Location, Location, Location: Live by the Light Rail



August 23, 2010Looking for a good investment in Colorado?  You may want to consider buying a home near the light rail.  In a study done in 2008 by Your Castle Real Estate home values increased about 4% while the majority of Denver home values dropped by at least 7%.  The study focused on home values along the South East line over the 2 years after the line opened. Plus, as the light rail becomes...

Relocate to Colorado: We Love Parks



August 20, 2010Parks add Value to Property…and Life Parks don’t just add to your quality of life, they can also add the value of your home.  According to a paper written by John L. Crompton from Texas A&M University in 2005, a property that is neighbors with a park can have an increased value of as much as 20%.* That’s why on a home for sale by a park will tell you on their MLS listing.  For...

Relocate to Colorado: The Mountain Condo Fantasy



August 13, 2010One discussion my husband and I enjoy having is the “If we were rich where would we own a condo?”  It will be years before this is anything but a fantasy, but when the day comes, we are prepared.  If you are looking for the perfect place for your condo, I’d like to make my argument for the Colorado Rockies. A mountain condo can be used year round. On my way to spend the weekend in Copper...

Denver Parade of Homes 2010: Something for Everyone



August 7, 2010The Denver Parade of Homes kicks off next week on August 14th through Labor Day.   The Parade of Homes is taking a new approach this year, with intent to offer something to dream about in every price range. 58 homes throughout 21 Front Range Cities can be viewed free of charge.  Prices range from $188,900 to over $6 million dollars. In addition to touring featured homes, the Parade of Homes...

5 Colorado Cities Rank in CNN Money’s Top 100 Small Cities to Live



July 15, 2010I have lived now in Boulder, Evergreen, Denver, and Lakewood.  I loved living in each of these cities in Colorado, and I have to admit that my pride was a little bit bruised when none of the cities I lived in, none of My Cities were ranked in this list. But, just goes to show you, Colorado is amazing, and I feel a great sense of pride to see my neighbors on these quality of life lists. Colorado...

Buyer Closing Costs: The Basics



June 23, 2010What are buyer closing costs? Another term I didn’t know before beginning our home search was “closing costs.” Closing costs means more money that you have to scrounge up to buy a home on top of the down payment.   This term will come up when you are looking for a loan or making an offer on a home.   There are several decisions you can make regarding how you pay your closing...

Where Do You Want To Live?



June 21, 2010If you were given a choice of where you wanted to live, taking out relocation for job or family situations, where would it be?  In the State of Colorado, there are numerous areas, all different in some way or another.  You could live on the Eastern Plains, the Front Range, the Grand Mesa area, the Northern area and even Metropolitan Denver.  Just to name a few. Within all of these areas are...