Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival ~ 2006

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Kristalkraftrealtordenver_1 The Annual Balloon Festival at Chatfield Reservoir occurred today. 60 balloons lifted off, but didn’t go very far. Just the same it was fun to see the colorful balloons fill the sky.

Snow in August

It’s August, albeit the end of the month, but still summer.    Last night there was snow above 11,000 feet.  We were up in Summit County in Dillion when I shot this photo this morning.  The snow didn’t last long, but it was a reminder, ski season is just around the corner.

Living in the Denver metro area, gets you closer to the mountains…want to Img_5788 relocate to Denver?

Naming Names

Names are important they help us identify in life.  Naming a baby becomes a monumental task to many parents, much so they spend hours researching and discussing the most appropriate label for their progeny.  This process is sometimes made easier by reclaiming names of one’s ancestors.  If that doesn’t work, there is always the Internet.   On the Internet parents and grandparents alike can research an endless selection of names and their ranking in popularity by state!

Another fascinating naming conundrum would be the naming of streets. When it comes to naming streets, typically the developer gets to do that.  Unfortunately, for them there is no easy reference on the Internet.  They either get to make the name up, or take it from an existing name.  To save time they pick a name say Desperado and tag it as a Drive, Court, Road, Way, Circle, Trail, Street or Avenue.  This may save the Developer time and effort but it certainly makes a Realtor’s work much harder.  If one is not careful when looking for 89094 Desperado Way and gets on Desperado Circle, it could prove embarrassing for all parties!

Some street names are less than wonderful.  I often wonder why the name was chosen.  For example Black Widow Way, Buckwheat Run, Rattlesnake Circle or Dead Man Gulch Road.  Would you clamor to live on these streets?  Imagine being asking, "What is your address?" Well, I live on Crazy Horse Trail."

Letting my imagination wander, I’ve played with an idea.  Since I am a Realtor, what would happen if I, like the parents of a newborn, would be met with the challenge of having to place my clients on a street that matched their personalities.  In example, a religious family would need to live on Bible’s Hill Drive.  Or a couple that just split up would need two homes, one on Bitterbrush Lane and the other on Bitter Sweet Drive.  An eternal optimist  could choose to live on Bird Song Drive or Satisfaction Circle.  Kinky folks would probably opt for Buggy Whip Road.  Those folks tired of "honey do" lists would certainly welcome an address on Tall Grass Way.  A narcissist would work well on Adonis Court don’t you think?

When choosing the perfect address, I personally would not want to live somewhere I could not spell.  Even if I learned to spell my street, I would still be committed to spelling hell, because no one could spell it either.  Apishamore Court, Rhyolite Way, Potentilla Place, Pale Anemone Street or Oehlmann Park Road come to mind.

In the Denver metro area, I discovered there is a political imbalance.  We have a Democrat Road, but  nowhere near is there a Republican Street, Road, Drive, Circle, Way or anything.  I wonder why the Republicans haven’t demanded equal time!

My favorite street name of all time is Jack Ass Hill Road.  If Realtors really had to match clients to the street, I fear there would be a Seller’s Market on Jack Ass Hill, don’t you?

(Note: all the street names above are actual names in the Denver Metro Area!)

Social Conscience

Ronaldmchummer There is a viral marketing effort to hold McDonald’s to a higher standard of conscience.  Currently they are promoting Hummers to kids in the popular Kids Meals. 

Sign-o-matic developed this website, for  you to make your own sign and pass it on.

It’s viral marketing at its best.

Who Killed JonBenet?

The media is descending on Boulder once again.  This time to set things set. 

I hope.

Interest rates

Has anybody noticed the interest rate dropped down a bit.  A 30-year fixed is at 6.125% with a jumbo at 6.375%.

If you are sitting on the fence…now may be the time. 

We’ve got the inventory!

European Cows

In 2000 I took a little bike trip around the world.  When I was in Salzburg, Austria the city was celebrating with a CowParade similar to the one currently going on in Denver.  There too the cows were delightful to look at.  If you would like to see the Salzburg Cows of 2000 go here.

Denver Home Sale Statistics

July 2006

Metro Denver Prices:

Metro Denver Prices:
Single Family Average Price: (Detached Dwelling) &nbsp July 2006 $328,721
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 $335,111
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 $318,527
Condo Average Price: (Attached Dwelling) &nbsp July 2006 $194,705
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 $184,566
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 $184,288
Combined Average Price: &nbsp July 2006 $299,680
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 $303,573
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 $291,498
Percent of Sales Price Change:
from July 2005 to July 2006
&nbsp Single Family: +3.20%
&nbsp &nbsp Condo: +5.65%
&nbsp &nbsp Combined +2.81%
Total Combined Number of Homes for Sale: &nbsp July 2006 31,989
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 31,900
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 26,411
Percent of Change in Available Inventory: (July 2005 vs. July 2006) &nbsp &nbsp +21.12%
Number of Combined Homes Sold this month &nbsp July 2006 4,850
vs. previous month &nbsp June 2006 5,628
vs. same month last year &nbsp July 2005 6,203
Average days on Market: (Combined Sales) July 2006 94.98
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 95.66
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 81.84
Absorption Rate: (number of weeks necessary to sell current combined inventory at current rate of sales)

&nbsp July 2006 28.58 weeks
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 24.56 weeks
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 18.45 weeks
Median Sold Price:Single Family July 2006 $259,500
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 $261,750
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 $252,250
Condo &nbsp July 2006 $163,000
&nbsp &nbsp June 2006 $159,900
&nbsp &nbsp July 2005 $164,000

Stapleton Herd

We had a fun day walking around Stapleton, enjoying the herd of cows grazing around the town center and park.  If you would like to see  more of the herd you can visit the photo album.

Picking a Favorite Cow is hard.  I love the cow names as much as the artist and creative cow figures.  Cowabunga Dude is a very cool snowboarding cow, very appropriate for Colorado.  Jacques Moosteau was decked out in scuba gear complete with fins and snorkel.  The Mooooticultural Cow was a rainbow of glistening color. Udderly Green was grazing in front of one of Stapleton’s "green builders" McStain.

Here’s a photo of MooRine Life, a very colorful cow indeed…

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Denver CowParade

This month kids is celebrating it’s past with a CowParade full of Cow Memoo-rbilia.  Patterned after the famous Zurich CowParade in 1998, that attracted  more than one million visitors from throughout Europe, Denver is exhibiting 100 bovines in three different pastures.
Where can you see these beautiful bovines?
Throughout metro Denver in Cherry Creek North and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, downtown Denver at the special watering holes on 16th Street Mall, Larimer Square, Tabor Center, Writer Square and Denver Pavilions and the Stapleton community.
Why does Denver have Cows?
Raising Moo-la is the primary purpose for having the CowParade.  The goal is to raise $500,000 to benefit The Children’s Museum of Denver, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, The Denver Zoo, and the Eagle Fund of the Denver  foundation. 
Can I buy a Cow?
Yes, the moos-terpieces will be sold at auction to be held at the National Western Stock Show Stadium on November 10, 2006 and online November 11, 2006.  Sales are open to the public. You  may come meet the artist and kick up your heels to live music and bid on your very own cow.
CowParade Dates
The event continues now through October 18, 2006.  So pack up the Denver, Grandma and Grandpa and go visit the beautiful bovines in the various Denver pastures.  Enjoy the cows and best of all enjoy being with each other.
Mooooooo
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