As a Colorado Springs real estate agent, our job is to help you find the best home for the best price and terms possible for your current situation. We are here to help guide you on your journey to home ownership.

However, by law, there are some things that we just cannot discuss with you, as it falls more into the realm of “opinion” than fact. These topics include:

• Anything that violates fair housing laws. We cannot talk about nor engage in any activity that discriminates against another person based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap. Read More: http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/FHLaws/yourrights.cfm
• How “good or bad” a school district is. Every school district offers things that may be beneficial to one person and not to another. (For more information on schools and school districts, check out GreatSchools.net)
• How “good or bad” a neighborhood is. Consider checking out http://www.city-data.com/city/Colorado-Springs-Colorado.html for crime statistics. But, for you to get the most accurate impression of a specific neighborhood, drive through it during 3 different times:
  - Weekday
  – Weeknight
  – Weekend
• By Colorado Law, a listing agent cannot disclose if there was a murder, suicide or haunting in a home (unless ok’d by home owner). If you suspect something like this, we recommend talking with a couple neighbors about the home.

If any other questions arise that we cannot answer, we will direct you to a resource that can help you. Just call 719.434.8346

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

How much home you can afford is determined by BOTH the purchase price and the interest rate you are getting on your loan.

Did You Know … a 1% jump in interest rate nullifies a 10% drop in home price.

Take advantage of today’s historically LOW interest rates to buy a BETTER Colorado Springs home for LESS money!

Read Also:  The Importance of Getting Pre-Qualified When Looking to Buy a Colorado Springs Home

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

Unless you are paying cash for your Colorado Springs home, getting pre-approved with a reputable lender is one of the most important parts of the home buying process.

Getting pre-qualified allows you to know exactly how much home you can afford and how much your monthly payments will be. It also allows you to find and fix any errors on your credit report before those errors stand in the way of you buying your next home.

Additionally, in the current economy, home Sellers are very hesitant to take their home off the market unless they know that the home buyer can, in fact, qualify for a loan to buy the home. Sellers do not want to risk valuable time off the market for an unqualified buyer.

Furthermore, in a Colorado Springs real estate market where there are a lot more foreclosures, short sales and bank owned homes, being pre-qualified is a MUST. Most banks will not even look at an offer, unless it is accompanied by a pre-approval letter from your lender.

For a of local and reputable lenders that we trust and recommend, please contact the Wagner iTeam: 719.434.8346

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

When you are looking to buy a home for sale in the Colorado Springs real estate market, there are costs that you will want to be aware of, in addition to the actual mortgage. These costs are minimal, but they do need to be taken care of either at or before closing.

• Earnest Money – In order to go under contract on a home for sale in Colorado Springs, you will need to supply Earnest Money. This is usually about 1% of the purchase price and must be paid at time of signing the contract. Depending on the circumstances, you will usually be able to get your earnest money BACK if you do not wind up buying/closing on the home.
• Loan Fees and Closing Costs – It costs money to get a mortgage. Usually the costs are about 1% of the loan amount. These will need to be paid at time of closing. However, in most cases, the Wagner iTeam is able to get the Seller to pay some of these costs FOR you.
• Appraisal – Your lender will order a home appraisal to make sure that the home is actually worth what you are buying it for. A home appraisal is about $350 and it is recommended that you pay this to the lender at time of loan application. However, in many cases, the Wagner iTeam can get the Seller to pay you back for this fee.
• Home Inspection – You will want to get a home inspection by the Inspection Deadline listed in your contract. A typical home inspection can cost between $300 and $400, but can be more or less, depending on the size of the property. You will need to pay the home inspector at the time of the inspection.
• Moving – Make sure you budget in moving costs, to include movers and/or a moving truck, packing supplies, cleaners and any meals that you may have to buy in the process of moving.
• Window Coverings – Depending on the details of the contract, you may be responsible for hanging window coverings (blinds and/or curtains) when you move into your new home. This is particularly true when buying a brand new Colorado Springs home. Blinds can start from $30 a window and run up to hundreds of dollars.
• Short Term Renting – Sometimes the contract-to-close process takes a little longer than outlined in the contract. In cases like these, you will need to be prepared to (possibly) spend a couple nights with family or friends, or a short term rental, or even a hotel. Make sure you budget enough money just in case this situation arises.

Knowing these costs ahead of time will only make your home buying experience better.

For more information on buying a Colorado Springs home, please call the Wagner iTeam: 719.434.7525

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

The mad rush for buying a home for sale in Colorado Springs and taking advantage of the $8,000 tax credit ended yesterday at midnight.

This tax credit deadline has bulked up a lot of home buyers – making them buy a house NOW, instead of waiting for the historically popular Springs and Summer months to find and buy a home in Colorado Springs.

If you are trying to sell your home and did NOT go under contract by yesterday’s deadline, be prepared for a lull in the market. At least for a couple months, before more buyers start filtering back into the marketplace.

Read More:  Three Key Ingredients to Selling Your Colorado Springs Home

Here are some suggestions for dealing with the potential slowing in buyer activity:

1. Consider taking your home off the market for a couple months and re-list it when the market picks back up. This will also re-set your clock for how long your home has been on the market and your home will look like a NEW listing when you decide to re-list it.

2. Take this time to freshen up your house - do a little Spring Cleaning. Do the things that will make your home MOST appealing to the home buyers that start wandering into the market. You definitely want to stand out among the GLUT of homes for sale. Here are some cheap/free ideas:

• Add a fresh coat of paint to the living areas.
• Clean out your gutters and service your furnace.
• Clean your carpets – or replace them if they are too bad.
• De-clutter. Remove a lot of the stuff that makes it YOUR home. Appeal to the Buyers’ desire to make it THEIR home.
• Wash your baseboards.
• Dust your blinds.

3. Adjust your asking price to be the best home for the best price. If your goal is to actually SELL, then pricing it aggressively is VERY important – especially when there are less home buyers out there.
Read More:  Selling Your Colorado Springs Home: The Importance of Proper Pricing from Day One

4. Offer home buyer incentives. These can include:

• Pay their closing costs. This is usually about 2% of the purchase price.
• Buy down their interest rate. This could be VERY helpful if rates jump up.
• Consider doing an owner-carry 2nd, to appeal to home buyers that may not have enough money for an adequate down payment.
• Offer more to the co-op agent. In a slowing real estate economy, real estate agents may be inclined to show your home more often with the promise of a higher paycheck.

Read Also: How to Take Advantage of Struggling Colorado Springs Real Estate Agents

Now may not be the best time to sell, but if you NEED to sell, a little effort on your part could go a long way.

For more information on selling your home in Colorado Springs, please contact the Wagner iTeam: 719.434.7525

Related Articles:

• Colorado Springs Real Estate Answers: Why Didn’t My House Sell? Part One: Price
• Colorado Springs Real Estate Answers: Why Didn’t My House Sell? Part Two: Condition
• Colorado Springs Real Estate Answers: Why Didn’t My House Sell? Part Three: Marketing

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525