Denise Wambsganss
Realtor
303-880-8771
dwambs@msn.com







Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Power of Attitude

Check out this link. It is pretty uplifting!

www.powerofattitudemovie.com

Monday, November 23, 2009

Home Values

Nationwide, when asked about their own home’s value over the past year:

• 25% think their home’s value has increased

• 26% think their home’s value has stayed the same

• 49% think their home’s value has decreased

In reality, 72 percent of U.S. homes lost value over the past year, and 22 percent of homes increased in value. That’s fewer homes declining versus Q2 (83%), and a smaller Misperception Index of 10 (vs. 13 in Q2 and 17 in Q3 2008). A Misperception Index of zero would mean homeowners’ perceptions were in line with actual values.

If you have any questions or would just like to brainstorm about Real Estate feel free to email me at dwambs@msn.com

Friday, November 6, 2009

Tax Credit extended into 2010

It's official. President Obama signed a bill that extends the tax credit for first-time Homebuyers into the first of 2010. This program had been scheduled to expire on November 30th 2009.

In addition extending a tax credit of up to $8,000 through June 30th 2010, the extension measure also opens up opportunities for others who are not buying a home for the first time.

The program now gives those already who own a residence some additional reasons to ove to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.

DEADLINES: In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30th and close no later than June 30th 2010.

What is a tax credit? A tax credit is a direct reduction in tax liability owed by an individual to the Internal Revenue Service. In the event no taxes are owed, the IRS will issue a check for the amount of the tax credit an individual is owed. unlike the tax credit that existed in 2008, this credit does not require repayment unless the home, at any time in the first 36 months of ownership, is no longer an individual's primary residence.

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact me at dwambs@msn.com

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Most Important Maintenance & Greatest Return on Investment

Hello: When I post information I usually site an article that I believe will be of interest to you from a Real Estate Perspective. Today, I am sending a more personal article...one I have written about "Life Maintenance.".... Hope you Enjoy!

I read once that the number one cause of house fires is from not changing the lint filter in your dryer...So... after every load of laundry, I clean out the lint filter. I was told my airconditioner and furnace would run much more efficiently if I replace the the filter frequently...SO... I replace them frequently. I know that if I do not water my lawn frequently, I won't have a lawn to water...SO... I water my lawn frequently. I was told if I don't change the oil in my car every 3,000 to 5,000 miles I might have to replace the engine...SO...I change my oil about every 3,000 miles.

My relationship with my husband is much more important to me than the material "things" that I constantly do maintenance on in my life. So... one day, a long time ago... I decided it was important to develop a maintenance program for our relationship. Once I did this... I decided that I needed a maintenance program for "all" my relationships in my life...OR... I might not have these relationships in my life to maintain for long. I am constantly amazed at how many things in our life we spend time and money on to maintain... BUT when it comes the MOST important things in our lives "relationships" we think we can just get by. Well...not me. I spend a great deal of time and effort in "maintaining" the important relationships in my life. I "plan" daily things that I can do to maintain these relationships. It could be as simple as... when someone is talking to me I am looking them in the eyes and consciously paying attention to what they are saying. This might sound like no big deal... BUT years ago when someone was talking to me I spent the time thinking about what "I" was going to say, not consciously listening to them. Like most of us, I do not have much extra time in my day, So... one thing I have found to maintain these relationships that takes very little time, is leaving a voicemail letting them know I am thinking about them. (I leave the voicemail when I know they wont' be home). I could go on and on and on... BUT the point is.... I make a conscious effort to maintain these relationships because they are more important than the material things in my life and MUCH MUCH more difficult to find once I lose them!!!!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Denver Real Estate is HOT

Hello Everyone: I have not written for a short while because I have been BUSY.
Working I am not sure about other Real Estate Agents but this REALTOR is VERY busy. I am loving it. Organization skills and follow through, timelyness are crucial for me right now. It seems those skills in the Real Estate business are hard to find because I keep getting a lot of compliments on my follow through, organization skills and timelyness. Those skills come easy for me - Thank the Lord! I mentioned in a past posting that properties from $220,000 are getting multiple offers. I said that $350,000 and up are sitting. However, I picked up a listing this week - and within 24 hours I had three showings AND an offer! We will be working on determining if the seller will accept the offer today. I also will be showing houses all morning soooo as usual, busy busy busy. I am praying (not that business slow down, BUT) that no one needs me as a Realtor Fri. and Sat. as my beautiful daughter is getting married on Sat. and I just want to be MOM !!!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Denver Real Estate Market a Sellers Market ??

Hello Everyone: Yep it's true in some price ranges it IS a seller's market in Metro Denver. True story... Today, this morning I submitted an offer for a buyer I have on a condo which is below $200,000. In one day the seller received THREE offers (one was ours). We are waiting this evening to see what the seller wants to do. This is not abnormal for properties under $200,000 as I mentioned in my last blog posting. So... if you are a buyer it might not be a bad idea to give your BEST offer in your FIRST offer and not wait to negotiate. You may never get a chance to negotiate if several offers are submitted to a seller in one day. I would suggest that you, as a buyer, are very clear on what your MUST HAVE list is and when you find it - Give a good offer and not low ball the offer. If you are not clear on what your MUST HAVE's are and you are still working with your Real Estate Agent, maybe, just maybe you need to be working with someone who spends enough time with you to find out what they are by asking you questions you might not have thought of. That is our job as your Agent - if we are doing our jobs right.... we will be able to ask questions you have not thought of. If you want to brainstorm about what you are looking for email me... dwambs@msn.com

Friday, August 7, 2009

Hello Everyone: Has anyone taken their laptop in to be updated and when you got it back you could not use many of the functions??? Seems to always happen to me. I just had my laptop updated and they did a fantastic job, I would definitely recommend them. HOWEVER, there are several things I am still working on.... Like I am now unable to cut and paste articles into my blog !!! Not too happy about that. I want to apoligize to all those who follow my blog and anticipate my article. I will hopefully have this issue resolved soon.



Overall business is good in the Metro Denver area. The market below $220,000 seems to be pretty hot and beginning to be a sellers market more so than the higher end houses. In the fix and flip area anything below $200,000 seems to be getting offers within 24 to 48 hours and MULTIPLE OFFERS. It's a little crazy. My husband and I have put down a few offers and so far we keep getting overbid. I have been advising my regular buyers who are looking for homes below $220,000 to move quickly if they can. There is nothing worse than finding that DREAM HOME and not being able to purchase it because you moved too slow. Houses above $350,000 are sitting on the market and still seem to be more of a buyers market. It also depends a great deal on location. It is also VERY important to contact a Mortgage company and get prequalified - this gives you a little edge over others giving offers on a house. As usual, LOVING my job!!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Things to Remember When Moving


Moving can be a little overwhelming
because there are so many things to do.

There are two things I have found VERY HELPFUL:
A box I take with me in the car for necessities I will need within 1 minute to 24 hours of my arrival.
A list of people I need to notify about my move.

LIST FOR ARRIVAL to NEW HOME

Light tools such as; a hammer, screw driver, duct tape, knife
Snacks and water
Bathroom items such as: toilet paper, hand soap, tooth paste, tooth brush, shampoo, conditioner, shower curtain and curtain hangers, towels
Kitchen items such as: trash bags, paper towels, disposable plates and cups and plastic wear
Non-aerosol cleaning supplies
Alarm clock

PLACES TO NOTIFY ABOUT YOUR MOVE:

Notify the post office that you are moving. An online Change of Address form is available on the United States Postal Service Web site.
Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business firms and others who should be notified of your move. The following checklist will be helpful:
Utilities
Electric
Pharmacy
Gas
Dry Cleaner
Water
Lawn Service
Telephone
Bank/Finance Companies
Sewer District
Credit Card Companies
Trash
Laundry Service
Cable/Satellite
Auto Finance Company
Fuel (Oil/Propane)
Health Club
Sewer District
Schools
Publications
Doctor(s)
Newspapers
Dentist
Magazines
Accountant
Newsletters
Lawyer
Professional Journals
Broker
Insurance Agency
Government Offices
Department of Motor Vehicles
Social Security Administration
State/Federal Tax Bureaus
City/County Tax Assessor
Veterans Administration

Saturday, July 11, 2009

What is My House Worth?

What is My House Worth?

You may be asking, what is my home worth? Appraisers, brokers and insurers may have different opinions of a home's value.

If you’ve ever tried to figure out how much a home is worth, you may have become very confused by the wide variations among real estate valuations that can be used. These definitions may help:

The asking price is the amount the owner of the property believes the property may be worth or the amount he or she may be willing to accept from a buyer who wants to purchase the property. The asking price is set by the seller, often in consultation with a real estate agent, when the property is offered for sale.

The purchase-offer price is the amount the buyer believes the property may be worth or the amount he or she may be willing to pay the seller to purchase the property. The offer price is set by the buyer, again often in consultation with a real estate agent, as part of the buyer’s purchase offer.

The market value is the agreed-upon price that the seller is willing to accept and the buyer is willing to pay for the property.

A comparable market analysis, also called a competitive market analysis or CMA, is an opinion of the property’s value that’s prepared by a real estate agent, usually to help the seller determine an asking price or help the buyer determine a purchase-offer price.
An appraisal is an opinion of a property’s value that’s prepared by a state-licensed real estate appraiser. An appraisal is based on the location and condition of the property and prices of recently sold comparable properties. Lenders typically require an appraisal paid for by the borrower as part of the home loan process.

The tax-assessed value is determined by a state or local tax assessor to levy property taxes and other ad valorem assessments. The tax-assessed value is rarely the same as the asking price, purchase-offer price, market value or appraised value of the property.

The insured value is the maximum amount an insurance company could pay on a homeowner’s insurance claim if the home were damaged or destroyed in a fire or other covered disaster. The insured value considers the size and features of the home and the estimated cost per square foot to rebuild the home, but shouldn’t include the land value. The insured value doesn’t guarantee that the home could be rebuilt for that amount.

Article from http://www.life123.com/ July 11th 2009 – no author mentioned

So now you know why the different "value" amounts are different.

If you want to brainstorm about buying or selling your home in the Metro Denver, Colorado area
feel free to contact me at dwambs@msn.com - (scroll down to the bottom of my postings page and click on the icon to see a GREAT way to take a look at the house of your dreams!!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Hello Everyone: Need something to do in Colorado for the 4th of July... check out below.

4th of July Events:
It’s time again to celebrate and honor the independence of our nation and in Denver there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate. With all that’s going on it may be hard to decide where to go and what to do. If you’re having trouble deciding what to do, consider some of the following great Independence Day events. The Colorado Rapids 4th of July Celebration Perhaps the best fireworks and entertainment show on Independence Day will be held at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. This is the Rapids forth annual 4th of July Celebration and the festivities at this event will include live music, food and games. At the conclusion of the game their will be an unforgettable fireworks show, the biggest firework show in the state. The Rapids will be playing the Chicago Fire. Denver Outlaws vs. Boston Cannons 4th of July Celebration Another great 4th of July event to consider is the big game between Denver Outlaws vs. Boston Cannons taking place on July 4, 7:00p.m. at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Not only will you see an exciting lacrosse game, but right after the game there will be an in-stadium fireworks show! Special ticket package for the night is a ticket and a day pass to Elitch Gardens for only $29! Call 303-OUTLAWS or visit www.DenverOutlaws.com for more information. Old-Fashioned July 4 Celebration Four Mile Historic Park’s traditional festivities with music, games and more! The celebration takes place in Four Mile Historic Park on July 4, from 10 AM to 4 PM and the cost is $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors and kids under 5 get in free.
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is going to throwdown at 7pm on July 3rd in City Park with selections from Aaron Copland, Scott Jopllin, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and of course some Sousa marches. Then at 7:30pm on the 4th, the CSO will perform much of the same program at Fiddler’s Green Ampitheatre in Englewood with the addition of some music from John Williams and Leonard Bernstein. Finally, on Sunday the 5th, the peripatetic CSO will play at Red Rocks with a more classically oriented schedule. They will, however, still rock the closing with the rousing 1812 Overture/Stars and Stripes Forever combo. That’s good stuff.
Coors Field– Rockies vs. Diamondbacks, July 3-5. It doesn’t get more American than baseball, hot dogs, and fireworks. Even better, depending on where you get your seats, the hot dogs may wind up being the most expensive part.
The 19th annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival takes place July 3-5 (from 2nd to 3rd between Clayton and Steele). It showcases the visual, culinary and performing arts, is FREE, and will host 350,000 visitors over the three day event. It’s a treat to mix with international visual artists, sample fine cuisine, visit special exhibits and artist demonstrations. Also, please note there will be a specially designated diaper changing station with supplies located on Milwaukee Street. So stop cleaning junior’s bottom in the glass-blowing tent. No good can come of that.
Red Rocks– Wilco will play the venerable amphitheater on Friday, July 3rd, followed by Blues Traveler (plus Lewis Black) and fireworks on the 4th, and then the aforementioned CSO on Sunday the 5th. I don’t want to slight any of previous events, but you really can’t beat Red Rocks. For anything. Let alone the 4th of July.
Here is a great website for many more 4th of July events and activities: http://www.westword.com/events/category/fourth-of-july-events-47734/
OR check this site out: http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-fireworks-2009-062309,0,114704.story

Friday, June 19, 2009

TGIF - Actually it has been a really FUN week for me. So.... thought I'd end it with a little fun for my readers. Below are Real Estate Trivia Questions and answers. Have fun.

Real Estate Trivia Questions:
1. What is the most common street name in the U.S.A.
2. Where does the phrase “dirt poor” come from?
3. Where does the phrase “thresh hold” come from?
4. Where in the United States will you find the largest concentration of million-dollar homes?5. Where does the phrase “it’s raining cats and dogs” come from?

Real Estate Trivia Answers:
1. Second Street ranks as the most common street name. First Street is not number one because many "First" streets are called "Main" Street.
2. At one time in history, only the wealthy had something other than dirt floors. Hence the saying "dirt poor."
3. In the past, some wealthy homeowners had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet. To keep their footing, they spread thresh (straw) on the floor. As the winter wore on, they would add more and more thresh until it would literally overflow outside through the door. To keep the thresh in place, a piece of wood was commonly placed in the entrance. Hence the saying a "thresh hold."
4. There are almost 314,000 million-dollar homes in the United States, and 41% of these are located in California.
5. Houses use to have thatched roofs-thick straw piled high with no wood underneath. The soft thatching combined with the warmth of the house made an ideal place where animals could go to get warm. When it rained, the roof would became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Avoid Foreclosure

Even though I am now a Real Estate Agent - Many people I know are aware that I am a former Recruiter and still come to me about questions around employment, or most recently UNEMPLOYMENT. Many people are asking me what they can do about making their mortgage payments to prevent foreclosure now they or their spouse is unemployeed. Below is a bit of HOPE.

Avoid Foreclosure:
What Is HOPE NOW?:
HOPE NOW is a cooperative effort between the government and lenders to help homeowners who may not be able to make higher mortgage payments after their interest rate resets. HOPE NOW works with 26 lenders, which represent 70% of all lenders, and 90% of subprime mortgage lenders. In December 2007, HOPE NOW members agreed on a set of industry-wide standards.
Between July 2007 and December 2008, HOPE NOW helped 3.2 million homeowners avoid foreclosures.
How Can HOPE NOW Help You?:
HOPE NOW counselors can help a borrower learn how to talk to their lender about negotiating a loan workout. This could result in a loan modification, which is when the bank agrees to an alteration in the original loan contract. This would mean a reduction in the interest rate, forgiveness of a portion of principal or extension of the maturity date of the loan.
The other option is a repayment plan. This would allow the borrower to become current and catch up on missed payments that are appropriate to the borrower’s circumstances.
Either result is better than just allowing your home to go into foreclosure.
How to Contact HOPE NOW:
To contact HOPE NOW counselors, call 1.888.995.HOPE. This will connect you to a counseling organization. The counselors provide borrowers with in-depth debt management, credit counseling and overall foreclosure counseling. All counselors are HUD certified and services are free of charge. They will help you understand your situation, identify your options and help you work with your servicer to hopefully find an alternative to foreclosure.
You can also visit a HUD certified counseling agency in your state.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Making Home Affordable Program

What Is the Making Home Affordable Program?: The Treasury Department launched the Making Home Affordable Program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Treasury also created a new website to help mortgage-holders find out if they qualify for the government's loan modification program. The website, Makinghomeaffordable.gov, provides an interactive self-assessment tool that also calculates potential reductions in monthly mortgage payments. (Source: U.S. Treasury Dept. Press Release, March 19, 2009)
How the Making Home Affordable Program Works: This program helps homeowners before they get behind in their payments. Most banks won't allow a loan modification until the borrower misses three payments. To qualify, your mortgage must be
Worth more than the home is worth.
Issued before January 1, 2009.
Less than $729,750.If you are eligible, you will have to provide your most recent tax return, two pay stubs, and an "affidavit of financial hardship." The web site also explains what to do if you are not eligible. For more info, go to Makinghomeaffordable.gov
This article came from www.about.com June 2, 2009 author: Kimberly Amadeo

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Mortgage rates changing?

Mortgage rates at some lenders spiked by as much as 1 percent Wednesday and saw little relief Thursday, according to mortgage brokers. "The 4.75 percent my broker quoted two weeks ago?

It is not likely to find that now. The fear dogging homeowners and investors alike is that April's record lows in mortgage rates may have come and gone. Mortgage rates have rebounded sharply over the past few days as the nation's growing debt raises concerns that government-backed assets could lose value. It's a trend that could slow refinancing and home buying. Higher mortgage rates won't necessarily derail the economy's recovery, analysts say, but it certainly won't help.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 4.91 percent this week, Freddie Mac said Thursday.
If anyone needs a great Mortgage Professional check out my Vendor list on my blog

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Property Assessments are in the mail

Many of my friends have been asking me about their taxes on their houses and what to do if they think they are too high. Below is an article that should help. If anyone has additional help for people let me know.

Property Assessments are in the mail.
You may want to file a protest if you think your assessment is not accurate. Owners of 5.5 percent of the 2.3 million properties in Colorado filed protests in 2007, a 30 percent jump from 2005. Even more protests are expected this year.
There is no ability in the state of Colorado to protest your property taxes, states the property tax administrator at the Colorado Division of Property Taxation ( JoAnn Groff). What you have the opportunity to do is protest the value of the property.
If you want to file a protest, you need to do it by the June 1st deadline. They can be made by mail or phone, and in some counties via fax, by e-mail, or online.
It is easy to challenge factual errors such as a property’s square footage, the number of rooms, or a supposedly finished basement that is not finished. More challenging is contesting the value assessors have placed on a home, especially in a volatile real estate market.
One of the most common mistakes people make in disputing valuations is to compare the recent sales or appraisals with their property. Assessors review sales over an 18-month period that ended June 30th, 2008. Information after that can’t be in the appeal.
Finding comps can be tricky. One of the key tasks in a protest is using good comparable home-sales numbers. On-line real estate sites have current sales figures to calculate valuations and aren’t very useful. A new website, PropertyTaxSlaxh.com offers Colorado homeowners a free valuation analysis. They charge $49.95 to those who want to lodge a protest with the website’s help. Another However, you can file this complaint on your own as well.
Another helpful website is http://www.denverpost.com/metrorealtysales
This information is from an article in the Denver Post – May 2nd, 2009
I am also a RE Agent so if you have any questions feel free to contact me at dwambs@msn.com