest wing upstairs is perfect for in-laws or visitors, complete with a second kitchen, dining area, bathroom, two bedrooms, and an upstairs patio. The third floor has a cozy reading nook, the master suite (complete with a third fireplace), as well as other bedrooms and an office space.
Every inch of this custom home is exquisitely designed. For more information on this home, click hereor give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!
Today I’d like to let you all know about some of the client appreciation events coming up this holiday season and beyond.
Our team has made a commitment to supporting our local community, and one of the ways that we do this each year is by donating turkeys to the local Douglas County Task Force Food Bank. I donate these turkeys in the names of each of my buyers and sellers from the past year. Our goal this year was to donate 55 turkeys and we’re happy to say that we reached that goal!
In addition, we also have some great client appreciation events coming up, so be sure to save these dates:
Tuesday, November 22, 2016, join us at our monthly mixer in Castle Rock at Sienna between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. This month is a little bit different because you can also stop by the mixer to get your free Thanksgiving pie. As a thank you to all of our clients, we’d like to give you a choice between a free apple or pumpkin pie this year. Just RSVP at 720-506-3001 and let us know which one you’d prefer.
Save these dates!
Saturday, December 17th, 2016, join us at our 9th Annual Cookies and Martinis “What Are We Thinking?” holiday party in Castle Rock. You can choose to participate in the cookie exchange or you can just come for the martinis and fun! We’ll have roulette, poker, and prizes as well. Please RSVP at 720-506-3001 and let us know if you can make it. We also ask that you bring an appetizer to share.
Saturday, February 11th 2017, join us for a pre-Valentine’s Day couple’s dinner at Cherokee Ranch and Castle in Sedalia to commemorate my 10-year real estate career anniversary. This is the event that I’m most excited about and guests are invited by invitation only, so if you’ve been a client this year or referred me to someone who was, you can expect an invitation soon.
Thank you all so much for your business, support, and referrals this past year. Without your help, we would not have been able to reach our goals and put on these great upcoming events. If you have any other questions about these events or anything else related to Denver real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I hope to see you soon!
As we enter the fall season and move toward the end of the year, I wanted to ask you for help. We love being able to bring you educational videos twice a month, and we are actively looking for new topics for future videos.
Rather than just imagine what you are thinking, I would love for you to reach out to us with any questions you have about real estate or any topics you would like some more clarity on.
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We want to answer your questions.
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To sweeten the deal, if we use your topic in one of our upcoming videos, I will send you two tickets to Regal Cinemas. I would love to get your feedback!
If you have any questions, please give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you and we look forward to seeing you soon!
In this edition of Rock Talk, I wanted to talk about the top three things buyers should look for when purchasing a home. Today I'm joined by Andrew McClish from Pillar to Post Home Inspectors to help with this topic.
What should buyers be looking for in this market? Start with the foundation - if you're walking around a house and see large cracks in the foundation wall, that can be an indication of foundation issues that need to be repaired. This requires a professional; it's certainly not a DIY job!
Likewise, buyers should look at the system of the house. The water heater, furnace, and AC may all look old, but you should know that it's a marginal percentage of the overall cost of the house. Replacing a water heater would only cost about $800 to $1,200 to replace, which is by no means a reason to think about not buying the house.
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If foundation walls have cracks, the issue could be significant.
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Thirdly, think about permitting. Remodels, major repairs, or major systems upgrades are going to require some sort of permitting from the government municipality. Most of these permits are readily available through an online search, or you can give the building department a call. You can find out if things like the basement finish, or electrical upgrade, or new roof were permitted.
Andrew is an example of a great inspector who is proactive and is the only inspector I know who actually pulls permits for a property before he gets there. It's very helpful and can actually make his inspection go easier. If you need a top-of-the-line inspector, Andrew is your guy, and can be reached at (303) 586-1494 or at andrew.mcclish@pillartopost.com.
If you have real estate questions for the Denver market or topics you'd like to see covered in my video blog, send me an email today.
“We worked with Joan on two occasions. One, to purchase our home in Denver Colorado and the other to sell the home in Denver Colorado and both experiences were pleasant. Joan did a good job of understanding what our needs were and taking those needs and translating them into both the purchase and the sale of the home.”
Do you know how foreclosures and bankruptcies affect your credit and your ability to buy property?
I'm joined by Jennifer Thompson to discuss the breakdown of your FICO score and how these situations affect your ability to get a home loan. Here's how the FICO score breaks down:
Payment history: 35%
Amount owed: 30%
Length of credit history: 15%
New credit: 10%
Type of credit: 10%
People can get still get loans if they've had a bankruptcy or foreclosure; there's just a time period they have to wait out. A lot of people were hit hard by the terrible market, so this affects a lot of people.
Depending on the type of loan you're seeking, the waiting period varies. Talking to a qualified lender is the best way to find out which timeframe applies to your unique situation.
People in this situation commonly seek an FHA loan since it requires minimal down payment. For an FHA loan, there is a minimum waiting period of three years after foreclosure - which includes short sales. There is a two-year waiting period for bankruptcy from the date of the discharge for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
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You can still get a loan after bankruptcy, but there will be a waiting period.
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If it's a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, though, as long as you have a 12-month history of paying back the bankruptcy, you can still get a loan while you're in Chapter 13, since the courts state that it's okay for you to take on new debt.
If you have more specific questions about seeking financing after bankruptcy or foreclosure, you can call Jennifer at (303) 448-0436.
As always, contact me with any questions about the Denver real estate market. I'm always happy to help!
“We did both a sale of one house and bought a new house with her and we were very pleased with our results.We found a property we like and our existing property sold quickly. Joan is very adept at negotiating and she represents her clients fairly, but firmly when she does that. I’m not a particularly good negotiator and I was glad to have her in my corner.”
“Basically, we bought some land and she was the realtor that helped us get the land and we are going to build. She was very good at talking to us about the comps in the area and what would be a fair price to ask. We were very satisfied with her.”
“It was a very good experience. The results were excellent. I started working with her about 18 months ago when I was looking at the possibility of a lease to own and we went through the pros and cons. Every single time I met with her we talked about the houses as we walked through them. What am I looking for? What are the kids going to think? I feel like every time I met with her whether it was on the phone or in person she was always very open, had a good discussion, and everything. My overall experience with Joan was wonderful.”
In this edition of Rock Talk we’re joined by Andrew McClish, owner of Pillar to Post Home Inspections, to help us go over the top five myths about home inspections. Andrew is a licensed engineer here in Colorado who worked in structural engineering in the consultant world for seven years before starting his franchise.
Myth: New construction homes do not need a home inspection. With the market booming, we’re currently seeing a lot of people skipping out on their home inspections for their new builds. This is a mistake. If nothing else, doing the inspection can give you peace of mind and a degree of protection in knowing exactly what you have.
Myth: Sewer scopes are not necessary. Sewer scopes are always recommended for older homes, but we’re seeing a lot of buyers of newer homes not doing them because they assume they’re not needed. Just because a home is new doesn’t mean it automatically won’t have problems with its sewer system. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.
Myth: You don’t need to check radon gas levels. Sometimes people assume that features like walkout basements and crawlspace foundations naturally prevent homes from having high radon levels. Radon, however, is naturally produced by uranium in the soil, meaning it can enter through many cracks or openings. Hence, homes with walkout basements can have just as high of radon levels as those with enclosed basements. If you’re going to have someone living in the basement of your home, we recommend that you test for radon no matter what.
Myth: Concrete slab movement means foundational issues. In Colorado we have very expansive soils, which means sometimes slab movement is unavoidable. However, this doesn’t indicate foundational issues because the slab itself is separated from the foundation.
Myth: Moisture in the glass means you need new windows. Windows with a broken sill can sometimes attract moisture that turns into an incessant fog. If this happens, you don’t need to replace the entire window, just the glass. This will save you a lot of money.
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If nothing else, doing a home inspection gives you peace of mind.
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If you have any questions about what we’ve just gone over, or need an awesome home inspector, feel free to reach out to Andrew anytime. If you have ideas for our next topic, please drop us a line and we’d be glad to make it the subject of our next edition of Rock Talk. Make it a great day!
When selling a home, most people will focus the bulk of their attention on the inside and don’t consider the potential of their outdoor living area. In this edition of Rock Talk, Dusty Hettinger, of both Rocky Mountain Ponds and Waterfall as well as The Sprucery Garden Center, is here to explain how water features and outdoor landscaping can significantly reduce your home’s days on market by extending your living area and adding value to your property.
Do water features actually add value to your home? Installing a water feature and adding some simple landscaping to your yard not only looks attractive, but can also significantly decrease your home’s days on market and extend your living area by essentially adding square footage outside of your home.
Here’s a quick example. A few years ago we had a client who was trying to sell his house without any sort of outdoor landscaping. His house sat on the market for about a year, and then he asked us to come in and take a look at the outdoor area. Without making him sink a whole bunch of money into an expensive renovation, we just added a simple water feature as a focal point. The house sold within a month.
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We added a simple water feature as a focal point and sold fast
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How difficult is a water feature to maintain? A lot of people ask this question having heard horror stories about waterfall maintenance in the past. The most common water features installed today are ponds. We make our ponds about three feet deep and install the pump down at the bottom to create flow. The key is that we’ll only put a few inches of water into the pond so that when the sun shines onto it, the rocks will absorb more sunlight than the water. This prevents the formation of algae. This way, the only step you’ll have to take in order to maintain the pond is to occasionally place a bit of algaecide in the water.
We’ll also install a high-efficiency pump and a float-valve in the pond. This will automatically add water from your irrigation system so that in the summer, the pond stays filled at all times. If you decide that you’d like to turn the water feature off in the winter, just unplug it and it will self-drain without any need to take the pump out of the water. All of this makes maintaining your water feature very easy.
Which landscaping options are best for the local area? After adding your water feature, the next step will be to complement it with the right landscaping as a backdrop. The problem that many of us have is that local deer love to eat a variety of flowers and colorful plants.
Luckily, we know of certain perennials that flower for a long time, which deer tend not to eat. Salvias, yarrow, and most types of daisies are all perennials that add a splash of color in spring, summer, and fall. At The Sprucery, we actually have an entire section of deer-resistant plants.
If you have any other questions about this topic, feel free to contact Dusty by phone at 303-237-9919 or emailing him at http://rmpw.com/contact-us/. And if you have an idea for future episodes of this blog, please send them to us and we’ll make them the focus of our next topic. Thanks for watching, and make it a great day!
We’re back with another edition of Rock Talk, my interview series highlighting local business owners in our Denver area. Today we’re joined by Jennifer Thompson from JenniferLoan.com to discuss everything you need to know about your credit score.
How is your interest rate is affected by your credit? It depends on the type of loan you’re doing. For government loans like FHA and VA, you have to have the minimum FICO score of 620 to get the best rate available. If you do a conventional loan, your rate is going to be tiered based on the FICO score and the loan-to-value. The rates go up as your score goes down. It’s in your best interest, then, to have the best credit score possible.
What can you do to help maximize your FICO score? There are five components to consider and focus on improving when thinking about purchasing a home:
Payment history. Do you pay your credit on time? Whether or not you pay your credit on time, the length of your positive credit history, and the severity and quantity of any delinquencies you might have all factor into this. Simply paying your bills on time will take care of this component. Also, avoid co-signing on loans, because then their late payments become your late payments.
Amount owed. Ideally, you want to keep your balance within 30% of your credit limit. For example, if you have a $10,000 line of credit, you wouldn’t want more than $3,000 charged on that line of credit. It’s also important to make sure you’re not maxing out your credit cards and extending yourself beyond your means.
Length of credit history. This can count for about 15% of that FICO score. The longer the history, the better. There is a tendency for people to believe the common myth that says they should close accounts that they no longer use. This isn’t true. If you have a good credit history on a card for several years, just try to use it once a quarter to keep it active. Canceling it can erase that good history and negatively impact your credit score.
New credit. This accounts for about 10% of your credit score. Research shows that opening several new credit accounts in a short period of time doesn’t necessarily help you establish the kind of credit history you need to elevate your score. This especially concerns those who want a new house but also want to splurge on retail from department stores (Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.) that will have you using their own separate cards.
Type of credit. You want a healthy mix of credit. The ideal mix, according to the credit bureaus, is having two installment loans and three revolving accounts (credit cards) with balances.
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You have to have the minimum FICO score of 620 to get the best rate available.
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Always remember to monitor your credit. You can get a free copy of your credit report once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you’re looking for an amazing mortgage broker to help you purchase a new home, please give Jennifer a call. Her information is listed in the video above.
“We were able to buy the house that we fell in love with. It was very difficult with the seller from the beginning and Joan really went to bat for us and gave us excellent advice. We were able to close within four weeks and now we have a wonderful house! We had an inspection done and there were safety items that we wanted fixed. Joan took time out of her Mother’s Day to take care of us and deal with the situation. Another time, she was camping on vacation and another deadline approached and she responded right away. She was absolutely wonderful and was available any time we called or texted. She went above and beyond throughout the entire purchase. As far as the sale of our old house goes, she brought in a stager and a photographer and made the house look great. Every interaction with her was impressive!”
"I thought Joan was very professional. She handles herself well. She, I think, goes beyond the requirements of a normal real estate agent. So, we've dealt with a number of real estate agents throughout the years. Joan was by far the best experience that we have had. She's just professional. She did a great job."
"I was very pleased, the market is very competitive right now but she advocated for what was best for our family. Because she's so well versed in her profession and craft, she was able to actually find a house that hadn't even hit the market, it was one of those coming soons. Because she is so well known, she was able to make those connections and contacts, and work out so we could see the house before it even hit the market."
If you’re looking to relocate, you really want someone with local area knowledge. One of the biggest concerns of my relocating clients is not knowing the area that they’re looking in. Obviously, if you’re moving to Dallas, you don’t want an agent specializing in Ft. Worth. The agent should have local expertise, even down to the subdivision you’re looking at.
When I interview these agents for you, I will ask them the same questions that I would be asking if my cousin, brother, or mom was looking to move to another state. I ask questions including:
How many homes did you sell this last year?
What’s your average days on market?
Do you work in this specific neighborhood? If so, how many homes have you sold here?
What is your average list to sale price?
Do you have a team?
Is there someone available to help the client if a showing happens last minute?
If it’s for a seller, I’ll ask:
What kind of marketing plan to do you create?
Will you have professional photos and videos taken?
What’s your average sale price?
These are all the things I would want to know for myself or my family members looking for a home in another area. Another way I can help is by actually checking their qualifications. I can see the designations they have, as well as their extended education, and even sales volume. It’s all verifiable data. I know what to look for - and it’s all a benefit to you.
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There can actually be a financial benefit in asking me to interview the agent for you!
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If you’re one of my active clients, there can actually be a financial benefit in asking me to interview the agent for you!
Thanks so much for watching today, I hope you learned something about how I can help with agents in the relocation. If you have other topics you're interested in hearing about, let us know and we’ll happily make a helpful video blog post for you!
The number one question I’m asked by buyers is, “How much do I need to put down on a home?” It depends on what programs you qualify for, so today, we’ll run through a few of your options.
If you’re eligible, your best bet is a VA loan. It requires no money down and its interest rates are very competitive. If you’re not eligible for a VA loan, there are local banks that offer community loans that require as little as $500 down. Conventional loans are another option, and they range anywhere from 3% down to 20% down, sometimes even more.
The next most common question I get from homeowners regards how long the process takes. How long does it take to find and purchase a house? Well, it depends on the price range and a few other factors, but generally speaking, it takes between 30 and 45 days to find the perfect home. The closing and loan process takes about 35 days from end to end, so if you have a lease coming up in July, you would really want to start looking at homes in May, at the latest. Another question we often get is, “How do I stand out when there are multiple offers?” I truly believe that a big part of people missing out on a house is due to their Realtor and the way they wrote the contract. You obviously need to be creative and ethical in this market, but there are certain things that we can include in our contracts that will make the purchase look better to the seller.
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Interest rates drastically affect your ability to buy real estate!
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Buyers often ask how interest rates affect their buying power. If we use the example of a $200,000 house with a 20% down payment, you would have to put $40,000 down and get a loan for $160,000. At today’s interest rate of 4%, the payment on that is $763 a month. If the interest rate jumps only 1%, the payment becomes $858 a month. The difference is only $95 a month, but when you stretch that over the life of a loan, you’re looking at losing out on the equivalent of $20,000. In other words, interest rates drastically affect your ability to buy real estate! The 5th most common question we get from buyers is whether they are buying at the top of the market. There are many things to look at to answer this question accurately. When you get a loan and you purchase a home, you have a fixed housing bill: you don’t have to worry about rent increases, you don’t have to worry about interest rate increases, and you’ll always know exactly what you have to pay each month. If you wait to purchase a home and interest rates go up, you have a whole lot less buying power, especially because home prices are expected to rise. In short, there isn’t a clear metric to see whether you’re buying at the top of the market, but from what we’ve seen recently, now is a fantastic time to make your move in the Denver area! If you have any questions about Denver real estate, or if you need our assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!
In our current hot market, many sellers have asked me what they do if their home sells in a matter of days. In these situations, I always remind my clients that, under current market conditions, they have the control!
Since inventory is so low, getting into a great home is tough for buyers. This means sellers have the leverage to control the closing date or negotiate a rent-back agreement. We highly recommend that you don’t wait to list your home until you find a perfect house because sellers will want you to have already done that. In other words, take advantage of your position as a seller first before trying to find your dream home.
Another question we often get from sellers has to do with how soon they have to leave their home once they sell it. The typical contract takes about 35 days. While there are investors out there who will pay cash, which would result in a shorter closing time, this is rare enough that you should just plan on it taking at least 35 days. Of course, you do have post-closing occupancy options we can set up should you need the time.
One thing sellers are often curious about is what they have to do in order to make a sale happen. You’re probably much more critical of your house than I would be, so I can help by identifying the things you need to prioritize in order to get your home on the market. I can also bring in a professional stager to take some of the work off your plate and make your home shine. Additionally, we use a showing service that makes it easy to get people into your home; it’s also flexible enough to allow you to choose how often people come through.
If everything goes well, you will receive multiple offers on your home. This can be stressful and confusing, but it’s a good problem to have. We have a spreadsheet that compares up to ten offers side-by-side to determine what you net from each one. Of course, there are certain intangibles you need to look at too, like buyers who are willing to let you rent back should you need to. We will look closely at all of these things with you and give you the best possible advice so that you make an informed decision that is beneficial for you and your family.
If you have any questions about the selling process, or if you would like our assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!
Whether you’re a flipper, an investor, a builder, or a property manager, buying appliances can be a real drag. Today, Scott Mace is here to discuss the Bulk Appliance Purchase program, a great option if you are in a situation where you need to buy a handful of appliances at once.
The Bulk Appliance program allows housing manufacturers or builders to purchase bulk appliances at wholesale prices. It allows any combination of appliances, including refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, dishwashers, as well as washers and dryers.
This program is great for people who own rentals and property managers who have to replace appliances in properties every so often. If you’re going to be in the industry for some time, this could save you a lot of cash down the road. All you have to do is apply for a bulk account by reaching out to Scott. He will get you a quote and help you set up packages of exactly what you need. The process is pretty quick, as Scott can manage the packaging, the delivery, and the install because he is a certified project manager.
Instead of just having the stuff delivered to the garage, Scott and his team can install the appliances for you. There are many teams that don’t include these other services, but Scott’s certification as a project manager allows him to help with the entire process. This takes unnecessary stress off of the builder’s, the property manager’s, or the landlord’s shoulders, and allows them to focus on other aspects of their jobs.
If you would like to reach out to Scott to get more details about the Bulk Appliance program, you can reach him as Scott@MaceCompanies.com or (303) 663-5977. Of course, if you need help on the real estate side of things, feel free to reach out to us at any time. We would love to hear from you!
Today, I have Jennifer Strauch with Classic Concrete Raising to discuss mudjacking. I’m sure you’re wondering what it is and why you might need it. I used this company seven years ago when I had a problem with my house.
Jennifer has been doing mudjacking in Colorado for 32 years and this is an alternative to breaking out and replacing sinking concrete. Mudjacking really can only help where concrete has sunken in. Mudjacking is not a structural issue for the property.
If your floors have sunk but your walls have not, then that is a sign that your problem is not a structural issue. Mudjacking is a unique process that raises concrete that has sunk from its once perfect levels back to its original state using high-grade, non-shrinking concrete mixtures. During this process, professionals will attempt to raise the slabs of concrete close to their original grade and alignment.
The concept of mudjacking is very simple, but should still only be attempted by professionals. The process requires specialized equipment and takes a trained eye to get the job done just right.
This is a great alternative to foam jacking, and mudjacking is more environmentally friendly. Concrete slabs that have been created through foam jacking must be disposed of properly because of the chemicals involved.
If you have any further questions about mudjacking, or if you want to contact Jennifer, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Today I’m joined by Steve from the E Company and he will be explaining how you can protest your property taxes. Steve has been helping people fight their property taxes for more than 27 years and he specializes in commercial but he has a lot of experience with residential as well.
Every other year, on the odd year, counties in Colorado will value your home and the values come out in May. From that date you have 30 days to protest the value if you believe that it is too high or low. Home values have been increasing significantly in Denver lately, but Steve thinks that property tax values are starting to catch up.
You might be overvalued and you may not be, but if you want to appeal, you need to do so by June 1st. What you will need to do is conduct some research to find similar properties to your own. You’ll need to compare these values and then justify why your home is over- or under-valued. The county will respond to you within 30 days, and if you are denied, you then have 15 days to re-appeal. You’ll have to re-submit all of your information. If your re-appeal fails, you can actually take your complaint to a third party, but you need to have a good case if you’re wanting to do this.
If you have the time to contest your taxes, I would recommend doing so. You will probably need some help from myself and from Steve. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Keep in mind that if you live outside of Colorado, not all of these instructions will apply to you. Laws differ from state to state, so contact your local Realtor for assistance and guidance when protesting your property taxes.
Today, local stager Angela Rehm joins us to talk about the top five tips to prepare your home for the market. With our advice, you can effectively sell your home for top dollar in the least amount of time.
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Staging your home is also a marketing strategy.
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After Angela took a course and earned accreditation, Staging Homes has been in business for seven years. She’d been staging homes for twenty years. Her business is based in Castle Rock and serves surrounding areas as well. Here’s her advice:
Neutralize the colors. When selling a home, neutrals will always be preferred. Bright colors can be distracting for buyers, and a buyer might not like them as much.
Remove all clutter. Get rid of the life stuff, including all the homework your kids have and magnets on the refrigerator.
Make your home easy to navigate. It should be nearly effortless to walk through your home without bumping into furniture. The “squeeze factor” refers to leaving at least three feet between furniture paths.
Bring in some style. For instance, if your bed doesn’t have a headboard, consider adding new blankets, throws, decorative pillows, or artwork. Many of these items can be repurposed from other rooms in your home. When you work with me, I have four blankets you can choose from to use inside your staged home!
Keep it clean. Cleanliness is a big deal. Cleaning your windows makes a huge difference, because they will look brand new. Additionally, Bonda sells a Hardwood High Gloss Floor Polish that does wonders! It will make your hardwood floors shine.
Staging your home is also a marketing strategy. Remember these quick tips when preparing your home for sale! If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Denver area, give me a call or email today. I’d be happy to serve your needs and connect you with Angela’s business!
