5 ways homeowners can protect against wildfires

5 ways homeowners can protect against wildfires

Downtown Littleton

Location, Location, Location! SOLD! SOLD! SOLD!

5563 S. PRINCE ST., LITTLETON CO 80120

Bring your hammer and paint bucket for this older multi-unit that currently needs some updating. Great access to almost everything! Parks, restaurants, shopping, entertainment! 1.5 blocks to Main Street & Downtown Littleton! 3 blocks to Santa Fe! 5 blocks to Light Rail.  Consider the possibilities!

Live & work at home. There is Prince St frontage with alley access to an office space & two rentals. Originally was a Duplex. One on main floor & one in basement. Main floor is 2 bedrooms; basement is 1 or 2 bedroom. The garage is rented separately at $175.00. Priced to Sell at $229,000. Contact me for more information.

Keith A. Hurtubise
RE/MAX 100 Inc.
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Broker Associate
Registered Real Estate Appraiser (Inactive)
710 Kipling St., Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80215
303-232-4444 office
303-202-2221 direct
303-232-6919 fax office
303-942-3451 e-fax
303-808-8202 mobile
keithabees@aol.com www.keithabees.com

Get Best Bang for Your Buck on Renovations

Most homesellers want to get the most for their money at the closing table.

 Whether you’re looking to sell right away or in a few years, several sound renovation investments are worth the money, according to HGTV real estate expert Heather Unger, a Sales Associate with RE/MAX Central Realty in Lake Mary, Fla.

Here are her renovation suggestions:

• Rev up curb appeal - A green lawn and fresh exterior paint are sure ways to attract potential buyers. Plant colorful flowers or hang flower boxes from windows, repair cracked walkways and choose a neutral, pleasing exterior color to maximize your home’s appeal.
• Upgrade the kitchen - This is where you’ll get the best return on your investment. Buyers want granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, modern cabinets and hardware and updated light fixtures. Think IKEA kitchen: modern and functional. For the average kitchen in a 2,000-square-foot home, you’ll spend $8,000 or more for basic upgrades.
• Redo the bathrooms - After kitchens, bathrooms are the next places to get the best bang for your buck. Granite countertops, modern faucets and light fixtures and tile floors are popular with buyers. The more you can do yourself, the more money you’ll save. Expect to spend about $3,000 or more. You can save even more by buying store floor models for sinks and vanities, or going to granite bone yards for materials.
• Add space - If you have the money, consider adding square footage to your home by finishing your basement, expanding the master closet or knocking down some walls to create a more open floor plan.

Low-budget options
Don’t have time or a ton of money for major renovations? Don’t worry, says Laura Smith, a Sales Associate with RE/MAX First in Baton Rouge, La. A clean, clutter-free home goes a long way for many buyers, says Smith, who has appeared on HGTV’s "Bang for Your Buck."

Here are Smith’s tips:

• Make your home smell incredible. Get your air-conditioning unit professionally serviced and cleaned. Most companies charge under $150, and it goes a long way in removing household odors and allergens. Also, use plug-in fresheners and fabric deodorizing sprays.
• Steam-clean the carpets - Instead of replacing carpets, call a professional to have them steam-cleaned and watch the transformation. You will be delighted to see that steam-cleaning the carpets (price depends on carpet area) is money well-spent.
• Remove clutter - Check your closets and donate old clothes, shoes or other items that you haven’t used in the past year. Buyers want to see storage space; this goes for the other closets in your home, as well as garages, if you’re having showings, remove all personal photos and clear off all appliances and knickknacks from countertops and display shelving.
• Create an outdoor living space - Adding a sense of comfort to your patio, deck or backyard adds value to your home. Stage your patio or deck with a table and chairs, as well as an outdoor rug, lively plants, some colorful flowers or a small fountain. Get rid of unsightly weeds and keep the lawn mowed and presentable.

Contact Keith at 303-808-8202 for help in preparing your property for sale!

Keith A. Hurtubise
RE/MAX 100 Inc.
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Broker Associate
Registered Real Estate Appraiser (Inactive)
710 Kipling St., Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80215
303-232-4444 office
303-202-2221 direct
303-808-8202 mobile

Denver Apartment Market- Rents Higher- Vacancy Lower

The Denver Apartment Market continues with Vacancy Rates remaining low at about 5% and rents rising.

In the 4 counties that I track 2-4 Unit Small Income Property Sales, Arapahoe County has the highest Vacancy Rate 5.5% with Jefferson at only 4%.

Vacancy rates by 4 Counties were:

Adams, 4.9 percent.

Arapahoe, 5.5 percent.

Denver, 4.8 percent.

Jefferson, 4.0 percent.

The monthly average rent increased in Denver County by $75 compared to last year. The highest rents were in Denver, with Adams County bringing up the rear.

Average rents by 4 Counties were:

Adams, $906.

Arapahoe, $956.

Denver, $1,005.

Jefferson, $919.

The current vacancy rate is tied for the lowest vacancy rate in any quarter since the first quarter of 2001. The low vacancy rates allow Small Income Property owners to raise rents but the economy has kept some in check.

For more details check out John Rebchook's Blog - Inside Real Estate News .

Keith A. Hurtubise
RE/MAX 100 Inc.
710 Kipling St., Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80215
303-202-2221 direct

New Medicare tax creates incentive for home sales

New Medicare tax creates incentive for home sales

RE/MAX National Housing Report for June 2012

RE/MAX National Housing Report for June 2012

National numbers compare to what we are seeing locally.

Transactions climbing

Prices rising
Inventory shrinking
Days on Market falling

 Call me for a copy of the full report!

Keith A. Hurtubise
RE/MAX 100 Inc.
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Broker Associate
Registered Real Estate Appraiser (Inactive)
710 Kipling St., Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80215
303-232-4444 office
303-202-2221 direct
303-808-8202 mobile
keithabees@aol.com
www.keithabees.com

Jefferson County Duplex, Triplex and Fourplex

Multiple bids, lack of inventory and rising prices are being seen in Denver’s Small Income Property Market as well as the general residential real estate market. Check out Rechooks Blog for the SFH overview - Denver's housing trifecta: Bidding wars, low inventory, rising prices

I recently did a quick check of the Jefferson County 2-4 unit market stats of Available, Under Contract and Sold properties. There 36 Duplex, Triplex and Fourplex properties listed as Available or Under Contract with a whopping 44% listed as Under Contract. Of the 20 active, most have been on the market for a bit and have some sort of issue that has kept them from moving.

The lack of inventory has caused the number of sales to fall behind last year’s pace. This year there have been approximately 32 Sales of 2-4 unit properties since Jan 1 versus 2011 where sales were accelerating sales number and had reached about 53.

The full first half review of the Small Income Property sales will be available between July 10-15.

R U kidding?

I was at a restaurant this weekend and over heard this question while passing through the bar, “is it a good time for me to refinance?” I slowed down to hear the response but the person answering had started in with a discourse about markets, Europe and who knows what else. I thought to myself that I should rudely and loudly interject, “Are you kidding?”

I realize that this person’s personal situation may not make it feasible, such as he refinanced in the last year or maybe he cannot qualify right now. But the answer should be enthusiastically – “Yes!

Average U.S. rates on 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages have fallen to record lows for the sixth straight weeks.

Freddie Mac reports the average rate on the 30-year loan dropped to 3.67 percent. That was down again from 3.75 percent last week and the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s. They have been below 4% since the start of the year.

The 15-year mortgage is below 3%!

R U kidding? If you can - REFI!!!!

Biz Week Record Low Mortgage Rates

Denver Real Estate Market is a Changin'

Interest rates at the lowest rates since the 1950's!
Homes are more affordable than they have ever been!
SO....
Why are so many people renting and not buying?   Home rental rates remain below 2%.
Home Rentals Near Records!


“Homes in this year’s first quarter were more affordable than they have been at any time in more than 20 years,'  from the Article below -Nationwide Housing Affordability Reaches New Record High.
Housing Affordability Reaches New Record High

"many potential sales are not happening because of overly tight lending conditions that are keeping hardworking families from obtaining a suitable mortgage,” says Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “Without this significant hurdle, the housing and economic recovery could be proceeding at a much stronger pace.”
Inventory shrinking and days on market are falling. The long winded talk of a "shadow inventory" appears to very over-hyped for the Denver Market or just close to BS.

The times they are a changin'.

Denver Rents & Prices Rising, Foreclosures & Vacancies Falling

Trulia recently published the above national figures on rent increases and put Denver in the Top 10 and below Denver is also in the Top 10 of Price Increases.



Locally Rebchook reports on Colorado vacancies and forclosures

Check out Reebchook on Colorado Vacancies
Rebchook Apartment Vacancies


Check out Reebchook on Colorado Foreclosures
Rebchook Foreclosures

Numbers, Numbers, More Numbers

2012 Economic Forecast for Metro Denver
To be or not to be,that is the question....

Gas Price History
Historical Price Charts

Denver at #6 in the  Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
Hawaii No 1 & West Virginia still sucks!

National Association of Realtor numbers .
NAR (sometimes suspect) pendingSales ###'s

US National Debt numbers. 
This freaks me out!

SocialSecuity already running deficits.
Social Security Is Running Out Of Money At Least 5 Years Ahead Of Schedule

58 %  Increase in Capital gains tax and a 3.8% Medicare tax.
Cap Gains and Medicare Increases

How Can You Profit From Housing Growth in Denver?

Denver to Lead the Way!

  Greg Rand tells the world on FOX News the benefits of Denver's Small Income Property market!

'nuff said!

Words of Wisdom from the Jan 22, Sunday Denver Post Business Section

There is a ton of info in the Sunday Denver Post this week for the Small Income Property Owner, both locally and in the Wall Street Journal Sunday section. My fav being the real estate reference in the WSJ - How to Play the Big 5 'What Ifs' of 2012.

Condos' Lapsed FHA Approval.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_19789026

Condo Projects Lacking FHA Approval. This is a big problem!

Fed Ignored the Obvious. http://www.denverpost.com/businessheadlines/ci_19788681

The Fed was oblivious to coming housing bubble. Another examination but a little weak from the way I see it. It all goes back to the lowering of the qualifying standards.

WSJ Sunday

How to Play the Big 5 'What Ifs' of 2012. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577166810581681478.html

Check out the second paragraph of #2. What if the Us Housing Finally Improves -

You'll know real estate is improving when you see rising prices in combination with greater sales volumes of housing units. For that to occur, "lots of other good things need to be happening," says Barry Ritholtz, CEO of FusionIQ, a New York-based research and asset-management company.

and then look at the numbers in the

2011 Small Income Property Review. http://www.keithabees.com/resources/downloads/2011%20Income%20Prop%20Review.pdf

Navigating a Tight Rental Market http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204542404577158641068356490.html Tidbits on what tenants should look for in a good deal when shopping!

You Don’t Have to Start Out Rich to Build Wealth. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577166723997091352.html Investing Basics has good starter ideas for anyone who has not yet started to take advantage of an IRA or 401(k) savings plan!

2011 Small Income Property Review

The 2011 Small Income Property Review is completed and ready for your review. Contact me for a 'hot off the press' copy of this annual look back at last year’s Denver- Metro Small Income Property market and a peek into 2012.
 

Sales - Up

Prices - Mostly Up

Average Sales Prices - Mostly Up

Average Price per Square Foot - Mostly Up

Day on Market - Up

Rents - Up

Vacancy – Down

Foreclosures - Slightly Down

Interest Rates - Down

For an in-depth look at the numbers and trends reach me at a contact below!

Keith A. Hurtubise
RE/MAX 100 Inc.
Broker Associate
Registered Real Estate Appraiser (Inactive)
710 Kipling St., Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80215
303-232-4444 office
303-202-2221 direct
303-808-8202 mobile
keithabees@aol.com