Our Bloggers
Denver & Suburbs
Larry Hotz - Selling nearly 1000 homes since 1978, Former Managing Broker and Faculty Member, Colorado Association of Realtors. Follow Larry on Twitter
Littleton & SW
Dennis Martin - Another Dad/Daughter Real Estate Team sells homes throughout Denver's Southwest Suburbs. Dennis also managed a real estate company and sold homes for over 30 years.
Erie, Niwot, Northwest
Paula King
- a Certified Residential Specialist helping folks in Denver's north suburbs.
Downtown Denver
John Ludwig - Lo-Do, Business District, City Park, John lives in and knows the city.
Douglas County
Doug Hutchins - Doug lives and works throughout Douglas County including Castle Rock and Parker. He's a long-time Realtor with local knowledge about issues in Douglas County.
Aurora Real Estate
Lon Welsh - Lon knows Aurora, Denver and South suburbs. Plus, he analyzes and sells investment properties!
West Denver
Melody Rivera
- and Kentwood City Team sell homes in Highlands, Lakewood, Westminister. She is also past President of The Denver Board of Realtors.
Longmont & North
John Callis -
Broker since 1982 in Denver's northern suburbs. Lives in Boulder.
First Time Homes
Elizabeth Hotz
- Purdue grad and broker since 2005, Liz has lived in both the City and Suburbs. She know the best places for first-time buyers.
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Aurora Market
by Lon Welsh, Aurora Real Estate
I think that the Denver suburb of Aurora, particularly the northern half of Aurora, is near the bottom of the market cycle. Positive market trends I have noted this year:
The Denver suburb of Aurora may have seen home prices hit bottom.
- Active listing count is steadily declining
- List prices and sold prices, on average, are pretty stable after a 40% decline in a few years
- Number of homes under contract is up
- The number of sales per month is increasing
- Marketing times have decreased
- The sold price as a percentage of list price has been steady (banks are getting better at pricing)
- Expired listings volume is declining
Boulder Lights Exchange
By Paula King, Boulder Realtor
Boulder's LED Christmas lights consume only 5% of normal power
Boulder, Colorado is certainly an innovative, creative and environmentally conscientious place to live.
Boulder has once again stepped up to its environmental image and drawn hundreds of residents to exchange their old holiday lights for LEDs. That’s the more energy efficient light source for all Holiday lights. Read more
Castle Pines North Market Holds Steady
By Doug Hutchins, Castle Pines North Real Estate Broker
Castle Pines real estate market held relatively steady in third quarter 2008
Through the first three quarters of 2008, 126 homes have sold in Castle Pines North, compared to 127 selling in the in the same period in 2007. The average sales price has dropped from $532,540 for all of 2007 to $496,866 for the first nine months of 2008, which is a 6.7% decrease.
However, due to the variety of home sizes in Castle Pines North, a Denver suburb, and the relatively few homes that sell each year, I prefer to focus on the average price per square foot, which helps adjust for the larger homes that sell. The average price per square foot has dropped only 2.48% from $175.58 per square foot to $171.22 per square foot.
Buy Low
By Larry Hotz, Senior Editor
“ You make the most money when you buy, not when you sell”.
That’s an old saying of “fix and flip” investors who buy, fix-up and then quickly sell a home. But, buying low is also important for long-term investors. Kennen Cohen who teaches investment analysis has this to say about the current Denver real estate market:
Buying when prices are low is important. It helps the eventual profit but it also helps improve the cash flow. Loan payments are smaller when you buy lower. But, how do know for sure what the cash flow will be and how much profit and tax savings are involved in a specific property? The answer is a specific and through investment analysis.
This week I had an opportunity to attend a class on How To Analyze Small Investment Properties. Kennen Cohen of Asset Preservation, Incorporated presented it. Read more
Real Estate Trends CEO Steve Murray
By Larry Hotz, Senior Editor
Real Estate Trends CEO, Steve Murray predicts housing recovery
Steve Murray is the Chief Executive Officer for Real Trends, the national real estate magazine that tracks market activity throughout the United States. He is one of the top authorities in the country on the current condition of various real estate markets and a respected forecaster of real estate and relocation future trends.
I was among the thousand or so folks who attended the Colorado Real Estate and Economic Forum hosted recently at the DTC Marriott Hotel by The Kentwood Companies. Steve presented an interesting analysis of the current real estate downturn and its prediction for sales to improve.
He noted that home sales in the Denver real estate market below $300,000 have been extremely brisk while high-end sales about $1 million are still languishing.
Highlands Ranch Bank Opens
by Dennis Martin, Highlands Ranch Real Estate
New Bank In Highlands Ranch
Every thriving community needs a good bank that is really part of the community. In Highlands Ranch we are fortunate that a national bank is adding a new location and excellent service to a little neighborhood within Highlands Ranch, our Denver suburb.
It’s a national name but believe me, the service is local and personal. Chase Bank has added a new location in the neighborhood! And, they just cut the ribbon to open it. But, the Open House is Saturday! Read more
Waiting for Lower Interest Rates
by Dennis Martin, Littleton Real Estate
(Ed: Interest on home loans are near historically low rates. They are off the bottom but not by much. So, some buyers are waiting for lower rates to return. They hear that the Fed may continue to lower short-term rates. But, most economists say long term rates will likely trend higher.)
“I’m waiting for interest rates to drop before I purchase a home.”
Ever hear that before! Maybe it’s you waiting for interest rates to drop. But, consider this: Waiting for slightly lower interest rate is not always in the buyer’s best interest. First, long term interest rates are not likely to come down anytime soon…maybe never! Secondly, the small difference in an interest rate is much less the appreciation of the home which will inevitably happen. Read more
Larry & Our Team
As a Certified Residential Specialist and Broker since 1983, Larry knows how to care for each client individually. Between Larry and his team members, they know every neighborhood in Denver and all suburbs. Always work with the local pro - not a rookie agent. Trust us when quality counts.