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    <title>Marlene Gebhardt's Blog</title>
    <link>http://activerain.com/blogs/dgobroker</link>
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1243322/high-end-sales-durango-co-september-2009</guid>
      <title>High End Sales- Durango, CO September, 2009</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;WOW! Its been slow slogging in the higher end market here, but all of a sudden, things are starting to move. Homes on the market for over $1million began to SELL- really! Shocking? At first, and then we look at some of the real, steal deals that can be bought. Builders and home owners alike, feeling the credit, money, activity lag, have reduced prices providing those in the Durango, Colorado luxury home market with some great opportunities. For example, one home that&amp;nbsp;originally appraised for over $3 million sold for just about half that! Had to be the deal of the year- right? A few more have sold for $300-$500k below their original asking prices, and a few more large deals, at great prices, are in the works.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What does this mean for the market? Those with cash, or ability to get good loans, are stepping up and bargain shopping. We already know that the market's lower end, here under $300k, has been active all year long, but now, the upper end is starting to percolate. And, surprisingly, our resort area market has seen steady sales this summer- not huge volumes. but steady activity. Does that mean...that maybe, soon, a turn-around?&amp;nbsp;No telling, but the sky just seems a bit brighter these days.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:56:37 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1243322/high-end-sales-durango-co-september-2009</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1118502/durango-colorado-land-how-to-buy-it-</guid>
      <title>Durango, Colorado Land- How to buy it?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Many people have a dream of owning Durango, Colorado real estate. Specifically, they want to create their vision of an ideal lifestyle, be it town, ranch, farm, or resort property.&amp;nbsp; There are many things to consider when on the quest for land that will provide you with the ideal locale and atmosphere for all your pursuits, so we thought a brief discussion would be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Think first of what your goals are for the land? Do you want to build a home? When? Do you want to hold the land for investment? How long?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In Durango, few people who come from elsewhere want to build immediately. Usually the quest for the perfect land begins a few years out.&amp;nbsp; Experience says that plans may change, so remaining flexible, and looking at a good &quot;exit strategy&quot; up front will help make your decision one you can live with in the longer term.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Features of the land itself help establish priorities: What type of views are desired? What about water-is it just for the home or do animals, fishing rights, etc. need to be considered? Are there children and pets? How close to town/city amenities is necessary? What about topography- meadows and grasslands? rolling hills? forest and trees? And, for riders, hunters, hikers and the like, is the parcel close to public lands?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Access to land parcels can vary as some Durango area properties have seasonal access, usually meaning snowmobile only in winter. Roads in rural areas are usually gravel, either County and maintained by same, or private, with Covenants covering their maintenance by the group of owners.&amp;nbsp; So, type of road, ownership and maintenance, and the grade/distance one has to travel should all be weighed. &amp;nbsp;With that said, there are many, many options out there for all types of Durango Land buyers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;(Are you making a checklist yet? It can be a good guide when looking online, or working with a broker to help find the right types of land.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;In the Durango area, ranch and recreational properties offering hunting, fishing, winter sports and rural lifestyle are located throughout La Plata County.&amp;nbsp; Alpine climate with dense fir forests, aspens and close-up mountain views can be had in the North Animas Valley. Lots range in size from &amp;frac14; acre home sites, to many acre retreats.&amp;nbsp; The Bayfield/Vallecito area is known for lush meadows, pines, and wide open views, with plenty of water. West Durango including Hersperus, can have big La Plata Mountain views, rolling pastures, creeks, and trees. South of Durango is a bit warmer and drier, with rolling grasslands, big mountain or valley views, and possible irrigation water.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;No matter where the land is located, home sites are generally valued based on amenities, locale and aesthetics, such as views, water and infrastructure nearby.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Homesites vary from small lots in established subdivisions- town and rural- to 35+ acre parcels with roads and utilities.&amp;nbsp; Acreage runs from small parcels to large 1,000 acre ranches. Ranch amenities vary greatly, and consulting a ranch sales expert can help target your search to what suits your needs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;In summary, owning land in Durango, Colorado offers you the opportunity to create your own vision and lifestyle, and can provide a lasting legacy for your family.&amp;nbsp; Let us know what questions you have,&amp;nbsp;I am&amp;nbsp;at your service!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:40:44 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1118502/durango-colorado-land-how-to-buy-it-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/913075/jumbo-loans-yes-you-can-get-them-in-durango-colorado</guid>
      <title>JUMBO LOANS - YES YOU CAN GET THEM IN DURANGO, COLORADO</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ON THE FENCE ABOUT LOOKING FOR A HOME WITH A MORTGAGE OVER $417K?&amp;nbsp; A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOPPING IN THE DURANGO, COLORADO AREA MIGHT EXPERIENCE ANGST OVER GETTING FINANCING FOR THE RETIREMENT HOME, RESORT HOME, or RANCH that they really would like to have. While&amp;nbsp;Durango's real estate values have NOT cratered overall, there are great buys in all price categories, and many prime properties&amp;nbsp;that are &quot;great deals&quot;&amp;nbsp;that are over $500k. Why? Mountain resort towns don't have a lot of land left!&amp;nbsp;Things built are in prime locations and become more desireable as the population expands; naturally, and by people moving into the area. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Right now,&amp;nbsp;Durango's market&amp;nbsp;has&amp;nbsp;a lot of &quot;pent up demand&quot; from folks looking to move, but having to sell something first, or awaiting a cash payment from something before they buy. Looking at getting a good reak estate deal might mean acting sooner, versus later. I spoke to two local lenders that are ready and willing to lend to those who are&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. well qualified with jobs, documented income, and credit scores;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. have a downpayment as required by the loan structure.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;These lenders are making JUMBO LOANS,(either a single or two loans&amp;nbsp;over $417k) with INTEREST RATES COMPETITIVE WITH CONFORMING LOANS.&amp;nbsp; Yes, it can&amp;nbsp;be done.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Many of&amp;nbsp;the best buys in Durango and Bayfield Colorado areas are&amp;nbsp;over $500k- so if this suits your needs and&amp;nbsp;wallets, don't be afraid to look.&amp;nbsp; For two prime examples, check out my listings at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.horizondurango.com/611979/customhome.html&quot;&gt;http://www.horizondurango.com/611979/customhome.html&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.horizondurango.com/614589/countryfeel.html&quot;&gt;http://www.horizondurango.com/614589/countryfeel.html&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; You can contact me at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:marlene@horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;marlene@horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt; for more information&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:52:22 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/913075/jumbo-loans-yes-you-can-get-them-in-durango-colorado</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/903281/snowdown-time-in-durango-colorado-again-</guid>
      <title>SNOWDOWN TIME IN DURANGO COLORADO -AGAIN!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Last year, I profiled Durango, Colorado's premier winter celebration, known as SNOWDOWN.&amp;nbsp; Its that time again, and this year the theme couldn't be more appropriate - SNOWDOWN IN DA NILE! Yep, the whole town has great&amp;nbsp; reasons to forget the economic crisis, the housing crisis, the job crisis- at least for 5 days of fun, wacky events, and overall good times.&amp;nbsp; As co-coordinator for SNOWDOWN, I do a lot of work with our Team and Board all year long. But, most of the &quot;heavy lifting&quot; is done, and its time to celebrate the winter fest that puts us on the map of Colorado events, and brings us all together, SNOWDOWN. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wednesday kicks off with the totally wacky Dos n Don'ts Fashion show- this year entitled &quot;Queens of Da Nile&quot;. What you'll see is anyone's guess!&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Good weather is forecast for the entire 5-day run of SNOWDOWN, so people will be in the streets in their Ancient Egyptian, or &quot;DA NILE&quot; attire of choice. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;See my Blog from Jan. 08 for a full history and description of SNOWDOWN, and come on to Durango, Colorado to have the best time ever in the heart of winter. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:30:08 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/903281/snowdown-time-in-durango-colorado-again-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/733837/fall-colors-in-durango-co</guid>
      <title>FALL COLORS IN DURANGO, CO</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Its NOT TOO LATE! Fall is still brilliantly displayed here in Southerwest Colorado, in the high country and in the valleys, leaves are glowing golden, orange and even red. Yes, red, the color thought to belong to New England, is here, too. Last week we hiked the Purgatory Creek trail from Purgatory (Durango Mountain Resort) to the Cascade Wye, where the DSNGRR trains stop for lunch breaks on their shorter runs. It was stunning- absolutely breathtaking to walk among that special golden light that the shimmering, translucent aspen leaves give off.&amp;nbsp; Especially now&amp;nbsp;with the markets in turmoil, our souls can use some R&amp;amp;R, and reconnection with the joys and beauty of natural surroundings. I think our ability to walk out the door and escape into nature is one reason&amp;nbsp;people in Durango seem less stressed by today's events. So come out, while&amp;nbsp;fall is still bright, and let yourself be taken in by nature.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;You don't even&amp;nbsp;have to hike, just drive, and stop, and look, and take plenty of pictures because the scenery will soon change - as will the present stressful conditions.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:15:19 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/733837/fall-colors-in-durango-co</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/654136/durango-colorado-real-estate-inventory-august-2008</guid>
      <title>DURANGO COLORADO REAL ESTATE INVENTORY AUGUST,2008</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&quot;Come on down&quot;, as the game show host loves to say when initiating a deal.&amp;nbsp; So it is in Durango, Colorado, this August. Come on down, we have a really good inventory at ALL PRICE LEVELS, and good deals can be had in any price range. Unlike larger areas, we do NOT have the proliferation of foreclosures and REOs. There are some, and it does look like we will have more of both types of properties by year end than we did last year.&amp;nbsp; But, regular listings are priced more aggressively than the past few years. Individual properties may be as much as 10% lower in some cases.&amp;nbsp; That may not seem like a lot when compared to price reductions in some stressed markets, but our values have always held up well, due to the desireable location. So, if you are thinking of getting a second home, or changing your address for something new in the Durango area, NOW IS THE TIME! For more specifics on good buys in Durango, email me - &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:marlene@horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;marlene@horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt; or call 970/749-8913.&amp;nbsp; And, have a great late summer!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:10:35 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/654136/durango-colorado-real-estate-inventory-august-2008</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/400162/2008-durango-colorado-market-statistics-so-far</guid>
      <title>2008 Durango, Colorado Market Statistics - so far</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;After hearing all the doom and gloom about the national real estate&amp;nbsp;market, I was curious enough to look into our local market statistics.&amp;nbsp; Thus far, we in the Durango area, are still selling property of all types. A quick look at year to date tells me that nearly&amp;nbsp;50% of properties sold were under $300,000 and about 25% were above $500,000.&amp;nbsp; Commercial opportunities were just about 4% of those sold,&amp;nbsp;while many residential units sold were condos.&amp;nbsp;We&amp;#39;ve&amp;nbsp;had&amp;nbsp;a snowy winter, and lots of people visiting our local ski resort, Purgatory, have contributed to&amp;nbsp; condo sales at the resort itself.&amp;nbsp;But our market also has a good supply of lower-priced units in town Durango now, and these seem to be actively selling. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While no one knows how much impact the new Federal loan regulations will have over the year, we all are hopeful for an active spring and summer sales season. Meanwhile, our office is planning upgrades in marketing and services to help us work smarter in an ever-changing market. I look forward to being more efficient and hope it will also lead us to increasing our effectiveness in serving our clients - read: SALES! &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:21:17 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/400162/2008-durango-colorado-market-statistics-so-far</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/370239/client-expectations-are-they-different-in-this-market-</guid>
      <title>Client Expectations - are they different in this market?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;A short while ago, I posted a blog request looking for anecdotes about fellow Realtors being rewarded by their clients for &amp;quot;exceptional customer service&amp;quot;. I am still interested in hearing from any of you who have a minute to share a tale about something you did that they, the client, really liked. But it also occurred to me that client expectations may be changing in the current market. What have you all seen that might prove this true, or not?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Are you being asked to do more for less commission? Have expectations of finding &amp;quot;bargains&amp;quot; greatly colored some thinking, and if so, what happens when you might not find the perfect place, at at half price?&amp;nbsp; How about follow up service?&amp;nbsp; i&amp;#39;m curious, and also want to open up a forum to talk about changes in clients&amp;#39; perceptions of what we do, and how we do it!&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Email me at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:marlene@horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;marlene@horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt; Love to hear what you have to say.&amp;nbsp; mg&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:22:56 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/370239/client-expectations-are-they-different-in-this-market-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/356195/exceptional-customer-service-how-do-you-know-it-when-it-happens-</guid>
      <title>Exceptional Customer Service - how do you know it when it happens?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;ve been in business for over 25 years and have had a lot of opportunities to serve customers, handle irate customers, and have customers become friends. Looking at the past, though, doesn&amp;#39;t always help convey what EXACTLY customers view as &amp;quot;exceptional service&amp;quot; from their real estate broker!&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;ll be giving a short class in Durango, Colorado in a few weeks on&amp;nbsp;the &amp;quot;Small WOWs&amp;quot; of customer service and wanted to gather some anecdotes from&amp;nbsp;fellow practitioners on what things they have done that received the&amp;nbsp;most customer appreciation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Was it being a technical whiz and getting all those sundry&amp;nbsp;bits of information together? Was it showing them the different income streams with various investment property options? Or was it bringing a big umbrella to a showing when it rained???&amp;nbsp;What expectations do clients have of us and how do we go about exceeding them?&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#39;ll use these shared examples to help draw some comparisons between customer expectations in different areas of business, and I think we on the Active Rain network will have a good time reading them, too. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So, if you get a minute, share a thought about you, being rewarded for, EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks, and if&amp;nbsp;others in the general audience want to contribute their ideas and experiences, please email me at&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:marlene@horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;marlene@horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt;. I would love to hear from you!&amp;nbsp; mg&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:47:38 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/356195/exceptional-customer-service-how-do-you-know-it-when-it-happens-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/331174/snowdown-winter-festival-in-durango-colorado</guid>
      <title>Snowdown- Winter Festival in Durango, Colorado</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Durango, Colorado&amp;#39;s premier winter celebration turns 30 this year. Every January, we put away the holiday lights and start getting ready for SNOWDOWN. Born as a way to &amp;quot;promote fun, commerce and tourism&amp;quot; in the heart of winter, SNOWDOWN is a 5-day festival of wacky events hosted by businesses and groups throughout the community. Wednesday, Jan. 30 kicks off SNOWDOWN 2008 with the wildly funny &amp;quot;Dos and Dont&amp;#39;s Fashion Show&amp;quot;. The idea for the Show was born when USA Today mentioned that Durango was one of the &amp;quot;worst -dressed&amp;quot; towns in the country. A spoof on all things, the show is a sell-out and one of the funniest SNOWDOWN events. Over 60 events take place over the next 5 days.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The&amp;nbsp;hottest&amp;nbsp;SNOWDOWN ticket is the FOLLIES (see &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.snowdownfollies.org&quot;&gt;www.snowdownfollies.org&lt;/a&gt;.) which involves over 100 locals spoofing it up for appreciative audiences. &amp;nbsp;Friday&amp;#39;s&amp;nbsp;highlight is&amp;nbsp;the SNOWDOWN Light Parade - where theme floats use lights and hot air balloons light up the cold night with warmth and colorful costumes. Costumes are a given at SNOWDOWN as each year has a theme.&amp;nbsp; This year is YE OLDE SNOWDOWN, a thirty-year quest for fun. Expect to see kings, queens, knights, and plenty of jesters and knaves running around the snowy streets of Durango for SNOWDOWN lets our inner child come out and have FUN!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am the Co-cordinator (coco2 for short) of SNOWDOWN, and have worked with a great team of people&amp;nbsp;on planning and making SNOWDOWN happen for 7 years. I love it as it involves the whole community in something that is positive and provides fun for entire families, as well as promotes business in the doldrums of mid-winter. An increasing number of visitors now plan to make a trek to Durango for SNOWDOWN, and we love having them. If you&amp;#39;re planning on coming, book your rooms early. And, for all the SNOWDOWN news, go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.snowdown.org&quot;&gt;www.snowdown.org&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; See you at SNOWDOWN!&amp;nbsp; mg- for specific questioins, contact me at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:coco2@snowdown.org&quot;&gt;coco2@snowdown.org&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:49:39 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/331174/snowdown-winter-festival-in-durango-colorado</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/304748/ski-and-snow-report-for-durango-colorado</guid>
      <title>Ski and Snow Report for Durango, Colorado</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Did I really write about a warm November? Well winter arrived right on schedule here and do we have SNOW! Exactly where it is needed, too, as the warm systems created lower elevation rain that soaked the ground, made the plants happy in their dormant states, and prepped for snow coverage. In town, we have maybe 3-6 inches on the ground, more in surroundings, but in the higher elevations and at Durango Mountain Resort, there are new FEET of snow. Great to have a good base this early. Skiing the other day was fabulous and one avid 70-year old skier said, &amp;quot;It was almost too much snow for me.&amp;quot; But, the resort staff will be grooming away as the mountain could be 100% open this weekend. That, after initially delaying the resort&amp;#39;s opening day by two weeks, is such a treat for early season skiing. If you&amp;#39;re planning on visiting, get your reservations now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not only are skiers, boarders and snow mobilers&amp;nbsp;ecstatic, our small town economy gets a boost from winter tourism, so knowing that Christmas snow will be good makes everyone happy. Snow is great for the fields, the forests and our water supply of course, so if you come to Durango, look for smiles. Winter is here!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:40:14 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/304748/ski-and-snow-report-for-durango-colorado</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/287475/is-durango-the-place-for-your-new-home-</guid>
      <title>IS DURANGO THE PLACE FOR YOUR NEW HOME?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;This month, I&amp;#39;ve had fun working with two buyers new to Durango, Colorado. Each had a different need - one to relocate to&amp;nbsp;a place&amp;nbsp;that would give children a more naturally-focused upbringing (Remember recent articles condirming that involvement with nature was good for kids on many levels? )&amp;nbsp; and the other to have a second home in a place close to skiing, camping, and all sorts of good outdoor fun. Well, Durango is the place for that, no doubt. But, in working with these different perspectives, some common elements came into play that would be helpful to anyone helping a client relocate or choose your community for their vacation home. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;First, what do they really want to accomplish? Sometimes knowing the &amp;quot;why&amp;quot; vs just the stated facts, really helps you as an agent hone in on better property choices to show. Also, how serious are they in persuing their stated hobbies or interests? Here, we have a lot of &amp;quot;horse properties&amp;quot; that require serious attention to all the trappings that good horsemen and women want. If the client just wants a place that looks &amp;quot;horsey&amp;quot;, that would be a whole different animal!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Next, what features of the property are really essential to them? That too can be tricky until several are seen and eliminated because they didn&amp;#39;t &amp;quot;feel right&amp;quot;.&amp;nbsp; Getting to identify what that &amp;quot;fell right&amp;quot; is can take some probing, but is worth the &amp;quot;aaha!&amp;quot; experience for both of you. Another thing is to look at the needs of all involved- not just the buyers, but their families and others who may be considered in the purchase. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And, know when to bring in, dial in or email in outside assistance if your expertise doesn&amp;#39;t stretch to cover brown trout habitat or slickrock bike trails. There&amp;#39;s someone you know that can help, and may be a good secondary cheerleader for&amp;nbsp;selling the client on your&amp;nbsp;area as well.&amp;nbsp;And, you get the benefit of&amp;nbsp;bringing&amp;nbsp;people who are a good fit and will contribute to&amp;nbsp;your community.&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:45:14 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/287475/is-durango-the-place-for-your-new-home-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/279227/buyers-on-the-fence-</guid>
      <title>Buyers on the Fence?</title>
      <description>After&amp;nbsp; a few recent showings, I&amp;#39;ve had similar conversations with brokers in my area - and it seems that we are all experience the &amp;quot;buyers on the fence&amp;quot; syndrome. Yeah, they like the property, but nothing seems to motivate them enought to jump in and make an offer. Waiting for whatever - prices to crash, the loan market to open up, or just til they feel more comfortable is the school of thought.&amp;nbsp; Luckily, we have savvy buyers who do know its time to buy, and those are the folks with cash reserves, or who are ready to invest. Just wondering if other parts of our world are hearing the same song from prospective buyers? Sign me Curious - mg</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:05:39 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/279227/buyers-on-the-fence-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/273818/a-gorgeous-fall-in-durango-colorado-persists</guid>
      <title>A gorgeous Fall in Durango, Colorado persists</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Here it is mid-November and there are still trees in the Animas Valley ablaze with golden leaves. We aren&amp;#39;t complaining, as the days have been sunny with temperatures in the 60s - much more like early October than November.&amp;nbsp;While Dalton Ranch Golf Club (go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.daltonranchgolfclub.com&quot;&gt;www.daltonranchgolfclub.com&lt;/a&gt;) is open 2 weeks later than normal and continues to have members play daily rounds,&amp;nbsp;Durango Mountain Resort, our local ski area, isn&amp;#39;t letting warm weather stop its plans to open Dec. 1.&amp;nbsp; &amp;quot;A fleet of new snowmaking guns&amp;quot; is&amp;nbsp;enabling the resort to make up to 50% more snow than last year, and&amp;nbsp;be more energy efficient. Good news for those of us looking to put away sandals, golf clubs and other warm-weather activities and enjoy the snow, snow, snow! which we all know will come soon.&amp;nbsp; Think big fluffy flakes, lots of them, coming down.&amp;nbsp;Until that happens, if you plan a visit to Durango, the weather, and the climate for buying Durango, Colorado real estate, couldn&amp;#39;t be better! &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:00:17 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/273818/a-gorgeous-fall-in-durango-colorado-persists</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/248567/wildfire-evacuation-stories</guid>
      <title>Wildfire Evacuation Stories</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;With horrified fascination, I continue to watch as southern California fires rage on.&amp;nbsp;Watching homeowners emotionally scurry to pack themselves, their animals and their belongings for a fast evacuation, I think,&amp;nbsp;&amp;quot;I was in your place, I know how scary it feels.&amp;quot; Six years ago, the Missionary Ridge fire blew up right across the valley from my home in Durango, Colorado. For over a month, we watched as more towering Ponderosa pines went up like torches, after suffering from a few years of drought. Everyday brought reports of fire activity and our Animas Valley and town gagged on smoke and ash. A few weeks into it, a second fire erupted on the other side of the Valley, essentially walliing us in by flame. The second fire burned 10 homes in record time. Everyone made it out, some just barely, and with few possessions. Horse trailers, RVs, and trailered boats clogged highway 550 as evacuees headed to safe ground. Our neighborhood looked like a campground as all manner of trailers and RVs lined up to carry possessions out of the line of fire. Part of our neighborhood was evacuated, and some of us left because we could no longer stand the smoke, ash, and ceaseless &amp;quot;whup, whup&amp;quot; of tanker helicopters dipping into the ponds right by our homes and using the water to fight this second fire. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those who were burned out lost everything, some not knowing what exactly was irreplaceable until later. But, all were thankful that no lives were lost, and the spirit of this small town in the mountains pulled people together to help the fire victims recover. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;As you can tell, the experience is as sharp in my mind today as when it happened, and renewed by the tragic scenes in California. We have many Californians here who are concerned for friends and family, and we keep all in our prayers. &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:39:54 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/248567/wildfire-evacuation-stories</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/167091/flexible-catering-biz-for-sale-in-durango-colorado</guid>
      <title>Flexible Catering Biz for Sale in Durango, Colorado</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Profitable, turn-key catering business in Durango, Colorado. Owner will train you to step in and assume long-time client base. Flexible operation includes complete, licensed mobile commercial kitchen, refrigeration/storage equipment, preparation and serving equipment, client approved, tested recipes, and owner&amp;#39;s 10 years of operational know-how. Call me for more details, non-disclosure agreement to review financials, etc.&amp;nbsp; Ph# 970) 749-8913; email &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:marlene@horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;marlene@horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:33:14 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/167091/flexible-catering-biz-for-sale-in-durango-colorado</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/151893/durango-colorado-high-end-market</guid>
      <title>Durango, Colorado High End Market</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Durango, Colorado Luxury Home Market &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did you see CNBC&amp;#39;s On the Money show Weds, July 18? The high end market in Durango Colorado got a brief, but scenic feature.&amp;nbsp; See the video at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=430594804&quot;&gt;www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=430594804&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes, we are experiencing growth in sales of homes and land over $1,000,000. &amp;nbsp;To quote the narrator of the feature &amp;quot;there&amp;#39;s still value in them thar hills&amp;quot;.&amp;nbsp; Prices here for luxury mountain homes are often one fifth of what comparable properties would be in other high visibility mountain towns. Durango is &amp;quot;out of the way&amp;quot;, but locals and second home owners like it that way. We enjoy all the benefits of a real community, one founded around agriculture and mining, and have a great year-round ski area and adventure facility at Durango Mountain Resort.&amp;nbsp; A liberal arts college adds cultural opportunities and diversity to the mix. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But back to luxury homes in Durango, Colorado, here are the statistics, as of July 19:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Homes listed &amp;gt; $900K&amp;nbsp; = 100+&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Listed &amp;gt; $1 M = 80+&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Listed&amp;gt;&amp;nbsp; $2 M = 20+&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Listed &amp;gt;&amp;nbsp; $3M = 13&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From July 06 - July 07, 37 luxury homes sold, and several are pending as we speak. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These properties range from high-quality homes on smaller subdivision lots, often at golf courses or gated communites, to homes on acreage or ranches up to 1,800 acres. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;#39;d like to know more about Durango, Colorado, luxury homes, call or email me;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;970/749-8913 - marlene@horizondurango.com &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:00:47 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/151893/durango-colorado-high-end-market</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/143314/what-s-to-do-in-durango-this-july-</guid>
      <title>What's to do in Durango this July?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;We are located in one of the most scenic areas on earth - really! Right in the middle of the Four Corners, Durango provides access to mountains, high desert, spectacular canyon country, huge lakes and all the fun that goes with them. Rafting, kayaking, fishing, hiking, skiing, hunting, mountain biking, scenic driving; via motorcycle, bike or car, tennis, golf and just plain relaxing are all part of enjoyingit, the Durango lifestyle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visitors&amp;nbsp;wonder if we have time to work,&amp;nbsp;and yes, work hard, we do! Horizon Properties maintains its office on Main Avenue, where most of Durango&amp;#39;s downtown commerce occurs. Strolling Main is another fun past time as you always meet people you know and see something new in a shop window. We meet many friends for the first time because they dropped in to visit our restored historic office building. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sunday, July 15, Music in the Mountains, a three-week classical music festival, begins. Visitors and locals enjoy performances in the tent up at Durango Mountain Resort, or the Community Concert Hall. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Later this summer, the juried Main Avenue Arts Festival, the LaPlata County Fair, wine tastings, car enthusiast gatherings, and the Rodeo will be happening.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are contemplating coming to Durango,Colorado to visit or search for&amp;nbsp;Durango real estate,&amp;nbsp;check our website, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.horizondurango.com&quot;&gt;www.horizondurango.com&lt;/a&gt; for information&amp;nbsp;and links about what to do and&amp;nbsp;the properties for sale in the area.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;For general area informatin and events calendar, go&amp;nbsp;to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.durango.org&quot;&gt;www.durango.org&lt;/a&gt; to see more details, provided by the Chamber of Commerce. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a Realtor I try to keep my clients informed about various happenings throughout the year. This helps them to plan their visits, get hotel accommodations, and enjoy some of the best of local culture.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;EMAIL or CALL ME if you&amp;#39;re coming to town and want to know more about local doings. Until then, enjoy the summer, mg&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:14:26 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/143314/what-s-to-do-in-durango-this-july-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/141565/durango-colorado-real-estate-n-animas-valley</guid>
      <title>Durango, Colorado Real Estate - N.Animas Valley</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Wouldn&amp;#39;t you like to see towering red cliffs, covered in green, arching into an incredibly blue sky, everyday? That&amp;#39;s the setting for &lt;strong&gt;real estate in the Animas Valley of southwestern Colorado.&lt;/strong&gt; We in Durango refer to the area, my market area, as the &amp;quot;North Valley&amp;quot;.&amp;nbsp; Luxury homes, ranches, estates, homes with acreage and golf course and suburban subdivsions co-exists in this beautiful, natural environment. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;At Horizon Properties, we keep tabs on market statistics.&amp;nbsp;On July 8, &amp;nbsp;sampling of homes for sale in this area&lt;/strong&gt;, within a 2.3 mile range of Dalton Ranch Golf Course, shows 47 active listings.&amp;nbsp; Statistics are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;List prices from $299,000 to $1,910,000&amp;nbsp; - median list price of $679,000&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Square footage from 1,152 to 6,232&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;99% have 3 or 4 bedrooms, 1 has 5 bedrooms ,and a golf course villa, 2 bedrooms&amp;nbsp; Most had 2-3 baths&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acreage is from .16 acre suburban lots, to 1-5 acre parcels, to 47 acres&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Neighborhoods vary from developed suburban, like Dalton Ranch Golf Course area, Blue Sky, Red Rocks, Hermosa Vista, and others, to homes on acreage, such as the Animosa area, or Celadon. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What&amp;#39;s sold&amp;nbsp;over the past 6 months? The same area sampling lists 20 sales,&amp;nbsp;market statistics below&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Sold prices from $266,000 to $1,520,00 - median sold price of $517,850&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Square footage from 1,256 to 4,168&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most had 3 or 4 bedrooms, and 2-3 baths, while 1 had 4.5 baths&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CONTACT ME IF YOU&amp;#39;D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT N. ANIMAS VALLEY HOMES or LAND. I CAN SHOW YOU MANY DIFFERENT NATURAL SETTINGS, HOME TYPES, and REAL ESTATE OPTIONS.&amp;nbsp; email:marlene@horizondurango.com&amp;#39; phone - 970/749-8913!&amp;nbsp; Hope you get a chance to visit us, mg&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Marlene Gebhardt Durango Colorado Real Estate (Horizon Properties of Durango)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 08 Jul 2007 12:09:13 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/141565/durango-colorado-real-estate-n-animas-valley</link>
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