Real Estate Information Archive

One of the new tools I use to provide my Sellers with superior service is the Electronic Lockbox.

Denver real estate is still behind the times a little when it comes to lockboxes.  With the advent of Electronic Lockboxes and all of their benefits, Denver Realtors still have not latched on to the idea.

My favorite feature of the Electronic Lockbox is its enhanced security for my sellers.  If you utilize old-style lockboxes, once somebody has the code, there is the potential for them to revisit or share the code with somebody else.  This is primarily an issue with one-time contractors that might get access from the Seller.

With the Sentrilock Lockboxes available in Denver, you can provide everyone wanting access to the property with their own discreet code.  Not only is it a "one-time" code, but I can review all of the access events to the property with a time stamp, verifying who has actually accessed the property.

Although the Electronic Lockbox is not required in Denver, you might consider them as a "value added" service for your clients.  My Sellers truly appreciate the additional safety and accountability offered with the Sentrilock system. 

If you're a Seller seeking an Agent with state of the art tools and capabilities, contact Denver Realtor John Basila (303) 589-9034.

It's been an exciting few weeks, and things are looking even brighter.  Motivated Denver Home Buyers Are Here!

This week, believe it or not, the 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate jumped above 5%...  This is still a great rate, historically speaking, but it's also a strong indication of things to come.  Many analysts didn't expect to be above 5% until 2011.  Since there's still time to get in on historically low interest rates, a lot of my Buyers that have been on the sidelines are getting motivated.

If you're a Seller, you can likely expect a lot more action in the next month or two as compared to the typical Dec-Jan-Feb activity.  With less competition during this time of year and improving prices, this might be a great time to sell your home and still be able to get a great deal on your next home, while taking advantage of the low interest rates!  Who knows where interest rates will be in April?

Motivated Denver Home Buyers are here to take advantage of the opportunity to get the best value on their next home and lock-in their interest rates at the best level they can.  If you or someone you know have been waiting for the "bottom" of the market, I believe that time has passed.  But you still have time to get into the market well below its former peak.

Are you a Motivated Denver Home Buyer?  Contact Denver/Littleton Realtor John Basila for a complimentary consultation on the best ways to achieve your real estate goals for the coming year.

When I meet with my Sellers to earn their Listings, one of the most important topics we discuss is Pricing Your Home To Sell.

Let's face it - we're not in a booming market...surprise, surprise...  If you purchased your home at fair market value in the past five years with less than 20% down, or if you refinanced and took out some equity (cash), you're probably on the edge of breaking even, or worse, if you must sell your home today.

If you must sell, it can be an akward discussion that we have.  Nobody wants to bring money to the table, but if you want to sell your home and move forward, it's all about Pricing Your Home To Sell.

This week, I received a report, 88 pages long, of properties that have received a Notice of Election and Demand - which is a notice from the County that your Lender has started the Foreclosure process on your property.  That's 614 properties just this week.  These properties will be hitting the market in Spring if the Borrowers' deficiencies aren't satisfied.  If your home is on the market, you'll have some serious competition because they'll be offered at below market value prices.  But, they probably won't be as nice as yours...

It's funny to me, now, that a lot of Real Estate Agents will specifically state in the MLS that the property they're marketing is a "Normal Sale".  A few years ago, who would have thought that would be a selling point!!

If my Sellers are close to the edge, they'll often want to price their home so they won't need to bring money to the table.  If they attempt to do this, I must express two key consequences of this action:

    Buyers who can afford their home will not see it in their searches

    Buyers will compare their home to much better homes

The key to Pricing Your Home To Sell is to list it at a price at which it will sell.  It might cost you a few dollars, but at least it will sell.  If you overprice it, you will get few showings and will likely not receive any offers.  And your home will sit on the market day after day, after day, after day.

If you're on the edge or you know someone who is, have them contact Denver Realtor John Basila.  Pricing Your Home To Sell is one of the most important aspects of selling a home in today's market.