Free Credit Score is Good Karma
January 22nd, 2012 categories: Real Estate News
If you’re interested in knowing your credit score, get your once-yearly credit score free from the three major credit-rating agencies.
Trans Union, Equifax and Experian will provide you a free credit score through the Annual Credit Report site. I’ve found the site to be a bit clunky, but if you have some time, you can work your way through it.
When you’re getting ready to buy your next house, a good credit score is vital. Not only a good score, but an excellent one. If you’ve already received your free reports from the ratings agencies, or if you’d like an easier way to access your score more frequently, then sign up for your free credit score at CreditKarma.com.
Credit Karma offers free credit reports and free credit monitoring. Most banks and other web sites charge a monthly fee for this service, but the cost of using Credit Karma is enduring a few ads on their page. Warning, some of those ads will be targeted to you based on your score and other information you provide.
Keep track of your credit and credit score. It’s a valuable commodity when you need to borrow money. Just remember that there is good borrowing (real estate) and bad borrowing (credit cards) and your score will definitely reflect what type of borrower you are.
Gretchen Faber is a Denver real estate broker with over 16 years of local real estate knowledge and experience. Contact Gretchen to discuss local real estate questions, or check out GretchensDenver.com to search for local homes for sale.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Pine Needles Plauge Denver Area Gutters
November 20th, 2011 categories: Life In Denver, Selling Strategies
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 maintenance items. If you’ve already checked it off your list – good for you!
Don’t let pine needles or leaves plague your gutters, inspect all of your gutters this week while the weather is still gorgeous! It’s one of those things that home buyers may not overtly notice, but gives your home a well-maintained look.
Gretchen Faber, LifeStyle Denver author, is a local Denver real estate broker. Contact Gretchen about listing your Denver area home for sale.
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Colorado Real Estate Bloggers Talk about Denver, Colorado Real Estate
November 17th, 2008 categories: Real Estate News
Denver and Colorado real estate agents are full of great information about what’s going on in our city and state. You may not have read some of these people, and I wanted to introduce you to a few of my favorite local voices:
Denver Modern Homes – Todd Carpenter isn’t a real estate broker, he’s more focused on the mortgage industry and being a consultant for internet communication and marketing. Todd also has a passion for Mid-Century Modern architecture, and he puts up really interesting information about modern homes for sale and events in Denver.
Kristal Kraft has been blogging since blogging began. She writes Denver Real Estate and is very knowledgeable about mortgage programs, short sales and golf courses. Kristal is also a fabulous photographer, so you’ll enjoy her pictures.
Larry Hotz is a colleague of mine at The Kentwood Company in our DTC office (a different office from my Cherry Creek office). Larry has also been writing his blog for a very long time, and he includes interesting guest posts from real estate pros in other areas of Denver. You can also catch the official Kentwood Companies blog at Kentwood blog.
I’ve never met Ken, but I’ve been reading his Denver Infill Blog for months. He’s apparently a city planner (rumor has it) and this is the go-to blog for information about what projects are on tap in Central Denver.
Interested in Colorado Springs real estate? Check out Mariana Wagner’s blog – she fills it with important market updates on her area.
Thanks for reading my blog, and I hope you enjoy these as well. Another great read is a recent post here on the Eight Home Closing Essentials.
You can easily search for homes in the Denver Metro area on my web site, which includes state-of-the-art mapping so you can plot out your favorites.
| Discussion: 6 Comments »
Gretchen Faber’s International Real Estate Interview
October 6th, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Real Estate News
BrokerIPTV: Today we are talking with Gretchen Faber. She is the managing broker for Kentwood Company at Cherry Creek. Gretchen thanks for being with us.
Gretchen Faber: Hi, Dan.
BrokerIPTV: Lets talk about international real estate, because when people say international real estate they think like Milan or Germany, but does Denver have kind of an international component to it?
Gretchen Faber: Well, at Denver and Colorado we have buyers from all over the world, many from eastern Asia, from India, a lot from Latin America and Europe as well. Europeans are buying investment and commercial property. Canadians look at Denver and Colorado as a great buy, because of the US dollar being devalued. Then we have many, many executives. I have worked with business executives coming and going from Hong Kong and from Mexico City.
BrokerIPTV: Now, imagine as the relocation department in your company and other specific companies, I mean dealing with an international buyer has a lot of different kind of tricks and flips, am I correct?
Gretchen Faber: It does. That most large real estate companies do have a relocation department. Our company has Kentwood Relocation and we are also members of a larger network called Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World has a very global presence and the Kentwood Relocation Department is working with a publication called Residence International where we publish our listings and then they also put them online for us to email. So, global relocation is a huge business and our company is definitely involved in that.
BrokerIPTV: How is this transaction different? I mean obviously we have got a currency issue, but you are talking about people who are coming from a different country with different values about what you can buy at what price for a land and homes and so forth, I mean is there a huge education process that goes on there?
Gretchen Faber: Well there is and you can get a designation as a real estate broker called Certified International Property Specialist. That helps you with cultural awareness for people coming from different parts of the world and being culturally aware, how different people negotiate and also understanding currency is very important. These currency transfers need to be strategically managed so that they can leverage correctly when they transfer their currency into US dollars to make the purchase. Then there are tax laws that you need to be aware of like the Foreign Investors Real Property Tax. So, it is more complicated for sure.
BrokerIPTV: Yeah and your relocation department helps out all that?
Gretchen Faber: The Cherry Creek office of the Kentwood Company has several people who have the certified international property specialist designation.
BrokerIPTV: How about a US citizen wanting to buy internationally, whats the difficulty or obstacle there?
Gretchen Faber: Right. There is a book called Who is Who in International Real Estate and we can look at brokers all over the world, if I someone who wants to go to Costa Rica I can find them a broker in Costa Rica who understands how to work with an American buyer and then I make the referral and I earn a referral pay that way.
BrokerIPTV: How about trends in international real estate, I mean if somebody called me say “Hey, whats happening in Cherry Creek Village?” I could tell him, but if somebody said “Hey, whats happening in Italy right now?” I don’t know what the market is going on in Italy.
Gretchen Faber: There are so many resources online for that. The University of Denver, Burns School of Real Estate analyses markets all over the world. The CIA actually has a great website that you can go to. That will give you some insight into whats going on in different countries. So, most of us who do international real estate use the internet to do the research we need to do in different countries.
BrokerIPTV: Thank you.
Gretchen Faber: Thank you, Dan.
BrokerIPTV: Appreciate it.
Gretchen Faber: My pleasure.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Turn a Small Remodeling Budget into Big Results
September 3rd, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Selling Strategies
You may have heard your real estate broker remark on a home’s improvements or updates. The typical real estate wisdom suggests that a home should be remodeled every 6 to 7 years. In Denver, there are many older homes being renovated and updated both for the current enjoyment of the owners, but also for future resale.
Is your home ready for an overhaul?
There are improvements you can make to your house on a limited budget that can still make a huge difference. Take your budget, plan the work you’d like to get done under the best of circumstances and then start shopping around. Once you have ideas of pricing or bids for work, you can pare down the projects to the essentials, and what can wait for a year or two.
- Paint – Fresh paint can make an enormous difference in how your house feels and presents to others. Experiment
with a little color. Try to look for hidden colors in a piece of tile and pull that color out for the paint. Stay away from too much white, or too many vibrant colors. It’s o.k. to ask for input so you strike just the right balance, and never pick your paint from the little card at the paint store, spring for a small sample and paint it on the wall. You’ll be surprised how time of day and light can make a huge difference in how paint looks on a wall. A fabulous online resource for beautiful paints is Devine Paint. - Landscape -Most people think interior when they talk about remodeling, but the landscape is a huge part of your home’s “street appeal.” If your yard is overgrown, has too much grass and no borders or just lacks creativity it’s probably time for a redo. There are many online resources as well as books. You don’t need to pay for a landscape architect unless you want a fully integrated design with hardscape and landscape. There are many landscape projects that you can do on your own in a few weekends. Sunset Magazine is famous throughout the west for their lifestyle magazine and garden book. White Flower Farm is the premier resource for plants and flowers and they have one of the most beautiful catalogs you’ll ever see.
- Lighting – Changing lighting fixtures is a simple and easy way to give your house a new look. Try to integrate the look throughout the house. It would look strange to have a Craftsman style light fixture in the dining room and contemporary pendant lights in the kitchen.
- Appliances – Are your appliances old and worn looking? People think, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” That will do for a time, but eventually those old avocado appliances need to be rethought. Not only will you get more energy efficiency, you’ll completely update the look of your kitchen and laundry.
- Flooring – Change the carpet if it’s stained, smelly or stretched. It can’t wait any longer. Avoid the plastic-looking fake wood. It looks like plastic from a mile away. It could work for a smallish kitchen or utility room, but not the main living area.
Remember to avoid fads unless you have a really unique property or are prepared to redo it before putting the house on the market. It’s always best to choose a classic, but not too bland look for your newly remodeled home. Keeping your home remodeled and updated isn’t just essential in terms of keeping up with neighborhood values, it’s essential in terms of not losing value. Over time, a dated and stale looking home will actually begin to lose value with respect to the rest of the neighborhood, so you should plan to get busy – no matter what the size of your budget is.
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Riding Out the Storm
August 4th, 2008 categories: Market Trends
Is real estate struggling? Is there a storm? Are we riding it, or riding it out?
Realtors I talk to are: optimistic, working harder than ever, looking forward to the future, getting out of the business, all of the above. Jim Morrison sang, “Riders of the Storm” but sometimes when I sing along, I change up the words.
Denver Real Estate is faring well as compared with much of the U.S., and while we still struggle in some segments of the market, others are very strong.
Buyers are the beneficiaries of this perfect storm. Rates are low, a positive in most buyers’ minds, and home prices have flattened enough to make any purchase a bargain or a great investment.
But in the words of Yogi Berra, “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there“. Consider yourself lucky to benefit from a home’s inflation after 5 -7 years, plan not to sell in less than 5 years. Also remember, you’ve had a place to live – to hang your hat and raise your family. Keep an eye on the tenet of real estate, “location, location, location.” As Yogi reminded us, know where you’re going.
Is this a time to panic? A time to despair? Is this the be all – end all storm? I think not. It’s a cycle, yeah a bad one, and what choice do we have but to live? Be smart, talk to a professional real estate broker and an experienced savvy lender before you decide to move. Figure out your upside and your downside as much as you can. It’s time to economize a bit, contingency plan, budget. It’s certainly not time to panic. What good does that do you?
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Gretchen Faber’s Top 10
July 1st, 2008 categories: Life In Denver
Hi there! My name is Gretchen Faber, the author of LifeStyle Denver.
In case you haven’t had the opportunity to view my bio yet, I thought I’d give you a little background and tell you about my favorite things to do in Denver for the Fourth of July.
I sell Denver real estate, a profession I’ve loved for over 12 years. Denver is a fabulous city, with so many great neighborhoods. If you’re around Denver this coming weekend – here are a few of my favorite things to do over Independence Day:
1. Cherry Creek Arts Festival: Our central Denver neighborhood of Cherry Creek hosts the annual Arts Festival every Fourth of July. It’s a three day event with hundreds of booths and exhibits. This is no craft fair, it’s a juried show of some top artists throughout the U.S. You can also enjoy the Culinary Arts demonstrations, the kids’ creation area and several outdoor concerts.
2. Colorado Rockies: Every year the Rockies host a fireworks exhibit after the July 4th game, and this year is no exception. My son loves going to this game with his dad. We’re playing the Marlins, and the games with fireworks are on the 3rd and 4th at 6:05 pm. We need a couple of wins!
3. Four Mile Historic Park: Pioneer exhibits and Denver’s oldest standing structure. This place is a blast for the little kids, and interesting for adults with an appetite for history. Don’t miss the horse-drawn carriage rides!
4. Red Rocks: Looking for more adult entertainment? Blues Traveler/Live/Collective Soul are playing at Red Rocks. What a night! I just checked, and tickets are still available.
5. Santa Fe Arts First Friday: It’s First Friday again at the Santa Fe Arts District! Go there first on Friday evening to sample the terrific local artists, and then check out the CC Arts Fest over the weekend. An art-lover’s heaven of a weekend.
6. Pro Lacrosse: Lacrosse fan? Head over to Invesco Field (Mile Hi to locals) and watch the Outlaws play the San Francisco Dragons. Fireworks follow.
7. Symphony On the Rocks: The Colorado Symphony Orchestra will be playing at Red Rocks on Sunday evening at 7:30. Doesn’t this sound like a perfectly wonderful evening after all of the special events you’ve gone to for the past 3 days?
8. Colorado Renaissance Festival: Who needs to cook when you can get a big-a– turkey leg and carry it around with you? The Renaissance Festival is perennially a family favorite. It’s running weekends through early August.
9. Colorado History Museum: This is the last weekend for their exhibit called “The Italians” illustrating the impact that Italian Immigrants have had on our state.
10. Fireworks! Did you think I’d forget? The Glendale city fireworks display is Saturday, July 5th at dusk. Lannie Garrett is playing a concert there too. You can catch fireworks after the Rockies and the Outlaws games. Macy’s will be hosting a fireworks show on July 5th at the Cherry Creek shopping center – best viewing is from the Fillmore Plaza in Cherry Creek North.
Have a fun and safe weekend. If you’re thinking of buying, selling or relocating ~ think of me and click on the “contact me” button. I’ll send you customized information on real estate. Me~Gretchen Faber 
an agent who loves her job!
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Denver Think Green Campaign Begins!
April 22nd, 2008 categories: Market Trends, Real Estate News
Earth Day is Everyday
The Kentwood Companies are going “Green!” The leading real estate firm has announced the creation and implementation of an unprecedented “Think Green Campaign” that clearly illustrates the company’s dedication to the environment and the future health of planet earth. The co-owners, management team and leading broker associates at three Kentwood offices in the Denver area have committed to a Think Green Campaign that will reduce pollution in rivers and lakes, preserve our forests, and reduce pollution in the world’s oceans. The campaign coincides with Earth Day on April 22nd.
“The Kentwood Companies’ Think Green Campaign was designed to encourage people to make a difference in the environment and to conserve our natural resources,” said Carol Ihli, vice president and co-managing broker of the Cherry Creek office. “It’s important that our company makes decisions and establishes office policies that reflect our concern for the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.
“We have started a recycling program for each Kentwood office by making recycling bins available to our agents and support staff,” Ihli continued. “We have switched our printing to a certified ‘green’ printer so all of our brochures, flyers and other marketing materials are produced on recycled paper. The printing material and practices have passed the highest environment standards. We are making an effort to direct people to our website for more information rather than taking printed materials. The Kentwood Companies have also placed an order for 20,000 reusable shopping bags that will be distributed to our clients in May as a major part of the Kentwood Think Green Campaign. So now, when our clients carry a reusable bag and are asked at the grocery store if they prefer paper or plastic, they can say ‘neither!’ These bags have a minimum shelf life of three to four years.”
The Think Green Campaign promotes environmental awareness while establishing corporate responsibility. The centerpiece of the promotion is a reusable grocery bag imprinted with The Kentwood Companies logo. Participating Kentwood agents will give their clients four bags and a shopping list note pad supported by two “Earth Day” postcards available electronically or on recycled paper. A newsletter, also available electronically or on recycled paper, will provide “Green” tips, resources, and coupons. Four bags are the equivalent of a full grocery cart.
The Kentwood Think Green Campaign’s reusable bags hold more and spill less. They are sturdy, easier to carry, and last for years. And one reusable bag will replace 500 plastic bags.
The broker associates at The Kentwood Companies want every day to be Earth Day. Gretchen Faber, the co-Managing Broker at Kentwood’s Cherry Creek office invites you to contact her if you’re in the Denver area and would like a reusable shopping bag. Honor the earth, make your green resolutions for the next year today!
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Downtown Denver’s Development Direction
April 14th, 2008 categories: Life In Denver, Market Trends
2008 Downtown Development Update
Get a comprehensive overview of all of the Downtown development under construction and planned, and observations from experts in the industry as to where Downtown’s commercial, residential, mixed-use, and hospitality markets are headed.
April 17, 2008
7:30-9:00 am
Denver Marriott City Center
1701 California St., Denver
Moderator- Gary Desmond, AR7 Achitects, PC
Panelists-
Kim Koehn, Corporex Colorado, LLC
Bill Mosher, Trammell Crow Co.
Ken Schroeppel, Matrix Design Group, Inc.
RSVP: bwarnick <at> downtowndenver <dot> com
Free for members of Downtown Denver Partnership; $25/all others
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Doors Open Denver – 150 Years of Denver Architecture
April 2nd, 2008 categories: Life In Denver, Real Estate News
Saturday & Sunday, April 12th & 13th
2008 is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Denver. Doors Open Denver 2008 will celebrate by opening doors representing “150 Years of Denver Architecture” in a FREE two-day event that allows you to go behind the scenes of the city’s significant architectural gems and lesser-known treasures. This is a very special event in our city, and you should plan on attending if you have any interest in our wonderful representation of local architecture.
Spend the day on a self-guided tour of both historic and modern buildings, take an expert-led tour or embark on an Urban Adventure, a self-guided tour based on a theme.
For more information, Project Manager Carol Hiller at 303-282-5073 or caroleyii <at> aol <dot> com.
Highlights from the 1st Doors Open Denver, 2005:
- 31,362 visits by people exploring Denver’s diverse architecture
- 323 enthusiastic volunteers
- 82 public places, secret spaces
- 26 generous sponsors
- 1 successful first annual Doors Open Denver!
| Discussion: No Comments »
