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Who’s Your REALTOR®? BY RANDY PAYNE
Chair of the Greeley Area Realtor® Association (GARA)
Whether you are ready to list your home for sale or begin your search for a new home, picking the right Realtor® is a critical step. Here are some thoughts to consider as you begin to define that relationship in the most beneficial way: • Ask for the recommendation of friends and family. If they have recently worked with a Realtor® in a home sale or purchase, who did they use and how was their experience. • Interview 3 or 4 Realtors®, from different brokerages. This may be done by phone, over coffee at a local shop, or in the Agent’s office, but do it at a time when neither of you is rushed. Ask lots of questions. Find one with whom you feel comfortable, both personally and professionally. • Don’t be afraid to work with a recently licensed Realtor®. Experienced Agents may be appropriate for niche properties and specialized markets, but often new Agents can give you more of their time, attention and energy. Just ask about their Brokerage’s mentorship practices and be comfortable that you are going to be well served. • Understand that Realtors® are licensed professionals, receiving compensation for their services and resources. Ask them about that. Often, the Sellers of a home will cover both the Listing Agent’s and Selling Agent’s compensation, but that is not always the case and the details may vary, so ask. • Don’t be shy about letting them know if you are not familiar with the real estate process. Ask them to walk you
through it, to learn what to expect and what to avoid. They will be the lead, so be sure you feel comfortable that they will communicate with you well and often, that they are listening to you and will give you valid information, even if that information is not always what you wish to hear. It is best to have honesty with limited surprises than false hopes and disappointment. • Ask them what you will need to know and listen to how readily and confidently they respond. They should be prepared not only to step you through the process, but also to share service provider recommendations with you, to reduce your stress in finding trusted Mortgage Lenders, Home Inspectors, Title Companies and others that will work well together to keep your transaction moving in a timely and efficient manner. • Ask them how they monitor the status of each transaction and communicate that to all parties. Once you are under contract, whether buying or selling, dates and deadlines are legally binding markers. You need to know your role and the role of the other players in meeting those items. Your Realtor® should be able to show you the process they use to make it all happen. GARA (Greeley Area Realtor Association) has nearly 400 licensed Realtor® members available to work with you. Talk to 3 or 4 and you will find one that is a great fit for you.
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LOAN OFFICER NMLS#1557468
970.301.6839 marlon@dmcloans.com 4900 South College Ave. | Suite 110 | Fort Collins, CO 80525
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Loni L. Ferrier REALTOR
970-689-1192 loniferrier@comcast.net
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Lovely 6 bed, 4 bath acreage 6303 Ashcrof Road, Greeley MLS# 810616 - $683,500
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Sold in 48 hours 1547 40th Ave Ct. Greeley MLS# 811458 - $387,500
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and Save Thousands of Dollars BY KIM BURGER The Credit Gal
Do you know what's in your credit file? Your credit score is the most important number in your financial life and in this current economic climate, your credit rating matters more than ever. Lenders look at it when you make an application for a loan, credit card, mortgage or other type of credit to see how much you already owe, how well you are coping with the payments and whether you can afford to borrow more. Insurance companies look at it to determine your premiums. Employers refer to it for hiring and promotions. Monitoring and scrubbing your credit report for errors, mistakes and obsolete items can truly save you thousands over your lifetime! There are five components to your score and some carry more weight than others.
• Payment History: The highest weighted factor that determines credit score is your payment history. It represents 35%. In simple terms, it’s making your payments and making them on time. Waiting until the end of your grace period can actually hurt you as it can reflect a “slow pay” history. • Amount Owed: This is also referred to as your “Utilization rate” or “Debt-to-Credit ratio”. This is the 2nd highest weighted factor at a whopping 30%. If you have a credit card and you have a total line of credit available to you of $1,000 and you owe $300 against it, your utilization rate is 30%. I personally recommend no more than 30% with less being better. • Length of Credit: This is the amount of time that you have had that open credit account. This is your 3rd highest weighted factor at 15%. It is important that you keep your oldest accounts open and active. Also, when you open accounts, you are altering your length of credit as it takes the average of all open accounts. • Types of Credit: 10% of your credit score is derived from the type of credit you have on your credit report. This means that you should have different types of credit open to improve or maximize your credit score. For example, a good mix of credit should include: mortgage, car loan, major credit cards and a few department or gas credit cards. If you don’t have a loan in each of these categories, it does not mean that you need to run out and get them. If your credit report only shows credit cards, improve your credit mix by asking other creditors to report your information to the bureaus. Do not buy a car or anything else just to improve your credit mix score. It doesn't help your score enough to be worth the money you spend. • New Credit & Inquiries: Inquiries and new debt accounts for 10% of your score. It is best to do your rate shopping first and go with your #1 choice and keep your inquiries to a minimum. The most important factors in your credit score is undeniably carrying low balances and making on-time payments. Understand the credit scoring system; how it works and how it impacts your financial health and freedom, contact Kim The Credit Gal at 303-880-3171.
Kim Burger The Credit Gal 303-880-3171 Info@CreditGal.CO KimTheCreditGal.com
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Locally Owned & Operated since 1976 Largest Real Estate Brokerage In Windsor, CO We Live Here and Know The Values Recreational Real Estate Experts Unparalleled Property Exposure
• Local & National Property Marketing • Homes Promoted Through Local MLS Offices • Member of Loveland/Berthoud Board of Realtors® & Fort Collins Board of Realtors® • Over $175 Million in Annual Sales
IS IT TIME TO BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME? PENDING
1512 Pintail Cove
SELLING AGENT: JOHN HERRITY
NEW LISTING
46550 Weld Cty. Road 29
SELLING AGENT: CASEY STAYMAN
SOLD
156 Beacon Way
SELLING AGENT: JUDY TEMPLEMAN
SOLD
2079 Vineyard Court
SELLING AGENT: DAX HAYDEN
SOLD
Coyote Run Lot
SELLING AGENT: DAX HAYDEN
SOLD
408 Poudre Bay
SELLING AGENT: SETH HAYDEN
PENDING
1406 Windjammer Drive
SELLING AGENT: JUDY TEMPLEMAN
SOLD
130 Whitney Court
SELLING AGENT: JUDY TEMPLEMAN
PENDING
10001 County Rd. 76 1/2
SELLING AGENT: DAX HAYDEN
Give Us A Call Today For a FREE Market Analysis Today! 1204 W. ASH STREET, SUITE A., WINDSOR, CO 80550 | WWW.HAYDENOUTDOORS.COM | 970.674.1990
Making Dreams Come True for Over 30 Years...
Richard Warkentin President
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Custom Homes New Construction Remodels Commercial
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18170 Weld Country Road 39 — LaSalle Stunning Tuscan Inspired Home on 5.24 acres! Incredible floor plan featuring over 7000 sq/ft. This home has space for everyone including a large mother-in-law suite. Unique floor plan with incredibly sized rooms, unfinished basement leaves unlimited potential for an awesome theater room, additional bedrooms & bathrooms. Work from home, great space for an office or family room with private entrance. 50+ year steel roof, 2 hot water heaters, 2 furnaces and central air. Come and enjoy all the country has to offer. Potential for out buildings and animals. No covenants no HOA come and live the life you want. $629,900
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NEW LISTING!
NEW LISTING!
2708 Bluebonnet Lane — Fort Collins Gorgeous 2015 Craftsman-style ranch in Lakeview sub! Centrally located 2 bed, 2 bath, + office is urban living at its finest! A beautiful home with upgrades galore: cabinets, doors, counters, floors all impeccably styled. 8’ interior doors, high ceilings, high efficiency furnace, stainless appliances, fully fenced, with a covered and extended “Colorado Room” patio. Unfinished full basement awaits your finishes. Walk to restaurants, shops, parks and leave the car in your 3-car garage. Make this one home in time for Summer!
2302 29th Ave — Greeley Lovely & updated ranch! This Cascade Park cutie boasts 5 beds and 3 baths. All new paint in & out, new flooring, & brand new appliances. Large corner lot, fenced yard and screened back patio overlooks a spacious back yard with pond and fountain. This could be your home just in time for Summer -- You don’t want to miss this one!
$539,900 Christen DePetro 302-7787 and Jan DePetro 381-1488
$295,000 Christen DePetro 302-7787 and Jan DePetro 381-1488
Christen DePetro 302-7787 and Jan DePetro 381-1488
Real Estate
CHRISTEN DEPETRO • (970) 302-7787 JAN DEPETRO • (970) 381-1488 CHRISTEN.DEPETRO@GMAIL.COM JANDEPETRO@HOTMAIL.COM 3527 W 12th Street, Ste 104, Greeley, CO • (970) 351-0922
Top 5 Interesting Things About This Market BY CHALICE SPRINGFIELD
CEO/Managing Broker Sears Real Estate, IRES Manager for GARA
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must say…this is one of the most interesting and challenging markets I’ve been in during my 26 years in the real estate business in the Greeley area. I thought it might be fun to break down the market into a list of five things that readers may find helpful and interesting:
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#1: Real Estate Markets Fluctuate This in and of itself isn’t that interesting. But, when we put some statistics behind these numbers, it is interesting. In just six years, the median sales price in the Greeley/Evans area has gone from $130,000 to $250,000 at the end of 2016. Yes…you’ve done correct math if you’ve realized that our marketplace has experienced a 93% increase in equity for homeowners. And, at the end of March 2017, the median sales price was even higher for our area at $262,950! #2: Buying a Home is a Good Investment Another thing that you would expect a Realtor to say to you. However, when you put the statistics and the numbers behind this statement, it really is true. Consider this: If you had purchased a median priced home in Greeley/Evans in 1997 (20 years ago), you would have only paid $114,900 and it could be worth $262,950 today! #3: Few Homes to Choose From When we talk about inventory being at record low levels, we’re not lying. At the end of March 2017, we had 237 homes available on the market (about 93 of them which were fully active with no first contract). In 2010, we had 733 homes on the market at the end of March. When the supply is low and the demand continues to be high, buyers and sellers will continue to be engaged in multiple offer situations and may pay above the purchase price for a competitively priced home.
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#4: Jobs & Population Growth Spur our Housing Economy When people have jobs, they are able to purchase homes. Our Northern Colorado economy (including the Greeley/Evans area) has had positive job growth and low unemployment numbers in recent years. Employers continue to have Colorado at the top of their list for relocation and for jobs which drives some of our population growth. I saw a statistic recently from the State Demographers office indicating that Greeley will outpace Ft. Collins in the next 20 years in population. People need a place to live when they move or relocate to our area and Greeley is most certainly one of the cities to prosper from this. #5: Greeley has Competitive Prices Just like all of you, real estate agents worry about the affordability factor in housing. One good news items for the Greeley/Evans area is that our median sales price (these are from the end of March 2017) is close to $100,000 lower than our neighbors. Loveland’s median sales price was $357,685, Ft. Collins’ was $380,000 and Boulder’s was $900,000! (Greeley’s median was $262,950.) When the difference becomes this great, we are seeing people investigating and relocating to our community because they have been priced out of other communities and can no longer afford this. While this may be a frustrating for buyers competing in our marketplace for those rare $185,000 homes, it has also continued to spur prices upward for sellers and allow for increased equity in the housing market. If you’re thinking about buying or selling in today’s marketplace, call a local REALTOR® to help you. While Zillow may be able to give you an “idea” about what your home is worth (it’s often not accurate), local REALTORS® can really assist you in navigating this interesting and challenging market.
It’s a Seller’s Market
How to Keep Your Sanity and Get Your Dream House BY SHELLEY BALL-PADDOCK
Chair-Elect, Greeley Area Realtor Association
It's the phone call we dread making..."Hi Hannah, it's Shelley from Sears Real Estate....well, your offer was not accepted on the house we saw yesterday. Yes, I Know it's the 5th offer we've made and your frustration level must be over the top by now... be patient as we will keep looking." Yes, it's a conversation we are having way too often with our Buyers in this Extreme Seller’s market. So, how do we navigate in this brisk market where some homeowners have been known to receive 5 offers after 24 hours on the market? It is imperative to be able to receive instantaneous notification when home meeting your criteria hits the market. You can have a Realtor add you to a search and create this event for you. Once the house is identified and you have interest.... Get out and see it immediately! This process has a great deal of urgency, especially in the $250,000 and under price point. Now it is time to make your offer as competitive as possible. We are seeing some strategies that prove successful in getting an offer accepted. A buyer who perhaps waives the inspection objection may have a stronger offer. They may reserve the right to conduct their inspection yet not ask the Seller for any repairs. In other words, the Buyer makes it an "as is" sale and most Sellers appreciate the no hassle offer. Buyers with extra cash who are paying more than asking price are often guaranteeing they will pay the difference between the appraised value and the agreed upon price should it appraise for less. This is a useful tactic for the Buyer with that cash, but what
is a first time home buyer to do that is using a minimum down program that requires all they have saved? Well, that in lies the tough aspect of this market. First time home buyers are often being beat out by Cash Buyers. They say "cash is king" and some Sellers agree wholeheartedly and will jump at the opportunity to sign that contract. Another way to make your offer stand out is to increase the earnest money deposit. Sometimes a Seller may view this as the Buyer having more motivation and commitment to the transaction. It’s also helpful to have your Realtor call the listing agent asking what the ideal closing date is for the Seller. If the Buyer can meet that date, a Seller will be more likely to sign their offer given the other terms are favorable.
Now it is time to make your offer as competitive as possible.
Buying a home in a Seller’s Market can be very frustrating. Realtors not only help navigate the process but they can counsel you through all the twist and turns and help you stay “sane” and stay positive as you work your way to your dream home!
$698,000
1941 Dominica Court Windsor
Stunning Ranch-Style Home w/Lake Views & Backs to Open Space! Entertainer's Delight ~ welcome guests into a grand great room featuring soaring ceilings , stone fireplace & extensive hardwood flooring. Sharon Herdman Shannon Blesener 970-475-6023/970-330-7700
$280,000
512 43rd Avenue Greeley
UNDER CONTRACT Clean, Updated, Split-Level in West Greeley. Across the street from Epple Park. 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Newer kitchen with granite countertops and tile floors. Spacious 13x10 eating area. Wood burning fireplace. Loni Ferrier 970-689-1192
$898,500
3935 W 17th St Ln Greeley
Just Listed! ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY VALUES IN NORTHERN COLORADO! Over 8,000 sq.ft of stunning quality finishes priced under market(equates to about $113 per sq ft), situated on a lush 1 acre lot! MLS# 812825 Sharon Herdman Shannon Blesener 970-475-6023/ 970-330-7700
$519,500
7412 Poudre River Rd Greeley
UNDER CONTRACT! Prepare to be impressed with this custom Jay Jensen built, one owner home! Ranch style, five bedrooms, four baths, new carpet, new interior paint, new stainless steel appliances, fully finished garden level basement. MLS# 808930 Steve Baker 970-302-0879/970-330-7700
$755,000
1848 Homestead Road Greeley
Stunning Range View Estates Home! All your desires are found here! Completely renovated 2-story w/ 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, finished basement with wine cellar, luxurious main floor master suite w/ a huge walk-in closet. Private patio off back w hot tub. MLS #: 811046 Steve Baker 970-302-0879/970-330-7700
$242,500
2409 34th Avenue Greeley
$695,000
1887 E Seadrift Drive Windsor, CO
Spectacular Custom Home ~ Lake Views & Access! Unique plan with his/her dens or formal dining, great room & living room for separation of space on the main floor. Fabulous kitchen w/walk-in pantry & island. MLS# 809682 Sharon Herdman 970-475-6023 Shannon Blesener 970-330-7700
$487,000
7400 Poudre River Road Greeley
PERFECT RANCH STYLE Beautiful Ranch with daylight basement, backs to Boomerang Golf Course and acres of corn field. Quiet, restful patio with retractable awning. Main floor master suite, main floor laundry. Open floor plan, mountain views. MLS 807467 Loni Ferrier 970-689-1192
$479,900
610 N 78th Avenue Greeley
UNDER CONTRACT Well-Kept Ranch Style in West Greeley Location. Walking distance to Greeley West High School and Westlake Shopping Center. 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Spacious modern kitchen. New main floor bath. Updated carpet and paint.
Beautiful 3bd, 3ba, ranch patio home located on a walkout river view lot! Popular Cache plan, w/ flex space for formal DR or study, beautifully appointed w/ many upgrades & interior finishes, Knotty alder trim/doors, espresso alder cabs. MLS# 812924
Loni Ferrier 970-689-1192
Sharon Herdman/Shannon Blesener 970-475-6023/970-300-7700
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