Earnest Money

Show me the money!

Let’s talk about earnest money. When a buyer makes an offer on a property, earnest money is tendered shortly there after.

If everything goes as planned, the earnest money is applied towards the purchase price at closing.

However, sometimes the wheels fall off the bus! Sometimes a buyer might decide to cancel their contract, typically this is because of inspection items.

If this happens, and the buyer cancels before their specified deadlines, their earnest money is 100% refundable.

So, when might the earnest money be non-refundable? Only if a buyer passes their loan approval deadline and cannot or will not close.

This is very rare and in 700+ transactions have only had a handful of buyers end up losing their earnest money.

Questions Please leave them in the comments or DM me.

Tuff Shed Budget

Do you have custom home taste on a Tuff Shed budget?

Well you aren’t alone and here are a couple helpful tips to overcome this pesky situation.

1. Homeownership is a stepping stone process. With each home purchase you will likely be getting more of what you want. Consider readjusting your expectations and recognize you might not yet own your dream home.

2. Lots can be done with cosmetic repairs. That run down home down in your neighborhood might not yet look like a gem but with some elbow grease and money you can turn out a diamond in the rough.

3. Be strategic about buying by watching the market with a trusted real estate agent. Is the market rapidly accelerating? Purchasing a smaller home or condo in a rising market and then quickly selling while the market is still rising can produce quick equity that can allow you to leap frog to your next home sooner than later.

The advice of a trusted and knowledgeable real estate agent is important to maximize these strategies. Reach out with questions.

Let's Talk About Mortgage Insurance

If you’ve bought a house in the past 2-5 years and didn’t put 20% down we need to talk

It’s time to kick that private mortgage insurance payment you’ve been making to the curb!

Some lenders require you pay the insurance for a set amount of time and others will require a new appraisal to remove the insurance.

Here’s how I can help.

I have a formulated plan of attack that helps to rid you of that extra monthly cost.

I can also offer you a complimentary market analysis of your property so we know if you are in the ball park of saying good bye to mortgage insurance forever.

Please reach out if I can help or if you have any questions.

Real Estate Agents on Signs

“I just called the agent on the sign.”

I hear this all the time.

Buyers that end up with the agent on the sign because they didn’t know they had a choice.

Here’s the deal.

You should interview and hire an agent to help you buy your home just as a seller interviews and hires an agent to help them sell their home.

This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the “agent on the sign”. I just believe you owe it to yourself to make a CHOICE about the matter versus someone you ended up with by CHANCE.

With gratitude.

Inspections

I’m going to tell you a little secret: Negotiating inspection items can be a bit tricky.

Shows like Million Dollar Listing have not helped either. I cannot tell you how many times the agent on TV says, “We will just get the seller at inspection”. Yeah, it doesn’t work that way.

The purpose of the inspection is to reveal items that cannot be seen with the naked eye or issues that only a thorough home inspection would find.

In other words, the giant carpet stain you saw during the showing is not something that should end up on your list of inspection requests.

For the best results stick to health and safety issues.

And remember, it doesn’t hurt to ask for the things that are important to you. The seller cannot “ditch” you because you sent over a list of inspection requests. All they can do is say no.

If you have kept your list to major items that “any reasonable buyer” would find objectionable the seller is probably going to agree with you.

One of my biggest roles in a real estate transaction is helping you through this process whether you are the buyer or the seller.

Looking Back

My teenage years are still very vivid.

I can literally conjure up the feelings I had as a teenager, those of angst, overall frustration with my parental units, longing for someone to understand me and that horrible feeling of never being good enough.

This is a photo from junior prom.

When I look at this 17 year old girl I think she is pretty, that she looks nice, that I might like to be her friend.

Unfortunately I didn’t think those things about myself at the time.

I let the world and my peers tell me I was less than. I was self conscious, afraid and constantly intimidated.

The grownups around me all had the same message; none of this matters and someday you will look back on your high school years and it won’t effect you at all.

In my head I would be rolling my eyes and trying to hold back the tears.

Here’s the thing.

They were 100% correct!

Those kids that were mean to me, I don’t ever think about them. Those awkward moments I had as a very tall teenager, not even on my radar.

Those times I thought I would never be accepted for who I was…. quite the opposite in my life today.

I so wish I could go back to that teenage girl and tell her “you are smart, you are kind, you are so beautiful and someday the world will see what I see”.

With gratitude.

A Favor

Say what?

I’m telling you, there are some days that I cannot believe the things I see in this profession.

Several years ago, I got a call from the sister of one of my clients late into the evening. We had met once, but I didn’t really know her well.

She started out saying she was so sorry to be calling but I am the only person she knows in Grand County.

Oh dear, where is this going, I thought to myself.

She followed up by saying that she needed a huge favor…. would I possibly be able to bail her son out of jail.

Huh?

He had been arrested for driving drunk over Trail Ridge Road and she just didn’t want him to spend the night in a jail cell.

Good grief, I don’t think that’s a duty that real estate agents are required to perform but some people will ask anyway!

And for those of you wondering, bail bonds are STILL not a service I offer!

Be A Shoulder To Lean Into

“When someone is broken, don’t try and fix them. (You can’t.)

When someone is hurting, don’t attempt to take away their pain. (You can’t.)

Instead, love them by walking beside them in the hurt. (You can.)

Because sometimes what people need is simply to know they aren’t alone” by Jenny Albers

This is such a good reminder but sometimes feels hard to implement. It’s so natural for us to want to “fix” things or say the right words.

There are no right words. And while it can feel counterproductive and maybe trivial, sometimes the best thing to do is just sit with someone in their grief and be that shoulder to lean into.

With gratitude

Improve Your Home

3 small home improvements that yield BIG returns for sellers.

1. Paint the interior of your home a popular but neutral color. Repose Grey by Sherwin Williams or Oyster Pearl by Valspar are great options. Now I can hear you arguing with me - “its just paint, the buyer can choose their own colors and paint it themselves”. Here’s the issue, when the buyer sees the navy blue walls in your kids room they add it to their “to-do list” which means less money for you.

2. Some elements of home staging. A new rug, beautifully framed artwork (this doesn’t have to break the bank), a few strategically placed artificial (or real plants). A couple hundred will make a huge difference if the right pieces are purchased. The thrift store and a can of spray paint can go a long way too. For inspiration check out Pinterest.

3. Deep clean and declutter. This is probably the most important aspect. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Have a trusted friend over to help you “see” your everyday clutter.

Now I know Better

You’ve all seen it.

American Idol auditions gone bad.

They are cringe-worth at best. I find myself squirming in my seat, its perplexing, strangely fascinating and downright sad.

The worst part is when the families greet the crestfallen contestant with soothing words of comfort. “Oh, sweetie, those judges don’t know a thing. You are the best signer in the world!”

This is the part that drives me insane.

Why lie to these poor peopleThey are terrible singers and NEVER should have auditioned for the show.

Telling someone the cold hard truth is sometimes very hard. You don’t want to hurt their feelings, crush their dreams or seem insensitive.

But your honesty is sometimes the most important thing they need to hear.

A couple of years ago I met with a very nice family who wanted to sell their home and move out of state. The winters were getting tough for them and they were having some health issues.

Selling was a must.

I met them at their house and noticed right away this was going to be a tough property. There was stuff everywhere, inside and out. The house was dirty, dark, and falling apart.

They gave me the grand tour and we sat down to talk. I asked them about their goals and timeline for selling their home. They needed to be out of here by September which only gave us 3 months to sell. They were short on time, money and resources to get their home ready for market.

They looked at me with hope in their eyes and asked what was next.

This was the moment for the cold hard truth.

When I first started in real estate I probably would have tried to gloss things over and ease the blow. “No, its not that bad, buyers can look past your stuff.”

Now I know better.

People hire me for my professional and honest advice. This family had a tight timeframe and a pressing need to leave the area.

So I told them the truth.

That no one would buy their home in its current condition. And because we were dealing with a very tight timeframe they were going to need to price their home much below market value to get it sold quickly.

I said all of these things with tenderness and grace, because I very much care about how my words make people feel.

At the end of our meeting they thanked me for my encouraging words.

What?

I didn’t think I sounded encouraging at all, but then I recognized it was the honesty and a thoughtful game plan that gave them feelings of encouragement.

Sometimes the truth hurts, but I believe if you really care for someone you owe them the truth and nothing but.

Feeling A Bit Bananas

The market is feeling a bit bananas lately. And sellers are not sure where to price their home. Here’s a little insight.

You have choices when pricing your home:

1. Test the market. This strategy works in a rapidly rising market because you are pricing ahead of the market with the hopes that the market will meet or surpass your list price

2. Price it right. This falls right into the range of what market comparables tell us the home is worth. Not too high, not too low.

Is this sounding a little like Goldilocks and the Three?

3. Strategically aggressive price. This is the price range that attracts multiple offers and offers over asking price.

There is no right or wrong answer but as the market continues to evolve strategy is going to be more and more effective. Please leave any questions below.

Things To Be Aware Of As A Home Buyer

Things that should raise your eyebrows as a home buyer.

1. Lots of deferred maintenance. Is the paint peelingRickey railingsStrange smells in the basementMake sure to get a thorough home inspection so you know exactly what you are in for.

2. The home is currently being used as a second home. There is nothing inherently wrong with a second home, however, second homes can have issues that arise only once they become a primary residence. Septic issues in particular tend to crop up once someone spends more than one weekend a month in a home.

3. Rental properties. If a home has been in a rental pool for years be on the lookout for major issues. Think rental cars - people don’t drive rentals like their own cars. The same can be true for rental homes.

It's Okay Not To Be okay

I am done pretending that I can change your mind with the memes I post - not that I ever really tried.

It’s sad - we are so divided.

Whether its abortion, guns, government spending, gas prices, climate change, etc we just don’t see eye to eye.

But here’s the thing - you are entitled to see the world the way you want and no amount of cajoling, whining, pleading, reasoning or screaming on my part is going to change your mind.

AND THAT IS OKAY!

I think we need to let go of the idea that we need others to think the way we do. The experiences that shaped you and your world view are not part of my story.

And we need to stop villainizing each other for our different world views.

Just stop. Please.

I saw a great quote the other day, here goes. “The loudest voices rarely represent the majority. They’re usually speaking for the extremes. You won’t understand the views of a group until you’ve invited the quieter voices into the discussion. Don’t mistake silence for disengagement it’s often a sign of deep reflection”

With gratitude.

Helping Sellers Become Buyers

You bought your first home! You were feeling like you were on Cloud 9.

You had so many great ideas on your Pinterest board to make this place your own. From the cubbies for coats and boots to the chalkboard walls in the kids rooms.

But now several years have gone by and nothing has changed.

Your space is feeling cramped and tight and you are dreaming of a new home.

But how could you swing it?

Everyone knows this market is nuts!

Your current home would be sold in a heartbeat and finding a replacement would be impossible!

Prices have gone up so much, it wouldn’t make sense to buy a new home.

Does this sound like you? If so, we need to talk.

I’ve got systems and strategies for helping sellers become buyers, even in a market as crazy as this one. Just like playing chess, each move is calculated and planned. Check mate!

.

Being Grateful

If you could just get your hands on it.

The thing that eludes you.

The thing, that if you had it, everything would be better.

The thing you are missing in life.

So you grasp and cling just like this giant claw crane game.

You set it all up perfectly, push the button and pray. And as predicted the claw half-heartedly grabs at the object of your desire and lets go at the last minute.

You knew the odds, but you played anyway.

Have you ever won at this game?

I have, twice in a row believe it or not!

And I can tell you the toys are not nearly as cuddly as they look. Once in your arms they lack the quality you had hoped.

They were just shiny objects behind the glass

So back to the beginning of this post.

That thing you want so badly, is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Or is it like the stuffed flamingo at the arcade- hollow, fake and won by chance.

Focus on the things on this side of the glass. I think you might find there is just so much to be grateful for.

With gratitude.

A Story Of Patience

A hunk of clay. Soft, malleable and unassuming.

Yet, center that piece of clay on the wheel and with careful movements and patience you can create a masterpiece.

I took pottery in college, this is one of my creations.

It was probably my very favorite class…. ever.

One thing you need to know about pottery - you CANNOT be in a rush. See, if you don’t get the clay centered you have no chance of making anything but a mess.

As a twenty something I didn’t know much about “being present” or “finding inner peace”. But I do know that when I sat at the wheel with the clay swirling between my hands that I went to another place.

I would lose track of time, and the room would go dim and quiet.

Just me and the clay.

Only after many failures do you know the moment the clay is ready to become something else.

Ready to become something that is imagined in your mind and flows from your hands into the clay.

Even if you don’t consider yourself “artsy” or “creative” if you ever have a chance to give pottery a whirl I would so recommend it (pun intended).

But as I said you will have to have patience, something all of us could practice more of.

First Offer On Your Home

First offer is your best offer.

This is a phrase we hear in real estate and what I have found over 20 years is that often times it’s correct.

When I help sellers price their homes I use other homes that have sold to narrow in on pricing.

Buyers are very savvy and with the help of technology they can do their own research to see what other homes like yours have sold for.

If you get an offer on your home right away that means you priced it right.

In this market, if your home has had very few showings and/or no offers you are likely priced too high.

It’s better to get ahead of the market than chase it down with price reductions.

Skipping

A very wise man once told me...

You can’t be mad and skip at the same time.

Guess what?

It’s 100% accurate.

Go ahead give it a try. Next time you are really hot under the collar just start skipping.

I guarantee you not only won’t be mad anymore, you probably will not be able to contain your laughter.

Home Inspections

Serenity Now

Let’s face it, buying a home can be stressful. There’s a lot going on in a short amount of time and big decisions are being made.

But here’s one decision that should be easy - getting a professional home inspection.

Buyers ask me all the time if they should get an inspection and I always answer with a resounding YES!

However, I know that some buyers are capable of doing their own inspections and some want to save a little money and not hire the professional.

I can understand both of these sentiments.

However, if you think of a home inspection like to do insurance, you will see the value. If you could insure a $300,000 house for $600 would you do it? Of course!

A home inspection is your “try before you buy” insurance.

Bring some peace to your home buying experience and go with the professional home inspection.

What Are Buyers Looking For?

Low to no inventory.

Yep, that is the current state of affairs in the real estate market. We have way more buyers than we do houses.

So what are buyers looking for?

Well anything at this point because they can’t be picky, but here are the most common things I hear:

1. At least 3 bedroom

2. Under $500K

3. Something that doesn’t need a ton of work

4. Master bedroom

5. Second living room

If you are curious about selling and what your home might be worth please reach out. I will listen to your needs and goals and give you sound advice.