Author - The Durango Herald

How to find financing help if you’re a self-employed buyer

The ability for the self-employed to secure financing has always been a challenge. There are two primary reasons for this. Self-employed buyers typically are very conservative whe...

DATE: May 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Buying a home without representation is a big mistake

During my many years as an exclusive buyers’ agent, I occasionally spoke with prospective buyers who believed that it was in their interest to deal directly with the owner of a property or t...

DATE: Jan 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

2017 statistics reveal in-town price decline? Not really

The year-end statistics for La Plata County were released recently, and many people, including real estate brokers, were surprised that the price of Durango in-town homes declined by 3.3 per...

DATE: Mar 10, 2018 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Four critical things to do before you make an offer

Before you have your agent prepare and submit your offer, there are four critical things that should be considered or steps that should be taken. The most critical step before mov...

DATE: Feb 17, 2018 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Durango's best condominium communities

As Durango's exclusive buyers' agent, I meet a lot of buyers who want to know which areas in La Plata County to avoid. Thankfully, I can inform new residents of our community that there are ...

DATE: Nov 6, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

One-time close loans give you more options to build a home

The process of acquiring land, financing the construction and obtaining a permanent loan is cumbersome, costly, and requires a large investment in the project. A new type of loan...

DATE: Sep 30, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Who really pays the real estate commission?

In almost all cases, the real estate commissions for the buyer’s and seller’s agents are listed on the seller’s closing statement; commissions typically do not appear on the buyer’s closing ...

DATE: Aug 19, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

How to choose the best lender

There are basically two types of lenders: direct/portfolio lenders and those who act as conduit to various agencies. Loan brokers have relationships with more than one lender and...

DATE: Jun 9, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Flipping homes not as easy as advertised

Making short-term profits by buying, fixing, and selling homes is referred to as “flipping”. There are a number of books, lecturer series and TV shows devoted to the process. Potential inves...

DATE: May 19, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Home inspection: What can you expect the seller to fix?

The standard purchase contract has a number of contingencies that allows you to review documents and perform investigations within a specific period of time. One of the most important is you...

DATE: Apr 27, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Relax: How to create a relaxing bedroom

Creating a relaxing, blissful bedroom is easy. First, think about furniture placement. There are all sorts of feng shui and folklore guidelines regarding best placement for a bed....

DATE: Mar 18, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

Condo or townhouse? What’s the difference?

The common characteristic shared by condominiums, townhomes and planned unit developments is that the ownership of the home also involves the ownership of common areas. Examples ...

DATE: Mar 11, 2017 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate