laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Laramie River Rising - 07/07/11 03:28 PM
Our version of spring flooding has been  mild compared to all those towns across the United States in the big river valleys,  thank goodness! Lucky for us, it was merely interesting to watch the river slowly rise through the month of June. We had a cool transition into summer so the snow pack melted slowly and even though the river washed out a few county roads, our area for the most part was spared.
  
  
  
And yes, I think most people around here do appreciate how lucky we are!
 
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laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Clouds Floating By... - 07/02/11 10:29 AM
Another thing I absolutely love about summer in Laramie is the skies full of fluffy, white, summertime clouds framed in bright cerulean blue.  Yes, yes, I know we aren't the only place that exhibits this summertime phenomenon, but for me it is pretty much the only place I know. . .  and I love it!  Summertime skies are full of color, hope and movement.  Each day comes with a brilliant, new palette that changes constantly as the winds blow it through. Our 9 year old daughter saw a seahorse kissing a bunny in this ever so temporary fleet of clouds floating … (17 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: More from the House Next Door - 06/28/11 05:04 AM
Yesterday, I posted about the "house next door".  Granted it has been a source of humor for me over the last few weeks but the reality is - what a shame!  As I watched people go in and out, checking into this "once-in-a-lifetime bargain," I began to wonder about how safe it is for anyone to be wandering about inside this house, despite the warning written in ball point pen on a paper attached to the front door that says "Danger, extreme mold.  Enter at your own risk."  I also wondered about what will happen to the air in the neighborhood … (13 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: The house next door - a cautionary tale! - 06/27/11 04:20 PM
We used to have some nice people living in the house next door.  However, through circumstances unknown to me, the house went through foreclosure to become an REO.  The last time we saw our neighbors was last fall when they were moving out.  As you may know we had a very harsh, long winter in our area.  During these winter months it seems that something happened in this house that no one caught - until last month. As a result, a house that should easily sell for around $300K in our market is now for sale on an auction sight for … (9 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Aaah, No Worries...it'll melt! - 05/11/11 05:54 AM
They predicted snow overnight but I didn't believe it.  I guess I should have.  Turns out they were right and we woke up to the gray shine of a cloud covered snowy day.  But, no worries... it'll melt!  And probably by tomorrow as our temperatures are supposed to be back up to 65 degrees tomorrow and for the rest of the week.  Yay!

Laramie, Wyoming 8:00 am Wednesday, May 11, 2011
 
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laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Empty Streets - 05/10/11 02:52 PM
Aaah, the slow pace of summer is about to arrive in Laramie, Wyoming.  Last Saturday was graduation for most of our University college graduates (Law School graduates this Saturday), with finals and the semester ending as well.  What does this mean for the Laramie residents that live here year round?  It means emptier streets, no rush hour traffic (if you'd call waiting an extra stoplight a rush hour) and less young people walking to campus loaded down with backpacks.  It also means not as many alcohol related police calls or public disturbances reported in the local newspaper.  Yes, our town is … (5 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Attack of the Chipmunk - 05/09/11 02:53 PM
Today's post is decidedly UN-real estate oriented.  While browsing through pictures, hoping to be inspired by a regional shot, I found this memory instead.  While it was taken at Vedauwoo, a local outdoor attraction, I thought the emotion might be universal. 

After hiking around the rocks and trails, I plunked the kids down for a nice serene group photo in the picnic shelter.  Obviously, the kids were unaware of the phenomenon of chipmunks and picnic areas.  Thus, they freaked when one of the little buggers scampered hopefully over for the usual dropped food.  It may not be real estate, … (9 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: To Inspect....or Not? - 05/08/11 03:17 PM
After negotiations result in a contract to buy a home, a buyer has to decide.... to inspect or not inspect?  The answer... is not straightforward.                                                                           It depends on the buyers and the actual property being purchased.  Is the house 2 years old or one hundred?  (Newer does not necessarily mean better...)  Will the buyer be financially ruined if a costly problem emerges?  Or are they willing to take their chances? 
Some people feel perfectly fine foregoing inspections all together. They'll just roll with whatever comes their way. Some people like to give the property a good once over themselves. While … (9 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Nature vs Nurture - Nature Wins! - 05/06/11 02:59 PM
One of the coolest things about going to our dentist (if anything can be cool about going to the dentist!) is the flower garden by the front door.  Somehow, it is in a perfect sheltered south facing location letting it sprout up earlier and stick around longer.  Thus, I was delighted to find these beauties in bloom when I visited today.
    
Nature must be pretty stong willed - as from the looks of  this rocky, parched, non-nutrient rich soil, I say these blooms were never "nurtured" at all!
 
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laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: 69 Center Street - 05/05/11 04:13 PM
People in general always seem surprised by the price of land here in Wyoming.  I guess they figure with so few people and so much land prices should be lower.  What they don't realize is that the ratio of public land to private is greater out here than anyplace else. Additionally, this area was built around cattle, mining and the railroad - so much of the land is disproportionately owned or leased by these industries. Of the land that remains, finding land that is actually inhabitable, by people or animals, becomes even more of a challenge. The reason I'm explaining all … (12 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Colorful Colorado - 05/04/11 01:35 PM
The beautiful state of Colorado is only 25 miles south of Laramie on Highway 287.  While Colorado is known for its wilderness and majestic mountain beauty, our family likes to head that way for an escape to urban civilization. This is the sign that greats us when we arrive at the border:
     It's true, Colorado is colorful, indeed!  And now with the continuing invasion of the pine beetle, Colorado, and Wyoming, too - is becoming more colorful each year.  Look closely and you'll see the burnt orange color of the dead pine trees in among the green.  Maybe not the … (10 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Signs of Spring....in May - 05/03/11 02:36 PM
All right you people out there with your pictures of flowers and grass, butterflies and trees... Here in Laramie, Wyoming, we are showing signs of spring as well.  Ha!  I even have evidence of it, a photo of our lilac bush, today, May 3, 2011 with....wait for it...wait for it ......... a BUD!  And by June - we may even have leaves on our trees!  Hate to brag or make other people feel bad.... but I think spring could be on its way!
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laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: ActiveRainPhotoBlogger Contest - 05/02/11 06:01 AM
When I was a kid I remember going on endless country drives with my parents . Back then, I never understood the purpose and did not look forward to the boring explorations of the dusty back roads where we lived. Halfway through the drives, my brother and I usually ended up with our heads tilted askew, fast asleep. (Hmmm, maybe that was the purpose....)

Now that I'm grown up with kids of my own, I realize - at least in part - what the draw might have been. Life can get a bit mundane and it can be fun to … (37 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: I Broke a Child's Heart Today - 05/01/11 04:46 PM
Life is ironic, isn't it.?!  I can't tell you how many late nights I have spent in my self-assigned role of Santa, Easter Bunny and even Leprechaun quietly creeping around in the dark and cold thinking "I can't wait until I don't have to do this anymore..." Well, now, I  officially don't have to.  Our youngest, now nine years old, came to me with a box she found in a hidden place that clearly had held Easter goodies at one time.  "Mom! Tell me the truth....are you the Easter Bunny?!" I tried to lie but she clearly meant business as her bright blue eyes pierced … (6 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Fencing in the Snow - 04/13/11 05:08 AM
Years ago, a friend of my parents married a girl from the south.  The kind of girl who'd never seen snow, a harsh winter, or frost in July.  She was a constant source of entertainment with her good-natured fascination of all things Wyoming.  One of the funniest things was when she finally demanded to know what was up with all the partial fences scattered across the praire by the roads.

She was of course referring to the ubiquitous snow fence!  Indeed, they do look like unfinished fences built alongside roads all over the west.  The purpose?  To catch the windblown … (15 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Honk if You Think Spring is Here! - 04/08/11 04:34 AM

I was startled by the oddest noise when I was walking across the parking lot this morning.  At first, I thought I was just hearing things, but . . . after I assured myself the sound was, indeed, real - I looked up and was surprised to see a formation of geese honking away and flying north through the sky!  Yes, north!  I wonder if this means that spring IS actually here.... I hope so!
 
 

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laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Don't Laugh...it's True! - 04/07/11 04:00 PM
One of the reasons I love first time buyers is that I remember ourselves and our first home hunting experience.  Long story short, this is how we thought it worked:
 Find the house you want.                                Tell the bank how much you want to borrow.  The bank gives you the loan.  You buy the house. Don't laugh...it's true!  I'd like to think that we were both reasonably intelligent people - having graduated from college and in the process of settling in to our new careers.  But obviously, I was wrong!  There are some things they just don't teach in school....LOL! Thank … (10 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Results for Assessed versus Actual Values - 04/05/11 04:02 PM
Most people like to do a bit of their own detective work when buying or selling a home.  With all the internet resources we have at our fingertips, you'd be crazy not to!  One of the most common sources of information people here come across is the Assessed Valuation of a property from the Albany County Assessor's office.  While this is a great source for basic property data, like the probable age of the home or general square footage, it is not a reliable source for current market value.It is always difficult to convince people of this.  In an effort to illustrate … (6 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Why Assessed Values Are Hard to Determine - 04/05/11 01:44 PM
Believe it or not, here in Laramie, Wyoming, there is very little relationship between current market value and assessed valuation.  Assessed valuation is the value the county assigns to a property as a basis from which to calculate  property taxes.  Every now and then the county estimate is very close to the current market value, most of the time - it is not.Under Wyoming Statute 34-1-142, sales information is not  Public Record and must be kept confidential.  The county does recieve a statement of consideration for internal use with each property sale, but with an always changing market it is difficult … (4 comments)

laramie: Laramie, Wyoming Real Estate: Property Taxes Explained - 04/04/11 04:47 PM
Today's topic, property taxes. Try to contain your excitement!  It seems like property taxes are usually an after thought, a number thrown in with and added to the mortgage.  However, next time you get your assessment notice for the upcoming year's taxes, you might want to pay it a little more thought.  Here's how it works in Laramie:Fair Value  X  Level of Assessment  = Assessed Valuation  X  Last Year's Mill Levy = Last Year's TaxDefinitions:
Fair Value - An amount determined by the city to be the estimated fair market value of that property. It includes land and any improvements upon … (0 comments)