North Metro Denver Real Estate

North Metro Denver real estate in foreclosure is sometimes found stripped of all appliances and fixtures after the trustee™s sale.   Some property owners believe they have the right to remove everything but the walls of the house when they leave.   The law states that anything that is not personal property, that is in fact an asset of the property, may not be removed.

Homeowners in foreclosure may be prosecuted for removing the following items:

·                 Most appliances that are on the property.   This includes the stove, dishwasher and garbage disposal.

·                 The air conditioning unit and the furnace must stay on the property.

·                 Ceiling fans, light fixtures, and any electrical wiring.

·                 The plumbing and all the fixtures must stay in place.   The sink, shower, toilets, and the cabinets may not be removed from the premises.

·                 Landscaping and fencing may not be removed before foreclosure.   Built in pools and hot tubs must also stay on the property.

Homeowners are allowed to remove any personal property from North Metro Denver real estate in foreclosure.   In fact, in most cases they are required to remove any objects they brought into the house when they moved in.   This includes the furniture and clothing they own.   They are allowed to take dishes, pans and silverware as well as electronics like computers or stereo equipment.   The new electronic thermostat they installed has to stay because it is now a fixture of the house.

The refrigerator is the appliance that is the exception to the “everything must stay” rule.   Homeowners are allowed to take any portable fans and heaters that are in the house.   A good rule of thumb is if homeowners have to use dollies or screwdrivers to take things with them, they may need to double check their right to the objects.

If you’re looking to buy North Metro Denver real estate in foreclosure, I can help you find property that’s in good condition.   Call me today at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

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Selling a home isn™t easy, especially now.   Yet some homeowners believe they can stick a œfor sale sign in the ground and have the house off the market within a few days.  

While FSBO (For Sale by Owner) sales do occur, four out of five homeowners still use a North Metro Denver real estate agent.   Why?   Because selling your home on your own is hard work, and even more importantly, statistics prove that real estate agents get homes sold faster and for more money than FSBOs.  

If you™re not sure what you should do, here are a few things to think about:

 FSBO

Sometimes, for sale by owner purchases are a good deal for the homeowner.   That doesn™t mean you should just jump in, however.   FSBO might be a good thing for you if:

1. It™s a seller™s market
2. You don™t care how long it takes
3. You are unwilling to pay the typical North Metro Denver real estate agent commission
4. You have a good attorney who can keep you protected for the legal aspects
5. You have the time to learn how to do it, answer the phone and provide open houses
6. You™re comfortable negotiating
7. You™re confident you can price your home correctly

 Real Estate Agent

Although you will have to pay your agent a commission, there are some definite benefits to hiring one:

1. A good agent can help you price your home correctly.
2. They have an abundance of resources to help find buyers, get the best price and get your home sold.
3. They make sure the potential buyer can actually afford it.
4. They™re good at negotiating and aren™t emotionally invested in the sale.
5. If for no other reason, they™re interested in getting the highest price possible because of their commission.
6. They put in several hours a day, that you may not have available, to get your home sold.
7. They have advertising resources, such as real estate magazines, that you may not be able to touch (or afford).

A North Metro Denver real estate agent may not be the best way to go for you.   On the other hand, you may not have the necessary information and time required for FSBO.   Before going one way or the other, take the time to really look at both sides and decide which works well with what you expect from the sale of your home.

If you’ve tried to go the FSBO route, and it didn’t work out, or if you know FSBO isn’t for you, I can help.   Call me at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net for more information.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Sometimes, just sometimes, it seems that people don™t really want to sell their home.   They put the œNorth Metro Denver Home for Sale sign up in the yard and then steadily push potential buyers away.   If you don™t want to sell your home, here are a few ways to get rid of the nosy buyers:

1. Open houses “ Especially if you™re using a real estate agent, your home will be open to the public (i.e. buyers).   The best way to discourage these buyers is by making sure you™re there to point out all the flaws and issues you™ve had while living there.   They™ll eat it up and walk away.

2. Curb appeal “ Weeds can cover up a beautiful lawn like nobody™s business.   Putting away the lawnmower, garden sheers and weed eater is an excellent way to ditch potential buyers.

3. Painting the house “ Every article written by a real estate guru on œhow to market your North Metro Denver home for sale will tell you to paint your house in neutral colors if it needs to be repainted.   Therefore, it stands to reason that if you™re playing œditch the buyer, the best thing to do is pick a color that screams, œHere I am!   No worries.   Once you know for sure your house won™t sell, you can always repaint.

4. Clearing the house “ It™s a known fact that buyers like to be able to see themselves living in the house.   Your job is to go around and put up as many knick-knacks and pictures as possible to let them know it™s YOUR house.

Of course, if you™ve put up your North Metro Denver home for sale, chances are you do want to sell it.   Pay attention to the above and make sure you aren™t pushing clients away.   If need be, ask your real estate agent to go over the house with you and provide suggestions on how you can improve your home™s buyer appeal.

If you™re trying to sell your home and want it to be marketable, I can help.   Call me at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net for more information.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Many putting up their home for sale on the North Metro Denver market don™t have a lot of available cash to spruce it up.   While staging houses is a definite plus, it costs, as does many of the other suggested œto-dos.”   Here are a few cheap, easy ways to make your home look more inviting to buyers:

 1. Put up your personal stuff

Not every buyer looking at a home for sale in North Metro Denver appreciates the fact that someone still lives there.   Putting away the following things can help the buyers™ see themselves in the home:

• your pet™s things (toys, litter box, bowls)
• your medications, toothbrushes and toilet accessories
• any toys
• knick-knacks and personal pictures

 2. Create more space

Small, closed in spaces are major turnoffs for buyers.   Create the illusion of more space by:

• putting up out-of-season clothes or clothes you don™t wear very often to make your closets look bigger
• taking one piece of furniture out of your bedroom
• packing up the small appliances in your kitchen
• taking out all but four chairs in your dining room, as well as extra table leaves

 3. Touch on the trends

Chances are that some of the buyers are paying attention to celebrity trends.   Feng shui is a big one, and you can do your part with just a few touches:

• add a fresh bowl of fruit to the kitchen
• put a comfortable couch or chair on the east side of your living room or den
• put a green welcome mat on your porch to symbolize opportunity
• get rid of reds

Whether you see or feel a difference doesn™t matter.   Keep in mind that you™re trying to appeal to potential buyers of your home for sale in North Metro Denver, not make the home more livable for you.   If it helps, pretend that you™re the buyer, seeing the house for the first time.

If you™re trying to get your home ready to sell, I can help.   Call me at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Selling your property, whether it is a primary home or income property, is easier if you have the information your buyers are likely to want to know on hand. Type up an info sheet answering the most commonly asked questions buyers have when looking at North Metro Denver real estate for sale such as:

• How old is the roof?
• What comes with the property?   Window treatments? Do all of the appliances come with the property?
• How old are the appliances?
• Does the basement leak?
• Where are the hot water heater, the electrical service panel, and other important maintenance items located? Are they easy to access?
• Are you open to owner financing?
• What is the age and condition of the plumbing and wiring?
• Are there schools nearby?
• What is the average utility cost per month/year?
• Have you had any major problems in the past? Your normal seller’s disclosure does not require you to list problems you had and have fixed. Some sellers would like to know what those problems were. It can give them an idea if they are likely to be a recurring problem (like flood damage) or if the fact that you already had the issue and fixed it they will not likely have to deal with that particular problem in the future.

Of course, you should always have the general information about your North Metro Denver real estate available such as square footage of the building, property size, zoning and any restrictions or easements. Having all of the information on hand will prove to potential buyers that you’re serious, that you’re prepared to be upfront with them about any issues your home may have, and that you’ve taken excellent care of your home.

Thinking of selling your home?  

 I specialize in selling homes in your area quickly and at the highest price.   Find out more by calling me today at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Don’t despair if you are short on cash. You can still have a beautiful North Metro Denver home. Sometimes a little elbow grease is a decent replacement for extravagant money, and other times you can get great deals by shopping around for items that are costly.

Indoors

Simple things can mean a lot. You can change the entire look and feel of a room by just changing the window treatments. New drapes or blinds add warmth and appeal and instantly give your North Metro Denver home a fresh new look.

If that’s not enough, a fresh coat of paint transforms any room. Paint is one of the least expensive home decorating tools, and you can save even more money by doing it yourself instead of hiring a painter. It doesn’t require a lot of skill and is hard to do wrong.

If your furniture looks tired, adding new throw pillows in vibrant colors that either match or contrast your room’s colors can make a world of difference, and help your old furniture regain its appeal.

The bathroom is the second most commonly remodeled room in the house (after the kitchen), but it can cost a lot of money to replace cabinets, fixtures, or tile. Simple things can help give your bathroom a face-lift: add candles for a lovely glow and inviting fragrance. Get new towels to hang and repaint walls. Re-grout any tiled areas for a fresh new feel.

Outdoors

Coming home from a long day of work to a worn-out looking home can be a downer. Add some hanging baskets of flowers or vines by the door and trim your path with a flower bed or decorative stone. Apply a little labor and repaint the trim on windows and doors to give your home a quick lift.

It doesn’t take a lot of money to make your North Metro Denver home a haven. If you would like more tips on sprucing up your home on a budget, subscribe to my blog.   Free tips like this one will be emailed to you about twice a week.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Many people go through life one paycheck to the next and never bother to figure out where their money is going. It’s important to know where your money is going and what you can afford if you are thinking about buying a new North Metro Denver home. Here’s how to start up a monthly budget that will keep you in the know about where your money is running off to each month.

·                 Find a program you’re comfortable using.   Your computer probably came with a spreadsheet program. If you are not used to using one open it up and become familiar with the program.   It’s a great tool to use to create a budget.   If by chance your computer doesn’t have a spreadsheet program, you can use an online program like Budget Pulse, or other useful online budget systems such as Mvelopes.

·                 Enter your absolute monthly expenses such as car loans, utilities including cell phone bills, and credit card expenses.

·                 Enter your monthly bills that can vary such as food, gasoline, entertainment. These expenses can be changed to help improve your bottom line, but make sure you give them fair limits so you don’t cut yourself short on necessities such as food or transportation costs.

·                 Make sure you figure in some savings for vacations and other unexpected expenses that may pop up throughout the year. Trimming your budget so severely that you have no extra money to cover you when something breaks down, or an extra bill comes in is a sure method for disaster and will make you new life in a North Metro Denver home miserable instead of the happy time it should be.Once you realize where your money is going, it’s easier to see if you are spending frivolously or strapped to your limits. It is the best way to determine if your dreams of a new North Metro Denver home are realistic or not.

If you have any questions about your ability to afford a new home, I can help. Call me today at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. GoldVisit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

Waiting to hear back from a seller on an offer you made on a North Metro Denver home for sale can be nerve wracking.   Since sellers aren™t obligated to respond immediately, you may spend time waiting anxiously by the phone.   When your agent finally calls you, it™s with the news that the seller has a œcounter out on the property already.   What does that mean?   Is your offer out the window?

Not exactly.   In some states, a seller is allowed to counter or respond to as many offers to buy their home as they want.   If the seller has responded to a buyer™s offer with a counter-offer and then receives an offer from a second buyer that is better, the seller does not have to accept the first buyer™s offer.   The seller simply takes back the counter-offer and accepts the second buyer™s bid.

Make Your Best Offer

So, how do you make the best offer on a North Metro Denver home for sale that has a counter-offer out on it?   First of all, if there is another offer on the property, submit an offer for the most money that you would pay for the house.   You may not get another chance to negotiate for this dream home, and you don™t want to miss your opportunity.

Get a Pre-approval Letter

A seller will take your offer more seriously if you attach a pre-approval letter from your lender to it.   If your offer is similar to the other person™s, you may win out because you have financing already secured.   Many sellers are waiting for their old homes to sell before they buy a new one.   If your offer will get them into their new home faster, it might be the edge you need to get the home that you want.

Increase Your Earnest Money Deposit

Make a large earnest money deposit on the North Metro Denver home for sale.   If you™re unable to pay more for the home, you can increase the size of your earnest money check.   You don™t lose any of the money because it will go towards your down payment or closing costs.  

If you’re thinking of buying a home, I’d love to help you find your perfect home.   Call me today at 303-327-6880, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, feel free to email me at mgold@remax.net.Either way, I promise to respect your privacy.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

When it comes to success, it is often seen that those who have it share similar traits. These traits are usually shared by successful people in many different fields. The same is true of successful North Metro Denver real estate investors.

If you want to become a rich real estate investor, consider these traits that most successful people possess:

1)           The ability to see possibilities rather than simple realities. The best North Metro Denver real estate investors can look at a rough piece of property, an abused home, or a vacant block of commercial buildings and see the potential within those places instead of the run-down, or empty parcels that actually exist. Being able to visualize the property as it could be, and conceptualize the project vital to success

2)           Successful individuals in all walks of live tend to have a relentless nature. They will not give up, do not admit defeat, and do not take kindly to losing.

3)           Successful people have a thick skin. They can ignore the naysayers who try to talk them out of moving forward. A thick skin is as important when they are at the top as it is when they are starting out”maybe more so, because once you achieve success everyone is jealous.

4)           Successful people know how to get the best and most accurate information. Many successful people attribute their success to knowing how to surround themselves with the best resources of all types.

5)           Finally, they are married, and stay married. Of course, any successful person can tell you that the quickest way to lose half your stuff is to get divorced, but being married (happily) also provides support and confidence. That is just as true for North Metro Denver real estate investors.

Whether you’re a beginner or veteran real estate investor, if you would like more information on how to increase your success, I’d be happy to share my insider’s knowledge with you.   Give me a call today at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find the Best Deals on Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!

There are a few misconceptions about buying North Metro Denver real estate for sale by owner (FSBO).  

Seller Isn’t Serious

Some buyers think that the seller isn™t serious about selling the house, that they™re just testing the market.   While this is true in some cases, most sellers will accept an offer that is close to the asking price at any time.

Sometimes North Metro Denver real estate for sale by owner will sit on the market for a while.   This may be because the owner is not open to negotiations on the sale price.   More often, it™s because the owner doesn™t have the experience showing homes to potential buyers that a real estate agent does.   A typical owner isn™t likely to have the time to properly market the house.   If there aren™t enough buyers looking at the house, it™s going to be harder to get a good purchase offer.

Real Estate Agents Can’t Help

Some buyers believe that real estate agents can’t help negotiate the purchase of a FSBO.   That’s not true.   If you find a FSBO you’re interested in, whether you find it because you drive by it or see it in an advertisement, let your North Metro Denver real estate agent know.   Real estate agents can represent your best interests when purchasing FSBOs, just like they do when purchasing homes listed with real estate companies.

If you do happen to come across a for sale by owner that you just love, you need to include several things in the purchase offer to protect yourself.   These include:

• Home inspection required that shows there are no significant defects or pest infestations in the house.   Make sure you hire a credentialed home inspector; you do not want to buy a house that needs major repairs.  
• Appraisal of the home is a specific value.   You don™t want to agree to buy a house for more money than it™s worth.  
• Clear title on the property.  
• Seller disclosures.   The seller is required to give you all the same documentation you would expect to get from an agent-represented seller.
• Mortgage approval.  

With a for sale by owner, you never want to give the earnest money check directly to the seller.   A third party, like a real estate broker or title company, should hold on to all earnest money.   If you give the money to the seller, there is no legal trust entered, and you lose the ability to determine how the money is used.  

If you’re interested in buying a home, whether it’s a FSBO or not, I’d like to help you.   Call me today at 303-327-6880 or email me at mgold@remax.net.

Your Local N. Metro Denver Real Estate Professional!

Mike J. Gold

Visit my website www.mikejgold.com

-Automated Home MAP Search

-Updates New Listings

-Find The Best Deals On Recent Price Changes

-Find Your Homes Current Market Value

Adding value through innovation and exceptional service!