Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022

Relocation to Colorado requires A Colorado Driver's Exam and Vehicle Registration

100 Real Estate and Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 58)

If you are just passing through our beautiful state, we are glad to have you, and there are no special requirements for a privately owned vehicle or its driver. Of course you do have to adhere to the Colorado laws affecting the operation of a motor vehicle, which are probably like the rules of the road where you live now. (HEADS UP- Legislation effective July 1, 2009 makes it illegal to drive while talking or texting in a motor vehicle unless you have a hands free device.)

If you are moving your residence to Colorado, you must obtain a Colorado Drivers License within 30 days, and register your vehicle within 90 days. Vehicle registration and driver licensing are performed by separate entities, and require visits to different locations.

Let's start with your driver's license. That document is issued by the state of Colorado, so you will want to prepare for any necessary examination by obtaining a drivers handbook, which can be downloaded . The handbook is also available in Spanish, and there are versions for motorcycles and commercial licensing. Once you are familiar with the Colorado rules, you can find the nearest licensing location . The state website requires a little drilling to find everything you may need, but the site is well done and informative.

Automobile registration is a function of your county of residence, however, the information you need to register your vehicle of locate the vehicle registration office is located on the same site as driver licensing.

You now have the access points for everything you need to know about driving and vehicles in Colorado. Drive safely!

Open House on a City-wide Scale!

100 Real Estate & Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 57)

Typically when one thinks of an open house it's about real estate or maybe a New Year's Party. Today's Open house was city-wide because dozens of Denver's historic and other historical gems were open to the public. In the 5th year of celebrating this wonderful 2-day event becomes more popular each year.

Today I had the pleasure of climbing to the top of the D & F Tower (well almost to the top) to shoot the city from the 20th floor balcony. The most interesting and photographically appealing part was standing behind the enormous clock face and looking out to the clouds! What a wonderful perspective!

Later I visited the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, another architectural delight! I so love the refurbished building which by the way is considered to be one of the Top Ten Opera House's in the World! While there I enjoyed shooting all the intriguing angles and arches of the interior. The Opera House has a magnificent Antique gold and aquamarine glass chandelier. This very unique and beautiful piece must be one of a kind. I marveled at it's intricacies and wondered how in the world did they ever hang it?

After the Opera House my group took a tour of the Temple Buell Theatre. I've attended many events here from The Lion King, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and many more that just fail to come to mind right now. It is a wonderful venue and one that makes our City of Denver very proud.

Just outside the Denver Center for Performing Arts is the controversial sculpture called "Dancers." I never tire of trying to capture these graceful beings against a deep blue sky. I'd forgotten that some people actually don't like them until someone in the group later referred to them as "the alien dancers." Oh well, what is art if it doesn't evoke some sort of reaction, good or bad?

My group, which by the way is a wonderful camera MeetUp group decided to go get lunch. Someone consulted their Blackberry for choices and we decided to go to San Cabo for Mexican. It was a good place to eat, but it wasn't Mexican, it was Peruvian. Yes, we even had adventures in eating. The Sunday buffet was the popular choice as it offered a wide variety of food. Of course the adventure came in when we tried to identify what exactly we were eating. It seems the people of Peru, waste no part of the cow. Enough said?

Following lunch I needed to wrap up the day, but made one more visit to the Masonic Temple. I planned to meet the group there after retrieving my car. I ended up thinking I knew where I was going, but no I was wrong. The Masonic Temple is located at Welton and 16th, it was not the one by the State Capitol building. Oh my!

The ensuing tour was very educational. I enjoyed hearing the history of Denver's Free Masons and the tales of disaster when fire claimed their building. Of greatest interest to me was the mural on the wall in the cafeteria, showing the progression of Masonic Temples from when Denver was settled back in the 1800's until the present day. It appears the Masons had a stronghold in Denver's society and growth. In fact the wife of a Mason is the one who started the organization that grew into what we know today as United Way!

Open Doors Denver was a very positive experience for me. I would encourage everyone to look for the 6th annual event next year and join in. There is no better way to learn about the city than participating and an event and stretching your mind for a few hours. We live in a wonderful city, let's enjoy it.

Denver's Seasonal Weather

100 Real Estate & Relocation Tips in 100 Days (Day 56)

One of the really great things about living in Denver is the weather. The weather at the foot of the Rocky Mountains offers 4 distinct seasons, including a generally

mild fall and a summer where temperatures seldom break a hundred degrees. The Metro area is dry, with the average precipitation being less than 16 inches, and the humidity seldom exceeds 40% except in winter. Chinook winds roll down from the foothills in the winter months, melting most snowfalls in a few days, while making it possible to play golf year around.

Summer in Denver:
Usually by mid June summer is well under way. The sometimes violent spring storms give way to a dry, desert like heat, making outdoor activities pure joy. July is the hot month, but most evenings cool to allow for bar-b-cues and great sleeping. August usually sees monsoonal rains in the afternoon, with lightning forcing people under cover for short periods of time. By mid September, summer is winding down, and the air has the smell of fall.

Fall in Denver:
Fall in Denver is usually mild. While snow can happen, it is seldom seen before Halloween, and not often in accumulating amounts. Mountain snowfalls begin by mid-October, with the major ski areas open by Thanksgiving, even if the snow base is man made. Denver does not often entertain a white Christmas, but by early January, the night temperatures sometimes drop below zero. Day time temperatures in the mid-fifties allow for frequent mid-day rounds of golf.

The Winter Months:
Winter in Denver can show its icy face in early November, and hang around like a pesky varmint as late as the first of May. The really wintery days are usually early January through mid March. With the sun visible at least part of the 300 days we count as sunny, snowfalls are short-lived, and below zero nights don't seen as noticeable.

Springtime in the Rockies:
Well, not quite. Perhaps springtime at the edge of the Rockies is more apt, with days warming by mid-March, and the really cold nights fading into memory. Denver's greatest snowfall time is March and April, with some days in April feeling like all four season happening at once. Those gorgeous mountains in the west create havoc with weather systems, and sleepless nights for weather forecasters. Denver's western and southern suburbs can see a foot of snow at 6000 feet, while the mile-high downtown area receives nothing more than a heavy drizzle. But those fast melting spring snowstorms really do bring May flowers, and green grass. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent in May and early June, but they pass by quickly, leaving sweet-smelling evenings and cool nights.

Home Shoppers ~ What to Look For When Walking Through a Home

100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 55)

Let's assume you are ready to start looking at homes. You have visited 50 open houses to do the "window shopping" thing, you have selected your mortgage lender and completed the application process, you have placed your trust in a Realtor®, and tomorrow you are off to seriously shop for and buy just the right house or condo to call home. Just how do you really shop for your "home"?

To begin with, certain things must be assumed, such as a practical price range. While it may be fun to see houses priced a million dollars beyond your ability to purchase, it is a waste of time for a serious buyer, and an unfair use of your Realtors® time. Much of the selection process can and should be completed before a tire is turned. Price, general location, school choices, commute times, and other "required" factors have already been considered by your professional Realtor®. That is not to say your Realtor can define the choice, but your Realtor will narrow the selection.

As you drive into each neighborhood, look around. Does the area feel good to you? Is it convenient to the things and places that affect your life? How are neighboring homes maintained? Would you feel about coming home to this neighborhood?

As you step out of the car, look at the house. Does it appear to be well maintained? (If you are looking for a fix-up, judge accordingly.) Are there obvious signs of concrete settling? IS the paint and trim sharp and fresh? Vegetation trimmed. All of those things give clues as to condition, if you do not see the level of care you want, and then grade accordingly.

When entering the remove your shoes (or slip the little booties often provided. It is not your house, so please be respectful of the owners home. Again, look for obvious signs of maintenance.

Consider the floor plan; will it work for your furniture and lifestyle? If you really like the house, look deeper at HVAC systems, run the water, check window operation and door latches. Think about closets and storage space, and will the garage hold the cars and "stuff"? Look at such things as the roof, drainage, fencing, appliances, and turn the lights off and on. These simple things do not take the place of a professional inspection, but may disqualify the house before you fall in love and suffer disappointment.

You probably received a flyer from your Realtor for each home you are visiting, use that to take notes. Please don't spend 20 minutes looking at a house you know you do not want to buy before you walk in the door. That time is better spent in thoroughly looking at a house you decide to buy.

Use the "2 house" process of elimination. After the first 2 houses you see, choose the best one, and throw aside the looser. Do that for every house, so that at the end of the session, you have only one best choice. That may not be your final choice, but it gives you a great place to begin looking at the next group of houses. Limit each session to no more than 6 homes, then take a break and discuss. Even if you have to find your house in one weekend, stop after every 6 homes, consider what has been accomplished, and discuss the next session.

More Sports in Denver!

100 Real Estate Tips in 100 Days (Day 54)

With the acknowledgement that Denver's professional sports teams have been featured on this blog before, there are just a few more things to say. This Thursday morning's Downtown Denver Partnership meeting featured a presentation about the Denver sports scene that added weight to the idea that sports in Denver is a very important part of the local landscape.

The Metro Denver Sports Commission, an organization few people outside the industry has even heard of, has been doing great things to make Denver THE sports city in the United States. The Commission has been instrumental in bringing all six of professionals sports All- Star Games to Denver rover the past 10 years. Considerable effort has been expended to support the creation of a strong sports infrastructure, with 7 state of the art venues becoming part of the Denver community since 1995. Denver's Major League Teams al play within walking distance of Downtown Denver, which has become a vibrant place to be, not just because of the sports teams, but such venues as the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Colorado Convention Center, and the Denver Art Museum share the same hotel venues as the Pepsi Center and Coors Field.

Colorado has become #5 in vacation destinations for the United States, in part because of the sports infrastructure and competitive and exciting teams. Denver is the smallest city to host a team in all of the major sports franchises, with strong fan support for all seven.

The attitude in Denver is positive and full of hope, in spite of the economic difficulties the country is currently experiencing. As one the speakers said at the morning breakfast, sports brings the message of hope. If that is true, Denver could not be more hopeful, now, or in the future.