Life Style Denver by Gretchen Faber

5 Things You Should Know About Relocating to Denver

If you're moving into the Mile High City, there are a few things you may find helpful as you pull up stakes and head to the Rocky Mountains. 1. Denver isn't actually in the mountains. During college, one of my friends from home commented, "Wow!  You must be in good shape to ride your bike in Denver!"  It took a minute to realize she was under the impression I was riding over mountain passes.  I explained that Denver is on...Continue Reading!

Mother-In-Law Suites Gaining Favor

While showing homes this year to several of my clients, one new trend seemed to stand out. Several people mentioned a need to have an accessible second master suite for their parents.  Bloomberg News confirmed this trend today in their online post "Homebuilders Target In-Laws, Dogs as Extended Families Grow."  We joke about our 20-somethings moving home and whether we could live with our mothers-in-law, but the reality is that many families are consolidating and cohabiting. That's a great trend for families. ...Continue Reading!

Why You Want Your Broker to Show You Properties

A few days ago I had a call from a buyer who wanted to see properties in Cherry Creek North. This seems to be a trend lately.  Call the listing agent directly. He found the homes on my web site, www.GretchensDenver.com, and gave me a list of what he wanted to see, which weren't actually my listings.  I asked if he was working with a broker.  At first he said, "no."  Then he said, "well, my wife is, but the broker...Continue Reading!

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | March 2011

Real Estate is like a box of chocolates.  Sometimes you get nuts. The nuts have been our foreclosures, our short sales, our underwriting issues and our tough appraisals. Real Estate is like a roller coaster.  Sometimes you go up, and then you fall fast.  It takes longer to go up than come down. Interestingly, last year's tax credit made our first half of the year incredibly busy. Then third quarter we fell off a cliff.  It was so quiet!  We all went to...Continue Reading!

A New Generation Of Homebuyers is on the Scene! Part 2

In Friday's post, I was discussing whether Generation Y will value home ownership the way Baby Boomers have. There was much discussion at the recent Realtor's convention about this topic.  In the airport, waiting to fly home to Denver, a group of us were discussing it again.  A little while after we settled in to wait for the flight, I felt a tap on my shoulder and an, "excuse me..." Rachel Krill, a Realtor from Yuma, Arizona said, "I couldn't help but...Continue Reading!

Top 7 Reasons to Buy A Home Now

Have you considered buying a home this year?  Did you toy with the idea of making that purchase while the tax credits were still in play? If you missed out on the credits, did you get back on the sidelines?  You may want to reconsider jumping in.  After all, there are more homes coming on the market every day and you just may find the perfect house tomorrow. Here are 7 reasons why buying today may be in your best interest and...Continue Reading!

Earnest Money Requirements in Denver

Relocating buyers often ask how much earnest money they'll need when they make an offer on Denver real estate. My answer? "It depends." Some brokers and sellers request 3% some request 10%.  Earnest money requests/requirements are entered in the MLS, so your Buyer Agent can tell you what the sellers have requested.  3% is more the norm for mid-priced homes, 10% is extremely high. However, for high end homes, closer to 10% isn't too unusual. What the sellers request and what the buyers...Continue Reading!