By David Bromberg
What Is My Home Worth?
We are fortunate here in Mayfair to live in a desirable, close-in neighborhood, but in these uncertain times, people are concerned about one of their biggest investments and sources of personal value. After “how is the market,” the second most popular question a REALTOR® is asked is “what is my home worth.” These questions are similar with the second one being more personal.
Worth
Technically, the worth (or value) of a home is determined by the market, not the homeowner or REALTOR. This market approach is based on the sales price of comparable homes. Ideally, the buyers and sellers of the recently sold homes were rational and not under duress. In some situations, the buyer’s and/or seller’s circumstances may necessitate a lower or higher than market sale price. Short-sale and bank-owned properties provide downward pressure on values.
The value of a property is determined not by what a seller has put into the property or owes on the property but by what the buyer gets out of the property. Buyers determine the value of a home by comparison shopping. Location and size account for the majority of value. Amenities and finishes count for a smaller portion. It is important to keep this in mind and not over-improve your home relative to others in the neighborhood.
Timing
Like your stock portfolio, the value of your home changes over time, and until recently, most homeowners felt reasonably comfortable in expecting a reasonable increase in the value of their asset. What was true then remains true: the value is not that important on a daily basis until it is time to sell and you realize a gain or loss. And, while no one likes to see the value of their home decline in the market, it is still true that unlike your portfolio, you do get pleasure and utility (shelter) from your home.
As you weather the economic times, make sure you continue to get enjoyment from your home by keeping it well maintained, and making necessary improvements that will do most to maximize the value of your home should you ever need to sell it.
If you receive unwanted phone books, you have the right to opt out of getting these or you can request just one per year. Call the companies directly at the following numbers:
By Amy Angelilli
It is estimated that there are about 125,000 feral, or “wild,” ownerless cats in Metro Denver. When these cats breed, there is the potential for not only rampant population growth, but also the spread of diseases such as rabies, distemper and feline AIDS/leukemia. To address this problem, Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance (RMACA) specializes in non-lethal population control for area ferals. They collaborate with veterinarians, volunteers and local citizens to spay and neuter more than 3,000 metro area feral and stray cats annually, preventing more than 50,000 homeless kittens from being born.
The organization also supports TNR, or Trap-Neuter-Return, is a means to stop feral cat colonies from reproducing by humanely trapping feral cats, spaying/neutering them and releasing them back to their home territories where a caretaker provides them with food, water and shelter. TNR is the only proven method of reducing feral cat populations and is supported by national leaders in the humane movement such as The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
If you suspect feral cats in your neighborhood and would like to get them spayed/ neutered please contact the RMACA at 303-202-3516, kathleen@rmaca.org, or visit their Web site www.rmaca.org for more information.
RMACA also can supply information about where to borrow traps, how to trap as well as our current clinic schedule and other spay/neuter resources. The organization provides another valuable service by administering rabies and distemper vaccines to cats brought in for spaying/neutering.
By Dr. Susan Barden, DVM
Don’t risk losing your purr-fect companion! Get your cat microchipped by taking advantage of 150,000 free microchips for cats in metro Denver! CHIP YOUR CAT™ is an initiative with the goal of increasing reunification of lost cats in the metro Denver area thereby reducing the number of cats that end up in shelters. Please call or visit your neighborhood Firehouse Park Hill Animal Health Center located on Colfax and Glencoe, call 303-830-7387 or go to www.chipyourcat.com to learn more about the program.
