Our team at Corken + Company wants to make sure our clients are prepared for a successful home buying experience. Getting a mortgage pre-approval before you make an offer on a house is a smart idea.Why? It can help you get a handle on how much house you can afford. Pre-approval can also help you stand out from other buyers in a competitive market. In short, it ups the odds that your home-buying journey will be smooth and successful.   What does mortgage pre-approval mean? Mortgage pre-approval is a commitment from a lender to provide you with home financing up …

Raising kids is one of the toughest and most fulfilling jobs in the world — and the one for which you might feel the least prepared. Our team has some helpful parenting tips that can help you feel more fulfilled as a parent.  Boosting Your Child’s Self-Esteem: Kids start developing their sense of self as babies when they see themselves through their parents’ eyes. Your tone of voice, your body language, and your every expression are absorbed by your kids. Your words and actions in your parenting affect their developing self-esteem more than anything else. Praising accomplishments, however small, will …

Our team at Corken + Company values family, and we wanted to give a few tips for lightening the parenting load. Lisa Canning’s life took a turn when she had the opportunity to be a designer for an HGTV show. She launched a successful interior design business, and her career flourished. But inside, she was struggling.“I was so exhausted working around the clock, so exhausted of the guilt that came from never seeing my young children, but I was so entrenched in a way of thinking and acting it was really difficult to think of other ways to operate,” she writes.Now …

With a limited number of homes for sale today and so many buyers ready to act, you will most likely find yourself in a bidding war at some point.In this type of competitive housing market, it’s important to know what tactics you can try to help you beat the competition. While a real estate professional is your ultimate guide to presenting a strong offer, here are a few things you could consider.   Offering over Asking Price: When you think of sweetening the deal for sellers, the first thought you likely have is around the price of the home. In …

As we move further into Spring and closer to Summer, sellers continue to be eager to get their homes onto the market. The rise in prices continues as well. Per tradition, the market is heating up just like the temperatures. This bodes well for buyers who are looking to step into the market this summer. The one thing to consider for all parties in the market is interest rates, the largest factor at this point impacting supply and demand. Our team has the May 2022 market update.   Inventory Inventory is on the rise this month, showing promise for buyers. …

It’s finally here! You’re almost done with your home sale. You’ve accepted the buyer’s offer, the negotiations are finally winding down, and there is only one more little box to check: the closing process.OK, maybe it’s not so little. Maybe you’re a little bit worried something will still go wrong when closing on a house. That’s why Corken + Company is here to help get you through closing without any hiccups!   Get Repairs Done: First things first: Get those repairs done before closing. We understand – the last thing you want to do now is work on a home …

Whether you’re following real estate news or not, you’ve probably heard about the current sellers’ market. There’s a lot of talk about how strong market conditions are for people who want to sell. If you’re thinking about listing your house, you probably want to know: what does being in a sellers’ market mean?   What Is a Sellers’ Market? The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows housing supply is still low. There’s a 2-month supply of homes at the current sales pace. Historically, a 6-month supply is necessary for a normal or neutral …

With the right furniture and accessories, even the smallest patio can become a private escape. Corken + Company is here to help you make your patio a retreat this summer! Try these patio decor ideas to transform your underused backyard into a secluded oasis for lounging and entertaining.   Hang Curtains: Hanging curtains is an inexpensive and easy way to create a temporary wall — perfect for renters and anyone else whose neighbors are a bit too close for comfort. Flowing, gauzy fabric softens this patio while adding privacy.   Make a Statement With Lighting: Good lighting will not only help …

In 2021, the continuance of the pandemic kept us outdoors in our yards and gardens. We’ve discovered that nature can help us through dark times, so we’ve hung bird feeders, planted gardens, and learned to love patio life. More than half of us are spending an extra two hours a day outside compared to pre-pandemic, according to a National Gardening Association survey, and we’re in no hurry to go back inside in 2022. Instead, we’re more motivated than ever to get creative with our yards, porches, and patios, giving some of the best gardening trends to get inspiration.There are so …

Colorado Summers are incredible! Here are a few Colorado food and drink festivals happening this summer that you do not want to miss out on. Our team at Corken + Company hopes you and your family enjoy a beautiful start to the summer break.   Manitou Springs Wine Festival | June 4 Held each year in Manitou Springs, this one-day event is the perfect way to kick off the start of summer. Taste a variety of wines and meads from nearly 30 Colorado purveyors like Meadery of the Rockies and Two Rivers Winery. Do it all while listening to live …