Denver Named a Real-Estate Market to Watch: Metro Denver has been named one of the country’s top markets to watch next year in the new “Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2011” report. read more here

Denver Ranked 8^th Smartest City According to CNNMoney: read more here

Colorado Among Top States Where Americans Want to Live: Colorado ranks No. 4 among the 50 states in a survey asking Americans where they would most like to live, up from fifth place last year. read more here

Denver’s LoDo Named One of 10 ‘Great Neighborhoods’ in U.S.: Lower Downtown Denver has been named one of the 10 “Great Neighborhoods” for 2010 by the American Planning Association, the group said October 13^th. read more here

UPS, Kohl’s to Hire Tens of Thousands for Holidays: United Parcel Service and Kohl’s Department Stores — both among Colorado area’s largest private employers — plans to hire tens of thousands of extra seasonal workers for the holidays, the companies announced October 6^th. read more here

Mortgages Hit Lowest Levels Since 1950s: Thirty-year fixed mortgages slipped to 4.27 percent this week, the lowest on records dating back to 1971, from 4.32 percent the week of October 6^th. read more here

Airlife Denver Lands Top Global Honor: Airlife Denver, the emergency-transport service for HealthOne, was named the top medical flight service in the world for 2010-2011 by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), a nonprofit international trade association. read more here

Denver to Host ‘Big Air’ Ski, Snowboard Event at Civic Center:

 “Denver Big Air,” an international ski and snowboard competition, will take place in Civic Center Park on the two days preceding the SnowSports Industry America (SIA) Snow Show in January, local leaders announced October 4th. read more here

Westin Riverfront at Beaver Creek Makes Condé Nast List: The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa recently announced it has been honored as the “Top Resort, Mainland U.S.” by Condé Nast Traveler in its 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards. read more here

Massive Housing Development Proposed Near Highlands Ranch: DOUGLAS COUNTY – It’s a nearly $4.3 billion community that would create countless jobs, a new school and an impressive commercial development. read more here

Compliments of

Andrea Kvamme

Land Title

1. Let the contractor know if you are ready to remodel or just kicking the tires. Gary Palmer, a Charlotte, N.C.-based general contractor, says seeking multiple bids is fine, but don’t waste his or her time by letting the bidding process drag on for weeks.

2. Do your homework. Before seeking bids, develop two files. One should include information, including photos, of what you like. The other should include a list of what you don’t like.

3. Listen to the experts. A good contractor can tell you whether the project is feasible and what the pay off will be.

4. Communicate your budget. Let the contractor know up front how much money you intend to spend.

5. Be realistic and patient. Every remodeling project is messy and all of them are going to be frustrating somewhere along the way.

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Do you need a referral to a contractor or service provider?  Do you need a referral for a contractor? Click here-CG Premier Referral Directory or give Chris a call!

The first reason, we just addressed. When you buy a home there are tax advantages. Effectively, homeownership provides an excellent tax shelter. But there are more reasons to trade your rent payment for a mortgage. Buying a home for this tax advantage isn’t how you should look at it. Rather, think of it this way. You need a place to live. Receiving a tax advantage for the place that you choose to live in, is a nice bonus.
When carefully used, a home equity loan (line of credit that allows you to borrow against your home) can be a better way to carry credit. That’s because home equity lines can have lower interest rates and are also deductible whereas typical credit card interest is not.

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CGPremier at Your Castle Real Estate
10955 Westmoor Drive, Suite 400, Broomfield, CO 80021

I was going to say “here’s the skinny” but realized the list of information was growing to “here’s the thick-n-thin”

Window Products

Jeld-Wen http://www.jeld-wen.com/ (sold at home depot)

Pella http://www.colorado.pella.com/home.asp?project=colorado

Andersen  http://www.andersenwindows.com/

Champion http://www.championwindow.com/

What to look for

Efficiency/Construction – Low-e windows, Argon Gas (good to put on sunny, south facing windows, also consider for north, colder side of home)

Operation-  How do they install? Full casement windows. Depends on your house construction (brick, frame, stucco etc).

How easy is it to clean? Do they tilt out from the top? “Double hung”. 

Do the top panes slide down? This is good for letting in air. 

How easy is screen replacement/operation?

Cost – Your basic low cost vinyl window will do better than any aluminum (20+ year old) windows. There are full vinyl , wood and vinyl windows and several others.  How much longer will you be living in your home? When it is time to sell, buyers first will notice that you have NEW-er windows then will look at the quality of the product. 

 Tax Credit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_taxcredits

Energy Star Products are what to look for to qualify.  You may be eligible for Rebates from Xcel as well as the Federal Energy Tax Credit Program, and perhaps City of Westminster. I just purchased a new water heater from Home Depot and installed it myself. The folks at the service desk provided the paperwork for the Xcel Rebate and the City rebate (although the city had no more funding for that rebate). I got a check from $40 from Xcel within 3 weeks.  I installed the water heater myself.

A foreclosed home is advertised on a Re/Max yard sign in Denver on Monday. Foreclosure proceedings have been halted by three banks in some states, but Colorado has not been included. The state has asked Ally Financial to extend the freeze to Colorado. (Matthew Staver, Bloomberg)

Moves by three major mortgage companies to halt foreclosures while they examine their procedures haven’t affected homeowners in Colorado, but some in the state would like to see the foreclosure moratoriums extended here.

The lenders have temporarily stopped processing foreclosures as they investigate whether information included in foreclosure documents was properly verified.

Colorado hasn’t been affected so far because of the unique process that foreclosures go through here.

“We are the only state that operates through a public trustee,” said Stephanie Riggi, manager of the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline. “In other states, a lot of these (foreclosures) were handled through a court proceeding. It may not impact our homeowners who have gone through foreclosures.”

But many in the legal community think the moratoriums in place in other states should be extended to Colorado because the foreclosure process is so complex that it’s difficult to determine whether the cases have been handled improperly.

Read more: Some push for foreclosure freeze in Colorado – The Denver Post ]]> https://cgpremier.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/some-push-for-foreclosure-freeze-in-colorado/feed/ 0 492 chrisgeorgere https://cgpremier.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/10-markets-most-likely-to-appreciate/ https://cgpremier.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/10-markets-most-likely-to-appreciate/#respond Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:13:53 +0000 http://cgpremier.wordpress.com/?p=489 Forbes magazine turned to real estate research firm Local Market Monitor to figure out which markets have the greatest likelihood of price appreciation because they offer a mix of jobs weighted toward growth industries.

These are the top markets, the research company concludes:

1. Raleigh-Cary, N.C.
2. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas
3. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
4. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn.
5. San Antonio, Texas
6. Colorado Springs, Colo.
7. Albuquerque, N.M.
8. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, Colo.
9. Springfield, Mo.
10. Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.

Source: Forbes, Francesca Levy (09/13/2010)

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