143 P Road, Silverthorne

September 10, 2013 by

143 P Road, Silverthorne

IMG_1554

This home has views galore, some of the best views in Summit County. This 3 bedroom 1 bath home sits on 2-1/2 beautiful acres, with it’s own private aspen grove, and plenty of room to expand. If you like views and privacy, this home is for you. Convenient to all Summit County has to offer, skiing, Dillon reservoir,and Outlet Malls just minutes from front door. This home needs some TLC. Come make this your dream, or vacation home. 2 horses allowed. You won’t be disappointed!

 

3 beds, 1 bath, 1276 square feet $420,000

 

 

John Marcotte

720-771-9401

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On the Up and Up: Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

September 9, 2013 by

 

On the Up and Up: Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

On the Up and Up: - Housing, Rates and Gas Prices

In mid-July, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke attempted to soothe the markets’ fears about home loan rate increases. As a result, Bond prices bounced higher from lows not seen in two years, and Stocks traded at all-time highs. Indeed home loan rates have certainly moved up a little, down a little.

Bernanke also repeated that the Fed Funds Rate, which is the rate at which depository institutions actively trade, would remain low for an extended period. He said that if circumstances warranted, “tapering” could begin later this year and end sometime in mid-2014. And just if you weren’t sure what “Tapering” was, it’s a reduction in the Fed’s purchases of Treasury and Bond assets, in attempts at helping the economy get back on track.

As the economy continues to improve stateside, political turmoil in Egypt has caused a spike in oil prices, keeping the region under close scrutiny. Also of note is the recent downgrade of Italian credit by S&P. Spain could be next.

Housing continues to be a bright spot for the economy, with the purchase index inching up and proving that people are out buying houses and using credit! The National Association of Home Builders also confirmed that builder confidence rose last month to its highest level in over seven years. Despite the recent rise in home loan rates, they remain low when compared to historical levels.

If you have any questions about your personal situation, contact the professional who supplied you with this month’s issue of YOU Magazine. Brian Manning, Manning Mortgage Group

 

John Marcotte

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How to Save Money at the Farmers Market

September 8, 2013 by

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market
Follow these seven tips to cut the cost of buying fresh
produce and other farm goods.


By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market - Follow these seven tips to cut the cost of buying freshproduce and other farm goods. By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

Shopping at the Boulder farmers market can be a great way to get locally grown fresh produce and other farm goods such as meat, cheese and honey. You already know this if you shop at one in your community. But if you’ve shied away from this sort of market because you think it’s too pricey, perhaps you should reconsider. If you know how to shop at a farmers market, you probably won’t spend any more than you would at the supermarket. In fact, you might even spend less. These tips can help.

Comparison shop. Prices can vary greatly from market to market and from farmer to farmer. For example, I found on a recent trip to the farmers market that the price of a pint of blackberries ranged from $3.50 to $5. So spend some time checking prices from several sellers before buying anything. Also, markets in many communities accept vouchers and EBT cards from government nutrition assistance programs. So if you participate in one of these programs, look for markets in your community that accept this form of payment.

Get to know farmers. Developing a relationship with the person from whom you buy foodcan pay off, says Michelle Howell, who owns Need More Acres Farm in Kentucky along with her husband, Nathan, and sells produce at a community farmers market. She says that farmers may throw in extra produce for free if you buy multiple items from them or set aside things they know you like.

Buy at the peak of the season. You likely know that you can save money at the grocery by buying fruits and vegetables when they’re in season. The same holds true for the farmers market. You’re probably thinking that if a fruit or vegetable is at the market, it is in season. That’s true, but prices vary throughout the season. At the peak of a growing season, when there’s an abundance, prices will be lower (sometimes substantially lower) than at the beginning and end of the season, when there are fewer of an item.

Buy in bulk. Howell says that farmers often sell items in bulk at peak season. You just might have to ask ahead because they don’t always bring big boxes for bulk purchases to the market. When you buy in bulk, not only do you get the best price of the season but sometimes you get a discount for your large purchase. You can either juice, freeze or can fruits and vegetables so they don’t go bad, or divvy up the bounty with friends. Safely freeze ground meat for 3 to 4 months, steaks for 6 to 12 months and poultry for 9 months, according to Foodsafety.gov. Eggs last 3 to 5 weeks in the refrigerator.

Buy at the end of the market. You’ve probably heard that farmers lower their prices at the end of the day so nothing goes unsold. But Howell says that this really depends on the farmer. Some sell their produce to other outlets, such as restaurants. This is another reason why it’s important to befriend farmers so you know which ones are more likely to offer a discount at the end of the day — or on a rainy day when there aren’t many shoppers.

Join a CSA. A CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture, is another way to buy food directly from a farmer. When you join, you share in the bounty and risk of the farm, says Howell, who operates a CSA. You pay a set amount to receive a weekly assortment of farm products. Exactly what and how much depends on the time of year and the success of the farmer. Some weeks you’ll receive more than you are paying for if the farmer has an abundance. Other weeks you may receive less if the crop is limited by weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Buy less at the grocery store. If you’re shopping at the farmers market, your list of grocery items should dwindle. That is, make sure you cross everything off your regular grocery list that you’ve bought at the farmers market so you don’t waste money buying what you already have. You might find that you need to buy very little at the grocery store if you make meals entirely with purchases from the farmers market.

Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2013 The Kiplinger Washington Editors.Kiplinger.com.

 

John Marcotte

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Timing is Everything

September 7, 2013 by

Timing is Everything


As Tapering Nears, Homebuyers Jump on Purchase Train

Timing is Everything - As Tapering Nears, Homebuyers Jump on Purchase Train

The Federal Reserve minutes in mid-August narrowed speculation regarding how soon the Fed would begin “tapering” $85 billion in monthly bond purchases. Policy makers were “broadly comfortable” with the plan if the economy continues to improve. All told, as the economy improves, home loan rates may continue to adjust further.

Prior to the announcement, stock prices had been consolidating and stalling.

Locking in the Value
The mid-August Existing Home Sales report was also released, reaching a four-year high, as borrowers jump to lock-in deals before rates rise and leave them behind. Sales of existing homes rose six percent from the month prior and a whopping 17 percent from the previous year.

FHA Changes
There were also some recent changes to the Federal Housing Administration‘s policies and how it will view a borrower’s derogatory credit history. Allowances will now be made if borrowers experienced an “Economic Event” which resulted in a decrease of income by 20 percent or more for at least six months which resulted in serious derogatory credit, including a short sale, foreclosure or bankruptcy. Additional underwriting guidelines, effective October 15, 2013, have been amended in the area of outstanding or prior judgments or collections, including the exclusion of unresolved medical collections from the underwriting decision process.

This bodes well for borrowers who may have been seriously impacted in recent years by economic conditions and are again seeking home ownership with an FHA home loan.

Summary
Home loan rates are still at historic lows. And with the recent changes to FHA policies, it’s still a great time to think about purchasing and refinancing.

Courtesy of Brian Manning, Manning Mortgage

 

John Marcotte

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Pica’s Taqueria Spices up East Boulder

September 6, 2013 by

Pica’s Taqueria Spices up East Boulder

picas_food

Pica’s is one of the amazing places that is helping East Boulder to make a name for itself. The taqueria is located in a strip mall (which follows my theory) at Arapahoe and Conestoga, across the parking lot from Ozo Coffee and across the street from Dizzy’s Donuts.

Pica’s is in the corner of the shopping center, giving the restaurant a spread-out feeling and a sweet back dining patio. With reasonable prices and a friendly environment, Pica’s is the real deal.

Trent, Pica’s owner and chef, can frequently be found working in the kitchen or running food out to tables and talking with customers. His toddler son can also be found often running around the restaurant.

With the success of his first restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Trent decided to bring to Boulder a high-end taqueria featuring quality ingredients and unique updates to traditional Mexican food.

picas burrito

Photo credit: Pica’s Taqueria

I’ll be honest. I’ve been spoiled by the tacos at Pica’s. Maybe it’s the creamy lime cabbage coleslaw on the grilled shrimp tacos or the pineapple in the tacos al pastor, but it’s been difficult ordering tacos elsewhere. And if you’re not as taco-crazy as I am, there are plenty of enchiladas, burritos and quesadillas on the menu to choose from as well.

The drinks at Pica’s complement tacos nicely. In addition to making their own horchata and margaritas, Pica’s offers Mexican beers, watermelon juice (!) and Mexican Coke. So whether you feel like getting a buzz or not, they have you covered in the beverage department. They also have a happy hour Monday through Saturday. The only bad news is that Pica’s is closed on Sundays. By Tara Cahilman, Yourboulder.com

 

John Marcotte

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The Mapleton Elk – Cop Strikes Plea Deal

September 5, 2013 by

The Mapleton Elk – Cop Strikes Plea Deal

boulder mapleton elk

We all remember earlier this year when the iconic Mapleton Elk was shot for trophy in the middle of one of Boulder’s neighborhoods. Shenanigan after shenanigan ensued, photos of cops posing with the dead elk emerged, and all hell broke loose.

Yesterday, the first cop in the case — not the one actually charged with shooting the elk — struck a plea deal. The penalty he’ll have to live with? One year of probation and 60 days of house arrest.

Having known people charged with DUIs and DWAIs in Colorado, I’m failing to see how this guy’s penalty for his involvment in this crime are fitting. Especialy given that he plead out to one felony and four misdemeanor charges. You seek help from professionals nearby or check out Leppard Law anytime to opt with your concerns.

Here’s the direct skinny from The Daily Camera this morning:

He received a two-year deferred sentence for the felony charge, tampering with evidence. If he abides by the terms of the deferred sentence for two years, the felony would be wiped from his record.

The misdemeanor charges are illegal possession of a trophy elk with a Samson Law surcharge, conspiracy to commit illegal possession of wildlife, unlawful taking of a big game animal out of season, and unlawful use of an electronic communication device to unlawfully take wildlife.

Three other felonies and a misdemeanor were dropped in exchange for the plea.

Now — let me get this straight. Someone who has a few beers or cocktails and gets caught and charged with a DUI or DWAI in Colorado faces a zero tolerance threshold and that offense will never be wiped from his or her record. It will follow them to and from every job application and criminal background check for a lifetime. And no, I’m not saying that it’s AOK to drink and drive — it’s anything but.

But a guy who goes out and conspires to shoot another living being — unlawfully — and to the effect of four felony charges and five misdemeanors gets to have his felony wiped from his record after he “behaves” for two years?

I’m not on board with this. But frankly, it doesn’t matter what I’m on board with. It’s the District Attorney’s office in Boulder that carries the burden here. Boulder’s a community that lives and breathes the outdoors. We practice Leave No Trace and report dog owners for not sporting a pup’s off-leash tag on the Mt. Sanitas trail. We provide the training ground for world-class athletes and are graced to ake up each morning to deer wandering through residential yards.

We are the idyllic watercolor painting.

And when crap like this happens in our community — the conspired death of wildlife — by those who have sworn to protect and serve our community, I fail to see how a plea deal as slick and self-serving as the one handed down serves anyone except Brent Curnow. We certainly can’t get the elk back, the one that was shot for trophy by a Boulder Police Officer.

But does anyone feel that this is justice served?

John Marcotte

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98 Anemone Dr • Boulder, 80302

September 4, 2013 by

98 Anemone Dr • Boulder, 80302

Beautiful new listing!

98 Anemone Dr., Boulder

3 beds, 4 baths, 2628 square feet

Best lot in Seven Hills subdivision. It’s rare to find such an idyllic mountain retreat with its privacy & natural beauty just five minutes to the Pearl Street Mall! Set on a lot with fenced yard area and good usable land, you’ll enjoy the abundant outdoor spaces & marvel at the foothills and city views. Kitchen has granite counters & radiant heated stone floors, all bathed in southern sunlight. Hot water radiant floor heat, over-sized 2 car garage. A unique property in an incredible setting!

Boulder homes for sale

 

John Marcotte

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Denver home prices highest between coasts

September 3, 2013 by

Denver home prices highest between coasts

This 760-square-foot row home sold earlier this month for $250,000.

This 760-square-foot row home sold earlier this month for $250,000.

The Denver-Aurora area had the highest price homes in the middle of the country at the end of July, according to a national report released today.

The report by RealtyTrac also shows that 24 percent of the homes sold in July in Denver were for all cash.

While that may seem like a lot, it is far below the national average of 40 percent all-cash purchases.

The median price of a home in the Denver metropolitan statistical area was $250,000, according to the Irvine, Calif.- based real estate data company.

Only cities on either coast and Honolulu were more expensive.

Denver was the 10th most expensive city of the 58 MSAs tracked in the report.

Of the top 10 most expensive cities, half of them were in California, with the San Jose MSA leading the pack with a median price of $640,000.

U.S. median price $174,500

The median price in Denver was 43.3 percent more than the national median sales price of $174,500.

In Denver, prices rose by 2 percent from June and 11 percent year-over-year.

Nationally prices rose 4 percent from June and 6 percent from July 2012, marking the 16th consecutive month in which median prices nationwide have increased annually after bottoming in March 2012. according to RealtyTrac.

Chris Mygatt, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Colorado, despite the report, said that home prices are affordable in Denver.

“Home prices are less expensive in Denver than in most major cities,” he said.

“Denver prices are less than in Chicago, for example,” he said.

Although the RealtyTrac report disagrees, as it places the median price at $182,000 in the Chicago MSA, Mygatt does have a point.

RealtyTrac uses Census blocks to define the MSAs. The Chicago MSA not only captures home sales in the Windy City, but in Naperville, Joliet and ner the Indiana and Wisconsin borders.

Such a wide geographic swath includes a large range of home prices.

In Naperville, for example, the median price of a home is about $350,000, while it is about $110,000 in Joliet. In Wilmette, a suburb near Chicago’s North Shore, the median price of a home is approaching $600,000. www.insiderrealestatenews.com

 

Seems like now is the time to buy a home in Boulder!

 

 

John Marcotte

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Crooked lender agrees to pay over $919,000

September 2, 2013 by

Crooked lender agrees to pay over $919,000

Jill Evans has agreed to pay almost $919,500 to victims of a mortgage scheme in Colorado and other state, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced today.

The plea bargain deal to pay $919,465.35 amounts to “full restitution” to more than a dozen victims who were defrauded by Evans and her company, Paramount Mortgage of Colorado Ltd.

Evans,47, pled guilt to theft and forgery under the plea agreement.

In addition to Colorado, victims were in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New York, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Nevada, Virginia and Washington.

“In cases like this, it is often challenging to secure compensation of victims for their loss,” Suthers said. “So it is especially gratifying that this case results in people receiving full restitution,”

In early 2012, Suthers announced that the State Grand Jury had indicted Evans for stealing fees for mortgage loans that she never delivered.

According to the 18-count indictment, filed in Denver District Court, Evans defrauded her victims by charging upfront fees in exchange for what her victims believed were commercial and reside. The transactions affected include properties in Crested Butte; Beverly Hills, Calif.; Calabasas, Calif.; Chicago and New Carrollton, Md.

“Since becoming attorney general, my office has made investigating and prosecuting mortgage fraud cases one of our top priorities,” Suthers said at the time of the indictment.

“Mortgage fraud harms everyone involved in real estate transactions — lenders, buyers and sellers — by disrupting the market,” he said.

www.insiderrealestatenews.com

John Marcotte

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U.S. new home sales fall sharply; house prices rise

September 1, 2013 by

U.S. new home sales fall sharply; house prices rise

A newly constructed home is pictured before being occupied by its buyers in a new housing development area in Vista, California March 20, 2012. REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

(Reuters) – Sales of new single-family homes in the United States fell sharply in July to their lowest level in nine months, casting a shadow over the country’s housing recovery.

Sales dropped 13.4 percent to an annual rate of 394,000 units, the Commerce Department said on Friday.

The reading, which was well below economists’ expectations, could be a sign that a recent surge in mortgage rates is weighing on the economy, although the data is often subject to large revisions.

The report could weaken the case for the U.S. Federal Reserve to reduce its support for the economy by trimming monthly bond purchases later this year.

“The higher mortgage rates are having an impact on the housing market,” said Scott Brown, chief economist with Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Florida. “That makes tapering (bond purchases) somewhat less likely.”

The government revised sharply lower its estimate for new home sales in May and June.

Yields on U.S. government debt dropped sharply and the dollar weakened following the release of the data, a sign that some investors were scaling back bets that the Fed would trim its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases next month.

Mortgage rates have risen sharply since May on bets that the Fed would soon begin tapering its bond purchases. The stimulus program is designed to lower interest rates to make it easier for businesses to expand and take on new workers.

The housing market, which has been a major drag on the U.S. economy since the 2007-09 recession, appeared to turn a corner early last year when home prices began to rise.

Last month, the median price for a new home sale rose to $257,200, up from $237,400 in the same month of 2012.

There have been indications that higher borrowing costs are having only a limited impact on the overall housing market.

Sales of existing homes, a much larger category than new homes, surged to a three-year high last month. Some analysts speculated, however, that home buyers rushed into the market to lock in mortgage rates before they rose further.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Additional reporting by Richard Leong in New York; Editing by Paul Simao)

John Marcotte

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