Property Taxes in SW Colorado

 

What is a Final Walkthrough?

 

A final walkthrough is an opportunity for a home buyer to inspect a home.   The final walkthrough before closing ensures the buyer’s new home is being delivered as spelled out in the purchase contract.

During your final walkthrough you will check to see that the home is in the same condition as you last saw it, the seller has performed any negotiated repairs, everything is in working order and there is no new damage to the home.

WHEN DOES THE FINAL WALKTHROUGH HAPPEN?

A final walkthrough should be done just prior to closing.  Anywhere from just before closing to 48 hours before closing.  

The time to do your final walkthrough is after the sellers have completely vacated the property. 

Ideally, if the home seller vacates a day or two early that is best for the homebuyer.  But in reality, sometimes the seller’s move goes right up to the closing. 

You want the home vacated for the walkthrough so you ensure items are not left behind for you to trash and you can easily inspect the home.

Start talking about the final walkthrough 7 days prior to your closing. 

This allows time to set expectations for both the buyer and the seller.  If they vacate a day before closing this allows time to fix or negotiate any walkthrough issues.

WHO ATTENDS THE FINAL WALKTHROUGH?

You and your real estate agent should both attend the final walkthrough. Often the seller’s agent will be present as well. But, really anyone can be present.

On occasion, the home seller will be present.  Though as a buyer’s agent I prefer they don’t attend.  The final walkthrough just prior to closing is for your benefit and I don’t want my homebuyer’s distracted with idle chit chat.

Sometimes, if there are items like a hot tub, generator, etc… is present the seller can give a quick tutorial of how to run the equipment if they are present.  That can be done at the final walkthrough or at a previous get together.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE LAST RUN THROUGH OF THE HOME

As you are walking through the home you should expect the following as spelled out in your purchase and sale agreement:

• The home is delivered in the same condition as you saw it in during your last visit.  Check for damage from the seller moving and it appears to be in the same condition as you last saw it.
• The home is delivered free and clear of all personal belongings and debris. The seller should not be leaving anything that is a burden for you to remove.  This includes construction materials, old paint and chemicals, unwanted items the seller thought was to burdensome for them to remove.
• The home is clean.  In your contract, your real estate agent should specify windows, rugs, cabinets, walls, etc. 
• All appliances and fixtures that are supposed to stay with the home are in place.  Fall back to your purchase contract about what is staying and what is going.
• Any negotiated items are in place.  Sometimes items like play equipment, garage tools and even furniture are negotiated as part of the sale.
• There has been no new damage to the home.   Occasionally storm damage, a pipe bursts, or other damage occurs to the home.  If this has happened you should have been notified and the problem fixed under the seller’s homeowners’ insurance.

WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR FINAL WALKTHROUGH

Be prepared with the following before walking through your new home before closing.

• Your real estate agent!  Make sure your real estate agent is in attendance.  To be honest a good buyer’s agent will bring everything that needs to be brought with you.
• Your purchase contract.  It spells out the details of how your new home is to be delivered.
• A notepad or some means of taking notes.
• A camera to document any issues.

I've got a great checklist to make sure we don't miss anything.  I'm here to help! Carrie Summers 970-759-2540  MancosHomes.com

  

How To Make Your Home Smell Great

When it comes to selling your home, it’s important to make a good first impression with potential buyers. An important thing to work on is the way your house smells. Even if you have decorated and staged your home perfectly, if potential buyers walk in and detect an unpleasant odor, they could leave fast! On the other hand, good scents can entice them to linger.

 Everyone has different thoughts on what smells good, so it’s important to keep scents subtle and not overpowering. Here are some tips for making your home smell amazing before home buyers arrive.

Clean
 The first step to a good-smelling home is to get rid of any unpleasant odors. Scrub all surfaces, wash the rugs, clean the carpets, and take out the trash. Without doing this, you’ll only be masking bad smells.

Bake
Throw on an apron and bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, or banana bread. The smell of freshly baked cookies can evoke a warm and homey feeling. Not only will this make your home smell enticing, but it can also double as a snack for potential buyers.

Simmer Scents
If you don’t have time to bake, you can create another appealing sweet scent by simmering vanilla extract diluted in water on the stove. You can also mix 5 cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons cloves, 3 bay leaves, and an orange rind to a pot of simmering water for a pleasant fall-like smell.

Just Add Soap 
Take your unused bars of fancy soap you’ve been gifted over the years, and place them in a pretty bowl on the bathroom counter. Dove brand soap also works great for this. This can fill a room with a clean scent for weeks.

Essential Oils 
Essential oil diffusers can be very useful as well. Fresh, neutral scents such as lavender and lemon are best. If you don’t want to invest in a diffuser you can dab a drop of oil on cold light bulbs before turning them on. As the bulb warms up it will give off a subtle fragrance. Avoid using plug-in air fresheners or candles as they can be too strong.

Clean Air 
If you have an air purifier, use it! They can be extremely effective in removing any lingering odors. Also, open the blinds, and crack your windows to allow fresh air inside.

Fore more tips on how to make that first great impression, give me a call- Carrie Summers 970-759-2540.

Time to Prune!

Curb appeal is very important.  If you are thinking of selling, now is the time to take a look at your place thru new eyes.  Do you have trees that are growing too close to your home, or fruit trees that need trimming? 

I highly recommend Underwood Forestry.  Steve Underwood and his crew do an excellent job.  I had Steve do fire mitigation around my home and my pear trees at my office are prolific due to regular pruning.  Call Steve at 970-560-9800 for all your tree business.  This is money well spent because a home that has beautiful trees is more valuable than a house with trees that are dead or unruly.  

Need other ideas?  Call me, Carrie Summers with Colorado Ranch & Home Realty 970-759-2540.  I'm here to help!

Southwest Colorado Home For Sale!

Looking for a new home? Covenants- Pros and Cons

Are you shopping for a new home?  Many people contact asking for homes or land without covenants.  Covenants are rules that restrict your use.  Sounds bad, however without them you might be buying a home and it turns into your worst nightmare. 

When land is subdivided in Montezuma County (Mancos, Cortez and Dolores), the county requires covenants for setbacks, weed control and fire mitigation.  It's very important you understand the pros and cons of covenants.

Recently I showed a home to a potential buyer and once looking at the neighbors we soon found out that their place was in disrepair and had cars coming and going throughout the day.  If there were covenants it might have prevented this kind of activity.  I have story after story, of unhappy homeowners trying to live in an area that doesn't fit. 

Sure you want to do whatever you want on the place you own, however we all have to live together in harmony unless you are miles away from others. 

Most covenants have restrictions to building size, how many animals,  type of home you can build, and road maintenance.  If you were living in an area with covenants, you  have grounds to get the neighbors to abide by the rules.  Without covenants, you can call the sheriff however getting them the neighbors to change, might just cause more friction.

It's best to do your homework, before you buy.  Call me, Carrie Summers, I'm here to help.  970-759-2540

Are you looking for a new home?

Have you been looking at homes online and dreaming about a new home?  If you have started searching, you might be frustrated.  Buying a home is a very important decision and you want to make sure you are doing everything right.   Here are some tips.

1.  Get prequalified for a loan-  I recommend talking to a few lenders and see what they offer.  First time home buyer, or veteran?  There are no down payment loans out there for you!  Once you are prequalified than you are ready to start the search.
2.  Hire a Realtor who will become your trusted advisor.  They should know the area,  are easy to reach, and can work around your schedule. Get references, and google them.  Do they have a website,  and Facebook page? Get a list of their homes they have sold, and speak to their buyers.
3. Your Realtor will search all listings on the internet, for sale by owners and will be able to help you narrow down your search.  They will be able to tell you if a home is over priced, the history of the home, and do comparisons.
4.  Once you find a possible home,  drive by it and go see it at different times of the day.  Are there barking dogs,  strange neighbors or outside lighting that you don't like in the area?  This step is so important.  Many people don't want to live in a subdivision with covenants.  Well if you don't there is nothing stopping your neighbors property to become junky, loud or a pig farm.  
5.  If after searching for a home you just can't find a suitable home, you might want to consider building.  Builders in Mancos are getting $150 a square foot, and a typical 5-10 acre lot will cost you around $65-90k.

Check me out on Zillow and ask about me at the coffee shop.  I'm here to help!

The Right Smell Can Help You Sell Your Home

Every home smells like something.  It could be the fish you just cooked last night or the cookies.  People can remember smells with 65% accuracy after a year.  Visual recall, on the other hand, is only about 50% after 3 months.  During one of our realtor tours several years ago, I went into a home that had such a strong cat odor. I still remember it like it was yesterday.  All of the realtors walked in the door and immediately went outside.

If you are going to sell your home, the deep cleaning you do will help with the smells.
~ wash pet beds and clean litter boxes then put in garage
~ put muddy boots in garage and in a bag
~wash curtains
~have carpet professionally cleaned

So what kind of smells help sell your homes?  Just don't put a freshener.  Some of them, are too potent and are offensive.  I suggest simply cracking a window.  If it's warm outside, leave the door open.  Fresh air is just that fresh!  Research also shows that homes that smell of lemon, orange, vanilla, pine, cedar and cinnamon can help you sell.  You can put a few essential oil drops around the home or use a diffuser prior to a showing.  Just remember to turn off the diffuser.  No one wants to see a diffuser, since people might think "what are they trying to cover up?"

You want the potential buyer to linger in your home, so I suggest baking cookies and having cups of water for them.  Leave a note that says "Enjoy".

Thinking of Selling? There are things for you to do!

Thinking of selling?  

Are you thinking of selling your home?  There are several things you should do.

1. Get it pre-inspected and tested for radon.

What is radon? Radon is a cancer-causing radio-active gas. You cannot see, smell or taste radon, but it may be a problem in your home. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you're at a high risk for developing lung cancer. Some studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage.

According to the US EPA, nearly 1 in 3 homes in 7 states tested have screening levels over 4 pCi/L, the EPA's recommended level. Recently, I had buyer under contract for a home that tested for radon and it was at 55 pCi/L! The highest the inspector has seen. Also this same buyer had the house inspected and several issues arose: mold in attic, deck not secured properly, electrical issues and roof issues. The seller was not willing to fix the problems to my buyers satisfaction, so my buyer made the choice of picking a safer home for his family.

As a seller, you can be proactive and get it pre-inspected so that you can get things fixed. Once you do find a buyer, and they do their inspection there won't be any issues and you can more forward to the closing.

2.  If you are on a septic system, get it inspected.  As of January 1st, 2019 homes in Dolores, Mancos and Cortez will be required to have it inspected prior to closing.  For more info montezumacounty.org/web/departments/public-health/environmental-health/

3.  Have your best friend do a "smell test".  If your home is smelly, this will not help it sell.  Address the odors.  Is it coming from liter box, mold or stinky carpet?

These are just a few ways to help you thru the selling process. I would love to tell you more and help your transition go smoothly.

Should I sell my home in the Fall?

Should I sell my home in the Fall?  This is a question I'm asked frequently. Many people think that the best time to sell a house is in the Spring.  Here's some things to consider.

1.  Less Competition- Usually the homes that were for sale in the Spring have sold, if they were priced right.  Simple supply and demand.  If there are fewer homes on the market, you will be getting more showings, which result in more offers  and ultimately top dollar for your home.

2.  Faster Transactions- Since appraisers and banks are not swamped, this means a quicker turn around on getting loans approved.

3.  Serious Buyers-  There are always buyers.  Your Realtor should be able to price your home right by doing a complete market analysis, and by having professional photography this will make your home stand out.  Don't forget curb appeal and that first impression is very important.

I'd love to sit down with you and discuss the pros and cons.  If you are overwhelmed thinking about selling I can help.  I can orchestra cleaning and all the details to help you sell your home less stressful.

Fresh Fruit

One of the best things about summer is fresh fruit.  Even though we had very little snow over the winter, several apricot trees are loaded throughout Mancos.  Yum!  Also Oalthe Sweet Corn is now $8 for a $1!  Woo Hoo!  Don't miss the Farmer's Market on Thursdays next to my office from 4 to 7pm for your veggies and live music. Yes, I love living in Mancos.  If you are looking for a small town with a big heart come fall in love.  Just recently Mancos helped a family that was down on their luck to find a place to live, get it furnished and even do landscaping for them.

I'm here to help!  MancosHomes.com

Tips for buying land

New Year New Home- Why you should consider building

NEW YEAR NEW HOME

Buying any type of home can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be.  It is never advertised if a home will need a new water heater in six months, or if the roof is going to leak. Buyers often don’t know past problems with appliances or the last time things were replaced. Often times, already built homes come with the headache of repairs, replacements and reconciliation. Why settle for something that’s less than perfect? Building a new home in the New Year can offer a plethora of benefits.

Build it Your Way!

Brand new homes offer that used houses cannot: a realized dream. Why settle for months of costly changes when the perfect design is possible? Selecting your land, favorite cabinets, countertops, flooring, and fixtures empowers families and ultimately, creates a forever home.

Building a hew home will reflect your style!  A new home will reflect your choices and style, not someone else’s.  Your floor plan the way you like it!  Maybe the bedrooms all together, or maybe the bedroom for the kids downstairs.  Do you like natural light and want to save on energy bills?  Need a pantry or a walk in closet? A new home offers a layout that meets your needs.

Fewer Maintenance Headaches

One of the biggest benefits of building is the lack of maintenance. New home are more energy efficient, require less upkeep and everything is new so fewer headaches.  

How Much?

Several builders in the area can have your home done in 4 months!  Right now the average building price per square foot is $125.  That means a home that is 1500 sq. feet with standard cabinets, furnace, and windows costs just $187,500!  Then add the price of a lot.  Right now there are several lots in the Mancos  area that are $75,000 for 3 acres and that includes great views, natural gas and close to town.  

I'm here to make your dreams a reality!  970-759-2540

Christmas Memories

What are some of your best Christmas memories?  Were they when you were a child?  Was it a toy or an experience?  For my family, Christmas is all about tradition and being together.

As a child, my grandmother Nanny would pull up in her old white Ford car to our back door and pop the trunk to unveil it stuffed with presents.  The excitement my two sisters, brother and I had was pure joy.  Of course Nanny would come with her famous Christmas Coffee Cake for Christmas morning.  Christmas Eve was celebrated with  a traditional Mexican dinner of queso, chips, guacamole, red & green enchiladas, tamales and lime sherbet for dessert.  YUM!!   It was always followed up with opening one Christmas gift.

Christmas morning, we would wake around 5 and get my parents up.  We opened our stockings and then Daddy, would play Santa and hand out the presents. We opened one at a time, taking the time to experience each persons joy while they opened their present.  Mom would prepare a wonderful dinner of shrimp cocktail, artichokes, prime rib, baby potatoes, rolls and for dessert a cranberry torte.

This year my sisters and brothers came back home.  We all hadn't been together for Christmas in decades.  Mom is 88 now and her health is failing. Daddy died two years ago so we have all changed roles.  My sisters and I cooked then after dinner husbands, boyfriend and my brother cleaned up.

Christmas Day before dinner we went on a hike up Bernal Mesa, quite the hike, while Mom and my daughter stayed inside.  Spending time together reminiscing about the past, hope for the future, and scrambling up to the top of the mesa will not be easily forgotten

Christmas for me is about being with my family and remembering that my life is centered around my anchor, Jesus Christ.

May you hug and tell the people that are close to you that you love them.