This quote has legs!
It keeps changing for me depending on the times, but that figures because it was written by the great Winston Churchill.
Here’s a couple more famous Churchill quotes.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, after they’ve tried everything else.”
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
Keep the faith
Us vs Them
Black vs White
The haves vs the have nots
Left vs Right
Red vs Blue
Friends, you might not want to hear this but this is what “They” want.
Who is “They” you might ask?
They = The Elites
And by Elites I don’t mean your neighbor who belongs to a county club. I don’t mean your co-worker that just got a brand new car and I don’t mean your cousin that just landed a six figure job out of law school.
The Elites are the ones with THE ULTIMATE POWER.
Our elected and appointed officials of both parties (both past and present), CEO’s of large corporations, large media corporations, big tech, and celebrities of all kinds.
These are the people who are “making all the deals” and running the show. They work under the cover of darkness, behind closed doors and sometimes right in your face
They are THEM. You are US.
And while we are distracted with hating and shaming each other, the deals are getting bigger, dirtier and more costly for the American people.
And the currency to fund these deals:
Your tax dollars
Your relationships
Your family
Your sanity
Your reputation
Your freedom
The Elites are motivated by monetary greed, by fear of exposure for their moral corruption and by their insatiable appetite for more power.
And to pull off their corrupt dealings ALL they ask of the American people is to keep up our entrenched habits of hedonism, busyness, laziness and apathy
We all know to find the TRUTH you must feed from more than one trough. And they count on you not doing that, EVER.
I know people are angry and they are passionate about their point of view. But recognize that anger and passion comes from a fierce love of this country.
There’s a whole lot of judgement, shame, name calling and vilification being dished out on social media, from every angle.
But your friend, neighbor, colleague and family is not your enemy.
Your enemy is “the machine” that wants to wheel and deal at your expense while they whittle away everything you hold most dear.
I’m not going to say we need to “come together”, I think we are still a long ways off from that.
But I will ask you to ponder who you are really fighting.
Don’t let THEM win by walking away from the people and things you love most.
Don’t let THEM convince you it’s acceptable to throw verbal daggers for all the world to see, thrown in hast and randomly at a person who doesn’t see the world the same way you do.
I refuse to give up on this country and I will NOT give up on you, even if we disagree, especially if we disagree.
God Bless you and God Bless these UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Low to no inventory.
Yep, that is the current state of affairs in the real estate market. We have way more buyers than we do houses.
So what are buyers looking for?
Well anything at this point because they can’t be picky, but here are the most common things I hear:
1.) At least 3 bedroom
2.) Under $500K
3.) Something that doesn’t need a ton of work
4.) Master bedroom
5.) Second living room
If you are curious about selling and what your home might be worth please reach out. I will listen to your needs and goals and give you sound advice.
Monsters under the bed.
Do you remember? You know that feeling.
The feeling that there REALLY were monsters under your bed.
Fear that would grip you, and the armor of your blanket. And if you just buried your head under your pillow they couldn’t get you.
It’s crazy how real that feels when you are a child.
And then you grow up.
And the fear of monsters UNDER the bed disappears, but the monsters don’t go away.
As adults we just find them other places. In a job loss, a failed relationship or the death of a loved one.
But here’s the beauty in it all.
The imagination of a child is vivid. Just as it conjures up monsters under the bed it can also craft magical lands with unicorns and castles made of cotton candy.
So I take a cue from my girls.
When the monsters start to creep in I send my blessings to battle.
For every set back, I have 10 things to be grateful for.
For every hurt, I have any number of dear friends who will stop whatever they are doing to help.
And for every unexpected turn in the road I know God is always with me.
With gratitude.
This might come as a surprise but I love to play poker.
Strategy, bluffing, betting, holding and sheer luck - it has all the hallmarks excitement.
Poker is full of analogies.
“Know when to hold them”
“Going all in”
“Calling their bluff”
These are analogies that people understand.
So, when the GameStop story broke, I went right to my favorite game of Texas Hold Em to see if I could break it down. After all, the stock market is just legalized gambling.
At first I couldn’t understand the outrage from the hedge fund managers. Its the nature of the market, it goes up and down, deal with it.
But then I remembered sitting at a locals table in Vegas. These are people who play poker for a living, strange, I know.
They discourage rookies from joining just based on their demeanor, but every once in awhile an unknowing tourist with deep pockets will join their game.
On this one particular day, an older man had kept betting all the way to the river with a seasoned pro.
The older man had some so-so hand, a pair of threes if I remember and the pro had King and Ace.
Well what should show on the board but a King, an Ace, one three and two sevens.
The rookie ends up with a full house and the pro has two pair.
Well the pro was all bent out of shape, yelling at the guy, telling him he should have folded at the turn. But rules is rules and the rookie raked in a VERY big pot.
Moral of the story
The pros don’t want you in their game.
They have their little fiefdom to protect and they don’t want you messing it up. And that’s exactly what happened with GameStop. The little guys messed it up for the big boys.
You should also understand that there are two sets of rules in this world, the ones you have to play by and the ones the establishment elites play by.
And truth be told, they laugh in the face of rules and do want they want. If anything, GameStop made that glaringly obvious.
But we all know the stories of the great underdogs in history. Don’t count the little guys out - feels like the tide might be turning in our favor.
“We are all on the stairs, my friend; some of us are going down, some us are going up!”
- Mehmet Murat ildan
Where are you going?
Why not head in the direction that invests in YOU?
Did you know that 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing?
With rates so low its worth looking into the pros and cons of homeownership.
I would love to talk with you more.
If you could just get your hands on it.
The thing that eludes you.
The thing that if you had it everything would be better.
The thing you are missing in life.
So you grasp and cling just like this giant claw crane game.
You set it all up perfectly, push the button and pray. And as predicted the claw half-heartedly grabs at the object of your desire and lets go at the last minute.
You knew the odds, but you played anyway.
Have you ever won at this game?
I have, twice in a row believe it or not.
And I can tell you the toys are not nearly as cuddly as they look. Once in your arms they lack the quality you had hoped.
They were just shiny objects behind the glass.
So back to the beginning of this post.
That thing you want so badly, is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Or is it like the stuffed flamingo at the arcade- hollow, fake and won by chance.
Focus on the things on this side of the glass. I think you might find there is just so much to be grateful for.
With gratitude.
Avoid these 6 common buyer pitfalls.
1.) Not getting pre-approved. This is probably the single most important step. You will want to understand the financial aspect of purchasing before you step foot in any homes.
2.) Maxing out your budget. Just because you get approved for $500K doesn’t necessarily mean you should spend that much. Make sure you feel totally comfortable with your monthly mortgage payment which includes principal, interest, property taxes and home owners insurance.
3.) Not paying attention to the fine print. Your home will likely be the largest purchase of your life. Make sure you understand the process with the help of your Realtor and lender.
4.) Thinking with your heart instead of your mind. You might have dreamed of this moment for years. Make sure your decisions come from a place of logic not emotion.
5.) Not understanding the other expenses that are associated with home ownership. These might include mortgage insurance, home owners association dues, utilities, special taxes or assessments.
6.) Not protecting your credit score. If you have ever done any work on your score you know how easily it can go down and how hard it is to get it to go up. Make sure you protect that score because it can be one of the deciding factors of whether or not you qualify for a home loan.
Does the truth matter?
I still think it does.
But society today seems to spin another message. Its okay to lie as long as its just a little lie.
And we have become so skeptical and cynical.
It used to be that photographic evidence was indisputable. Now, I question everything I see.
Hmmm, that looks Photoshopped.
Even videos can be altered and we all know “creative editing” can distort and pervert reality.
So what does one do?
Well to start with, I think its okay and important to ask questions. I also use my intuition, “does this feel right?” And lastly its imperative to build relationships and communities founded on trust.
Its okay to demand the truth be told.
Its okay to expect yourself and others to be accountable and honest.
As the great Winston Churchill said, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end there it is.”
Yes, there it is. And it matters.
Show me the money!
Let’s talk about earnest money.
When a buyer makes an offer on a property, earnest money is tendered shortly there after. If everything goes as planned, the earnest money is applied towards the purchase price at closing.
However, sometimes the wheels fall off the bus!
Sometimes a buyer might decide to cancel their contract, typically this is because of inspection items. If this happens, and the buyer cancels before their specified deadlines, their earnest money is 100% refundable.
So, when might the earnest money be non-refundable? Only if a buyer passes their loan approval deadline and cannot or will not close.
This is very rare and in 600+ transactions have only had a handful of buyers end up losing their earnest money.
Please reach out with questions about earnest money or anything else real estate related.
Say what???
I’m telling you, there are some days that I cannot believe the things I see in this profession.
Several years ago, I got a call from the sister of one of my clients late into the evening. We had met once, but I didn’t really know her well.
She started out saying she was so sorry to be calling but I am the only person she knows in Grand County.
Oh dear, where is this going? I thought to myself.
She followed up by saying that she needed a huge favor…. would I possibly be able to bail her son out of jail.
Huh?
He had been arrested for driving drunk over Trail Ridge Road and she just didn’t want him to spend the night in a jail cell.
Good grief, I don’t think that’s a duty that real estate agents are required to perform but some people will ask anyway!
And for those of you wondering, bail bonds are STILL not a service I offer!
You’ve all seen it.
American Idol auditions gone bad.
They are cringe-worth at best. I find myself squirming in my seat, its perplexing, strangely fascinating and downright sad.
The worst part is when the families greet the crestfallen contestant with soothing words of comfort. “Oh, sweetie, those judges don’t know a thing. You are the best singer in the world!”
This is the part that drives me insane
Why lie to these poor people? They are terrible singers and NEVER should have auditioned for the show.
Telling someone the cold, hard truth is sometimes very hard. You don’t want to hurt their feelings, crush their dreams or seem insensitive.
But your honesty is sometimes the most important thing they need to hear.
A couple of years ago I met with a very nice family who wanted to sell their home and move out of state. The winters were getting tough for them and they were having some health issues.
Selling was a must.
I met them at their house and noticed right away this was going to be a tough property. There was stuff everywhere, inside and out. The house was dirty, dark, and falling apart.
They gave me the grand tour and we sat down to talk. I asked them about their goals and timeline for selling their home. They needed to be out of here by September which only gave us 3 months to sell. They were short on time, money and resources to get their home ready for market.
They looked at me with hope in their eyes and asked what was next.
This was the moment for the cold hard truth.
When I first started in real estate I probably would have tried to gloss things over and ease the blow. “No, its not that bad, buyers can look past your stuff.”
Now I know better.
People hire me for my professional and honest advice. This family had a tight timeframe and a pressing need to leave the area.
So I told them the truth.
That no one would buy their home in its current condition. And because we were dealing with a very tight timeframe they were going to need to price their home much below market value to get it sold quickly.
I said all of these things with tenderness and grace, because I very much care about how my words make people feel.
At the end of our meeting they thanked me for my encouraging words.
What?
I didn’t think I sounded encouraging at all, but then I recognized it was the honesty and a thoughtful game plan that gave them feelings of encouragement.
Sometimes the truth hurts, but I believe if you really care for someone you owe them the truth and nothing but.
You bought your first home! You were feeling like you were on Cloud 9.
You had so many great ideas on your Pinterest board to make this place your own. From the cubbies for coats and boots to the chalkboard walls in the kids rooms.
But now several years have gone by and nothing has changed.
Your space is feeling cramped and tight and you are dreaming of a new home.
But how could you swing it?
Everyone knows this market is nuts.
Your current home would be sold in a heartbeat and finding a replacement would be impossible
Prices have gone up so much, it wouldn’t make sense to buy a new home.
Does this sound like you? If so, we need to talk.
I’ve got systems and strategies for helping sellers become buyers, even in a market as crazy as this one. Just like playing chess, each move is calculated and planned Check mate!
OOPS!! 6 big no-no’s when buying a house
1.) Not getting pre-approved. In this market sellers won’t even consider your offer without a lender letter
2.) Maxing out your budget. If things in your life go sideways you need to be able to handle unexpected expenses and maxing out your mortgage is a no-no
3.) Skipping the fine print. Do you have a prepayment penalty or an variable rate on your mortgage? Its important to know before hand the terms and conditions of your loan
4.) Making decisions from the heart instead of the head. This one is soooo hard. But try and take the emotion out of the equation.
5.) Not factoring in other expenses.
6.) Not protecting your credit score before closing. This is not the time to take out a loan for a new car or furniture for your new home.
The sellers property disclosure, your friendly form.
Did you know the number one complaint with the division of real estate is non-disclosure by sellers?
What does this mean in plain English? “We bought a house from Mr and Mrs Seller and they never told us about the roof leak, the cracked foundation, the flood in the basement, fill in the blank.”
So how do sellers avoid this unpleasant situation?
There is this handy form we use in real estate called the Sellers Property Disclosure. This form is your opportunity to air all your home’s dirty laundry.
Sometimes I have sellers balk at this form, they feel reluctant to fill it out.
But think of this form as your get out of jail free card.
The save your bacon form.
The keep you out of hot water form.
You can’t hide things from the new buyer.
Just picture this. New buyer moves in and who should saunter over, but Karen from across the street.
“Oh welcome to the neighborhood! I was just saying to my husband that I didn’t think anyone would buy this home with the moldy attic and all.”
Your neighbors know everything; and if something is wrong with your house the buyers are going to find out eventually.
It’s best to be as thorough and accurate as possible with the disclosure. It will protect you in the long run and keep you out of trouble.
Yes, you might have to make some repairs, but I can promise you it will be a lot cheaper than a lawsuit and attorney fees.
When in doubt, DISCLOSE!
Team work makes the dream work.
In order to have a great experience when buying a home you need to have a team of superheroes on your side.
Real estate agent. Someone you trust, who has your back and understands the market and area.
A rock star lender who understands mountain properties, is easy to communicate with and delivers on time.
An experienced home inspector who is knowledgeable and takes the time to explain the findings in your inspection report.
A title company who is responsive, accommodating and precise.
You don’t have to do this alone.
Serenity Now
Let’s face it, buying a home can be stressful. There’s a lot going on in a short amount of time and big decisions are being made.
But here’s one decision that should be easy - getting a professional home inspection.
Buyers ask me all the time if they should get an inspection and I always answer with a resounding “YES!”
However, I know that some buyers are capable of doing their own inspections and some want to save a little money and not hire the professional.
I can understand both of these sentiments.
However, if you think of a home inspection like to do insurance, you will see the value. If you could insure a $300,000 house for $600 would you do it? Of course!
A home inspection is your “try before you buy” insurance.
Bring some peace to your home buying experience and go with the professional home inspection.
“But if I sell my home now I will be homeless!”
I’m hearing this sentiment a lot these days. Everyone knows the market is bananas and many sellers are putting off selling because they worry about finding a replacement property.
But what if I told you I’ve got a couple tricks up my sleeve to ease the transition and stress involved with selling and buying in this HOT market?
1.) Seller Contingency - Once your home goes under contract you have a specific time period to find another home. If you can’t find another house to buy you can get out of your contract.
2.) Rent Back - After closing you can rent the home back from the buyers. This is typically calculated to cover their new monthly mortgage payment and can last up to 60 days.
3.) Extra Long Closing - Contracts are taking longer than normal anyway because we are experiencing an appraisal backlog but it’s not uncommon for parties to agree to a 90 day extended closing.
All three of these strategies give some much need and valuable time to find your next home so you don’t end up homeless.
Have questions? Leave them in the comments.
Just because we have a lack of inventory doesn’t mean you get to skip the key components for readying your home for sale.
Putting your best foot forward still matters and will be a direct result of a quick sale.
Take time to declutter. You are moving anyway so take this time to pack up the items you will not be using or needing in the next couple of months. Clear and clean surfaces matter to buyers.
Deep cleaning. No one likes to clean baseboards but now is the time. An unclean house is distracting to buyers and they notice everything.
Touch up painting or repainting. Getting rid of scuff marks and dirty walls is a quick and easy way to give your home a nice clean look.
Repairs. You know the ones you said you would do when you moved in The loose railing, the missing screen, the broken window pane, now is the time to get those small but important repairs done.
The market is BANANAS And sellers are not sure where to price their home. Here’s a little insight.
You have three choices when pricing your home:
1.) Test the market.
This strategy works in a rapidly rising market because you are pricing ahead of the market with the hopes that the market will meet or surpass your list price
2.) Price it right.
This falls right into the range of what market comparables tell us the home is worth. Not too high, not too low. Is this sounding a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears?
3.) Strategically aggressive price.
This is the price range that attracts multiple offers and offers over asking price.
There is no right or wrong answer. But your pricing should reflect your timing goals. Please leave any questions in the comments.
Watch how Carrie’s local expertise can help you find the perfect Kremmling home!