Everybody is talking about high interest rates but nobody is really talking about home affordability in Northern Colorado. In my experience in talking with hopeful home buyers is that consumers don’t care about the rate, they are willing to pay 10% on their car loan and 21% on their credit card; they only care if they can afford the monthly payment. Unfortunately, in Northern Colorado the minimum price of a single family home is $400,000 and the interest rate might be above 7.5% resulting in monthly home mortgage, tax and insurance payment of $3,000.

In the November 2023 meeting, the Fed left interest rates alone. It appears that the federal reserve has raised rates high enough to final slow down inflation but mortgage interest rates are averaging 7.5% up to 8%. (I’m not a mortgage loan officer and I’m not quoting any rates, I’m just trying to talk about general averages that I’ve been seeing.)

We’ve all seen car salesmen advertising the monthly payment and not the actual price of the car. I’ve always thought this was strange but it’s because consumers only care if they can afford the monthly payment. In housing, the rising cost of homes in 2020 and 2021 didn’t matter because the rates were so low that people could afford to stomach the monthly mortgage payment.

Now that the rates are high and the home prices aren’t coming down, where does that leave 1st-time home buyers? Well, I can tell you, it’s tough out there.

Real Estate Agents have been saying “Date the Rate & Marry the House”, meaning you should pick a house that works well for you and you can always refinance when interest rates go back down. This philosphy only works if those rates do go back down, it’s never a good idea to buy more house than you can afford.

Recently mortgage loan officers and realtors have been pushing a 2-1 buydown or even a 3-2-1 buydown. Basically, in a 2-1 buydown, you buy down the rate up front so you can take 2% off the rate for the first year and 1% off the rate the second year. The idea is that it makes the payment for affordable to get you into the house and then you can refinance later. But nobody is asking what happens if the rates don’t go back down. This feels like 2009 when people got into ARM loans that suddenly had payments that they couldn’t afford.

So, what happens to home affordability in Northern Colorado? Interest rates are a national problem and demand to own homes in Northern Colorado remains high. I can tell you that with high demand, home prices are not going to crash.

Don’t wait for prices to come down because that is extremely unlikely to happen. Instead, focus on paying down any other debt you have, build up a savings and improve your credit score so you’ll be able to get the best rates possible when it is time for you to buy.

Do you have questions about the Northern Colorado Real Estate Market? Reach out to me and we can talk about it.

Windsor Colorado offers some great outdoor recreational opportunities but one of the best things about living in Windsor Colorado is the great public bike trail system. If you are looking for things to do in Windsor, take this tour of the Windsor Bike trails. In the below video, I’ll show you what it looks like to bike from River Bluff Open Space to Water Valley on the Poudre River Trail. 

Whether you are moving to Windsor or currently living in Windsor Colorado, you probably want to explore all of the bike trails and bike paths. The Poudre River Trail runs all the way from Northwest of Fort Collins to East Greeley (with only a couple of sections not quiet finished). This makes a great regional trail for those looking for a longer bike ride.

I will follow up with video of the rest of the trail. You can also view a recent tour of riding the bike path through Windsor from Windsor Lake to the River Bluff Open Space.

Want to know more about living in or moving to Windsor Colorado? Look around this website, subscribe to my YouTube Channel or reach out to me with your questions.

Greeley offers home buyers a unique opportunity to buy a home in Northern Colorado for under $350,000. Watch the below video to see an example of a home for sale in Greeley Colorado asking only $349,000. It’s true, you could live in Greeley and afford a home. Keep reading to learn more.

The Greeley Colorado House in the video about is located at 2743 W 13th St in Greeley. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 Bath home with all new carpet, new interior paint and all new appliances. There is a larger backyard with a covered patio. The home is located down the street from Bittersweet Park and close to the elementary school, police station and hospital.

If you are hoping to buy a house in Greeley, Colorado, reach out to me to get the discussion going. I’m a licensed Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in Northern Colorado.

Windsor Colorado is a great place to live for many reasons. People move to Windsor because of the great weather, proximity to the mountains and obviously, Windsor’s small town feel. I’ve noticed that when people think about moving to Windsor, they often ask what different areas look like. With that in mind, I made the following video to give you a bicycle tour of Windsor neighborhoods. In this video, we tour Windshire.

The Windshire neighborhood in Windsor, Colorado is located on the Northwest side of town. It is conveniently located behind King Soopers and other Windsor shopping areas. It’s close to High Hops Brewery & Heart Distillery which are on the west side of Windsor’s Main Street. This means residents living in Windshire have easy access to grocery stores and evening entertainment.

The Windshire neighborhood has an HOA and a neighborhood swimming pool. The homes are newer, mostly built in the last 4 or 5 years. You’ll find 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes throughout the neighborhood with 2 or 3 car garages. In 2023, homes in Windshire are selling for $500,000 to $650,000.

This is one of Windsor‘s best neighborhoods for young families. Not only does the neighborhood have a community pool and a large park with a playground, but it’s a short walk or bike ride to Grandview Elementary School. Plus, the brand new middle school is being built near this area.

When it comes to commuting, Windshire is actually in a good spot for accessing I-25 or commuting to Fort Collins or Loveland for work. Being on the west side of town means that you avoid the traffic delays that happen on Windsor’s Main Street. It’s also easy to head north on the county road to get to Harmony Road for easy access to Fort Collins.

What else do you want to know about living in Windsor, Colorado? Check out this YouTube Playlist for more neighborhood tours. Reach out to me with any questions you have.

Whether you are currently living in Windsor, CO or planning a move to Windsor, you are probably wondering what is there to do in Windsor, Colorado? While there are a lot of fun things to do around Windsor and all of Northern Colorado, on this post we are going to talk about outdoor recreational opportunities including the City of Windsor Bike Trail.

Windsor is a bike-friendly town. There are bike lanes through-out downtown Windsor and through many neighborhoods. But, perhaps the best bike-friendly thing about Windsor, Colorado is the bike trail and recreational bike trail through the city. 

As, I’ve mentioned before, Windsor Lake is situated right in the middle of town, just steps off of main street. There is a bike trail all the way around Windsor Lake (almost 2.5 miles). From there, you can head east and catch the Great Western Bike Trail on the east side of Windsor and bike or walk through Severance all the way to Eaton.

Or, from the west side of Windsor Lake, follow the trail all the way west through town to the River Bluffs Open Space and Catch the Poudre River Trail. 

Are you wondering what the Tom Jones Trail through the middle of Windsor Colorado looks like? Take a virtual bike ride here: Windsor Bike Trail.

Biking Windsor, Colorado – Poudre River Trail

The Poudre River Trail is an amazing bike trail system that connects many Northern Colorado Cities. The Poudre River Trail starts west of Fort Collins, Colorado, winds through Timnath, connects to Windsor and then follows the Poudre River all the way to Greeley.

Check back as I will post video content of the Poudre River Trail through Windsor and on to Greeley.

Want to know more about living in Windsor, Colorado or moving to Windsor, CO? Check out these other informational posts and videos:

Favorite Restaurants in Windsor Colorado

Pros & Cons of Living in Windsor

Greenspire at Windsor Lake is a master-planned community located in Windsor, Colorado. It sits on the East shores of Windsor Lake, offering residents stunning views of the Lake and the Front Range mountains. Greenspire is a great place to raise a family, with excellent schools, safe streets, and plenty of parks and playgrounds. It is also a convenient place to live, with easy access to major highways but best of all, it is a short walk or bike ride to the downtown Windsor Shops, restaurants and a brewery. If you are thinking about moving to Windsor, Colorado, you’ll definitely want to watch the below video all about the neighborhood at Greenspire at Windsor Lake.

What makes Greenspire at Windsor Lake so special?

There are many things that make Windsor’s Greenspire a special place to live. As seen in the video above, Here are a few of the highlights:

• Location: The Greenspire neighborhood is located in Windsor, Colorado, just east of downtown. The town of Windsor is situated between Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, making it a convenient place to live for commuters.
• Schools: The Greenspirearea is home to some of the best schools in the area, including Windsor High School, which is consistently ranked among the top high schools in Colorado. A new elementary school is being built in the neighborhood across County Road 19.
• Amenities: The Greenspire community is close to Windsor Lake, which offers swimming, boating, and fishing; as well as a bike trail all the way around the lake. The neighborhood has an open space near the lake and another park within the neighborhood.

Why move to Greenspire in Windsor, Colorado?

If you are looking for a safe, family-friendly community with a great lakeside lifestyle, then Greenspire is the perfect place for you.

Some homes in Greenspire are as old as 12 to 13 years old but the majority of the homes have been built over the last 3 to 4 years. There are even opportunities to buy a brand new home. Windmill Homes is still building brand new homes in Greenspire.

You’ll enjoy the bike trails, open spaces, mountain views and lake access. Do you have any questions about moving to Windsor? I moved to Windsor from Loveland in 2019. My kids go to the Windsor Schools, I ride the bike trails and paddle on Windsor Lake. If you have questions about the area, I can help. Contact Andy Hawbaker now.