Colorado Gives Day

Sometimes life gets away from us, and we are so busy tending to our lives and loved ones that we forget those who might be struggling. I believe in giving back to the community that allows me to have a career in real estate through volunteering and giving charitably. During the year I do have occasions to donate to programs like Crayons to Calculators and Meals on Wheels, but I know that many non-profits rely on events like Colorado Gives Day to refill their coffers. This year, I tried to find a variety of causes in several areas within which I've worked:

Boulder Emergency Squad - A volunteer technical search and rescue team serving the people of Boulder County.  BES is dedicated to the preservation of life and property. BES is the primary dive rescue agency for Boulder County and works closely with the Sheriff's department, EMS, and fire-rescue agencies providing mutual-aid support for a variety of technical rescue incidents and emergency situations.

Broomfield FISH - The mission of Broomfield FISH is to meet our neighbor's basic human needs and provide them with hope and tools to rise out of poverty. FISH provides food, emergency financial assistance, and one-on-one mentoring support to Broomfield residents in need.

Community Reach Center - Through the passion and training of our employees, unwavering commitment to evidence-based practices, advanced technology, collaboration with community partners and provision of services in locations that are most convenient to access, we will provide the quality of mental and physical health services that enhances the lives of our clients and the well-being of our communities.

Habitat for Humanity - Partners with people in your community, and all over the world, to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage and achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families.

Foothills Animal Shelter - Dedicated to providing support to Jefferson County through education, services that strengthen the human-pet bond, and human care for the animals we serve. Our values include a commitment to stewardship, positive culture, an innovative and inclusive environment, and relationship building.

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

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

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Setting the Stage

Staging a property to sell is more than adding a few candles and throw pillows.  It's about maximizing a home's best features and minimizing the less than ideal.  This can involve such things as rearranging furniture to improve traffic flow, harmonizing a room's color palette, removing clutter and distracting items, and guiding potential buyers to see themselves living in the home.

Vacant properties are a wonderful opportunity to bring personality to a clean canvas.  Sometimes, sellers are hesitant to spend money renting furnishings for staging as they aren't sure they will see a return.  However, there is plenty of evidence that staged homes sell faster, and the sooner homes go under contract, the more likely they are to get a higher price.  Properly sized and placed furniture can reveal just how large a room is, and what the best use for a space might be.  Randomly placed plants or chairs add nothing and might even detract from the space.

From a recent showing in Denver - an example of what not to do...

Staging doesn't always have to cost big money, though.  As part of my listing services, I provide a professional stager early in the process to consult with the seller.  We take a tour of the property together, making a list of items that should be repaired or improved, and our recommendations for priority.  The seller can then decide which items to tackle before listing the property.  Paying attention to items before listing usually gets the seller more money - if a seller identifies an item needing attention, he can repair it.  If a buyer finds it during inspection, they may want it replaced instead.

Cleaning, decluttering and painting to make the best first impression possible is important.  If a buyer sees a lot of repair items - even small ones - they will begin to mentally subtract those costs from their offer price.  Additionally, they may begin to worry that there are other items they can't see that have been neglected, possibly discouraging them from making an offer at all.

The final stage before listing involves the stager coming back to stage the property for photographs and showings.  She will use some of the furnishings that are already there and add to them with other things she feels are in keeping with the character of that particular home.  A well-staged home can make buyers want the lifestyle represented and make an emotional connection with the property.  Remember - the way a home looks while you are living in it is often much different from the way it should look when it is up for sale, just like how your children look when they come back from the park and when you ready them for family portraits.

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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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Colorado Ranks 6th Best for the "New Economy"

With a score of 81.4 out of 100, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has ranked Colorado in the top 10 states in the nation for the "new economy." ITIF, a nonprofit think tank, defines the new economy as, "marked by globalization, technological innovation and entrepreneurial development."

ITIF used 25 indicators in 5 categories to asses a state's ability to adapt to more a technological culture and encourage development.  The categories are knowledge jobs, globalization, economic dynamism, digital economy and innovation capacity.  The Foundation indicated that states are better focusing on high quality innovation than incentive packages to bring new companies in.  Policy makers need to support measures that prioritize retaining high-skilled workers, access to education and laboratories, and research and development.

Colorado came in 6th behind Massachusetts (#1), Delaware, California, Washington and Maryland.  Colorado's strengths were listed as workforce education, initial public offerings and high-tech jobs.  If you're looking to move here, I've helped many families get to know Colorado and find a great house in the Denver and Boulder areas.  Through listing alerts, local news articles and property previews, I'd be happy to help you with your search.

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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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