Joetta’s Neighborhood Newsletter
November, 2010
Hello, Friends & Neighbors!
I am happy to say that I’ve received several bits of input from readers, so this newsletter will have lots of varied information. Real estate news comes at the end.
Don’t forget to call or email me whenever you have something you’d like to put in the newsletter. At least 1,000 people see it, so you never know who might need to know what you’ve got to say!
I hope you will all have a wonderful November, and Thanksgiving will be a good time for you, friends, family, however you like to spend the holiday. Personally, I’m thankful for my blessing of a grandson, my daughter’s good health during pregnancy and college classes, my husband’s and son-in-law’s continued employment. I hope all is well for you!
More about Food Co-ops
Hi Joetta - we bought a share in Grant Family Farms earlier this year. We’ve been getting amazing produce every week. We pick it up at a host family’s house in Arvada. Next year will probably go with ½ a share as the full share has been more than the 2 of us can eat each week. http://www.grantfarms.com/home.php - Jim
Business Referrals
These first two referrals are from Louisa. I have also had a terrible time finding concrete people, so I’ll be calling one of her referrals soon.
Green Tree Heating and Air Conditioning (720-266-4557) is running a special - $59 for a full furnace tune up, plus a free CO2 detector. We called and they sent Derek out and he did a fabulous job. Not only did he open it up to look at the electrical and heat exchanger, he brought his camera out to look inside the heat exchanger to see if there were any cracks. He also cleaned it out and turned it on so that he could check the Carbon Monoxide output. We did have cracks and our CO was 45 parts per million, so we needed a new furnace. Upon getting 6 quotes from large (Sears) to small companies, Green Tree gave us the best quote on a Trane or Lennox system. They are a new company, but they do the job right. They are all NATE certified, so even if their company goes away, the warranties transfer back to the manufacturer for servicing. They installed a high efficiency Trane Furnace and Heat Pump and made sure that I was completely satisfied with the install. They also provide a 1 year 100% satisfaction guarantee. If anyone needs a new furnace, I would HIGHLY recommend these guys to do it. Not only are they cost efficient, they are professional and customer service oriented. Stephanie, in the office, goes to great lengths to make sure everything is scheduled nicely and gets all the paperwork done for you so that you don’t have to mess around with doing the rebates and finding all the forms for them.
Concrete work – We have had the WORSE time finding a reliable and good concrete company. Our first contractor did such a horrible job that one of my steps cracked across the front and half the step fell off in less than a month. He also didn’t prep the site properly and the entire installation ended up sinking by 2 inches in less than 3 months. Then the contractor refused to fix anything but the step and I had to take him to court to get my money back. Needless to say we then had to find another contractor. In comes Arrowhead Concrete and Asphalt. Matt came in, gave us a quote, was very upfront with all his pricing and willing to do EXACTLY what I asked, no questions asked. He also was able to give me suggestions on things that I hadn’t thought about. If you know what you want, have done the research, and can direct him to do exactly what you need done, Matt is the guy to call. His prices are reasonable and he is the one on the job directing his crew, not a 3rd party foreman.303-587-8900
This referral is from me. We have a couple of rental houses, and changing out locks between tenants can be time-consuming. I found a company called Mr. Rekey. They will re-key up to six locks and provide four keys for $89.99. They were very fast, the tech was punctual and helpful. We spend about $60 every time we buy a new lock set just for one door, so this was more than worth it to me. So if you have rentals or are buying a new house, give them a call at 303-534-5700 or go to rekey.com.
And this last one is from a client who recently bought an older home in Arvada: I have had problems with clothes drying in the dryer. Called the Dryer Vent Doctor, and he found an old-style, broken Coke bottle probably from the 1960s in the vent. We got a good laugh out of it! Dryer Vent Doctor charges $69 for any kind of cleaning or repair, great guy and very good! 303-424-5168. (PS I checked them out online, and it says you can save $10 when you book with a neighbor or friend. So get together with someone else, and get more efficiency out of your dryer.)
Need a House Sitter?
Connie has a granddaughter who is interested in house sitting. She is 23 years old, attends Metro State College, and she says pets are no problem. Connie says Jessica has house sat for her, and she is very responsible. You can contact Connie Dineen at 303-425-5587 or contact Jessica herself at 303-587-7682. She also babysits.
Lotsa Helping Hands
What do you say when a friend or neighbor tells you someone in their family has been struck with serious illness? Most of us say, “Let me know how I can help.”
Problem is, it can be hard for people to put into words exactly what they need. Plus, keeping everyone up to date on the many ups and downs of an illness can be time consuming.
That’s where Lotsa Helping Hands really can help. On their web site you can create a private community to help organize help for meals, rides, and visits, and share updates.
Perhaps you can be the one to set up the site for a family going through a tough time. You can also use the site to coordinate volunteers for school or religious groups, or neighborhood activities.Go to www.lotsahelpinghands.com to get started.
What’s Going on in Real Estate
I know you’ve been hearing about continued trouble in the real estate market, which is terribly severe in some parts of the country. Here in Arvada, I researched once again how many of the homes that are currently for sale are foreclosures or short sales. Turns out, it’s only about 17%.
17% is still too many, of course. Every one of those homes is a family who is suffering. I only bring it up to make the point that our market is not as bad as you may be hearing on the news.
Still, there are not a lot of buyers out there right now. People need jobs, and they need confidence in our economy. Two huge issues that aren’t going away any time soon.
One thing that’s been helping, and giving hope, is the low interest rates. The concern is that inflation will set in, which will drive interest rates up. Already, inflation is occurring on food and oil prices, as you’ve probably noticed.
If you plan to buy a house, but you’re waiting to see if we’ve hit bottom, keep in mind that rising interest rates can cost you more in the long run than saving a few bucks on the initial cost of a home.
My blog posts for the past month
If you don’t have the internet and you want a copy of these posts, just give me a call.
How’s the Market November 2010
Make Lagniappe Part of Your Christmas Festivities in Arvada
Enjoy ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Arvada Center This Year
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How to buy a house Denver to Boulder.
I am a residential real estate agent, happily helping folks buy a house or sell a house in the beautiful and friendly suburbs northwest of Denver. Read what past clients have said about me.
I write posts on the communities between Denver and Boulder, to give people an idea of the ‘flavor’ of our community, in case they’re new or moving to the Denver area. Read more about life in Arvada, Colorado. And here’s a little intro to Olde Town Arvada.
Gardeners might enjoy my posts about gardening in Denver to Boulder’s front range.
Copyright © 2010 Joetta Fort, The DiGiorgio Group
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