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On a 75 degree day at the end of October, my mind started to wander about the wonderful weather we have in Denver.  I often get questioned about the climate of the area.  In Denver, we have it pretty darn good!

• I’ve golfed every month of the year.  Not every year, but many times
• Last year I shoveled my driveway 6 times.  That was more than the previous couple of years combined.  Most snow showers in Denver drop only a few inches, and it will melt off within a day or two!
• The Average precipitation for the Denver area is less than 12 inches per year
• The climate is very dry, and not as harsh as the humidity filled mid-west, and east coast.

The Rocky Mountains, and world class skiing are less that 2 hours away.  The mountains act as a barrier for the weather fronts.  Most storms hit the mountains, drop their snow, bounce over the Denver area, and pummel the mid-west!

I’ve posted a few great photos of the Mountains in the winter.  It is truly one of the most beautiful sights in the world!  Take a look by clicking the “Denver Photos link” at the top of this page!

If you haven’t already, you may want to subscribe via RSS or Email to make sure you don’t miss any of the great photos in the future!

Image by pbo31 via Flickr

HomeVestors of America Inc. ranked Denver No. 6 on its list of top 10 markets for residential real estate investing in the third quarter…

Based on HomeVestors data, the best U.S. markets for home sales, in order, are:

(1.) Dallas
(2.) Houston, Texas
(3.) Fort Worth, Texas
(4.) Atlanta, Georgia
(5.) San Antonio, Texas
(6.) Denver, Colorado
(7.) St. Louis, Missouri
(8.) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(9.) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(10.) Richmond, Va.

Based in Dallas, HomeVestors was started in 1996 and now has more than 230 franchisees in 35 states. The company’s slogan is “We Buy Ugly Houses.”  Franchise Brands LLC of Connecticut became majority owner of HomeVestors in June 2008, acquiring 62 percent of it.

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photo credit: John Beagle

I just stumbled on a great site for Garage Sale enthusiasts. Whether you’re buying or selling this site is sure to be a great resource.  This site appears to aggregate Garage Sale info and post it in a tidy google map application.  Very cool!  Now you can make your own, optimized, Treasure Map.

http://gsalr.com

You can select your city, or state or zip code and GSalr provides you with a map showing where Garage, Yard, and Estate sales are being held.  For the chronic Garage Saler, there is also an option to receive a weekly email, showing where that weekends sales are being held.

If you are planning a sale of your own, you have the ability to add your sale to the site for everyone else to find!

I’ve included a link for you to find Denver Metro Area Garage Sales!

Happy Treasure Hunting!

The season opener for Colorado’s Major League Baseball franchise is tomorrow!  It seems like only yesterday the whole Rocky Mountain Region was going CRAZY over the Rockies spectacular season ending performance.Last fall, the Colorado Rockies won 20 of 21 games to give them the National League Championship and a trip to their first World Series appearance.  Since 1900, only three other teams have won 20 of 21 games after Sept. 1, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last NL team to do it at any point of the season was the 1936 New York Giants. 

With much higher expectations (more…)

New Wholesale deals coming early next week.  I’ve identified 5 that look great on paper.  I am going to look at them and shoot some pics over the weekend, and will present the ones that are actually worth buying Monday or Tuesday. 

I hope all 5 will be worthy of our presentation, but that’s why we screen them for you!

Check back next week, or better yet subscribe and be notified automatically!

Have a great weekend!

El Parral is my favorite Mexican Restaurant in town.  The people are friendly, the service is great, and the food is wonderful!

When you get there, be prepared to eat.  The servings are generous, but not overwhelming, and it comes out quick!  There have been times when we’ve ordered, and the food arrives within a couple minutes.  It’s made to order, and fast!  These guys don‘t mess around when it comes to turning tables.

It has a fairly large menu, which I don’t need.  Just give me (more…)

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported today, that total mortgage applications spiked 48% last week following the Federal Reserve’s move to cut short term interest.

The index that tracks refinance application actually went up 82.2%, while purchase loans were up 10.6%

What I’d like to know is what percent are FHA loans.  The reason for this is the FHA loans are going to be able to help out those behind on their current mortgage payments.  While conventional loans aren’t going to be able to help those currently in trouble.

One of two things are happening, either many people (more…)

March Madness is upon us, but I wanted to write about another college sport, HOCKEY!  April 10th-April 12th, the College Hockey World will collide in Denver, for this years Frozen Four, College Hockey’s Division one Championship! 

Colorado is actually a hotbed for College Hockey.  The University of Denver Pioneers, are currently ranked #8 in the country, and are the 2004 & 2005 National Champions!  Colorado College is currently ranked #3 in the country and is a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA hockey world.  They are the WCHA regular season champion & have a legitimate chance of winning it all this year.  Finally, the Air Force Academy always has a competitive team. 

All of these team are within an hour of each other, and the State of Colorado usually has a say in who will ultimately be the NCAA National Champion!

The following is from the official site of the Frozen Four:

The NCAA® Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship returns to Colorado in 2008. The first 10 championships were held at the Broadmoor Arena in Colorado Springs starting in 1948. Denver will host this historic event in 2008 for the first time since legendary coach Herb Brooks led Minnesota to the 1976 NCAA title at DU Arena.

The Pepsi Center will be the site of the 2008 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four and was also the home of the 2007 NCAA Men’s West Regional. These events mark the first time in the history of college hockey that the Regional and Frozen Four will be hosted in the same venue in back-to-back years.

“We are excited to bring the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament to Denver,” said Jon Schmieder, Executive Director of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. “Denver is a premier sports city, and we’re honored to bring college hockey’s national stage to the Mile High City in 2008.”

Winners of the Regionals in Albany, NY; Madison, WI; Worcester, MA; and Colorado Springs, CO will advance to the 2008 Frozen Four

If you ever have a chance to take in a college hockey game, do yourself a favor, and GO!  It’s fast paced and very exciting! 

In an effort for Full Disclosure, I am a season ticket holder for DU Pioneer hockey, and will be rooting for the host team to go all the way!

In Lonetree, just south of Park Meadow Mall is a great place called Skyventure.  Skyventure is a Vertical Wind Tunnel, that generates wind speeds of over 160 mph, in a controlled environment.  The wind allows anyone to actually “FLY” (all while being within arms reach of a trained instructor!)

No experience is necessary, as they train you to soar on a column of air.  They cater to experienced skydivers, corporate team building events, children’s birthday parties, and anyone who wants to experience the feeling of flight, without having to actually jump from a perfectly good airplane!

For more information visit their website at http://skyventurecolorado.com/ and for a map and directions click here.

A Mortgage lender looks for your overall financial picture.  The main items of importance are current employment status, current income, and your ability to manage credit, as well as the amount and availability of a down payment. 

In most cases the most recent two-year period of time is used as the primary focus on your ability to obtain a loan. When processing your loan application, the lender will obtain all of the necessary information and then verify this information for accuracy. 

In particular;                   

VOD - Verification of Deposits.  The lender will verify with your banking institutions the funds you state are available to close.  In addition your bank statements are used to verify the amount of income you claim.          

VOE - Verification of Employment.  The lender will verify with your employer the facts of your employment as stated in your loan application.          

VOR - Verification of Rent.  The lender will verify with your current landlord or mortgage company the fact of you making your payments as agreed upon. 

Another portion of your qualification for a mortgage are the ratios of your income to your monthly mortgage payment.  There are two ratios that your lender will evaluate you on.  First, the front-end ratio is the amount of your mortgage payment in relation to your gross monthly income.  Second, is the back end ratio.  The back end ratio is the amount of your mortgage payment in relation to your monthly income minus any monthly obligation you may have (car payment, credit card payment, student loans, alimony, child support, etc.)  Different types of loans have different qualifying ratios involved.  Typically FHA insured mortgages are 29% and 41% while conventional loans are 33% and 36%. 

Please contact us if you would like to discuss this in greater detail.  We would also be happy to refer you to one of our mortgage partners.  These professionals will take care of you and we are happy to put our name to their reputation!