Contingencies in Real Estate Contracts (Day 17) - 03/31/09 08:50 AM
Contingencies in Real Estate Contracts
100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days
A contract contingency is a prearranged loophole, a mutually agreed escape clause, in essence, a way for one of the parties to a contract to terminate the contract without penalty. In Colorado, real estate licensees must use a standard buy/sell contract created by the real estate. The standard contract has many contingencies (conditions) that protect both the buyer and seller, and, additionally there special versions and addendums to the contract that are designed to protect consumers participating in a transaction involving either a short sale or a property with … (1 comments)

Denver Real Estate ~ Where are the Trees? (Day 16) - 03/30/09 10:59 AM
Where can I find trees in the Denver metro area?
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days
Metropolitan Denver is located at the western edge of what maps of the old west called the“Great American Desert”.While not really a desert in the sense of endless miles of sand, it is true that much of the land from Topeka Kansas to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is arid to semi-arid. The bulk of any naturally growing trees to found in this expanse of emptiness are cottonwoods, growing along the banks of the creeks and what passes for rivers … (5 comments)

Absorption Rate Reveals Strategy for Pricing (Day 15) - 03/29/09 04:19 PM
Absorption Rate Reveals Strategy for Pricing
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days
Market absorption rate reveals pricing information for both the buyer and the seller. In fact, the current absorption rate offen provides a clue as to where the market is going.
The absorption rate is the length of time it would take to sell the inventory of a given area at the current sales rate.
Here's how absorption rate is calculated:
Take the number of homes currently on the market (Active inventory); Divide that figure by the number of homes sold last month: and The resulting figure … (7 comments)

Pick the Park (Day 14) - 03/28/09 09:42 PM
Pick the Park!
100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days
Choosing a home and a neighborhood is much simpler when the neighborhood has special amenities. Proximity to a park, a serene lake, a convenient bike/hike trail is always a very strong plus that most wise buyers will factor into the purchase equation.
As a REALTOR® I make it a point to accentuate these features, even when I know for a fact the buyer isn't interested. Looking at a purchase requires more thought than just looking at today. We must consider an EXIT plan, so we also consider the amenities that others … (4 comments)

School's Out! - 03/27/09 03:37 PM
Mother Nature delivered a huge spring punch yesterday when Colorado and the Rocky Mountains recieved the biggest snow storm of the season.  24 hours of heavy snow and wind left as quickly as it came.
When the sun came out, so did the kids.
After being couped up inside for a day, the energy is now being absorbed on the local hills and dales in metro Denver.  Just a short drive around will find mulitple sled hills being worn thin by the delighted children of Colorado.
There's nothing like a snow day off from school to energize the spirit and delight … (8 comments)

Natural Disasters and Other Things That Go Bump in the Night ~ Day 13 - 03/27/09 09:33 AM
Natural Disasters and Other Things That Go Bump in the Night
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days
One of the really great things about living in Metro Denver is the relative freedom from natural threats to human safety.With that said, it is foolish to assume that we humans are always safe from natural disasters and other threats to our safety. Let’s consider the better known “threats”:
Weather. Winter weather in Denver has been mild for the last half century.Although blizzards do occur from time to time, most of the area’s winter weather is more of an inconvenience than … (2 comments)

Home Owner Associations - 03/26/09 09:08 AM
Home Owners Associations
100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 12)
Associations of homeowners joined together by sharing real estate are now very common in the United States, and certainly in Metro Denver Although such associations may be called HOA’s or COA’s (for condominium), the legal reference in Colorado is “Common Interest Community” or CIC. Although a few associations are voluntary, most are attached to the land, and travel from one owner to the next as an exception to clear title. Said another way, if you purchase a home that is located in a common interest community, then you will … (2 comments)

Location, location, location! - 03/25/09 11:58 PM
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! 100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 11)
This old adage seems to come up most every time someone talks about buying or selling a home. Seems like a good rallying cry from the sideline observers, and there certainly is a great deal of truth to the words. So let's look a little deeper:
First and foremost, as a consumer, your only opportunity to have a choice in location is at the time of purchase. AS obvious as this fact is, it is forgotten or ignored by the average consumer way too often. Buying any real property … (8 comments)

What Buyers Need to Know About New Home Builders in Metro Denver - 03/24/09 11:03 PM
What Buyers Need to Know Before They Visit a Builder's Model 100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 10)
We love builders. We really do. Without the home builder, there would be no homes to sell, since every home was once brand new. However, there are a few things the buyer should know about buying that brand new home:
Almost all builders in Metro Denver "coop" with the Realtor community. That means that the REALTORS® commission in a new home sale is paid by the builder. Why? Because REALTORS® bring 60% of the buyers to the builders product. As a … (4 comments)

Denver Area Employment Centers - Part 2 - 03/23/09 09:56 AM
Denver Area Employment Centers - Part 2
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 9)
As we continue to move clockwise around Denver examining the major employment centers, the attention shifts the Interstate 25corridor south of Denver. Looking toward 5:00 o'clock, we first find the University of Denver and the urbanized area extending from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center south along Colorado Blvd to the I-25 corridor. As we move further south, we discover the Denver Technological Center (DTC), the crown jewel among the many office parks stretching south form the city limits of Denver into Douglas County. … (1 comments)

Denver Area Employment Centers - 03/22/09 11:43 PM
Denver Area Employment Centers - Part 1
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 8)
As with any large metropolitan area, there tends to be concentrations of businesses or employment centers. Denver is no different. Without resorting to a map, we will start downtown, and work clockwise with 12:00 being due north:
Downtown-pretty much right in the center of the metro area, downtown Denver is certainly a major area of employment, as well as the cultural and entertainment center for not just Denver, but also the half dozen states bordering Colorado. The major sports venues, the restaurant and … (0 comments)

Attorney Not Required ~ Denver Real Estate - 03/21/09 04:21 PM
100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 7)
Attorney is not required for a closing in Colorado
Over the ensuing half century, the 1957 decision has had the effect of making the average real estate licensee more capable and more liable than is common in most states. Although the consumer is free to retain legal counsel in a real estate transaction, it is not common for consumers to do so in most residential transactions.
In recent times, the complexity of the contract and attendant disclosure documents have served to make the standard forms challenging for the consumer to fully … (8 comments)

RE Barcamp Comes to Denver ~ May 22, 2009 - 03/19/09 02:24 PM
 

 
As the RE Barcamp phenomenon is sweeping the country, we in Denver, Colorado are not only on the calendar but have over 200 people signed up!
For those who are not familiar with RE Barcamp, it only started last year with the first one held in San Francisco.  The first even came together with the assistance from a group of Realtors who are very active in social media.  Several persons in the San Francisco area took on the brunt of the work, finding a venue, not once or twice but at least three times, until they found one … (10 comments)

Buying the "Right" Map - 03/19/09 10:57 AM
100 Denver Real Estate & Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 5)
Buying the Right Map!
OK so you are asking why it is important to own the "right" map? There are many different companies that offer maps of the Denver metro region, but the one to buy
is the one that is coordinated with our MLS. That is the the MAPSCO book!
My video (my first effort) demonstrates how the MAPSCO map works so well with Metrolist, it saves us time and trouble when trying to locate a house.
This year's edition offers bonus information of Zip code areas, school … (2 comments)

Denver Zip Code Map - 03/18/09 10:08 PM
Denver Zip Code Map for Searching Real Estate
Day 7 in 100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 6)
Searching for a home has become much easier for the consumer since most real estate is now displayed on the Internet. The problem arises when it becomes necessary to filter the search to a smaller area.
Many home buyers have found a good way to search is via the ZIP CODE of the area.  By combining the Zip Code with other criteria such as price, sq. footage, # of bedrooms, # of bathrooms and # of garage spaces, … (2 comments)

Denver Metro ~ What County are You In? - 03/18/09 09:48 PM
Metro Denver County Map & Links
100 Real Estate & Relocation Tips in 100 Days  (Day 4)
The megalopolis called Denver often spans territory far beyond the actual boundaries of the City and County of Denver.  In fact, metro Denver covers at least 9 counties and is growing.
When relocating to the area, most begin with a search for "Denver Real Estate" knowing all the while they probably won't end up in Denver, but in some close in city, neighborhood or 'burb.
When researching the areas, it is important to know what county you are in.  Each Colorado County has it's … (5 comments)

Terrific Value on Murphy Creek Golf Course with Fabulous Mountain Views! - 03/18/09 02:22 PM
… (5 comments)

Wordless Wednesday Tenacious Tree Red Rocks - 03/18/09 11:17 AM

… (3 comments)

Denver Walk Score (Day 3 100 Real Estate Tips) - 03/17/09 10:44 PM
100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 3)
What is Denver's Walk Score?
If you don't know your Walk Score, you must visit The Walk Score Website! Developed out of a need for homeowners to calculate the convenience of one's home to stores, restaurants, work and other quality aspects of a neighborhood, one can go online to get a number.
The number can range from 1 to 100. So depending on the proximity the home (address) is to Grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, movie theaters, schools, parks, libraries, bookstores, fitness, drug stores, etc. the higher the number.
Assuming and … (2 comments)

Denver Real Estate Economic Base - Part 2 (Day 2) - 03/16/09 11:26 PM
100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days.
Colorado Dips Into Biotechnology
As a leader in many technologies, Colorado is positioned very well to also lead in the Biotechnology industry. This industry encompasses a broad spectrum of applications from diagnosis and treatment of human diseases to the development of technologies to produce higher yield agriculture.
Recently Colorado has stepped forward to support Bioscience technology by providing support in the form of funds. Last year the Governor signed a 5-year $26.5 million pakage to create a Bioscience and Life Science Fund that will be providing grants to Colorado start-up companies and … (2 comments)

Colorado Enjoys a Diverse Economic Base... - 03/15/09 10:19 PM
#1 Colorado Economic Base
100 real estate and relocation tips in 100 days
Denver and Colorado has a very diverse economic base which is not dependent on any single sector. Colorado is strong in high tech industries such as telecommunications, software development and high tech manufacturing. Thanks to this fact, we enjoy one of the highest concentration of high tech workers in the U.S.
In addition, emerging industries of biosciences, photonics, aerospace, nanotech, homeland security and the all important renewable energy are making great strides in Colorado.
Colorado's manufacturing base is strong on high-tech durable goods. 26,000 employees in 500 companies … (5 comments)

Denver 's Annual REALTOR Rally is Just Around the Corner - 03/11/09 07:55 AM
 
Each year the Denver Metro District Realtor Associations present a one-day conference for the real estate industry, called Realtor Rally.
The conference offers educational, motivational and how-to classes taught by experts in their field.  Several thousand attendees come to learn, network and browse through the exhitbit hall.  At the end there is a drawing with some wonderful door prizes and a grand prize.
This year we are very pleased to present two outstanding keynote speakers, Larry Kendall from The Group in Ft. Collins and Dr. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist N.A.R.
Also speaking on "How to Win Friends and Influence People … (4 comments)

Wordless Wednesday - 03/04/09 10:55 PM

… (15 comments)

 
Kristalkraftdenverrealtor Ambassador_large

Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~720-279-4599

Denver, CO

More about me…

The Berkshire Group Realtors

Address: 3801 E. Florida Avenue Suite 400, Denver, CO, 80210

Office Phone: (720) 279-4599

Cell Phone: (720) 279-4599

Email Me

Soapbox musings for and about Denver relocation and real estate.

Author Bio: Kristal Kraft is a Colorado Real Estate Broker specializing in relocation to and from the Denver Metro area. She is an amateur photographer, cyclist, golfer and enjoys traveling just for the fun of it!


Denver Real Estate
The /Berkshire Group, REALTORS
Kristal Kraft, ABR, CRS, PMN
Denver Photo Blog
KK on Google
Denver Dwellings ala blog!
KrisTalks
Denver Relocation

Join Active Rain... Click Here!






Add to Technorati Favorites


Denver Real Estate

Denver Real Estate Denver Real Estate


Google+



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog

Find CO real estate agents and Denver real estate on ActiveRain.