The Peloton a Value Investment? [Notable Sale]
by Osman Parvez Right now, I'm reviewing sales from last month for my upcoming research report. We usually put a handful of notable sales in our research report on Boulder real estate, but there were too many in December, so I've decided to publish a few on this blog. Why Notable The intention behind House Einstein's notable sales is to help you understand market conditions. Whether you're buying or selling, we believe knowledge of the market will help you make a smarter decision. As a seller, perhaps it will give you a reason to negotiate with that lowball offer [...]
Fresh Listings, Why or Why Not [Get ‘Em Hot]
by Osman Parvez Over the last two weeks, over a hundred new properties have hit the market. This should make Boulder real estate shoppers happy. Let's take a look at a few. Not the Bargain Bin at Nordstrom Rack First of all, the following listings are truly new to market. None have been on the MLS for more than 2 weeks so they've haven't been picked through by every buyer in Boulder (yet). I've hand selected them for a variety of reasons (explained below). If you're shopping for real estate in Boulder, add these to your list. [...]
New Meeting Date for Pops and Scrapes Ordinance
by Osman Parvez ---- The date for the Planning Board meeting on the language of the ordinance has changed. The new meeting date is July, 9, 2009. If you care about the impact of new, far more restrictive house size limits on Boulder, please consider attending. The city of Boulder Compatible Development in Single Family Neighborhoods project and proposed ordinance language will now be heard at Planning Board on Thursday, July 9, 2009. The meeting begins at 6pm at 1777 Broadway (City Council chambers). Please note the date change as the hearing was previously scheduled for next Thursday, June 18, [...]
No Surprise, Council Draws Legal Fire on Pops and Scrapes
by Osman Parvez ---- From the Daily Camera: ...the law offices of Packard and Dierking has been retained to figure out how to "prevent or revoke any unfavorable actions" that the Boulder City Council might take to prevent so-called "pops and scrapes." What did Council expect to happen? Residents of Colorado traditionally hold a strong view on property rights. The council, for more than a year, has floated the idea of lowering the allowable floor-area ratio to curb redevelopments that are out of scale with established neighborhoods, prompting impassioned responses from residents on both sides of the contentious issue. [...]
Grandview Brouhaha: City Council Sends a Message
by Osman Parvez ---- Here we go again. Despite a deepening budget shortfall and the strong threat of higher taxes and fees being imposed on Boulder residents, City Council seems determined to run up legal bills by jostling with CU over redevelopment of Grandview. The facts: 1) As a state entity, CU is not subject to the City's building rules. 2) CU identified Grandview as a logical area for expansion of campus a long time ago and began acquiring properties in the early 60s. In 1990, CU's Master Plan suggested that most of the acquired buildings in Grandview should be [...]
Quick Look: Boulder Market Update
by Osman Parvez ---- The data is still preliminary, but it looks like sales volume in Boulder improved slightly in May with a year over year decrease of 37% and 40% for houses and attached dwellings, respectively. Stay tuned... the full Research Report will be available before the end of next week. ---- Like this analysis? Subscribe to our client research report. Want to get blog updates via email? Click HERE. Ready to buy or sell? Schedule an appointment or call 303.746.6896. You can also like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.As [...]
Council Set To Massively Increase Taxes on Development
by Osman Parvez ---- As if the draconian new neighborhood compatibility rules aren't enough to kill your remodeling plans, Boulder City Council is trying yet another approach. From Sunday's Daily Camera: "Beginning next year, building a new home, an addition or a business in Boulder could cost a lot more if the City Council decides Tuesday to move toward changing the way new development is taxed." In addition to excise taxes on development, the new scheme would assess a fee based on... you guessed it, house size. "For the first time, such fees would be based on the square footage [...]
Real Estate Meetup – June 1st
by Osman Parvez I'm finalizing the line up for this Monday's Meetup. If you'd like to present, give me a call at 303.746.6896. Topics should be educational for those interested in Boulder real estate (buyers, sellers, owners, or renters). The format is 5 minutes for your talk and 5 minutes for Q/A. The reason for the tight format is to keep the meeting interesting for participants. A few past presentation videos are archived HERE. Date: Monday, June 1st Location: 1942 Broadway (SE corner of Broadway and Pearl) Agenda: 7-7:30 networking 7:30 to 9:00 [...]
Memorial Day Weekend
by Osman Parvez First enacted to honor fallen Union soldiers from the Civil War, Memorial Day now honors casualties from any U.S. War. If you have a moment, it's worth reading the historical background of this holiday. In addition to events which honor those who died in military service, there's a lot of stuff happening this weekend... including the Ginormous Plant Sale, Boulder Creek Festival, and Bolder Boulder 10K. The Memorial Day tribute in Folsom Field is scheduled for around 11:30 AM. I hope everyone has a safe and happy long weekend. image: Stephen Moore ---- Like this analysis? [...]
Design: Modern or Traditional? 875 Dellwood
by Osman Parvez Modern design is eye catching but is a modern looking house for you? In the world of design, fresh concepts usually prevail except when it comes to houses. Instead of experimenting, most builders stick with the tried and true, giving their creations a traditional look. Would the iPhone sell well if it looked like an old fashioned, traditional telephone? Would you be interested in a BMW if it looked like last decade's Chevy? Obviously design matters but why are houses different? Perhaps it's because they are built to last a very [...]
County Eases Green Build Rules
by Osman Parvez ---- From today's Daily Camera: The Boulder County commissioners agreed Tuesday to ease the green-building rules that went into effect a year ago. After more than two hours of public testimony, the commissioners asked county staffers to return in three weeks with a tweaked scale for determining how energy-efficient new houses must be and some ideas of how to better regulate remodels. Consequences cannot always be predicted, but the ones described in the article were fairly obvious. Given the lack of attention to economic consequences in the process of developing new rules, expect more tweaks in [...]
Boulder Market Update: Condos and Town Homes
by Osman Parvez ---- So how do you KNOW you're getting a good deal? Simple, work with an agent who really knows the market and has the skills to negotiate a better deal. If you think about it, good negotiation requires deep market knowledge. Without it, you're shooting blind. To know the market, start by considering inventory, sales volume, and price trends - in the context of specific locations and property characteristics. Don't forget to take into account the regular seasonality of the market, with its fluctuations of supply and demand. And if the market is a bit irregular this [...]
Followup on Martin Acres House Tour
by Osman Parvez ---- Now that the 2009 Martin Acres House Tour is behind us, here's a few quick observations: - Attendance was great, possibly a record. Although there were some clouds in the morning, it cleared up and the sunshine brought out a crowd. - The houses on the tour offered plenty of food for thought. Over the years, owners have made their properties so much more livable, adding space and functionality in many different ways (and usually for less than I would have expected). I walked away with at least a dozen ideas on how to do the [...]
The 2009 Martin Acres House Tour
by Osman Parvez ---- We are a proud sponsor the 2009 Martin Acres House Tour. Volunteering on behalf of the neighborhood association. The tour is this Saturday, May 16 from 11am to 2pm and features recently expanded pop tops, sustainable energy efficient improvements, and affordable do it yourself remodels in Martin Acres. You'll have a chance to meet the owners and connect with others in the community. It's also great way to get to know Martin Acres, a bright spot in Boulder's real estate market. Proceeds from the event benefit Chase House and Creekside Elementary. Tickets are only $5 [...]
Knowledge is Negotiating Leverage- Heads Up, Special Analysis
by Osman Parvez ---- I'm looking forward to tomorrow's Meetup. Last month's event was the best yet, but I think we can do even better tomorrow. To facilitate a lively discussion - I took a deep look at last month's market and analyzed it by narrow price ranges. Naturally, I analyze market conditions specifically for our clients' situations, but it's time intensive. That's why I normally only do this type of analysis once a year or so for the general public. If you're thinking about buying or selling, this information is invaluable to helping you better understand the market and [...]
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Testimonials
Osman was a refreshingly honest realtor. He stressed through the entire process that his goal was to make me happy with my home purchase. I greatly appreciated the fact that he never shied away from pointing out the negatives as well as the pluses of different places while leaving the final decision up to me.
We can highly recommend Sophie. Her attention to detail and communication skills are great. Our home was in area that most realtors are not familiar with, but Sophie took extra time to get to know the neighborhood in order to give us quality service. She also brought in a professional photographer to make our home look its best. Even though the listing was in winter, the house sold quickly. With Sophie’s business and people skills, we have no doubt she will be a top realtor in the area.
