Sell Your Boulder Home-11 Tips

1. Hire a Professional Realtor. This is no time to be navigating the rough waters of the Boulder real estate market on your own. You want someone who can help you truly price your home, bring in potential buyers, handle contracts, and market your home to the global masses. You can check to see if there have been any infractions with a Realtor by checking DORA (Department of Regulatory Agencies-Colorado/Search Licensees ).

2. Fully Disclose. Are you selling your Boulder home because it needs more work than you can handle? Are there infestation problems you’d rather not talk about? Whatever you disclose, the Realtor will have knowledge of and must disclose to a potential buyer.

3. Price it Right. Your Boulder home may sell the first week if priced properly and if you have to drop the price the result may be lower in the long run. The longer it’s on the market, the lower the price will be in the long run.

4 . Detach Emotions. This is a business transaction. Keep emotions in check.

5. Be Involved. Hire a local Boulder agent who will communicate with you at least one time per week and gives you regular feedback. Utilize that feedback to make changes or adjustments. Talk it over with your Realtor.

6. Stage your Home. Staging is a perfect way to help buyers see the true potential of each room. Buyers have to understand the purpose of each room and staging can help clarify that. Tone down your own style and pack away any clutter or extraneous decor.

7. Don’t Hang out. During showings or an open house. Resist the urge. This will make it very uncomfortable for buyers. Leave the premises.

8. The Next Step. Get ready because here comes the offer. Renting or buying what is your best option at this point? Start early!

9. Be Flexible. It’s no secret that today’s Boulder luxury and Boulder real estate market can be challenging for many sellers. Don’t compromise on your bottom line, but understand that you must be willing to negotiate.

10. Understand your Marketing Plan. Understand what you are getting for your money. What kind of internet exposure, media coverage and global presence will you get? A marketing plan should be clean, clear and will drive the buyers to your property’s website.

11. Positivity. Don’t get discouraged. A buyer will come.

Michael grew up near Santa Fe and is a longtime resident of Boulder and has been with Sotheby’s International Realty since their inception in Boulder County and along the front range.  If you have questions regarding this article or would like information about Boulder real estate or Boulder Luxury Real Estate check out my website. You may also call or TEXT me 303-359-6627 or e-mail Michael Hughes is a Certified Negotiation Expert and full time Realtor at Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty in Boulder, CO.

New Years Day Trek

Kitchen Mesa rising 600' from the valley

Jocelyn coming up through the narrows on the rope

Every New Year on the 1^st of January we do something awesome. Last year it was a Crossfit (OMG) class in the morning. I am very grateful to have a wonderful home on the north end of  Heron Lake in Northern New Mexico so this year it was Hiking Kitchen Mesa at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico with my girlfriend, my daughters and boyfriends. I have two daughters and love them to pieces however it was the best having guys around (the boyfriends).

Michael, Jessica, Jocelyn and Dan-Shock and Awe at the beautiful panoramic view

Everyone was ready to get out and hike a bit after stuffing ourselves for the past ten days and the noteworthy muffin tops arising from the indulgence. Not really. All of the family is in extreme shape enough so to run marathons, salsa dance for hours, hold yoga positions forever, pursue and receive black belts in Muay Thai Kickboxing, Snowshoe for miles at high altitude and keep horses under control, you get the picture here.

Jessica and Dan

We started out at Vista de Brazos  in the pines of Lake Heron and as we drove south and dropped in elevation down to the desert, we started getting into the reds, oranges, yellows, blues and blacks of the massive sandstone cliffs and mesas carved out by millions of years of water, wind and weather. This was the stomping grounds of one Georgia O’Keefe and I could feel her presence as we viewed Pedernal Mesa as it grew bigger and bigger.

Callie coming up through the narrows

We started out on a very slippery slope of ice shaded by the juniper and pinon trees. We broke in to red mud that added about 10 pounds per shoe. Slogged up the canyon and then at the end of a box canyon there was a rope. Hmm? So we pulled ourselves up the rope about 150 feet to the most spectacular views. I could see in every direction. Some views were up to a hundred miles away. Wow. The whole hiking group made it to the top, my girlfriend Jocelyn had minor trepidation about the narrow and very steep passage with the rope but was a trooper to the top.

I ran part of the mesa. It was energizing, recharging and fantastic to have the family along to enjoy this epic hike on New Years Day. The quiet was, positive, all that is and all that will be good, astounding, inspiring. Now I start the New Year rested, energized, focused and with that Never, ever, ever give up attitude that keeps me going in Boulder luxury real estate. Thanks for the great memories family!

Michael grew up near Santa Fe and is a longtime resident of Boulder and has been with Sotheby’s International Realty since their inception in Boulder County and along the front range.  If you have questions regarding this article or would like information about Boulder real estate or Boulder Luxury Real Estate check out my website. You may also call or TEXT me 303-359-6627 or e-mail Michael Hughes is a Certified Negotiation Expert and full time Realtor at Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty in Boulder, CO.

Phantom Strikes Boulder

Posted by Michael Hughes – Sotheby’s International Realty – Boulder, Colorado

Phantom Sculptor strikes again in Boulder. The underground scene is alive and well in Boulder, Colorado. Similar to Boulders’ version of Banksy in London, no one seems to know who the sculptor is. An anonymous statement. Whereas Banksy “graffiti” or “art” is clearly a style of satirical street art and subversive epigrams combined with  irreverent dark humor; no one seems to know what the “meaning” of the sculpture is that was planted in the front of some Boulder real estate late last week.

Does there need to be a meaning to everything? Well not really. It is fun and somewhat whimsical and to Donna Coughlin the Boulder Home owner, a little nostalgic as this happened 23 years ago when a CU artist named Mark Guilbeau dropped a sculpture on to her front lawn and left the same gift; Again this time attached to the base of the sculpture was a round tin box holding a pair of earrings and a note with letters and words cut from a magazine spelling out “We hope u enjoy this thing,” signed with the letters PS. Again the box and the earrings appeared. Mr. Guilbeau was unavailable, as in, not to be found for comment. Coughlin found the similar earrings in a box attached to a sculpture that mysteriously appeared in her front yard more than 23 years ago, in 1987. Click here for the entire story.

Another mystery sculpture has appeared in Boulder. This time, employees at the Boulder History Museum noticed the artwork as they arrived Tuesday morning. It was standing on the front lawn of the museum. A set of earrings in a box attached to it as well. Similar to the Coughlin sculpture.

Boulder is truly an amazing place to live. World class athletes, entrepreneurs, eclectics, a small town feel, close knit community activism and artistic eccentricity to balance it all out.

Happiness is a choice. Joy is a journey, not a destination.

If you have questions regarding this article or have any questions about Boulder or would like information about Boulder Luxury Real Estate check out my website. You may also call or TEXT me 303-359-6627 or e-mail Michael Hughes at Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty in Boulder, CO.