Denver’s First Friday Art Walk is this week!  On the first Friday evening of every month, galleries all over Denver open their doors to the public.  Galleries from the Berkeley neighborhood, to Highlands, to the Santa Fe Arts District, to Cherry Creek feature the works of many local artists.

 If you are going to be out this Friday, you need to check out a new gallery in the Rhino Art District called Blue Stone Gallery.  They call the space “a gallery of art, music, movement, health, and intellect” , and offer a variety of events like dance, drum circles, and book clubs.  You can check out their website, www.bluestonegallery.net.  They are located at 3377 Blake Street Suite #105 in the Silver Square condo building. 

Among eight artists featured will be Anna Johanson of Kickin’ Glass and Tim Herbst of Herbst Metal Art.  Anna works with stained glass making beautiful mosaic art pieces.  Tim utilizes color and texture creating amazing metal sculptures.  You can check out their websites, www.kickin-glass.com and www.herbstmetalart.com.

While you are in the neighborhood you can stop in at the Walnut Room and enjoy some great pizza and music!

I recently asked one of my favorite mortgage brokers, Scott Mulvany of Cherry Creek Mortgage, for a behind-the-scenes look at the mortgage application process from his point of view - and he delivered!  I think this is a great way for first-time buyers to understand the system - and they can even use it as a checklist as they wait for closing!

How Purchase Loans Are Made

A Step-By-Step Walkthrough

Still have questions, or ready to jump in?  Give Scott a call! 

Beautiful Denver square one block from the Wash Park at 955 S. Corona open Sunday, April 20th from 1-4 p.m. Join me on this perfect spring day. For a sneak preview visit www.955SouthCorona.com. Open house hosted by Dianne Cole. 303-931-6369.

It’s difficult to get all the information you need about buying a home in today’s market?  At Live we’ve come up with a super cool, casual, easy way to get answers to many of your questions and get the home buying process started.  Pam Catania and I will be hosting this Home Buyer Happy Hour at SwimClub 32 this Saturday beginning at 2:00 pm.  We’ll give you information from a realtor perspective.  But we’ll also have Grant Gingrich from J.Alston Mortgage to clear up any lending questions you may have.  And, as a bonus, Ed LeGrice of LeGrice Construction will be there to talk about renovations and remodels. 

We’ll have food.  Drinks.  Great conversation.  We hope you can join us.  If you’d like to come, please follow this link to register:  http://www.liveurbandenver.com/happyhour/  See you soon!  Susie and Pam

Are prices going to continue to drop, or have we finally hit bottom?

So I got out my crystal ball, shook it a few times, and said…”this is it.  the bottom is here.  buy now.”

If I really did have a crystal ball, I’d be in Vegas, baby.  But I really do think that prices have to be near their lowest.  I have seen banks slash prices on their complete inventories - by up to 20 or 30 percent across the board.  Banks are also putting new listings up at unbelievably low prices, creating multiple offer situations the first week they are on the market - which, I think, is better than having homes sit empty on the market for months on end before finally dropping the price.

It does create frustration for those buyers looking for the deal of the century - they are learning that they need to write their best offer on those homes rather than trying to low-ball the bank, because someone is going to come in with a better offer on those houses that are listed at 70% of market value! 

Here is a great article from this morning’s USA Today that breaks down the price drops (and rises in some cases) city by city.  Denver is down, of course, but not by nearly as much as some other cities!!

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-04-16-bargain-hunting-real-estate_N.htm

2008 Denver Digs Tree Arbor Day Tree Sale!
City of Denver Free Mulch Giveaway!

These are two great way to spruce up your yard, add value to your property and save energy on the cheap. I am planning on buying a few trees and getting the kids involved as sort of easy kid earth day activity, as involved as possible that is. Translation….I’ll be planting and cleaning up the yard while my kids swing, gather twigs, find pill bugs and spiders, and track dirt in the house. You know how it goes! So, mark your calendars and buy a tree or two this year…and don’t forget the mulch a few weeks later.

Trees for Sale (All six sites)

Saturday, April 19^th, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Congress Park (9^th and Josephine)
Wash Park (S. Franklin & E. Kentucky)
Babi Yar Park / Hentzell (Yale & Havana)
Ruby Hill Park (Jewell & Osage)
Sloan Lake Park (25^th & Wolff)
Denver Nursery (Smith Rd & Havana)

$45 for bareroot and $65 for balled and burlapped. Need more info? www.theparkpeople.org / 303-722-6262

P.S. Look for ads in local papers for $5 off any tree. I saw one in the Wash Park Profile. Pick up free mulch compliments of our fine city. For details on the Treecycle Mulch Giveaway and LeafDrop Compost Sale call 720-865-6810 or visit Denvergov.org/DenverRecycles.

Saturday, May 3, 2008, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sites:
Sloan’s Lake Park (mulch only): Sheridan and 17^th Avenue
Bear Creak Park (mulch only): South of Dartmouth on Raleigh
Veterans Park (mulch only): Iowa and Vine Street
Havana Nursery (mulch and compost – fee for compost): 10450 Smith Road, just south of I-70 on Havana

955 S. Corona will be open Saturday, April 12 from 2-4 p.m. and Sunday, April 13^th from 1-4 p.m. Come by this sun drenched Denver Square just one block off of Washington Park this weekend. For more pics and information visit www.955southcorona.com .

I often hear from clients who say they need more space. Often during these conversations my mind wonders to Nick Park’s “Creature Comforts” from way back when….1998…even way before kids. Visualize those cute little claymation critters in their cages…complaining (with British accents) about their crowded little zoo digs.

So, you have a few kids, you have lots of stuff, your in-laws visit all too often, and you want those in-laws to stay on a different floor than you. Basically, you, the former care-free ski bum, have somehow morphed into a family.

Depending on your budget, there are lots of great deals out there all over Denver. Yes, I am talking about brand new large and lovely homes selling for a lot less than just one year ago. Brand news homes in Washington Park, Park Hill, Stapleton, Lowry, Montclair, Mayfair and University Park. Name your neighborhood. They are out there and lots of developers are trying hard to sell them. Now is the time to get lots of space for a good price.

For example, there are over 50 active home listings for houses built in 2007 or later on the market in zip code 80220 (Montclair, Mayfair and Hilltop area), and well over 100 homes on the market built in 2007 or later in Washington Park, Bonnie Brae, University Park area. Yes, you got it…a surplus of new construction.

I recently helped some clients purchase Brand New construction in Lowry. Choose your very own finishes in Lowry and Stapleton right now for the same price as older homes being resold.

Get that space you need and WANT… and lots of it….NOW for a great, shall I even say, bargain price! Even space for all your favorite Wallace and Gomit dvds!

Many inner-city Denver neighborhoods are currently embroiled in a battle to curb graffiti and fortunately the city has come up with a FREE solution to this problem. By granting authorization to the city via a waiver located at http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.denvergov.org/DenverPartnersAgainstGraffiti, home and business owners can have the city come out and clean up their grafitti free of charge. By signing the waiver anyone can call to report the graffiti on the property and the city will promptly come out (usually within 48 to 72 hours) and clean it up for you. You might have an older or disabled neighbor who can’t maintain their property for themselves; simply print out the waiver, have them sign it, send it back and let the city do the rest. I have used this service for years and recommend it to anyone who is facing this problem.

Traditionally spring in Denver is the time that crocus and daffodils are in bloom, you’ve opened the windows, and for sale signs are popping up at houses all over the neighborhood. Traditional for the daffodils, but is spring the best time for those signs? Is it the best time to buy or sell your home?

We think it is…especially when you’re prepared. Preparation is totally different for buyers and sellers, but they’re equally important. For sellers there are some great TIPS on our website about getting your home ready to sell! The agents at LIVE are experts at knowing what are the “must do” items and what are those “extra” things that you can do to give you the edge in the crowded spring market.

If you’re a buyer in this market it is really critical that you be prepared. There will be a lot of houses on the market this spring. There will not be a lot of GREAT houses on the market. When you and your agent find the perfect home you need to be ready to move quickly, chances are somebody else has spotted it too!

Getting ready as a buyer involves knowing what you want AND making sure your financial house is in order. Financing is no longer as simple as picking up the phone or shopping for the lowest rate on the web. It’s never been more important that you use a local lender. Someone who knows you, and knows the market, can make the difference in whether you close the deal on your dream home. You’re not going to get the knowledge and service you’ll need from loanmesomemoney.com! Check out www.liveurbandenver.com. The Buy a Home tab has a great Home Buying Guide and tips on what your lender will need from you to get started.

Spring IS the best time to buy and sell, only if you’ve done the work to get yourself and your house ready. Opening the windows is just the beginning!