Fort Collins Real Estate News - December 2019

Current Winter Events!

Gardens of Lights at The Gardens on Spring Creek
Garden of Lights is expanded and enhanced in 2019! As one of Northern Colorado's best holiday traditions, stroll through the whimsically decorated and twinkling Gardens lit by hundreds of thousands of LED lights at the Gardens on Spring Creek. With a route that has doubled in size, you will be able to see perennial flower beds, huge sculptural flowers, grapevines, butterflies, holiday village, and other favorite garden creatures—all constructed entirely from holiday lights. New and not to miss this year is an animated Color Blossom Show will light up the Great Lawn at The Gardens. 700 lighted blossoms will dance along the lawn, adding a new spectrum of vibrant colors and movement to the show. Opportunities to visit with Santa, listen to holiday music, enjoy holiday reindeer and magical dog troupes, along with other new discoveries are sure to bring the spirit of the holidays to your family.
Dates: December 13, 2019 - December 29, 2019
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Location: The Gardens at Spring Creek 2145 Centre Avenue
Time: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: Adults-$11; Seniors 65+/Military-$9; Child (2-17)-$8; Student w/ID-$8
 
Celebrations of Nativities and Light
Every other year Global Village Museum showcases narratives from around the world. This exhibit showcases different cultures interpretations and representations of Jesus Christ’s birth. Included in this exhibit is also a unique festival of lights from around the world.
 
Dates: November 19, 2019 - February 22, 2020
Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Location: Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures 200 West Mountain Ave.
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Adults $5, Seniors/Students $3, Youth $1
 
Game Changers
Come discover how innovation has shaped the video game industry in Game Changers, a special exhibition now open in the Woodward Special Exhibition Gallery at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Game Changers takes you on a fascinating journey, exploring the past and uncovering the future of gaming. In this exhibit, you’ll live the video game evolution, from memorable Pong to the photorealistic, immersive games of today. Try your hand at operating a supersized Nintendo controller, play Tetris on a giant Game Boy, test your knowledge of retro video game music, and so much more!
Dates: October 12, 2019 - January 12, 2020
Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Location: Fort Collins Museum of Discovery 408 Mason Court
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $6 GA/$4 for members
 
Old Town Square Skate Rink
Come enjoy the winter season by skating on a synthetic skating surface. Any pair of skates is acceptable, though hockey style skates are the best. The Old Town Square Skate Rink is open regardless of the temperature, although hours of operation are subject to change depending on the weather.
 
Dates: November 27, 2019 - February 1, 2020
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Location: Old Town Square
Price: Free
 
Paul Feris: The Art of Pinball
Faris is an illustrator with over forty years of experience working with arcade pinball and video games. A selection of his popular pinball games—including Evel Knievel, Lost World, Frankenstein, Centaur, and Phantom of the Opera—will be in the gallery along with examples of the artist’s process from sketch to finished game.
 
Dates: November 22, 2019 - January 11, 2020
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Location: Fort Collins Lincoln Center Art Gallery 417 W. Magnolia
Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: Free
 
Santa’s Workshop
Are you looking to capture an unforgettable family moment with Santa? A professional photographer will be available to take photos and a variety of affordable picture packages will be available.
 
Dates: November 27, 2019 - December 24, 2019
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Location: Old Town Square
Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: Free
 
Skate the Pond
Skate, gather, and celebrate at The Pond this winter! Bring your skates (or rent a pair at The Skate Shack) and hit the ice on Northern Colorado’s Largest outdoor rink.
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Dates: November 22, 2019 - February 14, 2020
Recurrence: Recurring daily
Location: Foothills 215 East Foothills Parkway

Brewery Lights at Anheuser-Busch Tour Center & Biergarten
Witness and experience the magic of thousands of lights during Brewery Lights. Come visit the brewery and see how it has been transformed to fit a holiday theme. This family-friendly tour includes a Kid’s Zone for youngsters to stay entertained while you sample some of our newest batches.
 
Dates: November 15, 2019 - December 29, 2019
Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Friday, Saturday
Location: Anheuser-Busch Tour Center 2351 Busch Drive
Time: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: Free

Mortgage Rates still low - is it time to act now?

If you’re looking to get a mortgage, rates right now are quite low and have been for a while. For those looking to purchase or refinance, you couldn’t be doing it in a better rate environment. The Federal Reserve has held interest rates at close to zero for a long time now. This is good for those that are looking to make big purchases because it means the cost of getting a loan is comparatively lower. In short, the policy of low short-term interest rates has helped keep mortgage rates low.
 
Although it is a perfect time to purchase or refinance a home, there’s always a flip side to the coin. If the cost of borrowing is lower, it means interest rates on investments aren’t as high. Investors don’t get as much back for what they put in. The point of this mini economics lesson is that soon, the Federal Reserve is expected to swing the pendulum back in favor of investment. When it does, interest rates (likely including those for mortgages) will go up. The Fed doesn’t tend to make very many proclamations on the future in advance of their decisions, so why do we think this is coming soon? There are a few reasons:
 
Words Have Power
The Federal Open Market Committee makes rate decisions. This committee meets eight times a year. After each meeting, they put out a press release. Investors have always parsed this release for any little clue it might bring as to what the Fed plans to do next. They’re usually stymied because the Fed doesn’t like to talk about what its members are thinking ahead of time. After all, the Fed is very dependent on economic data to determine the right time to make a move. It’s often impossible to predict what’s going to happen because economic reports can be very volatile. However, investors think they got a massive clue in the most recent press release when they said: “In determining whether it will be appropriate to raise the target range at its next meeting, the Committee will assess progress – both realized and expected – toward its objectives of maximum employment and two percent inflation.”
The words ‘at its next meeting’ are important because they tell us a January rate hike is under serious consideration. The Fed isn’t generally this explicit. When they are, economists sit up and pay attention.

Employment Report
On the first Friday of every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the employment situation report (often referred to simply as the jobs report). This is among the most heavily watched economic reports because jobs are a crucial barometer for the health of the economy. December’s jobs report came back better than expected. In short, 271,000 jobs were added to the economy in October. For context, this is 31,000 higher than Econoday’s highest estimates. The unemployment rate also fell to 5.0%. This could be the thing that finally pushes the Fed to raise interest rates soon.
 
Lock It In
So what does all this mean for those in the market to purchase or refinance? Rates aren’t going get any better than they are right now and are likely to climb soon. If I saw a price I liked, I would jump on it and lock it in now while I had the chance.

Real Estate Trends in Fort Collins - are we flatlining, or is the market still going up?
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There are several reasons to consider investing in Fort Collins real estate. Fort Collins real estate has a track record of being one of the best long-term investments in the nation. Is Fort Collins going to be one of the hottest real estate markets for investors in 2020? To answer this question, let’s take a look at some of the latest Fort Collins housing market trends and find out the prospects of investing in Fort Collins real estate in 2020.

Fort Collins Real Estate Market Forecasts 2019 & 2020
The median home value in Fort Collins is $390,400 on Zillow. Fort Collins home values have gone up 3.6% over the past year, and Zillow’s Fort Collins real estate market prediction is that the prices will rise 2.0% in 2020. The median list price per square foot in Fort Collins is $250, which is higher than the Fort Collins Metro average of $246. The median price of homes currently listed in Fort Collins is $429,900 while the median price of homes that sold is $391,500. The median rent price in Fort Collins is $1,795, which is the same as the Fort Collins Metro median of $1,795.
According to LittleBigHomes.com, the Fort Collins real estate market forecast for the 12 months ending with the 3rd Quarter of 2019 is positive. Their accuracy of the Fort Collins real estate market trend prediction is 85%. Accordingly, they estimate that the probability of rising home prices in Fort Collins is 85% during this period. If this Housing Market Forecast is correct, home prices will be higher in the 3rd Quarter of 2020 than they were in the 3rd Quarter of 2019.

Fort Collins Housing Market Forecast 2019-2021
The Fort Collins housing market forecast for the three years ending with the 3rd Quarter of 2021 is also positive. The accuracy of the Fort Collins housing market trend prediction is 79%. Accordingly, we estimate that the probability of rising home prices in Fort Collins is 79% during this period. If this Housing Market Forecast is correct, home values will be higher in the 3rd Quarter of 2021 than they were in the 3rd Quarter of 2019.

Fort Collins Real Estate Market Trends
Fort Collins real estate market trends indicate an increase of $8,500 (2%) in median home sales and a -1% drop in median rent per month over the past year. The average price per square foot for this same period rose to $260, up from $247.
Data by Redfin shows that the Fort Collins housing market is very competitive. Homes in Fort Collins receive one offer on average and sell in around 35 days. The average sale price of a home in Fort Collins was $406K in November, up 4.7% since last year. The average sale price per square foot in Fort Collins is $190, down 1.0% since last year.
There are approximately 1,135 homes for sale in Fort Collins, ranging from $1 to $28.8M on Realtor.com. Additionally, there are 228 Fort Collins rental properties, with a range of $575 to $3.5K per month. In May of 2019, the housing market in Fort Collins was a seller’s market, which means there were roughly more buyers than there were active homes for sale.

Should You Invest In Fort Collins Real Estate In 2020?
Investing in Fort Collins real estate will fetch you good returns in the long run as the home prices in Fort Collins have been trending up 1.5% every year. Let’s take a look at the number of positive things going on in the Fort Collins real estate market, which can help investors who are keen to buy an investment property in this city.

1. It Has All the Advantages of Denver without the Problems
Fort Collins is a short distance north of Denver. When you’re sitting on the front range, there’s more flat land to build on; this explains why the Fort Collins real estate market doesn’t see the same insane bidding wars as Denver.
If you’re considering Fort Collins investment properties, know that it is like a small town but with all the urban amenities like nearby hospitals and excellent public schools.

2. Fort Collins Real Estate is More Affordable
The median rent in Denver is 2,200 dollars a month. The median rent in Fort Collins is around 1,900 dollars a month. This means Fort Collins real estate investment properties have a good return on the investment, and the ROI will likely increase along with demand in the Fort Collins real estate market.

3. It Is Growing at a Healthy Rate
The Fort Collins real estate market has seen steady appreciation because the population itself is growing slowly but steadily. The population has been growing at roughly two percent per year. This causes the Fort Collins real estate market to appreciate at a slightly faster rate, but the Fort Collins housing market isn’t so hot that locals are priced out.

4. The Job Market Is Strong
Fort Collins has more jobs than job-seekers. There is a modest skills gap between the high-tech jobs local employers need filled and the many lower-skilled graduates in the area. Ironically, this keeps the Fort Collins real estate market in check because salaries aren’t spiraling up like Silicon Valley or Silicon Prairie.

How to maintain your home to keep it sale ready
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Whether you are a real estate agent or a homeowner ready to sell, you want to make sure the property you are trying to sell is ready to show. Once your home goes on the market, real estate agents may call to show your home anytime, day or evening. Keeping your property "showtime" ready can be challenging, especially if you have children or pets.

What you need to stay organized is a handy checklist so you can be ready to show at any time. When you get the call that buyers are on their way, give everyone in the household a basket and assign them each to a room to pick up clutter quickly. Set a timer and tell everyone to grab up any toys on the floor, clear tabletops and countertops of junk, and quickly sweep the floors. You will want to double check for hazards lying around the house like dog chews, toys, or clutter. Sometimes the difference between whether an offer is put in on your house or not comes down to a simple cleanup beforehand.

Next, make sure all the lights in the house are left on, and if you are the tenants, you will want to vacate the property until after the showing is complete. You have to let buyers have privacy so they can assess your home honestly. A part of tenants vacating the property for a bit includes taking children or pets with them.
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Here are nine tips to either follow yourself or to share with the property owners before a showing to make sure the home is show ready:

Eliminate Clutter
Not only is clutter unattractive, but it's also time-consuming to sort through and expensive for you to move. If you have a lot of stuff, collections, or family mementos, you would be better off renting a small storage unit for a few months.

Keep, Donate, or Throw Away
Go through your belongings and put them into one of these three baskets. You'll receive more in tax benefits for your donations than pennies on the dollar at a garage sale. It's faster, more efficient and you'll help more people.

Remove Temptations
Take valuable jewelry and collectibles to a safety deposit box, a safe, or store them in a secure location to make sure potential buyers are not tempted to steal from your property while inside.

Remove Breakables
Similar to the previous top, you will want to pack away or store figurines, china, crystal, and other breakables so that they do not get broken on accident.

Be Hospitable
You want your home to look like a home. Stage it to show the possibilities, perhaps set the table, or put a throw on the chair by the fireplace with a bookmarked book on the table. This helps potential buyers see what the space might look like in an ideal setting.

Have a Family Plan of Action
Sometimes showings aren't convenient. You can always refuse a showing, but do you want to? If you have a showing with little notice, get the family engaged. Everyone has a basket and picks up glasses, plates, newspapers, or anything left lying about. If you are the head of the household, having some fun around town activities or errands ready to go can make the process much more comfortable if you have young children.

Remove Prescriptions Medicines
Despite qualifying by the buyer's agent, some buyers have other intentions than buying your home. It's also a good idea to lock your personal papers such as checkbooks away in a safe place. Also, be careful not to leave any sensitive mail out in the open.

Establish Good Habits
Wash dishes immediately after meals, clean off countertops, make beds in the morning, keep pet toys and beds washed and smelling fresh, and find a routine to cleaning and reducing clutter in the home. This will increase the odds that a potential buyer will place an offer on the house.
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Clean Out the Garage and Attic
As opposed to making living areas presentable to potential buyers with ideal furniture and decorations, buyers want storage spaces to be empty to imagine if it is enough space for their clutter. You may need to rent a storage space during this time to keep some of your belongings that would typically be stored in your garage or attic.

Featured business in Fort Collins - Choice City Butche

In 2004, Russ Robinson felt the need for a unique, local butcher, deli, tap house, and restaurant. He decided to open Choice City Butcher & Deli, located on Olive Street and College Avenue and hasn’t looked back since.
Robinson’s righthand manager, Anyssa Watkins, agrees that the tremendous amount of success that the business experiences is because the customers have evolved the business over time.

“We listen to our customers, and they tell us what they want,” Watkins said.
Also, the staff is encouraged to go above and beyond what is expected by the customer and given the freedom to spend as much time on the product in the kitchen as is needed to ensure the highest quality sandwich or dish possible.
“When Anyssa came on board five years ago, she turned the business around,” Robinson said. “I have the passion for beer and food, and Anyssa has the business savvy needed to run the place.”

Over the years, Choice City has morphed into a landmark business and destination restaurant for out-of-towners. Locals love the tremendous quantity and unparallel consistency that keeps them coming back for what has been deemed one of the best local breakfast, lunch, and dinner destinations in the city. The dining room has expanded through the years, and a south-facing patio was added to enjoy the beautiful Colorado weather.
Robinson saw a need for a butcher shop in Fort Collins that really “put the butcher back” into buying quality meats. Wanting to open a place where someone can pick out their dinner from the case and have it cooked up for them, he hired Ben Romero, head butcher, from day one who sources his product from local farms.

“We are lucky to have someone with so much skill handling the meats and maintaining the butcher block,” Robinson said.

Romero knows his meats and cuts quality product exactly the way customers want it. The catering part of the business was a natural evolution from the deli, which serves East Coast-style sandwiches created with prominent, fresh, quality ingredients.

The sides you have to choose from are unique and tasty. Where else can you get lemon-dill coleslaw or a balsamic potato salad made to perfection? The food is done right. Meats are cut and cooked correctly, not a single item is ever frozen, and everything is made from scratch whenever possible.

It’s the place with the best New York-style Kosher hot dog, but don’t let that fool you, they even have an incredible selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options to choose from.

In addition to their stellar sandwiches, burgers, and sides, Choice City Butcher & Deli as one of the best beer restaurants in the region. RateBeer is an independent world site for craft beer enthusiasts and is widely recognized as one of the most accurate and most-visited sources for beer information and has awarded Choice City Butcher & Deli on several occasions as one of the best beer restaurants in the world.

Once a month, the restaurant hosts beer dinners where craft beer is paired with house creations. They are proud to be one of the first taprooms and restaurants to host beer dinners in town. With 37 rotating taps of only the best beers, Choice City Butcher & Deli is one of the leading craft beer destinations in Fort Collins.
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Choice City Butcher & Deli takes breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the next level with its unique quality, friendly service and knowledgeable staff. If you’ve not had the chance to enjoy this real treasured taste of Fort Collins for yourself, you will want to check it out the next time you are in historic Old Town. You won’t regret it.