There is some much going on right now, a contested election, a pandemic with an increase in cases, yet the real estate market remains strong, why is that and what is the latest on activity in the real estate market?
The only change for us with the pandemic is we have to limit the number of showings to 4 people at a time and wear: 
Masks, Gloves & Wipe Down surfaces after showing. 
I believe the market is strong because of the growth of this city: 
Space Force – also bring in Defense contractors, NASA, etc 
15,000 + HIGH PAYING JOBS 
Amazon 
1,000 + JOBS 
This is a great time to buy a home AND  A really great time to sell a home 
Here is why: 
Increase in sales by 25% 
Increase in Average Sales price by 17.3% SF Homes 
For Townhouse / Condo Increase = 35.4% 
Decrease in Available Inventory by 59.7% 
Let’s explore that: 
Right now:  Average Sales Price is $431,104 
If you bought a Single family home for $300,000 1 year ago 
Its value now is $350,000 
If you bought a Condo/Townhome for $150,000 – 1 year ago 
Its value now is $203,000 
Even though the market prices are Rising, It’s a GREAT time to Invest in real estate here: 
Did you know that a Hedge fund is buying 500 homes a year here? 
Paying full price or over CASH 
Just ask the Musick Family, I’m selling their home to that investor for $10,000 OVER ASKING PRICE! 
Their system: 
We find someone qualified to rent it for 1 year 
They purchase it for CASH 
I’m so optimistic about this market we are Buying Homes as Buy and Hold Real Estate! 
I Just Bought One of My Listings for $250,000  
$10K over asking because that was the market value. 
It’s a great investment 
Monthly Rental Income: $1700 
If I hold it for 15 years (with someone else covering the payment) that investment could easily double in value! 
And by then it will be fully paid off as a income generating investment. 
If you are thinking of investing in real estate, give us a call at 719 301 3900
or visit BarbHasTHEBuyers.com 
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice with myself Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty, if you are interested in selling or buying call Barb at 719 301 3900  
We are talking Barb about the changes in Real Estate market even during the Pandemic, Barb, What other trends are you seeing IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET? 
If you are thinking of making a move, give us a call at 719 301 3900 
Less than 1 Month Of Inventory in All Price Ranges up to $1,000,000 
As of today: 
572 Single Family Homes on the Market 
1668 1 year ago during the same time 
That means: 
Buyers:   
Financing Must Be Ready Enough to Convince a Seller you can close on time: 
Lender Pre APPROVAL not Pre Qualification 
Some Cash Reserves for Appraisal Guarantees: 
Buyer willing to pay $5 – 15K if appraisal comes in lower than contract price! 
Expect to Make GREAT offers 
Over Asking Price 
Escalation Clauses 
Appraisal Guarantees 
I just had a bidding war on one of my Monument listings: 
5 Offers, All but one has Escalation Clauses 
I’ll pay $2K over highest offer up to X 
Got a Contract for $25,000 OVER asking price 
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice with Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty, if you are thinking of making a move call Barb at 719 301 3900 or visit BarbHasTheBuyers.com or if you want a free report the 
How to Get the Price You Want and Need visit: www.BarbHasTheBuyers.com and go to the GREEN Button in the upper right corner that says FREE Reports

Benefits of Being a VIP Buyer or Seller Including the FREE Use of a Moving Van & Hot New Listings

Barb you have talked about the many benefits of working with you and your team, you have something special to share with us today tell us about it:
Yes Richard, we are always to provide the best possible service to our clients so we can serve more families and help more Veterans.
We are a 100% Veteran owned business and I was honored to go down to Boerne Texas to pick up our new MOVING Van, on Veterans day!
We are a 100% Veteran Owned Company.
We are on a mission to serve more families so we can donate to Veterans causes such as:
USO
Fisher House Foundation
Vet Dogs
Tunnel2Towers Smart Home Program
Adopt a platoon
It was such fun experience.
We had to wait for some finishing touches on the van.
So we took an Uber down to Main Street
1st Stop: 
Black Rifle Coffee Company – a Veteran Owned Company
The American Legion was Giving Veterans Rides on a Convoy of Sling Shots as a Veteran
I had to have some Tex Mex so we walked around the corner to Compadres. The day had other plans though…
They were serving a special complimentary lunch for Veterans, it was packed with military heros, a WWE star  and lots of people.
I had the BEST barbeque of my life there. And I am not a huge Barbeque fan.
Then the Big Reveal!
Tex/New Mex Border:
This is Provide WOW service to our clients
•14.5 foot box
•Ramp in back
•Locks
•Lights inside Box
•Back up Camera
•Big Ear Side Mirrors with Lower Blind Spot Coverage
•Radio
•AC
Its FREE, just add Gas
It likes Gas
Rules:
Schedule for Weekday checkouts
Provide copy of Driver’s License and Copy of Insurance
I have Commercial Insurance that backs up yours
Add Gas
Promise me you Will NOT go Through any kind of Drive Through
We are delighted to bring a new service to our client to help them!
Get their house ready for sale 
Back up on moving day 
Move staging furniture around 
Use at our Open Houses 
This is one of the main reasons, I recommend you, a trusted Navy Veteran when thinking of buying or selling a home. I’m Richard Randall and You are listening to 
The Real Estate Voice with me, Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty, you can reach Barb at 719 301 3900 
Or visit www.BarbHasTheBuyers.com
1850 Moran Ct, CS CO 80915, $324,999 
Amazing front to back 4 level with 4 beds, 2 baths, close to Peterson AFB, parking for RV + 4 cars 
Massive Remodeled Kitchen.  Updated lower level. 
Tell Us About Some Hot New Listings You Have Coming UP?
671 Pipestem Ave, CS 80928, $219,999 
Completely remodeled 3, 2, huge yard, quiet 
3.3953 Iron Horse Trail, CS CO 80917, $434,999
4.16160 Homecrest Dr, Peyton, CO 80831, $574,999c
5.16110 Dalie View, CS CO $849999 
6.11120 Calle Corvo, CS, CO 80926, $899,999
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice that Airs Every Sunday at 2pm on AM 740 KVOR. If you are thinking a making a move you call me at
719 301 3900
or visit BarbHasTheBuyers.com  And You can see replays of this show on my YouTube Channel – Barb Schlinker or Listen to the Podcast on all the Podcast platforms like Apple Podcast, IHeartRadio and many others. Thank you for listening and to reach me give me a call at 719 301 3900. Thank you for listening!

Hottest Property Improvements That Command a GREAT Return on Your Investment

Regardless of your situation or budget we can help you get ready. We have what we call the HELP program which
We pre-pay for a few reasonable updates that can make the difference between sold for top dollar and NOT sold.  To find out more give us a call at
719 301 3900.
What are Home Buyers Looking for in Homes in this Market?
Start with a Budget in Mind – If you are making Improvements
Focus on Systems that need to be replaced
Eg: 30 year old furnaces
15+ year old water heater
Any broken stuff – it really stands out when selling
Cosmetic repairs on flooring, lights, kitchens and baths are the main things that attract buyers:
Hardwood floors are big...however
LVT looks GREAT, easy care, lower cost than real hardwood
Kitchens – these updates always pay off:
Counters
Appliances
Many are painting oak cabinets white –
really popular now
Bathrooms – you will get 100% ROI
Vanity
Sinks
Flooring
Light fixtures
Landscaping – curb appeal is a must! 
Backyards are close seconds
With people working from home they are in their yards more!
One of the services we provide is Professional consultation, not just from an agent, but interior design guidance on what to do and what not to do to get your home ready for sale.
If you are thinking of making a move give us a call at 719 301 3900 and we can help you get started at no up-front cost...
To find out more about how to hire the best team to find your next home: call us at
719 301 3900 or contact us through our website at www.BarbHasTheBuyers.com
We are talking with Barb Schlinker about the hottest property improvements that command a great return on investment. Barb what some other high demand trends that pay?
For the winter time Richard:
Solo Stove Bonfire Pits are Very Popular so you can enjoy outdoors when its dark 
Hot Tubs andSwim Spas...
Inside the Home:
Blown In Insulation
All Season Rooms 
If you add an electric heater you can count the square footage!
Heated floors – especially bathrooms
If you are thinking of putting your home on the market and want to discuss how to get ready for sale as well as match my buyers up with your home give us a call at
719 301 3900.
Barb, you and your team are the only company I would recommend to people out there thinking of selling their homes and downsizing to a smaller home, how can they get more information?
They can call 719 301 3900
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice with Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty.
If you are thinking of making a move call Barb at
719 301 3900 
or visit
BarbHasTheBuyers.com
Benefits of Being a VIP Buyer or Seller with Barb’s Team Including the FREE Use of a Moving Van & Some HOT New Listings..
stay tuned!
When we come back, we will be discussing:
Benefits of Being a VIP Buyer or Seller Including the FREE Use of a Moving Van & Hot New Listings

What are some things that will cause a person’s home to get digitally eliminated ONLINE?
Yes, these are worries that keep
me up at night.
Home sellers might be surprised to
know a few facts:
The training for real estate agents in regards to marketing is very limited.
There is just not much training on it.
You would be SHOCKED or you may have seen some AWFUL MARKETING PHOTOS trying to entire buyers to see a home posted by untrained real estate agents.
Example: 
Price:  $590k
Not ONE photo was in focus
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
Here is one: 
67 Days on the Market
Price: $415,000
Halloween Decorations
Halloween was WEEKS AGO!
Here is another of the same home:
Two dirty cars in front driveway
Makeshift dumpster in yard.
You wonder why its been sitting on the market for 70+ days!!!!!
Agents are just not trained to attract buyers
to want to come see the home!
The Average Buyers spends LESS than 57 Seconds Viewing a Single Home ONLINE.
You have NO IDEA what buyers are eliminating homes, but here is what you can do about it…
Ask friends and family to look at the house and ask for feedback!
Tell them they will NOT hurt your feelings.  
You want them to be brutally honest!...Like a picky buyer.
You want an agent that knows how to position the home with photos to get people to WANT to see your home.
That could mean NOT every room is imaged.
Sometimes if there is delay in getting marketing photos, I got more showings because it’s different and people are curious enough to see it based on the outside look of the home.
My team is trained to use the right word- smithing to attract the buyers to connect with the home with emotions...not data!
If you are thinking of making a move and want some in home consultation on how to get your home ready for sale… Give us a call at
719 301 3900
Barb what are some other things that can homes sellers can do to stop buyers from swiping left ONLINE?
We just covered Bad Pictures
Clutter – take a picture and judge for yourself
Dirt
Low Light – heavy window coverings
Religious items
6. Dated finished
7. Outdated countertops
8. Dramatic Paint Colors
9. Tired flooring
10. Dead or Poorly Maintained Landscaping
In a Nutshell:  Buyers do not typically want remodel projects
Regardless of your situation or budget we can help you get ready. We have what we call the HELP program which
We pre-pay for a few reasonable updates that can make the difference between sold for top dollar and NOT sold.  To find out more give us a call at
719 301 3900.
...When we come back, we will be discussing: 
Hottest Property Improvements That Command a Great Return on Your Investment

Home Design Trends Ushered in Having to Work and Learn from Home

COVID Level ORANGE, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE REAL ESTATE MARKET NOW?
I heard the Governor declared most of the heavily populated counties in the state under
Real Estate is considered an ESSENTIAL SERVICE.  Not much as changed as far as how we do business. 
Level Orange is in effect for:
El Paso, Pueblo, Teller, Elbert, Teller, Douglas & Jefferson and all the counties around Denver and many others
We have the state mandated precautions in place.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN providing Real Estate Services:
Social Distancing
Wipe Down After Showings
No More than 10 at Open Houses
Wear Masks and Gloves at Showings
Wear Masks at Office
Thermometer checks at Office
Meet virtually where possible
We Provide all Protective Equipment both in our listings and in our office.
Common sense:  
Don’t go out and infect others if sick
Comment:
I don’t know how it spreads:
I know I could have been exposed and found out about it 1 week after I met
with those 3 people. Two were sick the other was not.  I was not.
If fact, we hugged at the end of the meeting.
We spent nearly 6 hours together.
I’m in my 60s
At the end of the day of people need to buy or sell a house we want to help them.
We have Zoom technology to get started.
Most need to see homes in person to make a decision and we can do that in separate care.
If you are thinking of making a move, give us a call at 719 301 3900
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice with myself Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold 
Guaranteed Realty, if you are interested in selling or buying call Barb at
719 301 3900
Have there been changes in demand for features of homes as a result of people 
both working from home and attending school at home?
1. Yes, there are quite a few new trends and I think, going forward, after this is behind us, we will like some of these trends.  People are more interested in spaces that accommodate studying working and exercising from home. 
Trends such as:
Space efficient exercise equipment like:
Rowing machines
Treadmills
Stationary bikes
Working & Learning from home involves a few adjustments right now:
All the kids are doing online learning.
They need high speed internet and quiet spaces to focus.
Many formal dining rooms even parts of garages are getting converted to office areas
‘Must haves’ include:
Good lighting
Fresh air
High-speed internet
Mini fridges
Outdoor spaces to read and relax are important as well.
Hot tubs
Cabanas
Outdoor living rooms
If you are thinking of making a move to a more, work from home friendly environment or would like to know what to do to get your home ready for sale call us at
719 301 3900.
You are listening to the Real Estate Voice with Barb Schlinker of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty.
If you are thinking of making a move call Barb at
719 301 3900 
or visit
BarbHasTheBuyers.com
When we come back, we will be discussing:  
Ten Digital Turnoffs That Will Have Buyers Swiping LEFT on Your Home Online, don’t miss it! 

What are the Top 7 Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Early?
Segment 4

It’s interesting to note that:
So, if you are going to refinance you need to consider:
How long you plan to stay in the home
Whether or not it makes sense to add Years to the Mortgage
The cost of Refinancing
But if you plan to stay, paying off your mortgage as fast as possible is the best way to go: 
Fact:  A typical 30 year mortgage takes 21 years just to pay down LESS THAN HALF of the principal of your loan! 
Fact: For a $435,000 30 year mortgage at 3.0%, paid monthly with no extra down total amount paid would be $660,231! 
The Banks GET THEIR INTEREST MONEY FIRST! 
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, give us a call at 719 301 3900, so here are some ways to pay it down early: 
Make Bi Weekly Payments – In 1 year you would have made 13 payments and, over time taken 4 years and 4 months off your mortgage 
Make an Extra House Payment Each Quarter = $65,000 savings on interest 
3. Bring Your Lunch to Work, apply extra $100 to mortgage= savings of $28,000 in interest 
4. Pretend you refinanced and pay it like a 15- year mortgage. 
Bankrate Mortgage Calculator to find out how much to pay 
5. When you buy a home, try to max out your budget.  This is a great market, you will do well when you go to sell it
If you are a couple, try to qualify for a payment on 1 income 
Have a good savings account ready for ‘surprises’ 
6. The people I have met that have a paid for house have tremendous peace of mind. 
Hot New Listings
Coming UP
1. 3680 Suncrest Ct, Cs CO 80906, $324,999
2. 6445 Cabana Cir, CS, CO 80923, $499,999
3. 3953 Iron Horse Trail, CS CO $434,999
4. 16160 Homecrest Dr, Peyton, CO 80831, $574,999

Many of our listeners know, you and your team are the only people I would recommend and you have been here in the market selling homes for a long time.  What are some Top Home Shopping Tips for Home Buyers in This Hot Market?
Start with a Budget in Mind 
Be Prepared to Exceed Your Budget
That is Why Getting Pre-Approved is Step One
Everyone Loves Looking at Homes, it’s fun!
But, Buyers need to know: 
How Much Home They Can Buy 
What Their Payments Will Be 
How Much Cash They will Need to Perform 
How much Money In Reserves they will need 
In most cases, you can buy for a payment less than rent. 
If anyone has looked at rent rates out there they are in for sticker shock! 
In the past 6 years market value increases have gone up on average over 9% per year! 
Buying a home is a great investment. 
HGTV has really messed up expectations for most home buyers 
Pretty homes sell for a premium often with multiple offers 
Homes with views sell for a premium 
Homes with acreage sell for premium 
Low priced homes get bidding wars 
Buyers need to be prepared: 
There are a bunch of people that ask me how long this can go on… 
Are we in a Real Estate Bubble? 
No – why Jobs, Employment, 44% of Driving Factors of this economy is from Aerospace and Defense. 
That’s not going anywhere 
Southwest has already started flying out of Colorado Springs (finally) because they like the growth they see in this city. 
Why this real estate market will remain strong and the top shopping rules. What are some other shopping rules? 
If you find a house you love…DON’T WAIT AND SLEEP ON IT! 
Chances are someone else will love it too. 
Most agents present offers as they come in. 
If they get an offer the seller likes they do not have to wait for your to think about! 
Showed a home last weekend to a buyer who loved it. 
They decided to sleep in it. 
It was sold that day! 
Here is my weekly Buyer Alert 
Right now I’m working with two great buyers that need homes. 
One in Colorado Springs up to $550K, not too picky 
One all over with acreage and character up to $600K 
When we come back, we will be discussing: Top 7 Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Early & Some Hot New Listings 

Legal Real Estate Clauses that Help You or Hurt You in a Real Estate Transaction and What You Can Do About Them

In the last segment we talked about how it’s a seller’s market, which means, in many cases, the home sellers get to choose from multiple offers, but it is a legal transaction. There are some legal clauses in real estate contracts that can help you or hurt you in a real estate transaction, tell us about some of them.
First of all make sure you hire a real estate agent that knows the contracts.  Many do not.
Some shove a 20-page agreement in front of the buyers and sellers and tell them to sign it without explanation.  It’s actually not required.
But I believe it’s malpractice to work that way.
Here are some Legal Landmines Home Buyers and Sellers Need to understand:
Many agents will cut and paste legal language given to them by another agent or broker because they think it may ‘protect’ their clients.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Any other documentation and/or disclosures in the seller's possession that could affect the future value of the property and/or the buyer`s ownership and/or use of the property.
Any negative condition(s) in the neighborhood or of a neighbor which may not be apparent to a Buyer but may affect values of real estate.  
(part of a 15 line paragraph written in asking for all but their first born.) 
Most people in their right minds would not sign off on these clauses but I would not be surprised if some do. 
My other favorites are those statements that create confusion: 
30.02 Parties further agree that if the property does not appraise for the agreed upon sales price, the Buyers will pay up to $15,000 over the appraised value. 
Then we have the ever popular: Escalation Clauses
It’s already confusing enough with multiple competing escalations clauses: 
Example:  Price $500K 
Offer: $500K BUT ….I’ll pay $1000 over the higher offer up to $507,000K 
Offer: $500K BUT:     I’ll pay $2000 over the highest offer up to  $507,000K 
Which is the highest offer?? 
Why didn’t they just make their BEST offer? 
I ask my buyers if I know I have competition: 
What is that number in which you are OK with someone else getting the house? 
When we come back, we will be discussing: Top Home Shopping Rules for Buyers and How to Make The Purchase Fun and Easy Plus a HOT Buyer Alert

Buyers seem to have much fewer homes to choose from, what is the status of the current market and why do home buyers need to understand the market conditions?
I had the privilege of going out to show homes last weekend and it was quite the journey.
After that buyer viewed 10 homes and picked one, they got out bid by another buyer.
They were given the opportunity to increase their offer but declined.
We are in what we call a SELLERS MARKET 
That means, in most cases the seller gets to choose the best buyer for their home. 
A sellers’ market is defined as:  
Less than 3 months of inventory in a price range. 
Well we have less than 1 months of inventory in almost every price range below $800,000 
The result: Sellers are able to command more for their homes. 
Other huge factors are: 
Really low inventory  
Inventory of Available homes is at RECORD LOW, right now only 659 homes on the market.   
Compare that to 1 year ago there were over 1927 homes to choose from in the Pikes Peak Region 
That’s a 54% DECREASE in inventory 
As you can see around town 
Builders cannot build fast enough; most are telling buyers they have to wait 8 months for a new home to be built and have less sitting inventory. 
Record Low Interest Rates 
VA 2.25% wow! 
Conventional: 2.5% OMG 
That means lower house payments which means buyers can make afford a more expensive home 
Increased sales and under contract homes 
Buyers in the market now often are facing bidding wars, especially below $400,000, even above that for the pretty homes. 
Now it’s no longer good enough to offer full price in this market 
Sellers do not have to respond to your offer when you ask. 
You have to expect that you will have competition so make it your best offer if you really want the home! 
Yes, that means:  Over asking price, few if any concessions, maybe even an appraisal guarantee 
Appraisal guarantee says: willing to pay $K difference if the appraisal does not agree its work the contract price. 
We are talking about the low available housing inventory, why buyers need to understand the current market conditions to secure their dream home. Does every home sell with a bidding war? 
No, they do not.  The homes that are: 
In great condition 
Need little if any updating 
Are priced appropriately will likely sell quickly 
2. Homes that: 
Need updating – Buyers do not typically want to inherit a project 
If a home is priced too high, buyers are afraid to make an offer because the assumption is, they may be facing a bidding war and then it will not be in their price range. 
Briargate Homes Example: 
Priced at $425K tons of showing in 1st weekend - no offer 
Seller lowered price to $415K 
Got offer at $420K 
For a home seller selecting the right price is one of the most important marketing decisions that can be made. 
The longer a home sits on this market, the more buyers believe there is something ‘wrong with it’. 
b. Being priced Realistically vs Optimistically is always the way to for a home seller to command top dollar. 
c. It’s a decision you really need to strong real estate professional to give you the right information so you can make the best decision. 
When we come back, we will be discussing: 
Legal Real Estate Clauses that Help You or Hurt You in a Real Estate Transaction and What You Can Do About them.

The Top 9 Reasons You Should Call the Barb Schlinker Team for Your Next Move and 7 Hot New Listings

Barb, not all real estate agents and teams are the same, and I would only recommend your team for someone who is planning on making a move, tell us the Top 9 Reasons Our Listeners Should Call the Barb Schlinker Team when they are ready for a move: 
Our Team is designed to ensure we never run out of time to take care of our client’s needs and consists of: 
Agents 
3 Lead Coordinators 
Operations Manager 
Managing Broker 
Video / Media Manager 
Social Media Manager 
Data Base Manager 
And me – The Team Leader 
Accomplishments: 
We help people buy and sell homes daily 
International Coach and Guest Speaker for Craig Proctor’s Coaching Program for top real estate agents in North America providing training for over 1000 people on a quarterly basis.   
The Real Estate Voice, a weekly radio show on KVOR AM 740 which is a broadcast on YouTube & Podcast that educates the public about buying and selling real estate.   
I am the only one in town that highlights my upcoming listings on the show 
YouTube channel has over 757 subscribers, created 400 real estate related videos 
over 300,000 views. 
We sold their home for Dan and Eddie this week for $40,000 over asking price in just 6 days! 
So Let’s Get to the 9 Reasons… 
This is a snap shot of what our VIP Sellers receive: 
International and Key Website Exposure on all the top real estate websites as well as BarbHasTheBuyers.com and her Google Business Profile which receives over 12,000 views per month 
Access to Barb’s Database of over 23,755 Buyers-In-Waiting; some of whom would be interested in your home. 
Home Sale Guarantee Program 
Home Enhancement Listing Program HELP (up to $10,000 in repairs) 
Professional Photography & Drone 
Professional Staging 
Cancellation Guarantee 
FREE Use of Moving Van 
Experienced Agent who negotiates on your behalf to command top dollar with the sales expertise of hundreds of homes per year. 
Hot New Listings
Coming UP
1. 3680 Suncrest Ct, Cs CO 80906, $324,999
2. 6445 Cabana Cir, CS, CO 80923, $499,999
3. 16160 Homecrest Dr, Peyton, CO 80831, $574,999