It Can Be Seasonal. By Dan Polimino.

Buying and selling a home certainly has it seasons. The fact that there are up times and down times in real estate is probably not news to anyone, but what is news is how the calendar and weather affects sales.

Let’s tackle the calendar first. In general, here’s a quick snapshot regarding what happens over 12 months in the buying and selling cycle. Showings usually don’t pick up until the third or fourth week of January. The first two weeks of the month are reserved for people getting over the Holiday hang over. February is a pretty stable month as far as business goes, but historically, not a month that is loaded with transactions. In March, people are getting excited about spring and are thinking about putting their house on the market so business picks up. Buyers are thinking that April is a good month to start looking and they’ll move before the summer gets into full gear. April through July at least in Colorado is the prime selling and buying months. This is when real estate is in full gear, inventory goes up, and transactions go up which translate into people buying homes.

We start to see a slowdown in August as some people are taking one last vacation before the school year starts or they are planning for the school year. Business is slow from the third week of August until the middle of September. Once school is in full swing and parents are in Fall mode, business picks up again from mid-September until the first week of November. Once November hits, people hunker down for the Holidays and real estate comes to a screeching halt. We ring in the New Year with buyers, sellers, and the agents all once again filled with optimism that it is going to be a good year and we start the cycle all over again.

Does it always go exactly like this? Of course not, I have sold more homes in December than in February over my real estate career, but in general, the sales cycle stays pretty close to what is described above.

How does the weather affect sales? We’ll tackle that next week.

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com

Realtor Dan Polimino talks about the Denver Market Update for the Week of August 24, 2009

Fuller Sotheby's realtor Dan Polimino has a message for sellers on how they can get multiple offers on their home right away.

Check out the video at http://ping.fm/wJl9A

Dan Polimino Makes Real Estate News Over and Over Again

It was great summer for realtor Dan Polimino in Denver, Colorado. See how the local Denver TV news stations covered everything that Dan was doing to sell homes.

Check it out at http://ping.fm/7YgdU

The State of Lending. By Dan Polimino.

What is the state of lending these days? Does anyone really know? I speak with lenders all the time and I seem to get a different answer or different points of view with each one of them. It’s not that I think they don’t know the answer, but I honestly believe that they are just as confused as I am. The rules and regulations are changing daily and as a result, I don’t think anyone knows what direction we are going in, let alone for the better.

I hear stories about processes and systems that are being overhauled in every lending house. I hear stories on how those new systems aren’t working or at the very least, delaying the lending process by weeks and months. I hear about complicated checks, re-checks, and lack of anyone being able to make a decision. I hear about the changes in the appraisal system that has everyone from lenders to realtors afraid of picking up a phone and daring to speak with an appraiser. The pendulum has clearly swung in the other direction. The word “overcautious” is probably not strong enough an adjective to describe everyone’s posture at present time.

Now don’t get me wrong. I know changing in lending needed to be made and if we can get through this difficult period, things “may” and I emphasize “may” be for the better, but for right now, it’s a disaster. When I talk with people about how and when things will get better, all they can tell me is their fall back answer which is, “Hey, at least we are getting some deals done!”

Yes, that’s correct. We are getting some deals done, but if we are going to have a significant recovery, we need to get a lot more deals done and in a timely fashion. A standard 30-day close is almost ready to be put on the shelf as an extinct process in lending and very little loosening in the credit markets has happened overall. In the meantime, plan accordingly for more bumps in the road, more paperwork, more changing rules, and more delays if you need a loan.

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com

Hey! Check out my latest video posting at http://ping.fm/RCQBN

Dan Polimino on 9 News with a new twist to sell luxury homes

Dan Polimino from Fuller Sotheby's International Realty is letting prospective buyers stay in his listing for the weekend to test drive the house and see if they want to buy it. Polimino is interviewed on KUSA 9 news in Denver, Colorado.

View the video at http://ping.fm/ePKZr

Hey! Check out my new blog entry titled "Shortage of Homes" at http://ping.fm/KxhY0

Shortage of Homes. By Dan Polimino.

I was recently speaking to a couple of frustrated lenders and it was not about being able to qualify someone for a loan. They had their clients qualified and ready to go, but the buyers could not find a home to write a contract on. You see, these buyers weren’t being extra picky. There just seems to be a shortage of homes on the market in the lower price range. If you are a buyer looking for a home in the 250K and below range, chances are, you could be having a hard time finding something that will meet your needs. Of course, there are always homes for sale in the lower price range that need a lot of work, but that doesn’t work for the majority of people who are looking. Let’s say that you are a first time home buyer with not a lot of resources to gut a house and remodel it. What does that leave you to shop for? Answer…not much.

The purpose of this column is simply to say that if you are thinking about selling your home and it falls in the 250K and below price range, this could be your lucky day. Moreover, if your home is in move-in condition then you could have multiple offers within a short amount of time. You see, since builders have stopped building and sellers have decided not to sell their homes at this time, active inventory is very low. According to Metrolist, single family and condo inventory is down by 20% from just one year ago.

This is all very welcome news because it seems that it’s been longer than normal around here since we have seen a seller’s market. Caution… this not the case for the majority of price points out there, but if you are 250K and below seller, take advantage of this now. First time home buyers have until Dec 1st to be closed on a home.

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com

Dan Polimino on real estate in Denver for the week of Aug 16, 2009

Dan Polimino from Fuller Sotheby's International Realty talks about real estate market conditions in Denver for the week August 16, 2009. To speak with Dan or to find out more information please call 303-522-1161.

View the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF2VnGzXBa4

Hey! Check out my new blog entry on how First Time Home Buyers Can Win A $250,000 Home at http://ping.fm/qjfYc

First Time Home Buyers Can Win A $250,000 Home. By Staff Writer

No question that the best opportunity to buy a home these days is for the first time home buyers. Oakwood homes specializes in building homes that meet the needs of first time home buyers and Director of Marketing Kristen White wanted to get their attention.

At the same time, Fuller Sotheby’s Realtors Gary Lohrman and Dan Polimino, along with Platt Park Mortgage Lender Andy Jorgensen approached Oakwood’s Kristen White with an idea to give away a home to first time home buyers. White listened to their ideas and after one short meeting, immediately partnered with the three.
On July 1st, they launched www.firsttimehomebuyerdenverco.com with two simple premises: First, educate and help people who are interested in the buying their first home, help them qualify, and help them take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit. The second premise was to offer people a chance to win their first home if they can’t afford to buy one right now. Moreover, it’s a $250,000 home from Oakwood Homes.

Just 30 days into a three-month promotion, more than 2,000 people have visited the site and tried their lucks at winning a home. White says, “Given the economic times, not everyone can afford to buy a home. So why not try to win one?” White also says “that the response has been amazing and more than exceeded her expectations.” Mortgage lender Andy Jorgensen says that the best part of the website and the promotion is that he has spoken to a lot of potential first time home buyers who never thought that they would qualify to buy a home. Jorgensen says, “People are amazed after I speak with them that they can qualify, that there is help with their credit, and help with their down payment. I tell them that they just need to ask instead of listening to bad news, assuming that they’ll never be able to buy a home.”
Realtor Gary Lohrman says that he’s excited about helping people buy their first homes and notes that this is the time to take advantage of these opportunities. “When you combine low interest rates, low home prices, and a tax credit from the government, it’s like the perfect storm and it makes it the right time to get a great deal on your first home.” Lohrman also points out that first time home buyers need to be closed by Dec 1st to get the 8,000 dollars which just leave 4 short months left.

If you would like to find out more information about the first time home buyer program or take a chance at winning a $250,000 home from Oakwood, visit www.firsttimehomebuyerdenverco.com

Hey! Check my latest blog updates at http://ping.fm/HKEvG

Special Opportunity for all home buyers!!!

I am happy to announce a special opportunity for all buyers! On July 1st, we launched a new web site called www.Firsttimehomebuyerdenverco.com. The purpose of this website is to educate and help first time home buyers purchase their first home. Buying your first home can be an overwhelming experience and we wanted to take away the hesitation or the fear that someone might have in taking this big step. The government is offering an $8,000 dollar tax credit for first time home buyers and while people would like to take advantage of that, they have questions and are not sure if they qualify. www.Firstimehomebuyerdenverco.com answers all the questions about tax credit, who qualifies, and even how you can use your tax credit for your down payment. My partners Gary Lohrman and Andy Jorgensen are experts in this field. Andy can even help you clean up your credit in 30 days or less. I know, I know, but HOW DO YOU WIN THE MONEY?

It doesn’t matter if you are a first time home buyer or a 10th time home buyer. Any Colorado resident, 18 years or older can visit www.firsttimehomebuyerdenverco.com and enter to win $250,000 from our partners at Oakwood Homes. There is nothing you need to do except fill out your contact information and then try to guess seven numbers. If you guess the right seven numbers you could win $250,000 from www.firsttimehomebuyerdenverco.com and Oakwood Homes. Good luck, and spread the word to all your friends to check out the website. After all, who couldn’t use $250,000?

5 Beds, 7 Baths, 9 Car Garage and Mountain Views

Enjoy stunning mountain & valley views from any of the five decks and nearly every room in this incredible five-bedroom, seven-bath privately gated home nestled on over six acres of picturesque treed, mountain property. Practicality and high style blend perfectly to create a truly beautiful highland home. Extensive use of stone exteriors help this magnificent home to blend into its natural surroundings. You will enjoy the unique feel of the interior from the sweeping lines of the dramatically lighted staircase to the rare Italian marble, every turn brings a fresh delight of curves, angles, and texture.

Please Call Dan Polimino at 303-522-1161 or Gary Lohrman at 303-829-5900 for a private showing.

Hey! Check out my new blog titled "I’ve Looked At 100 Homes" at http://ping.fm/nQeJ9

I've Looked At 100 Homes. By Dan Polimino

I heard these words come out of a buyer’s mouth the other day, “I have looked at over 100 homes and still have not found my perfect home.” I cringed when I heard that sentence and thought to myself, “If she has looked at 100 homes and still has not found her perfect home, chances are, she’s not going to find it.” Then I thanked my lucky stars that I was not her real estate agent.

Listen, no one needs or should be looking at 100 homes to find the perfect home and here are the whys:

1) The perfect home doesn’t exist. There is no such thing and even people who built their own homes from start to finish will admit that after they are done, they would have and should have made more changes.
2) If you have looked at 100 homes and still have not found a home that suits you, then anyone of the following three things could going on here:
a. The home you are looking for is not on the market or does not exist.
b. Your criteria are too stringent. That’s a nice way of saying that you’re being too picky.
c. The real estate agent has not done a good job at listening to your wants and needs and has not shown you the properties that meet those criteria.

In reality, if you have a good real estate agent that has done his or her job, you are being realistic about what you can buy for the money, and you use the 85 percent rule, then you should be able to find a terrific home that meets your wants and needs in 12 to 20 showings. By the way, the 85 percent rules says that if you find a home that meets 85 percent of everything you want, then buy it because you have done well in your house hunting.

Finally, looking at 100 homes will just make you numb to the whole process, you’ll become paralyzed by over analysis and in the end, you’ll find it very difficult to pull the trigger and buy anything at all. Remember, buying a home is supposed to be fun. It’s not an exercise in analytics or running a marathon.

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com