Want to go hiking?

Colorado Springs offers lots of hiking spots right in town! I love this about our city. You can take a quick hike and then grab a nice lunch or even a late breakfast. Of course there are lots of other spots for hiking outside of town but this post is just about the hyper-local trails.

One of my favorite areas is Cheyenne Canon. There are several trails that offer a challenge and usually a spectacular view of the city or the mountains. The City of Colorado Springs has a great page on their web site with a full list of all of the local trails as well as maps of each trail. This will give you an idea of how long the trail is and the level of difficulty. Perfect for beginners or those hiking with kids. Other traills are good for just walking or biking. The site details those locations as well.

If you are planning a move to the Colorado Springs area, contact me for information on homes near hiking and biking trails. We have a few neighborhoods that are perfect for people who want to be able to come home and take a quick hike before dinner! Where else in the world could life be this good? Only in Colorado Springs!

What does this mean? Can I now unlock my doors at night? Probably not but it does confirm what I have always believed about our city. This is a great place to live all around! I feel safe going downtown to a restaurant with friends. Of course I don’t stay out that late and don’t frequent the downtown nightclubs that seem to have weekly incidents involving police. The places that I go, day or night seem to be safe and well lit.

The key here is to look at all of the factors that made up this safety study. Our air quality is excellent. We get the best water in the whole world cold and tasty right out of the tap. As for life expectancy, my grandfather was a Colorado Springs native (b.1900) and he lived to be nearly 99! Our clean living and penchant for fitness makes it easy to live a long time here.

The large military presence in this city gives financial stability to the region. Job losses are less than other cities due to our guaranteed military payroll every two weeks. We never boomed as much as other cities during the past ten years so our job losses have been much less than other areas similar to Colorado Springs.

Housing areas can be safe in most area of the city. Even in lower price ranges, a good safe home can be found. It all depends on who is assisting you in your search. I am a lifetime native of Colorado Springs. I know the areas that are most popular with buyers based on typical needs such as safety, convenience, schools etc. If you are considering a move to the area, feel free to contact me. I would love to assist you!

New on the market!

This Richmond Spruce model is priced to sell quickly. Perfect for an owner occupant who wants to find a deal! This home just needs a new coat of interior paint, appliance and a good cleaning and it will shine just like it did when new!

This floor plan has been very popular and for good reason. The main level features a see-through fireplace in the living room and family room. Large kitchen has dining area. Upstairs has large master suite plus two other bedrooms. Loft area looks over living room and can be used for a tv area or office/library.

Soaring Eagles subdivision is a great location for people who work at Peterson AFB, Schriever AFB or Fort Carson. This home has quick access to Powers for all commuters.

This home is a great deal! Don’t miss your chance for easy equity! Contact me today for a showing or for info on other bank owned listings in Colorado Springs!

Rose Kelly of ULC Mortgage has just sent me today’s VA Mortgage Rates. They are still crazy low!

Purchase Rates:

30 year fixed 4.875%

15 year fixed 4.25%

3/1 ARM 3.75%

5/1ARM 4%

Refinance Rates:

30 year fixed 5.0%

15 year fixed 4.25%

These rates are great! A good lender is so helpful in taking the stress out of buying a home. For more info on finding a mortgage lender to assist you with your VA loan, contact me. I can help you find a qualified, experienced mortgage lender.

If you are making a move to Fort Carson in the near future, you need to plan ahead! If accompanied, there are a large number of hotels and motels, with a wide variety of rates, located within a short distance of Fort Carson. Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) can be paid for up to ten days, starting with the day you sign in.

The Colorado Inn, the post’s temporary lodging facility, is operated on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are accepted up to 60 days in advance. Families on valid orders are housed on a priority basis. Currently, there are 150 single and family rooms with efficiency units, non-smoking only. The cost per room is $37 a day for a single room, $47 a day for a double room, $57 for a DVQ and $2 for each additional occupant over 15. Children under 15 stay for free. For information or reservations call (719) 526-4832 or DSN 691-4832. The Colorado Inn operates 24 hours a day, and is located in Bldg. 7301 on Woodfill Road. (719) 526-3803

We have so many people that are moving in and out of Fort Carson that the Colorado Inn is often full. Make sure to plan ahead with your reservations so that you can minimize your expenses.

If you are planning to buy a home in Colorado Springs, a bit of pre-planning will save lots of money and stress in the long run. Do your research ahead of time. If possible, make an advance house hunting trip to the area. Read my previous post to learn more on that subject.

Fort Carson has a wide variety of on post options for housing. The problem is the waiting list can be very long. There are 15 different housing communites on the Mountain Post. Some of  the homes are older but several communities have been built in the past few years. They look just like homes available for sale in Colorado Springs. The newer homes were all ready at the same time so if you think about it they would have had all new occupants at the same time. This means that there won’t be any availability for a while.

All of the housing at Fort Carson is managed by a private company, Balfour Beatty Communities. The curious thing is that this is not an American company. They are headquatered in the UK. I have to wonder why we could not find an American housing management company for our American troops! Typical for big government I guess.

All of the typical amenities are available for Fort Carson housing. They provide trash pick-up, recycling and utilities. The rent amount is equal to the service member’s monthly BAH. Really, now that housing is privatized you are just renting a home on post. For some, this represents a great convenience. For others, it means living under the watchful eye of the Army at all times. It just depends on what you like.

Currently, this is a great time to buy a home in Colorado Springs! Think about it–the home buyer credit has just been extended until Spring. Prices are low right now as are interest rates. A VA mortgage is fast and easy to obtain. Why not investigate buying a home? Colorado Springs is a wonderful place for military members to buy a home even if you plan to be here only 2 or 3 years. Many people choose to rent their homes when they PCS on to the next destination. This means your investment can continue to grow while you move on to a new post.

Cash Back for Military Members

We offer a great incentive for military home buyers. When you choose to work with eSaleHomes Realty to buy a home, we give you a cash incentive after closing. This can range from $500 to $3000 depending on the sales price of the home. Sure, other companies offer incentives as well. When you work with me, you get top-knotch service and the benefit of 20 years of local full time real estate experience. Other companies will just “assign” you to an agent. Don’t you want someone that you choose?

For information on how you can buy a home near Fort Carson, feel free to contact me. I am very familiar with the stresses of a PCS move. There are so many ways that I can assist you with the transition from your current destination to your new one at Fort Carson.

Really, a large number of people who move here every year didn’t necessarily “choose” to come here. These people are our military troops who get PCS orders for Ft. Carson, Peterson AFB, NORAD, Schriever AFB and the United States Air Force Academy. These five installations bring many new people to Colorado Springs each month. Lots of them want to come here and for good reason. Other people begin their search for a new city in order to escape their old one. It’s no secret that fed-up Californians are still relocating here in large numbers.

Colorado Springs offers an excellent quality of life! Look outside the window of where you are currently living. What do you see? I look out my window and see Pikes Peak and the beautiful mountains of Colorado. The sky is usually a bright shade of blue and the air is clean. Our water is crystal clear and tastes great right ut of the tap. Not every city can say that.

Colorado Springs has many employment opportunities.  Aside from the military presense, we have lots of major employers here. USAA, HP, Penrose St. Francis Hospital, Booz Allen-Hamilton, FedEx and many more.

The Pikes Peak region has more outdoor activities than most people have time to even think about doing! If you are a hiker, we have many trails in the city or within a 20 minute drive. Biking is popular as well. We see road bikers commuting to work and riding for pleasure. Mountain biking trails are easily accessible. Local parks have something for everyone as well. You can take a picnic to a neighborhood city park or spend all day in the Garden of the Gods.

Traffic is rarely an issue for Colorado Springs residents. The daily commute for most people is a short one with very few delays. This is a large city but drive times are short. Many people choose to live in Colorado Springs but work in Denver, only an hour away.