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Between Denver and Boulder Colorado - Local Tidbits & Real Estate News June 2010

By
Real Estate Agent with The DiGiorgio Group

Joetta’s Neighborhood Newsletter

Hello, Friends & Neighbors!

 

         I hope your summer is going great and you’re staying healthy. I skipped a month writing the newsletter, and it feels like forever!  My year has been extremely busy, the home buyer tax credits were a big part of that I’m sure, but the continuing crazy-low interest rates and great prices are still a big part of the real estate market around here.

         If you are ever interested in learning more about real estate between Denver and Boulder (and who isn’t?!?) and you have access to the internet, you could visit my website and read my blog posts. The site is www.DreamHouseHunting.com, click on ‘Joetta’s Blog’ tab on the left. 

         Right now, the posts are just there in chronological order, but I’m working on a site that will get them into topical order. I’m excited about that, and will let you know when it’s up and running.

         If you don’t have access to the internet, you’ll just have to call me up and we’ll go to coffee or something.

 

Input from Readers

                 

         ‘Input from Readers’ is my favorite part of writing the newsletter. I guess that makes sense, since I already know everything else that’s going in here, so this section is the ‘fresh and unexpected’ part. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything for this section this month.

         So I’ll just remind you – I will advertise your business (love to have coupon offers for my readers, BTW), answer questions about real estate or local matters, print your referrals for local businesses, tell your stories about wildlife spotted in the neighborhood, share your recommendations of fun things to do in the area, book, movie, restaurant reviews, you get the idea!

 

Going-on in Arvada

       My friends from Boulder tell me Arvada doesn’t have a farmer’s market as good as the ones they have there. But I say – the way to make it better is to make it more profitable for the vendors. So, support your local farmer’s market! If you live in Arvada, it’s on Sundays from 9 am until 1 pm. It has already started the 2010 season.  It’s in Old Towne Square so you can enjoy the historic shopping district while you’re in town.

***Free Parking ***

 

Going-on near Arvada

         Visit Wystone’s Tea Shoppe in Belmar Shopping Center in Lakewood on Tuesday evening June 22 and 25% of the stores’ proceeds will benefit the kids of Jefferson High School.  The Drama Club will wait tables and put on skits, this is part of the Summer Workforce program. So grab some friends and go enjoy yourself between 5 and 9 pm.  I plan to be there!

         If you miss this one, they’ll be doing the same thing on July 15 and August 18.

         Wystone’s does Benefit Brews on a regular basis. To find out more, or sign up your non-profit, email BenefitBrew@wystonestea.com or call       303-663-5775.

 

Tip of the Month

         Renee’s Mobile Pet Grooming.  I know some of you good people cut your dog’s nails yourself, but I’m a coward. I used to have to make an appointment at the vet, take Daphne down there all nervous and shaking because some ‘bad’ things have happened to her there, and pay twenty bucks.  But now I just call Renee, she brings her big van to my house, takes care of Daphne’s nails, and it costs me only ten bucks.

         Call Renee at 720-231-8368 for appointments Monday through Saturday, and to find out how much she charges for other services.  And if you live near me (80th and Wadsworth), we could combine and save Renee a little gas.  Email or call if you want to do that.  I will be calling her this week.

 

My Listings

         I have a listing in Lafayette that backs up to open space with a creek and a mountain view.  This is a short sale, but both the lien holders are ‘easy’ banks to work with. (That’s ‘easy’ in short sale terms, so you will still need some patience. But this is perfect for those who don’t need to move quickly, maybe you’re stuck in a lease, etc.)

         I’m not putting the price in here because it is a moving target. (Agents who handle short sales have different methods. Mine is to start high, but then reduce the price until showings pick up. So you can wait until the price is lower and then compete with other buyers, or take a look now, and offer what you think is a fair price. I can’t tell what the seller will accept, just put it in writing and if it’s a lot lower than the current price support it with comparable sales. If you’re working with a real estate agent, that should be easy enough. If you don’t have an agent, let’s talk!)

         The address is 1213 Alexandria, Lafayette 80026. You can ‘Google’ that, or go straight to the website/virtual tour at http://1213alexandriast.eproptours.com. Another option is go to www.REColorado.com and put in the MLS #894499.

         If you don’t have the internet, I’d be glad to mail or drop off a flyer.

         3 bedrooms (both upstairs bedrooms have walk-in closets), 2 bathrooms, large kitchen, wood floors, deck, patio, fenced yard, 2-car garage, RV parking, bay widow, smoke free.

 

         I also have a buyer who is currently under contract on a short sale. The only reason I’m telling you that is so you know I’m not afraid of short sales. I know some agents refuse to list them and some won’t show them, and that’s their right.

(They have good reasons.)

But I’ve had a 100% success rate so far on short sales, and I’ve done both the buyer side and the seller side. Sometimes, a short sale is not the best thing for you. But sometimes it is.  Wouldn’t you want an agent who was open to whatever is best for YOU?

(A short sale is when more is owed on a property than it will sell for, but the owner NEEDS to sell.  So in order to avoid a foreclosure the lien holder agrees to release the lien even though they won’t receive the full payoff.)

 

Colorado Foreclosure Hotline

Short sales and foreclosures are fewer than they were, but there are still a lot of people who feel lost and confused when faced when the possibility of losing their home. I’d be glad to chat with you, but can only help as far as my expertise in real estate goes. Please also call or visit the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline 1-877-601-HOPE or www.ColoradoForeclosureHotline.org 

 

Town Hall Meeting

         I attended Senator Hudak’s Town Hall Meeting yesterday at the Standley Lake Library.  The topics were the redevelopment of the Westminster Mall, presented by Westminster City Manager Brent McFall, and the expansion of King Soopers at 80th and Wadsworth, presented by Arvada City Councilwoman Rachel Zeninger.

        

         Westminster residents have many fond memories of the mall as a community hangout, but anyone who’s been there recently knows it’s taken a dive in recent years. At its peak (which was 1999) the mall generated $8.5 million in tax revenue, but in 2010 only $1.4M is expected.

         The City has a grand plan they expect will take 15 years to realize, to transform the area into an urban center with a mix of retail, office space, residential, and entertainment, all pedestrian friendly.

         However, Westminster Mall is privately owned, not owned by the City and the current owner apparently doesn’t share the vision. So the City is ‘taking the necessary steps via the Urban Renewal Authority to force the hand of the owners’.

         I’m not sure exactly what that means, but the City feels that this property is far too valuable, with its location off 36, the bus transport station right there, and light rail coming (?), to let it languish.

         The project description is online, although there are no hard details yet. www.CityofWestminster.us  If you have questions you can call the City of Westminster at 303-658-2001 or email BMcFall@CityofWestminster.us

 

         King Soopers has been preparing for their mega-upgrade for two years by letting vacancies happen as leases run out and vendors leave. I was glad to hear about this plan, as I live close by and the emptiness of the place was getting unpleasant to see.

         All the stores that are there now, will be staying. King Soopers will increase their space and they have a floor plan posted on the wall just outside the store entrance.

They did have a community meeting, which I couldn’t attend. I asked if they would be working through the night and she said they would be, because the City of Arvada didn’t want to go without the tax revenue long enough to allow them to do the work only during the day. The City doesn’t think it will be too bad, though, but I don’t think any of them live right here. 

I’m not going to say any more about that right now, except she said they have to abide by all the noise ordinances. So if the noise does keep you awake, make sure the City knows about it. Phone calls and email are good, but if it really becomes a problem, do pay them a personal visit.

Yes – I do believe in standing up for your rights. I’m willing to put up with dust, traffic, inconvenience, but it’s our right to be able to sleep in our homes at night. At least, I hope it is!

          

 

I write posts on real estate issues and local events in the Denver metro area, especially those *communities between Denver and Boulder, as a public service. My hope is to give people an idea of the 'flavor' of our community, in case they're new or moving to the Denver area.

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.

*Arvada, Broomfield, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Westminster; also Thornton, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Northglen, Lakewood

Read more about Arvada Colorado, a historic small between Denver and Boulder.

Find Homes for Sale, no Matter Who Listed Them, on my website.

Copyright © 2011 Joetta Fort

Posted by

Joetta Fort, Realtor       720-353-8031       joetta.fort@gmail.com


Comments (5)

Tom Priester
Paradise Sharks - Jupiter, FL
Paradise Sharks

Joetta, thanks for keeping us up to date on the Denver/Boulder corridor. What a great area to call home.

Jun 20, 2010 11:36 PM
Adam Malachi
A 2 Z Realty LLC - Castle Rock, CO
QSC,CDPE,CIPS,CNE,CRB,CRS,GRI,MRE,SFR

Hello Joetta ~

Great Post as usual! Excellent newsletter for your area! Wonderful post to localism!

Thanks for sharing,

Adam

Jun 23, 2010 09:11 AM
Joetta Fort
The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO
Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

Thanks for stopping by, gentlemen.  Have a wonderful day!

Jun 24, 2010 11:43 AM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Hey, Joetta - Instead of doing posts in chronological or topical order, just have your webmaster add a good search function to your site.

Jun 26, 2010 07:06 AM
Joetta Fort
The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO
Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

Hmmm ... webmaster?!? Now, there's an idea!

Jun 27, 2010 01:39 PM