What Constitutes a Great First Meeting Between Agent and Buyer?

To my way of thinking, the best first meeting with buyers is one that is informal yet meaningful.
The best meeting is one that has three parts as follows:
1) Getting to know each other.  I like to learn about family, work, leisure recreational pursuits,
and aspirations in terms of the ideal home for my clients. I also want my clients to know about me
and my philosophy about serving my clients as their Golden Colorado Realtor.
2) Asking question about the ideal home which involves a number of obvious factors such as
price, condition, location and livability. Livability focuses on features, functionality, flow and footprint.
3) Getting a level set on the buying power of my clients so I can advise them in accordance with the fiduciary responsibility that Agents have to Clients.  I make notes about credit score, the amount of equity in their current home, the amount of cash available for a down payment, etc.  The market is very competitive so I always urge my clients to get pre-approved or even pre-underwritten so they are ready to make an offer
when they decide on the home they want to buy.
After that meeting, I start the process of selecting homes for them to view the next time we meet.
Thanks from your Golden Colorado Realtor!

Gladius - A Great Show in Golden

As your Golden, Colorado Realtor I'd never steer you wrong! That's why I highly recommend
going to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds (15200 West 6th Ave. in Golden) to see an amazing
Westernaire Show.  It is an inspirational 90 minute production with a 15-minute intermission at the half way point followed by an opportunity to go back stage to meet the performers and visit  the horses.  It features vaulting at its best - great music - incredible acrobatics - terrific showmanship from beginning to end. It is Co-produced and Directed by Golden native Erik Martonovich who is a star performer along with Co-Producer Alethea Shelton.  Learn more by going to www.GadiusTheShow.com.
If you make it, I hope you enjoy the show as much as I. Thanks from your Golden, Colorado Realtor.

Golden Colorado Realtor - Community Event @ The Golden Gate Grange

Join us for a hearty Spaghetti Dinner followed by Game Night on Saturday, March 15.  The dinner will include spaghetti with marinara, meat and Alfredo sauces, meatballs, Italian sausage, salad with all the fixings, garlic and plain Italian bread, drinks and homemade dessert.  Dinner will be served from 5 - 7 PM followed by card and board games for adults and children.  

The cost of dinner is $8 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under and free for 2 and under.  There will be a special family rate of $20.  Anyone who joins the grange on the night of the event will eat for free!  

Everyone who comes will have a chance to win a surprise gift certificate donated by The Golden Group!

Hope to see you at the Spaghetti Dinner!

As a Golden Colorado Realtor, I thought it might be helpful to first-time home buyers to describe in a general way (without citing specific numbers) the dynamics of the residential marketplace and the challenges they face in buying a home.

Inventory is tight.  There are several reasons for this; 1) new home construction has been off pace for a number of years, 2) many current owners have limited equity in their homes and, in a weak job market with stagnant real wages, they are not able to relocate, and 3) private and institutional investors are buying up properties with cash.

Prices are appreciating.  Rising prices are inevitable when demand pressure collides with limited single- family home inventory levels.  This is classic supply versus demand calculus.

Competition is fierce.  Given the desire for first-time home ownership and the ability for many buyers and particularly investors to buy properties with a large portion of cash, the deals can happen very quickly.
If properties at the entry price levels are in desirable locations and in reasonably good condition, then they are on and off the market quickly.

More stringent lending standards.  The introduction of the Qualified Mortgage Rules and the focus on Ability to Repay means that underwriters are raising the bar on approving loans - they are carefully examining debt to income ratios, mortgage terms and conditions, and credit scores.

Interest rates are rising.  The Federal Reserve is tapering its bond purchases adopting a less expansionary monetary policy which is triggering tighter credit flows and rising mortgage interest rates.

As such, first-time home buyers are weighing their options.  Some might decide to keep renting and accelerate the accumulation of capital for a down payment.  Some might conclude  that their ability to accumulate capital will lag the impact of higher home prices in the future and rising borrowing costs.  For those who decide to buy sooner rather than later, they might be well advised to buy a home on the low end of the range for which they have been pre-qualified for a loan.

A a Golden Colorado Realtor, I will continue to comment on this segment of the market as it is critically important to a strong housing market.

Golden, Colorado Realtor - How's The Market?

I am often asked, "How's the Market"? I know that the proper response is to pose some questions such as
"Which market are you asking about?"  Are you referring to the residential real estate market or the
commercial market? Are you interested  from the standpoint of a buyer, a seller or an investor.  If you are interested in selling or buying a home, what price points are you interested in targeting?   I realize that this sort of reverse questioning, correct though it is, might be a bit off putting for the person who might have made just a casual inquiry. I liken the question How's the Market?" to "What's it Like Living on Planet Earth?" So, the way I respond is to say the simple truth which is that this is a great time to be transacting as a buyer, a seller or an investor in real estate just as it is a great time to be alive on the Planet.

Golden CO Realtor

Hello, my name is Grant Ruesch and welcome to my blog.  Over the life of my blog I will share with you my knowledge and expertise about real estate in Golden Colorado.  But it won't be all business.  I will also share with you insights as to why I feel Golden, CO is an amazing place to live.  I want to help you realize your dream and guide you along the way as only a Golden Colorado Realtor can.  More on that later, first, here is a little bit more about me.

After a successful career as a senior executive in several exciting industries including media, consumer electronics and information technology, I took the next logical step which for me was to enter the field of residential real estate at a time when the U.S. economy is gaining momentum. As an economist, I can attest to the fact that the real estate business is the purest form of supply and demand economics of any business in which I’ve ever worked.  Real Estate is both a dynamic and challenging profession. It is a nice blend of art and science requiring a balance between meeting the needs of individual clients at various stages in their lives and hard marketplace realities involving sourcing, financing, pricing, negotiating and deal closing.

I enjoy working with clients who are contemplating the selling or buying of real estate whether it pertains to a single family home, a condominium, a townhouse or land in Golden and surrounding communities in the Denver metro area and along the Front Range. As your Golden Colorado Realtor, I am available to help you with a specific transaction or simply to provide free consultation including market value assessment if that’s what you need.  I will always respond promptly.