Sewer Line Inspection

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When working with a buyer to purchase a home, we always recommend they find out what’s going on down under. What we mean is, get a sewer line inspection.

This inspection is important because it is one of the most costly fixes you’ll experience, yet no value is added to the home if a new sewer line is installed.

During a sewer line inspection, a small camera is run through the pipe. A monitor will show if the pipe is clean and unclogged or if it is damaged.

Remember, the time to get this inspection is before buying the home!

We hope this video was helpful. Thank you for coming back to our blog and if you know anyone who would benefit from our real estate service, please pass our information along!

Curb Appeal Tips That Will “Wow!” Buyers and Get Your Home Sold In a Hot Minute

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Sure it’s a sellers market. But that doesn’t mean you can just let your house go and expect buyers to swarm in and take over. The truth is, in our marketplace and many others across the nation, sellers still have to do their part to get their homes sold. They have to make sure they are getting good advice about pricing the property right. They need to make sure any loose ends are taken care of and they need to maintain the home in good condition to show it in its best light.

But one aspect of presenting a truly “show-ready” home is to make it inviting from the moment buyers set their eyes on it. Curb appeal can be achieved without spending large amounts of money and it does not have to mean backbreaking loads of work either. With a few simple steps you can present a truly gorgeous home that will pull buyers in and keep them interested.

Clean Up the Leftovers
Moving from the winter into warmer months often leaves behind dirty, grimy leftovers and lots of unsightly lawn debris from all winter long. Exposed pine needles, unkempt flowerbeds, messy walkways or untrimmed trees all contribute to a negative impression that some buyers might find difficult to overlook. Spread new mulch in areas that need a refresher, trim trees and bushes, clean up walkways and neaten up the exterior or your home to spruce it up.

Hide What You Don’t Want Buyers to See
It may seem like a small thing but the simple act of storing your garbage and recycling containers in a shed or your garage can make a world of difference to how your home is perceived.  Unopened bags of mulch or other garden materials are also unattractive and distracting. These items can make a space look more cramped than it is and can make it seem the buyer would have a lot of work to do once they moved in.

Make it Beautiful, Then Maintain It
Mow your lawn and keep it mowed – especially before showings. Plant outdoor flowers then keep them watered and looking fresh. If you have landscape lighting, make sure it’s in working order and each fixture is standing upright and set up attractively. Add some accessories to your front entryway so that as buyers wait for the door to be unlocked they have something nice to look at. Clean light fixtures, sweep up dirt or cobwebs, add splashes of color and even consider a fresh coat of paint on the front door to jazz things up.

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As you can see in our video – it doesn’t take much but with just a few little things you can make a very big impression on buyers. Call us today if you’d like a walk through to learn how your home would do in the marketplace these days – we’d love the opportunity!

Denver Area Market Report for April 2013 – Everything’s Looking Great!

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There’s only one way to say it: the market is UNBELIEVABLE. This may sound like it’s the typical thing you’d expect to hear a real estate agent say – but TRUST me, it really is unbelievable. How so, you ask?

Unprecedented Inventory Levels Continue to Spark Rapid Price Increases

For starters, we’re seeing inventory levels so low that in my 18-year career as a REALTOR® I’ve never seen anything like it. Right now we are seeing upwards of 31% fewer single-family listings on the market than from just a year ago. Condos have an even greater decline with 37.9% fewer listings on the market this year.

Sales Are Racing Upward, Going Head-to-Head Against Falling Inventory

Next is the increased number of sales. Single-family home sales have increased 19.5% this year so far as compared to the same time last year while condo sales rose by 16.8% year over year. Year-to-date condo sales are showing even stronger numbers with a 22.1% increase this year versus last.

Days On Market Continuously Drop As the Market Gets More Competitive

This year so far, we’ve seen a drop in the number of days on market – indicating the high level of interest and buyer frenzy that you’d expect in a seller’s market. Single-family homes are selling much faster, which translates to a 23.6% change from the same time last year. Condos are selling faster too with a 27.7% decrease in Days On Market.
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The highlight of this report is our increased sales plus dramatic decrease in the number of homes for sale. What do low inventory levels mean? They mean that there is way more demand than there is supply. Remember the basic laws of economics studied back in college? The more demand and less supply, the higher you will prices rise – and that’s exactly what’s happening in our marketplace.

Trust me, now is the time to jump off the fence and sell your home. You won’t believe how much the market has changed in such a relatively short time. If moving up, downsizing or investing has been on your mind – now’s definitely the time to go for it!

Staging - Before and After

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, chances are you spend some time watching HGTV reruns of House Hunters.  Ever notice the look on prospective buyers’ faces as they walk through the really dumpy properties?  The fact is that so many people neglect to prepare their properties before showing it to potential buyers.  Overstuffed closets, stained carpets, dirty bathrooms, dull kitchens and family rooms with so much junk scattered all over the place that the buyers can barely see the space – all these things are a huge hindrance to selling successfully.

This week we just listed a home for one of our clients and the way they set up their space is perfect.  As you can see in the video, the homeowners have taken the time to arrange furniture in a way that highlights the home’s gorgeous features and open floor plan.  Plenty of tasteful accessories have been used to dot the space with color, interest and life.  There are even some touches of their personal life, though not overdone by any means.

The key to preparing a show-ready home is to put yourself in the buyers’ eyes.  Going back to House Hunters episodes – how many times did buyers’ eyes light up when they walked into an open, well-lit home that was obviously cared for by its owners?  And if you pay attention, you’ll notice that more often than not, the homes that don’t seem to cared for by their owners are usually the ones that get passed up.

Tips on How to Make Sure Your Property Shows Well

MAKE SURE THE HOME IS CLEAN
Nothing turns off buyers more than a home that is dirty.  As they walk through the house they are imagining living there but dirty bathrooms, unclean windows, or unkempt rooms are unattractive.  Rather than risk buyers only remember that aspect of your home, make sure you clean the space, have carpets professionally steam cleaned, power wash windows, clear up driveways and make the home presentable.

REMOVE ALL CLUTTER
Clutter acts as an obstacle that does not allow buyers to see the actual features of your home.  If possible, box up things like extra shoes, overflowing closets, unkempt toys or messy areas in the home.  Keeping the space clear of clutter will not only make the space inviting, it will also allow the prospective owners to imagine their own things in the space.  A common turnoff that many sellers neglect to take care of before showing their home is a fridge filled with personal notes, pictures, schedules and other traces of the current family’s life.

EMPHASIZE POSITIVE ASPECTS
If your home’s best feature is the great room, be sure to emphasize it by lighting it well and clearing all to and from areas for easy flow through access.  If the large backyard is a favorite selling feature, remove all leaves and landscaping clutter.  It is important not to ignore maintenance details such as mowing the lawn or tidying up the hedges.

DEMONSTRATE PRACTICAL USE OF SPACE
How you set up your home will have a major impact on how it is received.  By setting up the furniture and arranging other items in a way that highlights the desirable aspects of your home while working with the space encompassing the area, buyers will want to see more.
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Imagine your home is going to be photographed for a magazine.  What would you do to prepare before the photographer arrived?

Introducing the Basketball Bracket Challenge – Win Big During March Madness!

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Brought to you by the Troy Hansford Team and 107.1 Jack FM, you can get in on all the college basketball action by making your picks, watching them win so you can potentially walk away with a great prize. So when the tournament is announced Sunday March 17th be sure to visit the link below and choose your winners.

We’ve set up an amazing page where you can make your picks, track the tournament, talk trash with others, follow up on the leader board and more. Check out thelink here >> 

You can also “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/JackFMDenver.

As part of our ongoing efforts to get the word out about our awesome real estate team, we’re really excited about this new partnership with the station, expecting to have lots of fun in the process. Be sure to send this link to anyone and everyone you know that would have a blast with our Basketball Bracket Challenge. You can win up to a million dollars! What could you do with a million dollars?
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And as always, if you know of anyone that is considering buying, selling or investing in property – we look ask that you send them across to us. We’ll take great care of them!

News: Lenders Are Getting Involved With Home Inspections; It Could Impact Your Ability to Borrow

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Home inspections are a natural part of the home buying process. And with good reason. They are designed to allow the buyer a chance to obtain a complete report and then investigate whether or not they want to actually invest in the home. For years, nothing has been too complicated about the process; a contract between two parties is signed, within a few days after all parties have agreed on the transaction the buyer gets in with an inspector, then they all negotiate price and/or repair terms.

Now, things are changing. They’re only changing in Colorado but these differences will definitely have a strong impact on the way we buy (and sell) homes here.

Inspection Resolution Can Now Impact Buyers’ Ability to Borrow

We are seeing more and more mortgage companies get involved in the home inspection process and building in the inspection resolution as part of the contract. This stands to impact buyers and sellers hugely since lenders are now expecting to be a part of the process in deciding what is or is not acceptable in order for them to proceed with the loan.
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As we move forward, it is very important to handle this area of the transaction carefully or else the risk remains of the sale never making it to the closing table. If you would like to learn more or discuss ways to manage this new development in our local marketplace, contact us and we will gladly share some more insight!

Team Hansford Appreciates Clients With a Cozy Meal and Lively Conversation

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Here we are at the cusp of yet another great time to come in our real estate market. We’re not in the business of properties – we are in the business of building dreams and with each dream that we have helped to make come true, we walk away with new friendships.

Tonight, we come to you from our Client Appreciation Dinner, where we take an opportunity to thank each and every one of those friends and neighbors for their support, trust and relationship with us.

As we look ahead to what I expect to be a fantastic year ahead, we hope that you will continue to share your knowledge of us in the community and send your referrals to us so that we can help your family and friends!

Thank you for a great year in 2012! Here’s to another great year ahead and many, many more.