Shawn

Other Random Things Category

Colorado Springs Real Estate Market Report October 2011

Currently we have 3126 homes listed for sale in the Colorado Springs area with an average asking price of $320,901.  In the month of October 2011 there were a total of 587 closings with an average list price of $223,529 and average sold price of $215,846.  Buyers need to be aware that these homes sold for an average list to sale ratio of 96%. Take this into consideration when making your initial offer. This market area does not support super low offers. That...Continue Reading!

Looking For Great Diner Food in Colorado Springs?

Eat at Rosies! The newest location of Rosies Diner just opened a few weeks ago. I have to admit that we've already been there twice already. It's so nice to have new places to eat in the Northgate area. In the past we've gone up the road a few minutes to the Monument location but now we drive south on Voyager Drive to the newest location. Actually, the Monument store feels a bit more "diner-ish" but the new place is biggers and...Continue Reading!

Do I Need Snow Tires in Colorado Springs?

Well, yes and no. The answer will depend on where you live and how you live. For people who have a job that does not allow you to come in a bit later in the morning after a big snow then you will want to invest in a good set of snow tires.  Snow tires are actually made of a different rubber mixture than regular all-season tires so they work differently when gripping the road and snow. The treads are bigger...Continue Reading!

Colorado Springs Water Tastes Great!

Cold right out of the tap! In Colorado Springs we get to enjoy wonderful, clean drinking water. What a privilege it is to just go to the faucet and get cold water that tastes great. My Arizona friends are not so lucky. In Scottsdale, everyone has to have a water cooler with those big five gallon jugs of water. This drives me crazy! The cooler takes up space in the kitchen and the jugs are really heavy when you have to...Continue Reading!

Credit Reports: What You Should Know

Questions & Answers  How do lenders determine who is approved for a credit card, mortgage, or car loan?  Why are some individuals flooded with credit card offers while others get turned down routinely?  Because creditors keep their evaluation standards secret, it is difficult to know just how to improve your credit rating. It is important, however, to understand the factors and to review your credit report periodically for any irregularities, omissions, or errors. Reviewing your credit report annually can help you...Continue Reading!

Financial Tips

Back to School means getting organized! Fall is the time to start getting organized after a summer of fun and relaxation. Rose Kelly of Professional Mortgage Associates gives us a few tips to help get started. Read on below and get started! Prepare a Post-Mortem Letter Review or prepare a post-mortem letter to your spouse spelling out the location of your assets and property (assets of a deceased are often lost because a spouse may not be aware of them or know their...Continue Reading!

The New Colorado Springs Bicycle Map Is Here!

   The New Bike Maps Are Here! The New Bike Maps Are Here! For those of us that love Steve Martin's movie The Jerk, this phrase along with the excitement that it carries is familiar.  I went down to the Criterion Bike Shop  yesterday to get my copy. Colorado Springs is a great city for bike riding. We have city street trails as well as many off road trails. Legend The map is fairly large. I guess I was expecting some kind of...Continue Reading!

Can You Rent Out A Home With A VA Loan?

Common Question Can you rent out a home that has a VA mortgage on it? Yes, with certain conditions. VA loans are given only to Veterans who plan to occupy the home as their principle residence. This means that you cannot use your VA loan benefit to buy a home to fix and flip or to rent out as an investment property in the first place.  As a side note, I have never known how VA will monitor this but you...Continue Reading!

Can you Freeze Your Credit?

The answer is yes. One of my lender partners, Jeff Chapdelaine of Cherry Creek Mortage, just told me about this service.  Those who are quite sure they will not be needing to open any new credit might want to consider it. The first type of person that comes to my mind is a single person in the military getting ready to deploy for a year long tour in the desert. Who needs credit in Afghanistan anyway? Freezing credit will stop...Continue Reading!

Just how cold is it at USAFA?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg7lwsxY5aM[/youtube] Wow!  This video was posted by a USAFA cadet on YouTube this week. The outside temp (I assume with wind chill) was -41 degrees! Brrrrr. The good news is that soon this will all be over and we will be back to blue skies, warm temps and lots of outdoor activities. Forecasters are saying it will be 46 degrees this coming Saturday. What a difference a few days makes. This is why we love living in Colorado Springs!Continue Reading!