Million Dollar Home Sales

I recently told you of the rebounding real estate market and the optimistic outlook for 2013.  An example of strong sales was just reported in the Boulder County Business Report, stating nine homes in the city of Boulder sold for $1 million or more in December, 2012.  That is five more than sold in December, 2011 and puts Boulder in third on the list for December sales in Colorado. There were 11 homes that sold for $1 million or more in Boulder County over the past two weeks alone in January.  

If you or someone you know are looking to buy or sell a home this year, please contact me.  As always, your referrals are appreciated!

7 Ways To Improve Your Home's Sell-ability

Although our market his rebounding very nicely, the advice from "Selling Your Home In A Down Market" is relevant in most any market.  First, maintain neutrality.  This can be true of your paint colors, interior decorating and landscaping.  Keeping the look of your home neutral frees up a potential buyer to imagine their furnishings and themselves inside.  Along those lines, less is more is also important.  Clearing out clutter, cleaning off countertops and dressers, and not overcrowding furniture are all key points in presenting your house in its best light.  Read more ideas at Investopedia's "7 Ways To Improve Your Home's Sell-ability", or contact me for ideas and suggestions.

Please like our facebook page, loaded with real estate tips and ideas.

Newly Remodeled Condominium Sells Quickly

With only 13 days on the market, 1245 Norwood Ave, #42 has sold!  This beautiful, quiet and private townhome-style condo in Appleridge was remodeled by our sister company, Value Preservation, with new kitchen cabinets, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors,  designer light fixtures, modern paint colors, art niches and new tile!  The 1,488 square foot, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths condo can be seen at Value Preservation.  If you have a property that needs updating to sell, or would like advise on preparing a home for sale, please call or email me!

Neptune Mountaineering Changes Owners

Family-owned outdoor retailer Backwoods, an outdoor gear and apparel company, has purchased Neptune Mountaineering, the climbing anchor in South Boulder since 1973.  Few changes are planned, with staff and name remaining, however Backwoods, will bring adventure travel expeditions to the store via its sister company, Backwoods Adventures.  Check out The Daily Camera article for more details.

Strong Economic Forecast for 2013

The economic forecast for 2013 is optimistic according to the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business.  Predictions include strong growth in almost all industries and sectors and employment growth in Colorado to exceed national averages.  Read more at the Boulder County Business Report.

Parks and Rec Fitness Sale

If getting in shape is on your New Year's Resolution list, the Boulder Parks and Rec centers have a solution for you.  This weekend the East and North rec centers offer a free, 45-minute dance class sample ranging from hip hop to ballet.  Check out the adult dance days schedule to see if one will work for you.  

There are also many specials in January including a Three-Free pass to try out each of the Boulder Rec Centers free, $149 for three-months of unlimited use including classes and more.  Check out their schedule, classes and specials at the 2013 Boulder Rec Center New Year's specials. 

Chasing Ice

In the spring of 2005, acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment for National Geographic:  to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth's changing climate.  The result of this assignment is the phenomenal documentary, Chasing Ice.  

Within months of that first trip to Iceland, the Mr. Balog conceived the boldest expedition of his life, The Extreme Ice Survey.  With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.  

Chasing Ice, winner of 23 awards at film festivals around the world, is a must-see documentary illustrating undeniable evidence of climate change.  Don't miss it - shows at the Boulder Theater on Wednesday, January 9th and Thursday, January 10th at 8pm.  Doors open at 7:30 and there will be a Q&A following the film with James Balog, Lead and director of Extreme Ice Survey, and Svavar Jonatansson, Icelandic Field Coordinator.

Marquee Redevelopment Property Sells

1048 Pearl was home to the Boulder Daily Camera for 120 years before moving in 2011.  Since then, the space has been viewed as a prime redevelopment opportunity for new office space, retail, residential and even a movie theater in a premiere downtown Boulder location.  Denver's Nichols Partnership Inc, an original bidder four years ago, has purchased the building from Karlin Real Estate for $13.5 million.   Nichols Partnership plans to continue the development proposal Karlin Real Estate has worked on for the last two years.

Nichols Partnership Inc. plans to break ground on the $80 million project in the fall or winter of 2013.  It will be a welcome addition of Class A modern office space for Boulder and its successful start-ups.  Read more at the Boulder County Business Report article. 

We welcome the new development and businesses to our downtown neighborhood!

Artist rendering of the proposed Daily Camera property as
seen from the Walnut Street side. 

Short Sale May Increase Through Year End

With all the talk of the "fiscal cliff" in the news, you are probably reviewing the impacts of potential tax increases for 2013.   One result is that the soon to expire tax break for troubled homeowners is driving a spur in short sales. Currently, homeowners don't have to pay federal tax on the unpaid mortgage debt because of a bailout-era law known as the federal Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act. Read more about the short sale jump at CNN Money.  Although the number of short sale homes (selling a home for less than the homeowner owes on their mortgage) in Boulder tend to be lower than the national average, there are opportunities in the area.  Contact me for information and opportunities on foreclosures and short sales in Boulder County.

Boulder Firefly Handmade Holiday Market

The Boulder Firefly Handmade is a series of seasonal markets featuring local artisans that are open a few times a year.  Their Holiday Market is this weekend, December 14th - 16th at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (1750 13th Street).  There will be more than 70 local artists offering an assortment of fabulous gift ideas, a self-serve wrap station, treats by Tee and Cakes, kid craft area and even a warm beverage bar because it's going to be cold this weekend!  

Stop by Friday from 6pm-10pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am-6pm and buy green, buy handmade and buy local!

New Luxury Apartments and Retail Space Downtown

The downtown apartment scene just grew with the recently approved plan for adding a 20-unit luxury apartment building at 1707 Walnut Street.   Purchased by Element Properties, a Boulder-based developer and property-management company, and a group of undisclosed investors, the building will also have about 8,000 square feet of retail space.     

The apartments, which will be one- and two-bedroom units, are likely to rent for about $2 per square foot, according to Element Properties and will be marketed to young professionals working in downtown Boulder and empty nesters. 

A report released in October by the Colorado Division of Housing said the vacancy rate for apartments in the city of Boulder, excluding the university area, to be 1.8 percent.   Residential construction in the past has focused on luxury condominium complexes - this the first apartment building to be developed downtown in 25 years.  Look for the opening in early 2014.

Chamberlin Investment Group Ribbon Cutting

The Boulder Chamber of Commerce and the Chamberlin Investment Group will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Chamberlin Investment Group, Value Preservation, and Chamberlin Property Management.  

Please join us on Thursday, Nov 29th  from 4-5pm at the Chamberlin Investment Group office, 949 Walnut, Ste. B in downtown Boulder, just across from the St. Julien.  Meet our staff, enjoy hors d'oeuvres and celebrate our Grand Opening!   

Housing Shortage?

As you've seen in recent reports locally and nationally, our housing market is much improved today, with home sales and prices heading up.  But according to reports in Realtor magazine (Nov/Dec), along with these improvements come the long-term challenge of falling inventory.  This trend is no stranger to Boulder.  While our market was certainly flat over the past year and a half but didn't drop like many other areas.  We did see slower new construction growth and steady growth in the rental market, combine those with a typically 15% lower inventory in winter, and we may see prices rising higher and faster than analysts anticipated. 

If you'd like recommendations on buying, listing your house or renting this winter, please call or email me.  

Rocket Science

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. was recently awarded a contract with the nonprofit B612 Foundation to build infrared imaging sensors for the Sentinel Mission satellite. 

The B612 Foundation aims to build, launch, and operate the first privately funded deep space mission – a space telescope to be placed in orbit around the Sun for discovery and mapping. The map will track asteroids' paths during the next 100 years to provide advance warning of a collision. Their goal is to protect Earth by providing early warning of threatening asteroids.

Sentinel will take approximately five years to complete development and testing, to be ready for launch in 2017 or 2018.  Congratulations to John Troeltzsh, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Kepler Program Manager, for his efforts in securing this contract for Ball.  Way to go, John!

"Kid-Friendly" Haunted Houses

Halloween is now a week away, so this weekend is prime for Haunted House touring.   Boulder High School is holding their annual theater club fundraiser, this years theme is twisted fairytales.   Designed primarily for high school students, there is a kids' day on Sunday, October 28th from 1p-4p for brave upper elementary and middle schoolers.  Check out the Daily Camera article for times and dates.    Here are other "kid-friendly" haunted houses, please remember your child's age and sensitivity before buying your ticket.  Happy Halloween!!

Downtown Boulder's Munchkin Masquerade

Downtown Boulder has a longstanding tradition on Halloween -- kids of all ages dress up to "trick or treat" in the shops and businesses.  Bring your little ones to Chamberlin Investment Group at 949 Walnut, Ste. B on Wednesday, October 31st from 2pm - 5pm and enjoy some treats, "tricks" optional.

If you're looking for adult fun that night, there are many Halloween parties from The Kitchen and West End Tavern to Oak at 14th and Centro Latin America Kitchen, check out the events at Downtown Boulder.

Home Prices Rebound

According to CNN Money, home prices rebounded in July to the same level they were nine years ago.  

"The news on home prices in this report confirm recent good news about housing," said David Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "Single-family housing starts are well ahead of last year's pace, existing home sales are up, the inventory of homes for sale is down and foreclosure activity is slowing."

This latest sign of improvement nationally is also apparent here in the Boulder market.  The average sales price in the city of Boulder was up 9.5% year to date (August 2012 over August 2011).  Read more statistics at Chamberlin Investment Group.

Former Daily Camera Building Redevelopment

The Boulder Planning Board approved the proposal for the redevelopment of the former Daily Camera Building on Pearl Street.  The new development of nearly 160,000 square feet will include office space, retail, restaurants and movie theaters.  The Boulder Landmark Board approved the development at their Sept. 19th meeting.  Read more details at the Daily Camera.

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Property Owners Face a New Surtax

The housing market may indeed be recovering, as many experts suggest, but investors are still struggling to understand what, if any, taxes they'll owe upon selling their homes.  One new question is how the "medicare tax" will apply to real estate transactions.  It's not a sales tax, and it won't apply to home-sale gains excluded from income under current law.  Read the details at the Wall Street Journal article by Carolyn T. Geer.
As always, if you have questions about this law or any real estate taxes if you sell your home, please call or email me.