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Pagosa Springs, CO Real Estate News

By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
The benefits of a preapproval (not prequalification) for Pagosa Springs CO Home Loans. Many consumers are not informed on the proper way for buying a home. No question, this is a big decision, and one that can be either immensely stressful- or immensely enjoyable- depending on how you go about the home buying process of Pagosa Springs CO Home Loans and the surrounding areas. The key is to take the proper steps to educate yourself on your buying power, initial investment, and taking some time to think about your lifestyle choices. This article will cover all of these.   Education   The steps necessary to purchasing a home in Pagosa Springs, Colorado starts with getting pre-approved for your home loan. Notice we did not say get prequalified- in today’s world a prequalification is not mean...
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By RJ Baxter, 303-670-0137
(Clear Path Home Loans)
90% financing and low Jumbo Home Loan Rates on Jumbo Loans in Pagosa Springs CO. Are you looking for a Jumbo Mortgage lender in Pagosa Springs CO? There has never been a better time than right now to take advantage of this program. We specialize in helping luxury home buyers who need jumbo financing for the higher jumbo loan amounts. What is a jumbo loan? A jumbo loan in most counties is any loan that is greater than $417,000. There are some "high balance" counties in Colorado and they are listed at the bottom of this article or follow this link to the Fannie Mae County Loan Limits. These counties allow for "conforming" rates above $417,000 and up to the county limit. Are home loan rates higher on jumbo mortgages in Pagosa Springs? Not necessarily! Currently, we have jumbo rates availab...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
With only one month of the new year under our belts and with this being the slowest time of year for Pagosa real estate, there is not much of a story to tell. We are up by a couple of transactions over last year, but the sample is so small that it’s hard to tell whether the numbers mean anything at this point or not. However, I can say this; we have an unusually large number of properties under contract for this time of year. At last count, there were 43 pending transactions. If even two-thirds of those transactions actually close, we will soon be well above last year’s to-date totals. The amount of activity in the pipeline is encouraging. Bank repos remain the driving force in the market, and the number of repos on the market is up about 25% from a couple months ago. Not all the sales ...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
Regarding the Real Estate Market in Pagosa Springs – which would you like first, the good news or the bad? Being an optimist, I’ll start with the positives. Let’s talk about the glass half full. We are having a big sale, similar to Black Friday after Thanksgiving. Prices are marked down and there are big deals to be had. I saw several screaming deals happen in 2009, and we will see many more – at least over the next six months. If you are an investor, there is money to be made. If you are a first time home buyer, the government is giving money away to the tune of $8,000 on your next tax return. In my opinion, the housing market will show better returns than the stock market or your neighborhood bank in the near future. If you’re looking for a place to park some money, let me know! Of co...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
The Riley family had a great Thanksgiving. Laurie and I traveled to Denver to visit family, including our son and our new daughter-in-law. The festivities included seeing Riverdance and watching Carmelo Anthony score 50 points as the Nuggets beat the Knicks! All in all, we had a superb holiday, and I have so very much to be thankful for. Increasingly, I find myself asking the question, "Now what?" At 61, my priorities are changing. Dreams of cars and toys are being replaced by thoughts about health, retirement, and future grandchildren. Fortunately, I still love my job. The puzzles I am continually trying to solve are how to be more productive and how to better serve my customers. I still enjoy pondering and pursuing these goals, even as my other interests have changed. The Pagosa real ...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
Go Broncos! This year, the Broncos are 6 and 1, and we are leading the division. According to the “experts,” we were only supposed to win 4 games this year! The sports commentators remind me of the financial gurus. Neither seems to know what they are talking about. I believe I’m doing better thinking on my own and not worrying about the negative naysayers. Some good news! Real Estate sales for October were up 18% over the same period last year. There were 39 sales this October versus 33 last October. Year-to-date sales are down 29%, which is a 3% improvement over last month. I attended our annual Real Estate Convention a couple of weeks ago, which is always fun, especially since it is held at the Broadmoor – a 5-Star facility. The Convention serves several functions, such as networking ...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
Fall is here. The colors are getting bright, and mornings are cold. So, when will we get our first major snow? When will the ski area open? Will we have a hard winter or a mild one? In October in Pagosa, these are the questions on everyone’s minds. After two tough winters, I’m hoping for an easy one for a change. I do hope the ski area opens early. Halloween would be ideal. In a perfect world, we would have good early snow but not too much. When this happens, folks from Durango and Northern New Mexico have to come here to ski. Contrary to popular belief, we actually do better economically when we don’t get too much snow. Wolf Creek Pass stays open, and we are the best, and sometimes the only game around. I have been checking around town to see how our local merchants have been doing in ...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
This month has been and will be a busy one for me. I have just returned from my son Patrick's wedding in Steamboat Springs, which was my second wedding of the summer. September is also a busy time for local real estate, as Labor Day weekend and archery hunting season bring in many out-of-towners and potential customers. As such, this will be an abbreviated newsletter. I am running a fun contest on my website that I want everyone to know about, because you've got a chance to win $100! I am constantly looking for ways to improve my website and give my clients a better experience. I hit upon the idea of running a survey contest, where my clients can fill out a survey and give me recommendations about how to improve my website. At the end of the contest, the best suggestion will win $100. T...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
I have some good real estate news. Things have been very busy in my office lately. I think we may have hit bottom in the housing market. About the time I decided to take a summer vacation two weeks ago, the genie came out of the bottle. Most of the activity is on single family homes. It reminds me of two or three years ago. I’m not sure why things have picked up so much, but if I might speculate, here are a few possible reasons. First, the media is sounding more positive.  I have heard reports on several occasions suggesting that housing might have reached a bottom. Denver is doing better than other parts of the country. Second, we have more people in town this time of year. Third, interest rates are still very low. Fourth, the stock market has been rallying and consumer confidence is i...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
One down and one to go! I just had the best Father’s Day ever, as my daughter just got married at our home. It was a beautiful ceremony on a perfect afternoon. Heather married John Lovell, a Navy man from Tennessee. After months of planning, everything went off without a hitch. Next, my son will get married on September 12th in Steamboat Springs. In the mean time, I need to get back to work to pay for all these festivities! The Real Estate market is staying pretty constant. Sales are steady, but still sluggish overall. Sales are down about 41% from last year, and inventory continues to rise. The recent increase in county property valuations (and therefore taxes) has hit a lot of people hard, and many are very upset. I have been pulling up comparable sales several times a day for the pas...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
It’s been a busy past week. Last weekend, I had four buyers come to work with me.  On Saturday, I had appointments at 10:00 a.m., noon, and 3:00 p.m..  Sunday at 9:00 a.m. was the icing on the cake! So far, two have written contracts to buy homes. The third is close to buying, and the fourth has been a marathon run. I have been working with these clients for three years, and they will buy when the “time is right and the right home comes along”.  In today’s market, this amount of activity is truly special.  To go along with this good fortune, I have recently listed several good properties. One of our best values out there is The Enclave.  Last summer, these units were listed at roughly $215,000.  Because of a large inventory reduction sale about to come online, you can pick up a brand ne...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
The past month leaves me with little to report in the Pagosa market. Overall sales numbers have increased over the last month. This is largely due to activity in the residential sector, so we are beginning to see some "green shoots" in the market. For the buyers, great deals abound. The Colorado dream is now more affordable than it has been in several years. The stats tell the story this month, and you'll find them below.  Have a happy Mother's Day! As always, the latest statistics are available on my website, ISellPagosa.com
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
I feel a little "greener" mentally than I did a month ago. This is in part because I can see my grass for a change and a few flowers poking their heads out. The financial markets are also showing a little more green, as the stock market has rebounded about 20% in the past few weeks.  I am refinancing my home and locked in at 4.75% with no points, which will save me about $300 per month.  Mortgage rates are the lowest in recent history. I know we are not out of the woods yet, but my consumer confidence is better. We have also heard a few positive things from the National Real Estate Market. New home sales were up in February.  I had three deals close last week, two of which were bank repos. Currently, there are 17 residential repos on the market with 5 contracts pending. From a seller's ...
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By Chris Liverett, Pagosa Springs Real Estate
(Associated Brokers Of Pagosa)
I only have one meeting today. Good. I just left a meeting as part of a sub committee of the AEDA board of directors concerning PR. It's not that I don't like meetings, it's just that my mind gets a few pieces of fodder to chew on, and then automatic brainstorming overdrive takes hold. It hurts after a while. Hot water= economic growth? At one point in our meeting the discussion surfaced about the current planning stage of our towns geothermal project feasibility study. There are many ideas of what this might look like ranging from a vegetable grow dome that employs locals and sells fresh produce to the surrounding markets, to a geothermal-esc water feature for tourist to walk through and be educated. A kind of art museum meets science project feel. This kind of stuff gets my mind whir...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
PAGOSA SPRINGS REAL ESTATE STATISTICS ►Now Includes Stats from 2005!◄ Jan - Dec of 2005, 2006, and 2007 **Note: These numbers may not be exact.** "% Difference" indicates change from 2006 to 2007                     Properties Sold Inventory Available Homes 2005 2006 2007 % Difference 2005 2006 2007 % Difference $0-100,000 62 33 13 -61% 18 11 23 +109% $100,001 to 150,000 66 20 19 -5% 17 19 27 +42% $150,001 to 200,000 89 43 24 -44% 19 9 26 +189% $200,001 to 250,000 68 47 29 -38% 24 22 43 +95% $250,001 to 300,000 60 50 29 -42% 27 24 53 +121% $300,001 to 400,000 59 53 36 -32% 31 54 87 +61% $400,001 to 500,000 25 23 16 -30% 27 36 47 +31% $500,001 to 750,000 30 23 29 +26% 56 50 56 +12% $750,001 to 1,000,000 4 10 6 -40% 29 34 +17% $1,000,001 plus 9 11 4 -64% 27 26 50 +92% All 472 313 205 -35...
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By Chris Liverett, Pagosa Springs Real Estate
(Associated Brokers Of Pagosa)
Earlier this month I wrote an article entitled "Inspection, Objection, Rejection... Oh My!"  in which I outlined the reality that emotions play in the inspection negotiation process between both buyers and sellers of residential real estate. In this piece, I layed out a few practical things to keep in mind as you enter into this process, and I promised an interview with a home inspector.Matt Matzdorf was kind enough to give me his lunch break earlier this week and let me ask him a handful of questions about his profession. Chris-"Matt, how long have you been a home inspector here in Pagosa Springs?"Matt- "We have lived here for about 16 years, I have been a certified inspector for about 5 years."Chris-"Is there a licensing requirement for  home inspectors? "Matt-"You do not have to have...
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By Lee Riley
(Jann C. Pitcher Real Estate)
Better late than never, right?  Here is my newsletter for January 2008:Happy New Year!I've been trying to guess what this New Year will bring.  On the one hand, I hear all of the negative news around me.  But on the other hand, I am generally an upbeat person.  I like to listen to motivational tapes to get me pumped up in a positive way, and I try to maintain an optimistic outlook.The most important theory I have come across is that you accomplish the things that you think about most.  One book which has had a tremendous effect on my life is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  I highly recommend this book to help you get your mind right.  I am a huge proponent of goal setting.  In order for the process to work, you must write your goals down in detail.  As a New Year plan, I suggest ...
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By Chris Liverett, Pagosa Springs Real Estate
(Associated Brokers Of Pagosa)
Often times the most difficult and emotional portion of the home selling process revolves around the time allotted for the home inspection. There is something about our human nature that cares nothing for our home being picked apart by a guy with a flashlight and a tool-bag, only to have a list of "deficiencies" thrust at us a few days later based on his findings.It's a personal space - our house. One that has been lovingly cared for, painted and repainted. That tile work in the kitchen took us all Spring and we don't mind at all the small gaps in the trim. We love the creak the door makes when entering from the garage, it's a kind of "welcome home" greeting after a hard days work. Why would these potential buyers see it any different?I represented a couple of sellers once that always c...
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By Chris Liverett, Pagosa Springs Real Estate
(Associated Brokers Of Pagosa)
As a REALTOR® operating in Pagosa Springs, my business is tied very closely to the mortgage industry.  The shifting tides of rates and corrections have left me dependent on my "daily fix" via the Internet to try and maintain some understanding of current mortgage conditions. Thankfully, I don't have to go this alone. Recent news of fairly significant rate changes whet my appetite enough to seek out someone who really knows what's going on.  Kathie Lattin of First Southwest Bank was gracious enough to give me a few minutes of her time this week. Kathie is the vice President of First Southwest Bank and has been with them for 17 years. The following is from an interview with her:Chris: "Kathie could you give us an overview of what has happened in the last few years in the mortgage industry...
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By Chris Liverett, Pagosa Springs Real Estate
(Associated Brokers Of Pagosa)
Check out the Blogger’s Connect keynote speech by Curbed.com’s Lockhart Steele. null
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