How Home Building Design Trends Have Evolved in the Last 10 Years

How Home Building Design Trends Have Evolved in the Last 10 Years

Home building trends have certainly evolved in the last 10 years, in numerous different ways. For one thing, they have more open areas, like combining the kitchen, living room, and dining room. This makes things look bigger and lets in more natural light.

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At the same time, according to Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX realtor, lots of houses nowadays have smart technology, including security systems, lights, and even thermostats that can be controlled with phones or voice commands.

Moreover, we have to state that, before, people did not really think about being “green.” But in today’s world, people care more about saving energy. Homes use eco-friendly materials and might have solar panels.

Not to mention that rooms can do more than one thing. For example, a home office can also be a guest room or a workout space. Also, homes nowadays offer more in terms of enjoying the outdoors. Thus, people want to spend more time outside. Therefore, modern houses have cool outdoor areas, like decks and kitchens.

In the past, houses had classic styles, whereas nowadays contemporary styles are popular. You should think in terms of clean lines and simple designs. Some people like the look of raw materials and exposed beams. Whereas bigger houses used to be trendy, now smaller homes are very popular, because it is easier to take care of them and they also cost less.

 

Budgeting Concerns for Moving to a Different City

Budgeting Concerns for Moving to a Different City

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Moving to a different city is always a big undertaking. Besides packing up your current living essentials and saying goodbye to friends and family, there are the hidden concerns of budgeting. Before you make the big move, consider the cost of living in your new city.

Research the city and calculate the cost of housing, utilities, food, transportation and any unexpected expenses you might incur. Your current budget may look great now, but city to city, the cost of living literally changes drastically.

The prospective cost of housing should be your first priority. Some cities have booming real estate markets and others can be more affordable than you think. Research average rent prices and look into utilities – many landlords require that you pay for those as well. After mapping out the cost of housing, you can move on to food expenses. Food prices vary greatly. How much are you really willing to spend on groceries each month? Also look into delivery fees, takeout cost and dining out.

Next, transportation inquiry – is the city walkable or do you need to rely on public transportation or a car? Could you offset the cost of car payments and insurance by living closer to work? Assess public transportation accessibility, availability and cost.

Finally, you need to be aware of any major expenses you may not have accounted for. Some cities require special taxes or fees for services or may have other surprises that are financially draining. All these costs should be taken into consideration when making your budget.

Talk with real estate industry leader Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX for more advice about real estate and relocation.

 

Colorado Tips on Saving Money to Build a New Home

Colorado Tips on Saving Money to Build a New Home

Organizing a building project is no easy feat. Colorado financial experts recommend that you start small and work yourself up to the level where you can save more money for building your new dream home. Here are some quick tips from real estate expert Tom Ullrich to get you started:

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  1. Start by building a habit to save small amounts of money on a regular basis. While saving a few dollars on grocery shopping or by choosing a less expensive restaurant will not help you save money for a new home, it will assist with creating the habits that can help you get there.
  2. Analyze your spending habits and find out exactly where most of your money is going. This step requires being honest with yourself and having the right mindset to see how saving money can benefit your life – so you can see now just how important step #1 is. Once you identified all areas, you can start making a detailed plan (use a simple budgeting spreadsheet, as it is faster) to reduce your expenses in those areas.
  3. Visit local national parks and hiking trails, instead of organizing elaborate and expensive out of state vacations. Colorado has a lot of amazing places you can visit, and most of them you can get to by driving.
  4. Refinance your existing loans and credit cards to keep your debts low. Depending on your credit score, you could get a lower interest rate, which will help you save a lot of money in the long run. Then you can deposit that money gradually, so you’ll have enough for your new building project.

Why You Should Hire the Best Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House

Why You Should Hire the Best Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House

Real estate has become a very tricky industry where, not only is it difficult for regular people to get anything done in term of promoting their own homes or buying without a realtor, but even less experienced real estate agents tend to run into a lot of problems when trying to represent their clients.

In the Colorado real estate industry, top producers are usually the ones who manage to win big and ensure that their clients received the best representation. As statistics show, you are far more likely to sell your home at a better price by spending more on the real estate services of a dependable and experienced broker, than by cutting corners and hiring a beginning realtor.

This happens primarily because of the experience required to tackle an area like Colorado – which has been in a constant state of growth and accelerated development since the mid-2010s – but also has to do with the better connections and opportunities that experienced realtors in the area tend to have.

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If you try to spend less on hiring a real estate agent, you might run into a lot of problems. Some of these include not being able to sell your home within 1-2 months, finding it hard to promote yourself online, or getting low offers that are few and far between. With a dependable and skilled real estate professional like Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX by your side, you will receive top notch experience and support. Work with the best.

Do You Need to Sell a Lot of Properties Fast? Try a Professional Realtor Service

Do You Need to Sell a Lot of Properties Fast? Try a Professional Realtor Service

You may need to sell several properties really quickly. To successfully achieve this, your best choice is to hire a professional realtor like Tom Ullrich. One distinct advantage is that you can get greater exposure for your properties in a shorter amount of time. This means that selling your properties can happen more quickly and often at better prices than if you were to try and do this on your own.

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Another amazing  benefit is that these professionals will help you to navigate your real estate transactions. Because of his extensive experience, professional realtor Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX  uses his knowledge to share insights into the real estate market. Additionally, he can make a comparable analysis of the homes for sale in your area, so you can know where to start and what to expect in your specific situation.

Apart from making  the process of selling faster, a professional realtor service can better negotiate on your behalf. Experienced realtors are usually familiar with negotiating tactics and can therefore help you strike the best deals. Realtors have a responsibility to ensure you get the best value for your home. This means that they will act in your best interest when assisting you to sell your properties.

How to Conduct Virtual Home Tours with a Colorado Real Estate Agent

How to Conduct Virtual Home Tours with a Colorado Real Estate Agent

Virtual home tours have come a long way since the first time someone picked up a camcorder and started filming around his house. Nowadays, a Colorado real estate agent will use virtual tours in order to showcase to potential customers what a property looks like and what its potential is. You could think of virtual tours in real estate like having your very own open house event.

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Any good Colorado real estate agent like Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX, knows that a good virtual tour needs to have a natural flow to it. You can’t just put random pictures and short films of rooms and hope for the best. That’s why many new virtual tours have a well thought-out script. That way clients don’t just get to see the inside of a house, but have a full experience exploring it.

Also, your Colorado real estate agent will tell you that making a virtual tour of your house can boost its selling potential. The beauty of doing virtual tours around houses is that this way you can reach more clients than before, even international ones, thanks to the internet and the interactive character of the tour.

The Top 5 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent When Moving to Colorado

The Top 5 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent When Moving to Colorado

Moving to Colorado can be a difficult outlook, especially if you’re coming from far away. Colorado has been thriving due to the expansion of various cities and industries – most especially Denver and the manufacturing industries that have been developing in the region.

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As such, you need to use a dependable real estate agent – Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX. Here are some questions to ask before even considering your move:

  1. What cities are the best ones to consider? In most cases, they’ll tell you Denver or Colorado Springs, but there might be other smaller towns that they’d recommend based on your preferences.
  2. When is the best time to buy? Many consider late spring to be a great time to start looking for a new house in Colorado, but each region is different, so be sure to listen to your designated realtor.
  3. What is your experience with this area? If you already chose a certain region, you might want to make sure that your realtor has enough experience to actually help you out.
  4. What are my options for financing a purchase? Your realtor should be able to give you a list of qualified mortgage lenders that you can choose from, when you plan on buying a house in Colorado.
  5. Do you offer long term support? The relationship between a buyer’s agent and a real estate buyer should not end once the transaction is completed. Find out how the realtor will help you in the months to come, especially if there are issues that remain unresolved after the closing process.

The Top 3 Questions to Ask Before Picking a Colorado Realtor

The Top 3 Questions to Ask Before Picking a Colorado Realtor

Tom Ullrich - RE/MAX

When choosing a real estate professional in the state of Colorado, it is essential that you get the most experienced and skilled realtor, like Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX, to back you up. For sellers in particular, it’s a good idea to ask the following questions before hiring a listing agent:

  1. How well do you know the area? In Colorado, like everywhere else, realtors operate based on specific farm areas where they learn everything about that particular city, neighborhood or county. It’s very important that the realtor you hire be knowledgeable about the area your home was built on.
  2. How long do you expect the process to take? It’s a good idea to inquire as to whether or not the realtor has a strategy to sell your home or to find you a home to buy. For sellers, the more a property stays on the market, the harder it will subsequently be to sell it at a good price.
  3. Do you have a valid real estate license? Asking about a license and doing a quick background check on the agency or the broker you’re working with can be a good idea, as you will want to make sure that they are well-trained and competent enough to handle your real estate sale or purchase.

Is It Better To Buy Or Sell Before the School Year Starts

Is It Better To Buy Or Sell Before the School Year Starts

The beginning of the school year and the couple of weeks before and after the date are periods marked by sluggishness on the real estate market. In most regions, that sluggishness affects buying and selling the same way. Here are some things that influence how efficient and profitable buying or selling property is before and right after the start of the new school year:

  • What happens right before and right after the first school day – many people planning to buy or sell their property postpone placing their ads and starting the process to take one more short, last-minute vacation before the kids start school and when they come back from their trip, they are busy preparing the kids for the first school day. The first couple of weeks after school starts is the period of getting used to the changed schedule, to getting up earlier and to being busier than during the vacation, so most people decide to postpone buying on selling property for a bit longer again;

Tom Ullrich - RE/MAX

  • How to find a better time – in most regions, Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX suggests that generally the peak period for buying and selling property is the spring and early summer, from March through May, then there is another peak around the end of the year, from October to December, ending before the winter holidays. However, this may depend on the  local economy, specific neighborhood, and school district. It is always best to discuss specifics with reputable real estate agents like Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX.

Books Written to Support the Home Buying Experience

Books Written to Support the Home Buying Experience

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Buying a home is a huge investment and can prove to be a complicated process for people who are not sufficiently prepared. There are many details and operations involved in a real estate transaction and, if you are not careful or lack the necessary experience, you might lose focus and make uninspired decisions, which, over time, may prove to be catastrophic. This is definitely to be avoided, so you should inform yourself about the whole home buying process before making an investment. Fortunately, information is everywhere and there is a lot of literature written to support the home buying experience. Here are our recommendations:

  1. “Real Estate Smart” (M. Parker)
  2. “Buying a Home: The Missing Manual” (N. Conner)
  3. “Tips and Traps When Buying a Home” (A. S Park)
  4. “ Your First Home” (G. Keller, D. Jenks, J. Papasan)
  5. “Keep Calm … It’s Just Real Estate” (E. Sherrod)
  6. “The Mortgage Encyclopedia” (J. Guttentag)
  7. “House Keys” (L. Turner)
  8. “The Big Ass Book of Home Décor” (M. Montano)
  9. “Finding the Uncommon Deal” (A. Leitman Bailey)
  10. “Home Rich” (G. Willis)
  11. “Buying a Home” (A. Musgrave)
  12. “Buying a Home in Texas” (A. Musgrave)
  13. “Tips and Traps When Buying a Home” (R. Irwin)
  14. “Home Buying For Dummies” (E. Tyson, R. Brown)
  15. “No Nonsense Real Estate” (A. Goldstein)

If you would like to speak to someone who has 35+ years in the industry, call Tom Ullrich – RE/MAX. Tom adds a personal touch to the real estate business through his honesty, experience, and character. He works with care and integrity to make sure all his clients receive the upmost service.