Sellers Continue to Dominate Denver Real Estate Market; April 2013 Market Update

Watch on your mobile device >>

Every few months we like to take a look at how our local Denver CO real estate market is faring compared to  previous months and years. Today, like much of the nation, the Denver area is experiencing a very strong seller’s market and it’s been strong for some time now. As we move into the heart of spring and get closer to summer, when more and more sellers come out of the woodwork, we'll start to see just how active things are these days!

Huge Increase in the Number of Homes Sold
In the first quarter of this year, we reported a total of 8,199 homes sold in the Denver area. In 2012 the total number of homes sold in the same time period was 6,746 – so we saw a huge increase of 25% for 2013!

Inventory At Lowest Level in Years
With interest rates still very low, countless buyers are out there eager to lock in their loans. Homes are being snatched up within the first few hours of being on the market and for the ones that do stay for a bit longer, sellers are receiving multiple offers leading to price wars. Looking at 2012 inventory versus the first quarter in 2013,  we've seen a whopping 34% decrease in the number of available homes for sale.

Average Sold Prices On the Rise
Buyers’ increased demand contributes to the continuously rising average sold prices. In fact, when you have multiple offers which lead to price contests, buyers are helping to artificially inflate prices. We saw a 12% increase in average sold price in the general Denver area – a number that is expected to rise more as we move into summer.

For a complete list of our market statistics, click on the links below >>

http://www.scribd.com/doc/138890915/Ryan-Anderson-1st-Qtr-Mls-Comparison

http://www.scribd.com/doc/138890916/Ryan-Anderson-1st-Qtr-Mls-Snapshot


~

If you’ve been on the fence about selling – it could not be a better time to go for it! Buyers are pulling out all the stops and working hard to win their bid. They are also throwing in extra perks to the sellers such as waiving contingencies, added flexibility on closing and possession dates or higher earnest deposit amounts.

Contact me today for a customized look at your home; I’ll share with you exactly what you can expect to receive for your home in today’s Denver CO real estate market.

Ben Franklin Academy BENefit Bash

Watch on your mobile device >> 

Ryan and Ann Marie Anderson are proud to team up with the Ben Franklin Academy for their annual BENefit Bash. 

The Ben Franklin Academy is a preschool through 7^th grade charter school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. This year’s BENefit Bash will take place on April 27^th and will include a live auction and silent auction. The BFA will be using the proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards expanding the sound and security systems, library improvements, software for our technology lab, a rock climbing wall for our gym and adding a Professional Resources library for our teachers. 

In addition to teaming up with BFA for the BENefit Bash, we will be giving 15% of all of our real estate commissions for anyone who has a child that is enrolled at BFA or attends the auction to the Ben Franklin Academy. We look forward to the BENefit Bash and working with BFA in the future.

If you have any real estate needs, make sure to give us a call at (303) 523-4364 or email us at RyanMovesYou@gmail.com.

Spruce Up Your Home Before You List With Some Great Landscaping Updates

Watch on your mobile device >>

Most homeowners that have not had any landscaping done on their property tend not to realize how great an impact it makes on the overall space. Regardless of whether you are selling your home, landscaping frames and highlights the outdoor space beautifully while providing more aesthetic value to your home. Sometimes a good amount of additional living space is added with some outdoor landscaping features that not only increases the homes value but also maximizes how a homeowner can use that space.

We spoke with Peter Van of Elite Landscape and Outdoor Living, a long time premier landscaping company with over 21 years in our local area. Peter’s company did the work on my own home and the results are amazing! What struck me most was his penchant for quality service, unparalleled simplicity yet style and the attention to clients’ needs.

In addition to telling us more about what sets his company apart from the rest, Peter suggests a few tips on how to prepare your home for sale – a surefire way to earn top dollar for the sale of your property. As they say, it’s not just about landscaping – rather it’s about your outdoor living environment.

Create Warm, Inviting Outdoor Curb Appeal

Whether you opt for a gorgeous entryway and porch area or choose to create a conversation area in the backyard patio – a little landscaping will go a long way when it comes to selling your home. Buyers will instantly connect with the beauty and see themselves enjoying the space.

Set Up an Entertainment Space

Entertainment is an important aspect to consider as more and more buyers seek to maximize the use of their property. Create visually attractive areas with ample seating, shaded spots where people can hang out and useful lighting to accentuate everything.

Simplifying Spaces Add More Aesthetic Value

Simplify rather than overcrowd your landscaping. This goes for the type and number of bushes, trees shrubs you have as well as outdoor furniture, accessories and lighting you choose to display. Less is definitely more because it allows one to enjoy the outdoor beauty rather than have it masked behind too much lawn and garden clutter.
~
When Elite worked on my own house, the experience was phenomenal! They were responsible, on time, on point and there was no hassle at all in the process. Their level of customer service was apparent from the first minute and it stayed throughout – lasting in the high-end quality of their work. All you have to do is call – and they come out to give you a free estimate of what it would cost to implement your own outdoor vision after drawing it all out to show you how it will look. They’ll even give you a 20% discount on a standard project to help jumpstart your landscaping plans!

I highly recommend this company and am very confident that you will feel the same as I do once they’ve had a chance to transform your outdoor space.

Check out their website >> http://www.denverelitelandscaping.com

Three Things Sellers Should Do When They Receive Multiple Offers

Watch on your mobile device >>

Remember the days when it was hard to get a home sold? Well, gone are those days and now it’s more a matter of trying to deal with the number of offers coming in. So the first thing I suggest to do is that you collect as many offers that you can on the property. Once you have them, you will be able to decipher the better, stronger offers the ones that should be bypassed. I suggest you gather as many offers as you can in the first 3-4 days.

Another important strategy is to know and understand the value of your home before you list it. Going above the appraised value can only backfire, ending up with negotiations that could end up in the transaction falling through altogether. Unless you are dealing with a cash buyer, the chances of the property actually selling for too much higher than its appraised value are next to nothing.

Finally, before writing off any of the offers received, give each buyer an opportunity to come back with their highest and best offer. Sometimes this is the best part of the entire process in a seller-centric marketplace.


Three Tips on How Buyers Can Land a Deal In a Multiple Offer Situation

If you’ve already been out there looking and trying to find the perfect home, you already know this first tip. ACT FAST! When inventory levels are so low, buyers become conditioned to quickly decide whether or not a house is a strong contender and then they go for it. Not only is it important to see a house that comes on the market as fast as you can but also if you like it, don’t wait.

Don’t waste time with lowball offers. Now, more than ever, it is critical that you come back with your best offer. Instead of taking a chance on losing your bid it is a better option to go ahead and submit what you can really see yourself paying for the property. Oftentimes sellers have no idea to wait for other offers and they quickly accept the first offer than comes through. Depending on the nature of your offer, it’s important to provide solid footing. If you are financing, be sure to provide a strong preapproval letter with the offer. If you can, remove some of the typical contingencies, such as inspection or down payment assistance programs.

A very important thing to keep in mind is to stay within your budget. If you can put a finger on your maximum limit, when you are making an offer on a property – be sure to know what your limit is and don’t exceed it. The last thing you need is to be house poor where all your funds have gone into buying the house but then you are left with nothing else to enjoy it.
~
If you’d like more information on how you can come out a winner in either of these scenarios, contact me today! I’d love to help!