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Can a Colorado Springs For Sale By Owner put their property in the MLS if they don’t have a Realtor?
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Home owners who have decided not to use a Realtor to sell their Colorado Springs Home used to be able to pay a small fee to some Limited Service real estate companies and list their home on the Pikes Peak MLS. Due to some recent commission statements by the Colorado Springs Real Estate Commission, this is no longer an option.
The Colorado Real Estate Commission, periodically issues Commission Statements to clarify their positions on certain topics.
CP-36 is a Commission Statement on Minimum Service Requirements of a Realtor. My understanding is that the statement came as a result of complaints that had been received by the 
Real Estate Commission about the minimum services a Realtor must provide
The statements details the minimum requirements which are exactly the same as the requirements a Realtor uses in the Exclusive Right to Buy document and the Exclusive Right to List document. The statements goes onto to say “A broker is not allowed to solely perform “additional” services which require a real estate broker’s license, i.e. offering the real property of another for sale through advertisements, without providing the minimum duties required by single agency or transaction brokerage.
Essentially a home seller can ask a Realtor to “just list their property in the MLS’ and the homeowner will take care of everything else, including negotiating the contract and receiving the Earnest Money. If a Realtor does this, they are in direct violation of CP-36.
I’m not completely sure why this commission statement was instituted, but in my opinion every Colorado Realtor by terms of their license is held to minimum duties required to be performed by a real estate broker; and if the only thing a Realtor is doing for a seller is putting the home in the MLS, the Realtor is not performing the minimum duties required. Some of the duties required are:
- Presenting all offers to and from the seller or landlord in a timely manner regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale or a lease or letter of intent to lease;
- Accounting in a timely manner for all money and property received
- Counseling the seller or landlord as to any material benefits or risks of a transaction which are actually known by the broker; Advising the seller or landlord to obtain expert advice
- Seeking a price and terms which are acceptable to the buyer or tenant; except that the broker shall not be obligated to seek other properties while the buyer is a party to a contract to purchase property or while the tenant is a party to a lease or letter of intent to lease;
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To find out more information about buying a home or an investment property in Colorado Springs area, call ….
Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
It’s a shame
It’s a shame when the photos are bad
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Related post: The pictures tell the story
I’ve been looking at lots of homes in Colorado Springs lately, and it’s been a good reminder for me on how important the photos are.
The current statistics say that somewhere between 85% and 95% of buyers start their search on the internet; which means many potential buyers make decisions about a property from the MLS description and the photos. Since I provide real estate services to both buyers and sellers, it really reminded me on how important the photos are. It also was a good reminder that you can find a great property for a client, even though the photo didn’t do it Justice.
Photos help make showing decisions
Some of the recent homes I’ve been looking at are in the $250,000 to $350,000 range in Northwest, North, and Northeast neighborhoods. A couple of these properties had outside photos of the properties that were not very good. In fact, my client and I originally didn’t look at these properties partially because of the photos. (I’m sure the sellers would hate to hear that — but, it’s true.)
Since I’m a photographer as well as Realtor, I understand how hard it is to take good shots of a property. All kinds of things get in the way for the outside shots, and mostly it has to do with the landscape, lighting, and angles. Here’s a couple examples of what I consider bad photos.
Current Picture — makes the home look very modernistic and small. Not very appealing
Previous Pic of property, shows how large it is. Yes it is the same property. even though this pictures was taken in the fall, it is still a better representation of the home
Housing relief for military families in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Military
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Military families stationed at Fort Carson, Peterson AFA, Schriever AFA, and the U.S. Air Force Academy and other military installations in the Colorado Springs area will be glad to learn they may now be eligible for relief for their housing challenges.
An addition was made to the the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP), administered by the Army Corps of 
Engineers. For military personnel in Colorado Springs, the main contact is US Army Corps on Engineers in Fort Worth. Their phone numbers are:
The program was originally intended to only assist military homeowners affected by base closings or a partial closure of a base.
According to the web site the new groups affected are:
- Homeowners who cannot ‘ride out’ the depressed real estate markets until their home values can recover, they are moving because of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) order”
- Wounded warriors required to relocate for medical reasons
- Surviving spouses of fallen service members
Again, according to the web site: “HAP benefits offset some of the losses incurred when homes are sold, purchased by the government, or foreclosed upon. Applicants should understand that Read the rest of this entry »
The pictures tell the story
It’s still a Buyer’s market in Colorado Springs, and it’s really important not to lose sight of the little things that make your listings stand out from the crowd.
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Photos can make all the difference
(1) Lighting: When taking photographs, make sure and check the lighting. Sometimes you want all of the window coverings closed; and sometimes you want them all open. Also, check out the light when you are taking the outside shots. Don’t take the pictures facing the camera i
nto the sun; they’ll all looked washed out.
(2) More is better: Be sure to take some extra time to shoot a lot of different angles; and both horizontal and landscape. It’s hard to tell how well a picture will look on the small LCD of your digital camera. On average, I take 8 – 10 shots of each room. I pick the best ones to
showcase in the MLS, and use the others on website as well as for the fl yer.
(3) Try something different: Don’t hesitate the try different shots with different angles and unique views. The beauty of digital cameras Read the rest of this entry »
Are you a pet owner trying to sell your home
Getting ready to sell your home?
Get a Free Market Analysis on your Home, Email KTorline@msn.com or call 719-287-1049
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You cleaned your home, priced it right and still no one wants to purchase. Second showings are rare. Do you have pets in your home?
Even though I understand the joy and delight that you glean from your pets, not all potential buyers will share the same joy. Fear, allergies or the feeling of uncleanliness could be factors when buyers are considering your home. The best thing you can do is to try and alleviate these factors. With so many homes for sale right now, anything that you can do to showcase your home in a better light could mean a faster sale. So here’s some tips that could help.
#1- have your carpets professionally cleaned especially where there’s high Read the rest of this entry »
Should I take my home off the market during the holidays?
Take it off
Get a Free Market Analysis on your Home, Email KTorline@msn.com or call 719-287-1049
When you look at your calendar you may find the months already overloaded with seasonal obligations…shopping, entertaining, pageants, baking, decorating the house and so much more. If you’re also trying to sell your home in Colorado Springs, you are under extra pressure to keep your home in “Showtime” condition. That could be the last thing you need before the holiday spirit is broken.
To sell or not to sell during the holidays
It’s understandable why you would be tempted to take your home off the market during the holidays. And the list of justifications is long. If you are too busy, buyers may be also, and you may find your efforts unrewarded by enough showings. And what if you get an offer? You may be faced with the possibility of packing and moving during the busiest time of the year. Besides, you can give your a house a rest, and it will have better momentum after the holidays. Better to just pack it in and start fresh in January, right?
But wait! Most top Realtors agree that taking your home off the market during the holiday season is a mistake. The house surely isn’t going to sell while it’s off the market .What’s the advantage of that? So you’re busy. Let your Realtor do the work. You can leave in the morning, go to work, go shopping and let your Realtor take care of things!
The holidays are a wonderful selling season. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for selling your home in Colorado Springs, outdoors does matter
Your home is most inviting
when your property appears well groomed and uncluttered from the outside
Get a Free Market Analysis on your Home, Email KTorline@msn.com or call 719-287-1049
We suggest following these important guidelines when trying to sell your home in Colorado Springs.
- The lawn should be fertilized and watered until its green (we know this is tough in drought conditions but it will make difference)
- The lawn should be trimmed and edged
- Flower beds should be cultivated and free of weeds
- Trees and bushes should be trimmed and leaves raked Read the rest of this entry »
Are you trying to sell your home in Colorado Springs?
Teamwork
Your participation can make or break a sale
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Like every good team, every member of the team must understand their responsibilities and their roles
The successful sale of a house requires good teamwork and communication between the homeowner and their Realtor. By following these easy steps, 
you can assist with the successful sale of your home:
- Maintain your home in ready-to-show condition
- Ensure that your home is easily accessible to real estate professionals (lock box and key)
- Try to be flexible in the scheduling of showings
- When you are not at home, let your Colorado Springs Realtor know how you can be reached in case an offer is received
- If approached directly by a Read the rest of this entry »
