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Online Resources Aren’t Enough When Looking for Your Aurora CO Home

06-24-09
Marianne Bandy
Marianne Bandy: Real Estate Agent in Parker, CO
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  • Office: (303) 746-7799
  • Mobile: (303) 746-7799

internetClose to 90% of home shoppers use the internet in the home-buying process, according to a recent National Association of Realtors survey. At Bandy Homes, we have taken note of this and upgraded our websites to be very user friendly and full of information. Seeing area homes on line familiarizes potential buyers with what is available in the area. It gives you an idea of how much you will get for your money and saves a lot of legwork.

Using the internet when looking for your Denver area home does not mean that you should put off finding a good local agent. Though the internet has revolutionized real estate, few internet shoppers actually make a real estate purchase on line. It's one thing to take a leap of faith and buy a pair of shoes on eBay, but there's a lot more money involved and a lot more long-term consequences for making a bad choice in real estate. Even before a buyer is ready to make a purchase, there are several good reasons to use the expertise only an agent can offer to supplement your internet research.

First, most websites do not offer all the properties available in the area. Agents, however, have access to all listings on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and may even know of other properties that may be coming up for sale in the near future. Popular sites that you might visit such as Realtor.com, Zillow, or Trulia only include part of the listings that are live in the MLS. Your perfect house might be missing from those sites.

Second, if you need to sell your home before you buy another one, you will want to know how much it would sell for. On-line comparative market value analysis can offer you a ballpark figure for how much your property is worth but cannot account for the unique features of your home, the condition, or any other neighborhood variables. Your agent can actually pull up the selling price of other homes in your neighborhood, as well as evaluate your particular home. You may get the word from the agent that your black walls and leaking basement will make the value less, while your deck will justify a higher price.

Third, though you can amass a lot of knowledge about buying or selling a home by reading real estate blogs, market data, and housing news, your local agent can give you information and advice based on your situation and the local market. When it comes to conducting the transaction, your agent also makes sure all the right paperwork is processed and at the right time. You do not want to make a costly mistake based on your inexperience.

Fourth, it's easy to overlook homes for sale by owner (FSBO) in internet searches. As many as 25% of homes for sale do not come up on various sites and are not in the MLS. Your internet search should cast a wide net, including Craigslist, to get a fuller range of what is available FSBO. Your agent might even have a better handle on FSBO properties than you can get on your own.

Fifth, not all listings on the internet are legitimate. Some listings (especially those without pictures) do not really exist, and by clicking on them, you may enable a scammer to gather some information about you. People who do not own property can portray themselves as owners and even collect deposits that will not apply to the property.

The internet is a valuable asset in home buying and selling. When used as a source of background information, it can help you work with your agent to come up with just the right home and just the right offer. But there is no substitute for an experienced, professional real estate agent.

Looking for an agent with local expertise in Aurora, Parker, Castle Rock, and greater Denver? The agents at Bandy Homes will help you bring it all together.

Marianne Bandy

Relocate to Denver

1 Comment
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Tornado in Aurora Colorado

06-09-09
Steven Beam
Steven Beam: Real Estate Agent in Parker, CO
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  • Office: (303) 841-0922 x5145
  • Mobile: (303) 941-4663

This is a really cool photo taken yesterday June 7th, 2009 in the Saddle Rock neighborhood in Aurora, Colorado. Pretty sc ary huh? The news reported several tornadoes in the area and I did get a decent photo of one myself out on the plains east of town but my shot wasn't nearly as good as this one. This is REAL and I love the photo. Steven Beam EMAIL or Call 303-941-4663.


Tornado in Aurora

Search for All homes for sale.

2 Comments
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Cost-Effective Tips To Help Sell a Property

04-19-09
Thomas Recke
Thomas Recke: Inspector in Aurora, CO
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  • Office: (303) 337-6713
  • Mobile: (720) 254-7202
In today’s real estate market, sellers need additional advice on how to cost-effectively prepare their homes in order to sell quickly. With an abundance of homes on the market, waiting several months to sell a home could leave many recession-plagued sellers in financial distress.

For example, in October 2008 the median existing home price was the lowest since March 2004 at $183,200. This means that a home owner who lived in his home for 4-1/2 years is seeing the value of the home as the same or less as when the home was bought (CNNMoney.com, November 2008).

The good news is that although some homes may need extensive upgrades or renovations, many may only require simple changes. For a limited cost, or no cost at all, home sellers can fix their homes to appear more appealing to prospective buyers.

Here are some quick, and inexpensive, fixes to sell a home more quickly:

· Focus on outdoor aesthetics. Cut back overgrown shrubs and plants. Hose down a dusty dirty house. Sweep the driveway, sidewalk and any stairs. Cost: $00.00

· Eliminate odors. Before showing the house, open windows to let fresh air in; use air fresheners or baking soda to rid odors; sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and leave it for at least 10 minutes to make carpets smell clean. Cost: approximately $15.

· Wash windows. Purchase a window cleaning product to avoid professional costs. Clean windows make a home look well-kept and outdoor views more crisp. Cost: approximately $25.

In addition, consider scheduling a prelisting home inspection, an inspection conducted prior to putting the home on the market. These early inspections aid homeowners in identifying problem areas that can be easily repaired. For example, existing electrical, heating, or plumbing systems may need to be upgraded, or mold growth in a basement may require professional advice on how to eliminate dampness.

The home inspector can also suggest additional work to be done and what could be postponed. And, remember, a home inspector is an objective third party consultant who does not stand to profit from work suggested. A good assessment of the current state of a home and its systems will allow for more accurate planning and estimating, as homeowners prepare a home to sell.

6 Comments
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MS Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

04-19-09
Thomas Recke
Thomas Recke: Inspector in Aurora, CO
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  • Office: (303) 337-6713
  • Mobile: (720) 254-7202

Pretty cool windows short cut keys:

CTRL and A Selects all the items in the active window.
CTRL and C Copies the item or items to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V.
CTRL and F Displays the Find all files dialog box.
CTRL and G Displays the Go to folder dialog box.
CTRL and N Displays the New dialog box.
CTRL and O Displays the Open dialog box.
CTRL and P Displays the Print dialog box.
CTRL and S Displays the Save dialog box.
CTRL and V Pastes the copied item or items from the Clipboard.
CTRL and X Cuts the item or items selected to the Clipboard.
CTRL and Z Undoes the last action.
CTRL and F4 Closes the active document window.
CTRL while dragging an item Copy the selected item
CTRL+SHIFT with arrow keys Highlight a block of text
CTRL+F4 Close the active document
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
CTRL and F6 Opens the next document window in the active application.
ALT+ENTER View the properties for the selected item
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT+TAB Switch between the open items
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened
F1 key Gives help on the active window or selected item.
F2 key Rename the selected item
F3 key Search for a file or a folder
F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 key Update the active window
F6 key Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 key Activate the menu bar in the active program
Windows Logo Display or hide the Start menu
Windows Logo+PAUSE Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+D Display the desktop
Windows Logo+M Minimize all of the windows
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M Restore the minimized windows
Windows Logo+E Open My Computer
Windows Logo+F Search for a file or a folder
CTRL+Windows Logo+F Search for computers
Windows Logo+F1 Display Windows Help
Windows Logo+ L Lock the keyboard
Windows Logo+R Open the Run dialog box
Windows Logo+U Open Utility Manager
TAB Move forward through the options
SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the options
CTRL+TAB Move forward through the tabs
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the tabs
ALT+Underlined letter Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option
ENTER Perform the command for the active option or button
SPACEBAR Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
F1 key Display Help
F4 key Display the items in the active list
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
END Display the bottom of the active window
HOME Display the top of the active window
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) Display the contents of the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) Collapse the selected folder
LEFT ARROW Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder
RIGHT ARROW Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder

3 Comments
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What are the big golf balls?

04-10-09
Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022
Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022: Real Estate Agent in Denver, CO
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  • Office: (303) 953-5222
  • Mobile: (303) 589-2022
  • Secondary: (800) 319-7738

Buckley Air Force Base and the Giant Golf Balls

100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 28)


Looking ever so much like golf balls lined up for practice swings from a giant golfer, the picture above shows just some of the 15 protected satellite dishes that Buckley Air Force Base is known for. Visible from Lookout Mountain, the distinctive "Golf Balls" house the communication links that serve the Aerospace Data Facility, one of the many tenants of the 460th Space Wing,which manages Buckley AFB. Other major tenants include the 140th Wing, flying F-16's; the Army Aviation Support Facility; and some 34 other military units, representing every branch of the armed forces (including the Coast Guard), with active, reserve and national guard components in residence. Buckley houses some 10,000 military and civilian employees, and supports some 90,000active and retired military men and women and their dependants.

Buckley has one 11,000 foot runway; capable of servicing every type of aircraft operated the armed forces. Although the growth of Aurora has impacted the base in a few ways, some care has been taken to avoid building residences close to the approach zone of the runway. For the most part the occasional whine of an F-16 or the "thump-thump"sound of an Apache helicopter is more reassuring than irritating.

Neighborhoods in close proximity to Buckley include Murphy Creek (reasonably priced homes on a golf course), Smoky Hill, Saddle Rock, Wheatlands, and a large number of subdivisions in South Aurora and Centennial.

Copyright Kristal Kraft ~ all Rights Reserved

7 Comments