Life Style Denver by Gretchen Faber

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | February 2012

We did it again,  Inventory is down for the 8th straight month.  As of the end of February, we have just 8,082 single family homes available for buyers to view. On Friday last week, our office set 101 showings in one day.  We had to take a fire extinguisher to the phones at the end of the day.  The most showings I can remember the receptionist setting up on a busy Friday during the heyday was about 72, and that was...Continue Reading!

Free Credit Score is Good Karma

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...Continue Reading!

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | November 2011

Imagine you want to move from your city, small town, or suburb to a new location. This new city isn't as large as NYC or LA, but it's big enough to offer you the company of over 2 million residents metro-wide, all the major professional sports, plenty of arts and culture and great restaurants for foodies. Added to that, a fun outdoorsy lifestyle. Now imagine that you begin your home search in this city, only to learn that there are a little...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!

What the Press Has to Say About Real Estate

10/15/11.  The Wall Street Journal. "It's time to buy that house." 10/21/11. Business Week. "Crazy deals await." 10/03. Market Watch. "Now could be the best time in history to buy a home." US News & World Report. "Many buyers who waited for rock bottom are finding now is the time to buy." Denver's inventory is low and buyers are searching for great properties.  If you're thinking of selling your home, get it on the market soon! These headlines should begin to foster the consumer...Continue Reading!

Denver Real Estate Statistics | October 2011

Sellers - this is not the winter you want to take your house off the market for the holidays. The Denver metro area inventory is the lowest it's been this entire millennium. Buyers are searching for homes and sellers are holding back. This level of inventory is about half what it was in the busy times. If you're getting your house ready to sell, get it ready now.  And get it on the market.  The weekly sales rate of 5.62 percent in...Continue Reading!

Denver Real Estate Statistics | September 2011

Real estate in Denver has picked up steam during September and October.  The summer was hot and dry, the fall has been brisk.  Under contracts are up over last year. Inventory is still extremely low, and buyers are finding it difficult to get into the house of their dreams without making some concessions.  But sellers with any sort of perceived flaw in their home are nonetheless finding themselves waiting for an elusive offer.  The perceived flaws that hold today's buyers back...Continue Reading!

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | August 2011

Predictions are difficult, and the only certain thing in real estate is that it's always interesting. Some homes come on the market and get offers within days.  Others are seemingly well-priced and well-presented and still languish for months.  The average number of days on the market is up slightly from last year, but not dramatically so. Prices are down for single family and up for condos, and that's not a surprise if you've listened to any economic news recently.  Anything that could...Continue Reading!

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | July 2011

A recent trip to India for a real estate conference slowed down my blogging for the past month.  It's great to be back in Denver, where we've had a hot and dry summer, after a rainy and cold spring. Real estate ownership and sales are very different in India, but in some respects there are many similarities.  Limited supply and high demand create high prices in areas like Mumbai, and the headlines while I was visiting were all about the high...Continue Reading!

Denver Colorado Real Estate Statistics | June 2011

June 2011 was the month we were waiting for.  Real estate professionals all over the U.S. were predicting that year-over-year sales from June 2010 would rise in June 2011. In 2010, the Homebuyer Tax Credit ended in April, and at the time all under contract or pending properties were required to close by the end of June to qualify.  The closing date was later pushed out to September, but in April everyone thought June 30 was the final date for the...Continue Reading!