906 Arkansas Mountain Road [Boulder Notable Sale]
NOTABLE SALE: 906 Arkansas Mountain Rd | $2.1M Located not far from my personal residence, this luxury mountain home was originally listed last summer for $2.3M. We toured it for our clients and quickly realized it would need substantial updating. The floor plan also wasn’t conducive to families with younger children. We advised our clients to pass. Apparently so did everyone else, for it sat on the market from June through September, when the seller finally capitulated and cut the price to $2.15M. Sadly, it was too late for the summer real estate season. It sat on market throughout the winter [...]
853 8th Street [Boulder Notable Sale]
NOTABLE SALE: 853 8th Street | $3.2MBack in the day, I lived just a block to the north of this home. I can attest to the value of the location. More than twenty years later, it’s still my favorite neighborhood in Boulder due to its proximity to Chautauqua and downtown, plus reasonable distance from the Hill. Behind the unassuming exterior of 853 8th Street, you’ll find a tastefully modernized interior and private outdoor entertainment space.Deal notes: 853 8th street is an attractive home and location, but the room count is a bit on the low side and the house is only about [...]
810 32nd Street [Boulder Notable Sale]
Boulder NOTABLE SALE: 810 32nd Street | $906K I can tell you the inside scoop on this deal because, well, I was the listing agent. The key selling points were covered in our Smart Buy video (link). Let’s skip to what happened in the deal itself. First, our clients took our advice completely and did everything we asked them to do to prepare the house for sale. They also allowed us to directly work with the tenants, and also took our advice for how to manage them to allow for a successful sale process. It wasn’t easy, but by working together with [...]
2926 16th Street [Boulder Notable Sale]
Boulder NOTABLE SALE: 2926 16th Street| $1.25M This little pocket of North Boulder has been a hotbed of redevelopment for the past decade. Mid 50’s ranches, like this one, are a hot acquisition target for developers. The simple box on top of a box design is perfect for adding a second story and pushing out the back, although many architects will try to convince you to start over completely. Both approaches have merits. From a valuation perspective, you’re looking at a slightly smaller than typical lot size. This one also had no basement. My bet is on complete deconstruction, which means [...]
3778 Wonderland Hill Ave [Boulder Notable Sale]
Boulder NOTABLE SALE: 3778 Wonderland Hill Ave | $6.3M This sale is why it’s critical to (a) pay attention to new listings and (b) have plenty of dry powder. James P. Maxwell was a surveyor, state senator, and an engineer. He was also Boulder's second mayor, President of First National Bank, and owned a cattle ranch north of Boulder. Old JP built this expansive mansion (can we call it the Maxwell House?) in 1906 with picture perfect views of the Flatirons, on the edge of what eventually was called Maxwell Lake. Today, the property sits on a 2 acre flag-lot with subdivision [...]
40 S 35th Street [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 40 S 35th St | $900K A small, early 60’s tri-level in Martin Acres. From a location perspective, 35th street is not a primary artery in the neighborhood, but does get some traffic. This home featured four bedrooms, two baths, and a one car garage. It’s very close to bike paths and is in close proximity to several shopping areas and restaurants. The home had some basic updates but many original windows. Deal notes: Listed at $780,000, the house was on the market for a few days and received multiple offers. It sold for $900,000 (+15.3%) over the list [...]
3030 Dover Drive [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 3030 Dover Dr | $1.5M An unusual house, oriented with the short axis facing the street, and with steps on both sides - leading to confusion over the proper “front” of the home. Updated inside, it was quite attractive and functional. The landscaping and outdoor dining area in the back was particularly well executed, with a stepped terrace to a social trail. Perhaps not ideal for small children, but otherwise very attractive. The home had been modernized with a current paint scheme and interior updates. One of the key selling points is that the home is in Table [...]
3085 9th Street [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 3085 9th St | $1.46M A smallish lot (~6,300 SQFT) with a tear-down bungalow in Newlands. The house is one property south of the intersection of 9th and Evergreen, east facing, which will limit buildout potential due to solar access rules and the relatively narrow lot (about 50’ wide). Assuming nobody significant (to the city) lived in the house, the powers that be will probably allow the existing early 50’s era structure to be deconstructed. Given the lot size, the maximum floor area under Boulder's Compatible Development ordinance is about 3,300 SQFT, somewhat small given the dirt value was in excess [...]
651 Maxwell Ave [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 651 Maxwell Ave | $2.2M Built in the early 1900’s (the actual date is unclear), this three bedroom, two bath home was constructed in the Edwardian Vernacular style and located in Boulder’s Mapleton Historic District. One of its early inhabitants included George Dodd, whose family was one of the early farmers in Niwot. The image on the right is George Dodd with his son Clarence. Although the house itself was relatively small, with only 2,200 SQFT, it featured a reasonable bedroom and bath count. It also had a large, and relatively rare detached 3-car garage. Deal notes: Listed in January [...]
4557 Apple Way [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 4557 Apple Way | $2.8M I’ve written about this pocket neighborhood several times in the last couple of years. It’s a hidden gem. Not only do owners enjoy association owned open space, access to city owned open space is directly to the west. There is some potential risk of negative impact to the quality of the open space when the so called “Planning Reserve” is developed, but that could be many years away. From a location perspective, it’s a solid play and continues to sell at a relative discount to better known Boulder neighborhoods. 4557 Apple Way is on [...]
1507 Pine St [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE: 1507 Pine St | $3.92M There are many lessons to be learned from this sale. First, don’t invest in a home based on its views or neighborhood characteristics, without certainty that it’s protected. Second, when marketing a home for sale, wishful thinking is the wrong approach to pricing. This home was originally marketed at $6.0M, more than 50% higher than the eventual sale price. The seller’s WAG was quickly followed by aggressive price cuts, which sends a negative signal to the market. Third, auction-style listings may get the job done but they’re expensive. In addition to paying commissions, [...]
2287 Holyoke Dr [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 2287 Holyoke Drive | $1,535,000 A larger lot on an A-rated street in Table Mesa, with a well worn and ready to be scrapped 70’s era bi-level on it. A couple of years ago, I had the nearly identical home two houses up the street under contract for below $1.2M. My buyer bailed out after (a) we determined the feasibility metrics provided by the listing agent were based on inaccurate lot line measurements (b) the seller refused to negotiate a reasonable concession. Due diligence: A curvilinear front lot coupled with non-conforming setbacks can be quite challenging, at least [...]
380 Erie Dr [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 380 Erie Drive | $1.73M A moderate sized early 70’s tri-level, located on a 12,000 SQFT lot. The home featured three bedrooms, three baths, and an attached garage. Remodeled seven years ago, the interior was still quite current and tasteful. From a location perspective, the home is west facing and around the corner from the CU Chancellors’ residence. I do have to wonder if the new owners were advised on the potential for development of that land. When it occurs, Caddo Parkway to Mohawk could see a lot more traffic. What is currently used as de facto [...]
5392 Nelson Road [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 5392 Nelson Road | $1.9M 35 acres of land and 63 shares of Left Hand Ditch, plus a custom mid-90’s sprawling ranch. The interior was yawn inducing and ready for a gut remodel, but the land and water rights alone were compelling. Adjacent open space to the south is owned by the City of Boulder. Expect to see the new owner invest significant post-acquisition capital remaking the bones of this structure into their dream home. Deal Notes: I wrote about this property when it first hit the market last April, noting that the listing information was incorrect. At [...]
2800 5th St [Boulder Notable Sale]
BOULDER NOTABLE SALE: 2800 5th St | $3.5M We took several clients to see this newly constructed home in Newlands while it was on the market. Modern and attractive, it still had several significant challenges. The biggest problem was the layout lacked an easily accessible powder room on the main. The home also suffered from a disconnected and small outdoor living area, and a relative lack of privacy next to its sister house next door.Deal notes: Listed in October of last year, the seller cut the price dramatically after a few weeks on the market. The listing expired, but it [...]
