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5 Surprising (and Useful!) Ways to Save for a Down Payment

In Buyers by Doug Phelps

One of the biggest misconceptions of home buying? The 20% down payment. Here’s how to buy with a lot less down. Buying your first home conjures up all kinds of warm and fuzzy emotions: pride, joy, contentment. But before you get to the good stuff, you’ve got to cobble together a down payment, a daunting sum if you follow the …

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My neighbor’s house sold for a crazy high price a couple of years ago. Does this mean I can price mine above?

In Sellers by Doug Phelps

For nearly a decade, the Denver metro real estate market has been a wild ride of record-setting activity. This year with COVID-19, this is even more true. We are here to help you prepare for what’s ahead. Since March, home is probably something you have spent a lot of time in and thinking about. Maybe your dreaming of more space. …

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Can I Fire My Real Estate Agent?

In Buyers by Doug Phelps

Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Here’s how to say goodbye when you’re unhappy. You know how to break up with a romantic partner when it’s not working out. “It’s not you, it’s me,” you tell them. Or, “I’m not ready for a long-term commitment.” But how do you break off a professional relationship — like with a real estate …

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Red Hot Real Estate

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

The Denver Metro real estate market shows no signs of slowdown after a gigantic bounce back from the March/April shelter-in-place public health orders. Inventory levels remain a concern however, as single-family homes are at their lowest levels, likely ever-seen in the Denver market this time of year. The month of June 2020 saw the most active real estate market in …

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Is The Market Back?

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

Be patient in arriving at conclusions about the direction of the Denver real estate market. What remains to be seen is whether Denver slows in appreciation with continued national job loss, election year, economic questions, forbearance and societal disruption. Or, is Denver the tip of the spear, leading the local and national economies out of a period of hibernation? Some …

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Buyer and Seller Activity Sees a Substantial Increase

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

We anticipated a surge of consumer activity in the Denver Metro real estate market as the public health order ban on in-person showings expired at midnight on Sunday, April 26th. Buyers and sellers were not disappointed as more homes hit the market and showing activity for a Monday and Tuesday was the highest seen yet this year. NOTE: The weeks shown …

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Buyers Go Virtual, Sellers Remain Cautious

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

In-person showings have not been allowed in the Colorado market now for two weeks.  Yet in the Denver metro market, we see continued signs of strong market performance despite job market challenges and national economic concerns. Fueled by low interest rates, low inventory, and consumer adaptation to virtual showings, more than 63% of homes sold last week, sold at-or-above the …

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Virtual Marketing For Sellers

In Sellers by Doug Phelps

Selling your home? We’ve got you covered! We currently are in unprecedented times affecting multiple industries globally and locally. The real estate industry has had to adapt and Colorado Home Realty (CHR) and I are at the forefront of this necessity.  People are still buying and selling homes. Even in Coronavirus times.  We continue to safely serve in the best …

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Metro Denver Real Estate – A Sure Bet?

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

Your odds of winning the Colorado Lottery … 1 in 5.3 million.Your odds of winning PowerBall … 1 in 292 million. Your odds of winning (making money) when selling residential real estate in metro Denver sometime in the last 26 years … better than 4 in 5! No matter when you bought or sold a residential property in the Denver …

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Big Shift in Real Estate?

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

We are seeing aspects of the market understandably respond to job loss, the shelter-in-place order and economic challenges.  At the same time, we are seeing signs of consumer adaptation and continued strong market activity fueled by positive aspects of the Denver economy and real estate market.  So has there been a BIG shift? 

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Navigating Denver Real Estate

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

For the moment, Denver is still a strong sellers’ market as inventory remains low and interest rates continue to attract buyers. However, we remain circumspect arriving at conclusions about the direction of the market. So many factors are at play between the stimulus package, lost jobs, shelter-in-place order and direction of the US economy.

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Real Estate In Turbulent Times (Through Weeks 12/13, 2020)

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

Last week, we established a baseline for the Denver real estate market through Week 10 of 2020, or prior to any presumed market impact from COVID-19. Our intention is to write fact based and data driven analysis versus sensational reporting.  We maintain that commitment.  However, this week is more conjecture as we endeavor to provide interpretation of any patterns we see evolving.

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Real Estate In Turbulent Times (Through Week 10, 2020)

In Homeowners by Doug Phelps

We expect the social and economic fallout of COVID-19 to impact the Denver real estate market. You’ll need reliable information. Not rumor or opinion, but fact-based, data-driven truth. Many homeowners have built substantial equity in their homes over the last few years and they are asking us for advice.

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Getting Ready for the Appraiser

In Sellers by Doug Phelps

An appraiser may be coming to your house in the near future. Most home sale contracts are contingent on the buyer or the buyer’s lender obtaining an appraisal on your property. Here are some things you’ll be interested to know about appraisers and the appraisal process:

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Make Required Repairs Before Closing

In Sellers by Doug Phelps

This article was originally posted here on the Colorado Home Realty blog. You may have agreed to repair or replace items on your property as a result of the inspection or as part of the original contract. Also, the contract requires you repair or replace anything broken since the contract was negotiated, e.g., the dishwasher stopped working, a window was broken, etc. Failure …

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Y- Yips: Quelling nerves for a first time home buyer

In Buyers by Doug Phelps

Like stage fright or other anxiety-induced reaction, the yips are something that can negatively impact a golfer.   The yips is basically a slang term for anxiety and tension that a golfer may feel, especially when putting. This reveals itself in short, jerky, uncoordinated movements instead of a smooth stroke.   Anxiety can be a tough feeling to overcome in any aspect …