If you are a Seller, many believe that the real estate professional is paid for marketing their home. But some Agents do extensive marketing and some do little. Some show the house many times, some only once or twice before someone makes an offer.

When it comes down to what the value is, neither of these cases is correct.

In either instance, with just a little practice, you could do those things competently yourself. With the advent of online sites that advertise MLS listings, you can look for houses that will fit your needs. As someone wanting to sell your home, there are any number of avenues that you can find to advertise your home for sale.

The real job of the real estate Agent begins when a prospective home or prospective Buyer is identified. From the time of client contact when negotiations begin, that is when you want the right real estate professional advocating for you.

In the State of Colorado, with a real estate license comes the privilege of a licensed Agent being able to practice law in the limited sphere of real estate. Therefore, from the time of identifying a property or a purchaser, the Agent not only is in a position to negotiate for a client, but from contract to close, has the responsibility to perform hundreds of tasks on either the Buyer’s side or the Seller’s side.

In most instances, however, the Agent does not get paid until a transaction closes. That means that there can be dozens of hours and hundreds of miles that are consumed, and if a transaction doesn’t close, the Agent does not receive a paycheck.

Marketing a home takes a lot of time, effort, and up-front money. I know of no other profession that will work for dozens or scores of hours and take such a risk prior to payment.

So if what you are really paying for happens AFTER you go under contract, make sure that you are comfortable with the experience and expertise of the person that you hire. Check their references and their track record. It will go a long way to making your real estate purchase/sale as smooth as possible.

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If I am a representative of the Seller, my fiduciary responsibility is to the Seller. In a nutshell, that means that as the Listing Agent, I work solely on behalf of the Seller to promote the interests of the Seller with the utmost (greatest, highest degree, quality) good faith, loyalty, and fidelity. I will negotiate on behalf of and act as an advocate (someone who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person) for the Seller.

As the Seller’s Agent, I must disclose to potential Buyers all adverse material facts actually known by me about the property. However, when I entered into a legally binding agreement with the Seller, my commission was laid out in that agreement. The Buyer has no determination of what my commission will be. What I am to be paid in a transaction is decided long before you come on the scene.

In most real estate transactions, the Buyer does not pay for the PROFESSIONAL services of a Realtor that represents them. Stated a little differently, if you have your own Agent, you get a professional working for you as YOUR advocate for FREE. If I, as the Seller’s Agent, negotiate a deal with no other Agent involved, most of the time the Buyer will NOT be my client. (Unless I have a pre-existing relationship, but that is a totally different scenario.) I have a responsibility to be honest and handle the deal with integrity, but I work for the Seller. Period.

Representing both sides in a transaction is twice as much work. In this increasingly difficult market, I don’t know many Agents who will give up their commission to work twice as hard so that a Buyer can have a slight break on the purchase price when it often clouds a transaction to be in that position. And since an unrepresented Buyer has no agency relationship with the Realtor, you do not have your own advocate for your negotiations.

While there are exceptions, it is definitely not in YOUR best interests to try to negotiate without your own legal representation. So broaden your horizons and get your own FREE representative. You’ll be so much better off.

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For decades, I have done just that for my Clients . . . helped, solved, guided.  More often than not, I have become friends with the people with whom I work.  But recently I have come to realize that being friends is not a necessary component to a smooth real estate transaction.

Clients hire me for my expertise.  Clients are looking for a professional, a negotiator, someone who is familiar with the market and capable of making things happen.  Someone who is well-respected and trustworthy, with whom they can get along, and someone that they know has their best interests at the center of a transaction.

You don’t necessarily want to be friends with your Realtor, but you want a Realtor that you could be friends with.  Someone whose personality meshes with yours, and someone with whom you can spend a considerable amount of intense time with few abrasions on either side.

If we become friends, that is a bonus.  But most people already have a circle of friends and are not looking for more in their professional encounters.  I want you to hire me because you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I will do a good job for you because I am an expert.

How do you know that?  One way of having that assurance is through the testimonials given by past Clients with whom I have worked.  Another is through the reputation that I have built over the years.  And my favorite in most arenas is ~ trust your gut.

If your future requires the expertise of a long-time real estate consultant, give me a call.  I have an excellent team of professionals with whom I work and whose expertise will also be at your disposal.  You have my promise that I will work diligently to make the process and the transaction as smooth and as fun as possible.

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In any given market, at any given point in time, there may be a dozen or more homes for sale in a particular price range.  Of that number, there are usually three or four that stand out above the rest in cleanliness, upkeep, staging, and a general sense that the home has been well maintained.  This has nothing to do with style, it is not focused on the number of bedrooms or baths.  For the most part, it is outside of the range of what the Buyer originally thought they wanted to purchase.

When a Buyer is serious and motivated, they will generally buy the best of the best that is available at that time in their price range, the cream of the crop . . . The Shiny Penny.  When the time comes to sell your Colorado Springs home, make sure that yours is The Shiny Penny.  If you would like help in understanding what that would look like in your particular situation, or if you would like access to available resources to help you in accomplishing that task, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Electric Safari

A friend recently asked what areas in town might have the best Christmas lights. While there are lovely displays throughout the City, none compare to the million-plus lights on display at the 22nd Annual Electric Safari Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Open every evening from 5:30 to 8:30 PM (except Christmas Eve) from now through January 1, you will be enchanted with hundreds of lighted trees and over 40 animated light sculptures. Santa will be available every night through December 23, and will be available for those needing sign language on Wednesday, December 19. On December 29, Santa will return to the zoo for a special “Thank you, Santa” evening.

You can wander this truly unique zoo and interact with special exhibits that will only be available during the Electric Safari (including the new-to-the-zoo Eastern black Rhinoceros and the Elephant Barn), or you can ride high above the crowd on the Mountaineer Sky Ride and see the lights of the City as well.

Weather permitting, there will be nightly pony rides ($1), and warming fires throughout the Zoo.  There will also be select areas that will be open during the event to allow you to warm up in the heated exhibits.

A beautiful and exciting experience, the last tickets each evening will be sold at 7:30 to allow time to stroll the grounds. Prices are reasonable, and there will be opportunities to receive discounts for bringing select items and being a Secret Santa to the Animals. Check out Electric Safari for more detailed pricing information and available discounts.

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The Orchard House at Rock Ledge Ranch

It seems like a perfect day to step back in time and celebrate the season in a gentler, more relaxing atmosphere.  If you are not familiar with Rock Ledge Ranch, their Holiday Evening, being held today, December 15, 2012 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, would be a perfect way to become enchanted with this beautiful and historic setting.

Located on the outskirts of Garden of the Gods and the famous Glen Eyrie, the festive season with be captured with bonfires, jingle-bell wagon rides, candle making, and vintage musical entertainment.  There will also be card and ornament making, lantern-light tours of the beautiful Orchard House, Rock Ledge House, and also a lantern-light tour to the 1860′s homestead cabin.  There will be a barn dance, popcorn, hot cider, blacksmithing demonstrations, and wandering minstrels.

Father Christmas will be in the Carriage house to have his picture taken with children of any age.  Don’t miss this magical recreation of an elegant and simpler celebration of a traditional Holiday Evening.  Prices are Adults (18-54) $8; Seniors (55+) $5; Students (6-17) $4; and children under 5 are FREE.

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Skate in the Park

A synthetic ‘ice puzzle’ was brought in and pieced together, so it doesn’t matter if it is 80* outside, you will still be able to skate in Acacia Park near the Shuffleboard Courts.  Although there is an encouraged donation of $5 to the Empty Stocking Fund, they even have free skate loans available at the Northeast corner of the Park (Tejon and Platte).

What a great family outing during this holiday season.  AND, there’s FREE PARKING in Downtown Colorado Springs every Saturday in December, so you can park for FREE.  It’s a shame the skating is only available through Sunday.  Hope to see you there!

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One of my favorite traditions of the Season is the Holiday Stroll on Tejon Street held each year in Downtown Colorado Springs.

A terrific way to get into the Holiday Spirit, this year forty downtown shops and restaurants have paired to bring you treats and special shopping opportunities. As you stroll along the festively decorated street, there will be carolers, entertainers, magicians, face painters, live music, balloon artists, and so much more.

Beginning at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, this fun and FREE adventure will last until 8:00 PM. There will be drawings for prizes, including a $100 Gift Certificate that can be used at participating downtown merchants, a drawing for a two-night stay in Breckenridge, and other enticing surprises.

Vintages Wines & Spirits will have an in-store Wine Tasting from 5:00 to 7:00 of tasty holiday wines, and each of the forty stores will have something unique to offer.

Fun for the whole family, be sure to add the Downtown Colorado Springs Holiday Stroll to your list of Seasonal Traditions. Hope to see you there!
(Map provided courtesy of Downtown Partnership)

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The theme of this year’s Parade will be Home for the Holidays.  Santa will ride in a beautiful new hand-crafted wooden sleigh that has been painstakingly built over the past several months by a board member of the Festival of Lights, David Bullock.

The Parade will feature car clubs, marching bands, lighted floats, motorcycles, animals, and a vast array of floats that will be decked out in Holiday trim.  There will also be street vendors with the typical snacks, trinkets, and mementos for purchase.

This year’s Grand Marshall will be Jerri Marr.  Many of you will remember Jerri as somewhat of a local celebrity during the recent Waldo Canyon Fire.  Jerri is the forest supervisor for the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands.  She gave daily updates on the efforts of the Firefighting community as the fire spread and as it was brought under control.  She endeared herself to thousands, and they will be able to thank her properly as she leads the Parade.

Each year the Festival Committee donates to a local charity.  This year’s charity is the very-worthy Empty Stocking Fund, which transforms lives by providing resources to local agencies that help people in crisis, and assists others to attain self-sufficiency.  Every dollar given will be doubled, so bring your dollar(s) to the Parade and give it to the collection elves.

If you or your corporation would like to donate in a more grand manner, knowing that all contributions will be doubled, there are more note-worthy Sponsorship Opportunities available.  If you would like more information on the Bronze ($500), Silver ($1,000), and Gold ($5,000) Sponsorships, contact Stephen Ducoff at SDDucoff@gmail.com.

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As a child growing up, I was a ‘government brat.’  We lived all over the country ~ from Coast to Coast, and many places in between.  After graduating from high school, I moved to Colorado, and for the most part, have been here ever since.  Few places that I have ever been have rivaled the beauty and serenity and awesomeness of Colorado Springs.  We are blessed with many natural wonders, and amazing weather patterns that do glorious things as they move over the Rocky Mountains

These are some recent photos that I took in our area.  Please take a moment or two and relax and enjoy the splendor that is our very own Rocky Mountain High.

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