How to keep yourself safe from wiring fraud in your real estate transactions

As much as I wish I could say that when it comes to dealing with money and real estate every part of the transactions are 100% safe that just isn’t the truth anymore. In the last couple of years, especially with the rise of real estate doing so well, we have seen a rise in wiring fraud unfortunately and many fraudsters targeting real estate transactions and clients. Because there is a lot of money being moved around, fraudsters see real estate transactions as an easy place to confuse clients and have money wired to made up banks and title companies. Because of these fraudsters, I are keeping a close eye on every deal I do as well as my company Kentwood working twice as hard to make sure this doesn’t happen to any of our clients.

To take further steps, I am working to educate my clients on how to handle any situation they might find themselves in in regards to their finances and real estate. I think it is imperative to make sure every client understands that unless directed directly by me or someone on my team to take some sort of action like sending money or cutting a check, they should never take action without consulting with me first. Below are a few pointers I have come up with as guidelines for my clients to work off of when it comes to handling their money during our real estate transactions:

1. No email is secure not even if it's encrypted.  Fraudsters can intercept an email and wiring instructions can be changed. If you get an email and do not feel it is correct or information seems fishy, contact me directly.

2. We have been targeted in several states by fraudsters who are convincing clients to change where their wire goes at the tail end of a transaction. 

3. Thieves are calling the buyer and say that they are from the title company or lender.  It’s getting very serious, and we are increasingly concerned for the safety of our clients and their money transfers.

4. One of the most important actions I am taking to help prevent wire fraud is by having sincere conversations with my clients about the subject.  We have all heard the horror stories, and it's up to me to inform my clients that people are going to great lengths to steal their money.  My clients should be suspicious of anyone they don’t know attempting to provide instructions on where to wire money.  This is becoming very serious and the thieves are getting bold and creative!

5. To help protect us as agents the brokerage I work for Kentwood City Properties has implemented a new Wire Fraud disclosure.  We have started to use this disclosure and it is required for all my closing files. 

These are just a few precautions I want my clients to take as we work on closing real estate deals together. Like I said, never be afraid to reach out to me or if you are working with another real estate agent, reaching out to them. We are here for a reason, to help guide you throughout this process and make sure to do our best to keep you safe from the day your offer is accepted until the day you move in.

Why A Realtor is Imperative to Your Home-Buying Experiences

In many work industries these days, people are concerned that their jobs might be taken over by a machine who is trained to work better, and more efficient, then a human being. While this might be the case for certain jobs, more than not, many business owners and jobs will keep humans doing the work because there is something that humans carry that technology cannot and that is emotions and empathy. No matter who you come in contact with on a daily basis, the barista where you get your morning coffee, the office manager greeting you every day, or the restaurant where you joke with your waiter, all of these workers bring something to your encounter that is essential to your experience.

Shelly Palmer recently wrote an article titled “The 5 Jobs Robots Will Take Last” which he discusses the five professions that will be exceptionally hard for artificial intelligence or a machine to do better than a human.

·      Pre-school and elementary teacher

·      Professional athlete

·      Politician

·      Judge

·      Mental health profession

Palmer said these five jobs each require a unique combination of human intuition, reasoning, empathy and emotion. While I agree with his choices, I also agree with realtors Laura Ellis’ opinion on the article that he forgot one essential profession and that is a real estate agent.

Let’s start with human intuition. You can use technology to find a home or even sell your home but it takes a good realtor to find a match of the heart and mind because a lot of home decisions are made off of people’s feelings and emotions. As humans, we realize that each and every buyer and seller is different, and so they will need to be handled differently. So it is up to us as real estate agents to help each client feel comfortable making such a large decision. When it comes to reasoning, it is easy for clients now a days to get all the information they need on the computer but it is up to us as their agent to help reason why they should buy a place or why they shouldn’t. We help clients discover the ins and outs of their offer and how we can get them to the closing table in the best way possible. Empathy, you have to have it in order to be a good real estate agent. This Denver market is hard to be in, and clients get discouraged easily, so it is up to us to keep them positive throughout their search. Along with that is the emotional side. Buying a house is one of the biggest purchases clients will make in their lifetime and as a real estate agent it is imperative that we can read their emotions and help them through the highs and the lows.

As your real estate agent, I pride myself in working with you person-to-person and helping with your house search. This is such an important decision, and with my help, we can work to find you the home of your dreams.

Summer Camps for Kids in Colorado

The weather is changing quickly and summer is just around the corner. We may have a few more snow showers before everything is said and done (April is one of Denver’s snowiest months) but I think we are all ready for the weather to stay on the warmer side. That also means that school will be out soon and the kids are going to need some fun activities to stay busy this summer. I know my daughter really enjoys going to camps during the summer and the nice thing is, there are camps for every kid out there. From sports camps to theatre camps to music camps, you are sure to find a camp that will fit your kids to a tee. Below is a list I have compiled of some great camps to check out:

Dinosaur Ridge – For the dinosaur lovers in your family, this is the perfect camp to send them to. See 150 million year old dinosaur bones from Late Jurassic floodplains and stream channels all while learning everything there is to know about the dinosaurs.

Osmond Equestrian – For those of you who have a child who likes to ride, this camp is sure to make them happy where all their horse dreams can come true.

TIGAR Gymnastics & Cheer – The owner of TIGAR, Beth Deasy, has one moto when it comes to kids: they should grow up to become adults who love who they are and what they do and at this camp, they will learn to develop such self-knowledge and a passion for life. Kids can have it their way too if they want their parents to accompany them at camp or if they are ready to rock solo, up to them.

School of Rock Denver – If you have a child who loves all things music then this is the camp for them. School of Rock teaches guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and much more. Each student will be exposed to weekly private music lessons as well as group band rehearsals to prepare for their final concert at the end of camp.

iD Tech – Ranked the #1 summer tech camps for kids and teens ages 6-18, this day and overnight camps is perfect for aspiring programmers, video game designers, engineers, photographers, app developers and much more. iD Tech has programs specific for girls, teens, tweens and young learners.

Here are a few others to check out in specific categories:

Dance – Between the Bones Studio Collective, Play On!, Rocky Mountain Movement

Drama & Musical Theater – Jesters School for the Performing Arts, Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids, Vintage Theatre Youth Spotlight

Sports – Apex Center, Avid4 Adventure, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Dream Big Day Camp, Gates Tennis Center, Kids Yoga Guide, YMCA

History, Nature, Science and Technology – Colorado Master Chess, Golden History Museums, Mad Science of Colorado, Robots 4 U and STEAM Robotics, WIZ-KIDS

There are so many great camps out there so make sure to get your kids signed up for some fun this summer!

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/