The Pandemic is making most people, and Millennials in particular, to feel like they're finally ready to purchase their first home.  The question is do they have the savings to take advantage of our historical low interest rates to move forward. 

This months newsletter focuses on the importance of saving for and maximizing your down payment.

If you have questions about buying your first home in northern Colorado or the Denver metro area be sure to call me.  I am also able to put you in touch with lenders who are familiar with the down payment programs.

Keeping Thanksgiving 2020 small and safe doesn't mean it can't be fun or include lots of friends and family. We've heard of some great ideas, here are some of our favorites and a few of our own.
 
First, be sure you set aside times to call or zoom with older family members and those that might be spending the holiday alone.  If possible include them however you can.

1 - Watch a movie as a family theater style. No phones, dim the lights, with popcorn & snacks. Two great Thanksgiving Day options are Home For The Holidays or Planes, Trains and Automobiles
2 - Pre & Post feast hikes, weather permitting. If weather goes bad, you could do group yoga over zoom.
3 - Family construction challenge: Participating families are assigned a random project by organizer in the morning and after dinner everyone gets together on zoom to show off their project.  Use cardboard, legos, fabric, whatever you have at home to build a zoo, airport, school, farm, etc...
4 - Learn to Dance  Find a youtube video and the whole family can learn how to jitterbug, line dance or tango!  Great way to burn off that pumpkin pie!
5 - Yard games: cornhole, bocce, horseshoes, football
6 - Go to a concert, sort of.  Put together a family play list of only live music covering a wide variety of genres.  Turn it up!
7 - Virtual games over zoom: charades, pictionary, trivia, CAH, check this link for some great ideas https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32098665/best-games-to-play-on-zoom/
8 - Virtual Poetry Slam.  Spend the day finding your favorite poem (or song lyrics) to read to family and friends between dinner and dessert.
9 - Dress up and take a family photo (this is Kim's favorite). Maybe you even use a real camera.  Then pick one the whole family likes and actually get it printed!
10 - Time Capsule.  Ironically this was the year my family was to dig up the time capsule we buried 10 years ago.  Create & send a questionnaire to family members, collect and then bury it all together via zoom.  Then in 5, 10, 20 years when you are all together again you can share them and see where your heads were at in 2020.

Whether you've owned your own business for many years or started a new one recently, know that self-employed people can and do get mortgages.  Our November RE/MAX Advanced newsletter overviews some of the additional documentation & steps you may need to take.  Contact me for recommendations of lenders who are experienced working with self-employed borrowers.

Get the new and improved RE/MAX app that allows you to search for properties, save custom searches, calculate drive times & receive real time alerts so you're the first to know when a home hits the market in a neighborhood you like! Click on link below to get started:
​​https://rolandkuehn.remax.com/mobile-apps

Be sure to check out the really cool augmented reality feature.  Use it when you're in a neighborhood anywhere in Fort Collins, Colorado or across the country!

We've got you covered when it comes to real estate in northern Colorado and the Denver metro area, but what happens when you need help in another part of Colorado, the US or the world? Contact us and we will connect you with a professional, full time agent that knows their community and their market. You want professional results then work with a professional, we know just the Agent.

As RE/MAX Agents we know our local market, schools and communities — both as agents and neighbors. Contact us and we can connect you with someone that will be the perfect fit for your needs. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you.

We've got you covered from Mexico to Mongolia, Australia to Wyoming! Being part of RE/MAX gives us the opportunity to network with the best Agents across the globe.  

Pending home sales in March saw expected declines as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the National Association of REALTORS.  Each of the four major U.S. regions saw drops in month over month pending home sales transactions.   

Read more in this months RE/MAX Advanced Notice Newsletter . . . 

.The Fort Collins Museum of Art Masks Silent Auction and Exhibit has become the latest casualty to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The annual exhibition, a crowd favorite that has raised more than $1.6 million dollars over the years, was originally scheduled for early April.
 
​This is the 16th year of the Masks Exhibition and Benefit. During that time, Masks artists, most of whom live in Northern Colorado, have designed and donated over 2,750 masks. Artists, using their time, talent and creativity, fashion an amazing collection of unique masks from unadorned ceramic forms they are given each fall.
 
The finished pieces, which range in many diverse styles and mediums, are now up for sale through June 28 in an online auction at https://app.bidcoz.com/moafc/masks. The exhibit can be visited virtually below.

This year more than 220 Northern Colorado residents participated to create these beautiful and interesting pieces of art.  Because the public cannot enjoy them in person, we decided to use the same 360 virtual tour technology we use on our real estate listings to create a virtual tour of this year's Masks Exhibit.

Every year, REMAX Advanced hosts events for our clients at the Museum of Art. Therefore we were sad that this year’s event had to be cancelled this spring.  Creating a virtual tour to help the museum showcase these beautiful pieces of art seemed like the least we can do.

As a REMAX Agent I am always looking to use the latest technology to help my clients sell their homes.  I've created dozens of 360 home virtual tours for home sellers since the COVID-19 pandemic hit - it was a natural fit to use the technology to showcase the Masks Exhibit.

Depending on public health and safety concerns, the museum plans to open mid-June for on-site viewing of the Masks. Until then, all masks are sheltering in place in the museum until it is safe to open to the public. The 360 Virtual Tour Exhibit can be viewed above or at the museum’s website (www.MOAFC.orgj. Or visit the online auction at https://app.bidcoz.com/moafc/masks. 

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The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly changed the way we do real estate in northern Colorado, but it has not stopped people needing to buy and sell their homes do just that.  This months RE/MAX Advanced newsletter covers those changes and other community events.

To receive a hard copy of our Remax newsletter contact us at [email protected].

These interactive virtual tours can be seen from anywhere, at anytime on a phone, tablet or computer.  Other real eastate agents have begun hiring us to create 360 virtual tours for their listings. Here are a few examples from the last 10 days;

Rapidly changing times and growing concerns about COVID-19 has resulted in a trend to provide virtual touring options for Buyers & Sellers in the current Colorado real estate market.  Even Redfin is on record emphasizing its virtual touring options as it cancels open houses.  Virtual tours have become the go to technology to ensure business continues in Colorado's real estate market.

Our team creates 24/7 Online Open Houses with 360 degree engaging imagery for all our listings.  These Google streetview like virtual tours can be seen by anyone, anywhere at anytime without ever stepping foot into your home.  For example you can virtually visit this beautiful home for sale near City Park in Fort Collins using your smart phone, tablet or computer from anywhere in the world.

Besides getting maximum exposure on social media sites, the MLS and home listing sites, having a 360 virtual tour allows Buyers that are not serious or that are not a good match for your home to virtually tour your home first, before ever having to physically visit - keeping unnecessary home visits to a minimum.

The best way to keep your family safe, particularly if you are in a high risk group, is to use this virtual technology to distance yourself from unneeded visits.

I use the power of Remax, the latest technology and targeted marketing to sell your Colorado home for the best price.  Given these volatile times we live in, be sure to take advantage of every resource available – call me at Remax Advanced, 970-420-5202 or email him at [email protected]
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