Fort Carson » Off Post Housing

Springs listed among best housing markets for 2012

Ken Asher — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:33:39 +0000

The Colorado Springs housing market, like many other communities around the country, has taken its lumps in recent years: falling home prices, rising numbers of foreclosures and a construction slowdown.

But the city’s housing market will stage a turnaround in 2012 and become one of the nation’s best, according to a national forecast by Builder Magazine.

The Springs ranks No. 7 on Builder’s Top 20 list of healthiest markets the magazine is projecting for next year. Builder publishes its Top 20 list twice a year — once for the current year and another that looks ahead — in conjunction with parent company Hanley Wood, a real estate media and information services firm. Their projections use Moody’s Economy.com data, which focus on jobs, price appreciation, population growth and other factors that drive housing.

The Department of Defense’s major presence in the Colorado Springs area — which includes Fort Carson, Peterson Air Force Base and Schriever Air Force Base — will serve as a catalyst for the local housing market, Builder suggests.

“There’s light at the end of the housing market tunnel in Colorado Springs,” according to Builder. “The three biggest employers here, by far, are military bases, and the fourth biggest is the Air Force Academy. The return of troops from Afghanistan may further stimulate the housing market.”

Builder says Moody’s expects Springs-area home prices to climb 2.6 percent next year, while job growth will increase 1.4 percent, numbers of households will rise 1.8 percent and median incomes will jump 2.9 percent.

Those pluses come on the heels of a mixed-year for Springs housing, Builder says; in July, the magazine notes, year-over-year homes sales were up, the inventory of homes for sale was down and the local foreclosure picture had improved. However, prices have been down this year.

Builder’s outlook, which includes the new home and resale markets in the Springs, differs markedly from one presented earlier this month by the Southern Colorado Economic Forum. The forum’s forecast for 2012 suggests the Colorado Springs economy will fall back into a recession with the rest of the nation — citing, in part, a weak housing market that hasn’t recovered.

Still, being put in the national spotlight by Builder can only help the market, some local industry officials say.

John Cassiani, the incoming board president for the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs, said he sees the No. 7 ranking as a recognition of some positive factors: troops are on their way back to Fort Carson, the city maintains a strong defense and aerospace industry and the Springs never saw the volatile housing price swings that Phoenix, Las Vegas and other cities experienced in recent years.

Other positives for the new home and resale markets include rock-bottom mortgage rates and low prices. Some builders continue to offer incentives, such as free landscaping and finished basements, Cassiani said.

But Cassiani acknowledged local single-family home construction next year probably will only match the pace of this year, and won’t increase until 2013. The area still has to work its way through a backlog of distressed properties — foreclosures and short sales — that pose competition for homebuilders, he said.

Construction of apartments, however, should continue to increase next year; apartment vacancy rates have plunged to nine-year lows in recent quarters, and several multi-family construction projects are either under way or planned.

Of other Colorado communities included in Builder’s healthiest housing market outlook, Fort Collins-Loveland ranked No. 2 in the nation, while Denver was No. 10 and Greeley came in at No. 20.

Minneapolis-St. Paul was No. 1 in the magazine’s forecast for 2012.

By Rich Laden
THE GAZETTE

New home near Fort Carson

Ken Asher — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:14:15 +0000

If you find yourself with PCS orders to Fort Carson or your already stationed at Fort Carson you may have considered buying a home with interest rates being so low under 4% as of this writing.

If you hurry, I can get you into this new home without any money out of your pocket. Take advantage of historically low interest rates. Rates like this won’t stay this low forever.

This home is a 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath 2 story with basement and 2 car garage. 2,002 total square feet. It has a huge lot and is fully landscaped with sprinkler system and fenced backyard. Move in ready.

3 Bedrooms 2 1/2 Baths 2 Car Garage

Kitchen Opens to Family Room

5 Piece Master Bath

Huge lot plenty of space for the kids to play. Fenced backyard

This is an awesome home for the price. It is being offered at $188,578

If you like you can search other homes in the area by clicking Homes For Sale near Fort Carson

Need more information feel free to contact Ken Asher (719) 930-7817

Fort Carson Soldiers Take Advantage of Distressed Housing Market

Ken Asher — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 11:00:58 +0000

A lot of military people at Fort Carson and soldiers pcsing to the Mountain Post have been taking advantage of the distressed housing market in the area. With all the foreclosures and bank owned homes on the market and interest rates at all time historical lows, currently around 4.57% it has become an affordable option to own a home for a lot of military people that normally would not not consider owning a home.

If your pcsing to the area or your already stationed at Fort Carson and you have thought about taking advantage of the local housing market then feel free to contact Ken Asher (719) 930-7817 to answer any question you may have. If your a first time home buyer there are programs to to help you get into a home without any money out of your pocket.

Click to Search foreclosures and bank owned homes

Apartment vacancy rate edges up in quarter, but still down from last year

Ken Asher — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:08:36 +0000

Local apartments continued to be fairly well occupied in the third quarter, a report shows.

The vacancy rate for Colorado Springs-area apartments stood at 6.6 percent in the third quarter — up slightly from 6.2 percent at midyear, according to Apartment Insights, an online research company that surveys complexes of 50 units or more.

The latest vacancy rate was down sharply from 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2009 and 9.2 percent in the same quarter of 2008.

Additional troops who have come to Fort Carson, increased demand by homeowners who have lost their houses to foreclosure and tighter borrowing requirements that have thwarted some potential homebuyers have translated into a steady demand for apartments, industry experts have said.

Demand was strongest for rental units in apartment complexes and buildings constructed after 1980, said Doug Carter, an Apartment Insights partner and a broker with the Springs office of national real estate firm Sperry Van Ness.

But the report also shows the vacancy rate for older apartments slipped to 7.6 percent, down from 10 percent in late 2008 — indicating the weak economy is prompting many renters to seek cheaper rental units.

Rents averaged $707 a month in the third quarter, up from $699 in the second quarter and $695 in the third quarter of 2009, according to Apartment Insights.

RICH LADEN

THE GAZETTE

PCSing to Fort Carson

Ken Asher — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:27:17 +0000

PCSing to Fort Carson and need to find a place to live. You may want to consider buying a home. Interest rates are at historic all time lows. Right now now you can get a VA loan with an interest rate at 4.25 %. You can get a 5 year VA ARM at 3.25%. Buying a home near Fort Fort Carson is a very affordable option. We can get you into a home without any money out of your pocket.

Search homes near Fort Carson

Feel free to call or contact Ken Asher (719) 930-7817 if you have any questions.

Cross Creek

Ken Asher — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:44:54 +0000

Cross Creek

Cross Creek is a popular newer neighborhood located in Fountain, Colorado. A majority of the homes were built in in the early to mid 2000s. Cross Creek is in School District 8. Schools are Eagleside Elementary, Junior and High Schools are Fountain Middle School and Fountain-Fort Carson High School. Cross Creek is south of Mesa Ridge Parkway off Fountain Mesa Road and just minutes away from I-25 and Gate 20 at Fort Carson. The neighborhood has a community park and conveniently located near the Powers Corridor, you can be at any of the area’s many restaurants, entertainment and shopping within minutes.

As of this writing there are currently 25 homes for sale in Cross Creek. The average price is $218,467. The average total square footage is 2,226 sf.

See Single Family Homes For Sale in Cross Cross

For Soldiers PCSing to Fort Carson

Ken Asher — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:00:53 +0000

Good news for soldiers! If you find yourself with PCS orders to Fort Carson, let me help you find a home near Fort Carson that you can afford without any money out of your pocket. I would like to tell you about the benefits for using your VA home loan to buy a home.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us or just give Ken Asher a call.

(719) 930-7817

Homes near Fort Carson

Short Sales near Fort Carson

Ken Asher — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:22:25 +0000

With the all the soldiers coming to Fort Carson housing will be a big concern for many. If your PCSing to Fort Carson and going to be looking for a home near Fort Carson you will come across many homes in the Fountain and Colorado Springs area that are short sales. A short sale is a home about to go into foreclosure but the lender has agreed to accept less than what’s owed on the home. Short sales can be a great deals but let me caution you I’ve seen them take anywhere from a month to 5 1/2 months to close and only 60% close. If you need a home now a short sale may not be the best way to go but if you can wait it out and know there’s a chance you may not get the home then go for it. One other thing with the influx of soldiers homes priced in the $100,000 to $200,000 will be brisk. If you find a home you like don’t wait as it may not be there when you finally decide to make an offer.

I’ve posted some useful links here to help you begin your home search.

Homes For Sale in Fountain Colorado near Fort Carson

I’m a Realtor with Keller Williams Partners Realty. I’m retired Army and have lived in the area since 1993. Let me help you find a home you can afford.

Feel free to call me Ken Asher (719) 930-7817

Townhomes less than $800.00

Ken Asher — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:14:36 +0000

On the Colorado Springs Real Estate front if you thought about getting into a townhome we can get you into a nice home for less than $800.00 a month and possibly even much less.

Also for first time home buyers you can get an $8000.00 tax credit on your 2010 taxes. What this means to you is if you owe the IRS $1000.00 you going to get back $7000.00 on your 2010 tax returns If you haven’t owned a home for the past three years you can qualify. This is free money you don’t have to pay back.

For more information you can give me a call Ken Asher (719) 930-7817 or just complete the contact form.

Apartment vacancies will dry up, some say

Ken Asher — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:28:04 +0000

February 11, 2008

Renters had an easier time finding apartments late last year.

But those days are about to end, some experts say. Renters will see the supply of available apartments shrink significantly this year, they say. As that happens, free rent and other discounts offered by landlords will disappear and rents will rise, the experts say.

The vacancy rate for Colorado Springs-area apartments climbed to 10.8 percent during the fourth quarter of 2007, 2.2 percentage points higher than the third quarter, according to a study by University of Denver business professor Gordon Von Stroh. His quarterly reports are conducted for the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado, the Colorado Division of Housing and several other sponsors.

Apartment vacancies typically inch up late in the year, when students, for example, go off to school, Von Stroh said.

Another possible reason for the fourth-quarter increase: Von Stroh’s survey might have been conducted at a time after several thousand Fort Carson soldiers were deployed to Iraq, yet other troops hadn’t returned, said Ken Greene of Apartment Realty Advisors in Denver, one of the report’s sponsors.

Still, as if to signal the market is poised to tighten up, the 10.8 percent vacancy rate was the lowest for any fourth quarter since 2001, according to Von Stroh’s research.

And because no apartment complexes are under construction and because thousands of additional Fort Carson troops are expected to begin arriving this year, Greene predicts the local apartment vacancy rate will fall to about 7 percent by the third quarter of 2008.

That’s when rents will rise and apartment incentives “will be gone all together,” Greene said.

Not everybody believes vacancy rates will drop as far and as fast, however.

State Housing Division Director Kathi Williams said the future of vacancy rates and rents will depend on the economy. If a local slowdown in home building continues, for example, the Springs might lose construction and retail workers who occupy apartments, which will forestall a quick drop in vacancies, she said.

But Greene said he took into account the slowdown in local job growth when making his forecast. Countering the loss of construction and retail workers, he added, might be the possibility that homeowners who have lost houses to foreclosure will rent apartments.

While 10.8 percent of apartments were vacant citywide in the fourth quarter, the rate was nearly 25 percent near Fort Carson in the unincorporated Security-Widefield areas and in the city of Fountain, according to Von Stroh’s report. The vacancy rate was as low as 7.3 percent in the Springs’ far northeast side.

Citywide, monthly rents averaged $703.82 in the fourth quarter, about the same as the third quarter and roughly $12 higher than the fourth quarter of 2006.

By Rich Laden The Gazette