Education

One of the questions I hear most from Colorado investors who are sitting on a property that's gone up in value is some version of, "I want to sell, but the tax bill is going to be brutal. Is there a way around it?" The answer, for the right situation, is a 1031 exchange. It's not a loophole. It's a section of the IRS code that lets you defer capital gains tax when you swap one investment property for...

Most people don't think about a home warranty until something breaks. The furnace stops working in February, the dishwasher floods the kitchen, the AC quits during a 95-degree week in Aurora. That's the moment you find out exactly what your warranty actually covers, and a lot of buyers are surprised by what it doesn't. I get questions about home warranties almost every week, usually from first-time buyers...

Most buyers I work with treat a listing page like a brochure. They look at the photos, glance at the price, and decide whether to tour. But a listing is also a document, and once you know how to read it, you can spot motivated sellers, hidden problems, and pricing strategy a mile away. This skill saves my buyers real money. Not in some abstract way, but in actual offers that get accepted at $15K or $30K...

Most homeowners think their only options for lowering their monthly mortgage payment are refinancing or paying off the loan early. There's a third option, and almost nobody talks about it. It's called a mortgage recast, and for a small subset of Colorado homeowners right now, it can be the cleanest move on the table. I've had this conversation three times in the past month, all with clients who came into...

If someone asked you to explain escrow right now, could you do it? Most people can't, and honestly, that's fine. It's one of those real estate terms that gets tossed around constantly but rarely gets explained in a way that actually makes sense. I hear it come up with almost every client I work with. "What exactly is escrow?" "Where does my money go?" "Who's holding all of this?" These are completely...

Quick answer: In Colorado, the rights to what is under your land can be owned by someone other than the person who owns the house on top. These are called severed mineral rights, and they are extremely common across the Front Range and the eastern plains. The mineral owner generally has the legal right to access and extract oil, gas, or other minerals from below your property, even if you own the surface....

Quick answer: Many new-construction subdivisions in suburban Denver sit inside a Metropolitan District (often called a metro district or Title 32 district). These districts add an extra mill levy on top of normal county, city, and school district taxes to pay back the bonds that financed roads, water lines, sewers, and parks. The extra cost can be anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 or more per year, and it can...

Quick answer: In Colorado, the tree belongs to whoever's property the trunk sits on - but if branches or roots cross the property line, your neighbor has the right to trim them back to the boundary at their own expense. Knowing these rules before you cut anything can save you thousands in liability. Who Owns the Tree? It Comes Down to the Trunk This question comes up more than you'd think, especially in...

Quick answer: Most Colorado homeowners will spend 70-80% less by modifying their current home for long-term livability than by moving to a senior-specific community. The key modifications - zero-step entries, main-floor primary suites, and grab bars - cost between $5,000 and $40,000 depending on scope, and many are covered by Colorado-specific programs. Why This Conversation Matters Now I have noticed...

Quick answer: Colorado's mechanic's lien law (C.R.S. 38-22-101) gives contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers the right to place a lien on your property if they're not paid for work performed. As a homeowner, you can protect yourself by requiring lien waivers, verifying contractor licenses, and understanding the timeline for lien filings before any renovation project begins. What a Mechanic's Lien...