Angela Fox Broker Associate podcast Angela Fox

As a new homeowner, there are six mistakes you should be sure to avoid. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale In your first year of homeownership, there are six key mistakes that could cost you a lot of money. Today, I’ll be going over these common missteps.  Going with the lowest bid. Getting multiple bids is important to make sure your home projects are done correctly. Quality matters, so the lowest price isn’t always the best choice.  Submitting small insurance claims. Check with your insurance rep and look at your deductibles. Sometimes, making small claims doesn’t make sense if it will increase your rates. Even an extra $25 a month will add up through the months.  Making improvements without checking the return on investment (or ROI). Before you change anything in your home or make any updates, it’s important to know whether it will be worth it.  “ Ignoring small issues could create bigger issues later on. ” Throwing away receipts or paperwork. This could cause you a lot of issues down the line if you need to provide proof of a certain repair or proof of warranty. So, make sure you keep track of important paperwork.  Remodeling without doing research. If you want to do a remodeling project, speak with a professional first to find out whether it will actually pay off.  Ignoring small items on your inspection list. Every home out there will have small issues that need to be amended. It is important that you don’t ignore the little maintenance items your home may need. Ignoring small issues could create bigger issues later on. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

There are a few odd and trendy features of your home that can increase the value of your home. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Recently, I was asked a question that kind of stumped me: “If I live close to a Starbucks, will that increase the value of my home?” I really had to think about it and do some research, and I found out that Zillow did do a survey on the topic in 2015. Pulling data from between 1997 and 2014, they found that homes within a quarter mile of a Starbucks had increased in value 96% during that period. Was that caused by the increasing market in that period, or was it caused by the Starbucks itself? I still don’t know exactly where that number falls, but I don’t think it could hurt your home’s value at all.  “ Pulling data from between 1997 and 2014, studies show homes that were within a quarter mile of a Starbucks had increased in value 96%. ” Another surprising factor that might increase your home’s value is its color. Another survey shows that homes with kitchens that have been painted blue, as opposed to white, sold for $1,800 more. If they had a baby blue or periwinkle bathroom as well, those homes actually sold for over $5,000 more. Further still, other trendy features can add value to your home: farmhouse sinks and barn doors. Barn doors, specifically, are trendy features. Zillow looked at over 2 million homes that were sold nationwide with the words ‘barn door’ in their listing sold 57 days faster than the average and for 13% more. Finally, how close to the city are you? We’re seeing that homes that are in an urban area versus a suburban area will, on average, be worth 35% more in value. If you have any questions or feedback for us, feel free to reach out to us. We love to hear from you.

If you plan on listing your home in 2018, there are five things I recommend you do in preparation. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Are you thinking of listing your home in 2018? I’ve been getting so many calls and making so many appointments already in these first two months of the year. Today, I want to bring you a few tips you can use right now if you plan to put your home on the market this year.  The first thing you can do is neutralize the house. Bright and unique paint colors are fun, but when you list your home you want to reach a broad audience. Neutral colors will give you a wider appeal.  Buyers want to envision themselves in your home. You live in your home one way, you put it on the market in another. Before you put your home up for sale, consider stowing away some personal touches that may be unique to you. Depersonalizing will do a lot to boost your listing’s potential. “ You can tell a lot about a home by the condition of the front door. ” Decluttering is another tip that I can’t emphasize enough. If you’re thinking of listing in the early spring, why not pack away summer clothes you won’t be using while you’re living there? Go ahead and put away the items you aren’t using. This will open up a lot of space in the home and help to show off its features.  Don’t forget the exterior of your home. Here in Colorado, a piece of advice I stand behind is that you shouldn’t plant flowers before Mother’s Day. If you’re listing before then, there are still ways you can boost your curb appeal. Add fresh mulch, make sure your sprinkler system is in working order, and add a fresh coat of paint to the front door. You can tell a lot about a home by the condition of the front door, so make sure yours leaves a positive first impression.  Finally, make sure big projects like kitchen or bathroom remodels are worth the investment by speaking with a professional about what kind of returns you will see.  If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How do you know if it’s time to move to a different home? These are the seven signs that it might be time to make that change. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale There are seven signs that signal that it is time for you to move: The average homeowner moves every seven years. If you’re getting close to the time frame, you might be feeling that seven-year itch and are looking for something else.  Are you expecting children? The home that you’re in currently may be bulging at the seams, so you might need to upsize to a larger home. It could also be that you’re looking to move to a different area of town as the kids grow older. You need to live within your means. Sometimes, when people get promotions at their job, people want to elevate their lifestyle, which can mean changing where they live. When remodeling just won’t give them the bang for their buck, moving into a next-level dream home is the way to go. Your children have moved out. A lot of empty-nesters eventually realize that they have too much space and would prefer a lock-and-leave home so they can travel and fulfill their bucket list. If you find that you need to downsize it may be time for you to move. “ A lot of empty-nesters eventually realize that they have too much space and would prefer a lock-and-leave home. ” You’re getting married. When people get married, they often want to have a new space of their own to get a fresh start. On the other hand, perhaps you’re going through a divorce. This is another reason to get a fresh start in a new home. You need a better commute time. Especially in the Denver area, with all the people moving to the city, the time it takes to get to work is very important to consider. If you take an hour and a half per day to get to work 50 weeks of the year, that’s 375 hours that you’re on the road. You may need to move somewhere closer to your work to reduce that figure. If any of these signs ring a bell with you or someone you know, we’d love to talk to you. Feel free to reach out to me by phone, text, or email.

Lately, we’ve been seeing five kitchen trends stand out as having real staying power. If you’re planning on doing a renovation soon, you should consider them. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Here are five of the latest kitchen design trends with legitimate staying power:  1. Fewer upper cabinets. This doesn’t necessarily mean that people want less storage. It means, rather, that they want a less cluttered look to their cabinets. What we’re seeing is you have to be a little more creative in finding other spaces to store the kind of important things that upper cabinets use to store.  2. Comfortable seating areas. We all know that everyone hangs out in the kitchen when you’re entertaining company, so we’re seeing the addition of more “soft” spaces or seating areas in kitchens where people can relax while others are entertaining or cooking.  3. Steam convection oven. With everyone on a health kick because we’re still near the beginning of the new year, we’re seeing more of these types of ovens, which allow you to steam your food.  “ All homes are being connected to devices in one way or another, and we’re seeing kitchens follow suit. ” 4. Induction cooktops. These have been popular in Europe for many years, but they’re just now catching on in America. Induction cooktops have a glass-metal surface with coils underneath. The coils don’t heat up until they have a magnetic connection with your cookware, so when you take your cookware off, the surface is cool again and you don’t have to worry about a lingering hot stove. These also allow you to save energy.  5. Smart kitchens. All homes are being connected to devices in one way or another, and we’re seeing kitchens follow suit. Some of the more popular additions we’re seeing are refrigerators with cameras inside them to remind you which groceries you need and touch faucets.  If you have any questions about renovating your kitchen or you’re thinking of buying or selling your home, give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be glad to help you.

Today I’d like to kick off the new year by looking back at last year’s market. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Today, I’d like to start the new year off by taking a look back at last year. So, what can we learn from the 2017 market? First of all, homes are still selling quickly. If you’re in the market looking for homes, you need to make sure you’re prepared ahead of time. We’re also seeing that homes are in short supply. Though it isn’t a bad time to buy, we’re definitely in a seller’s market.  “ Though it isn’t a bad time to buy, we’re definitely in a seller’s market. ” Buyers who are looking for property right now will need to work with an experienced agent in order to find success in this highly competitive market.  Additionally, there are currently a lot of flipped or remodeled homes coming on the market. This has been a big part of our market lately. People who have been holding onto rental properties for years are now beginning to list. These kinds of homes are definitely driving up prices in our market. The last thing I’d like to make you aware of is that it’s still a great time to buy. Buying instead of renting will still save you money in today’s market. On top of that, why would you want to put your money toward someone else’s mortgage, anyway? If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.