Dave,
We decided to rent out one of our homes a few years ago. Now that the market is strong and home values are up, we’re ready to sell. The tenant doesn’t want to buy the home, but also doesn’t seem too eager to move out. We’re worried he may make the selling process more difficult than it needs to be. What advice do you have for selling a home with tenants?
– Rob, Orchard Mesa

Rob,
Great question—and one that comes up a lot. Selling a home with a renter in place can absolutely be a challenge, especially if they aren’t thrilled about the idea. The key to a successful sale in this situation is cooperation—and that starts with understanding their position and working with them instead of around them.
First things first: check your lease. That document will guide how you navigate the sales process. If the lease is still active, you’ll need to honor its terms. In that case, the new buyer will inherit the tenant until the leas ...

Dave,
We recently made an offer on a house and the seller sent us a counteroffer that we agreed to, but then we received word that he had changed his mind and was going to sell the home to another buyer. We feel like he made a deal, and he should have stuck to his word and had to sell it to us. We feel we lost out on the perfect home, and we are now struggling to get in the mood to find another home. We have lost our oomph.
Dale & Nicole, Grand Junction
Dale and Nicole,
No doubt you are feeling “wronged” by the sellers’ actions, but it may have well been within his rights to not sell you the house, even after a counteroffer was given. When the seller made you the counteroffer, I assume that it was in writing. A seller has the option to withdraw a counteroffer any time prior to your “accepting” the counteroffer in writing and delivering it to the seller’s agent. If your acceptance was in writing prior to the counteroffer being withdrawn and ...

Dave,
We’ve been watching a couple of homes that have been on the market for a while, and we’d honestly be happy with either. But one of them definitely stands out as our favorite. The only downside is the condition of two neighboring homes—one right next door. They look completely neglected, with junk all over the yard. Last weekend, we drove by and saw two cars parked on the front lawn most of the day. We’re still really interested in the house, but we’re concerned about how this could affect the neighborhood and property value. What would you recommend?
– Donna, Grand Junction

Donna,
Great question—and one that shows you're thinking beyond the house itself, which is incredibly smart. The truth is, surrounding properties absolutely influence a home’s value and long-term appeal. When neighboring homes are poorly maintained, it doesn’t just affect how a street looks—it can also have a measurable impact on property valu ...

Dave,
We have recently married and are hoping to start a family in the next year or two and want to purchase our first home before having children. We currently rent, but feel the time is right to begin looking for our first home.  Getting a good deal is number one on our list of priorities, as it will help ensure that our home purchase will not only turn out to be a great place to live, but also a good investment when we eventually need to sell. What tips can you provide for getting a good deal?
Stephanie and Mark, Fruita

Stephanie and Mark,
Great question as getting a good deal is always at or near the top of many home buyer’S list. First make sure you define your idea of a “good deal”. There is a difference between a “good deal” and a “steal”. Steals are a lot harder to come by and there are many lost good deals in the quest of a getting a steal. I have heard a saying that says, you make your money when ...

Hi Dave,
We have a 10-year-old home that originally came with lower-end engineered wood flooring. It’s scratched, chipped, and slightly warped from water spills. We’re looking to replace it with a good-quality laminate with a hand-scraped wood look—not to save money, but for the durability. Would this lower the value of our home compared to engineered wood or porcelain tile? Our home is in the mid-$400s and has a lot of nice upgrades.
– Jeff

Jeff,
Great question—and I’m glad you’re thinking about how your price point affects renovation decisions. Too many people overlook that when making updates. The concern you have about lowering the perceived value of your home with certain flooring choices is valid, especially in a home that already has higher-end features.
Engineered wood and porcelain tile are generally viewed as upscale materials and can elevate a space—but they also come with higher costs for both materials and installati ...