Even though it is the middle of May and I’m seeing snowflakes outside my window, it is time to consider some fun things to do during the late spring and summer. One of the activities high on my list is Colorado’s Whitewater Rafting.

The water is usually very high and cold in the springtime. If you are an adventurer, you may want to consider booking your trip now. The heavy snow melt should begin in the next few weeks. Early in the season, it may be best to wear a wet suit so you and your family members stay warm. As we get through the summer and into the fall, the rafting becomes a warmer water adventure. Raft for just a few hours or a couple of days. Either way, it is a trip you won’t forget.

My last rafting trip was on the Arkansas River with a group of friends and we had a great time. There were peaceful stretches where we could relax and have a few laughs. Those were in between the times when it took everyone in the the boat rowing to keep it in the right channels of the river. It was a team effort with a great guide to keep us upright. If the river didn’t drench us, the water fights did.

I highly recommend Colorado Whitewater Rafting and that’s why I consider it to be one of the 1001 Things to do in Colorado. Lots of us are lucky to live here but visitors are definitely welcome!

Visit Colorado.com for the latest in Whitewater Rafting Adventures.

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There are no areas during the first quarter of 2008 that we would consider to be Seller’s Markets. We’ve moved into a neutral market in most residential areas, but this will change as the year moves on. Buyers will be aggressively negotiating in those areas that have increased supply on the market.

I have seen a marked increase in showings on my listings just in the last few weeks, so the spring and summer buyers are out and looking. This will change our report for next quarter possibly into more of a seller’s market in a few areas.

Considering Absorption Rate is one way to measure the health of our real estate market. Absorption Rate designates the number of months of housing supply on hand. The larger the supply, the more competition there is for sellers and the higher likelihood that prices will drop or concessions will be offered. The market has definitely slowed in the last quarter.

More Months of Supply = Buyer’s Market = Possible Reduced Pricing and/or Concessions

Fewer Months of Supply = Seller’s Market = Possible Price Increases and/or Bidding Wars

The commonly accepted separation between markets is:

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#2 The Furry Scurry– Denver

If your dogs usually take you for a walk, you may want to take the lead by signing yourself and the furry crew up for the 2008 Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry. You’ll have to get a move on since the event is this Saturday at 9:00 am at Washington Park.

The 2 mile walk and fun run helps raise money for the League in it’s mission to serve more than 25,000 homeless and abandoned animals. Their goal is to raise $850,000. They are currently at $424,293.89. It is an annual event, so if you miss it this year, plan to be there next spring.

Click here to register.

Your family members and friends can sponsor you and your dog, or you can just pay the registration fee of $50.00. Either way, it is a fun event that also raises money for a good cause. If you can’t make it, you can still donate by signing up as a Lazy Dog. 

Olive and I look forward to seeing you there!

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This post is the first in a series of 1001. They are not in any particular order, just things that I have had the opportunity to do or are on my list of things not to miss in the great state of Colorado.

#1– Denver Metro Area

You’ve seen it on television during the Extreme Sports shows, but did you know we have some incredible young people locally and across the state who fly? Give them a skate board and the sky is the limit. Grab lunch, something cold to drink and a lawn chair and head to one of our local skate parks to watch these amazing athletes at play. If you are really brave, take your helmet, knee pads and your own skateboard and give it a try.

Here are just a few skate parks you may want to consider visiting.

Denver Skate Park–  2205 19th Street, Denver

Arvada Skateboard Park– 7800 Barbara Ann Drive, Arvada

Aurora Wheel Park– 2500 S. Wheel Park Circle (Approximately Iliff and Chambers), Aurora

Castle Rock Skate Park– 2240 Front Street, Castle Rock

Centennial Skate Park– Buckley and Orchard, Centennial

Commerce City Pioneer Park–  60th and Monaco, Commerce City

Green Valley Ranch– 51st and Argonne, Denver 

Greenwood Village Skate Park– 6000 S. Quebec, Greenwood Village

Highlands Ranch Redstone Park– Town Center Drive and Foothills Canyon Blvd., Highlands Ranch

Lakewood Walker-Branch Park– 5825 W. 16th, Lakewood

I’ve been by the Aurora Wheel Park and the Castle Rock Skate Parks. These kids are fearless and fun to watch. If you haven’t made it yet, I highly encourage taking an afternoon to sit back and take it in. It may become a favorite past time and it’s free!

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Early this week, my site, along with several other Realtor’s sites experienced a cyber attack. According to my webmaster, it appeared the attack was very focused and that whoever did this selected specific sites.

My website is now up, but missing several months worth of content. I’m not sure if we will recover those missing articles, but I’m back on track. Should I be flattered that my site was important enough to attack or just frustrated that someone had nothing more productive to do with their time?

Doesn’t really matter. I’ll continue to bring posts of interest to my readers related to real estate and other community information regardless of this or any future attacks. The upload feature for photos isn’t working yet, but we’ll get ‘er done.

Happy reading!

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One of the brightest harbringers of the Colorado spring is the 9Health Fair. If you are looking to do a little body spring cleaning along with that of your house, this is the place to be. Not only can you have your blood tests completed, you can have many other tests done at a much lower cost than if you go to the doctors office. There are a variety of activities and educational booths available to keep you interested and busy.

The 9Health Fair usually runs between April 14th-20th, with an occasional Fair happening outside those dates. If you’d like to find a location near you, click here.

I’m sure they are also still looking for volunteers. There are thousands of incredible people who support this effort with their time. From doctors to citizens who point the way, they would love to chat with you about how you can best help. Click here if you are willing to dedicate the time to help us all stay healthy. You may save someone’s life.

The 9Health Fair reminds us that it is important to take care of ourselves so we can help those we love.

Let the 9Health Fair begin…..

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Cleanup bags are readily available at every entrance at Stapleton’s dog park. It is a wonderful place for our furry friends to romp and play with other dogs.

Olive, now about six months old now, made her first trek out to the Stapleton dog park. She was a bit shy and overwhelmed with the variety and size of many of the animals there. I’m looking forward to the time when Olive is more comfortable in her skin and plays with the rest of the dogs.

We are lucky that Denver people love their dogs and have worked hard to provide dog parks in numerous locations around the Denver area.

I’m sure I’ve missed a few of the great places for dogs. I know Lowry residents are planning a dog park and working to raise funds to make it a reality. They are accepting donations if you’d like to help. If I have not included your favorite dog park, feel free to add the location in your comments.

Some of these locations do not have fenced in areas and you must be in control of your dog at all times. Please display courtesy at all locations by cleaning up after your dog and making sure they are friendly at play.

Olive and I are going to try several of these parks out. We are looking forward to meeting you. Just look for the dog that is hanging out with all the people and you have found us.

 Other Resources:

Denver Dog Friendly City Guide

Dog Fun Directory

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Tonight before I go to bed, I need to remember to set my clocks forward an hour. It’s time to “spring forward”.

What has me really confused is that we just moved the clocks back an hour a couple months ago. I think someone out there is laughing as we turn up to church at the wrong time twice a year. Are we saving fuel?

At least the clocks change on Sundays. Pastors, Rabbis and Priests are probably a little more forgiving than some of the bosses out there.

The other good news is that the changing time announces the coming spring. Boy, am I ready!

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Described as one of the “fastest growing art districts in the country”, the Sante Fe Art District is one of Denver’s wonderful places to go for amazing art. From 5th to 10th Avenues along Sante Fe Boulevard, there are more than 30 galleries.

The First Friday Art Walk runs all year round from 6-9 pm. and art lovers are invited to see the work of incredible artists. If you are looking for something amazing to do on Friday nights, this is one weekly event not to miss.

Artist Sharon McEachern is known for her mixed media and has her work featured at the “Art Eclectic” show at the CORE New Art Space. The gallery is located at 9th and Sante Fe. Sharon wrote and asked that I invite all our Denver art connoisseurs to see her latest work. She has several very unique pieces and I look forward to visiting the gallery to see them up close and personal.

Denver is lucky to have a wide variety of artists in many of our fabulous galleries around the area. The next time you are looking for just the right masterpiece to hang on your wall, don’t forget to take a look at the First Friday Art Walk.

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I’m not usually a big one for birthday celebrations, however, 50 is one of those milestones and certainly deserves a good party. All of you are invited to my 50th birthday party which will be held January 2, 2009 on the Ocean Nova ship as it crosses the Drake Passage on its way to Antarctica.

I’ve always wanted to travel to Antarctica and when a full color enticing travel advertisement arrived in my mail a few months ago, I just couldn’t resist. It’s another one of those things on my “bucket list”. We leave the tip of Argentina on December 30th and head across the ocean to the Antarctica peninsula where we’ll see seals, penguins and lots of arctic birds. I’m also hoping to see a whale or two on the way over. I understand that the Drake Passage can be pretty rough and since I am a wimp on boats, I’ll be searching for the holy grail of anti-nauseau medications.

For a summary of the cruise, Click Here.

To check out the boat, Click Here.

I’m joined by my adventurous travel buddy, Delia, who is a retired school principal. I’d love to have you join us. Just tell Joy you want to celebrate Jennifer Steck’s birthday.

Joy Martinello

ExpeditionTrips
6553 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136-1863
Toll-Free: 877 412-8527
Tel: 206 547-0700
Fax: 206 634-9104
www.expeditiontrips.com

I am very excited and have already started my travel journal. So, I hope you can make it, but if not, you can count on seeing my photos when I return.

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With 24,489 houses on the market in the Denver area as of the end of January and only 2,987 closings, is the successful sale of your house a roll of the dice? The answer is a resounding “No”. While there are certainly no guarantees, you can turn the odds in your favor by completing the followings steps.

1. Declutter– We’ve heard it dozens of times on the home shows and you will hear it from your Realtor and Stager. The less clutter, the larger a home feels and the less people will be distracted by your “stuff”. We want them to picture themselves in your fabulous home. Pull out the boxes and pack anything you won’t need for a couple months, including those precious family photos, to create open space on walls, counters and shelves.

2. Clean– Before your house goes on the market, do the spring cleaning. It’s time to wipe the baseboards, wash the windows and have the carpets professionally cleaned. If a buyer comes in and sees dirty light switches, it turns them off. Professional cleaning services are available for a one time deep clean. If you don’t have the time, hire a professional. It may cost you now, but you’ll reap the benefits of a sold house later.

3. Paint– It’s just like buying a new car and getting the first ding, when you paint, it is inevitable that you’ll bump the wall with furniture or the dog will rub up against it. If your walls have a few scrapes, get out the brush and repaint it. Once again, it will take time, but paint is relatively inexpensive. It contributes to the clean feeling that a buyer will experience when they walk in. If you have any odd colors, repaint the walls neutral. To get some idea of what buyers are looking for, you can take a tour of new model homes or check with your Realtor.

4. Replace Burnt Out Bulbs– Buyers love light and you can create an open and light filled space by replacing burnt out bulbs and turning on the fixtures in each room.

5. Price it Right– This is the biggest contributer to whether or not your house will sell. Forget what your neighbors house sold for last year because it is a new market and your home may have experienced a drop in value. Your Realtor will run a comparative market analysis. It is critical that you price it at, or even just a little below, where other similar homes have sold.

6. Get it Done Before the Showings Start– Once people have made the decision to sell, they usually want the house on the market right away. But, we want to make sure every buyer sees the home in its best condition. If you need two weeks to get everything done, wait before opening it to buyers. We can put up a coming soon sign until you are ready. This also gives your Realtor time to get the photographer through and provide professional brochures that will highlight the features of your house.

7. Every Showing Counts– Having your house on the market is inconvenient and frustrating at times. But when the office calls to schedule a showing, say “Yes” whenever possible. Buyers have a variety of schedules and it’s important that we accommodate them. In my experience, the majority of buyers will never return after a showing time has been turned down.

8. Hire a Professional– Marketing your house is critical in this market. Since most buyers are finding their houses on-line, make sure your Realtor has a strong internet presence. The more people who see the photos of your house, the better chance it will sell, especially if you have completed all the above steps.

Whenever I take a listing, the first person I call is my preferred stager. She visits the house at no cost to the seller and makes recommendations on how best to stage the home. Sellers then paint, add table settings and get rid of the clutter. While each house may not look like a show home, just a few simple changes can make a big difference.

Take these steps and increase your odds that you will be successful in putting your home in the SOLD column.

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Paul Martin from Security Title Guarantee has once again provided great information for us on Reverse Mortgages. His first article, Take a Stand for Reverse Mortgages, appeared last month.

Here is the second article in his series of three. Thank you Paul!

Hope you didn’t get tired of standing during the last blog, but I wanted you to experience and personalize the value that a reverse mortgage can provide to a senior.

Today, we take a quick look at the “Nevers” of a reverse mortgage. They are:

Never Make a Payment

Borrowers can make payments if they choose, but that defeats the purpose of a reverse mortgage to tap in their home equity without having to make monthly payments. Any payment made increases the line of credit available. We will take a look at the line of credit increase and how a senior could use this to their advantage in the next blog.

Never Give up Title

“Doesn’t the bank get the house?” is a common misconception to almost everyone who considers a reverse mortgage as an option for tapping into home equity. There is the assumption that seniors sign over the Title to the lender when they close. When seniors do use a reverse mortgage to draw out equity, a lien is placed in the form of a Deed that is recorded at the county in which they live just like any other mortgage. BUT the homeowner is still the homeowner!! There is NOT a transfer of ownership since a senior still remains the Title holder.

Never owe more than the Home is Worth or Pass Debt on to the Children

I heard it just the other day. An adult child was very concerned that they would be held responsible for debt beyond the value of the home at the eventual time that their parent was no longer living in the home. Her fears were calmed when she could see in the Deed that there are NO deficiency judgements. The collateral for the loan is the home, therefore no personal liability. Even if there is a shortfall from the price the property is sold verses the balance of the loan, the debt cannot be passed on to the borrower or the estate. Most reverse mortgages are Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) loans. Borrowers pay an up front mortgage insurance premium and a percentage built into the interest rate to FHA for the insurance. It protects them, their heirs and the lender.

Next time…The value of the line of credit and other options for taking loan proceeds.

Paul Martin
Business Development Manager
Security Title Reverse Mortgage Division
303–889–8104
pmartin@stgco.com

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Yesterday my friend Gail and I went to see “The Bucket List”. I laughed and cried. We all have our bucket list even as young people. Some want to get married and have children and others want to make a million and travel the globe. When I got home,  I started my bucket list. I have lots of places I’d like to visit during my lifetime. If Colorado is listed as one of your destinations not to miss, you may want to check it off by visiting in 2008 or 2009. The only problem is going to be how to narrow down where to visit during your time here. So, I’ve broken it down by seasons with a few suggestions.

Winter– What comes to mind? Probably skiing. There are 26 ski resorts in Colorado from tiny Ski Cooper, where my son learned to ski, to the grand daddy Vail with almost 5,300 ski-able acres. If you aren’t a skier, try dog-sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing or another winter sport. If you are a cowboy or girl at heart, the National Western Stock Show is a Denver highlight during January. I’ve never seen so many kinds of chickens and rabbits. Who knew? Frisco’s Gold Rush is in early February and Steamboat has the Annual Winter Carnival in its 94th year.

 

Spring– You’ll find many a die hard rafter in one of our many rivers across the state. While the ride may require a wet suit, the water is the highest at this time of year. Spring skiing is usually great. While the snow may be a little mushy, lots of people ski in shorts. Fruita has the Fat Tire Festival and Mike the Headless Chicken Days, the Grand Valley has Spring Barrel Tasting and Salida and Buena Vista sponsor the National River Cleanup Greenup. Creede has the Silver Chef Competition at the Taste of Creede. If you love jazz, the Estes Park Jazz Fest and Grand Junction Art and Jazz Festival are both in May.

 

Summer– Late June and early July feature amazing wildflowers in the high country. I love to visit Yankee Boy Basin with my camera and brown bag lunch. I can spend all day enjoying the outdoors and amazing views of Colorado. For those bike riders, amazing riding places are available throughout the state. Many of the best ski areas in winter, become wonderful hosts for mountain biking activities. Ride the lift to the top and work your way down the trail on your favorite bike. Buena Vista has the BalloonaVista, Fort Collins hosts the Colorado Brewer’s Festival now in its 18th year and Frisco will make your mouth water with the Colorado BBQ Challenge. You’ll enjoy Music in the Mountains in Durango and the Hot Air Balloon Rodeo in Steamboat Springs.

 

Fall– Fall in Colorado makes me think of all the wonderful fall colors. There are special drives you can take to see some of the most amazing colors in nature. Estes Park has the Scottish and Irish Highlands Festival, Delta hosts the Blues Festival and Grand Junction has the 16th Annual Colorado Mountain Winefest. Glenwood Springs invites you to the 8th Annual Historic Ghost Walk at the Linwood Cemetery and Creede will tempt you with its Chocolate Tasting Festival. Denver sponsors the International Wine Festival and Taste of Colorado. There is never enough wine or chocolate!

 

I’m tired just thinking of all the great Colorado activities and I’ve only just scratched the surface. This doesn’t include the amazing hiking trails, the fourteeners just waiting to be climbed, fantastic museums, national parks and shopping, shopping, shopping. Anytime of year is a great time to visit. And…if you decide to stay, give me a call and let’s chat.

Other Resources:

Colorado Tourism Office
Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau

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President Bush signed the Economic Stimulus package on Wednesday and the impact for Colorado is yet to be determined. At this time it looks like Boulder may be the only area with a median home price high enough to gain an increase from the current $417,000 limit.

1. Loan limits will go up in metropolitan areas with high housing prices. Most experts are estimating that will occur in only 20 of 160 metropolitan areas.

2. The higher loan limits expire at end of the year. With HUD having 30 days to establish where the increase in loan limits will occur, it will be the middle of March before this is set. That will give borrowers about nine months if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a process in place to purchase those loans.

3. The increase in the FHA loan limits may or may not reach our area.

It’s yet to be seen whether or not more borrowers in Colorado will see more of a benefit than the rebate checks. I’ll keep you posted.

For further thoughts and comments from bloggers, visit:

Business Week

Bloodhound Blog

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We still have a few weeks of winter left and if the occasional snowflakes happen to fall when you least expect them, you may want to consider taking one of the wonderful free tours available in the Denver area. Here are just a few suggestions.

I toured the State Capitol and the Mint when I was a child. I look forward to going back. I remember being fascinated, especially by how money is made.

These are all wonderful places to visit on a snowy day, or any other day in fact.

Happy touring!

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