About Denver's Baker

Listing Office: KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY DOWNTWN

View Full Details at MileHighHomeGuide.com!

Listing Courtesy of CHRISTINE SANDERS, KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY DOWNTWN

Denver Fire Station #11 is one of Denver's few remaining Historic Fire Houses. My fireman buyer "Jerry" brought me by this cool, historic building that is located in the Historic Baker Neighborhood.

Located at 40 West 2nd Ave, Denver Fire Station #11 is larger than Station #3 that I previously shared with you. Built in 1936 in the Art Deco style, Denver Fire Station #11 is a two story building with three vehicle bays. Notice the gorgeous Art Deco brick work that is on the front facade of this grande dame.

Denver Fire Station #11 houses Engine #11 and Rescue 1.

For those of you that are wondering, according to Jerry, yes, there is the "famous" fire pole in this building that the fire fighters slide down on their way to a call.

The second photo is of firefighters from Denver Fire Station #11 giving kids in the Baker neighborhood a ride in the bucket of a ladder truck.

No thank you, I have a fear of heights.

The Baker Neighborhood was originally a 160 acres parcel of land that was homesteaded by William Byers. who was the founder of the Rocky Mountain News in 1859. In the 1800's the Baker Neighborhood was commonly called South Side or South Broadway.

The first subdivisions in the Baker Neighborhood were platted in 1872, however, it was not until South Side was annexed into Denver in 1883 did most of the residential development begin. Cable cars running down Broadway's main artery helped draw residents to the Baker Neighborhood.

Architecturally, the Baker Neighborhood is home to a large number of Queen Anne Victorian. Art & Crafts Bungalows, Italianates, classic Row Homes and new build condos and lofts are also represented. The Baker Neighborhood was designated a Denver Historic District in 1985.

Today, the Baker Historic Neighborhood has become a highly sought after neighborhood of Denver to live in. The Baker Neighborhood combines quiet tree lined streets and gorgeous historic architecture, yet is a short commute to downtown Denver. Washington Park is just to the east of Broadway, and I-25 is a very easy access off of Broadway. Commuting to the DTC is a breeze from this central urban oasis. The South Broadway corridor allows Baker Neighborhood residents a great variety of dining, antique shopping, art galleries and entertainment.

Featured Neighborhood: Baker Home & Real Estate For Sale

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When you are ready to look at homes (or have one to sell) in Baker of Denver CO give me a call. I would love the opportunity to earn your business! Mark at 303.204.8949.

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Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved, "Denver CO Home Update - Featured Neighborhood: Baker Home & Real Estate For Sale"
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Investing in Real Estate 9 - Scrapes, Pops and New Construction

This blog will discuss a type of real estate investment, scrapes, pops and new construction, in the Baker area in Denver.

What this investment is: Purchasing a small home in an expensive neighborhood that may or may not need work. The home is bulldozed and a new home or duplex is put on the lot. Alternatively, the existing home is renovated and more square footage is added on. A pop-top is adding a second story to an existing home to add more square footage (commonly, a master bedroom suite).

Equity needed: Being able to document your income and your assets will be critical. For a commercial loan, your net worth should generally be at least as much as the loan you are seeking. The good news is that the commercial loan usually does not show up on your credit report, so it doesn't count towards the "four investment home limitation" from Fannie / Freddie.

Importance of credit: Essential. A 720 FICO is a must. A 740 would be better.

Importance of experience with contractors: Critical. If you have never done it before, start with an easier "paint and carpet" project to build your skills. The more sophisticated the project, the better your contractor management skills must be to make money. Not surprisingly, the simpler projects have lower profit margins than the complicated projects. Make sure you can take the time to really focus on the project. We run classes on how to do this from time to time. Go to http://www.yourcastle.org/events.cfm to see when the next session is.

Important of experience with property managers: Generally not important for this type of investment.