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

We all love to hear from former clients unless of course the conversation begins with, "uh I have a problem with the house." After I jump start my heart I calmly ask about the issue at hand. My buyers just moved into their house a little over a month ago. During a weekend trip to Phoenix and below zero temps here in Colorado, a water pipe leading to the basement burst and started flooding the home.

Luckily the teens stayed behind and when one of them went downstairs they noticed the small Niagara Falls event under way. A quick panic call to Dad and instructions were given to find the tag labeled water main and get the water turned off. I'm forever in debt to my favorite home inspector that labels all valves with plastic tags as a courtesy to new buyers.

The disaster was diverted to a smaller version nightmare and my buyers have removed the initial water, pulled up ruined carpet, peeled off the dripping drywall, and capped the offensive pipe so water could be restored to the home. They now have another trip planned this week and have no one to meet the insurance adjuster. I was the first person that came to mind for her to call. She knew that I was there for the process but my service and commitment go beyond the closing to whatever, whenever, I'm needed. Of course I'll meet the adjuster and I'll negotiate as though I'm in the heat of battle. I'm pleased that my buyer felt confident in calling knowing that my level of commitment goes above and beyond and our relationship is for life.

Unless Santa disturbs the jet stream it's looking like a pretty dry Christmas for those of us in Colorado Springs this year. That's OK because whether it's wet or dry the sun will shine and the beauty of Pikes Peak will abound Christmas morning. Travelers will be able to get to destinations without making new acquaintances and exchanging insurance details!

My family is here minus just one and I'll be on the phone to her bright and early to share in her day. The satellite will work not interupted by storm winds and clouds so an afternoon football game might just be on the agenda.

If the temps break 50 we might just break out the Goldwing and enjoy an early ride to Garden of the Gods taking advantage of the tremendous photo opportunities here. For us the joy of sharing time together as a family far exceeds any gift exchange that will take place.

So even though we might not get to enjoy the magic of a white Christmas this year in Colorado Springs, we will still enjoy the beauty of the Rockies, the joy of family, and blessings we've had through the year. Merry Christmas to my Active Rain friends.

I show a lot of REO properties and I can tell you it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the ones with heat on and electricity for lights get a lot more attention from buyers than those that are freezing with dark foreboding spaces. I carry a Mag light for the homes without electricity but my buyers usually won't even venture into the basement if they are shivering on the first floor.

How much can a monthly bill be to minimally heat a home to at least 65 degrees? In Colorado Springs the REO contractors I talk to all say that the banks will reimburse for the electric bills at closing- so why not turn on the heat and lights so buyers can at least peruse the home without fear of frostbite. Chances are the home will receive a contract during the winter months if warm and inviting instead of having to wait until spring to capture attention, so the cost of heating the place outweighs price decreases for days on market.

From my observations the average time a buyer will spend in a vacant property with no heat or lights is about 5 minutes and they won't even investigate all the rooms. By the time they hit the kitchen their noses are running, the cold has stimulated the need for a bathroom, and there is NO discussion about where to place the furniture. On the other hand a home that at least has lights and heat will capture their attention for about 15-20 minutes and sometimes longer if they are considering how to overcome some of the obvious defects and cosmetic pitfalls. That property will at least get on the short list. From my perspective there is really no benefit to turning off electricity in vacant properties if the seller is serious about closing during the winter season in Colorado.

At the base of Pikes Peak and the gateway to Ute Pass and the Rocky Mountains, lies a charming section of Colorado Springs adoringly referred to as Old Colorado City. Here one can meander through a seemingly endless row of privately owned businesses including art galleries, cafes, eclectic souvenir shops, antique stores, and southwestern décor suppliers. Many of the shops are housed in turn of the century Victorians and brick buildings restored through the years but holding onto those architectural details that capture the essence of 19^th century Colorado Springs.

This area is a draw for tourists looking for some small token of their Colorado adventure and in the summer the streets are filled with visitors strolling from shop to shop seeking the ones that capture the flavor of the Ute Indian culture and the southwestern décor. The shops are open year round and locals enjoy the unhurried interaction with owners during the winter season sometimes stopping to enjoy a fresh cup of tea or hot apple cider. In my opinion, the corner stone and most famous attraction is the Michael Garman Gallerywhich is a must see on anyone's visitor agenda. I've lived here for years and still make it a point to drop in whenever in the area. This week as I was doing a little Christmas shopping for family, I had the pleasure of interacting with Michael as he stepped out from behind his Magic Town display inside the store. It's always a thrill to meet the master behind this intriguing ingenious artistic creation.

As a Realtor I love this area of Colorado Springs because the eclectic mix of homes in the neighborhood is as individual as the personalities of the residents. Rows upon rows of Victorians mixed with unique Bungalows and Craftsman style line the streets behind the shops and make for one of the most unique districts to be found anywhere in the country. Even one bedroom cottages no larger than 650 square feet are eagerly purchased by those desiring to be within walking distance of the culture and flavor of the neighborhood. Old Colorado City should be on every visitor itinerary to the Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak area allowing one to enjoy the picturesque venture back into yesteryear where shop owners greet you at the door and make you feel welcome as though you were an old friend dropping by for a visit.

This year I've been working on transitioning from the old cliché of "meet me in my office" to "let's get together for coffee." I'm finding that new clients are much more comfortable meeting with me in a more relaxed atmosphere where they feel more in control.

I have several options in Colorado Springs for great meeting places depending upon where in town my clients are most likely to be coming from. There is Serrano's coffee on north Academy with great coffee and comfortable seating, or of course one of the several billion Starbucks although I'm not happy with the lack of free Internet so it's not my first choice. Pikes Perk downtown is great but not many of my clients are in the downtown hub. My favorite however, has become one of several Panera Bread shops around town. They are strategically located, have fast free Internet, comfortable seating, great coffee, and best of all a new My Panera card to rack up points for free food!

The perception of getting trapped behind closed doors for hours in my office has been a challenging hurdle to overcome in getting that first connection with some of my new clients. The web driven new clients are the least likely to follow through on meeting at the office. My success rate has jumped exponentially when I offer to meet with them in a more relaxed atmosphere over a cup of coffee. It's a public place, lots of exits, no locked office doors, and good eats- sounds pretty safe.

The initial interview becomes much more relaxed- just good conversation over a cup of java. I'm taking notes of course but we are just talking in a comfortable environment. If I need to jump online to show them some properties or maybe get them connected into my portal then we can do it right there. I'm also in a safe environment if I feel these are not the type of clients I want to work with- oops I'm late for my next appointment.