Snuggle-Up! and Blog

Colorado has a brokerage disclosure (we're all brokers in this state) and they have a buyer's agency, which includes transaction broker.

• The brokerge disclosure is just a disclosure of how we can work with and represent the general public. It's required by my firm. And it or the buyer agency agreement is required with all contracts.
• The buyer agency agreement provides us with exclusivity that the client will work only with us. Within the buyer agency is an option to work as a transaction broker.
• A transaction broker facilitates the deal. If you represent the seller and bring the buyer, you'll need the seller's permission to become a transaction broker. It's a middle road between the two parties. You can not disclose confidential information to either party.

I automatically provide the brokerage disclosure to ever client that gets into my car. I won't drive away with their signature on it. It's my protection! And I also give them a copy of the buyer agency and tell them that I'd like to go over it with them and have them sign it the next time we are together.

So, after I've explained it to you, and given you your own copy to review, it needs to be signed. This document protects me and my commission. But, more importantly, it protects me from the law. And it allows me to advocate for you completely and totally. I am, then, YOUR agent.

Here's my question: If you can't sign the buyer agency because you don't understand it or want your attorney to see it, how will you ever trust me to write a purchase contract???

Do you want to buy a house or do you just like spending time with me in the car??? So sign it, and let's find the home for you now...before the rates start climbing up, again.

Great home in University Park. Call for a private showing. This lovely home has lots of space, and light in every room. There's a large recreation room down stairs, and a loft area on the second floor. It has granite slab countertops, two furnaces, all window coverings, and a large Trex deck in the backyard. This home is perfect for entertaining. Definitely a Cut Above the Ordinary in University Park.

Video Tour: http://http://tour.circlepix.com/tour.htm?id=721235

Monument, CO is one of the great little secrets of the Colorado Springs area. It's only 10 miles north of Colorado Springs, and 50 miles south of Denver. Monument sits on the Palmer Divide and the snow accumulation is always greater than Denver or Colorado Springs.

Woodmoor is one of the biggest and oldest neighborhoods in Monument. Most of the homes were originally built as summer homes to escape the heat of other areas. There's been quite a bit of development lately, which has covered some of the old horse paths that used to run all through the area. You can still see fox, coyote, deer, and even an occasional bear in your back yard. Most homes in this neighborhood sit on property greater than 1/2 acre. And those east of Fairplay sit in the trees. while the ones on the west of Fairplay have scrub oak, and high prairie landscapes.

Currently there are 40 active listings on the market. YTD solds are 10. But 8 of the ten were sold in March. Everywhere in Colorado, the real estate market is improving. And it's improving in Monument, too. At a rate of 8 homes sold per month, with 40 active homes on the market, our inventory is only 5 months. 6 months is an even market. 5 months makes Woodmoor a sellers market.

For more information on Woodmoor and Monument real estate active listings, click here.

Silent Sunday. Spring time in the Rockies!

Location, Locaiton, Location!!! Yeah!

All real estate is local, it's your location that is important to your market recovery. It doesn't matter if that location is in a specific neighborhood within a city, or the entire MLS. It's different for different location.

I believe that we are on our way to a recovery of sorts. I've found some stats that I think are very interesting about El Paso County, Colorado real estate. Take a look...then let's discuss what this says.

What these stats say to me is that the local real estate market has stopped its downward trend! Median home prices are on the rise. Average prices are on their way back up. The best news is the number of sales. Homes sales have rolled back to January 2008 levels. But they have increased over the last four months! Yeah!

Personally, I am getting a lot of activity in my business that just wasn't there in the fall/winter of 2008. I'm anxiously waiting for the March figures to be released. I just know they're going to show improvement.

Here's a few Nationawide stats for February 2009...

• Home prices are down another couple of percentage pts.
• Sales are up 5%, and
• 60% of all sales were on foreclosure properties

So, how's your market? Are you seeing a small recovery? Or at least a turn around in the downward trend?

Based on information from the Pikes Peak REALTOR Services Corp. ("RSC"), for the period January 2008 through February 2009.  RSC does not guarantee or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data maintained by RSC may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.