April 17, 2009 at 02:48 PM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
Negotiating skills are key to achieving successful outcomes for clients.
That’s why The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen, took the time to become Certified Real Estate Negotiators (CREN). The CREN certification gives us the professional negotiation techniques and skills we need to gain a competitive advantage for our clients. The right negotiation strategies and tactics help us make deals happen for you. thekuchtas.shorewest.com
Key steps to successful negotiation include:
1) contact the other party right away
2) keep the door of communication open at all times
3) supply comparable properties to support your price
4) always remain professional & ethical
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, we would welcome the opportunity to represent you. Call The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen at 262-894-6512, to learn the advantages of using a CREN professional, if you prefer email - ckuchta@shorewest.com.
April 17, 2009 at 11:56 AM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
Looking for a great place to build your new home? Look no further! The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen, know the perfect place. Lot 8, Indian Head Drive, in the town of Lisbon, WI. The level lot measures 0.957 acres, and has a soil test on file stating it can serve a 3-4 bedroom home. Building restrictions are non-strict in the Mountain Shadows Subdivision, they use the guidelines set forth by the Town of Lisbon. Contact Colleen Kuchta at ckuchta@shorewest.com or 262-894-6512 for more details on building restrictions.
Lot 8, Indian Head Drive, within the Mountain Shadows Subdivision is served by the Arrowhead School District. It is right around the corner from Richmond Elementary School, which serves grades K4 through grade 8. Just North of the Mountain Shadows Subdivision, you will find Ironwood Golf Course. This outstanding golf course offers 27 holes, and breathtaking views along the way.
Lot 8 is minutes from shopping, restaurants, parks and more! The Kuchta’s- Kelly & Colleen are happy to gather more information for you and answer any questions you may have. Call 262-894-6512 or visit thekuchtas.shorewest.com.
April 16, 2009 at 03:29 PM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
A short sale in Real Estate happens when the owner of the property owes more on the property than what it sells for. This can happen when a home owner sells after property values have dropped drastically, or when an owner has taken out equity loans on top of the mortgage loans and the loans equal more than the value of the home.
Generally speaking, it will depend on your lender. Before you proceed with a short sale, you would be well advised to call them to find out how they structure and release the short sale. As well as, how are they going to report the payoff? A short sale can reduce your credit score between 60-100 points, but there have been times when the short sale does not affect your credit score negatively at all. (A foreclosure would be a minimum of a 150 point deduction) This of course will depend on your specific situation. For example, a seller that has missed recent payments and is doing the short sale to avoid a foreclosure would take a bigger hit than the seller that is current on their mortgage, but property values have decreased so they are unable to sell the property for what they owe.
If you decide to sell, and are facing a short sale/foreclosure situation, be sure that the agent you select to list your home has experience in dealing with short sales. Each bank has their own requirements. The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen are very familiar with the short sale process/foreclosure process and have helped many sellers, as well as buyers with their transaction. Feel free to contact us for a no obligation, consultation 262-894-6512, or ckuchta@shorewest.com. We are here to help.
April 16, 2009 at 11:38 AM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
Although the news is full of gloom and doom stories about the Real Estate market, I am here to tell you that it does not need to take months of waiting to sell your home. The Kuchta’s, Kelly & Colleen, recently listed a 3 bedroom, split ranch home, in the Spaeth Farms subdivision, of Hartford. We received an offer within 13 days of being listed. Sellers were thrilled! They didn’t even need to counter. How is this possible?
Simple, when we researched the area, we looked at recent solds AND current active properties. We carefully looked into the history of each property to see where they started with their pricing, as well as, any price reductions that were done along the way. We put all of that information into our market analysis and our sellers were able to fully understand the way sales were trending in their local market. They chose a price that would let the buyers know they were marketing their home realistically - 13 days later, they had an offer.
Want results like this? Contact The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen at
262-894-6512 or at ckuchta@shorewest.com.
April 13, 2009 at 11:25 AM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
Owning your own home is a very large investment. No matter where you chose to live; Waukesha, Washington, Milwaukee County - or anywhere in Wisconsin. So, don’t trust your home inspection to just anyone. Many times, the agent you are working with, has a team of professionals that he/she works with on a fairly regular basis. Family and friends mean well when they give you the name and number of an inspector that they have used in the past, but they are usually only able to base their recommendation on a single experience with an inspector. As agents, The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen, want you to know that there are different levels of service when it comes to an inspector. Contact us, at
262-894-6512 or at ckuchta@shorewest.com, if you have questions or concerns.
A few things that every good inspector does on a regular basis might include: open and close windows and doors to check for shifting of the foundation, run the water in sinks & tubs to check for leaks, make sure all toilets are secure, check the grade around the house & look for signs of water in the basement, climb on the roof (weather permitting)- check for soft spots - snow is heavy, you want to make sure your roof has the strength to hold it. The list continues…
The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen have seen all levels of service, and prices that range from $250-$585 for a single family home. Trust me when I say: “You don’t always get what you pay for.” We have seen great inspections at a low price & not so great inspections at a higher price. Ask your inspector what you get for that money. How does the inspector log what is seen during the course of the inspection? Will the roof be inspected with binoculars, or by climbing up there (weather permitting)? Are you welcome to follow along, or will it make him/her more comfortable to have you wait until the summary to see what has been inspected?
In the end, you are the only person that can choose your home inspector. If you get a few recommendations, and ask the right questions prior to the inspection; you will make a far better decision than running a Google search. Remember, your agent has your best interest in mind.
April 10, 2009 at 09:42 AM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
Friends of ours recently lost their home to foreclosure. We can’t help but ask ourselves ‘How and why did this happen?’
As Realtors, we know that, in most cases a foreclosure can be avoided.
We have experience in negotiating with banks to help home owners avoid a foreclosure. If you are feeling overwhelmed, or can’t keep up with your mortgage; please contact us; The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen. We are happy to help. As always, there is no obligation to use our services. Our advice is free and confidential. ckuchta@shorewest.com or (262)894-6512.
A short sale in Real Estate occurs when the owner of the property owes more on the property than what it sells for. This can happen when a home owner sells after property values have dropped drastically, or when an owner has taken out equity loans on top of the mortgage loans and the loans equal more than the value of the home.
Before you proceed with a short sale, the first step would be to contact your lender and find out what their requirements are for the short sale package. Most commonly, you will be required to complete a financial worksheet and compose a hardship letter explaining why you are not able to pay the balance you owe in full. There is also an authorization letter that you will need to supply, allowing us to communicate with the bank on your behalf. In many cases, commission will be negotiated by the bank as well.
If you decide to sell, and are facing a short sale/foreclosure situation, be sure that the agent you select to list your home has experience in dealing with short sales. Each bank has their own requirements. Kelly & I are very familiar with the short sale process/foreclosure process and have helped many sellers, as well as buyers. Feel free to contact us for a no obligation, consultation.
If you have a question that you would like answered, drop us, The Kuchta’s, Kelly & Colleen, a line.
We are here to help. We are easily reached at (262) 894-6512 or by email: ckuchta@shorewest.com,.
Full Time Professional Broker Associates committed to excellence
Members-Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors
Multi-Million Dollar Producers
#1 Team in Units and Volume in the Menomonee Falls office.
Career Sales of $44.3 Million
President's Club Members
Specializing in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha Counties
Two full service agents for the price of one!
"Families helping families"
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, we would welcome the opportunity to represent you. Call The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen at 262-894-6512, to learn the advantages of using a CREN professional, if you prefer email - ckuchta@shorewest.com.
Colleen Kuchta
Looking for a great place to build your new home? Look no further! The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen, know the perfect place. Lot 8, Indian Head Drive, in the town of Lisbon, WI. The level lot measures 0.957 acres, and has a soil test on file stating it can serve a 3-4 bedroom home. Building restrictions are non-strict in the Mountain Shadows Subdivision, they use the guidelines set forth by the 
Lot 8, Indian Head Drive, within the Mountain Shadows Subdivision is served by the 
Lot 8 is minutes from shopping, restaurants, parks and more! The Kuchta’s- Kelly & Colleen are happy to gather more information for you and answer any questions you may have. Call 262-894-6512 or visit 
As well as, how are they going to report the payoff? A short sale can reduce your credit score between 60-100 points, but there have been times when the short sale does not affect your credit score negatively at all. (A foreclosure would be a minimum of a 150 point deduction) This of course will depend on your specific situation. For example, a seller that has missed recent payments and is doing the short sale to avoid a foreclosure would take a bigger hit than the seller that is current on their mortgage, but property values have decreased so they are unable to sell the property for what they owe.
Although the news is full of gloom and doom stories about the Real Estate market, I am here to tell you that it does not need to take months of waiting to sell your home. The Kuchta’s, Kelly & Colleen, recently listed a 3 bedroom, split ranch home, in the Spaeth Farms subdivision, of Hartford. We received an offer within 13 days of being listed. Sellers were thrilled! They didn’t even need to counter. How is this possible?
Simple, when we researched the area, we looked at recent solds AND current active properties. We carefully looked into the history of each property to see where they started with their pricing, as well as, any price reductions that were done along the way. We put all of that information into our market analysis and our sellers were able to fully understand the way sales were trending in their local market. They chose a price that would let the buyers know they were marketing their home realistically - 13 days later, they had an offer.
A few things that every good inspector does on a regular basis might include: open and close windows and doors to check for shifting of the foundation, run the water in sinks & tubs to check for leaks, make sure all toilets are secure, check the grade around the house & look for signs of water in the basement, climb on the roof (weather permitting)- check for soft spots - snow is heavy, you want to make sure your roof has the strength to hold it. The list continues…
The Kuchta’s - Kelly & Colleen have seen all levels of service, and prices that range from $250-$585 for a single family home. Trust me when I say: “You don’t always get what you pay for.” We have seen great inspections at a low price & not so great inspections at a higher price. Ask your inspector what you get for that money. How does the inspector log what is seen during the course of the inspection? Will the roof be inspected with binoculars, or by climbing up there (weather permitting)? Are you welcome to follow along, or will it make him/her more comfortable to have you wait until the summary to see what has been inspected?
If you decide to sell, and are facing a short sale/foreclosure situation, be sure that the agent you select to list your home has experience in dealing with short sales. Each bank has their own requirements. Kelly & I are very familiar with the short sale process/foreclosure process and have helped many sellers, as well as buyers. Feel free to contact us for a no obligation, consultation.
Shorewest - Menomonee Falls
