According to a report issued this week by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Eco
nomics Group, Denver is among the top U.S. housing markets as indicated by a number of metrics. Denver ranks #2 in Existing Homes sales, with a 25.6% improvement, trailing only Phoenix. Denver is ranks second lowest in shadow inventory rates behind only San Francisco. And, finally Denver has the fourth lowest rate of negative equity mortgages, below the US average.
Chartered Homes has released a fifth floor plan at its highly successful ranch patio home community. The St. Andrews, like the other plans at Latitude is a Ranch Patio design. With 1,847 square feet on the main level, it features an additional 1,055 square feet on the finished lower/basement level for a total of 2,902 finished square feet. In addition, this plan offers an available 3rd car garage. The home has 2 bedrooms, study or optional bedroom 4 and 2 full baths on the main floor along with a 3rd bedroom suite and generous common space on the finished lower level.
The St. Andrews, like the other plans available at Latitude are available as part of the recently announced Spyglass series along the Colorado National Golf Course. These homes offer a higher level of trim and amenities (granite kitchen countertops, hardwood floors, enhanced exterior elevations, tile bathroom floors) 
than the standard homes in the community along with being situated fronting the golf course. Like all the homes at Latitude, they are Energy Star Certified. For those buyers who choose to finance their new Latitude home, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage offers a special Energy Star incentive for those buyers who qualify. Learn more from RD, Theresa or Aaron.
According to a recent report by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, home prices have been rising for the last 3 months. However, no one has been telling you. The average price increase in 90 of 97 markets analyzed over that period of time is 1.1%, which is a 4.5% annual rate.
According to the Burns firm prices have been trending up nationally since January. No other major price index has picked up on this trend yet. This is because most price indexes are at least 3 months behind what’s happening with home prices right now. The National Association of Realtors did report last week that the median home price was up in February, but their short term trends have been historically volatile and unreliable because of sensitivity to mix shift and seasonality.The S&P/Case-Shiller uses a 3 month average of closing prices, which means that March contract price data is reflected in the index released as early as 7/31/2012 and as late as 9/25/2012.
The slow and long-awaited housing market recovery is underway, nobody has been telling you!
We are excited to announce the Spyglass series of homes at Latitude at Vista Ridge. This collection of homes are all situated on homesites facing the Colorado National Golf Course. All of the homes come with standard features such as granite kitchen countertops, enhanced exteriors with increased use of cultured stone, hardwood flooring in the entry, kitchen, dining area, living room and study (per plan) along with upgraded tile surrounds and flooring in the bathrooms.
All of these sites have stunning views of the golf course as well as the front range. While a number of the homes have been sold and are under construction, there are still choice locations available. Favorable financing is available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (subject to qualification). Come by and share in our success!
Revamped regulations in the lending industry have made obtaining a new mortgage more challenging than ever. This has resulted in credit scores becoming much more important in the loan approval process than the used to be.
Thinking of taking advantage of the buyer’s market and jumping in? Checking your credit report is a great first step. Everyone is entitled to receive a copy of their credit report once per year for free from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Keeping tabs on the activity reported on your credit reports is important, whether or not you are looking to buy a home. Your credit score can affect more than just your ability to qualify for a loan. Negative accounts on your credit report can keep you from renting a home or apartment, obtaining insurance or even getting a job.
Raising your ever-importaint credit score is not all that difficult, in spite of what it may look like. You can do this all on your own and stay away from companies that offer to fix your credit for a fee. If you feel like some support in this effort there is help for free from local non-profits, banks, lenders and the like.
Begin by ordering copies of your credit reports and reviewing them carefully. Any negative accounts (unpaid debts) on your credit report should be contacted promptly and balances negotiated to be paid, and marked as paid, on your credit report. Any items that you feel are in error or do not belong to you should be disputed through the credit bureaus. When the investigation is complete, the credit bureaus will provide updated copies of the credit reports for you. Review them again and repeat the process if necessary until you are certain that all of the information on your credit report is accurate.
A good credit score is more than just removing negative accounts from your report; you must show a history of responsible use to earn good credit: pay your debts, make payments on time, and avoid collecting new debts. For those without credit, this can start with opening a single credit card. One credit card, well managed, is more beneficial than multiple cards with outstanding payments. It takes time and consistent payment to build good credit, so don’t keep opening new cards. Each credit inquiry will actually lower your rating temporarily. Pay close attention to your credit limit. Contrary to appearances, the credit limit should never be the maximum debt you can carry. The limit of your debt should be well below the limit of your credit. For the credit cards to help improve your score, limit the balance you carry to 10% of your total credit limit.
With careful monitoring of your credit report and good credit practices, you can raise your credit score. Talk to your lender or call our good friend,
Aaron Mell at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and start improving your credit today so that you, too, can jump into the buyer’s market.
The number of U.S. home buyers who signed contracts to purchase previously owned homes slipped in December after reaching a 19-month high a month earlier.
The National Association of Realtors’ seasonally adjusted index for pending sales of existing homes decreased 3.5% on a monthly basis to 96.6, the second highest reading of 2011, the industry group said Wednesday.
The results were 5.6% above December 2010 and were worse than expected. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast that pending home sales would fall by 1.0% on a monthly basis.
“Even with a modest decline, the preceding two months of contract activity are the highest in the past four years,” save for a period in which sales were boosted by federal tax credits that spurred sales, said Lawrence Yun, the Realtors’ chief economist.
The index tracks agreements to purchase homes. A sale is considered pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction hasn’t closed. Pending sales typically close within one or two months of signing.
The housing market has been doing better of late after a collapse that lasted more than five years. Completed sales of previously occupied homes increased 5% in December from a month earlier. Last year ended with 4.26 million sales, about 1.6% higher than the 4.19 million existing homes sold in 2010.
Market-watchers attributed this to a growth in sales at year-end, driven by historically low mortgage rates, falling prices, active investor-buyers and increasing consumer confidence.
Happy New Year! Well, given the number of visitors to not only our website, but Latitude’s sales office and models as well, interest and intensity are definitely rising. Just barely 2 1/2 weeks into 2012 we are excited to welcome two new members of the Latitude community! New home seekers are out looking to take advantage of record low interest rates, growing optimism in the economy and low prices for homes. They are finding value, features and location at Latitude. We look forward to a happy and healthy 2012 and the addition of many more new members to the Latitude community!
Latitude at Vista Ridge by Chartered Homes is offering special savings on select quick move-in homes to buyers who purchase a new Latitude Ranch Patio Home and close by January 15th, 2012. Those buyers who qualify will get up to $6,000 in closing costs, prepaid HOA fees for one year and their choice of free air conditioning or stainless steel kitchen appliances (oven/range, dishwasher and microwave oven/hood).
Latitude at Vista Ridge exclusively offers ranch plans ranging in size from 1,740 to 2,900 square feet including finished basements, with up to 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. All plans are designed to reflect how people live today in a Ranch floor plan. The design approach provides bright, open and airy interior spaces that do away with useless hallways, walls and rarely-used formal rooms. In addition, 9-foot ceilings are featured 
throughout with eat-in island kitchens and full-sized attached garages as part of the package. All Latitude homes are Energy Star Certified for serious energy efficiency and savings.
Latitude offers lock and leave convenience and practicality. The homes are detached and the homeowner’s association provides a package of amenities with very modest dues that include yard maintenance, trash and snow removal, 2 pools, clubhouse w/ fitness center, tennis, parks and trails. So, buyers can enjoy the same low-maintenance, hassle free lifestyle of a condo, townhome or apartment without the shared walls or having someone live above or below you. And with today’s historically low interest rates and Latitude’s aggressive pricing, the cost of owning one of these new ranch homes is very competitive with area rents.
Latitude is a part of the master planned community of Vista Ridge which is 20 minutes north of downtown Denver, the Pepsi Center, Coors Field and Mile High Stadium via I25 and just north of the E470 as well as a short 20 minute drive from Boulder via CO 7/Baseline Road.
Visit our furnished models, open daily until 5 p.m. For additional information come visit or call Nick or Dave in the sales office at 303 828-5442.
Priced from only $229,995, Latitude at Vista Ridge by Chartered Homes is offering special savings on select homes to buyers who purchase a new Latitude Ranch Home and close by January 15th, 2012. Those buyers who qualify will get up to $6,000 in closing costs, prepaid HOA fees for one year and their choice of free air conditioning or stainless steel kitchen appliances (oven/range, dishwasher and microwave oven/hood).
Latitude at Vista Ridge offers exclusively ranch plans ranging in size from 1,740 to 2,900 square feet, including finished basements with up to 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. All plans are designed to accommodate how people live today in a Ranch floor plan. 
The design approach provides bright, open and airy interior spaces that do away with useless hallways, walls and rarely-used formal rooms. All Latitude homes are Energy Star Certified for serious energy efficiency and savings. In addition, 9-foot ceilings are featured throughout with eat-in island kitchens and full-sized, attached garages.
Latitude offers a lock and leave convenience and practicality. The homes are detached and the homeowner’s association provides a package of amenities included in the very modest dues that include yard maintenance and trash and snow removal. So buyers can enjoy the same low-maintenance, hassle free lifestyle of a condo, townhome or apartment without the shared walls or having someone above or below you. And with today’s historically low interest rates and Latitude’s aggressive pricing, the cost of owning one of these new ranch homes is competitive with area rents.
Latitude is a part of the master planned community of Vista Ridge which is 20 minutes north of downtown Denver, the Pepsi Center, Coors Field and Mile High Stadium via I 25 and just north of the E470 as well as a short 15 minute drive from Boulder via CO 7/Baseline Road.
Furnished models are open daily until 5 p.m. For additional information visit www.latitudeatvistaridge.com or call Nick or Dave at the sales office at 303 828-5442.
Chartered Homes established itself in Colorado in 2004. However, the roots of the company date back to 1976. It’s predecessor firm was founded in Los Angel
es, California and in 1986 the company, then known as Chartered Homes expanded to Las Vegas, Nevada with its affiliated Real Estate Investment Trust. Since its beginning, over 4,000 new residences, including patio, custom & single family homes, condominiums, townhomes and apartments have been developed and built by Chartered Homes and its affiliates.
Chartered’s founder and president, Ward Ritter and his team are
committed to building high quality homes that have earned respect from not only from their peers in the industry, but more importantly, the public as well. This commitment is evident in the creation of all of its communities and exemplified best in Latitude at Vista Ridge, its latest neighborhood of ranch patio homes. Chartered’s team includes local architectural firm, Woodley Architectural Group, local engineers and top subcontractors and suppliers in the construction industry including Whirlpool Corporation, Moen Faucets, Amana heating and cooling equipment, Sherwin Williams Paints, Tharp Custom Cabinets of Loveland, and many others. All of Chartered’s homes are Energy Star, third party Certified for their energy efficiency and savings as determined 
by the EPA. Chartered has also aligned itself with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to handle the home purchase financing needs of its buyers.
The Chartered Team is ready to welcome you home!
