About Laramie County, WY

What are your plans for Cheyenne Frontier Days? Are you having a barbeque at your house, or at the park ? One of the most popular grilling occasions in Cheyenne is during Frontier Days. To celebrate one of the biggest grilling times of the year, I wanted to share some grilling tips for the holiday weekend. I believe that traditional American fare is the only acceptable cuisine !! Hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, fruit – what more do you need?! Let’s celebrate traditionally! Prepping: Make sure you get all of your grocery shopping done a few days before the party. You can’t go too early because you don’t want the buns to dry out or the fruit to rot but plan properly so you aren’t doing last minute shopping. This should be a fun experience, not a stressful one. Making items like potato salad and fruit bowls are nice because you can prepare them ahead of time. Boil the eggs and potatoes the day before and chop up all the veggies. You can also prepare the fruit bowl the day before to save more time on the day of! Heating: Charcoal or gas grill? Either way, make sure you have enough of either to get the grill started and to keep it going all day. You never know who’s going to stop by or if people are going to want seconds. Always make sure the grill is hot and extra food is prepared. Vegetables: Don’t forget side dishes! I love cooking vegetables on the grill because they always turn out absolutely delicious and full of flavor. They are super easy too – no marinades necessary when you have that great grill flavor cooking into them! The only thing you need to be cautious of is not burning the vegetables. They tend to cook quickly and are sensitive to high heat so you definitely want to keep a constant eye on them. Also, don’t let them fall through the grates! By planning your cookout, things will run a lot smoother and stress will be eliminated. Make your grocery list, make what you can ahead of time, and don’t forget the simple things! Have a wonderful Frontier Days, whatever you may do and be safe!

Summertime is finally here! Here's a list of things to do this month to help get your garden growing for summer, provided by MSN Real Estate.

• Plant extra bulbs now for a burst of brightness later in the summer.
• Water at cooler times of the day to prevent quick evaporation and lower your water bills.

'Color spots'

• For splashes on color in early summer, select bright nursery annuals already in bloom.

Perennials are June-perfect planters

• Plant flowering perennials of all kinds for late spring, summer and fall blooms: Oriental poppy, foxglove, salvia, aster, colubine, delphinium, feverfew and heuchera name a few.

Ever wonder how to make an offer on a house that will be accepted? Well now is your chance to find out. Offers can be broken down into three different financial categories:

1. All-Cash Offer. Cash purchases are always favored by any seller. Who wouldn't want cold, hard cash in their hand? And in today's real estate market, an all-cash offer is becoming even more appealing. Cash offers also eliminate the need for a bank appraisal.
2. Non-Contingency Offer. If you don't have the means for an all-cash purchase, as many of us probably do not, a non-contingency offer is going to be the next best thing. In order to do this, you should be pre-approved for a mortgage and have your current house already in contract. This will give the seller the confidence that you are already a qualified buyer who will be able to complete your purchase.
3. Contingency Offer. Some buyers start the process of looking for a new home before their current home is sold. This may cause problems. If you find the home you were hoping for, it may be difficult to get your offer accepted because you not actually qualified to buy. In today's environment, asking a seller to hold until you sell your own home is somewhat unreasonable.

information provided by The KCM Blog.

You don't want to miss out on the opportunity to purchase the home of your dreams, so be sure you are ready to place an offer they can't refuse!

Kick off summer with Cheyenne's Hispanic Festival taking place

Friday, June 3 - Sunday, June 5, 2011

Cheyenne Depot Museum

Various Hours throughout the weekend

Brought to you by the Wyoming Pork Producers council, this festival provides the City of Cheyenne with the opportunity to celebrate the various Hispanic cultures in our community. The festival will provide educational and cultural exhibits, as well as a variety of food and entertainment.

The exhibit "Paredes de Halbando, Walls that Speak", murals by Steven Lucero will be displayed in the Hynds building.

Come enjoy live music, folkloric dancers, beer and food, food and more food!

For more information, including hours of operation, visit Cheyenne Hispanic Festival.

Most homeowners don't think about their property insurance all that often because it's common to enjoy the security of knowing that your insurance company has you covered. But is that really true? Are you covered for those unusual, unlikely situations that you think will never happen to you? Here are 7 freaky home threats that you should makes sure to be covered for. The unlikely hood of them occurring is high, but if it does occur, you want to be sure to be covered!

1. Flood. Although this one is fairly common, it is the most common calamity not covered by a standard policy, which many homeowners discover the hard way. Flood insurance can be purchased from most insurance agents, but it is underwritten by the federal government and provided in policies separate from your homeowners insurance.
2. Mine subsidence. Mine subsidence isn't covered by regular insurance; insurance for this must be obtained through a special program run by the state, at an average cost of around $250 per year.
3. Volcanoes. Surprisingly, many homeowners policies will cover damage from volcanic eruptions. This coverage is usually limited, however, to damage caused by the material that comes out of a volcano, such as lava and ask.
4. Meteors, comets and space debris. If the worry of your home being leveled by a meteor keeps you awake at night, you will be happily surprised to know that you'll probably be covered. It's rare for policies to specifically exclude this type of damage; it's generally covered under the "falling objects" heading.
5. Stampeding animals. Most homeowners policies will cover damage to the dwelling cause by animals you don't own or keep. But keep in mind; some policies distinguish between domestic animals and wild animals.
6. Landslides. Most homeowners policies, even if endorsed with earthquake coverage, will not cover landslides.
7. Sinkhole collapse. Coverage will vary plan to plan, depending upon whether your insurance company lumps it in with the general category of "earth movement," so check with your agent.

Information provided by MSN Real Estate.

Although the majority of these freaky home threats are unlikely to occur in the state of Wyoming, it is still important to take them into consideration. Use this as a reminder to take a look at your home insurance policy and make sure you're covered for any loops life may throw your way!