“With the holidays upon us, we are focusing on the gift of homeownership this season. Owning a home provides stability and security for many families. It is also the single largest investment most people make in their lifetime, which serves as the single best vehicle to attain individual and generational wealth. Speaking of gifts, this is my absolute favorite time for buyers to get out and shop for homes. Sellers whose properties are on the market typically need to sell and are more willing to negotiate than in March or April when the market is at its peak. Additionally, the competition from other buyers drops considerably. As such, buyers who can see the beauty of buying a home right now have their choice of home and can negotiate their way into their dream home.
Additionally, interest rates are starting a downward trend, and we as REALTORS® know that if rates continue to drop then demand will increase. In fact, many agents saw a flurry of activity last month when rates dropped buying end-of-year activity. Depending on where rates trend, we may see bidding wars back before we know it.”
Libby Levinson-Katz
Chair of the DMAR Market Trends Committee | Denver REALTOR®
LUXURY MARKET ($1,000,000+): “Zig Ziglar once said, “Every sale has five obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.” Today, all five of those obstacles present themselves clearly to home buyers and sellers in the $1 million and over price segment. Despite it all, 2023 has proven to be quite a strong year for this segment. Removing the pandemic years and comparing to 2019, sales volume year-to-date has more than doubled, closed volume has nearly doubled, new listings are up over 66%, and price per square foot is up over 14%. I predict this segment will continue to see growth as more people spend more money to experience the gift of living in Colorado.” Susan Thayer, DMAR Market Trends Committee Member & Denver REALTOR®.
SIGNATURE MARKET ($750,000 – $999,999): “Black Friday may only last one day in November, but for buyers in the $750,000 to $999,999 price range, the deals lasted all month. The deceleration in the market, however, should not cause any alarm. It is seasonal and expected. Historically, the holidays in November and December take precedence over home buying and selling goals, so we typically experience a decline in market activity. November and December showcase prime opportunities for serious buyers: far less competition, declining prices, expected seller concessions, and recently, declining interest rates. It’s the perfect time for them to give themselves the gift of home ownership.” Colleen Covell, DMAR Market Trends Committee Member & Denver REALTOR®.
PREMIER MARKET ($500,000 – $749,999) “There are few things greater than the gift of homeownership. A home can offer financial security, stability, tax benefits, and community. It also serves as the backdrop for so many wonderful moments in life, especially during the holiday season. Many buyers are inclined to hit the proverbial pause button on the home search and wait until spring. While that is an option, waiting to buy a new home likely means competition and concessions on the buyer side. Meanwhile, we have great homes on the market now with motivated sellers and less competition. Perhaps you can negotiate concessions on inspection, or maybe that low interest loan is assumable and can be transfered to the buyer. As REALTORS®, our gift is the ability to guide our clients with knowledge and savviness. End of the year is a busy time as I encourage buyers to look when no one else is. We find great homes and they pay less than if they had waited.” Nick DiPasquale, DMAR Market Trends Committee Member, and Denver REALTOR®.
*Remarks from Pages 15-16 of the December 2023 Market Trends Report from DMAR
I have been called many things in my life– strong, compassionate, wise- and the “B” word, as in bossy. I’ve spent hours at kitchen tables and RiNo coffee shops, dispensing advice and Kleenex, bringing clarity to the confused and donuts to the distraught. These caffeinated, altruistic moments can get messy. Dreams are shared along with struggles. Questions and voices and glasses are raised, ideas get thrown around, sentences get interrupted, and napkins are nervously shredded. In other words, magic happens. Nothing feels better than a problem-solving download with a very good friend, then saying goodbyes with a hug and a plan.
Danielle LaPorte- “We all just want to be seen and heard. No exceptions.”
This dynamic works best when it works both ways and within my trusted circle I am uplifted, held, and given a swift kick in the pants when I need it. Friendship, connection and community are as old as time and perhaps never as vital to our well-being as they are in today’s crazy swirl of a world where we are bombarded with information and disinformation. The time we spend together gives us the opportunity to listen to one another with our hearts, share our insights and practice empathy. It lifts us up, makes us more generous human beings. Why is it so much easier to fix another’s ills than it is to cure what ails you? Because blindside is never 20/20.
Dr. Seuss — “When you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.”
The idea of being paid to help people get unstuck and on track with their thoughts, habits and desires sounds like a good thing for an empath, doesn’t it? People tell you where they think they want to go, you help them hone in and be specific, then craft a strategy on how to get there; like Google Maps for the soul. When we listen carefully to one another, when we talk freely, we share our goals, obstacles and frustrations. What we’re often missing is the awareness of what we already know, and because answers are inherent in the question, it sounds pretty simple. So simple, we slap our foreheads when the answer is right under our…knows.
A Life Coach is different than a therapist, mentor, shaman or babysitter. Each of these are useful, respectable professions (often sharing the same tasks) a life coach wields more than a riding crop and whistle. The coach’s superpower is accountability. Even the friends we check in with daily, accountability from a pro is altogether different. There is $kin in the game, a weekly Zoom meeting, and someone who is not only listening, but taking notes. Dreams and goals are chunked out, tasks are broken down into actionable items and timelines are integrated into strategy, and your Life Coach isn’t going to hijack your session talking about her latest Tinder disaster.
While great friendships evolve organically over time, finding a great coach requires its own investment. Surfing the Internet you’ll find great adjectives on their websites- passion, empowerment, confidence, transformation, tools– (and who doesn’t want more of those?) but it takes more than keywords to find the right fit. et’s take a look at what they do.
Identify true desire.
Identify any obstacles or objections to desire.
Align resources to achieve desire.
Search for where the manifestation of this desire lives.
Connect manifestation with recipient of desire.
Ensure manifestation, recipient and desire are in alignment.
Write offer, go under contract, schedule inspection… oh wait.
The next time someone tells me I should be a life coach, I’ll remind them I’m a Realtor. We make many choices, some make life better while others go wildly wrong. Choosing a friend, mentor, lover or life coach can enhance the quality of your days and nights. Choose wisely.
http://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/You-got-this-e1550849419776.jpg133200Tracy Shafferhttps://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.pngTracy Shaffer2019-02-19 23:36:522021-08-07 19:53:57Do You Need a Friend or a Life Coach?
“Tracy Shaffer is the best! She is the best! We have bought and sold 4-5 times with her. She is professional, kind, super sharp, and on top of every detail. I trust her professionally and personally. No regrets ever. If you have a property to sell or are looking for one to buy, call her. She is an unbelievabye hard worker, absolutely professional, ethical, and fun to boot. We love her!” -Kelly Perez
“I cannot recommend Tracy highly enough!! I had just moved to Denver and Tracy worked so hard to find a house for me, guide me through the buying process and negotiate on my behalf with the sellers. Tracy is professional, tireless and super conscientious. She never forgets the smallest detail. Shealso has a great sense of humour! I would not hesitate to recommend Tracy….5+ stars all around!!” – Bonnie King
“Tracy Shaffer was such a pleasure to work with. I am a young, single professional, so wading into these rough real estate waters by myself was ulcer inducing. Tracy told me that she was here to balance me out. A real estate decision is both a strongly personal and a strongly financial decision, and that if I tip one way too much, she would make sure I was also incorporating the other side. She didn’t want me to fall in love with a home I couldn’t afford or buy a home that I didn’t love simply because it was affordable. Tracy helped me find a property that got me both, a beautiful duplex in Whittier that fits me to a T and will be a great investment. She was not afraid to give me hard truths, but was also supportive and informative through all of my first-time home buyer questions. We closed on the house on a relatively quick timeline, and Tracy was able to keep the myriad of pieces on track to hit our closing day with only smiles and handshakes all around. I highly recommend working with Tracy.” – M.E. Smith
From Page 4 4. The Investor Real Estate Market: Denver is still a great place to invest in real estate. The fix and flip market is strong for those who can find underpriced homes to buy and repair. They’re out there but it takes tools, patience, and work to find them. Once you get one fixed up, selling is the easy part because of the lack of competing inventory. The buy and hold market will continue to be extremely profitable for long-term investors. Interest rates and vacancy rates are still near record lows and rents continue to rise – a record 10.8 percent per year the past three years. It’s not difficult to buy a rental property in today’s environment and put it on the path to be paid off in 12-15 years. Just think how your life would change if you owned a couple of rental properties free and clear! For building long-term wealth it’s tough to compete with rental property ownership. That’s the one thing that will never change. CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE
Need more info? Boy you are a real estate geek! (and I love it) CLICK LINK for the metrics from Matrix. 15-0705 DSF Data CITY – Copy
If you would like a personal real estate consultation, have any questions about the market, your home’s value or need more specific information about your neighborhood please give me a call.
Until next month… use your sunscreen!
I object! Often the process of buying or selling a home is so emotional, so stressful, that our every fear is stirred up. That’s why when buying or selling a home, the home inspection is critical. Your home inspection can put you at ease, whether you are purchasing a home you want to feel good about or selling a home you want to feel is safe for the new owner. The home inspection and the resulting INSPECTION OBJECTION and RESOLUTION can be fine points of the negotiation. Of course, the sellers don’t want to reduce their proceeds and the buyers don’t want to take on the extra expense of repairs. So, where’s the middle ground?
Let’s start with a few basic questions and let the answers guide us to our home inspection answers.
To the Sellers:
1. How motivated are you to sell your home at this time, with these buyers, under the terms of the contract?
2. What is your goal in selling your house? And what effect does this sale have on your life right now? On your future?
3. If I could tell you that the goal you want in question #2 would cost you X amount of dollars, would that seem like a fair price?
4. Is the cost of the repair(s) more or less than the cost of another month, maybe two, of your mortgage payment?
To the Buyers:
1. How would you feel if you let this house go?
2. Are the repairs immediate or can they be reasonably deferred?
3. How many things are you asking the Sellers to repair or credit for? I mean, it’s one thing to ask them to replace the faulty old Zinsco electrical panel or install radon mitigation, quite another to ask for a cracked plastic outlet cover to be changed.
4. Do you feel you are safe in the house without the repairs?
It’s that last question that is the most important. Are the requested repairs, replacements or credit for such, necessary to provide or protect the health and safety of the home buyer? This is where I draw the line. If the home inspection reveals something that would cause any reasonable buyer to feel unsafe they might need to walk away from the transaction. Even if you, Mr. and Mrs. Seller have lived with it for 20 years and nothing has happened, you might as well buck up and agree to make the repairs. You’ll have to disclose the issue to the next buyer if you lose this contract now that you know about it, so the problem isn’t going away.
If the buyers have reasonable expectations of the home’s condition based on its age and understand the responsibilities of home ownership, then health & safety should be your guide. That “honey-do list” the Inspector gave you? That would be yours, not the sellers, but those hot wires or the recalled electrical panel? Definitely calls for the experts. When both parties move away from all emotional or economic considerations and apply fair and equitable logic, the questions answer themselves. Logic, who knew?
Now… back to my clients and that electrical panel.
http://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/home-inspection-face.jpg576576Tracy Shafferhttps://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.pngTracy Shaffer2014-10-13 20:00:512014-10-13 20:00:51I Object! How to Handle Your Home Inspection
I fell in love with this cute little brick ranch home in Denver’s Montclair neighborhood the moment I opened the door! There was a sign in the yard, FOR SALE BY OWNER but I just knew I had to list it! The front of this brick ranch home is sweetly elegant. There are three bedrooms/ two baths, beautiful hardwood floors, a very charming vintage full bath upstairs and a bright white kitchen.Your kitchen window overlooks Kittredge Park so you’ll always have the feeling of open space and natural light streaming through your windows. The basement is fully finished and has a non-conforming bedroom, nice sized great room and nifty little space for an office, study or guest room (I love the custom built-in bookshelves!). The back yard is private and just the right amount of space; not too much to keep up, but plenty of room for the gardener, the dog, or both. Enjoy a summer party under the covered patio and give me a call when you do! Did I mention the giant garage? Well it has a really nice, big garage. Click the link above to see the video and call me if you’d like to see it. Or just call and say hello!
https://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.png00Tracy Shafferhttps://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.pngTracy Shaffer2014-06-23 18:43:522014-06-23 18:43:52Brick Ranch Home For Sale in Montclair
Denver real estate market is strong and hot like a cup of coffee. After years of waiting for home prices to rise, the Denver real estate market is elevated. So why are buyers and sellers so hesitant to make their move? Let’s blame it on the media. Screaming headlines make money when the sky is falling.
For those of you who are considering buying or selling a property, understanding the big picture is critical. So let’s take a look at where in the real estate cycle the Denver market stands.
You may think this tremendous seller’s market and super tight inventory is something new, something that’s going to come to a head and suddenly erupt overnight. Not true. We are FOUR YEARS PAST THE BOTTOM of our last real estate cycle. This is a logical continuation of a market that is reacting strongly to the overselling we saw between 2007 and 2009, and finally bottomed out in 2009. It’s doing exactly what real estate market cycles do, go up and go down over long periods of time. Remember, over the past 40 years residential real estate appreciation has averaged 6 percent per year and there is no reason to think that is going to change over the next 40 years.
If you think of market cycles in the short-term, spiking and crashing over short periods of time it’s easy to see the sweet meteor of death hurling toward your swing set, but a quick look at the last market cycle shows clearly this is not how real estate works. Real estate cycles over the past 40 years, tend to move in much broader periods, 7-10 years typically. This is why predicting short-term market movements can be very difficult, whereas assuming the market will move in 7-10 cycles is a bit more realistic.
The past four years of the upswing has been largely a sellers’ market. Plummeting inventory, rising prices, nervous buyers often involved in multiple offers, and happy sellers often getting the price they wanted. Buyers can be very nervous, reading news articles, watching TV reports, and figuring the market is teetering on the brink of a crash and being afraid to buy. Rents are skyrocketing, up 8 percent this year alone and renters may confuse the short-term media screeds about this tremendous market with the long-term patterns of market cycles, thinking that the minute they buy a home the market is going to crash.
I don’t see this. And unlike my clients who may buy or sell a home ever 5-10 years, I work in real estate every day. No one can predict the real estate market with 100% accuracy. I can’t, the Federal Reserve can’t, the banks with all the money can’t, no one can. But, understanding how market cycles work, and recognizing how low our current inventory is, I can say with confidence I do not see any impending weakness in the market over the next couple of years. We are four years into what will probably be a typical 7-10 year cycle of low inventory and rising prices. I can’t tell you what the Dow Jones will finish at next Monday. I can’t tell you if the Rockies will win their fifth game of the season. I can’t tell you what the weather will be on June 15th, but I can say with confidence that real estate tends to move over predictable long-term trends, and this market cycle has a long way to go.
https://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.png00Tracy Shafferhttps://tracyshaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/TRACYSHAFFER-LOGO-2-e1660596988947.pngTracy Shaffer2014-05-27 23:20:402014-05-27 23:20:40Doesn’t Take a Crystal Ball to See Where Denver Real Estate is Headed
There’s a lot of talk in Denver about this “crazy new real estate market”, how “everything’s different than it used to be”, and after six years of heartbreak, I say “thank god”. For those interested in real estate, and for those who might be considering buying or selling a property, understanding the big picture is critical. So here’s where it stands.
Most people think this tremendous seller’s market and that the super low inventory is something new, or that the market’s going to suddenly erupt overnight. Neither is true. Here’s the truth: we are FOUR YEARS PAST THE BOTTOM of our last real estate cycle. Just because the Denver Post is suddenly aware of the real estate market, or Zillow writes screeching articles about the tight market in order to sell ad space don’t be fooled. It’s not new. It is a logical continuation of a market that is reacting strongly to the over-selling we saw between 2007 and 2009 (which finally bottomed out in 2009). It’s doing exactly what real estate market cycles do. They rise and fall over long periods of time, but historically (and I mean over the past 40 years) residential real estate appreciation has averaged 6 percent per year and there is no reason to think that is going to change over the next 40 years.
We tend to think of market cycles in short-terms, spiking and crashing over short periods of time, but a quick look at the last market cycle clearly shows this is not how real estate works. Real estate cycles tend to move in much broader periods, 7-10 years are typical over the past 40 years. This is why predicting short-term market movements can be very difficult, whereas assuming the market will move in 7-10 cycles is a pretty good guess. During these past four years, as we continue the rise from our low, we have seen more of a seller’s market. Plummeting inventory and rising prices drove nervous buyers into multiple offer competitions with happy sellers getting the price they want. In fact, look at Chart Y and you’ll get a great perspective of how strong our market is. You see that the metro Denver 2013 Closed Dollar Volume of all residential sales hit a new high which translates into a record amount of money in the pockets of sellers. Good times for sellers!
Many of my buyers are understandably nervous. Rents are skyrocketing (up 8% this year) but news articles and TV reports claim the market is teetering on the brink of a crash, creating a “Fear of Buying”.
So let me be clear: no one can predict the real estate market with 100% accuracy. I can’t, the Federal Reserve can’t, the banks with all the money can’t (obviously!), no one can. But, understanding how market cycles work, and recognizing how low our current inventory is, I can say with confidence I do not see any impending weakness in the market over the next couple of years. We are four years into what will probably be a typical 7-10 year cycle of low inventory and rising prices. I can’t tell you what the Dow Jones will finish at next Monday. I can’t tell you if the Rockies will win their fifth game of the season. I can’t tell you what the weather will be on April 3rd. But I can say with confidence that real estate tends to move over predictable long-term trends, and this market cycle has a long way to go.
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