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Has anyone seen our Colorado snow? Think Snow.

Jan 19th 12

filed under: Just Cool Photos

Deep Snow

Deep Snow

Earlier this week I saw on the local NEWS that Colorado is hanging around 73% of our normal snowpack. Looks like Alaska is getting all the snow for now and Seattle is getting hit as I write this.

The Rocky Mountain snowpack is vital to Western US States for their water supply. Just ask Nevada and California since they get a lot of their water from Colorado snow runoff. If we don’t have snow we will likely have a drought this summer. Farmers were on the NEWS last night talking about the possibility of changing up their normal summer crops if we don’t get more snow soon. Pretty scary stuff. Yep it also means higher food prices. Even if the rest of the country is getting plenty of water for crops they will find a way or reason to jack up food prices if there is a drought. You just know they will.

I’m writing about this for selfish personal reasons more than anything…I want an 18 inch powder day of skiing. Just like everyone else on the Front Range. We are all house bound for the lack of snow in the hills and the usual winter activities we all enjoy are limited without DEEP snow.  I went snowshoeing last week with the kids and up at 10,000 feet elevation and there was less snow there than here at my home in Parker, Colorado. Sad.

When will it be our turn? Who knows but if the storm currently sitting over Seattle moves this way if could help us a lot. If not then I guess we will all be looking forward to the huge Spring snows to get out and enjoy deep powder in Colorado.

THINK SNOW!

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posted by Steven Beam // Please leave a comment.

Douglas County Schools Open Enrollment 2011 – 2012

Nov 2nd 11

filed under: Real Estate Answers

New info for open enrollment in Douglas County Schools.

I receive a lot of inquiry’s from relocation clients moving to Parker and Douglas County wanting to know what their choices are for open enrollment. Here is the best and most current info I have seen.

Douglas County School District now offers two open enrollment windows, as a result of the Choice priority outlined in the District’s Strategic Plan. Our goal is to provide parents with the opportunity to find the best educational niche for their students. The first open enrollment period is now open, and will close on January 5, 2012. The second window will be open from April 15 to August 15, 2012.

The District’s open enrollment policy allows Douglas County School District parents to apply for enrollment in DCSD schools other than their neighborhood school. Students who are residents of Colorado, but do not reside within the school district boundaries may also submit applications. Open enrollment applications are approved for the 2012-2013 school year on a space-available basis.

Families who wish to open enroll their student for the 2012-2013 school year must complete an online application, available at Open Enrollment.

The deadline for applications during the current window is January 5. Parents will be notified if students are eligible to attend requested schools in mid-January.

For more information regarding Open Enrollment in DCSD, visit Open Enrollment Douglas County Schools.

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posted by Steven Beam // Please leave a comment.

Metro Denver EDC competitiveness report

Oct 27th 11

filed under: Real Estate Stats

Metro Denver EDC releases annual competitiveness report -

The report includes among Colorado’s strengths the following:

  • State’s GDP per employee ranks in the top 15.
  • Per capita personal income ranks 14th.
  • The state ranks 6th best for economic outlook.
  • Colorado ranks 4th for “NASA Prime Contract Awards.”
  • Colorado continues to post robust population growth rate – ranking as the 4th-fastest growing state in the country in 2009 and 2010.
  • The state maintains high rankings for 4th grade reading proficiency and continues to rank 1st for highest ACT and SAT scores.
  • Colorado has the nation’s lowest rate of obesity.

See the Full article here.

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posted by Steven Beam // Please leave a comment.

Fun things to do, hike Peak 8 in Breckenridge Colorado

Sep 6th 11

filed under: Fun Things to Do

Looking for fun things to do in Colorado with kids or just for yourself? Get off the couch and take a hike up Peak 8 in Breckenridge Colorado.

Over Labor Day weekend we took a little walk up Peak 8 to the 13,000 foot summit. It was a pretty easy hike as hikes go in in Colorado but it was fun and worth the effort. The views were amazing and we were very lucky there was no cloud cover and the skies were clear. It may not show on the video below but we could see forever.

So here’s how we did it.  My family and a few friends were staying at One Ski Hill Place in Breck. I highly recommend this as your base camp in Breck. We took the scenic lift up to about mid-mountain and took off up the ridge line to the warming hut or ski patrol house that you can easily see from down in town. The climb from the lift to the house was quite steep and the road/trail up there is mostly loose gravel and dirt so traction can be an issue. I found it to be more difficult coming down than going up.

Once you reach the mountain house there is a small trail leading up to the top of the Imperial chair lift. This is the last little stop until you reach the summit at ~ 13,000 feet. The trail from the top of the chair lift to the summit is rocky, loose and a little steep in spots. This was the most difficult section to descend once you have reached the summit.  You want to be careful not to twist and ankle.

Overall I would rate it very accessible and a great afternoon hike that will give you great views of the surrounding mountains.

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Douglas County Real Estate Market Update

Apr 13th 11

filed under: Real Estate Stats

Douglas County Market Report

Douglas County Market Report

2011 1st Quarter Real Estate Stats Douglas County Colorado

Here is a quick look at the numbers as seen in the full report linked to above. This is for the Douglas & Elbert Market areas.

Average Sold Price = $337,668 which is down 5.1% from 2010.

# Sold homes = 926 which is up by 6 sales from 2010.

Average days on Market = 135 which is 17% longer than 2010.

We have had a total of 8 homes that have sold above $1 million and 16 homes that sold between $800 and $900,000.

The most popular sales price is from $200,000 to $399,999 with 572 sales.

Since the end of January sales and showings are definitely up. I’ve noticed that showings on my listings have been through the roof. Some of my listings are getting as many as 10 showings a week.

Check this out. The average sales price for homes this year in the Parker zip code of 80134 is $309,200 and for zip code 80138 the average sales price is $351,692.

Foreclosure Hot Deals in Parker.
Steven Beam is a Realtor, CRS living and working in Parker Colorado.

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PACE – Parker gets a new Arts, Events & Culture Center.

Apr 7th 11

filed under: Fun Things to Do, Real Estate Stats

PACE Parker Arts Culture & Events

PACE Parker Arts Culture & Events

PACE

or

Parker Arts, Culture & Events

This is a scan of the post card the Town of Parker handed me at the recent “State of the Town” meeting I attended.

To be honest learning about this new (soon to be finished) cultural center in the center of town was actually the most exciting part of the event. There were a few bad jokes and a lot less real information given that I had hoped for. Mostly a smooze event and “look at me I’m your representative” junk. I do like the Mayor. Enough about the meeting.

This new building which I will say is quite impressive for Parker is really going to bring our Town to life. From the artist renderings and models I saw I cannot wait to attend an event here.

This is what I was told.

  • Located in the heart of Parker’s historic downtown.
  • Will host a varsity of regional and national arts performances.
  • Available for rental for community, social and business events.
  • 300 seat theater with an orchestra pit and dressing rooms
  • 250 seat outdoor amphitheater
  • Event room for banquets and community events. Social wing-dings! Yahoo.
  • Multipurpose classrooms, media and visual arts rooms and dance studio
  • Catering and teaching kitchen
  • Plaza with a kids playground
  • Art gallery

To me this sounds really cool. We have needed this for years. If you have ever been to an event at the old Mainstreet Center you understand why.

Good job Parker planners and Mayor for helping get this built for the Town of Parker.

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posted by Steven Beam // 1 Comment »

Hot Real Estate Investment Deals In Parker Colorado

Apr 7th 11

filed under: Homes for Sale

Hot Deals in Parker CO Real Estate

Hot Deals in Parker CO Real Estate

Do you want the “Hot Sheet” with this weeks really awesome investment properties for Parker Colorado? Click Here.

We are currently working on a new program that we will have available soon for real estate investors. We all know that the real estate investor is going to be the saving grace of this massive real estate downturn. Investors are going to buy the properties that regular home buyers will not.

Check back over the next few weeks and feel free to attend one of our workshops. It’s FREE and it will be full of informative information about investment opportunities, techniques and several different ways to make money in this market.

PLEASE Send Steve Email or call me 303-941-4663 if you are remotely interested in attending this event. We are hoping to have something scheduled for the next few weeks but would like to gauge attendance so we secure a large enough place.

Current topic ideas.

  • Fix and Flips
  • Rentals
  • Fix and Flips or Rent.
  • Typical fix ups and typical costs associated with fix ups.
  • Who does the fix up? We will have a highly seasoned fix and flip contractor on site with before and after photos that will show you real numbers for real jobs.
  • 203k Streamline Loans
  • Buying in your IRA. Self directed IRA’s are great for buying real estate. How much are you making in you old IRA right now? What if you could draw income from rental properties for life. I have guys making $60,000 a year off rents.
  • Any suggestions?

“I’ve had several of my Doctor clients tell me they are sick of losing cash in the stock market. Give me an investment I can make a steady return on and I will take it all day long.

There is a massive shadow inventory of homes yet to hit the market that the banks are either sitting on or simply have not foreclosed on yet. So will you be a buyer/investor and take part in the easy pickings and make great investments for your financial future or will you be the guy or gal at the party in 10 years saying “boy I could have bought those cheap homes but I didn’t.”

Prices are depressed 8-20+% in some areas so with the foreclosures and short sales hot real estate investment deals are relatively easy to come by.

Vacancy rates across the Denver Metro area are at all time lows. Record lows! Rent prices are up! Interest rates are Low! Homes Prices are low! This is exactly what our parents and every talking head on the NEWS and financial shows all preach is the absolute best time to buy? Your darn right it is. Buy low sell high.

Homes and condos are renting at amazing rates. Homes that were renting for $1,500 to $1,600 a month are now renting easily for $2,000 a month. Condos that were renting for $750 are now renting at $1,000 a month.

Remember all the people losing their homes to foreclosure and short sale still need a place to live. The fact is many of them dread the idea of going back into an apartment. Many of them simply cannot since they now have 2-3 kids. They all need homes.

The unfortunate ones that have lost their homes to short sale or foreclosure are no longer able to buy a home since their credit has been trashed. Most cannot buy a home for at least 3 years. Many cannot buy homes for 5 years.

I have access to amazing contractors for trashed out homes. Access to lenders that know how to complete the loans that can get your up to $35,000 for fix up costs. Lets face it 90% of the so called trashed homes on the market really only need a little cosmetic work to get them back into shape. I rarely see investors spend more than $10,000 to fix up a home to get it ready to rent.

Fix and flips are another possibility. As mentioned above. You can get up to $35,000 to help with fix up costs. Some investors would rather use their own cash and have complete control which is also fine. It’s not difficult to turn a $15,000 profit from a fix and flip property in this market. Many investors are doing much better than that.

I encourage you to call me or send me an email if you are interested. We are going to put this together but we seriously need to se what the community interest level is for this type of presentation.

If you are not interested but know someone that might then email them the link to this article.

Steven Beam is a Realtor, CRS living and working in Parker Colorado.

Contact-Us Search-Homes What-is-my-Home-Worth

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posted by Steven Beam // 1 Comment »

VIDEO-7995 S. Roslyn Way, Centennial, CO 80112

Jan 30th 11

filed under: Homes for Sale, Videos

Asking Price $295,000

Over 2,300 SQFT with 4 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms.

Call Steve & 303-941-4663

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Pradera Golf Club 4 Years of Home Sale Trends

Jan 27th 11

filed under: Pradera, Real Estate Answers, Real Estate Stats, The Timbers

Pradera Golf Club Custom Home

Pradera Golf Club Custom Home

Notice the reflection of the clouds in this custom home perched high on the hill in Pradera Golf Club.

Average Sale Price Down 12.83% in Pradera from it’s high in 2008. See data below.

After writing an article detailing home sale trends over the past 4 years in Stonegate, another Parker, Colorado community, I was asked to produce the same stats for Pradera Golf Club.

Over the past 12 months I have witnessed a new found demand for high end luxury homes in Douglas County including the custom home communities of Pradera and The Timbers. We all noticed the demand slow down for about a 12 month period in late 2008 and early 2009 simply because banks would not lend money to high-end luxury home buyers.

Well the lenders are back and so is the pent up demand from custom home buyers. Currently a majority of the home sellers and buyers I’m working with are in what I consider to be the high-end market. Steve’s definition of high-end = anyone buying or selling above $750,000.

What do you get when you list your home for sale with Steven Beam? See it here.

Here are the numbers for Home Sales in Pradera that have a sold closing price ABOVE $750,000 since 2007.

Total Sales by Year: (2008 was hot then the breaks were applied by the banks.)

2007 = 12

2008 = 19

2009 = 11

2010 = 9

Average Total Days on Market: (Like I said 2008 was HOT for custom home buyers)

2007 = 225

2008 =125

2009 = 216

2010 =207

Average NET Sold Price: (12.83% decrease in Value from high to low year.)

2007 = $1,085,417

2008 = $1,104,927

2009 = $975,631

2010 = $963,200

Remember I am only showing stats from homes that sold and closed at or above the $750,000 price point in Pradera Golf Club.

Total Volume of NET Sales By Year in Pradera Golf Club:

2007 = $13,025,000

2008 = $20,993,608

2009 = $10,731,943

2010 = $8,668,800

Average NET $ or Price per sqft Sold: (This is the sqft on the main level and upper level. It does not include the basement.)

2007 = $286

2008 = $314

2009 = $253

2010 = $276

Average Price per sqft Finished. (All finished sqft included.)

2007 = $224

2008 = $207

2009 = $172

2010 = $162


Parker Colorado has Four Blackeyes

Home for Sale in Stonegate

Be a Voyeur in Your Neighborhood

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posted by Steven Beam // 4 Comments »

Great Day of Snowshoeing in Colorado

Jan 25th 11

filed under: Fun Things to Do, Just Cool Photos

My Son Snowshoeing in Colorado

My Son Snowshoeing in Colorado

Not much to say here…My 5 year old enjoying a day of snowshoeing in a blizzard.

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posted by Steven Beam // Please leave a comment.