Client Testimonial

I really love my job. I know lots of people feel that way but for me there are so many gratifying aspects of real estate.

And testimonials like this are what keep me coming back on the hard days.

If we have worked together in the past just know that I value our relationship and your trust in me. I am forever grateful.

With gratitude.

Mesa Verde

Bucket list.

It’s hard to believe I have lived in this amazing state my entire life and have never been to this incredible place.

Mesa Verde.

If you find yourself near the Four Corners region this is so worth a visit. We did a tour of Long House with a park ranger and it was fascinating. I had no idea these ancient people were farmers!

Tell me about something on your Bucket List. Maybe something you’ve done or hope to do.

Shopping Cart Theory

Have you read the shopping cart theory?

I will post it in the comments but in summary this is a fascinating observation about human nature.

The idea is that returning your shopping cart is one of the easiest things you can do yet there is no reward for doing so. Nor is there a punishment for not returning your cart.

So what do you think? Is returning the cart important or not?

Have you noticed a difference in the “rate of return” depending on where you are?

What Will You Do If You Win The Lottery?

In January of 2016 the Powerball jackpot got up to $1.59 billon. That’s 12 zeros….

If you are anything like me you might daydream about what you would do with your winnings.

Pay off all of your family members homes.

Go on vacation - like all the time.

Donate to your favorite charities.

Pay it forward and bless complete strangers. Buy an island or a yacht.

And then you hear about the curses of winning the lottery. How good fortune turns to ruin.

But when I really started thinking about it there is only one thing I would really want that the lottery could give me, because truth be told, I love my life and I am blessed.

If money were no object, we would home school our kids and we would travel as much as possible. And the rest? I would give it away to help as many people as I could.

By train, plane and automobile. There is so much of the world I still want to explore.

If you won the Powerball what would you do?

Check These Out When Buying A Home

5 things to always check out when buying a home

  1. The roof. Two things here. What’s the condition of the roof and how many layers of shingles? If there are already two layers of shingles you will have to tear off all layers and re-roof. If there is just one layer you can probably re-roof over it.

  2. The septic system or sewer line. It is possible to have a septic issue and not know it, especially if you are buying a home that has been used as a second home.

  3. Latent moisture. Looks like an old leak, and it might be. But there still could be mold behind the wall.

  4. Water quality and quantity. Will you have enough water and is your water drinkable? Not as much of an issue when you have city water but if you are on a well its important to understand quality and quantity.

  5. Radon levels. Radon is an invisible gas that the EPA reports can cause cancer. Its has been around since the beginning of time. Some homes have very high radon levels and while it might not be a concern to you, you will have to address it when you go to sell your home.

If you have questions, hit me up!

Remembering Mixed Tapes

REMEMBER MIXED TAPES

I found this when I was decluttering the other day.

One of my besties made me this mixed tape in high school.

I tried to explain this to my kids but they just don’t get it! They are still trying to figure out where the tape (think Scotch, painters, duct) fits into the equation.

I love this tape. So many great songs that really bring me back.

Remember the intense labor in making a mixed tape?

You had to plan it out so that you didn’t leave too much at the end but also didn’t cut any of the songs short.

You had to really think about the order of the songs not only for aesthetics but for time.

You had to “tend” to the tape player and not wander off for more than a 2-3 minutes for fear of messing the whole thing up.

But it was so much fun. It was a way we showed our friends how much we care for them. Hand picking songs that were representative of our friendships.

What do we do now that is equivalent to making a mixed tape

SELLING IS A MUST

You’ve all seen it. American Idol auditions gone bad.

They're cringe-worth at best. I find myself squirming in my seat. It's perplexing, strangely fascinating and downright sad.

The worst part is when the families greet the crestfallen contestant with soothing words of comfort. “Oh, sweetie, those judges don’t know anything. You are the best signer in the world!”

This is the part that drives me insane.

Why lie to these poor people?

They are terrible singers and NEVER should have auditioned for the show.

Telling someone the cold hard truth is sometimes very hard. You don’t want to hurt their feelings, crush their dreams or seem insensitive. But the truth is sometimes the most important thing they need to hear.

A couple of years ago I met with a very nice family who wanted to sell their home and move out of state. The winters were getting tough for them and they were having some health issues.

Selling was a MUST.

I met them at their house and noticed right away this was going to be a tough property to sell. There was stuff everywhere, inside and out. The house was dirty, dark, and falling apart.

They gave me a tour of their home and we sat down to talk. I asked them about their goals and timeline for selling.

They needed to be out of here by September which only gave us 3 months to sell. They were short on time, money and resources to get their home ready for market.

They looked at me with hope in their eyes and asked what was next.

This was the moment for the cold hard truth.

When I first started in real estate I probably would have tried to gloss things over to ease the blow. “No, it's not that bad, buyers can look past your stuff.”

Now I know better.

People hire me for my professional and honest advice.

This family had a tight timeframe and a pressing need to leave the area.

So I told them the truth.

That no one would buy their home in its current condition. And because we were dealing with a very tight timeframe they should consider pricing their home below market value to get it sold quickly. I connected them with contractors for repairs and resources to get rid of the years of accumulated belongings.

I said all of these things with kindness and sincerity, because I very much care about how my words make people feel.

And at the end of our meeting they thanked me for my encouraging words. What??

I didn’t think they sounded encouraging at all, but then I recognized it was the honesty and a thoughtfully laid out game plan that gave them feelings of encouragement.

Sometimes the truth hurts, but I believe if you really care for someone you owe them the truth and nothing but.

With gratitude.

Why I Love My Job

Staple in the finger, and why I love my job.

The other day I had the girls at the office with me. They love getting into all the drawers and cabinets and checking out all of my office supplies. I am not sure why this is so exciting, but I digress.

So I’m on the phone with a client and Elizabeth is playing with my stapler.

All of a sudden I hear a whimper from her. I look up and she’s got what appears to be a staple in her finger.

At first I thought she was just playing around and pretending to have been impaled by a small piece of metal and then I looked at her face.

White and scared.

I stammered into the phone, “I’ve got to go!”.

We then proceeded to carefully remove the staple from her finger, clean it up and phone the doctor to make sure we were current on tetanus shots.

Once the dust had settled I called my client back and apologized for the disruption.

She said it was no problem, being a mother herself.

And that is why I love my job.

Because I have the flexibility and time to care for my family and clients and sometimes those events cross over quite quickly.

Timing Is Everything

Timing is everything. “Smile for the camera girls!”…. AND they both blink!

Timing is can make or break the way our life plays out. Every decision we make in life is a result of timing - whether it be a job opportunity, a relationship, or even a simple task - it all comes down to timing.

When the timing is right, we can take advantage of the opportunities presented to us and have a successful outcome.

And when the timing is off…well you get the picture.

Tell me about a time that timing played an important factor in your life path.

With gratitude.

White Lies

“Mom, what’s a little white lie?”

How do kids come up with the toughest questions?

And how do you explain that lying (sometimes) is quasi-okay? Because it really isn’t but we also need to hold our tongues sometimes.

What would you say (or have you said) if a child asked you this question?

Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey

5 things that will make you wealthy by Dave Ramsey plus one more from me.

  1. Have a written budget. You have to have a written game plan with money or you’re going to lose.

  2. Get out of debt. When you don’t have any payments, do you know what you’ve got? MONEY!

  3. Live on less than you make. In the house of the wise are choice food and oil, but a fool devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20

  4. Save and invest. 100% of people who don’t save money don’t have any money saved.

  5. Be generous. Follow the 7 Baby Steps and you can be outrageously generous!

And 6 - Buy a home! Long term renting will not create wealth (actually it will but for your landlord). It can be scary but its one of the BEST investments you can make for yourself. And you don’t have to have 20% down - that is an old wives’ tale. And remember the interest rate on rent is 100%.

Real Estate Market Sensational Story

We all know the media loves a sensational story and there have been plenty surrounding the real estate market. Lately there has been lots of talk about interest rates and why now is not a good time to buy…

But when we compare what the talking heads SAY is going to happen compared to what has ACTUALLY happened the outcome is very different.

The following example starts with a buyer looking at a home valued at $300,000

  • Oct 2015 “Housing today- a bubble larger than 2006” - we saw 5.1% appreciation - home is now worth $315,000

  • Aug 2016 “We’re in a housing bubble” - we saw 5.4% appreciation - home is now worth $332,000

  • Nov 2017 “Homeownership doesn’t build wealth, a study finds” - we saw 6.1% appreciation- home is now worth $353,000

  • Sept 2018 “It’s better to rent than buy in today’s housing market” - we saw 4.1% appreciation - home is now worth $367,000

  • July 2019 “The housing market is about to shift in a bad way for buyers” - we saw 4.0% appreciation- home is now worth $382,000

  • Dec 2019 “Next year will be hard on the housing market, especially in big cities” - we saw 16% appreciation in 2020- home is now worth $443,000

  • July 2021 “Housing boom is over as new home sales fall to pandemic lows” - we saw 18% appreciation - home is now worth $523,000

Had fear consumed this buyer back in 2015 they would’ve lost out on $223,000 of increased value, not to mention the seven years of payments made on the mortgage creating even more equity.

Remember, the interest rate on rent is 100%….

Make your financial decisions based on logic, reason and expert opinions. Don’t make decisions based on fear as you may miss out on big opportunities.

Real estate continues to be rated as one of the BEST long term wealth strategies.

Questions? Leave them in the chat or DM me. You don’t have to do this alone.

Jamiroquai

Have you ever felt a certain song or musical artist just connected with your soul?

Like the order of the notes was somehow linked to your DNA?

That from the moment you heard it you just knew it was something special.

Maybe even made just for you?

This is how I feel about the band Jamiroquai. From the very first rift in the very first song I knew this would be a band that I would love forever.

It’s like the music KNOWS me.

I know that sounds weird but I cannot describe it any other way.

I would love to hear about the music in your life that makes you feel the same way.

Here’s a hint - if you own a box set (you young ones might not know what I am talking about) then that is probably your answer!

*Side note* I was lucky enough to see them in concert in Denver about 17 years ago. Since then the lead singer has been permanently banned from the US for driving too fast!

People Watching

I love to people watch.

Sometimes I will pick a person to observe. I wonder things about them….

Are they married

Do they have kids

What do they do for work

Are they having a good day

What the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to them

People just going about their daily lives.

But here’s the amazing thing.

Each one is a one-of-a-kind with our own stories, our own dreams, our own disappointments, our own goals and aspirations.

Each one of us is like a limitless and untapped universe of diversity. We are all so different and yet so similar.

And inside of each one of us is music to be sung, poems to be written, art to be created and love to be shared.

When you think of all the art hanging in museums (or on fridges) or books that fill a library (or ones imagination) its staggering to think that came from deep inside someone.

The potential each one of us has is mind blowing, it’s an unlimited reservoir just waiting to be tapped.

We are the makers of music and the dreamers of dreams.

So sing, shout, live, believe, create and dream.

Because you my dear are fearfully and wonderfully made. And don’t ever forgot that.

SELF TALK

OMMMMMM.

What do you do to relax?

To get to your “Calgon Take Me Away” place?

Your zen moment?

So I am no master but deep breathing always helps up front and then I do some helpful “self talk”.

I have also found that meditation apps such as Headspace and Abide are excellent for those (like me) that have trouble shutting up the noise that floats between my two ears.

How about you?

Client Testimonial

I really love my job. I know lots of people feel that way but for me there are so many gratifying aspects of real estate.
And testimonials like this are what keep me coming back on the hard days.
If we have worked together in the past just know that I value our relationship and your trust in me. I am forever grateful.
With gratitude.

TRUTH MATTERS

Does the truth matter? I still think it does. But society today seems to promote another message.

Its okay to lie as long as its just a little lie.

And we have become so skeptical.

It used to be that photographic evidence was indisputable. Now, I question everything I see. Hmmm, that looks Photoshopped.

Even videos can be altered and we all know “creative editing” can distort and pervert reality.

So what does one do?

Well to start with, I think its okay and important to ask questions. I also use my intuition, “does this feel right?” And lastly its imperative to build relationships and communities founded on trust.

Its okay to demand the truth be told. Its okay to hold yourself and others to honesty.

As the great Winston Churchill said, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end there it is.”

Yes, there it is. And it matters.