Members of the military often find themselves moving from one place to another. If you're a service member or are married to a service member, you may have to move many times before retirement. Downsizing before a relocation can make moving easier, less expensive, and can take the stress out of moving. The following tips can make downsizing easier.

Set Goals

Downsizing is a chore, but it's easier to manage if it's done in phases. People who are serious about downsizing can start by setting a goal for downsizing each room of the house. When downsizing each room, follow this pattern:

• Make a "donate," "sell" and "throw away" pile
• Eliminate anything that has not been used in more than one year
• Get rid of anything still in moving boxes

Renting your home after a military move can be a big decision. The following tips can help you through the process of renting your home after a military move. Knowing the laws of the state, working with a professional management company and working with a good real estate professional can make renting a home to someone easier. Here's what you need to know.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Ask Yourself: Are You Prepared to Be a Landlord?

Being a landlord isn't easy, but it can be especially difficult for anyone living far away from the house they're renting. For a military service member who is trying to decide if they're ready to rent a

Pets can be a great joy, but they can also make selling a Northeast Colorado Springs home more difficult. Pets underfoot can deter buyers and may even lead to a lower sale price. If you're a homeowner with a pet, and you're trying to sell your home soon, these tips can help make the selling experience a better one overall.

Keep Pets Out During Showings

Pets can be frightening for buyers who are not comfortable around animals. They can also be problematic for home buyers who have pet allergies. Some home buyers may be reluctant to come inside a home with animals inside, so when homeowners leave their pets at home during showings, this can make their home harder to sell.

Homeowners who want to make their home as inviting and welcoming as

Buyers are constantly on the lookout for red flags to make sure they aren’t buying a home that could turn into a bad investment. However, advice for homeowners is sparse when it comes to pointing out red flags when considering buyers. Not all buyers are the same, and some may slow down the process or try to back out of a deal at a moment’s notice. This is why homeowners need to be familiar with the warning signs. Here are some of the red flags all sellers should know when considering an offer on their East Colorado Springs home.

The Offer Has a Lot of Contingencies

When a buyer makes an offer, it will likely contain three contingencies: the financing contingency, the appraisal contingency, and the inspection contingency. However, contingencies

Many Security-Widefield homeowners have to pay capital gains tax on their home when they sell their property. Capital gains taxes can reduce a homeowner's profits. It's a little-known fact that many service members don't have to pay capital gains taxes. If you're a service member, you should be aware of this benefit, especially if you're planning to sell your home soon. Here's what you need to know.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with an attorney, tax, or financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What Are Capital Gains Taxes?

Capital gains taxes are taxes applied to the sale of an asset. Generally speaking, the amount that is taxed is usually the difference between the purchase price and sale price

Buying a home is often something that active service members try to avoid. With a potential PCS looming over their heads every two to four years, the idea of purchasing a home, and subsequently, selling a home can seem daunting.

However, there are many things that military sellers can do to make selling a home after a PCS easier and worry-free. The Colorado Springs real estate market is especially lucrative for sellers since the market is in desperate need of some new inventory.

Here are a few other tips for making a seamless PCS transition and selling your home:

Talk to Your VA Home Loan Center

Your local VA Home Loan Center can help if you are looking to make a quick sell of your home. Offerings such as the HAP Military Short Sale

The holidays are a challenging time to be trying to sell a home. Amidst the trips to the shopping mall and the seemingly endless holiday parties, you also have to factor in home showings and open houses, too. Admittedly, it might not be the easiest time to sell a home, but it can still be very fruitful. Here are some big reasons why listing at this time of the year can be very rewarding.

Target Motivated Buyers

Firstly, the homebuyers in the market right now are typically quite focused and eager to buy. They're not backing down, regardless of the festivities. They want to find a home, and they're ready to make a move. These types of buyers are often looking to meet the year's end deadline for some type of tax break. Many are attempting to get

Fall is a wonderful time to sell a home, even though it is not typically thought of as the optimal time for selling. While spring and summer are excellent and often highly profitable seasons for homeowners considering selling, selling your home in the warmer months is far from essential.

As we head into fall, your sale can benefit from the urgency of families relocating closer to preferred schools, the reduction of competition with other sellers, the festive atmosphere, the appeal of winter in Colorado Springs, and much more. However, since this time of year often sees a slower real estate market than spring and summer, you'll want to take several additional steps to ensure you can sell your home quickly and efficiently at a great price.

In

Prevailing wisdom says that the winter months are not a good time to sell a home. But why?

Well, for a start, the weather makes it hard for buyers to get out and view properties. Homes also don't look their absolute best, and most people don't look forward to packing, moving, and unpacking their stuff in the midst of all the snow and ice.

And we're no exception here in Colorado Springs. Though this city is, in many ways, a winter paradise, our potential snow season is long and snowy, especially in March, right before the spring thaw. Yes, it's great here for skiing and relaxing in front of the fire, but not so much for major life changes. As a result, fewer people look to sell in winter, so the holiday season has gotten an understandably bad

Selling your home requires more than simply sticking a "For Sale" on the front curb and hoping for the best. With a little bit of work and some affordable enhancements, you could be saving yourself loads of time and money in the long run. The last thing any seller wants is for their home to linger in the market for too long and become stale, so here are a few easy ways to get your home in great shape and ready to please prospective buyers.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Don't Underestimate The Power of Curb Appeal

Before a buyer sets foot in your door, they have to pass through the front yard first. As with many things in life, making