And just like that, they're homeowners! With their priorities pre-sorted, Elise and Cooper were able to snag their ideal townhome in the nick of time.
I met Elise and Cooper at the end of January this year. They were referred to me by Sophie Pappas, one of my amazing lending partners, and once we met up for coffee, I understood why Sophie had paired us. Elise and Cooper were first-time home buyers (my specialty) and had very straightforward goals, reasonable expectations, and like myself, a burning passion for animal rights. We discussed their ideal home to purchase, what wasn't working at their current place, and of course, how their pets, Rylan, Gizmo, and Eilonwy, fit into their plan.
I learned that since they are vegan, they were looking for a kitchen large enough to accommodate cooking at home for most meals. Another important non-negotiable was a space easily accessed outside for their princess puppy, Rylan, to do her business. Before we left Stella's Coffee Haus, one of the many candidates running for Denver mayor, Mike Johnston, introduced himself to us and we shook hands. We vetted his mission immediately after he left and once we all openly agreed on his policies, we had basically signed a blood oath of friendship. A great way to start the homebuying process!
Since they were already pre-qualified by Sophie before she put us in touch, I was able to set up their search the next morning! Here's what we were looking for:
Easy access for Rylan to potty
2+ Bedrooms
Space to play board games with company
Kitchen counter space larger than one cutting board
No parallel parking
Southeast Side of Town
<$400K
Most of the townhomes we saw fit the majority of Elise and Cooper's needs and we were ultimately deterred when the overall care of the properties seemed subpar once we toured in person. If they were going to commit to caring for a home, their goal was to find one that had already been well maintained - a clever mission. The snowy evening we came upon the townhome they ultimately chose, we all knew it was the one.
The curb appeal of the home was particularly precious and the layout, kitchen counter space, and *bonus* 2-car garage were the big selling points. Sure, there were things that could use updating aesthetically, but the major systems of the home had been updated over the last five years and the home was well-maintained. *Ding Ding Ding* That was number one, remember?! Immediately after leaving the showing, we touched base with Sophie to see what their monthly payments would look like for that specific property and we were off to negotiations!
Between buying down the interest rate and replacing the carpet, we were able to negotiate $10,000 in seller concessions (Aka: cash back to the buyer)! Note: Winter markets are kinder to buyers than Spring markets, especially when interest rates and the media scare off potential competition from the buyer pool. Elise and Cooper benefitted from offering on exactly the right weekend before the Spring market picked up in February, even a bit earlier than most experts expected!
As we approached inspection termination, we were concerned with only one item - the sewer line. The seller and buyers were all on the same page and we were able to move forward by finding a mutual agreement that benefitted everyone! Wins like this one are what make my job so rewarding, and Elise and Cooper were the most grateful clients I've ever worked with. As we sailed through appraisal and lending review, closing approached with haste and we all started getting the wiggles!
It was an adventure and Elise and Cooper hung on for the ride - their reward? A charming new home to call their own:
Congratulations, again on securing such a beautiful place to gain equity and appreciation! It was my absolute pleasure to represent you and I can't wait for chaotic game nights in the near future. Cheers to the many years of goofy memories to be made in your special new space!
As always, I wouldn't have been able to pull this off without the help of the following folks:
TLC Consultant: Richard ( @RichBunRoll )
Lender Extraordinaire: Sophie Pappas at Spire Financial
Listing Agent: Jennifer Bozarth at The Bozarth Group
Listing Photos Courtesy of Jennifer Bozarth
Managing Brokerage: Colorado Premier Properties
MLS: 7844862
If you are interested in learning more about buying with The DEN Collaborative, CLICK HERE