It’s Christmas week!! Who’s excited??
We went to our friend’s house and cut down a tree from her massive property, and it was really fun! It looks great. Sterling and I got to decorate twice because we put one up in Florida and one here. I don’t mind. Love it.
Florida was a great success. I’m glad to be home, but it was a nice visit. I had lots to do, and it went by fast. We got tons of ice cream in, which, if you ask me, makes any trip anywhere extremely successful. Add to that the warmth, and we’ve got ourselves a real vacation, even if I was working for most of it.
Cut to today, and it’s a negative 50 windchill. So, we’ll be staying home all day long because those are not conditions that are complementary to my lifestyle.
Pro tip: Don’t try to drive today. My friend left the house this morning, and his car handle broke right off in his hand. Broke. Right. Off.
We’re heading to Tag’s parents on Christmas Eve, and then my mom gets in later that night. And on Sunday, we’re headed to Breckenridge with friends for a day of fun and a night of fondue. This could be a fun tradition. Better than the one where our friends make us watch all 48 of the Sharknados back-to-back.
Thank goodness I got in loads of CrossFit this week; I have a feeling I’ll be eating aplenty in the next coming days. Speaking of, for Book Babes, I made this Oreo Truffle dessert, and lemme just tell you, it was good.
My Real Estate Status
This Friday was supposed to be full of showings with clients coming in from Washington. And I was looking forward to it but I just heard their flight got canceled. So, now we are figuring out what to do. Sellers want to be sure the people bidding on their home see the house live and in person; they’re weary when that doesn’t happen because too much could go wrong. So, this was going to be a great opportunity for them considering most buyers put home searching on hold during the holidays. Now, I’m not so sure.
We were even going to looking at an off-market house, which has loads of promise. Oy vey.
I have one client under contract that’s looking good thus far. The house had some issues, so we weren’t too sure how it’d play out, but it’s moving forward at the moment.
It’s a slow time for real estate, but my clients are down with winter and holiday looking, so I am too! Not complaining.
Should You Sell Your House This Winter?
Current Denver Area Real Estate Market
"This week transactions really slowed down with the holidays in full swing. This is anticipated every year as the market really pulls back for the last 2 weeks in December, with the week between Christmas and New Years being the slowest week of the year.
As the holidays approach showings decrease rapidly as people focus their free time on spending it with family. Showings slowed week over week by 11.2% to 8,120 total showings that were set. This means an average listing in Metro Denver should have had 1.5 shows in the last week to hit showing benchmarks. I expect this number to be much slower as people take time off in the next week. If you are a buyer, next week would be a great time to get out there and take advantage of the serious sellers who really want to sell this year. Buyers will have enhanced negotiating power into the last week of 2022.
Looking forward into 2023 I've had a lot of questions as to how to time the market. Timing the market is tricky, and I'm comparing the years of 2013-2019 and excluding the pandemic years of abnormal market activity from 2020-2022. Based on data from the previous cycle before we dipped into the pandemic the best listing months are March-May. Traditionally our market picks up the weekend directly following Super Bowl, usually by 25-30% for pending transactions. We'll be keeping a close eye on what happens with rates, supply and demand heading into next year as our market continues to normalize. Here is a heat map showing hot spots and cool zones by listing and projected closing month. Red indicates seller's favor, and blue indicates buyer opportunity."
What Makes a House a Home?
There’s no denying the long-term financial benefits of owning a home, but today’s housing market may have you wondering if now’s still the time to buy. While the financial aspects of buying a home are important, the non-financial and emotional reasons are too.
Home means something different to all of us. Whether it’s sharing memories with loved ones at the kitchen table or settling in to read a book in a favorite chair, the emotional connections to our homes can be just as important as the financial ones. Here are some of the things that make a house a home.
1. You Can Be Proud of Your Accomplishment
Buying a home is a major life milestone. Whether you’re setting out to buy your first home or your fifth, congratulations will be in order when you’ve achieved your goal. The sense of accomplishment you’ll feel at the end of your journey will truly make your home feel like a special place.
2. You Have Your Own Designated Happy Place
Owning your own home offers not only safety and security, but also a comfortable place where you can relax and unwind after a long day. Sometimes that’s just what you need to feel recharged and content.
3. You Can Find the Space To Meet Your Needs
Whether you want more room for your changing lifestyle (like retirement, dedicated space for a hobby, or a personal gym) or you simply prefer to have a large backyard for entertaining, you can invest in a home that truly works for your evolving needs.
4. You Can Customize Your Surroundings
Looking to try one of those decorative wall treatments you saw online? Tired of paying an additional pet deposit for your apartment building? Or maybe you want to create an in-home yoga studio. You can do all these things in your own home.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re planning to purchase your first home or you’re ready to buy a different home to meet your needs, consider the emotional benefits that can turn a house into a happy home. When you’re ready to make a move, let’s connect.
Upcoming Events
- Christmas Eve at The Bistro- Cooking big dinners two nights in a row can get daunting, so head over to The Bistro (after you make a reservation) on Christmas Eve for great food and great atmosphere!
- Photo Skills: Editing on iPhone-Learn how to make your pictures look professional just in time for all those holiday photos!
- Gift Wrapping at The Well- All you have to do is grab a beer, wine, or cocktail at The Well, and Schmidty will wrap your gifts!
- Ukulele Tuesdays- If learning how to play the ukulele is on your to-do list for 2023, start now with these fun, low-pressure classes.
- Celebrate Christmas with Kachina- No plans for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Jump in your car and head over to Kachina; they’ll be waiting with cheer!
- Saturday Yoga- Get your yoga on this Christmas Eve and start reaching your health goals before the New Year!
