Latest Articles
Military Family Month: Free Resources for Your Next Move
November is Military Family Month. Here are the free, official programs that help PCSing families plan a move, budget for it, find housing and settle in at a new duty station.
Trick-or-Treat Ready: Porch Safety and Fall Curb Appeal
Get your porch, steps and walkway ready for trick-or-treaters with better lighting, trip-free paths and safer decorations, plus simple fall curb appeal tips for homes on the market.
Winter PCS Orders: Buying or Selling Over the Holidays
Got orders with a winter report date? The holiday housing market is quieter but full of motivated buyers and sellers. Here’s how to buy or sell over the holidays and plan around closures and moving dates.
Nicole Strom
REALTOR, Associate Broker, MRP, ABR #100085955
The Platinum Group, REALTORS®
6760 Corporate Drive, Ste 300
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919
(719) 922-0102
About
Nicole is an approachable and experienced full-time REALTOR® who is dedicated to providing exceptional service to her clients. As a retired Army military spouse, she understands the unique needs and challenges that relocating families may face when it comes to buying or selling a home. With her extensive knowledge and personal experience, Nicole is able to offer valuable insights and support throughout the entire real estate process.
Nicole holds a Bachelor Degree in Marketing, which gives her a solid foundation in effective strategies to market properties and reach potential buyers. She leverages her expertise to create compelling listings that highlight the unique features and selling points of her clients' homes. By utilizing the latest marketing techniques, Nicole ensures maximum exposure for her clients' properties, thus attracting the right buyers and achieving the best possible outcomes for her clients.
One of Nicole's passions is educating her clients. She firmly believes that well-informed clients make the best decisions. Nicole takes the time to patiently explain each step of the transaction process, empowering her clients to make confident and informed choices.
Nicole is committed to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the real estate industry. She actively seeks out and embraces the latest technologies to benefit her clients. From virtual reality tours to drone photography, Nicole harnesses the power of technology to provide her clients with a competitive edge. By utilizing advanced data analysis and other innovative resources, she ensures that her clients have access to the most cutting-edge solutions available in the real estate industry.
When she is not helping her clients achieve their real estate goals, Nicole enjoys staying active and exploring the great outdoors. She also believes in giving back to her community and dedicates her time to volunteering with local organizations that support military families and veterans.
If you are looking for a REALTOR® who is both approachable and professional, committed to excellence, armed with marketing expertise, passionate about educating clients and dedicated to utilizing the latest technologies, Nicole is the ideal choice.
Military Affiliation
Resources
Free Guide
Neighborhood Comparison Guide
Free Guide
VA Loan Toolkit
In our market, about 22% of listings come off the market without selling. That’s more than one in five sellers who prepped, cleaned, left for showings, and ended up right where they started. What I see most often is a home priced above the others buyers are considering. Buyers know their market. Many know every home in their price point. When one is priced higher without a clear reason, they don’t make a low offer. They pick a different house. That’s why I show sellers more than recent sales. I show them the homes they’re competing against right now and the ones nearby that didn’t sell. Seeing it laid out usually makes the decision clear. Homes are still selling here. The ones that sell are priced right against the competition.
Low Rates or Lots of Leverage? Buyers Rarely Get Both. Higher mortgage rates come with a perk most buyers miss: negotiating power. Back in 2022, after two years of rates near 3%, 95 of the top 100 metros favored sellers, according to Realtor.com. Bidding wars and offers over asking were everywhere. Now rates are above 7%, and the picture has flipped. Today, 66 of those 100 metros lean toward buyers. And sellers are making deals to prove it. Redfin reports nearly half of buyers now get a concession from the seller, like help with closing costs, money for repairs, or even paying to buy down the mortgage rate. That’s the trade-off: buyers rarely get low rates and leverage at the same time. If rates dropped in a big way, more buyers would jump back in, and that leverage would likely shrink. That doesn’t mean you have to move right now. The right time to buy is when the numbers work for you. But if you’re ready to move, today’s leverage could help make the math more doable than you think. Just remember, every local market is different. Want to see how much negotiating power you’d have in this area? Let’s look at homes where sellers may be open to a rate buydown or closing cost help.
Selling Your Home? What You Should Know About Price Cuts vs. Rate Buydowns. What if you could make your house more attractive to buyers without lowering your asking price? With 43% of sellers cutting prices right now, according to HousingWire, it's a question worth asking – especially because there's another way to give buyers what they really want: a lower monthly payment. It's called a mortgage rate buydown. And the difference can be pretty remarkable. Here's an example. Let's say you're willing to offer a buyer $10,000 to help get your house sold. A $10,000 price reduction could save that buyer about $70 a month. But putting that same $10,000 toward a temporary mortgage rate buydown could save them roughly $500 a month in the first year. Same amount from you. A much bigger impact on their immediate budget. Now, those savings won't last forever with a temporary buydown. But for the right buyer, that upfront relief could be exactly what makes your house stand out. Thinking about selling? Send me a message. Let's explore which incentives could attract buyers while protecting your bottom line.
