Colorado’s Front Range Real Estate Blog

Denver CO Bike Sharing: B-Cycle

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Saturday Night At The Museums in Denver CO

An evening of culture, entertainment and the treasures of Denver CO real estate comes to the public on November 6, 2010. The best part is that it is all FREE! Better than that, it is free with bonuses – read on to learn more.

The Mile High City’s version of La Nuit des Musees or, Night at the Museums, so popular in Paris, comes to Denver CO. This event will offer an unparalleled opportunity to discover the treasures and wonders of over twelve of the city’s museums. Attractions include the Denver Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Nature and Science and many more. Both the Golden CO and Littleton CO Museums are also participating with free admission as well as special programs. The wonders and treasures of Denver CO are open to the public for this once-a-year free event. It will be an unequaled experience for an unbeatable price.

The evening’s festivities get even better as guests are whisked from location to location by free shuttles in the downtown area. The shuttles will begin running at 5 p.m. from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the Denver Art Museum and will run until 10 p.m. A Passport to Shopping voucher will be given to all shuttle riders at the Cherry Creek location. This voucher offers discounts at 160 stores and restaurants plus a 10% savings card for Macy’s. Check back later for a complete shuttle schedule.

Special arts-centric events, including dance, music and storytelling are on tap for each venue. Don’t miss this unforgettable evening, Saturday, November 26, 2010, downtown Denver.

If you are in the market to buy or sell your Denver CO home you’ve come to the best place!  Give us a call, send us an email or visit our awesome Denver CO real estate website!

The Richards Group
Cherry Creek Properties, LLC
Denver CO REALTORS®
720.733.1548

www.ColoradoRealEstateHomeSource.com
homesales@ColoradoRealEstateHomeSource.com

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Understanding Your Denver CO Mortgage Loan: How Mortgage Brokers Get Paid

Denver CO Home Mortgage brokers receive payment in one of two ways: either front-end compensation or back-end compensation. Front-end compensation means that the Denver CO broker is collecting fees directly from the Denver CO home borrower, whereas back-end compensation means that the Denver CO broker is collecting fees from the lender. The broker does not receive money from all the fees, but a borrower will not usually be given detailed information about this.

Some of the fees associated with front-end compensation are the underwriting fee, administration fee, origination fee, marketing fee, processing fee, and discount fee. A Denver CO real estate borrower should check with the lender on what charges there are. Lenders are required to provide a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that details all of their fees. Be sure to get a copy of the GFE with a breakdown of each fee the broker is charging. If the broker is hesitant or refuses to share that information, it is a sign that the borrower has chosen a dishonest broker and should look for a new one.

Back-end compensation comes in two forms depending on the role of the broker. The broker could be acting simply as a mortgage broker or could also be acting as a mortgage banker. The first example, a mortgage broker without mortgage banking duties, would be someone who is arranging for financing, not funding it. A mortgage banker both arranges and funds a loan.

A mortgage broker that does not also work as a mortgage banker gets a check form the lender as a result of getting a higher interest rate on the loan. The higher the interest rate, the bigger the check the broker receives. The name of this system of back-end compensation is called a Yield Spread Premium (YSP). Lenders are required to put this information the on GFE.

A broker that does act as a banker gets a check from the lender in addition to the money received directly from the borrower. This is called a Servicing Released Premium (SRP). Lenders are not required to divulge this information.

Every loan will either be YSP or SRP. This is true no matter whether the loan is coming from one retail bank or from a broker who works with many lenders. Be informed and research lenders thoroughly before applying for a loan.  We, at The Richards Group, can help you with this!  Give us a call…  

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How A Denver CO Real Estate Agent Can Help First Time Home Buyers Like You

The ins and outs of buying a Denver CO home are complicated. It is for this reason that first time home buyers should consider using a professional Denver real estate agent. Real estate agents can help determine the right size home and neighborhood for the buyer. They determine this through asking probing questions and doing research on a number of Denver CO neighborhoods. Agents can also help buyers get pre-approved for a loan, understand the home buying process, and create a reasonable offer once that special home has been found. Agents also have access to resources related to home buying that are unavailable to the majority of consumers.

Denver real estate agents create a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to help buyers gauge affordability in a neighborhood and to submit a fair offer for that dream house. An agent can connect buyers with other professionals in the real estate industry. Some examples are home inspectors, real estate lawyers, mold inspectors, and the like. Agents will accompany buyers to the closing and make sure all documents are understood before they are signed. They will also brief buyers on the closing process long before the day of closing. Even after the sale a buyer’s agent is very helpful. Agents will check in with buyers as to how they are enjoying their new home and if there are any continuing needs.

This is not an exhaustive list of the ways a Denver real estate agent can help first time home buyers. Our agents have extensive experience to help buyers make informed decisions. Consider choosing us for your first time home buying needs.

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Four Ways to Ensure A Quicker Denver CO Home Sale

A conundrum exists in the Denver CO real estate market— Denver CO sellers want to list their homes higher while a Denver CO buyer expects and looks for ways to lower the price on a home. Although selling a Denver property can be challenging, a seller can follow a few simple steps in pricing a home for a quick sale.

The first thing to consider when determining a list price is the number of houses currently for sale in the same neighborhood. If there are many houses for sale in the area, the list price should be at a lower level in order to compete. If a home is competitively priced, a potential buyer will notice and is more likely to put in an offer.

Short sales and foreclosures in good condition will also drive the price down.

A Denver CO seller should be ready and willing to negotiate— both when an offer is on the table and when no offers are being placed on a home. It is fine to negotiate an offer, but do not engage in too long a back-and-forth with a buyer or that buyer may be scared off.

If no offers are coming in, no one has called to express interest, and open houses have few or no attendees, then the listed price is too high. In this situation, sellers should be prepared to cut the price significantly.

The Richards Group
Denver CO Realtors®
www.ColoradoRealEstateHomeSource.com
720-733-1548

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Escape to your own stylish enclave reminescent of the villas along the Mediterrean Sea.  Wonderland Homes presents Artisans Plaza at Stapleton Denver Town Homes.  Artisans Plaza is a delightful neighborhood of artfully designed two story townhomes with several unique home designs.  You can choose a home with up to 3 bedrooms to fit your lifestyles and needs. Homes range from 988 to 1211 square feet and start from the low $200,000′s.  Part of the Stapleton Denver redevelopment project, Artisans Plaza is positioned in one of the newest and most unique areas of Denver.  Stapleton just feels different…  tree lined streets meander through the pedestrian oriented town center. Quebec Square offers an array of retail stores, restaurants and entertainment possibilities.  Stapleton also hosts the Farmer’s Market every Sunday,  June through September. You can take advantage of the freshest fruits, vegetables, baked goods and gourmet treats.  Residents can enjoy Colorados gorgeous weather and scenery.  Artisans Plaza has easy access to acres of parks and open space.  There is also a hike and bike trail system linking it to the 17,000 acre Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.  The Home Community of Artisans Plaza epitomizes charactor and sophistication featuring inspiring art gardens where you can relax and covered front porches, patios and decks offer you outdoor privacy.  The  colorful mediterrean and spanish colonial home styles offer charming interior elements as well.  Artisans Plaza offers many artistic design features that many builders call extras.  Artistic design elements are highlighted throughout, elegant lighting packages add class and style to any room.  Nine foot main level ceilings and oversized windows create an open and inviting living space. Island kitchens give you everything you need to entertain, try out new receipes or store serving ware. Kitchens include GE appliances with smooth top ranges, 36″ inch tall cabinets provide added storage for all your needs.  Relax in your own private suite, Master bedrooms and bathrooms provide the perfect haven from the walk in closet to the vanity and soaking tub – you may never want to leave your suite!  If you are looking for a home with flavor and pizzaz than look no further than Artisans Plaza at Stapleton.  From the intersection of I-70 and Quebec, travel south to Martin Luther King Boulevard, turn East on MLK and then south on Clinton Street. Your eye will gravitate to the stylish mediterrean villas.  Wonderland Homes has been a local Colorado home builder for over 40 years.  Visit our neighborhoods and experience the charactor of our homes, our communities and our people. To learn more about Wonderland Homes call Amy Hitch of the Richards Group and Keller Williams at 720-299-3554.

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Denver’s  old Stapleton Real Estate airport closed and Denver’s new International Airport opened in 1995.  The closing of Denver’s Stapleton airport left thousands of acres of premier urban land close to downtown Denver real estate available for something else.  That something else is now a neighborhood called Stapleton Denver.  Stapleton Denver is nine years into a twenty year growth and development plan.  In the end the Stapleton Denver real estate community will grow to approximately 30,000 people making it one of the largest redevelopment public works project within a U.S. city.  No more are the concrete runways.  They have been recycled into bike paths, walking trails and retaining walls.  The Denver Stapleton neighborhood is known for the walk able pedestrian friendly streets, nearby schools, shops, restaurants, open space and playgrounds.  Homes and other builders in the Stapleton area are building to Green principals.  This makes them more energy efficient and less expensive to heat and cool.  The developers of Stapleton real estate try to do a good job in recognizing that the environment has to be protected that there are certain things they can do in terms of the selection of landscaping to reduce the consumption of water.

The control tower of the old airport remains as a monument to Stapleton’s history.  Other than that there are few reminders of Stapleton’s past.  The goal of the Stapleton real estate area is to integrate the property into surrounding neighborhoods so that it is really and extension of Denver.  It’s Denver’s opportunity to grow within.

The Richards Group at Keller Williams Realty offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in real estate transactions and homes for sale in the entire Denver Metro area.  We have the most comprehensive real estate website for your home search and if you are searching for Denver real estate you’ve come to the right place!  Let us help you find a home or sell a home! Give us a call at 720.733.1548 or toll-free at 877.337.0171.  We look forward to hearing from you!

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Attention Denver Real Estate Homeowners:  Carbon monoxide is frequently referred to as the “silent killer,” and can be very dangerous in your Denver home.  It is an odorless, colorless gas that is produced from combustion and is very difficult to detect.  Any appliance or device that burns fuel can produce carbon monoxide and should be monitored to prevent dangerous build-up in your Denver home.

Some causes of carbon monoxide poisoning in Denver homes are:

1. Dirty or clogged chimneys in your fireplace or wood stove
2. Improper installation of gas stoves
3. Portable heaters or any appliance carrying gas or kerosene
4. A cracked furnace exchange in your fuel-burning furnace
5. Cigarette smoke
6. Vehicle exhaust, especially in homes with attached garages
7. Not using proper outside ventilation for gas dryers
8. Disconnected or damaged water heater flue

How can I tell if I’m at risk for carbon monoxide?

The symptoms are similar to those you would have with the flu or a cold; and the best way to avoid risk is to check all your appliances et al to make sure everything is functioning properly. People with a history of heart or respiratory disease and pregnant women are among those that carbon monoxide affects the most.

If you feel strange or have sudden symptoms, immediately get fresh air, open doors and windows, and turn off all appliances running on fuel.

Install a carbon monoxide detector. They aren’t fool-proof and you should still take proper precautions with your appliances, but they could help detect CO in your Denver home before it’s too late.

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The Richards Group at Keller Williams Realty offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in real estate transactions and homes for sale in the entire Denver Metro area.  We have the most comprehensive real estate website for your home search and if you are searching for Denver real estate you’ve come to the right place!  Let us help you find a home or sell a home!  Give us a call at 720.733.1548 or toll-free at 877.337.0171.  We look forward to hearing from you!

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Denver, Colorado Real Estate’sBonnie Brae Ice Cream opened in 1986 hoping to provide a really fun Bonnie Brae neighborhood ice cream parlor to go and get a tasty treat.  What makes Bonnie Brae Ice Cream so special is that the ice cream is all made locally right to their own kitchen.  They have 28 flavors out front at any given time and also have a list of flavors in the back.  So if you come in and don’t see your favorite flavor just ask because it very well might be in the back!  Bonnie Brae Ice Cream looks for the best ingredients that they can find – they import from Italy as well as places across the United States. They also make fabulous homemade waffle ice cream cones. Bonnie Brae Ice Cream makes 200 to 300 cones daily, dips them in chocolate and sprinkles them with nuts or candy.  Add the homemade ice cream and WOW, OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD!!  Needless to say, Bonnie Brae Ice Cream attracts ice cream lovers from all across metro Denver real estate.

And don’t be afraid to try all their ice creams. They will let you sample.  If you want 3 different flavors on a cone they will make whatever you want!  Nuts, banana and cherries?  They can add those too!

A great feature at Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, especially for kids, is their giant stuffed bear.  When kids first come in the door and see the bear they go over a give it a big hug…   :-)   They even decorate the bear over the holidays as it has become part of the Bonnie Brae Ice Cream family.

Bonnie Brae Ice Cream is located at 799 South University Boulevard in Denver’s Bonnie Brae neighborhood at the corner of University Boulevard and Ohio Street. Their phone number is 303.777.0808.  Stop on by!!!

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The Richards Group at Keller Williams Realty offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in real estate transactions and homes for sale in the entire Denver Metro area.  We have the most comprehensive real estate website for your home search and if you are searching for Denver real estate you’ve come to the best place!  Let us help you find a home or sell a home! Give us a call at 720.733.1548 or toll-free at 877.337.0171.  We look forward to hearing from you!

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