As a place for young singles from 25-29, the Denver area ranked second across the country per Kiplinger’s latest report on Best Places to Live. One of the selection criteria included the Bohemian Indicator. Denver scored a 117, with a national average index of 100. Washington D.C. was the top selection.

What is a Bohemian Indicator? Kiplinger says it “shows the concentration of writers, designers, musicians, actors and other arts-related personnel, and is a comparative measure of an area’s diversity and cultural amenities.”

Denver, and the surrounding metropolitan area, scored as follows:

Population:   2,327,901

Cost of Living Index:   102  (100 is average)

Percentage of Workforce in the Creative Class:   34%

Bohemian Indicator:   117

Creative Class Salary Growth:   18.2%

The Creative Class indicator includes scientists, engineers, architects, educators, writers, artists and entertainers. Richard Florida, who created the criteria to evaluate all the cities, wrote in The Rise of the Creative Class, that creative types of people make a city a vibrant place to live.

For some fun, take the “Which City is Best for You?” survey.

Whether you are between 25–29 or a Bohemian of any other age, Denver is a great place to live.

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Today is Memorial Day, a day to reflect on the men and women who protect our families and our countries while serving around the world. It is also to pay our respects to veterans who have since passed away.

Each and every one of these veterans have played a part in the freedoms we have today.

While I don’t always support what some protesters say, I can appreciate that they have “freedom of speech” that works both ways. I can say what I want and not worry about being arrested.

Sometimes I shake my head at some of the wild outfits I see, but thank goodness women aren’t forced to cover up just to go out in public.

Our children have access to public education and financial support to attend colleges around the country.

I have a say in the future of our country when I vote.

The media is now open to all. While you won’t see me on your local news, I can blog to my hearts content and reach hundreds of people.

I can be a single woman and own my own business and home.

We are a melting pot. While we are still debating how to react to illegal immigration, our country has amazing diversity.

We can have debate without bloodshed.

Thank you for all that you do serving our country. Thank you to the families that sacrifice by being left at home. Thank you to all of our veterans, living and dead, for making our country the amazing place it is today.

I won’t forget. God bless you all!

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There are nine houses for sale from the 400 through 600 blocks of Franklin Street. Are the neighbors jumping ship? No, actually, there is an incredible amount of renovation and construction going on. If you want to live on an amazing street in historic Denver, take a look at your options. Jennifer’s Top Three in no Particular Order (Keep in mind that this is my personal opinion. They are all great houses. Also, I am one of the owners for 424 Franklin, so I am probably a bit biased. It was a tough decision.)

646 Franklin Street–

This house is a Sonja Leonard Leonard Renovation and she and her crew have done an amazing job. Both the first and second floors have front sun rooms, including one in the master bedroom. From the front of the house to the back, the landscaping is amazing.
Favorite Thing: The wonderful outdoor living spaces nestled in a variety of beautiful gardens.
Listed by: Leonard Leonard and Associates
Price: $1,600,000

 

 

493 Franklin Street-

This is a gorgeous home from the curb appeal through the water feature in the back yard. The kitchen has been remodelled and the house has a great flow. It still retains many of the original details.
Favorite Thing: The beautiful built in shelves and cabinets that let you know you are in a historic home.
Listed by: Prestige Real Estate Group
Price: $1,349,000

 

 

424 Franklin Street-

This house has been taken down to the studs and has totally been redone to reflect today’s current lifestyle. It is filled with light and a great house for entertaining.
Favorite Thing: The kitchen designed for entertainment that opens to both the family room and oversized dining room.
Listed by: Keller Williams Realty
Price: $1,100,000

Your Other Possibilities (You’ll find quality houses in this list, as well. I would have added almost all of them to my top list, but then it wouldn’t be just the top three anymore.)

569 Franklin Street-

There are very few new construction homes in the Driving Park Historic District of Denver. This house and its neighbor at 561 Franklin came as the result of structural damage so serious that the former home could not be saved. This house has wonderful woodwork and a beautiful kitchen with unusual and amazing granite.
Favorite Thing: The master bathroom with its custom tile. It is a space designed to soak and relax.
Listed by: Exit Realty
Price: $2,739,000

 

561 Franklin Street-

In the construction of this home, the builder managed to save what could be a hundred year old tree in the backyard. The house is still under construction, so the kitchen has not been completed. The windows let in amazing light and there are upper outdoor balconies on both the front and back of the house.
Favorite Thing: The breathtaking curved staircase that leads to an upper balcony.
Listed by: Exit Realty
Price: $2,649,000

 

525 Franklin Street-

This home was also taken down to the studs. It is a beautiful renovation with open spaces. The great room is just off the kitchen and offers wonderful space for entertaining. The master bathroom is amazing and spacious.
Favorite Thing: The kitchen is open and has unique tile work.
Listed by: Advantage Sells LLC
Price: $1,395,000

 

467 Franklin Street-

This house was an up/down duplex when the investor bought it last year. They have done a fabulous job restoring it to a single family home. The house retains much of its original detail, while still being a very livable house.
Favorite Thing: The master suite with its fireplace and extra space for reading and relaxing.
Listed by: MB Vintage Homes of Denver
Price: $1,295,000

 

 

577 Franklin Street-

This house has been remodelled with the interior layout remaining much the same except for the vaulted ceiling and unusual windows in the living room. It also has beautiful landscaping and a large porch where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine.
Favorite Thing: The architectural details. This house retains a great deal of its original charm.
Listed by: Exit Realty
Price: $799,000

 

490 Franklin Street-

This house was originally built in 1924, but the renovation that has taken place would lead you to believe that the house is new to the nieghborhood. The entrance faces north onto E. 5th Avenue, so I was surprised to find the house had good light. It does need updating, but has a very dramatic entrance.
Favorite Thing: The light that comes in from a variety of skylights.
Listed by: Fuller Towne and Country
Price: $767,000

All of these houses have a different feel and a variety of great features. If you have always wanted to live on a great block with trees that have been around for decades, this is a great street. Neighbors are friendly and active and these homes are within walking distance of Cherry Creek, the bike and jogging paths along Speer Boulevard and Cheesman Park. I’d be happy to show you any or all of these homes if you are looking to buy. Give me a call: 720–260–3133.

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I was one of those kids that when I found a good book, I couldn’t put it down until I finished, and that usually meant a flashlight under the covers so my mother wouldn’t find out.

These days, I find myself in the middle of the night typing away on my laptop while I am still snuggled in bed. (Thank goodness for wireless.) It’s one of those “wake up with idea” kind of thing that means you won’t sleep until you put it down on paper, or in this case, on the screen. It happens more to me in the winter when it’s cold out there and I’d rather stay warm and cuddly. With spring here and the temperatures heating up, it isn’t so bad climbing out of bed and heading over to the computer.

I wonder if the experts have identified this as some kind of disease or addiction. All I can tell you is sometimes my best ideas occur when writing in bed. So, I guess I am a bit addicted. While I’m up and at ‘em this morning and upright, I’m glad I’m not on video cam. It’s not pretty picture. I guess I’ll go brush my teeth now.

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Many Colorado real estate investors attempting to defer paying capital gains taxes using the “1031 Exchange” program may have lost millions. From large corporations to small individual investors, this crisis will impact a lot of people.

The first in the Colorado saga was the disappearance of Breckenridge attorney, Royal “Scoop” Daniel. Daniel was serving as the 1031 exchange intermediary for a number of clients. It is estimated that he left town owing around $1M to clients who had entrusted him with proceeds from their real estate transactions. There is some speculation that he fled to Brazil. A warrant for his arrest has been issued for suspicion of felony theft.

Then last week, the 1031 Tax Group entrusted with over $100M in exchange funds, filed bankruptcy. One of the top ten creditors is located in Littleton with $1.9 million. It is estimated that between 200-999 people or companies will be negatively impacted. Many investors around the country will be effected, especially those in Texas. Eight of the top twenty creditors are in the South Texas area.

How this will impact the program and each of the investors is yet to be determined. But it will have an immediate impact on Realtors and investors who will do extensive research in identifying future intermediaries.

The 1031 Exchange program refers to a section of the Tax Code that allows real estate investors to sell property for another like-kind real estate investment. The money is required to be held by a third party intermediary until another property is purchased. Many investors take advantage of the program so that they can defer paying capital gains taxes until they actually sell a property and keep the proceeds.

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As you were lying on the table making a contribution for life in the form of donating blood, you probably were working with professionals from the Bonfils Blood Center. I’ve heard the name over the years and was aware the Bonfils family were philanthropists that made a huge difference in Denver. So, just like Bonnie Brae, I decided to do a little more research and find out more about them.

Frederick Bonfils - (1860-1933)

Frederick has a bit of a checkered past. He and Harry Heye Tammen bought the Denver Post in the late 1800’s. The competition between the Post and what was the more popular Rocky Mountain News newspaper got heated. In 1900, the Post was working to get convicted cannibal Alfred Packer out of prison and attorney, William Anderson, was assigned the job. After an intense argument, Bonfils and Tammen were shot by William Anderson but quickly recovered. Anderson was acquitted of assault. Several years later, Bonfils assaulted United States Senator and Rocky Mountain News editor Thomas Patterson at the corner of 13th Avenue and Logan Street. Bonfils was convicted of assault and paid a small fine.

He made the first of the community contributions by donating seventeen acres at 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard to the University of Colorado for a Denver medical school campus.

Frederick Bonfils died in 1933.

Helen Bonfils -

After her father’s death in 1933, Helen Bonfils took over management of the Denver Post. In 1946, Helen brought in E. Palmer Hoyt as the editor. Hoyt improved the quality of the paper and it became one of the most influential regional newspapers across the country.

It was Helen who established the Belle Bonfils Blood Bank and Bonfils Tumor Clinic. She also supported the Denver Zoo, Denver Dumb Friends League and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.   After Helen’s first husband George Somnes died, Helen (69) married her 28 year old chauffeur “Tiger” Mike Davis. They divorced several years later with Davis receiving a substantial settlement. Helen died in 1972.

May Bonfils-

May was Helen’s older sister. May was estranged from the family after she eloped with a salesman at age 21. She was actually cut out of Frederick’s will. After suing, May received a substantial portion of the estate, including property in Lakewood where she built Belmar, a home modelled after a Versailles palace. May was an active supporter of the Central City Opera and Denver Botanic Gardens.

She died in 1962 at the age of 78. With no heirs, most of the estate went for charitable purposes including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, University of Colorado Health Science Center and many other charities across the state.   

 
The family is buried at Fairmount Cemetery, but not together. May, still estranged in death, is buried a few hundred feet from the rest of the family that is buried in Bonfils Room of the Fairmount Mausoleum Building.   While the family faced some controversy over the years, they made incredible contributions that have changed the face of not only Denver, but Colorado as well. To read more about the history of amazing people of Colorado, don’t miss Richard E. Wood’s Here Lies Colorado: Fascinating Figures in Colorado History.  

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One of the many beautiful residential areas in Denver is the Bonnie Brae neighborhood located between University Boulevard on the west, Steele Street on the east, Exposition Avenue on the north and E. Mississippi Avenue on the south.

So, who was this wonderful neighborhood named after? So began the search for the infamous Bonnie Brae. She must have been a fascinating person with neighborhoods, restaurants and charities named after her.

It turns out that Bonnie Brae is actually Gaelic meaning “Pleasant Hill”. Whether or not there has been an actual person named Bonnie Brae I’m not sure, but this neighborhood was planned and named in 1923 by Saco Rienk DeBoer, an influential Denver city planner, to have the feel of a Scottish village inside of Denver. Houses were first built in 1923 but development stalled in the late 1920’s when the developer, Associated Industries, went bankrupt in the late 1920’s. The majority of construction occurred in the 1940’s and 1950’s. So, there is a real mix of architectural styles throughout the area.

Bonnie Brae Boulevard is a wonderful street to drive to get the feel of the neighborhood and to see some truly beautiful homes. The Boulevard runs from University Boulevard and Exposition Avenue on the west and runs diagonal through the neighborhood to Steele Street and Mississippi on the east. You’ll find wonderful neighborhood restaurants and businesses along South University Boulevard. The Bonnie Brae Tavern has been the rock of the neighborhood since 1934.

Bonnie Brae Tavern
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
Bonnie Brae Flowers

The Bonnie Brae neighborhood, with its towering trees, fabulous neighborhood businesses and convenient central Denver location, is a very popular Denver community. The area is experiencing a great deal of construction and renovation. It is truly a “pleasant hill” or at least a pleasant neighborhood to call home. Here’s to Bonnie Brae.

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What do cardboard, lake moss, kitchen rinse water, coffee grounds, corn cobs, dryer lint, hair and egg shells have in common? They are part of the recipe for fabulous flower and vegetable gardens.  

If you are interested in recycling and having gardens that are the envy of the neighborhood, Denver Recycles is offering classes on learning how to compost.   

The two hour class, Learn to Compost, is being offered numerous times from May through October.

Upcoming Classes:

Saturday, May 12th   9:00-11:00 AM (Full)
Saturday, May 19th   9:00-11:00 AM (Full)
Saturday, June 2nd   9:00-11:00 AM (Full)
Sunday, June 10th    2:00-4:00 PM
Saturday June 23rd   9:00-11:00 AM
Saturday June 30th   9:00-11:00 AM

The classes are held at the Denver Backyard Composting Demonstration Site located at E. 13th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in the Denver Urban Gardens’ Gove Community Garden.

Classes are free, but you must register at least one week in advance. Call 720-865-6810 or email your information to DenverRecycles@ci.denver.co.us.

The classes are sponsored by Denver Urban Gardens, Denver Recycles and the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District.

For more information on composting, you can visit the Compost Guide where you can even find a Compost Blog. 

Instead of adding to your trash heap, turn garbage into nutrient rich humus that will contribute to an amazing garden.

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The Denver Post had a article on May 2, 2007, “Home values drop across much of area“.  I was surprised to see that the information came from a first quarter home price index from Zillow.com.

While this is a tough market and home prices are dropping in some areas, using Zillow as the area expert seems a little suspect. Even Zillow admits that it’s information is only an “estimated market value” and that potential sellers should use Zillow as only a starting place and then…

Get a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from a real estate agent
Get an appraisal from a professional appraiser
Visit the house (whenever possible)
Create their own estimate using Zillow’s home valuation tool

Zillow reported that Highlands Ranch was up 3.41% and Boulder .41%. The metro median shows a drop in price index of 1.93%. Aurora shows a drop of 7.81% and Wheat Ridge 6.18%

What is so interesting is that Zillow’s Median Error rate for the Denver area is an admitted 4.7% so, half the homes are within 4.7% of the selling price and half are off by more than 4.7%. The % of homes where the estimates are within 10% of the selling price is only 78%. So, 22% of estimates are over 10% off. That basically negates most, if not all, of the reported increases and declines in value.

I checked my home and found that Zillow has made some improvement in the estimated value at least on my house. About a year ago, my house had an estimated value more than 8% above what I could sell it for. Today, the numbers on my house are closer to 3% off. But, it shows my home is worth more than what I could get for it. How disappointing is it to a seller when a Realtor has to bear the bad news that they will get at least $25,000 less than they expected if the stats are off by 10% or more?

I do check Zillow on occasion. It is kind of fun to look at neighborhoods and maps. It is, however, not the place I would go if I seriously wanted to know market statistics or the value of my house. So have home prices dropped? In some areas they have. If you want to know what impact that may have on you when your are ready to buy or sell, contact a Realtor.

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