2040 Walnut Street [Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 2040 Walnut Street | $2.4M Why Is It Notable?The Carver House, originally constructed in 1910. A classic example of a Foursquare, one of my favorite historic architectural styles, with one unusual detail - the combination of clapboard and brick siding. The location was a touch busy, due to the higher density of nearby buildings and students in this location, but the condition of the interior more than made up for that. It had been opened up (note the steel) and beautifully renovated by well known historic home specialist, Joel Smiley.Like this content? Check out Fresh Listings. It's our review of the most compelling new listings [...]
2550 Balsam Drive [Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 2550 Balsam Drive | $2.4MWhy Is It Notable?The Panorama - Alpine - Balsam peninsula is a geological perch that overlooks the city of Boulder, with views both to the north and to the south, provided you're on the right side of the street. The non view, inner side of this micro-neighborhood is not so lucky, but valuations get dragged along for the ride never the less. We've been keeping an eye on the property since it first hit the market. It's a fine house, reasonably sized, and with the amenities that buyers require of a home in this price range and location.The trouble was being [...]
Colorado Gives Day | Growing Gardens
Guess what? Today is Colorado Gives Day. One of our favorite orgs in Boulder is raising funds to provide fresh food, plant starts, and seeds to those in need. In 2020 alone, Growing Gardens donated 18,000lbs of fresh produce to our local community. Please support this amazing organization. Donate HERE. Osman Parvez is the Founder and Employing Broker of House Einstein. Originally from the Finger Lakes region of New York, he lives in Boulder with his wife and their Labrador Retriever. He has been a Realtor since 2005. Osman is the primary author of the House Einstein blog with over 1,200 [...]
2950 Broadway Street 2 [Notable Sale]
NOTABLE SALE: 2950 Broadway Street 2 | $599K Why Is It Notable?Units at Red Arrow rarely change hands. Rumor has it the design of the building was inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, but that could just be Realtor happy talk. The location is right on Broadway, subject to constant traffic noise, but at least it's a short distance to downtown. This one was on the market for just a couple of days before it was locked down by the buyer. It sold for full asking, cash. Due Diligence Built in the early 60's, and although the design is iconic, it's also quirky and inefficient. As [...]
A Few Thoughts on Thanksgiving
Silent gratitude isn't much use to anybody. -G.B. SternWhen I was a child, our family gathered together on Thanksgiving to be with others from our immigrant community. Often, it was the first and second generation immigrant children who had learned about the holiday from school and their friends. Thus, the tradition passed on, as it has for many immigrants to America. This Thanksgiving, things will be a little different. Our family won't be gathering together. We're doing our own thing. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. It's with more than a touch of sadness, but tremendous gratitude, that I reflect back on decades [...]
745 Highland Avenue [Notable Sale]
745 Highland Avenue | $3MWhy Is It Notable?We've been tracking the Moorhead House since it first hit the market in January at $3.6M. It was designed by Boulder architect Watson Vernon and constructed for James Moorhead in 1902. Vernon also designed the Washington Street Elementary School, now part of Washington Village. Moorhead served as Postmaster of Boulder, County Clerk and Recorder, and Colorado Secretary of State.Like this content? Check out Fresh Listings. It's our review of the most compelling new listings to hit the Boulder and Denver real estate market | SubscribeFrom a location perspective, this is one of our favorite parts of [...]
605 Alpine Avenue [Notable Sale]
605 Alpine Avenue | $1.23MWhy Is It Notable?Congratulations to our clients for snagging one of the best priced, improvable homes west of Broadway. Mid 50's era ranches remain the preferred platform for extensive renovations and second floor additions. For one thing, the powers that be are less concerned with preserving homes constructed after the war. Their simple designs have relatively easy structures to modify and customize. This location is in close proximity to Mt. Sanitas open space, our favorite restaurants in downtown Boulder, and the Ideal shopping plaza. The house itself features two bedrooms, two baths, and a large detached garage with bonus [...]
345 Dewey Avenue [Notable Sale]
345 Dewey Avenue | $3.43MThis made the cut for Fresh Listings back in September mostly because it's one of the first resales in Trailhead. On the market for only month and sold for 4.9% below asking ($833/F.SQFT). Why is it Notable?If you’re unfamiliar, the Trailhead neighborhood sits at the base of Mt. Sanitas, northwest of the Mapleton Historic District. It's an enclave of recently built, luxury homes with immediate access to some of Boulder's most popular open space trails. From many perspectives, this location is what most people would consider prime Boulder real estate, but as always there are trade-offs to consider. For Trailhead, these include a highly visible [...]
The Calm Before the Storm [Analyze This]
Let's talk about the real estate market. I just wrapped up two days of obsessive data crunching on market conditions. My analysis paints a picture of a market gone wild in response to rapidly changing economic and social conditions. I've put together dozens of charts, but rather than inundate you, I'm going to share just one. You're looking at inventory levels for single family, detached homes in Boulder, Boulder County, and Denver. It's based on the latest market data (through the end of October) and shows inventory levels relative to the 3 year average. Inventory last month was 40% below average (red line) [...]
4650 Holiday Drive 104 [Notable Sale]
4650 Holiday Drive 104 | $574KWhy Is It Notable?I've loved the Holiday Neighborhood since it was first developed. The intention behind it was to build a low-rise, mixed-use, community that leveraged nearby transit. It was also built with an eye towards modern design and many nearby properties include live-work spaces. Like this content? Check out Fresh Listings. It's our review of the most compelling new listings to hit the Boulder and Denver real estate market | SubscribeFast forward fifteen years and the neighborhood has held up very well. Although the retail mix is still improving, part of that is due to the pace of [...]
For Sale, Friendly Occupant Included [ Fresh Listings, Get ‘Em Hot]
Hi Folks. I just finished writing our latest edition of Fresh Listings. It includes the very curious tale of what once seemed to be a great investment in a tony Denver neighborhood, but now appears to a landlord's nightmare. Why? Well, let's just say you're not just buying the house. You're buying a big problem: the home has occupants who seemed to have stopped paying rent and, in case you missed it, Colorado has a statewide eviction moratorium. After months of struggle, the owner has had enough. They want out and they want out, fast. It's being offered at auction, with a starting price [...]
7783 Essex Place [Notable Sale]
7783 Essex Place | $635KWhy Is It Notable?If you're shopping for an entry-level house in Boulder, first time buyers should consider Gunbarrel. In this neighborhood, mid 70's era homes like this one sell for about the same value as a much smaller 1950's ranch in Boulder proper. If you choose a house in the Heatherwood development instead of Martin Acres, for example, you'll get a newer home, double the size, and a more spacious yard for about the same money. Of course, you also are much further from restaurants, shopping, and (in normal times) work. There are tradeoffs to everything. This tri-level is a [...]
1235 Tamarack Avenue [Notable Sale]
1235 Tamarack Avenue | $1.54MA stunning, modern home with gorgeous design and features. Too bad it's also in a location that is strongly compromised, with near constant exposure to traffic from Broadway. Our clients loved it, but we advised them to not put in an offer due to this location issue alone.Remember: You can change virtually anything about a home but its location. Screening may help reduce the exposure to Broadway, but it will likely never go away. Even if you're ok with the noise, you'll potentially suffer lower appreciation and a reduced buyer pool when it comes time to sell the home. With all of that said, [...]
737 Pearl Street [Notable Sale]
737 Pearl Street | $1.48MWhy Is It Notable?West Pearl is one of Boulder's top locations. This unit, built in the late 1970's, is a five bedroom, three bath townhome located in the Pearl Street Townhouses. It has a Japanese garden feel to it with lush landscaping. The owner, a fellow Boulder realtor, acquired the property in 2018 for $1.3M. Other than paint, it doesn't appear that much was done during their ownership tenure. They listed it for sale at a wishful thinking price of $1.65M at the end of April. After pulling it off for a brief period, it was brought back to market, and [...]
342 Hollyberry Lane [Notable Sale]
342 Hollyberry Lane | $2.04MThis made the cut for Fresh Listings back in August when it hit the market. Listed for a little over $2M, it was on the market for 40 days without a price reduction. 342 Hollyberry Lane sold for 4.1% below the asking price, with no disclosed concessions.It's a tasteful home, with updates and an interior design that is very inviting. Benchmark: It did not have an amazing view and is a good comparison point for similar upper Table Mesa properties, adjusted for the very attractive interior design. Osman Parvez is the Founder and Employing Broker of House Einstein. Originally from the Finger Lakes region of New [...]
