Colorado Springs Vintage Homes Blog
719.287.1049
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 Springs
If so, the following link will take you to the Colorado Department of Real Estate Licensee ‘Look up”.
Related Article:
- Real Estate Agent or Realtor? What’s the difference?
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
Colorado Springs Housing prices have started to increase
Colorado Springs Real Estate — prices have started to increase
Must Read Articles
- Schools in the Colorado Springs Area
- High Altitude Tips
- Trees make a neighborhood special
- Relocating, it’s all about the schools
- Government and Military are #1 employers in El Paso County
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Subscribe to be notified of the next one?
Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
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.
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 
half 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 »
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
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.
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
Read the rest of this entry »
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
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 »
Do your homework on building permits
Do your homework on Building Permits
Previous Posts
- 5 reasons lack of building permits cause big problems
- Colorado Springs Building Codes and Permits – Part I
- Colorado Springs Building Permits – Part II
- Colorado Springs Building Permits – Part III
- Colorado Springs Building Permits — Part IV
- Colorado Springs Building Permits — Part V
- 5 reasons lack of building permits cause big problems
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 t
he 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 »
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
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:
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%.
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%.
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:
The foreclosure process in Colorado is quite a bit different than in other states because the Governor appoints a 
“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
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.com
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
- Figure out how much you can afford
- Know your rights
- Shop for a loan
- Learn about homebuying programs
- Shop for a home
- Make an offer Read the rest of this entry »
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 
specific 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 »
NORAD is still alive and smaller under Cheyenne Mountain
NORAD
- After fierce competition Colorado Springs finally lands the Air Force Academy
- Military relocation? 6 tips to read before you buy a home
- An early history of Ft. Carson
- History of Ft. Carson part II
NORAD today, stills sits under the caverns of Cheyenne Mountain, even though its in a warm 
status. 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 »
Buying a short sale vs. a foreclosure, what’s the difference?
Every buyer wants a “deal” right now and I don’t blame them!
Here is El Paso County we have an 8 month supply of houses (compared to a 5-6 month “normal” supply) and at 
least 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 »
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 
Realtors 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 sh
are 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 »
Colorado Springs Luxury Homes are hit by foreclosures
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 a
mazing 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 not
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.
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
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 »
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 
more 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 »
