by Ann Meadows | Jul 30, 2014 | Events & Happenings, Featured, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Living, Market Watch, Real Estate News, Relocate to Denver
We’ve talked about the benefits and the pitfalls of a fix and flip (in a nutshell: you could make a load of money or you could end up in the psych ward) when you are, in fact, the fixer and the flipper. But what if you are just on the buying end of the deal? What if you are the lucky potential owner of a house that has been polished and prettied up for you?
Well, first, pat yourself on the back for finding a diamond without the rough. You just saved yourself a lot of work. And maybe your sanity. And who can put a price on sanity?
The most important thing, besides imagining your first cocktail party and where you’ll hang the Halloween decorations, is to make sure the house is safe, both structurally and environmentally. Here are a few issues to investigate before you move in:
Asbestos:
Usually asbestos is found in homes built before 1980, so if you are considering a house that was built before then, ask for an asbestos test as part of your contract. Asbestos can hide in a lot of places, including insulation and vinyl tiles.
Lead Paint:
Most homes built before 1978 will have lead paint, but the test to find lead is invasive. Most sellers will provide a disclosure to buyers stating that the presence of lead-based paint is not known. If you are concerned about this as a buyer, you can test for lead-based paint once you purchase the property.
Radon:
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that exists in the ground and can seep into your home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Radon gas can also contaminate well water. And radon can cause lung cancer. Fun, right? So, in a nutshell, request a radon test before buying.
Sewer Scope:
Those trees in the front yard are gorgeous, but they could cause you problems in the future. Asking the seller to provide a sewer scope allows you to identify where a line is damaged and where roots may be entering or suffocating a pipe. And a scope will allow you to see how many areas in the pipe system need attention, which will determine if you’re looking at repair or replacement. As you can imagine, the word ‘replacement’ is much more costly than ‘repair.’
Talk To People:
Like the planning department, your neighbors, your realtor and the owners. The planning department can offer guidelines on what is and is not allowed for future renovations; so if you are buying this house with big plans to pop the top or extend the kitchen, be sure those projects will be approved before you buy.
And making inroads with the neighbors is always helpful; these are the people who can tell you what really happens on the block, how strict the HOA board is, and how the area has changed over the years.
Your realtor is on your side, always. But so are the current owners. Really. They want to sell you their house just as much as you want to buy it. So ask them for insight on the property, the previous owners, and any contractors and suppliers they used to update the space.
Finding your next home should be a dream, not a nightmare.
by Ann Meadows | May 5, 2014 | Events & Happenings, Featured
Live Basil Pizza is hosting Fresh Pizza Day on May 8 from 11AM – 10PM. And it’s free. Yep. Free. All five of the Live Basil Pizza locations are participating – and in lieu of payments, Live Basil is asking customers to donate to Jessie’s Homes for Families.
That’s pizza with a heart!
And pizza with some personality. Choose from one of Live Basil’s 13 signature pizzas or build your own. Ingredients are all-natural and organic. So a free pizza that is good for you and good for the community. What’s not to love?
For more information, visit livebasilpizza.com
by Ann Meadows | Apr 29, 2014 | Events & Happenings, Featured, Featured Listings, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Living, Market Watch, Real Estate News, Relocate to Denver
We are a proud of our state, aren’t we? Maybe even, dare I say, arrogant, when it comes to Colorado? After all, we boast over 300 days of sunshine, are home to the esteemed Air Force Academy, and live in a place so stunningly gorgeous that Katherine Lee Bates wrote “America The Beautiful” while drinking in the views from Pikes Peak. (We will get to ‘drinking’ later.)
Colfax Avenue is the longest continuous road in North America, we host the largest rodeo, the Great Sand Dunes are a national monument considering the 46,000 acre park was created over a million years ago from wind and ocean waters, and we are the only city to turn down an offer to host the Olympics – we did not want the cost or the pollution to damage our beloved Colorado.
But that’s just the beginning. Recent news has only added to our egos because:
We Have Brains:
“America’s Brain Health Index”, a study conducted by the National Center for Creative Aging — ranks Colorado third in the nation for brain health. Researchers examined 21 criteria, including everything from physical and mental health, diet and social well-being.
Coloradans earned their high ranking, the report says, by “taking care of their physical and mental health and maintaining a diet rich in DHA-fortified foods and supplements.”
We Have Jobs:
Denver ranks No. 1 for professional and technical job growth.
Denver is No. 3 — and Colorado is No. 4 — among the top 10 cities and states for job growth, according to an Arizona State University report.
Colorado also ranks No. 1 for the rate of growth of government jobs.
We Have Beer!:
Denver was recently voted as the 2nd best city for beer drinkers. Why? Because we have 154 breweries and lots of hip craft brews, including Denver Beer Co. and Great Divide Brewing. And we host the Great American Beer Festival, one of the largest beer events in the country.
We Have Equity In Our Homes:
A National Association of Realtors report proves that not only is Colorado a great place to live, it’s a great place to buy. The following 10 real estate markets have realized the greatest equity appreciation since the fourth quarter of 2010, due to relatively low prices, low mortgage rates, and investor demand
1. San Jose
2. San Francisco
3. Anaheim,
4. Los Angeles
5. San Diego
6. Boulder
7. Honolulu
8. Riverside
9. Cape Coral-Fort Myers
10. Sacramento
So what does this mean for you? Well – you are smart, happy, employed, beer-loving people who should consider buying your next home! See how I did that?
All jokes aside, the real estate market is healthy and the trend seems to moving in the right direction. When it comes to purchasing or refinancing or even remodeling, investing in Colorado is a sure bet. And we didn’t even need a fancy report to tell us that.
by Ann Meadows | Mar 25, 2014 | Featured, Home Living
Spring-cleaning is upon us and many of you are chomping at the mop to hunker down so you can scrub up and throw out. It’s a “No baseboard left behind!” kind of feeling, and I, too, get into the spirit.
But that same spring-clean-y spirit was recently – um – tarnished – when I came upon the most recent issue of Real Simple Magazine. Apparently this shiny, high tech device I am typing on is one of the dirtiest things in my midst. And here I was innocently creeping myself out over bathroom grout. Leave it to the media to one-up the gross factor every single time.
Yes. In fact, our sleek, gleaming tech tools are some of the grimiest things around. So before you tackle the traditional baseboards, you might want to tromp on the technology.
Before you read further, may I suggest considering some or all of the following items:
All Purpose Cleaner:
Honest Company makes an all-natural version (and offers a nice deal on a trial bundle) or you can always use what you’ve got in the cabinet. An all-purpose cleaner is useful for general cleaning of door handles and home phone systems.
Sanitizing Wand:
I have never heard of these before and now I do not know how I have lived this long without one. I am considering some sort of holster to carry around my latest gadget to clean my gadgets. You can find all kinds of options at Amazon – Real Simple recommends the Verilux Clean-Wave UV-C Sanitizing Wand.
Screen Cleaner:
My personal favorite is Restoration Hardware’s WHOOSH cleaner, mostly because it is all-natural and comes with a microfiber cloth and a little travel size bottle for disinfecting on-the-go (more on that later). But the manufacturer AM offers a great product that looks the part, too.
Compressed Air Spray / Duster:
You can find these at an office supply store – but you may be surprised to learn that they are often kept behind the counter, due to a recent trend of teens using this product to for other purposes.
Bravery and Courage:
This next part is going to make you feel ill – so … you’ve been warned.
Okay, now that you are armed and maybe a little bit dangerous, here’s the dirt (literally):
The Remote Control:
And you thought watching reality TV could make you sick? Well, flipping through the channels is what could get you in the end. According to a study at the Virginia School of Medicine, the remote control has more germs than even the toilet handle. YUK!
*Clean this dirty little monster by spraying it with compressed air, bathing it in disinfecting wipes and then – for good measure – wand it to death. Actually, let’s just plan on wanding everything from here forward.
Tablets/Touch Screens:
Fingers are dirty and then screens are dirty and then you wash your hands and then you touch the dirty screen again. It’s a vicious, vicious cycle – like getting on Pinterest or eating french fries. Once you start, you can’t stop.
*First, do wash your hands. Then wipe the entire screen with special screen cleaner (not Windex) and wash your hands again. Touch screens, like children, attract dirt. Speaking of children, if you’ve got little people playing or studying on your tablet, bump up the cleaning schedule. Or tell them to move (I know a good Realtor).
Earbuds:
Why oh why Real Simple? Why did you put “Sweat and wax build up with each use” in this article? I am sure to have nightmares.
*Experts on all things disgusting suggest you wipe earbuds with a solution of mild dish soap and water.
Keyboards:
Um –apparently dirtier than a toilet seat!
* Remove the batteries or unplug your keyboard and throw it out the window. No – kidding. Turn it upside down and shake gently. Then spray the keyboard with compressed air and sanitize with a safe screen cleaner. Wand it.
Cell Phone:
Remember when I said we’d come back to “on-the-go?” Here’s why: a 2011 study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that one in six cell phones is tainted with fecal matter. Why? Because talking on the phone while in the bathroom is becoming common and flushing a toilet sends – and I quote here – “a spray of hundreds of thousands of contaminated droplets into the air, some of which land on the phone.” And then you touch the phone. And you put the phone up to your face. And then you die a slow and painful death.
*Use the sanitizer wipes created for electronic devices often, consider investing in a Cell-Blaster Universal UV Cell-Phone Sanitizer, do not use your cell phone in the lavatory and close the seat.
Let me know about your spring-cleaning – in the meantime, I am off to disinfect.
by Ann Meadows | Feb 18, 2014 | Events & Happenings, Featured, Home Living, Relocate to Denver
Not that I need an excuse to go out for dinner, but GOSH do I love it when I have a reason! And that reason is the Visit Denver’s 2014 Denver Restaurant Week. Such a happy time. Such a happy, happy time.
Denver Restaurant Week, taking place February 22-28, was created nine years ago as a way to introduce our fair city’s fabulous eateries to those folks out there who may need a little nudge to leave the comforts of home or the familiarity of the chain restaurant down the street, boasts over 200 fantastic places to wine and dine. For $30 per person or $60 per couple (thank you, Visit Denver, for doing the math for us), restaurants provide a multi-course menu and all you have to do is show up and chew! How great is that?
Want chic in Cherry Creek? Elway’s is on the list. Mouth watering for a meatball? Try Carmine’s on Penn. Feeling French? Ja Ja Bistro off main street in Littleton is tres magnifique.
The list is impressive – everything from the kitschy (Devil’s Food on South Gaylord) to the trendy (True Food in Cherry Creek North) to the classic (Venice in Greenwood Village) is there. Some menus even include wine – and most include dessert – what a country!
Remember that tips and tax are not part of the deal, so while you’re saving a little dough on a pizza from The Saucy Noodle Ristorante on South University, your server is working just as hard (or harder) as ever. For more information, visit (link here) or log on to Open Table to make a reservation. Mangia!
