The Circa Group at RE/MAX Properties is pleased to present a new home for sale in Fountain, Colorado!  This home is over 2,000 square feet and priced under $200k – lots of great updates make this home stand out from among the rest.

Visit 862Daffodil.com for dozens of pictures for this home, or contact your agent to set up a showing today!  PPMLS #710558 , MMLS #1040842

The Circa Group is excited to unveil our newest listing: this 3,066 square foot home in northeast Colorado Springs!  This beautiful home features five bedrooms (one on the main floor, two + the master upstairs, and a fifth in the basement) and four bathrooms, and is absolutely move-in ready.

Visit 8370KettleDrum.com to read more about this home and view dozens of photos!

This home has been sold!  For more homes for sale in Colorado Springs, you can search the MLS.

We’re excited to unveil a new home for sale in the Stetson Hills area of northeast Colorado Springs!  If you’re looking for huge square footage, a ranch-style floorplan, and tons of upgrades, 6528 Andretti Court is the home for you.

This 2,813 square foot home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the main floor (plus even more potential room for more bedrooms and a bathroom in the basement)!  You’ll love the spacious living areas, with big windows to let in lots of natural light.

The kitchen features wood floors, Corian countertops, and stainless steel appliances.  Extra touches include pull-out drawers in the cabinets, an undermount sink, and widespread faucet – features you don’t often see in this price range.

Your living room has a cozy gas fireplace, and the sliding door opens onto the back patio and the huge backyard with complete landscaping and xeriscaping.

The master suite features soaring vaulted ceilings, and the attached bathroom has quartz countertops and floor-to-ceiling tile in the bath and shower.

You’ll find two more bedrooms on the main floor, along with a second bathroom, which also includes quartz countertops.  The laundry room is also located on the main floor!

For many more pictures and a video tour, please visit 6528Andretti.com.

The square footage and upgrades in this home ensure it will not last long at this price!  Call or text Jeremy at 719.231.9043 or ask your agent to set up a showing today.

Text R4001 to 85377 to get the current list price of this home!

You’ve probably seen it – websites like zillow.com that purport to be able to tell you what your home is worth. It’s a great idea. I mean, who wouldn’t like to be able to type in their address and get a value on their home? So just how accurate is Zillow in determining home values in Colorado Springs?

Well, I guess that depends on your definition of accuracy, but if they were trying to hit the broad side of a barn with a shotgun at point-blank range they’d still miss 43% of the time. Yes, it’s that bad. Here is Zillow’s own disclosure about their accuracy in El Paso county Colorado:

Zestimate is within 5% of an Actual Sale Price 34% of the time.

Zestimate is within 10% of an Actual Sale Price (includes above number) Only 57% of the time.

Zestimate is within 20% of an Actual Sale Price Only 78% of the time.

So, in other words, Zillow misses the mark by over 10% of sale price a more than 2 times out of 5.  They miss the mark by over 20% more than 1 time in 5. For an average Colorado Springs Home this means a disparity of $20,000 and $40,000 respectively!

Just in case you were wondering how Zillow feels about their abilities to determine what your homes worth, they’re actually pretty proud of themselves. In fact, they give themselves 4 out of 4 stars for accuracy in El Paso county.

My thoughts on the Showing activity we’re seeing as it compares to the number of listings available.

Thanks for watching!

At The Circa Group at RE/MAX Properties, Inc. we’re always looking for new ways to better serve our clients.  That’s why I’m so excited about this new service we’re offering for anyone selling a home in the Colorado Springs area.

Showing Beacon is really a simple solution to an age old problem.  How do you know when an agent is done showing your home so you can come home?  It used to be that you were limited to driving around the block for an hour or sitting in your neighbor’s driveway – neither of which is a good idea.

The Showing Beacon is placed near the door

Now, when an agent finishes showing your home, they simply press a red button on the Showing Beacon and you immediately receive a call on your mobile phone notifying you that the showing is complete!  It’s that simple – a little device with a red button that makes your life easier.  Or to put it another way, it’s Colorado Springs Real Estate, Circa Now.

p.s. Showing Beacon does require that you have an active phone line in your home.  If you’re a cell phone only household, you may want to activate a line for a month or two while your home is on the market so you can take advantage of this service!

It seems almost daily this time of year that people are asking what they need to do to get their home ready to sell.  Obviously, each home is different, but there are some items that almost all homeowners should consider.

10. Garage Door
I know, garage doors aren’t exciting, but that is exactly the problem.  Depending on the style of home, your garage door can easily take up 40%, 50%, or even 80% of the front of your home.  That makes it the single largest architectural feature people will notice when driving up.  Replacing that old door, or upgrading to a door with a little more visual interest can make a huge impact on the overall appearance of your home!

9. New Windows
Still have the aluminum or old wood windows?  You can often upgrade standard sized windows to vinyl for as little as $300 per window.  Considering that the average home doesn’t have that many windows (6-8 perhaps, not including basement), you can replace your old windows for a lot less than you think.

8. Paint Trim
If you don’t have the time or money to paint the whole outside of the house, consider just painting the exterior trim.  A fresh coat of paint on weathered trim makes a big difference.

7. Update Plumbing Fixtures
A homes fixtures are one of the easiest things to replace, and almost every single buyer will notice outdated fixtures.  You only have a handful of sinks and a couple tubs/showers in the whole house, so if you’re able to replace the fixture yourself this is a very cost effective update.

6. Update Light Fixtures & Hardware
This is similar to updating plumbing fixtures, except there are more of them.  That said, this is still money well spent if you’re smart about it.  Consider watching for clearance items at Lowes or Home Depot if you need to save money.

5. Front Door
As with the garage door, this is something that contributes to peoples impressions before they even get inside.  A nice door can easily pay for itself when you sell your home.  (Keep in mind, however, that if you have a storm door, this impact is reduced.  Of course, you might want to remove the storm door altogether unless it’s really nice.)

4. Under-cabinet Lighting
Less than $100 – that is what it can cost you to install some basic under-cabinet lights in the kitchen.  The improved appearance of the kitchen is huge.  If you have granite or corian counter tops, you should probably consider having them buffed and polished as well to maximize the impact.

3. Update Flooring
If you have wood floors, consider refinishing them to restore the original luster.  If you have stained or worn carpeting, it should probably be replaced.  You don’t have to get carried away – just an inexpensive style in a neutral color will completely change the way a home shows.  Another element of new carpet, in particular, is the “new house smell” you get with new carpet and/or paint.  This has a significant subconscious effect on people.

2. Interior Paint
Paint is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do – just make sure you do it well.   Obviously, you’ll want to keep colors neutral and light (to keep the home feeling spacious and open), but you already knew that.

1. Anything that is Actually Broken
This should go without saying, but if there is anything in your home that is damaged or broken you have to fix it.  As soon as people see one thing in your home that needs to be fixed they’ll start to question what else you’ve neglected.  If it’s broken.  Fix it.  Period.

At The Circa Group at RE/MAX Properties, Inc. we offer a cash bonus of up to $1,700 to any military clients purchasing a home. (exact amount is determined based on the purchase price, please contact us for cash bonus amounts.) This is money that can be used towards closing costs, put towards the purchase price, repair inspection items, or even credited back to you directly in most cases.

At The Circa Group this cash bonus is available to active duty, retired, reserves, or national guard.  And there’s no hoops to jump through, paperwork to fill out, or caveats.  it’s just one small way for us to say “thank you” for your service to our country.

I’ve kept most of my political opinions my other site which is designated for that purpose, but there is one that I want to mention here because it relates directly to real estate and home values – that issue is the District 49 bond question.  First, here is the text of the question:

SHALL FALCON SCHOOL DISTRICT 49 DEBT BE INCREASED $125 MILLION, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF UP TO $257 MILLION, AND SHALL DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY UP TO $15.7 MILLION ANNUALLY TO FINANCE THE COST OF:
•    IMPROVING DISTRICT-WIDE STUDENT SECURITY, TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION, WITH REPAYMENT OF THESE COSTS IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS
•    BUILDING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEAR FALCON MIDDLE SCHOOL TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING
•    CONSTRUCTING PHASE I OF A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WOODMEN HILLS TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING
•    BUILDING A NEW HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL TO IMPROVE STUDENT SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND RELIEVE OVERCROWDING AT SKYVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL
•    CONSTRUCTING PHASE II OF VISTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING ADDING ATHLETIC FACILITIES, AN AUDITORIUM, AND AN AUXILIARY GYMNASIUM

•    EXPANDING VISTA RIDGE TO INCLUDE A 400 STUDENT WING TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING
•    EXPANDING FALCON HIGH SCHOOL TO INCLUDE A 400 STUDENT WING TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING
•    CONSTRUCTING, IMPROVING AND EQUIPPING A NEW K-8 SCHOOL IN INDIGO RANCH TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING
•    CONSTRUCTING AN ADDITIONAL 25 CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT
AND OTHERWISE ACQUIRING, CONSTRUCTING AND IMPROVING ANY CAPITAL ASSETS THAT THE DISTRICT IS AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO OWN, BY THE ISSUANCE AND PAYMENT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH DEBT SHALL BEAR INTEREST AT A MAXIMUM NET EFFECTIVE INTEREST RATE NOT TO EXCEED 7.00% AND MATURE, BE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, WITH OR WITHOUT PREMIUM, AND BE ISSUED AT SUCH TIME OR TIMES, AT SUCH PRICES (AT, ABOVE OR BELOW PAR) AND IN SUCH MANNER AND CONTAINING SUCH TERMS, NOT INCONSISTENT HEREWITH, AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY DETERMINE; SHALL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED IN ANY YEAR, WITHOUT LIMITATION AS TO RATE AND IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT AND TO FUND ANY RESERVES FOR THE PAYMENT THEREOF; AND SHALL ANY EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH TAXES AND THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH BONDS CONSTITUTE VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGES?

As most of you know, I’m pretty conservative and my first inclination is always to vote down a tax increase.  However, as a D49 homeowner and a real estate agent, I will be voting Yes on 3C.

First, Let me explain the effect on our taxes.  If passed, 3C will increase taxes by approximately $3.25 per $100,000 of home value.  So if you have a fairly typical $200k home in D49 you monthly taxes (normally part of your mortgage payment) will go up by approximately $6.50.

Now even though that is a small amount, there are still other ways I’d rather spend my $6.50.  So why vote yes?  As a realtor, I’ve noticed public sentiment from numerous home buyers in the past year turning against D49 due to perceived or real overcrowding. 3C specifically addresses this by adding capacity through expansions of existing schools and building new schools.

I don’t have an opinion on the overcrowding personally – we will likely homeschool our own children, and I’m anything but a fan of state education.  I’m just saying that the “word on the street” is that D49 is overcrowded.  That means these buyers are looking into other districts instead of 49 and thereby reduces our property values by virtue of supply and demand.

In a city where even adjacent school districts can easily account for a price difference of 5-10%, $6.50 a month is a small price to pay to ensure that our district remains a viable choice for home buyers who place a high priority on school district selection.

Please vote YES on Falcon School District 49 question 3C.

If you’re still undecided ahead of tomorrow’s primary elections, you can view my personal endorsements at pols.CO.  As a Republican, I’ve only offered endorsements on the right side of the aisle.  Of course, if you’re looking for information on the Democrat primary, you probably wouldn’t really value my opinion anyway!

Here are quick links if you’re interested in a particular race:

McInnis vs. Maes – Governor

Buck vs. Norton – U.S. Senator

Ament vs. Stapleton – State Treasurer

Maketa vs. Shirk – El Paso County Sheriff