Manifest an Early Spring by Sprucing up for It
Spring Cleaning Tips
Time for spring cleaning has arrived! Here is a helpful list of items that you may clean on a regular basis, but if you don’t, Spring is the perfect time to get after it! We have lots of cleaning referrals if you need one so please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Every Room in the House:
-Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures
-Clean windowsills and window tracts and vacuum window treatments and window blinds
-Wipe down shoe molding and dust room corners for cobwebs
-Test batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, disinfect doorknobs, cabinet handles and light switches
Bathrooms:
-Organize cabinets and drawers
-Properly dispose of old medicine and toiletries
-Scrub the shower and bathtub
-Wash shower curtain and floor mat
-Scrub the toilet and tile around it
Living Room:
-Remove furniture cushions and shake them out and vacuum the crevasses
Kitchen:
-Wipe down microwave, coffee maker and other small appliances
-Empty the crumb tray in your toaster and or toaster oven
-Empty refrigerator and defrost freezer
-Clean you over and scrub the stovetop or range
-Clean out cabinets and wash drawers
-Sanitize the sink and clean the inner rim of your sink guard
-Clean refrigerator shelves
-Clean behind and beneath refrigerator
Bedrooms:
-Organize drawers and closets
-Wash bedding and pillows
-Rotate mattress
-Disinfect kids toys
Laundry:
-Clean behind washer and dryer
-Thoroughly clean lint trap in dryer and washer
Home Office:
-Clean keyboard with canned air
-Disinfect computer mouse and phone
Outdoors:
-Remove everything from your garage and reorganize
-Pressure wash your deck and outdoor furniture
-Hose -out your garbage can and recycling bins
-Remove screens and wash with a soapy sponge and water
-Wash the outside of your windows before replacing your window screens
-Begin perennial garden clean up!
Is there Stabilization in our Future?
We asked last month “Is this a Blip or Flip?” Well, the answer is: it’s looking like a Blip. Interest rates went into overdrive again and buyer applications for new mortgages visited a low not seen since 1995. The voracious activity we saw in January and early February has come to a halt thanks to interest rates going from high 5’s to 7% in 3 weeks’ time. Buyers and Sellers are looking for stability in economic data and we think that stability is in volatility, at least in terms of interest rates for the near term. Rates will fluctuate pending the inflation data that comes out monthly until that number begins to trend downward, month over month. Until we see that trend take hold the Denver real estate market will remain a little choppy. We will have months with more inventory and less buyers and months with more buyers with less inventory. Once we enter the late spring early summer selling season the hope is that the Market will begin to stabilize further because interest rates are predicted to come back down and stay there.
Home Prices Stabilizing?
Even with all this movement, we are seeing the housing market stabilize somewhat. Year over year home prices are starting to show some depreciation in certain areas, but month over month we are seeing prices moving higher (minimally) as well. Interest Rates are keeping prices from rocketing upward while the inventory shortage is keeping them from rocketing downward offering homeowners, sellers, and buyers some stability in the market. What we see in the actual market is that homes in great shape (ready for market) and in decent locations are selling quicker and for more money. Buyers are no longer tolerant at all of properties that are not prepared well for the market, taken care of, or priced inaccurately. Period.
February 2023 Housing Market Update
Active Inventory: 3,778 (↓) 8.30%
Closed Sales: 2,661 (↑) 22.51%
Average Closed Price: $657,921 (↑) 5.23%
Days on Market: 48 (↑) 4.35%
(Stats reflected here are MoM January to February)
The numbers for last month are not a surprise to anyone in the market. Sellers, buyers, lenders, and agents were all in agreement that something had changed from October, November and December. Clearly that reprieve came from a drop in interest rates that stuck around for a couple of months. We want to add that the luxury market was moving extremely fast with many competitive offers. There did not seem to be a stronger area over another for those price points. We did see luxury inventory that had been sitting for months (more than several) disappear in a matter of weeks.
The See-Saw will Continue
The statistics for March when they come out will show a slower pace for sure at most price points. Even those buyer’s that have been approved are now struggling with lower inventory and higher rates again and have slowed their roll when submitting offers. The Real Estate Market see-saw will bring good and bad news over the next couple of months. We will keep working our way through it and keep you up to date on what we are experiencing day to day. What we do know is that predictions will be shot down, headlines will be sensationalized, and people will still need housing.
If you know anyone that is thinking of buying or selling a home, please keep us in mind. We love referrals and you have our word we will take great care and provide great service to them as we have to you!
Data represents Attached and Detached Homes in the 7 county metro area.
We would like to thank DMAR for information and statistics used in crafting this article.
February 2023 Closed Homes
February 2023 Closed Homes
It was our pleasure to help these First Time Home Buyers find and purchase this beautiful home. They scooped it up for less than ask and got some cash back at closing to help with the move! The Walters Group is always happy to help you Buy, Sell or Invest in Real Estate~ please reach today to chat!
Denver Happenings March 2023
In 1973, singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson released an album of standards from the Great American Songbook, an adventurous and unprecedented move for someone at the height of their powers in the rock era. The album, A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night, takes listeners on a narrative arc through infatuation, courting, marriage, separation, and the inevitable slide into old age. This March in celebration of its 50th Anniversary, Denver singer and songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff breathes new life into this classic album alongside the Colorado Symphony, blending his folk, Americana, and vintage rhythm & blues influences with Nilsson’s classic tribute to the Golden Age of American music.
Come out to Wash Park at Franklin and Mississippi and run, plunge or do both in support of Colorado’s Special Olympics Athletes! By signing up you get you get a either a t-shirt or an exclusive runner’s only gift! Make sure that if you want to plunge you sign up for both!
Enjoy this ten-day culinary celebration where hundreds of Denver restaurants come together providing multi-course menus for a set price! Best week ever!
Back again for its 60th year, come see the floats, dancing, live bands and charities!
Engage with art, explore onsite activities, and experience exhibitions on view all while enjoying free admission! Advance ticket reservations are encouraged.
At the Denver March Powwow, there are more than 170 booths selling a variety of Native American artworks and products. Browse jewelry and blankets, pottery and beadwork from some of the nation’s most skilled Indian craftsman. Try Native American foods such as fry bread and Indian tacos, or buy an authentic Cheyenne arrow or a Sioux Tomahawk. The Denver March Powwow is a welcoming glimpse into a fascinating part of North American culture.
Frozen Dead Guy Days, one of Colorado’s most beloved annual events for more than 20 years, is kicking off a new chapter in Estes Park. Taking place over St. Patrick’s Day weekend on March 17-19, 2023, the reborn Frozen Dead Guy Days will feature live music and entertainment all weekend long, and will be held at the Estes Park Events Complex and The Stanley Hotel, with satellite events occurring around town. Festival goers can expect the weird and wonderful happenings from years past, including coffin races and a polar plunge, as well as plenty of new and elevated Estes twists, like a frostbite fashion show, roaming freak show acts, a Bands and Bloodys Sunday Brunch and more.
**Click on the Name of the Event for More Information**
Is this a “Blip” or a “Flip” for the Denver Housing Market?
January 23 Housing Market Update
It has been a whiplash kind of month in the Denver Metro Real Estate market. We went from homes sitting for 45 plus days since June of 2022 to stale listings getting re-listed and going Under Contract with multiple offers again. In September, October, and November of 2022 Buyers were asking and getting cash at closing to buy down rates, multiple inspection items repaired and the luxury of being the only buyer coming forward with an offer on a home. This trend continued through December of 2022 but after the first weekend in January the race was on for Buyers. The question all of us are asking on behalf of our buyers and sellers is, “Is this the beginning of a trend or just a seasonal collapse of new inventory combined with interest rates settling in and strong pent up buyer demand?”
I hate to say it again, but inventory continues to be the bear in the woods for our Market. January saw the smallest number of new listings (2,858) ever added in that month, the previous record was set in 2022 (3,3485). Active inventory at the end of January 2023 was 13% lower landing at 4,120 than the month before. Are we switching our hot selling season from the Spring and Summer to Fall and Winter? Is Q1 going to be the new hot time to sell your home? I don’t think we can come to that conclusion yet, but it might be worth looking at if it happens next year or if the market continues its cha-cha-cha through March of 2023. With almost 40% of all homes in Colorado owned out right and 86% of all mortgages held have a 5% or lower interest rate it is hard to see the inventory belt loosening soon.
January 2023 Insights:
(Stats Reflected here are MoM December to January)
Active Inventory: 4,120 down 13.9%
Closed Sales: 2,041 down 29.3% (This appears to us as an inventory crunch)
Average Close Price: $626, 311 down 1.49% (even though we are down this price is also a record high for the Month of January)
Days On Market: 46 up 6.98%
The first quarter of 2023 will have a cloud over head when compared to Q1 of 2022. We ended the year with median price growth of 12% all gained in the Q1 of 22. In January we saw a decline of price growth from December to January of 3.33%. We are guessing the pressure on sellers to sell their homes that had been sitting for too long brought about aggressive price reductions to get their homes finally sold. We will see this number climb or flatten when February stats come out in March. If inventory pops over the next couple of months to meet Buyer demand, you will see home prices soften. If those new listings don’t start appearing and interest rates come down further, we will see pricing stabilize and maybe start growing again.
The Fed raised the Fed rate again by .25% on February 1st to 4.75%. He mentioned that we are seeing the pace of inflation slow but that we are not out of the woods yet. He still repeats that we need more evidence that the pace will continue to slow before he lifts his foot off the gas in terms of rate hikes. What differed this time was that if he saw the inflation rate dropping too quickly it may influence the feds to change course and possibly encourage them either slow or stop rate hikes. The other market segment that gives the Fed pause is the job market. That market continues to come in with historical numbers month over month. Wages are still increasing and those jobs that are being lost are being replaced almost immediately with new higher paying options.
In conclusion the market had some wins this past month not only locally but nationally. To say we needed some positive news about the housing market is an understatement. We are hopeful that we will see a more balanced market over the next couple of months. Sellers will get to sell at a reasonable rate in a more reasonable amount of time and Buyers will get to see and bid on homes without unreasonable pressures.
If you know anyone that is thinking of buying or selling a home, please keep us in mind. We love referrals and you have our word we will take great care and provide great service to them as we have to you!
We would like to thank DMAR for information and statistics used in crafting this article
Denver Happenings in November
Denver Film Festival: November 2-13
The largest film festival in the Rocky Mountain region brings international cinema, filmmakers, virtual reality, immersive experiences and creative conversations to Colorado. Events will take place all over town.
Denver Arts Week: November 4-12
Celebrate The Mile High City’s arts and culture scene with hundreds of events around the city. Explore vibrant art districts, check out museum exhibitions and outdoor sculptures, indulge in the performing arts, be inspired at film and literary events, and even buy some art of your own!
Wine in the Pines: November 5
The Ability Connection Colorado, a non-profit organization that offers an assortment of opportunities for people with disabilities, sponsors this annual wine and food pairing. This year’s Wine In The Pines at Keystone Ranch and Keystone Conference Center
Denver Veterans Day Run: November 12
Back for its 14th year, the Denver Veterans Day Run, hosted by the Colorado Veterans Project, is both an in-person and virtual 5k and 10k event that directly benefits Colorado Vets. Registration varies for civilian and veteran runners and all results can be viewed on an online leaderboard.
Polar Express Train Ride: November 11- December
Ride to the North Pole aboard vintage coaches, pulled by an authentic, coal-fired steam locomotive. Visit with Santa and delight as he hands you “The First Gift of Christmas!” Always a sell-out, you’ll want to book early.
Denver Fashion Week: November 12-20
One of America’s fastest-growing fashion platforms is back again for fall 2022. Collections from local, national and international designers will range from streetwear, activewear, lifestyle, kids and sustainability to high fashion.
National Parks Free Day: November 11
Come experience the national parks! On five days in 2022, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.
Turkey Trot: November 24
The Mile High United Way Turkey Trot has been a Thanksgiving tradition since 1973, drawing nearly 9,000 people to Washington Park each year for a four-mile run/walk and community celebration. By participating in the Turkey Trot, you are joining Denver’s greatest Thanksgiving tradition AND giving back to your community!
September Denver Market Update
The Cooling Continues is our headline for the month! Mortgage rates landing around 7% after the Fed meeting really sealed the deal on a slowing of the housing market. What we are seeing in our local market is a more balanced housing market right now and even more balance coming our way. We have been without balance for an extended period and those of us in the housing business know that the only way for win-win transactions for both Buyers and Sellers is a balanced market. To get there, we are going to need more inventory and while that is beginning to come forward, we will need more.
September Insights
Active Inventory:
- Saw a MoM increase of almost 11% landing at 7,683 Units for sale
- Inventory typically drops as we head into the winter months
Average Home Prices
- Increased 2.2% even though actual sales were down
- We are still predicting that home values will be up for 2022 by years end
Days on Market
- Is up nearly 37% MoM. We are now at 26 days on average to move
- This tells the story of Sellers not quite realigned to new home prices
While our inventory numbers are up, we are still below by 26% where we were at during the same period in 2019. The average homes for sale at the end of the month since 1985 is 15,663 for September. Interestingly last year’s inventory increase (10.86%) from August to September matched these years (10.72%) almost exactly. What that means? Not sure.
The rental market is still strong, especially for properties that are well kept and updated. There is a cooling nationally in rent increases but getting tenants in place has not slowed down in the Denver Market.
We think “Not sure” is where we will end this month’s commentary. There is so much happening in the world, nationally and locally it is hard to pin down exactly where we are going. In speaking with a lender the other day, he said, “economic theory vs. supply and demand” is what we are waiting for to work their way out. Which one wins we will have to wait and see. You can be assured we are watching all the factors very closely and will keep sharing everything we learn right here!
If you would like to expand on this conversation, please reach out we are happy to answer questions and have a discussion anytime.
Village Invest Charity:
Hurricane Ian
“With our partners, we have provided refuge for thousands of people in our shelters. Most of our shelter residents are about 70 years of age or older; many have complex health challenges and disabilities; and they have lost everything they owned because of Hurricane Ian.
With the help of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, four mobile kitchens are now cooking tens of thousands of hot meals each day. Nearly 120 Red Cross emergency response vehicles are on the roads delivering these meals and relief supplies to people struggling in the hardest hit areas.
Red Cross shelters and disaster aid stations — at 20 different locations — are open where people can either stay or get food, relief supplies and other assistance. Trained volunteers are also providing health and mental health support to families who have suffered unimaginable loss. This includes help coping with new challenges, managing medical conditions, caring for wounds or injuries, and replacing prescription medications or other critical medical equipment like canes and wheelchairs.
More than 1,600 Red Crossers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are supporting relief efforts.
With our partners, we have provided more than 601,000 meals and snacks, and some 98,000 comfort kits and other relief items like cleaning supplies.
Red Cross teams are also starting to compile more detailed residential assessments including how many homes have been affected and the extent of that damage. This critical information will be used to make plans for what support families may need in the coming weeks and months.”
How you can help:
Denver Happenings in October
Did someone say OCTOBER?! How in the world did that get here so fast? To be honest, not sure that we care either way because that means all things fall are here! Check out what’s happening in Denver for the month of October. Get ready to get spooky!
Prairie Harvest Fest: October 1, 2022
Back for a third year, this FREE fan-favorite event features all things fall including hay rides, games, pumpkin patch and more! Headlined by Denver’s favorite band — Funkiphino! Fun starts at 10am and runs ’til 3pm! Head over to Painted Prairie for some family-friendly fall fun y’all!
Great American Beer Festival: October 6-8, 2022
This one speaks for itself and all of Denver looks forward to it every year! Grab your tickets by clicking the link above!
Pumpkin Festival: October 7-9, 2022
Come get your pumpkins! Ticket prices include access to the 10-acre pumpkin patch and family friendly activities. Pumpkin prices will vary by pumpkin size but the average price is $8. Bring a wagon if you love pumpkins and need more than you can carry! If you have little ones that won’t be happy here for more than a few minutes, Day Care is also available!
Spooky Streets: October 21, 2022
Check out the annual Spooky Streets event! Free fall fun for the entire family! Enjoy an entertainment stage, face painting, balloon artists, dance party, parade of costumes and MORE!
Candy Crawl: October 9, 2022
Head over to the Shops at Northfield for another FREE annual family-friendly, Halloween event, CANDY CRAWL. Enjoy trick or treating participating retailers, hay rides, crafts, thriller dancers, giveaways, contests, and more!
Ghosts in the Gardens: October 13-29, 2022
Tour the Gardens after dark and hear spine-tingling stories of our haunted history. Conjure your courage and capture your fear as you walk our dimly lit paths after hours and dare to have your own ghostly encounter, at Denver Botanic Gardens.
Glow at the Gardens: October 18-23, 2022
Wander through a spooky, illuminated landscape as the Gardens dresses up for Halloween. Using all real pumpkins harvested from local farms, our pumpkin artists push the boundaries of traditional pumpkin carving to create larger-than-life sculptures and dense displays of jack-o’-lanterns, with grins and grimaces fit for the season.
Adulting with the Animals: October 27, 2022
(Monster Masquerade)
Explore the Zoo with your kid free crew! Ready to explore the Zoo with your grown-up—or at the very least, kid-free crew? Adulting with the Animals is BACK, with all-new offerings on select Thursdays and Sundays through the fall! Celebrate spooky season with creepy-crawly Animal Ambassadors, cool character photo ops, a costume contest and a live DJ!
Despite a Cool-Off, Denver Metro is still favoring Homes Priced Right & in Good Condition
July Housing Update
DMAR came to the table this month with some good data points about our current housing market, in addition to sharing their information we are also going to share what we are seeing in real time. What we noticed last weekend was that the drop-in interest rates did indeed bring more buyers out hunting, but it also saw new listings come to the market still overpriced. The Buyers we were working with were so perplexed by some of the homes they saw regarding condition and pricing and just walked away or refused to see homes that were not it range with what recently sold or showed poorly in photographs. For Sellers in a shifting or shifted market pricing and condition are everything they are your most powerful tools and our advice to you is to use them.
- Home values saw a 3.33% decline last month but year over year they are still up over 11%.
- Days on market moved to 13 a 30% increase
- Inventory is up again by 22% month over month over 80$ from a year ago (still not where it needs to be)
The average American is 30 years old now and 69% of people aged 24-40 said they prefer home ownership over renting and sacrifice a lot to own a home. These stats suggest to economists that the housing slowdown will remain just that, a slowdown, not a bursting or bursted housing bubble.
5280 Magazine came out with their top neighborhood list. They examined 78 Denver communities their valuation consisted of:
Home values, schools’ quality, safety, cultural offerings, nearby shops, open space etc.
No surprises here: Washington Park, Platt Park, Wellshire, Belcaro and City Park.
We are happy to expand on any of this information anytime. We have always and still grow our business through referrals, we hope you will keep us in mind if you know anyone looking to buy, sell or invest!
Village Invest Charity:
The Park People Denver
The Park People was created in 1969 by a small group of park enthusiasts who banded together to raise private funds to support Denver’s extensive parks and recreation system. They are a separate entity from Denver’s Department of Parks and Recreation, but have worked in close partnership with the department since their founding.
In the 50+-year history they have been around, The Park People have infused many millions of dollars into Denver’s parks through the restoration of existing park infrastructure, such as fountains and historic park buildings, and through new construction, such as playgrounds and recreation facilities.
The Park People is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working with communities to plant trees and improve parks for a healthy, resilient future.
They are passionate about our local parks, our city trees, and other shared community resources.
“We believe that healthy parks help grow healthy communities. We believe that our community forest not only makes our neighborhoods beautiful places to live, but provides critical functions to the health, well-being, and sustainability of urban life.”
To check out more about how The Park People are helping our community, click here! To join us in their mission this month, donate by clicking on the button below!
10 Years of Housing Crash Stories Explained
After watching Chris Magnotta’s video about this very subject we thought it would be interesting to include it in this week’s newsletter. The housing market “crash” has been talked about every year since 2007/2008 when it really took a nosedive (also the year we started our fist real estate company). Ever since then it has been predicted to crash because of some indicator or another every year. Most of us believe that a recession is coming our way in 2023, how wide or deep that takes our country remains to be seen. A recession influences the housing market differently and may wind up driving rates back down and bringing more buyer’s back to the market. While housing inventory is currently on the rise, we are still at about 1.3 months of inventory (up from a very scary 10 days of inventory at one point) to supply the Denver Metro Area. Our inventory issue is not only caused by a decade of under building in our community but many other influences as well. A recent phenom is something called Rate Lock. Rate Lock happens when many home loans exist with a very low interest rate. 75% of homes in the Denver Metro Area have a 30-year fixed product locked in below 4%. This causes people to stay put longer than they normally would have. We could go on and on about inventory pressures and supply and demand but instead just know that Real Estate over time is still a safe bet. Enjoy our timeline below!
2012– Shadow Inventory – the housing crisis had left a lot of homes in foreclosure and the talking heads said repeatedly that this would cause another housing crash because we had so much of it. That did not happen
2013– Rising Rates – Rates were on the rise in 2013 and had gone up quite a bit and this was going to bring on another housing crash. That did not happen.
2014– Mortgage Applications were Down- This is happening now, by the way, but in 2014 they were down to almost historic lows. The heads said the housing crash is coming. That did not happen.
2015– The Silver Tsunami – Baby Boomers were predicted to sell all their homes at prices that could not be afforded by the next generation and that would cause our next housing crash. That did not happen.
2016 – The Manufacturing Recession – Yes that did happen, and the stock market sold off quite a bit as well that year. This was indeed going to get our housing market. That did not happen.
2017– Home Prices Peaked – (we thought they peaked) Home prices were finally back to where they left off in 2007 and we had reached our Peak. Affordability was coming for us. That did not happen
2018 – Mortgage Rates go over 5% – This was going to cause people to not buy a single house and bring on another housing crash. Not only would people purchasing their own homes bail on the housing market but so would investors. That did not happen.
2019– Housing Inventory Rising- We must admit that we even thought that inventory would go way higher that year, it was on its way in the Fall and then came to a screeching halt. Some markets began to see a slight decline in appreciation as well in 2019 and the heads said, “We Are Here”, the crash is upon us. That did not happen, and we are guessing if you purchased a home or investment property in 2019 you’re doing ok.
2020– Covid – I don’t think I need to expand on this one. This “market crash” did not happen.
2021– Forbearance Crisis – I know you all remember this it was a headline in every paper, on every blog title and every video title about housing. This was going to deliver the long-awaited housing crash. Appreciation took hold and combined with a strong job market and that did not happen.
2022– Here we are again and now we are seeing higher mortgage rates, lower mortgage applications, higher inventory, and a looming recession. All of this and rising rents will bring on our next housing crash. I think what we can say for sure is that the housing market is shifting as is everything else that surrounds us. We wish we could say for certain how long we will be here, but we can’t. What we can do is pay attention to what is going on and be here for our clients with real information not just catchy headlines to scare them.
Denver Market Update
Buyers who waited for less competition, more contract power and lower prices have paid in terms of higher interest rates and Sellers that waited to list their home for sale are paying with higher days on market, no bidding wars, more contract contingencies and lower prices. While this all sounds daunting all it really means is that we are pointing towards a more balanced market. Which in theory could be sustained longer than these extreme conditions for buyers or sellers. Our company has professionals that have weathered both extremes and we all crave the more balanced atmosphere as it promotes happier clients and more opportunity for everyone.
Good news for Buyers and Sellers; Sellers homes are still selling above ask in a lot of cases and Buyers have more options and are competing against less people.
The stats below are Month over Month: from May to June of 2022.
#1 Homes Available up 65% MOM
#2 Closed Sales down 12.42% MOM
#3 Average Closed Price up .73% MOM
#4 Average Days on Market up 11.11% (4 days to 11 days)
Homes with a price drop came in at 40% of all homes listed for sale last month. June’s big lesson for Sellers is to price your home aggressively – not at what your neighbor sold their home for 2 months ago. The lesson for Buyers is to get your financing in place, look at all the loan products available, there are many, and don’t be afraid of dipping those toes back in the market, opportunity exists!
**And for those of you who think the buyers are going to save the day…they are seeing a mass exodus of VC money. Where they once were offering way over ask for homes they have begun to offer way below market value now in hopes of scooping from panicked Sellers**
If you think Walters & Co. can be helpful please don’t hesitate to Contact Us!
Thanks DMAR for the information/stats
May Denver Market Update
We are at the half- way point and this year the Housing Market will have 2 stories to tell. The first half of the year included never-before seen price appreciation and buyer’s relinquishing most of their contractual rights. What we are now seeing is the beginning of normalization for the Denver Housing Market. DMAR shared that executed purchase contracts have been declining for the last 6 months and are now coming in at the slowest pace in nearly a decade. We are not seeing the effects of higher interest rates totally but expect that to take hold after the summer selling season is over. Sellers are seeing their properties sit on the market for a little longer because Buyer’s have decided to wait out the first weekend and see what happens the second week a home is on the market. Buyers also have higher costs now (it costs 55% more to buy a home now than one year ago) and they are being more patient when it comes to pulling the trigger on making offers.
If you are on the fence about selling your home the Denver Market is telling you that now may be the time. Fall indicators are pointing towards more inventory (we expect it to be higher but not off the charts higher), more days on the market, the end of crazy bidding wars and the end of forfeiture of buyer’s contractual rights.
There are several reasons we may not see a total dump of inventory to the market and that begins with homeowners staying in their homes for 11-13 years now instead of 5-7 years as it was before 2007. Secondly, there are many more investors providing homes for tenants and finally, higher interest rates make people feel like they are stuck in the homes they are in because they don’t want to pay higher interest rates to move.
There will be many moving parts to the second half of this year’s housing market, count on us to keep you in the loop as move to a more balanced market for both Buyers and Sellers.
Don’t hesitate to Contact us if you have any questions about your next move!
The Birds and The Feeds
Want to attract the best variety of “tenants” to your Bird House? In addition to the kind of feeding you choose to provide, Ground or Feeder, the kind of seed you provide attracts a certain kind of bird.
Most ground-feeding birds prefer millet and other seed such as sunflower. Most birds that feed at an elevated feeder prefer a variety of larger sees including oil and striped sunflower, safflower and sunflower chips.
Use this Guide to determine which seeds are preferred by specific birds!
OIL SUNFLOWER
The Oil Sunflower is the following species favorite seed:
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Cassin’s Finch
- Evening Grosbeak
- House Finch
- Mountain Chickadee
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch
- White Breasted Nuthatch
- White Crowned Sparrow
The Oil Sunflower also attracts the following species:
- Blue Jay
- Dark-Eyed Junco
- Grackel
- Goldfinch
- House Sparrow
- Mourning Dove
- Pin Siskin
- Red-Winged Blackbird
- Song Sparrow
- Steller’s Jay
- Woodpecker
STRIPED SUNFLOWER
The Striped Sunflower is the following species favorite seed:
- Blue Jay
- Steller’s Jay
- Woodpecker
The Striped Sunflower also attracts the following species:
- Black-Capped Chickadee
- Cassins’s Finch
- Evening Grosbeak
- Grackle
- House Finch
- Mountain Chickadee
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch
- White Breasted Nuthatch
- White Crowned Sparrow
SUNFLOWER CHIPS
Sunflower Chips are the following species favorite seed:
- Pine Siskin
Sunflower Chips also attract the following species:
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Goldfinh
- Grackle House Finch
- Mountain Chickadee
- Mourning Dove
- Red-Winged Blackbird
SAFFLOWER
Safflower attracts the following species:
- Black-Capped Chickadee
- Cassins’s Finch
- Evening Grosbeak
- Grackle
- House Finch
- Mountain Chickadee
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch
- White Breasted Nuthatch
- White Crowned Sparrow
THISTLE
Thistle is the following species favorite seed:
- Pine Siskin
- Goldfinch
Thistle also attract the following species:
- Dark-Eyed Junco
- House Finch
- House Sparrow
- Mourning Dove
- Song Sparrow
PEANUTS IN THE SHELL
Peanuts in the shell attract the following species:
- Blue Jay
- Steller’s Jay
- Flickers
SHELLED PEANUTS
Shelled Peanuts are the following species favorite seed:
- Blue Jay
- Steller’s Jay
Shelled Peanuts also attract the following species:
- Black-Capped Chickadee
- Clark’s Nutcracker
- House Sparrow
- Magpie
- Mountain Chickadee
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-Breasted Nuthatch
- White-Breasted Nuthatch
- Woodpecker
WHITE MILLET
White Millet the following species favorite seed:
- Brown-Headed Cowbird
- Dark-Eyed Junco
- House Sparrow
- Lazuli Bunting
- Mourning Dove
- Song Sparrow
- Tree Sparrow
White Millet also attracts the following species:
- Pine Siskin
- Red-Winged Blackbird
- White-Crowned Sparrow
CHOPPED CORN
Chopped Corn also attracts the following species:
- Clark’s Nutcracker
- Dark-Eyed Junco
- Grackle
- House Sparrow
- Magpie
- Mournig Dove
- Red-Winged Blackbird
- Rock Dove
- Starling
- Steller’s Jay
- Tree Sparrow
- Western Bluebird
We hope this guide helps you attract a larger variety of “tenants” to your backyard, and you get to enjoy all of Colorado’s beautiful bird species!
Memorial Day Weekend in Denver!
Check out the Memorial Day fun in Denver this weekend!
Come enjoy food, drinks, local vendors and live music on Historic Old Gaylord Street!
Bolder Boulder 10k: May 30th
Come walk, run or just hang out in Boulder for this famous race! The course winds through Boulder’s neighborhoods, downtown and finishes at Folsom Field! Then stay for one of the biggest Memorial Day Tributes in the country.
Territory Days: May 28th-30th
Territory Days has been Colorado’s largest street fair. Shop hundreds of unique vendors with handcrafts from around the world! Great good, educational displays, patriotic tributes and live music! Free admission!
Memorial Day Run & March: May 29th
The Memorial Day Run & March invites civilians, veterans and uniformed military to challenge themselves while helping feed homeless veterans! What better way to spend Memorial Day?
Fort Morgan Memorial Day Ceremony: May 30th
Volunteers will place tens of thousands of flags at over 149,000 headstones and each and every one will be remembered culmination in a ceremony to honor the fallen.
Village Invest Charity:
Foster Source
Up to 70% of new foster parents quit within the first 1-2 years. Foster Source is changing that. They know that when you pour services into foster parents, they foster better and they foster longer. When this happens, children remain in stable placements and heal.
“Our mission is to provide relevant training, resources and support to foster parents from a trauma-informed approach, giving them the skills and confidence to spark healing in vulnerable children.“
- Donate funds!
- Donate a vehicle!
- Volunteer
- Get a Colorado Foster Care License Plate
- King Soopers Rewards Program
- Foster Source Wish List (Amazon)
- Amazon Smile
- Host a Diaper Drive
Donate to Foster Source!
Scam Alert!
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ONE OF THESE IN THE MAIL?
Have you closed on a new home lately?
If you have, we are sure you have received many notices like the one pictured here. There will also be notices that look like they are coming from your new mortgage company as well. Place all of these in your trash can now!
You receive a deed as part of your closing documents no need to pay these people $107.00 or anyone else for that matter! If you have miss placed your deed, call your Real Estate Agent, they should have a copy for you.
If you receive little postcards that say they are from your new Lender, you should call your lender and make sure they sent them. In some cases, they are fraudulent, and they are trying to get your personal information. They often ask you to call a 1-800 number and when you do, they begin extracting the information they are looking for. Please remember to call your lender first before giving out any information about your new home or yourself.
At closing, this subject comes up towards the end of the process. It is usually the Closer and your Agent letting you know to ignore these mailings. They are so numerous now we know that some buyers are falling victim to these scams and are embarrassed to let the right people know! Always call/text the professionals that guided you through your transaction first, they are happy to help you avoid this nonsense!
If you have any concerns, never hesitate to Contact Us!