Whether you are looking to buy or sell, I can offer the highest levels in real estate expertise and professionalism. Don’t hesitate to contact me and allow me to help guide you through that process!

If you're a buyer in a hot housing market, you may have already lost out on several homes already. How can you get the upper hand? Here are five tips:

1. Get preapproved by a lender.  Go beyond a Lender Letter.  Complete the financial package and get fully approved.   Bonus consideration: be prepared to guarantee the appraisal.
2. Set your offer apart from the competition. I have seen numerous multiple offer scenarios.  There are a handful of items we can do to improve your offer. Such as, record a video to the seller, write a tremendous 'love' letter to the seller.  I'll even meet the listing agent in person when delivering your offer. All sorts of little things we can try to help differentiate your offer in a competitive marketplace.
3. Make a realistic must-have list. Pick a neighborhood, house type and price range with a limited number of features. Be prepared to make compromises - smaller, fewer bedrooms or baths.
4. Consider less-than-perfect homes. Buying the worst house on the best block is a proven strategy. This is the market to buy that "Fixer Upper!"
5. Buy under your means. If you get into a bidding war, you'll need a little wiggle room so you can compete. Many homes will sell above list price, so it's smart to keep your cool because you know you can go up if you need to.

National average 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rates are on the increase.

Why? Mostly positive economic news: Low unemployment, rising salaries and some not so great news: fears of inflation and an increasing federal deficit.

So rates are increasing.

But don't let rising rates discourage you from buying a home.  There are some great tax benefits. The mortgage interest remains deductible - up to $750K and the standard deduction has been doubled plus there is a great child care credit now in place. 

According to local mortgage experts, a borrower with excellent credit for $400,000, with 20 percent down ($80,000) and a benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4%, would have a monthly payment of $1527.73. If rates hit 4.5%, the same borrower would pay $1621.39 monthly, or a difference of about $94. 

Over the life of your mortgage, a lower mortgage interest rate is going to save you money on your new home.  Now is a great time to buy a home.  Call /Text me @ 303-931-9901 now.

Most buyers want a move-in ready home that's clean, updated and functional and they're willing to pay more to get what they want. Here are just a few improvements you can do that will go a long way with buyers.

1. Update the finishes. If you're going to improve a room, update everything, even the light switches. Get rid of popcorn ceilings, which are universally reviled by buyers. If you have wood floors, pull up your old carpet and polish the wood until it gleams.
2. De-clutter. This might mean removing one third  of everything - every drawer, closet, room.  Box it and store it.  Clean all the artwork and photos off the 'Fridge.  Consider storing some furniture to create a more open layout.  I can assist and even provide a staging consultant as part of our listing agreement!  Here's a quick blog I wrote about de-cluttering your home.
3. Paint neutrally. Nothing improves a home like fresh paint.
4. Fix obvious problems. If you can see it, your buyer will see it, too, so fix the sticking door, the running toilet, the leaky faucet, the busted sprinkler head, the wobbly ceiling fan, the loose doorknob, and so on. Buyers are so turned off by dirt, so plan to deep clean every nook and corner.  I can recommend/supply a cleaning crew to help out with getting your home ready.
5. Say "Welcome!" with curb appeal. Fresh modern paint on the front door, a new welcome mat, potted flowers, shiny new porch lights all show pride of ownership - something you want your buyers to feel, too.

April showers bring May flowers, but they also give you time to check a few things off your to do list on a rainy weekend. Here are a few projects you can get done:

1. Spring clean. Dust all the blinds, wipe down the quarter-round molding, and clean under the beds and furniture you haven't moved in a while. Organize your closets. Unless you're extremely neat all the time, you're bound to have items you can sort. Create sections or piles to keep, throw away, and donate. Getting rid of clutter makes you feel good and it also makes your home look better. Paint something. Paint may take longer to dry in wet weather but it's still fun to sand and finish an old table or spruce up a nightstand. Get your house paint from the garage and touch up dings on the doors and walls. Or paint some small terra cotta pots and fill them with plants for your kitchen window. Fix something. Even if you don't know how, it's time to stop that leaky faucet or install that new sink. Just visit the Internet for instructions or invite a knowledgeable friend to help, and then serve them dinner. Make updating plans. A rainy day is a good time to assess your home and think about projects you want to do later. Make a wish list of things you want to accomplish, like updating the kitchen or finding new lamps for the den.

Home Technology In The Future Is All Talk

That is, it is all talking to your device.  Call out to Alexa from the comfort of your couch.  Apps are listening to what you want and need these days. The day when technology for home automation knows to open your front door for you can’t be too far off.  Look at SUV’s that open the tailgate when you waggle your foot below the bumper.

Voice control is only going to get better.  The day when smart home AI’s recognize who is in the house and adjust to each person, not so far away in the future.

For Sale Home Without Technology

I sell older houses all the time, and the great thing is, its so easy to upgrade.  You can start with the Seventies, get Tech Savvy after closing, and have a modern home in no time.  And for an affordable price point.  From digital doorbells to automated lighting, there are tons of great home technology and gadgets to power your place.  

One of my faves is the new twist on an old idea...to keep reading this story, click on the iRobot photo or follow this link to my blog.  http://www.boulderrealestatenews.com/technology-for-home-automation/