The importance of maintaining your property

It is very exciting to own your own home. From my clients who are first time homebuyers, to my experienced homebuyers, I know each and every one of them takes pride in their home. The thing that can be daunting though, no matter how many years you have been in a place, is keeping up the maintenance. Below is a list of what you can do to maintain your house over the years to keep it in tip-top shape:

Monthly things to do:

·      Clean your kitchen sink disposal – this is easy to do, just make some vinegar ice cubes and run them through the disposal, easy

·      Inspect your fire extinguisher

·      Clean range hood filters if you have them

·      Inspect and possibly change out HVAC filters – a few handyman have told me to replace these monthly with cheaper filters rather than replacing them every couple of months with more expensive filters

Quarterly things to do:

·      Test smoke/carbon dioxide detectors

·      Run water and flush toilets in unused spaces – if your kids no longer live with you, and their bathroom never gets used anymore, it is imperative to make sure you still run water to prevent grime buildup

·      Check water softener

Biannually things to do:

·      Give your house a deep clean – I like to do this more than biannually and I also recommend calling in a cleaning company to really give your house a one-over because sometimes, we just don’t clean as good as the pros do

·      Replace batteries in smoke/carbon dioxide detectors

·      Vacuum your refrigerator coils – this is something I learned but your fridge uses up to 15% of your home’s total power so when you’re the coils on your fridge get dirty, your fridge has to use more energy

Summer things to do: since we are in the heat of the summertime I thought it only appropriate to also add things you can do to your home during the hot months –

·      Check grout in bathrooms and kitchen

·      Inspect plumbing for leaks from the cold season and repair anything found

·      Take care of insect problems if you have them – summer is when insects are out and about and this is the time to shut them down so they don’t make a home within your home for the cold months

·      Clean and repair your patio/deck if needed

·      Check and clean dryer vent and other exhaust vents

·      Clean your garage – at my home, we make cleaning the garage a summer ritual. Though out the cold months, your garage gathers dust and debris and often is a bit neglected. Summer is the perfect time to give your garage a little tlc

This is a great place to start and don’t let it be too daunting. As a homeowner you understand that there is always something to do and the best way to tackle everything is just a day at a time.

How having a strong partner can be a game changer in life’s successes

There is something to say for having a strong partner by your side as you work your way through life. Whether you are going through good times or bad times, challenging times or easy times, making major life changes or going with the flow, your partner is your go-to person who is consistently routing for you in your corner.

This past weekend, my husband Jay and I celebrated our 18-year anniversary, hard to believe I know. For those of you who don’t know, Jay and I are actually high school sweethearts (a rarity these days). So to say we have grown together is a bit of an understatement. We started adulthood together and started building our dreams from an early age. Jay has always been a supportive husband, a doting father and a honest businessman and because he is all of these things, I am more successful in all my roles of life as well.

Throughout the years, I have read countless studies and interviews with successful businessmen and women. When they are asked how they were able to work their way to the top, how they were able to build a business from the ground up or how they were able to leave corporate America and become an entrepreneur, almost all of them admitted it was because they had the support and love of a partner. Many studies have shown that the most successful people aren’t necessarily single, in fact, many of them have a strong marriage and have a partner who is just as motivated and driven.

I know for myself personally I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for Jay’s constant love, push, encouragement and belief in me. We own many businesses together because we believe that together we can help one another grow and we know that we make a strong team. That also speaks to parenting our wonderful daughter. We both work hard to ensure we are raising a good kid and keeping one another responsible in helping us develop as a family.

It is imperative to find that someone who brings out the best in you. Someone who is not afraid to question you or stand up to you. Someone who pushes your buttons and challenges you but in the right way. I feel very fortunate to have found that person in Jay and cannot wait for the many years to come together.

Acitivities to keep you busy this Memorial Day weekend

Memorial Day is already here (can’t say where the month of May went but here we are!) and I just wanted to take a minute to thank all the military men and women out there serving our country. To the families and friends of fallen soldiers I especially want to send a sincere and loving thank you for everything your soldier did for our country. This is an official holiday where we take time to remember those soldiers who lost their lives fighting and protecting our country.

There are so many activities going on this coming weekend for families and friends to participate in, from the Memorial Day tribute to the countless concerts and sporting activities. Many people take this long weekend and head out of town for the mark of the beginning of road trips and summer adventures (even though it still is a bit cold in the mountains so make sure to check out the weather before you go). Below is a list of activities around the city as well as in the mountains that will be a good time for family and friends alike:

Veterans Memorial Day Tribute – May 27th 10:00-12:00 POF Hall, 1340 Sherman. St – This is an annual tribute that honors all the fallen Colorado heroes and their families. There will be music, storytelling and ceremonial activities.

Denver Day Of Rock – May 27th 2:30-9:30 16th Street Pedestrian Mall – This is the 8th year the Day of Rock has shut down 16th Street Mall and is not a day you want to miss! This is a huge fundraiser that raises money for the youth organization Amp the Cause, donating to over 50 organizations. Enjoy a beer, some amazing food and of course the music of some of the biggest names in Colorado.

Aspen Mountain Will Open for Skiing – All Memorial Day weekend – If you haven’t put the skis away quite yet then grab them and head up to Aspen for one last powder session.

Final Weekend: The Secret Garden – Stage Theatre at Denver Center for the Performing Arts 1101 Speer Blvd – A beloved classic story is brought to life and enhanced with enchanting musical numbers. This is the last weekend it will be running so if you are hoping to catch a play, grab tickets and head on over.

Butterflies at Chatfield Seasonal Opening – May 27th 9:00-4:00 Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms – With the changing of weather comes the spring creatures arriving and this weekend you can go encounter native Colorado butterflies and plants in a one-of-a-kind butterfly house. Walk amongst swallows, monarchs, mourning cloaks and painted ladies.

Water World Seasonal Opening – All Weekend 10:00-6:00 Water World – If you have been keeping an eye on the weather you will have seen we are supposed to have some sun and heat. Water World, one of the largest water parks in the United States, opens up again for the season this weekend offering an array of fun water attractions.

Denver Arts Festival – All Weekend 10:00-6:00 Conservatory Green at Stapleton – Enjoy walking around these beautiful grounds while perusing fine arts and crafts by some incredibly talented Colorado artists and the nation’s best artists.

BolderBoulder 10k – May 29th starting at 5:45am Folsom Field – This is one of the most famous runs in Colorado with over 50,000 participants who done outfits fit for a king.

Odesza & Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – All weekend (check schedule for specific dates of each) 7:30pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Red Rocks season is upon us and what better way to enjoy this beautiful weekend then being outdoors at the best music venue in the US? Catch either one of these incredible music acts this weekend.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend and if you are around this weekend and wanting to look at homes or chat about putting yours on the market, please contact me today!

What It Means to Be a Mom

This is a blog for all the moms out there. While we celebrated Mother’s Day this past weekend, I thought it was important to write a little bit about motherhood from my own perspective and how being a mom has made me a better person, worker and friend.

Let’s start with what society says to women who have children and also want to have a career; it’s an almost impossible task and at the end of the day you are going to have to choose one. While I know many people look at motherhood a career ender, I myself have found that being a mother has increased my work ethic and makes me work double as hard so my daughter can have a good life and also see what it means to be a strong, independent woman who has a good job and can be a good and attentive mother at the same time. It is very possible to raise a family and have a career; more women do it then we give them credit for.

I have always believed that the hardest career out there is bring a parent, a job no one gets paid for but stakes are high and it is all on you to figure out how to raise a good kid, kind and smart child. When Reagan was first born, I understood quickly that I would need to figure out how to make my schedule work to balance the time I spent with her and the time I spent doing my other jobs. I have been lucky enough to choose a career that allows me flexibility on when and how much I work so that meant when Reagan had a dance recital or needed to be picked up from school, between my husband and I, one of us would always be able to be there. As she continues to grow up I find myself working even harder in my career so I can be an example to her to show her that a woman can have it all, and really have it all.

One of the greatest days of my life was the day Reagan was born, everything changed for me that day. My husband Jay and I became parents for the first time and there is nothing like that feeling of holding a little bundle of joy that is part of both of you. From that day on I have felt the greatest responsibility towards my daughter to raise her to be a good person and help guide her along the way as she continues to try new things on and experience different parts of life for the first time. Being a mother is amazing and challenging but it is my favorite “job” of all my “jobs” and I hope to keep showing Reagan how she can be a mother one day too and have the career of her dreams at the same time.

A little lesson about the current state of the Denver real estate market from yours truly

Recently I was asked by 5280 Magazine to give my two-cents in regards to the real estate market of Denver. The article that was recently published is titled “Everything you know about Denver’s real estate market is wrong” – which is both true and false. This article focuses on the truths and the myths, what is good about the market and what is bad about the market and what buyers can do to stay in this competitive seller’s market.

5280 journalist Natasha Gardner starts with some good news: if you own a house in Denver, its value probably has gone up in the past few years. If you are looking to sell your house, there are plentiful buyers out there willing to pay at asking price or above asking price meaning sellers get to pocket some extra cash. And if you are a buyer, the sooner you are able to buy the sooner your house will grow in value in this every growing appreciating market. Denver used to be a city you could buy a stand-alone home with a yard in a central neighborhood for less than $350k but those days are long behind us with the average house price around $420k.

So that’s where myself and other real estate agents came into the picture, to help pass along out real estate knowledge to help buyers and sellers survive and thrive in this market. With 200 years of collective experience between us, we came up with this list of rules for buyers and sellers to live by:

1.     Understand the impact of record-low inventory levels - Lots of people want to buy homes and right now, Denver is at an all-time-low for inventory. Prices continue to rise because there are not enough inventory to go around so while demand keeps building, so does prices.

2.     Target traditionally quiet times to buy and sell in what’s not a yearlong season - The ups and downs of the market used to be predictable but that isn’t the case anymore, as I expressed, the selling season was off to an early start this year picking up in February.

3.     Don’t count on rising interest rates to stall Denver’s market - Take this for exactly what it is, the interest rates cannot stay at the level they are now and they will continue to rise but that will not hinder the market here.

4.     Get the right app - You want to be as informed as your agent in this market so get out there and find the best apps like Homesnap to keep you updated daily on the new homes on the market.

5.     Find a rock-star agent and be prepared to offer more than list price - This should come without saying, you need an agent who is going to put up a fight for you and has your best interests at heart. Have some money put aside in case you do need to offer more than asking price because when you can close the gap between and appraisal and offer price you are a much better buying candidate to the seller.

6.     Embrace the backup-buyer trend – In February 2016, one in five first offers fell through due to bad-timing, shaky financing or appraisal and inspection issues. I suggested that sellers get pre-inspections so they know if there are big-ticket items to fix. Using a buyer backup, in case the first offer falls through, is a good choice for both buyers and sellers.

7.     Beware of buyer fatigue – There are so many offers and buyers get discouraged which causes them to decide to leave the market and sign another leasing agreement while hoping for the market to settle out more.

8.     Think beyond the house – You might not be able to have the yard you want, or a perfect patio in the back. If you want to live close to the city, you need to realize you might not have all of these things marked off your list.

9.     Assume the seller is listening – Don’t expect you are having a private conversation while in a house, make sure to wait until you are outside with your agent to discuss such matters.

10. Ignore conventional geographic boundaries – Neighborhood lines are being blurred as buyers focus on the metro area as a whole. You might not be able to be in your first choice or even your second but keep an open mind when looking.

11. Increase your budget to decrease stress – This speaks for itself, the more money you have to work with, the more inventory you will have to work with too.

12. Love the one you can afford – We all fall in love with our dream homes that are out of our price range but the goal is to find a place in your budget that you can fall in love with.

13. Consider buying new – A key way to increase inventory in Denver is by infilling and repurposing old places and by looking at the new builds.

Check out the full article at the link below and if you have any other real estate questions I can help answer please just contact me today!

http://www.5280.com/2017/04/everything-know-denvers-real-estate-market-wrong/#