Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Property Requirements for FHA 203B and USDA GRH loans
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Steamboat Ranked #2 on the Rand McNally's List
Leading the pack is Lake Tahoe, CA.
Colorado ranked two through six with our very own Steamboat Springs as number two.
1. Lake Tahoe, CA
2. Steamboat Springs, CO
3. Vail, CO
4. Aspen, CO
5. Breckenridge, CO
6. Telluride, CO
7. Quebec, QC
8. Stowe, VT
9. Jackson Hole, WY
10. Whistler, BC
link to article
98th Annual Winter Carnival
Steamboat Ski Resort's Free Concert Series
Monday, January 31, 2011
Real Estate Activity Increases In 2010
Friday, January 28, 2011
Vacation tales of Steamboat Springs
Old West Meets Natural Wilderness in Steamboat Springs-The National
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Buyers of multimillion-dollar Steamboat homes expect quality, great deals
When the new home at 2745 Whitewater Lane sold for $1.95 million cash Wednesday, it said a good deal about the state of the high-end market in Steamboat Springs. The property, overlooking Fish Creek from close range in The Sanctuary, originally was listed for $4 million and saw the asking price reduced to $2.5 million in September.
Listing broker Chris Paoli, of Colorado Group Realty, said last week that his research tells him that distressed properties play less of a role in the high end of the market than the impression a few noteworthy bank-owned sales have created. And he said he thinks the supply is more finite than many think.
“My observation is that there are far more buyers in the $1 million to $3 million market than there are good homes,” Paoli said.
He counts 82 listings in his target category.
Conventional wisdom says that many million-dollar-plus homes would take years to absorb in this market. But Paoli said it’s not easy to find a home of the quality that buyers are expecting in that price range.
“Psychology drives so many of our decisions,” Paoli said. “What has occurred is a number of homes have gone into distress, creating a large gap between sales prices and average list prices. Everyone wants the next great deal. Why wouldn’t you?”
That leads buyers to wait until the right price similar to the last great deal.
Paoli bases his position on the number of showings his own listings are receiving and a partial survey of local Realtors with qualified, ready-to-buy clients.
“After polling more than 50 brokers in my office, 24 agents responded with 34 active buyers in the $1 million to $3 million single-family home category. Personally, I can quickly come up with 10 more real buyers in this group (from clients of other agents in the market), and there are still another 30 agents to sample. My estimate is there are between 75 and 100 active, very real buyers in this category.”
The house on Whitewater Lane might be the most recent great deal in the luxury market. The sale price converts to $341 per square foot for a 5,716-square-foot home with five-plus bedrooms, 5 1/2 bathrooms and a three-car garage on a half-acre. The list price per square foot was $402.
The home has extra touches such as a refrigerated wine room and a dog wash in the garage. It was on the market for 131 days.
The buyer’s broker, Pam Vanatta, of Prudential Steamboat Realty, said she agrees with Paoli that prospective buyers in the price range are insisting on the best quality and that before long, the best will be spoken for.
“Demand is getting stronger, and the supply is getting gobbled up,” she said. “The question is how long it will take to absorb all 82. I would say you follow the typical absorption rate. It might take five years.”
Her buyer for The Sanctuary home previously had looked in the local market, decided to wait and returned to make his purchase.
“I think it was a very good value,” she said.
Link to article http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2011/jan/23/buyers-multimillion-dollar-steamboat-homes-expect-/
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Ensure a successful closing day...
There are four main things you must avoid before closing on your new home.
1. Don't apply for new credit. Do not obtain new credit cards, a car loan or any other form of credit. New credit inquiries and new debt will appear on your credit reports. If the amounts of your monthly debts increase, your mortgage could be delayed or denied.
2. Don't charge up existing credit. It is common to want to purchase large items such as new furniture on credit or borrow money to help pay for repairs or improvements on your existing house if you are trying to sell. Regardless of the reason, new debt could result in a higher debt-to-income ratio.
3. Don't change jobs. A change in job status or income will require a mortgage company to re-verify job status and income, which could cause delays. Also, loss of income before closing will raise your debt to income possibly causing the loan to be denied.
4. Don't miss payments or incur excessive debt. Be sure to keep on top of your credit card bills, car loans and other bills. Keep your existing accounts well below your limits.
Avoiding these mistakes will help you prevent delays or disappointment and ensure a successful closing.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Lower Prices Have Put Steamboat Within Reach For New Buyers!
Many buyers are looking for a bargain and many sellers have some sort of distress element. The distress element is often divorce, death or debt, but two years into a grim economy the motivating factor for a price reduction can simply be time.
If buying a vacation home is part of your long term plan, it might be wise to accelerate your timetable to take advantage of low prices and historical low interest rates. Many buyers are now offered a chance to fulfil a dream.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
United States Most Expensive Home Sells

Although seller, Mohamed Hadid wouldn't release the official sale price, he confirmed that it was between $50 million and the asking price of $72 million. In Los Angeles County, sale prices can take more than a month to appear on the public record.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Rent Versus Buy?
First of all, let's consider the total costs of home ownership...these costs include mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, hazard insurance, closing costs at time of purchase and ongoing HOA dues and private mortgage insurance, where applicable. Total costs of home ownership include an offset for the tax advantages of home ownership, including mortgage interest, property tax and closing cost deductions.
The total costs of renting include rent and renter’s insurance.
Now, let's consider how long you will live in the home. Buying a home and selling after 1 year, probably would make renting seem like a more reasonable choice. But after 3-5 years, buying becomes the less expensive solution. Also, it is wise to consider home value rising over a period of time and renting rates rising over time as well.
Keep in mind that paying rent is ultimately helping the landlord and not yourself. With a rent payment all the equity is going to the landlord. But, if you are only going to live somewhere for a year or less, renting could be better because of flexibility and lack of liability.
Another good question to ask yourself is not just a question of money. There is pride and pleasure in home ownership with the ability to make it your own. For example, paint the colors you want, remove a wall, remodel the kitchen, etc. You do not need to ask your landlord for permission. Owning a home can be more of a lifestyle decision and less of a financial decision.
Monday, June 14, 2010
More Closings at Emerald Lodge, Steamboat Springs
Friday, June 11, 2010
100% Financing Just Made Easier
Monday, June 7, 2010
A Day At Marabou
Monday, May 24, 2010
SECOND HOME SALES EDGE UP
Monday, April 26, 2010
Fannie Mae Can Help Distressed Borrowers
Here's some good news for people who had to give the deed on their house back to the bank because of financial problems, or who have done a short sale to avoid foreclosure: You may not have to wait the typical four or five years to re-qualify for financing to buy another home.
Instead, it could be as little as two years. In a bulletin to lenders April 14, mortgage giant Fannie Mae said it is relaxing rules that prevented loan applicants who have participated in short sales or deeds in lieu of foreclosure from obtaining a new mortgage for extended periods of time. The new rules are scheduled to take effect July 1.
Homeowners who have done short sales -- such as under the Obama administration's new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program -- will also be able to qualify for a mortgage in as little as two years. Although Fannie Mae officials declined to discuss the reasoning behind the changes, the bulletin to lenders said the company hopes to encourage troubled borrowers to work out solutions that avoid the heavy costs of foreclosure.
To read the full article Click Here For Article
Saturday, March 27, 2010
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS CONDO AT 2005 PRICING
For more information on this property and other great deals in Steamboat call Chris at 970.846.1432
Thursday, March 11, 2010
IS RESORT REAL ESTATE AN INVESTMENT
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
STEAMBOAT 700 DENIED BY VOTERS
Monday, March 8, 2010
TWO WEEKS IN A ROW WITH POSITIVE NEWS ABOUT HOUSING!
“Within a year or so, residential housing problems should largely be behind us,” Buffett wrote Feb. 27 in his annual letter to shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. “Prices will remain far below ‘bubble’ levels, of course, but for every seller or lender hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits.” Read the full article
This week in Barrons we an article about Luxury Real Estate, which states - Prices for primary residences, which plunged at least 20% from the peak in 2007, appear to have bottomed. In some of the snappiest locations, scattered bidding wars are breaking out and prices are turning upward. Read the full article
Living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado where the average home price is near $700,000, this is encouraging news. As a Realtor I can attest to the fact that we are seeing a significant increase in the number of showings at high end properties. We are also seeing deals get done at fairly high dollar values ($2.8 million dollar closing, $5.4 million dollar home goes under contract). I wouldn't say we are back to normal yet, but at least the process of inventory reduction for multi-million dollar properties has begun.