NAR 2nd Quarter Report : Boulder up 7.8%
by Osman Parvez The National Association of Realtors has just released its 2nd Quarter results for existing home sales, showing a mixed market nationwide. According to the press release, The association’s second-quarter metro area single-family home price report, covering changes in 151 metropolitan statistical areas, shows 37 areas with double-digit annual increases and 26 metros experiencing generally minor price declines. – Many of the areas with declines are showing weakness in the local labor market. The strongest gains were in Baton Rouge, LA and Ocala, FL. The strongest declines were in the midwest markets in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. In [...]
Boulder School Choices
by Osman Parvez A recent visitor to my site asked about our local schools. Since many buyers have similar questions, I've elevated my response to post status. ---- Osman, Can you post a link that gives an overview of area schools? I have some friends coming to work at Amgen in Longmont and they want to decide where to look. Where do most Amgenites live? What are schools like in Niwot? They have a 5 and 7 year old I think. Hal Hi Hal, Here's what you do. 1. Start by searching for property in Niwot. 2. Now pick a [...]
Discussion: The Bubble and Boulder Colorado
by Osman Parvez The housing bubble is a hot topic and I know a lot of people are worried about it. As a followup to my recent post, A Boulder Bubble?, I'm hosting a Skypecast (discussion) this Wednesday at 7:00pm. You're invited! Here's a link to the Skypecast, The Bubble and Boulder Colorado. If you aren't a subscriber to Skype, it will guide you to creating an account. After that, it's free. Any questions? Image:Skype ---- Like this analysis? Subscribe to our client research report. Want to get blog updates via email? Click HERE. [...]
Location, Location, Location
by Osman Parvez If you're buying real estate in Boulder (or anywhere else for the matter), there's something you should know. This isn't exactly a secret. Some parts of Boulder are more desirable than others. For a variety of reasons, certain areas have cache, others are better for commuting, and some are seen as more desirable simply because they're filled with grand historic homes. Some of this is captured in "Location, Location, Location." But it turns out the old mantra is only half the story. While it emphasizes the importance of location, it fails to suggest getting a broader understanding [...]
Recent Articles – August 4th
by Osman Parvez What's a Super Slab? Imagine a $2 billion high speed toll road stretching from north of Ft. Collins to south of Pueblo. Ray Wells is busy planning to make it a reality.. For the third year in a row Forbes magazine has ranked Denver-Boulder as the best city in America for singles. Let's see, Louisville was recently named the best affordable city to raise a family. Ft. Collins was given the distinction as being the best place to live by CNN/Money magazine. And we're still best for singles too. Here's the article. File this under Green Destinations. [...]
Recent Links – July 20th
by Osman Parvez Circle Capital Partners are on the move again. They've acquired 9 buildings and over 900,000 sqft of prime office space in downtown Denver from the Blackstone Group and JER Partners in a deal valued above $100MM. The Globeville metal processing plant operated by Asarco is expected to be sold to a developer in the coming weeks. Located at I-25 and I-70, the plant has long been controversial for environmental reasons and a cleanup could cost $8-10MM. Details to be announced as early as next week. Will the Governor have the ability to exclude forest land from development? [...]
Deals of the Week
by Osman Parvez Here's what applying a contrarian strategy (start with high DOM) can yield in Boulder. The following homes sold this week at big discounts after prolonged periods on the market. 2155 S. Walnut St 2. This 3BR, 3BA, 1400 SQFT tri-level townhome is situated in a great location in downtown Boulder. Originally listed for 449,000 in march, it sold this week for 385K (14% discount) after 104 days on market. 1564 North Street. This 3BR, 3BA, 2200 SQFT home had a major renovation in '95 and was updated in 2004. It featured a newer kitchen with Hickory cabinets, [...]
Recent Links
by Osman Parvez It's been awhile since I posted links. Here are a few recent real estate and development related stories that are worth checking out (some articles may require registration). Bad luck be damned, 29th Street's Grand Opening is Friday, October 13th. The Wild Oats store won't be ready but 88% of the mall is leased, according to developers. Louisville is moving closer to creating an urban renewal area along CO42, with the planning commission voting 5-1 to move the proposal forward. The future Fasttracks stop located in the same area is helping provide momentum. Noodles and Company have [...]
Howdy Slim!
by Osman Parvez Last week we had family visiting. I admit, it was an all out recruiting trip to convince my soon-to-be Physician brother and his wife to consider Colorado their future home. In theory, an easy task given they've already served 3 years of a 4 year mandatory sentence in Buffalo, New York. Unfortunately, the jury is still out as to where they'll settle and his next rotation is scheduled for Worcester, MA. Something about being closer to family (what am I, chopped liver?). One of the things my brother noticed was how thin most people seem in Boulder. [...]
Cruise on This
by Osman Parvez Ok, this doesn't have much to do with the analysis of the Real Estate Market in Boulder. Consider it a small window into our creative community instead. Last night I, along with some friends, enjoyed the weekly cruiser bike ride that occurs every Thursday in Boulder. Except instead of the more typical 250 to 300 or so riders during the peak summer months, 650+ people were on the ride. Imagine a massive parade of people (and pets) on two, three, and four wheels in all manner of mostly red, white, and blue dress cruising through the streets [...]
Addicted to the Outdoors?
by Osman Parvez Me too. According to Fortune magazine, Boulder is the place to retire. The draw: With over 300 sunny days a year, more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, 43,000 acres of preserved open space, the Rocky Mountain National Park in its backyard, and a river popular with fly-fishers running through it, Boulder defines the great outdoors. ---- 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 [...]
May, 2006 – Boulder Sales Analysis (Preliminary)
by Osman Parvez It's been a few days since I last blogged. Real estate activity with clients and terrific weather have kept me from the task. For those of you unfamiliar with Boulder in the summer, there's always something happening outdoors (today's adventure) So what's happening in the market? Here's a sneak peak at Boulder's sales numbers for May and how current inventory is shaping up as we move into the peak summer selling season. The good news is that the sluggishness of April and March seems to have dissipated. The market in May was very similar to May of [...]
Weekend Events
by Osman Parvez Ahh Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start to summer. The Farmer's Market is in full swing, the flowers are blooming on Pearl Street, and Boulder Outdoor Cinema is almost ready to kickoff a new season. Here's a few weekend events to check out. The Bolder Boulder. This is Boulder's annual Memorial Day 10K race. 50,000 partipants are expected to take part. In teams or alone, this event brings thousands of people to Boulder to enjoy the sunshine, watch individuals and teams walk, run, and jog the race course. Truly a centerpiece event in Boulder. The 19th Annual [...]
This Weekends Events
by Osman Parvez In addition to Carmina Burana (did I mention I'm singing?), here's a few more ideas for this weekend. Friday (5/19) and Saturday (5/20) is the 8th annual Kitchens on Fire Tour. It's a two-day, self-guided tour (10am to 4pm) of eight Boulder kitchens for the aspiring chef, designer, home re-modeler or anyone interested in seeing spectacular kitchens. Tickets are only $15 and proceeds support the Dairy Center for the Arts. Saturday, May 20th is the 4th Annual Boulder Cleanup Day. Volunteer a few hours of your time to help beautify Boulder and then celebrate with all the [...]
Sing, Dance, and… Fly?
by Osman Parvez This coming weekend, The Ars Nova Singers and the Frequent Flyers Dance Company will be performing Carmina Burana at CU's Macky Auditorium. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, May 20th at 8:00pm and Sunday May 21st, at 2:00pm. Why am I posting about this? Well, because I'm one of the aerial dancers! No, no. Just kidding. As a kid, I struggled to climb the rope in gym glass. You'll find me with both feet firmly on the ground as I sing with Ars Nova. If you haven't planned your weekend as yet, give this performance a shot. I [...]
Welcome to House Einstein
Locations, Due Diligence, Negotiation
Testimonials
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.
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.
