Saturday Reporter-Herald August 21, 2010 E1
Real Estate Matters
www.homeandrealtyguide.com • Saturday, August 21, 2010 • Reporter-Herald
What to do if encroaching on neighbor’s property ILYCE GLINK AND SAMUEL J. TAMKIN TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Q
uestion: I own a hillside/lakeside lot in South Carolina. Recently, I hired a contractor to build a retaining wall to stop erosion into the lake. Retaining walls in this area are common, necessary and large. The contractor I hired also built a home adjacent to my property. He has finished my neighbor’s home and my wall. I had a survey done for the contractor just prior to his building my wall, but when I had a final survey done after the work was complete, I noted that the wall has encroached 3.4 feet onto my neighbor’s property. The encroachment is not located in any accessible area and the wall is positive for both of us, since it prevents soil erosion from our properties. At the moment, I now live in a different state and plan to build my home on the South Carolina lot. I contacted my original South Carolina real estate attorney to help me figure out what we need to do to remedy the problem. He said it is a difficult situation since the bank where my neighbor has her I See Glink/Page E3
Inside this week’s Home & Real Estate
Real Estate Transactions Listings from Front Range properties recently sold
Page E2
Downtown building redeveloped Page E4
Doggone Garden Carol O’Meara finds fresh dog food in the garden
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Team with Realtor to get an advantage Professional advice allows sellers to respond to marketplace challenges RH PAID ADVERTORIAL
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erty with a high price would remain on the market longer than a seller expected, it would eventually sell. Today that is not the case. Properties that are priced above market value are not likely to receive offers and may not sell. Sellers who make a mistake with the initial price are subsequently forced to chase the market and lower the price later, taking the property much longer to sell.” Sellers will benefit from the professional advice of a Realtor when it comes to effectively pricing a property and understanding today’s market trends. Successful sellers also understand
the importance of quality marketing to help set their property apart from the competition and position the property to receive an offer from a qualified buyer. Buyers today seek value and also go through a more rigorous process to obtain a loan than in years past as lenders deal with thousands of regulatory changes that have occurred this year. They can greatly benefit from advice and guidance to locate the mortgage companies, inspectors and appraisers who have a track record of success in today’s changing environment. “At The Group, our Realtors
are focused on educating our customers about our market so they can make informed decisions. We are using state of the art pricing tools and the experience and knowledge of all of our Partners to stay on top of even the smallest changes in our market,” Thompson said. These are unprecedented times and even so, sellers and buyers today are having success. What they have in common is that they work with skilled, dedicated real estate professionals that offer their expertise and guide customers through today’s complicated process.
tatistics show the Northern Colorado market is in a much better condition as compared to other markets across the country. Despite the advantages in Northern Colorado, buyers and sellers should be mindful of how to navigate today’s market, and will be bestserved by working with a skilled, dedicated Realtor. Sellers today face a highly competitive market where prices have remained essentially flat for four years in a row. There are many factors out of a seller’s control, but sellers can be successful if they focus on the three things they can control—price, condition and marketing. Eric Thompson, President of The Group, Inc. Real Estate, said “In the past, if a mistake was Photos Courtesy of The Group, Inc. made and a property was overTop: The Group Inc.’s office at Centerra, 5401 Stone Creek Circle, Loveland, 970-613-0700. Botpriced, the accelerating market tom: The Group Inc.’s office at 1401 W. 29th St., Loveland, 970-663-0700. The Group, Inc. has would eventually catch up with been the Northern Colorado market leader for over 30 years. that price. Even though a prop-
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