Ibex Realty Group Blog

Nestled on the north slope of Pikes Peak at an elevation of 8,465 feet lies the quaint mountain town of Woodland Park…a flourishing community of over 7,500 residents. Nestled among one million acres of Pike National Forest with spectacular views of Pikes Peak and the Rampart Range lies this commuter town (or bedroom community) located just 18 miles west of Colorado Springs otherwise known as. The City Above the Clouds…and for good reason, this town boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year.

Visit my website to view all the properties for sale in our beautiful area...and to learn more about me personally, visit my personal bio page. 

 

 

Feb. 3, 2024

8 Ways an Amazing Buyers’ Agent Can Save You Money When Buying a Home

Some people think real estate agents have no interest in helping their buyers get the lowest price possible on a house, so that they can make the biggest commission possible.

OK, to be fair, there are probably some agents like that…

…but there are a lot more amazing real estate agents who take great pride in helping their buyers score the best possible deal, and to save as much money as possible when buying a house.

Here are 8 ways hiring a great buyers’ agent can save you money when buying a house:

1) Negotiating Skills

 

This one’s kind of obvious, but their negotiating skills certainly top the list of ways a great buyers’ agent can save you money on a house!

2) They Have a Feel for How Low You Can Go

 

There’s a fine line between a “low” offer and a “”lowball” offer! Lowball offers are the quickest way to insult an owner and tick them off so bad that they won’t budge on their price, and may even not want to deal with you at all — even if you’re willing to increase your offer. A skilled buyers’ agent can help you come up with as low of an offer as possible, without crossing the line into lowball territory.

3) Winning a Bidding War Without Being the Highest Bid

 

Sellers are often inclined to accept the highest offer when they have multiple offers to choose from. But a savvy buyers’ agent knows how to position your offer in the best possible light, and can increase the odds that your offer is accepted even if it isn’t for the most money by focusing on other aspects of the offer, such as terms and conditions, their client, and their reputation as an agent.

4) Keeping You Calm So You Can Think Straight

 

A lot of times it’s not the agent who pushes a buyer’s price higher and higher; it’s the buyers themselves! It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and offer more than you want to, or should, when you’re in love with a house. A strong buyers’ agent can help you keep your emotions in check so you don’t make too high of an offer, or spend beyond your comfort level.

5) Show You Options in a Lower Price Range

 

Just because you can spend a certain amount, doesn’t mean you have to! But it’s easy to put blinders on and only look at houses in the top range of your budget, or even higher. Houses in lower price ranges often get overlooked by buyers because they presume they won’t be as good… and oftentimes they aren’t. But a skilled buyers’ agent who gets to know your wants and needs can identify homes in lower price ranges that would be a great purchase and help make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to save some money.

6) Show You Options in a Different Area

 

Buyers also get fixated on specific areas sometime, and miss out on the chance to save some money by buying in a lower priced area. Once a great buyers’ agent gets to know your wants, needs, and life situation, they can often suggest areas you might not have even considered that end up not only saving you money, but also being the perfect place to live.

7) They Hear Things Through the Grapevine

 

While a seller’s agent shouldn’t be sharing confidential information about their clients, a buyers’ agent with their ear to the ground can pick up some useful scoop — such as why a seller is selling, or why their house isn’t selling — and use it to your advantage to get a lower price on a house.

8) By Cutting Down on How Much Driving You Do

 

Whether gas prices are at an all-time high, or super cheap, you can rip through a lot of tanks of gas just driving around looking at houses and areas just to rule them out. A great buyers’ agent can save you from spinning your wheels (literally and figuratively!) by helping you eliminate houses and areas from your search that they know won’t interest you, based upon your reaction to others they’ve shown you.

Posted in Buying a Home
Dec. 1, 2022

Interest Rates Not As Bad As You Think

Although interest rates can significantly affect the amount a buyer can afford to spend on a home, the changes in the home-buying market can help even out the mortgage rate increases.

 

Let’s consider a home listed at $400,000. Six months ago, that home likely would have sold for $450,000, and the monthly payment for its 30-year fixed mortgage at 4.5% would have been $2,280. Today, that home might close at $375,000, and the monthly payment at 6.5% would be $2,370, less than $100 more per month. As home prices moderate, the final price difference between a few months ago and now can be much less than you might assume. 

Posted in Real Estate News
Dec. 1, 2022

Reverse Mortgages

Nothing good in life is FREE. Have you ever heard the saying, there is no such thing as a free lunch? 

The same is true in the world of mortgages. All loans have upfront costs...some are higher than others. And Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) are no different.

I have heard this concern from clients and financial advisors. They are worried about the cost of a HECM. But like I said, nothing GOOD in life is FREE

More important than the cost, is the WHY? Let’s evaluate the benefits to decide it the costs are worth the benefits for your situation. Is this the right program for you? Do the benefits outweigh the up front costs? What if we roll them into the loan so you do not have any out of pocket costs?

Can we actually put a cost on our peace of mind?

Learn more HERE.

 

 

Posted in Real Estate News
March 17, 2022

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Posted in Holidays
Jan. 17, 2022

Happy MLK Day!

Fill in the blank…
“I have a _________…”
I’m about 100% sure I can guess what word you chose.
Was it “dream”?
Good chance it was. We all know this line from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech. So when we hear those first three words, it sort of naturally comes to mind.
But what many people aren’t aware of is how much he affected the lives of real estate agents, buyers, and sellers.
It was his death that gave Congress the last push needed to pass the Fair Housing Act, back in 1968. It’s pretty involved, so I won’t get into it all here, but to put it simply…
This was put in place to ban racial discrimination in housing. You can’t be refused the rental or purchase of a house, based upon your race.
Seems simple enough to most people now. A given, if you will. But it didn’t happen overnight. And believe it or not, it still can and does come up.
But guess who’s a big part of making sure this Act is followed…
On the front lines, it is people like me. Real estate agents. We’re tasked with making people aware that discrimination based upon race (and many other things) are not acceptable, and we must refuse to work with anyone who wants to do so.
And I am proud to be a part of this ongoing history.
Just figured I’d take this appropriate moment to pay him some respect, and to give you some insight into how much more responsibility a real estate agent has than meets the eye.
That’s all for now…
…and may your dreams come true. I would love to help you make your home purchase dreams come true. Read all about me here if you are looking for a good real estate agent.
MLK
Posted in Holidays
Jan. 15, 2022

Sellers Using Cameras to Listen In

Buyers have more than rising prices to be concerned with when buying a home. More and more seller has audio and video surveillance. 

In a recent poll, 30% of sellers have admitted to using cameras to listen and watch buyers. It's doubled in the last three years. 

In 2020, 8 million video doorbells were purchased. Another 53% have what's called a smart speaker which allows them to listen in with just their cell phones. 

In the State of Colorado, it is advised that if a seller has a camera or ability to listen they let the potential buyers know. Agents should put this in the showing remarks, but to go one step further, sellers should put a note on the door that says  "Audio/Video Surveillance in Use." That's one way to cover yourself as a seller. 

surveillance cameras

Posted in Real Estate News
Jan. 15, 2022

2021 1099's

It's that time of year again. The time of year when all of us ole' taxpayers must provide 1099's to people we've paid $600 or more to for tax reporting purposes. In case you aren't aware....there's a really affordable place to do this...all online. Visit Track 1099. They only cost like $3 each to do and they will send it via email to the recipient or you can print and mail. They even send what's needed to the good ole IRS. 

Posted in Of Interest
Jan. 9, 2022

New Year's Resolution

New Year's

Posted in Memes