Downtown Colorado Springs Market Report - Summer 2011 - 09/30/11 04:36 PM
Downtown Colorado Springs Market Report Homes – Summer 2011
There are few places more charming or beautiful than Downtown Colorado Springs.  Established in 1873, the Downtown area was the only notable residential area in town until after the early 1900s.  Because of the Gold Rush in nearby Cripple Creek in the early 1890s, money flowed into Downtown Colorado Springs, and not only millionaires were building in the area, but also the workers who supplied them with commodities.
In today’s market, that makes homes in the Downtown Colorado Springs area two separate niches . . . the worker homes, and … (26 comments)

Life-Giving Friendships - 09/29/11 12:07 PM
Life-Giving Friendships
When I was a kid growing up, we moved often, sometimes every year for most of my formative years.  The bonds that were formed were family, and during those years, they remained close.
As a young married woman with five daughters and an emotionally distant husband (we now call him the ‘was-band’), my bond became my children, whom I nourished and treasured.  As they became adults, those bonds strengthened and grew, and my daughters have become dear friends with not only me, but with each other.
I am now overwhelmingly blessed with the perfect human as … (39 comments)

Harvest Festival Rock Ledge Ranch - 09/28/11 01:38 PM
Harvest Festival Rock Ledge Ranch
The annual Harvest Festival at Rock Ledge Ranch will be held this Saturday, October 1 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm.  Celebrating the bounty of the growing season during this time of harvest, admission to the Ranch will be free.
For a nominal charge, there will be activities for the entire family, including picking pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, either riding a pony or riding in a horse-drawn wagon, candy races, or just relaxing with fresh pies or other treats that will be available for purchase with a background of old-time music.  Tickets will be available … (8 comments)

Downtown Colorado Springs Ghost Tour - 09/27/11 04:44 PM
Downtown Colorado Springs Ghost Tour
Looking for something different to do in October?  Not your run-of-the-mill encounter, the Downtown Colorado Springs Ghost Tour is conducted every Friday and Saturday night in October from 7 pm until 9 pm by an expert who is dedicated to preserving the rich legacy of Colorado Springs’ paranormal pursuits.
Gathering at Antler’s Plaza, the pavillion in front of the Hilton Antler’s Hotel at 4 South Cascade, the Downtown Colorado Springs Ghost Tour is a night-time walking tour that explores some of the traditionally-known haunted places in the area.  Gerry Murphy, a paranormal investigator for the past … (20 comments)

Colorado Springs Coffee Shops Sacred Grounds Coffee in the Canyon - 09/26/11 08:41 PM
Colorado Springs Coffee Shops Sacred Grounds Coffee in the Canyon
Because of my less-than-pleasant experience at Panera Bread this past week, I decided to set out on a quest to find coffee shops where I can go and contemplate, go and write, go and read, go and be ALONE from the confusion that is often my life. 
I may just have to develop this into some kind of a series as I ‘suffer’ thru local coffee shops to bring you first-hand information on who’s friendly and who’s not, and where the best escapes are.  We now know that for writing … (17 comments)

The Treasured Bracelet - 09/25/11 06:57 PM
In my adult life, I have become more and more blessed with deep friendships.  One friend calls them ‘circles’ that are oft separate, but sometimes overlap.  If we, ourselves, are in one of the circles, then, of necessity, they will, at times, overlap. I am overwhelming blessed with several of these 'circles.' 
So it is with one very close circle that I have in which there are four of us.  We are each from different walks of life, different philosophies, different ages, different stages . . . but a solid core of love and laughter and camaraderie bind us, and … (31 comments)

Panera Bread NOT USER FRIENDLY - 09/24/11 03:23 PM
Panera Bread NOT USER FRIENDLY 
My house is often full of confusion.  People are always coming and going, and sometimes it’s hard for me to concentrate because they want to ask me “just one more question.”  A 90 year old mother, a developmentally delayed daughter, nieces, daughters stopping by, grandkids.  I love them ALL . . . but sometimes I just want to be alone to WRITE.  I tend to deal best with life issues if I can write about them and really understand and get to the bottom of them, and right now there are a few of those … (105 comments)

Pioneers Museum Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/23/11 08:57 PM
Pioneers Museum Downtown Colorado Springs
One of the best kept secrets in our area is the Pioneers Museum located at 215 South Tejon Street in Downtown Colorado Springs.   Owned by the City until recently, the Pioneers Museum is operated completely on the generosity of businesses and individuals and philanthropic organizations.
The Pioneers Museum has occupied its current location since 1979, and admission is still FREE.  From the moment you enter the doors of this 1903 Courthouse with its expansive marble and beautifully carved woodwork and ornate light fixtures, you know you have entered into treasured halls.  There is an antique, … (17 comments)

Evergreen Cemetery Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/22/11 08:15 PM
Evergreen Cemetery Downtown Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a City that was established in the shadow of Pikes Peak in 1871.  The first cemetery in the City was located not too far from where people disembarked from the trains as they arrived in town.  Because General Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, was touting the City for its health benefits, it was a little disconcerting for people arriving in this fair City to have the El Paso County Cemetery house more people than those actually living in the City itself.
So in 1875, the philanthropic General Palmer donated forty acres to … (14 comments)

Montague's Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/21/11 10:43 PM
Montague's Downtown Colorado Springs
Friends often ask me, “Where shall we meet?”  Depending on the time of day, the first response is generally “Montague’s.”  An old fashioned coffee house, Montague’s is often described as “your old aunt’s attic.”  The ambiance is one of turn-of-the Century Victorian, relaxing, and a great place to hang out for hours.
Just south of Downtown Colorado Springs and immediately off of the Interstate, it is convenient and charming to the extreme.  The service generally is NOT good, but the atmosphere is cozy and inviting and worth the trouble of putting up with less-than-pleasant wait … (24 comments)

Van Briggle Pottery Colorado Springs - 09/20/11 07:10 PM
Artus Van Briggle and Anne Gregory were both accomplished artists studying at the Academie Julian in Paris in the early 1890s when they met and fell in love.  Artus was enamored of a lost pottery form of matte glaze from the Chinese Ming Dynasty, and began a pursuit to recreate the ancient Chinese process. 
When he came back to the United States from France, he returned briefly to Rockwood Pottery in Cincinnati.  Because of his deepening health issues with tuberculosis, Artus left Ohio in 1899 and moved to Downtown Colorado Springs because there was a large tubercular population here.  It … (10 comments)

Vintages Wine and Spirits Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/19/11 05:16 PM
Vintages Wine and Spirits Downtown Colorado Springs
For over a decade, my husband and I restored Victorian homes in Downtown Colorado Springs.  It was a joy and a passion.  One of my clients called me one day and suggested that since David and I were so good at building things, she had a new project that she wanted to undertake, and could we please help her out?
Within the week we were building wine racks, shelving, islands, counters, and humidors for a new and exclusive wine shop in the heart of Downtown Colorado Springs called Vintages Wine and Spirits located … (17 comments)

STAGING PACKET for Listings - 09/18/11 08:41 PM
Many of you have followed my Unrepresented Seller series (also known as a FSBO) over the past month or so.  I believe that it is important to leave people with something that sets you apart from other Realtors, and it is no different when I take a listing and want to give them something of value. Over the years I have developed what I call a Staging Packet, that is given to a Seller AFTER we have signed a Listing Agreement.  I do NOT share this information PRIOR to a signed Listing Agreement because there is a lot of valuable information … (34 comments)

Chapel Hills Mall Free Play Place - 09/17/11 05:39 PM
Chapel Hills Mall Free Play Place
Sometimes young mothers (or anyone watching young children) just need a little break.  If you live in Colorado Springs, a favorite place where you can take young children for free playtime is on the north side of town in the Chapel Hills Mall just outside of the Sears entrance. 
There are benches on the outside of the play arena where the worn-out adults can sit and just keep track with their eyes of the young rascals who are letting off lots of steam and energy by playing on the soft climbing snow-capped peaks and … (23 comments)

Pictorial Tour Downtown Colorado Springs Victorians - 09/16/11 09:12 PM
Pictorial Tour Downtown Colorado Springs Victorians
Colorado Springs was founded in 1871 by General William Jackson Palmer, a civil engineer, soldier, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Born a Quaker in 1836 in a small coastal town in Delaware and raised in Philadelphia, he was fascinated with steam locomotion, and eventually studied state-of-the-art railway building in England and France.
When the Civil War broke out, he took a commission with the Union Army and gathered an elite core of men around him, many with whom he had served on the railroads. They became a distinguished contingent. He was captured by the enemy, made … (11 comments)

Tiffany Homes Colorado Springs - 09/15/11 10:43 PM
Tiffany Homes Colorado Springs
Tiffany Homes of Colorado Springs has won awards for many years as a unique, innovative and prestigious home builder.  They are intimately involved with the construction of a new home from the time of the initial meeting with a client until the keys have been turned over to the new homeowner.  Their goal is to provide every homeowner with an enjoyable and interactive building process, while producing a superior quality home.
Their mission is to “meet your specifications and surpass your expectations.”  They have never failed.  They listen carefully to their clients and maintain communication throughout … (13 comments)

Folk Art Festival ~ 33rd Annual Rock Ledge Ranch - 09/14/11 09:04 PM
Folk Art Festival - 33rd Annual Rock Ledge Ranch Holly Berry House
Rock Ledge Ranch, on the outskirts of beautiful Garden of the Gods, has been a respected member of the National Historic Registry for the past 32 years.  Non-profit and educational, Rock Ledge Ranch has several significant buildings that remain on the property from previous eras.  Living History Tours depicting the lifestyles of four separate time periods (American Indian, post-Civil war, Gilded Age, and an Edwardian Estate) are conducted regularly, with a time frame dating back to 1775.
The Holly Berry House, in the heart of Old Colorado … (7 comments)

Ten things I love about Colorado Springs - 09/13/11 10:34 PM
Ten things I love about Colorado Springs
1.  The thing that I love most about Colorado Springs is the weather.  Advertisements will tell you that we have 300+ days of sunshine, but I think it is a lot more than that.  Because of our location at its base, we are protected by Pikes Peak from a lot of the harsh weather that the neighboring towns receive.  The summers see warm but not stifling temperatures, and because of the dryness of our Colorado Mountain air, rarely do we have bitter cold.  Fall is my favorite time of year ~ cooler weather, gorgeous … (30 comments)

I'm still adorable - 09/12/11 09:28 PM
I am 83 years old and I take really good care of myself.  I am still blond, and have recently had a face lift.  Kids from the Ronald McDonald house a few doors down love to pass by and say 'hello.'  You could be with me and then walk to Downtown Colorado Springs easily.
But my family isn't around anymore, and I am feeling neglected and lonely.  Someone is staying with me, but they are just temporary, and will leave as soon as I find a permanent 'friend.'  I sure would like it if someone young (or even old) would come … (27 comments)

Not your typical boring Open House - 09/11/11 05:15 PM
Over the years, the idea of having to hold an Open House has gone the way of family Sunday dinners and two-toned cars ~ they still happen, but they are more and more rare. So many of us got into the habit of telling the Seller that Open Houses only benefit the Realtor, and that they don't help much in getting the house sold because so few people show up.  But it can be a wonderful boon to your marketing and your listing and your exposure and your client base if you do it in the proper manner.  Here are a … (84 comments)

An intense (and embarrassing) real estate lesson - 09/11/11 10:20 AM
 
As the mother of five daughters in a private Christian school in the 1980s and 1990s, my girls were often thought of as “The Infamous Foster Girls.”  I was a lot more laid back as a mom than many of the other moms, so when I found a kindred spirit mom with four boys, it was a joy.
Many years later, kids grown and (mostly) gone, my friend contacted me to tell me that her parents would be moving to town from Michigan, and would I meet with them to show them houses?  We agreed to meet the next time … (283 comments)

Man on the Iron Horse Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/10/11 08:34 PM
Man on the Iron Horse
In 1871, William Jackson Palmer, a Delaware Quaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a Civil War General, brought the steam locomotive (the Iron Horse) across country with his Denver and Rio Grande Railway Company, and he was often referred to as the Man on the Iron Horse.  His goal was to build a City with a healthy quality of life, and he bought land just south of Denver at the base of Pikes Peak.
Colorado Springs was a teetotaling town, thanks to the Quaker influence of not only General Palmer, but many others that he brought … (21 comments)

Parachute Training Air Force Academy - 09/09/11 08:10 PM
Parachute Training Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs CO
To say that the first year at the Air Force Academy is severe is an understatement.  Body, mind and spirit take a rigorous beating in a manner that most Cadets, most people, have never experienced before.  At the end of the first year, Cadets are given a different kind of opportunity to join in the repetitive AM 490 eight-day parachute jump training program.  Usually one-third of the approximately 1,400 Cadets participate.
Some students have never even previously been on an airplane, and to free-fall on your first jump from an airplane is … (27 comments)

PB & Jellies Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/08/11 10:55 PM
PB & Jellies Downtown Colorado Springs
In 1991, Art Romero graduated from the Air Force Academy as a Second Lieutenant. After fulfilling his military obligations, Art became a successful business owner and an entrepreneur, recruiting executive level financiers for the financial industry.  He traveled often to NYC, and wanted to bring a taste of NY back to Colorado Springs. 
A favorite haunt for a quick meal in NY was a peanut butter and jelly café, and Art decided to recreate the idea of the down-home feel of a PB&J meal in Downtown Colorado Springs.   Located at 106 East Kiowa, … (26 comments)

Garden of the Gods Colorado Springs CO - 09/07/11 08:30 AM
Garden of the Gods
Recently I had the pleasure of attending an afternoon Vintage Baseball Game at Rock Ledge Ranch in the beautiful park of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs CO. 
When the baseball game was finished, I ventured out to explore the awe-inspiring sites that are second to none in this 3,300 acre park.  Even though it is at an elevation of approximately 6,500 feet, Garden of the Gods is very easy to hike.  Some climbing is allowed, and you can also drive through the park and get out and walk at different pull-outs. 
Garden of … (34 comments)

Rock Ledge Ranch Vintage Baseball Labor Day - 09/06/11 05:09 PM
Rock Ledge Ranch Vintage Baseball Labor Day
For the past twelve years, Rock Ledge Ranch in Garden of the Gods has been the site for the annual Labor Day Vintage Baseball game between the hometown heroes, The Camp Creek Cloud Busters, and the opposing Colorado Territorial All-Stars out of Denver.  On the outer edges of Glen Eyrie Castle, the setting and the location are, in and of themselves, a step back in time.
The game is played in the tradition of 1880’s baseball where only the catcher has a glove, and all of the basemen and outfielders catch these hard-hit balls … (28 comments)

3 Easy Ways to Customize Your Active Rain Blog - 09/06/11 10:29 AM
Once again, Rebekah Radice has shared some valuable information to help us be better at what we do.  Today, Rebekah shares how to customize your ActiveRain Blog so that it not only looks more professional, but it will also help attract the kind of business that you are looking for by being on AR. 
Via Rebekah Radice Colorado Springs FHA Loan 203k, VA Mortgage, Loan Pre-Approval (Benchmark Mortgage, Colorado Springs FHA, VA, Pre-Approval):
Your Active Rain blog should be an extension of your brand. It’s not only a location for additional information, but should be a destination for anyone looking to … (5 comments)

A tragic story for the Realtor books (don't look if you're squeamish) - 09/05/11 01:35 PM
In all of my years of doing real estate, I have never come across something like this.  I have come across some pretty amazing things, many a story in and of themselves, but this was . . . overwhelming, heartbreaking, the stuff of nightmares.  The attached pictures (my animal lover friends may not want to look) were the walls in the Butler's Pantry of a home I showed last week. 
This is hair and blood and other stuff . . . the Seller (a bank) had the rest of the house thoroughly cleaned, but insisted that this had been dealt … (41 comments)

FSBO: FANTASTIC FINALE - 09/04/11 07:56 PM
When someone decides to sell their home without using a Realtor, they are commonly called a FSBO, but I like to call them what they truly are, an Unrepresented Seller.  NAR statistics say that 97% of Unrepresented Sellers will end up listing their home with a Realtor.  To my way of thinking, if part of our job is to list houses, that makes a FSBO a pretty hot market for getting listings. 
You know they want to sell.  YOU will make the determination whether or not a particular Seller is someone with whom YOU want to work.  Many want too … (34 comments)

Old Colorado City First Friday ArtWalk - 09/03/11 05:35 PM
Old Colorado City First Friday ArtWalkOn the first Friday of each month, the art galleries in Old Colorado City host an ArtWalk.  It is a charming evening of carefree strolling and visiting and appreciating the talents of many of the local artists.  Last evening started out with a severe thunderstorm which kept people away for the first hour or so.  But then the skies were clear and it was a perfect Colorado late summer night, and people started showing up and engaging and wandering.  It was a wonderful, peaceful, enjoyable evening.My husband and I ran away went, saw many friends, and … (8 comments)

Brian Sirota "EXTRAORDINAIRE" - 09/02/11 07:17 PM
I understand that I have a considerable amount of prejudice in this arena because he has had a very big impact on my time here in the rain, but I wanted to share with you the tribute that Sharon Lee (also a wonderful spirit here at AR) posted yesterday.  Brian is not only a brilliant Statesman, a man that makes me laugh-out-loud often, but he also has a sense of noblesse oblige that I have not found in many people, either here or in "real" life.  Ladies and gentlemen, if you are not subscribed to Brian's Housing Vibes, I would encourage … (14 comments)

ArtWalk Old Colorado City First Friday - 09/02/11 07:58 AM
ArtWalk Old Colorado City
First Friday
There are three Labor Day Events that I am really excited about ~ the Balloon Glow (some of our fondest memories), the First Friday ArtWalk (because of the atmosphere), and the Vintage Baseball Game (because I’m gonna take my grandsons).  The others sound good, too, but those are the ones I’m most looking forward to.
The ArtWalk in Old Colorado City is going to be a relaxing and appealing evening.  There are numerous art galleries and studios that will be hosting FREE RECEPTIONS this Friday, September 2, 2011 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  It … (23 comments)

Labor Day Events Colorado Springs - 09/01/11 09:22 PM
LABOR DAY EVENTS IN COLORADO SPRINGS
If you are looking for some fun and delightful entertainment this Labor Day weekend, here is a taste of some of the local happenings.
Friday, September 2, 2011
McAllister House Museum - Free First Friday – Downtown Colorado Springs (noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00)
ArtWalk Old Colorado City - Free First Friday, 5 PM to 8 PM
Colorado State Fair – Pueblo 8 am to midnight (Beach Boys at 8 PM)
Sky Sox vs. Sacramento – 7:05 PM
Saturday, September 3, 2011
35th Annual Balloon Classic – Memorial Park - Downtown Colorado Springs – sunrise (7 … (7 comments)

McAllister House Museum Downtown Colorado Springs - 09/01/11 10:25 AM
McAllister House Museum Downtown Colorado Springs
FREE FIRST FRIDAY
The McAllister House Museum at 423 North Cascade Avenue in Downtown Colorado Springs is the oldest house in the City.  Built by Major Henry McAllister in 1873, it is now owned and operated by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America of Colorado (NSCDAofCO). 
Celebrating their 50th year as curators for this charming home, the NSCDAofCO are offering FREE First Fridays through the month of December to celebrate this Golden Anniversary.  On the first Friday of each month, the Dames are offering these FREE First Fridays as their way … (21 comments)

 
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Mimi Foster Colorado Springs Realtor Colorado Springs Homes for Sale

Colorado Springs, CO

More about me…

Managing Broker EPIC Real Estate Group

Address: Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs, Black Forest, Palmer Lake, Castle Rock, Monument, Green Mountain Falls, Chapita Park, CO

Office Phone: (719) 475-7570

Cell Phone: (719) 460-7570

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Mimi Foster has been voted one of Colorado Springs' Best Realtors for five years in a row. She sells homes throughout Colorado Springs and surrounding areas, with a passion for Victorian homes in Downtown Colorado Springs. Mother of five daughters, four grandchildren, and cherished wife, Mimi has over two decades of professional experience helping clients buy and sell their personal residence, investment properties, and rehabbing fix and flips in the Colorado Springs area.

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The thoughts of a warm-hearted but opinionated long-time Realtor who sells residential property in Colorado Springs, with a passion for Victorian homes Downtown.

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