Homestead Hills Park update - 10/25/08 09:43 AM
Homestead Hills Park update
The City of Thornton is finally beginning construction on the Homestead Hills park project.  The project was supposed to be done in 2007 but now is planned to be finished in the summer of 2009. 
The project includes the construction of a neighborhood park with a playground, pavilion, picnic tables, benches and a trail system with a small parking area.  Approximately 12 acres of the park land is planned to remain as natural vegetation.  This should be the final park to be completed in the Homestead Hills subdivision.  Since Morrison Taylor is coming close to being done with building new … (0 comments)

Foreclosures decrease in Colorado - 10/24/08 02:17 PM
Foreclosures decrease in Colorado
In yet another sign of what I've been saying for the last six months.  Colorado has passed the peak in foreclosures, at least with houses priced less than $250k.  The numbers were released yesterday to very little fanfare or even acknowledgement.  But, as investors who have been trying to buy these properties know, it is very difficult to get a good deal on a foreclosure home right now.
The foreclosure numbers:
Foreclosure filings in Colorado fell 6.2 percent mont to month and a staggering 31 percent year over year in September according to RealtyTrac.
Again, this is something that is eveident … (0 comments)

Denver home price improvement - 10/21/08 04:50 PM
Denver's home prices ready to increase
According to a new story coming out in the November SmartMoney magazine, Denver is one of the top seven cities where home prices look stable and may even increase.  This information (picked up from Yahoo) was also confirmed by an article in this morning's Denver Post newspaper that basically stated that homes priced at $150k and under are moving very quickly in this market, most of the time with multiple offers.
The demand for homes falls as the price increases with a 'normal' market of six months supply of homes beginning to be available right around the $350k … (0 comments)

Shouting does not make you a great negotiator - 10/20/08 04:01 PM
Shouting, Hysteria and Insults do not make you a good negotiator!
Recently with some very well qualified buyers we have been submitting offers on homes.  It seems that the only way the listing agents for these properties know how to response is with shouting, insulting the buyers or near hysterical epithets about the houses value, the sellers situation, why we should cover their losses, etc.
A few tips Neither my buyers nor I care about how the sellers got into their current financial situation, we only care what the house is worth to us. She who shouts louder does not 'win' the … (0 comments)

Green Tips for home selling - 10/19/08 06:17 PM
Home Selling Advantages - Green Tips
Despite the slowing housing sales trends in most areas, Realtors who can highlight a homes 'greener' qualities may be gaining a competitive advantage for their sellers.  What is a green home?  A green home is designed, built, renovated, or improved in ways that make it more ecological and efficient with natural resources.  While some people go all out in building green to lessen a home's environmental impact, most people simply want to upgrade their home for the following four reasons:
Reasons to be green Have more control over future maintenance costs. Lower and better predict monthly expenses. … (0 comments)

How to Sell a House in Today's market - 10/08/08 10:44 AM
How to Sell a House in today's market
This is written after a phone call with a good friend who is trying (unsuccessfully) to sell his home in Atlanta.  He has gone through two agents who have not done what they agreed to do, insisted on 6% commission contract because of how much they do, and after reviewing what they've done, haven't even done the basics any real estate agent needs to do to sell a home.
The Basics:
Fully and completely list the home in your local MLS.  If there is a blank space on your MLS input screen or input form … (8 comments)

International Capital Flows - 10/07/08 09:51 PM
While watching the presidential debates and the questions and answers to the current credit and financial market crises, it struck me just how great a business this is that we as real estate brokers are in.
When the dollar is strong, capital flows to the weaker countries, when it is weak capital flows in and many vacation and coastal destination agents can attest to recently.
There is the 'Hot' money; if flows at the first sign of trouble or opportunity (ie. a hurricane forms in the Eastern Carribean and hot money goes long lumber company stocks).  Then there is the investment … (2 comments)

Imitation is only flattery to a point! - 10/04/08 12:59 PM
Imitation is only flattery to a point!
We all compete with one another in local markets to list and sell homes and commercial property.  Some agents do a better job selling than others whether it is the result of; hard work, staging, properly completing a listing, custom home descriptions online, persuasive architecture marketing, setting the proper expectations, pricing, etc. 
Recently I have had some of my marketing strategies copied by other local agents that I have competed with and 'won' a listing from in the past.  The part that is frustrating is that they don't even understand the basis behind what they are copying!  For … (0 comments)

Quail Valley Thornton CO - 10/04/08 11:14 AM
Quail Valley

Quail Valley is a community that is very close to the 'action' in the north corridor of Thornton.  Located just north of 144th Avenue and the Wadley Farms neighborhood.  The homes in Quail Valley range from modest size 1800 sq ft up to over 3000+.  One thing they all share are large lots!  Also the neighborhood is just east of I-25 and is very close with easy access to The Orchard shopping center.  Super Target and King Soopers grocery stores are close and even making a quick trip up to the Larkridge shopping center is only about five minutes.  The School district is Adams 12, and since both … (2 comments)

Northbrook homes Thornton Colorado - 10/04/08 11:00 AM
Northbrook

The neighborhood of Northbrook in Thornton is laid out mostly in a grid pattern that is easy to navigate and find your way around.  Located just north of Horizon high school and bounded on the west by Holly Street, it is a quiet neighborhood of homes built in the late 90's and early 2000's.  Many of the homes have fair sized mature trees and landscaping with decent sized lots relative to the houses.  The streets have sidewalks on both sides and are wide enough that two cars can pass get by each other if there happens to be a car parked … (0 comments)