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 [...]
10 Reasons People Are Homeless and What You Can Do About It (Video)
by Osman Parvez ---- There are many reasons I love living in Boulder, but just like other towns and cities, we struggle with challenges. If you've walked around the Pearl Street Mall or nearby parks, you know that homelessness is a problem here. At last month's Boulder Real Estate Meetup, I asked Joy Eckstine, Executive Director of the Carriage House Community Table to talk to us. She presented 10 reasons People are Homeless and 10 Things You Can Do About It. About the Carriage House Community Table: The Carriage House Community Table provides a safe, supportive community for the homeless [...]
Opportunities and Misconceptions in Residential Lending (Video)
by Osman Parvez ---- From last month's Boulder Real Estate Meetup, here's Dan Spiegler of Premier Mortgage Group with Opportunities and Misconceptions in Residential Lending. --- The next Boulder Real Estate Meetup is this Monday, May 4th. We have a great lineup of presenters scheduled. We'll also discuss current market conditions. Come meet other people interested in Boulder real estate and enjoy short presentations on key real estate related issues. The MEETUP is at 1942 Broadway, 3rd Floor (Follow Signs). RSVP HERE ---- Want to get blog updates via email? Click HERE. Ready to buy or sell? [...]
How to Choose Your Home Inspector
by Osman Parvez ---- How do you pick a home inspector? A home is probably one of your largest financial investments. When you're getting ready to buy, pick an inspector who not only knows his stuff, but will give you an unbiased inspection. Certifications are minimal at the state level. Virtually anyone can be a home inspector and over the years, we've seen some poor examples (one memorable inspector couldn't operate a window latch). At the March Boulder Real Estate Meetup, I invited Phil Gage of Homefront Inspection to tell us how to go about choosing a home inspector. It [...]
Home Improvements – Neighbors Helping Neighbors
by Osman Parvez ---- Would you like to make home improvements and save some money? At the April Boulder Real Estate Meetup, urban planner and local resident Eric Stonebraker talked to us about his "Do It Yourself" efforts to update his Boulder house. With the support of neighbors and friends, he's been steadily making improvements and repairs, and sharing what he's learned. As it turns out... having a great neighborhood (with an email list) has many benefits. Here's "Affordable Do It Yourself Home Improvements - Neighbors Helping Neighbors" ---- Want to get blog updates via email? Click HERE. [...]
US 36 – Future Taking Shape
by Osman Parvez ---- I recently attended a presentation of the US 36 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a required component to improve infrastructure along the Boulder-Denver Turnpike. The US 36 EIS Schedule Additional Resources: US 36 Draft EIS - Executive Summary US 36 EIS - Documents and Press Releases US 36 EIS - Homepage Citations for noise in Martin Acres A Boulder Resident's US36 EIS Meeting Review ---- 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 [...]
Sales off 50% in Boulder – 1Q09
by Osman Parvez ---- In case you missed it, there was a piece on Boulder market conditions in yesterday's Daily Camera. The number of homes sold in Boulder in the first quarter of 2009 was down by a whopping 50 percent compared to the same period last year, and the city is far from alone in its poor statistics. I was interviewed for the article. To clarify... 1. Mortgage Rates - Yes, I believe rates are still trending downward and will continue to do so, possibly bottoming around 4%. But that alone shouldn't drive your purchase decision. If rates drop [...]
Boulder Real Estate Meetup – April 6th
by Osman Parvez ---- Since January, I've been hosting a monthly Boulder Real Estate Meetup for people who are interested in discussing real estate related topics. The meetups have been good opportunities to learn new information and engage in great discussions It's community oriented, with presentations that are about various aspects of buying, selling, and owning homes in Boulder. There's also a wildcard presentation at each meetup. The next Meetup is tomorrow (Monday) and you're invited! WHEN: Monday, April 6th at 7pm (tomorrow). WHERE: 1942 Broadway - 3rd floor (suite 314). That's the corner of Broadway and Pearl Street. WHO [...]
March Sales Snapshot
by Osman Parvez ---- The health of the Boulder housing market is getting a lot of interest. Here's a sneak peak from my latest real estate update. For March, the preliminary number shows 35 home sales in Boulder, compared with 60 that occurred last year - a 42% decline, year over year. Sold property ranged in value from $345,000 to $2,625,000. There are currently 498 homes in inventory on the Boulder market, 57 of which are under contract. This implies 12-14 months of inventory. As regular readers know - there's a huge difference between the market for luxury and basic [...]
More Affordable Housing – So it is Written, So it is Not Done
by Osman Parvez ---- The City currently requires 20% of a new development to be affordable, or for the developer to pay the city a fee of $110,000 to $119,000 for each one not built. According to the Daily Camera, City Council thinks this isn't good enough and wants more affordable housing in our community: Developers should either build more affordable-housing units alongside the rest of the homes in their Boulder projects, or put more money into the city's affordable housing fund, elected leaders said Tuesday night. Most developers are paying the fee instead of building affordable housing, so the [...]
