Life Style Denver by Gretchen Faber

Kentwood Real Estate Teams Up With Christie’s International

Kentwood Real Estate is Denver's leading independent residential real estate brokerage, and with this month's affiliation with Christie's International Real Estate the powerhouse brokerage adds another strategic tool to our toolbox. Christie's International Real Estate is the largest international real estate network in the world and hosts over 9,300 properties $1 million and higher on their web site.  Kentwood Real Estate's web site, www.DenverRealEstate.com, hosts all of the MLS-IDX listings in Denver, with numerous luxury homes prominently featured. Kentwood Real Estate began...Continue Reading!

Realistic Sellers Sell Their Houses

A few days ago, I showed a house to a motivated couple who want to find their next Denver home before Valentine's Day. They liked it, and decided they might make an offer.  Being savvy buyers, they asked me to give them an analysis of other properties that had recently sold around the listing they were considering. I also pulled the history of the listing, and we found that the house had been on the market for 10 months, with two different...Continue Reading!

Pine Needles Plauge Denver Area Gutters

Have you cleaned your gutters lately? I was showing a home in Park Hill recently, and we noticed piles of pine needles in the gutters.  The buyers remarked that it looked like a fire hazard. Denver area pine trees shed massive numbers of needles this time of year, which clog gutters and prevent proper drainage.  Remember to check your gutters for needles and leaves, and clean them out before the rain and snow descend.  This should be one of your regular home...Continue Reading!

Should I Decorate My Listed House for the Holidays?

Every year, sellers ask whether they should decorate for the holidays. The answer is yes!  Within reason.  Here are 5 things to keep in mind: Keep it simple. Don't overdo the clutter or festive air.  Less is more.  Just like you cleaned out your closets to make your home feel larger, resist the temptation to pull out every decoration you've collected over the years and fill up the space. Tasteful decorations add to the warmth and homey feeling, but over-the-top or outlandish...Continue Reading!

Bang for Your Buck – Top Home Updating Tips

As a Denver area real estate broker, I'm asked by homeowners where they should put their money when getting their house ready for sale.  So many times, the Seller has put off updates and improvements they could have enjoyed and they're now considering those same updates to benefit the next owner. How can you keep on top of home improvements, keep on budget and enjoy before you sell?  Focus on "bang for the buck." Bang for the Buck 1:  Kitchen counter tops....Continue Reading!

Top 5 Reasons Why Home Sellers Need to Position Themselves for 1st Place

There are many reasons to position your home to be the next in line to sell.  Here are the top 5: 1. You've put your house on the market.  That means it's time to sell! You've decided to move for a variety of reasons.  Maybe a job transfer, maybe a move up or down, maybe a tightening mortgage payment.  Regardless, Sellers can't rely on the old theory, "I'll just put it on the market and see what I get." ...Continue Reading!

How Long Does it Take to Sell a House in Today’s Market?

Real estate brokers are often asked, "How long will my house be on the market?" We can only speak in averages, utilizing some of our experience to weigh and balance your home's appeal, decor, location and other salient factors.  One key factor is assessing how much inventory we have on the market.  And where the new listing falls among the competition for price and condition. Sellers should pay attention to the length of time their house will take to sell for a...Continue Reading!

Top 5 Things You Must Know to Get Your House Sold Now

A friend of mine is a lender in a mountain town in Colorado.  We've been talking about home sales and where the market might be headed.  Here is an excerpt of an email he sent me yesterday: "From what I'm hearing around the country (from lenders,) everyone has seen the buyer market completely dry up.  Like off a cliff.  Wonderful.  At least I'm busy with refinances." Why is the buyer market drying up?  Rates are at unbelievable lows. Like...Continue Reading!

Is Your House For Sale? Why Isn’t it Sold!?

You've been on the market a few weeks, or a few months. You've cleaned, you vacuum and turn on the lights before every showing. Your broker carefully analyzed the recent sales and the current competition - the price seemed ok.  Not too high, but not leaving money on the table either.  You can always come down, you reasoned. You eagerly await the feedback from every showing. Is this the one? Now is the time to seriously reflect on why you are selling your...Continue Reading!

Sellers – Are You Taking the Sale of Your Home Seriously?

I've been working with two families who will be relocating to Denver in the next few weeks.  Both are lovely couples with school-age children, both are motivated to find a home to land in as soon as their houses sell. When buyers who are moving to a new town come for a house hunting trip it can be a whirlwind.  We hit the ground running, whether it's 95 degrees out, raining cats and dogs or the snow is anything less than...Continue Reading!