Andy Hawbaker - REALTOR® with 8z Real Estate Windsor, CO

Earnest Money is the money a buyer puts down similar to a down payment when they are buying a home. The real estate purchase contract has many dates and guidelines that help protect buyers to get their money back if they choose not to continue with the contract however, earnest money in effect makes the buyer have some skin in the game so they stay on track. If certain dates pass and then the buy wants to cancel the seller keeps the earnest money. Some dates built into the contract that can allow the home buyer to get their earnest money back include: 1. Inspection Objection Deadline. 2. Title Objection Deadline. 3. Seller's Property Disclosure Deadline. 4. New Loan Termination Deadline. 5. Conditional Sale Deadline. If the buyer terminates within their deadline they can get their earnest money back. If they terminate after the set dates, the seller keeps the money and then puts the house back on the market. If you have additional questions about earnest money reach out to me.

Setting the right listing price or asking price is a very important part of selling a home in a quick timeframe. If you list the price too high it will bring in less buyers and will take longer to get an offer. If you are too high you may have to lower the price and then buyers stigmatize the property which can mean you'll end up with less money that you should have if it was priced properly. Here is the process in setting a home selling price: 1. Hire a professional Realtor. Ask them for a Comparative Market Analysis. 2. Examine similar homes in your market with the help of a Realtor to compare recently sold homes. 3. Ask your Realtor to examine homes currently on the market for comparable asking prices. 4. Leave your emotion out of the equation. 5. Price the home in a range you and the Realtor are comfortable with.

There are lots of variables that can affect how long it takes to sell a house but I'll give you some basic home selling timelines. 1. Agent seeing the house, setting a price and getting you the paperwork. 2 to 3 days. 2. Photography, Staging anything else that needs to be completed. 7 to 10 Days. 3. Live on MLS, Sign in yard, agent marketing plan started. 2 to 3 days. 4. Open Houses, Showings, Getting an offer. 2 to 14 days. 5. Under Contract - Inspections, Appraisals, Title work 14 to 45 days. 6. Closing - 1 hour. Considering the average period from contract to closing is 30 days, you should plan on the process from calling an agent to getting to the closing table to be 6 to 8 weeks. If the home is not priced right it will sit on the market longer. Reach out to me for tips on how to make sure your home sells fast.

Yes. Windsor Lake is a favorite place for those who live in Windsor. There is a bike path around the lake which is popular for walkers, runners, roller bladers, skateboarders, bikers and more. Windsor Lake also offers great fishing opportunities for families and there is a beach that is open in the summer for swimming, sand volleyball or sunbathing. Those who live in Windsor also take advantage of the lake for boating opportunities. You can kayak, canoe, stand up paddleboard and even use power boats. There is a limit on the number of motor boats allowed at a time and you need to get a permit from the rec center. Speed boats are allowed to pull tubes, water skiers and wake surfers. There are set days for motor boats and not motorized boats only. The weekends are shared with motorized and non-motorized boats. Call the Windsor Recreation Center for full details on what is allowed each day. Also, the city rents paddleboards, kayaks and peddle boats at the beach during the summer.

Yes, that is one of the things I love about living in Windsor. We are surrounded by great breweries. If you love craft beer, you'll love this Windsor Colorado Breweries: 1. Peculier Ales - Located on Main Street across from Windsor Lake, Peculier Ales has a full line up of Hazy IPAs, Fruited Sours and delicious Cake Stouts. The beer speaks for itself but the location and outdoor patio makes this a place to hit up in downtown Windsor. 2. Mashlab - Mashlab is a great Windsor Brewery with good beer and now a full kitchen. This is a good option for a few beers and great dinner. 3. Mighty River Brewing - This East Windsor Brewery has lots of great beers too. It is worth the stop. 4. High Hops is another local favorite brewery. This is built inside of the Windsor Gardener and also include the Heart Distillery. The patio is great and they often times have bands playing outside. It is worth a visit. 5. Timnath Brewing - OK, not located in Windsor but close enough & the beer is worth the trip.

This is something that you would want a Realtor to look at. It depends on a few factors but I'll talk about generalities here. First of all, I believe that having the house in good condition and very clean when you hit the market is going to get you the highest return. If it is a small area of carpet I'll usually just suggest you replace it. Sometimes you can patch small pieces or carpet clean to remove stains. That might be enough to get the house sold. If you offer the carpet allowance, people are going to expect a discount in the over all price because the place isn't perfect and then they want that seller concession. Also, when you come up with a price the buyer is always pricing high and the seller is looking for the cheapest carpet possible. This leads to a mix match in expectations. So, in general, I'd suggest replacing carpet before placing your home on the market to get the highest price. Showing the home in less than pristine condition is going to end up costing you more.

There is a lot to consider when buying a home in a certain neighborhood. An HOA isn't necessarily a bad thing. You'll want to look into the HOA and what it provides for your new home. HOAs can actually help add value to a property. A properly managed HOA that cares or green spaces or offers a pool or other amenities can add to your property value. When buying a home in a new neighborhood ask what is included in the HOA fee and request the HOA documents. So HOAs include the trash pickup or other services that will save you money. On the other hand, some HOAs are improperly run by neighbors who are inexperienced. This can be very frustrating. You can always get involved. More neighborhood HOAs are striving to get more people involved.

This is a popular question from 1st Time Homeowners. Once you have bought a home, the property taxes are due annually but they are paid in the following year. So, the 2021 property taxes on your new home will be due in February 2022. Also, you can pay this in two payments. Here's the good news about home property taxes though: Usually your mortgage company is going to factor the taxes and your homeowners insurance into your monthly payment. This is called an escrow. They will break out the costs over the 12 monthly payments so you won't have to come up with the money at the time they are due. The mortgage company collects the money, holds it, and then makes the payment when it is due. Ask your mortgage lender if they are doing this and if they are, you'll never have to think about paying your homes local property taxes.

We hear people talk about a real estate bubble and how prices are going to drop. Those people will tell you that now is not a good time to buy a home. However, if you look at what is actually going on in the market, you'll see that this is not a bubble. The current growth in home prices and recent appreciation is driven by really high demand for homes. The construction industry has not built enough homes to meet demand since 2008. There is 13 years of a shortage of new homes being built. Also, millennials make up over 30% of Americans and they are reaching their prime home buying years. The prices are rising because of simple economics, there is high demand for homes and a short supply of homes for sale. So, this is not a bubble but an actual housing shortage. Therefore, the current market situation is going to stick around for a few years. My opinion is that we are going to have 3 to 5 more years of this current market situation. Waiting to buy a home is only going to cost you more.

Thanks for the question. The Inspection Objection is something we are going to want to get cleared as soon as possible. Your Realtor should help you schedule an inspection of the property immediately after going under contract. Ideally you'll have an inspector inside the home within a few days. The Home Inspector will go through everything in the house to make sure it is in good working order. They will test the appliances, check the major mechanical items, run water, look for signs of leaks and mold, look at the roof and point out any items that are not up to code. After the inspection, you'll receive a full written report about the items the inspector found. You'll work with your Realtor to object to the purchase of the house or renegotiate with the seller. The Realtor should be able to advise you on what should be repaired by the seller and which items might be upgrades or maintenance items you'll want to complete later. That is the basic Real Estate Home Inspection Process.

This is a term that has recently become very common in real estate transactions. The problem arises when a buyer offers over the asking price to win in multiple offers and then the home appraises for lower than the offered purchase price. Often times, the bank will only loan on 80% of the value of the appraisal (or whatever Loan to Value you are approved for). When the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price the buyer can not get a loan to buy the house. That is when the Appraisal Gap comes in. Basically the buyer agrees to cover the appraisal gap with cash. They agree to bring more cash to closing to cover that gap and still be able to purchase the house. For example if your Realtor adds into the contract that you will cover a $10,000 appraisal gap, that means you will come up with an additional $10,000 in cash to purchase the home if the appraisal is low. Reach out to me directly if you have more questions.

Here are the top mistakes people make when selling their home: 1. Pricing too high. Starting too high pushes potential buyers away and price reductions stigmatize the house which ultimately gets you less money. 2. Not getting professional Real Estate Photos. Home searches start online so photos are more important than ever. 3. For Sale by Owner. Most For Sale By Owner transactions sell for less than working with a Realtor plus there is a lot of work on the homeowner. 4. Skipping the staging. A properly staged home will get offers faster and higher than a non-staged home. This makes a bigger difference than most people think. 5. Accepting the first offer/Not countering a serious buyer. Realtors will tell you that the first offer is the best offer. Sometimes that is true and if you have a serious buyer you can always counter. Ask your Realtor for advice on this.

In the modern age of Real Estate there are many options for selling a house. There are large investors buying up homes with instant offers and the traditional real estate market that is as hot as ever. So here is the best way to get the most money for selling your house: 1. Hire a professional Realtor® who can guide you through the process. A good Realtor® will bring you a higher return than any other option. 2. Make minor repairs. You don't need to remodel your house but everything should be in basic working condition. 3. Clean Up and Stage the Home. Do a deep clean so the house appears well cared for and remove furniture to stage the home for the best showing. 4. Don't over price your home. Starting too high will push away potential buyers and may actually cost you more money. 5. List the home as coming soon and then offer an Open House to get as much attention on your home as possible. Selling your home to an iBuyer is an option but you won't get as much money for it.

Northern Colorado is a great place to retire. People often think of moving to Florida or Arizona to retire but Northern Colorado weather is actually very mild. We gets lots of sunshine, little rain and usually the snow melts quickly. There is actually very little risk for major weather disasters such as hurricanes or tornadoes. Windsor Colorado is becoming a popular place to retire because the weather is nice, there are a lot of golf courses in the area, and we are close to Rocky Mountain National Park and other great hiking and outdoor adventure opportunities. Windsor, Loveland & Fort Collins have all made national list for best places to live and best places to retire. In addition to the weather and activities noted above, Windsor Colorado has a very low crime rate which makes living in the area a very safe place to live.

Windsor, CO is a great town for raising children. It's a great family town for older kids & for young children. Here are the reasons why Windsor is a good place to raise kids: 1. Good School System. The Weld RE4 school district ranks high for education in elementary, middle school and high school. As an added bonus, the high school is right in the center of town and that makes it feel like the center of Windsor. 2. Great parks and playgrounds. There are many small pocket parks in neighborhoods but also larger regional parks that offer outdoor experiences for kids. 3. Windsor is safe. The crime rate is low in this area. It is a very safe place to raise your kids. 4. New mom meetups. There are opportunities through the public library or online Facebook groups to get to know other moms in the area. 5. Employment opportunities. Windsor is positioned directly in the middle of Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley meaning there are many employment opportunities for parents to work close to home

Technically no but you can and I'll explain why you should have your own Realtor when buying new construction from a home builder. When you walk into a Open House at a new construction neighborhood, you will meet a sales person who works for the builder. Builders are not required to use the standard real estate contracts that licensed Real Estate Agents use. Home builders can write up their own contracts when selling you a home. Obviously those contracts are written to protect the builder. The construction company will work with your realtor. As the buyer there is no cost for this. The builder pays the realtor commission and it costs you nothing to have someone personally advising you. If your expense is the same whether you use a Realtor or not, why not have a professional who can examine the contracts, advise you on questions to ask and let them walk you through the whole process? Call me before you sign a new construction contract and I'll help you out.

This is something that people often say, however, the price appreciation of over 18% in Colorado over the last year has been caused by high demand for housing and very short supply. Actually, the construction industry has been lagging behind demand for new homes since 2008. We have not been building enough homes for 13 years. Add in the fact that Millennials are reaching their prime home buying years and you'll see that this high demand for homes isn't going to go away. Covid definitely played a roll in people not wanting to put their homes on the market and other people looking to buy larger homes with home offices, gyms and other features people decided they needed during lock down. Experts predict that we'll be in this high demand market for at least 3 more years. I don't believe that this is a bubble or that we'll see a big decrease in home prices. In fact, interest rates are likely to increase which will decrease purchasing power for home buyers.

Yes. One of the things I really love about living in Windsor, CO is the great restaurants and breweries. In my opinion, for the size of the town, we are short on restaurants. I'd really like to see a few more options but here are some great Windsor, CO Restaurants to visit: 1. Windsor Mill Tavern 2. Hearth Restaurant and Pub 3. Cacciatore at Heller's Kitchen 4. Pelican Jo's Pizza 5. Chili Thai 6. 408 Exchange 7. Windsor Lake Coffee 8. Sol De Jalisco 9. Windsor Brick Oven Pizza 10. Nordy's BBQ And for Breweries: 1. Peculier Ales 2. MashLab 3. High Hops 4. Mighty River Brewing

There are many great neighborhoods to move to in Windsor, CO. Windsor is a great town overall. I'll list some top neighborhoods and give one reason it is popular. 1. Water Valley - Lake Access, Golf Course. 2. Greenspire - Access to Windsor Lake. 3. Downtown - Easy access to restaurants and entertainment. 4. Windshire - Convenient to I-25, Grocery Stores and more. 5. Raindance - Community Events within neighborhood. 6. Highland Meadow - Golf Course, convenience to Loveland and Interstate. 7. The Ridge - Convenience to Fort Collins. 8. New Windsor - Centrally located and super cute homes in this neighborhood.

Northern Colorado is a wonderful place to live. There are many fabulous neighborhoods an reasons to buy a home in different areas. I'll try to give you the highlights. - I really like Windsor, CO. I move to Windsor with my family because it was a smaller family town surrounded by three larger towns which gives you the best of both worlds. Windsor is small, friendly, good schools, great outdoor spaces and everything else that Northern Colorado offers. - I also lived in Loveland for 15 years. Loveland is larger but still feels like a hometown to me. It is closer to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. There are some great sculpture gardens and the downtown area has recently seen a lot of growth. - Fort Collins is more of a college town and has a lot of great entertainment. This is a great option for younger couples who are still looking for some nightlife. But Fort Collins is also a good option for families. - Greeley is a great low cost option for home buyers.

Windsor, Colorado is a great place to live. There are many reasons why people want to move to Windsor, CO. Here are a few reasons: 1. All of Northern Colorado is a desireable place to live due many great employment opportunities and high quality of life. 2. Windsor has a small town feel but is conveniently located to Fort Collins, Loveland & Greeley for all of the big town conveniences. 3. The weather is very mild. We have 300 sunny days a year and not a lot of snow. 4. There are some large employers in Windsor but also many more opportunities in surrounding communities. 5. Home prices have continually apprecitated at a high level in Windsor. 6. There are new construction options available to buy a new house in Windsor, CO. 7. There are many outdoor recreational opportunities in the area. 8. It's a reasonable drive from Denver for professional sports events, concerts and an international airport. 9. It's a great family town. There are many parks and the Windsor Schools are good.

This is a popular question from many home sellers. There are two ways to look at this. 1. If you expect to get top dollar from the sale of your home, you should fix any problems and make sure everything is in working order. If the home is clean, no broken items and in 10 out of 10 showing condition you will get a much higher return. 2. You can sell a home as-is or with a few problems that the new owner will need to fix. You'll need to disclose any problems in the property disclosure. The buyer is not likely going to offer you full price even if you are asking under market value from the home. Unless you are selling to an investor who is planning on flipping the house or doing a major remodel, the average home buyer is not going to be as interested in your home and they'll expect a discount. With all of that in mind, it is in your best interest to keep the items in your home in top shape and to fix any issues before putting your home on the market.

Great question. I've noticed when I run open houses for my home sellers, that neighbors are reluctant to visit a real estate open house. Personally as a Realtor, I like talking to the neighbors. The neighbors sometimes answer questions about the HOA or neighborhood that the seller didn't answer. The conversations with these neighbors are valueable. Also, neighbors may have freinds who want to move to the area or many know someone who could buy the house. But most importantly, a savvy neighbor will be comparing their own home to the house that is listed for sale and this helps them know how much their home is likely worth. I don't think it is being nosey to visit an open house in your neighborhood. If you are interested in real estate and houses, I saw pop in to the Open House and check it out.

People often say that Spring and Early Summer is the best time of year to sell a house. The reason for this is that Spring is a time of change, Spring Cleaning rolls right into listing your house and many families will want to move when school is out if their kids are changing schools. Traditionally early summer is the hottest time in the real estate market. There are more people looking to move which increases demand and ultimately that competition increases sales prices. But remember that everyone else is thinking the same thing so there are going to be more homes on the market to choose from so your home will need to stand out. Honestly, the overall market conditions are more important than the time of year. For example, in Fall of 2020 the market demand was so strong that houses sold immediately all fall and winter. I think that September, October, and November are great times to sell homes. Reach out to your trusted Real Estate Agent but houses sell throughout the year.

Selling a home to Zillow, Open Door or other large investment company has some advantages. It works well for people who don't want to have showings, need a quick close or don't really care about getting full price for their home. While it can be enticing to have a quick transaction, Zillow is going to give you a lower offer, they can change that offer after an inspection and you won't get the highest return. If you list your home on the open real estate market, many more people can see the house and someone is likely to have an emotional response to the home. People who are emotionally attached to a home are going to pay you more money than an investor who is simply going to flip the property. For that reason, I would not suggest selling a home to Zillow or other 'We Buy Houses' investor. Call a realtor and ask for a Comparative Market Evaluation. A licensed Realtor will be able to give you an idea of the price you should expect to receive for your home.

There are options to sell your home within days to large investment companies. This allows you to avoid showings and sell fast, however, you are going to get less money. Obviously, the investors are trying to get the house for less money so they can make more. My suggestion if you want to sell a home fast is to call an experienced Real Estate Agent at an established Real Estate Company. These companies have many Realtors and in hot markets can likely sell the house right away. The steps to sell a home fast: 1. Professional Photos - 90%+ of people start their search online. 2. Professional Staging - This makes a huge difference. 3. Clean & Working Condition - Make sure the home is clean and well maintained. Most people want to move in to a liveable house. 4. Market the listing - Ask your Realtor for a marketing plan. 5. Open House - Get a lot of people through the home in the first few days. Create some urgency for people to make an offer. 6. Price the home at the right price.

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is an option when selling a home. But, just because you can do it doesn't mean it is a good idea. Here are are few reasons not to do For Sale By Owner. 1. Stats show that FSBO properties sell for less money that those sold on the open real estate market. 2. Your home will not be seen by as many people and you'll likely settle for less money. 3. When Realtors see your home on the MLS they will bring all interested buyers. You'll likely sell you home much faster with so many more people seeing it. 4. The work of managing showings, advertising and managing listings. 5. People shopping FSBO are looking for a deal. It's like selling your home at a garage sale instead of a department store. People expect to pay less. 6. You'll likely still need to hire a lawyer and pay the title company fees. There are still expenses. Bottom line, you can sell your home by yourself but you'll probably net less money and have a lot of work to do. For best results, hire a Realtor.

There are many reasons why it is better to own a home than to rent. I'll try to cover many of the reasons: 1. When you pay rent you are paying your landlords mortgage and after each month you have nothing to show for it. 2. When you buy a home you are gaining equity that you can use in the future. The home is literally making you money. 3. There are tax advantages of owning a home. You can write off the interest on your mortgage. (Ask a tax professional). 4. You can do whatever you want, you can do remodel projects, additions, etc. All things you can do in a rental. 5. Home Values Increase and make you money. Historically, homes in Colorado have increased at a rate of nearly 10% per year. This means the home is worth more when you sell it and you make a profit. 6. Home Equity Loans. You can borrow money very inexpensively when you use the equity in your home as collateral. Sometimes this intereste can be written off too. 7. Pride of ownership. It is the American Dream to own a home.

This is a question I get a lot. Here is the steps to buy a home: Step 1: Talk to a mortgage lender and get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. You'll want to know your budget and ability to get a home before you get started. Step 2: Work with a licensed Realtor® to discuss your hopes and dreams, neighborhoods and get a realistic look at what you can afford. Step 3: Start looking at homes with your Real Estate Agent. Step 4: Make an offer on a home that fits your needs. Step 5: Work with your Realtor® to negotiate the best deal. Step 6: Have your realtor walk you through Inspection, Appraisal, and all contingencies. Put your Earnest Money Down, Review the Title Work and resolve any questions or concerns. Step 7: Go to your Real Estate Closing and sign all documents. Step 8: Move into your new home. Those are the basic steps in buying a home. Above all else, contact a professional real estate agent who can walk you through the process from start to finish.

Good question. There are many options for people who don't have large down payments or who have had some credit problems. There is a program called FHA that helps people with lower credit scores get a mortgage loan. Also, there are programs in Colorado such as CHFA that can help. Step 1 is to talk to a qualified mortgage lender. A good lender should be able to walk you through the options and make recomendations so you can buy a home. Obviously, regardless of what has happened in the past, make sure you are paying your bills on time and definitely go back and pay off any unpaid collections or other debts that may show on your credit report. When I work with real estate clients who have had bad credit I always tell them, "It's not if you can get a home but when". Sometimes it takes a little time to clean up past mistakes but the American economy is based on home ownership so if you work on your credit and work with a good lender you can buy your Colorado home.