Colorado Springs Real Estate, Colorado Springs Real Estate Investments, Colorado Springs realty

719.287.1049

ktorline@msn.com

How do you confirm a Colorado Springs realtor has a license?

Do you want to know how long the Colorado Springs Real Agent you are working with has been licensed in Colorado?   

Search for Homes in Colorado SpringsRow of cranberries in a question mark

If so, the following link will take you to the Colorado Department of Real Estate Licensee ‘Look up”.

Related Article:

You can search by First name and Last Name, License #, of company name.  As an example, if you search by Kathy, it will bring up 13 pages of people by the first name of Kathy.  You can then look at each person and it will then tell you if their license  is active, inactive, expired, deceased, relinquished, or revoked.

It will also tell you if the Licensee has been subject to any disciplinary action.   

To find out more information about Colorado Springs real estate, Call ……

Kathy (719-287-1049)   KTorline@msn.com    

 

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Colorado Springs Housing prices have started to increase

Colorado Springs Real Estate — prices have started to increase

Must Read Articles

If you read the national newspapers on a daily basis, you’d think all houses in Colorado Springs and in Colorado have plummeted in value.     Not true, and I’m a big believer that graphics and charts tell the real story; so here’s my attempt to show the current pricing trends in the Colorado Springs housing market.  The last column in the graph below is 2010 and shows that the current pricing is closer to 2005/2004 and it also shows that our prices have started to increase.    We reached our high in 2006, and we’re currently down 18% from our high.     Remember, real estate is always local, it varies from city to city, and from neighborhood to neighborhood.
2010 year to date

If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Subscribe to be notified of the next one? 

To find out more information about Colorado Springs, Call ……
Kathy (719-287-1049)   KTorline@msn.com

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Pricing in Southwest Colorado Springs continues to decline

Colorado Spring Real Estate, October 31, 2009
Market Report for Southwest – Single Family Homes, Homes Close to Fort Carson
Includes  Homes in the Broadmoor, Cheyenne Meadows, Bluff Bluffs, Quail Ridge

Search for Homes in Southwest Colorado Springs

Related Articles:

The Southwest housing market continues to be a BUYERS  Market, as there is currently a 9.7 month of supply of homes on the market.   A 6 month supply of houses on the market is considered a “NEUTRAL MARKET”.   2008 Sales units were down 25% from 2007, but 2008 pricing was only down 10% from 2007.   Sales have continued to declined in 2009 and pricing has continued to see downward pressure.

southwest dom pricing october 

southwest DOM october 2009

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Research who you are working with

Is your Colorado Mortgage Broker Licensed?   
Does the Colorado Realtor you are working have an active License?

For a free Buyers Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

Must Read Posts:

I got an email this week from DORA (Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies) about the number of Mortgage professionals who just had their licenses inactivated; and realized it was a great idea for a blog post.  

According to an article in 5280, The Colorado Division of Real Estate inactivated 4,560 mortgage-broker licenses—more than Important papers uid 1341521half the licenses in the state—because brokers didn’t keep up with their licensing paperwork. It’s unclear how many of those brokers remain active, but some may have simply left the business as the economy struggles.

Also, according to an article in the Denver Post ” More than half of Colorado’s mortgage brokers have had their licenses inactivated because they failed to comply with new education and testing requirements that took effect early last month.  The Colorado Division of Real Estate on Monday inactivated 4,560 licenses of brokers who have failed to comply with the law. About a third of those were held by out-of-state brokers.

Real Estate License Requirements

As a Realtor, there are many things I have to do to keep my license in good standing, including Read the rest of this entry »

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Market Report for Homes in Monument, July 2009

Colorado Spring Real Estate 

Market Report for Tri-Lakes – Single Family Homes,  Includes Monument and Palmer Lake

Search for homes in Monument

Must Read Articles

  • It’s all about the home warranty
  • What are closing costs in real estate?
  • The pictures tell the story
  • The Monument and Palmer Lake housing market continues to be a Buyer’s Market, as there is currently a 14.5 month of supply of homes on the market.   A 6 month supply of houses on the market is considered a “NEUTRAL MARKET”.   Sales were down 17% from 2008 to 2007, but pricing was only down 10% from 2008 to 2007.  Sales continue to be soft in 2009 and are down 31% from the same period last year.

    tri lakes july 2009

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Foreclosed homes in Colorado Springs continue to sale quickly

    Foreclosure Listings in Colorado Springs as of August 1, 2009

    During the week of July 27th, 71 bank-owned properties came on the market; 46 (65%) of them are already under contract, or pending. 

    For a FREE list of up-to-date Foreclosure Homes, Email KTorline@msn 

    Must Read Articles

  • Who is Representing YOU? - Tip #1
  • Shop for a Lender like you shop for a house - Tips #2 – 6
  • Top 3 websites for home buyers - Tips #7 -9
  • Open House Misconceptions – Tip #10
  • Appraisals and Inspections, 2 important steps for home buyers - Tips #11-15
  • foreclosures 7 27 09

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Townhome market in Colorado Springs is finally starting to pick up

    Colorado Springs Townhomes and Condos – June 2009 Market Report
    Must Read Article:  Townhome bargains in Colorado Springs
    Search for Townhomes and condos in Colorado Springs

    townhomes June 2009

    The Colorado Springs townhome and condo market continue to be a BUYERS Market, as there is currently a 8.7 month of supply of homes on the market.   Read the rest of this entry »

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    Do your homework on building permits

    Do your homework on Building Permits
    Previous Posts

    The El Paso County Assessor’s office is one of the web sites I frequently check when I’m getting ready to write an offer for a homebuyer in the Colorado Springs Area.   I like to look at the square footage, the bedrooms, the baths, the garage, and the basement information listed on the assessor’s office and compare it to tConstruction worker uid 1352374he information on the Multiple Listing Print-out.    Also, out of curiosity, I also look at the assessed value listed on the property.  (I’ll write more on this later.)

    You may ask, why is all of this information important?   The biggest reason it is important is that discrepancies may (and I underline the word may) mean that there has been additions and improvements to the property that have not been permitted.   If the assessor’s records only show 2 bathrooms, and the property has 3, it may mean there was an additional bathroom added that wasn’t permitted.      If the assessor shows the basement was unfinished and the property has a finished basement, again it may mean no permits.

    The next step that I do is to check the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and see what type of permits have been done on the property.   Permits are important as they ensure Read the rest of this entry »

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    64 new foreclosed properties came on the market last week

    Foreclosure Listings in Colorado Springs as of July 25, 2009

    During the week of July 20th, 64 bank-owned properties came on the market; 42 (65%) of them are already under contract, or pending. 

    For a FREE list of up-to-date Foreclosure Homes, Email KTorline@msn 

    foreclosures 7 20

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Pricing holds strong in Old Colorado City

    Colorado Spring Real Estate 

    Market Report for Old Colorado City – Single Family Homes

    Includes Crown Hill Mesa, Gold Hill, Old Colorado City

    Search for homes in Old Colorado City

    Must Read Articles:

  • Old Colorado City Commercial district…fun to visit and lots of history
  • Old Colorado City Springs to Life with a Vigilante System of Government
  • The Old Colorado City housing market continues to be a Buyer’s Market, as there is currently a month of supply of homes on the market.   A 6.9 month supply of houses on the market is considered a “NEUTRAL MARKET”.   Sales are down 22% from 2008 to 2007, but 2008 pricing was only down 1.5% from 2007.   115 Single family homes were sold in 2009 vs. 134 for the same period in 2009; a decline of 16%.

    Old Colorado City Market report June 209

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Home sales in Central Colorado Springs continue to be brisk

     Colorado Spring Real Estate 
    Market Report for homes in Central Colorado Springs  – Single Family Homes

    Search for Homes in Central Colorado Springs

    The Central part of Colorado Springs housing market continues to be a NEUTRAL Market, as there is currently a 5.66 month of supply of homes on the market.   A 6 month supply of houses on the market is considered a “NEUTRAL MARKET”.  Sales were only down 16% from 2008 to 2007, but average pricing was down 5% from 2007 to 2008.   395 single family homes have been sold in 2009 vs. 467 for the same period in 2008; a decline of 15%.

     central market report June

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    New Foreclosure reporting bill signed by the Governor

    Public Trustees are unique to Colorado

    For a FREE List of Foreclosures email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

    Related Articles:
    Don’t let your dream house become a nightmare
    Buying HUD homes in Colorado Springs, Part II
    Buying HUD homes in Colorado Springs, Part I
    Pre-Qualification or Pre-Approval, which do you need to buy a home?
    Finding diamonds in the rough

    The foreclosure process in Colorado is quite a bit different than in other states because  the Governor appoints a colorado-3“Public Trustee” for each county in the state.  The trustee must act as an impartial party when handling a power of sale foreclosure.  The Public Trustee acts as a representative of the lender to facilitate the sale, which typically occurs in the form of a public auction.

    Because of these differences, national foreclosure reporting companies may report a Colorado foreclosed property as many as two to three times between the Notices of Election and Demand, and at the point of a public trustee sale, thereby inflating Colorado foreclosure figures.

    Over the years, concerns have been raised that foreclosure numbers for Colorado are inflated versus other states that have already implemented standardized reporting procedures.   This can put Colorado at a disadvantage when national numbers are analyzed and compared.

    There is a new Bill, HB 1197

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    Top 3 websites for home buyers

    The following information is the third in a series of Buyer Tips to provide tips for both the first-time home buyer and the most experienced home buyer.   The goal is to help the consumer to become better educated about purchasing real estate in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area.  This article includes tips #7 – 9

    For a FREE  Buyer’s Guide, Email KTorline@msn.comreal-estate-agent-be-uid-1354591

    Home Buying Resources on the Internet

    As I started to put together this article, I originally was going to write it about the wonderful resources that HUD provides on the Internet, but as usual, my blog article evolved into something much more.   The Internet provides all of us an amazing opportunity for education, and home buying is no exception.   Remember, knowledge is power.

    Tip #7:   My favorite site for Home Buyers:  HUD web site.   In fact, when you google “buying a home”, the first site that comes up is HUD’s site.    The site provides an easy way to find out about all of the loan products offered through HUD/FHA, but equally important it offers perspective  buyers great advice on all types of things.   One of my personal favorites is the quick easy list they have on the 9 steps to buying a home:

    Nine steps to buying a home
    1. Figure out how much you can afford
    2. Know your rights
    3. Shop for a loan
    4. Learn about homebuying programs
    5. Shop for a home
    6. Make an offer Read the rest of this entry »

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    It’s against the law

    Fair-housing laws prevent agents from talking about neighborhood demographics

    For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

    Luckily, the Web picks up where agents leave off

    A real estate agent can be a wealth of information about a house.    So a homebuyer who asks what crime is like in a occ-home-7-percentspecific Colorado Springs neighborhood might be surprised when the agent defers the question, directing a client to the Web or local police instead.  I work with many buyers looking to relocate to the city, and I often explain to them what I can and what I cannot say.

    It comes as a shock to many buyers when they learn that a Colorado Springs realtor absolutely cannot address some requests because it is against the law.     For example, if a married Jewish couple asks a realtor to find them a home close to a synagogue, the agent can’t accommodate that request.     If a buyer is moving to the city, and wants to know the safest part of the city and the best neighborhoods to live in, an agent cannot answer.   Also, Read the rest of this entry »

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    NORAD is still alive and smaller under Cheyenne Mountain

    NORAD
    Must Read Articles Military

     

    NORAD today, stills sits under the caverns of Cheyenne Mountain, even though its in a warm norad-secondstatus.  It may not be as large as it once was due to the consolidation of NORAD and Northcom now housed mainly at Peterson Air Force Base, but its still there protecting us from not just external but now internal threats with the help of the FAA.

    In 1957, both Canada and the United States were reeling from the threats of the Soviet Union, especially after the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik.  Everyone was scared and even schoolchildren were drilled on diving under their desks and covering their heads in case of a nuclear strike.  Both countries realized the importance of a continental home alarm system.  This lead to the creation of NORAD at Ent Air Force Base (now the Olympic Training Center). Read the rest of this entry »

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    Buying a short sale vs. a foreclosure, what’s the difference?

     Every buyer wants a “deal” right now and I don’t blame them! 
    For a FREE List of Foreclosures email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

    Here is El Paso County we have an 8 month supply of houses (compared to a 5-6 month “normal” supply) and at main-entranceleast 1 out of 10 of them are “distressed sales” (foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, etc.).  Although these figures vary vastly on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis.   As an example, the Southeast part of town has been hit particularly hard by foreclosures and short sales, while the Northwest part of town is fairly stable.   Even though these numbers may sound bad, lots of areas have 8 out of 10 properties that are distressed; especially in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

    Buying a pre-foreclosure or a foreclosure can be very different experience, both from a “normal” sale and from each other.  Here’s a quick synopsis of the differences:

    Pre-Foreclosure (often a short sale)

    A short sale occurs when a house is worth less than the mortgage, and the seller’s lender accepts less than what is owed on the mortgage.

    As an example, a seller may have a mortgage of $250,000 on their home in Colorado Springs. The seller is taking a job in a new city and the house is now only worth $220,000. A buyer makes an offer on the house in the amount of $220,000 and the net proceeds to the bank is $205,000 by the time the owner pays the real estate commission and the seller’s closing costs. The buyer and seller sign the contract but the offer is subject to approval by the lender, as the bank than must agree to accept $205,000 vs. $250,000 to pay off the loan.  Hence the term short sale.

    Some statistics say that a lender typically loses about 19% of a mortgage’s Read the rest of this entry »

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    Top 5 VA Loan Myths

    Guest Blogger — Marry Ann Daniell

    Search for Homes in Colorado Springs

    It was only a year ago that I started blogging on an wonderful site, ActiveRain, which is an amazing resource for untitled-21Realtors and anyone else involved in the Real Estate Industry.   It’s has a wealth of information; and the most wonderful thing is that fellow Realtors all over the world share information with each other. 

    Since Colorado Springs has a high military population with both active duty and retired personnel, I thought this article would be helpful to share with our readers.  Our military installations in the Colorado Springs area include:  Fort Carson Army Base, the Air Force Academy, Peterson AFB & Schriever AFB, Cheyenne Mountain AFS and NORAD.

    I’m very pleased to shman-with-moneyare this article written by Mary Ann Daniell, a Realtor in Fort Hood Texas.  I contacted Mary Ann and she gave me permission to share this article.  You can contact her in Fort Hood at her Office Phone: (254) 547-4165 x 230, or send her an email at maryann@maryanndaniell.com.     If you are ever looking for information on Fort Hodd, make sure and contact her.

    Hope you enjoy her article!

    One of the best benefits of the VA Guaranteed Home Loan is that you can purchase your home with no money down.  Most buyers know this about the loan program, but there’s also plenty of misinformation floating around out there, too. 

     Some common misconceptions buyers often bring up during their search for financing:

             VA Loan Myths

    • I have to apply to VA for my VA loan
    • I am already APPROVED for a VA loan since I am active duty military
    • VA Loans can take 90 days to close
    • I must have my Certificate of Eligibility in hand
    • VA Inspects the home for defects before I buy the house 

    Here’s a quick clarification of these points about VA loans: 

    I have to apply to VA for a VA Loan – Not True!  

    You apply for a VA loan through a lender who is approved by VA to Read the rest of this entry »

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    Colorado Springs Luxury Homes are hit by foreclosures

    outside-original-oak-valley Colorado Springs Luxury Homes — Foreclosures  (Part II)
    Even in affluent neighborhoods,  foreclosures are beginning to appear more frequently

     Wow, if only homes could talk ………………….. I previewed a variety of homes this week in Colorado Springs, ranging from a cute home in the East part of the city that was listed at $155,000 to one that was listed at $725,000.  My favorite home of the day was an afront-door-oak-valleymazing Italian Villa type home in Northwest Colorado Springs.  It was  located on a breathtaking wooded lot, .85 of an acre,  in one of my favorite Northwest Neighborhoods, Oak Hills.

    If you want to receive a FREE copy of my favorite foreclosures in the city, email KTorine@msn.com

    The property was originally built in 1987, but according to some of the information I found in previous listings, it went through extensive remodels in 2001. 

    The home was a little deceiving from the outside, looked nice but notocean-bedroom anything special.   In fact, the outside paint color was a little odd to me, a pale yellow.  Once the front doors opened,  the first thing I saw was the circular hardwood stairway, great entryway.    Other amenities at the home include 3 fireplaces, and many, many, many decks.One of my favorite things were the unique children’s room.  First there was the “Ocean Room” with artistic painted murals on the walls, almost felt like I was walking into an aquarium.  And the finishing touch was the life preserver on the ceiling. 

    Read the rest of this entry »

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    USDA has money to lend for home buyers in rural areas of Colorado!

    Are you searching for a home in Colorado that’s perhaps a little out of the way?  Perhaps an area like Peyton or Rush (even parts of the Springs may qualify).  Do you have a good credit rating  but lack a big down payment? (only requirement is $100 down).  Perhaps you only make a small amount of the median income in the area, which might prevent you for qualifying for a conventional

    USDA has MONEY to lend for home loans

    USDA has MONEY to lend for home loans

    loan.  There’s help out there for you in the form of a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) home loan!  That’s right, the USDA has a home loan program geared to help people with a low to moderate income purchase homes in rural areas (you may also be surprised at what rural means).  These loans are backed by the US government and unlike FHA loans, USDA loans do not require the borrower to qualify for monthly mortgage insurance premiums.

    To see if you qualify based on the income limits, visit Colorado USDA office adjusted income limits which can provide you the limits based on the county that you want to purchase your home in.

    USDA loans offer competitive rates and also allow seller concessions to be used towards closing costs.  There’s no Read the rest of this entry »

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    Resources for building a Green Home

    Green Homes

    Search for Homes in Colorado Springs

    Are you considering building the home of your dreams this year?  The newest trend is to build green by using materials that are environmentally friendly, designing your space to use energy 1wm_construction_010more efficiently, furnishing your home with Energy Star rated appliances, avoiding waste and using natural resources as much as possible.

    There’s also the advantage of doing your bit to help the environment while cutting back on your own utility bills.

     Here are a few websites that offer help while you’re in the planning stages of building green: Read the rest of this entry »

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