ridgway: I'm Back! - 07/21/18 08:00 AM
It's been a while since I've been active on Active Rain, and that's because last October, I "retired."  However, my first love, real estate, kept calling.  So, after 4 years in the mortgage business and 9 months of retirement, I reactivated my real estate license this month and joined Coldwell Banker Distinctive Properties.  I am so excited to be back!  
Don't get me wrong, retirement was fun.  I've never been bored with time off.  It was great having no agenda, no commitments, and just, basically, leading a life by stream-of-consciousness, jumping from one activity or project to another as the thought and … (5 comments)

ridgway: Bonnie Raitt, Ridgway, and Real Estate. What's the Connection? - 02/21/16 08:22 AM
I think I own almost every Bonnie Raitt album she has ever produced.  I bought my first one back in 1974 when I was a student at UC Santa Barbara, the old black licorice LP type.  I am now patiently waiting for her latest release, which I pre-ordered on iTunes and will play on my iPod or stream to my stereo via Apple TV.  Yes, times (technologies) have changed!  
So, what does Bonnie Raitt have to do with Real Estate? Nothing, really, other than maybe a reminder that in this wonderful and crazy real estate industry in which we work, we need … (2 comments)

ridgway: Good-bye Real Estate Broker, Hello Mortgage Broker! - 11/24/13 06:08 AM
For those who may have noticed my new contact info and wondered, YES, I've made the switch.  I've gone from the sales side of real estate over to the lending side of it.  I have enjoyed immensely my real estate career.  However, when the opportunity presented itself to me to become a mortgage loan originator (MLO), I simply couldn't ignore it, nor pass it up. 

As you might imagine, one of the biggest questions I've been getting is "why"?!  Well, I'll tell you why.
1.  As the market has slowly been recovering in my area and I saw more people … (2 comments)

ridgway: Ouray County Colorado May Market Update--Good Deals Go Fast! - 05/11/11 11:04 AM
Although I work out of my real estate office in Montrose, CO, I also live in Ridgway, Ouray County, Colorado, a county with a population of less than 5,000.   I get the occasional listing or buyer looking in this area, which alway pleases me, since I love living here so much.   This past May Day, as I worked from my beautiful home with the spectacular view of the Cimarron Mountains, I thought I'd take a look at the residential active and sold listings for Ouray County on our MLS.  
I found 262 such listings, of which 28 sold in the last 6 months.    That represents less … (2 comments)

ridgway: Hot Deal on 1-Acre Homesite in Divide Ranch and Club, Ridgway, CO - 03/27/11 05:55 AM
 
Such a hot deal on a 1-acre homesite in Divide Ranch and Club in Ridgway, Colorado doesn't come along very often, even in this down market. It is priced at only $35,000, when the median price of all lots for sale in Divide Ranch is about $180,000. 
This nicely wooded lot sits across the road from the 14th tee of the Divide Ranch and Club Golf Course, offering up spectacular views of the San Juan Mountains from all angles through the tall Ponderosa trees. 
For more information, photos, and a virtual tour, click on this link:  Divide Ranch and Club … (0 comments)

ridgway: Beautiful Riverfront 2-Acre Lot with Spectacular Views - 04/17/10 04:54 AM
Gorgeous, 2-Acre, Riverfront Lot with Fantastic Views 783 Meadows Circle, (Lot 13), Ridgway, CO 81432 View Map Build your dream home on this beautiful, cleared and level 2-acre lot in the desirable Dallas Meadows subdivision situated 2.5 miles north of the town of Ridgway. This lot adjoins the Uncompahgre River below the escarpment portion of lot. Your custom home can be positioned to take advantage of the spectacular views of the Sneffels Mountain Range to the south and of the Cimarron Mountains to the east. The friendly human neighbors are complemented by abundant wildlife, including deer, elk, fox, and bald eagles. … (0 comments)

ridgway: Economic Development . . . and why real estate business owners need to be involved - 02/21/10 05:03 AM
Last Thursday I attended the annual general membership meeting for the Montrose Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).  I have been an investor of MEDC for several years, but that is about as active as I've been, other than reading its newsletters.  I think that is going to change.
The first part of the program included the report of MEDC's president, Sandy Head.  Her obvious dedication and enthusiasm for the accomplishments, projects, and goals of MEDC were very apparent.  Click here to get MEDC's 2010 Annual Report, which is a great summary of MEDC's efforts and accomplishments in 2009 and its ongoing projects … (0 comments)

ridgway: Ridgway's Pickin' in the Park--a great small town event! - 07/25/09 09:56 AM
The 2nd annual Pickin' in the Park in Ridgway, CO is underway.  This is my first year attending, and what a fun event!  This is a free 4-concert series that combines musical acts from around the country with local and regional opening acts.  The music, of course, is the main event, and the 2 concerts I've been to so far have been fabulous.  Last Thursday, I especially enjoyed Carrie Rodriguez, a singer, songwriter, and fiddler from Austin, TX.  She's really more of a rocker who also plays guitar and electric mandolin with a fantastic backup band.  I was quite impressed that Ridgway could attract … (0 comments)

ridgway: Snow? No Problem! - 01/24/09 09:22 AM
First, a belated Happy Holidays, Happy Winter Solstice, and Happy New Year, everyone!  I'm a bit behind in catching up, but thought I'd do so before the first month of January is behind me.  We've had a terrific winter so far on the Western Slope, with one of the snowiest Decembers in quite some time.  It took me until January 8th, however, to hit the slopes in Telluride, but it sure was worth the wait.  Annabel and I could not have chosen a more perfect day--sunny, warm, clear and not crowded.  The next day it snowed.  Here's a photo of us on the See … (10 comments)

ridgway: Not all is Rosie in the Rockies--a Plea for Sane Driving! - 07/23/08 04:59 PM
Colorado, and especially where I live in and around the San Juan Mountains and the famous "Million Dollar Highway," offers some of the most spectacular drives on mountain highways and byways.  By the same token, these roads intensify the normal risks of motoring down the highway.  I commute almost daily the 27 miles between Ridgway and Montrose, and I can tell you, I've developed quite some cat nerves. 
Highway 550 from Montrose to Ridgway is, for the most part, a narrow, two-lane highway, often with no shoulder and just a drop off down into the river or over an embankment.  It … (0 comments)

ridgway: Springtime in Montrose, finally! - 05/19/08 01:21 PM
As is all too common, I let work and life's distractions pull me away from posting to this blog recently, for which I apologize, but I'm back with renewed commitment and enthusiasm.  Just to catch you up on what's been happening with me, in March, I made a very typical Coloradan escape during the "mud months" to La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.  The primary purpose was to attend a wedding, where many dear friends from San Diego gathered for the affair, so it was a wonderful reunion, as well.  La Paz was marvelous, friendly, beautiful, great weather, good food, and relaxing.  … (3 comments)

ridgway: Selling a Colorado Lifestyle - 02/21/08 12:05 PM
I attended a dinner party the other night at some friends' home in Ridgway.  They were in town, after having moved to Parker for job reasons, while maintaining their home in Ridgway.  Their circle of friends are not my usual circle, but I have, certainly, met many at previous parties and in and around town.  As I spent time talking with all of them, and reflected on it the next day, I was impressed all over again with what an incredible, diverse, inspiring group of people I've come to know and associate with since moving to this part of Colorado 4 … (3 comments)

ridgway: First blog-Intro to me - 02/09/08 06:59 AM
Hello, everyone!
This is exciting!  Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but this is my first blog.  Of course, I've been hearing about them, and am even subscribed to a couple, but this is my first venture into my own blogdom.  I'll admit, my primary purpose is as a markeing tool, but just as importantly, I want to interact with the public and for you to get to know me.  I've totally embraced the notion that the personal touch and interaction are essential in creating a professional relationship, as well as a social one--they go hand-in-hand sometimes, don't they?
With a background as an … (13 comments)