Another Life Lesson: Pee before you Post - 02/28/09 11:36 PM
Please believe me; I have nothing against the Post Office!  Yesterday, I wrote a post about "snail mail" for leads, and today is another Post Office story.  Early this morning, after my usual 3 or 4 cups of coffee, I drove 40 miles to the US Post Office, in Fort Collins.
After drinking a lot of coffee, what usually happens?   You have to pee, tinkle, wee-wee -----Whatever you call it----- YOU HAVE TO GO!! I was in this predicament when I arrived at the Downtown Post Office.  The counters were closed, so I decided to use their nifty- difty automatic- stamp-seller … (46 comments)

E-mail notification means: I can "see" you! - 02/26/09 05:20 PM
We are in the lead generation business! Unfortunately for me, sometimes I find working on leads, tedious and a little boring, because we get a lot of them.
Now don't get me wrong, I love a good lead as much as the next agent!  United Country is one of the fastest growing franchises in the United States - they do a terrific job sending us leads from the corporate website or catalog inquiries.
Success for a buyer and success for any agent requires immediate communication. I immediately email back, when given an e-mail address!  (It's really nice if I have a … (41 comments)

Dear Diary: My passion is the simple joy of being - 02/22/09 06:01 PM
Dear Diary, my passion is...
Taking joy from the ordinary, and the simple things each day
My passion is in small things that make up this beautiful patchwork of life, it lies in the seemingly ordinary, yet inexplicable joy of being.
My Passion is In Nature:
I love the smell of a fresh cut lawn, or the first sign of green after a long brown winter,  The sounds of birds chirping and the indescribable whirr of the hummingbird's wing,
The heron that visits our lake every year on his migration route, and the joy of seeing a bear standing in the … (47 comments)

You do not want to receive this phone call because.... - 02/21/09 08:05 PM
You do not want to receive this phone call because, you just found out the Buyer doesn’t own the property!
WHAT?????!!!!
 
I will rephrase that, just in case you thought you misread that:  Your buyer, you know the one that bought the Short Sale Property, which was in the beginning stages of foreclosure?  You know the buyer that came to closing and signed all their closing papers, and then moved in?  Yes, that buyer!  Now he doesn’t own that property!
 
HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN?????!!!!
 
This is a true story. The problem could have easily been avoided, had the appropriate calls … (27 comments)

Doctor! the "patience" is waiting - 02/19/09 11:37 PM
"If  you get cranky waiting for your toast to pop up- Short sales may not be for you" said Colorado Real Estate agent Gene Hayden, who was the guest speaker in a Teleclass I attended yesterday on short sales.  The class was very informative, and I am so glad I took the time to listen.
 
Gene's line about toast made me think about the importance of patience.




Patience is a required life skill.  First we have a goal, and a plan to attain that goal, everything in the middle, the beginning and the end requires patience!
… (24 comments)

Land Loan are sometimes difficult to find: But not now - 02/19/09 05:29 PM
Several times borrowers ask me "Where can I get a land loan?"  United Country has a relationship with LandLoan Specialist. Today, I received this email from them.  This may be your opportunity to purchase the property you've always wanted, at a very attractive interest rate.  If you are looking in the Red Feather Lakes Area, or Larimer County please call me, I would appreciate the opportunity to help you.
 
************************************************************************************** 
Mary Douglas, your Mountain REALTOR ®, United Country  Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, CO
I am dedicated to helping you realize your real estate goal!
800-531-2195
"A Day in the Mountains will … (10 comments)

She puckered up and said,"Where's my kiss?" !!! - 02/17/09 10:43 PM
 
Last week was Valentine’s Day.


My six year old grandson received a Valentine, and a heart shaped sucker from a little girl.


After giving it to him, she said


 “Where’s my kiss?”


She closed her eyes and puckered up!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


“No way am I going to kiss you!” said my little grandson!
 
Oh, what a difference 10 years might make!
Do you remember your first kiss?

… (36 comments)

They are out there! ...did you think I was talking about buyers??!! - 02/16/09 09:08 PM
They are out there! ...did you think I was talking about buyers??!!
Yes! There are buyers out there finding great deals, after all it is a buyer's market. But this post is not about buyers, it is about mountain lions ~ and they are out there too!
One February day several years ago, I was looking out the window. 
To my surprise, walking down the road, just like he owned the place, was a huge mountain lion!  I ran to get the binoculars! I couldn't believe my eyes!   I watched the lion continue down the road and disappear into the … (34 comments)

Colorado is "Greener" thanks to 2008 legislation - 02/15/09 10:50 AM
Many Homeowners Associations impose Covenants Conditions and Restrictions. Protective Covenants protect the integrity and beauty of the subdivision and Restrictive Covenants, restrict the homeowner from doing certain things, i.e.:
leaving your Christmas lights up all year,
painting your house pink with purple polka dots,
having a pet pig,
or having an outside clothes line.
Wait a minute!  a clothes line?!  
That may be surprising, but it's true!
I remember hanging clothes on the line with my Mom when I was a little girl, and the way the sheets smelled like sunshine!
Until last year many people were forced into using … (4 comments)

Red Feather Lakes Community Library Celebrating 40th Anniversary! - 02/12/09 06:17 PM
The Village of Red Feather Lakes (proper) only has about 523 residents.  The surrounding area, outside of the Village is vast, with homes situated throughout the mountains, in the valleys, and out on the prairie.  Still, we are a small community, and in the midst of this small community you will find a gem:  
The Red Feather Lakes Community Library
                           

The Library is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year!
From humble beginnings in 1969, the first library began in the basement of the POA Building with $240.00, a gift from the County Commissioners and 250 donated books that … (13 comments)

Paper, Paper Everywhere!! .....and not a shred of shade - 02/10/09 10:45 PM
So, how much do you love all that paper?  I believe we are still an industry inundated with PAPER!  We have the listing agreement, the disclosures, the offers, the title work, the plat, the covenants, the CIC docs, the closing package, the loan package, the copies of the MLS, the Assessors notice, the tax certificate, the well permit ..... YIKES! Paper, paper, paper!!
If we took all the pieces of paper for just one day in the Real Estate World, and laid them all end to end  - how far could we go?! I have no idea!  But I have to … (35 comments)

"If your phone don't ring - You'll know it's them - 02/10/09 12:51 AM
I have read many posts, and even wrote one of my own bemoaning the fact that (some) people JUST DO NOT return their phone calls!   We call them,  we leave messages, and we wait…. we call them again,  we wait…    AND STILL THEY DON’T CALL 
Well, have you read the book “He’s Just Not That Into You?”
Maybe the simple answer to the unanswered phone call is the same?!
 
SADLY, THEY’RE JUST NOT THAT INTO US…….
or into their job, or selling that house or buying that home!
 
To paraphrase the words to the song by Paul Barrere:
“THEY have no intention, of … (20 comments)

Cowgirl up - 02/08/09 04:09 PM
Thank you Mike Rowe, for introducing us to a world of hardworking men and women who do dangerous, difficult and downright nasty jobs. When I consider how many “Dirty Jobs” there are, Real Estate seems rather harmless!
 
Everyone in Real Estate knows that it isn’t easy, occasionally it might be dangerous, difficult and it can be a dirty job.(I don’t mean dirty, as in underhanded)  I mean dirty like looking up chimneys, in crawl spaces, dirty creepy basements, septic systems and dealing with frozen pipes…etc.
  Some days, going to any job takes guts!
  Maybe you have something to do that … (20 comments)

Speechless Sunday: Cactus flower~Holy Macro! - 02/08/09 12:42 AM

All Photos belong to Mary Douglas; all rights reserved and may not be reproduced without express written consent. United Country-Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado 800-531-2195
Come and enjoy all that the Red Feather Lakes, Colorado area has to offer!
… (22 comments)

Ancient Festival Outlawed: Now it's St. Valentines Day - 02/07/09 07:01 PM
It is believed that St. Valentine’s Day was created by the Catholic Church to replace the pagan holiday of Lupercalia
In Ancient Rome, February was the beginning of Spring, a time for purification, cleaning and fertility.
Lupercalia, a pagan festival which began on February 15th was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the god of agriculture, and also the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
The legend is that Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were raised in a cave by a she-wolf or Lupa.  An order of Roman priests called the Luperci began the festival of Lupercalia, by gathering … (10 comments)

Why Colorado Assessors are going to need TUMS - 02/06/09 11:05 PM
When Colorado homeowners get that property tax valuation in the mail, they might expect that their taxes will be lower.  We all know, or have heard that housing values have been falling!
Wouldn't our tax bill fall too?
  
That won't happen, and this is why:  In Colorado, this year's valuations are based on values beginning in 2006, when home prices were going up and we didn't have  the amount of foreclosures as we do now. 
This is the law that governs the way property is assessed.
In Colorado, State law required values are based on two years of neighborhood property sales. For this … (27 comments)

Colorado Senior and Veteran Property Tax Programs - 02/06/09 12:00 AM
This information is directly from the Colorado Department of the Treasury, http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Treasury/TR/1190277266190



Seniors & Active Military who are called into service on January 1 may be eligible for a deferral of your Colorado property taxes, now.
You must contact the county Treasurer this year between January 1 and April 1 to have your current tax bill deferred.

Seniors & Disabled Veterans may also be eligible for a tax exemption. 
You must apply for the exemption this year to decrease your Real Estate Taxes for 2009, which are payable in 2010.
Here is the complete information from … (6 comments)

Gorgeous Lot in Crystal Lakes with Splendid Valley and Mountain Views - 02/05/09 10:42 PM
UPDATE: THIS LOT IS SOLD Please contact me for information on other lots available in our area. … (5 comments)

U.F.O. Sighting in Red Feather Lakes Colorado - 02/04/09 12:26 PM
It’s true! Every market is different, and this may not apply to you, or  your market, so please keep that in mind, and enjoy my tale of the
Un   Fortunate, did not make an Offer,  (“not”  buyers)
 
One Day, Mr.  & Mrs. “U.F.O.” came to our small part of the planet Earth, known as Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.



They had done their search on the World Wide Web, and had 8 properties, in their price range that they wanted to visit.

 
They were excited, and they wanted to buy a second home, "a vacation … (29 comments)

 
Douglas%20%20mary%202012 Rainmaker_large

Mary Douglas, REALTOR ®, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Red Feather Lakes, CO

More about me…

United Country Ponderosa Realty

Address: P.O. Box 184, 23340 Red Feather Lakes Rd., Red Feather Lakes, CO, 80545

Office Phone: (970) 881-2195

Cell Phone: (970) 231-5756

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