303.818.4055 Neil@KearneyRealty.com
Mobile Phone Home Search – I have an app for that!

Mobile Phone Home Search – I have an app for that!

by | Sep 30, 2011 | For Buyers

This is a mobile world.  People don’t want to wait for answers when they are used to getting all of the information they need right now on their phone.  This is especially true when you are curious about a house when you are out driving around.  This is why I am pleased to announce my new home search application for mobile phones!  It works for iPhones and Android phones and is easy to use, up-to-date and uses data that comes directly from my local MLS.  I’d love for you to use it.

  • GPS-based property searches
  • Interactive mapping to view properties for sale in surrounding neighborhoods
  • Create, maintain and share your Favorites Folder
  • Create New Listing Alerts
  • View comparable Sold Homes
  • Share listings with your Friends and Family
  • View my Featured Properties
  • And much more . . .

To download the app from the iTunes store click here.

To download the app from the Android Marketplace click here.

Once downloaded the agent ID to make it work is NEIL.

If you are looking for a reliable home search tool for Boulder County use my property search located on this website.  You can save your favorites!

Are Home Warranties Worth The Money?

Are Home Warranties Worth The Money?

by | Sep 28, 2011 | For Buyers, General Real Estate Advice

Many times you will see “Home Warranty Included!” on a property listing. This sounds good right? But many times prospective buyers who negotiate for home warranties have the wrong idea about what a home warranty is and what it covers. Here are some answers.

A home warranty is basically a very limited insurance policy that covers certain home systems and appliances for a fixed time period. Usually when a home warranty is provided as a buyer incentive the warranty is good for one year after the closing. The cost of basic coverage is typically $275 – $400 and covers plumbing, heating, electrical, major appliances and water heater. There are limitations in coverage and plans do not cover preexisting conditions.  Home warranties do not cover mold or structural damage.

Once the warranty is in place the new owner would call the warranty company first when an issue that requires a repair person to be called. The warranty company contracts with certain companies and sends them out to diagnose and fix the problem if it is determined to be covered. At the time of repair the owner pays a deductible. The owners share is usually around $50 to $60 per occurrence.

So is it worth it? Just like any insurance policy you need to weigh the probability of something happening and the severity of the cost if you didn’t have coverage with the cost of the coverage upfront. If someone else is paying it is definitely a good thing to have. If you are paying $400 year after year it may not pay off in the long run but it is an amount that is easy to budget and you won’t be surprised one year by needing a new furnace etc. The other consideration is the age of the home. If it is a newer home the chances of having a problem each year are relatively low. If you have an older home with older appliances the chances of needing repairs on a consistent basis increase.

Here are some home warranty providers in Colorado:

 

 

Fall Colors in the Colorado Rockies

Fall Colors in the Colorado Rockies

by | Sep 26, 2011 | Colorado Lifestyle, Photos

I took a hike over the weekend up above Nederland.  It was a beautiful day and the aspens were turning a vibrant yellow.  The fall colors have not yet peaked but in places it was stunning.  There is still time to go up and enjoy the beauty.  Take a look at the slideshow below to get a taste of what you might see.  These photos were taken off of the Peak to Peak Highway between Nederland and Ward.  I hiked the Sourdough Trail which is on the road to the CU Research Station.

Boulder Real Estate Market Update – Absorption Rate

Boulder Real Estate Market Update – Absorption Rate

by | Sep 21, 2011 | Boulder County Housing Trends, Statistics

Yesterday I showed the state of the market by looking at under contract percentages.  Today, let’s look at absorption rate.  Absorption rate relates current inventory to sales turn rate and comes up with how many months it would take to sell the current inventory given the historical sales rate.  The lower the number, the more the inventory is turning.  A high number denotes a buyers market and a low number denotes a sellers market.

Inventory by Area - Boulder County

The absorption rate in Boulder County ranges from around 5 months to over 25 months in the mountains.  This means that if no new listings were to go on the market, it would take two years to sell all of the homes currently on the market in the mountains.

Absorption Rate by Price Range

Looking at absorption rate by price range is even more revealing.  for the lowest priced properties the absorption rate is 7 months for homes listed above $1.5 million it would take over three years to clear the inventory.  A normal balanced market is 6 months or less.