Why we love Highlands Ranch

Enough said!

A Full Time Licensed real estate broker since 1985 I go to work everyday for you & your friends, learning about our home town! It could be Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado. Talk to me for real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Why Highlands Ranch? Guest BLOG

This from coach Shana Hubert:
Someone asked me an interesting question recently; Why do you love Highlands Ranch? In that moment, I began to realize that what seems like such an obvious choice to me is not in and of itself always so obvious to others.

I had no idea what a quest that question would set me on, but when I started thinking about how exactly to explain my answer, I realized there was so much about it for me that I couldn’t put a finger on it. It is not explainable, or factual, or something you can list in an MLS listing. It is just what this community is.

There are many things in one’s life, business, family and community that are that way. I found out that Highlands Ranch was one of those things to me. I absolutely love my community, but when asked to put it into words, it was very difficult to do. I went looking for an explanation and started talking to my family and friends, many of whom also call this community their home. What I received in answers was so much more than I could have ever explained. No matter what backgrounds and family styles you may come from, there are many reasons to call Highlands Ranch home.

The “stuff” is a logical place to start and really it is what most people immediately start discussing in terms of reasons to settle here. Whether single or married with kids, young or old, Highlands Ranch really does offer a lot to do and take advantage of. Where else do you pay a minimal fee to access your pick of four of the best recreation facilities around. They offer fantastic pools whether for adult or child, great workout facilities, racquetball, tennis, programs, tracks, etc. I could go on and on. However in a time when most of us our pinching our pennies anyway, what better way to spend some quality time than to grab your rec. center card and for no more money out of pocket, really go enjoy some time on the court or in the pool as a family.

Many other amenities topped the list of “stuff”. If you don’t feel like spending your time in the gym, what about taking advantage of the miles of open space and trails or taking a walk up to the Town Center. Speaking of the Town Center, the addition of this community gem has brought new life to Highlands Ranch. From enjoying a cocktail with friends, partaking in one of the many annual festivals with the family, becoming a local vegetable connoisseur at the farmers market, or just having a convenient place to get the basics- the Town Center offers something for everyone. Watching it all come together with the amphitheater, park, common areas, and the even more recent addition of some fantastic stores (yes I am a Target fan), it has been amazing to see the design and precision they have had in mind for our beautiful community.

Let’s not forget that there are also many other community shops and conveniences throughout. The design has been splendidly done to make this a living breathing sustainable place to live, without a lot of travel involved. When you look at everything that has gone into, and still continues to go into the community there are a lot of things that you can put a name on and associate a value to in order to explain what makes Highlands Ranch a great place to live.

So let’s pretend for a moment that you didn’t have all the stuff? Why Highlands Ranch then? I will not fib, I am a person who appreciates convenience and certainly can appreciate what this community has strived to offer its residents, but what if you take away the stuff? What else does Highlands Ranch have to offer? Highlands Ranch is one place where, I am convinced, we have a population of caring, civic and community minded people.

I can only truly speak for myself, but I believe at the heart of this community lies people who are looking to make the community better and they are looking for ways to improve the lives of their families and those around them. My bet is on the fact that the “community” would still come. We would find ways to create events and togetherness, we would find ways to enjoy the outdoors and make it a part of our everyday lives and we would certainly still create ways to make this one of the best places to live. So why Highlands Ranch?

Where else can I step out on my deck to such a brilliant view of the Rocky Mountains and still enjoy the many conveniences we take for granted every day? Where else do I get the small town feel that I enjoy when visiting a Hometown Holiday celebration and afterwards I can drive 30 minutes to some of the best theatre performances offered in our nation? Where else offers the kind of entertainment that we can go enjoy without pulling out hard earned money at every turn? Where else can you go to a gourmet restaurant on one side of the street and swing by Super Target on the way home, because “Oh shoot, I forgot to pick up cereal for breakfast and socks for the kids.”? And finally, where else can you go on a walk on Saturday morning and run into your neighbors and the kids, grandma and grandpa out for a stroll, a marathoner running with their dog, and end up at Starbucks with a hometown sports hero enjoying some family time as well?

Highlands Ranch is partially explained by the opportunities and the things that we get to take advantage of every day, and partially unexplainable by the everyday actions of those within our community and the “feel” you get when you walk down the street. So next time someone asks you why Highlands Ranch and you search within for the best way to say it, a simple reply of “because it’s Highlands Ranch,” may suffice just fine!


I work throughout the Denver community (of course including Highlands Ranch!) as Business Growth advisor with OneCoach. My professional goal is to bring value to our clients by assisting business owners in attracting new clients, increasing their revenue, and help them to focus in on the goals they started their business to begin with. My family and I happily live and play in Highlands Ranch.

Shara Hubert
OneCoach of South Denver
http://www.5280businesscoach.com
720.219.3383


Pete Doty is a Full Time Licensed real estate broker since 1985. "I go to work everyday for you & your friends, learning about our home town!" It could be Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado. Talk to me for real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

3,144 Hours or 131 days left

to take advantage of the first time buyer's tax credit. Make the move now because the lenders do not have the ability to handle the new loans they are doing as it is. Do not wait until every one else is in the queue.

A Full Time Licensed real estate broker since 1985 I go to work everyday for you & your friends, learning about our home town! It could be Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado. Talk to me for real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Home Buyers from NEW YORK in Denver

It is not very often we see a trend change yet this year the largest share of my out of town buyers have clicked through to my website http://www.denverrelocation.com/ from New York, beating out the leaders for years of California and Texas.

Now here is the question...is this because the New Yorkers are looking to re-invest in something more "midwestern" in style or is it a recognition that Colorado is more likely to start demonstrating appreciation? Luxury home buyers and those that want gated communities or estates in the $3 million plus range are finding great deals in Denver such as that 4.7mm listing on 35 acres that was listed for 5.6mm last year. It is beautiful, if you believe the pictures.

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Tax Credit for First Time Buyers

OR Strike while the Iron is HOT!
Hidden in the HOUSING AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT OF 2008 is a $7500 tax credit for first time home buyers. We have a video we can forward to you that explains the credit, how it works and who qualifies. If you wish to pursue the purchase of a home in Denver, Littleton, Englewood, Highlands Ranch or any of the metro suburbs, drop me a note or a comment. It would be my pleasure to help you!

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Cost of Electricity By State

I never have seen this before, but I suspected as much. Colorado is #25 out of 50 on the cost of electricity, yet lower that the national average. That means living in a Colorado home should cost you less for electricity that the national average. Not bad!

OH, check out this site...yes it is a Nebraska website, but the information should be good anyway!>)
http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/115.htm
It compares all 50 states cost of electrical power.

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Listings Fall; Inventory Starts to shrink!

I cannot make it any plainer. For 3 months we have seen a steady decrease in the new listings coming on the market in Denver. The real estate market here has bottomed out. Soon we will see the number of days on the market start to shrink. In the south market, even on foreclosed, bank owned properties, we are seeing competitive bidding for homes...that is more than one interested buyer making offers at a time.

The majority of my business this year has been working with buyers in the south Denver real estate market. And even as I write this I have one buyer competing with another to "win" the purchase of a town home. It is what it is, and I have been reporting this for months. Sometimes it is a sense you get, and that is where it started. Other times you get hard data. And other times it is salesman's hype. Well, In Highlands Ranch, it is not hype. And across Denver, there is some data to support what I am reporting.

If buying a home is in your future, the best price will be gained right now in Denver. Make the move sooner, rather than later.

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends & family, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

GREAT Local RODEO this weekend!

The Elizabeth Stampede is scheduled to kick off this weekend with PBR Bull Riding Friday June 6th. If you have never been to a small town rodeo, this is a great experience with bronc riding calf roping, a parade, dancing, auctions and all the excitement that goes with it. Check out the website by going to http://www.denverrelocation.com/ElizabethColoradoinformation.html and clicking the Stampede link.

And when you decide you want to move to the country, make sure to let me help you. We do allot of horse and country properties. Talk to me!

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Multiple Offers on 2 Properties noted by Buyers Agent

Memorial Day weekend I was working with some out of town buyers to find the best 2 homes in the south suburbs here in Denver, specifically Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Centennial and Parker Colorado. We saw 15 homes on Saturday and another 10 or so on Sunday and chose 3. We went home and thought overnight, wrote up an offer on #1 on Memorial Day to close June 30. Before I could get the offer to the other agent, agent #2 left a message they had an offer on #2. Once the offer gets submitted on #1 we get the call, we have a 2nd offer. We lost and did not get #1. We did get the word they actually had 2 other offers, in addition to ours.

The market in Denver is not changing???? Multiple offers on 2 properties???

OK, once again, tell me the market is not good!

The change is starting...the market is turning.



23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

National Housing Starts are UP!

I cannot watch this kind of data but I did read the article. Again, experience can leads you and we saw similar indicators in 1988. Here is the link http://www.denverrelocation.com/sharedfiles/housingstarts.pdf.

How does this affect you, the local Denver Buyer or Seller? Well, it seems to me this is an indicator that the national real estate market has firmed a bit. The statistics locally seem to also indicate that Denver Real Estate prices should be on the rise in the next 12 months. So, while not a perfect time to sell, now is the time to consider the benefits of moving up. Let me know how I can best help you evaluate your current position.

23 years of experience can go to work for you or your friends, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Denver Home Sale Statistics!!!! OOOOh I want to so bad!

Every month I post something about the Denver Real Estate market statistics, and it gets so boring! I am sorry, but last month I saw a serious drop. I have not seen any significant changes yet this month, but I gather my information late in the cycle...on or about the 15th of the month. Why? Well I know Real Estate agents tend to be busy at the end of the month closing deals, and sometimes with every thing else they are doing, forget to enter the data into Metrolist, the Denver area multiple listing service. So I give them a few extra days to get entered. Yet today I am chomping at the bit!



Recap: last month we saw a 5 year average broken by a 20% drop in new listings coming on the market. This is through out metro Denver! Wow, drop from a five year average of 6756 brand new listings for single family homes entering the market in March to 5377 in March 2008! That is a 20.4% drop in new listings! That is a big change. And I expect this month to be very similar! When selecting properties to show (this is not statistical) there just are not allot!

Now what do you do with this news? If you are considering selling your home to move up, please do it before the prices on the new house goes up! Here is why:

Your home has lost some of its value, say 10% over the last 2 years so instead of being worth $300,000 it is now worth $270,000. (ouch) However the move up home you want to buy has also suffered that same 10% loss so instead of it being a $500,000 home now it is a $450,000 home. You made $20,000 by moving now!

Hmmm? Too good to be true? Not with skillful negotiation and proper planning. Lets take another look: Your $500,000 home lost 10% of it's value and is now worth $450,000. OKAY? the target home you want was in an upper price range close to $850,000 and they too lost 10% of their value so it is now worth $765,000. Some one (you) just gained the $35,000 that was left on the table by taking advantage of a down real estate market.

But why do this now? Why not wait for a while? This is where the statistics come in...sometimes you only know where the top or bottom of a market is by analysing data. When I saw that big drop last month I saw something like we saw in 1988 that flagged the beginning of the end of our local real estate meltdown. So, seeing it again should flag the likelihood that something good is about to happen....demand stays steady and prices will go up! This is where experience plays a key role in your next move! So my recommendation: Buy Denver Colorado real estate NOW!



So, if this kind of adice could be valuable to you or your friends, put my nearly 23 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Relocating to Denver? Know the words the "COUNSELOR" uses

When I first heard the term "Amended Value Transaction" I was stumped, but I knew it was not a good thing. So I started to search around and found the Employer's Relocation Council Glossary of Terms that I thought would be valuable to you, when faced with moving to Denver.

This is not an all inclusive glossary, but at least some of the more obscure terms are available for digestion, such as "closing cost assistance". And of course, we are here to serve your real estate needs in your Denver Relocation or if you are wanting to move from Castle Rock to Greenwood Village, or even Highlands Ranch. Go to the glossary.

Let my 22 years of experience work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Or drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Denver real estate DATA! AN ANOMALY APPEARS!

BACK to Basics Real Estate
Yesterday I posted a note about something I had not done in quite a while. I wanted to see what was happening in my clients lives that bought homes in 2004...so I did some mini market evaluations on 15 homes. What I found really surprised me.

Most of the neighborhoods had more properties under contract or pending sale (30 day data) than they had recent sales (6 months of data). Say what? More houses had gone under contract in the last 30 days than had sold in the last 6 months! WOW!

Next, most neighborhoods had more properties under contract than ACTIVE listings, those that are currently for sale. That indicates the inventory is being absorbed. Another WOW!
Well those are great numbers, but not really quantitative. So yesterday I looked at the MLS data for March 2008 for NEW single family listings coming on the market compared with last year (5377 in 2008 versus 6426 in 2007) indicating that inventory is shrinking.

As a matter of fact looking back a few years in March of 2003 it was 6820, 2004: 6948; 2005: 6649; and in 2006: 6936. That really makes the 5377 in March 2008 look like an anomaly.

And lets take it another direction...what it is like out in the market, seeing homes for sale. They are not, as a whole ready. They need to be staged, or cleaned or painted, or priced to their current condition.

I am extremely excited about the Denver Real Estate market.

So, if this kind analysis could be valuable to you or your friends, put my years of experience to work for you! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Denver Real Estate is about to POP!

A week ago I did something I have not done in quite a while...15 mini CMAs or market analysis of areas around homes I helped folks buy in 2004. I was quite surprised at the results. And in a nutshell here is what I found:

There were more homes UNDER CONTRACT or pending sales than there were active listings waiting to sell.

There were more homes UNDER CONTRACT or pending sales than there were RECENTLY SOLD homes in the last 6 months.

There will be 2 challenges for us as a result:
1. There is less supply to find your dream home and prices will soon start to rise in the south suburbs of Denver.
2. There will probably be a difficulty in supporting the sales prices through appraisals as there is not enough data to support higher prices.

While far from comprehensive, these 15 slices of data from vastly different areas of the south suburbs of Denver indicate a trend not otherwise reported. This could be seasonal, or it could be the first indications of a housing market recovery.

Another factor in this report is a result of my recent lack of posts...I have been out showing homes for the last 7 days to 3 different buyers, and I am starting with my 4th today. What I am seeing is allot of property (supply) not properly prepared for sale (kind of like taking a dirty car in to trade) especially in lower prices, and allot of bank owned properties (you can see them at http:www.denverrelocation.com/properties.html) that are priced at "market value" + fix up costs...in other words, very few "DEALS". Yet there are buyers in the market (demand). The "I don't care if it sells" attitude is very apparent, so the smart seller gets the home to sparkle before the first showing. So supply is down yet seasonal demand is up.

I have a 5th buyer who wants a "nice clean house" in Highlands Ranch for her and her son yet the prices above 230k are keeping her from finding something with more than 1200 square feet. Should you know someone who is looking to make a move, make sure to let me know.


Over 22 years of helping nice folks with their real estate needs, whether in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

HEADLINES! SHMEDLINES! Read this about Timing Real Estate Investing

A February 25th article in TIME magazine provides a unique in sight on why now is the time to buy your new home. Specifically read in the center of the of the bottom of the article. Quickly it says trying to hit the bottom might not be the best strategy when investing in either a home or even investment real estate in Denver or any other city.


So, if this kind of service could be valuable to you or your friends, put my 22 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Buyer Beware Home Warranties In Colorado

Colorado is one of the few states that a Home Warranty is not automatically put on a listing
and then sold with the home.

Out of state buyers might have a certain level of expectation that a Home Warranty is already on the property, and that could be wrong.

If a buyer/seller has to shell out money for costly repairs and finds out later down the line
that a Home Warranty (that was never offered) could have saved them time and money, their opinion of the transaction and their agent could be sorely affected. So we offer a Buyer warranty in our Relocation Package, but the BUYER HAS TO ASK for it.

What is Listing Coverage and why doesn't every Realtor use listing coverage? Perhaps they don't know how it works. Listing coverage during the listing period is FREE!!! The homeowner only pays the regular $55.00 to $100.00 for service calls during the listing period.

According to an industry study, homes listed with a Home Warranty sell 27% faster. Offering listing coverage for homeowners will save you from putting money into a property you are trying to leave. The policy is paid only if the home sale closes. Call me to explain exactly how Listing Coverage works.

Why should every buyer be given the opportunity to purchase a Home Warranty? A Home
Warranty will give them peace of mind and potentially offset their cost of home ownership. When there is one local number to call when anything goes wrong you have a great resource. Most home warranties will have license-bonded technicians that have been pre-screened for professionalism. But the point is the Buyer need to ask for a home warranty.

What if the house is relatively new? Do you still need a Home Warranty? No but things break.
So ask for one if you want one.

Read more about home warranties in Colorado...



Should this kind of service could be valuable to you or your friends, put my 23 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Could Brittany Make a MISTAKE Selling Denver Real Estate?

Any one could.

Selling your home can be an exhausting experience. Last minute walk throughs, inconvenient calls, price adjustment and the possibility of being stuck with two mortgages are real concerns. If you are not completely prepared you could end up losing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in profit.

The difference between a profitable smooth transaction and a break even, miserable experience is often a fine line. In the majority of cases it comes down to the subtle know how of your professional. By utilizing the knowledge of a qualified real estate professional, you’ll ensure the quick, profitable sale of your home. This report is designed to arm you with the knowledge to avoid 11 common mistakes that cost sellers serious money.

1. Refusing to Make Profit Inducing Repairs
It always costs you more money to sell ‘as is’ than to make repairs that will increase the value of your home. Even minor improvements will often yield as much as three to five times the repair cost at the time of sale. Your agent will be able to point out what repairs will significantly increase the value of your home. Seemingly small fix up jobs can have quite an impact.
Read more...



Insight like this is gained over 23 years being a full time Real Estate Broker. Could it be valuable to you or your friends? Put me to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

Selling my house...What is the true value of my home?

There are 3 ways to estimate the value of your home. OH, you did not know it was an estimate?
To be truthful, all appraisals are estimates, just like that one you got on your mother's silver serving tray. They can do an appraisal for sale, for replacement, or for insurance. And a home is similar.

#1. Have any silver trays like this sold? There were some at the sale at xyz auction 6 months ago.

#2. What would it cost to replace this tray? It would take a craftsman today about x hours and x material to make a tray of similar quality and design.

#3. If I were to rent this tray from a caterer for a wedding, how much would it cost me per day?

The Silver Tray/Antiques appraiser has to consider these question but also has to know where to go to get the answers. A LOCAL Realtor can be just as much a neophite as an appraiser who did not attend the sale above. What matters is experience and market knowledge, not whether he has ever seen a tray just like this one or a house just like yours.

Understand similar questions are asked when an appraisal of a home is done. Now imagine you are getting a divorce and you want to stay in the house, how much do you want the person leaving to pay you for their share?

What if there are 4 children all from out of town and the estate needs to be liquidated, so taxes do not mount up? What would the value be then?

What if you are facing a foreclosure? Death of a spouse? Transfer? Each and everyone of these situations will affect the appraiser's opinion of value in different ways and they are hired with specific instructions to reflect the same.

Here are the common methods of valuation for real estate appraisals:

INCOME APPROACH: Value of the income generated by the property. Generally this applies only to commercial buildings and the debt service required to pay off the debt. Residential income properties may also be subjected to this kind of scrutiny and units of comparable size and rental history will be sought out to justify pricing and value. A gross Rent Multiplier and other factors are often used. Not a favored method by most residential appraisers.

REPLACEMENT COST APPROACH: Cost of replacement or as we say sticks and bricks. With today's production builders and the economies of scale they can achieve, this too can be very difficult for an appraiser or a real estate broker as today's costs would be greatly affected by access and materials no longer available. Most appraisers will use this as a last resort to establish a value.

COMPARABLE SALES APPROACH: The comparable sale approach is by far the easiest and most accurate of all of the valuation techniques. In essence if you can find the same model house in the same neighborhood that has sold in the last 6 months, that should be a good indication of the value of the subject home. Right away most folks will note that the other home had a less desirable finish in the basement, or no alarm system, etc, however the market value by the appraiser will adjust for all of these according to historical and empirical data.
While an appraiser will look at sales HISTORY the Realtor is charged with interpreting the current market trends. If it is a declining market, the client must be so advised. Appreciating values also must be interpreted.

So what is the REAL Value of anything? "What a willing buyer and a willing seller agree to" is the traditional definition of value. If I want to sell my $6000 silver tray for $3000 to an arms length Buyer it is now a $3000 tray. Likewise, a buyer in your neighborhood may only be willing to pay his opinion of "FAIR MARKET VALUE" and certainly the banks and mortgage companies in today's climate will agree. Our job is to interpret those sales and extrapolate the data so it reflects an accurate value of your home.

And remember, there are always 3 prices for every home:
What you want.
What you ask.
What you get.
Learn more at http://www.denverrelocation.com/SellFast.html

BTW: Did you know Realtors are charged with providing accurate evaluations that do not mis-lead the client according to the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics?

Is this kind of insight and experience valuable to you or your friends? Then put my 23 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

About Me! Pete Doty, Denver Realtor

I was embarrassed the other day as a fellow I had just met at a mixer told me that I had a very likable and approachable personality and that it was a real gift! I agree that it would be, but when I am standing in a room full of people and no one talks to me, I feel invisible not approachable! One of the things I love to do is to greet folks at our church. I know I have a gift for that. When it goes beyond that I feel like a gangley teenager who just walked into a room of complete strangers. However, years of trying to do better at it seems to help and the real estate business seems to have drug me out of my shell. I am still uncomfortable in a room full of people and have to force myself to connect.


You already know I go to church and we are very active there. My other passion is for model trains. It is a strange hobby, yet there are parts that really fit together with the rest of my life. When I started the hobby I had just ridden the Silverton Train and was hooked by the "stack talk", the music a steam engine makes when it is pulling a train up a hill! And the scenery was amazing! I wanted that! The other thing I wanted was for me to be at home when my 2 daughters needed to visit or talk. Now a real estate agent's job is not at home all the time, but at least I was home for dinner almost every night. And they would come into the workshop and ask those questions that only a daughter will ask a Dad! So the choice of model railroading quickly became an obsession. Over the years I have moved from scenery, to operations...making the scene work and look real. Please take a look at my pages at http://www.denverrelocation.com/trains.html


When I got into real estate in Denver I had been in the oil & gas business for over 11 years, first as an engineering technician and finally as a land manager. I had plenty of contract writing experience, as well as title knowledge, but very little sales and almost no negotiating experience. I did not go to college to be a Realtor, nor did I ever plan such a move. It just happened. And since 1985 it has been a good life, full of challenges, and insights, ups and downs with the Denver market, and it has allowed us to support our daughters in their mission trips and, ultimately one's marriage in Scotland! Wow! Thank you God!


Now, entering my 23rd year in the business and with my own office and company in Highlands Ranch, I find the challenges the same, and different. I still need to meet people, but some much of that happens through my websites. One of my recent testimonials comes from a fellow who met me that way, and we helped him buy a place for his daughter, who is going to school here. Take a look at http://www.denverrelocation.com/testimonials.html . and read it for yourself. I also attempt to meet face to face with folks through the Denver Garden Railway Society, and the modelers at the South Suburban Division of the National Model Railroading Assn. We also bowl with some folks every week, as a fun way to get out and eat lousy food!

I have a standards page too! These are my standards and I attempt to live here each and every day. They start:

"My priorities in life are God, my family and my Church. My business reflects and supports these values".

Want to see the full page? go to www.denverrelocation.com/standards.html

And a final personal note, I always try to keep my humor out in front. It is just more fun. That is why the suspenders (my wife & kids got those for me years ago) and the itty bitty business card. I like to enjoy my business and hope you will enjoy the style.

So, if this kind of candor could be valuable to you or your friends, put my almost 23 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com

ARE YOU READY?

Today I found a great deal in Highlands Ranch. over 1900 square feet, 4 beds, 3 baths priced under 260k. And it is bank owned! So if you are ready to make a great deal, your loan is approved, you have some cash and are willing to invest about 15-20k, you should call me today!
I would be happy to represent you in the purchase of this property and get it in to "production" of cash flow.

So, if this kind of service could be valuable to you or your friends, put my 22 years of experience to work for you, learning about your new home town! Whether it is Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Littleton, Castle Rock, Centennial, Englewood, Parker, Elizabeth, Larkspur, Franktown, Kiowa, or anywhere in metro Denver Colorado, we offer real estate advice, properties for sale, multiple listing service, property listings, mls, all available at www.DenverRelocation.com. Drop me a note to pete@Denverrelocation.com