Laura MacDonald, Realtor

09/05/2026

09/03/2026

This one is listed for about $100,000 less than it last sold for.

Here's the catch, and I'll be upfront about it: it's a short sale, so the bank has to sign off. That means a longer timeline and more patience than a typical closing.

What you get for that patience is a house that's already been remodeled inside. Swipe to slides four and five. That kitchen is not on anyone's renovation list.

The exterior is the part that hasn't caught up. Slide two is a mid-century modern facade concept a lender I work with put together for this listing. Then go back to slide three and look at the original again — same roofline, same footprint, same sunburst beside the front door. The mid-century bones were always there. They just haven't shown up out front yet.

That's where a renovation loan changes the math. Instead of buying the house and then finding cash for the exterior, you finance the improvements into the purchase and do it in one shot. One loan, one closing, move into the finished version.

Save this if you've ever walked away from a house because you couldn't picture paying for the fixes on top of the down payment. That's the exact problem this loan solves.

I have the keys on this one. Call or text me — 970-966-3207. Let's find your happy place!

09/03/2026

Exploring attached residential design opens up compelling lifestyle possibilities throughout Windsor and NoCo. Modern townhomes and boutique condos offer a sophisticated balance—allowing you to establish roots in a prime neighborhood with a smaller footprint and less structural oversight.

09/01/2026

Summer in Northern Colorado brings a subtle recalibration to our housing market. With list prices leveling off and active inventory reaching fresh multi-year peaks from Timnath to Fort Collins, buyers now have the physical and temporal space to evaluate properties thoughtfully rather than reactively.

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

Fourteen consecutive years as the top long-term vehicle. Beyond the sanctuary of a beautifully designed space, real estate across Northern Colorado remains the cornerstone of generational equity and personal stability.

08/27/2026

The first rental property I'd talk you out of is the one you'd want to live in.

Investors get emotional about the wrong things. The finished basement, the mountain view, the kitchen you'd cook in. None of that shows up on the spreadsheet.

Here's the three-number check I run before anyone gets attached:

1. What does this actually rent for? Not what the seller says. Pull three comparable rentals within a mile and use the middle one.

2. What's the real monthly cost? Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA — and Weld and Larimer County tax bills can surprise people who moved here from out of state.

3. What breaks first? Roof, furnace, water heater. Get the ages at inspection and set money aside now, not later.

If the numbers work when the house is plain, they'll still work when it's pretty. That order matters.

And for veterans — your VA benefit can be used on a two-to-four unit property if you live in one of the units. That's one of the most underused doors into investing I see in Northern Colorado.

Save this for when you're ready to run the numbers.

Thanks, Laura

08/27/2026

Discerning buyers aren't waiting on the sidelines—they're making deliberate moves. Demand for well-curated properties in Timnath and Fort Collins remains steady, proving that elevated presentation and precise pricing still drive successful transactions.

08/26/2026

If you want to understand Fort Collins in one morning, go stand on Mountain Avenue this Saturday.

Tour de Fat is back on August 29. The costumed bike parade launches from City Park at 9:30 AM and loops Mountain Avenue until 11:30. New Belgium opens at 11:00 at 500 Linden, and the party — music, contests, Tune-Yards — starts at noon. Free, no ticket needed.

Proceeds from b**r sales go to Bike Fort Collins, the Overland Mountain Bike Association, the Fort Collins Bike Co-op, and Send Town Bike Club.

A lot of you are new to Northern Colorado. I moved here myself, and this is the day that explains this town better than any market report I could write for you. Bring a costume. Nobody will look at you twice.

I'll be out there — say hi if you spot me.

Warmly, Laura