Monday, April 30, 2012

Cherry Cricket - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/tIFv4

Saturday, April 28, 2012

I took Malia's training wheels off he...

I took Malia's training wheels off her bike today and taught her to ride her bike as she says "Like A Big Girl, Dad." Please don't grow up too fast my little girl. I was a good day.@danpol

Friday, April 27, 2012

Cherry Cricket - Yelp review of the week

This week we are going to see Yelp reviews of Cherry Cricket, located at 2641 E 2nd Ave., Denver, CO 80206. The term "legendary" is overused these days. But the Cherry Cricket lives up to the lofty classification and the revered reputation it holds as a bastion of classic neighborhood-bar culture. The Cherry Cricket’s clientele includes working stiffs, old schoolers and shoppers taking a break from chic hunting. It also welcomes a younger crowd, business lunchers, and families who savor the aforementioned "legendary" status of the Cricket.

Few of the top reviews are given below:

Ericka from Denver, CO says, "Love this place. Good food, great service, and lots of variety. Also, the restaurant knows how to move people in and out, so even if there is a line..it goes fast."

Michelle from Aurora, CO says, "Just what I wanted. Eating no bread for a week and pretty much just salads I wanted a juicy burger. That's exactly what I got and medium rare with bacon and green chili strips. Yum. Great fries to boot. Place was crowded but the wait was not too long. No wonder this has been a Cherry Creek favorite for as long as it has. With all the new and fancy burger places this is one of my favorites."

Victoria from Colorado Springs, CO says, "Probably one of the best (non-fast food) burgers I've ever had. The meat was juicy, flavorful and cooked to perfection. I had mine topped with Swiss, mushrooms, grilled onions and avocado. I stole some of my boyfriend's jalapenos later since they were pretty mild. It was one of those situations where you are full but you keep eating because it's that good! I ordered onion rings which were tasty as well. The service was cordial and fast. The building doesn't match the surroundings (JW Marriott, Hermes down the street) but that just adds to its charm. If you have time, go across the street to the Cherry Creek Mall and work up your appetite. You'll want to finish your burger! I would definitely recommend coming here if you want a great burger. Adam Richman (Man vs Food) did good on this one...Guy Fieri (Diner's Drive Ins and Dives) is still on my $H
Cherry Cricket - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/oAjjd
Cherry Cricket - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/esOg5
Shortage of inventory: here are the facts! http://ping.fm/Jcmz9

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shortage of inventory: here are the facts!

"Did you know that Denver is No. 2 in the nation for the shortest length of time a home is listed (33 days) before being sold?

Here are the facts (March 2012/March 2011):

1) The Number of Sold Properties is up 4.2% over last year. (3,514/3,371)
2) The Number of Properties for Sale is down 53.4%! (13,246/28,440)
3) The Average Days on Market is down 11.7% (91/103)

If you are in the market looking for a home, it is extremely important to have the very best experts on your side! The Colorado Dream House team is here to help you find your dream house of choice. If you are interested in buying, selling or investing in real estate, contact us today. http://coloradodreamhouse.com"
Shortage of inventory: here are the facts! http://ping.fm/jeEER
Seller's market, Inventory Statistics http://ping.fm/VhGI3
How To Make Moving Fun. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/5ReCN

Monday, April 23, 2012

How To Make Moving Fun. By Dan Polimino.

Let’s face it: moving is stressful for everyone involved and sometimes it's hardest on the kids. Moving to a new neighborhood or even a new state means leaving your friends, maybe some family, and your familiar territory behind. For parents trying to help their kids make the adjustment, there are a few tips you can do to ease the anxiety. Here are a few of my favorites.

1) Let each child pick their new room and then help them personalize it. Every child has their own personality and this is a great opportunity to let them express that. This will take their mind off leaving their old room and house behind and focus on looking ahead.
2) While everything is still in boxes and disorganized, try camping out in the new house. Set up a tent in the living room, blow up air mattresses, and camp inside the house. This also works on the last night or two in the old house before you leave. Again, try to make the experience fun without focusing on the negative.
3) Explore, explore, and explore. In the first few days of moving, make sure that you make time as a family to explore your new surroundings. Try to find a new favorite pizza place or a new favorite ice cream shop. Make it an adventure or contest to see who can find the most fun places.
4) Routines! Nothing promotes stability and eases anxiety like routines and kids need them. If you have a standard bedtime routine, jump right into it as soon as possible. If you have a standard routine each morning getting ready for school or church on Sundays, make sure you stick with it. This will help the transition maybe more than anything else.
5) Open communication. This should go without saying, but sometimes in the busyness of moving, one can forget to stop and talk about what your child is thinking. If you notice that they have become unusually quiet over the first few days or weeks of the move, then chances are something is going on that you'll need to address.

Finally, acceptance is the last step in making the transition. As parents, if we are having a hard time accepting the move, then you can bet the children will too. Make sure that you portray acceptance to your children and then help them to feel that way as well.

Dan Polimino is an Owner/Broker with Keller Williams Realty DTC. He can be reached at dan@coloradodreamhouse.com and www.coloradodreamhouse.com/denverpost
How To Make Moving Fun. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/klFIZ
How To Make Moving Fun. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/llIZB

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/qhbdf

Friday, April 20, 2012

Denver Second in U.S. for Quickest Sales

Buyers must act fast to get dream home. By Steve Raabe The Denver Post.

New advice from the trenches on buying a home: Look early. Think fast. Hone your quick-draw skills with the checkbook.

Metro Denver's real estate market, not long ago a buyer's domain, suddenly has shifted to a seller's paradise, at least in some neighborhoods and price ranges.

Realtors' offices are rife with fresh anecdotes of sellers happily cherry-picking from multiple offers - some of them above the asking price.

How fast is the market moving? A new report shows that Denver is No. 2 in the nation for the shortest length of time that a home is listed before being sold - 33 days - far below the national median of 89 days.

Until recently, prospective buyer Patty Kupfer had viewed shopping for a home as a weekend diversion. You know, tell your broker that you're available, say, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Hah.

"There's no such thing anymore as a weekend home tour," Kupfer said this week. "Because if you wait till the weekend, nothing's going to be there. If you're just looking casually, you’re not really in the market."

Kupfer, managing director of a nonprofit immigration-reform organization, said she has adjusted her approach in the face of vigorous competition from other buyers.

"Every house I've looked at has gone under contract within 48 hours," she said. "This has forced me to be more serious about it. The very next house that seems like a good fit, we're going to visit it that very day (it's first listed)."

In recent months, buyer demand has surged and the number of homes for sale in metro Denver has dropped sharply.

Unsold homes on the market totaled 10,325 at the end of March, a 42 percent drop from March 2011.

The result is that for some neighborhoods and some price ranges, homes are in short supply and selling fast.

In particularly high demand are homes priced from $250,000 to $400,000 and in central Denver neighborhoods such as Park Hill, Congress Park, Curtis Park, Mayfair and the Highlands, said Michelle Ackerman, Denver-area manager and broker for Redfin.

Even though metro Denver homes have shown only marginal price appreciation so far this year, realty analysts say strong demand and multiple offers could soon push values higher in lower to moderate price ranges.

One factor that makes price predictions difficult is foreclosures.

Lenders hold an estimated 1,650 foreclosed properties in metro Denver that haven’t been put on the market, according to data compiled by Redfin. As the market strengthens, more foreclosures will be listed for sale, which in turn could slow down price appreciation.

Sellers of homes listed for more than $500,000 generally aren't enjoying the market heat.

"Once you move above $500K, inventory widens dramatically and prices are still down, and arguably falling," Ackerman said.

Elsewhere, inventories are low and urgency among buyers is high.

Joshua Kurdys and Ileana Sadin, recent arrivals to Denver from State College, Pa., found the Denver market to be an exercise in frustration.

"You'd go out and see five or 10 houses, and the one house that was decent would be snatched up immediately" by other buyers, Kurdys said.

After several failed offers in central Denver neighborhoods, the couple decided to expand their geographic parameters, accelerate their pace and be willing to bid higher.

"It was very apparent that if we didn't make an offer at very close to asking price, we weren't going to get it," Kurdys said.

The strategy worked. They recently targeted a newly listed home in Curtis Park, made a 9 a.m. appointment to see it and submitted an almost full-price offer the same day. They now have it under contract.

What can be a frustrating endeavor for buyers is a pleasant relief for sellers.

Connie Ulrich was anticipating the worst in attempting to sell her three-bedroom home in the Northbrook subdivision of Thornton.

But within a month of listing the home, she'd had 34 showings.

"We had so many showings, it was just insane," she said. "I never expected it to be so busy."

Listed at $254,000, the home now is under contact for $256,000.

"There is a shortage of good product," said broker Rhonda Knop of Distinctive Properties. "If it's priced right and shows well, it is selling."
Denver Second in U.S. for Quickest Sales http://ping.fm/V6gjO
Denver Second in U.S. for Quickest Sales http://ping.fm/IOkLx
Stunning Mountain Views from every bedroom and all 5 Decks! http://ping.fm/JBcAe

Friday, April 13, 2012

Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre - Yelp review of the week

This week we are going to see Yelp reviews of Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre, located at 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geological phenomenon – the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheatre in the world. From Sting and The Beatles, to opera stars and U2, every artist aspires to play on this magical, spiritual and emotional stage. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver’s Arts & Venues Division.

Few of the top reviews are given below:

Claire from Denver, CO says, "Breath taking! It's beautiful here!!! Everyone who visits Colorado must go here. I've never seen something so beautifully constructed by mother nature (besides grand canyon) but this is a sight to see. Two large monoliths (rock formations) enclose a beautiful amphitheater, which enables acoustics to generate magnificently throughout the theater. Open aired concerts, events and movies are played here from summer to fall. The seating was constructed like stairs not chairs. During weekends, the locals come use the stadium seating as exercise. They use the trails for hiking. The entire park is so amazing to take in, it's huge! I promise you, watching a concert here, is like nothing else. There is available parking in 3 areas, the bottom near the gift shop, the middle near the bridge (you can use the bridge to hike up to the lower part of the amphitheater) or the upper area (where it's easily accessible to the sights, museum and restaurant). The museum is very informative. Take a quick look, you'll find the music area interesting. There is a restaurant though it closes early. Good for brunch, lunch and late lunch."

Louisa from Vernon Rockville, CT says, "Such a BEAUTIFUL place. The amphitheatre is HUGE. They have 70 rows of seats with 100+ seats per row. I went during the day to visit. There were so many people exercising at the amphitheatre. I was motivated to run too, if I had the proper attire. There are 390+ steps from the top of the amphitheatre to the Trading Post Road. 190+ stairs from the top of the amphitheatre to the stage. Excellent place to workout. Outdoor seating. Planning to come back for a show. Also, they have several trails in the park to hike. My husband and I went on the Trading Post Trail. Lots of scenery. Only 1.4 miles long. Beware, if you go downhill, you will need to eventually hike back uphill. Have on good shoes, a bottle of water, and sunblock. Has very minimal shade. Definitely a place to visit. The view is breath-taking."
Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/Jnvna
Red Rocks Park and Ampitheatre - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/RnrOX
Green Vs. Non Green. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/vw4Bk

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Stunning Mountain Views from every bedroom and all 5 Decks!


Enjoy stunning mountain & valley views from any of the five decks and nearly every room in this incredible five-bedroom, seven-bath, 7600 square foot, privately gated home nestled on over six acres of picturesque treed, mountain property. Practicality and high style blend perfectly to create a truly beautiful highland home.


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Stunning Mountain Views from every bedroom and all 5 Decks! http://ping.fm/uuh2a
Stunning Mountain Views from every bedroom and all 5 Decks! http://ping.fm/hL0ZR
Act now! 10 major housing markets with the shortest supply of homes http://ping.fm/CTBqv

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Green Vs. Non Green. By Dan Polimino.

We have heard an awful lot about "Green Homes" and "Green Construction" in the last few years. In fact, builders have been working hard to fill this demand in the marketplace, but is there really a demand? I have heard that stats show buyers will not necessarily choose an eco-friendly home over a standard home simply because it's green. Although I think that buyers can be influenced to buy a green home if they think that it can save them money. The big issue with people who are converting their existing home to a green home has been the upfront expense. I tell home owners that are thinking about making a green improvement that it may not benefit them in the wallet when it comes to resale, but can help the home sell quicker.

For example, if you are thinking about putting in a geothermal heating unit to be green, efficient, and cut down on energy bills, you better plan on staying in that house a long while to make up for the expense of installing it. The person that really gets the payoff on the geothermal system is the individual that buys your home. Chances are they did not pay more for your home because of the geothermal system and yet they will reap the benefits in the energy bills while you up fronted the cost of installation.

Still, there are benefits to certain green updates. Installing new energy efficient appliances that are being sold with the home is attractive to potential homebuyers. Tank-less water heaters still seem to be in demand and are on some buyer's wish list. Energy efficient furnaces and air conditioning units are a noticeable upgrade that the average buyer wants. Converting all of your lighting from incandescent to fluorescent is cheap and people like it. In some cases, solar panels can be a good investment, but again, that walks the line on whether or not you will see your money back when it's time to sell.

Of course, there are the die-hard green buyers out there who want recycled blue jeans for insulation, recycled glass tile, as well as carpet in a home that has zero energy bills. As a seller of an existing home, I do not recommend you go to this extreme. This is still a small segment of the buying population that is best suited for custom green builders.

Dan Polimino is an Owner/Broker with Keller Williams Realty DTC. He can be reached at dan@coloradodreamhouse.com and www.coloradodreamhouse.com/denverpost
Green Vs. Non Green. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/JnK7X
Green Vs. Non Green. By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/x558F

Act now! 10 major housing markets with the shortest supply of homes

Denver

Decline in inventory: 42%

This mountain-high city never experienced the highs and lows in home values that its coastal counterparts did. And now, with rents rising and vacancy of just 2%, more apartment-dwellers are taking the plunge into homeownership, local broker Gary Bauer says.

This city's inventory in February was down 42% from the same period a year earlier, at just 10,086 units. The number of homes going under contract spiked 19% between January and February of this year as buyers raced to take advantage of low interest rates and relatively low prices.

"I'm not sure what magic thing happened in January, but buyers really came out," Bauer says.

Prices aren't falling as they are in many other markets, according to Metrolist. The average home price of $270,821 was up 2% from February 2011. Bauer says March looks to be another record month.
Act now! 10 major housing markets with the shortest supply of homes http://ping.fm/I14Fj
Act now! 10 major housing markets with the shortest supply of homes http://ping.fm/nv8P1
Omelette Parlor - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/vschb

Saturday, April 7, 2012

This Greenwood Village property beckons with an invitation for relaxation!


Come relax in this sunny and open 5 bedroom, 6 bath in the heart of Greenwood Village! From the grounds nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac to the architecture of the 8,804 square feet home, you will be greeted with an open invitation to relax with your friends and family. For the homeowner who enjoys seeing family and friends wearing contented smiles, this property has that quality by the armful. Call Dan Polimino at 303-522-1161 or Gary Lohrman at 303-829-5900 for a private showing.


Friday, April 6, 2012

Omelette Parlor - Yelp review of the week

This week we are going to see Yelp reviews of Omelette Parlor, located at 900 E Fillmore St., Colorado Springs, CO 80944. Treat your taste buds to everything that The Omelette Parlor has to offer. Their family-style restaurant serves up the best selection of delicious food and has delighted locals and visitors with its delicious breakfast menu, outstanding omelettes, sandwiches, and salads for a long time now.

Few of the top reviews are given below:

Nicole from Colorado Springs, CO says, "I love local breakfast places; I always prefer frequenting them over places like Denny's and IHOP. After reading some of the reviews of Omelette Parlor, I was afraid the wait would be ridiculous and the service would be bad. We arrived at 8 a.m. on a Sunday and didn't wait at all. Service was fantastic. Our server was always prompt with our coffee and our food came out quickly. And the food was awesome! I usually don't care much for omelettes, but these were delicious! I had the Great Chili cook-off with the spicy green chili. Absolutely delicious! The potatoes were ok, nothing to get excited about, but my omelette was probably one of the best I've ever had. My boyfriend had the Denver omelette and enjoyed his food as well. The atmosphere is quaint and cozy, and the inside is decorated to almost look like a small cottage. Definitely a place I will frequent again!"

Jim from Colorado Springs, CO says, "The Omellete Parlor is a family owned breakfast and lunch eatery serving the Colorado Springs area. We heard from friends after moving here a year ago it was the best breakfast in town, and they didn't disappoint. The large Omellete Parlor gets pretty busy on the weekends so expect a wait, and, don't trust what your hostess says. Ten minutes could be thirty, forty five minutes could be ten. Just wait it out. They also serve mimosas and Bloody Marys in the morning, which are large and delicious. They have quite an extensive menu, actually making it hard to choose what you want, and the interior decoration reminds me (a northern Midwesterner) of someones great grandmas house in the UP or Minnesota. We are fans, though they need experienced hosts at the front door. There is some seating to wait, and a little coffee bar to wake you up while waiting. It's overall a great place for a Sunday morning breakfast."
Omelette Parlor - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/KnFYR
Omelette Parlor - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/EoFpW
This Greenwood Village property beckons with an invitation for relaxation! http://ping.fm/nFyTr
This Greenwood Village property beckons with an invitation for relaxation! http://ping.fm/vTmEi

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

This Greenwood Village property beckons with an invitation for relaxation! http://ping.fm/pKh2G
Who Wins? The Husband or The Wife? By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/hpMRD

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Who Wins? The Husband or The Wife? By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/23og2
Who Wins? The Husband or The Wife? By Dan Polimino. http://ping.fm/Q6sXR
Colorado Movers - Yelp review of the week http://ping.fm/7pes9