About Boulder County, CO

Colorado short sale homes, at least in the Boulder and Broomfield area are not in as abundant supply as some places. We are poised for a recovery in this market and we were not as deeply hurt as other areas.

This beautifully crafted home in the lovely Crystal Pines neighborhood of Broomfield offers a tremendous buying opportunity for some very lucky soul. Colorado short sale properties like short sales anywhere offer up images of decrepit structures or neighborhoods. The reality for this home and for many short sales in Broomfield and Boulder counties is quite different. Frequently a Colorado short sale home has been lovingly maintained and lived in until some hardship arises and the sellers can no longer stay in the home. With the change in property values over time from the inflated market a few years ago may mean the the current market sale price of a home will be less than what the current mortage pay off balance is to the lender.

With a Colorado short sale, and elsewhere, the buyer negotiates with the lender to come to a sales price they agree on. Despite the name of short sale, the process can actually take several months longer than a regular market sale. Banks are starting to steamline their process and today a Colorado short sale may be completed in as few as 3 months, possibly quicker if approval has already been given by the lender. If you are a buyer in search of an amazing deal and willing to wait an extra couple of months. then this home at 2525 Outlook Tr. in Broomfield, CO, in beautiful condition, may be just the home for you!

This Colorado short sale opportunity will be open to the public and available for your viewing this Sunday 2/12/12. Hope to see you there!

To learn more about short sale buying opportunities or if you are a homeowner in a distress sale situation (divorce, health crisis, job or income loss please call Mary Kay Irving today at 720-217-6450 or email MaryKay@theirvingteam.com

Lafayette, CO is a Wonderful Place to Live

Lafayette, Colorado is located just east of Boulder (about 10 miles). From Lafayette, you have vivid views of the front range and are within a quick commute to Boulder, Denver, the Airport and Ft. Collins. Lafayette, offers a variety of recreational choices including an award winning golf course (Indian Peaks), a killer skate board park, recreational center, and a multitude of pakrs, walking and biking trails. Lafayette also has great schools, a state-of-the-art library, a variety of downtown restaurants and shops and provides great opportunities for new businesses.

Yesterday, on our warm January day (55+ degrees), I ventured over to Wanake Lake Park. It is a park that offers the young and the young at heart, opportunity to enjoy the lake, the playground, park and of course the path that encircles the entire lake. Whether biking, jogging or walking is your passion, you can get a bit of exercise while taking in a little nature and the outdoors. Even the geese were enjoying the bright sunshine yeyesterday as they padded over the ice the is crusting a portion of the lake. And, of course, Wanaka Lake Park is a dog-friendly park.

Residents of Lafayette already know it is a wonderful place to live. If you're considering Lafayette, consider the housing statistics below for December.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Worth taking note: inventory is down, number of sales and average sales price are up, average days on the market is down. Combined...... it is a "Perfect storm" for home owners to be selling their homes. And... Buyer's this would be a good time to take advantage of Lafayette's home prices before they go up further. Lafayette is an affordable alternative to Boulder and Lousiville with so much to offer.

Louisville, A Community for Kids

Louisville is not only a town, it is a "community". A community that is all about families and kids and reaching out to interact and help each other.

I absolutely love a story I just read in the local paper which highlighted a special project which is being spear headed by a mom of three, Amanda Hassenstab. She came up with a great idea of a "Community Sample Day." It is such a great idea, and one that can only come together and actually happen in a a place like Louisville which is a Community for kids and their families.

Scheduled for January 28th, the community sample day will give families an opportunity to check out up to four different classes (all for FREE) over a 2 hour period. They will get to sample each class for approximately 20 minutes. What a great idea...... getting to try out a class to determine if you actually want to take it. This is a brilliant concept and one that seems to be catching on. Children differ in so many ways including their list of what excites them and what motivates them. Sometimes they don't even know what that means, until they are exposed to something that flips that magical switch.

A number of Businesses in the Louisville community will be getting involved in this important event for the kids. (Love it when a community comes together!). The Louisville Public Library will host a story time and will be giving away books. Sassafras photography will be taking photos, Assorted goods will be giving away a Valentine's basket, free dishes of ice cream will be given out by Put A Spoon In It and..... there are likely to be even more participants by the time the event actually occurs. (For a small fee of only $25, vendors can take part in the Sample Day.)

Louisville is a unique community for sure and not just for the Kids. Louisville offers a lifestyle so appealing that it has been voted not just once, but twice by Money magazine as the best place to live and raise a family.

Boulder Issues New Roof Mandate

If you live in the city of Boulder, you may be required to replace your roof before 2014. The city of Boulder has issued a new roof mandate that will require all homes within the city of Boulder which currently have a roof covering which consists of 50% or more of wood by volume to be replaced before January 1, 2014.

The new ordinance states that no new wood roofs can be installed including any that have been treated with fire retardant treatments. It further states that no person owning a building with a wood roof shall fail to remove or cause to be remove their existing wood roof.

The city of Boulder issues the new roof mandate to help protect Boulder residents from unnecessary risk of fire. Although wood shake roofs were used extensively in the past, not only for their aesthetic appeal, they also had good insinuative qualities. Unfortunately, they also substantially increased the risk of structure fire. Wood shake roofs have a class C fire rating (or no rating), which offers little or no degree of fire protection. In contrast, most types of clay tile, concrete tile, slate, metal, and composition shingles have a class a or class b rating which offer a high degree or moderate degree of roof protection.

Homeowners who have wood roofs should start their research now. Their research should include a study about the various types of roofing material available, their cost, lifespan, pros and cons. Homeowners should also make sure they choose a reputable roofing company; ask for references and check to see if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau. Also, do your online research to see if the company has a history of complaints or negative comments. Of course, you can also check with your local real estate professional who typically has worked with numerous roofing companies through his/her varied real estate transactions.

Where can I find a great home that under 350k?

Where can I find a great home that under 350k? Why should I pay full asking price?… After all the market from what they are stating on the news the market is bad!

As we all know there is no telling when to actually understand the economy, especially when the sources that are stating the facts are stating the national opinion. Most people can't help but justify the Colorado market. The only thought that comes to mind is how prosperous Colorado really is.

Now the argument of spending money wisely can be taken into many terms. When it comes to real-estate many can confidently say the Colorado market is very active and homes priced accordingly are selling like hot cakes. Just recently Colorado had a spike in the Boulder County Area. Homes located near Lafayette priced under 350k are selling less than 30 days. The only down fall with the market being so proactive is the inventory is getting to the pot scrubbing stages.

Not a bad problem to have... As one of the many knowledgeable realtors for the Boulder county area it’s easy for us to say the real-estate market is improving the ecumenical cycle by waves. Waves defined as continues push from city to city. A good example is the transition from Louisville to Lafayette Colorado. Going back 5 years Louisville and Lafayette were two communities with different aspects with a lot of people afraid exploring waters past Louisville. As the saying goes “time has made this bitter fruit sweet”.

The real-estate market has flourished since the past 8 months and impossible is now possible. My latest exploration has leaded me to a great community tucked away way in Lafayette. Yes I said it “ Lafayette "

For those of you that are first time home buyers looking to make a great financial investment in a great affordable community look no further a home in Indian Peaks. Many buyers nowadays are attracted to suburbs adjacent to the mountains or better known as golf course communities; but as we all know having a life style with those amenities can get pricy and a bit expensive for those that are looking for a comfortable yet affordable lifestyle. As a consumer I found that there are hidden communities that are on an "up - and rise" with many if not all amenities that we look for today's life style.

Homes in Indian Peaks not only deliver the comfortable life style but it gives much more for a bargain of a cost compared to its surrounding cities. Now the next big concern is commuting. A great example when it comes to commuting is the idea of sitting in traffic. Many of us work close to Denver / down town. So what’s the damage? Believe it if you will Denver commute is no longer then 25 minutes on an average day. Wait it gets better! Boulder is even closer world record time record of 10-15 minutes! A home in Indian Peaks sits on a prime location where commute is no hassle. There are many easy access points to any destination which makes it easy for those who have to commute to all sides of town. Bottom line is that Homes in Indian Peaks is the better way to go for those that are looking for value, amenities, and a good financial investment.