Its Time to Buy Your Next Home

Calling all Aurora real estate home buyers looking for a "smokin' deal" ! Over the last couple of weeks, our team has been showing homes in the Murphy Creek neighborhood. Do to hard economic times for home owners in this area there are over 49 homes for sale, many below market value. There are several homes in short sale or foreclosure, which makes this the perfect time for buyers to consider making their move. Located just 6 miles from Southlands Mall, 7 minutes from E-470, 17 minutes from DIA, 20 minutes from DTC and 20 minutes from Downtown, the area is perfect for families working all over Denver.

Most of the homes on the market in Murphy Creek, Aurora Colorado were built after 2003 and can be bought for $94.00 to $175.00 a square foot depending on their finishes. We have found that some of the nicest properties have over 3,000 square feet of living space and are priced around $101.00 a s/f. One in particular is loaded with upgrades including stamped patios, cherry cabinets, 3 car heated garage & patios facing the golf course.

The golf course this neighborhood was built around is city owned and open to the public, which gives the residence a sense of living in a Country Club Community without the huge membership fees. In fact, the HOA in this area is around $45.00 per month and includes snow removal of the streets. Also provided by the Home Owners Association are tennis courts, a pool and Country Club Restaurant.

If your not intrigued yet, our sources have revealed to us that a new High School and Community College will be built in conjunction with one another by the year 2010. This will provide the opportunity for students attending the High School to conveniently receive college credits prior to graduation.

Here is a sample of what you will find for sale in Murphy Creek, Aurora Colorado 80018.

1. 2,960 Square Feet
   Two Story Home
   3 Car Heated Garage
   4 Bedrooms
   3 Bathrooms
   1,014 s/f Open Basement
   Short Sale
   Located on Golf Course
   Cherry Cabinets
   Hardwood Floors
   Price $299,900
   
2. 2,505 Square Feet
   Two Story Home
   2 Car Garage
   3 Bedroom
   3 Bathrooms
   1,281 s/f Open Basement
   Lender Owned
   Granite Countertops
   Master Suite w/Fireplace
   Needs Some Work
   Price $236,900
   
3. 2,498 Square Feet
   Two Story Home
   2 Car Garage
   4 Bedrooms
   3 Bathrooms
   1,105 s/f Open Basement
   Possible Short Sale
   Situated on Cul de Sac
   Hardwood Floors
   Washer/Dryer Included
   Price $225,000
   
4. 3,174 Square Feet
   Two Story Home
   3 Car Garage
   4 Bedrooms
   3 Bathrooms
   1,439 s/f Open Basement
   Short Sale
   Gas Log Fireplace
   Built-in Entertainment Area
   Gourmet Kitchen w/Granite
   Price $279,000
   
   
   Are you still not sold on considering these properties? All of these prices could be open for negotiation, if you have patience enough to wait on the Lenders response. Most of these homes have been on the Metro Denver real estate market for over 600 days, which translates to "motivated sellers". Do you want to know more? Call Kim Olson's Team at 303.917.6402, they is doing weekly showings of these homes for Colorado home buyers that know a GREAT DEAL when they see it!

Staging your Denver Home Correctly

So, your house is on the market, and once again the figures have just been released showing that prices are down... down... down - but don't go down with them. Instead, get active and bring yourself up, up, up by doing something practical and truly helpful in the marketing process: home-staging. No, I mean really home staging not a half hearted attempt!

It is bad luck if you have to sell your house now, when figures have dropped another couple of percentage points, but there are others out there who are also on the move and want to buy your house - if their attention is drawn to it. According to the National Association of Realtors, the prices are reported to show a national average of being 15.5% lower than this time last year. However, your area may be above or below this, so take your realtor's advice about a realistic asking price. He or she will also have some tips for home-staging but these will get you going.
How to get your home noticed - that is the first key to selling it so the home staging must start on the exterior; more on that later. The second key is the viewing and this is where the home staging really comes into play. Prospective home buyers want to enter your home and see it looking like a show-home for a new housing development. In other words, it has no clutter and no personal affects showing; this way they can imagine their own effects in the home and begin to picture themselves in it.

The large photograph of Fido above the fireplace will be a hindrance, not an asset. Perhaps they are allergic to dogs and it will invoke a bad memory - get rid of it! And while you are in the living room, take away the CDs, the books, the ornaments, the rattan waste bin, the cat's toys, the magazines under the coffee table, the grand-daughter's photo, the crochet behind the armchair, the ash tray, the spare rug and all those plants catching the sun on the window sill!

If you are still reading at this point..... then here's some more expert advice: hire a storage for $20 a month and pre-pack some boxes prior to moving. Most of us could fill one box with our kids school paintings and fridge magnets! The fridge, the counter tops and the kitchen floor must all be bare! Bare is what house buyers want to see- it makes a kitchen look big and spacious and as if they could concoct a cordon bleu meal in it.

The first thing that anyone will notice when entering a home is ...smell. Be sure it is fresh and clean and pleasant. Use a plug-in air freshener; if you have a pet use two or three plug-ins! Also fling open the windows for real fresh air, and try the corny old trick of buns or cookies baking in the oven. It is sometimes the case that stoves and furnaces give off a smell of smoke when they are first lit, if so - do not use them; instead turn on the central heating. Thoroughly clean the furnace and sparkle it with a special fire black product from the local stove store.

Light is a bonus in a home so clean all your windows, and your lampshades and try putting a higher wattage bulb in all your light fixtures, especially the hallways. For a cozy ambience, put a pink bulb in one or two living room lamps, but ensure that this gives a warm atmosphere and not just a dim room.

Bedrooms must be treated in the same way, at least the master bedroom anyway. Every day put all the shampoo bottles, creams, toothbrushes and used towels out of sight. Strive daily for the clutter-free look, bare bath tub edges and bare counter-top surfaces. If you can possibly manage it, a new coat of paint has been said to increase the value of a home by 700% of the price of the paint job! Obviously that clean untouched look counts for a lot with a prospective buyer.
Finally, the exterior: yes, yes, you know the routine - everything out of sight: bikes, skates, garbage bins, recycle cans and even the car as it hides the nice view of your garage. A good realtor knows to take the photo when the sun is shining on the house, and to take the interior photos when the sun shines into the rooms, many people love sunshine in the home. Buy a few potted plants and place one each side of the front door. Group a few in the front yard.

Trim your lawn so that it is short and keep it green, also 'edge' the paths into nice, defined lines that will photograph well. Ensure that your drapes are tidy in the photographs. Hose down the paths if they are pretty cobblestones to make their color notice more in the photo. Now, sit back and prepare for the rush.

The Denver Source is a prominent name in Denver real estate, with agents specializing in working with both buyers and sellers of Aurora real estate throughout the Denver area. Visit www.thedenversource.com for details about their services, property listings, and information about finding beautiful Aurora real estate.

Aurora Real Estate

There are many places to find information on Aurora real estate or Aurora homes for sale but there is not a better source than The Denver Source! The Denver Source is a website put together by individuals independent of the Denver real estate industry. The site features many Aurora real estate listings along with descriptions of the different neighborhoods that make up Aurora.

Some of these neighborhoods are The Blackstone Country Club, Tallyn's Reach, and Southshore. Each neighborhood has their own unique amenities and a variety of things they offer their residents. The real estate site also points out the main attractions in Aurora and has helpful links to Aurora hot spots such as movie theatres and the Southlands Mall.

This is a helpful tool for home buyers or home sellers in Aurora to either list their home or find a home for sale. Buyers can also use the real estate information on the site to decide where they would like to live in Aurora and what neighborhood fits their families needs and desires.