Ruthie's Corner

It’s Not Greek, It’s just ‘Real Estate’ Talk: De-coding the Language of Home Selling I totally get it! You’re thinkin’ about selling your home but you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by what’s involved.  So many “gurus” out there telling you to do so many things. And then, to make matters worse, they use terms that sound almost like a foreign language. No worries. Here are some home-selling terms and their meaning in plain English. So long as you have an experienced agent representing you (like me!), no need to worry about fully understanding the nuances CMA (a “Comparative Marketing Analysis” or “Home Valuation”) A CMA is an analysis real estate pros perform, looking at the local market and comparable homes that recently sold (often called “comps”) as well as those currently on the market and are pending (or failed to sell). After studying, your real estate agent prepares a report estimating your home’s current market value. Escrow (aka the “paperwork” held by a third

Why an Experienced Real Estate Agent is Worth Her Weight in Gold! If you’ve never purchased a home yourself (or it’s been a number of year since you have), it may seem tempting to “go it alone” – choosing to not hiring a real estate agent guide you through the path to homeownership. That would be a B I G mistake! Because an experienced real estate agent makes her job look so easy, many people underestimate all that she does to best serve her clients. Here are 3 reasons why hiring a savvy, passionate & experienced real estate professional will save you money, time (and a whole lot of stress): 1. Access to Listings Before They Hit the Market.  Think Zillow is the be-all-end all? Absolutely NOT true! A connected & savvy agent knows her market AND is a trusted colleague of agents in the region and, as a result, she becomes aware of hot properties even BEFORE they hit the market. (That’s particularly important in today’s “seller’s market.”) Don’t trust to a computer w

Don’t List Your House Until You Do These 3 Things As an agent, people always ask me for the “truth” with respect to what is most important when selling your home. I guess as opposed to what is a myth…? Anyway, I thought I would share within this blog the 3 most important thing that can’t be overlooked when wanting to sell your home for the most money! 1) Clean & Organize – Did you ever wonder why Nordstrom’s has such a HUGE following? Well b/c it’s clean and organized is in the top 5 reasons in a recent survey. We all have busy and hectic lives, so when we think about an exceptional shopping experience or a place we’d like to call home, we need it to be a respite, a haven for order which will allow relaxation, thus clean and organized. I suggest getting your home deep cleaned by a local cleaner just before listing your home. It allows you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re putting your home’s best foot forward. As for organization, keep in mind, prospective buy

Home Sellers’ Questions Answered (a few may surprise you)  I love working with home sellers! It’s such an exciting time for me to be an integral part of their moving on to what’s next for them, whether it’s upsizing, downsizing, or moving across the country for a new job! I understand their concerns and it’s my pleasure to work diligently on their behalf. Today, I’m sharing their answers to their Top 3 Questions… 1) What is most important when preparing my home to get listed? There are three things that are most important, excluding of course location– because your home will either be in a good location that qualified buyers desire or isn’t- there isn’t anything we can do about that. But the three things sellers can effect are: 1- Light 2- Clean 3- Uncluttered Light – The #1 thing buyers always mention when entering a home is, ” Oh my, it’s awful dark in here.” And we turn around and walk out the door to see the next home. Yes, everyone wants to walk in and see light. Li

Search current inventory of  Homes in Cripple Creek and Victor Colorado ! Listing Details Great home in Cripple Creek CO 415 Main Street, Cripple Creek CO, 80813 Price: $399,900 MLS number: 3879608 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 Square Footage: 2,209 Call Ruth Grainger-Starr at 719-648-2288 to see if this property is still available and arrange a showing. You Will Love this amazing home in quite Cripple Creek Wonderful opportunity to own a old bed and breakfast in Cripple Creek. This home was once a thriving bed and breakfast! Set up for entertaining with a large kitchen ready to prepare those big meals for the Holidays. Inside the warm and cozy feeling of home is all around. With a large family/ dining room you have plenty of room for entertaining. A fenced yard, hot tub area, each bed room has its own bath, A shed to be used as a workshop this house has it all! Looks like a small charming home this house is amazing! Click here to see  additional images of t

Search current inventory of Homes in Cripple Creek and Victor Colorado ! Listing Details Great home in Cripple Creek CO 222 E. Carr Ave, Cripple Creek CO, 80813 Price: $225,000 MLS number: 4916625 Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Square Footage: 748 Call Ruth Grainger-Starr at 719-648-2288 to see if this property is still available and arrange a showing. You Will Love this charming little home in quite Cripple Creek Wonderful opportunity to own a charming little home in Cripple Creek. This home is on a large lot and has an over-sized two car garage! Situated on the top of a small hill you have amazing views of the city of Cripple Creek and are with in walking distance of downtown and the grocery store. Inside the warm and cozy feeling of home is all around. With a large family/ dining room you have plenty of room for entertaining. A fenced yard is great for keeping dogs in and the Donkeys out of your flower garden! Amazing Gourmet Kitchen Click here to see additi

What I Learned from A Recent Client  (& why it could make a difference for you) I love learning! Unlike some people, I actually look forward to attending the continuing education classes for my real estate license and I take full advantage of every training opportunity I can. How about you? Are you a lifelong learner too?  Well, today I thought I would share what I learned recently from one of my awesome clients. The day started out like any other, with a few client appointments… One in particular was with a young couple who were relocating into town for the wife’s job. We were to meet in the office at 1pm and then go see their short list of homes. Nothing out of the ordinary…. We had been communicating for the last month via email, texting and yes we even spoke on the phone  I knew where they wanted to live (after sharing with them maps and links to local places I thought they’d enjoy), what style of home they preferred, their desired yard size, etc… everything that