In spite of national real estate market "doom and gloom" reports, Denver buyers have a golden opportunity to buy at (or near) the bottom. The average price for single family housing across the metro area was $281,203, a drop from December's $287,874. The median price for a single family home is down by 8.1 percent from last January to $216,950 from $236,000 and from $220,000 in December 2007.
Condos also dropped to an average price of $165,510 from $170,440 in December, a drop of 2.9%. Median price dropped a whopping 13% from $154,900 in December to $134,000. Condos are a bargain now and are taking less time to sell because of buyer demand. But buyers can still expect to pay 97% of list price for condos and 96% for single family homes.
Interest rates are low (conventional loans were at 5.625% for well-qualified buyers as of February 6, 2007, from our preferred lender, RateOne, The Mortgage People). Housing supply is as high as it's been in awhile at 18,716. Homes are more affordable. Denver's economy is steady and jobs are expected to increase this year. The unemployment rate in December was 4.5%, a half-percent lower than the national rate of 5%. 22,000 new jobs are expected in Colorado in 2008, and foreclosures are expected to drop by about 9% according to Patty Silverstein, Chief Economist for the Metro Denver Development Corporation.
New home builders, faced with a sizeable inventory of unsold homes in early 2007, have pared the excess to virtually nothing. In the 4th quarter of 2007 starts of single family new homes and condos dropped to 1,611, the "lowest quarterly starts in the seven years that Metrostudy has gathered information for the metro area" according to the Rocky Mountain News (Metro new-home sales, starts "worst in 20 years", February 7, 2008).
The Denver market is not in the same situation as many cities. We're still riding out the effects of the mortgage crisis which led to so many foreclosures, but values haven't dropped nearly as much as the rest of the country. Values dropped about 2% in 2007 and are expected to drop another 3% overall in 2008. Contrast that with Orange County, California (suburban Los Angeles) which dropped 10.2% or Boston a 13.3% drop.
Many parts of the country have suffered a double whammy with the real estate bubble bursting together with the number of foreclosures rising which put a downward push on prices. Denver's bubble burst in 2001, but values remained steady until 2007 when they began to drop. 2006 values increased an average of 2.7%, while values at the end of 2007 had dropped by 2%, a difference of 4.7%.
Denver's cost of living makes it an easy choice over higher cost areas like both coasts. According to CNNMoney.com it costs 57% less to live in Denver than in San Jose; 53% less than in San Diego; 61% less than in San Francisco; and 20% less than Seattle. If you live in the east, it will cost 51% less than in Washington, D.C.; 36% less than in Boston; 72% less than in New York; 26% less than in Philadelphia.
For buyers coming from the south and the midwest, Denver could cost more. It costs 14% more in Denver than in Atlanta; 49% more than in Houston; 41% more than in Dallas; 29% more than in Dayton, Ohio; 22% more than in Rochester, MN, and 23% more than in Boise. But living in Denver still costs 17% less than in Chicago, 16% percent less than in Portland, and a whopping 56% less than in Los Angeles..
You'll need to do your due diligence to compare cost of living between your city and Denver at websites like Sperling's Best Places, or CNNMoney, BankRate.
Having an Exclusive Buyers Agent to find the best buys will shore up your buying ability by representing your best interests - finding the best home at the lowest possible price, and saving you time and hassles. See client references Phone numbers available upon request. Call Judith Clausen now at 303-587-3509 to help you find your new home in Denver. Check out the Buyers Advantage website for info and home searches.
Congress Park is a charming urban neighborhood full of Craftsman style homes and Denver Squares. Close to downtown Denver and Cherry Creek, it is one of central Denver's most desirable neighborhoods. Tree-lined streets, friendly neighbors, parks and the Denver Botanic Gardens all offer an ambience of welcoming urban presence. Restaurants, coffee shops, quaint retail stores and new brick urban-feel condos add to the mix.
*Congress Park Real Estate Prices for December 2007
41 detached single family homes were sold with a median list price of $398,500. On average homes took 61 days to sell and sold for a median price of $395,000. Median price is a better measure of sold price than average, which is skewed by a few high-priced homes at the top end and low-priced homes at the bottom. Lowest sold price for detached single family homes was $171,500; highest sold price was $825,000. For condos and townhomes (attached family homes) the lowest sold price was $99,900 while the highest was $500,000. The median sold price was $141,500, and the average was $174,528.
The ratio of sold to list price was 97.78% for detached homes. The ratio of sold to original price was 93.47%. The net sold (after seller concessions such as down payment or closing cost assistance, and the like) to original list price was 93.97%. To simplify, if a seller originally listed their home at $300,000, they realized $281,910 from the sale.
By the time the property sold, the sold to list price was 97.40%.
*Data from July 1-December 31, 2007
Call Judith Clausen at 303-587-3509 if you'd like more information about Congress Park homes for sale, or go to Buyers Advantage Real Estate of Metro Denver, Inc. to search for homes.
Good news for Denver home buyers according to the chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®.
Lawrence Yun spoke to area REALTORS® yesterday (January 16, 2008) at a meeting of the Jefferson County Association of REALTORS® in Lakewood, Colorado, citing "irrational pessimism" on the part of buyers for what may be holding back a recovery in the Denver real estate market.
Denver has been the canary in the coal mine since 1991 when it began to recover from the housing slump beginning in the 1980s. Double-digit increases in value in the 1990s followed the S & L crisis, presaging a recovering housing market throughout the early 2000s in the rest of the country. The dot com failures of the early 2000s began a downturn in the Denver real estate market in 2001, much earlier than nationally. Prices stayed steady from 2001 to 2006, and only began dropping in the last quarter of 2007. The drop has been minimal compared to the rest of the country, and isn't expected to last.
Is that canary still a reliable precursor for the rest of the country? Only time will tell.
In early 2008 conditions are optimal for Denver home buyers. Interest rates are at a 45 year low point, prices are lower than they've been in recent months, inventory is high. The "credit crunch" doesn't apply to home buyers who have good credit and a down payment. Colorado just posted the fourth straight annual gain in jobs and the lowest unemployment figures in years (3.8%). Job growth for 2008 is expected to be 2.4%. Unemployment in Colorado is lower than the nation at 4.5% for December. Now is the time to take those home buying plans off the back burner while sellers are making hefty concessions.
If you're thinking about buying a home in Denver, be sure to hire your own Denver Exclusive Buyer's Agent. The fee comes from the transaction at closing paid by the listing agent. Sellers have representation, and so should you. Call Judith Clausen, Broker/Owner of Buyers Advantage Real Estate of Metro Denver at 303-587-3509 or email Judith@Buyers-Advantage.net to see how you can save money and avoid the pitfalls of buying a metro Denver home.
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Exclusive buyer representation for buyers relocating to Denver or moving locally. Advocating ONLY for you, not the seller, providing expert guidance through the complexities of buying a home in Denver
Buyers Advantage Real Estate is my professional creation. Years of experience taught me that buyers and sellers need special representation and a REALTOR® of their own they can trust, so I decided to develop my own business as an Exclusive Buyer Agent brokerage. I’ve been in business in Denver for many years, first in property management and then as a broker associate in a large real estate firm before I established my own business. I’m a member of the
I work hard for my clients to save them money. If I can negotiate $5.000 off the price of a home, that doesn't include the additional build-up of equity amortization for paying less for the original loan amount, and that's much more than the original $5,000. Why would I do this when I'm paid by commission and a higher price would mean a higher commission for me? First, as an Exclusive Buyer's Agent I'm legally obligated to represent the best interests of my clients above any other interests, including my own! And -- the difference in commission for negotiating $5,000 off the price of the house is only $140! I want my clients to be satisfied. Their good will and word of mouth are good advertising, worth much more than whatever I save them. My goal is to save my clients as much money as possible when making what may be the biggest purchase of a lifetime. I save clients liability and pitfalls they may not be able to avoid simply because they don't have the knowledge and experience to know what those issues might be.
Real estate is a second career for me – I’m an ordained minister. In my years as chaplain and pastor I learned about listening to and understanding people’s needs. Serving people wanting or needing to buy their home is a very special ministry for me. I want to work with people I like and who need my professional help, people who will trust me to be their REALTOR®. I have two grown sons and a granddaughter. My spouse is a retired university professor. We love to spend time in the mountains – we go there as often as possible. And we both like to garden. And to travel. I continue in ministry as a consultant to the Department of Pastoral Care at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood.
Well, that’s it – that’s me. Can I help you better than any other REALTOR® in the Denver area? I think so! That’s my job and my passion, it’s what gives me satisfaction.
Only an Exclusive Buyer Agent (often called an Exclusive Buyer's Agent, or EBA) can GUARANTEE to represent you in your home purchase. Only an EBA can GUARANTEE to negotiate on your behalf.
An EBA provides the true facts as to value, market/neighborhood conditions, and obvious physical defects. The high level of negotiation training and expertise of an EBA truly levels the playing when it is time to make an offer on a property.
Because an EBA only represents buyers and does not have in-house or company listings, a seller is always unaware of the price buyers are willing to spend during the negotiation process, bringing the advantage back to the buyer and the buyer's wallet. For this reason alone, it is very common to save thousands of dollars during the critical negotiation process.
An EBA will insist that the buyer utilize a qualified home inspector who will treat the buyer as their client, and not as a customer.
Listing agents (the ones with the sign in the front yard) and the company that they work for represent the SELLER, not the buyer. Their job is to get the SELLER the highest price on the best terms.
An EBA`s job is to get the BUYER the lowest price on the best terms.
EBAs will do a better job for people who are relocating than anyone else. They will give you the facts, good and bad. A listing agent cannot tell you about many things that would be detrimental for the BUYER because they work for the SELLER.
An EBA will help you with your financing alternatives. They may advise you to be pre-approved by a lender. Why? Because a fully approved loan makes you a cash buyer. EBA's have a legal and ethical obligation to put your interests first!
It just makes sense!
I love helping clients find their new home and facilitating their move. See what some of my clients say about working with me. Of course, I have more clients than show up here, but you have to put a limit on it somewhere! --Judith Clausen
This young physician and his family (T. K.'s a public health nurse) were first-time homebuyers who found their ideal home after much looking. It's a 4-bedroom, 2 bath, 3,520 square foot home in Greenwood Village, Colorado. It has what they were looking for -- a walk-out finished basement, a spacious kitchen with a breakfast room overlooking the family room, a striking brick fireplace, and even a central vacuum system. Their lovely home on a tree-lined street will provide plenty of room for this new family of three.
"Judith was very helpful in teaching us first time home buyers what to look for in a home. She was patient and very responsive to our questions." T. K. and Sonam
"Judith was an ideal agent for a first-time homebuyer like me. She was very reassuring and created a comfortable atmosphere for a very intimidating process. She was patient with my many questions and safeguarded my interests from start to finish. Thank you!" Bridget D., Capitol Hill, Denver, CO
"Thank you so much for your help! We could never, ever have done it without your guidance and excellent advice. (Heather at closing: "You were perfect!")"
Mike and Heather, Denver, CO
"We were first-time homebuyers and didn't know much about the process. It was very valuable to have someone on our team who knew the system so well and negotiated so effectively. Hiring a Buyer's Agent was a good decision and Judith did a great job!" Chris and Lynn, Denver, CO
"Judith is a great listener and has become a very good friend! She is one cool "gen-xer! Enthusastically recommend."
Barby and Adam T., Ken Caryl Ranch, Lakewood, CO
"As first-time bomebuyers Judith made us feel comfortable. She provided info and support while allowing us to make our own decisions. She is very easy to work with. We are very happy!!"
Brian and Heather P., Englewood, Colorado
"Buying our house from out of state, our real estate selling agent back home knew exactly the type of service that we would be requiring from our buying agent in Denver so she hand chose Judith for us. I know this was a researched and unbiased choice, Judith was not even a member of the same agency. Living in another state, we were very attracted to technical services that Judith was willing to offer, including her promise to preview and photograph houses and having the photos online for me to view within hours, which she did. One of the first points of her significant help was very early on when I had obtained a prequalification with one loan agency, Judith convinced me to at least try one other to have a comparison. This action not only gave us a better rate, but it brought to light some incorrect information on our credit report that we were able to correct in time for the loan. 
The hard work, great service and personal attention that Judith showed us in the looking process gave me enough confidence to sign a contract on a house without seeing it for myself. She knew our budget and pushed hard to find something within that range. As the hunting process turned long and looked dim, she was still very honest with every house that she viewed for us, even when I was excited about something that I had viewed on the internet and she new from our lengthy conversations and one brief meeting what to warn me about so that I would have a clear understanding of the complete package.
When Judith finally found the perfect house for our family, in the price range that we were looking for, she wasted no time helping us through the contracting procedures. This was the second house that my husband and I had purchased during our marriage. The first purchase was made when we were younger and it was very uncomplicated. That is why the obstacles that we encountered on this purchase came as a shock and stress factor at almost every turn. Judith was there to help us through all of it. We appreciated Judith's experienced advice and support through the entire month of our roller coaster contract. She helped us deal with problems that included our seller threatening to back out at every turn, handling completely unforeseen issues that came up at our inspection and getting us through many paperwork delays on our closing. We literally did not know if we would still be able to purchase the house 10 minutes past the start time of our closing appointment.
I would recommend Judith for any buyer in any special situation." --Christina T., Northglenn
"You are a "real person" who helped us buy a house. You honestly looked out for us and patiently helped us find the right house. No pressure. You made our experience of buying a house from an outside state a pleasure.--Glenn and Sarita B., Aurora I was very impressed (and sometimes surprised) at how quickly you responded to my e-mails and how quickly you answered my questions. In fact, it was your quick response to my initial inquiry that led me to select you in the first place. I had sent out several requests for information while I was in Kazakhstan, but yours was the first (and more thorough) response. I was impressed with your knowledge of the areas and your objectivity as we were looking. I was very grateful for the connection to the lender and the creative financing that she was able to come up with. I also liked all the information that you emailed to me while I was out of country. You always seemed to be available. And, I don’t know how accurate, but I got the impression that we working more off mutual trust rather than the formal buyer’s agreement. I liked that. I would definitely recommend you to someone. One criticism was that initially when I had listed our requirements, I received a lot of stuff that didn’t seem to meet what we were looking for. Having said that, however, our requirements were often pretty specific, and they varied quite a bit as time progressed and we learned more." --Randy H., Bonnie Brae, Denver Colorado
"We appreciated your services and enthusiasm, your overall knowledge of real estate in the Denver area and walking with us through the home buying process -- financing, inspections, builder meetings, etc. We love our home! --Linda and Merritt W., Denver Buyer's Advantage Realty lives up to its name. The buyer has a strong advantage with Judith as the realtor. She treated us as important members of a team. She stands behind what she says. She talks with us frequently and keeps us informed. She combines the best qualities of a realtor - knowledge, experience, integrity and a good sense of humor. With Judith on your side, the entire realty experience becomes the team effort it should be." --A.B. C., Denver
"Thank you for helping us with all the details of buying a newly built home. Luckily, we took your advice in hiring our own inspector. He saved us thousands! We are so thankful that we had you to represent us, not the builder. We LOVE our new home." --Tim and Katrina M., Golden
"I can't thank you enough for finding my home for me while I was in Minnesota. Your follow-through with having the sellers do repairs and include the appliances, as well as giving me phone contacts to get insurance, were all things that were in addition to finding the right home. Your ability to take care of the closing without my presence saved me from having to fly from Minnesota to Colorado many times. You are a miracle worker!" --Connie C., Littleton Colorado
"We enjoyed the personal touch you brought to the whole experience, from historical facts about Denver to your insights about its neighborhoods. Thanks again for helping us find a new home! The best thing about your service was the interest you showed in us personally. During our trips to Denver we both felt like we were traveling not just with a realtor but a friend. We also appreciated the additional services you provided (website links, loan companies, service professionals, etc.) -- Brian S. & Scot O.
Thanks for strongly recommending the buyers warranty! Because of the warranty we were able to get a brand new refrigerator for only $100! We’re going to put your name on it!!! --Sue E. & Nancy K., Thornton
It's kind of funny when you think how mad I was with Shaun for setting up the first appointment with you since we were technically working with someone else. Boy am I ever glad we went with you instead!" -- Lynn M. and Shaun B., Aurora Colorado
"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all your help with the house!" --Jan and Rob F., Aurora Colorado
"Thank you for the good job you did for us. We like our new home very much." --Dahlia and Art F., Highlands Ranch Colorado
"We appreciate all the hard work you did to find us a handicap-accessible home. Not every Realtor can find just the right home for clients living in another part of the world without their ever having seen it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! We love it!"
--Don & Sharon R., Denver
"Your service made the tough process of moving from the east coast to Colorado much easier. You made sure that every detail was seen to and the entire process went as smoothly as possible." --Tracy and Renee B., Aurora Colorado
"Judith went out of her way to protect my interests as a buyer, and settled many differences with the sellers for me. She took a lot of stress out of the buying process." --Judy B., Golden
"I was a first-time buyer. My experience with Judith was a blessing. I was in a difficult situation after an accident -- sore, angry, with a broken foot, and to boot needed a place to live within a month. I needed a Judith, and a Judith I got. Judith not only picked me up, but also chauffeured me wherever we needed to go. She educated me not only on the reality of buying, good and bad, but also on my potential in what I could achieve in owning my own home. She made sure I understood each situation, and the potential pitfalls of any place we looked at. When you are a first-time buyer (newbie) there are so many things one does not think of. We set a time frame. We closed just 20 days after my accident. She even picked me up for that! I got the very best deal one could get -- she made sure of it. Yes, she stood by her word! I now own a 2 bedroom, very nice condo. When my payments are made they are working toward my security and peace of mind -- a place of my own. Thank you, Judith!" --Trude F. Denver
"You were a great guide as I pursued buying my first home. You made it rather painless. You were easy to reach and you gave clear opinions. You found out what you didn't know. And you were sensitive about my perception of value for money." --Joe W., Denver
"There’s no way we can thank you enough for all you’ve done. Your kindness, patience, and thoughtfulness will always be remembered as the best part of our new venture. Thank you so much!" --Kathy A. & Sheri P., Denver (and Los Angeles) investors
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