Dispelling 3 Housing Market Media Myths - Myth #1: There is a National Housing Market Crisis - 09/29/07 06:01 PM
You cannot wake up in the morning without hearing something about the plight of the national housing market. There are so many factors that are never discussed with the media, regarding the current "situation" of the housing market. Because there is so much information missing, it is hard to trust ANYTHING that comes out.
However, many people do not know or understand that there is so much missing information, and are acting on what little they are told from the news and other media. These folks do not Know that they are under-informed, but these "actions without knowledge" are causing a … (12 comments)

What to Expect From a Competent Real Estate Agent (An Active Rain Announcement) - 09/29/07 10:48 AM
We can all agree that the real estate market is not what it was even a year ago. These are some of the terms that I have heard, and some terms are more applicable in some areas than others:
Down Market Buyer's Market Shifting Market Correcting Market Oh-No-What-Just-Happened Market Regardless of what the market is doing in your area, a COMPETENT LISTING AGENT will be worth ANY Seller's weight in gold. Right?
Well, I am taking this opportunity to SHARE with you an EXCELLENT post about What to Expect from a Competent Real Estate Agent ...
Before I do this, let me … (25 comments)

Free Vacations for Our Troops in Colorado: Operation Vacation - 09/27/07 04:56 PM
Thanks to Bob Johnson - a Realtor® in Glenwood Springs, there is now a "non-profit, all-volunteer organization based in Glenwood Springs whose purpose is to reunite deserving soldiers with their families on free vacations in the Roaring Fork Valley." Roaring Fork Valley is located on the Western Slope - the western side of the Rocky Mountains. Absolute breath-taking beauty.
This program is called Operation Vacation.
Their motto is: "Operation Vacation is committed to carrying out missions of gratitude deploying our troops and their loved ones deep in the rugged Rocky Mountains, allowing them some quality family time and a little bit of the … (2 comments)

What's in YOUR CMA? Mandatory Guidelines for Creating a CMA ... - 09/27/07 03:21 PM
It is what we do. We create CMA's for people all the time. CMA stands for a Current Market Analysis or Competitive Market Analysis. This is where we do research to determine what our OPINION of value is for a specific property. This answers the question: What will my home sell for?
Most of the time, we, as Realtors® create these CMA's for folks that are considering using us to sell their home. It is an integral part of what we do.
However, most Realtors® are not appraisers, so a CMA is merely an opinion. Granted, it is a very educated opinion, … (21 comments)

This Month Has Been Extremely Rough and Has Taught Me Thankfulness - 09/24/07 04:30 PM
*This post contains nothing about real estate, blogging or Active Rain.*
It is a rare time that a post that I write has to be prefaced with that statement. I have been an ACTIVE member of Active Rain for over a year now, and I have been blessed to call many of your friends and the rest of you friends-to-be. This is why I feel that I can share this with you, because you are my friends.
I spent the morning driving from Colorado Springs to Breckenridge. I am going to attend a Keller Williams - Rocky Mountain Summit Conference tomorrow and the next … (39 comments)

Colorado Springs Real Estate: 7830 Curlew Court, Colorado Springs CO 80920 - 09/22/07 11:00 PM
SOLD FALL 20077830 Curlew Court, Colorado Springs Colorado 80920 - Beautiful 4 Bedroom Home in Academy School District 20Location: HavenwoodPerfect 4 bedroom 4bathroom 3 car home on cul-de-sac. This home offers only the best. The main entry has a coat closet and hardwood floors leading through to the main level office (or 4th bedroom w/ seasonal Peak views) and back to the kitchen and family room. The formal living room has a large sunny window and leads into the spacious dining room with a bay window. Past the dining room is the large kitchen ? complete with eat-at island, 2 pantries, … (1 comments)

Colorado Springs Neighborhood Report - Cimarron Eastridge and Cimarron Westridge - 09/22/07 09:56 PM

Cimarron Eastridge and Cimarron Westridge are 2 mature neighborhoods on the east side of town - just east of Powers. Cimarron Eastridge is east of Peterson Road and Cimarron Westridge is west of Peterson Road. Both neighborhoods sit between Palmer Park Blvd. and Constitution. These neighborhoods are to the immediate north of Cimarron Hills.
Cimarron Eastridge and Westridge are in an unincorporated part of El Paso County, so even though they are addressed as "Colorado Springs" they do not share the Colorado Springs school district (D-11) nor are they covered by Colorado Springs Utilities. The school district for these neighborhoods … (0 comments)

Colorado Springs Neighborhood Report - Cimarron Hills - 09/21/07 01:55 PM
… (5 comments)

Wild Ginger - The BEST Thai Food Restaurant in Colorado Springs - 09/18/07 11:11 PM
First, you need to understand that Thai food is my favorite food on the planet. But only if it's cooked well. Honestly, I have only been to 2 Thai restaurants, ever, that are worth eating at. (Guess I need to go to Thailand...) One is in the Hawthorne district of Portland, Oregon. The other one is Wild Ginger, here in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Wild Ginger is a family owned and operated. Thailand is known for their friendly people, and that friendliness can be fully experienced at this restaurant. They are always there to greet us, by first name, and let us … (16 comments)

Colorado Realtors® for Education Fund - Grants for Colorado Teachers - 09/18/07 10:31 PM
Colorado Realtors® understand that teachers are often spending hundreds of their own dollars on their students and classrooms every year. In fact, "elementary school teachers spend more ($539) than middle ($393) and high ($427) school teachers" (Scholastic News).
This is an average of $475 of their own money that teachers are spending - Every year!
So, in an effort to help Colorado teachers, the Colorado Association of Realtors® has set up a fund where teachers can qualify for up to $3,000 in FREE grant money that they can use to "purchase supplies, materials, equipment and other resources used to teach students … (2 comments)

Colorado Springs Real Estate: 855 Tammany Drive, Colorado Springs CO 80916 - 09/18/07 01:45 PM
OFF MARKET SPRING 2008855 Tammany Drive ~ 3Bed Home with Open Floor PlanLocation: Trailridge3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms (one Full - One Half) 2 Car Garage 1,364sf tri-level home offers an open floor plan on main level. The Living Room has custom paint, a window seat and vaulted ceilings. The spacious dining area has a ceiling fan and overlooks the lower level family room. The kitchen has a large pantry, skylight & breakfast bar. Up the stairs off the living room you will find 3 bedrooms, a linen closet and a full bath. The large master bedroom has a sunny window seat, … (4 comments)

3 Reasons Why Open Houses Do NOT Work in Colorado Springs - 09/16/07 08:07 PM
Here I sit at an Open House for 3 hours, listening to Jack Johnson, organizing some of my files, and writing this. Why? Well, I am not going to get any more than one or two people stopping by, at the most. So, I have PLENTY of time.
We all see the TV shows where the home for sale gets multiple offers because of the Open House that was held. Dozens of people (both with and without their agents) pile into the home - exploring each room and inevitably one falls in love with the home and writes an offer.
Let … (29 comments)

Colorado Springs Real Estate - 2483 Paseo Rd., Colorado Springs CO 80907 - 09/15/07 10:31 AM
SOLD 10/20072483 Paseo Rd ~ Move-In Ready 2 Bed Town Home Close to DowntownLocation: Bellville CondosSuper-Clean 2bed 1bath Townhome in established community. The main level offers a spacious living room with tiled entry and coat closet. The large, eat-in kitchen offers tiled floors and plenty of counter space and cabinets. Off the kitchen is the utility/storage room with room for full laundry set-up. Rear door leads to common green areas and large shared patio leading to detached 1-car garage. The upper level has 2 nice sized bedrooms with large closets and ceiling fans. The master bedroom offers seasonal mountain views and … (0 comments)

Colorado Springs Real Estate: 6036 Colony Circle, Colorado Springs CO 80919 - 09/15/07 09:31 AM
OFF MARKET SPRING 20086036 Colony Circle - 3 Bed Town Home in Quiet D-20 CommunityLocation: Delmonico TownhomesThis clean and bright 3 bedroom home has a great main level with custom paint in the living room and kitchen, a gas fireplace with tile mantle in the living room, dining area off kitchen with built in shelves and a nice kitchen with eat at breakfast bar. There is also a main level laundry, bath and coat closet off of tiled entry.Upstairs you will find a large master bedroom with a 4-piece master bath and a private deck overlooking the rear green areas. This … (0 comments)

Colorado Springs History - Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (1903 El Paso County Courthouse) - 09/13/07 09:41 PM
History:The El Paso County Courthouse was built by August J. Smith. When it opened in 1903, everyone was able to see the "stately corridors" with "elegant decorated ceilings, terrazzo floors and rare scagliola columns" as well as the upper level Division One Courtroom. This courtroom was known as one of the most beautiful courtrooms in the U.S. and was restored back to its original splendor, in 1994 for $350k.
The El Paso County Courthouse was a monumental example of Colorado Springs' wealth, as it was built and furnished for $420,000, and the building was debt-free when it opened in 1903. "For … (12 comments)

United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) - Colorado Springs, Colorado - 09/12/07 10:07 PM
Colorado Springs is home to the USAFA: United States Air Force Academy. Located in the northern part of Colorado Springs, the USAFA can be accessed by the Northern gates just west of Gleneagle and Northgate or from the Southern gates at the end of North Academy Blvd. (It is important to note that Academy Blvd. has access to TWO military gates in Colorado Springs: South Academy Blvd offers accesst the the North gates of Fort Carson Army Base and North Academy Blvd. offers access to the South gates of the USAFA. Try not to get confused!)
The USAFA is a landmark … (10 comments)

Stay Warm in Colorado Springs this Winter ... And Save Money! - 09/09/07 06:16 PM
Colorado Springs is finally cooling down after a pretty hot summer. In fact, the higher elevations (Teller and Park Counties) are expecting some SNOW tonight (9/9/07)!
This would be a great time to get your home ready for the colder weather, and save some money while you are at it!
Some weatherizing tips include:
Weatherize your drafty windows and doors. Weather stripping, caulking and using spray foam are excellent ways to keep drafts to a minimum. Also check on the drafts from attics, basements and crawl spaces, too. Invest in a programmable thermostat. "Programming your thermostat to 65 degrees for at least 8 hours … (6 comments)

25 Common Courtesies Expected of a Real Estate Agent - 09/09/07 08:11 AM
As a professional real estate agent, there are some common courtesies that should be expected from you. While sitting in a PPAR Meeting the other day, we went over some of these that I thought needed to be shared. Here are a few (actually MORE than 25 ... if you're counting) of the common Real Estate Agent courtesies that you should expect to provide as a real estate agent:
General Courtesies:
Have your phone OFF during ALL meetings. Voice mail is a totally viable option while a meeting is in progress. Let people know how to reach you. Main phone numbers, cell phone numbers, … (95 comments)

Colorado Springs Real Estate: Market Report Snapshot - August 2007 - 09/08/07 11:34 AM
Here is a snapshot of the Colorado Springs Real Estate Market for August, 2007.For the FULL, detailed report, please visit: Colorado Springs Real Estate Connection
Average Days on Market (DOM): 83Average Sale Price (SP): $281,274List Price to Sale Price Ratio (LP/SP): 96.88%In August 2007:
883 homes went on the market301 homes went under contract252 homes soldFor more information on the Colorado Springs Real Estate Market, please check out our recent reports:
Colorado Springs Real Estate: Market Report - July 2007Colorado Springs Real Estate Market Report - June 2007Colorado Springs Real Estate Market Report - May 2007Colorado Springs Real Estate Market Report - April 2007<< Search For … (2 comments)

How to Read A Colorado Springs Real Estate MLS Sheet (Part Two... Room Dimensions and Square Footage) - 09/07/07 10:12 PM
This is the second section of the Colorado Springs MLS sheet. This section deals with the different rooms and their sizes, as well as the square footage of the home and how it is laid out...
The columns on the left are the different rooms, their dimensions and what level they are on.
Room Sizes: These are the sizes of the living areas and the bedrooms. M= Main Level (the level with the main entrance) U= Upper Level (the level above the main level) L= Lower Level (the level below the main level, but not the basement- Usually the lower level … (9 comments)

Affordable Housing in Colorado Springs VIA Rocky Mountain Community Land Trust - 09/06/07 05:02 PM
Somtimes CREDIT is not what stands in the way of buying a home. Sometimes the most credit-worthy folks just cannot AFFORD to buy a home in Colorado Springs. Many times I get a GREAT client - perfect credit, excellent motivation for owning a home ... But they are only qualified for a home that really doesn't exist, here in Colorado Springs. They fall just under or at the $100k mark, in an area where homes average much higher.
If only they could afford just a few thousand dollars more, a whole new market of homes would be available to them.
Now there … (5 comments)

TouchGraph ... How Are We All Connected? (A Fun Link Tool for Us Visual Learners) - 09/04/07 03:46 AM
Thanks to one of my favorite feeds: ProBlogger.com, I was able to find a SUPER COOL (free) tool that shows, VISUALLY how certain search terms and websites are all connected, through Google. This site is called: TouchGraph.com
For example: I typed in "Understanding the Realtor® Code of Ethics" (something that I wrote a lot about, on my "other" blog as well as here, on Active Rain) into their search bar. The diagram below is what came up:

What this shows is the Top 10 Google Results for this search term (the big bubbles) and from there it shows the top … (54 comments)

How to Read A Colorado Springs Real Estate MLS Sheet (Part One ... The Top) - 09/02/07 07:24 PM
You are looking to buy a home in Colorado Springs. You have a bunch of MLS sheets to look at, but how do you read them?
The Pikes Peak Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is where most homes for sale in Colorado Springs, Monument, Fountain, Woodland Park, Manitou Springs, Peyton and other outlaying areas can be found. This is where local real estate agents post all of their listings (homes for sale).

When you are looking for a home in Colorado Springs - or any nearby areas, your real estate agent will run a search for you on the MLS and … (5 comments)

Colorado Springs and El Paso County Real Estate Residential Zoning Codes and Definitions - 09/02/07 07:19 PM
Here is a snapshot of the common real estate (residential) zoning codes and definitions for El Paso County, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Fountain, Monument and Palmer Lake:
 Colorado Springs Zoning Codes:
All data compiled from Pikes Peak Association of Realtors® and the Colorado Springs Government Pages.
… (2 comments)

 
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Mariana Wagner ~ Colorado Springs REALTOR®

Colorado Springs, CO

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Wagner iTeam -Keller Williams Realty

Address: Wagner iTeam ~ Keller Williams Realty, P.O. Box 62356, Colorado Springs, CO, 80962

Office Phone: (719) 434-7525

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Colorado Springs Area & Real Estate Information Our original thoughts, ideas, frustrations, compliments and ramblings about the real estate and related industries. Food for thought ... Get you thinking ... Learn something new ... That is our goal. Enjoy!Search for Homes in Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Property Values


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