Admittedly, it probably wasn’t the best long-term strategy to keep it as a rental house…we bought it on the bubble, paid too much for it, had a high interest rate, and then over-improved it. (Many lessons learned.)

But, I loved that house…it’s on a quiet street, around the corner from a good elementary school and a public swimming pool. It has an awesome private backyard, big trees, and it’s centrally located.

We fixed up the house as we lived there…starting with the kitchen and working our way through until we eventually finished the basement, added a bathroom and bedroom and doubled the finished square footage.

We built a deck in the backyard, put on a new roof and new windows.

So, now that the tenants have found a new place, we have decided that now is the time to sell…which has me thinking about the importance of curb appeal.

Our little house is a red brick ranch on a street lined with brick ranches. Most of them look the same as they have since they were built. Luckily, the lots are big, the neighbors are tidy, and I think that the house will sell quickly enough since we are completely renovating the inside.

But I want it to sell SUPER FAST, since, after all, it’s now empty and no one is paying rent to cover the mortgage anymore.

So I have been trolling the web, trying to find the best way to update the exterior without spending a ton of money.

Here is what the house looked like when we bought it:

And frankly, it pretty much looks the same now.

So here is my list:

- Paint front door red, remove storm door

- New silver mailbox

- New modern house numbers

- Paint garage door Slate

- Paint window box Slate, plant flowers

- Straighten all scalloped edges

- Remove shutters

- Frame wrought iron to create boxy pillars, paint them Slate

- Big colorful pots with evergreens or bright flowers

- Fresh mulch

- Mow lawn

For Sale sign

I think these small updates will have huge impact, will look great in photos, and will hopefully help the house sell fast!

All photor courtesy of Pinterest. Check out my boards there for original sources!

photo from daveshomemade.com via Pinterest

Historic Olde Town Arvada is starting a new signature event in our community to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, so folks have another fun family event in Olde Town! This event will be held on Grandview Ave between Olde Wadsworth and Webster from 1-6pm with live bands, arts/crafts booths, food booths, kids entertainment, and beer/wine sales. The street will be closed to traffic to make this a fun and safe event for all.

Please let me know if you have questions about this or any other property, if you would like to set a showing, if you would like to know what your home is worth!

From the Apex Fieldhouse to the new Arvada Skatepark…Arvada is an awesome place to play!

Photos courtesy of CityofArvada via Flickr

I guess it’s the same in other parts of the country as well, according to this article from MSNBC…

Falling home prices have sent many would-be buyers to the sidelines. If all goes well, record low interest rates and rising rents may soon prompt some of them to take a second look at buying.

Unfortunately, that’s a big “if,” according to Paul Diggle, a housing economist at Capital Economics.

Much of the decision to buy a house still depends on your personal finances and preferences, your career or family life, or level of financial security.

But if you’re comparing just the cost of owning and renting, buying a house may soon be the better choice, according to Diggle.

Until recently, home ownership was no bargain compared to renting, according to his analysis.  A 33 percent drop fall in home prices, a plunge in mortgage rates and 15 percent rise in rents since the housing crash has evened the scales. Today, the median monthly mortgage payment of about $700 has fallen to about the level of a median monthly rent check. If mortgage rates keep falling and rents keep rising, the equation will tip even further toward owning.

But that analysis doesn’t include the total cost of owning versus renting. A full accounting includes  closing costs, maintenance, insurance and property taxes, tax savings from mortgage deductions, gains or losses from home equity, among other factors. Renters have to think about broker fees and future rent hikes. Both have to make assumptions about future trends in housing prices and rents.

When you take those factors into account — which Diggle has done with a homegrown “calculator” — someone who plans on staying put for seven years would come out ahead by about $9,000 if they bought a median-priced home rather than being a tenant in a median-priced rental. Diggle’s calculation assumes that rents keep rising by about 3 percent a year and that house prices stay flat in 2012 and 2013 and begin rising in 2014 at about 3 percent a year.

If house prices fall further, all bets are off, said Diggle. In that case, the renters come out ahead.

“At the moment, (that) downside scenario is more likely to materialize than the upside one,” he said.

Even if Diggle’s calculator were to signal a “strong buy” for home ownership, he doesn’t expect that would spark a buyers’ stampede. Most first-time buyers or households who lost a  home to foreclosure don’t have the 20 percent down payment many lenders are insisting on. They may also have trouble getting a mortgage without a credit score of 700 or more — a higher bar than the 650 score that was the norm for the past two decades.

“A large share of the population has dropped out of the pool of potential buyers,” he said. “Given that the choice between owning and renting a home is a luxury than many Americans simply do not have, the fact that this does appear to be the time to buy will have only a minimal effect on actual sales. Accordingly, we expect only a modest housing recovery over the next few years.”

If you would like to talk about the possibility of buying a home instead of renting in the Denver metro area, contact me!

Photo courtesy of Beasee via flickr.

So I was happy to finally hear an update from the North Denver Tribune…here it is:

Eager to speak their minds, local residents queried the likely developers of the old St. Anthony hospital campus about their intentions and aired their own hopes and concerns about the project.

During two public gatherings, the residents said they would like to see a development that fits in with the character of the neighborhood, has its own fun things to do, creates buzz for the area and is friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Concerns included traffic, parking, height, and density. People asked if a new fire station would be needed; if residents would use Sloan’s Lake for barbecuing and other backyard activities; and whether the site would be properly secured in the meantime. They were assured it would be.

Some suggested that for inspiration, the team look at developments such as Highland Gardens Village. Others didn’t want it to look too similar to existing places. One participant suggested that owner-occupied units were preferable to rentals.

Representatives of EFG Brownfield Partners, which is in exclusive negotiations with Centura Health to buy the site, met with the West Colfax Neighborhood Association (WeCAN) and Sloan’s Lake Citizen’s Group in mid-December to introduce themselves and others involved in the massive project.

EFG Brownfield – a new entity formed by the January 2010 merger of EnviroFinance Group of Sacramento, Calif., and Brownfield of Denver – would be the master developer. It would work to incorporate the wishes of the community, the demands of the market, and regulatory requirements, company officials say.

But Brownfield is also tapping the skills of other companies. RNL will handle planning and design, Parsons Brinckerhoff, the engineering, and NAI Shames Makovsky, real estate and marketing. More companies will be brought in for the building stage.

The deal to purchase the property is expected to be settled some time after Jan. 1, according to Cameron Bertron, vice president of development services for Brownfield.

The development is expected to be mostly residential, with up to 1,000 units for mixed-income households. The 18.8-acre site will also have retail and office space, including medical facilities of some type.

The land is predominantly zoned for up to five stories, with a portion along West Colfax zoned for eight stories. But the property could be rezoned.

The team is expected to draft designs, taking their cue from a 2006 task force and the community’s input, then present them to the public for comment, Brownfield representatives said.

At the meetings, the representatives said they wanted to hear the locals’ input and questions even though they themselves didn’t know many of the answers yet.

Comments were jotted down on poster paper on what people were most excited about, most concerned about, and what their biggest questions were.

Susan Richardson, who lives near Lake Middle School, said she was glad the team would look at what’s been already recommended. “It’s hard to envision – it’s a huge space,” said Richardson. “It’s hard to say what it will look like.”

Maria Todd, a member of WeCAN, said she didn’t want a clone of the Stapleton, Belmar or Highlands developments.

“I don’t want it to look Craftsman – not scrape-off Craftsman,” she said. “This neighborhood has its own character.”

Jonathan Wachtel, also a member of WeCAN, said the project is a “tremendous opportunity” for the neighborhood.

“We need to create good places, provide amenities for the neighborhood,” he said. “I’m more focused on the opportunities than worrying about the negative impacts.”

Bertron said he most similar project the company has worked on in Denver is the former Dahlia Shopping Center in Park Hill. It, too, went from commercial to mixed use.

Brownfield demolished buildings on the blighted site and remediated the land, which had been a brick makers’ landfill. A separate developer has built an 88-unit senior residential complex on the site and is eyeing plans to build more housing.

Brownfield’s selection for the St. Anthony’s site doesn’t mean the St. Anthony’s site needs remediation, although the land will be evaluated, officials say.

With a low vacancy rate, Denver has a strong market for apartments, Bertron said. Brownfield is also predicting that the economy will improve by the time the St. Anthony site is ready, no sooner than 2013, he said.

For more information about what is planned for the Sloan’s Lake area, visit Denvergov.org

Free Trees for ALL Denver Residents – This Spring ONLY

Spread the word between now and February 15!This spring is special… 1)  Thanks to our partners and sponsors, Denver Digs Trees‘ Spring Street Tree Program is able to offer FREE street trees to ALL residents of Denver, regardless of their neighborhood of residence. 2)  The City of Denver’s Mile High Million tree planting initiative’s funds for Trees for Energy Savings expire in August.  We need to make use of this money for free trees to be planted on the west sides of buildings (front, side, back yards and street trees).  This offer is also available to any Denver resident! More details about each offer below. These 2 great offers present a powerful opportunity to get trees to thousands of people in all of Denver’s neighborhoods.  Tree Applications are available NOW and availability is limited.  The application deadline is February 15, so we need to spread the word asap.

Click here to fill out an application for a free tree and for more information!

Digging the idea of this program?  Get involved!

Become a Neighborhood Ambassador

Adopt a neighborhood (your own or another) and let me know how you’d like to get involved.  I’m happy to provide materials and assistance.

Share the Application

Please pass along to friends, family, and neighbors this link where they can find more information and the online applications: www.TheParkPeople.org.  Paper applications are also available.

Canvass for Trees
Go door-to-door to drop off materials to encourage residents to apply for trees.

Join a Group Canvass - Join our canvassing crews.  Most of this canvassing does not involve knocking on doors and speaking with residents, so no worries if you’re shy.  :)   More details provided upon signing up.  RSVP to kim@theparkpeople.org or 303-722-6262.  

Canvass on Your Own - Pick up door hangers from our office (at Platt Park) and make your rounds whenever works best for you.  We will provide a map of your canvass area, tree applications and door hangers that you can leave for residents.

Drop Applications in Neighborhood Hot Spots  You know your neighborhood’s hot spots and gathering places better than we do.  Leave small stacks of tree applications at coffee shops, gardening stores, and other locations where folks might see and take them.

Speak at Neighborhood Meetings  Give a presentation about the benefits of trees and our tree program at your neighborhood association’s meeting or at the meeting of another group with which you’re involved.

Encourage your Neighborhood Paper to Run a Story about Denver Digs and the springtrees.  We can provide a press release or a brief blurb and are happy to field reporters’ calls.

Chat Up your Neighbors & Friends  Word of mouth is a powerful thing and one of Denver Digs Trees‘ most effective means of outreach!

Wine, Cheese, & Trees  Thinking of hosting a neighborhood party?  Advertise for trees at your event!  Set out tree applications for folks to take.  Show off a tree you’ve gotten throughDenver Digs.  We can send a representative to give a brief spiel about this year’s trees and how folks can apply, or you can do this yourself.  This is a fun, no-pressure, social way to get more treesin your neighborhood!

Reach Out to Rental Properties and Business Owners  Know of a rental property or business that could use some trees?  Make contact with the property managers!  These folks may manage numerous properties, presenting a great opportunity to impact many areas in the city.

More details about the Free Trees:
Thanks to a special opportunity this spring only, any Denver resident can apply for free trees.

There are 2 options:

Yeah Denver…now, how are you going to take advantage of the Denver market?  One of my goals for 2012 is to rehab a couple of investment properties for resale. Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’t it?

Everyone knows I’m in love with the Denver Metro area…but news like this also makes me feel really proud of the place where I love to live, work, and play.

Want to know more about the Denver housing market?  Or would you like to chat about how you can take advantage of our strong housing market?  Let me know!

Of course, with four kids we always end up spending a ton of time in the Hall of Education, the petting zoo, and of course the tempting booths full of western-themed goods.

Check out the National Western Stock Show website for all of the information that you need to know before heading down to the rodeo!

My best tips?

- If at all possible either go early or go during a weekday.

- Wear layers that are easy to take on/off and carry – the temperature between the different buildings as well as outside pretty much guarantees that someone is going to be too hot or cold at some point.

- Wear comfortable shoes that don’t mind getting dirty – it’s a huge space, and well, there are lots of animals.

- Make sure to check out a rodeo if possible, they are really fun to watch and if you’ve never been to one, then you should!

#ilovedenver

Photo courtesy denver.org

Want more info about living in Downtown Denver?  Contact me!