Bubble Talk

by Maria Dellota

A hot topic of conversation these days is the prospect of another real estate bubble. People wonder if prices can continue at their current pace and some fear a repeat of 2008.

Because we get asked about this topic so often from our clients, we thought it would make sense to ask our in-house expert, Matthew Gardner.

Matthew is our Chief Economist and was our Keynote Speaker at the Windermere Annual Market Forecast.

During the Forecast presentation, he discussed the bubble concerns and laid out his reasons why he sees no potential of prices bursting along the Front Range.

Quite the opposite actually, he sees that prices will continue to go up, but just not as fast as they have been.

His reasons for no bubble bursting are as follows:

Record-low inventory – prices cannot crash without a glut of supply on the market
Highly-qualified buyers – lending guidelines are more stringent today than they have been in our lifetime
Growing jobs – job growth in Colorado is projected to far outpace the national average this coming year

So, we project a healthy real estate market in 2021.

To see a replay of the Forecast presentation, simply reach out to us, we would be happy to send you the recording.

Colorado • Fort Collins Real Estate • Housing Trends • January 15, 2021

Ways to Save Money by Going Green

by Maria Dellota

Contrary to popular belief, going green does not have to be hard or cost money, in fact it can even save you money. There are many small things that you and your family can do within your home to save money while reducing landfill waste and the use of natural resources. Discover a few ways to go green and save some money by choosing a green home.

Compost Bin

Composting is free and can provide you with rich soil to garden with. You will never have to buy soil and can easily grow plants and vegetables. To create your own bin, get a large trashcan with a locking lid, then drill about 25 holes all around the bin and attach the bin to small platform (allows it to drain). Once you start putting approved items in the bin go outside and roll it around in the grass every few days.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

You can save approximately $75 dollars a year by replacing your traditional incandescent with energy efficient light bulbs. On average energy efficient light bulbs typically use way less energy and can last much longer, not needing to be replaced as much.

Laundry

There are quite a few options to save money and energy when it comes to laundry. Here are a few: wait till you have a full load of laundry to wash, line dry your clothes, wash your clothes in cold water and when it comes time to get a new washer and dryer buy an energy efficient one.

Weather-Strip & Caulk

One of the main ways we use a lot of energy, especially in hot and cold climates, is through air-conditioning and heating. One way to reduce the use of heating and air-conditioning is to properly weather strip and caulk all windows and doors keeping your home cool and warm when needed.

Reuse and Reduce

Use items more than once when you can to avoid throwing them out; this might mean buying quantity over quality. Another way is to join The Freecycle Network or Buy Nothing group on Facebook you can swap used goods with neighbors for free and also keeping more waste out of landfills.

DIY Cleaning

Start making your own cleaning products. Not only can you customize, make them eco-friendlier but you will also save money buying products. On average, most DIY cleaners cost less than a $1 to make per bottle compared to $5-$15 per store bought bottle.

Unplug & Turn Off

Put all your major electronics on a power strip and shut off when they are not in use. Even if your electronics are shut off, they still will continue to draw electricity thought out the day. Another tip is to make sure you unplug your cellphone when completely charged and always power everything down while not in use to save on battery life.

Toilet

There is an extremely easy way to make your toilet a low flow toilet. Simply add a brick, wrapped in a waterproof bag or take a plastic water bottle and fill it with sand putting it into your tank. This will reduce the amount of water with every flush. Once you are ready for a new toilet purchase a low-flush toilet.

Shower

Change up your shower head with an energy-efficient shower head that will use half the amount of water. These shower heads are low flow but will significantly cut your water bill down. Another option is to install a tap aerator which will also cut down water usage without changing the water pressure.

Blog • Fort Collins Real Estate • Fun Facts • November 20, 2020

Is it worth it?

by Maria Dellota

Remodeling Impact

Americans spend $400 billion per year remodeling their homes.

So, which remodeling investment gives the best return when it comes to resale value?

It should come as no surprise, especially leading up to Thanksgiving, that the best money to spend upgrading your home is in the kitchen.

It’s the place where most homeowners spend most of their waking hours.

According to the research from the National Association of Realtors, it’s where remodelers will see the biggest return on investment.

Here is the ranking of various projects in terms of the value it adds to the home:

Complete kitchen remodel
Kitchen upgrade
HVAC replacement
Owner’s suite renovation
Bathroom renovation
Finishing a basement
Adding a bathroom

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20, 2020 AT 9:45 AM

Colorado • Economics • Fort Collins Real Estate • Fun Facts • Northern Colorado Real Estate • June 26, 2020

Almost there

by Maria Dellota

We’ve been waiting for June to catch up. It finally happened (almost).

Back in April, real estate activity was significantly limited and the showing of property was restricted which caused the number of closed properties in May and early June to be much lower than last year.

Bottom line, fewer properties going under contract in April caused fewer closings 30 to 45 days later.

Closed properties in May were down compared to 2019 by 44% in Northern Colorado and 43% in Metro Denver.

Then activity jumped significantly in May. The number of properties going under contract was way up compared to last year.

We’ve been wondering when we would see this sales activity reflected in the number of closed properties.

Well, it finally happened (almost).

The number of closings so far in June compared to the same time period through June of 2019 is only down 1.8% in Northern Colorado and 1.6% in Metro Denver.

In both markets, there are only a handful of closings separating activity in June 2020 versus June 2019.

By the end of the month, when all the transactions are tallied up, we expect that June of this year will out pace June of last year in terms of number of transactions.

This is significant not only because of COVID-19, but also because of the reduced inventory compared to last year. Quite simply, there are fewer homes to buy.

All of this speaks to the health and resiliency of the Front Range market.

At Windermere Real Estate we are taking Safer at Home and Social Distancing very seriously. Our people are following our Safe Showings protocol, staying connected to their clients, and providing help wherever needed

POSTED ON JUNE 26, 2020 AT 9:10 AM
FORT COLLINS | CATEGORY: BLOG, FUN FACTS, WINDERMERE REAL ESTATE | TAGGED CLOSED PROPERTIES, CLOSINGS, COVID, COVID-19, FRONT RANGE, INVENTORY, METRO DENVER, NORTHERN COLORADO, REAL ESTATE, REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY, SALES ACTIVITY, SHOWINGS, TRANSACTIONS, UNDER CONTRACT

Fort Collins Real Estate • Housing Trends • Northern Colorado Real Estate • March 20, 2020

Economist’s Perspective

by Maria Dellota

Our Chief Economist made a video for all of our clients where he shares his perspective on COVID-19’s impact on housing. You can watch it by clicking the image below:

Virtual Tour • Wellington Real Estate • February 21, 2020

Terrific Two-Story Home in Wellington!

by Maria Dellota

Here it is – the opportunity to own a great home in the Buffalo Creek subdivision at 3155 Thundering Herd Way in Wellington for under $315K. Walking distance to the Wellington Community Park and the new schools that are being built in Wellington. First American Home Warranty included. Check out the fresh interior paint on main and upper levels as well as the new carpeting. The private back yard is fully fenced and has foothill views. Quick access to I-25 from this gem. Call for your private showing at (970) 215-1013 for more information or click the link below for more details.

http://windermerenoco.com/listing/106365334

Colorado • Economics • Fun Facts • Housing Trends • Windermere Real Estate • January 31, 2020

Affordability

by Maria Dellota

Housing affordability is a hot topic especially after the strong price appreciation that has occurred in our market over the last 7 years.

Here’s some interesting research on affordability…

Each quarter the National Association of Home Builders measures affordability in hundreds of markets across the Country.

Their method is to count the number of homes in a market that could be purchased with that particular market’s median income.

For example, San Francisco is the least-affordable market where only 8.4% of the homes could be purchased with their median income.

The most-affordable is Monroe, Michigan where 95.3% of the homes could be purchased with their median income.

Guess where all of the 10 least-affordable markets are. California!

Guess where almost all of the 10 most-affordable markets are. The rust belt (cities in Michigan, Ohio, upstate New York, etc.)

The U.S. average is 63.6%.

Metro Denver comes in at 55.3% and Northern Colorado at 54.5%.

So, roughly half of the homes in our market could be purchased with our local median income.

Economics • Fort Collins Real Estate • Fun Facts • Northern Colorado Real Estate • Windermere Real Estate • January 24, 2020

Rate Forecast

by Maria Dellota

Here is our interest rate Forecast for the next year.

Our Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, predicts that rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage will stay between 3.8% and 3.9% for 2020.

He doesn’t see rates going above 4.0% until at least the first quarter of 2021.

This is obviously great news for buyers as their payments will stay much lower as compared to having a rate at the long-term average of 7.5%.

If you would like to see the slides from Matthew Gardner’s Forecast presentation, we would be happy to get those in your hands. Just let us know if we can help!

Fort Collins Real Estate • Virtual Tour • January 22, 2020

Terrific Ranch Style Home in Fort Collins!

by Maria Dellota

Here’s your chance to own a home in central Fort Collins! 2719 Trenton Way in Fort Collins is freshly painted, with a large enclosed yard and no HOA. First American Home Warranty included. Come take a look. Call for your private showing at (970) 215-1013 for more information or click the link below for more details.

http://windermerenoco.com/listing/104701508

Blog • Colorado • Fort Collins Real Estate • Personal • Windermere Real Estate • January 21, 2020

Healthy Living is Easy in Colorado

by Maria Dellota

With a backdrop of blue skies and rolling foothills, Northern Colorado provides many opportunities to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Locals invite you to explore the many natural areas, healthy restaurants, and community gatherings to fuel your body and inspire your spirit.

Yes, the weather may be colder and the days shorter this in these months, but here in Colorado, passionate people take advantage of the three hundred days of sunshine the state gets per year. On any winter day, you’ll see enthusiastic folks bundled up as they run, bike, and walk along the extensive trail systems and beautiful parks Northern Colorado has to offer.

Here’s a sample of three favorite places to bundle up and explore while colder temperatures still linger.

Spend a Morning at Lory State Park

Full of wonderful trails and rolling hills, you can start the day at this State park just ten minutes from the north side of the city. You’ll spend just eight dollars for an entry fee and can meander along well-designed trails and enjoy beautiful views of Horsetooth Reservoir. Mountain bikers can enjoy the trails and this is a perfect place to try your new Fat Bike designed specifically for biking in snow.

2. Have a healthy brunch

After burning some calories, come back into town to enjoy brunch at one of the many healthy restaurants in Old Town. Tasty Harmony offers vegan and vegetarian faire, and Snooze Eatery, while known for decadent pancakes, also has a delightful “Like a Feather” menu for those conscious of the fuel you put in your body. Step into the Silver Grill Cafe and experience a favorite that has been around since 1933. Their menu, full of diner-style classics, has a range of options for the whole family.

3. Pick up some produce at the Winter Farmers’ Market

Fort Collins is proud to host a multitude of locally grown food options all year round. Stop by The Winter Farmers’ Market, located in the Opera Galleria in Downtown Fort Collins and visit vendors slinging fresh produce, grass fed beef and poultry, homemade sauces, spices, and goodies. The beautiful collection of fresh foods will tide you over until the city hosts four rotating farmers’ markets in the warmer months. This event is held once a month and is free to the public to attend.

https://www.loc8nearme.com/colorado/fort-collins/winter-farmers-market/5517957/

Living in Colorado is full of opportunities to delight the body, mind and spirit. It is a great place to call home – and a wonderful place to own a home. If you’re ready to explore opportunities for making your move, let’s connect.