Cheap Boots

I was about 12 years old and needed a new pair of boots. My mom was busy so my dad took me shopping.

Now I know some of you dads out there might be good at shopping with your pre-teen daughters. My dad on the other hand embraced the mentality of “what’s the quickest and cheapest” method.

Next thing I know we are pulling up in front of a large discount retailer. We quickly cruised over to the shoe aisle and before I knew it I was walking out the door with a cute but inadequate pair of boots.

Week one went great, lots of compliments and comfort was decent.

By week two the fake leather was peeling off and I had blisters on both heels.

Lesson learned - You get what you pay for!

Somethings in life do not benefit from cutting corners on time or money.

Same thing goes for real estate agents. Are there agents out there that will sell your home for a discount? Sure there are, you’ve probably seen the commercials on TV.

But...you get what you pay for. This is likely your most valuable asset, not a time to cut corners and go with the cheapest option. Time to go with the BEST option whatever that might be.

Remember cheap boots make for miserable feet

***Side note - these are not said boots. They didn’t last long enough for a photo op!

What To Make For Dinner

You know the major adulting conundrum we all have? You know the one? Come on, the one that plagues you everyday (unless you are one of those super organized types)!

Yep, you got it - WHAT TO MAKE FOR DINNER

Well, we got our daughter a kids cookbook for Christmas and now she WANTS to make dinner. One of her new specialties, taco cups

I don’t know how long this is going to last so I am going to enjoy it as long as she does.

***Side note: You know when you are growing up and you get all kinds of advice from adults- make sure to travel, get good grades, marry your best friend, kids will change your life, you get the picture….

How come NO ONE ever told me that finding something to cook for dinner every night was going to be so hard

Pricing Your Home Correctly

How do you know if you priced your home correctly?

Well in this market its pretty easy to know.

As a general rule of thumb, if your home is not under contract in about 60 days you might have overshot the market.

You might think, no big deal.

Here’s the thing - the longer your home sits on the market the more buyers begin to believe there is something wrong with your home OR they can low ball you.

The goal should be to sell your home not just list it.

Buyer Credits

First time buyer credits are a thing of the past.

Sadly, your lender doesn’t care if you are a first time buyer or buying your 10th home.

But its not all bad news!

If you are a teacher or first responder there are some special loan programs available to you.

Also if you are active duty or a Veteran of the US Military, you likely qualify for a VA loan.

And many buyers qualify for down payment assistance and down payment grants.

A great lender will be able to figure out what programs are best for you.

But please for the love of all that is good in the world, DO NOT, call one of the lenders with the fancy commercials!

You know who I am talking about.

They work on volume and not on repeat business. They spend millions of dollars on advertising to sell you one loan.

A local lender, recommended by your real estate agent, care about your experience because they hope you might recommend your friends and neighbors down the road.

Jacket Potatoes

Don’t knock it till you try it

I lived in England for 6 months back in 2000 and that was when I discovered this lovely dish - jacket potatoes.

This one, my favorite, is filled with a mayonnaise salad of tuna and corn.

I know, I know, it sounds really gross but I can guarantee you it is absolutely delish!

Tell me about some of your favorite (or strange) foods.

There's So Much To Be Grateful For

If you could just get your hands on it.

The thing that eludes you.

The thing, that if you had it, everything would be better.

The thing you are missing in life.

So you grasp and cling just like this giant claw crane game.

You set it all up perfectly, push the button and pray. And as predicted the claw half-heartedly grabs at the object of your desire and lets go at the last minute.

You knew the odds, but you played anyway.

Have you ever won at this game?

I have, twice in a row believe it or not.

And I can tell you the toys are not nearly as cuddly as they look. Once in your arms they lack the quality you had hoped.

They were just shiny objects behind the glass

So back to the beginning of this post.

That thing you want so badly, is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Or is it like the stuffed flamingo at the arcade- hollow, fake and won by chance.

Focus on the things on this side of the glass. I think you might find there is just so much to be grateful for.

With gratitude.

Huge Favor From A Client's Sister

Say what?

I’m telling you, there are some days that I cannot believe the things I see in this profession.

Several years ago, I got a call from the sister of one of my clients late into the evening. We had met once, but I didn’t really know her well.

She started out saying she was so sorry to be calling but I am the only person she knows in Grand County. Oh dear, where is this going, I thought to myself.

She followed up by saying that she needed a huge favor…. would I possibly be able to bail her son out of jail.

Huh?

He had been arrested for driving drunk over Trail Ridge Road and she just didn’t want him to spend the night in a jail cell. She didn’t ask me to put him up at my house but if I had offered I don’t think she would have said no.

Good grief, I don’t think that is duty that real estate agents are required to perform but some people will ask anyway!

Why Is My Home Not Sold Yet?

Here are the three reasons your home is not sold yet.

1. Price: buyers know the market. They have access to tons of data online and while the market is still crazy buyers are not in the mood to grossly overpay for your home.

2. Condition: too small, too dated, too smelly, major repairs, dysfunctional floor plan, you get the picture.

3. Location: too close to the road, in town, out of town, on a mountain, in a valley, again, you get the picture.

Two of these things you can change, one you cannot. So if your home is not selling you will need to have a closer look at and and see what adjustments need to be made.

Small Home Improvements

3 small home improvements that yield BIG returns for sellers

1. Paint the interior of your home a popular but neutral color. Repose Grey by Sherwin Williams or Oyster Pearl by Valspar are great options. Now I can hear you arguing with me - “its just paint, the buyer can choose their own colors and paint it themselves”. Here’s the issue, when the buyer sees the navy blue walls in your kids room they add it to their “to-do list” which means less money for you.

2. Some elements of home staging. A new rug, beautifully framed artwork (this doesn’t have to break the bank), a few strategically placed artificial (or real plants). A couple hundred will make a huge difference if the right pieces are purchased. The thrift store and a can of spray paint can go a long way too. For inspiration check out Pinterest.

3. Deep clean and declutter. This is probably the most important aspect. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Have a trusted friend over to help you “see” your everyday clutter.

Picking The Right Offer

How to pick the right offer when selling your home.

This might come as a shock, but the highest price is not always the right offer to accept when selling your home. There are other major factors to consider.

How is the buyer paying for your home?

Cash or loan?

When do they want to close?

Are they flexible if you need to stay in your home for a month after closing/

Do they have any major contingencies, such as having to sell another home before buying yours?

When evaluating offers, I present my sellers with a spreadsheet of the nuts and bolts of the offer and then we talk about the pros and cons of each offer.

Here’s a quick test, which offer would you pick

Offer A: $20,000 over asking, buyers have a small downpayment and need possession the day of closing. Property will need to appraise for the over asking purchase price.

Offer B: $5000 under asking price but buyer is cash, can close in 15 days and will rent back to you for 30 days after closing.

The goal isn’t always to accept the highest offer, but to maximize your chances of getting to the day of closing.

Client Testimonial

I really love my job. I know lots of people feel that way but for me there are so many gratifying aspects of real estate.
And testimonials like this are what keep me coming back on the hard days.
If we have worked together in the past just know that I value our relationship and your trust in me. I am forever grateful.
With gratitude.

Avoid These As A Buyer

Have you been thinking about buying a home?

Avoid these common buyer pit falls.

1. Not getting pre-approved. This is probably the single most important step. You will want to understand the financial aspect of purchasing before you step foot in any homes.

2. Maxing out your budget. Just because you get approved for $500K doesn’t necessarily mean you should spend that much. Make sure you feel totally comfortable with your monthly mortgage payment which includes principal, interest, property taxes and home owners insurance.

3. Not paying attention to the fine print. Your home will likely be the largest purchase of your life. Make sure you understand the process with the help of your Realtor and lender.

4. Thinking with your instead of your mind. You might have dreamed of this moment for years. Make sure your decisions come from a place of logic not emotion.

5. Not understanding the other expenses that are associated with home ownership. These might include private mortgage insurance, home owners association dues, utilities, special taxes or assessments.

6. Not protecting your credit score. If you have ever done any work on your score you know how easily it can go and how hard it is to get it to go . Make sure you protect that score because it can be one of the deciding factors of whether or not you qualify for a home loan.

Are You A First Time Seller?

Are you a first time buyer, first time seller, downsizing, upsizing?

I’ve got a guide for that. With step by step and in-depth explanations.

After almost 2 decades in real estate I have discovered that people who fall into these categories have many of the same pain points.

First time home buyers experience fear of the unknown.

First time sellers are unfamiliar with the process.

Both up-sizers and down-sizers have concerns about logistics.

Do you fall into any of these categories?

I would love to share my knowledge with you. Please comment below or send me a private message.

Agent On The Sign

“I just called the agent on the sign.”

I hear this all the time.

Buyers that end up with the agent on the sign because they didn’t know they had a choice.

Here’s the deal.

You should interview and hire an agent to help you buy your home just as a seller interviews and hires an agent to help them sell their home.

This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the “agent on the sign”. I just believe you owe it to yourself to make a CHOICE about the matter versus someone you ended up with by CHANCE.

With gratitude.

Let's Talk About Earnest Money

Show me the money!

Let’s talk about earnest money. When a buyer makes an offer on a property, earnest money is tendered shortly there after.

If everything goes as planned, the earnest money is applied towards the purchase price at closing.

However, sometimes the wheels fall off the bus! Sometimes a buyer might decide to cancel their contract, typically this is because of inspection items.

If this happens, and the buyer cancels before their specified deadlines, their earnest money is 100% refundable.

So, when might the earnest money be non-refundableOnly if a buyer passes their loan approval deadline and cannot or will not close.

This is very rare and in 700+ transactions have only had a handful of buyers end up losing their earnest money.

Questions Please leave them in the comments or DM me.

Choices In Pricing Your Home

The market is feeling a bit bananas lately And sellers are not sure where to price their home. Here’s a little insight.

You have choices when pricing your home:

1. Test the market. This strategy works in a rapidly rising market because you are pricing ahead of the market with the hopes that the market will meet or surpass your list price

2. Price it right. This falls right into the range of what market comparables tell us the home is worth. Not too high, not too low.

Is this sounding a little like Goldilocks and the Thr3

3. Strategically aggressive price. This is the price range that attracts multiple offers and offers over asking price.

There is no right or wrong answer but as the market continues to evolve strategy 3 is going to be more and more effective. Please leave any questions below.

Don't Fix Things

“When someone is broken, don’t try and fix them. (You can’t.)

When someone is hurting, don’t attempt to take away their pain. (You can’t.)

Instead, love them by walking beside them in the hurt. (You can.)

Because sometimes what people need is simply to know they aren’t alone” by Jenny Albers

This is such a good reminder but sometimes feels hard to implement. Its so natural for us to want to “fix” things or say the right words.

But when tragedy hits, there are no right words. And while it can feel counterproductive and maybe trivial, sometimes the best thing to do is just sit with someone in their grief and be that shoulder to lean into.

With gratitude.

Real Estate Is Simple

Real estate is actually quite simple.

A home is worth what a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to sell for. Of course there are other factors in play but at the end of that day that is the matrix.

And therefore, the market itself dictates the pace and value of property. As we move into a more balance market this is becoming more and more apparent.

And what history tells us over time is that real estate is one of the safest and most profitable investments.

Do you want to know more about buying or selling? Reach out to me with your questions, I am here to help!

LET’S TALK ABOUT POOP!

LET’S TALK ABOUT POOP!

Did I get your attention

Many of the homes in our area are on septic systems. This means the waste from the drains and toilets in the home travel to a tank.

The septic system is a crucial element of the home and not one that people like to think about.

Let’s be real, if it's working you kinda forget it's there. When it's not working, you’re faced with a very crappy situation! If you catch my drift.

I could have fun with puns all day with this topic!

In this video I’ll discuss the importance of getting a septic inspection when purchasing a new home.

SKIPPING

A very wise man once told me...

You can’t be mad and skip at the same time.

Guess what?

It’s 100% accurate.

Go ahead give it a try. Next time you are really hot under the collar just start skipping.

I guarantee you not only won’t be mad anymore, you probably will not be able to contain your laughter.