Betsy Burns Real Estate~"Let's Talk"

The Home Loan Process Is a Reasonble One

2012-01-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am getting mighty weary of the nightly news carrying on about how tough it is to borrow money to purchase a home. IT ISN’T !!!

If you have a job, decent credit score and a small down payment, banks will stand in line to loan you money for a home purchase. Until a few years ago, having some money saved, paying your bills on time and having a job seemed realistic bank expectations. We are all living with the results of -0- down & subprime lending-- so I, for one, am pleased to see the old rules back in place.

I sell homes to many first time homebuyers. There is great satisfaction in this work – many of these families being the kids of my clients. Sometimes the couple is not ready to purchase at that moment, but they leave our first meeting with a “plan”. They will soon be in a place where homeownership is available to them and at a price that doesn’t strap them financially.

My goal is for families to end up with a home they love and a mortgage payment that fits their budget.

Let’s Talk

Could the "Big Boys" Be Right?

2012-01-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

I found this national news item very interesting because it supports what I have been seeing in our own Northern Colorado area. I know Denver is a ways from here, but the situation is the same. I encourage you to watch this video ... just click the play button or go to this link.

Santa Cops

2011-12-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Because of being a Coldwell Banker Real Estate broker, I have the privilege every year of being involved in the toy drive for Santa Cops of Larimer County. On the first Saturday of December in conjunction with our CB Santa Photos Day, clients, friends, neighbors, and folks just passing by bring toys to donate to needy families in our community. It’s a BIG event – complete with a fire truck, hot dog lunch and radio station! This year it was my responsibility to help with the gift donations. I was deeply touched this year by the truckloads of bicycles, armfuls of toys, and especially by the many that reached into the bottom of their pocketbooks in order to donate even a small item.

For the last 10 or more years, Coldwell Banker in Loveland has been a donation center for Santa Cops of Larimer CountyOut of the 20-some drop-off points for Santa Cops, our location has the longest history and brings in the largest contribution by far. This year, in addition to the room full of toys featured in the photos below, over $1300 cash was donated through our office.

Jennifer, the liaison for Santa Cops, states, “This year we had 1,120 families and 2,703 kids (total of 3,823) sign up to receive gifts and assistance from Santa Cops. This is about the same as both 2009 and 2010... and since we try to give each child 2-3 gifts, you can see the number of toys we need each year is enormous! With the generous support of people and businesses like you, we are able to help all of these families have a brighter and happier Christmas.”

Last chance to donate is Saturday, December 17! To find a location near you, go to http://www.santacopslarimercounty.org.

Thinking About Becoming a Landlord?

2011-11-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

There seems to be quite a bit of interest in real estate rental purchases recently. People are saying that their money might be safer in land with a rentable building on it than wherever they have their funds invested now. It's tough to know.

The downside is that you do have to manage rentals -- or pay someone else to.

This article in a recent Wall Street Journal, "Are You Ready to Be a Landlord?", paints a pretty realistic picture of things to think about before you invest. I hope you find it interesting.

You know the old saying, "Buy land! They ain't makin' anymore."

Veterans Day

2011-11-10T10:54:00.001-07:00

This sculpture is located at Dwayne Webster Veteran's Park here in Loveland. It is a very appropriate reminder of the sacrifices made for the freedom and safety we enjoy every day in this country of ours. Recently, those sacrifices hit very close to home.

Last Monday, a dear friend and coworker called to tell me that her nephew, Zac, stationed in Afghanistan, had stepped on an IED. Memories and feelings came pouring back, as my own brother had lost his life in Vietnam.

The extent of Zac’s injuries was unknown, but as the day passed, snippets of information came in … none of which brought much relief. Initial reports were that he lost his left foot and that his left leg was shattered.

The next day, conflicting reports were coming in; but these raised more questions than answers. By Wednesday, the young man had been transported to a hospital in Germany. The family was able to speak with him and with medical personnel and found that his leg and foot were intact. He was being stabilized for transfer to a hospital in San Diego. Good news!

However, through all the different communications regarding this young Marine, we learned that fighting in that area has picked up and they are experiencing a much higher volume of wounded and casualties. When the loss of life or limb touches you personally, the troops and their families are no longer “today’s headlines”, to be merely glanced at and tossed aside. Breathe a prayer for their safety and be intensely grateful for their sacrifice.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. There are many local events to honor our veterans, including bell ringing and a big parade. In fact, Loveland has a reputation of having the best Veteran's Day celebration in the state! Show your appreciation by participating in the events of the day or by simply making a phone call to say "thanks."

Rialto Bridge in Loveland, Colorado

2011-09-29T13:31:00.000-06:00

Having grown up in Loveland, I am always particularly excited about changes that I consider improvements in our old, downtown area. We surely have had our ups and downs; right now, however, we are definitely having an "up." We are adding a three story building right next to our old, renovated Rialto Theater.

The renovated theater gets extensive use and has become a very popular spot for musical events, plays, reruns of old movies, and the like. With the new facility next door, the performers will have plenty of green room space and even space for social events connected to the theater.

The building is up and out of the ground. We watch for each week's progress, so you can see why we are so pleased. This project has been fully funded by three groups: private investor, City of Loveland, and our Community Foundation. I think we should be rightly proud of ourselves.

Till next time --

4th of July

2011-07-01T10:57:00.000-06:00

Independence Day!

I think that this next Monday is one of my very favorite holidays. I am so glad that they have not made it into an automatic 3-day weekend. Even when the 4th falls on a Wednesday, I think it is great. I hope we never get too busy to celebrate our wonderful country. We are so fortunate to live here and we all should remember to be grateful for that at every opportunity.

Enjoy the day and don't eat too much watermelon.

Betsy

ACE Project

2011-06-10T12:01:00.000-06:00

I know that I have commented before about the ACE/NASA project choosing Loveland and our Agilent site for their new home, but yesterday's confirmation is just so exciting that I must mention it again.

Maybe it is my imagination, but I truly believe that I can 'feel' a change in the mood of the folks who come to me to discuss real estate. So much of our real estate market is determined by the mood of the community and we are quite chipper these days. If I had a magic wand, I would order up about 5 new listings because I think the demand for homes is increasing. Folks won't be able to add 10% to their market analysis price but properly priced homes are moving well. Just be sensible.

THANK YOU ACE!

Trimming Trees

2011-05-17T14:59:00.000-06:00

In years gone by I have written a little column at this time of the year encouraging folks to trim their trees because it so enhances their property. I live in the old part of Loveland and we have absolutely beautiful street trees. They have been trimmed professionally over the years and now stand proudly spreading their branches over the streets and their lawn.

In the last few years, the trimming hasn't been done. The trees began to look more like a bush than the tree they were meant to be. I didn't like to see that happening. Loveland Colorado has always shown a lot of pride of ownership and that is key to home values.

The GOOD NEWS is that during this past week that big orange tree trimming truck with the extending bucket has been in my neighborhood at no less than 5 different homes. They are shaping and trimming to beat the band. Could it be that for the last few years folks have thought of this task as non-essential and just put it on hold. Maybe families are feeling a little more financially confident.

What a pleasing thought!

If your Broker is good, listen to him

2011-04-26T15:22:00.000-06:00

I am really on my soapbox today because I have just finished a real estate negotiation with a very intelligent Buyer who WOULD NOT LISTEN.

If you are working with an honest, veteran Broker, for gosh sakes, listen to their opinion. You don't have to follow their advice but at least listen. You may be the guru of your own industry or profession and have an IQ of 500 but you probably haven't shown, negotiated and closed 1500 - 1800 homes. We have experienced almost every situation imaginable and will share some of our insight if you will listen.

This delightful family did not get the home they really, really wanted and the headstrong member of the family feels worse about it than anyone else. He would do anything to go back and start from scratch on his negotiation. He still might not get the home, but he would know he had done everything possible to secure it.

My perennial beds are growing about an inch every day. I love it!

Some Great Neighborhoods

2011-04-08T11:37:00.002-06:00

If you like roomy lots, mature trees and a quiet street, watch for homes on the west end of W. 6^th street in Loveland. From the 1200 block and west, this street includes a cul-de-sac at the end. Homes were built in the 50’s and 60’s by a well respected builder. Quite a bit of brick and most have basements. I’m kind of nostalgic about the street because I used to babysit there when I was in high school. It was considered very “exclusive.” I haven’t seen any “For Sale Signs” recently but you never know when something will come up.

Wonderful Week in Wyoming

2011-03-14T14:38:00.000-06:00

I was privileged to spend a quiet 5 days at my little place in Wyoming -- up in the northwest corner near Cody. It is a little primitive but it does have a flush toilet so it is a definite step above camping. Just got back and feel kind of caught up here at the office. It is amazing what that hide-a-way does to recharge me. I enjoy it very much and am actually able to keep up with my real estate files quite nicely with the help of Mikaila, my very able assistant.

Next week I am going to start a series of blog posts describing some neighborhoods in Loveland. I don't quite have it all figured out but I'm thinking that I will chose some areas that people tend to forget about and yet I have found them to be good spots to live and have good resale value. I'll tell you where they are and give you some "sold" data to review. Let me know what you think.

Enjoy your week and this nice weather. My Johnny-jump-ups are emerging!!

Housing - Is It Time To Buy

2011-02-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Sunday Denver Post has a business section taken from the WSJ. I read it carefully each week. Yesterday there was a fairly positive article on our housing market. It was believable - not pie in the sky positive. Well worth the reading if you have access. Points I took from it are:

     *Home prices have become affordable

     *Folks with lots of cash are buying real estate

     *Expect to buy and hold - prices won't come back quickly

February 2011 in Loveland

2011-02-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

February in Loveland has always been a fun month. Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed the big deal we make about our Valentine remailing program. This year February has had new and exciting happenings to add to the normal festivities.

First and foremost is the excitement created by the very real possibility that Loveland could be chosen for the home of the business park being coordinated and driven by the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology (CAMT). If Loveland is chosen, this endeavor would be located on the old HP campus and now lovingly referred to as the ACE Park (Aerospace Clean Energy). What a shot in the arm it would be for all of us to see this happen. To tell you the truth, I think it is a shot in the arm even if another site is chosen because the project has been the catalyst for out community to get serious about economic development.

Secondly, I am a supporter of the Rialto Bridge project and it also received it's approval to move forward. Our old theater is beautiful and it deserves the improvements planned next door. I think the town will really use the new space and I like the partnership idea - Community Foundation, City of Loveland, Individual Owner.

As a real estate broker in northern Colorado for many years, my opinions on economic development are considered suspect. Truth be known, I mostly deal with the same families year after year and generation after generation. I love our sleepy little town but I am realistic enough to know that if we want jobs for our kids and grand kids we must work to provide jobs and an interesting place to live. What fun to see what happens.

My story is long today so I will close. Springtime in the Rockies is right around the corner and I am ready.

'CASH BUYERS LIFT HOUSING'

2011-02-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

This morning's Wall Street Journal carried a front page headline of 'Cash Buyers Lift Housing.' I really listen up when monied people start taking action -- on anything. Of course, folks with solid bank accounts make mistakes; but, in general, they make more smart moves than the rest of us. Making smart moves helped get them into the financial situation they enjoy today.

The jist of the article was that these folks are betting that home prices are at or near bottom. Who knows? The piece refers to states that have experienced much greater high and low extremes than Colorado - especially Northern Colorado. Our real estate market has suffered, but at a different level.

Reading this piece caused me to think back over the last 6 months, and I think more than a typical number of my closings have been cash transactions. I hadn't really zeroed in on that before.

What do you think?

Busier Last Week

2011-01-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

MY GOODNESS, someone must have opened the floodgates a week or two ago. For no explainable reason, many families got in gear and seemed to get serious about the real estate changes they have been "talking" about for quite awhile. I am only one broker, but all office listing showings really picked up so I believe the uptick was widespread.

For me personally, there are three groups that really weren't in any great hurry to make their decision about a change in housing. Last week they all decided it was time to take action. There is such a snowball effect to real estate sales-one contract typically leads to at least one other and sometimes two or three others. Who knows, I just take it as it comes. It is so much more fun to be busy.

ENJOY YOUR WEEK AND WATCH THIS ICE!

January

2011-01-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention in the last week or so that we don't REALLY have a lot of homes to chose from when, as a broker, I begin a search for a family. All of the families that I work with have a 'list' of features that they want to have in their home. All of the lists are different, but they might include some of these features: face west, face south, big yard, small yard, finished basement, unfinished basement, new construction, old town, a fixer-upper, perfect condition. GET MY GIST?

So many of the listed homes have been on the market for a long time because their list price is above market. They may be lovely homes in great neighborhoods but buyers are just too cautious to knowingly pay more than our market can support. Then there are homes with problems - just little problems that buyers will ignore when the market is tight. Right now, buyers aren't in the mood to accept problems - little things like the neighbor's barking dog or a car up on blocks next door.

So folks -- the many 'for sale' signs you see around town are a little deceiving. If you are wanting to sell, get the price right and tidy-up. If you want to buy, get your list ready and check out what is available. Buying and/or selling is a big deal - from either side of the transaction. Pick a broker you like and can trust...then listen to him.

Good Day

Santa Cops & Pictures

2010-12-01T16:21:00.002-07:00

I Like to Vote

2010-10-14T16:00:00.000-06:00

In person!!!

I like taking the extra time it takes to drive to the police station to vote. That time helps to remind of what a privilege it is – a privilege to vote and a privilege to live in our country.

I like the opportunity to say “hi” to the election judges. I have known many of them for many years and, sometimes haven’t seen them since the last election.

Today is the first day of early voting. Don’t forget to vote and be sure to wear the colorful little sticker that says “I Voted.”

A Forest Fire that Shaped the US Forest Service

2010-10-07T14:17:00.003-06:00

Cover letter from my recent mail out:

I really enjoyed this item from the Cody Enterprise. As most of you know, I have a little get-a-way home in the northwest corner of Wyoming. Consequently, I subscribe to the local paper so I stay "up" on things. A few weeks ago this item about our forest and fires jumped out at me and seemed very appropriate for our area this fall. What a history lesson!

Article:

'Big Blowup' century ago shaped USFS

Posted by The Cody Enterprise Newspaper,

Friday, September 3, 2010 3:55pm

Written by: Tim Lydon

This summer marks the centennial of the Big Blowup of 1910, America's most devastating wildfire.

It's being commemorated throughout the northern Rockies, where it killed scores of firefighters and torched 3 million acres. But as a seminal event for the Forest Service, it shaped a much broader swath of our landscape.

The Fire was the culmination of a hellish summer. In the Bitterroots, a rainless spring left emaciated streams and withered understory. Dry lightning arrived early and passing locomotives tossed candle-sized flames, sparking dozens of fires. They crept through the understory at first, but grew a the drought persisted. In July, lightning storms crashed through the mountains, igniting hundreds of new fires.

The five-year-old Forest Service, its funding slashed by Congress, was not prepared for the disaster. Rangers assembled ragtag teams of lumberjacks, railroaders and miners in the smokey streets of Missoula, who emptied stores of shovels and axes, then marched into the woods. With few trails to follow, the flames spread before the men could contain them, and in early August the Army was dispatched to help.

By mid-August, firefighters were battling thousands of blazes along a 250-mile front, from the Salmon River to Canada, and hoping for rain. But on Aug. 19 gusty weather barreled into the mountains.

It was like opening a flute. Flame raced through treetops as hundreds of fires combined. The inferno created its own wind, ripping trees from the ground. The skies went black in Missoula and into Wyoming, and a gust blanketed Denver with Bitterroot soot. The men in the woods had no warning. They doused falling embers with wet blankets and their hats, but when the flames whirled to hundreds of feet and raced over ridges, they ran for their lives.

The Big Burn lasted two days. At least 78 firefighters died, crushed by trees or incinerated while running or hiding in cabins and mines. The lucky ones stumbled from the woods with melted shoes and burns they would wear the rest of their lives.

The Forest Service - born of the enthusiasm of Gifford Pinchot and Theodore Roosevelt - was deeply scarred, its young rangers routed by the fire. Waving photos of melted saddles and charred shovels, the agency claimed it could have beaten the fire with proper funding from Congress. Pinchot and Roosevelt thundered their support, converting skeptical lawmakers.

And so, the war on fire was declared. Overnight, the Forest Service became the nation's leading firefighter and swiftly developed a fixation with fire-suppression. The Park Service soon followed suit.

In the Bitterroots, foresters blamed the area's remoteness for the Big Blowup. From Missoula, rangers led mule teams into the mountains to improve access. They forced trails as wide as boulevards along wild rivers, then fanned out to open the wilderness with ranger stations, lookouts and more trails.

Trails became roads. As trucks rattled into the mountains, the Forest Service promoted logging, lodges and more roads to further open the forests, a defense against fire. During the Depression, the agency led an army of Civilian Conservation Corps men into the woods to cut fire breaks and carve roads, a pattern repeated across the West. But more fires burned, and the Forest Service's response grew more militaristic, using surplus bombers to stomp out every fire the day after its report. Some recognized fire's ecological role and the futility of total suppression. But the Forest Service, traumatized since 1910, stayed the course even as the Park Service broke ranks in the 1960s.

The agency eventually let fire back in the woods, but on short leash, in a rehab program that continues today. Meanwhile, we all live with legacy of 1910: Suppression has left millions of acres of overcrowded, fire-prone woods susceptible to the hot whims of our changing climate.

But there's another legacy. Bob Marchall worked for the Forest Service in Missoula nearly 20 years after the Big Blowup. Aghast at the taming of the Bitterroots, he convinced his agency to leave more than 1 million acres in the Selway-Bitterroot area roadless. After the CCC hit the woods, amplifying development, he created The Wilderness Society with Aldo Leopold and others. It became the force behind passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act, which permanently protected the Selway-Bitterroot and created today's wilderness system, free of roads and motorized traffic.

Where I used to live in northwest Montana, a few big cedar snags stand among dog-hair fir thickets like pale ghosts. They're wider than their living neighbors and still blackened by the flames of 1910. I like to think of them as ambassadors from an earlier age, with a heck of a story to tell.

(Tim Lydon is a contributor to Writers on the Range, the op-ed service of High Country News (hcn.org). He writes from Juneau, Alaska, where he works as a wilderness ranger.)

A Winter Walk

2010-02-24T16:13:00.003-07:00

I live in the old part of Loveland and I take a walk every day - even when my streets are icy and snow packed. If you are a walker, you know the challenge. I think a winter walk on icy streets is a great analogy to life.

You have to decide on your route. Where will there be the longest stretches of good dry street. Don't even think about not walking that day because once you get started it goes pretty good even on a bad day. You have to look ahead, of course; but don't look too far ahead. If you keep moving, the bad spot you noticed up ahead looks less formidable as you get closer. Sure enough, when you get there you find some little dry spots that you couldn't see from a distance. Pick your way through and away you go again.

Isn't if funny how much this mirrors our lives.

HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT

2010-02-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

I believe that nothing has done more in the past year to revive our housing market than the $8,000 first time home buyer credit. Since the tax credit was extended and expanded, I think we have another window of opportunity, but many folks I visit with are not aware of the details.

In a nutshell: To qualify for the credit, Buyers must have a home under contract by April 30, 2010 and must close on the property by June 30, 2010. The credit is $8,000 for first time buyers (or anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years) and $6,500 for existing home owners (must have owned their home for at least 5 years).

The surge we normally see in the spring may well occur in late winter because of these deadlines. Hopefully, the credits will help Sellers also and reduce our “homes for sale” inventory.

Be sure to check with your accountant for any details that might affect you differently. This can be a great opportunity for Buyers and Sellers.

Interest Rates Are Great!!!

A Quote from "The Rotarian" Magazine

2010-01-21T11:49:00.002-07:00

The subject of the article was the prevalence of hollow and insincere apologies that we hear these days. Since I work daily in a career that is so directly affected by the lending industry, this paragraph jumped out at me:

"What lies ahead for the Great American Mea Culpa? Obviously, at some point, it would be nice if some representative of the banking industry came forward and apologized for ruining life as we know it. The correct way to do so would be to say: "I'm really sorry that my colleagues and I in the banking industry deliberately designed a gigantic, intercontinential Ponzi scheme that has brought the global economy to a standstill and impoverished our children for generations. Mere words cannot tell you how sorry we are. If it's any consolation at all, we promise we will never do it again."
September 2009 / The Rotarian / by Joe Queenan

Santa Cops & Holiday Photos

2009-12-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Please join me at our Coldwell Banker Office this Saturday, December 5th 11:00-3:00. We are the drop-off location for toys for the Santa Cops project. Your new, unwrapped toys will be appreciated...And we will serve you a free hot dog.

Also, on that same day, Santa will be here from 10:00-5:00 if you'd like a photo with him. No Charge. This is a holiday gift from us to our clients and friends. They make great Christmas card photos.

I Hope To See You There,

Betsy

100 W. 29th Street

Loveland

LHS 50th Reunion

2009-10-16T08:16:00.000-06:00

I recently spent a wonderful weekend with my Loveland High School classmates. As one of the locals, I helped plan and organize the event and it was quite successful. 45% of the remaining classmates attended. 26 had passed away. Loveland was a town of 9,000 people in 1959 so there have been some pretty significant changes. Today’s population is about 65,000.

The point of this writing: If you have the chance, attend your 50th (or any) class reunion. Most people improve as they grow up. I think we had all gotten “better”.

We were surprised by an Elvis appearance!