What's It To You?

The Federal Fair Housing Act was enacted in 1968, but do you know what it is or how it impacts your home search? As an Accredited Buyer's Representative, I am very familiar with this law and am here to help you find - not push you toward - your next home.

Click HERE to read more about the Fair Housing Act and how it affects our business relationship.

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Bradburn Village Update

Bradburn Village continues to grow, between new nearby businesses opening like Zoe's Kitchen and Chuck and Don's Pet Food, and Century Communities Bradburn East single family homes at the corner of 120th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard.

2016 saw the typical slower start with busy spring and summer seasons. Sales were still going strong into the fourth quarter, echoing the continuing narrative from surrounding areas - high buyer demand, low inventory. Total yearly sales made 2016 the third highest in 9 years.

Whether selling or buying, it's important to understand how the local market is behaving. Days to offer and percentage off listing price are two characteristics that can clue you into buyer demand for particular types of housing in specific neighborhoods. Bradburn townhouses were on the market for an average of 5 days before going under contract, while detached homes were averaging 47 days (not including new construction). Rising home values have forced some new homeowners to seek out condos and townhouses rather than detached homes, driving that market faster than in decades past. Sellers have also contributed more to the buyers' closing costs in the fourth quarter than the rest of the year, which can be more common in the higher price tranches than the entry level homes. Closing cost credits should be taken into consideration when examining the percentage off listing price; credits can make the final home value appear higher than it actually is.

You can see in the chart below that, although a few sales this way or that way can really change the $/sqft average in any quarter, the trend lines for both attached and detached dwellings are on a healthy upward run.

2017 is still going to be a busy seller year, but appreciation is expected to slow down a bit. The current administration recently rolled back legislation designed to help buyers qualify for FHA backed loans, and if interest rates go up it will decrease the amount of potential buyers. If you'd like a no-obligation Comparative Market Analysis for your home, don't hesitate to contact me!

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Focus on Bradburn Village: The Exchange

Several years ago, I was looking for somewhere new to go and I came across The Exchange Tavern. I settled into a chair next to the fireplace on the back patio with a nice stout. One bite of Irish Nachos and I was hooked.

Gary and Teddi Davis proudly call the Exchange their "baby." Gary is a Broomfield native and Teddi moved here when she was very young. Together, with their children, they still call the city home.

"Broomfield has continued to grow but still has retained its hometown feel," Teddi remarks. "It's a good community to be from and a great place to raise kids."

Technically, the Tavern is in Westminster but serves many Broomfield residents, as well. Back in 2005, there was no such thing as a non-smoking bar in either city. Not smokers themselves, Gary and Teddi decided to fill the gap in the marketplace. They wanted to create a space where people could come, have a drink and linger.

"The name 'Exchange Tavern' is about a place where people can meet to exchange ideas," Teddi explains. "Everything about the pub was designed to create an intimacy that allows you to stay and talk." Batting was placed in some of the walls to absorb sound. The bar was designed to have more corners for easier conversation. The chairs are comfortable and no "table turns" are mandated (table turns are the number of parties that come and go, and the way some restaurants gauge their success).

For the Davises, success is measured, in part, by their growth through the recession. In 2008, they took over the adjacent coffee shop but soon decided that the space was better used to expand the pub. They added a flatbread oven and the back patio and fireplace. Restaurants have the highest failure rate of new business endeavors, and need to bring together all aspects of running a business, from supply chain to hospitality to technology. It's not as easy as just whipping up some great recipes, although the Tavern has those, too. The rustic Irish fare is created by two degreed chefs, using regionally sourced ingredients, organic whenever possible, with gluten-free and dairy-free options.

With Teddi's marketing experience and Gary's engineering background, they've intentionally designed the pub for maximum comfort and efficiency. "Constant reinvention is the key," remarks Teddi. "We've done great things but we've also made mistakes. You have to be adaptable." Wherever she goes she is always on the lookout for ideas to bring back to the pub. The Tavern was the first in the area to offer live music. They've hosted performers such as Wendy Woo, Big Paddy and John Weiss, in addition to their popular trivia nights.

Over the years, about a dozen family members have worked at the Tavern. The team enjoys a camaraderie that enables them to work seamlessly as they serve their guests. Some employees have been there since the Tavern opened, which says a lot about the culture. "I love my job, it doesn't feel like work," says Teddi.

Even better? How the "family" has grown. Teddi says she never expected to become so close with her employees and guests, and get to celebrate important life events with them. The Tavern has seen birthday parties, wedding proposals, books written, campaign announcements, even babies being born (well, labor pains, anyway). HGTV and Discovery Channel have even filmed on location there. The flags hanging over the bar have all been donated by guests and each has a story to go with it.

"This is where life happens," Teddi says with a warm smile. "We've always said, 'We are inviting people into our home.' They become a part of your life - it's pretty special."

The Tavern's location is special, too. Bradburn Village is a mixed-use neighborhood, designed to be pedestrian oriented. Restaurants, shops and parks are only a few minutes away. "The community relationships of Bradburn were why we chose here. We say on the curb and said, 'This is going to be amazing'."

And it is.

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Not to Be Smug...

So it's been over two years since getting solar panels installed on our house by SolarCity and I have a little data to determine the savings benefit.

The panels were installed in August of 2014, though they didn't get fired up until Septmber due to Xcel dragging their feet. In 2013, my Xcel expenses for the year totaled $1,192. In 2014, the total (Xcel plus Solar City) went to $1,117, or a decrease of 6.3%. Considering the panels were installed for just over 4 months I think that's decent. For 2015, my energy bills totaled $931, or a decrease of 16.6% from the year before. Even better is comparing 2013 to 2015, since they were the last full year with no solar and the first full year with solar. That difference is a whopping 21.8%! And that's just with an evaporative cooling system in our home - I was told that if you have central A/C you could see even greater savings.


Our energy bills went up some in 2016, and I'm attributing that to the Nissan Leaf I bought in December of 2015. It's a fully electric vehicle, and I plug in about every other night into a regular outlet to fully charge the car. For 2016, my energy bills were $1133, the highest total during the four years of data. HOWEVER, when you add in the gas I did NOT buy, I cut my total energy expenses by 47% over 2013! That's quite a feat since I've had my busiest year driving clients around in 2016.

I've heard arguments against replacing gas powered vehicles with electric ones, primarily that the car still uses quite a bit of energy to manufacture, and that the battery life will make the car obsolete quicker than a gas model. I can appreciate those arguments, which is partly why we waited until we needed a new car to make the change. Our old car, a 1995 Ford Taurus, was donated to the Make a Wish Foundation (they'll take anything!). As for the batteries, I am hoping that my support of the industry will help hasten battery improvements by the time mine die.

In addition to the personal savings, it's fun to drive. It is responsive and accelerates quickly, and has a much better stereo than the last car (which still had a tape deck), though it doesn't do as well on the snow and ice. But, as Dennis says, the best thing is when you get to say, "I run my car on the sun!"

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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3 Things Banks Check Before Making a Mortgage Loan

Buying a home is a major investment. Make sure you and your credit score are fully prepared for your meeting with the bank. As an Accredited Buyer’s Representative, I always tell my clients that it’s important to get pre-approved. Not only will getting your financial information in order make your home searc more productive, but it will let sellers know that you are a serious buyer.

 3 Things Banks Check Before Making a Mortgage Loan, 2016 REBAC.net

Please let me know if you have other questions about choosing a lender - I know a few who have earned my trust over the years to whom I'd be happy to refer you!

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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FOR SALE: 10001 Melody Drive, Northglenn

Brand new listing in Northglenn - $299,000! When this city first started to grow back in 1959 it was touted as being one of America's greatest home values.  Now they're making headlines again, ranked the third hottest real estate market in the country. Time for you to check it out!

This 1964 trilevel has 3 bedrooms up and 3 bathrooms, including a master bath which isn't always seen in houses of this age. There's an eat-in kitchen as well as a formal dining room. With a total of 2492 square feet, the rooms are spacious with plenty of storage and a partially finished basement for further expansion.

 

The home boasts original hardwood floors on both the main floor and upstairs in the bedrooms. A wood-burning stove in the living room makes the whole floor a warm and inviting space. Close to amenities, schools and easy commuting, this home has great potential as a rental, or settle in with your design ideas and make it your own.

But wait - the best part is the yard! With .22 acres and an adjacent walking trail, the yard feels more like a park. Barbecue on your covered patio, pick grapes directly from the vine, and enjoy the changing leaves on the mature trees. Nothing like outdoor Colorado living!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like a private showing. 

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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Fracking Updates

The anti-fracking movement recently suffered a disappointment when measures failed to make the fall Colorado ballot. Not enough signatures were collected, and some are alleging forgery for many that were collected. The proposals included increased setbacks for new oil and gas facilities from homes and other buildings, as well as more power for local governments to control or restrict the process.

All of the action taken against fracking the past few years has been an uphill battle. The bottom line is this: most of us, especially those in city or suburban areas, do not own the mineral and oil rights under our properties. Typically, those subsurface rights were severed from the properties years ago and sold to oil and gas companies who reserve the right to explore and remove anything they may find worth removing. Both the surface and subsurface owners have an equal right to "enjoy" their interest. In other words, homeowners cannot prevent oil and gas companies from extracting minerals and oil from under their properties. 


The most that can be done is to govern how and when it is mined, since having subsurface rights does not allow that owner to interfere or devalue the rights of those on the surface. Moratoriums on drilling wells have had some success in delaying new facilities from operating, giving cities time to more closely examine the effects of fracking on the environment and residents. These measures have been extremely controversial and have resulted in several lawsuits from the Colorado Oil and Gas Association as well as Colorado's Supreme Court striking down some cities' ordinances. The court ruling does leave opportunities for home rule municipalities to regulate some aspects of oil and gas operations in the future.

Colorado oil and gas permits, courtesy of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

 
Current developments for gas and oil development in the Denver metro area can be found here:

• Boulder County
• City of Brighton 
• City and County of Broomfield
• Town of Erie
• City of Fort Collins
• City of Lafayette 
• City of Longmont  
• City of Thornton

 
image: WildEarth Guardians

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I would love to help you with your real estate journey. 

Please contact me at 303-917-7143 or robbin@stauferteam.com

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