Category Archives: Home Value

Sad Event with Housing… will it impact the NM Market?

UPDATE: 346 homes destroyed by Waldo Canyon Fire

POSTED BY PAM ZUBECK ON THU, JUN 28, 2012 AT 4:50 PM

The list of streets has grown from 34 to 35. Here’s the full list and meeting details:

Waldo Canyon Fire Impact meeting

A meeting ONLY for residents of the streets below will be held tonight to inform them of the status of their homes.

Tonight, 8 p.m., Gallogly Events Center, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

6 p.m. Busses depart shelters
6 p.m. Check-in opens
8 p.m. Residents meeting begins
9 p.m. Press conference at media staging area with residents from the meeting who will give interviews.

This meeting is for residents of the following streets only. This is NOT a public meeting. Residents should bring identification to gain meeting access. Refreshments will be provided. Counselors will be available.

Note to the media: Media is asked to respect the privacy of residents who may receive devastating news. Meeting participants willing to speak to the media will attend the post-meeting press conference at 9 p.m. at the UCCS media staging area.

Residents of these streets should attend:
§ Trevor Lane
§ Linger Way
§ Rossmere Street
§ Tallesson Court
§ Sandray Court
§ Majestic Drive
§ Ravina Court
§ Regal View Road
§ Stoneridge Drive
§ Heartstone Lane
§ Karamy Court
§ Lionsgate Lane
§ Hot Springs Court
§ Jenner Court
§ Brogans Bluff
§ Darien Way
§ Rayburn Way
§ Braeburn Way
§ Timora Way
§ Mirror Lake Court
§ Wilson Road
§ Harbor Pines Point
§ Yankton Place
§ Chambrey Court
§ Charing Court
§ Ashton Park Place
§ Courtney Drive
§ Vantage Vista Drive
§ Vantage Ridge Court
§ Huffman Court
§ Aubrey Way
§ Van Reen Drive
§ Alabaster Way
§ Lannigan Street
§ Capra Way

——- ORIGINAL POST: 2012-06-28 16:29:00 ——-

Colorado Springs Mayor Bach said at the 4 p.m. news conference that 346 homes were destroyed in the Waldo Canyon Fire, which blasted through 34 streets in the Mountain Shadows area on Tuesday. But fire officials said significant headway was made on the fire today, noting it’s now 10 percent contained.

Waldo Canyon Fire

  • FILE PHOTO
  • The fire before it exploded Tuesday afternoon.

Bach said a meeting at 8 p.m. is for families affected by the fire. “This is going to be a tough evening, but we’re going to get through it,” Bach said. “Suzie and I are going to lead an effort to bring every resource to these people who have been hurt so badly.”

Bach asked the press to show “a little bit of humanity” toward the families. “We will move forward as a city like we never have,” Bach said.

Bret Waters, the city emergency management director, said the city is evaluating evacuations. “We expect some significant lifting some mandatory evacuations on the east side of the evacuation zones,” he said, but didn’t say exactly when that would happen.

Police Chief Pete Carey asked for residents’ patience as city officials decide which evacuated areas to release from evacuation. He also noted that officials suspect some criminal activity in the evacuated area and to call 444-7000 to report it, once they’re allowed back home. He thought there was an arrest for a burglary but had no details.

The cooler temperatures today along with some rain helped firefighters achieve 10 percent containment.
“We made significant progress today,” said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Jerri Marr. “The weather cooperated today as it has no other day since the fire started” on Saturday.

Rich Harvey, incident commander, added, “We’re feeling very confident we made good progress today, very minimal fire growth, and no injuries to the firefighters today.”

Although Carey said there are less than 10 people who are unaccounted for, he said police are trying to figure out exactly where they might be.

Springs Deputy Fire Chief Tommy Smith said firefighters usually do two searches of each structure, but haven’t been able to do so in the Mountain Shadows area due to the unusual fire conditions. He said those searches will begin tomorrow.

Home staging critical in selling a house

Editorial


Front Page – Monday, June 18, 2012

 

Home staging critical in selling a house

Sourced at:  http://www.dailyrecord.us/Story.aspx?id=4991&date=6%2F18%2F2012 


Kyle Mooty

 

When people ask the proverbial question, ‘What’s in it for me,’ when discussing home staging prior to putting a house on the market, Helen Lockhart is prepared with a list covered in bullet points. Most notably, Lockhart said, home staging not only helps sell a house but also brings, on average, a big return on the investment.

Lockhart, owner of Red Chaise Designs, spoke last week to the Faulkner County Board of Realtors luncheon in Conway. She showed before and after pictures on what a difference some very simple adjustments can make in presenting a home for prospective buyers.

While staging a home for sale, Lockhart said one of the most important things to remember is to not hurt the seller’s feelings. Pointing out the benefits of staging can usually resolve that issue.

“Educate them,” Lockhart said. “One, it’s different living in a home than selling a home. Two, you’re not there to judge how they live in their home. Three, it is your job to tell them these things. Four, compare it to a sofa in a garage sale. You may not mind that it has a little spot on it, but you would probably buy something to clean that spot if you were selling it.”

Lockhart said one survey noted that home staging is a 295 percent return on investment, such as flowers, rugs, cleaners, etc. She said to pay particular attention to baseboards, the front door, and making sure that the home is clutter free. She predicts that 98 percent of home staging is simply cleaning and de-cluttering.

“This can all be done with minimal investment if you maximize your dollar amount,” Lockhart said. “You want to neutralize and depersonalize.”

As an example, Lockhart said one person’s collections may not make the house as attractive, and perhaps they should be stored while the home is on the market.

“I had a person say, ‘But my grandmother painted that,’” said Lockhart, who had previously been a Realtor for seven years. “I just had to tell them that it really didn’t highlight their space.

“Staging your home is not like getting your home ready for a dinner party. You want to get it ready, but not perfect. Staging doesn’t need to be perfect to be effective. You want it move-in ready but not move-in perfect. Move-in ready is neutralizing what’s there. It’s de-personalizing.”

Eight-two percent of real estate agents surveyed recommended home staging.
If someone selects a home staging specialist, a contract is signed and then a walk-through report will be made of items that need to be addressed.

“How can staging help your business?” asked Lockhart. “One, you can make more. Two, there’s less time on the market. There, you have happier clients.”

A diagnosis will be presented to the seller, noting things from the proper use of space, to the walls, floors, lighting, art, accessories, case goods, and even bedding. Lockhart said that paints, window treatments, furniture and things that the seller may have grown accustomed to but are not presentable are also addressed.

“The foyer sets the stage for the rest of the house,” she said. “Staging and photos can change opinions and first impressions. Objections add up. The more objections you accumulate the less likely you are to selling your house.”

Selling your vacant house will require a different prospective

To make the best decisions about selling your house, you must view the process as as a business proposition that will require the same decision processes used to sell your car, your boat, or other property.

Selling your house in this market will require listening to your Broker’s advise. HIT can help your vacant house stand out from the competition. It is a well know fact that a house that is occupied (temperature controlled with a breath of life), nicely furnished and well cared for always sells faster and for more money. It is our goal at Homes In Transition to make that happen for every vacant house we breathe life into.

house

sell the house fast and at the best possible price

Property Owners Selling your house in any market can be a challenging process. If your house is vacant, getting it ready, getting it set and getting it sold can be a real challenge. Homes In Transition (HIT)is a program developed to help you and your Broker sell the house fast and at the best possible price.

If your house is for sale and vacant, you’re not doing everything you can to get the highest and best price for what is probably your biggest investment. It’s important to realize your house is no longer that special place where you raised your family, saw your dreams come true and created lifetime memories. Your house is just like every other vacant house on the market in the eyes of the prospective buyer which is why you must consider all your options to help it compete with all the other houses on the market.

What about Utilities, Home Owner Association fees and the like?

Association fees, utilities, refuse service and other required “public service” expenses are costs that get paid for any home in our program that is occupied by a HIT Caretaker. Pest control, window cleaning, lawn maintenance, pool cleaning services, septic tank pumping, and services required to get the property in its best possible selling condition are typical of optional services that are not covered by our program without agreement to do so written into the Property Lease and Services Agreement

In General, Utilities will be transfer from the Property Owner to the Caretaker upon the Caretakers occupancy of the property. This process is verified by the fact you will not get further bills once the property is occupied and the fact that we record the confirmation number of the service switch. When the property becomes vacant the utilities will revert back to the Property Owner. If the utility is lienable, like the water in Albuquerque, it will be paid monthly by Homes In Transition and billed to the Caretaker thus avoiding any liens at closing.

Unfortunately, some neighborhood associations charge their fee on a quarterly or even an annual basis, along with delinquency charges, if the entire bill is not paid in full and on time. HIT pays these fees on a monthly basis to the Property Owner, not the association. HIT occupies vacant houses until they sell, it is impossible to tell how long this term might be. Because we are not represented at the closing table there is no way for HIT to recover any monies paid in advance for association fees and the like. As a result, HIT does not pay any of these fees in advance of our occupancy. Rather, we pay all these types of fees in arrears much like one does for the public services that are delivered to the house.

Utility Providers have become very strict about providing service to vacant houses and in many cases are pulling meters from these houses. If the meter is pulled, there is considerable cost involved in getting new inspections and service restored. We encourage you to check with your utility provider to understand these costs if you plan on leaving your house vacant.

Why should I enroll my house in the HIT program?

  • Keeps the property Insurable because it is occupied and not vacant.
  • Preserves the value of the asset through regular maintenance and oversight of the property.
  • Cost of the program is minimal and pays for itself after 30 days of Caretaker occupancy. (See program cost below)
  • Problems get reported in real time rather than being discovered after causing major damage.
  • A HIT Caretaker Occupied house competes better in the marketplace resulting in better offers and faster sales.
  • Keeps the property safe and more secure.
  • Keeps the neighborhood safer and preserves the image of the neighborhood.
  • Realtors are more willing and able to show a HIT occupied house than a vacant or tenant occupied house.
  • Use of program may keep the property from going into foreclosure.
  • Owner can rest easy the property is being protected and free of unwanted visitors.
  • Provides safe environment for Realtors.
  • Utilities and other regularly occurring property service expenses are paid.
  • Caretaker occupants are subject to regular and random inspections of their performance and care of the property.