Hello clients and friends, Happy New Year! I hope 2025 has been treating you well so far. We finally got some snow, but these arctic temperatures are a little rough. Stay warm with a cup of cocoa or like me, coffee with a sugar free whip cream. My favorite! The Real Estate Market has experienced some changes since 2022 where most people remember houses were flying off the shelf. Sellers were enjoying multiple bids on their homes while Buyers took advantage of lower interest rates. Over the last few years, however, we have seen less activity due to rising rates as well as higher home prices, taxes, and insurance premiums. Homes have started to sit longer on the market and Seller paid concessions have come into play in order to help Buyers temporarily buy down their rate to make their monthly payments work. Sounds a little discouraging, huh? Who is ready for some good news? There is OPTIMISM in the air in 2025 for potential rate decreases, hallelujah! Until then, it is more important than ever for Sellers to prepare their home for market, taking care of neglected repairs or deferred maintenance, and hiring an agent who partners with the best marketing teams to properly showcase their home. Things are still moving and prices are holding strong. Buyers can still find their dream home and get help with rate buy downs and repair items revealed on inspections. I believe things will start looking again soon. I am here to help you succeed in whatever goal you want to achieve. I would love to brainstorm with you anytime. What’s going on in each town of Northern Colorado? Here are some market stats for the month of January. A Look at 2024I heard that nationwide, less homes sold last year in 2024 than at our lowest in 2008. Wow! Because of my awesome base of clients, I was still able to sell 24 homes including 13 Buyers and 11 Sellers! Thank you ALL for your continued support and trust. It is so appreciated. What Life is All AboutOn a personal note… Most of you know I was pregnant last year and we welcomed our first baby girl, Remy Joy Swanty to the world on at 4:39 pm on September 27th, 2024 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. She weighed 6 lbs, 7 oz. and is absolutely perfect. We prayed for her for a long time and she is such a blessing. Big Changes in the Swanty HouseMy husband decided to retire from his Patrol Sergeant career in law enforcement for Larimer County Sheriff’s Office so we could raise Remy together without having to put her in daycare. It was a hard decision, but it was the best thing for our family. And as of January 1st, he is licensed in Real Estate and working to help me and my clients. So we are now a team! Trust me when I say he is a natural and will do very well. Here is our official team photo! Jru Swanty
(970) 652-8414 [email protected] Thanks for reading this update! As always, please reach out if you need anything Real Estate related. I love being your resource. Cheers, Julie Swanty
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Happy Spring after a very long winter season! I am looking forward to doing yard work and preparing for the beauty and colors that have been missing from my life for the past few months. How about you? Flowers, gardens, and greenery are on the way! 2023 has brought some changes to our Real Estate market. After last year’s springtime frenzy where we saw home sales sky rocket at record prices with things like appraisals and inspections being waived, the rise in interest rates forced everything to slow down and normalize. Thank goodness! We could not have sustained at that pace. Rumors of a market crash surfaced once things hit the brakes, but with such low inventory and still decent demand out there, things have balanced out without prices plummeting. We are now seeing a few more people relax and make a move. Homes that are priced right and in great condition are selling quickly. Those that are needing some updating or work are taking a little longer, but are selling with some patience as well. So overall, things are healthy. The new twist is that Buyers are asking Sellers for an upfront concession or credit to assist with a rate buy down. This helps keep the monthly payment affordable for Buyers while still getting Sellers their bottom line on price. Win-win! What’s going on in each town of Northern Colorado? Here are some market stats for the month of March. Property TaxesWho wants to pay less taxes? I know I do! This is a tax assessment year and that means your property taxes will likely increase because your assessor will raise your house value to reflect the inflating market. You will receive a card in the mail stating that change in value prior to May 1st. If you would like to dispute or protest your value, I would like to help! I can either 1)find sold comparables in your neighborhood and send them to you for you to fill out your card or 2)you can sign your card over to me and I can protest on your behalf. Below is the postcard I will be sending regarding this FREE service I provide every 2 years. Let’s get that value as low as possible to help save on your property taxes. Protests must be turned in by June 8th. *If you are a senior citizen (over 65) and have been in your home over 10 years you can apply for a tax exemption and pay less each year in taxes. This is also offered to disabled Veterans. Contact me for more info.* Look for your property tax assessments! I can help you contest your assessments for FREE! Call me to discuss your property value and what I can do to help you save on property taxes. 2022 Success - Thank You!I was able to sell 23 homes in the past year! Thank you! Here is a recent testimonial from one of my Buyer clients, Marylou. Thank you ALL for your continued support and trust. It is so appreciated. Our Winter FunJust for fun! To make Winter a little more palatable, my husband and I popped down to Key Largo, Florida for a week in January to visit their newest all-inclusive resort (yes there is an all-inclusive in the USA!), the Bungalows at Key Largo. Here are a couple photos of us in paradise. I do work remotely even on vacation, so here is proof of me writing an offer for someone by the pool! I will work hard for my clients anywhere. Thanks for reading this update! As always, please reach out if you need anything Real Estate related. I love being your resource.
Cheers, Julie Swanty |