Evergreen, CO

da Vinci Realty, a family owned real estate brokerage located in Downtown Evergreen, Colorado, achieved a record year with an increase in business by 40% over our best year (2010)! Chris M. Vinci, owner of da Vinci Realty, has been licensed in Colorado since 2004 and takes great pride in working his tail off for Buyers and Sellers within the Foothills and Denver Metro area. In 2011, Chris helped 20 families achieve their real estate goals. Some day Chris will have an assistant to help him. Evidence of the trust Chris has earned in the Evergreen/Conifer mountain community, da Vinci Realty was voted by Mountain Connection readers to the 2011 “Best Of” list in the Home Category. Chris attributes his success, in part, to the recent innovation of his website: www.CoMountainLiving.com, his “Premier” and “All Star” status designated in 2011 by Zillow (the most used real estate website by buyers and sellers), and his high level of education that has certified him as a “Specialist” in Residential, Luxury and Mountain properties. The media may be describing a down economy but the substantial increase in business for da Vinci Realty in 2011 indicates the real estate market is on the move UP.”

Cyber Safety for Online Holiday Shopping

In this week's tip of the week, I have several tips on how to stay safe if you are shopping online for the holidays.

These tips will not only keep you safe, but will make sure your personal information is not stolen and that you don't receive unwanted email spam.

DU Refinance Plus

The new DU Refinance Plus guidelines are being released soon. Enhancements will include unlimited loan-to-value ratios which means anyone with a Fannie Mae Owned mortgage can take advantage of the program.

What is DU Refinance Plus?

The DU Refinance Plus program is a government-sponsored program under the Home Affordable Refinance initiative, that allows home owners with Fannie Mae owned mortgage that originated prior to May, 2009, to refinance into lower rates,

- New DU Refinance Plus loan will not have mortgage insurance. Your current Fannie Mae loan must also not have mortgage insurance.

- Owner occupied, second homes, and investment properties qualify.

- If a reliable AVM or Automated Valuation Method (computer appraisal) is available on your home, no appraisal will be required. Regardless of your home's current value, you can still take advantage of the DU Refinance Plus program.

- Reduced documentation requirements may be included in the DU Refinance Plus enhancements, making qualifying much easier.

- Must be on time with your mortgage payments for the past 6 months and no more than one 30 day late over the past 12 months.

- Reduce your term on the DU Refinance Plus (for example go from 30 year fixed to 20 year fixed) and get an even better deal.

Call us today with your DU Refinance Plus questions or to see if you qualify! We are specialists on the DU Refinance Plus program and have helped many families since the program was released.

*** Note, do not confuse the DU Refinance Plus program or the Home Affordable Refinance initiative with the Home Affordable Modification program. A modification is a re-structuring of your mortgage by your current lender. Many times, you must be behind on your mortgage payments in order to qualify for a modification. With the DU Refinance Plus program, you can't be currently late and must have a clean history with maximum one 30 day late over the past 12 months to qualify.

Don't make this mistake!

Rob Harris of USHealthGroup joins me for this week's tip of the week on how to avoid paying double for your health insurance bills.

This is a common mistake that I know I was making and you probably are too. No one needs to pay MORE for health insurance!

Monday was another golf tournament with the group I belong to called F.I.S.A. We get to play a different course every three to four weeks.

Monday’s tournament was at Hiwan Country Club in Evergreen, Colorado. Even though they were calling for thunderstorms in the mountains, the rain somehow skirted around us. It was perfect weather with temperatures in the low 80’s and blue skies most of the time.

My business partner, Belinda, wasn’t too thrilled that I took the day off to play golf after just returning from a Yellowstone vacation. But, I bought her lunch today and she was fine.

Luckily she has a short memory when it comes to these kinds of things.

Just look at the view I had in my office Monday.