Now that we are firmly into the new year, tons of people are putting into motions the steps that will eventually help sell their house this upcoming spring 2014.  As far as doing improvements that will net your the most return and/or make your home attractive to potential buyers, some things are definitely more beneficial than other.  Along those lines, the first thing anyone sees when they tour your for sale home is the exterior.  This why curb appeal has so much value and should be seriously considered when repairing and staging your home for resale.

Here are some tips you can use to help increase the Curb Appeal of your home, because after you only get one real first impression!

• Replace or upgrade the hardware on the front of your home.  A new

…

When you think of the Wild West, what comes to mind? Usually characters like Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, and Doc Holiday; or maybe cowboys driving cattle, Native American heritage, saloons, and even panning for gold.  Well, there is no other place in the world with richer western roots than the great state of Colorado!  From festivals, art exhibits, and musical performances, to guided tours, adventure tourism, rodeos, and real everyday life experiences, the opportunities to explore Western American culture are endless in Colorado.  The harmonious blend of old traditions and new experiences have helped to create a dynamic culture with deep roots, and one that at some point has had every kid in Colorado dreaming of being a cowboy.  

Here are just a few

…

So we have to touch on the whole legalizing marijuana topic which our state has become known for worldwide simply because it is going to, without a doubt, affect our state's economy and its attractiveness to people and businesses for relocation.

Whether or not you agree with the decision to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, the one thing that cannot be denied is the State of Colorado is expected to see billions in additional revenue due to the taxation of this new industry over the next few years.  Of course, jokes and comments regarding the "purple haze" that can be seen as you fly over Denver are inevitable, but so is job growth across several industries like healthcare, hospitality, agriculture and tourism.  In addition, scientific

…

As the New Year rapidly approaches, many people are once again going through the motions of goal planning and setting their resolutions for the upcoming year. For some folks setting their resolution is nothing more than pipe dreaming and something that they know they will never accomplish.  For others, this is a pivotal time in which they wholeheartedly decide to make a serious change in their life.  And even still, there are other folks who choose goals and a resolution that they know can be accomplished without too much strife. In my opinion the best kind of goals and New Year’s resolutions are ones that combine a little of all three agendas. First of all, it is hard to have goals without dreams, but at the same time large accomplishments usually come

…

When making small talk with people, one of the most popular topics to choose is the weather.  Well, if you live in Colorado where the saying, “if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes,” is heard all too often, you know that our weather can be big news and sometimes makes major headlines!  Before this year, which has proven to be one of the craziest weather-wise our state has seen in over 1000 years, this used to be something that only our Colorado residents truly understood.  Now however, the nation is also recognizing the power of Mother Nature through Colorado’s record setting year in weather. 

Here is a quick recap...
 
In the last 365 days Colorado has seen:

• Record highs like Wednesday, December 18th, 2013 where it was almost 70 degrees,

…

According to the Colorado Division of Housing, foreclosure filings have dropped to levels last seen in 2004 during what we now refer to as the peak of local real estate. In addition, Inside Real Estate News, which has released report statistics by CoreLogic, says that Metro Denver is tied in 25th place for the lowest inventory of foreclosure properties in the nation.

This report also states that only 0.6% of all homes with a mortgage in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan area were in foreclosure in October 2013. Likewise, the State of Colorado, only had 0.7% of the homes with mortgages that were in foreclosure during October 2013, in comparison to the national level of 2.2%. In fact, only the State of Wyoming with a 0.4% foreclosure inventory

…

Living in Colorado means you have tons of access to great community perks, but more often than not most residents will tell you it was the great outdoors that won their hearts over when they decided to buy a home here.  Among the most popular of all outdoor activities for Colorado residents is of course, skiing and snowboarding.  With so many resorts to choose from all over the state, Colorado diehard winter sports enthusiasts have a lot of options to consider as far as season passes and multi-mountain passes go.   

If you consider how many times you will likely go, in comparison to the cost of one lift ticket, the savings avid enthusiasts can experience is epic! The cool thing about most of these ski passes is that they are not available to

…

With the economy’s rebound in the last few years, many people once again are looking at the potential benefits of investing in rental properties and real estate.  This decision to invest in real estate over traditional stock options is something more and more people are considering as a way of accumulating wealth. Of course, the decision of which investment is right for you is a personal choice, but there are definite benefits that people who invest in real estate can experience. Big time property investors see this as an opportunity to build their wealth even further by providing housing for the 34% of Americans who occupy rental homes. With statistics like this it is clear to see why so many new investors are now rushing to acquire single family and

…

If you have been dying to update your kitchen, but do not want to install all new cabinetry or are on a budget, I suggest checking out these awesome painted kitchen cabinet designs for a little inspiration!

  Contemporary Kitchen by Los Angeles Kitchen & Bath Remodelers 

1. This teal painted kitchen has tons of personality and is super chic! 

Contemporary Kitchen by San Francisco Architects & Designers Studio Sarah Willmer

2. I never would have thought to do two colors, but these earth tones have a natural and organic feel that I love! 

Contemporary Kitchen by Minneapolis Cabinets & Cabinetry CliqStudios Cabinets

3. The garnet color of this island offers warm sophistication and offsets the light color cabinets perfectly. 

…

Two monumental and unforeseen incidents that have rocked the Rocky Mountains and Colorado in the past two months were of course the 1000 year flood and the federal government shutdown. But despite the impact of these events, local economist and real estate professionals are forecasting growth in 2014. The Metro Denver Monthly Business Economic report for November says that regardless of the temporary setbacks, local economies like that of Colorado Springs, which is said to have taken one of the largest hits in the nation due to the shutdown, are willing, ready and able to rebound over the next coming months. This news is great to hear for Colorado residents, local businesses, big box brands, and of course our state's government.

This report also

…