| Happy April! Spring has sprung and I’m here for it! The spring market is upon us – with quite a bit of rate uncertainty. Freddie Mac put out a data sheet with current rates since 1971 I found interesting. As far as what’s happening in the Denver market, here are a few bullet points for year over year data: The Median Home Price fell by 3% New Listings are down 17% Average days on market rose by 23 days What does it all mean!? In short, there are opportunities out there with sellers wanting to sell and inventory being LOW! As a reminder, home’s typically appreciate 4-8% per year (depending on the market) and the 20-24% appreciation we’ve seen in the Denver areas over the past two years is amazing….but not normal! If you or someone you know is thinking about buying , selling or if you’re interested in what your home is worth, let’s connect! |  Chart of the average home price in Arvada – where I live – over the past 5 years |
 | Why Should I Invest in Real Estate? As a real estate investor and agent, I love real estate – and I’m not shy about telling people about how it’s changed my life. And you may be thinking….“But that’s your business – obviously a real estate agent is going to tell you to buy a house!” Truth be told, I was an investor first, leveraging real estate using multiple strategies. It was only after years of buying multiple properties, renovating them or holding onto them as long-term rentals, that I decided to become an agent and go all in on real estate. Because I personally know the benefits of investing in real estate, I now try to educate others. Here are a few of my favorites: Cash-Flow This steady stream of monthly income you receive from an investment property may just be the best money you can make. The additional stream of income can change your life. Equity Think about this as owning a piece of something and having skin in the game. Equity in real estate is the amount of money you’ll receive after the mortgage or borrowed money is paid off. You can build equity by increasing the value of your home or paying down what you owe. Appreciation Your house or investment property will increase in value over time, typically 3-4% a year (depending on your market). Purchasing a home that needs work, then fixing it up, is how you force appreciation. So the longer you own, the more you improve the quality of the home, the more your home is worth…and when you go to sell, the profit you make can be huge! I go into depth about what’s worked for me in my Real Estate 101 email series – feel free to forward to a friend or Sign up here! |
| Out Of State Landlording When I tell people I own a rental property over 1,700 miles away one of the first things I get asked is: ‘How do you manage that!?’ I became a long-distance landlord when Mike and I decided to move to Colorado. We had a network that was in the area for turnovers (Mike’s mom was an amazing asset – she worked in property management in PA!) and had contractor & handyman contacts as well – so it was really an easy transition. As the years have passed, I’ve set up systems and processes for our Colorado rentals and lots of the same things apply to our out of state rental. Here are some of the top things to keep in mind if you’re contemplating becoming an out-of-state landlords: Clean, Check, Fix & Replace When you’re ready to move out and make your home a rental, you should make sure all systems have been checked/cleaned (replace the air filters, service the furnace, clean out gutters, check to ensure air conditioner & heat work). Hiring a professional cleaner and/or handyman to touch up paint may be a great idea once you’ve removed all of your belongings as well – feel free to do this yourself if you’re scrappy! The more you can front load this, the less calls you’ll get! Consider a Multi-Year Lease – if you’re going to be moving across the country and want to self-manage, the hardest challenge will be tenant turnover. If you can find someone who will sign a 2 year lease, it’s a win win! You may need to offer a small discount for a 2-year lease (for example, the first two months are discounted or you price $100 below market value) and it may take a bit longer, but in the long run, it could be worth it! If you’re thinking about moving or managing a long-distance rental and want some guidance, let’s connect! |  |
 | Tips & Teachings A few weeks ago, I attended a yoga class and was reminded about the importance of energy. The energy you invite into your space as well as the energy you exude. You have to be mindful of that energy, check in on it, nurture it, and protect it from that which drains you. I’m sharing some quotes, articles and podcasts I’ve listened to over the past few weeks that have echoed this. Change is a process, not an event. Be careful to not chase a dream already realized. Refresh instead of routine. Here are a few podcasts I’ve listened to that I found extremely helpful in my business, finances, life! Enjoy! Article: Stoicism 101 Goal Diggers: Screw Morning Routines, Do This Instead! Tim Ferris: How to Perform Personal Energy Audits |
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Have Questions? Reach out to happyhomescoltd@gmail.com about real estate investing or if you’re looking to buy or sell! |