Archive for September, 2011
Friday, September 16th, 2011
Realtors Should Ask This ? First
Real estate agents ask clients a lot of questions. The more questions we ask, the better we can hone in on what clients want and how we can make that happen. One specific question we should all be asking actually has nothing to do with real estate but is sure to make our clients’ lives easier and elevate (hopefully) our level of service.
Question Mark
So what is this key question? “WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF COMMUNICATION?”
What you say, when you say it, and the method in which you communicate are all important. Knowing how our clients want to communicate can be incredibly helpful.
In today’s high-tech world, there are a lot more options in which to communicate than there were 10 – 20 years ago. Everyone has their personal preference and preferences should be acknowledge and respected. Some people love email, while others would rather text. There are also many folks that still prefer speaking by phone. And still other clients (although fewer and fewer) prefer face to face meetings.
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Realtors Should Ask This Question First
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Tags: Buyers, Communication, Emailing, Meetings, Phone Calls, Questions, real estate, Sellers, steamboat springs, Texting
Posted in Buyers, Sellers | No Comments »
Thursday, September 15th, 2011
Possible snow in the mountains today in Colorado . . . really?
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade places with anyone. Living in the Rocky Mountains is like living in Disneyland. At least here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado is like Disneyland to me. I had a client laugh at me when I said we were going on vacation . . . ! I mean with a world-class ski resort, world-class fly fishing, great biking road and mountain, great hiking, golf, boating, and more – and the clean mountain air, it’s a wonderful place to call home.
But it’s September 14th and they are talking about snow tonight. This is not uncommon. I don’t think we’ll wake up to snow tomorrow.
This happen every fall. Our typical temperatures in Steamboat Springs during the summer are mid-80’s during the day and cooling off to mid-50’s at night. Perfect sleeping temperature and just nice and cozy during the day.
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Snow in the hills, but not in Steamboat yet
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Posted in Steamboat Springs Lifestyle | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
OktoberWest in Steamboat Springs
The 3rd annual OktoberWest festivities kick off Friday, September 16th in Steamboat Springs, CO. There is truly something for everyone…and it’s the last weekend the Gondola is open until the ski mountain opens in November…next time up, there will be snow on the ground and skis in the rack!
So what is OktoberWest Steamboat Springs style? Here’s a sampling of the weekend’s events:
OktoberWest Logo
Friday, September 16th – Steamboat Springs Downtown Area
* 5:30pm Pedaling Posse Parade – get on your cruiser bike and dress in your favorite movie character costume and pedal through historic downtown Steamboat Springs
* 6:00pm Suds and Grub – beer tasting and food specials at some of the most popular eating places in town: Double Z BBQ, The Boathouse, Cottonwood Grill, Rio Grande, Sweetwater Grill and Ghost Ranch Saloon
OktoberWest
Saturday, September 17th – Steamboat Ski Area
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OktoberWest in Steamboat Springs
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Tags: Biking, Fall Foliage, Festivities, Hiking, OktoberFest, OktoberWest, real estate, steamboat springs, Weekend
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Monday, September 12th, 2011
Home Swap for Steamboat Springs Anyone?
Have you considered a ski vacation in Steamboat Springs, Colorado where you stay in a local resident’s home while they take their own vacation and stay in your home? Might just be an attractive idea for a Steamboat Springs resident especially if your home is somewhere warm and balmy with sand and waves not far away…Honolulu, Hawaii or Key Largo, Florida…anyone want to trade? Doesn’t have to be US only residences either – plenty of folks from London, Great Britain to Sidney, Australia frequent Steamboat Springs, CO and might be interested in a home swap to make their stay more home-like and cut down on lodging and restaurant costs.
House Key
The more popular a destination you live in, the more options you have available for home swapping. Lucky for Steamboat Springs, CO residents, our ski mountain is known as Ski Town USA and boasts champagne powder from December through early April. So where to start? The easiest starting points are the agencies who specialize in home swaps such as:
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Home Swap for Steamboat Springs Anyone?
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Tags: Champagne Powder, Home Exchange, Home Swap, real estate, rocky mountains, Ski, Ski town USA, steamboat springs, Swap, Vacations
Posted in Buyers, Sellers, Steamboat Springs Lifestyle | 2 Comments »
Saturday, September 10th, 2011
Don’t Buy Real Estate Prices, Buy Monthly Payments.
Hill St. For Sale in Steamboat Springs
It’s often said that, “now is a great time to buy real estate in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.” Home prices are down from 30-50%, interests rates are at an all-time low around 4%, sellers are motivated, on and on. There might be more reasons to buy real estate than ever before. But just because these motivating facts about the aspects of real estate are true, this doesn’t mean that buying a home, town home or condo is right for everyone.
If you are thinking about buying real estate in Steamboat and you’re crunching numbers to see if it makes sense this graph below might help. All too often buyers get a number in their head of what they can afford. “I’m looking up to $200,000” or “We can afford a home between $400,000 and $500,000.” Now these might be real numbers because you met with a lender yesterday. But these numbers can change on a daily basis depending on a few things – your income, your debt, and the interest rates.
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Don’t Buy Real Estate Prices, Buy Monthly Payments
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Tags: charlie dresen, colorado, cost of real estate, Downtown, interests rates, monthly payment, payment, Sellers, steamboat, steamboat real estate, steamboat springs, steamboat springs real estate
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Thursday, September 8th, 2011
“Why” is Not Always As is Seems
I’m a father of an 8 year old, so I’ve been asked many “why’s” for the past 6 years and while for the most part I patiently answer each “why” question, every once in a while it’s one too many “whys” and I just want the questions to stop. Sometimes if you sit back and listen, observe and think about things, the dots connect themselves…hard to expect from an 8 year old, but hopefully not a 48 year old!
If you were in Steamboat Springs, Colorado this past spring, you had a lot of thinking time because you certainly weren’t enjoying the great outdoors that was still covered by snow and being pounded by more snow, sleet and rain through early June. The epic ski season was followed by a gloomy spring that never seemed very spring-like.
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“Why” is Not Always As it Seems
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Tags: Buyers, colorado, Market Reports, Mountain Communities, real estate, Sellers, steamboat springs, Trends
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Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Realtors Give Back
As we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this weekend, we’ll remember how citizens of New York City and our entire nation pulled together to sort through the ashes where the Twin Towers once stood and begin the process of restoring normalcy – albeit an entirely new norm for our country. At this time it’s worth noting that since September 2001, Realtors have provided more than $22 million dollars in disaster relief to victims. This is in addition to the countless hours Realtors put in volunteering at disaster sites in ways too numerous to count. What has been calculated are the following grants and donations over the past 10 years that have helped countless victims get back on their feet. As reported in the September issue of REALTOR Magazine, the real estate industry gives, and gives generously in times of crisis.
* 2001: $8.5 million in assistance to 1,333 families affected by the 9/11 attacks
Twin Towers
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Realtors Give Back
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Tags: 9/11, Katrina, national association of realtors, realtor, Twin Towers
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Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Chocolate Pistachio Macaroons and the American Dream
For a small town Steamboat Springs, Colorado has more than its fair share of local businesses playing in the international arena – SmartWool, Big Agnes and Honey Stinger to name a few. Now there’s another local entrepreneur, Lisa Ciraldo, owner of Chocolate Soup, following her American Dream of getting her baked goods distributed nationally.
Macaroons Hot From the Oven
Opening Chocolate Soup Pastry Café on Mount Werner Circle at the base of Steamboat Springs’ ski area five years ago was only the start of Lisa’s dream. Distributing her products on a national scale was always Lisa’s biggest goal. Realization of that dream is well on its way to happening as Chocolate Soup is selling its milk chocolate almond and dark chocolate pistachio macaroons and its Bella Luna graham crackers at Whole Foods Market stores in their Rocky Mountain region as of last week.
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Macaroons and the American Dream
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Tags: Chocolate Soup, Distribution, Entrepreneur, Macaroons, National, steamboat springs, Whole Foods
Posted in Steamboat Springs Lifestyle | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Referendum 2B May Determine if Air Service to Steamboat is not 2B
Yampa Valley Airport in Steamboat Springs
Read my lips . . . you know what’s next.
There are a few key issues on this November’s ballot in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, but one in particular has a lot at stake – providing future transportation for visitors to fly into Yampa Valley Regional Airport. What does Referendum 2B entail? In a nutshell:
- If passed, every time you spend $100, 25 cents will go to support increasing the air seats flying in to YVRA.
- In effect it means an increased sales tax of .0025 which would raise our Steamboat
- Springs sales tax to 8.65%.
- It is scheduled to expire after 5 years.
So what’s an additional 25 cents on every $100 provide:
- An estimated $1.3 million annually to help support air travel to Steamboat Springs.
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Subsidized Airlines: A Steamboat Springs Conundrum
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Tags: 2B, steamboat springs, taxew, Yampa Valley Regional Airport
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Thursday, September 1st, 2011
Wow…Two Hometown Icons Face Big Changes
When you live in a town of less than 10,000 permanent residents you definitely have a couple of stores and restaurants that are your “go-to” places…you know those places that you can always count on for the perfect stocking stuffer or the grilled vegetable salad when you’re trying to be somewhat healthy.
Two of those local Steamboat Springs, Colorado hangouts are about to undergo big changes – downtown Lincoln Avenue staple All That Jazz is up for sale and Tugboat Grill & Pub up near the ski mountain base has been sold to a new owner. All That Jazz, an iconic music store that sells much more than music has been in business since original and current owner, Joe Kboudi, opened its doors in 1977. Now in his late 60’s, Joe is ready to move on and have more time for other hobbies…not that he won’t entertain an offer to manage the store if a new owner needs help.
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Two Hometown Icons Face Big Changes
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Tags: All That Jazz, buying, Commercial Real Estate, Iconic, Ownership, real estate, Selling, steamboat springs, Tugboat, Tugboat Grill & Pub
Posted in Buyers, Steamboat Springs Lifestyle | No Comments »
