Lorraine Sayer Realtor ABR,CDPE,GRI Colorado Springs,CO RE/MAX advantage

Caring Bridge.org: Blogging for Those Fighting for Their Lives and Living for the Moment!

I just signed up for my log in with CaringBridge.org and left a message for the niece of a dear friend- Kara is 6 years old and just diagnosed with leukemia. Today she will wake up and see her new messages and I’m hoping my few words from Colorado cheer and encourage her.

CaringBridge is an amazing site that lets family and friends keep up with daily highs and lows of someone’s struggle with illness and send encouraging words to be read over and over again. It’s less obtrusive than the phone when sleep is at a premium or schedules are geared around appointments and tests. It allows updates at the click of a mouse with accuracy in details and photo options. Requests can be sent worldwide and prayer warriors can engage at a moments notice.

The therapeutic outlet for patients enduring the daily battle can not be underestimated. It’s a place to cry, scream, rant, or shout for joy with each and every battle won no matter how minute. It’s a place to leave words of encouragement and helpful hints to those that are just entering the chaos from those that have traveled further down the path earning the right to be called experienced.

Most importantly CaringBridge gives those quiet heroes a voice to be heard and remembered. It gives loved ones a place to join hands through cyberspace and embrace each other through an uninvited and unexpected journey. It provides a sense of community in an otherwise foreign land, verifies that one is not alone, and places a beautiful face upon the hearts of those of us lucky enough to read their humble words.

Free RC Bashing Track Available in Colorado Springs

For those die hard RC enthusiasts there is a gem of a track located off Templeton Gap Road next to the Church for All Nations building. The track has been designed specifically by local RC racers in Colorado Springs providing not only a great platform with jumps and hair pin turns but an awesome viewing podium overseeing the track.

The area provides some great photo opportunities with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and clear blue sky of Colorado and ample parking is available within steps of the track as it’s just one turn off Templeton Gap. The donation can presents a no hassle way to thank the overseers allowing for essentially free access to an amazing RC track. It’s just one more way to get outdoors and experience Colorado Springs.

Take Caution with Your Copper Pipes

Homeowners beware: copper thieves are seeking an easy buck by dismantling and removing copper pipes and wiring from unsuspecting owners. I just Googled the price of scrap copper and came up with a place in Denver that pays $2.99 per pound of scrap copper and $1.79 for wire. Apparently that’s enticing enough for thieves to stand up and take action.

One of my past clients contacted me this week letting me know there was a break in at their 1940’s downtown bungalow but they were confused as to what vandals wanted. Hearing that all the cabinets in the garage were in upheaval and the furnace was turned with pipes missing- I knew who lurked behind this job and they came with tools to get what they were after.

Although this is one of the more unpleasant byproducts of our current economic situation, it is something to be more aware of especially for vacation and vacant home owners. This might be a good time to put in a plug for home security systems.

For the vacant home sellers we have an amazing solution here in Colorado Springs. A company called Caretakers of America that will place screened caretakers in a vacant home, stage the home, and pay utilities while the home is marketed. This has been a successful venture for many owners and a viable solution to several issues concerning vacant properties including home insurance. As for Realtors it’s the perfect solution to a win win on the marketing side: compliant caretakers and a staged home.

Holding an open house is considered a tactic of that “old time Realtor” by the young and techie in the industry, however, there is still a number of buyers that enjoy that casual face to face interaction delivered during an open house; especially if that open house feeds the curiosity of those seeking to explore the potential of a foreclosed property. Current media hype, investment property home shows, and consumer awareness have created a niche for open houses untapped by most Realtors- Foreclosures.

Every neighborhood has them so the options are endless for Realtors to choose good subjects for the open house. Preview the home to make sure it would be a suitable property for visitors. I tend to choose those properties that clearly just need some cosmetic overhauling, with good access, and in areas that have increased activity or unique features that would attract the masses.

There are multiple resources for FREE advertising including Craig list, Facebook, Google +, Twitter, and Linked In (this is where the “old timers” mesh with the tech savvy young’uns). Let the public know it’s a Foreclosed property and watch the curious start to arrive. Invite the neighbors and engage them in the opportunity to find a new owner for the home.

I advertised my most recent endeavor with “Foreclosure Open House Weekend”. The simple addition of foreclosure brought in more visitors than just the mundane ad “open house” My approach was to sit the same property both Saturday and Sunday for short durations letting the Saturday visitors know I’d be back Sunday and asking if they would invite someone they knew that would enjoy viewing a foreclosed property as much as they did. This simple call to action proved to be my best marketing tactic and did in fact bring in Sunday visitors.

Business generated from this weekend included buyers that were actively out looking for homes for sale in the Stetson Hills area as well as several Fort Carson military relocation referrals from the active duty neighbors that dropped in for a visit. Those few minutes of interaction allowed the opportunity to build credibility with my market knowledge for the Stetson Hills area, my experience with military relocation, and introduce my personality building a face to face relationship that could take months on the net. Taking advantage of market trends and consumer interest in foreclosures is a practical method for prospecting for future clients in today’s market place.

Colorado Springs is many things: home to the Air Force Academy, the city at the base of Pikes Peak, a mecca of American history centered around the Gold Rush, and according to US News, “one of the best places to retire.”

What it’s not is immune to the economic woes engulfing the entire country especially those caught in the upside down trap created as a result of the Real Estate bubble. Increasing numbers of home sellers are falling victim to what I call the “cash shortage” dilemma while in the midst of marketing their property for sale amongst the wave of Foreclosures and short sales. As sales prices have to be decreased to keep pace with the market the sellers fall victim to coming up short on cash needed at closing to complete the transaction, especially if the home was purchased at the peak of the bubble in 2006.

Realtors in Colorado Springs must be versatile enough to assist sellers in transitioning from what is called a regular sale to a short sale based upon competitive pricing and a seller’s ability to “come to the table” with enough cash to complete the transaction. When the sales price drops below that mark their Realtor needs to have the knowledge and resources to change gears to a short sale immediately and now assist the seller with a whole new arena.

Hiring a Realtor adapt at listing short sales and willingness to embrace that arena creates a hiccup in the sale process instead of a crisis. Knowing the comfort level and current market expertise is a critical step to the initial interview process when considering who to partner with in the sale of a home. What may seem inconceivable at the onset of marketing can spiral to harsh reality within a few short weeks. The last thing a seller needs when in the midst of processing the situation is to hear from their Realtor that they don’t know how or want to “market a short sale.”

To reach a Colorado Springs Realtor that is an expereinced short sale agent contact Lorraine Sayer ABR,CDPE,GRI