What should I do before I meet with a Realtor?

Okay, so you've decided to put your house on the market, and you're not sure what to do or where to start? Before you meet with your Realtor, here are some ideas:

Preparing for the listing paperwork:

• Have all parties on title available to sign the listing agreement.
• Have your mortgage loan information ready & available.
• Have your home owner's association (HOA) information available (who, what, when & how much).
• Have a key available for the lock box.
• Decide which items will be included with the sale that are not built in (refrig, washer/dryer, etc.), and excluded items that are built in (chandelier, electric sconces).  Better yet, remove/replace these items.
• Have your showing instructions in mind. For instance, would you like an advance phone call? Which number? How advance notice is necessary for showings?  Can we leave a message & okay the agent to show? Alarm?
• Know your email address.

Preparing the house for showings:  (If you've ever been in a model home, that's the effect we're going for here):

• Declutter; remember this mantra, "If it's feeling bare you're nearly there".
• Pack away family photos and small knick-knacks.
• Hide any small appliances and cooking utensils that are on the counter top.
• Remove magnets from the refrigerator.
• Place unnecessary furniture in storage (i.e. larger pieces, mis-matched pieces).
• Hide personal care items in the baths (i.e. deodorant, brushes, shampoo, used towels).
• Deodorize if necessary.
• Remove dark drapery; the more light the better.
• Replace dated light & plumbing fixtures.

Sounds like a pain?  It is. However, it will hurt now or it will hurt later.  Failure to do these items will likely lead to longer time on market and less money for you.  Keep in mind that people are willing to exchange dollars for convenience. The less they have to do, the better; even if they're planning to change everything. 

What's real estate doing in Colorado Springs as of November 2011?

Here's the scoop, I've got some great news, and I've got some not-so-good news:

• # of active listings is down from last year (22.7%)
• # of sales for the month are up 20.8%
• # of sales for teh last 3 months are up 27.3%
• Sales YTD are ahead of 2010 by 2%
• Inventory levels are down from @ 9 months to @ 5 months
• Avg. Sales price is down 7% from same time last year
• Foreclosure filings are down 26% from 2010

Click here for all the skinny with graphs, charts, price categories, and neighborhood stats
Call Tammy or Gayle for the specifics on your place!

How do they decide when to close school district 12 for bad weather?

Gayle & I currently have, or have had, children in school district 12, and have always wondered how the superintendant decides when to close school in bad weather.  Well here it is straight from the superintendant himself in an email I rec'd:

Dear Parents:

After talking with several of you this morning regarding the really poor road conditions you encountered, I thought I would send this message regarding our procedure for determining delays and closures.  

Our process isn't very scientific...our director of facilities and I divide the District in half and drive the roads beginning at 4:00 a.m. when we suspect inclement weather.  He drives the northern sections of the District, I drive the south.  We correspond by cell phone during our evaluation of the driving conditions, and we typically finish between 5:00 and 5:15 a.m. so that we can make a determination on a delay or closure by our 5:30 a.m. deadline.

This morning, while we encountered some isolated icy patches, we had very little trouble navigating the major roads across the District, and in fact, many roads were perfectly clear.  As a result, I decided to maintain a normal schedule.  After receiving calls regarding conditions specifically along Star Ranch Road later in the morning, I again drove the south end of the District at about 8:00.  What I found very quickly was that areas that presented little or no difficulty earlier in the morning proved absolutely impassable and dangerous on my second trip.  Not that it matters, but I can only guess that when the wind picked up, what was merely wet a couple of hours earlier became solid ice very quickly and became extremely dangerous.

For those of you who attempted to drive these roads this morning, I am truly sorry that you had to deal with these dangerous conditions.  The fact of the matter is that had I encountered at 5:00 a.m. what I encountered at 8:00 a.m, I would have made a different decision; but, that obviously is a moot point.  What is important, however, is to know that this isn't the first time we've been caught in this untimely scenario, and it certainly won?t be the last.  It will inevitably happen again due to timing or due to the fact that some sections of the District are only slightly impacted while others may be heavily impacted.  So while you probably are aware, remember there is never an attendance penalty at any District 12 school for absences due to weather. If you ever feel the roads from your specific neighborhood are too dangerous to travel regardless of our school schedule, I encourage you to use your individual discretion and keep your children at home if you wish.

If you wish to contact me, please feel free to call or email me at your convenience.

Respectfully,

Walt Cooper
Superintendent of Schools

Who services Thermador appliances in Colorado Springs

Recently, I had a seller delegate the job of obtaining repairs on their Thermador appliances.  I typically use Scott Oaks of  Accurate Appliance Repair, 719-306-2405 for my Colorado Springs listings and my own personal appliances.  However, according to Scott, Thermador parts are difficult (if not impossible) for him to obtain because the manufacturer only authorizes certain repair companies to service their appliances.  The only authorized local company is D-3 A-Ok Appliance at 719-574-3344.  I haven't even received the diagnosis yet, but had to provide a credit card for the service call which is @ $70 for the first appliance, and $35/per for any additional appliances diagnosed on the same call.  I'm not looking forward to the parts and repair costs, but what choice do we have?  Not much.  Additionally, Scott said the same is true for Viking and Wolf appliances as well.  I would bite the bullet and start with D-3 on these brands.

October in Colorado means time to winterize sprinkler system

To all of our friends and clients in Colorado Springs, here's a good video on how to winterize your sprinkler system without blowing out the lines with an air compressor:

http://youtu.be/Vr74_5bVhF8

I like this video because: 1.) I don't have an air compressor, 2.) it's relatively simple, 3.) you can turn your system back on during a dry spell, and 4.) it won't cost me the usual $50 to have someone else do it, so it's CHEAP!  This may not be the appropriate method for every system, but it is for mine & I'm going to do it!

When is a good time to sell my house in Colorado Springs?

Gayle & I get asked this question a lot, as you can imagine in these economically uncertain times.  The answer is simple:  it depends.  Big help, huh?  If you are selling and buying in the same market (i.e. right here in Colorado Springs), the answer is mostly YES.  Especially if you're a move up buyer.  Above is a fabulous graphic illustration from real estate expert, Larry Kendall of The Group in Ft. Collins, to support this.  If you've been contemplating moving up, now is a fantastic time. What are you waiting for??  Call NOW to see if it's a good time for you!  Gayle & Tammy, ERA Shields Real Estate, 719-576-3600