The Top Five Benefits of Selling Your Home in the Winter

A beautiful home in the nature with snow.

Experts disagree on whether selling your home in the winter is a good thing or not. A realtor in Canada says that it’s bad for sellers but great for buyers.  However, the stats don’t lie. Homeowners have a 9% greater likelihood of selling, sell a week faster, and sell for 1.2% more relative to list price than homes listed in any other season.

No matter which side of the table you’re on, here are four solid reasons for selling your home in the winter.

1.     Winter has serious buyers

There tends to be fewer people on the fence when looking for a home in the wintertime. Generally, there are more serious buyers. There are fewer window shoppers, unlike in the spring and summer months. 

2.     Company relocations

Some of the biggest months for corporate relocations is January and February, so there are buyers who are looking to move quickly. People who are relocating have a limited time to uproot their families and don’t have much time to look at properties. They are serious buyers who are willing to sign on the dotted line once they have found their dream home. 

3.     Time spent on landscaping is reduced

You’ll spend less time landscaping and more time staging the inside of your home by selling in the winter. The snow may also hide some less than ideal conditions on the exterior of your home, but remember that sellers have a year to remedy in some states so always disclose everything that you know needs to be fixed. 

4.     Less competition 

Since there are fewer homes on the market during the winter, your home is likely to get more attention before the market becomes saturated in spring and summer. 

5.     New parents on the path to upgrade

September is the most popular birth month in the United States. There is a baby boom that month according to the Social Security Administration and Center for Health Statistics. New parents may be looking to upgrade their homes in the wintertime. 

4 reasons why the best time to buy your house is October

Buying your home in the fall may be your best bet!

Public opinion may say that spring and summer are the best time to buy a house, but sales information argues otherwise. Other than sipping on a pumpkin spice latte while looking at listings, the fall is the best time to buy a house. Based on RealtyTrac’s analysis of 32 million home sales over 15 years, October is the best month to buy a house. October buyers pay about 2.6% below estimated market value at that time for their homes.

For a house that would cost $500,000, that would be $13,000 in cost savings. 

The best day in October to buy a house? October 8, where there would be an average of 10.8% discount in home price. 

However, there are other reasons to buy a house in October as well. 

1. You can see exterior issues on the house better.

You may be distracted by the beautiful greenery during the spring and summer, and overlook some of the things that need attention on the house. Did you see dry rot on the deck, the foundation separating from the ground ,or any one of a number of issues? These can be costly repairs. Noticing them before buying the home allows you to get the issues fixed before you move in, or at the very least understand what projects you may have to undertake after buying the home. 

2. You may find a better deal.

If a house has been sitting on the market through the spring and summer months, then the sellers may be ready to take less money for their home so that they can move on. As we have seen in the Denver Metro market this year, this fall has shown a slowing of properties selling and buyers having to lower their prices to move the property.

3. You can have more quality time with your realtor. 

As the year comes to an end, you will have more time with your real estate team: realtor, mortgage officer, lawyer, and everyone else on your team. It’s time to ask good questions! They are not as busy and will be able to give you more quality time then they might in the summer. 

4. You’ll have less pressure to buy. 

When houses are selling quickly in the spring and summer, you won’t necessarily have time to look at houses in a leisurely, stress-free pace. Enjoy the fall buying experience by carefully comparing houses. Take your time and make sure the property is a good fit for you. The kids are already in school and many of the summer activities are coming to an end for the year. 

Six Easy Home Staging Tips for This Fall

Apply a pop of color to your neutral tones.

It’s great having your home on the market this fall—there will be less competition compared to the summer! Follow these fall staging tips, and you’ll be certain to close by Halloween.  

1. Lighten up 

Turn on all the outside lights so that it is welcoming when buyers drive in. Once inside, make sure you turn on all of your indoor lights, which makes it warm and bright inside. The lighting helps to set the mood and make sure the home is inviting and cozy inside.  

2. Enhance your curb appeal 

Make sure that your leaves are picked up, the lawn is manicured and green, and your siding is clean. Add some potted plants to add depth and fall foliage to your yard for that extra, wow factor. A beautiful outside will help draw buyers inside the house. If your outdoor scene is not appealing, then buyers may not want to go inside, no matter how appealing you have set up your indoor sphere.  

3. Enrich your walls  

Paint your walls a nice crème or light caramel color, keeping it neutral for the fall. A fresh coat of paint will add to the value of your house by giving it a newer feel.  

4. Make it comfortable 

Adding throw pillows, cushions and plush throw blankets to get people to slow down and have a comfortable atmosphere. Pops of red will help enhance the warmth of your house and help the house feel like it could be their home.  

5. Have seasonal scents 

Make some warm apple cider with cinnamon before the showing. Or, better yet, try to bake some pumpkin spice cookies and leave them for the showing! It helps to inspire buyers to see what they can do in the kitchen.  

6. Inspire some light 

Turn on your gas fireplace to add that extra warmth to the home. Rearrange your furniture to make the fireplace the main focal point of the room. Place some candles in strategic areas of the house, such as in the bathrooms to give a warmth to key places in the house. Keep all of your scents consistent and mellow; you want your main scent to come from the kitchen. 

4 Back to School Organization Tips for Parents to Transition Kids

With the school year starting just around the corner, it’s time to start transitioning kids from the summer routine, back to the school routine. The days of summer may have been long, and your kids may have been going to bed at 10 pm or later, but with a 7 am wake up time (or earlier!), it’s time to change the schedule. Instead of making the change in the night before school, have a transition plan ready so that your little ones aren’t cranky on the first day of school. 

1.    Make sure they’re getting enough sleep. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a variety of sleep schedules it supports, depending on the age group. AAP supports kids from ages 3-5 years should get 10-13 hours a night of sleep. For kids ages 6-12, they should get 9-12 hours a night. For teenagers ages 13-18, they should get 8-10 hours a night. To help make sure that they get enough sleep, promote a no technology policy in the bedroom so that they can equate their room to bedtime and sleep and there are no distractions in the room to keep them awake or wake them for some random reason. 

2.    Start at least a week before school begins. 

Small adjustments of moving bedtime back by 15 to 30 minutes a night should help kids get back on a sleep schedule. Depending on the child, you’ll have to get them up earlier as well, by 15 to 30 minutes each morning. Hopefully, by the time school starts, your kids will be going to bed on time and waking up in time to attend class each morning and have a nutritious breakfast. If your kids are having a difficult time getting good sleep, look into sleep hygiene. It is a great help.

3.    Create a snack station to help kids put together their lunches. 

At night before each school day begins, spend some time having the kids put together their lunches. Put bags of apples, watermelon, and other perishable snacks in a drawer in the refrigerator, along with jelly sandwiches, Lunchables, and other lunch items for the kids. A shelf in the pantry or a large drawer in the kitchen can hold nonperishable snacks such as Oreos, pretzels, and crackers. This way you can let your little one pack what they want to eat for lunch from the selections that you are comfortable with them eating. While at the same time reducing the amount of time you have to spend preparing their food.

4.    Create a space for library books. 

Find a shelf or basket for the kids’ library books. Once school starts, it means many trips to the library. Don’t mix your books and library’s books or it may mean some hair-pulling when it’s time to separate the books! Keeping the books separate will help kids with their boundaries in determining which are the family’s books and which books are borrowed. Moreover,this will also help to keep your home beautiful and organized. 

Great Horse Trails in Douglas County and Parker in the Summertime

Horseback riding in Colorado.

There are a variety of great things to do for horseback riders in Douglas County, Colorado. It's not uncommon to see horseback riders on the trails in the summertime. Colorado has some of the best open spaces for outdoor activities. 

There are over a hundred miles of horse trails in Douglas County alone. Many of these trails feature creeks, canals, canyons, and other beautifulsights. 

To help you get started with your trail riding experience, we've provided you with our favorite horseback riding in the county, and in the Front Range. There are a varietyof types of paths including crusher fines, concrete paths, and natural trails. Many of the trailsare appropriately improvedfor the benefit of the horses and the pedestrians alike. 

Hidden Mesa Open Space and Trail

Containing 1,224 acres of open space and trail, Hidden Mesa is a gem near Franktown. It has 7 miles of trails to ride. There are occasional deer sightings and a variety of shrub oak and grasslands. It is a beautiful place to ride and get closer to nature. The trails offer many different path options where you can have a comfortableride or complicatedride. It is your choice. Most of the trail is on grassland,butthere are some treed areas near the back of the trail system. 

Salisbury Equestrian and Sports Parks

Run by the City of Parker, there are thirty undeveloped acres in the park for your use. You can use Salisbury Equestrian Park to access the Cherry Creek Trail system near the McCabe Meadows trailhead. The park offers a great place to take your horse and warm them up in the arena before going out on the Cherry Creek trail system. 

Chatfield State Park

Chatfield State Park with its 3,768 acres, offers a convenient horse-riding experience. The park is close enough to the city that it is accessible for a quick day trip but far enough for a rural feel. With over 24 miles of horse trails, there is plenty of room to let you roam for most or all of the day. If you are interested in riding a horse but are not sure you are ready for the investment, horse rentals are available in the park. The open grasslands show the majestic plains at their best and a great view of the foothills.

East-West Regional Trail

The East-West Regional Trail unites Chatfield State Park with Parker. It connects a variety of parks including Redstone Park, Pronghorn Park, Red-tail Park, Daniel Gates Park, and Coyote Ridge Park, amongst others. It has 20 miles of trails composed of crushed fines to help you and your friend get around and allows you to access many other trail systems. 

Living in Colorado offers an unmatched trail riding experience and the riding community in Douglas Countyis one of the best. If you are looking for a group of people to get out and ride with, look to Parker Trail Riders. They are a great group of people that I love riding with. See you out on the trails!

For a complete list of trails operated by Douglas County, visit here. 

Top 9 Plants for Xeriscaping in Parker, Colorado

A xeriscaped garden at Denver Botanic Gardens. 

Whether your are looking to sell your home or just fix it up for the summer so that you are the envy of the neighborhood, Xeriscaping is a great way to make your yard look its best and help you save on your water bill. With the lack of rain lately, many people in Colorado are looking for ways to do just that, while maintaining a beautiful yard. 

Xeriscaping is a great way to improve your home’s curb appeal. This is the first thing that anyone that drives by your home will see. When you are selling your home, first impressions are critical. You want your prospective buyers to see the front of the home and say, "I must have this one" before they walk in the door. 

To xeriscape does not mean that you pull all of the plants out of your yard and put rock down! Xeriscaping means that you plant plants that can go long durations without water or don’t require much water at all. There are many beautiful plants that one can plant that meet this requirement and many of them are native to the area. 

Here are a few of our favorites based on our own experiences and research into local nurseries.  

Hummingbird Mint 

The Hummingbird Mint has beautiful tall spikes of deep rose-pink flowers. It is deer resistant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, starting blooming in mid-summer through the fall. The plant requires full sun and takes two to three seasons to reach full size. It is a tall plant, ranging from 48 to 60 inches tall and is 24 inches wide at maturity.  

Prairie Sundrops

Prairie Sundrops are best planted in full sun as the stems tend to fall without it. The yellow four-petal flowers grow on the green to greenish-red stems that have long hairs. The plant grows to be approximately 24 inches tall and 24 inches across. They bloom early to late summer.  

Prarie Sundrops are a great addition to a xeriscaped garden!

Bloody Cranesbill

Bloody Cranesbill has brilliant carmine-colored flowers that bloom in late spring through summer. They grow approximately 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It needs partial to full sun. The deciduous leaves turn wine red in late fall. The perennial attracts butterflies.  

Bloody Cranesbill has beautiful flowers. 

Moonshine Yarrow

The Moonshine Yarrow has beautiful ferny light blue foliage and heads of soft sulfur-yellow flowers. The plant grows 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide at maturity. They grow in full sun. The plant is deer and rabbit resistant. It is easy to care for the plant and adds to any xeriscape garden. It is an excellent perennial, so you only have to plant it once.  

The Moonshine Yarrow has beautiful ferny light blue foliage and heads of soft sulfur-yellow flowers.

Wisley Pink Sunrose

The Wisley Pink Sunrose is one of 110 varieties known as sunroses. It is ideal for erosion control. It needs full sun and blooms from late spring through mid-summer. These plants are relatively large, growing rapidly to 24 inches tall by as much as 36 inches wide. The Wisley Pink Sunrose has masses of pink flowers with gold centers flanking the stamen.  

Apache Plume 

Apache Plume blooms with single white five-petaled flower that set fluffy pink seed heads. It requires full sun. The Apache Plume blooms from late spring to mid-fall. The plant is deer resistant and attracts birds and butterflies. It is a large plant, growing 48 inches tall by 48 inches wide. It maintains its green color in the winter.  

Shrubby Ice Plant 

The Shrubby Ice Plant produces evergreen ground cover with succulent, blue-green leaves and many bright fuchsia-pink flowers in late spring through early summer. It is rabbit resistant. The ice plant is relatively short, growing to 3 inches tall and 12 inches wide. The plant is low maintenance and requires full sun.

Kentucky Coffee Tree

The Kentucky Coffee Tree is heat and drought tolerant, assuming that they’ve had two years of properwatering to establish their root system. They can reach up to 50 feet tall and 40 feet wide. The leaves turn bright yellow in the fall. The tree blooms in early summer, with white flowers that mature into seed pods into fall and winter.  

The Kentucky coffeetree is heat and drought tolerant. 

Fernbush

The Fernbush, also known as the Desert Sweet, has leaves look like little fern fronds. It grows between 36 inches to 108 inches high at maturity and spreads out as wide. Flowers appear in white clusters in mid to late summer at the tips of branches. They are white colored and have five petals.  

Eagle's Nest Ranch Looking for a Permanent Home

Eagle's Nest Ranch provides equine therapy free of charge. 

Suzy MacKenzie is founder and executive director of the Eagle's Nest Ranch; a 501(C3) nonprofit organization based in Elbert county. The Eagle’s Nest Ranch is currently looking for a more permanent home, one they can call their own. 

The Eagle’s Nest Ranch’s mission is to be a haven for people and horses to connect. Suzy believes that through this connection people can renew hope, build trust and experience growth; so they may soar above the adversities of life to fulfill their purpose. They achieve this through the amazing activities offered at their facility.

The Eagle's Nest Ranch provides 90-minute sessions of equine therapy with horses, to assist those who are seeking hope. These sessions are offered free of charge to all individuals who come to the ranch. The non-profit is funded by donations and grants. 

The Eagle's Nest Ranch supports the general public, they are very proud to offer additional also support to the military and first responder communities. These communities risk the most in their service tothe public and this great nation, and these services can cost them enormous emotional and physical tolls. At times, these defenders, warriors and their families are left with invisible wounds due to their service. The non-profit's desire is to be able to anchor these individuals and their families in the storm; through providing a peaceful and safe environment. The Denver VA Medical Center brings local veterans from the homeless program out to the ranch twice a month to help them regain hope. 

The Eagle's Nest Ranch also has a special program that serves local law enforcement and firefighter families; the First Responders Buckaroo Days in which the Eagle’s Ranch Nest invites first responder families out to the ranch for a day of fun, family time and encouragement. The Eagle’s Nest Ranch is endorsed by the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office due to their commitment to veterans and first responder communities.

The Eagle’s Nest Ranch has a few of these events starting here soon; please put these dates onyour calendar for the upcoming Buckaroo Days: 

Saturday, June 16 from 11 to 3 pm
Saturday, July 14 from 11 to 3 pm
Wednesday, August 1 from 11 to 3 pm

Eagle’s Ranch Nest is currently located at 40757 County Road 21, Elizabeth, CO 80107. You can contact them at 303-596-2784, eaglesnestranch501@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.eaglesnestranch.org. 

Please join me and wishing them the best of luck in their noble cause and their goal of finding them a new home. I know it is a pleasure helping such a great organization. 

Home Improvement Projects with the Highest Return on Investment a Year Later in Denver in 2018

What are the home improvement projects with the highest ROI? 

Remodeling magazine has put out a 2018 report for remodeling cost vs. home value change for the Denver market. The average return on investment (ROI) has been variable when compared to previous years in Denver.

The report measures the average cost of 21 popular remodeling projects and their average resale value one year later.

• For example, upscale garage door replacements had the highest ROI in Denver, at 103.7%, with the average job costing $3,484 and resale value of $3,611.
• To counter, midrange backyard patio additions had a relatively low ROI of 54.6%, with the job cost averaging $53,434 and resale value of $29,189.

Minor remodeling projects requiring limited work, such as replacing a garage door, yielded higher profitability in comparison to those that required significant work, such as patio additions and kitchen remodels. Not only are these minor remodeling projects more cost-effective, but they are also easier to complete in a timely manner due to the current demand for resources in Denver. There is currently a housing shortage in Denver, that is making difficult in the current market to find a new property, so many homeowners are opting to improve their current home. This has created a significant demand for remodeling options in Denver that many lenders are offering remodeling specific loans to help homeowners undertake this task.

The top five projects for ROI for midrange project costs are:

Manufactured stone veneer 95.7% ROI
Average Cost: $8,123
Average Value: $7,772

Minor kitchen remodel 88.9% ROI
Average Cost: $21,193
Average Value: $18,383

Deck addition (wood) 86.4% ROI
Average Cost: $11,086
Average Value: $9,582

Bathroom remodel 72.6% ROI
Average Cost: $19,113
Average Value: $13,874

Universal design bathroom 70.5% ROI
Average Cost: $16,018
Average Value: $11,289

The top five projects for ROI for upscale project costs are:

Garage door replacement 103.7% ROI
Average Cost: $3,484
Average Value: $ 3,611

Window replacement (vinyl) 68.1% ROI
Average Cost: $15,903
Average Value: $10,827

Window replacement (wood) 63.6%
Average Cost: $19,322
Average Value: $12,297

Grand entrance (fiberglass) 62.3%
Average Cost: $8,648
Average Value: $5,389

Bathroom remodel 61.4%
Average Cost: $61,703
Average Value: $37,909

The full report can be found at Remodeling magazine.

Denver Area Single Family Home Market Average Price Over $500,000

The average housing price has never been this expensive in Denver before. 

The Denver metro area housing market has hit a milestone. The average price of a single family home costs more than half a million dollars for the first time in history. According to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR), the average price of a home for the month of February 2018 is $502,986, which is more than an 11% increase from February 2017. That’s up 2.5% from the previous month.

The number of single-family homes available to buy at the end of February rose 6.8 percent from January to 3,015, while the inventory of condos for sale rose 2.3 percent to 1,069, according to the counts from the DMAR.

Others look at the median price of a home, instead of the average. The median is the midpoint of the home data being examined.

The median price of a Denver home is approximately $398,500 according to Zillow. That represents a 7.2% change in the past year. In the upcoming year, Zillow predicts a 3.3% rise in the price to January 31, 2019. The median price of homes currently listed in Denver is $479,000 while the median price homes that sold is $403,700.

The increases may not continue at such a high pace. Rising mortgage interest rates may slow the rate increases. Average rates on a 30-year mortgage have changed from 3.9 percent in January to 4.43 percent as of March 1, according to Freddie Mac.

That means a 0.5 percentage point increase in mortgage rates adds $117 a month when buying a $503,000 home with 20% down, according to mortgagecalculator.org. 

Free Market Analysis

Please contact us for a free market analysis and we’ll get back to you. 

Thanks!
Kelly

Kelly's incredible knowledge and expertise is what got us our dream home!

“Kelly is an incredible realtor! I found her by searching on Zillow for a realtor with good reviews. Her high ratings are well deserved! I am a first time home-buyer so we needed someone who was accessible, helpful, and knowledgeable. She was always available when I had questions and was extremely informative and helpful throughout the entire process. My wife and I were looking to purchase a home in Parker but were concerned about having a tough time given the current market. Kelly was extremely patient with us as she coordinated the appointments and viewings for the many houses we saw. She was amazing. I truly believe that Kelly’s incredible knowledge and expertise is what got us our dream home! And in such a short time. She truly had our best interest in mind and was able to give us a ton of advice on how to give a strong enough offer.
Kelly was also able to help us find a great mortgage broker, Julie, who was also extremely competent and helpful. The two of them together made the entire process SO EASY. They were always available to us as well as in constant contact with each other to make sure everything was going as planned. She also was kind enough to give assist with great contractors she worked with thin the past as we were remodeling the home. It all worked out great.
I highly recommend working with Kelly for any real-estate needs! I will recommend her to all of my friends and family who are looking to purchase or sell a home.
”

— Chetty Brian, January 2, 2017