A Few Things I learned from "Beauty and the Beast"

The other night, I got to go on a mommy/daughter date to the movies with my beautiful daughter Reagan. We decided to go see the much-anticipated Beauty and the Beast, a classic tale that has been redone by Disney from the animated film to an all-star cast. This story, for those of you who have not gotten to experience recently, is about a young maiden named Belle who, through a series of events, finds herself in an enchanted castle forming a relationship with the head of the castle, the Beast. Throughout the story, we come to know the story of Belle and her hardships as well as the story of the Beast and how he came to be the gentle giant. I won’t give the ending out, I really recommend you go see the movie with your family or husbands and wife, go have a fun date night.

But from this story I took a few things away from it that had to do with different parts in my life from real estate to being a strong, independent woman.

The castle in this story is one of mystery, full of animated teapots and talking candlesticks, the castle has from any outsider view would be a rundown, crumbling home that was not worth a second glance. But as the story progresses, we realize that in its heyday, the castle was quite a sight and by the end of the story, the castle regains its full glory. I feel like in today’s real estate market, this is a common theme among my clients when they are looking for the perfect home. I always tell people, if we can find a house that has good bones, then my clients have to have the vision to see the final outcome. When walking into some homes, it is hard to see past the shag carpet, 1970’s décor and outdated kitchens and bathrooms. But that is why I try to also come to showings with an open mind and with some ideas to help see the house for its full potential. Good bones are the backbone of every good house and if it comes to having good bones versus having a home that is cosmetically pleasing, I encourage my clients to not judge a book by its cover.

Then there is Belle, a strong, independent young woman who is well read and quite different than everyone in her small village. I sometimes like to think I am like Belle, a strong woman with has her own book knowledge in the real estate industry. I continue to educate myself in this industry because I want to be able to give my clients all the information they need when buying/selling their home. I may not do things the way everyone else is doing them and I am ok with that. I know it is important to do things by my own terms sometimes, not always following the crowd and learning from my mistakes and my victories. I encourage all women out there to not be afraid to not follow the straight and narrow path all the time, to believe in yourself and take risks every now and then.  

Photo by  Walnut Street Photography

What Growing Cities Can Learn from Denver’s Real Estate Market

There are two things that go hand in hand with one another and that is population growth and the real estate market. A prime example of this is the beautiful city we live in, Denver, which is one of the fastest growing populations in the nation. While the average growth of most cities is 0.8%, Denver is growing at 2.1% according to the most recent analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau.

This city is attracting new companies, old companies expanding and start-ups. Millennials are flocking here by the thousands as well as entrepreneurs who find the live/work life of Denver and the mountains super appealing. And with the growth of the city there takes a huge impact on the real estate market. There is a shortage of inventory and while developers work hard to keep up with the demand, Denver still is quite the seller’s market. But other cities expecting to see substantial growth, such as Charleston, Houston, Fort Myers and Austin, can take notes on what the people involved in the real estate market of Denver are doing.

I was recently interviewed by Inman.com to discuss how Denver homebuyers have learned to be savvy in such a competitive market and recommendations I would have for other cities who are going to be experiencing the same thing as us:

·      Nontraditional Loans – Homeowners increasingly took a more unconventional route to purchase their homes – from cash buyers, VA loans for multifamily properties and HELOC on second homes to be able to buy without a contingency.

·      Nontraditional Housing – With the average house price being $363k, many homebuyers are finding it hard to get into the market. But things like container homes and prefab homes are becoming popular. You can buy a shipping container from $1,500-$3,000, which is cheap real estate and it is a full structure that you can fabricate how you want.

·      New investment potential – Homebuyers are specifically looking to buy properties (and RV’s) that will allow Airbnb/VRBO opportunities to benefit from the rental income. Homeowners were increasingly renting out their homes long term in order to travel or relocate. With investors, they quickly realized that their returns were too low in the Denver market and are now looking in other markets.

To read the full article, follow the link below to hear more of what I have to say to other cities who are about to experience the same rapid growth Denver was and is having:

https://www.inman.com/2017/03/16/what-booming-cities-can-learn-from-denvers-playbook/

The people of Colorado want to know, is it Coloradoan or Coloradan?

When people talk about the people of Denver, they may refer to us as ‘Denverites’. This nickname has been around for a long time and people who live in Denver use it to describe themselves in many different ways. But it seems there is a little controversy when it comes to how to describe people who are live in Colorado. When it comes to the residents of Colorado, are they a Coloradoan or a Coloradan?

A while back, the Denver Post wrote an article about this very topic, dissecting the rules on languages and names. Apparently, when a place ends in an “o” like Colorado, you would add “an” to the end of it for the proper description. The only exception to this rule is if the place name is of Spanish origin, then you would remove the “o” before adding “an”. To give you an example of how this rule works look at Chicago and Idaho. These two names derived from Native American languages therefore their residents are referred to as Chicagoans and Idahoans. Now if we look at San Francisco, which derives from Spanish origin, the people who live there would be called San Franciscans.

Now let’s look at Colorado, which is a Spanish word for the color red, we would then according to this rule be Coloradans, not Coloradoans. Yet, a few years ago, some newspapers were calling themselves the “__________ Coloradoan” or changing their names from Coloradan to Coloradoan. This can make it a bit confusing for residents who are trying to figure out the proper term!

But based off of this rule, it seems the new build being built at Union Station, the Coloradan, is following the rules as being a residential tower that grammatically fits here in Denver. This is the beautiful new high rise tower I discussed last week with you all, towering 19-stories high with around 334-units, it is one of the most anticipated buildings coming to the Denver Metro area. The great thing about this place is the prices that range from the high $200,000 and extend upwards of $1.3m. With the constant need for places for new homebuyers these days, and the low inventory which can make it tough to find the right condo or house, here is an opportunity for new homebuyers as well as experienced homebuyers to have a great Coloradan home to call their own. If you want more information about this amazing build, shoot me an email or give me a call today and let’s chat about how you can be a Coloradan living in the Coloradan!

Photo by: @Walnut Street Photography

The Coloradan Coming to Union Station 2018

If you have been downtown Denver lately I’m sure you have seen the countless changes that are happening to our beautiful city. Buildings are popping up, the skyline is changing and there continues to be new spots to enjoy a good meal, shopping and of course, great places to live. One of the most anticipated new real estate development that is starting to break ground is the Coloradan located right next to Union Station. This 19-story, 334-unit for purchase residential condo tower is prime location for anyone wanting to live in the heart of the city. 

It has been nearly 10 years since a high rise has been built in downtown Denver and I have been there for three of these tower projects in the past. I helped buyers find places in the Glass House, the Four Seasons and Spire. With new construction, it is important to have an agent who understands the ins and the outs of the process from the contracts to the sales process. As an experienced agent with this type of sale, I know I can help my buyers get what they want.

The great thing about the Coloradan, besides the amazing location that will have a Whole Foods directly across the street, is the affordability of the units. There will be everything from studios to lavish penthouses, with the prices starting in the high $200,000, which will extend upwards of $1.3 million. With that price range, I know many of my first time homebuyers will be interested in the ability to buy into this beautiful residential tower. The housing market is hard right now as it is, house inventory is so low but condo inventory is even lower. With the start of building again on condos, this will hopefully let a lot of new homebuyers be able to have the opportunity to buy in this competitive market and that is where I come in to help!

I am super excited for this project and will be writing more blogs and making videos on the updates as the construction process continues. For now, take a look at the website for a virtual tour and if you are thinking the Coloradan might be the perfect place for you, give me a call today and let’s work on reserving your spot today.

http://riverfrontdenver.com/buildings/coloradan-union-station/

How a Good Review is Good for your Business

In today’s day and age, all business owners know the importance of reviews when it comes to their businesses. Whenever you walk into a coffee shop, restaurant or salon, you can see a Yelp sticker proudly displayed in their windows. Whenever I travel to other cities with my family, I use Yelp when looking for places to eat or things to do and go off of reviews. Just as Yelp does for these business owners, it is imperative to my businesses that people also review me.

As a real estate agent, one of the things we always tell our clients is that referrals are the best thing they can give to us. If I did a stand up job for them, and they appreciated my work and dedication to helping them buy or sell their house, that they please remember when they hear someone discuss looking for a realtor to give them my name. In the real estate industry, a lot of our business comes from referrals while the other comes from our own circle plus going out and meeting new clients. I also ask my clients, if they would recommend me and think I did a great job for them if they would write a review about me on either my LinkedIn page, Facebook Page or my personal website. These three are the best places to write reviews reaching a large audience and also are a type of a digital word-of-mouth. It’s imperative to have these reviews for any business owner because –

·      These reviews allow your business to reach new audiences

·      They enable your business to build up a positive reputation

·      They can help your business be found through an online search

A study a couple years back stated that 92% of consumers read reviews, 92%! Basically everyone out there is going to try and find a review about the good or service they need and will make a decision based on the reviews they read. Of those 92%, 68% said that when they read positive reviews about a company or a person, it made they trust the business more. In the real estate industry, I know how imperative it is to have trust with my clients. While it is important to have all the real estate knowledge I have, when I first meet with new clients I know that the two things that will be the biggest factor in their decision if I am the right realtor for them or not is if they trust me and if they like me as a person. So building a portfolio of positive reviews from previous clients always is a helpful place to point new clients to before we sign any contracts together.

That being said, I know how important reviews are to my business and that is why I make it a priority to write reviews for the people I do work with as well. I take time every week to go through the people I have worked with the week before and find a place to write a review about them so that they too can grow their business because of the positive reviews. We are all here to help one another grow in our businesses, so make sure to take time to post good reviews when you can!