New Year, New Goals

Wow! Can you believe it? 2013 only has today and tomorrow left and then 2014 is here. I think every year just goes by faster and faster. It seems just like yesterday I was setting my 2013 resolutions on what I wanted to achieve.

So, let's be honest for a quick second with ourselves, of the resolutions we set for 2013 how many did we really achieve? None? Maybe you actually achieved some! Congratulations! I'll be honest, I never really set resolutions that I'm serious. They usually go something like, be more fit, gain a few more muscle pounds but I never take them seriously. Maybe it's the same for way for you. Why is that? I think we get asked every year what our resolution is for the new year that we just automatically can come up with something so we don't look like a loser.

I want to challenge you as this year winds down not to set any resolutions. Wait, what?! I've got to be crazy right? Everybody set at least one New Year's resolution! I can't be that person who doesn't set them. Well what I want to challenge you to do is to set a goal. See a goal is something attainable so you have to be realistic but not to short that you underestimate your self. When we set goals we tend to underestimate but when we set resolutions we tend to exaggerate. If you've never been that healthy or fit setting a resolution to lose 30 pounds by July is pretty crazy and kind of physically impossible. So, let's be realistic with our goals but don't hold ourselves back.

Say you want to own your own home. That's not a crazy goal, but it can get unrealistic if you make $40,000 and want to purchase a $400,000 home. You'd be surprised at what you can qualify for but if you're wanting something way out of your price point and are looking at those homes you'll be disappointed. Say you're looking at half a million dollar homes for the first 3 months of the new year and then you find out you only can afford a home at a price point of $200,000 or less. The new homes will be disappointing because they simply can't compare to the half a million dollar homes. So this new year lets set goals and be realistic with them but not underestimating ourselves. I wish you all a Happy New Year and a successful one. May you hit the moon you shoot for or at least land among the stars.

www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com

For the Lamb's Reward

Tomorrow Does Not Exist

We've all heard it, or said it, "Someday (or tomorrow) I will do this or be this." I would bet that we've all said that we will do something one day. There's nothing wrong with dreams like being something or someone someday. We all strive for success and to have certain things. The problem is we usually don't get it because it doesn't have soon enough. I think the biggest thing is we are a now type of people. We want it right now! We have fast food, instant coffee, instant potatoes, and so on. We are just people who are used to getting what we want, when we want it. However, when it comes to getting somewhere in life such as being successful we say we'll get there one day and we end up putting it off and then forgetting about it. So, I'll propose this to you. Tomorrow does not exist. Tomorrow is a word to describe our hope to live another day. Tomorrow is a fantasy that we will live to see another sunset and sunrise. Tomorrow does not exist, it is a lie.

I have met a lot of people in my life time and none of them have had the power to know what tomorrow holds and know that they would make it to live another day. Sure we all talk about it and plan for it but none of us actually have the power to know what it holds. We could very well not make it to tomorrow. I don't say this to say that we should have a fear of death. Death is a part of life and can be around the corner. You will only limit yourself from reaching success if you are constantly worrying about if you'll die. What I am saying is we should not take each day and plan big things for tomorrow. We need to take each day by the horns and ride it for the full ride. Take advantage of each moment we have. We all have the same 24 hours in a day but some of us waste it sleeping in or watching mind numbing TV and movies. Nothing wrong with those things, I love to sleep and I like a good TV show and a good movie, but I can't just sit there all day or else I feel like I did absolutely nothing. If you want something you have to go get it in this moment. You can't just put it off for tomorrow. Which of us knows what tomorrow truly holds. So why plan for tomorrow what can be done today.

I've met a lot of people in the past couple months who say they are waiting for the new year to sell their home when the market picks up. If you wait till then you'll miss the opportunities of today. Today the inventory is low and we have buyers looking and they are willing to place bids higher than what you're listed for if there are multiple offers on your home. Our rates are low now. No one knows what they will actually do next year. We are assuming they will go up with the changes coming to the mortgage industry with the new year.

So why wait? Take advantage of the market as it is today. Take advantage of the present. Let's start living in a way that takes full advantage of the day we are blessed with in the here and now. Tomorrow does not exist. Tomorrow is a fantasy. Tomorrow is a lie!

www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com

For the Lamb's Reward

3 Ways to Save on Your Heating Bill

We all like to save money, right?! Yet ever winter we watch our heating bill go up because we want to stay warm. Nothing wrong with staying warm but spending to much money to do that is just not right. We could be putting that extra money towards Christmas presents for the family or even some food for our tummies. We all know ways to stay warm and save money but it is so much easier to put the thermostat up 10 extra degrees then make an effort to stay warm. So let's jog our memory on some simple ways to stay warm.

1.) Drop the thermostat 3 or 5 degrees!! Really you won't even notice the difference in the heat until you get the bill and see that it went down in price a bit. 65 degrees is really not that big of difference from 70 degrees. So what do you we get up and turn it down. Also when you're gone out of the house drop it a few more degrees while you're at work and then when you get home put back up. When you're asleep drop it few as well. You're already all bundled up in blankets you won't feel it...until you have to get out of bed in the morning.

2.) Bundle up! We all have blankets and some hoodies with nice cozy sweats! Dress warm in your home and wrap up in some blankets and you won't need to have the thermostat up at 80 degrees! You really don't need to be walking around your home in shorts and a tank top in the winter time anyways. So when you are home dress like its winter and stay warm.

3.) Drink hot drinks! Sure coffee and hot chocolate costs a little money but not as much as a high heating bill costs. Besides most people already drink hot drinks during the winter anyways. And I don't mean go to a coffee shop or something of the sort and buy a $6 cup of hot chocolate. Go to the store and buy the cheap, no-name brand of hot cocoa. If you don't want to but the things to make hot cocoa or coffee heat up some water or milk, those will do the trick as well.

Other simple, quick tips to use to are: leave the oven open after baking something, don't use space heaters as often or as long, candles put of heat to and they smell good. It's like I said we all know was to do this but it is much easier to increase the thermostat. How did we ever survive without heaters!? Go back to our roots and do what great grandma and great grandpa did to stay warm. If you have any real estate needs or questions don't hesitate to contact me or my team. www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com

For the Lamb's Reward

The BIG Lie

You've heard it said, "You can't sell your home during the holiday season, and it's really hard during the winter time." What if I told you that was HUGE lie? The truth is we still sell homes and we still see people buying homes. This is possibly the best time to sell because homes are usually at their best potential this time of year. We keep our homes clean because family and friends are always coming over and then we have the beautiful decorations up for Christmas. It all just ties so well together with the smell of a freshly home made meal.

I know with that you just already see it. There's a nice fire burning and soft Christmas music playing in the background. You are basically there feeling nice and cozy and, most importantly, at home. There's the key,  we want our buyers to feel at home when they walk into their next home. I can see it in their eyes when they just know this is the one for them. It's in the second they walk through the front door. Their eyes light up and they are already picturing their lives happening there. That's what we try to find for our clients.

So, with that picture in mind it's easier for our clients to feel at home when they walk in. If they see and smell Christmas or Thanksgiving happening in that home it puts them more into the mindset that this is home. Well with that all painted out in a picture for you do you see how it'll be easy to sell your home in this time of year? The inventory is so low right now in Colorado Springs that we have to many buyers and not enough homes for them. We are starting to see more homes get multiple offers on the homes that are priced right, and sometimes they are going up in price in the bidding war of multiple offers.

If you are thinking of waiting for a good time, like Spring, to sell, you don't have too! Why wait when you have a prime buyers market with low interest rates?! No matter where you are give me a call and I can talk to you about getting your home listed! Visit me at www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com!

For the Lamb's Reward!

Is Your Home A Haunted House?

Halloween is just around there corner and we all know that there are plenty of haunted houses and attractions that are up that will make all of us run out screaming like high-pitched school girls! However, there are homes out on the market that can look or feel like one of those haunted houses. No, I don't mean there's a ghost in there or some psycho with a chainsaw that wants you for supper.

Have you ever been into a home where it looks like a tornado just went through it? It could be the home of a family with a lot of little kids or the single guy. We all know what that looks like, right? The pizza box that is on the floor, cans with half drank drinks, socks, clothes, you name it its on the floor. Oh, and worst of all it smells like a boys locker room back when you were in high school! Those are pretty horrifying homes to walk into; you might think a trash monster will jump out at you!

There are those homes though that look nice on the inside and outside but when you actually get into the home, you might uncover something deathly, terrifying! You know what I mean, the "remodeled" home that was not contracted out and no permits were pulled. Pause! Let's clear the air real quick. Simply because there was no permits pulled does not mean that the contracted job was done poorly, it just means no permits were pulled. It's easy to get them pulled and have an inspector inspect the job to make sure everything is okay. Play! We've seen it, someone decides to make a room bigger and takes out a wall that's a load bearing wall, which in turn means they find some creative way to still keep the wall down. Or the ones where there is a step into a new the other room and its more like a foot and a half drop with no stairs.

So, is your home a house of horrors? If you want to know give us a call today and we'll walk through with eyes of a buyer to tell you what would give the scare chills to a potential buyer! Of course we do it humbly. We can see when you make a change to something creatively and its not a hazard! So call us today! www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com

For the Lamb's Reward 

Winter Already and Low Rates?!

Ah the smell of cold, brisk winter morning air is what I've woken up to the past two day and it's only October 5th! Yes I'm one of the few weird people, called a Coloradoan, that absolutely loves winter! Summer was great but I don't like over 90 degree weather. Needless to say I'm ready for fireplaces, snow, bundles of clothes, and snowboarding to be here, along with below 40 degree weather.

What does cold weather have to do with the housing market? Well when cold weather hits us around Colorado we all know that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. Meaning, family and old friends are going to be coming around and we want to have the house already and settled for them to visit. The market kind of takes a slow down around this time of year. We'll see a little bit of rush for people wanting to get into a new home before the holidays hit but it won't last but a couple months. Besides, who wants to move while the kids are in school? Well...I'm hear to tell you that now is the time to move. Many people were waiting around for the interest rates to get better and we were telling them why wait? The rates were already extremely low! Yet to my surprise along with the cold weather I got a report on interest rates saying they were BELOW 4%!! WHAT?!?! It's absolutely crazy that they are that low! Why isn't everyone jumping on this fantastic opportunity to get a home at such a low interest rate! You could be owning a home with a monthly mortgage payment cheaper than you could rent a place! Meaning you are getting equity in the home, instead of throwing it away with the rent!

Okay if you haven't noticed I'm a little excited about this. Lets look at this, back when interest rates were way up there in the 20% range not many people could afford a home. I don't want you to go purchase a million dollar home just because interest rates are low if it's out of your price range it's out of your price range. However, you'd be surprised what you could get for the price range you are in! If you're not sure what you qualify for contact me today and we'll get you in contact with a great lender and we can see what you can afford with these low rates! Let's get you into your OWN place! Go to www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com for homes and my information! I look forward to hearing from you!

For the Lamb's Reward

Keller Williams, the Future of Real Estate!

Is that a believable statement? When was the last time you saw an online ad or a TV/radio ad for Keller Williams? If you're honest, never because we don't do company advertising. So, is Keller Williams really the future of Real Estate or is that a false statement. Well lets take a journey real quick and I'll hopefully convey why I'm so excited for being of part of the KW family and where it is going.

Keller Williams is growing rapidly, my market center alone has 152 (last I checked) agents working in it and every week we are having new agents join the family. It's exciting really! We are solely a word of mouth company, that is how people find out about us. Our clients are talking about us and we are talking about us. It's just a great company to work with or have work for you when making Real Estate purchases or selling. In this last year Keller Williams became the number 1 Real Estate company in the United States. We are located all over the world as well, even in the United Kingdom! The places we are going in the world to help Real Estate needs there is just fantastic. Now, does this make us the future, partially yes but there's even more that I'm even more excited about!

Technology! We all know that technology is a great luxury that makes life a lot easier on all of our lives. I know it's very useful for me. I'm using it every day. Keller Williams is advancing in the technology side of Real Estate faster than any other Real Estate related company out there. Recently agents got their own personal app created by Keller Williams for us to give to our clients so they can search properties on the go! This app has better ratings compared to other Real Estate apps! By the end of the year we will be linked with Google and using some of their resources in our business to help us be more accessible on the internet. We all know that Google will favor something that have more interest in, like YouTube because they own it, it shows up first in a Google search. The great news is that Keller Williams is in the top 10 of Google's clients which means they'll favor us over other things. Keller Williams is  taking Real Estate to a whole new level with all the updates in the technology ring! We are the future of where Real Estate is going and it's exciting for everyone involved!


If you'd like to go download my personal real estate app, which will work wherever you're at go to the link below and follow the steps to get it downloaded. It won't take but a couple minutes!

http://app.kw.com/KW143347

For the Lamb's Reward

Where Are Homes Selling Today?

The world is changing these days and place where homes sell is different than ever before. I'm not talking about a geographical location but technologically based location. Most home buyers are starting their home search online and base their first impressions on the home before they even see it in person. It's a little impersonal sure but its the quick, easy way to see if the home will just be a waste of their time or is a potential future for them. A well advertised, internet home that has the right price will sell quicker than that of one with just a sign in the yard and the right price.

"So, what's your point?"

Well I'm glad you asked! If you have a home that you want to sell and you just have it listed on a couple websites with a few cheap photos you're probably not getting very many showings and probably no offers. How a home is marketed shows that the seller has pride of ownership in their home and the realtor has pride in their job. If it's not marketed well buyers are gonna wonder why, is something wrong with the property or is it just a cheap place?

"Well, how can my home be advertised properly?"

Great question! My best advice for you is to hire a professional who can help you the best! Basically, a good Realtor can help you with this process. A good Realtor will have a professional photographer who will take the best possible pictures of your home so that it shows with an A+ rating on the internet. What else can a good Realtor do? Well I personally have a website that will syndicate out to 76,000 different websites, yes, that includes Zillow and Trulia. It'll be hard not to find your home on the internet if you have a professional Realtor listing your home.

What's the take away? If you can get your home on the internet properly with high quality pictures you greatly increase your chances of getting it sold and shown quicker. We're a technology savvy culture so why not utilize it to benefit the sell of your home!

For the Lamb's Reward

Three Of The Best Things To Look For When Purchasing A Home

When you're looking at buying a home, you're looking at making an investment and it's one of the most important ones you can make! So, what are some the important things to look at when you're buying a home? Sure this can vary from person to person but these are the top three that I think will help make the process easier.

1.) Get a good Realtor who is willing to put your needs before their pay check!
    - It's proven that  a realtor can get you the best home for the price you're going to be paying. Also one of the biggest benefits that we as Realtors can bring is that we will do all the hunting and elimination for you! You're not the one that needs to do all the research and driving around that's our job! After all you're the reason we have a job and a good Realtor will know that he needs to put you first in order to stay in business!

2.) Decide what kind of floor plan you want!
    - Do you like to entertain? When you do, is it inside or outside? A good floor plan can sell a home very quickly. Is it open? Or does it seem small even though it's 3,000 sq. ft.? You want a home that has a floor plan that accommodates your lifestyle and the way you live! If you get a home that can make your way of living better and easier you may have just found the home for you!

3.) LOCATION!!
    - This is probably one of the biggest ones to look at! Location determines everything! It'll make the resale easy or hard, it'll help you in your life. Lets face it, there's some places out there that you don't feel safe getting out of your car just to go inside your home! You may find your dream home that has everything you want but it might be in the worse part of town, in that case I'd advise you to keep looking. You want a place that is decently close to the place you travel to the most often!

You won't be able to change two of these three things when you make a purchase, you're stuck with the floor plan and the location, unless you want to put a big chunk of change into the home. You can always change the Realtor but if you do your research and find a good one I think you'll like the results and will want to keep them. So, why not contact me today and I can set you up with a great Realtor in your area if you're not in Colorado! Find me on my website: www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com

For the Lamb's Reward

Are You Renting When You Could Be Owning Your Own Home?

Renting is great, you have easy access to "free" maintenance and amenities like a pool or workout room! However, ask yourself this question, is renting making you any money? Of course not! Unless you know a secret no one else knows. Renting is like paying a mortgage and not having appreciation on your side because you don't own the property. You're helping someone else make more money when you rent. 

I know what you're asking, there is no way that I can have a mortgage payment at the same price that I pay rent, can I? Oh! and the other fun question, I don't have the money for a down payment on my own place, how am I suppose to come up with that much money? True, down payments can be a big chunk of change and takes awhile to save up for, especially when paying rent. So, how do you make that payment? Did you know there are programs out there that help you make the down payment if not fully cover it? Well today's your day to find out! There are multiple programs that will help you with the down payment on the home you want to purchase!

Now rent vs. a mortgage, what's the benefits? When you own a home you're home makes you profit by increasing in value, appreciation. When you're renting you're not going to sell the place you're renting to make a profit of the appreciation that it is incurring. Interest rates are lower than low and I've heard people say that they are waiting for them to go down even more but the sad truth is that they aren't going anywhere but up. What does that mean? Get on these low interest rates and get locked in so that you can have a smaller mortgage payment!

Last but not least, pride of ownership comes with owning your own home and does not come with renting. When you own a home you get to call it yours, it's in your name, you own it! Imangine the feeling, inviting friends and family to your house for a get together or party where you don't have to worry about being to loud and disturbing the people above or below you! It'd just be glorious wouldn't it! So what are you waiting for?! Let's get together and get on the process of helping you get to a place that you own!

You can find my contact info on my website: www.ColtonWeatherford.KWRealty.com

To Learn more about buying vs. renting click here!

For the Lamb's reward!

This Month in Real Estate (US) September 2012

If you want to learn more about what the market is doing or what your home is worth contact me today to get a free seller or buyer consultation! For all of my contact information please go to my website at, www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com or www.coloradospringsbestrealestate.com!

16860 Hanks GRV for Sale

This is a fantastic custom built home that we have listed out in Peyton, Colorado. It also has a custom built work shop that was used to restore cars, but it can be used for any hobby that you have. If you'd like to see more on this property you can find it on my website at www.coltonweatherford.kwrealty.com and  searching for the zip code: 80831. Or you can click here!

Interest Rates on the Rise

The economy is coming back up and looking like it has a good future in store for us. However, with rise in the economy that means that interest rates to purchase a home are on the rise as well. Don't worry though, they are still very low compared to what they used to be at. 

What does this mean for you as a buyer?

Basically, this means if you've been thinking about purchasing a home but want to get the best deal and have been waiting for the best interest rates to show up; you've waited long enough. Now is the time to buy. Interest rates, unfortunately, aren't going down anytime soon but they are going up. It's a slow climb so you do have time to look around and not rush but why miss this opportunity to get into the home of YOUR dreams!

What does this mean for you as a seller?

Luckily, the selling market is turning toward your favor! If you've been thinking about selling your home now is the time! With rates low more and more buyers are coming out, especially first time home buyers. Well, what does that mean? That means we are seeing multiple offers on properties, meaning you're more likely going to get your asking price for your home. One thing to keep in mind is that pricing is everything. In order to sell quickly and get multiple offers your home has to be priced at the correct market value! It's YOUR time to sell

If you're looking to buy or sell, give me a call today and we can get you on the road to get closed before you know. The market is always changing, but we have the resources to know what it's doing.

For the Lamb's Reward

Meaning Behind My Motto

My motto or slogan is, "For the Lamb's reward" and I got this from an internship I did called Desperation Leadership Academy at New Life Church here in Colorado Springs. "For the Lamb's reward" comes from what is called the Moravian movement out of Herrnhut, Germany. The Moravians were a group of Protestant Christians that placed a high premium on Christian unity, personal piety, missions, music, and prayer. They were exiles to Saxony in 1722 from Moravia, hence the Moravian movement and church.

One popular story told about the Moravians is about the "Moravian slaves." Being as set as they were on missions they wanted to do missions everywhere, including in St. Thomas and St. Croix. The only way for them to get to these places to reach the slaves as they wanted to they had to sale themselves to become slaves. They were greeted with much opposition and many people tried to stop them for their own safety. As they bored the ship and began to sail away they are reported to have yelled out to their loved ones on the dock, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward for His suffering."

I have taken this to heart and decided to include it as part of my work. Everything I do I should do it to give a reward to my Lord who was slain. I do not serve myself or money but Jesus Christ. It's very important to me that others know this and know that I am not simply by myself in my journey of Real Estate but that I have my King beside me and He comes before everything else in life and my career. I will continue to live by this and will continue to achieve pour out my life so that the Lamb that was slain shall receive His reward for His suffering and I shall become lesser and Him Greater. 

For the Lamb's Reward

Lets Get to Know Each Other!

Well, I guess you want to know a little about me. I am Colton Weatherford of Colorado Springs, CO. I work with Keller Williams Clients' Choice on the Colorado Springs Best Real Estate Team with +Pamela Weatherford, also my mother. Basically we are a mother-son team. Well now business stuff is out of the way for a bit, lets tell more about who I am. I was born in Gallup, New Mexico and moved out here to Colorado when I was four years old. I am the fourth child of five boys from two great parents, +Terry Weatherford and +Pamela Weatherford. My father is a firefighter/paramedic/general contractor.

I moved around the Colorado area a bit but all near Colorado Springs. I was raised being home schooled till my junior year when I went to public school at Peyton High School. I'm a country type of guy having been raised with horses and doing 4-H showing all types of animals from rabbits to horses to sheep. Hard work and competition is engrained in me as part of my nature, in a way to say. I've always played basketball since I was a child but got into it competitively my freshman year. I wasn't the best at that time, okay, I was horrible, I had the skill level of a sixth grader in ninth grade. By my senior year I was starter on my varsity team. We went to state but lost in the first by a buzzer beater, still remember that feeling and all the sights, sounds, and smells.

 I started working in the restaurant industry my senior year after the basketball industry. I worked there for two years, by the end of the first year I was a supervisor for the store. After two great years I was ready for something new, after debating my choices I decided to pursue a career in Real Estate. It took a little longer to get the classes and exams completed but it got done. During the time of my classes I worked with my mom as her personal assistant. It was a great way to learn the ropes of the Real Estate industry while studying for it. I've got some courses under my belt that I've taken at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

That's the basics of who I am, basically I am a cowboy who loves basketball and is in Real Estate. This blog will keep you up to date on what the market is doing and some stories along the way. I hope you enjoy. And if you ever need any Real Estate help contact me! You can follow me on Facebook as well! Until next time, God bless!

 For The Lamb's Reward