Home Pro Blog

Hard-to-find ranch home in Glen Oaks, 4033 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2-car garage with workshop.

True main-level living in District 12! Updated stucco rancher has the open floor plan and vaulted ceilings that give its large rooms   an open, light feel. The front is lushly landscaped with trees and perennials, to give privacy and beautiful garden views from inside the house. The main level family room has a gas fireplace and walks out to the refinished deck. The master suite is a real retreat, with a three-sided gas fireplace, sitting area, five-piece bath and walk in closet. The walkout basement has a recreation room which could be made into a fourth bedroom, and a home theater room. Two-car garage with workshop space.

Welcome to ‘Sky House.’ This superbly updated rancher with walkout basement is impeccably maintained. Two decks for outdoor living make the most of city and mountain views. Entertain comfortably & in style in the open floor plan, gourmet kitchen with granite island and walkout to deck, stone pathways and patio. Basement family room opens to lower deck & more views. Two fireplaces, hot water and radiant floor heat, tile entryway, beautifully decorated and painted–move-in ready. Newer roof and appliances. For more information, click here or call 719-291-1514.

A featured article on Realtor.com recently named Colorado Springs one of the country’s “Top Ten Early Turnaround Towns.” Rankings were based on price and property value stability.  

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Here’s a link to a fast and easy calculator to compare the numbers for you on buying versus renting: Should I buy or rent?  

This great resource is  courtesy of  my friend Linda Schierholz with TSM Mortgage, who  sends me a weekly newsletter to keep up on the mortgage market. Give Linda a call to get on her email list for this great resource.

My friend Pete is a very savvy investor. He owns commercial properties and sometimes dabbles in residential fix and flips. I kid around with him, calling him “The Cheapest Man on the Planet.” (He’s not offended, which tells you something about Pete).

Yesterday, after looking at some residential investment properties, he made a statement that I think is well worth repeating. As a matter of fact, I made him repeat it twice, so I would remember it. His philosophy of investing is simple, “If you buy it right, it’s half sold.” That means that, if you take your time and wait for a good deal, half the work of selling it is already done, since you’ll be able to sell it at a competitive price and still make money.

So, investors, I invite you to make this your mantra. “Buy right, and it’s half sold.”

Sales figures for Colorado Springs real estate in  March 2011 show marked improvement over previous months, as well as  in year-over-year comparisons.

Total El Paso County single-family home sales of 714 were the best March showing since 2007, at the height of the real estate “bubble.” Some areas showed surprising strength, as well. The Central Colorado Springs market notched 53 sales, up from 22 in February. You have to look back to 2006 to find that many sales in that area in March.

Anecdotal evidence suggests a market that is growing from the bottom up. Buyers in the under-$200,000 price bracket are seeing competitive bidding, multiple offers and sales coming in above listing price, especially in Fountain Valley and Central Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs has made another “Best of” list–this time Forbes Magazine’s list of best place to retire. In fact, Forbes listed Colorado Springs both on its “best retirement”  list and its “best bargain retirement” list.  View the full article here.

Forbes used factors such as tax burden and affordability, weather, availability of doctors, driving environment, crime rates and opportunities for an active retirement (defined by the extent of volunteering and outdoor paths for bicycling and walking) to rate cities. In addition, for the “bargain” list, Forbes factored in the median cost of a home.

See the photo slides for Colorado Springs here, and here.

Military personnel who were stationed overseas for 90 days or more between December 2008 and May of 2010 may still be eligible for the federal housing tax credit of $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and $6500 for repeat buyers.

See the Homebuyer Tax Credit Military Extension rules on the National Association of Homebuilder site. The extension expires in 2011, so a buyer must be under contract by April 30, 2011  and close by June 30, 2011 to qualify.

Planning a vacation to Colorado Springs, or live here, and planning a stay-cation? Here are some suggestions for  events and  attractions in our town.

The Experience Colorado Springs website has a list of free deals. Check out the icons on the top of the page–they take you to coupons and deals for local lodging, dining, attractions and services. Don’t miss the listing of Parks and Open Spaces! Want to try something new? How about a Segway tour of Garden of the Gods or Seven Falls?

Always worth mentioning, Peak Radar  is the most complete resource for events in the area, searchable by categories such as “Kids & Families,” “Eat Drink & Markets,” and “Visual Arts,” as well as by date.

Have fun, be safe, and enjoy this beautiful area!

Whether you’re thinking of freshening up a room in your house, or decorating a whole home, it helps to know your style. Is your decorating style traditional, cottage, rustic, Tuscan?

Take a look at this fun slide show from Realtor Magazine that showcases 10 design styles with photos and descriptions of the main characteristics of each.   Learn to speak the language of style–it will help you talk to decorators, remodelers, stagers, and other home professionals.