Highlands Ranch Real Estate Information

Saturday, August 29

The Walk-Through - Highlands Ranch Homes

By Albert Arouh
(Ezinearticles.com)

You excitedly open the door to your new house...flip on the light switch and nothing happens. You pull back the shade to add some light...and you notice the windows pane is broken. You look out the cracked window only to find the yard is still overgrown...and just for good measure you hear the drip...drip of the faucet...what does all this mean?

You made a an unfortunate home buyers mistake...you didn't complete the final walk-through.

Admittedly, this is unusual situation that most home buyers rarely encounter. Should you find yourself in this situation, don't be overly concerned, because you do have recourse to get these repairs resolved.

Read the rest of the story.

Thursday, August 27

Real Estate Contract Contingencies - What You Need to Know

By Pat Perkins

What Are Contingencies in a Real Estate Contract?

A contingency is a formal clause in a real estate contract that enumerates particular conditions that must be met by either the buyer or the seller in order for the principals to proceed to the next step in the contract. Found in every offer-to-purchase or sell contract, contingencies protect the interests of both buyers and sellers. Failure to meet a particular contingency can result in breach of contract and possible penalties to the party at fault.

Basic Contingencies in Real Estate Contracts

Contingencies are divided into categories according to their purpose:

(1) protection for the seller

Read the rest of the story.

Wednesday, August 26

Five Valid Reasons to Back Out of a Real Estate Transaction

By Maria Faith

Finding the house you can relate to, you can see yourself living in and starting a new life over is quite hard. This is why when you finally find the right home for you, you immediately make your offer to the owner. Then, you start to visualize how you would arrange your furniture in the house and how you would decorate every nook and cranny in it. Before you get over emotional or over excited, you should stop yourself. Note that you should not follow your heart blindly especially when it comes to real estate purchasing. When you see a red flag signaling you to back out on your offer, be sure to do so. Here are five reasons to get you out of your offer even if you already have an emotional attachment to the property.

Check out the rest of the story.

Tuesday, August 25

Organizing Tips To Help Your Home Sell - Highlands Ranch

In the midst of today’s tough real estate market, it is crucial that sellers make sure that their home has every chance of selling. Tonia Tomlin, a Dallas-area professional organizer, urges sellers to consider the importance of getting organized before placing a home on the market.

Tomlin recommends the following:
Clean off the kitchen counters. The kitchen, arguably one of the most important rooms in the home, has a tendency also to be the room that is most used.

Read more of the tips.

Monday, August 24

Set the Stage for a Top-dollar Sale

by Pat Mertz Esswein (Kiplinger.com)

Be prepared to spend

Although your own elbow grease can take you far, you may need to lay out some money, as the Wests did, to fine-tune your property. You'll get back what you spend and more. The Wests' agent, Fujita, says that in his market, buyers can expect a return of about five times what they spend, though he notes that the impact is greatest with low-end properties that are likely to be bought by first-time buyers.

Conversely, doing nothing can cost you mightily in both sale price and time. Jenny Milligan, a real estate agent in.......

Click here to read more

Saturday, August 22

10 most often overlooked real estate tax deductions

10 most often overlooked real estate tax deductions
By Robert J Bruss - Inman News

1 – DEDUCT PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE ACQUISITION MORTGAGE FEE IF YOU BOUGHT A HOME LAST YEAR
2 – REMEMBER TO DEDUCT HOME MORTGAGE REFINANCE LOAN FEES OVER THE LIFE OF THE HOME LOAN.

See all 10 by clicking on the link below
http://www.inman.com/hstory.aspx?ID=45107

Wednesday, August 19

Real Estate 101: Tips for sellers down on their luck

There's nothing worse than a listing that languishes unsold for weeks or months. With fewer bidding wars, flipping that has flopped and the squeeze on mortgage money, sellers really have to pull out all the stops. Having the means to move a home today is paramount, says Consumer Reports.

The trusted rater of products and goods also offers information for homeowners holding, buying or selling their home and recently offered homeowners tried and true ways to quickly sell homes.

• Get good representation. Seek local agents who are managing sales even when the market is slow. Have several professionals give you a presentation to justify your home's value and explain their marketing technique. Attend open house events hosted by prospective brokers so you can check out their on-the-job performance.

Read the full details.

Tuesday, August 18

Sprucing up a home for sale on a $1,000 budget

Even with a budget of $1,000 or less, sellers are not priced out of making improvements that can help their home stand out among the competition. Real estate experts say there are many relatively small upgrades that can go a long way toward attracting buyers. "There are a lot of things that you can do that won't cost a lot of money but will sure make your home look a whole lot more appealing," said Gwyn Thorne, owner of Staged Appeal Homes in Fairfax, Va. Below are Thorne's top suggestions for a thousand-dollar budget. Washington Post


Interior motives

Swap out old light fixtures to help modernize the feel of the interior. Flush-mounted fixtures suitable for bedrooms and hallways can go for as little as $20 a pair, Thorne said.

Read the full story.

Sunday, August 16

Highlands Ranch Off-Leash Dog Areas

Highlands Ranch continues to grow and now offers 4 Off-Leash Dog areas nearby.

Hound Hill at Highland Heritage Park, located south of the Quebec/University/Lincoln intersection behind the Highlands Ranch Post Office. Parking is available at Highland Heritage Park.

Digger's at Dad Clark Park is located at 3385 Asterbrook Circle, west of Fairview Parkway and Summit View Parkway. Parking is available at Dad Clark Park.

Fido's Field at Foothills Park, located at 1042 Riddlewood Drive. To get to Foothills Park from Lucent Boulevard, turn south on Timbervale Trail to Riddlewood. It can also be accessed from Winterthur Way, west of Broadway. Parking is available at Foothills Park off Winterthur Way.

Rover's Run at Redstone Park is located east of Redstone Park, near the intersection of Town Center Drive and Foothills Canyon Boulevard. Parking is available at the Redstone Park Tennis Center

For more details about the Dog parks, please click on the link below.
http://www.highlandsranch.org/03_p&os/03_5dogoff.html

Friday, August 14

Denver's Resale Housing Market Showing Hopeful Signs

Metro Denver's resale housing market appeared to start returning to normalcy in June, according to sales data Tuesday from Metrolist Inc. Single-family home sales in June, for example, were equally split between the lower price ranges that appeal to first-time homebuyers and pricier houses that attract homebuyers moving up to larger and/or more expensive homes.

Thursday, August 13

Forbes: Denver is America’s Best City to Buy a Home

Denver is America’s best city to buy a home, Forbes magazine says in a new ranking of U.S. metro areas.” While the majority of the nation’s housing markets are still working toward a bottom, some cities are boasting fundamentals that make them good places to buy a home now,” Forbes reported.

Buy Real Estate for your IRA - Yes you can but beware

Can you buy real estate for your IRA? Yes, you can but the rules might not make it your best investment. Here is an article about the possibility but it neglects to mention the loss of depreciation in the financial equation - another key factor in buying real estate as an investment.

By Tom Kelly
Inman News

The guidelines covering real estate IRAs are stringent. If you break one of these rules, you could jeopardize your tax-free status on your account.

  • The land or house must be treated like any other investment.
  • All rental profits must be returned to the trustee.

  • Check out more info by clicking on the link below.

    http://www.inman.com/hstory.aspx?ID=44848

    Tuesday, August 11

    Good laughs accompany real estate investment book

    Tuesday, February 15, 2005

    By Robert J. Bruss
    Inman News

    The most unusual real estate book I have ever reviewed is "What No One Ever Tells You About Investing in Real Estate" by Robert J. Hill II. It contains 112 mini-chapters about realty investor experiences and lessons to be learned from those stories. Click the link below for more of this story.....

    http://www.inman.com/inmanstories.aspx?ID=44824

    Monday, August 10

    Real estate investing generates big tax benefits

    With average annual residence market value appreciation hovering around 10 percent nationally, they opined, savvy investors are probably buying rental homes as a very profitable alternative to the stock market.


    In addition, investors in rental houses, apartments and commercial buildings should also consider the tax-shelter benefits, leverage control of investment property with little or no cash down payments, and investment safety.


    BIG TAX BENEFITS FOR REALTY INVESTORS. Major benefits for realty .......... Click below for more details from Inman News.

    http://www.inman.com/inmannews.aspx?ID=44781

    If you're interested in investing in real estate, give me a call or contact me by email. In addition to my own home, I've personally invested in other real estate (rentals, etc) over the past 15 years.

    Sandi Miyaki 303-913-9993

    sandi.miyaki@kw.com

    Sunday, August 9

    Valuable tips for first-time homebuyers

    The recent slowdown in the residential housing market has provided new buying opportunities through more affordable house prices, especially for first-time homebuyers. Before embarking on a real estate hunt however, it's a good idea to pick up a few insights on buying a first home. A wide variety of Web sites offer a wide range of advice for anyone looking to purchase a home. Here's a sampling of some sites with useful information:

    BANKRATE.COM

    www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/BuyerGuide2004/fthb-tips.asp

    Read the rest of the story.

    Saturday, August 8

    House for sale? 5 tips to sell your home fast

    In this economy many are finding it difficult to sell their home.

    Things like staging a home for sale used to be considered a luxury. Now, many real estate agents consider it a necessity, according to AngiesList.com. The continuing slump in the housing market has given buyers plenty of options, making it increasingly important to have your house looking its most dapper.

    Here are five tips to selling your house from AngiesList.com:

    1. Screen appeal trumps curb appeal

    Nearly 90-percent of homebuyers now research homes online, according to realty industry research. So it’s important that the house be staged and looking its best before the photos are taken to post online.

    Read the rest of the story here.

    Friday, August 7

    7 Tips for Getting a Preapproved Mortgage

    During the height of the real estate boom, getting a mortgage was as easy as picking out a new coffee table for the living room. Now, home buyers have to jump through rings of fire before they can sign on the dotted line.

    Today, the first step in landing a home loan is obtaining a letter of preapproval. This means a mortgage lender has verified that you’re approved for a mortgage of a certain amount over a fixed timeframe.

    Preapproval letters are prepared even before you’ve picked out your home. They remove some of the uncertainty in the home-buying process. In the current housing market, real estate agents and sellers won't want to work with buyers unless they have one.

    Read the rest of the SmartMoney.com story.

    Wednesday, August 5

    How to pay lower property taxes - Highlands Ranch Homes

    If you look really, really hard, you might find a silver lining in the darkest of clouds. When it comes to the gut-churning drop in home prices, the silver lining is the chance to reduce your property taxes. Maybe.

    In most parts of the country, property taxes are used to support schools and local and county government. Since property, or real estate, tax is based on the property’s value multiplied by the tax rate, the tax should go down if the property’s value falls.

    But it probably won’t go down automatically. Unless the home has sold recently, taxes are typically based on the latest assessment, and it’s common for years to go by between assessments. Tax authorities aren’t eager to reduce tax bills, so the homeowner has to take the initiative by filing an appeal.

    Read the rest of the story.

    Tuesday, August 4

    Foreclosure Mediation Program - Highlands Ranch Residents

    The Douglas County Housing Partnership (DCHP), a Multi-Jurisdictional housing authority, has established a Foreclosure Mediation Program. The goals of the Program are to prevent mortgage defaults, assist home mortgage lenders and borrowers in working out mortgage defaults, and resolve foreclosure actions that are either initiated or threatened by lenders.

    Check out the full details at the Douglas County Web site.

    Monday, August 3

    Selling Home May Be Influenced by What Buyers Can't See

    It’s not always what buyers can see in a home that causes them to want to buy it or not. Sometimes it’s the way the home feels. I’m not talking about staging, the size, or how spacious the home is, although those factors are important too. In this column I’m focusing on how buyers’ allergies may be affected when they tour your home.

    Good article by by Phoebe Chongchua - check out the full article here.

    Sunday, August 2

    Can Trees Help Sell Your Home in Highlands Ranch

    The study reports that, “General tree cover adds 2 percent to 9 percent to the value of existing homes and 7 percent for new construction on tree-covered lots.” Just a single tree can add up to 2 percent to the property value, according to the study. Hedges, walls, landscaped curbs, and dense vegetation can each add 2 percent to 4 percent to the property value. And if your home has more trees than nearby homes, the value shoots up by about 7 percent. Sophisticated designs in landscape affect property value in a very positive way.

    Read the full story.

    Saturday, August 1

    Home Staging Equals Quick Sale

    One of the most important things you can do to sell your listings quickly and for the highest possible price is to “stage” them. Basically, there are five steps to home staging.

    Cleaning
    Getting rid of clutter
    Depersonalizing
    Decorating and accessorizing
    Maintaining
    Cleaning

    When I say, “cleaning” I don’t mean your ordinary, weekly house cleaning. I mean a deep cleansing in which you make every surface, every window, every nook and cranny sparkle and shine. You should encourage your homeowners to clean their windows, their ceiling fans, their curtains and blinds, carpet…in short, everything. Homeowners should also strive to eliminate any unpleasant odors and if possible, have someone else care for their pets until the house is sold.

    Read the rest of the story.