This is the time of year that the Denver real estate market always seems to heat up. Sellers begin to put their homes on the market and buyers begin to actively look to purchase.  It seems that nearly every year the trend is mostly the same.  We have had a few tough years lately in the Denver real estate market and the activity has been down but the trend is relatively the same. This year can potentially be a more vibrant real estate market due to several factors, including the current buyer tax credit which is set to end April 30th.

So, what are just a few things sellers can do to improve the odds of selling their home in this prime time of the season? Well there really are no secrets that we all haven’t heard or read before.  The basics remain the key to success.  In working with buyers in the Denver market and listening to their input, I can offer a few suggestions that may be useful.

1.  Curb Appeal – Take a little time to spruce up the yard and outside of the house.  We had some early snow here in Denver, perhaps you never even had a chance to do that last of the year clean up before the snow started. Add mulch, mow, trim, maybe power wash or at least hose down the cobwebs off the siding, especially at the front porch and door.  This is the first impression and if your otherwise beautiful home has no curb appeal, sometimes the buyers won’t even bother to come in.

2.  Clean and Declutter -  Don’t take this lightly!  Also, don’t take it too personally either.  If your home is cluttered and maybe in need of some elbow grease then take care of it.  If your agent or someone else has told you this, then don’t take it personally, just take it as good advice and act on it.  You probably wouldn’t try to sell your car or any other valuable asset without first cleaning it up a bit, would you?

3. Stage it - The feeling a buyer gets when touring your home is so important.  You want to make sure your home is staged to offer a warm, comfortable feel to the buyer.  Sometimes this is just a matter of using what you already have and strategically placing it.  Sometimes it may require the services of a professional stager.  If it is within your budget, then a professional stager can work wonders for your home’s appeal.  In any case, another set of eyes can usually make a difference.

4.  Exposure – Where is your home being marketed?  You aren’t just relying on a sign in the yard and maybe an ad in the paper are you?  Today’s buyers are first looking to the internet by an overwhelming majority.  You need to make sure your home is exposed to the millions of potential buyers out there with a solid internet strategy.  This should include not only traditional websites, but a strong social media exposure as well.  This is vitally important and crucial to your success.

5. Price – Yes, its true.  No matter what you’ve done to prepare and market your home to the buyers out there, if it is too overpriced it still won’t sell.  You’ll need a good pricing strategy.  Pay attention to market reports and absorption rates for the local real estate market.  Be realistic and flexible.  Your price needs to be in line with the fair market values in your area.  You won’t fool the buyers and certainly not the appraisers.  I regularly post market reports and trends for different areas of the Denver real estate market so you can always check back here, or contact me and let me know what area you are looking at & need info for.

I hope these few tips can help you in preparing your home to sell.  Many sellers beat the odds and get top value for their homes in minimal time, even in this market.  Usually, it is because they have taken the time to set themselves apart from the competition.  If you’re considering a move in the Denver area, give me a call or email, I would love to help.

Looking for more info about Selling Your Denver Home? Try these…
What is an Absorption Rate?
Selling Your Vacant Home?
Your House Won’t Sell if Buyers Can’t See It

Steve Scheer, Denver Realty Partners

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101.

This fabulous home in Littleton, CO is now available! Click on the tour below!

7445 South Kendall Blvd., Littleton CO 80128

Click here to view entire flyer & tour for this Littleton Home

MLS# 764088 – $354,900

5 bedrooms – 3 Baths

Approximately 2300 square feet

Click Here to Search Highlands Ranch real estate & all Denver Property Listings

For more information on this Highlands Ranch home, Contact…

Steve Scheer, REALTOR®

with REMAX Masters, Inc. – Greenwood Village, CO

Denver Real Estate – Denver & The Suburbs

720-849-6101

I have written a few times in the past about how great the trail system is throughout Highlands Ranch Colorado and how the trails in Highlands Ranch even connect to other areas such as through the Highline Canal the East West Trail and the Back Country Wilderness. 

On any given day throughout the entire year you can see a great number of people enjoying Highlands Ranch living on the trails – whether its a parent with a stroller, a jogger, a bike rider or a group of children taking their first nature walk.

But the trails in Highlands Ranch are for more than just recreation.  They are for transportation!  This has really come to light for me much more lately as my oldest child is getting a tad more freedom.  For example, our home is approximately .8 of a mile from one of my oldest children’s friends house.  And to get there on a bike or by foot by following the roads – he would have to travel among the busy road of Highlands Ranch Parkway, something his mom is not keen on.  He would also have to cross about 7 intersections.  She put her foot down to that. 

But Highlands Ranch is so well connected he can take the trail over that connects our neighborhood to his friends.  By popping on the trail, he crosses one residential street with minimal traffic and is there is a flash – we get the "call me when you get there call" within about 4 minutes. 

The fact of the matter is, Highlands Ranch is very well connected that way.  Numerous neighborhoods are connected together through the wonderful trail system – allowing easy access to neighborhoods, parks, rec centers and more.  In fact – the trails even make it possible for some to commute regularly by bike to jobs – allowing access to RTD stations, and even downtown and into the DTC. 

Now of course I am not saying all kids should start wandering to their friends on the trails – you have to make decisions on what’s best for your child – not only because of obvious concerns but remember that there is at times wildlife in Highlands Ranch including coyotes at times and even rattlesnakes here & there.   If your kids are goign to travel on the trails without a parent, you definitely need to decide on your own when your kdis are ready for that.  In the meantime, walk them there using the trails – you’ll enjoy it too – not only will it be closer, but you will generally enjoy a beautiful stroll!

Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc.
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

Copyright © 2008 By Steve Scheer, All Rights Reserved. ~Highlands Ranch Living – Highlands Ranch Trails Are For More Than Just Recreation 9/27/2008~

 Steve Scheer is a REALTOR® in the Denver area – serving Denver Colorado and the south suburbs including Denver, Highlands Ranch, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills Village, Littleton, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Englewood, Aurora, Castle Pines North, Castle Pines Village, Castle Rock.  Steve is a Denver native and has been licensed in CO since 1994.

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101. 

I was a little surprised to read an article in the Highlands Ranch Herald this week that the HRCA is now taking memberships from those outside of the Highlands Ranch HOA boundaries for membership.  You can read that article here.

Its not the idea that surprised me, I have heard this idea kicked around in thought speculation for some time now.  But I was surprised that it has started so soon. 

HRCA has begun a program that they are offering up to 200 memberships for people to join.

Highlands Ranch is almost built out – that is no surprise.  So at some point in the non so distant future homeowners dues will come in from existing homes only and growth will no longer be an issue.  So increasing revenue without memberships would really only come from increasing dues – so this also seemed like a logically alternative.

How do I feel about it?

Actually I am ok with it.  I think 200 memberships is a good number to try out.  I know there are times of day where the Rec Centers in Highalnds Ranch can be crowded and I know that my wife always mentions that the outdoor pools in the summer are a bit crowded form time to time – but overall I feel that it is manageable to increase revenue in this fashion.

Here are just a few examples:  My daughters basketball league was canceled this summer due to not enough players.  There are times mid-morning when at least half of the exercise machines in the Westridge Rec Center are not being used when I am in. 

I do like the idea that they are thinking of alternatives instead of just raising dues.  It shows that many folks are really looking at alternatives instead of just blanket increases.  I hope innovative thinking continues.

By the way, I am not sure how many have purchased memberships yet.  It would be interesting to know how its going in a few months or so.

If you are planning to sell your Denver home this fall or winter, here is a quick tip for getting a home on the Denver real estate market from October – March, particularly if you have a gorgeous yard.

Take out your camera and snap a few photos.  Your beautiful garden with perennials, flowering bushes and the like.  If your yard is covered in snow during showings, and your landscaping is a true gem, it can be nice to show off what is buried below the frozen ground. 

If you have photos like this at your fingertips come December, your Denver Realtor will thank you.  Your future potential buyers will thank you too.

Firelight is a community in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Located in the Southridge area – Firelight is known for its higher location – some of the homes are actually on the highest lots in Highlands Ranch.  This of course provides really terrific views form many homes in Firelight of both the front range and downtown Denver.  Some folks even enjoy the sparser twinkling of the Denver Tech Center.

But one of the really nice parts of Firelight is its proximity to the Back Country Wildnerness Open Space.  The homes that back to The Back Country Wildneress truly are something to see. 

You look out back, and there it is.  Colorado. 

Its not your average open space – its really something else.  It has rugged hills and valleys that leave you to feel that you are light years away from the hustle and bustle of chaotic life.  Even those that may not back to the open space, its a mere hop, skip & jump to enjoy the trails and Colorado outdoors of the BackCountry Wilderness area from Firelight.

The photos in this post are all taken from the backyard of one of my current listings in Firelgiht – Highlands Ranch.  From your back door you are at the edge of the BackCountry Wilderness.  If you would like more information on this listing, click here: Highlands Ranch Real Estate For Sale – 2932 Newbury Court, Highlands Ranch Colorado

I started this post last night – when I was told we had one more solid day of rain by the forecast.  But I awoke to a clearing sky so we’ll see what the day has in store.  Here’s my list – just in case.

So you have just moved to Denver and you heard everyone and their brother BRAG about the 300+ days of sunshine.  And now its been raining since Thursday night.  Personally I am enjoying it, but I understand that going into day 3 and 4 it can get a little antsy.

Well, it sounds like we have one more day of this to get through – so here are some ideas for you to enjoy the mile hi city indoors.  You can save this list for the snowy months that will come before you know it.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science – This goes first as its one of my own family’s favorites to revisit time and time again.  My son’s favorite area at the moment is the Mummy Room.  Denver, Colorado

Bowling at Brunswick Zone - There are a few locations in the area – but our favorite is in Lone Tree.  If you catch the timing right, you may be lucky to have the lights dimmed for glow in the dark bowling. Lone Tree, CO

APEX Indoor Pool – My son often has hockey games at the APEX rink, so whenever we are up there we bring our suites to hang out after.  They are closing on 8/18 for their annual maintenance, good thing they are open for this bout of rain. Arvada, CO

Movie at The Landmark Theatre – One of the nicest, and newest Theatres in town – admission includes all you can eat popcorn.  Great idea if you really like popcorn. Greenwood Village, CO

Denver Art Museum - This can be a full family experience as well and often has wonderful traveling exhibits. Denver, CO

Mr. Biggs - Previously called Fat City – If you have kids, you will be a hero.  Complete with an indoor raceway, bowling, video games, miniature golf, a bowling alley, roller rink and nerf-y ball area/playground & more – you could literally be here all day.  If your kids are old enough to roam a little on their own, bring a book & headphones. Littleton, CO

Hammond’s Candy Factory – I have written about Hammond’s before – a total sweet treat.  Denver, CO

Enjoy the cool down & the rain – the sun will be back before you know it – it is Denver after all.

Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc. 

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

Copyright © 2008 By Steve Scheer, All Rights Reserved. ~Indoor Ideas on a Rainy Weekend in Denver~ 8/16/2008~

Last night, 6/17/08, on the NBC Nightly News, a piece featured Denver as the "Poster City" for light rail. The piece is touching on topics that have to do with rising fuel costs and maintaining a quality of life and traffic issues and they looked at Denver’s Light Rail as an example. You can view the piece in its entirety here. For quite some time I have known many folks that have used light rail to commute into downtown Denver, for many – reasons varied from saving fuel, to saving parking costs, to staying out of traffic. I also have known one person that made it a point to let others know, it just increased his "me" time, he was able to read uninterrupted twice a day for 20 minutes each way. That actually sounds nice. And now that light rail has expanded and will expand more, – many more Denver metro residents are provided the opportunity to use the light rail for their own commute and it is as popular as ever. Personally over the last 2 years I have seen more and more relocation clients express an interest in knowing about commuting options and wanting to learn about Denver’s Light Rail system. They see the new areas that are popping up along the light rail lines, such as Landmark in the DTC area – and the interest has been great in making commutes as easy as possible. If you are planning a move to the Denver area, ask you REALTOR® about Denver Light Rail and what neighborhoods give you the opportunity to be close to a light rail station. It is definitely something to consider. Read Also: Do You Need A Buyer’s Agent in Colorado? Selling Your Vacant Denver Home

As a REALTOR® in Denver, I see many homes throughout the Denver metro area all of the time as I have been very busy with home buyers. Lately I have been to homes in varying price ranges and in different areas and neighborhoods. My car has taken us through Highlands Ranch, Parker, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Castle Pines North, and Centennial in just the last 10 days or so. The price range has varied from buyer to buyer from around $320,000 to just under $1,000,000.

For the most part, with some exceptions, the homes when you walk in the door are in stellar shape. They have been cleaned from top to bottom and most would certainly pass the white glove test. Most of them show beautifully. But lately I have seen something across the board – even in one of the higher end properties. Lack of curb appeal. Not even lack of, but negative curb appeal. I know its getting hot and it gets harder to keep the grass green in the Colorado heat. My own yard is needing some TLC – but I am not selling my home.

Here are some tips.

1. You have to figure out a watering pattern that is going to work for you and keep you within watering guidelines as well. Denver Home Buyers do not want to buy a home with dead grass. If its getting brown already, don’t give up, you can bring it back. Grass can be resilient unless you let it go too long. And if need be, bring out a professional to have your sprinklers adjusted. If they are missing spots, they can help you correct that.

2. If you haven’t sprayed or pulled weeds, especially the dandelions, do it now. They are starting to take over in many cases.

3. A potted annual for about $15 at your doorstep could really help make things a bit cheerier – but only if you are going to water it. I have already seen a few dead ones.

4. Filthy doors or door knobs? Wipe them down. I think I saw pink frosting from little fingers on one this week.

5. Cobwebs on the outside of the house, take care of them.

6. Bird droppings on the windows? Get them washed.

7. Dead tree in the yard. Get rid of it.

Curb appeal is the first impression of your home. It is where the emotion of the buyers begin. If they have a positive vibe as they walk in that front door, that is a good thing. No vibe, or worse yet a negative one – not so great.

And here is something else to consider – a bonus tip if you will. Curb appeal doesn’t start at your doorstep. More likely than not, a buyer is not going to pull into your driveway and walk the path that you always walk to the front door. They more likely than not will park at the street or across the street – or if you live on a corner – around the corner.

Take a few steps in these directions, turn around and see the home your are wanting to sell from that viewpoint. Perhaps a look from another angle could shed some light on a hidden item you need to address. If you are on a corner, are there weeds along your fence? Is there a ton of debris in the street in front of your house – sure the street sweeper will come eventually but why not just do it now? Are neighborhood dog walkers leaving presents on your grass near the sidewalk? On on the sidewalk? That would be a turn off.

And here is one more tip. If you have children, do your curb appeal check often. You never know what hidden little jems you are going to find that they have left laying around, especially after a weekend of playing in the yard.

Read Also: Selling Your Vacant Denver Home – Are You Properly Insured? Highlands Ranch Home Sold In 48 Hours! In This Market? Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc. Denver Real Estate