PERFORMANCE Brokers. when results matter most

Good Day Silver Rock Home owner
We have recently sold a home on Silver Rock and we still have some residual interest from our marketing efforts and the exposure to what we believe to be Evergreen’s most exclusive and desirable neighborhoods. We currently have a buyer whom would enjoy the opportunity to purchase on Silver Rock. There is still a high end market out there. We, (Performance Brokers CO LLC) have been involved in every sale this calendar year of homes closed over $1.5 in Evergreen representing either the buyer or seller. We would appreciate the opportunity to sell your home. Please feel free to contact us regarding our currently interested client, market and or the local real estate environment in general.

Sean Endsley & Heather Baird of the Performance Brokers CO team
(303) 895 4663 or (720) 201 4185
At Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty
www.PerformanceBrokersCO.com

SHHHHH….. It’s a “Bedroom community”. That’s right some of
Colorado’s bests are laying there head on their pillows in the crisp, clean
community of evergreen only to wake up and take their shamelessly short
commutes to work, entertainment, DIA, major education institutions, as well as
award winning medical facilities. But don’t take my word for it; let’s look at
some of these drive times.
From my office in Bergen Park (North Evergreen)I can be in Denver West inside of 15 minutes with all of its
Restaurants, Colorado Mills Mall, Whole Foods grocery and movie theaters.

Even Denver International Air Port is less than an hour away with other more private and secluded options conveniently assessable.
Coors Field & Invesco field are both a brief thirty
minute drive which is conspicuously close to the drive time required to get to
Down Town Denver.

Denver Center for the Performing arts is within 35 minutes from
clusters of other boutique restaurants, hotels, museums and other performance
venues. Most of our areas sophisticated outdoor entertainment are within 35
minutes from Evergreen as well such as Red Rocks amphitheater, Denver’s Biotical
Gardens and Fiddlers Green.

Evergreen is not only an easy dash to the east with Denver
and all of its opportunity and sophisticated allure. It is also the gateway to
the Rocky’s sharing both a feel of Mountain living and the convenience Denver’s
proximity. Located in Jefferson County Evergreen resides in the in the most park
and open space rich county in the continental United States.

From my desk I can be at a ski lift within minutes if the
mood strikes me. I know it’s going to be that kind of day when I toss my ski gear in my car the night before.  One of my favorites is Copper Mountain, but Vail, Breck and
A-Basin are all inside of an hour from here.

Please feel free to move here , just don’t tell everyone…….Sean

A home security and surveillance system can be an essential part
of any modern automated home and should be designed early on during the
pre-construction design phase if you choose to do so. The scope of this article
concerns the basic security and monitoring considerations used in selecting the
final security blueprint. Did I say “final”, no such luck. As the
industry advances, so do all the extra bells and whistle add-ons that make the
security/monitoring design both easier to apply and maintain. The result is
both peace of mind when away as well as when you are occupying your home either
day or night. Evergreen is quiet area but you can’t be to rich, to thin or have
too much peace of mind.

The basic design of a security system begins with analyzing the
needs of the occupants, studying the layout of the house as well as the land it
sits on, surveying existing technology and hardware, reviewing system costs,
considering monitoring choices, and finally planning the installation.

In addition to the advanced perimeter and interior protection
offered by most security systems, most new designs allow for surveillance
monitoring which include features that enable the owners to observe both
real-time video (even on a smart phone) and environmental conditions inside and outside the home when
at home or away.

Home surveillance system, video cameras and display systems are
considered by most contractors to be optional after the sale items. And they can be with IR tech. However, I
feel if possible they should be part of the original design process.

One of our clients owns a heavily wooded ranch style home that sits
over multiple acreage with over 7,000 square feet of living area with a 15kw
standby generator, significant landscaped and irrigated gardens, 5 acre
perimeter monitoring, and  all  monitored and gated 700 foot driveway. He
wanted a system that was easy to operate as well as easy to maintain. His final
design consisted of over sixty sensors of various types both hardwired and wireless.  During construction they hardwired “all”
perimeter entry doors as well as hardwired significant glass break coverage
for  all windows in a multi zoned design
which included motion traps, and numerous smoke and heat detectors per our
local building codes.

After they planned for the hardwired detectors they went back and
installed redundant wireless monitors which included garage door sensors, and
service utility rooms monitoring for heat, cold, motion, water, smoke, and
carbon monoxide. This home contains a radiant heat system in all areas including
the garage spaces so it was important to monitor three zones with cold temp alarms.
There is a monitored 5 acre pet perimeter invisible fence installed as well.
This home has a fully featured professional weather station installed as well
as numerous wireless and wired IP cameras to finish off the system. The master
alarm panel is not only battery backed up but they have added a standalone UPS
system to it.

The master panel is constantly monitored by a central station
which offers  a significant discount on
home insurance policies as well as continued peace of mind while they are
away.” It is nice to see it snowing while we are away in Florida on the beach.
Likewise we can monitor our property via the IP cameras from our cell phones as
well as receive alerts from our monitoring company from practically anywhere
with cell phone or internet access.”

Other clients utilize safe rooms and even a metal detector under
the drive just to have a heads up for when guests drive up. If this all seems a
bit much, a k9 companions work great too with additional benefits.

A little thought goes a long way, and features will expand and
become more reliable.

We don’t show up unannounced ……

Soda Creek is
one of our most sought after communities here in Evergreen Colorado. Rich with
history mainly attributed to “THE” getaway destination for those retreating
towards our gentle climate and being an equestrian community is a fun plus (Please
see attached map below). Soda Creek is an especially great name for this
pristine area that comes from the actual creek that runs through it with
several ponds and water rights that exist within this community. A number of
Evergreens high end and most desirable homes exist in this development while
there are a few deals to be found most homes tend to be beauty contest
winners. Literally just off of Evergreen Parkway, the main vain to I-70 is seconds
away and feeds into Denver West with it’s incredible restaurants, retail,
business centers and medical facility’s just moments away. The parcels in Soda Creek
tend to range between 5 and 10 acres, offering a blend of privacy along with a
sense of community, giving just enough room for a private outdoor glass of wine and
a hot tub soak but enough neighborly access to barrow a cup of sugar when
needed.

Property
in Soda Creek is quite impressive and is competitive with options in the Denver
metropolitan area or any other residences across the Front Range from Boulder
to Colorado Springs. Evergreen has always been a bedroom community to the
Denver metropolitan area while offering a mountain life style with Front Range
convenience.  Soda Creek is known as the “Gate
way to the Rocky’s “ and is the tip of the spear as far as access to both West
Denver’s amenities’ and the recreational access to all the Front Range has to
offer to including skiing, rafting, hiking and an abundance of other activities
Evergreen is also quiet famous for being Jefferson county’s crowning jewel
boasting   access to the most designated open spaces offered
by any other county in the United States. What Soda Creek offers besides convenience
in Colorado’s Front Range is as a lifestyle that draws residence and visitors
from local enthusiast to travelers from abroad.

Please vist some of our most shining examples;

www.StonePineHillEstate.com

http://www.performancebrokersco.idxco.com/idx/10252/details.php?idxID=102&listingID=1017963

&

http://www.performancebrokersco.idxco.com/idx/10252/details.php?idxID=102&listingID=1021498

Maps

Trail Map1 Soda Creek

Soda CreekTrail Map2

We like Soda Creek

I have benefited greatly from my membership with MMAR aka
Mountain Metro Association of Realtors both in sense of community and book of business.
Please have a look at our new video, I play the role of “Swoop, the Rookie”.

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JohbcIVmNZA

Enjoy!

Sean can’t act but he can sell

When thinking and writing about the Evergreen life style I keep on getting pulled in one direction. Cycling seems to be in Evergreens DNA and there is no going back. This sport for some and recreation for others begins with five year olds training for our Jefferson County Park and Rec’s triathlon for children.  Starting with a twenty five meter swim, four hundred meter ride and four hundred meter swim this annual event is a challenge but great fun for our kids. Evergreens  local Jeffco Park and Rec also sponsors a 2x a week mountain bike class for preteens that often times feeds into our local High schools mountain bike teams.  Ages range from seven to thirteen and this year’s class of thirty five focused on solid trail riding and etiquette with other open space and trail participants such as runners, hikers, other cyclist and yes even equestrians. Our community is very diverse. Learn more about our local Jeffco Parks and Recs and how they support our local recreational and fitness community here http://evergreenrecreation.com .

Driving in Evergreen demands more attention to detail than other communities. After a while it becomes second nature but the skill is to peel your eyes off of the snowcapped views of the continental divide and watch for the plethora of elk and cyclist. The volume of riders seems to increase as we approach the triple Bypass season. This ride from Evergreen to Avon over three mountain passes is the peak (no pun intended) for many of rider’s seasons.  The ride is 120 miles from Evergreen to Avon over Juniper Pass (11,140 ft.), Loveland Pass (11,990 ft.), Swan Mountain and Vail Pass (10,560 ft.), with over 10,000 ft. of lung/leg burning elevation gain. Our community and local government seem to have embraced these brightly colored pilots of two wheeled vehicles resembling everything from F16s’ to monster trucks as we share time in line at our local bagelry. And I wouldn’t be shocked if the county had our local road crews trade in there orange vests for those colorful and effective cycling jerseys.

Things have gotten cranked up a notch with the USA Pro Cycling challenge http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com and I predict the sport will go even more viral in our community.  250,000 attended on the final day to watch the conclusion of this mountain crushing race. This race brought a lot of media attention and tourism to Evergreen not to mention the famed “Team Jelly Belly”  http://www.teamjellybelly.com who based themselves here at altitude for two weeks. It was sort of a big deal for us to watch these world class athletes careen up and down some of our local rides and our own “Serenity” paper reports that they loved Evergreen and said it was the best place they have ever trained.  If you’re moving to Evergreen call me. We will find you a home and I think there are more bike shops than barber shops.

We brake for giant quads & sprockets

It is a common belief the Evergreen, Conifer and other communities in the
foothills have a defined “sales season”. I don’t believe this is the
case. For hard working Realtors and proactive sellers the dreaded winter months
can be and often are the best months. I know that for me and other top
producers in my office the fourth quarter is our most profitable. There are
many factors to understand to help buck conventional wisdom.

Factor
1) is the question; Do more properties sell in the spring vs. winter months. The
answer is no. The perception is yes because activity is higher in our warmer
months but the reality is that although showings decrease the buyers out there
are more serious with a greater sense of urgency.

My research is showing %28 sales in the 4th Quarter

Factor
2) is competition; Are there fewer homes on the market? Yes and the pattern is
very predictable. Please see chart below.

Factor
3) Savvy sellers; are seeing the trend and want to get ahead of the market as
the price per square foot is showing and obvious trend . Please see below.

In
conclusion I recommend taking advantage of the winter months. Showing volume
may be down but will result in less fatigue for the seller with predictably the
same result. At this point in history recovery does not seem to be racing
towards us like a speeding train. Below please find a “Summary”
example of our altos report.

You can keep up in real time with excellent data by signing up here. http://www.performancebrokersco.com/area-info/altos-research-report

We do our home work…

Whew this is the toughest question I have fielded in quite a
while. At this time real estate is not flying off the shelves in my market. I
sell homes in Evergreen Colorado and when I’m asked I have to do a little Intel.
To give advice some pretty huge variables must be known.

Is the subject property new or a resale? In the equation of
equity vs cash flow a new property will suffer greatly once it has a “human
footprint”. An argument has and can be made for the staging aspect but I believe
loosing that new product identity outweighs the benefits.

What is the price point?
At higher price points buyers have higher expectations. I have gone
through this process enough to know that cigarette or pet smells don’t fly over
the $400,000 price point and less than virgin new carpet does not work well
over $700,000. These can be considered subjective but I can say with some certainty
that homes need to be fresher than they used to be because of the large amount
of inventory in this competitive market.

Who is renting? You have to be careful here above all else
not to discriminate against any protected class of our community. It would be
wise to use a rental agency that could prequalify tenant’s i.e., credit, rental
history, etc. Another option would be to go with a company like www.ShowHomes.Com. They will put in a handpicked
contractor to handle maintenance, security and staging. There contractor will
also give guarantees regarding the home’s showing availability and access for possession
should the home go under contract. Much progress towards immediate cash flow
may not be realized but overall equity or investment will most probably be
superior.

Overall if you want to sell your home and don’t want to
leave it empty you have some options. You will also want to consult your home
owner Insurance regarding their policies. As the owner you have all the
liability, a huge investment and some quality of life issues to consider. And be very careful about lease options Talk
to a professional. The choices are not as easy as they appear.

Sean is a profesional……talk to him

Making an Offer vs.
“Make Us an Offer” – Seller Initiated aka Reverse offer

In this challenging market real estate professionals, sellers,
buyers and any others vested interests should be thinking out of the box.  What I am seeing on the national news and here
on Colorado’s Front Range first hand is that Inventory is high so there for competition
for sellers is fierce. The economy is not at its peak so there for resources
are stretched and lending has been a bit more of a challenge.  The gap between buyers and sellers has seemed
to have widened because of constraints and the differing perceptions of the
market. The country’s big picture differs from Evergreens market but I’ll blog
about  that and “shadow markets” some
other time. I would have predicted that the “market” would have corrected all
of this but those pesky logistics seem to have gotten in the way.  The bell curve has gone towards short sales.  I have done these but the pain for both the
buyer and seller tend to be great and I already have too much grey hair to
negotiate transactions that drag on for months with a low success rate with
sellers wringing their hands and buyers running out of steam after jumping through
endless hoops and dealing with poor bank communication. Here at Performance
brokers we have an expert;  Yvette Putt yvette@performancebrokersco.com .  I
like to deal with more positive solutions like trades and seller intiated
offers. I’ll blog about trades later also.

Some of the things I like about “Reverse offers” are:

1) The seller
can generate attention and stand out in a crowd by submitting an offer.

2) The seller
can test the waters and get an insight to what number the market would support
for their home. Though the sample may be small they don’t have to show their
hand to the market prematurely. They can of course make more than one offer but
I don’t recommend doing so at one time. They may legally obligate their home to
more than one party.

3) “A call to
action”. Issues such as contingencies’, time lines, price, lease
considerations, and due diligence issues can and probably should be addressed before
the offer which would serve as a punctuation mark so that both parties can move
forward with plans allowing more certainty in their lives.

4) Buyers may
engage in a “private negotiation” with seller for variables that are not known
or available to the rest of the market.

5) Buyers can
ask questions about the variables on the contract. Those in the industry know
that the devil is in the details and there are tens of other major variables
besides price.

6) The seller
should offer a PRICE that would motivate the buyer towards the offer. The buyer
would be exposed to an invitation only deal.

One concern
for the seller is projecting desperation. This is a possible perception but
most educated buyers will see this stratagem as proactive and creative by
another party in a competitive market who just may have a bit more savvy than
the average bear. This method has a high probability of getting both the buyer
and seller closest to what they need and when they need it with the least
amount of brain damage.

I’’m all for getting people in the homes they want….Sean