Deb Jones

Everyone should have their 2009 Real Property Notice of Valuation from the
Assessor's office. This form lets you know that the Pueblo County Assessor
has been out to reevaluate the market value of your property. It is NOT the
current market value but the value from Jan 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.
You have the right to protest the valuation by either; completing the back
of the evaluation form and submitting the information to the Assessor's
office or appearing in person to an Assessor's office hearing PRIOR to June
1. Feel free to contact me and I can provide comparable property sales info
from the evaluation time period. It is not unusual for Assessor's records
to be WRONG. You can go to: http://www.co.pueblo.co.us/assessor/ and click
on the Property Search button to look up your property to see what the
Assessor knows about your property.

I went to order a pizza from Francino's Pizza earlier this week. Sadly,
they are no longer in business. Try to support our local businesses - they
need us and we need them. If you want your business profiled in my blog,
give me a call or shoot me an email.

This week I received a Variance Notification from the Pueblo West Committee
of Architecture (COA) for a proposed structure on the property of my nearest
neighbor. If you receive one of these notifications, you have the right to
respond to the variance with statements relevant to the COA's deliberations.
This can either be done in writing or by attending the scheduled public
hearing.

Pueblo's first-annual Wild Wild West Fest will run from May 13-17 and
feature the Professional Bull Riders tour stop, a Lonestar concert, a
four-day Downtown festival and a host of other events to benefit area
nonprofits. A parade will take place starting at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 16
through Downtown. For more info go to: http://www.wildwildwestfest.com

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers!

Deb

May Day - I love this time of year! My lilacs may actually bloom this year (if there are no late frosts), the trees are budding out, the perennials are coming back, and my front lawn needs to be mowed.

The proposed 4-day school week was voted down by School District 70. Although Pueblo West kids have been saved from longer school days, the budget shortfall still needs to be resolved. Some tough choices will have to be made.

If you are a home buyer who has been sitting on the fence, it's time to make the move to purchase. We are at the "perfect storm" for home purchasing, interest rates are at historic lows, the price of homes in this area has (in my humble opinion) just about reached bottom, and our government will pay first-time homebuyers up to $8000 in the form of a tax credit if a home is purchased before December 1st of this year. If you think you are ready to make that big step, give me a call and I'll let you know what your options are.

Deb

The last couple of listing appointments I've been on have been nothing but bad news for the potential seller. For all those people who purchased a home in Pueblo West in 2005 or 2006 (and that includes me!), your home is worth today about what it was worth when you bought it (unless you have done substantial improvements to the property). So if you purchased with a 100% loan or if you used your home as a bank by getting a home equity loan in addition to your mortgage and the total of your loans equals or exceeds the original purchase price in 2005 or 2006 - I'm sorry, if you want to sell (or refinance) your home today, you're going to be bringing money to the table or you're not going to be able to sell without going the short-sale route. There have been enough foreclosures and short sales in Pueblo West to drag down the values of all the other houses and yes, your house WILL be valued based on all home sales - including distressed properties.

If you are financially able to sell your home, you need to understand that there are a lot of homes for potential buyers to choose from. Those homes that do reach the closing table with the highest possible sales price in the shortest time are the homes that are absolutely spic and span and looking like a page out of a Pottery Barn catalog. If you think your mother would feel comfortable eating directly off the floor in the bathroom or in the kitchen behind the refrigerator, your home is nearly clean enough. Getting Pueblo West dust out of all the nooks and crannies is an absolute pain but it absolutely must be done. All light bulbs must be installed and working. All clutter must be completely banished. Your front door/stoop/porch must be cobweb/tumbleweed/dirt-free. Children's toys must be out of site. Landscaping is a plus. Sparkling clean windows, appliances, ceiling fans, toilets, and fixtures are a must. If your home doesn't look like a model or parade home, buyers WILL start subtracting off the list price if they even consider making an offer.

I'm hoping that home prices will start to rise in Pueblo West towards the end of the summer. For those sellers that can hold off, I believe the chances for a higher-priced sale will be better then. In the meantime, if you can, try to pay off or pay down your mortgage loan(s). Start getting your home ready for sale NOW - have a yard sale to get rid of the excess "stuff", get out the paint brushes, purge and clean!

Don't forget Saturday is the 4th Annual Tom Sawyer Fishing Derby at Cattail Crossing Pond at the corner of Joe Martinez and McCulloch. MAKE SURE THE KIDS BRING THEIR OWN FISHING POLE! Immediately following the Fishing Derby, visit the 3rd annual Taste of Heaven from noon to 5 p.m. at Sun Haven, 201 S. McCulloch Blvd.

Disability & Talent
It has always been my personal belief, that EVERYONE has at least one disability and one phenomenal talent. Not all disabilities are visible and not all talents have been discovered, but they are there. Well, you may have heard/seen this YouTube video of Susan Boyle on Britain 's Got Talent but if not, you should definitely check it out. Her voice will bring chills to your spine and tears to your eyes. Her newly discovered talent definitely reinforces my belief that everyone is extraordinary in their own way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Where's Deb?
Regretfully, I have no clients this weekend. If you know anyone who is interested in buying or selling a home in Pueblo West, let me know. So, for entertainment, this is where I'll be on Saturday and Sunday:

Saturday April 18: At the "Trash and Treasure Sale" at Sun Haven (formerly Pueblo West Inn) on 201 S. McCulloch Ave. The sale will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Sunday April 19: At the Pueblo West Firefighters' Association monthly pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon at Fire Station No. 1, corner of Hahns Peak and Joe Martinez boulevards. A donation of $5 per plate is appreciated.

Upcoming Events
Kids Only! - The 4th Annual Tom Sawyer Fishing Derby at Cattail Crossing Pond at the corner of Joe Martinez and McCulloch on April 25. Pre-registration will last until April 22 at a cost of $3.00. Pre-registered kids will receive a ticket for a free hot-dog, chips, and pop. The first families to register will also receive a ticket for a free fishing pole at the fishing derby. Late Registration: April 23 until Fishing Derby date at the cost of $5.00. MAKE SURE KIDS BRING THEIR OWN FISHING POLE! Prizes & Gifts! Rain or shine! For more info visit the Parks and Recreation site at: http://www.pueblowestmetro.com/fishderby.php.

Also on April 25, immediately following the Fishing Derby, the 3rd annual Taste of Heaven, sponsored by the Pueblo West Christian Academy and Kinderkirk Preschool, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. April 25 at Sun Haven, 201 S. McCulloch Blvd. This event will offer something fun for everyone with more than 60 local restaurants, vendors and crafters planning to participate in the event. Advance tickets may be purchased at both of Pueblo West's Loaf 'N Jug locations. Adult tickets are $10, children 3-12 are $5. Children 2 and under will be admitted free. Adult tickets purchased at the door are $12 and $6 for children 3-12.

Carbon Monoxide Bill Signed into Law
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS AND FOR ALL PEOPLE WITH RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT PROPERTY IN COLORADO
Governor Ritter has signed HB 1091 into law. This new law will cover all new residential construction and existing single-family and multi-family housing units offered for sale, transfer or rent. Beginning July 1, 2009, a seller of residential real property containing a fuel-fired heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage will be responsible for assuring that a carbon monoxide alarm is properly installed within 15 feet of the entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping.

Deb

As I am writing this, I'm watching the wind swirl the snowflakes as a springtime blizzard makes its way through Pueblo West (so much for the 70+ degree weather). Hopefully, your pantry is stocked and you are already prepared for this storm. Please, if you do NOT need to be out on the roads, STAY HOME. I'm looking forward to catching up on my reading, knitting, and e-mail while I wait for the storm to pass. If we do get a lot of snow, meet your neighbor as we shovel out in the next few days! We really need this moisture to abate the extreme fire danger conditions we've been experiencing, however, if we do get a lot of snow, SHOVEL SAFELY! Take your time, take frequent breaks, and don't try to put too much snow on the shovel.

I frequently get calls from people who enquire about the status of the Pueblo West lot they bought back in the late 1970's. Usually the call to me is prompted by a company that has just called the lot owner offering to sell the lot at a great price for an upfront fee. I've been told that these companies are located OUTSIDE of Colorado in places like Florida or Las Vegas. Just a word of caution - people offering to sell your Pueblo West lot MUST be licensed to sell real estate in the State of Colorado. Check with a local real estate agent (like me!) and verify how much your lot is actually worth. Typically, when you list your property for sale, there is NO UPFRONT FEE. Commissions are paid at closing - when the lot actually sells. Just be advised that with so many vacant lots on the market right now, along with the building slow down due to the economy, the lot will probably be on the market for a while - a LONG while.

I have to tell you about two of the people I worked with this week up in Colorado Springs. What are the chances that I would get two different people (one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday), both from Wyoming, and both in the "death" business? One gal was moving to the Springs to sell pre-paid funeral plans and the other gal was moving to the Springs to work in the Coroners office. Both very nice gals but how weird is that?

Until next time,

Deb