What goes through a Boulder CO real estate buyers mind?
I have great neighbors. They come for dinner or drinks, they help with car and landscaping issues and are happy to lend an ear, a tool or a kind word at a moments notice. I’m very grateful.
Neighbors are an important consideration when buying and selling. They can not only impact the value of your property, they can impact the value of your life!
No sooner have I listed a Boulder Colorado property than I will get a visit from a neighbor. The conversation is always the same… “Please, promise me you will find someone nice to buy this house”. And I do! Here’s the thing though…I’d be lying if I said I had never looked at the neighboring houses of a property I was showing too buyers and speculated as to which ones might be owner occupied and which ones were rented.
I am guilty of guessing that those homes with well maintained landscaping and a single nice car in the driveway are more likely to be owner occupied. Then guessing that the properties sporting 4 cars in and around the driveway and a certain degree of deferred maintenance, were rental properties. But I also know I’m not alone when I see red plastic cups adorning the porch and think “student rental”!
The definition of “owning” includes those who have a title in their name but who might owe up to 100% of the value of the home. The home-ownership line is a bit gray, isn’t it?The truth is that I was once a tenant. I was gainfully employed, planted flowers in the front yard and only had one “nice” car parked outside! I lived in a neighborhood that was a mix of rentals and owner occupiers. On my block alone, resided students, families and single professionals who rented. We were interspersed with families, professionals and retirees, who owned their homes. We are still this way and I am now an owner.
We live in a university town and a city that is pricey to buy into. Renters have a vital role to play in our economy and landlords fulfill a need too. However, I completely understand it when a Buyer wants to use rental licensing information to help create an overall picture of the area they are considering buying into.
My job as a Realtor is to listen to all the needs a buyer has and seek to get them the information they need to determine if this home/area is a good fit. My job is to get you where you want to go, in a safe and timely manner.
Boulder CO real estate buyers reasons for wanting to know which and how many homes are rentals:
- People feel most comfortable with like-minded people.
- Owners traditionally have maintained and improved homes to a greater extent than tenants.
- It is fair to assume that rental properties are likely to have a faster turn over of residents than owner-occupied properties.
How does one really know which homes are rented and which are owner occupied?
Well, since rental properties in Boulder require a rental license, it is fairly easy to find out.
Go to the City of Boulder’s web page
Scroll down to Rental Housing and click through. Once you have agreed that you read the disclaimer, you will be taken to a map that pinpoints every rental license the City currently has issued.
Yes, I know…. this map cannot possibly show rentals that are unlicensed. (NOTE: If you own an unlicensed rental property, call me, I’ll help you make it right… Times are changing and your chances of getting caught in 2015 have gone up. It’s not worth it.)
And as your Realtor I will always recommend you spend a little time and introduce yourself to your potential new neighbors. There is nothing like a little chit chat to get a feel for the personalities who could be your new best friends. The people who collect your mail and shovel your walk as you vacation in spring, or who call the police when you party too loud or long.
Consider it a part of your due diligence checklist… but also consider it could be FUN to get to know your potential new neighbors!