Random thoughts, photos and rants woven together make a fine tapestry or so I'd like to think.. a blog. I've been selling real estate in Colorado long enough it is a strong part of me. Sharing knowledge about my trade along with the beauty of Colorado through photos is my way of attracting those who appreciate the same things. I enjoy sharing, hopefully that joy shines through.Colorado Gold Rush
Every fall Coloradans get to enjoy a different kind of gold rush, the turning of the aspen leaves. Do yourself a favor
if you are anywhere near Colorado, hop into the car and get yourself to where the aspens grow. I can assure you it will not only be worth the trip, but will lift your spirits and tickle your senses.
We found the best route to take for optimum viewing of the aspens was Highway 285 through Conifer, to Buena Vista, then onto Twin Lakes and over Independence Pass to Aspen.
Driving this way the road is shrouded with brilliantly colored aspens. Mountain vistas of slightly snow capped peaks and the ever-changing sky are delightful to the eye.
We left at the last minute on Saturday and managed to get into Aspen just after dark. Had we planned better, it would have been nice to cross Independence Pass in the daylight. Instead I had the shear delight of photographing an old red barn with farm equipment at the day’s last light. It was shear serendipity.
As I readied to hop in the car I glanced to the west just in time to see the brilliantly violet, red sun setting over the golden aspens. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
Our luck stayed with us as we pulling into the charming town of Aspen and found the very last room at the Innsbruck Hotel. It was a new room with hot tub in the front of the hotel and a steam shower in our private bath. After a soak and a steam we were reduced to Gumby that night! Aspen is the place to go for pampering.
The next morning we were up and out to catch first light at the intended destination, Maroon Bells. It was a perfect morning as the sun came up over the peaks of North America’s most photographed mountain. I got a nice photo, but you can tell I was half asleep when I took it. After all the postering for a position with the many photographers on the shoreline, I still managed not to see the group of photographers off to the right in my frame. DUH!
Just the same, one can tell why this is a favorite spot for photographers and nature lovers alike!
If you go, don’t forget to bring $10 per car to enter the park. It’s a small price to pay to preserve this beauty.
Later that morning while it was still early for the rest of the world, we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at the Main Street Bakery in Aspen. The restaurant offered a wonderful breakfast and we could see why the customers didn’t mind waiting for their turn as we left. Getting up early has it’s benefits.
We left Aspen traveling back over Independence Pass with a quick stop at the ghost town of Independence I will forever marvel at the bravery and fortitude of our ancestors who came here in search of gold. They blazed a path for us to follow, how they did it will always amaze me. The high country of Independence is magnificent and brutal.
Our entire trip took just over 24 hours. Living in Colorado has it’s advantages, in a moments notice we can pack our bags in search of adventure, yet still be home ready to go back to work on Monday.
Life is good!
Bail or Fail
For the better part of last week I was out of town in Las Vegas, where reality is at best altered. Not watching the
news or even paying much attention to anything other than my immediate Blog World Exposition schedule, I didn’t learn about the Big Bailout proposed by the U.S. Government until my return. When Larry clued me in, it was to say the least frightening.
This week I’ve been paying catch up on the proposal, what it means and searching for an understanding. One thing I found, watching the talking heads on TV gave me none of understanding I was searching for. Finally today while getting ready to work, the thought came to me, “the government isn’t assuming debt without security. The government (that’s you and me) are assuming assets, albeit poor performing, but assets just the same.
I remember the first time I purchased a home and with it homeowner’s insurance. The insurance representative told me he couldn’t insure my home for it’s full purchase price! OMG! I thought I had bought a “pig in a poke” of a bad house. But then he explained to me even if the home burned down, I would still own the land, which had value.
OK. I got it then.
Listening to the talking heads on TV makes me want to have them call my insurance rep. He’ll straighten them out on assets and liability!
So how I see the $700 Billion Buyout is this: The U.S. Government is buying a business and for that money we the government will receive some homes in varying condition and a whole lot of land. Not every home is in perfect condition but at the very least it will sell for land value. Most homes will be worth more than land value, significantly more.
Right now the market is constipated. Gross analogy, but right on. Homeowners want to sell and buyers want to buy. Problem is they can’t.
Mortgage money is tight and tough to get. Without mortgage money the market is limited to the few who have cash.
By spending $700 billion to “correct” the system, the act alone will improve confidence in consumers and investors all around the world.
When confidence goes up, interests will come down and money will flow. The market will assume a positive track and THAT FACT ALONE WILL HAVE POSITIVE BENEFITS ON THE NON-PERFORMING ASSETS owned by the U.S. Government.
or
The alternative is to do nothing. Let the lending institutions take the hit they deserve and bite the dust. We can all point fingers at each other (Elephants and Donkeys) and say “It’s your fault.”
Homeowners who cannot pay will be escorted to the street by the sheriff. Businesses that depend on real estate and all the other industries supported by it will shut their doors, one by one.
Those they feel they are safe from this will soon realize they too are affected. Home values will drop and equity eroded over the course of time. No one knows how long it will take to recover.
I prefer to take action to INVEST in the U.S. and the economy. Let’s pass this bailout and start looking for a better, safer way to lend money.
The road to recovery always begins with understanding and education.
Who volunteers to educate the talking heads?
Want a good resource for understanding the situation read, The Economy, The $700 Billion Answer
Grab an Opportunity
There is a silent feeding frenzy going on in the Denver real estate market right now. Few people are aware while
others refuse to believe and the rest will never share their secrets with you. Since I’m a witness to the statistics and a recipient of their calls, I will tell. Besides no one has ever sworn me to secrecy.
Here goes; People are buying real estate for investment!
OK, so maybe that is not earth-shaking news to you, but it’s true. What you may find interesting is how many properties under the $100,000 mark are being sold. A quick look at last month’s statistics will show 15.37% of the sales in August were for properties priced under $109,999! Yes, these properties are single family homes.
Condos under $109,999 accounted for 32.65% of the sales in August.
How are these purchases being made?
Single family home financing looks like this:
- 57% Conventional financing
- 25% FHA financing
- 14% CASH (no financing)
- 3% VA financing
Condo Financing is very much in line with single family, it looks like this:
- 50% Conventional financing
- 26% FHA financing
- 22% CASH (no financing)
- 2% VA
What type of properties are investors buying?
Obviously the lower end market is hot right now. It is easy to get into for both first timers and the seasoned and savvy investor. First time home buyers who are just looking to say good bye to their landlords are also jumping in. They are buying value properties in need of tender loving care. HUD is offering (via a bidding process) many foreclosures in NE and SW Denver.
By “tender loving care” I mean these are homes that aren’t exactly ready to move into without work. The savvy investors have a system with a construction crew and a strategy to fix and flip these properties. Some actually fix and hold the properties renting them until the prices increase.
“Opportunities are never lost. The other fellow just takes those you miss.”
Watching the statistics of sales in the Denver metro area we now believe the “bottom” of our market was in April/May 2008. Of course we won’t know this for absolutely sure until next year, but then the time will have passed would be investors will have missed the opportunity.
As the stock market continues to shake and quake with big businesses failing in ethics of business practice, investing in real estate makes better sense. We may never be able to control the market, but owning a piece of dirt that is tangible and real makes sense to me. At least the dirt won’t dissolve into the ether.
We all know what Will Rogers said,
Buy land they aren’t making anymore of it!
In our market the opportunity is not limited to land, we have single family homes, condos, townhomes and multi-family dwellings for sale. If you would like to talk about opportunities that might fit your needs, let’s talk. I welcome your call.
Ax Your Utility Bill
A totally true saying in Colorado is “if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.” This past week 
was proof positive as we have enjoyed temps from the 40’s to the 80’s with both sunshine and rain.
As luck would have it, my relocation assignment this week came from sunny California to our rainy Colorado. It only rained for 1 and 1/2 days, the entire time he was here. Now I’m not making any accusations, just saying it was a terrible coincidence. My client must have had our weather on the mind, because every house he had even a slight interest in, he wanted to know the average utility bill. Funny how seldom people think about the cost of utilities when buying a house.
Of course now that energy costs are sky rocketing, everyone should be more cautious. It was easy for me to oblige my soggy client, thanks to the 24/7 service Xcel Energy provides. With just a quick call to them (even at 10:00 p.m.) I was able to fulfill my assignment!
What did strike me as odd was the HUGE disparity in average utility bills. The range for approximately the same size homes ran from $95 to $262 a month! Now in all fairness the $262 a month housed a family twice the size of the $95 a month. We didn’t take into consideration other factors such as energy efficient windows and such. Certainly that will account for significant savings. Also I recall the $95 a month home was southwest facing with lots of natural solar properties. I bet that helps in normally sunny Colorado!
As energy cost rise I’m thinking all buyers should be considering the average utility bill before making a home purchase. The reality is a well-built home that uses all the right construction materials over a home that doesn’t should be part of the home buying decision. So many times buyers purchase with their HEART instead of their HEAD.
I do believe the times they are a changin’.
Note the photo! This too came my way just this today in fact. I was up in Conifer when out of the corner of my eye I noticed this amazing wood pile. Someone plans to be toasty warm this winter.
Wonder what a cord of wood costs? On second thought I betcha this one cost the cutter a few gazillon calories!
HBA Parade of Homes 2008
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Each year custom builder’s put forth their best efforts to showcase the latest styles and building trends. What could be better than to experience European Charm blended into new world-Colorado convenience only minutes from downtown?
My daughter who is also a Denver Realtor and I spent a rainy week day afternoon touring the Parade of Homes. We figured the best time to go would be when others might be put off by the weather. Not so! Despite our best planning, the Parade was still very busy. The ticket lady told us 90,000 people will tour these homes. After visiting for myself and totally enjoying this year’s offering, I can see why so many people visit the HBA Parade of Homes!
An abundance of luxury details like stone columns, arches, wine terraces with overhead grape arbors, interior courtyards with firepits, hearth rooms, caterer’s kitchen, au pair suites and flex spaces are showcased. The old world theme was illustrated with natural finishes and luxurious textures.
I loved all the outdoor living space offerings. The Villa di Vita great room’s glass wall opened to the outside covered living space. It makes perfect sense to me to be able to let the outside in, Colorado’s weather and lack of bugs makes this design work! Of course having a stunning view of Red Rocks and the foothills is an added plus!
Il Campanile had multiple outdoor living spaces. One was a sunken courtyard at the basement level. It was cozy and as my daughter mentioned, the wind would not bother you there. Brilliant indeed!
Much of the charm in these lovely homes came from reclaimed products; an old barn in Pennsylvania, wood beams from France, a 150 year-old French Bombay window and lodge pine cabinetry. In accordance with modern building standards the homes are all certified Built Green Colorado.
The setting is very special, located on the westside of Denver in Jefferson County just off E-470 and Alameda. Living here in the shadow of the foothills one will never cease to be thrilled by the beauty and convenience to Downtown Denver and the mountains. The entire neighborhood is going to have the old-world charm. No doubt as the sun sets over the Rocky Mountains the homes will be bathed in the very same golden light of Tuscany.
Sigh. (note to self: don’t forget to buy lotto tickets!) For those who enjoy photos, I’ve created a slide show of our rainy day visit. Photo Tour of Denver HBA Parade of Homes.
Labor Day Weekend is the last weekend before the Parade of Homes closes. Hurry up, before you are too late!
FYI the eight HBA Builders offering custom homes at Solterra are:
9 One 5 Custom Homes ~ La Belle Maison
Ades Design Builders ~ Casa Vecchio e Nuovo
Brookline Homes ~ Il Campanile
Cline Design Group ~ Bella Vista
Element Custom Builders ~ Sede Felice
Gregg Design Custom Builders ~ La Bella Vita
Wall Custom Homes ~ The Villa di Vita
Waterstone Homes Colorado ~ La Maison des Vues
Tornadoes Touchdown
Last night Larry announced he was going up to the top of the ridge because there was a tornado watch in Douglas County. Of course I wasn’t going to let him have all that fun alone, so I grabbed the camera bag and joined him.
On the way to I-25 he decided it would be a good idea to fill up the gas tank, since it was registering empty. As much as I hated to waste time, we stopped for fuel. Running out of gas while storm chasing or worse being chased by a storm would be a real bummer!
As we pulled into the Conoco in Lone Tree, we saw it.
A long tall skinny funnel cloud was touching the ground just to the SE of us. It was huge. Yes, it was a real tornado!
I fumbled around grasping for my Canon while watching in awe and surprise.
Last time I saw a tornado in Douglas County, I didn’t even know I was watching one. It was a big, black nasty square cloud, not a neat, trim funnel. Today’s tornado was a classic. There was no wondering what it was.
Luckily but at the same time disappointing, the funnel dissipated into thin air. Gone.
I never got time to snap a shot. Darn!
When the gas tank filled up, we took of to Surrey Ridge to hang out and see if we could spot another one. The clouds were swirling and churning, but the real show was over. The temperature had dropped 30 degrees and the elements that create a tornado were gone.
We weren’t the only storm chasers on the road. There were many others out taking in the views. The most interesting and scary were the news helicopters in the air. I would love to have a seat in one of them…what a bird’s eye view.
Maybe in my next life…
Enjoy the storm chaser photos, but keep in mind this really isn’t “normal” for Colorado. We aren’t known as tornado alley!
Visit this link to learn more about Tornado Safety.
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- News Copters were everywhere!
Denver Welcomes the DNC
Downtown Denver is welcoming the delegates, candidates, media and others to the city tonight. Not wanting to miss
out on the scene, we took a drive tonight before the street closures are to begin.
A stranger to the city with no prior knowledge of the event would not remain in the dark for long. The city is bustling with people, and most obvious the police force. They are out patrolling in cars, on foot, on mountain bikes, and motorcycles. Every block is covered, not by one or two officers but groups all decked out with riot gear.
I hope they don’t get to use it.
In the effort to secure the venues, fences are now surrounding
Fences now surround the venues. It’s so sad to have to obscure the beauty. Of course some delightful soul placed a few dozen red and white roses on the fence, turning an eyesore into art of a sort. Now if someone could just paint those big monster dump trucks blocking the entrance the view would be further improved!
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- The Blogger Tent
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- Pepsi Center behind chain link fence
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- Colorado Convention Center
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- Police on Mountain Bikes
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- Democratics in a window display
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- Welcome To Denver DNC!
To our very special visiting guest, I hope you enjoy your stay while having the time of your life. Please look beyond the security mess and know you are probably in the safest place on earth this week.
Rocky Mtn. Balloon Festival
Once again summer is nearing an end and the Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival comes to Chatfield. Beginning Friday,
August 21, 2008 for 3 days this colorful and fun festival will offer live music, a car show and other activities throughout the day. Vendors are present to sell food, refreshments and of course souvenors of the event.
The Event starts early, 6:30 - 8:00 a.m. with a Media Mass Ascension Flight. Saturday at dusk is a wonderful “Lites in the Nite” balloon illumination. By the way the Festival is free, but to enter Chatfield State Park there is a $7 fee, unless of course you have a Colorado State Parks Pass.
Mark you calendar now, I’ll see you in the park!
Donkeyization of Denver
Ever since the DNC announced Denver as the 2008 location for the Democratic National Convention, a Paul Revere-like mantra has been running through my mind.
“The Democrats are coming! The Democrats are coming!”
Oddly enough my good friend Teresa Boardman who sells St. Paul Real Estate has a similar issue. The opposition Republican Party is meeting in her town. Teresa, also known for her wonderful photography posted a photo entitled “The Elephantization of St. Paul” thus providing inspiration for this post.
The past months leading up to date have been filled with a flurry of planning, much like the pre-prepartation for that hallowed mother-in-law’s visit, Denver has been cleaning, planning preparing and fretting. The Democratic National Convention in size is not a large convention, but it’s the reality of having the world’s eye focus on our beautiful mile-high town that has everyone at attention.
I must say, last week I was downtown and it is looking very nice! The flowers are in full bloom, the red, white and blue banners are hanging fresh to welcome visitors. Obviously all the fretting and planning is paying off.
I had to chuckle at the news piece last night, a local beauty salon donated their services to groom the homeless. Obviously someone somewhere feels a need to beautify even our unsolvable unsightly homeless problem even if only for a few days.
The only tension it seems comes from the obligatory protest groups who seem to follow limelight where ever they can steal it. They and the local police are bound to tangle sooner or later. I wonder what the purpose other than to make trouble for trouble’s sake? It seems to me the effort would be better spent on making a difference in a positive way, think gandi or Mandela. Just saying…
Transportation issues are of concern to the locals, many who will need to get to work each day as normal. Mayor Hickenlooper has committed to making the trip much the same as normal, but that remains to be seen! Lucky for us there will be 1000 FREE bicycles available to those who are slick enough to sign up quick. Humana and Bikes Belong are bringing the bikes to Denver and then on to the Twiin Cities the following weeks.
I’ve toured cities all over the world via bike. As far as I’m concerned seeing a city from the seat of a bicycle offers more interesting reward than any other sort of transportation. Besides getting you there quicker you work up a worthy appetite! Considering all the food carts on the street and restaurants stocked with the finest food available, a hearty appetite is a good thing!
DNC Convention Activities
Aside from the normal Colorado sight seeing activities always available to visitors, many other special activities have been planned. A traveling exhibition that promises an interesting and educational time for young and old is the nonpartisan American Presidential Experience . Visitors will be able to view a replica of Air Force One, look through the window of the Presidential Limousine or sit at the desk in the Oval Office.
The Green Frontier Fest begins the day prior to the Democratic convention, at Sculpture Park on the west side of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Speer side. There will be a farmers’ market, displays on renewable technologies and ways to protect the environment at home.
There will be several Green Tours highlighting renewable energy during the convention.
DNC Mementos
There will be no shortage of souvenirs to stuff into the suitcase home. My favorite so far is the Dems Do Denver collection of goodies presented by Denver artists. Be sure to take a peek at the darling Donkeys in typical Denver activities. They are all so cute, it’s hard to pick just one favorite! They can be ordered online or purchased in person at the Tattered Cover in Lodo or on Colfax.
The last time Denver hosted the Democratic National Convention was in 1908, 100 years ago. At that time the highlight of the convention was when loads of snow was hauled in from the mountains for the delegates to enjoy a snowball fight.
Somehow I think that was just another way to let off steam, perhaps we should outfit the delegates and the demonstrators with a few tons of Colorado’s finest powder and let them have at each other…
May the best donkey win!
Walk Score
These days more and more home buyers contact me with the goal of buying a home in a walkable neighborhood. Most don’t ask me in those terms, usually they say they want to buy a home in an area where they can walk to a restaurant, park and the bus stop. Sometimes buyers need these amenities close by because they prefer not to drive, can’t drive or they are committed to using only one car in a two or more driver family!
No matter how they ask I hear “walkable neighborhood.” Lucky for us some brilliant people have put together a website that actually has a way to measure the “walkability” of many metro neighborhoods. Ha! Where do these people come up with these ideas!
Getting a Walk Score is just as easy as inputting the address, waiting a few seconds and walla! There’s your score along with all the attractions/amenities on a Google map for you to see! How easy is that?
What makes a neighborhood walkable?
According to Walk Score a neighborhood should have a “center.” It needs to be have “density” or a compact composition in order to support public transportation and enough local businesses to stay in business. There should be a diverse cross-section of incomes providing housing across all levels. Parks and public space are also very important to provide places to play and congregate. Naturally the neighborhood needs to be “foot friendly”. If you can’t walk safely on a sidewalk, it just isn’t going to work!
I don’t know about you, but a place like this sounds very appealing to me. How the people who invented lay out the scores is beyond me.
Is there a downside?
Probably! As much as I am excited about having an easy method for measuring a home’s walk score, I can’t imagine it being the sole reason for purchasing a home or not…
Just for grins I input a home I have listed in Denver’s City Park. This home is located one block from the entrance to the City Park Golf Course. Now this may not be an exciting feature for everyone, ask a golfer and I will guarantee they will agree, this location is awesome.
Well the Walk Score people only gave my listing a score of 52! I suspect golf course homes don’t rate extra points! Boo!
OK, I won’t contest, but I would like to encourage any golfer out there who is interested in buying a nice urban Denver home close to a golf course, Denver City Park, Denver Zoo and a few minutes from downtown Denver to give me a call!
Operators are standing by! (yes LIVE operators!)
This site brought to you by Kristal Kraft, a licensed Colorado Real Estate Broker
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