It looks like you're new here. I appreciate you stopping by! Feel free to throw down some graffiti on my wall by adding a comment to this post! And, if you like what you see, please subscribe to the feed and I'll deliver all my new content, right to you! Thanks for visiting!

photo credit: David Watson

My goal in working with Buyer clients with a contract to purchase a home is always to make the Closing a non-event. I strive to make sure all the footwork is done beforehand so when we sit down at the Title Company to sign the forest of documents that is a real estate transaction there are no surprises. That means all the items in the contract have been addressed, and the financed money is final and has been wired to the Closing Company.

As the day for closing approached, the lender had been in constant contact and had the figures ready. The Title Company had prepared the settlement sheets for review. It is very important to look through these figures carefully as any concessions may not be called out specifically. Rather, numbers that would typically appear under the Buyers column will be in the Sellers, and potentially vice versa.

The big lesson I learned in this transaction as both the Buyer and the Agent is to have the money transferred into an accessible account several days in advance. I knew where the money was coming from and which bank was going to generate the certified check. All I needed to do was authorize the transfers in time to make sure everything cleared and the bank was willing and able to create the check. I almost waited too long. So my recommendation is get your money in a pile early so you don’t have to stress over your cash at closing.

We did a final walk-through at the property on the way to the Closing. We entered the Closing Company with check in hand and everything proceeded without a hitch.

Now we own a house and have 3 days to get out of the condo before the renters move in. This is a great move in the current housing market; especially for Buyers out there worried about selling their existing home or condo in this market. We decided to keep the condo as an asset and take advantage of the slower housing market to step up into a bigger property. The rental property has some nice benefits to it including: expense deductions, unit depreciation, market appreciation in time, and pay down on the existing debt. Having a quality tenant to occupy the space on short notice was very helpful to the whole transaction

It’s Go Time! Why is MOVE a four-letter word? Buy a house and find out. I’m serious. If it has been a while since you’ve moved I would recommend everyone to pick a weekend to box ALL your stuff and move it to the garage and then back into the house. At the very least it will be a good workout. Actually, our move went as smooth as can be expected. We didn’t use a moving company but I will certainly consider this option next time. Family and friends helped at critical times and we a settling into the new space. The dog is loving the backyard and is keeping a close eye on all the squirrels in neighborhood.

The entire experience was a great learning opportunity for me and my clients will benefit from it. The better I can see the world through their eyes the better agent I will become. So if you know anyone looking to buy or sell a home, give me or the team a call and see how we can help you. And if you need some cardboard boxes I’m giving those away while supplies last!

My wife has a favorite saying, “Move is a 4-letter word!” Why in the world would someone purposely decide to compress their entire life into a stream of boxes and then carry all those boxes somewhere else? So from that starting point we have come to the conclusion that we are outgrowing our 2-bedroom condominium in Denver, Colorado. It is time to start looking for a housing upgrade, taking those steps to define our wants, search the desired neighborhoods, and determine how much money is available as cash and financing.

As an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), a full-time real estate agent who works exclusively with Buyers, this is a great opportunity to get into the perspective of my clients. As a licensed Realtor, I am very familiar with the multitude of steps involved in the purchase or sale of real estate, and I guide people through it every week. As a Buyer looking to run the gauntlet, it is a very daunting task full of tough decisions, possible missteps, and potentially positive gains, financially and in family style.

My wife and I each have roles in this job of finding our new home. Mine is to search the available market, preview the properties with potential for us, and finally to present to her only those homes deemed acceptable. We are looking for a location that supports a lifestyle not entirely reliant on the automobile. We have focused our attention on Old Town Littleton, Colorado. It is an established neighborhood with mature trees, large parks, and a business district offering restaurants and bars, galleries, and other commercial options. There is also a Light Rail station immediately adjacent to downtown with easy access to downtown Denver. Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure . . .

Well it depends on your motivation, you may not need an agent. 

If you’re looking for a better deal, you can negotiate the commission into your pocket in the form of a price reduction, right?  Well No, you can’t.  In Colorado, all major builders are members of the BRC (Builder Realty Council) and part of this agreement is that builders will market their properties to consumers at the same price, regardless of whether you are represented by an agent.  If you don’t have an agent, the money flows to their bottom line.  Remember, a builder will not sell a home to you for less than what they have sold homes to others in the neighborhood.  They would have a revolt on their hands.  All the other new homeowner’s would be placing signs in their yards and screaming about the builder screwing them!

Bottom line:  Whatever deal you can get on your own, the same deal can be had while being represented.  In fact, a knowlegeable agent can probably get you a better deal, since they will have a better idea of how the builder is doing in the market place at any given time.

The builder has an on-site sales person to take care of me.  Yes, there is an on-site person, but their job is not to take care of you, it is to get you to buy a home, at the highest possible price, with as many options as possible.  The on-site person works directly for the builder, and is responsible to the builder, NOT YOU!

Bottom line: Having someone on your side is a huge plus!  Your agent can advise you to picking a lot, or not picking one that the builder needs to move because no one else wants it.  They can also help with options and upgrades.  Many of these options will cost a ton of $$$$ and add very little value to the home.  Wouldn’t it be nice to make an informed decision when choosing your upgrades?

One thing to remember.  On your first visit to a community, you need to have your broker/agent present, or at a minimum hand their card to the on-site person.  Without this, the Builder may not honor your decision to have representation (they actually will allow you to represented, they just won’t pay for it.)  If you are thinking about buying a new build, contact us first.  We have first hand knowledge of all the local builders and will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of each. 

So, it doesn’t cost anything to be represented, you will get the same deal, if not better, and you will get an objective opinion about lot location, upgrades, etc….I retract my opening statement.  There is NEVER a reason to buy direct from the builder without an agent on your side.

We can provide you information on any local builder, simply contact us!