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SPRING FEVER HAS YOU READY FOR A CHANGE!

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

CAMPBELL HOMES GIVE YOU 10 WAYS TO SELL YOUR HOME FASTER

It’s all over the news – Housing Market Recovers!  Now is the time to Buy (and Sell)!  Home Prices and Low Rates Make Owning a Home Affordable!  But what if you own a home and need to get in sold in order to take advantage of the best time in the last 50 years to purchase a brand new home?

Here’s what Real Estate experts and successful home sellers shared with us on the best ways to go from “For Sale” to “Sold” this spring:

1. Pay attention to “curb appeal”: First impressions are critical and homes with inviting landscapes and exteriors tend to sell better. Pay attention that the driveway is in good condition, lawn well-kept, plant some flowers, wash windows, and make sure the house looks freshly painted.

2. Get real about pricing: Buyers are educated on the comparable sales and fair market value for homes in your neighborhood.  They also believe that they’re in the driver’s seat.  Make your home competitive by having your broker or agent get you the sales prices of the three most similar homes that have sold in your area in the last month or so, then try to go 10-15% below that when you set your home’s list price. The homes that look like a great deal are the ones that get the most visits from buyers and, on occasion even receive multiple offers. (Bidding wars do still exist!)

3. Talk about energy efficiency: Many buyers don’t fully understand “green” homes but they understand savings. Focus on any energy efficient features in your home such as energy-efficient windows or appliances that may save buyers money with utility costs.

4. Get Technical: 92% of homebuyers start their house hunt online, and they will never even get in the car to come see your home if the online listings aren’t compelling. In real estate, compelling means pictures! Realtor.com says that more than 6,300 photos are viewed per minute on listings posted at its site.
 A study by Trulia.com shows that listings with more than 6 pictures are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers as listings that had fewer than 6 pictures.  Bottom-line, good photographs make a home stand-out online and help lure more potential buyers to the front door.

Facebook your home’s listing. Facebook is the great connector of people these days. If you have 200 friends and they each have 200 friends, imagine the power of that network in getting the word out about your house!

Post a video love letter about your home on YouTube. Get a $125 FlipCam and walk through your home AND your neighborhood, telling prospective buyers about the best bits – what your family loved about the house, your favorite bakery or coffee shop that you frequented on Saturday mornings, etc. Buyers like to know that a home was well-loved, and it helps them visualize living a great life there, too.

5. Make it: move-in ready: Fix any needed repairs, such as water stains, creaky doors, and windows that don’t shut. Even relatively minor repairs should be fixed before the home is even listed.

6. De-personalize: Do this – pretend you’re moving out. Take all the things that make your home “your” personal sanctuary (e.g., family photos, religious décor and kitschy memorabilia), pack them up and put them in storage. Buyers want to visualize your house being their house – and it’s difficult for them to do that with all your personal items marking the territory as yours.

7. De-clutter: Keep the faux-moving in motion. Pack up all your “tchotchkes”, anything that is sitting on top of a countertop, table or other flat surfaces. Anything that you haven’t used in at least a year? That goes, too. Give away what you can, throw away as much as possible of what remains, and then pack the rest to get it ready to move.

8. Get Rid of the Pets: To many buyers, pets mean problems!  Have your carpets professionally cleaned, put away signs of pets living in your home, and make sure your pets are away from the premises during showings and open houses.

9. Have a Brochure Box: Good photographs make a home stand-out online and also on a brochure.  Invest in an expensive brochure box filled with flyers that include color photos of the interior of your home and all pertinent information, including pricing! And, don’t forget to keep the brochure box filled. Nothing is more frustrating to a prospective buyer than to find an empty box.

10. Hire a Professional:  You may be a “Do-it-Yourselfer” for home remodeling and repairs but sellers who successfully sold their home in a timely and efficient manner, encourage the use of a qualified, well respected, and knowledgeable Realtor to handle the marketing, staging, and details of getting a home for “For Sale” to “Sold”.

Now that you’ve made the decision that it’s time to move out of your dated, too large, too small, not in the right neighborhood home, consider Campbell Homes in Colorado Springs.  Campbell Homes offers incredible pricing on  stylish and comfortable new homes in Colorado Springs. Our communities are located in the finest locations and master planned Colorado Springs Communities with excellent community amenities and the best schools in Colorado Springs.

NEW Campbell Homes come standard with peace of mind and a guaranteed move-in date in five Colorado Springs locations. Priced from the low $200s, Campbell Homes’ models are open daily to 6 p.m.  Or, for additional information visit our online sales office at www.CampbellHomes.com.

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CAMPBELL HOMES GIVE YOU 10 WAYS TO SELL YOUR HOME FASTER

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

SPRING FEVER HAS YOU READY FOR A CHANGE!

It’s all over the news – Housing Market Recovers!  Now is the time to Buy (and Sell)!  Home Prices and Low Rates Make Owning a Home Affordable!  But what if you own a home and need to get in sold in order to take advantage of the best time in the last 50 years to purchase a brand new home?

Here’s what Real Estate experts and successful home sellers shared with us on the best ways to go from “For Sale” to “Sold” this spring:

1. Pay attention to “curb appeal”: First impressions are critical and homes with inviting landscapes and exteriors tend to sell better. Pay attention that the driveway is in good condition, lawn well-kept, plant some flowers, wash windows, and make sure the house looks freshly painted.

2. Get real about pricing: Buyers are educated on the comparable sales and fair market value for homes in your neighborhood.  They also believe that they’re in the driver’s seat.  Make your home competitive by having your broker or agent get you the sales prices of the three most similar homes that have sold in your area in the last month or so, then try to go 10-15% below that when you set your home’s list price. The homes that look like a great deal are the ones that get the most visits from buyers and, on occasion even receive multiple offers. (Bidding wars do still exist!)

3. Talk about energy efficiency: Many buyers don’t fully understand “green” homes but they understand savings. Focus on any energy efficient features in your home such as energy-efficient windows or appliances that may save buyers money with utility costs.

4. Get Technical: 92% of homebuyers start their house hunt online, and they will never even get in the car to come see your home if the online listings aren’t compelling. In real estate, compelling means pictures! Realtor.com says that more than 6,300 photos are viewed per minute on listings posted at its site.
 A study by Trulia.com shows that listings with more than 6 pictures are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers as listings that had fewer than 6 pictures.  Bottom-line, good photographs make a home stand-out online and help lure more potential buyers to the front door.

Facebook your home’s listing. Facebook is the great connector of people these days. If you have 200 friends and they each have 200 friends, imagine the power of that network in getting the word out about your house!

Post a video love letter about your home on YouTube. Get a $125 FlipCam and walk through your home AND your neighborhood, telling prospective buyers about the best bits – what your family loved about the house, your favorite bakery or coffee shop that you frequented on Saturday mornings, etc. Buyers like to know that a home was well-loved, and it helps them visualize living a great life there, too.

5. Make it: move-in ready: Fix any needed repairs, such as water stains, creaky doors, and windows that don’t shut. Even relatively minor repairs should be fixed before the home is even listed.

6. De-personalize: Do this – pretend you’re moving out. Take all the things that make your home “your” personal sanctuary (e.g., family photos, religious décor and kitschy memorabilia), pack them up and put them in storage. Buyers want to visualize your house being their house – and it’s difficult for them to do that with all your personal items marking the territory as yours.

7. De-clutter: Keep the faux-moving in motion. Pack up all your “tchotchkes”, anything that is sitting on top of a countertop, table or other flat surfaces. Anything that you haven’t used in at least a year? That goes, too. Give away what you can, throw away as much as possible of what remains, and then pack the rest to get it ready to move.

8. Get Rid of the Pets: To many buyers, pets mean problems!  Have your carpets professionally cleaned, put away signs of pets living in your home, and make sure your pets are away from the premises during showings and open houses.

9. Have a Brochure Box: Good photographs make a home stand-out online and also on a brochure.  Invest in an expensive brochure box filled with flyers that include color photos of the interior of your home and all pertinent information, including pricing! And, don’t forget to keep the brochure box filled. Nothing is more frustrating to a prospective buyer than to find an empty box.

10. Hire a Professional:  You may be a “Do-it-Yourselfer” for home remodeling and repairs but sellers who successfully sold their home in a timely and efficient manner, encourage the use of a qualified, well respected, and knowledgeable Realtor to handle the marketing, staging, and details of getting a home for “For Sale” to “Sold”.

Now that you’ve made the decision that it’s time to move out of your dated, too large, too small, not in the right neighborhood home, consider Campbell Homes in Colorado Springs.  Campbell Homes offers incredible pricing on  stylish and comfortable new homes in Colorado Springs. Our communities are located in the finest locations and master planned Colorado Springs Communities with excellent community amenities and the best schools in Colorado Springs.

NEW Campbell Homes come standard with peace of mind and a guaranteed move-in date in five Colorado Springs locations. Priced from the low $200s, Campbell Homes’ models are open daily to 6 p.m.  Or, for additional information visit our online sales office at www.CampbellHomes.com.

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New Homes are Less Expensive to Maintain

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

April is new homes month. And one of the virtues of a newly constructed home is the savings that come from reduced energy and maintenance expenses.

Data from the 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) offer proof. The AHS classifies new construction as homes no more than four years old.

For example, for routine maintenance expenses, 26% of all homeowners spent $100 or more a month on various upkeep costs. However, only 11%  of owners of newly constructed homes spent this amount. In fact, 73% of new homeowners spent less than $25 a month on routine maintenance costs.

Similar findings are available for energy expenses. On a median per square foot basis, homeowners spent 78 cents per square foot per year on electricity. Owners of new homes spent 65 cents per square foot per year.

For homes with piped gas, homeowners spent on average 53 cents per square foot per year. Owners of new homes spent 38 cents per square foot per year.

These data highlight that a new home offers savings over the life of ownership due to reduced operating costs. This is one of the many reasons that the current system of appraisals needs updating to reflect the flow of benefits that come from features in a new home.

Courtesy NAHB

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New Home Trends for 2012

Friday, March 16th, 2012

At Campbell Homes, we’re into building stylish and comfortable new homes in Colorado Springs that meet the wants and needs of discriminating homebuyers.  So when we see a study that reads “New-Home Trends For 2012”, it get’s our attention!

According to MSN Real Estate the buzz word for 2012 is flexibility! MSN Real Estate contributor, Christopher Solomon talked to industry experts to find out what’s hot for 2012.  Let us know how these features compare to your new home wish list!

 Easy access:  According to a study by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Accessibility is huge as baby boomers are getting older and parents of boomers are getting older. Baby boomers are thinking about what their homes need to look like if they’re going to be able to age in place.  What does this mean? Ranch homes, main level master homes, homes with grab bars in the bathroom, wider doorways, fewer stairs and perhaps even wheelchair ramps.

A bigger garage:  Larger garage spaces used to accommodate SUVs and extended cab pickups. Now homebuilders are being asked to make room in the garage for all the “stuff” growing families put in them, from tricycles to golf carts and everything in between!  Another trend for the larger garages is to use part of it as a ‘man cave’ of sorts — space where you can fit two cars, in addition to a sofa, TV, weights, punching bags, etc.”

 Flex spaces: People want homes that are more flexible, more versatile. Rooms dedicated to one purpose are less popular now, according to AIA. As homes shrank in the past few years, homebuyers required that rooms serve multiple functions. Also referred to as “resource centers”, these spaces can be nooks carved out of other rooms that include a desk, printer, room for a laptop and even some cubbyholes for mail and bills. Typically these spaces are adjacent to kitchens and operate as the home’s command center, serving homework, family organization, bill paying, and more.

Homes within homes: Almost one-third of American adults are “doubled up” or living in the same household with another adult generation according to the US Census Bureau. Whether its to fit the needs of “boomerang” kids who have come back home to live after college or aging parents who moved in with adult children, home builders are responding to this trend with flexible floor plans that allow for independent living on different levels, dual master suites, separate entrances, and multi-car garages.

 

Green Living:  Homebuyers across the nation are asking for greater energy efficiency.  New homebuilders like Campbell Homes in Colorado Springs is meeting this demand with High Performance homes that feature compact fluorescent bulbs, Energy Star appliances, dual pane low E glass windows, tighter building envelopes, and more.

 

Home plans that fit today: Another trend AIA sees is “home plans that work for today’s buyers”. Here are some examples:

  • Laundry – Floor plans that have direct access to laundry rooms from the master suite.
  • Costco pantries – Large pantries off the garage for storage of all the bulk items purchased at warehouse stores.
  • Drop zones - These are small spots, usually near the kitchen, that are dedicated to dropping off your cell phone, keys, purse, mail, and more.

 

The house that flows: Industry experts mentioned a trend that continues to remain popular – the open plan. As homes have gotten smaller in recent years, an open plan is a way to make a home seem larger than it is with a continuous space and open sight line that extends from kitchen to dining area to living area.

Growing in popularity are great rooms that open directly to outdoor living areas allowing abundant natural light.

 

Outdoor living: Fire pits, water features, outdoor kitchens – the demand for outdoor living areas is one of the fastest growing trends in the nation.

 

If you are ready to take advantage of the best time in the last fifty years to purchase a new home and  “right size” into a stylish and comfortable new home in Colorado Springs, consider Campbell Homes where our trend setting new homes are located in the finest locations and master planned Colorado Springs Communities with excellent community amenities and the best schools in Colorado Springs.

To find out more information on energy efficient, high performance Campbell Homes, visit any of our Colorado Springs locations. Priced from the low $200s, Campbell Homes’ models are open daily to 6 p.m.  Or, for additional information visit our virtual sales office at www.CampbellHomes.com.

 

 

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Meridian Ranch – Master Planned Community with Master Planned Amenities

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

They say the three most important words in Real Estate are Location, Location, Location!  At Campbell Homes we say they are Location, Lifestyle, and Learning! That’s why we are pleased to be a signature home builder in on one of Colorado Springs’ leading master planned Communities – Meridian Ranch!

LOCATION

Campbell Homes in Meridian Ranch are located on the northern eastern boundary of El Paso County, just north of Woodmen Rd. and Meridian Rd. With easy access Powers Blvd. corridor, living in Meridian Ranch provides easy access to the Colorado Springs Airport just 20 minutes south of the community and a stress free commute to both Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases.  A short drive to I-25 and Colorado Hwy. 24, Meridian Ranch families find the community well situated for getting to Denver or downtown Colorado Springs, Fort Carson or the Air Force Academy, major employers, shopping, higher education, and surrounding outdoor recreation areas and renowned ski resorts.

When it comes to Location, you’ll find you have the most flexibility for home sites in the Pikes Peak Region right here in Meridian Ranch. Smaller home sites requiring less landscaping, as well as up to quarter acre and half acre home sites are featured in this traditional neighborhood. Looking for more breathing room or a place to spread your roots? Consider a new Campbell Home in the Estates at Meridian Ranch where country charm meets urban convenience on home sites ranging in size from one to nearly two acres.

LIFESTYLE

With one third of Meridian Ranch is dedicated to lifestyle! There’s adventure waiting along the miles of rolling hills, open spaces and paved hiking and biking trails that interlink the community.  With expansive parks and playgrounds, your children will find plenty of room to grow in Meridian Ranch.

The 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art recreation center provides Campbell Homes families with the most complete recreation experience offered by any master planned community in the Colorado Springs area.  The full size gymnasium, exercise rooms and outdoor swimming pool provide a wide variety of activities, classes and exercise options.  An indoor swimming pool is currently in the planning stages.

Meridian Ranch is home to the Antler Creek Golf Course, selected “Best New Course” by Colorado Avid Golfer and designed by prominent golf course architect Rick Phelps.  Colorado’s longest golf course, at 8100 yards, Antler Creek features three lakes and 73 bunkers with wide fairways that artistically challenge all level of golfers on this prairie dunes style course.  And, after a hard day on the course or for a special evening out, enjoy an extraordinary dining experience at the CreekView Grill.

LEARNING

Meridian Ranch is home to Meridian Ranch International Elementary School, serving Pre-K through 5th grade as well as The Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning.

Falcon High School, located on a 70-acre campus on the eastern edge of Meridian Ranch, is home to the largest nationally recognized JR AF ROTC program in the state of Colorado.  Many of our JR ROTC students go on to military academies and prestigious colleges to serve our country or become tomorrow’s visionaries.  At Falcon High School, it’s about getting the right education and training today that will lead to a great career tomorrow. Falcon High School’s Health Sciences Academy (a one of kind program done in conjunction with Pikes Peak Community College) is graduating high school students who are EMT certified with an Associates degree in nursing!

If a traditional classroom setting isn’t right for your student, consider Falcon School District 49’s Virtual Academy or enhanced parental and student support for home schooling options.

When it comes to choosing your home and your home site, make your next move into a new home in Colorado Springs by Campbell Homes in Meridian Ranch! With a convenient location, incredible amenities, innovative learning solutions, and affordably priced Colorado Springs new homes, Campbell Homes in Meridian Ranch has something for everyone!

Starting in the mid $200s, Campbell Homes in Meridian Ranch offers over a dozen ranch, two-story, and main level master styled High Performance homes in a variety of architectural exterior styles.

For additional information on new Campbell Homes in Meridian Ranch, visit our model located at 10302 Capital Peak Way or call our community Sales Manager, Roxanne Nice at 719.495-6147. Model home open daily to 5 p.m.

Campbell Homes at Meridian Ranch. Love Living Here.

DIRECTIONS:

From Interstate 25 take Woodmen Road east to Meridian Road.  Go north on Meridian Road to Londonderry Drive. Go East on Londonderry Drive and follow the signs.

 

 

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