Brooke Hengst's Blog

Anybody else as excited about their business in 2012 as I am?!?!?  I SURE HOPE SO!! 

Top 5 Reasons I am EXCITED ABOUT REAL ESTATE IN 2012!

- RATES ARE STILL LOW!
For all those buyers that have "thinking" about buying and weren't sure - LOOK AT THE RATES!  If you can buy - BUY SOMETHING! 

- SPOTLIGHT IS ON LISTINGS
In the Denver Metro area, our inventory is at an ALL TIME LOW!  If you are an appealing listing and are priced right - YOU WILL SELL!  We need more listings out there so I buyers have more of a selection, so what are you waiting for, call me to LIST so you can get into YOUR NEXT HOME!

- INVESTOR OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL THERE
There are still some great opportunities out there to buy a home, rent it out and have CASH FLOW every month!  I have also have clients do fix-n-flips and those deals are still there too!  There are thousands of people out there looking for rentals. 

- I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE!
This is my favorite part of my job!!  Helping people achieve their goals in real estate is AWESOME!  Whether they are buying, selling or investing - I help them get the job done in a low-stress fashion! 

- I LOVE MY JOB!
EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF IT!  I am super excited for every year and tend to get more and more excited as they fly by! 


Brooke Hengst
REALTOR, CDPE, The Elite Group
Your Castle Real Estate
p: (720) 988-5952
bhengst1@gmail.com
www.brookehengst.com

My goal for December is to re-connect with EVERY SINGLE PERSON in my database!!!!  Whether this is someone I am close to or something who just came to me via a simple question over the phone, there is so much value in re-connecting!! 

I feel so incredibly grateful for all of my contacts, personal friends, professional connections, clients and all of those who cross my path in life and why not take some time to tell them this. 

As a Realtor, I feel like we sometimes feel that we do not have value in what we do.  My thought is that even if I am not working with someone to help them sell or purchase a home, I still have value in educating people about our current market statistics as well as offering people information about their home and local market. 

Anybody else with me in making this goal??!? 

Best of luck to you all in 2012!!

I have a couple sellers who want to wait until the spring and I had this very conversation with them about why NOW might just be a really good time to list their homes. 

1.  INVENTORY IS LOW RIGHT NOW!
Buyer definitely do not have the options that they are use to.  In the Denver Metro area, our inventory is down around 28% over last year's inventory numbers.  Why not give buyers another option with YOUR HOME!

2.  RATES ARE STILL LOW!
Do I even need to explain the benefit here?!?  We've been talking about this all year! 

3.  BUYERS ARE SERIOUS!
The buyers that are out right now are serious shoppers!  They aren't just looking at inventory to get a feel for the market.  We aren't trampling through the snow and cold to be "looky loos!".  Buyers that are looking at homes are making offers and closing!  Why not let them make an offer on YOUR HOME?!? 

4.  YOU GET TO WORK WITH ME!
That is a benefit anytime but I just thought I would throw this out there now too!  I work hard for my clients and am honest with them about their options.  If you have a home that you are considering selling, let me pull comps, run numbers and let you know what your options are and if you are in a good position to sell. 

Thanks,
Brooke Hengst
REALTOR, CDPE, The Elite Team
Your Castle Real Estate
(720) 988-5952
bhengst1@gmail.com
www.brookehengst.com

I have had the great pleasure of helping some of my clients when they were not quite ready to buy a house and it makes the opportunity to buy when they ARE ready all that much  more rewarding! 

Case #1
Meet Joe!!  Joe was in nasty divorce that took his financial situation to a place he least expected and when I met him, he was in no position to be able to purchase a home.  I got Joe in touch with a mortgage broker to help coach him through credit repair and saving money for a down payment.  We chatted every couple of months just to say hi and sure enough 11 months later, JOE WAS READY TO BUY!!  We shopped for a home and got him closed this summer.  This single dad now has a home to raise his kiddos in and start to re-build his life again! 

Case #2
Meet Lorraine and Steve!  They were relocating here from another state and just need someone on the ground to help with a rental.  We worked really hard to find a good home for them to rent so that when they got to Colorado they could learn more about the area to make a more educated decision on a neighborhood to buy in.  After negotiating an 8 month lease, they were then able to purchase a home that next summer!!! 

So just because someone can't buy now - stick with it and help them get to where they can buy something!!! 

I LOVE MY CLIENTS!!!

Brooke Hengst
REALTOR, CDPE, The Elite Group
Your Castle Real Estate
(720) 988-5952
bhengst1@gmail.com
www.brookehengst.com

$100 Down HUD Home Program is BACK!!!!

What took so long to get this program back!?!? 

I've seen HUD properties going under contract FAST now that this program is back. 

For more information, please contact me at bhengst1@gmail.com or (720) 988-5952. 

There are currently 146 HUD properties in the Denver Metro area that are able to be purchased with just $100 down.  Credit and prequalification process are still needed. 

Thanks,
Brooke Hengst
REALTOR, CDPE, The Elite Group
Your Castle Real Estate
(720) 988-5952
bhengst1@gmail.com  
www.brookehengst.com

MOTIVATED CLIENTS ROCK MY WORLD!!! 

I just received a lead from a gal (here on Trulia) who was interested in a home and wanted to pursue purchasing her own home. 

After emailing back and forth several times and getting a better idea of what she was looking for, we set up a consultation appointment and because we had done so much talking back and forth before, we were able to go out and look at houses that day as well. 

We saw some great houses, as well as some not so great ones!  By the end of our time together we had two houses that really rose to the top of our list. 

We decided to "sleep on it" and resume on Friday with looking at those two again as well as any others that came on the market. 

Upon looking at the homes again that Friday afternoon, we were able to know in our hearts that we found THE HOUSE!  Coincidentally, it was the VERY FIRST house we had seen earlier that week. 

We wrote an offer on this property that night and got it under contract the very next day. 

The reason I write this is because these experiences are what it is all about for me.  I was thrilled with this process and so were my buyers. This is the way I help people best.  When people know exactly what they want - I CAN FIND IT!!!!!! 

We will get this client into her home by the end of the month and we couldn't be happier!! 

CALL ME TODAY SO I CAN FIND YOUR HOME!!

Brooke Hengst
REALTOR, CDPE, The Elite Group
Your Castle Real Estate
(720) 988-5952
bhengst1@gmail.com
www.brookehengst.com

So in the real estate world, we all know that in the land of SHORT SALES, we have to be VERY PATIENT!!!!  Patience is truly a virtue with short sales and they really take their toll on EVERYONE involved.

Lets act out the part - - -

You've got the SELLER who is patiently waiting out this process to prevent foreclosure.  They are being asked to submit ungodly amounts of paperwork on a reguarly basis to prove they are unable to pay their mortage.  They are dealing with showings as well as the stress of the situation. 

Next we have the BUYER who is super excited about their new house however has to sit back and patiently wait out the process.  They have looked at TONS of houses and finally found the one they want and are forced to play the "guess when" game as far as they they will eventually have to pack up their belongings and move into the new home.  While they are super excited about the new house, it is tough to stay engaged in the new home due to frustration.

Next you have the BUYER'S REALTOR who is eagerly trying to keep their buyers updated and engaged in the house and keeping the faith alive - someone has to right?!?!?! 

Lastly the you the SELLER'S REALTOR who hopefully has hired a short sale negotatior to lessed their own brain damage!!  This person is really facilitating the transaction, trying to keep it all going and eventually get it to the closing table. 

Between all four parties, it is very rare for this foursome to stay intact from start to finish.  Buyer's come and go - can't be patient enough to wait, agents come and go as well. 

But the exciting part of this is that when you have experienced this process start to finish you have one relieved SELLER, and estatic BUYER and agents that have worked their butts off for their clients!!!!  All in all, what a great service to our clients.  :-)