Homes For Sale in the Montclair Denver Neighborhood

For anyone who has lived next to a neighbor who refused to pull their 4 foot tall weeds or bring their barking dog in at night, having a neighborhood advocate to deal with the problem probably sounded like an amazing deal. Select neighborhoods in Denver like Mayfair and Montclair will have HOA’s to research and understand - mainly for the process of keeping in line with the neighborhood’s aesthetic and history above all else. HOA’s do have their advantages but if you are considering moving into a HOA community, it’s definitely a subject you should ask a few questions about. An HOA is not only a lawn police force, they often have power to force eviction or foreclosure on a home for non-payment of fees and fines or repeated non-compliance with rules. Your real estate agent should be able to give you some insight as to who to contact to ask questions about your potential home’s HOA. If you can find someone to talk to who lives in the community but is not on the HOA committee, you may gain more valuable insight into what the HOA actually does from an inside perspective.

Some Questions you Might Ask:

What are the outside appearance requirements?  

Some HOA’s simply require that lawns are maintained, and paint is kept looking fresh - however, some actually require written permission to paint or make any landscape changes. HOA’s are actually responsible for touching up paint and outdoor fixtures in some communities. If you like coming home to a row of manicured lawns in front of uniform looking houses this may be a great benefit for you. If you are someone who likes to paint their garage door green if they feel like it, or experiment with ornamental grasses and different plants and shrubs, you may run into issues.

Are there parking restrictions?  

The fact that the across the street neighbor won’t have the muscle car they’ve been restoring since 1985 parked in front of your house is great, but parking restrictions may be further reaching than that. It’s important to ask how many vehicles you are allowed to have if you’re a large family with many drivers.  Some communities don’t allow recreational vehicle parking not only on the street, but in driveways either.  If you like to keep your boat or trailer handy for a spontaneous mountain excursion, this could present a problem. There may also be a no-work-vehicle clause involved in the rules, which would restrict certain vehicles from even being on your property. These are all important things to ask prior to moving in to be sure the rules won’t interfere with your normal day to day life or plans for the future.

What are the procedures for dispute management?  

This is important to find out both for disputes between neighbors as well as disputes between the HOA and homeowners. An HOA running with impunity and without oversight almost always spells trouble.

What are the fees and what do they include?

Snow removal, street cleaning, fall leaf removal, painting, and sidewalk maintenance are things the HOA might oversee. Fees might also include amenities such as, swimming pool access, gym membership, or special discounts for home services. It’s also important to ask to see a history of fee increases. If fees regularly jump up by large percentages, it might become something that becomes unaffordable at some point and non-payment of fees is something that could cost you your home, even if you are current on your mortgage.

There are many benefits but many potential burdens to HOA living. Asking pertinent questions before buying will prevent any unwanted surprises in the long run. CHeck in with your real estate experts at Elevation Realty to understand the rules and regulations in the neighborhood you are looking into - trust the advice and the experience of the locals! Get started today with a call or contact us now for more information. Learn more helpful tips and advice like How to Avoid the Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make.

It’s hard to imagine that Montclair was once considered one of the original suburbs of Denver. But as the city of Denver and its surrounding communities expanded outward over time, the historic district of Montclair now feels like an urban neighborhood, just minutes from the center of the action in downtown and the shopping and dining in nearby Cherry Creek and Stapleton. With its proximity to all that the city has to offer, along with its own local businesses and restaurants, Montclair attracts new residents while retaining its existing ones.
If you’ve been following Montclair’s market trends and are considering purchasing or selling real estate, here’s a chance to know the neighborhood a little better. The following data for Montclair Neighborhood Denver, CO was compiled over several years, from 2000-2013, and is meant to give a general picture of the area:

• Geography and demographics – Montclair occupies a total area of 0.748 square miles, with a total population nearing 4,500. It’s bordered by East Colfax Avenue to the north, Quebec Street to the east, East 6^th Avenue to the south, and Colorado Boulevard to the west. Montclair has a higher population density than Denver with 6,000 people per square mile to Denver’s 4,235. The average age of the residents hovers around 33.5 for males and 35.5 for females, with slightly more female residents in Montclair than males.
• Household data – The average household size in Montclair is 2.5 people with 38 percent of residents belonging to family households. Montclair’s average household income in 2013 was $79,092, higher than Denver’s average household income of $51,089 in 2013. Over half of Montclair’s residents were born in another U.S. state, with Colorado-born residents making up around 38 percent of Montclair’s population.
• Housing prices – Most detached houses in Montclair were built between the years of 1940 and 1949. In 2013, the average estimated price of a detached house in Montclair was $505,881, compared to Denver’s average detached house price of $347,251. For the same year, the average estimated price for townhomes or other detached houses in Montclair was $190,245, compared to Denver’s average detached home or townhouse price of $303,633. And Montclair’s median rent in 2013 was $957, compared to Denver’s median rent of $831 for the same year. (See current market trends in Montclair).
• Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied – Just over 77 percent of the units in Montclair have a mortgage. The majority of owner-occupied houses or condos in Montclair are detached with 9 rooms or more and with bedrooms numbering between 2 to 3, while the majority of renter-occupied apartments are attached with an average of 3 rooms and with bedrooms numbering between 1 to 2. Owner-occupied homes or condos have 1.8 cars or vehicles while renter-occupied apartments have 1.1 cars or vehicles.

Because Montclair is an historic community, you can find a variety of styles of architecture here, including Victorian and Queen Anne. And it’s also a family-friendly neighborhood with several parks and schools.

For more information or for guidance on buying or selling a home in Montclair, contact the local real estate experts at Elevation Realty.

With the market hot throughout Denver and the surrounding areas, the competition for buyers continues to climb – sellers, on the other hand, should be mindful that although the opportunities are plentiful for selling, some important, albeit small elements could make or break the sale. Don’t let anything get in the way of getting the best price possible for your home. Check out our three tips for prepping your home for sale in the Montclair neighborhood in Denver and the others in the vicinity:

1. Remember the minor details: Don’t assume that just because minor elements like scratched floorboards, chipped paint, or a bit of dust in the corner of the ceiling won’t be noticed. Be sure to really inspect the space and find all of those very minor, but potentially impression forming aspects and take care of them. You want your home to feel fresh, open, and inviting – make sure you check things like light bulbs and keep cleaning supplies hidden. While you want the space to feel homey, it shouldn’t feel overly busy or cluttered. In addition to the inside of the house, consider your landscaping as well. While it can be difficult in the winter months to have anything remotely like a lush garden, just be sure you have taken the time to prune any plants to look their best and rake the leaves in the yard. These small and simple tasks can help make your home appear polished and presentable.
2. Don’t Allow the Potential for Surprise: Even if you think your appliances, HVAC, plumbing, and electric setup might seem to be in great shape, be sure to have a thorough inspection performed to find out if there is anything you can improve upon. Simple updates could be beneficial in enhancing your home’s energy efficiency and conservation, which could be an extremely cost effective way of boosting your home’s value. In addition, elements like that will be a great selling point for home buyers, as it will affect their cost on a great way as well. If you do run into any issues that could be a problem, it is best to know about it immediately to either solve the problem or be transparent with your buyers. It pays to be extremely upfront with parts of your home that are anything but perfect – because it feels like a new home to your buyers, they won’t always expect that things aren’t new or in new condition.
3. Go with the Season: While the most popular time of the year for home buyers is obviously when the weather is optimal, people will search for homes all year round. Those moving to Denver from somewhere hot and humid might wait until later in the year to move to avoid the extreme temperatures. With the seasons being so colorful and picturesque in Denver. Pay attention to the season in which you are selling. In the fall, play up all of those things that people love – notes of cinnamon in the air, cozying up to a fire, or even simply just bringing out those colors that come with the changing and falling of the leaves. In the winter months, keep your walkway shoveled, and keep throw blankets in the area to make the space exude warmth.

Preparing to sell your home can be overwhelming, with a laundry list of things to do and so much to be top of – it is critical to have an agent by your side who truly has your best interest in mind. Don’t leave anything to chance and choose to work with someone who has the experience you need to have success selling your home in Montclair. Let Elevation Realty be your guide in managing those tasks – call us today or learn more about the latest market trends in your area.