Asian Sensation: Best Asian Restaurants in Boulder

April 25, 2014 by John Marcotte

Asian Sensation: Best Asian Restaurants in Boulder

The category of Asian cuisine is probably one of the most varied of any type. From Thai to Japanese and Indian to Vietnamese, the menu items vary vastly and delight various regions of your taste buds.

As one of the foodiest towns in the country, Boulder definitely boasts some spectacular farm-to-table and upscale restaurants. They also play host to some fabulous cuisine from all over Asia. Here are just a handful of those offerings — and definitely let us know if you have additions to the best Asian restaurants in Boulder.

Chinese

The old standby. Chinese Food. Anytime I feel under the weather, I swear by a good Hot and Sour soup to make the world right again. Tsing Tao, located in the Table Mesa shopping center, has vegan Hot and Sour soup to die for. I’ve been going to this place since I attended Fairview High School and it never gets old. On the other side of town in NoBo, China Gourmet serves happy customers seven days a week. Just be warned, it’s a cash only establishment, so hit the ATM before you go.

Japanese

When I say Japanese, most people think of one thing: sushi. Boulderites love themselves some sushi, so there are no shortage of sushi places in Boulder proper. Some of the most popular places include Amu, which is also a sake bar that offers guests up to 48 different types of sake; Sushi Tora, which is about as fresh as you can get outside of Tokyo (it’s flown in fresh daily); and Sushi Zanmai, which doubles as a karaoke bar on Saturday nights.

Thai

Boulder certainly has no shortage of great Thai food places. You probably have your own place that you frequent or order from on a weekly basis. Here are a few of the places that have received top nods from diners in Boulder: Thai Avenueserves Thai right on College Avenue and many folks rave about their Drunken Noodles and Pad Thai. Thai Kitchen, a little off the beaten path at 28th and Valmont, has a reputation for Thai with a kick. If you’re searching for a place that will finally satisfy your need for spicy food, order your dishes spicy.

Vietnamese

While there’s a wide variety of menu items that constitute a Vietnamese menu, ask any hungov – er, sick college student which menu item is a necessity and they will answer in chorus: Pho. Luckily, one of our other staffers has got you covered when it comes to finding the best pho restaurant in Boulder, so my work here is done.

Indian

Though this category is often thought of separately from other Asian restaurants, it is a member of the Asian food family and I can’t pass up an opportunity to take about good Indian food. Curry N Kebab is located out near Thai Kitchen on 28thand Valmont and it is worth the trip (even though it’s not that far in reality). Fans of this place rave about nearly every item on their menu, so you can’t really go wrong with any choice. Tandoori Grill, in the Table Mesa shopping center, has an outstanding lunch buffet. If you have a free afternoon, go gorge yourself on Saag Paneer and naan and then promptly pass out when you get home.

Of course, as with any of these lists of recommendations, it’s nowhere near complete. There are so many amazing Asian restaurants in Boulder that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. So if you have a favorite that you don’t see here, by all means, please leave it in the comments.

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John Marcotte
Marcotte Real Estate Group
720-771-9401

john@boulderhomes4u.com

Search for homes on my website @ www.boulderhomes4u.com

When thinking of Real Estate, think of John Marcotte
I’m never too busy for your referrals.

Filed Under: Real Estate Topics, Things to Do Tagged With: Boulder county homes, Boulder homes for sale, Pho restaurants in Boulder, places to go in Boulder

LOCATION AND CONDITION ARE NOT WHAT SELLS A HOUSE!

February 7, 2014 by John Marcotte

LOCATION AND CONDITION ARE NOT WHAT SELLS A HOUSE!

Written by Glen Hurley

I recently read a real estate article that claimed price was the only thing that matters in selling a home. The author later said,” You’ve heard the old saying – “Location, location, location: Then she said…”The real truth is “Location, condition, and price.”

Well, she got one of them right. There are 3 things that sell a home. Location is NOT one of them. Neither is the condition. Now, before you start yelling at your computer that I am an idiot… Please bear with me and I will show you I am right. And once you realize I am right, it will help you help your sellers get the maximum money for their home, in the least amount of time. And finally, I will show you how to get a needed price reduction.

So, let me repeat myself. There are THREE things that sell a house. Just three. Each of them equally important.

Yes, price is one of them. However, from here I will rebuff a few other things I have heard are selling factors.

Location: Location only helps or hinders the price you will get for the home. It’s not like you can tell your sellers, “Well, if we move the house to the Country Club, you can get a lot more!” The property is where it is. You cant move it. So the location affects the price, and that is all. Here is the proof location is irrelevent. If your new listing is right next to the freeway. And right next to the fire department. And a half mile from the refinery. I think we can all agree that it’s not a great location. We can also agree it won’t fetch as much money as the same house in a “great area”. However, it WILL sell. Lets use the ridiculous figure of ONE DOLLAR. Do you think you could get someone to buy that house, in that location for a buck? I’d say yes. In fact, you’d probably get multiple offers. How about $100? Or $1000? Keep going up. Eventually you will hit an asking price that the buyer pool is only a few people. THAT is the value. Your job as an agent is to know your market well enough to deduce the housing need in your area and figure out what the price will be. In THAT location.

The next misnomer is the condition. Actually, all the same rules for location apply to condition. Let’s say your new listing is right next to the freeway, right next to the fire department, a half mile from the refinery, needs a new roof, new kitchen, new baths and has $5000 in termite damage. Do you think you could sell it for a dollar? Of course you could! How about a $1000?

You get the idea. Again, it’s your job to figure out how much it will sell for.

So, can we throw out location and condition as one of the factors that sells a house? Can we just agree that location and condition get you more money or less money, but they are NOT what sells the house. Once you get a firm grasp on that concept, it will become easier for you to make your sellers understand that they can’t get as much for their home as they can in the Country Club. They can expect to get more money if they fix and paint and clean. But if they don’t, you’ll sell it in whatever condition it is in.

Ok. If it’s not location and condition, What DOES sell the house? What are the three things?

They are Price, Terms and Exposure. And it’s ONLY Price, Terms and Exposure.

Let me show you how and why that is the truth.

Terms are very important. Many agents never explore the possibility of terms offered by the seller. They can range from the seller carrying the 1st trust deed. Or carrying a small second. What about the Seller carrying a 10% second? 80-10-10s are still available. This can help a Buyer avoid PMI and drop their payment a few hundred dollars per month. In dropping that weight, they can afford to pay the Seller a few more dollars for the house, and the Seller gets a monthly income for a while. Plus, the Seller might avoid some capital gains tax by disbursing it over a few years. Something to think about. Meanwhile, there are LOTS of other terms that don’t include carrying a note. In a hot market you can ask for a rent back. Or a FREE rent back for several months. I even had a Seller make the buyers keep their dog! They couldn’t take the dog to the new house, and they wanted the dog to feel safe. The buyers agreed, and the sale went through. The Sellers could have gotten more money and dumped the dog. But they got a price they could live with, and the terms they wanted. So, it’s not always price. It’s price and terms.

Exposure. Lets say you have the hottest listing in town. Everyone wants this home! It’s priced super cheap. Motivated Seller! All the good stuff. But here is a question…. How quickly will it sell if no one knows its for sale? Yes, that sounds stupid. Of course you will tell people. But when you are trying to sell a tough listing, or any listing really, you need to expose the property to a large buyer pool, so the property can get as much interest as possible. So we advertise promote and expose the property to the market.

The final segment is how you can make this all work for you. (And ultimately for your Sellers) No one likes to take a listing that sits and sits and doesn’t sell. After an appropriate amount of time, you sit down with the Seller and go over the 3 things… Again, you MUST believe in the 3 things or this will not work. First, explain to the Seller the 3 things. Price, Terms and Exposure and the role they play. Once you have explained all 3 things, go back and discuss terms. Verify they cannot offer any special terms. Next, show them ALL the things you’ve done to expose the property. For Sale Sign. Open Houses. MLS. Broker Tour. Internet ads. Craigs List… What ever you have done. And get them to agree that the world knows your house is for sale. Once you have covered those 2 points, remind them there are ONLY 3 things that sell a house. They can’t do any special terms? No. And the world knows your house is for sale. Yes.

So the only thing left is… AND YOU LET THEM SAY…. Price.

At this point in the conversation one of two things will happen. 1) They will begin to tell you some great feature of their home. Or how the neighbors told them they could get more money. Or this area has the best schools. Or SOMETHING. This only means they did not absorb what you said about the 3 things, or they don’t believe you did enough to expose it.. Start over. They MUST believe there are only 3 things. If you don’t get a price reduction, the Seller convinced YOU that you were wrong.

2) The other thing that will happen after your explanation is the Seller will see your logic. They will see that you have done all you can to sell the house at the asking price, and will make the smart move and lower the price!

John Marcotte
Marcotte Real Estate Group
720-771-9401

john@boulderhomes4u.com

Search for homes on my website @ www.boulderhomes4u.com

When thinking of Real Estate, think of John Marcotte
I’m never too busy for your referrals.

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Filed Under: Real Estate Topics Tagged With: Boulder CO homes, Boulder county homes, home sales, John Marcotte Realtor

Boulder Neighborhood Guide: Four Mile Creek

January 17, 2014 by John Marcotte

Boulder Neighborhood Guide: Four Mile Creek

By Tara Calihman

Tucked away in the northeast part of town, Boulder’s Four Mile Creek is a quiet neighborhood featuring larger homes, modern construction and easy access to the Diagonal Highway. (It’s also an actual stream that flows through Four Mile Canyon so don’t get too confused.) The neighborhood isn’t that far from the hustle of Boulder but with the many cul-de-sacs and few through-streets, it offers a feeling of community that’s lacking in other parts of town. With the large lots and gorgeous landscaping, Four Mile Creek is a great place for Boulder-loving families needing more space.

History: Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of history to be had in the Four Mile Creek neighborhood. Houses were constructed in the mid-90’s, which, despite what your younger friend might think, was not that long ago. The entire area has only existed as a developed neighborhood for about 20 years. For this reason, the neighborhood has a newer feeling. What it lacks in maturity, it makes up for in charm.

Housing: This neighborhood consists mainly of single family homes, although a few condos and townhomes are for rent in the very near proximity. Houses in Four Mile Creek offer contemporary design and expansive layouts, with many lots backing up to Open Space. The median sales price for homes in Four Mile Creek was $725,000, with many going well over the million dollar mark.

Restaurants & Shopping: There aren’t an abundance of retail or food choices in Four Mile Creek proper but there are options galore nearby in North Boulder. Just a short jaunt down the Diagonal Highway, Four Mile residents will find many restaurants in Niwot and Longmont. Additionally, Four Mile Creek is minutes away from 28th Street and all the shopping opportunities along the 29th Street Mall.

Family & Fitness: There are a wealth of outdoor options available at your doorstep if you live in Four Mile Creek. Three parks (North Palo, East Palo and Palo Central) are within walking distance, thePleasant View Sports Complex features soccer field after soccer field and the Four Mile Creek Greenway connects you to 28th Street, making for a wonderful bike or hike into town. And let’s not forget that the Boulder Reservoir and Walden Ponds are both located just a short drive from this neighborhood.

Schools: Crest View or Columbine Elementary, Centennial Middle, Boulder High.

Quirks: None that I’ve discovered as of yet — but give it time!

Major street boundaries: Jay Road on the north, 47th on the east, 30th on the west and open space bordering the south.

Four Mile Creek is a family-friendly choice for those who are willing to pay for the comfort and convenience of living in a newer home, in the midst of a younger neighborhood, with easy access to the commuting of the Diagonal Highway.

John Marcotte
Marcotte Real Estate Group
720-771-9401

john@boulderhomes4u.com

Search for homes on my website @ www.boulderhomes4u.com

When thinking of Real Estate, think of John Marcotte
I’m never too busy for your referrals.

Search for homes for sale in Four Mile Creek

Filed Under: Real Estate Topics Tagged With: Boulder CO homes, Boulder county homes, Four Mile Creek, John Marcotte, North Boulder