Living in Colorado

If You Live in Denver, Get Ready to Wave Your Flag ... and Not the American One

There are so many people moving to Denver nowadays, that it can be difficult to determine how long they have actually been in our great state of Colorado. One of the sure fire ways to determine if they are "homegrown" is to ask them to name the official city neighborhoods.

A newbie might name some such as RiNo, LoDo, or Ballpark -- this means they are wrong and haven't been here long. These are all fabulous, popular, and fast-growing areas, but are relatively new to Denver, and most importantly, NOT official neighborhoods. 

As the city grows and old city borders obscure and morph into new in borders, one man has attempted to preserve the local history; Steven Chester is creating flags for each of the official Denver neighborhoods. 

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Student Loan Debt Bogging You Down? Here is How to Get a Mortgage

Many college graduates hoping to buy a home wonder how to get a mortgage while dealing with student loan debt.

In fact, 41% of college-educated Americans with student loans report having postponed buying a home because of their debt, according to a recent survey by Student Loan Hero, a service that helps people pay off their student debt more efficiently. Making matters worse, student debt surged 56% from 2004 to 2014, to an average of $28,950 per borrower, reports the Institute for College Access & Success.

Read the full article on Realtor.com

Understand Debt-To-INcome Ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, correlates how much money you owe on student loans, credit cards, car loans, and home loans) to your current income. 

Most…

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10 Adventures Await You in Golden!

There are so many fun activities to partake in the Denver area during the summer months. One of the great hidden treasures of the area is none other than the city of Golden. It was spectacular views of Clear Creek and the surrounding mountains.  Most everyone there is looking for a fun way to fill their day; with mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and so much more! Not to mention all the local breweries, including Coors.Brewery.

All of these activities can be accomplished in one afternoon in the quaint town. Golden, Colorado is 12 miles west of downtown Denver, in the Clear Creek Valley. It’s the closest mountain town to Denver, so why would you make the trek into the mountains? Here are 10 easy adventures to enjoy on quick and easy half-day trips…

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Beautiful Victorian Home on Capitol Hill - 1445 Downing St. Listed by Nicole Rufener for West + Main Homes.

Perfection + potential collide in this elegant Victorian home, where you will entertain in grand style, enjoying the ultimate display of craftsmanship & period-specific design. Sprawling entertaining spaces with ten-foot ceilings flow from the two living rooms and dining room into the tremendous top-of-the-line chef's kitchen remodeled with painstaking detail, clad with premium finishes + fixtures including a farmhouse copper sink, massive slab granite island and counters, two ovens with an additional warming oven & custom cabinetry. Masterful design and modern luxury are uniquely embodied in this 1890s home with detailed woodwork, built-ins, stained glass & multiple fireplaces throughout.

Your home is located in the heart of the city. Walk to…

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What is coming to 41st and Fox?

It has been said that there is "no land left" in other areas of Denver. Now, developers are wasting no time in getting over to 41st and Fox. The property owners in the area, in the Sunnyside neighborhood, have requested for the city to rezone the area for taller structures, hoping to allow growth of the businesses there. But why are developers so interested now? This entire plan is discussed in an article on Denverite's website. 

Niles Emerick says, “This [the new development] is on the southeast corner of the neighborhood bordered by railroad tracks, bordered by the 38th Avenue underpass, and then I-70 to the north. So really three of the four sides are not necessarily going to be too negatively impacted by that kind of development.” 

…

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It's Farmer's Market Season!

School is out, Summer is here, and it's Farmer's Market Season!

We love perusing our favorite Farmer's Markets with a latte in hand, finding the best locally grown produce and other yummy items.

Here are some of Colorado's best Farmer's Markets. (Did we miss your fave? Let us know and we will be happy to add it to the list!)

Fresh Markets:

CHERRY CREEK FRESH MARKET • 20TH SEASON!
Cherry Creek Shopping Center • 1st Ave. & University Blvd.
ALWAYS FREE PARKING DURING THE MARKET
SATURDAYS, May 6 – October 28, 8 AM – 1 PM & WEDNESDAYS, June 14 – September 27, 9 AM – 1 PM

CITY PARK ESPLANADE FRESH MARKET • 20TH SEASON!
Sullivan Fountain • E. Colfax Ave. & Columbine St.
SUNDAYS, June 4 – October 29, 9 AM – 1 PM

GOLDEN FARMERS MARKET • 15TH…

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It's Official. House Bill 1279 will hopefully provide more affordable condos and long-needed housing inventory.

Breaking news from the Denver Business Journal:

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday signed into law a long-sought measure that will make it more difficult for associations of condominium owners to file multi-million-dollar construction-defects lawsuits.

And now, builders are on the clock now to prove that the change will spur more of them to begin putting up condos priced under $300,000, as backers of the measure are expecting.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signs a construction-defects reform bill Tuesday while… more

ED SEALOVER | DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL

The signing of House Bill 1279 comes after a decade in which condos fell from being roughly 20 percent of the new…

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The Cost of Waiting to Buy a Colorado Home

We hear it all the time - homeowners and renters who are "waiting for the Colorado market to cool down because prices are too crazy right now."

Makes sense, except we have been hearing folks say this for about five years now, and prices have continued to go nowhere but up. This is a quick analysis of what could happen if current sales trends continue in the Denver Metro area, with both average prices and interest rates on the rise. (Calculations include principal and interest only.)

As you can see, prices ARE rising at a fast pace...jumping almost $200,000 in just two years. So, does it make sense to wait? It depends on your situation and your financial and Real Estate goals.

If you thinking about Selling a Colorado property, it might seem…

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13 Rules to Follow in Colorado's Hot Real Estate Market

We always look forward to 5280's Real Estate Edition, and this year's version did not disappoint. It's filled with great information and is a resource for all things Real Estate in the Greater Denver Area. 

Colorado's Real Estate landscape is constantly changing, and this piece published this month is a great list of things that people making a move in the Denver area should be aware of.
Read the complete article at 5280.com

Rule No. 1

Understand the impact of record-low inventory levels. See the current market stats.

Rule No. 2

Target traditionally quiet times to buy and sell in what’s now a yearlong season.

Rule No. 3

Don’t count on rising interest rates to stall Denver’s market.

Rule No. 4

Get the right app. Many home…

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Apparently Shower Plants are Now a Thing

You never know what you're going to find when you are showing homes. When you see as many homes as we do, you start to notice trends, and lately, we are noticing more and more shower plants. Apparently, this is now a common decoration for your favorite bathroom and Architectural Digest has the article to prove it! So get ready to turn your bathroom into a lush sanctuary and give your buyers a truly unique experience.

"Miniature jungles seem to be popping up in every corner of the house these days, and we mean every corner. Pinterest recently reported that searches for shower plants are up 302 percent from last year. That's right—they're talking about greenery perched beside you as you wash your hair. Further proof that all things leafy are on the…

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