A lot of clients ask me how to figure out what market rents are in a neighborhood. This is a critical input into the calculations an investor needs to make in order to determine what their return on investment will be on a rental property. So you don't want to screw this up! Unfortunately, this is one of the many figures new investors get wrong. One place people go to get rents is Rent-o-Meter. Rent-o-Meter is billed as an online resource to get accurate market rents. In my experience it is anything but! However, I have a fairly simple solution. Multiply what you see on Rent-o-Meter by 80% and you'll probably be close. I can't explain why but I find rents on Rent-o-Meter to be about 25% high, so multiplying their rents by 80% will get you close (do the math, it works out). So then, how ... 10/29/2008

The talk around the water cooler these days is all about LOANS. Who can get them? At what price? What if I already have a few loans, do I still qualify?  A year or two ago the question was at what price do I get a loan (those were the days!).  Today it is "am I still in the game?"        Here's the deal:  if you have an owner occupied loan and 3 investor loans you cannot buy any more properties and get Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac financing, meaning you can't get a conventional 30-year fixed loan. Now, my hope is that someone reads this and tells me I'm wrong. That would be great!  But as far as I know that is the case.       Where does this leave you?  You can pursue loans that are warehoused by lenders, meaning they are not sold on the backend to Fannie or Freddie. You are probably lookin... 10/29/2008

A LOT of agents don't advise their clients to get sewer scopes when they purchase a property. This is a major mistake.  A broken sewer can cost between $3,000 - $10,000 dollars to repair and it only costs $99 ($99Rooter - others are more expensive) to have a tech put a camera down the sewer pipe and videotape the sewer all the way to the mainline. This will tell you  and the-buyer what the condition of the sewer is.      So let's see, we pay to have the furnace inspected but a new furnace will only be about $2,000. We pay to have the roof inspected but that's probably a $4,000 job. So why don't we always inspect the sewer?  One reason is because, let's face it,  Realtors want closings. Many figure if they keep their mouth shut and don't go out of their way to recommend a sewer scope tha... 10/29/2008

Moving to Boulder Colorado is a lot like moving to the moon, if you're from most anywhere else in the US. You think you know what it "should" look like or what you would like it "to look like", but when you actually get here you have to adjust your perceptions a bit. Boulder is located where the great plains end and the Rocky Mountains begin. Boulder isn't all plains and isn't all mountains, but somewhere pleasantly in between - and oh, did I mention the gorgeous foothills? With 300 days of sunshine, 17-25 inches of rain, an average of 158 inches of snowfall each year and with varying degrees of altitudes between 5000 - 14,000 feet above sea level there is an amazing diversity of plants - which gets me to my title point - what is heck is a "xeriscape"? Read more to learn about Xeriscape... 10/29/2008

It's that time of year again when Boulder Colorado's "Meet the Spirit's" event happens. It takes place at the historic Columbia Cemetery in downtown Boulder where local volunteers bring back to life colorful historic characters and city founders by presenting short biographical monologues. Dressed in full regalia complete with Victorian mourners, funeral music and vintage hearses. You won't want to miss the reenactment of a solemn Masonic burial service. More than 30 Columbia spirits were brought back to life among them the well known bounty hunter, trapper, linguist and Indian scout Click here to read more about Historic Columbia Cemetery. 10/23/2008

With halloween just around the corner, I know spooky isn't it.  Wow, where did this year go?  You are sick and tired of hearing that now is a good time to buy real estate, well it's not only good it's the best ever.  Buyers, wake up, get your butts out there and look at all the fantastic homes that are at bargain basement prices.   Wah wah, you don't have the down payment, think FHA.  Now more than ever before, FHA type mortgages are becoming the most sought after loans by consumers.   Today about 41% of the buyers are obtaining FHA type loans.  What a sweet deal and the down payment is reasonable. Wait a minute, you could always invest in the stock market or put your life savings in a bank, I think a mattress would be better at this point.  In all seriousness, where is it s... 10/20/2008

Who is that couple? Look familiar, yes, a young Robin Williams and is tv co-star Pam Dawber. Stroll down Pine Street in Boulder, Colorado and you will stumble on the "Mork & Mindy" house. In the late 1970's, "Mork & Mindy" was a fairly popular tv show, where Mork, Robin Williams, was sent to Earth to study our culture since Orkans didn't have any. Boulder is a good place for that! Click here to read more about Orkans. 10/14/2008

Subscribe to Our Boulder Real Estate Listings Blog for the Newest Boudler Homes and Properties to find YOU! 10/13/2008

Mapleton Avenue It's hard to imagine Boulder Colorado's humble beginnings in the late fall of 1858 when the gold rush brought participants that erected log cabins just below the base of Boulder Canyon. At the time, Boulder City was part of the Nebraska Territory. It wasn't until 1861 that the Territory of Colorado was established and by 1867, Boulder became the county seat and the town of Boulder was incorporated 1871 where they dropped the word "city" from its name. By 1882, the first neighborhoods were established: Mapleton Hill and Whittier. You can tell from walking the tree lined Mapleton Hill neighborhood, as you walk southeast from the Boulder foothills, down Mapleton or Spruce the homes get more grandeur.Click here to read more. 10/01/2008

What does today's average buyer look for in a home?  Here are the top ten home features according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2007 profile of buyer's home feature preferences.  As a real estate professional, I have made these observations when working with home buyers.  This list will also aid home sellers evaluate the desireability of the various home features. http://blogtherockies.com/2008/09/22/what-you-get-for-the-money/#more-378>Here's the list and how it compares to Boulder, Colorado  09/22/2008

Eldorado Online K-12 - distance learning accredited school with online curriculum.and if you are traveling out of the country, please don't forget to purchase International health coverage for your family.The Family learning center - To encourage successful lifelong learning and economic self-sufficiency for families of diverse cultures and limited incomes.The Living School - Seeking to establish a trusting, supportive, and evolving environment where children and adults can learn, guided by curiosity and intrinsic motivation.Rocky Mountain School for the Gifted and Creative - RMS is a private school designed to serve gifted and talented students in the pre-school, primary school, and middle school ages.September High School - September High School is an intimate and supportive learning ... 09/19/2008

Well for my second blog I thought I would let you all know about the pulse of real estate and our economy in Boulder, Colorado.  Too much is happening, if that is possible.  Recently an unknown buyer was rumored to pick up a chunk of real estate in Boulder County, the old site of Storage Technology.... a disc storage company.  Tons of speculation about the buyer from Google to IBM.  It turned out to be Conoco Phillips.  It will be the global headquarters for their educational facility for alternative energy.  Expected to be on line in 2010, it will bring/harbor up to 7000 folks from all over their gobally situated satellite offices.... Norway, England, China and so on.  EXCITING for Boulder county and exciting for the whole of Colorado.  I attended a meeting of the mayors of Louisville,... 09/16/2008

Can you tell it's an election year? Gas prices are coming down finally and the credit crisis is being shaken up big time! My mom always said, "sometimes it takes a crisis to solve a crisis", and that most people need to be hit in the head with a 2 x 4 to get their attention first!. Yes indeed! Can you imagine the headache Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have right now?Click here to see what it means to you as a buyer or seller! 09/08/2008

Boulder Colorado Retail Space for SaleBefore you sign on the dotted line to purchase retail space in Boulder, CO...visit the Troy Centre property in Broomfield, CO just a short distance away but substantially better in terms of pricing, amenties, and what you get for your hard earned dollar.The Troy Centre offers quick access to Boulder, Westminster, Lafayette and Louisville via arterial highways and US roads.  With easy access to US 36, US 287 (Wadsworth Blvd.) and the E-470 Tollway, you are just minutes away from most north metro destinations.Cheap cost to own, leasing is available on select spaces, and a brand new building are just some of the reasons to consider purchasing or leasing your next office or retail space at the Troy Centre.Marketed exclusively byJason Pavlovic and Stuart... 08/27/2008

Tom's Tavern to change hands. Tom's was a downtown Boulder institution until in closed in December of 2007 after the death of Tom Eldridge, the tavern's founder, in May 2007.  Tom Eldridge opened the tavern in 1959 and operated it until his death. His family decided to close the restaurant in December, saying the business no longer was making money and Tom’s Tavern belonged to Tom Eldridge. Family members said they weren’t interested in having someone else run the business.Developer Stephen Tebo said Monday that his company, Tebo Development, is buying the building at 1047 Pearl St. for $2.1 million from the Eldridge family.  Tebo Development specializes in retail space in Boulder Colorado.  Tebo is behind numerous projects in Boulder, including the Canyon Gate Plaza shopping center at... 08/19/2008

                                  Looking for Homes in Boulder near popular Golf Course Communities?                                     START SEARCHING HERE FOR BOULDER HOMES FOR SALE BY MAP!             Three of the most popular new Golf Course Communities around Boulder Colorado are: Granby Ranch by Village Homes Granby, CO 80446   Priced from From $362,000 - $601,499 57 new homes available . From 868 - 2298 sq.ft Indian Peaks From $421,190 - $593,190 13 new homes available. From 1730 - 2875 sq.ft. McStain Neighborhoods 101 Roser Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026 Moore Farms From $278,900 - $367,962 Master Planned 11 new homes available. From 1915 - 3112 sq.ft. View Homes Advocate Homes 8838 Shetland Dr., Longmont, CO 80504   Golf Courses in Boulder County   Boulder Country Club Coal Creek ... 08/08/2008

Mapleton Hills Mapleton Hills is west of the Pearl Street Mall and just east of the foothill mountains of Boulder. A relaxing enclave of homes with spectacular Victorian and Queen Ann architecture, this quiet area is one of Boulder's first neighborhoods. There are a few more modern architectural styles in the Mapleton Hills homes area that along with the Victorian and Queen Ann style homes create an interesting and diverse neighborhood. Artistic masonry and stone work and earth tone colors contrast rolling lawns and bright flowers at most homes. As the name implies, Mapleton Hills is in fact on a hill and most Mapleton homes have spectacular city and mountain views. Mapleton's main thoroughfare, 6th Avenue, is built around a tree lined median which along with the many other large trees ... 08/06/2008

Downtown Boulder Boulder's downtown area is known as the Pearl Street Mall or just Pearl Street. Boulder has won more awards than any other city in America for its recreation, culture, health, business climate and quality of life which is reflected well in the downtown Pearl Street area. Pearl Street is an unique mix of homes, a pedestrian only outdoor mall and office space, within sight of the Flatiron Mountains and next to Boulder Creek.This area is perhaps best known for the Pearl Street Mall, a four-block long pedestrian only mix of boutiques, restaurants, bookstores and entertainment. Mature trees, flowers, sculptures, and rock gardens compliment the red-brick pathway, and several historical buildings (converted to commercial use) add a unique flavor to this clean, well-maintained... 08/06/2008

Small Commercial Office space in Boulder, COFirst of all I would like to state that I'm a huge fan of downtown Boulder , the Pearl Street Mall, and the atmosphere overall in Boulder.  To me, nothing beats enjoying a drink and meal outside on the mall, taking a walk along Boulder Creek and enjoying the sights.However on a recent outing to find some small office space for a tenant in the area, it really struck me that it is a very difficult area to find quality space in for a reasonable price.  Let me explain, if you are a business that has a professional (read, no sandals and shorts at the office) image, clientele who visit your office regularly, and require any sort of reasonable parking.  The Pearl St. Mall area probably isn't for you.  There are some great remodeled basements availabl... 08/06/2008

The Peloton The Peloton is another amazing condo community in Boulder. It's more like a private club that you live in. Plus the location near the 29th Street entertainment district makes for a convenient nightlife without the hassle of having to drive. The Peloton Boulder 1,2 & 3 bedroom floorplans Most units have Flatiron mountain views Community Center Rooftop deck with year round pool and hut tub 6,000 sq ft private fitness club Movie theater with stadium seating for 22 people Single floor living Elevator access Secured below ground parking 08/06/2008