Do you want to tackle a fix up home project, or do you live in a house that needs some fix up but you have no idea how to pay for the work? Then you are in luck if you live in Englewood or plan to buy there. The City of Englewood is now offering a pretty generous Home Improvement Loan Program.

This program offers an interest rate below 5% which is well below what you find if you were to get a home equity loan or line of credit. You can use it for a wide variety of improvements and part of the loan may be deferred until the home is sold. So if you live in Englewood and need to do some work to your home, what a great option.

If you are looking to buy a home, and in your price point you know the house will need work, this just might

…

 

Denver was just named the best Real Estate market in American in which to invest right now. To those that already live in Denver, it is little wonder why. According to Greg Rand with www.OwnAmerica.com, Denver is the top investment market in the U.S. right now because of quality of life. People are migrating from across the country to Denver for its lifestyle. On top of the incredible lifestyle, the fresh air, mountains, high quality of life, etc., people are also drawn to the Denver because of the low cost of living, unemployment is half the national average as is the foreclosure rate. Word about Denver is getting out and as more and more people move to Denver, there is only one way for the Real Estate market to go and that is up.

…

What will the Denver Real Estate market be like in 2012? I wish I had a crystal ball to answer that, but since I don’t, I guess I will do it the old fashioned way of looking at Real Estate trends and projections to give my best prediction. I believe 2012 could be the best Real Estate market we have seen in years, but it all depends on a few key factors. To better understand these factors and what the future holds, it is best to take a quick look back at the Denver Real Estate market in 2011.

2011 was a very interesting year for the Denver Real Estate market. Home sales were up 1.5% over 2010, always a good sign. The median sales price dropped to $230,000 from $235,000 which can be explained by the incredibly hot lower end market, homes under

…

I hear it all the time, “what is the buyer/seller thinking?  Are they crazy?” In a Real Estate market like we are in, it isn’t unusual for buyers and sellers to be pretty far apart when it comes to price. To prove this further, a new study came out with some interesting numbers. According to RIS Media, 76% of home owners believe their home is worth more than their agent’s recommended listing price and 68 percent of home buyers say homes are overpriced.

When you look at these numbers, it makes you wonder how a home is every sold since it seems buyers and sellers are so far apart. Despite this, homes are selling at one of the fastest clips in recent time, so what gives? I believe it is all about mindset and buyers and sellers expectations going into

…

Is the Denver Real Estate market a buyer's market or a seller's market right now? If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Denver, then this is a great question to ask before you begin. For the past 8 years, as long as I have been in the Real Estate, Denver has been a strong buyer's market. But how do we know when it transitions from a buyer's market to a seller's market?

Before going into numbers to answer this question, it is necessary to first understand what the difference between a buyer's and seller's market is. In a buyer's market, there are more home sellers than there are buyers. When this occurs, there is greater supply than demand and typically the buyer holds the negotiating power and can expect a great deal. On the flip

…

Often times, homeowners ask me “What exactly is a loan modification?”  The simplest answer is this -- a modification will adjust the initial terms of your loan that you agreed upon with your lender. There are three areas in which your loan can be modified: interest rate, principal amount owed or the length of the loan.  Eighty percent of the modifications that are approved qualify for a reduced interest rate.  

The loan modification process can often times be tumultuous at best. Homeowners should be prepared to provide their lender with a large amount of documentation, often times repeatedly sending the same documents multiple times.  Once all of the documentation has been sent in, and the modification has been submitted to underwriting, the “waiting…

Who pays the Realtor's fees in Colorado? It is a great question and one that often comes up right after the excitement of going under contract on a home wears off and the finances come into play.  In the simplest terms, the seller pays the commission for both the listing agent selling the home and the buyer’s agent representing the buyer.

To get technical, the seller actually pays the Real Estate Company who is representing them.  The company in turn pays the Realtor representing the buyer.  So for buyers in Colorado, there is really no excuse to not have a Realtor representing you in the largest purchase you will ever make in your life.  It doesn’t cost the buyer a penny, you get professional representation and advice and an agent who knows

…

Is it better to flip Denver investment property or rent it right now?  This is a question I get from investors often and the answer, for the first time in a long time, is actually to rent.  According to a study by Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survery, 50% of all investors that purchased an investment property in July decided to rent it instead of flipping or reselling it.  That is in contract to July of 2010 when only 28% of investors rented their recent purchases.

So why are so many more investors renting out their investment properties?  It only makes sense.  First, interest rates are so incredibly low, I have investors getting investment loans for under 5% which is unheard of, which of course makes it much easier to

…

Economists are beginning to talk, and many believe that our housing market has probably hit bottom in the 1st quarter of this year! There are some areas in our nation which aren’t so lucky and will continue to struggle through the end of the year. However, Colorado is one of the fastest growing real estate markets in the county according to recent statistical data! Mortgage loan applications increased by 7.1% for the week ending July 29th. If you are thinking about selling this may be a great time. There are buyers out there looking for their dream home.

As most people know getting a mortgage is not as easy as it once was. Consumers are required to provide a multitude of paperwork and other information which was not necessary a few years ago. In addition

…

 

How will the Debt Ceiling crisis and S & P Downgrade affect Denver Real Estate?  Well, if you turn on the T.V., you would think the financial world is going to end and we will be going back to the bartering system before long.  But looking past the media drama, what does this mean to Real Estate, especially Denver Real Estate?

The largest impact the experts predict will be with rising interest rates.  The Washington Post explains it best.  "The impact on your wallet from the downgrade is similar to what would happen if your own credit score declined: The cost of borrowing money is likely going to go up."  

The 10-year Treasury note is considered the basis for all other interest rates. And “the downgrade could increase the yields on

…