As we were finishing up the details of their sale, we discussed the donation program. The Smouse family has asked that the 5% contribution be made to the CU Art Museum! I have made a $1000 donation in their names towards the museum. The wife asked that the donation be directed specifically towards the permanent collection at the university. Their donation is going to ensure that the museum can house, maintain and collect more art in their private collections, to be shared with the students and community for years to come.

In the future, if you hear of someonewho is interested in buying or selling a home, please send the referral to me, Leanne Goff. When you send me a referral I DOUBLE the donation contributions by offering 5% to the new client – and 5% to YOU for the referral! That is a 10% donation that could be made in full to the non-profit organization of your choice!

For more details see: http://www.ebcacolorado.org/

Leanne

Appearing live on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Buffett tells Becky Quick he’d buy up “a couple hundred thousand” single family homes if it were practical to do so.

If held for a long period of time and purchased at low rates, Buffett says houses are even better than stocks.  He advises buyers to take out a 30-year mortgage and refinance if rates go down.

The video can be viewed on YouTube

I had the privilege of attending the museum this weekend with a dear friend. She and I walked through history seeing Clyfford Still’s technique unravel over time. They begin the tale with his first paintings as a young man and artist, before he was formally trained. Here you can see his desire to depict the world around him. However, even in the beginnings of his career, he is breaking objects into shapes and color. Over time this color blocking and expression though application become more intense and vivid. As we move through the gallery the expression becomes more grand, as do the sizes of the paintings. The image below is from the height of his career as a mature artist. The painting is grand in scale being at least 12 feet tall and twice as wide. The color and energy is overwhelming, all consuming, immense and strangely peaceful all at once.

The curator said that they have enough inventory to rotate through the museum often keeping the experience fresh on each new visit. I left with a deeper understanding of Mr. Still’s body of work, and an invigorated sense of the Abstract Expressionistic movement in America. The depth of his work and the quantity in his collection has left a mark on our history that cannot be considered anything less than genius.

Clyfford Still Museum
1250 Bannock St, Denver, CO 80204

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For statistical information see the graph below. This is a visual representation of number of showings per week for each listing at the Staufer office since March of last year… look what is happening!

The biggest problem I hear from other agents, and have experienced myself, is that there isn’t enough inventory. We need more people to sell their homes so that the buyers have a larger selection. If you are thinking about listing your home, this is the time to get ready so you can take advantage of the spike in demand, and the lack of inventory. Then you can be poised and ready for the upcoming summer (if your house stays on the market that long!!!) Please contact me to schedule a listing appointment: info@leannegoff com / 720-203-6227

I’m getting the impression this is going to be a good summer!

Best Regards~
Leanne

The good news – if you have a ‘newer’ television, you can do it to! All you need is a spare computer with internet access and you are good to go! Put the computer next to your flat screen. Then connect the two using a VGA cord or, if your computer and TV permit, use the HDMI cable. The HDMI will allow you to stream HD content.

Now you can use the television to surf the internet. Most websites even provide streaming in HD! I have found a wealth of entertainment in the websites for the networks I like the best… HGTV, NBC, CNN, Comedy Central and more.  For $7.95 per month you can stream unlimited entertainment from Netflix. There is so much to watch for my daughter and I that we will never be board. Anything you like to watch with your child on Sprout, PBS, Nickelodeon, etc., is available without interruption on Netflix. It is especially nice to watch a program with my child that runs without commercials! If you like network television you can always try Hulu. I like Hulu, but I really want them to start streaming Bravo before I pay for a subscription.

The one thing that I think the networks still have you locked into is sports. I do not know how to stream sports over the internet… but I don’t watch sports so maybe I’m missing something. If they are not streaming sports on the internet yet, I believe it is only a matter of time.

There seems to be a change going on – and I like it!

Call me if you want to share tips about how to setup, or how you setup, your internet TV.

Leanne

720-203-6227

READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

A very important real estate rule was reinforced for my clients and I who were under contract to buy a home in Denver. We made our offer over the weekend and went under contract on a Monday. We immediately started the inspection process and this is where we learned our lesson that I want to describe for you today.

One of the first and most important deadlines in a contract is the inspection process. Through this time you can and should run every test and inspection that you feel necessary to discover the condition of the home. Including, but not limited to asking the neighbors what the area is like and if they know any history about the home. In addition, it is strongly suggested that buyers perform a Google search on the home’s address.

My clients made an offer on a Denver home in the highly popular neighborhood of LoHi (Lower Highlands). This is very trendy area that has been redeveloped over the years. Many families have moved into the area for its convenient location to downtown Denver and its historic feel. The home my clients made an offer on was almost 2000 sq ft and a newly remodeled with high-end finishes. It was situated on a large lot that was almost ¼ acre, which is huge for the downtown Denver area. The ask price was $389,950. Shortly after our offer was made and we went under contract my clients Googled the home to find the articles listed below:

PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION – To date I have NOT been able to completely read this information.

• FOX 31 Denver: Prosecutors: Sex Assault a Family Affair
• DenverPost.com: For Stillman twins, darkness reigned for years
• Yahoo.com: “We Were Prisoners in a House of Torture, but We Survived”
• Denver Westward: Crying shame: Kristen Stillman relinquishes her four children in court
• SPJ Video: Spreading Her Wings 

In addition to this shocking information, we found that all the work that the investor had done on the home WASN’T PERMITTED! Needles to say, we canceled our contract 5 days before the inspection deadline and the earnest money was delivered back to my clients. We are now looking for a new property in the same area that isn’t clouded by crime.

NOTE: It would actually be ILLEGAL for the listing agent to disclose this information to potential buyers because it is not a MATERIAL defect of the home. In fact, if the listing agent disclosed the information it would be illegal because they have a fiduciary duty towards the best good of the seller. This is why it is SO important for a buyer and a buyer’s agent to Google the property. We didn’t need to knock on the neighbors doors to learn the history of the home, but it would also be highly recommended.

When Googling a home I would suggest using the address of the property followed by words such as “crime”, “murder”, “death”, “rape”. It would also be advisable to include words like, “environment” to get a picture of any sort of environmental damage or concerns. It might also be good to consider words like “plumbing”, “sewage”, “fire” to see if any history of mechanical damage is available. Of course all of the regular inspection services should also be performed by a Home Inspector as well as any additional professionals who will help you understand the condition of the home. In the inspection process a buyer has the responsibility to find out the history of the home as well as the mechanical well being of the home. It is your right to inspect ANYTHING to make sure that this is the right home for you. My recent experience has shown me how important this can be. I apologize for being so shocking, but based on my experience with this seemingly perfect home I had to pass on the information. I will NEVER forget this lesson and I hope that it can help you, too.

Leanne

540 sq ft / 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom

Two Mile Creek / Eden East

This was sold as an investment property with an immediate cash flow for the new owner!

Please call me to discuss your next investment purchase or the sale of your income property.

Leanne 720-203-6227

This merger will create a perfect blend of a local boutique firm backed with my business background. Staufer’s local office will offer you the confidence that we understand your local real estate needs. My degree is a BS in Business Administration from the University of Florida, which gives me the business acumen to analyze sales data in your area. My professional experience as a Marketing Manager for international businesses gives me the ability to market your home effectively. Prior to real estate, I completed an international internship in Holland marketing tulips and perennials back to America. When my internship was complete I came back to the states and worked as marketing director for another international business. My professional experience enables me to access various channels to market your property to a large audience. It also gives me the ability to look at the financial implications of your real estate transaction and clearly communicate your final settlement statements.

I have conducted business alongside of Staufer team (also locally-owned) for quite some time and have always been impressed with their level of customer care and integrity.  I more recently learned that not only is their consumer-centric approach consistent with mine, but their vision for the future is also well aligned with my goals of excellence.  Combining my resources with a local brand ensures you that we understand the neighborhoods where you live throughout Boulder County.

I will now reside in the Staufer Team’s downtown Louisville office. As before, I will sell real estate throughout Boulder County and into the North Metro Denver area; wherever your referrals take me! All of my contact numbers will remain the same as will my approach and commitment to you, my clientele.

I am very excited to be a part of this new company, and am certain Staufer Team Real Estate will offer me incredible opportunities for increased success. If you have any questions, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you and have a conversation about this exciting endeavor.

Best Regards~
Leanne Goff

email / 720-203-6227

January 9, 2012 – The number of housing markets showing measurable improvement nearly doubled in January with the addition of 40 new metros to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today. The IMI now boasts 76 improving markets, up from 41 in December, with 31 states and the District of Columbia represented by at least one entry.

The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. New entrants to the list in January include the following (listed alphabetically by state):

Florence, AL
Tuscaloosa, AL
Fayetteville, AR
Denver, CO
Greeley, CO
Bridgeport, CT
New Haven, CT
Cape Coral, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Punta Gorda, FL
Honolulu, HI
Ames, IA
Des Moines, IA
Dubuque, IA
Elkhart, IN
Indianapolis, IN
Lafayette, IN
Lake Charles, LA
Worcester, MA
Grand Rapids, MI
Lansing, MI
Monroe, MI
Minneapolis, MN
Columbia, MO
Joplin, MO
Fargo, ND
Manchester, NH
Cincinnati, OH
Oklahoma City, OK
Tulsa, OK
Corvallis, OR
Erie, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Chattanooga, TN
Clarksville, TN
Nashville, TN
College Station, TX
Dallas, TX
Victoria, TX
Madison, WI

“The fact that the list of improving housing markets nearly doubled this month shows that a significant, positive trend is developing, and is even more relevant when you consider the expanding geographic distribution of the list – which now includes 31 states and the District of Columbia,” noted NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. “This trend could be even stronger if not for the numerous impediments that continue to slow a housing and economic recovery, including overly restrictive lending policies and the growing inventory of distressed properties in certain markets.”

“While relatively small metropolitan areas continue to dominate the list of improving housing markets, it’s important to note that several major metros in diverse parts of the country have now joined the field as well – including such metros as Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Nashville and Philadelphia,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This is an encouraging sign that gradually strengthening economic conditions are starting to take hold across a broader swath of America.”

“The substantial gain in the number of improving housing markets in January shows that more consumers are looking favorably at a home purchase in light of today’s historically low interest rates and attractive prices, particularly in areas where job growth has picked up,” added Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First American Title Insurance Company.

The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac, and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest available data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metropolitan area must see improvement in all three areas for at least six months following their respective troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

NAHB