Aug 31
Foreclosure is a word our entire nation has become more aware of over the past two years. And, unfortunately, Colorado Springs has not been immune to the lingering economic downturn. As this city’s most recognized name in Real Estate, the Becky Gloriod Team, has developed a group specifically to help those of you in need of assistance with your home… there are choices other than foreclosure!
Be sure to visit our website, http://www.endforeclosurecoloradosprings.com/
As we already know, the Garden of the Gods has long been recognized as a national landmark and is one of the most magnificent parks in the City of Colorado Springs park system. In early August, a survey by Bausch + Lomb, commissioned in partnership with “Best Places” expert Bert Sperling, ranked Garden of the Gods Park as one of the top ten most visually inspiring sites in the United States! 
As long-time residents of Colorado Springs, we already know how beautiful our Gardenof the Gods is, but now the beauty is finally being recognized. This is great news for our beautiful city!
The other top visually inspiring sites according to the survey are: the Grand Canyon (Arizona), Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee), Statue of Liberty (New York), Golden Gate Bridge (California), Glacier National Park (Montana), Waimea Canyon (Kauai, Hawaii), Columbia River Gorge (Oregon), and Glacier Bay National Park (Alaska).
As of August 1, 2010, Colorado expanded its child passenger safety law by requiring ALL children under 8 years old to be in a safety seat when riding in a motor vehicle. This means all you parents with children who used a car seat or booster until the age of five, must now use them for children ages six and seven, too. 
A minimum fine for each violation is $82 so be sure you understand this law!
You can learn more by reading the official press release from CDOT here.
There is a brief flyer with a summary of the law changes available here.
Keep your children safe!
If you’ve been laid off or are just looking for a new place to start your career—or life—over, Colorado Springs might just be the best place to do it! Listed as the #8 best place in the U.S. to start over by BusinessWeek.com, Colorado Springs boasts not only a beautiful place to live, but also a rising job market! With affordable housing plus proximityto Denver and major ski resorts, Colorado Springs is the perfect place to start over.
Jul 22
The City of Colorado Springs has developed a wonderful program called Give Where You Live.
The City website says: ” How can I help? That is a question we have heard for months as the realities of the economic downturn have impacted City services. The City of Colorado Springs has developed the “Give Where You Live” program to give citizens the opportunity to donate to the programs and services they most value. By clicking on a “Donate” button below, you can make an on-line donation to the category of your choice. Or, you can help by volunteering or by adopting a park, waterway or streetlight. The City is also interested in developing corporate partnerships that will benefit the community and local business.”
You can learn more by visitng the city webpage here: http://www.springsgov.com/SectionIndex.aspx?SectionID=60
We can all keep the community alive and well by remaining charitable during lean times.
Jun 24
You’ve probably seen our moving van around town… but did you know YOU could use our van for FREE? (Certain limitations may apply.) The Becky Gloriod Team is committed to making your home selling and buying experiences as enjoyable as possible. That’s why we offer our customers our fully-equipped moving van to use FREE of charge! This is the kind of value-added service that has allowed the Becky Gloriod Team to maintain the highest levels of care for our customers. You can count on the Becky Gloriod Team to go the extra mile to ensure we meet all of your real estate needs.
What you need to know about using the Becky Gloriod Team Moving Truck
The moving truck is also available FREE to charitable organizations.
Being on the cover of the Home and Style section of The Gazette is a tremendous honor for our team. We are proud of our commitement to help distressed homeowners and appreciate the Gazette’s desire to inform local homeowners about their options. Would you like to read the online version? Read more about the Becky Gloriod Team’s new website www.endfloreclosurecoloradosprings.com.
GROUP PHOTO BY BILL SOMMER SPECIAL TO SPRINGSHOMEANDSTYLE.COM
End foreclosure in Colorado Springs and get foreclosure help now from our Certified Distressed Property Experts.® Becky and Jack Gloriod, the most trusted names in Colorado Springs real estate, are now helping our neighbors stop foreclosure.
Learn more here: http://www.endforeclosurecoloradosprings.com/
Many sellers are in denial about the current value of their home, particularly if they bought within the past five to six years. The market peaked in the summer of 2006, and home prices dropped significantly in most areas from 2007 through 2009.
Sellers often see no harm in asking a higher price — one based on their needs or desires rather than what the market will bear. “We can always come down” is a common refrain. Letting your home sit on the market at a price that’s too high can result in price reductions and a lower sale price, especially if the market is still declining.
Today’s homebuyers are nervous, pragmatic and well educated about the market. Not only are buyers cost-conscious, fewer buyers can qualify for a mortgage than was the case in 2006 due to recent credit tightening. Many who bought in 2006 couldn’t qualify for the same mortgage today. There is a smaller pool of motivated, financially qualified buyers than there was several years ago. These buyers have an edge in most markets.
Buyers want to know how long a listing has been on the market. If it has been on the market for some time, they wonder why it hasn’t sold. Is there something wrong with it? A high price can signal that the seller isn’t motivated. Buyers don’t want to waste their time. Don’t waste yours as a seller if you aren’t serious about selling at current market price.
No one knows for sure when the housing market will turn around. Many economists think we’ve hit bottom or are close to it. Analysts also forecast that home prices will bump along the bottom for some time. They don’t expect a quick rebound.
There isn’t an urgency to buy before prices rise; buyers are taking their time to find the right long-term home. They are not overpaying. Even in low-inventory markets where multiple offers can occur, the price is usually not bid up radically, unless the listing was considerably underpriced.
Recent tax credits are an incentive to buy now for some buyers, and interest rates are low. Buyers’ nervousness about the housing market has thawed recently. The combination of lower home prices and interest rates has made housing more affordable than it has been in years.
There is a risk that interest rates will increase to around 6 percent by year end. If so, this will affect the affordability equation and could have a downward influence on home prices, depending on the condition of the job market and the economy.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: To take advantage of this window of opportunity to sell, your home needs to be priced competitively. There was a time when sellers padded their list price so that they’d have room to negotiate. That strategy doesn’t work in this market. Your house needs to look great and be priced competitively so that buyers realize they have to jump before someone else does.
An analysis of data from the multiple listing service for Piedmont, Calif., properties listed in 2009 provides an insight into the importance of pricing right for the market. During 2009, the listings that didn’t sell were listed on average 26 percent higher than the listings that sold.
The market is constantly changing. If you find after your home is on the market that it’s not receiving the interest you’d anticipated, ask your agent for feedback from agents who showed the property. Find out if similar listings in the area have sold recently. Did buyers who looked at your home buy other listings instead? The market will tell you quickly if your home is priced too high.
THE CLOSING: Lower your price as soon as you discover it’s too high so that you don’t lose marketing momentum.
Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years’ experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author of “House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers” and “Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer’s Guide.”
In the Colorado Springs area, the past few months have slowly been adding up to good news! So far the 1st quarter of 2010 is showing positive signs in comparison with the 1st quarter of 2009. Some of the good news includes:
Of course, with the new home buyer tax credit about to expire, if you’re hoping to buy soon, now is the right time, as statistics indicate the slow rise of home prices once again!
