Thursday Nov. 24 2016
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
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FROM DREAM TO REALITY: Local Coldwell Banker office makes home ownership possible
By The Staff of The News CLOVIS – For more than a century, the Coldwell Banker franchise has helped people find the house of their dreams or successfully sell their home. Today, they have a global network of approximately 3,000 independently owned and operated offices in 43 countries. The Coldwell Banker brand is the oldest and most established residential real estate franchise system in North America, according to their website found at www. coldwellbanker.com. It has ultimately become one of the most trusted real estate brands in the world. In Clovis, the Coldwell Banker office has 15 sales professionals ready to ethically and honestly serve their clients so they can achieve the dream of home ownership. With their continued training and mentoring program, Coldwell Banker constantly works to improve the skills of the agents within their
franchises and looks for innovative tools to bring to their agents so they can best serve their buyers and sellers. According to Clovis’ Coldwell Banker Owner/Broker Holly Stockstill, the use of industry-leading tools such as the 3D Virtual Tour is one way that they are helping home buyers and sellers stay ahead of the market. This new technology provides a realistic, immersive way to tour a property online. “Currently we are the only real estate office in Curry and Roosevelt counties to offer the 3D Virtual Tour,” Stockstill said. The 3D Virtual Tour has created sales for more than one local real estate agent. Blanca Valdez, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker, said, “A 3D Virtual Tour is almost like walking through the home without being there. It allows the prospective buyer to envision the full potential of the home.” Valdez feels that by providing this type of tour, they are better serving the mili-
tary community. “A military family moving to Clovis viewed the 3D Virtual Tour of a property I had listed and made an offer on the home.” It is vital for a real estate agent to be the “eyes and ears” for the military family during the home-buying process, especially when they are unable to travel to a community in advance to look at potential homes. The agents at Coldwell Banker understand the stress and uncertainty that comes with buying a home sight-unseen as some of them are active duty or retired military spouses. They have experienced multiple moves and their goal is to work to make the home-buying process seamless and stress free. Stockstill and her team are looking at other ways to serve their community when it comes to the real estate process. Beginning in January, the local Coldwell Banker office will host informal coffee and donut meetings every Tuesday morning at their office on North Prince Street. Various Coldwell Banker agents will be on hand to better answer questions concerning the home-buying and selling process such as price ranges, what happens after an offer is made on a home, and how to Continued on page 6B
Page 2B • Thursday, Nov 24, 2016
Real Estate
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
Real Estate
Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 • Page 3B
How tech is driving design in today’s living rooms
(BPT) – The evolution of American families and their changing lifestyles is a popular topic these days. As family dynamics and lifestyles morph, they drive a change in home design. Aside from the enduring presence of a TV and seating, today’s living room looks and functions very differently from living rooms of just a few decades ago. “People are changing their vision of a ‘traditional home,’ “ notes Lydia Marks, co-principal of New York City-based design firm Marks & Frantz Design. “That new vision requires different design ideas, and technology is really informing design decisions in modern living rooms.” “The forces behind these changing dynamics include generational shifts in attitudes, behaviors and lifestyles as well as advancements in home technology, each informing the other,” adds Lisa Frantz, co-principal of Marks & Frantz Design. “Millennials are spending more time at home, parents are seeking memorable experiences through home entertainment, and boomers are working later in life, often multitasking across devices within their home. These shifts are helping drive the trend toward living room designs that are more adaptable.” Usable decor at the heart of today’s living room Today’s living rooms feature a multitude of state-of-the-art technology. Stunning televisions, slim speakers, ultra slim laptops and tablets are a must in today’s living room designs, and because there are so many options and colors to choose from, families can seamlessly integrate technology to enhance the function and design – even in traditional homes. “New colors like rose gold laptops and vintage orange portable speakers create new opportunities to add personalized touches, while striking new television design, like LG OLED TVs, make a stunning statement piece,” Marks says. “And it’s not just about the advanced design form,” adds Frantz. “These products are also delivering innovative performance. It’s about form and function. LG OLED TVs not only look great, but they deliver stunning picture quality and advanced access to streaming content from popular apps, internet channels and streaming content providers.” Connected devices like Smart TVs are transforming how people consume content. Advances such as the webOS Smart TV Platform offer new features like “Channel Plus” for simple access to channels including BuzzFeed, Esquire and more. And, as the first TV to support both available HDR formats – Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 – OLED smart TV users can stream the newest HDR titles from leading content providers like Netflix, Amazon Video and
VUDU.
Dynamic, multi-purpose living spaces Formal living and dining rooms that are never used are a thing of the past, Marks explains. TV still remains king; Mintel reports 99 percent of American households with children younger than 18 have at least one TV in their home. However, families are using spaces like living rooms to serve multiple functions, including entertainment and work, researching and making purchasing decisions, and communicating with distant loved ones. According to a recent Mintel study, more than 80 percent of millennials shop for clothing apparel online and more than 67 percent have “binge watched” a TV series, ranking it as their top online TV viewing behavior. Devices such as the feather-weight LG gram 15 laptop, clocking in at a mere 2.2 pounds with a large 15.6-inch screen, make it easier than ever to transition from the office to the living room while also providing enough screen space to multitask between work deadlines, watching your favorite sporting event and late-night online shopping. A smarter home on the rise Homes are becoming as connected as the people who live in them. Today, home automation systems can control thermostat settings, lower and raise mechanized blinds, turn lights off or on, and monitor home security. “With the popularity of wireless devices and smart homes, homebuyers and real estate developers alike now have a stronger interest in creating spaces that seamlessly integrate advanced technology in ways that will enhance the space, and simplify a buyer’s life,” notes real estate trends specialist Ricardo Rodriguez of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. At the same time, people remain concerned about the high initial set-up costs and perceived complexity of connected homes. Professional installation of consumer electronics products has remained a rare occurrence, even among higher-income households. In fact, in a recent Mintel study, only 10 percent of respondents had ever paid for custom installation of electronics. Instead, consumers prefer DIY (do-it-yourself) and plug-and-play home monitoring solutions with home automation capability, like the Smart Security from LG and ADT, which represents an easy-to-install approach that gives families greater control over how they protect and control their homes. “Product design is so streamlined and visually appealing that consumer electronics are no longer the elephant in the room; they’re often the star.” Marks says.
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Real Estate
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
Tips for creating a multi-purpose home office space
another popular option, especially in attics. For home offices without direct roof access, a Sun Tunnel tubular skylight with an optional light kit can provide light 24/7. Visit www.whyskylights.com to learn more. • Divide the room visually to define functional areas. You can do this in several ways, including using a folding screen to partition off the room’s work area, or hanging curtains to conceal lesser-used sections of the room when they’re not in use. You can also use the room’s layout to create a natural flow. For example, tuck a desk and shelving into an attic dormer area as office space. • Many home offices need to double as a guest bedroom. If working beside an inviting bed all day makes it difficult to resist the temptation of a nap, consider alternative bed styles. A daybed can be dressed up with pillows to serve as a sofa where you can comfortably read reports. Or, completely hide the sleeping area by adding a Murphy bed to available wall space. • Make it easy to rearrange furnishings in the room by putting your desk on coasters just like your office chair. Whenever you need the room to function as a workout space, home theater or social center, just roll the office furniture out of the way. • If you’re turning a bedroom into a multi-purpose office, no one should need the closet for hanging clothes. Instead, convert the closet into a cozy spot for a workspace. You can place a small desk inside, or hang wide shelving that can function as a workspace Tips for multi-tasking offices for your laptop, printer and files. When you’re not working, simply • Good lighting is essential for any home office, but if you want to avoid the institutional look of traditional office lights, close the closet doors! • Whenever a room has to serve more than one purpose, consider increasing the amount of natural light that enters your organization is critical. If you don’t have the space for filing cabimulti-purpose office space. Adding Energy Star-qualified, solarnets, or simply don’t like the way they look, bookcases and shelving powered, fresh-air skylights, like those from Velux America, is a cost-effective way to bring natural light, as well as passive ventila- can be a great alternative. Don’t overlook the possibilities presented tion, into any home office space. Solar-powered blinds in designer by extra wall space; you can layer shelves to maximize storage space colors and patterns enhance the blended decor of a multi-use room, above your desk/work area. Daubenmeyer says that following the housing bubble, homeownwhile allowing you to control the amount of light entering the room ers are smarter and want more functional space. The multi-function with a programmable touchpad remote control. Plus, a 30 percent home office is one solution that is gaining popularity. federal tax credit is available to homeowners on solar-powered skylights, blinds and installation costs. Roof windows, which are very similar to skylights but are in-reach and operated by hand, are (BPT) – Many Americans feel working from home would be a dream job, and more than one-third are already living that dream; 37 percent of U.S. workers telecommute, according to Gallup. However, unless you’re a full-time telecommuter or an entrepreneur running a business from your home, it may be hard to justify dedicating an entire room in your house for home office space. Today’s home offices must be able to multi-task as efficiently and effectively as the people who work in them – and that’s something you should keep in mind when making renovation plans. “We see fewer and fewer buyers requiring a dedicated home office when setting their search criteria for buying a new home,” writes Gwen Daubenmeyer, a real estate professional who recently blogged about home offices on the Integrity Real Estate Team blog. Daubenmeyer notes that laptops, cloud storage and online filing services have made it possible to work from virtually any room in the house, so it’s no longer necessary to have a room dedicated solely as office space. Instead of turning that spare bedroom into a space strictly used for work, why not consider improvements that will help the room multi-task? With a few smart upgrades, spaces such as attics, basements, spare bedrooms and other smaller areas can serve as multifunctional spaces for work, play, working out and socializing.
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
Real Estate
Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016 • Page 5B
What to look for when buying a garage door for your home
(BPT) – The most important factor that garage door buyers consider is not the price! That was the surprising result of a 2016 national survey completed in February. According to that study, the buyers’ most important consideration is appearance/curb appeal, followed by price, durability, low maintenance, warranty, and five other factors. “This survey underscores the key role that garage doors play in the appearance of today’s homes,” says Todd Thomas, managing director of the International Door Association. “Since garage doors command such a large area of the front of the typical home, homeowners are increasingly recognizing the powerful impact of an attractive garage door.”
Latest census statistics The large area occupied by garage doors is getting even larger. In June, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 24 percent of new single-family houses completed in 2015 had a three-car (or more) garage, the highest percentage ever. The Midwest region leads the country with 42 percent of new homes having at least a three-car garage. The larger the area, the larger the aesthetic impact. “Can you imagine how much it would cost to renovate 150 square feet of the front of your home?” Thomas asks. “With a new upscale garage door, you can get the project done professionally for less than $3,000.” The top upscale project The new 2016 Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling Magazine also echoes the cost-effectiveness of a new garage door. For the first time in the report’s history, an upscale garage door replacement earned the top spot in the rankings of all upscale projects studied. The report said that the purchase of an upscale garage door recoups 90 percent of its cost at resale, far above the second place project, which was a siding replacement at 78 percent. The average cost recouped for all 30 projects in the study was 64 percent. “More people are migrating to the quality doors,” says Wayne Pawlowski at Garage Door Guy in Barnegat, New Jersey. “No longer is it ‘What’s the cheapest you got?’ They would rather spend a few extra dollars and get a better door.”
fordable.”
Best buyer’s resource The key is to learn more about a garage door’s features and the design possibilities. To help homeowners with the task, garage door manufacturers have joined together to create a free consumer website (www.garagewownow.com) that contains dozens of photos of the latest garage doors from many manufacturers. The GarageWowNow site includes design tips, photos of many openers and accessories, and several before-and-after garage New designs, more choices Fortunately for the consumer, garage door manufacturers are door images that demonstrate how a door upgrade improves the now producing hundreds of stunning designs in steel, wood, alumi- appearance of the home. A dealer finder on the site leads you to a num and fiber-composite material. When combined with new colors, nearby qualified door dealer who can handle the project quickly, windows, insulation and decorative hardware options, the potential properly, and safely. “I tell my customers that price should be a factor, but not the designs are almost limitless. only factor,” says Oliver. “When customers realize the overall value “We have so many more attractive designs today than we had 20 years ago,” says Randy Oliver of Hollywood-Crawford Door, a of a better-made and better-looking garage door, they buy the better door almost every time.” long-time garage door dealer in San Antonio. “An upgraded door that takes advantage of all these optional features is surprisingly af-
Page 6B • Thursday, Nov 24, 2016
Real Estate
THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS
3 reasons why winter is a smart time to buy a home
(BPT) – Don’t give up on buying a home as winter nears. In fact, December through February may be better for buyers than the busy season in spring and summer.
Enjoy less competition and lower prices. Fewer properties are typically available during the winter, as sellers and buyers aim to complete transactions before the school year begins. You can turn that to your advantage. “In winter, there are fewer properties, but it’s less competitive, with fewer buyers per property,” says Greg Jaeger, president of USAA Residential Real Estate Services Inc., and former real estate agent. The more favorable supply-demand balance can lower prices. In the winter, “negotiations are slower-paced and there is more negotiating room,” Jaeger says. Also, winter sellers may be more motivated, especially if they’re forced to sell by divorce or by corporate or military transfers. In January and February, homes cost 8.45 percent less on average than in June through August, according to NerdWallet research conducted using Realtor.com data from 2014 and 2015. That’s in line with what Jaeger sees, particularly in competitive real estate markets where supply is limited. Lower prices help at closing – and over the life of your mortgage. A lower price eases your home purchase in many ways, Jaeger says. It lowers your down payment, any closing costs that are calculated as a percentage of the home’s sale price and your mortgage payments. There’s also less of a seller’s agent commission bundled into the sales price. These savings help when you buy, and they add up over the life of your mortgage. The right agent can help. When supply is limited, the right agent can help you get a jump on other buyers. Agents who are well connected learn about properties before they are listed. The right agent understands the market where you are buying. That includes doing competitive market analysis so you understand what the house is worth. Look for an agent who suits your style. For example, if you’re a statistics geek, you need an agent who’ll provide them.
Coldwell Banker Continued from page 1B
stage your home, as well as questions regarding renting out properties. They’ll be designed to learn the ins and outs of the sales process from start to
“Just having access to statistics doesn’t mean they have analytical skills and will use them,” Jaeger says. He recommends USAA’s Real Estate Rewards Network as a source for seasoned agents who deliver great service to USAA members. Many resources are available to help consumers find the right agent, including USAA Real Estate Rewards Network, a free program that gives members access to USAA’s network of real estate agents and rewards when they buy or sell.
finish. As always, the agents at Coldwell Banker offer a free market analysis to help the home owner better set their selling price. To be a true full service real estate provider, Stockstill felt it was necessary to have a property management department to help home owners who are not ready to
or able to sell their home. Coldwell Banker Prime Rentals manages properties for home owners who have PCS’d or relocated due to job requirements and want to keep their investment and continue to grow equity. Dennis Stockstill, Property Manager/ Owner for CBPR, likes to keep up with technology for property management and currently uses a program that broadens their reach to over 200 rental websites worldwide. “Because of Cannon Air Force Base, the (Southwest) Cheese Plant and other business opening here, we have many people moving to our community,” he said. “They may not be ready to purchase a home, and we are able to provide them with a list of rental homes and apartments that meet their needs.” He added that using this service has helped CBPR keep a high occupancy rate for the properties they manage. For more information about buying, selling or renting your home, call the Coldwell Banker Colonial Real Estate office at (575) 769-1951. Both Coldwell Banker Colonial Real Estate and Coldwell Banker Prime Rentals are located at 4201 N. Prince St. in Clovis. For online listings and rentals, visit their website at www.clovisnmhomes. com. As an added bonus for keeping up with the broker’s updates on Facebook, Coldwell Banker will be awarding an overnight stay and spa package to the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa in Bernalillo, N.M. The luxury resort is located in the sacred lands of Tamayaand is recognized as a world-class destination. Keep a lookout for more information coming soon on the broker’s Facebook page and in future advertisements.
Colonial Real Estate 4201 N. Prince Clovis, NM (575) 769-1951