Our Bloggers
Denver & Suburbs
Larry Hotz - Selling nearly 1000 homes since 1978, Former Managing Broker and Faculty Member, Colorado Association of Realtors. Follow Larry on Twitter
Littleton & SW
Dennis Martin - Another Dad/Daughter Real Estate Team sells homes throughout Denver's Southwest Suburbs. Dennis also managed a real estate company and sold homes for over 30 years.
Erie, Niwot, Northwest
Paula King
- a Certified Residential Specialist helping folks in Denver's north suburbs.
Downtown Denver
John Ludwig - Lo-Do, Business District, City Park, John lives in and knows the city.
West Denver
Melody Rivera
- and Rivera Team sell homes in Highlands, Lakewood, Westminister. She is also President of The Denver Board of Realtors.
Longmont & North
John Callis -
Broker since 1982 in Denver's northern suburbs. Lives in Boulder.
First Time Homes
Elizabeth Hotz
- Purdue grad and broker since 2005, Liz has lived in both the City and Suburbs. She know the best places for first-time buyers.
Douglas County
Doug Hutchins - Doug lives and works throughout Douglas County including Castle Rock and Parker. He's a long-time Realtor with local knowledge about issues in Douglas County.
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Down Payment Assistance
by Elizabeth Hotz, First Time Denver Home Buyer Helper
Traditionally, FHA loan programs require Buyers to have a minimum 3% down payment when buying a home. In the past, many Buyers ask the Sellers to pay this 3% as apart of the contract. This is called “Seller down payment assistance.” In some markets, you even see that Sellers are building in this 3% into their purchase price because this practice is so common.
But, there have been rumors for months that this assistance is going away. Well, it is going away very soon. Read more
Democrats Arrive
By Larry Hotz, All Denver Real Estate
We stopped for a quick bite to eat after the Rockies game and last night at the sidewalk Cafe of McCormick’s and Schmick’s in lower downtown Denver. We joined what seemed like half the city to watch the people and enjoy the massive fireworks display at nearby Elich’s Gardens Amusement Park. The celebration had begun and the Democrats are in Denver.
So how does this Convention affect real estate? Well, there’s no doubt that many people across this nation will have impressions about Denver based on what happens here in the next few days. People should be impressed by our city. There lots of things to see and do here and people are so friendly. But, here’s a oddity. How about what looks like a Buck Rogers-style ray gun aimed straight at downtown Denver from the roof of the national Western Stock show complex? Read more
Zillow Estimates
By Elizabeth Hotz, First Time Home Buyer Specialist
In a time when technology rules the day, consumers have a number of resources at their fingertips. You can get your groceries online, take an eye exam, find out why your dog is sick, and, now, you can even assess the value of your neighbor’s home. Zillow.com emerged in 2006 as a new obsession for real estate Buyers and Sellers. Advertiser supported, this website offers free computer-generated estimates for home values to consumers. Oftentimes these “zestimates” not zactly accurate.
This Washington Park home has a Zillow Zestimate of value at $272,000. In real life, it just went under contract for more than it’s $299,000 offering price. So, if the contract closes, the real value of this home is at least 10% more than its Zillow estimate. Just how do they do they get their information to be able to estimate home values? Read more
July Homes Sales
By Larry Hotz, All Denver Real Estate
July homes sales in the Denver metro area remained essentially even with the year ago period. 5878 single-family homes and condominiums were placed under sales contract during the month and 5123 homes closed.
But, the best news for the Denver real estate market was that inventories of existing homes and condos dropped by more than 15% from a year ago July. For a variety of reasons fewer homes are on the market this year than last and sales remained essentially the same. Read more
Mold Myths
(The opinions expressed by Mr Brahe are his own and not those of All Denver Real Estate or LarryHotz.com. The facts he quotes from John’s Hopkins stand on their own and raise new questions about mold mitigation.)
by Carl Brahe, Certified Home Inspector
Misinformation about mold has caused many problems. People have worried about their safety in their own homes. A lot of money has been spent on useless, and uncalled for, sampling and testing. Remediators have charged huge amounts for unneeded containment and testing.
“Experts” have warned us that we, and our children, may die horrible, slow deaths from exposure to mold. The scientists have been puzzled by the hysteria and wondered why their point of view has not been reported. It’s time to listen to the scientists instead of the “experts”. Read more
Futuristic Condos
by John Ludwig, Downtown Denver
In the movies I’m sure you’ve seen those scenes with people gaining access to secure areas by a fingerprint scan or perhaps a retinal scan? What if that was your primary way of gaining entry to your home? Cars are going keyless these days, so why not condos?
A new residential condo development named Beleza is just being announced that looks like something straight out of a Hollywood science fiction blockbuster! According to the building’s sales representative Lexie Armitage, the building is “wired for the future.” Buy a unit there and you will have your fingerprint scanned so that the “biometric entry system” will allow you access without the hassles of keys. Read more
Short Sales and Foreclosures
By Larry Hotz, All Denver Real Estate
“Can I get a good deal on a foreclosure or a short sale?”
By far, that is the most common question I am asked. People moving to Colorado have heard that we have a large number of foreclosures. They presume that the best deals must be in distressed properties like short sales and foreclosures. Sometimes they are! But, often the price that has to be paid outweighs the good deal. Read more