A Better Boulder Bike Map
by Osman Parvez ---- I've always been fascinated with maps. Even as a little kid, I loved getting a new one in my Dad's National Geographic and charting out all the places I might one day visit. Today, mapping is at a whole new level. A couple of days ago, I got an email from a friend. Alfred wrote, I wanted to let you know that I started up a new blog cyclinginboulder.blogspot.com. My main reason for starting it was to make the Boulder city bike map more integrated with the Google Maps search functionality. I was looking for something [...]
Should Landlords Act as Parents?
by Osman Parvez ---- The wrestling match is over. It’s on the books. A few days ago Boulder’s City Council stepped up enforcement of nuisance laws holding landlords accountable for tenants bad behavior. Some landlords are steaming but local residents may have won an important new way to maintain safe, livable neighborhoods. There are many student renters in neighborhoods close to CU. Their presence is an obvious reality in Boulder, but it’s sometimes a challenging for certain neighborhoods. Most students integrate themselves into a neighborhood without causing problems. The good ones clean up after themselves, let neighbors know when they’re [...]
Landmarks of the Future House Tour (from Historic Boulder)
by Osman Parvez ---- The weather this weekend is looking fine with a foretasted high of 80 degrees Sunday and sunshine all weekend. If you can squeeze it in, here's an opportunity to see some of Boulder's most beautiful "modern style" homes. Historic Boulder is offering a walking tour today and Sunday from 11am to 5pm of homes it calls "Landmarks of the Future." Tickets are $10 for Historic Boulder members, $15 for nonmembers and may be purchased with cash or checks during tour hours at the houses on the tour. According to Historic Boulder, All of the homes are [...]
Commuters of the Year
by Osman Parvez ---- With hundreds of miles of bike lanes, convenient buses, and upcoming infrastructure improvements it's pretty obvious that Boulder is serious about alternate and mass transportation. Each Spring some commuters are recognized for their dedication to finding, using and promoting Boulder's transportation options. Here are the hardiest of the local road warriors... ------- GO Boulder announces 2007 Commuter of the Year award winners The 2007 Commuters of the Year winners are: All Around Commuters: Arthur Sharp sold his car over a year ago and now commutes on bike, foot and bus in addition to running a window [...]
The Brainiest, Actually
by Osman Parvez ---- As a follow-up to my post last night; I forgot that Boulder is actually the top ranked metro area by percentage of adults with bachelor's degrees or higher. At least according to Forbes Magazine. I wrote about it last December and included a long list of awards that Boulder has won. Thanks to Brad Feld (and his bathroom reading habits) for reminding me. Image: Ken ---- Like this analysis? Subscribe to our client research report. Want to get blog updates via email? Click HERE. Ready to buy or sell? Schedule [...]
SuperStar Cities: The Benefits of Talent and Capital
by Osman Parvez ---- A few months ago, a friend shared an article with me that contained an idea with unusually strong potential to impact long term property values in our region. If you're reading this blog, you're probably already familiar with the typical things that drive real estate. Read on, this particular trend deserves your attention. Why do some cities have higher real estate values than others? According to one study, it's driven by (a) the scarcity of housing units, (b) the growing number of high income families in the United States, and (c) the fact that high-income families [...]
The Trinity Commons Project (Mapleton and Broadway)
by Osman Parvez ---- Here's an update on the planning process for a new 28 unit development in downtown Boulder. On April 5th the Planning Board recommended approval so it's time to pay a little more attention. Trinity Commons will be located on the corner of Mapleton and Broadway and consists of the following: * 14 affordable housing rental units to be retained by Trinity Lutheran Church; * A 3,900 sqft church function hall * 136 parking spaces; and * 14 unrestricted, for sale, 2-bedroom condominium apartments (all presold). Here's the update from Stuart Grogan, a planner with Boulder Housing [...]
Impacts of the Subprime Implosion
by Osman Parvez ---- By now, you probably know that there's been a rapid increase in the number of subprime lenders tightening standards or closing their doors. Novastar Financial (NFI) and New Century Financial (NEW) in particular (see charts below). According to a new Credit Suisse report, nearly two dozen subprime lenders have ceased operations or have been acquired in the past year. Cumulative losses from subprime loans could exceed $10Bn over the next couple of years. The question you're probably asking... what does it mean for the Boulder (and the regional) real estate market? Here's a few thoughts. 1. [...]
Whole Oats?
by Osman Parvez ---- I pay attention to the business community in Boulder and have been a little surprised at the somewhat negative spin that local media has taken on news that Whole Foods (WFMI) is seeking to acquire Wild Oats (OATS). There's concern for Wild Oat's employees because of likely store closings and slimming of redundant business units. Some are wondering about the impact to the local economy. The spin is wrong. Here's why overall it's a very good thing for Boulder. There's a virtuous cycle to entrepreneurship. When young successful companies like Wild Oats are acquired, many local [...]
Fresh On The Market
by Osman Parvez Last year, I wrote a piece on the issue of refreshed listings. It's when a seller (or their agent) pulls the property off the MLS and then reinserts it with a new MLS number, making it appear as if the listing was "new" on the market and restarting its days on market (DOM) statistic. A few weeks ago, Business Week even ran a story about it. The rationale? When many homes in an area are re-listed as new, it skews the "average days on market" statistic, making the market look healthier than it really is. For sellers, [...]
Boulder in 3D (Google Earth 4)
by Osman Parvez ---- As some of you know, @Last's SketchUp (a Boulder startup) was purchased by Google last year. I've been playing around with SketchUp for a while now and the possibilities for using it seem endless. I've already designed a few dream homes. A friend of mine has even used it to play with "pop up" scenarios and modeled shadows to see how far he can expand without impacting his neighbors. Pretty cool. It seems some of the features have been incorporated into Google Earth 4. A few creative types have done a great job of modeling Boulder [...]
Don’t Hire Your Friends
by Osman Parvez ---- Does buying or selling a house have to be a painful experience? A friend shared a horror story with me the other day. It was his first home and like many, he chose a friend to be his agent. It went badly. Choosing a friend as your agent is a common mistake. Whether from loyalty or a belief that friends would never steer you wrong, people often choose friends to help purchase or sell a home. At first glance, it might seem as if there is nothing wrong with that. After all, if you can't trust [...]
Hold Your Fire!
by Osman Parvez ---- You know it's cold when homeowners in Boulder are setting fire to their own houses to keep from freezing. Perhaps blowtorches aren't the best solution for frozen pipes, but that didn't keep some from trying. A Boulder couple accidentally burned their own house down on Sunday. Good news, warmer weather is on the way. Although a little late for this homeless couple. Image:Misocrazy ---- 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 [...]
Why Pearl Street Works
by Osman Parvez ---- Since first moving to Boulder, I've enjoyed Pearl Street's independent shops, cafes, and art. When we have out of town guests, a stroll through the Farmer's Market and Pearl Street is usually on the agenda. And I don't even like shopping. Pearl Street is different somehow. Even when we don't have guests, I enjoy a visit and frequently meet with clients or friends in one of its cafes or restaurants. The Pearl Street Mall is a central feature of Boulder and quite simply, it works. Have you ever wondered why? Today I came across a piece [...]
The Future of Boulder Transportation
by Osman Parvez ---- If you're a regular reader of this blog, you're well aware of upcoming transportation and other infrastructure changes in and around Boulder. The changes will be substantial and have long term impact to our community. Development plans are being drawn up for and around Transit Village and there are massive upgrades planned for US36. We've attended a number of meetings on the subject and I've written about it several times in the past. Today, columnist Robert Greenlee chimed in with a critical editorial in the Camera. His piece lashes out at City transportation planners. He writes, [...]
