“Real Estate Today” Columns by Jim Smith
Published every Thursday in the Denver Post and in 3 Jefferson County weekly newspapers
Get this column in your inbox each Thursday! Send your request to Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com.
Click on dates to view columns
Jan. 21, 2020 — The Pros and Cons of Buying in a Community With a Homeowners Association
Also: Why You Might Consider Installing a Heat Pump Water Heater
Jan. 14, 2021 — Could Accessory Dwelling Units Be a Solution, Albeit Small, to the Housing Shortage?
Jan. 7, 2021 — Denver Real Estate Market Ends 2020 With a Record-Breaking December
Dec. 31, 2020 — National Association of Realtors Promotes “Pathways to Professionalism”
Also: Golden Real Estate Welcomes a New Broker Associate — Andrea Cox
Also: Happy (and Better) New Year to All!
Dec. 24, 2020 — Fewer Sellers Are Trying “For Sale By Owner” — Here Are Some Reasons Why
Also: Narrated Video Tours Are Still Surprisingly Rare on MLS Listings
Also: Readers Appreciate Our Free MLS Neighborhood Alerts
Dec. 17, 2020 — Downsizing Safely and Effectively in Your Senior Years
Also: Up For Growth Promotes Affordable Housing and ‘Accessible Growth’
Also: Look to Us, Not Zillow, for an Accurate Valuation of Your Home
Dec. 10, 2020 — Everyone Wants to Know: Where’s the Real Estate Market Headed in 2021?
Also: FHA Raises Loan Limits: Now $596,850 for the Denver Metro Area
Also: News Literacy, Like Civic Literacy, Needs to Be Taught in Our Schools
Also: If You Want to Buy or Sell a Solar Powered Home, Call Golden Real Estate
Dec. 3, 2020 — Agents Who Submit ‘Love Letters’ Could Be Committing a Fair Housing Violation
Also: Incorporated or Unincorporated: What’s the Difference?
Nov. 26, 2020 — Happy Thanksgiving! Let Me Share What We at Golden Real Estate Are Grateful For
Also: NAR Agrees to More Transparency re: Buyer Agent Commissions
Also: NAR’s New President Apologizes for Association’s Racist Practices in the 1900s
Nov. 19, 2020 — Biden Presidency Will Bring Renewed Focus on Affordable Housing and Discrimination
Also: We Help Buyers and Sellers With the High Cost of Moving
Nov. 12, 2020 — Denver’s Realtor Association Reports That October Listings and Sales Broke 22 Records
Nov. 5, 2020 — 3D Printing Is Being Used to Build Homes for the Homeless and Poor Using ‘Lavacrete’ Walls
Also: Electric Cars Are Your Best Cold Weather Choice
Oct. 29, 2020 — As Winter Approaches and Covid-19 Lingers, What’s the Denver Real Estate Outlook?
Also: Trying ‘For Sale by Owner’ Can Be a Big Mistake During a Seller’s Market
Also: NAR Proposes to Include Hate Speech as a Violation of the Realtor Code of Ethics
Oct. 22, 2020 — MyMove.com Reports a Surge in Moves During Covid-19, 28% Citing Virus as the Reason
Also: Denver Has Among the Nation’s Lowest Foreclosure Rates
Oct. 15, 2020 — You’ve Heard of NIMBY (‘Not in My Backyard’). Next Year You May Be Hearing About YIMBY.
Also: Realtor Association Takes Fair Housing Seriously
Oct. 8, 2020 — Report Names 7 Cities Most at Risk of a Housing Crash. Denver Is Not One of Them.
Oct. 1, 2020 — Sustainability, Starting With Solar Power, Can Be Your Key to a More Affordable Lifestyle
Also: Find Out This Saturday Whether an Electric Vehicle Is for You
Sept. 24, 2020 — Experts Are Predicting a Surge in Foreclosures, But I See the Situation Differently
Also: Golden Real Estate Welcomes a New Broker Associate, Ty Scrable
Also: A Reader Asks How to Handle Inspection Objections
Sept. 17, 2020 — Despite Global Pandemic, Our Real Estate Market Was the Hottest Ever for August
Sept. 10, 2020 — If You Don’t Put Your Home on the MLS, You May Not Get What Your Home Is Worth
Sept. 3, 2020 — Any Talk About Affordable Housing Must Include Mobile Homes
Also: Open Houses Are Back — Here Are the Rules We Must Follow
Aug. 27, 2020 — When It’s Time to Replace Your Gas Forced-Air Furnace, Consider the Alternatives
Also: Here’s Where I Get My Topic Ideas and What I Watch, Listen to, and Read
Aug. 20, 2020 — Many Organizations Contribute to ‘Rapid Shelter’ Effort Addressing Homelessness
Also: As More Companies Embrace Work-at-Home, Expect More Office Space to Convert to Apartments and Condos
Aug. 13, 2020 — Home Ownership Surged During the Pandemic, According to a Realtor.com Report
Also: How Should Listing Agents Manage Multiple Offers/a Bidding War?
Aug. 6, 2020 — A High-Performance Car Can Kill You. A High-Performance Home Can Save Your Life.
July 23, 2020 — Realtor.com Weighs in on the Real Estate Market’s Surprising Rebound
July 16, 2020 — Buyers Benefit From Having an Agent Who Knows Home Systems and Sustainability
Also: Here Are Some Things You Should Expert to Learn From a Home Inspector
Also: Bidding Wars Are Back, According to Redfin
July 9, 2020 — After a Dreadful March and April, Denver’s Real Estate Market Surged in June
Also: Houston’s Realtor Association Drops the Use of ‘Master’
Also: If You Oppose Taxation Without Representation, Support D.C. Statehood
July 2, 2020 — Discover Arvada’s Geos Community, Where the Homes’ Energy Costs Are Essentially Zero
June 25, 2020 — Homeowners Complain About Over-Solicitation by Agents, Buyers and Investors
June 18, 2020 — John Avenson of Westminster Is a Committed Teacher of Energy Efficiency
Also: We Support Andrew Romanoff for U.S. Senate
June 11, 2020 — It Seems That We All Have Racism on Our Minds. Here Are My Thoughts
Also: Golden Real Estate Wants to Earn Your Business
June 4, 2020 — More Metro Area Homes Went Under Contract in May Than Ever Before
Also: Accessory Dwelling Units Are Gaining in Popularity—Here’s What You Need to Know
Also: Last Week’s Column About Seniors Being Cheated Out of Their Home’s Equity Got Lots of Reader Responses
May 28, 2020 — Investors Target Seniors and Others, Buying Homes Below Their True Value
Also: Beware of Brokerages That Offer to Sell Your Home for 1%
Also: Here’s Why the Public Will Not Accept Driverless Cars
May 21, 2020 — A Fair Housing Violation Could Ruin a Real Estate Professional’s Career
Also: Interested in Net Zero Energy Living? Discover Arvada’s Geos Community!
Also: More People Are Considering Electric Cars and Trucks, as the Number of Brands and Models Surges
May 14, 2020 — If You’re Surviving Covid-19 Financially, Now Is a Good Time to Buy or Sell
Also: Zillow Shortchanges Agents and Buyers on Video Tours
Also: Most Feedback Requests on Showings Are Non-Productive
May 7, 2020 — New Listings and Showings Surged Last Week After Governor Eased Showing Restrictions
Also: If Home Prices Decline by June 30th, It Would Temper Property Taxes for 2021 and 2022
April 30, 2020 — What Will Be the Short- and Long-Term Effects of Covid-19 on Real Estate?
Also: Why Real Estate Values Won’t Crash Like They Did in the Great Recession
April 23, 2020 — Real Estate May, Oddly Enough, Be the Last Industry to Adopt Live-Action Video
Also: The Number of New Listings Remains Low, But They Are Selling Quickly
April 16, 2020 — The Rule Against Showings and Open Houses Shouldn’t Hamper Home-Buying...
Also: Homes Are Still Selling— An Analysis of the Metro Real Estate Market for the Week of April 4th
April 9, 2020 — Newspaper Headline Gave a Distorted Picture of Real Estate Market Under Covid-19
Also: A Follow-Up of Last Week’s Analysis of the Denver Real Estate Market for the Week of March 22nd
Also: Real Estate Coach Thinks I Should Charge More Than I Do. What Do You Think?
April 2, 2020 — The Real Estate Market Is Still Active, Meeting the Needs of Both Buyers and Sellers
Also: How Golden Real Estate Is Coping With the COVID-19 Guidelines
Mar. 26, 2020 — COVID-19 Will Certainly Impact the Real Estate Market, But By How Much?
Also: Golden Real Estate’s Narrated Video Tours Make Open Houses and In-Person Showings Less Necessary
Mar. 19, 2020 — Our Newest Listing Is a Case Study on How to Achieve Net Zero Energy at Home
Mar. 12, 2020 — What Does ‘Open and Transparent’ Look Like in Real Estate?
Mar. 5, 2020 — Six New Listings from Golden Real Estate (no space for a column this week)
Feb. 27, 2020 — Renters Aren’t Taking Advantage of Rent-With-Right-to-Purchase Program
Also this week: Why Wouldn’t the Russians Want Trump Re-Elected? Look at His Accomplishments.
Feb. 20, 2020 — Guest Article from Money.com: The Best Home Security Systems for 2020
Also this week: Reflections on the State of Journalism & Saving Our Local Newspapers
Feb. 13, 2020 — Do You Think a Big Down Payment Is Needed to Buy a Home? Think CHFA.
Also this week: The 14th Annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival Is Feb. 20-23 in Downtown Golden
Feb. 6, 2020 — Big Entities Target Mobile Home Parks, the Last Bastion of Affordable Housing
Also this week: Passive House Technology Underlies Going ‘Net Zero Energy’ in Homes
Jan. 30, 2020 — Taxation of Residential vs. Non-Residential Property Is a Growing Problem
Also this week: As the Housing Crisis Deepens, Zoning Laws Are in the Crosshairs
Jan. 23, 2020 — Buyer Beware: You May Be on Candid Camera When Looking at a Home
Also this week: Is Your Gas Furnace or Water Heat About to Fail? Consider a Heat Pump
Also this week: Plant-Based Meat Has Won Us Over; Celebrating MLK Jr. With His Words
Jan. 16, 2020 — In Colorado, Real Estate Agents Are Granted the Limited Practice of Law
Also this week: Real Estate Agents Have an “Affirmative Responsibility” to Report Wrongdoing
Also this week: Do You Really Need a Buyer’s Agent?
Jan. 9, 2020 — What Do the Year-End Stats Tell Us About Denver’s Real Estate Market? (see 2nd page for Jeffco stats)
Also this week: January Is National Radon Action Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Jan. 2, 2020 — Learn the True Cost of Selling Your Home off-MLS to an ‘iBuyer’ Like Zillow
Also this week: Your Car Battery Could Someday Be Your Home Backup Power
Dec. 26, 2019 — Denver Post Series Uncovers the Corruption of Tax Districts Created by Developers
Also this week: The Future of Home Heating is Electric Heat Pumps, Not Gas Forced Air
Dec. 19, 2019 — Golden Real Estate Uses an App to Protect Clients From Being Scammed
Also this week: Denver’s Winter Real Estate Market Isn’t Slowing As Much As Reported
Also this week: Jeffco’s Winter Real Estate Market Is Slowing More Than in Previous Years (see 2nd page of PDF)
Dec. 12, 2019 — Putting Your Heirs on Title so They Inherit Your Home May Not Be the Best Strategy
Dec. 5, 2019 — High-Tech, Low-Tech and No-Tech Ways to Make a Home Senior-Friendly
Also this week: Property Tax Is the Original “Wealth Tax”
Also this week: A Reader Asks: Should I Spend Money on Home Staging?
Nov. 28, 2019 — Thanksgiving Is Here, and We at Golden Real Estate Are Thankful
Nov. 21, 2019 — National Association of Realtors (NAR) Rules Against “Pocket Listings”
Also this week: My TV Viewing Recommendations: “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace” and “Reliable Sources”
Nov. 14, 2019 — What Is a ‘Smart Home’ and What Elements of a ‘Smart Home’ Make Sense for You?
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Is Hosting a ‘Climate Reality’ Event on Nov. 20th.
Nov. 7, 2019 — Sellers Ask: Should I Wait Until Spring to Put My Home on the Market?
Also this week: Winter Is When Electric Vehicles Really Shine
Oct. 31, 2019 — The Crackdown on Hispanic Immigration Is Impacting the Construction Trades
Also this week: Inspection — The Most Important Step in Homebuying
Oct. 24, 2019 — Before Putting Your Home on the Market, Take Care of the Little (& Low-Cost) Things
Also this week: Sunset Review Recommends Dispute Resolution Function for HOA Information Center Office
Oct. 17, 2019 — Have You Noticed How Many Denver Homes Are Selling for Over $1 Million? Here Are the Stats.
Oct. 17, 2019 — Have You Noticed How Many Jeffco Homes Are Selling for Over $1 Million? Here Are the Stats.
Also this week: Golden Real Estate’s Agents Are Featured on RatedAgent.com
Oct. 10, 2019 — Cars Have Titles Which Are Transferred Upon Sale. Homes Do Not. So, What’s a “Deed”?
Oct. 3, 2019 — At Saturday’s ‘Green Homes Tour’ You’ll Learn What’s Possible for Your Home
Sept. 26, 2019 — Were Last Week’s “Climate Strikes” Enough of a Wake-up Call on Climate Change?
Sept. 19, 2019 — Nothing Would Spur the Real Estate Market More Than Relief of Student Debt
Also this week: Takeaways From Last Saturday’s Electric Car Event
Sept. 12, 2019 — What Is a ‘Variable Commission’ and Why Should Sellers Demand It?
Also this week: Electric Vehicle Events in Golden (Sept. 14) & Denver (Sept. 19)
Sept. 5, 2019 — Is a Recession Coming? If So, How Will It Impact the Real Estate Market?
August 29, 2019 — All-Electric Homes Are Practical Now, and Can Help Mitigate Climate Change
Also this week: I Think I May Have Purchased My Last Car
August 22, 2019 — Report Reveals the True Cost of Selling Your Home to an ‘iBuyer’ Company
For a link to the full report from Collateral Analytics, click here.
August 15, 2019 — LED Lighting Has Some Health & Vision Side Effects Worth Considering
August 8, 2019 — What Requires a Permit? And Does Unpermitted Work Affect Your Ability to Sell?
August 1, 2019 — Amazon’s Deal With Real Estate Megafirm Realogy Could Be a Game Changer
July 25, 2019 — Truth Matters in Real Estate, Unlike in Politics and the Legal Profession
July 18, 2019 — Some Favorite Home Improvements When Purchasing a New-to-Me Home
July 11, 2019 — With His Veto of HB-1212, Gov. Polis Ended the Licensing of HOA Managers
July 4, 2019 — Video Is Finding Its Way Into Inspection Reports to Illustrate Issues
Also this week: Digital Editions and Email Newsletters Are the Future of Newspapers
June 27, 2019 — Renovate Your Home for Your Own Enjoyment, Not to Help It Sell Better
Also this week: Some Reflections on Our 4,800-Mile Tesla Road Trip
Also this week: How to Research Potential Listing Agents
Also this week: Broker Associate Carol Milan to Embark on African Mission
June 20, 2019 — Conserving Water Is Likely to Become More Important in Coming Years
June 13, 2019 — Some Thoughts From Attending My 50th Reunion at M.I.T.
June 6, 2019 — Here Are Some Questions Sellers Should Ask When Hiring a Listing Agent
Also this week: Climate Change Is Our Nation’s Most Pressing Issue
May 30, 2019 — Finding the Right Senior Community Can Be Confusing!
Also this week: Readability of Websites, Emails and Even Your Smartphone Screen Can Become an Issue as You Age
May 23, 2019 — What Is Negotiated When You Buy or Sell a Home? More Than You’d Think!
May 16, 2019 — Do You Practice Sustainability? Home Renovation Can Be Done Sustainably, Too
May 9, 2019 — What You Need to Know About Appealing the County Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home
Click here for Same Article but for Jefferson County Instead of Denver County
May 2, 2019 — Many Renters Are Unaware of Programs That Make Homeownership a Real Possibility
April 25, 2019 — Timing the Sale of Your Current Home and Purchase of a New Home Can Be Challenging
April 18, 2019 — Readers Responded in Great Numbers to Our Offer of Free Neighborhood Alerts
April 11, 2019 — Why Be in the Dark About Real Estate Activity in Your Neighborhood? We Can Help.
Also this week: Seats Still Available for Next Thursday’s Information Session on Electric Vehicles
Also this week: No Brokerage Does Better Than Golden Real Estate in Getting the Highest Price for Sellers
April 4, 2019 — The Federal Reserve Raised Interest Rates, Yet Mortgage Rates Plummeted. Why?
Also this week: A Seller Asks: Do I Have to Accept a Full-Price Offer?
Mar. 28, 2019 — The Way Real Estate Agents Are Compensated Confuses Many Buyers and Sellers
Also this week: Another Area of Confusion: When Is Your Real Estate Agent a “Transaction Broker” and Not an “Agent”?
Mar. 21, 2019 — Off-Market Transactions Hurt Sellers by Shutting Out Buyers Who Might Pay More
Also this week: ‘Preferential Voting’ Is a Great Method for Dealing With Primary Elections With a Dozen or More Candidates
Also this week: Electric Vehicle Event at Golden Real Estate on April 20th
Mar. 14, 2019 — How Do You Know That the Real Estate Agent You’re Interviewing Is Telling the Truth?
Mar. 7, 2019 — Downsizing: One of Those Big Issues Which We All Face As We Age
Feb. 28, 2019 — With Home Prices So Much Higher, Shouldn’t Real Estate Commissions Be Lower?
Also this week: EVs: Yes, They Have Lower Range in Winter, But Consider These Offsetting Benefits
Feb. 21, 2019 — You Can Defer -- or Reduce -- Capital Gains Tax on the Sale of Investment Properties
Also this week: Help Mark Stenberg Recover From a Severely Broken Leg
Feb. 14, 2019 — Security Devices Could Allow Sellers to Eavesdrop on Buyers During Showings
Also this week: 13th Annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival Opens Next Weekend in Golden
Feb. 7, 2019 — Some Home-Selling Advice Is No Longer Valid; Let’s Review the Literature…
Also this week: You Can ‘Sell High/Buy Low’ and Stay in Colorado
Jan. 31, 2019 — Remodeling Your Home to Help It Sell May Not Be the Moneywise Approach
Jan. 24, 2019 (Denver edition) — Statistics Show a Slowing Denver Real Estate Market, But Not at Golden Real Estate
Jan. 24, 2019 (Jeffco editions) — Statistics Show a Slowing Jeffco Real Estate Market, But Not at Golden Real Estate
Also this week: The Realtor Code of Ethics Exists to Protect You
Jan. 17, 2019 — Sustainability Series Session #1: The Many Facets of Insulating a Home
Also this week: The Graying of the Internet — What About Readability?
Jan. 10, 2019 — Even if You’re a Sophisticated Buyer or Seller, You Need Us — And Here’s Why...
Also this week: In Defense of Journalists — They’re Working for You!
Jan. 3, 2019 — Ways to Defer Capital Gains Tax Exposure When Selling Investment Properties
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Launches Monthly Sustainability Series
Dec. 27, 2018 — Some Thoughts Regarding Characteristics to Look for When Hiring a Realtor
Dec. 20, 2018 — Looking Back on a Busy Year — Here Are Some Popular Columns From 2018
Dec. 13, 2018 — Statistics Appear Not to Reflect a 2019 Slowdown in Our Real Estate Market
Dec. 6, 2018 — Should You List Your Home During the Holidays? The Answer May Surprise You
Also this week: Conforming Loan Limits Raised / More Ideas for Making Your Home Resistant to Wildfires
Nov. 29, 2018 — California’s Wildfires Are a Wakeup Call for Building More Fire-Resistant Homes
Also this week: Golden Real Estate’s Agents Will Donate Their Earned Commission to Buyers Who Lost Their Homes
Nov. 22, 2018 — At Thanksgiving, I Like to Reflect on the Many People for Whom I’m Grateful
Nov. 15, 2018 — Yes, the Russians Wanted Trump Over Hillary, But Their Real Goal Is to Divide Americans
Click here to view a New York Times video documenting how Russia works to divide Americans and others; or copy this link in your browser: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/opinion/russia-meddling-disinformation-fake-news-elections.html?wpisrc=nl_fact&wpmm=1
Nov. 8, 2018 — Senior Homeowners Are at Risk of Being Conned/Scammed Out of Their Homes
Nov. 1, 2018 (Denver YourHub) — Are You Ready to Take Full Advantage of the Winter Home-Selling Season?
Nov. 1, 2018 (Jeffco YourHubs) — Jeffco Commissioners Quietly Eliminated the County’s Portion of a Business Tax
Oct. 25, 2018 — When Buying or Selling a Home, Don’t Overlook the Cost of Moving!
Oct. 18, 2018 — Behind Golden Real Estate’s Motto: ‘Hometown Service Delivered With Integrity’
Oct. 11, 2018 (Denver YourHub) — Denver’s Seller’s Market May Be Cooling, But Not As Dramatically As Reported
Oct. 11, 2018 (Jeffco YourHubs) — Jefferson County’s Seller’s Market May Be Cooling, But Not As Dramatically As Reported
Oct. 4, 2018 — Saturday Is Your Opportunity to Learn How to Make Your Home More ‘Green’
Also this week: Help Habitat for Humanity Raise Money at Pumpkin Patches in Lakewood and Arvada
Sept. 27, 2018 — While Market Activity Shows Signs of Slowing, Prices Are Actually Rising
Also this week: Next Saturday, Oct. 6th — Metro Denver Tour of Green Homes
Also this week: D.C. Has a 30-Year-Old Law Giving Tenants Right of First Refusal When Landlord Sells
Sept. 20, 2018 — Yes, Our Real Estate Market Is Beginning to Slow. Here’s the Evidence.
Sept. 13, 2018 — Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Made by Others When Trying to Sell Their Homes
Also this week: New Website Is Devote to Duples, Triplex and Fourplex Listings
Sept. 6, 2018 — As Manufacturers Gear Up to Build Electric Cars, Come See What’s in Your Future
Aug. 30, 2018 — What You Need to Know About Agents Who Claim to Have a Buyer for Your Home
Aug. 23, 2018 (Denver YourHub) — Statistics Suggest Denver’s Market May Be Slowing Down, But Only Marginally
Aug. 23, 2018 (Jeffco YourHubs) — Statistics Suggest Jeffco’s Market May Be Slowing Down, But Only Marginally
Aug. 16, 2018 (Denver YourHub) — Should the MLS Include a Condition Rating for Each Listing? Here’s How It Might Work
Aug. 16, 2018 (Jeffco YourHubs) — The Golden Fine Arts Festival Is This Weekend, Featuring 134 Artists in 9 Categories
Aug. 9, 2018 — Feedback From Showings Can Be Helpful, But There Are Good and Bad Ways to Ask for It
Aug. 2, 2018 — Sell Your Home for $5,000, Regardless of Price? There’s a Reason to Be Suspicious
July 26, 2018 — The Home Buying Process: How It Works in the Internet Age
July 19, 2018 — Federal Law Unfairly Burdens Buyers When Buying From a ‘Foreign Person’
July 12, 2018 — Everyone Knows the Value of Video, So Why Aren’t More Listing Agents Using It?
Also this week: ‘Love Letters’ Pose a Fair Housing Risk for Sellers
July 5, 2018 — What Are the Implications When a Buyer Waives Appraisal Objection in a Bidding War?
Also this week: When Will Colorado Finally License Home Inspectors?
June 28, 2018 — Property Taxes in 2019 Will Be Based on the Value of Your Home This Saturday
Denver readers Click Here Jefferson County readers Click Here
Also this week: Last Week’s “Personal” Column Touched a Nerve
June 21, 2018 — I Love to Write About Real Estate, But This Week It’s Personal
Also this week: A Couple Modest Proposals for Saving America
June 14, 2018 — Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Sell Your House Without Putting It on the Market
June 7, 2018 — Gentrification or Revitalization: It’s a Hard Topic for a Meaningful Conversation
May 31, 2018 — New Program Helps Buyer (and Sellers Who Need to Buy) Succeed in This Market
May 24, 2018 — What Is Title Insurance, and Why Do Buyer and Sellers Need It, Anyway?
May 17, 2018 — The General Assembly Allows the Regulation of HOA Managers to Lapse
May 10, 2018 — Stop the Madness! We Should Never Allow Driverless Cars and Trucks
Also this week: Come to Our Annual Golden Garage Sales on May 12th
May 3, 2018 — As Warm Weather Arrives, What Are the Different Ways to Cool a Home?
Also this week: Hardwood Flooring Is All the Rage, But Some Condo Owners Are Having Second Thoughts
April 26, 2018 — Just in Time: A Breakthrough in ‘Rent-to-Own’ for Those Who Can’t Buy Now
Also this week: What Is an Escalation Clause, and How Should Sellers Respond to One?
April 19, 2018 — As Earth Day Approaches, Coloradans Have Many Opportunities to Do Their Part
Also this week: Would You Like to Be Alerted to Real Estate Activity in Your Neighborhood?
Also this week: Do You Have a Question or Concern About Your Reverse Mortgage?
April 12, 2018 — Buyers Save a Little on Property Tax When Buying a Long-Held Home from Seniors
Also this week: Understanding the Scope of the Inspection Process
April 5, 2018 — What If Sellers and Their Agents Don’t Disclose Known Defects in Their Listings?
Also this week: Golden Real Estate’s Fleet of Electric Vehicles Continues to Grow
Mar. 29, 2018 — How Can Buyers Win a Bidding War? Here’s What Our Agents Do
Also this week: Contrary to Conventional Wisdom, Homeowners Are Selling Homes in Record Numbers
Also this week: Follow-up on Last Week’s Column About Off-Market Sales — What About FSBOs?
Mar. 22, 2018 — Off-Market Real Estate Sales Hurt Sellers by Shutting Out Buyers Who Might Pay More
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Has Joined Good Business Colorado
Also this week: Debbi Hysmith Joins Golden Real Estate
Mar. 15, 2018 — Buyers and Sellers Ask: Why Did the Appraisal Come in at Exactly the Contract Price?
Also this week: Time May Be Running Out on Getting a Low-Interest Mortgage
Also this week: Win a Date Night at Golden’s Table Mountain Inn
Mar. 8, 2018 — How Can Sellers Prepare for the Buyer’s Inspection? Here’s Some Practical Advice
Also this week: You May Want to Pay Off Your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
Mar. 1, 2018 — Are You Interested in Urban Farming? Here’s an Introduction and an Opportunity
Also this week: We’re Holding a Class on “Getting to Net Zero and Beyond”
Also this week: A Follow-up on Last Week’s Article About Capital Gains Tax Exemption for Married Couples
Feb. 22, 2018 — Owned Your Home for a Long Time? Here Are Some Ideas on Limiting Capital Gains Liability
Also this week: Considering Buying an Electric Car? Here’s Some Practical Advice
Also this week: Come to Golden Real Estate for a Tour of Our Net Zero Energy Office
Feb. 15, 2018 — Don’t Miss the 12th Annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival Next Weekend
Also this week: Also Next Week: A Behind the Scenes Tour of Golden Real Estate
Also this week: Carol Milan Joins Golden Real Estate
Feb. 8, 2018 — This Year’s Real Estate Commission Update Class Contains Several Surprises
Also this week: Two Golden Real Estate Agents Are Qualified Staging Experts
Feb. 1, 2018 — Here Are Some Obstacles (Real or Imagined) Faced by First-Time Home Buyers
Also this week: Is Deporting Immigrants, Including Dreamers, Bad for the Economy?
Jan. 25, 2018 — Life Transitions Are at the Heart of Most Clients’ Real Estate Needs
Also this week: Did You Know? The Best Car for Wintertime Travel Is Electric
Also this week: Just Listed: A Solar-Powered Home Near DU With a $5.89 Monthly Xcel Bill
Jan. 18, 2018 — Study of Competitive Neighborhoods Reflect Slowing of Denver’s Real Estate Market
(This is a 2-page PDF, one with Denver statistics, and the other with Jeffco statistics)
Jan. 11, 2018 — Why Any Denver Seller Would Be Smart to List with Golden Real Estate
Jan. 4, 2018 — Golden Real Estate: ‘Promoting and Modeling Environmental Responsibility’
Dec. 28, 2017 — Provisions Most Detrimental to Home Ownership Aren’t in the Final Tax Bill
Also this week: A Reader Asks: Why Do Colorado Property Taxes Vary So Much?
Dec. 21, 2017 — Many Buyers of New Homes Shortchange Themselves by Not Having an Agent
Also this week: Now for a Brief Lesson on Type Fonts and Readability...
Dec. 14, 2017 — 2017 Home Sales Will Hit Record (Again), Despite Reported ‘Low Inventory’
Also this week: Real Estate Related Email Scams Are Proliferating
Dec. 7, 2017 — One Month Left to Sell Your Home Before Possible Tax Hike
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Has a Record of Success in Jeffco and Denver
Nov. 30, 2017 — If You’re a Veteran, You Owe It to Yourself to Consider Using a VA Loan
Also this week: iPhone’s Siri Can Make Your Driving Safer, As It Has Mine
Also this week: Here’s an End-of-Year Special for New Clients of Golden Real Estate
Also this week: Winter’s a Good Time to Sell a Home, But It Can Be a Good Time for Buyers, Too
Also this week: How Can Applying Feng Shui Principles Improve Your Home?
Nov. 23, 2017 — It’s Thanksgiving, and I’m Thankful for Many Things and Many People
Also this week: When It Comes to Real Estate Statistics, We Should Think “Median,” Not “Average”
Nov. 16, 2017 — GOP’s Tax Bill Favors Homeowners in States Without an Income Tax
Also this week: What Due Diligence Should You Do When Buying a Home?
Also this week: Why Do We Refer to 110-Volt and 220-Volt Electricity, When It’s Actually 120 and 240 Volt?
Also this week: If You’re Into Horses, You’ll Like This Book — About My Brother
Nov. 9, 2017 — For Baby Boomers, It’s Decision Time: Aging in Place vs. Other Options
Also this week: Percentage of Sellers Trying ‘For Sale By Owner’ Continues at Record Low
Nov. 2, 2017 — Here Are Some Tips on How to Reduce the Cost of Heating Your Home
Also this week: Are We at a Tipping Point in the Electrification of Transportation?
Oct. 26, 2017 — What You Need to Know About the Inspection Process When Selling Your Home
Also this week: Research Shows That 3 to 4 Days on the Market Yields Sellers the Highest Price
Oct. 19, 2017 — 4 Colorado Home Builders Honored by Energy Dept. for Innovation in Construction
Also this week: Reflections on Home Construction in Italy
Also this week: Another New Concept You’ll Hear More About — ‘Vehicle-to-Grid’ or ‘V2G’
Also this week: Here Are Some Things to Consider When Hiring a Listing Agent
Oct. 12, 2017 — As We Learn How Fragile Our Electric Grid Is, ‘Off-Grid’ Gains More Appeal
Also this week: Here’s an Off-Grid Home With Continental Divide Views
Oct. 5, 2017 — What Is Our Real Estate Market Like as We Transition to Fall & Winter?
Sept. 28, 2017 — This Year’s Opportunity to Visit Solar & Sustainable Homes Is Oct. 7th
Also this week: A Couple Important Facts About Flood Insurance
Sept. 14, 2017 — What Should and Shouldn’t You Fix When Preparing to Sell Your Home?
Also this week: It’s Not Rocket Science…. (about climate change)
Also this week: Jeffco’s and Denver’s Seller’s Market Shows Continued Strength — How Long Will It Last?
Sept. 7, 2017 — There’s Never an Excuse for an MLS Listing Not to Have Any Photos
Also this week: National Drive Electric Week Kicks Off This Saturday
Also this week: Denver Residents Think Often About Moving to Western Suburbs and Foothills
Aug 31, 2017 — When I Became a Realtor 15 Years Ago, I Didn’t Know What I Didn’t Know
Also this week: Take Outdoor Pictures of Your Home Now, In Case You Sell in Winter
Also this week: Consider This Before Renting Your House to a Marijuana Grow Operation
Aug 24, 2017 — Readers Say I Could Write a Book on Real Estate. Perhaps I Already Have!
Aug 17, 2017 — Real Estate Transactions Can and Should Be a Win for Both Buyer and Seller
Also this week: Denver Home Buyers Are Increasingly Looking at Western Suburbs and Foothills
Aug 10, 2017 — Condo and Townhome Owners Need to Consider Their Collective Liabilities
Also this week: How to Check Out Any Denver Area Real Estate Agent
Also this week: What’s a Material Fact That Needs to Be Disclosed by Sellers and Listing Agents?
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Receives National Recognition
Aug 3, 2017 — National Association of Realtors Says Immigration Is Good for Real Estate
Also this week: How Many Square Feet Is Your Home? It Depends...
Also this week: How to Avoid the Most Common Real Estate Mistakes
Also this week: Debunking Some Mistruths About Electric Cars
July 27, 2017 — Many Insurance Companies Have Increased Their Deductible for Hail Damage
Also this week: Why Aren’t Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Required in Attached Garages?
Also this week: If Living ‘Off the Grid’ Is Your Dream, This Could Be Your Dream House!
July 20, 2017 — Here’s Some Advice on Downsizing and Prepping a Home for Market
Also this week: Golden Real Estate’s 10th Anniversary Party Was a Great Success! (Page 2)
July 13, 2017 — How Might You Respond to an Offer to Buy Your Home Off Market?
July 6, 2017 (Denver YourHub) — Shouldn’t a Listing Agent Do More Than Just Put Your Home on the MLS?
July 6, 2017 (Jeffco YourHub & Weeklies) — 84% of Jefferson County Is Unincorporated But Has “City” Addresses
Also this week: NREL Celebrates 40 Years of Making a Difference in Renewable Energy
June 29, 2017 — 2007 Was a Watershed Year Because of So Much More Than the iPhone
Also this week: My Favorite Sustainable Practices and Improvements (on page 2)
June 22, 2017 — Clearing the Deck: Topics Worthy of Mention, But Not a Full Column
Also this week: Why Smart Sellers Are Choosing to List With Golden Real Estate (on page 2)
June 15, 2017 — Beware of Less Obvious Costs of Ownership When You Buy a Home
Also this week: Does Your House Need Painting? and: Looking for Green Homes
June 8, 2017 — What Is Your Capital Gains Tax Liability When You Sell Your Home?
June 1, 2017 — You’ve Heard About Geothermal Heating, But How Does It Work, Anyway?
Also this week: Our Closing Gift or Buyers: A Home Energy Audit
May 25, 2017 — Do You Have Tenant-Occupied Property? Here’s Some Advice for Selling It
May 18, 2017 — When It Comes to Identifying ‘Scams and Shams,’ Google Is Your Friend
Also this week: Testimonial From a Recent Golden Real Estate Client (Tom Slabe)
May 11, 2017 — Post-Closing Occupancy Agreements Can Work for Both Buyers and Sellers
May 4, 2017 — What You Need to Know About Appealing Your County Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home
Click here for Same Article but for Jefferson County Instead of Denver County
April 27, 2017 — Selling a Home on the 1st or 2nd Day (or Without Listing at All) Is Just Not Smart
Also this week: Testimonial From a Recent Golden Real Estate Client (Dick & Nan Bryant)
April 20, 2017 — What Makes for Success in Real Estate? Here’s What Golden Real Estate Does
Also this week: Testimonial From a Recent Golden Real Estate Client (Brenda Bronson)
April 13, 2017 — Good Planning and Help From Our Agents Can Reduce the Stress of Moving
Also this week: NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index Says a Lot About Our Hot Market
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Was Honored Last Week for Its Business Success
April 6, 2017 — Learn From a Victim of Nigerian Scammers Who Died Penniless Last Week
Also this week: 10 Reasons You’d Be Smart to List Your Home With Golden Real Estate
Mar. 30, 2017 — First-Time Buyers and Veterans Buying a Home May Be “Leaving Money on the Table”
Also this week: Find 15 Informative Videos for Buyers and Sellers on www.GoldenRealEstate.com
Mar. 23, 2017 — When the Fed Raises Its Interest Rate, Do Mortgage Rates Increase?
Also this week: What’s a “Closing Protection Letter” and When Do You Need One?
Mar. 16, 2017 — What You Need to Know About Buying a New Home from a Builder
Mar. 9, 2017 — Job #1 for Buyers: Finding the Right Mortgage Professional
Also this week: Golden Real Estate Welcomes New Broker Associates Andrew Lesko and Susan Dixon
Mar. 2, 2017 — Why Are So Many People Choosing to Relocate to Colorado?
Feb. 23, 2017 — How Do Credit Scores Affect Mortgage Interest Rates?
Also this week: Don’t Be Fooled by 1% Listing Commission Offers
Feb. 16, 2017 — Dealing With Real Estate Can Be Overwhelming for Senior Citizens
Feb. 9, 2017 — Where Should Zillow Fit Into Your Home Search Process?
Also this week: What’s the Difference Between a Condo and a Townhome?
Feb. 2, 2017 — What’s Your Definition of a “Full Service” Real Estate Professional?
Click here to download CREC position statement CP-36 regarding “Limited Service”
Also this week: What Are the Rules of Professional Journalism?
Jan. 26, 2017 — In This Internet Age, What’s the Future of the Broker-Centric Real Estate Model?
Jan. 19, 2017 — When Will Our Legislators Address the Issue of Excessive HOA Transfer Fees?
Also: Colorado Enacts First-Time Homebuyers Savings Account Act
Jan. 12, 2017 — Real Estate Commissions Warns About Affiliated Business Arrangements
Also: Surprise! Electric Vehicles Excel in the Winter
Also: 40 Percent of Adult Children Are Living With their Parents
Jan. 5, 2017 — Denver Has 10 of the Nation’s 50 Most Competitive Real Estate Neighborhoods
Click here for the Jefferson County version, focusing on the 4 Jeffco competitive neighborhoods
Also: Have You Downloaded Golden Real Estate’s Smartphone App Listing Service Providers?
Dec. 29, 2016 (Denver) — Happy New Year! What Will the Real Estate Market Be Like in 2017?
Dec. 29, 2016 (Jeffco) — Happy New Year! What Will the Real Estate Market Be Like in 2017?
Dec. 22, 2016 — Many Agents Are Rushing to Take a CE Class That Will Be Out-of-Date on Jan. 1st
Also: Here’s Proof That Now Is a Great Time to Put a Home on the Market
Also: Think Twice, Please, Before Buying a New Car
Dec. 15, 2016 — Realtor Code of Ethics Is Supplemented by ‘Pathways to Professionalism’
Dec. 8, 2016 (Denver)— The Trend Continues: Winter May Be the Easiest Time to Sell a Denver Home
Dec. 8, 2016 (Jeffco) — The Trend Continues: Winter May Be the Easiest Time to Sell a Jefferson County Home
Also: Millennials Want to Buy, But They Think It’s Harder Than It Is
Click Here to open the infographic about millennials and real estate
Dec. 1, 2016 — Golden Real Estate Is Taking Colorado Gives Day to the Next Level
Also: The Gas/Diesel Tax Should Be Replaced With a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax
Nov. 24, 2016 — Here’s a Free and Innovative Real Estate App That You’ll Love Using
Also: At Thanksgiving I Find Much to Be Thankful For. Here’s a Short List...
Nov. 17, 2016 — How Will Trump’s Election Impact the Real Estate Market & Industry?
Nov. 10, 2016 — What Effect Will Election Results Have on the Real Estate Market? We’ll See!
Click Here for: Inflammation Is the Source of Most Diseases, and Diet Is the Major Cause of Inflammation
Nov. 3, 2016 — The EcoBrokers of Golden Real Estate Offer a Variety of Backgrounds and Expertise
Oct. 27, 2016 — Realtor Associations Take a Position on Several Ballot Issues, But Pass on Others
Also: Here Are Some Measures You Can Take to Reduce Your Home’s Energy Bill This Winter
Oct. 20, 2016 — As Winter Approaches, Should Sellers Wait for Spring to List Their Homes on MLS?
Also: Is Home Battery Storage Right for You? What I Learned Visiting a Lakewood Company (Iron Edison)
Oct. 13, 2016 — Colorado Is the First State to Install a Solar PV System Under DOE’s Weatherization Program
Oct. 6, 2016 — Exploiting Work Overload, Some Appraisers Engage in Price Gouging
Click Here to read “Agents Claiming to Be 5280 Five-Star Professionals Are Bending the Truth”
Sept. 29, 2016 — Saturday’s Tour of Solar & Sustainable Homes Is a Multi-Location Educational Event
Click Here to read “8 Weeks to Wellness Taught Me What Makes Us Fat. It’s Not Saturated Fat. It’s Sugar.”
Sept. 22, 2016 — Homeowner Associations: Created to Serve Members, They Are Often Reviled
Sept. 15, 2016 — Is Your Neighborhood Going to Pot (Literally)? How Much Worse Will It Get?
Click Here to read the DEA document “Residential Marijuana Grows in Colorado: The New Meth Houses?”
Sept. 8, 2016 — For Homeowners Over 62, a Reverse Mortgage Could Address Some Financial Needs
Also: Do You Know a Realtor Who Belongs at Golden Real Estate?
Sept. 1, 2016 — HOA Transfer Fees Can Be Excessive & Benefit Management Company, Not the HOA
Aug. 25, 2016 — Agent Availability Is the #1 Complaint of Home Buyers and Sellers
Aug. 18, 2016 — The Golden Fine Arts Festival Is a Factor in Golden’s Rising Home Values
Aug. 11, 2016 — Denver’s MLS Adds Data Fields for Smart Home Technology
Also: National Drive Electric Week Is Coming to Golden on Sept. 18th
Aug. 4, 2016 — Why Should Buyers Even Look for Homes When the Inventory Is So Low?
Also: Did You Know? The ‘Grace’ Period on Your Monthly Mortgage Payment Isn’t Free
July 28, 2016 — Who Pays for What When You Buy or Sell Real Estate? It’s All Negotiable
July 21, 2016 — Metro Area Property Tax Rates Vary Far More Than Most Buyers Realize
July 14, 2016 — Here Are More Ways to Find a Home That Fits Your Family’s Lifestyle
Also: “Self-Driving” Cars Are a Pipe Dream
July 7, 2016 — House Hunting? How Do You Find a Home That Fits Your Family’s Lifestyle?
June 30, 2016 — Today’s ‘High Performance’ Homes Go Far Beyond Energy Efficiency and Solar Power
June 23, 2016 — When an Agent Sells His Own Listing, Should the Buyer Be a ‘Client’ or ‘Customer’?
June 16, 2016 — Trying to Sell Without an Agent? Learn from Another Seller’s Experience
June 9, 2016 — What Are the Services You Can and Should Expect a Listing Agent to Perform?
June 2, 2016 — More Homes Are Being Listed, But the Number of Active Listings Is Actually Falling
May 25, 2016 — Thinking of Becoming a Realtor? You Might Think Twice Based on This Survey
May 19, 2016 — Considering Solar? We Can Help You Sort Through the Various Financing Options
May 12, 2016 — Does Your Organization Welcome Outside Speakers?
May 5, 2016 — What Is a Buyer’s Recourse When the Seller Fails to Disclose Known Serious Defects?
April 28, 2016 — Here Are Some Common Pricing Mistakes Made by Sellers and Their Listing Agents
April 21, 2016 — Variable Commission Can Benefit Sellers; How I Shed 25 lbs. in 8 Weeks
April 14, 2016 — Whose Side Is Your “Agent” On? What You Need to Know About Agency Laws
April 7, 2016 — Did Your Listing Agent Produce the Buyer? You May Have Left Money on the Table
Mar. 31, 2016 — Listing Agents Seem Confused About How to Handle Multiple Offers
Mar. 24, 2016 (Denver) — Did You Know? 5280 Magazine Doesn’t Choose 5-Star Professionals
Click Here to read the 2012 Five Star Professional Upsell Order Form/Price List
Mar. 24, 2016 (Jeffco) — Higher Property Values Mean Higher Property Taxes, But What About TABOR?
Mar. 17, 2016 (Denver) — Denver’s Seller’s Market Continues to Exceed Everyone’s Wildest Expectations
Mar. 17, 2016 (Jeffco) — Jeffco’s Seller’s Market Continues to Exceed Everyone’s Wildest Expectations
Mar. 10, 2016 (Denver) — Why Sellers Should Want Multiple Offers and How to Get Them
Also: Now’s the Time to Put That Hard-to-Sell Home on the Market
Mar. 10, 2016 (Jeffco) — Now’s the Time to Put That Hard-to-Sell Home on the Market
Mar. 3, 2016 — Colorado’s Property Tax System Makes It Costly to Keep Vacant Land Vacant
Also: Why Sellers Should Want Multiple Offers — And How to Get Them
Feb. 25, 2016 (Denver) — Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Realtor About Listing Your Home
Also: Research You Can Do Online Before the Interview
Feb. 25, 2016 (Jeffco) — Cheap Electricity From Renewable Sources Is Revolutionizing the Utility Industry
Also: Golden Optimists Move Their Bicycle Recycle Program to Golden Real Estate’s Parking Lot
Feb. 18, 2016 — Here’s Some Different Advice for Buyers and Sellers in the Current Real Estate Market
Feb. 11, 2016 — House of Representatives Passes Legislation Favoring First-Time and Low-Income Buyers
Also: Coming Feb. 18-20 — Colorado Environmental Film Festival in Golden
Feb. 4, 2016 — Chart Demonstrates Our Seller’s Market — More Sales from Fewer Listings
Jan. 28, 2016 — Looking Back: Did Homes Listed in December Sell as Well as I Had Predicted?
Also: Let’s Prevent a Repeat of the School Board Election Disaster
Also: What I Have Learned Recently About Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Jan. 21, 2016 — As a Listing Agent, I Used to Think Buyer Agents Were Overpaid, But Not Anymore
Also: Understanding the Resale Value of Roof-Top Solar PV Installations
Jan. 14, 2016 — 2016 May Be the Year That Home Automation Goes Mainstream
Also: Don’t Have a Smartphone? Find Our Services Providers at www.GoldenRealEstate.com
Jan. 7, 2016 — Finding a Trusted Service Provider Just Got a Lot Easier!
Also: Jefferson Parkway: Tell County Commissioners to Stop Throwing Good Money After Bad
Dec. 31, 2015 — Lobbying by Realtor Associations Serves All Agents, But Also All Homeowners
Dec. 24, 2015 — Holiday Greetings to Our Readers, Clients and Friends!
Also: Read More About Metropolitan Tax Districts
Dec. 17, 2015 — Understanding Real Estate Property Taxes and Why They Vary So Much
Dec. 10, 2015 — The Seller’s Market Lives on — But Only for Homes That Are Priced Right
Also: Looking for a Home Service Provider? We Have an App for That!
Dec. 3, 2015 — Some Pros and Cons of Buying and Selling During the Holiday Season
Nov. 26, 2015 — It’s Thanksgiving, and My Thankfulness Is Both Personal and Professional
Also: Bring Your Unwrapped Toys to Golden Real Estate’s S. Golden Road Office by Dec. 17th
Nov. 19, 2015 — Here’s Some of What I Learned at Last Weekend’s Realtor Convention/Expo
Also: HUD Announces Relaxation of Condo Finance Requirements
Nov. 12, 2015 — Teams Can Leverage the Talents of Individual Real Estate Agents
Also: Christian Action Guild Solicits Unwrapped Toys
Nov. 5, 2015 — Why We Believe in and Advocate for a Values-Based Real Estate Practice
Oct. 29, 2015 — How Do You Decide When It’s Time to Downsize? It’s a Very Personal Decision
Oct. 22, 2015 — What Is the Value of Hiring a Realtor When You Can Sell Your Home Without One?
Oct. 15, 2015 — Is Your Denver Area Home Listed on the Right MLS? Here’s What You Need to Know
Also: Of Course: Recall the Conservative Jeffco School Board Majority
Oct. 8, 2015 — Golden Real Estate’s Agents Are Getting Great Reviews on www.RatedAgent.com
Also: Support Jeffco’s Libraries — Vote Yes on Ballot Measure 1A
Oct. 1, 2015 — This Saturday is Your Opportunity to Tour 14 Solar & Sustainable Homes
Also: Electric Vehicle Roundup Is Part of Golden Solar Tour
Sept. 24, 2015 — Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Realtor About Listing Your Home
Also: Research You Can Do Online Before Your Listing Appointment With a Realtor
Sept. 17, 2015 — It Can Be Quite Stressful to Buy a Home When You Have to Sell One First
Also: Learn About and Experience Electric Vehicles This Saturday at “Drive Electric Week” Events
Sept. 10, 2015 — Everyone Has a Friend or Relative in Real Estate, But Should You Use Him or Her?
Sept. 3, 2015 — The Denver Metro Real Estate Market Is Still Hot, But It Does Vary Somewhat by Price Range
Aug. 27, 2015 — Brokers and Sellers Must Disclose Defects Learned From Inspections, Not Just Known Defects
Aug. 20, 2015 — In Our Internet-Connected Marketplace, What’s the Role of Realtors Now?
Aug. 13, 2015 — The Reported Cooling of the Local Real Estate Market Isn’t Supported by MLS Data
Aug. 6, 2015 — Heating & Cooling Is Important to 86% of Buyers, According to NAR
July 30, 2015 — A Familiar Challenge: Mom & Dad Need to Go to Assisted Living
July 23, 2015 — Social Media Can Supercharge the Marketing of Real Estate Listings
July 16, 2015 — You’d Be Surprised How Many Real Estate Agents Compete for Your Business
July 9, 2015 — Regarding Online Reviews, One Just Has to Take the Bad With the Good
Also: Update on Jim Smith’s Bella Bluegrass Lawn (Less Mowing, Less Water)
July 2, 2015 — In Greening Your Home, Where Do You Get the Most Bang for Your Buck?
Also: Have You Been Caught in This Rental Scam?
Also: Support the Golden Lions and Rotary Clubs
June 25, 2015 — A “Post-Racial” America May Be Closer Than Ever, But It Remains Only a Goal
June 18, 2015 — National Association of Realtors Says That “Marginal Agents Threaten Industry”
Also: What Is Marijuana’s Impact on the Real Estate Market
June 11, 2015 — What Can You Do If You Don’t Have the Money for a Downpayment?
June 4, 2015 — You’ve Wondered About Electric Cars, Now Come Check Them Out
Also: Some Sellers Cheat Themselves by Selling Too Quickly
May 28, 2015 — Special New Lawn Doesn’t Need Mowing Yet
May 21, 2015 — What Does a Full-Time Realtor’s Family Vacation Look Like? Well, Here’s Mine
May 14, 2015 — Does the Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home Seem High? Here Are Some Data
May 7, 2015 — Here’s Your Guide to Appealing the Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home
April 30, 2015 — The Biennial Property Tax Reassessment Process Begins Next Week
April 23, 2015 — Celebrating Earth Day — Fifty Shade of Green (continued)
Also: Recent Transactions Show Level of Accuracy of Zillow Estimates
April 16, 2015 — What’s Your Home’s Value? Assessor, Zillow & Others Differ Widely
April 9, 2015 — Here’s Why Real Estate Bidding Wars Won’t End Any Time Soon
April 2, 2015 — A Seller’s Market Is the Worst Time to Try “For Sale by Owner”
Also: Locksmiths Aren’t Licensed in Colorado
Also: You Thought Inventory Was Low? Look at These Statistics
Mar. 25, 2015 — How Should a Seller (and Listing Agent) Handle Multiple Competing Offers?
Also: Beware of Internet Scams; Denver Metro Area Saw 4th Highest Increase in Rents
Mar. 19, 2015 — What Should You Do When You Get an Offer on Your Unlisted Home?
Mar. 12, 2015 — It Takes Courage (& a Good Realtor) to Sell One House & Buy Another
Mar. 5, 2015 — Buyer Demand Keeps Outpacing the Supply of Homes for Sale
Feb. 26, 2015 — Fifty Shades of Green (cont’d): More Big & Small Ways to Go Green
Also: Panel Urges Licensing of Home Inspectors, But Legislation Fails
Feb. 19, 2015 — State Senate Considers Construction Defects Bill With Its Own Defects
Also: Join Our Agents for a Lunch-and-Learn on Credit Repair
Feb. 12, 2015 — Fifty Shades of Green: Big & Small Ways for You to “Go Green”
Also: Colorado Environmental Film Festival Coming to Golden on Feb. 19-21
Feb. 5, 2015 — Going Green in Your Home Is More Doable Than Most People Think
Also: The Inspection Objection and Inspection Resolution Process Explained
Jan. 29, 2015 — In Today’s World, Real Estate Professionals Need to Be EcoBrokers
Also: Solar PV Vendor Responds to Jan. 15th Column on Rooftop Solar
Jan. 22, 2015 — Mortgage Lending Gets More Challenging All the Time; Here’s the Latest
Also: Senior Property Tax Exemption Explained
Also: 2015 Property Taxes Will Jump Because of 2014’s Value Surge
Jan. 15, 2015 — More Than Ever, Overpriced Homes Sell for Less Than Underpriced Ones
Also: Having Second Thoughts About Rooftop Solar Panels
Also: Now’s a Good Time to Put That Hard-to-Sell Home on the Market
Jan. 8, 2015 — Realtor Association Moves to Increase Professionalism and Skills of Members
Also: Sellers Risk Losing Out If They Sell Without Putting Home on MLS
Jan. 1, 2015 — Happy New Year! What’s Your Vision for Jefferson County in 2030? Here’s Mine.
Also: 2014 — Jefferson County’s Real Estate Year in Review
Also: Sellers, Too, Can Pay Too Much in Fees When Selling a Home
Dec. 25, 2014 — Buyers Often Pay More Than They Should (in fees) When Buying a Home
Dec. 18, 2014 — Did You Know? You Don’t Need a Suitable Roof to Benefit from Solar Power
Also: What’s the Future of Solar PV and Electric Driving Powered by the Sun
Dec. 11, 2014 — Buying That First Home May Not Be as Impossible as You Might Believe
Also: Realtor.com Ranks Denver Metro Area #3 in Top 2015 Real Estate Growth Markets
Dec. 4, 2014 — Negotiating Multiple Offers Can & Probably Should Resemble an Auction
Also: How Much Does Landscaping Help to Sell a Home
Nov. 27, 2014 — Happy Thanksgiving to Our Readers—We Have So Much to Be Grateful For
Also: Climate Colorado Summit Gave Birth to Many Sustainable Initiatives — Including Mine
Click here for the PowerPoint presentation “Gasoline-Powered Cars Are Obsolete”
Click here for the PowerPoint presentation “Electric Vehicle Charging as an Employee Benefit”
Click here for Steve Stevens’ PowerPoint presentation on “Beyond Net Zero”
Nov. 20, 2014 — The Pros & Cons of Listing Your Home for Sale During the Holiday Season
Nov. 13, 2014 — Have You Wondered Why Some Homes Don’t Sell, Even in a Seller’s Market?
Also: Join Me This Weekend at the Climate Colorado Summit 2014; Colorado’s First All-Electric Car Share Opens in Golden
Nov. 6, 2014 — The Press, With Its Limited Understanding of Real Estate, Is Easily Manipulated
Also: Metrolist Stops Using Its Corporate Name; Now It’s ’REcolorado’
Oct. 30, 2014 — Did You Have a Bad Real Estate Experience? Here Are Some Actions You Can Take
Oct. 23, 2014 — NAR Fights Losing Battle for Public Recognition of Its ‘Realtor’ Trademark
Oct. 16, 2014 — What Owners of Pre-1978 Homes Need to Know About Lead Based Paint
Also: Jeffco Voters Should Consider the School Board Chaos When Voting for Commissioner
Oct. 9, 2014 — Buyer Activity Keeps Supply of Jeffco Homes for Sale Under 2 Months
Oct. 2, 2014 — This Weekend Is Your Opportunity to Explore Solar-Powered Living
Also: Annual Pumpkin Patch Funds Habitat for Humanity Houses
Sept. 25, 2014 — Denver’s MLS Moving to Include Listings of New Homes and Rentals
Also: Our Mascot, Flower, Has Died
Sept. 18, 2014 — This Is National Drive Electric Week, With Several Front Range Events
Sept. 11, 2014 — Jeffco5 Petition Drive Failed, But Voters Can Achieve Same Goal in November
Also: Find a “Five Star Professional” in This Month’s 5280 Magazine
Click Here to read the 2012 Five Star Professional Upsell Order Form/Price List
Sept. 4, 2014 — What You Can & Should Accomplish From Inspecting the Home You Buy
Also: In Memoriam: A Tribute to Oliver Frascona
Aug. 28, 2014 — The Top 5 Reasons Homes Don’t Sell, Even in Today’s Seller’s Market
Aug. 21, 2014 — “Love It or Leave It” — Should You Remodel Your Home or Buy a New One?
Aug. 14, 2014 — “Why Isn’t My House Selling” Consider Your Selection of Listing Agent
Aug. 7, 2014 — Don’t Quit Your Job! … And Other Pre-Closing Advice (plus 5 new listings)
July 31, 2014 — “All My Agent Did Was Put a Sign in the Ground and Wait for It to Sell.”
July 24, 2014 — Purchase Contract With “As-Is” Clause Sounds Great, But It’s a Hollow Promise
Also: Buyers Can Now Get Email Alerts About New Listings Within 15 Minutes
Also: Is the Gas-Powered Automobile Obsolete? Consider This...
July 17, 2014 — Fear of Homelessness Continues to Keep Sellers From Listing Their Homes
July 10, 2014 — Sellers Often Ignore Their Own Self-Interest in Selecting a Listing Agent
July 3, 2014 — Buyer’s Remorse Is Resulting in More Contract Terminations Than Usual
June 26, 2014 — This Year’s Surge in Home Prices Will Impact Next Year’s Property Taxes
June 19, 2014 — Real Estate Commission Takes a Stand on “Coming Soon” Listings
Click Here to read CP-44, the CREC’s position statement on “Coming Soon” listings
June 12, 2014 — The Final Push Is On to Get the Jeffco5 Measure on the November Ballot
Click Here to read NAR’s full press release regarding the 2014 Survey of NAR Members
June 5, 2014 — Inventory of Active Listings in Jeffco Is Up, But Not Meeting the Demand
Also: Visit Our Electric Vehicle Roundup at Saturday’s Super Cruise in Golden
May 29, 2014 — If You Have a Hard-to-Sell Home, Now Is the Time to Put It on the MLS
Also: Remodeling? Let Habitat for Humanity Do the Demolition
Also: The Gas-Powered Automobile Is Obsolete, But the Public Doesn’t Realize It Quite Yet
Also: Senior Property Tax Exemption Penalizes Downsizing
May 22, 2014 — Here Are Some Ways Real Estate Agents Can Save Money — at Clients’ Expense
Also: At Golden Real Estate, We Like Going the Extra Mile
May 15, 2014 — Whether Buying or Selling, Navigating This Market Requires Expertise
May 8, 2014 — The Sellers Market Keeps Outdoing Itself — Just Look at These Charts!
May 1, 2014 — Sellers Are Afraid to Sell Their Home and Not Find a Replacement Home to Buy
Apr. 24, 2014 — The Conversation About “Coming Soon” Signs Continues Among Realtors
Apr. 17, 2014 — HDR Imaging—Raising the Bar on Real Estate’s #1 Tool, Photography
Also: Slab Granite Isn’t the Only Upgrade for Countertops
Apr. 10. 2014 — Choosing the Right Lender Is As Important As Choosing the Right Realtor
Apr. 3. 2014 — You May Leave Money on the Table if You Sell Without Listing on the MLS
Also: Agents Committed to Sustainable Practices Should Consider Golden Real Estate
Mar. 27. 2014 — Sellers Ask Themselves: Should I Sell Now, or Wait for the “Selling Season”?
Also: First-Time Homebuyer Seminar at Our Office This Saturday, 10 am to Noon
Also: Are Multiple-Fare Zones on Light Rail Self-Defeating?
Also: Follow-up on Realtor.com Exec’s Defection to Zillow (Click Here for 16-minute video interview)
Mar. 20. 2014 — Zillow Raids Realtor.com’s Executive Suite, Draws Legal Action
Also: Jeffco School Board’s Dysfunction Can Be Attributed to the At-Large Election of Board Members
Also: How Hot is the Real Estate Market? Here’s an Extreme Example
Mar. 13. 2014 — With Supply of Active Listings at Record Low, Buyers Look to New Homes
Also: Golden Real Estate Polishes Its “Green” Image with Purchase of a Tesla Model S Electric Car
Mar. 6. 2014 — Sure, You Can Sell Your Current Home, But Can You Find a New One?
Also: Why ALL Traffic at Light Rail Crossing in Golden Is Stopped for 80 Minutes/Day
Feb. 27. 2014 — Do Pocket Listings Make Sense in the Current Real Estate Market?
Also: Why You Should Attend Your Party Caucus Next Wednesday — Click here to find caucus location
Also: There is No Excuse for MLS Listings Without Photos
Also: Reflections on the Colorado Environment Film Festival
Feb. 20. 2014 — Did Your Home Fail to Sell the Last Time You Tried? Consider the Current Market
Also: Golden Real Estate Is an Agent-Friendly Brokerage
Feb. 13. 2014 — Voluntary Associations Are Being Created in Older Subdivisions Without HOAs
Also: Zillow Offers 4 Predictions About Real Estate in 2014
Feb. 6. 2014 — You May Have Thought Inventory Was Tight Before, But Look at This!
Also: Reader Response to Last Week’s Column on Climate Change Has Got Me Thinking
Jan. 30. 2014 — Our Planet May Have Already Passed the “Tipping Point” on Climate Change
Also: Meet Golden Real Estate’s Broker Associates
Jan. 23. 2014 — Now You Can Select Your Next Real Estate Agent Based on True Evaluations
Also: Sign the Jeffco5 Petition at Golden Real Estate’s office
Jan. 16. 2014 — What You Need to Know About Email Notifications of New Real Estate Listings
Also: State Legislatures Passed Several HOA Laws in 2013
Click here to view a lengthy description of new Colorado laws affecting HOA’s signed into law in 2013.
Jan. 2. 2014 — ‘Qualified Mortgage’ and ‘Ability to Repay’ Rules Take Effect on Jan. 10th
Also: Jeffco5 Petition Drive Begins Shortly and Reflections on the Past Year
Dec. 26. 2013 — Home Sales Surged Dramatically Last Week, The Week Before Christmas
Also: A list of my “evergreen” columns from 2013, in case you missed any of them
Dec. 19. 2013 — The Pros & Cons of Putting Your Home on the Market During the Holidays
Dec. 12. 2013 — Our Recent Sub-Zero Cold Spell Demonstrated the Value of Weatherization
Dec. 5. 2013 — Realtor.com Creates a Major Uproar Over Its Agent Rating Program in Beta Testing
Nov. 28. 2013 — Readers Ask More Questions About Selling American Real Estate to China
Nov. 21. 2013 — What Are the Implications of Selling American Real Estate to China?
Click here to view report on where Chinese are buying overseas real estate
Nov. 14. 2013 — Here’s Some of What I Learned at This Year’s Realtor Convention & Expo
Nov. 7. 2013 — The Year-End Rush Is on for Agents to Take Soon-to-Be-Outdated Mandatory Class
Oct. 31. 2013 — Mastering the Art and Science of Getting Your Way on Inspection Issues
Oct. 24. 2013 — Your Home’s Under Contract — Now What Should Your Do & Expect?
Oct. 17. 2013 — ‘Credit Repair’ Services Can Actually Lower Your Credit Score, Not Raise It
Oct. 10. 2013 — Buyer Activity Has Slowed Down, But Only Somewhat, Across the Front Range
Oct. 3. 2013 — What Impact Will Government Shutdown Have on Real Estate Transactions?
Sept. 25. 2013 — Dropping Membership Points to a Slow, Steady Decline for Realtor Associations
Sept. 19. 2013 — Recent Floods Blindsided the Uninsured, But Does It Need to Be That Way?
Sept. 12. 2013 — Westword Draws Attention to the Effect of Construction Defect Lawsuits
Sept. 5. 2013 — Should You Really Care Whether Your Real Estate Agent Is a Realtor?
Aug. 29, 2013 — 18 Questions to Ask When Interviewing an Agent to List Your Home
Aug. 22, 2013 — Client Is Glad She Decided Against Trying to Sell Home by Herself
Aug. 15, 2013 — What Qualities Make Some Real Estate Agents More Successful Than Others?
Aug. 8, 2013 — Momentum Builds for Having 5 Jeffco Commissioners, Not Just 3
Aug. 1, 2013 — There’s So Much More to Buying or Selling a Home Than Getting Under Contract
July 25, 2013 — New to Colorado? Most Real Estate Transactions Here Are Lawyer-Free
July 18, 2013 — Trulia & Zillow Are Great, But Not for Finding Homes Actually for Sale
July 11, 2013 — Metropolitan Tax Districts Add Hidden Cost to the Price of Many Homes
July 4, 2013 — Buyer Activity & Competing Offers Continue to Decline, But Still Quite High
June 27, 2013 — Here Are Some Typical Questions That Buyers and Sellers Have About Closings
June 20, 2013 — Think Real Estate Agents Are Overpaid? Much of the Time We Work for Free
June 13, 2013 — You Can’t Underprice a Home, But You Can Still Overprice It in This Market
June 6, 2013 — Buyer Activity Slows Down Slightly — Except for Listings Over $600,000
May 30, 2013 — Confidentiality Reduces Effectiveness & Utilization of Realtor Code of Ethics
Click here to read the Realty Times article about the California Association of Realtors’ effort to reverse this policy..
May 23, 2013 — Mold - The Hidden Danger in Homes and What You Need to Know About It
Click here for Scott Lagge’s personal story of how his family discovered and dealt with the effects of mold..
Click here for Scott’s article “A Healthy Home” on surviving mold.
May 16, 2013 — What to Do About ‘Coming Soon’ Listings Is Big Topic at Realtor Meetings
Also: Big Price Reductions on Two Golden Listings; Two Big Garage Sales in Golden This Saturday
May 9, 2013 — Unhappy With the County Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home? Here’s Help!
Click here for a guide to appealing the Jeffco Assessor’s valuation of your home..
Click here for the Assessor’s explanation of the valuation process..
May 2, 2013 — Over Half the Metro Area Homes Listed in April Are Already Under Contract or Sold
Apr. 25, 2013 — With Homes Selling So Quickly, It’s Tempting to Think You Can Do It Alone
Apr. 18, 2013 — How Buyers Can Make Their Offers More Attractive Than Competing Offers
Apr. 11, 2013 — Low Number of Homes for Sale Is Not Due to Sellers Failing to List Their Homes
Also: Colorado Real Estate Commission to Review Use of Font Signatures on e-Contracts
Apr. 4, 2013 — All Price Ranges in Jefferson County Are Benefiting From This Seller’s Market
Mar. 28, 2013 — Buyers & Sellers Are Now Being Asked to Rate Agents at Participating Firms
Click here to read Five Star Professionals’ 58-page advertising insert in the September 2012 issue of 5280.
Click here for Five Star Professionals’ rate card for their 2012 advertising supplement in 5280 Magazine.
Click here to read comments from Denver agents who are 5280 Magazine Five Star Professionals.
Mar. 21, 2013 — Housing Is Recovering So Quickly, Might the Federal Reserve Raise Rates?
Mar. 14, 2013 — Lenders Hire ‘Property Preservation’ Firms to Break Into Vacant Homes
Mar. 7, 2013 — Hot Market Makes ‘Pocket’ Listings and ‘Coming Soon’ Signs More Common
Feb. 28, 2013 — An Unwary Buyer Could Be Blindsided at Closing and Lose Earnest Money
Feb. 21, 2013 — This Seller’s Market Is Inspiring Greater Use of Escalation Clauses in Contracts
Feb. 14, 2013 — It’s Almost Scary How Buyers Are Bidding Up Properties Above Listing Price
ALSO: Buyers Learn How to Avoid Disclosing Inspection Issues to Lenders.
Feb. 7, 2013 — Fees on FHA-Insured Loans Are Rising, Hurting First-Time Buyers the Most
Jan. 31, 2013 — How Hot is the Real Estate Market? One Listing Draws 26 Competing Offers
Jan. 24, 2013 — 2013 May Be the Year When Electronic Lockboxes Finally Take Hold Here
Jan. 17, 2013 — The Art of Giving and Requesting Good Feedback on Real Estate Showings
ALSO: CBI Gives Priority to Gun Checks.
Jan. 10, 2013 — ‘Above & Beyond’ Services Can Set Apart a Full-Service Real Estate Agent
Jan. 3, 2013 — Don’t Believe Reports that the Mortgage Interest Deduction Will Be Eliminated
ALSO: Furnace Efficiency Standards to Rise.
ALSO: Speaking of Tax Deductions.... My Chevy Volt Costs 3.8 cents per mile, but I can deduct 55.5 cents
Dec. 27, 2012 — Denver Metro Association of Realtors Take the Plunge Into Rating of Realtors
Dec. 20, 2012 — 2013 Brings Big Change in How Inspection Issues Are Handled in Transactions
ALSO: Fannie Mae’s Rules Benefit Credit Unions (which don’t sell their loans to Fannie Mae).
Dec. 13, 2012 — Inspection Issues Bring Second Round of Negotiations Between Buyer & Seller
Dec. 6, 2012 — How to Protect Yourself From Being Scammed After the Next Big Hail Storm
ALSO: Bringing Democracy to Jefferson County.
Nov. 29, 2012 — Many Realtor Association-Endorsed Candidates, Including Casey Tighe, Won
Nov. 22, 2012 — Habitat for Humanity Dedication Reminds Us of the Value of Home Ownership
Nov. 15, 2012 — It’s Easy to Believe Realtors Are Overpaid for What They Do, But Are They?
Nov. 8, 2012 — Mortgage Credit Certificates Can Save First-Time Buyers (& Veterans) Thousands of $
Nov. 1, 2012 — What You Need to Know When You Choose to Buy Without Your Own Agent
ALSO: The Good and Bad Effects of eContracts.
Oct. 25, 2012 — Do You Equate Real Estate Agents With Used Car Salesmen? Think Again!
Oct. 18, 2012 — If You’re Selling Your Home Because of an ‘Obamacare’ Tax, You’ve Been Duped
Click here for NAR’s explanation and debunking of this tax on unearned income.
Click here for a 10-page PDF from NAR showing 7 different tax scenarios under this provision of Obamacare..
Oct. 11, 2012 — Real Estate Is Just One Area in Which Conflict Resolution Skills Are Useful
Oct. 4, 2012 — Don’t Miss the All-Golden Tour of Solar & Sustainable Homes This Saturday
Also: Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Round-Up This Friday, 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 27, 2012 — Thanks, Norm Lewis, for Educating Realtors & Consumers on Lending Issues
Sept. 20, 2012 — The #1 Mistake of Sellers: Not Checking Their Home’s Online Presence
Sept. 13, 2012 — Homeowner Associations: Good or Bad? Here Are Some Points to Ponder
Sept. 6, 2012 — Home Buyers Are Still Buying in All Areas and in All Price Ranges
Click here to see full charts on Jim’s blog..
Aug. 30, 2012 — FHA Responds to Rep. Perlmutter’s Request to Ease Condo Financing Rules
Click here to read Rep. Perlmutter’s April 25, 2012, letter to the FHA.
Click here to read the FHA’s August 10, 2012, response.
Aug. 23, 2012 — Some Useful Questions to Ask When Interviewing Your Next Listing Agent
Aug. 16, 2012 — My Buyer Teaches Us All a Lesson About Not Taking “No” for an Answer
Aug. 9, 2012 — Making the Rent vs. Buy Decision: Zillow Calculates the ‘Breakeven Horizon’
Click here to view the Zillow.com web page with figures for 224 metro areas...
Aug. 2, 2012 — MCC Program Dwarfs the Earlier $8,000 Tax Credit, But Is Often Overlooked
Click here for a detailed explanation of the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program...
July 26, 2012 — Get Legal Assistance Before You Offer to Pay Someone Else’s Mortgage
Click on June 9, 2011, column below for further detail on using a “wrap” and for a link for explanation by a lawyer.
July 19, 2012 — How Can One Be Scammed in Real Estate? Help Me Count the Ways!
July 12, 2012 — What Are the Buyer & Seller Costs Associated With Buying or Selling a Home?
July 5, 2012 — Here’s How Our Area’s Real Estate Statistics Compare with National Stats
June 28, 2012 — What Happens at a Real Estate Closing? Answers to Common Questions
June 21, 2012 — In a Seller’s Market, It’s Tempting to Try to Sell Your Home Without an Agent
June 14, 2012 — Here Are Some (Barely Half) of the Tasks I Perform to Put a Home on the Market
Click here for a greatly expanded (over 3 times as long) version of this column on Jim’s blog..
June 7, 2012 — It’s a Sellers’ Market, as Buyers Put Half of Non-Foothills Listings Under Contract
May 31, 2012 — Here Are My Favorite Easy Improvements When Moving Into a New Home
May 24, 2012 — Look at How Much the Cost of Installing Solar PV on Your Home Has Dropped
May 17, 2012 — Home Builders Lead the Way on Solar, But You Can Get It Free in an Existing Home
May 10, 2012 — I’m a Big Fan of eContracts, But Look at What Passes for a Signature
May 3, 2012 — Real Estate May Be Slow Nationally, But Front Range Buyers Are on a Tear
April 26, 2012 — Following Backlash, Jeffco Commissioners Shelve Effort to Legislate Beltway
April 19, 2012 — In Pursuit of Beltway, Commissioners Ask Legislature to Gut Cities’ Right
Click here for the article in Jefferson County’s employee newsletter “Frontline”
Click here for the full draft of the “Beltway Completion Bill”
Click here for a summary of the provisions contained in the proposed legislation
April 12, 2012 — Here’s My Take on Radon Gas in Your Home, Its Risks, and Its Mitigation
April 5, 2012 — If You Don’t Think the Housing Market Is Improving, Ask Any Realtor®
Mar. 29, 2012 — The Word ‘Realtor’ Is Misused as Much as ‘Kleenex,’ Including by Realtors
Mar. 22, 2012 — How to Respond to Agents Who Send You Letters or Ring Your Doorbell
Mar. 15, 2012 — Sellers Answer the Call and Create a Surge of New Listings, Including Here
Mar. 8, 2012 — Percentage of Listed Homes Under Contract Surges Past the 40% Mark
Mar. 1, 2012 — Home Buyers Can Save by Purchasing Before FHA Fees Go Up on April 1st
Feb. 23, 2012 — Not All Regulation Is Bad — In Some Critical Areas We Need More Regulation
Feb. 16, 2012 — Emails Perpetuate Mistruth About a 3.8% Medicare Tax on Real Estate Sales
Feb. 9, 2012 — Why Owners Who’d Like to Sell Their Homes Aren’t Putting Them on the Market
Feb. 2, 2012 — National Press Reports Continue to Mislead & Confuse Local Buyers & Sellers
Jan. 26, 2012 — Sen. Bennet’s SAVE Act Will Bring Sense to Valuing Solar-Powered Homes
Jan. 19, 2012 — Supply of Homes for Sale Is Being Depleted: We Need More Homes on Market
Also: Hiring Interior Designer Can Pay for Itself
Also: Arvada Public Mobilizes Against Beltway
Jan. 12, 2012 — Mortgage Cost Increase to Pay for 2-Month Extension of Payroll Tax ‘Holiday’
Also: Jeffco Planning Commission Promotes Blight
Jan. 5, 2012 — Yes, Virginia, You Can Buy a Home with Less Than 20% Down Payment
Dec. 29, 2011 — Real Estate Industry’s Tech Revolution Really Accelerated in 2011
Dec. 22, 2011 — Condo Associations Need to Take Actions So That Members Can Sell Their Units
Click here for a print-out of HUD’s approval status for condo projects in all Jeffco ZIP Codes
Dec. 15, 2011 — Here Are Some Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a New Home vs. Resale
Dec. 8, 2011 — Is It Fair to Charge the Same Percentage Commission on High-Priced Homes?
Dec. 1, 2011 — Yes, It’s a Hot Market, But Your House Isn’t Selling. So, What Can You Do?
Nov. 24, 2011 — Thanksgiving Is a Gift to Ourselves, Reminding Us of How Blessed We Are
Nov. 17, 2011 — Here’s Some of What I Learned at Last Weekend’s Realtor Convention in LA
Nov. 10, 2011 — All 4 Front Range Cities Rank Among Top 20 Healthiest Housing Markets
Nov. 3, 2011 — Newly Devised Real Estate Index Answers the Question, “How’s the Market?”
Oct. 27, 2011 — Rental Scams on Craigslist Persist, With a 6th Listing of My Own Targeted
Oct. 20, 2011 — Here’s Why the Fluctuation in Average Sold Price Can Be Rather Misleading
Oct. 13, 2011 — Buyer Who Terminated Because of EMF From Power Line Got Me Thinking
Click here to see my YouTube video measuring EMFs with a gaussmeter
Oct. 6, 2011 (Arvada Edition)— Think Traffic Is Bad Now? Wait Until the Toll Road/Beltway Is Built!
Click here to see who has given money to elect Marc Williams mayor
Oct. 6, 2011 — Real Estate Commission Fails to Adopt Controversial Rule on Competency
Sep. 29, 2011 — Realtor Association’s Support of ‘Completing’ the Beltway Doesn’t Make Sense
Sep. 22, 2011 — 16th Annual Solar & Green Homes Tour Is This Saturday — Costs Just $10
Sep. 15, 2011 — Do You Know What a ‘Patient Navigator’ Is? — It Sounds a Lot Like My Job!
Sep. 8, 2011 — Choosing the Wrong Inspector Can Really Mess With Your Home Purchase
Click here for inspector Jim Camp’s document on how to select the right inspector
Click here for engineer Tom Stroud’s comments on structural issues misread by inspectors
Sep. 1, 2011 — “If the Buyer’s Agent Sells My House, Why Do I Need a Lazy Listing Agent?”
Aug. 25, 2011 — Who “Sold” That Listing? Real Estate Terminology Clouds the Answer
Aug. 18, 2011 — Three Realtor Associations, Including Jeffco’s, Vote to Merge Into One Board
Aug. 11, 2011 — Buyers Are Snapping Up the Available Inventory, Both in Jeffco & Metrowide
Aug. 4, 2011 — The Appraisal Process Has Many Buyers Confused, So Let Me Explain It
Click here for comments by an appraisal and three mortgage professionals on this topic
July 28, 2011 — Denver MLS Resists Push to Pay Commissions Based on Net Purchase Price
July 21, 2011 — Misinformation About the Real Estate Market Is at the Highest Level I Can Recall
July 14, 2011 — Sellers Need to Use Common Sense When Putting Their Homes on the Market
July 7, 2011 — Negotiation of Purchase Price Is Only the Beginning — There’s More to Follow
June 30, 2011 — With All I See Around Me, I Celebrate Being an American & a Coloradan
June 23, 2011 — Despite Reports of Declining Sales, an Abrupt Increase Is in the Pipeline
June 16, 2011 — Want to Become a Realtor? You’ll Find NAR’s Member Profile Discouraging
June 9, 2011 — 50 Million Americans Can’t Qualify for a Loan, But Here’s a Strategy
Click here for article explaining how “wraps” work and why they’re preferred to lease/option and contracts for deed.
June 2, 2011 — NBC’s “Today” Show Portrays ‘Tricks by Realtors’ to Promote Their Listings
May 26, 2011 — Sellers List with Agents They Like, Know and Trust — But Is That Enough?
May 19, 2011 — Appealing the Assessor’s Valuation Is Easier Than You and I Thought
May 12, 2011 — Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Appealing Assessor’s Valuation
Click here for instructions on how to appeal Jeffco Assessor’s valuation of your home.
May 5, 2011 — Jeffco Assessor’s Valuations of Homes Are Surprisingly Inconsistent
Apr. 28, 2011 — Realtor Associations Struggle With the Loss of Members to Non-Realtor Firms
NOTE: This PDF contains the full column, which was shortened in the Post in order to feature two listings.
Apr. 21, 2011 — What Is the Value of Experience, & How Do You Measure It in Real Estate?
Apr. 14, 2011 — Agents & Their Brokers Pay Big Bucks for Features That Most Don’t Use
Apr. 7, 2011 — Real Estate Commission & MLS at Odds Over ‘Limited Service’ Listings
Mar. 31, 2011 — What the Heck Is Going on in the Mortgage Industry, & Should You Care?
Click here to read US Bank’s explanation of the rule to mortgage brokers..
Mar. 24, 2011 — Waiting Until You Have a 20% Down Payment Isn’t Wise — Or Necessary
Mar. 17, 2011 — The Real Estate Market Springs to Life—Call It “Day Life Savings” Time!
Mar. 10, 2011 — The Good Real Estate Professional Is a Go-Giver, Not Just a Go-Getter
Mar. 3, 2011 — For Me, All Relationships, Including in Real Estate, Demand Authenticity
Feb. 24, 2011 — Getting Real Estate License May Not Be the Best Advice for the Unemployed
Feb. 17, 2011 — The Mortgage Business Keeps Being Tweaked — For Better or Worse
Feb. 10, 2011 — Looking for Foreclosures? Here’s How I’d Recast Your Property Search
Feb. 3, 2011 — Agents Aren’t Allowed to Put Your House on MLS — And Do Nothing Else
Click here to read the Colorado Real Estate Commission’s statement on minimum service requirements.
Jan. 27, 2011 — When It Comes to Hiring an Agent, the Best Advice is “Trust, but Verify”
Click here to view Jim Smith’s own record for 2009-2010 as an example what to request from an agent.
Jan. 20, 2011 — In Today’s Mortgage Market, Raising Your Credit Score Could Help a Lot
Click here to view Bruce Gustafson’s PowerPoint presentation from our credit score workshop
Jan. 13, 2011 — MLS Changes Make Accepting a Contingent Offer Even Less Attractive
Jan. 6, 2011 — The Continued Promotion of Jefferson Parkway Toll Road Defies Logic
Click here for a the version printed in the Golden/Evergreen edition of YourHub..
Click here for Mayor Jacob Smith’s and Gwyn Green’s response to the Golden/Evergreen version.
Dec. 30, 2010 — Appraisal Is Not the Homebuyer’s Last Hurdle — It’s Lender Underwriting
Dec. 23, 2010 — If You Have Decent Credit and Income, You Can Probably Get a Mortgage
Dec. 16, 2010 — You Owe It to Yourself & Society to Speak Up When Treated Unethically
Click here for info on filing complaints with Realtor Associations and the Real Estate Commission.
Dec. 9, 2010 — Denver’s MLS Shifts Into High Gear With Major Changes & Enhancements
Dec. 2, 2010 — It Can Make Sense to Put Your Home on the Market During the Holidays
Nov. 25, 2010 — Jeffco Homeowners Can Be Thankful for Our Healthy Real Estate Market
Click here for additional comments and for input from other professionals on this topic.
Nov. 18, 2010 — What Does It Cost to Buy a Home? Here’s a Breakdown of What You Pay
Click here for a more detailed breakdown of mortgage-related costs when purchasing a home.
Nov. 11, 2010 — What Does It Cost to Sell a Home? Here’s a Breakdown of What You Pay
Nov. 4, 2010 — What’s the Difference Between an Appraisal & a Broker’s Price Opinion?
Click here to read comments on this column by several mortgage professionals & an appraiser.
Oct. 28, 2010 — Realtor Assn. Endorsements in This Year’s Election Cross Party Lines
Click here for the explanation of the Colorado Association of Realtors’ endorsement process.
Oct. 21, 2010 — New Paperwork Scandal Needn’t Spook Buyers of Colorado Foreclosures
Oct. 14, 2010 — 6.1% of Jeffco Homes for Sale Are Foreclosures; 10.3% Are Short Sales
Click here for the statistics (by MLS area) for condos/townhomes that are foreclosures or short sales..
Oct. 7, 2010 — Jeffco Foreclosures Far Fewer Than in Eastern Suburbs and National Average
Sept. 30, 2010 — Is Your Home Market Ready? Here’s Some Time-Tested, Sensible Advice
Sept. 23, 2010 — Inspection Issues Don’t Have to Kill a Contract — If You Prepare Wisely
Click here for the pre-inspection checklist from inspector Kevin Yuran mentioned in this column.
Click here for 10 tips from inspector Judi Browne on how to get the most out of your home inspection..
Sept. 16, 2010 — Thinking of Selling? Learn What You Need to Know at a Free Listing Seminar
Click here to open a web page with links for the Tour of Solar & Green Homes.
Sept. 9, 2010 — This Year’s Solar Tour of Homes Goes Far Beyond Last Year’s Event
Click here to open a web page with links to all of this year’s tours and seminars.
Sept. 2, 2010 — Today’s Low Interest Rates Save You More Than the Expired Tax Credits
Aug. 26, 2010 — Should a Home’s Energy Cost Be a Factor in Approving Your Mortgage?
Click here to read the grist.org article about this subject.
Aug. 19, 2010 — Uninformed Buyers Make Faulty Assumptions About “Declining” Market
Aug. 12, 2010 — Sorry, That $30,000 Lot Premium You Paid Has Little or No Resale Value
Aug. 5, 2010 — It’s Amazing How Much Time Realtors Must Spend on Their Computers
July 29, 2010 — Don’t Fall for the Claim that the Health Care Bill Includes Tax on Real Estate
Click here for the snopes.com refutation of this claim.
July 22, 2010 — Come to Buffalo Bill Days & You’ll Want to Move Here. (We Can Help!)
July 15, 2010 — How Many Square Feet Is Your Home? Well, It Depends on Where It’s Listed
July 8, 2010 — Understanding Foreclosures & Short Sales
July 1, 2010 — Things to Consider When Buying a New Home vs. a Resale Home
Click here for comments from other real estate professionals.
June 24, 2010 — New GPS-Enabled Phone App Makes House Hunting Fun and Easy
June 17, 2010 — Local Rental Scams on Craigslist Are Becoming More & More Common
Click here for a follow-up on this article with example of an email from an actual craigslist scammer.
June 10, 2010 — Ten of the More Common Mistakes Made by Listing and Selling Agents
NOTE: This column was originally supposed to be published on June 3, 2010, but wasn’t.
May 27, 2010 — Choosing the Right Lender Is as Important as Choosing the Right Realtor
Click here to read the minister’s eulogy of Pete Smith
May 20, 2010 — Arvada Softens Its Attitude Regarding Unpermitted Work in Homes for Sale
May 13, 2010 — It’s Surprising Sometimes How Sellers Select Their Listing Agents
May 6, 2010 — Good News for Real Estate: Contracts Down for April, But Still Healthy
April 29, 2010 — Homes Went Under Contract in April at ~50% Higher Rate Than in 2009
April 22, 2010 — Not All Agents Are ‘Realtors’ — Why You Should Care Whether Yours Is
April 15, 2010 — Overpriced Listing Are the Agent’s Curse — And the Seller’s Downfall
April 8, 2010 — Still More New Listings from Golden Real Estate as Tax Credit Deadline Nears
Click here for column: “Little Flaws Made Big Impressions on Buyers — & Are Cheap to Fix”
April 1, 2010 — As Expected, New Listings Surge as the April 30 Tax Credit Deadline Nears
Click here for column: “Missing: A System for Verifying the Claims of Real Estate Professionals”
Mar. 25, 2010 — All Sellers Want to Get Accurate and Useful Feedback on Their Showings
Mar. 18, 2010 — “Quiet Zones” Could Reduce the Impact of Train Horns on Neighborhoods
Click here for the Federal Railroad Administration web page about “Quiet Zones”
Mar. 11, 2010 — Home Sellers Are Suddenly Jumping Into the Market — And So Are Buyers
Mar. 4, 2010 — Buyer Beware: Your Inspector May Not Inspect for Energy Efficiency
Feb. 25, 2010 — Things I Learned & Observed From Attending the Garden & Home Show
The PDF of this column contains links for numerous vendors mentioned in the column
Feb. 18, 2010 — The Listing Contract Now Includes Your Broker’s Marketing Commitments
Feb. 11, 2010 — Solar Features, Part III: It’s Not All About Economics for Solar Enthusiasts
Feb. 4, 2010 — Solar Power Offers Homeowners the Best Operating Return on Investment
Jan. 28, 2010 — What You Need to Know Before Investing in Solar for Your Current Home
Jan. 21, 2010 — CHFA Loans Make It Possible to Buy a Home With Only $1,000 in Cash
Jan. 14, 2010 — A Home Inspector Advises: Know Where All Your Home’s Turn-Offs Are
Jan. 7, 2010 — Agents Have Ways of Obscuring How Long a Listing Has Been on the MLS
Dec. 31, 2009 — If You Like Buying Low and Have the Means, This is the Time to Buy a Home
Dec. 24, 2009 — Golden Real Estate Now Accepting Listings in West Metro & Foothills Area
Dec. 17, 2009 — Some Things to Consider Before Buying (or Selling) a Distressed Property
Dec. 10, 2009 — Few Buyers or Sellers Fully Understand the Buying & Selling Process
Dec. 3, 2009 — Clients Ask: Isn’t It a Conflict of Interest to Represent Both Buyers & Sellers?
Nov. 26, 2009 — Am I Thankful? Despite Today’s Challenges, Let Me Count the Ways...
Nov. 19, 2009 — Realtor Convention & Expo Report - Drinking From Yet Another Fire Hose
Nov. 12, 2009 — Most of the Time, Realtors Work for Free, More Than Most Professionals
Nov. 5, 2009 — 18 (or More) Questions to Ask When Interviewing Your Next Listing Agent
Oct. 29, 2009 — It’s Fun, Or at Least Interesting, to Watch Real Estate Contracts Evolve
Oct. 22, 2009 — Technological Convergence Has Improved the Practice of Real Estate
Oct. 15, 2009 — The Job of a Listing Agent Is Not to Sell Your Home, But to Get It Sold
Oct. 8, 2009 — Attention 1st-Time Homebuyers: Only 3 Shopping Weeks Left for $8,000 Credit
Oct. 1, 2009 — Annual Tour of Solar Homes Is This Saturday, Oct. 3rd, and You’re Invited
Sept. 24, 2009 — Regulators Prove the Road to Real Estate Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
Sept. 17, 2009 — Mortgage Issues Exacerbate Already Difficult High-End Real Estate Market
Sept. 10, 2009 — Jeffco Is Experiencing a Dramatic Surge in Homes Going Under Contract
Sept. 3, 2009 — If House-Hunting in Arvada, Wheat Ridge or Lakewood, Look for Hail Damage
August 27, 2009 — It’s a Seller’s Market at the High-End and a Buyer’s Market at the High-End
August 20, 2009 — Real Estate Property Taxes Can Vary Significantly by City and Subdivision
Click here for a description of how property taxes are calculated
August 13, 2009 — There Are Some Corners That a Listing Agent Shouldn’t Cut, Yet Many Do
August 6, 2009 — Obama Goal: Incentivize Short Sales & Reduce Foreclosures (Good Luck!)
July 30, 2009 — What Is a Seller Concession, And Why Not Just Lower the Purchase Price?
July 23, 2009 — Are You in the Midst of a Real Estate Move? Believe Me, I Feel Your Pain!
July 16, 2009 — Internet Scammer Hijacks a Golden Listing; Did You Send Him $800 “Rent”?
July 2, 2009 — Analysis Reveals a Different Market Dynamic in Each Real Estate Price Range
June 25, 2009 — Listors Live to Sell to an Unrepresented Buyer, But Is It Really Best for You?
June 18, 2009 — When Does It Serve You to Dump Your Current Listing Agent for a New One?
June 11, 2009 — There Are Lots of Resources to Help You Buy a Home — or Keep Your Home
June 4, 2009 — As Residential Real Estate Rebounds, a Crisis Looms for Commercial Sector
Click here to read a developer/commercial property owner’s response to this column.
May 28, 2009 — Public Undervalues Real Estate Agents Because It Doesn’t Know Our Full Job
Click here for Jim Smith’s analysis of the just released March 2009 Case-Shiller survey.
May 21, 2009 — For Buying Denver Properties, the $8,000 Tax Credit Is Just the Beginning
May 14, 2009 — I Can’t Believe the HVCC Appraisal Rule Has Actually Been Implemented
Click here for comments from different readers of this week’s column.
May 7, 2009 — State Program Can Still Get You Into a Home with Just $1,000 Cash at Closing
April 30, 2009 — Scamming & Scheming to Defraud Each Other Is Bringing Us All Down
Click here to read craigslist’s warning about common scams and how to avoid them.
April 23, 2009 — Jeffco Has Programs to Rehab Homes of Low and Moderate Income Families
Previous columns about hiring the best Realtor® are highlighted in boldface type below.
April 16, 2009 — Here’s Why the Assessor’s Valuation of Your Home Isn’t Particularly Useful
COUNTY ASSESSOR JIM EVERSON WRITES: Good article. I really appreciate the fact that you got the
June 30 date out there, many people are confused about this.
April 9, 2009 — Video Tours: A Competitive Advantage I’m Ready to Share With Other Agents
April 2, 2009 — Conservative Appraisals Beg the Question: How Can Home Values Ever Rise?
Click here to read additional comments by three readers who are mortgage professionals
Mar. 26, 2009 — What Does “Full Service Realtor” Mean to You? Here’s My Definition
Mar. 19, 2009 — Buyers & Sellers Would Both Benefit From Making Greater Use of Google
Mar. 12, 2009 — Finding My Real Estate Soul Mate: Here’s a Book Agents Can Take to Heart
Mar. 5, 2009 — If You’re Waiting for Further Price Declines, You May Miss a Good Deal
THANKS FOR WRITING THIS! I think it is prudent to manage your assets and investments wisely, but lots of potential
buyers are going to miss out all together. I have a buyer who kept waiting “for prices to hit bottom,” and is now unable to
qualify (because of higher down payment requirements on investment purchases) and will probably miss out completely
on his opportunity to purchase in this market! —Shelley Ervin, Mortgage Banker, Clarion Mortgage Capital
Feb. 26, 2009 — Here’s Some Practical Advice on Interviewing an Agent to List Your House
Feb. 19, 2009 — For the Individual Home Seller, Values Continue to Rise, Especially in Jeffco
Feb. 12, 2009 — Bargain Hunting — Advice on Short Sales vs. Foreclosures vs. Bank-Owned
Feb. 5, 2009 — Mortgage Rates Are Low, But You’ll Pay More Points for Credit Scores Under 740
Jan. 29, 2009 — Plan Ahead: Buying With an FHA Loan Now May Help You Sell Later On
Click here to read comments by two licensed mortgage brokers regarding FHA loans.
Click here for Ted Jones’ PowerPoint presentation (in PDF form) mentioned in this column.
Click here for an explanation of “hanging walls” and how to recognize them.
Jan. 22, 2009 — The War Against Appraisal Fraud Is Producing Mixed Results, Not All Good
Click here to read comments by three licensed mortgage brokers and an appraiser on this topic.
Click here for an explanation of what’s involved in getting quicker hot water to your master bath.
Jan. 15, 2009 — Showings Are Up Dramatically, But Buyers Aren’t Finding What They Want
Jan. 8, 2009 — Study Reveals That Private Resales of Jeffco Home Are Doing Rather Well
Click here for a copy of the spreadsheet referred to in this week’s column.
Jan. 1, 2009 — Buyers Are Getting off the Fence as Mortgage Rates Level Off at Around 5%
Dec. 25, 2008 — Analysis Reveals Varying Effect of Foreclosed Properties on the Jeffco Market
Click here for spreadsheet with figures for all Jeffco areas and for an MLS area map to go with it.
Dec. 18, 2008 — Plunging Interest Rates Create Surge of Activity at Usually Quiet Time of Year
Dec. 11, 2008 — Public Is Understandably Confused About Current Situation With Mortgages
Dec. 4, 2008 — This Week’s Energy Star Summit Taught Me Much About Energy Efficiency
Nov. 27, 2008 — We Can Be Thankful Today That We Live in Jefferson County, Colorado
Nov. 20, 2008 — Want to Sell a Lot of Art or Other Property Without Sales Tax? Here’s How...
Nov. 13, 2008 — Listing Agents Who Only Put Homes on MLS Hurt Other Agents’ Reputation
Nov. 6, 2008 — Realty Times: Western U.S. Leads in Apparent Real Estate Turnaround
Oct. 30, 2008 — Realtors’ Challenge: Representing Buyers & Sellers Without Conflict of Interest
Oct. 23, 2008 — Can You Believe It? The World Wide Web Is Barely 14 Years (5200 Days) Old!
Oct. 16, 2008 — Realtors Shouldn’t Have to Check Their Political Opinions at the Door
Also: One Realtor’s Bush-Bashing Mailer and her email describing the response she got.
Oct. 9, 2008 — Year-to-Date MLS Statistics Suggest That the Worst May Be Behind Us
Oct. 2, 2008 — Solar Home Tour & Environmental Film Festival Happening This Weekend
Also: New Environmental Content on GoldenRealEstate.com
Sept. 25, 2008 — Here Are Some Things That Are NOT Being Said About the Financial Crisis
Sept. 18, 2008 — News Begs the Question: How Many Shocks Can Our Economy Absorb?
Sept. 11, 2008 — Reverse Mortgage Can Rescue Some Elderly Homeowners Facing Foreclosure
Sept. 4, 2008 — Incentives to Buyers’ Agents Can Constitute an Invitation to Cross Ethical Line
Aug. 28, 2008 — Soliciting Testimonials Not My Strong Point; Plans for New Golden Newspaper
Aug. 21, 2008 — Fees Charged by HOA Management Companies Profit Those Companies, not HOAs
Aug. 14, 2008 — The Eyes of the World Will Soon Be on Colorado, And They’ll Like What They See
Aug. 7, 2008 — Do You Know Who the Registered Sex Offenders Are in Your Neighborhood?
July 31, 2008 — All Those Foreclosures Have Produced a Windfall for Some Local Newspapers
Email from publisher of Jeffco weeklies (including Golden Transcript)
July 24, 2008 — Come By Anytime for a Tour & Explanation of Our Solar Powered Office
July 17, 2008 — ‘Penny Wise & Pound Foolish’ Comes to Mind When I See ‘For Sale by Owner’
July 10, 2008 — Statistics for 1st Half 2008 Reflect Well on Jeffco vs. Metro Area or Nation
July 3, 2008 — Promoting and Modeling Environmental Responsibility Is a Core Value Here
June 26, 2008 — Short Sales & Lender Owned Listings Present Different Challenges for Buyers
June 12, 2008 — Is Completing the Beltway Good for Arvada & Jefferson County? Maybe Not
Click Here to view CDOT’s “White Paper” about abandoning their beltway effort.
May 29, 2008 — Beware of Mortgage Scam Letters You’ll Receive After Closing on a House
May 22, 2008 — Confucius: Concentrate on Giving, and the Getting Will Take Care of Itself
May 15, 2008 — Are FHA Loans Filling the Need Once Filled by Subprime Loans? Yes and No...
May 1, 2008 — Are Open Houses Worthwhile? My Experience Tells Me, “Yes, Absolutely!”
April 24, 2008 — Regrettably, You Can’t Verify Many Claims Made in a Listing Presentation
April 17, 2008 — Jeffco Real Estate Market Continues to Heat Up, Defying National Downturn
April 10, 2008 — Agent vs. Transaction Broker — It’s Important to Know the Difference
April 3, 2008 — Why Is the Real Estate Market Heating Up So Much Right Now?
Mar. 27, 2008 — A Code of Ethics and State Laws Make Home Buying Different From Car Buying
Mar. 20, 2008 — St. Patrick’s Day Seems Like a Great Time to Write About “Going Green”
Mar. 13, 2008 — Spring Break Brings the Usual Surge of Parents Buying Homes for Students
Mar. 6, 2008 — Buyers of New Homes: Beware of Losing Deposits if Builder Goes Belly-Up
Feb. 28, 2008 — Should You Worry About Flooding? Some Useful Information for Homeowners
Feb. 21, 2008 — There Is No Better Feeling Than Serving a Client Well, Like I Did This Week...
Feb. 14, 2008 — A Valentine’s Card for Some Special Real Estate Friends & Colleagues
Feb. 7, 2008 — Data Sharing by Front Range MLS’s Is Good for Both Agents & Consumers
Jan. 31, 2008 — Agents Who List Bank-Owned Properties Operate Quite Differently
Jan. 24, 2008 — What I Learned at Last Week’s Presentation by NAR’s Chief Economist
Jan. 17, 2008 — Buying a Foreclosed Property Could Entail “Unconscionable” Addendum
(Click here to read the addendum referred to in this column)
Jan. 10, 2008 — Flood of Foreclosures Is Depressing Home Prices, But Causing Rents to Rise
Jan. 3, 2008 — Real Estate Offers an Uneven Income Stream — But Don’t Focus on That!
Dec. 27, 2007 — Habitat Builds Its First Solar Powered Homes Without NREL Sponsorship
Dec. 20, 2007 — Rocky Tech Loses Credibility With a Couple of Its Recent Lead Stories
Dec. 13, 2007 — Newly Required Forms Introduce Degree of Integrity to Mortgage Business
Dec. 6, 2007 — ‘Penny Wise and Pound Foolish’ Applies to Real Estate as Much as Elsewhere
Nov. 29, 2007 — Are We Moving Toward “Paperless” Transactions? I’m Not Optimistic...
Nov. 22, 2007 — Real Estate Agents Are Slow to Implement Video Tours of Their Listings
Nov. 15, 2007 — HOA Restrictions on “For Sale” Signage Are an Assault on Property Rights
Nov. 8, 2007 — Northern Colorado’s MLS, IRES, Puts Denver’s Metrolist to Shame
Nov. 1, 2007 — How Are Foreclosures Impacting Sales? Should You Be Concerned?
Oct. 25, 2007 — House Hunting? Take Advantage of New “Search by Map” Technology
Oct. 18, 2007 — What is the Job of the Listing Agent, & How to Identify the Best One (2 Pages)
Oct. 11, 2007 — One Never Knows What Will Sell a House, So I Try to Do It All
Oct. 4, 2007 — Understanding How Market Forces Affect Mortgage Rates Isn’t That Easy
Sept. 20, 2007 — Mortgage Rates & Guidelines Are Still Evolving in Wake of Crisis
Sept. 13, 2007 — We Investigate Those Below-Market Mortgage Offers You Hear Advertised
Sept. 6, 2007 — There’s No “Perfect” Time to Sell a Home If You’re Also Buying a New One
Aug. 30, 2007 — Running My Own Brokerage is Both Challenging and Satisfying
Aug. 23, 2007 — Is the Sharp Decline in Real Estate Closings Caused by Mortgage Crisis?
Aug. 16, 2007 — Mortgage Chaos Was Predictable; Proper Lending Practices Return
Aug. 9, 2007 — Distress in Low-End Homes Creates False Impression of Market
Aug. 2, 2007 — Reducing One’s “Carbon Footprint” Can Make Good Financial Sense
July 26, 2007 — Thinking of Selling Your Home? Here’s Your Sign (Introducing Golden Real Estate, Inc.)
July 19, 2007 — Considering “For Sale By Owner”? Here Are the Considerations
July 5, 2007 — Jeffco’s Most Outrageous Real Estate Transactions Revealed
June 28, 2007 — Denver’s MLS Sought to Be ‘Best of Breed’ — It’s Not Even Close...
June 21, 2007 — Sellers Do Have Options When a Listing Relationship Turns Sour
June 14, 2007 — Finding Accessible Homes Is Not As Easy As It Could Be
June 7, 2007 — How to Avoid Being Ripped Off by Your Mortgage/Refinance Person
May 31, 2007 — House-Hunting Using “Search by Map” Can Save Lots of Gasoline
May 24, 2007 — Data Integrity Poses Problems in Pricing Homes, Challenging Assessor
May 17, 2007 — “I’m Not Using a Buyer’s Agent So That I Can Get a Better Deal”
May 10, 2007 — How You Can Tell Whether the Jeffco Assessor Over-Valued Your Home
May 3, 2007 — “If I Were a Legislator, Here Are Some Mortgage Laws I’d Introduce…”
Apr. 26, 2007 — Negotiation: The #1 Skill for Which You Hire a Real Estate Professional
Apr. 19, 2007 — “But the Mortgage Broker Was My Friend and Did the Loan for Free!”
Apr. 12, 2007 — As Lawns Green Up and Trees Blossom, Take Pictures of Your Home
Apr. 5, 2007 — Am I the Best Agent to List Your Home? Maybe Not, and Here’s Why
Mar. 29, 2007 — Metrolist Returns to Old Square Footage Rules, With a Twist
Mar. 15, 2007 — In Real Estate, Market Statistics Can Mislead Instead of Inform
Mar. 1, 2007 — It’s Not That Hard to Do an Excellent Job of Marketing One’s Listings
Feb. 22, 2007 — When Setting Listing Price, Consider Realtor.com’s Price Brackets
Feb. 15, 2007 — In Real Estate, Don’t Confuse “Referral” with “Recommendation”
Feb. 8, 2007 — How Important Is Experience in the Practice of Real Estate?
Feb. 1, 2007 — “Search by Map” Makes Online Home Searching Much Easier
Jan. 11, 2007 — Jeffco’s 2006 Slump in Home Sales Worse than the Metro Average
Jan. 4, 2007 — A New Year — And a Renewed Sense of Gratitude
Dec. 28, 2006 — Real Estate Is More or Less Seasonal — But Not Predictable; Broker
Must Keep Oral & Written Promises; Some New Year’s Resolutions for Agents
Dec. 14, 2006 — ‘Pride of Workmanship’ Can Apply to the Real Estate Industry
Dec. 7, 2006 — Foreclosure Sales Are Dragging Down Metro Home Values
Nov. 30, 2006 — Real Estate Attracting More & More Scammers & Schemers
Nov. 16, 2006 — Faulty Data Can Distort Local MLS Statistical Analysis
Nov. 2, 2006 — ‘One-Stop Shopping’ Might Not Be in Your Best Interest
Oct. 26, 2006 — Integrity & Full Disclosure Is a Core Value in Real Estate
Oct. 19, 2006 — Media Should Accept Its Share of Responsibility for Misleading Ads
Oct. 12, 2006 — Catching an Error at Closing Saved My Client About $600
Sep. 21, 2006 — Broker ‘Teams’ Both Allowed & Cautioned by Real Estate Commission
Sep. 14, 2006 — When & Why Realtors Refer Buyers and/or Sellers to Each Other
Sep. 7, 2006 — Technology Keeps Testing Agents’ Ability to Keep Up With It
Aug. 31, 2006 — Customer Service: A New Focus Among Savvy Agents
Aug. 24, 2006 — Is There a “Best Time of Year” to Put a Home on the Market?
Aug. 17, 2006 — How Important Is the Extent of Your Agent’s Experience?
Aug. 10, 2006 — Everything Is Negotiable in a Contract to Buy & Sell Real Estate
Aug. 3, 2006 — Yes, Some Agents Are Better Than Others at Giving/Getting Feedback
July 27, 2006 — The Smart Seller Thinks Ahead to the Inspection by the Buyer
July 20, 2006 — I Always Prefer to Deal With a Realtor — & You Should, Too!
July 13, 2006 — Here’s a Checklist for Selecting the Best Listing Agent for You
Click here for printable checklist referred to in the above column.
July 6, 2006 — How Much Do Title Insurance and Closing Fees Vary? Let See...
June 29, 2006 — We Listing Agents Could Do a Better Job of MLS Data Entry
June 22, 2006 — ‘Buyer Registry Service’ Is for Buyers What the MLS Is for Sellers
June 15, 2006 — Metrolist Faces Big Challenge as www.DenverMLS.com Surfaces
June 8, 2006 — What’s a Virtual Tour, And How Do the Different Vendors Stack Up Against Each Other?
June 1, 2006 — Why a Hot Water Recirculation Line Is My Favorite Home Upgrade
May 25, 2006 — What Impact Will Certain Home Improvements Have on Resale Value?
May 18, 2006 — You, Too, Could Be a Victim of ‘Predatory Lending’ Practices
May 11, 2006 — Jeffco Home Sales Statistics Reflect the Metrowide “Housing Glut” (With Statistical Table & Map)
May 4, 2006 — Be Thankful for Our Balanced Colorado Real Estate Market; Need a Contractor or Other Vendor?
April 27, 2006 — When Choosing One Agent for Both Buying & Selling
April 27, 2006 — Buyer Can Jeopardize Closing by Making Innocent Mistakes; Some Title Insurance Advice
April 20, 2006 — Be Sure to Read & Understand Your Settlement Statement at Closing
April 13, 2006 — Real Estate’s “Cooperation & Compensation” Model Is Quite Unlike Other Industries
April 6, 2006 — Do You Know How Your Loan Officer Is Compensated? All Real Estate Is Local
Mar. 30, 2006 — It Is Both Easy & Common to Get Ripped Off — Here’s Some Advice
Mar. 23, 2006 — At Last, Colorado Is Taking Action Against Mortgage Fraud
Mar. 16, 2006 (Arvada Edition, YourHub.com) — Don’t Be Misled About the Proposed Beltway/Toll Road
Mar. 16, 2006 — Some Real Estate Topics Not Worth an Entire Column —
How to clean oil stains from your driveway or garage / Keeping your house warmer and saving heating costs / Know when your garage door is
open / Condo/Townhome HOA fees may actually be a bargain / FHA guidelines have changed / Another staging class is scheduled for Monday
Mar. 2, 2006 — Another Class on Staging Your Home Will Be Held Mar. 6th; Morrison Speed Traps
Feb. 23, 2006 — The Feb. 11th Staging Workshop Was Well Attended; Special Offer from Jim
Feb. 16, 2006 — Beginning Your Home Search? Internet Searches Are Limited
Feb. 2, 2006 — Do You Know How to “Stage” Your House to Sell Quicker?
Jan. 26, 2006 — Statistical Reporting of Sales by MLS Can Be Misleading / Should I Renovate?
Jan. 5, 2006 — Jeffco’s Foothills Out-Perform Rest of County in 2005 Residential Sales
Dec. 22, 2005 — Timing the Buy-Sell Decision — When is the Best Time?
Dec. 15, 2005 — “Price Per Square Foot” Is Now More Meaningless Than Ever
Dec. 15, 2005 — CDOT Admits Toll Road Plan Depends on Continued Local Congestion
Dec. 8, 2005 — Habitat for Humanity Breaks the Cycle of Poverty, One Family at a Time
Nov. 17, 2005 — Thinking of a Career in Real Estate? Here Are Some Facts to Consider
Nov. 10, 2005 — Don’t Let Yourself Fall Victim to Real Estate-Related Con Artists
Oct. 27, 2005 — The MLS People Must Be Reading This Column…
Sept. 22, 2005 — Ah, the Joys of Moving… And Other Half Truths
Aug. 25, 2005 — Effort to “Complete the Beltway” Isn’t Good for Arvada, Either
July 28, 2005 — Buyers of New Homes Should Consider Hiring a Good Real Estate Lawyer
July 7, 2005 — Different Approaches to Succeeding in Real Estate
June 23, 2005 — Making the “For Sale by Owner” vs. Listing Agent Decision
May 26, 2005 — Beltway Push Is About Development, Not Traffic
May 5, 2005 — Is a Mortgage Broker Better Than a Mortgage Banker?
Mar. 23, 2005 — What Are Real Estate’s ‘Leading Indicators’?
Mar. 16, 2005 — Advice on Selecting the Best Buyer’s Agent to Represent You
Mar. 9, 2005 — Advice on Selecting the Best Listing Agent for Your House
Feb. 23, 2005 — Denver’s MLS (Metrolist) Aspires to Be “Best of Breed”
Jan. 26, 2005 — You Deserve to Know if Your Agent Has a Criminal Record
Dec. 29, 2004 — Some New Year’s Resolutions for the Real Estate Industry
Dec. 1, 2004 — Latest Industry Buzz Is About Creating Professional Standards for Realtors
Nov. 3, 2004 — Here’s a Scary Halloween Story About Real Estate
Oct. 6, 2004 — How to Time a Home Sale to Match Your Home Purchase; Shake Roofs
Sept. 8, 2004 — Here Are Some Upgrades That Make a House Special
August 25, 2004 — Should You Call the Listing Agent or Use a Buyer’s Agent?
August 11, 2004 — Here’s Some ‘Staging’ Advice So Your Home Will Sell Better
July 28, 2004 — New Real Estate Contracts Require More Information on HOA’s
June 16, 2004 — Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver Celebrates 25th Anniversary
June 2, 2004 — Myths & Misconceptions About Realtors & Their Profession
May 19, 2004 — Your Realtor’s Choice of Title Company Can Save You Money
May 5, 2004 — There Are a Multitude of Ways Realtors Can Market Your Listing
April 7, 2004 — Even Seasoned Realtors Can Learn Something New
February 25, 2004 — Inspection Issues Can Kill Contract to Sell Your Home
February 11, 2004 — Title Insurance Cost Can Vary Greatly — Shop Around!
January 28, 2004 — Staging: New Trend That Helps Homes Sell Quicker
January 14, 2004 — Good Realtors Knows About Unlisted Homes for Sale
December 31, 2003 — Before Pricing Your Home, Tour the Competition
December 17, 2003 — Testimonials Can Help You Select a Good Realtor
October 8, 2003 — Habitat for Humanity Turns Pumpkins Into... Houses!
August 27, 2003 — ‘For Sale by Owner’ Is Very Tempting — But Will It Work?
August 13, 2003 — Choosing a Mortgage That Meets Your Specific Needs
July 30, 2003 — Pricing Your Home — The Most Important Element