More on the Moratorium
by Osman Parvez A few additional thoughts to my post yesterday on Council Member Sam Weaver's proposal for a moratorium on building permits. 1. I'm not against additional study and public process. I'm for that. I'm against using emergency ordinances as a policy tool. 2. If you're against the emergency moratorium, consider signing this petition. You can also email Council directly at Council@BoulderColorado.gov and attend tonight's public meetings. 3. Erica Meltzer's Daily Camera article is informative. Here's an excerpt from my favorite comment: If we don't like how a few buildings turned out -- that, by the way, house [...]
September 11th
by Osman Parvez On September 11th every year, I find myself awash in memories. I think about the people I knew in the towers, the thousands that died when they fell, and the hundreds of thousands that have died since in wars around the globe. In the wake of so much suffering, I also think about Fred Rogers. "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of [...]
Council Looking for Ways to Increase Hobos Downtown
by Osman Parvez This is a controversial topic. I'm probably going to offend some people. I'm still diving in... Last week, the Daily Camera published Message to Boulder Council: Fight homeless with more housing. Here's the lede: The solution to homelessness is housing. That was the message the Boulder City Council heard from a series of speakers... If that's the primary message Council is getting, no wonder they're tone deaf to the community's outrage. The comments section nails it. Here's the top rated one: Oh give me a break. My wife can't even walk [...]
Understanding the Marijuana Market in Colorado [Analyze This]
by Osman Parvez Dude, where's my tax revenue? Eight months have passed since recreational Marijuana became legal in Colorado. It's a big deal for our state and local economy. It has cultural impacts. The rest of the country is watching. future tax revenue? Today, the majority of Americans favor legalization1 but medical marijuana is legal in only 23 states. Recreational pot is legit only Colorado and Washington state (map). Implementation is already being called a success2 and despite the hoopla, Colorado has not become the Amsterdam of the Rocky Mountain region. Sure, you catch the occasional whiff of pungent [...]
It’s Time to Preserve Long’s Gardens [Speak Up!]
by Osman Parvez The Hawthorn Community Garden is located on Long's Farm Long’s Gardens is a third generation, family owned and operated iris farm in the middle of Boulder. This near 100 year old farm is situated on about 25 acres at 3480 Broadway, essentially the heart of Boulder. It's also home to Growing Gardens, a Boulder-based non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of our community through sustainable urban agriculture (Full disclosure: I serve on the Board for Growing Gardens) City Council has a public discussion scheduled for tomorrow at 6pm on preservation efforts at Long's Gardens. [...]
Elder Care Facility Now Flop House – A Curious Tale
by Osman Parvez Here's the curious tale of 1795 Quince Street. I can share this real estate adventure as my client is no longer pursuing the property. Once upon a time, 1795 Quince was a regular house on a relatively quiet street in N. Boulder. It was owned by a real estate agent who listed and sold it for $299,500 back in 1997 (listing sheet). The buyer of the five bedroom, three bath home was a non-profit called Anam Chara, which agreed to restrictive covenants in exchange for government subsidies. The restrictions included a requirement that the [...]
Technical Glitch
by Osman Parvez Sorry folks. Google Spreadsheets went through an update and the hyperlinks weren't working in yesterday's blog post. I've fixed it. The list of new inventory is now an embedded PDF (downloadable). Please let me know if you still can't access the listings. CT, thanks for the heads up. --- Like this analysis? Subscribe to my research. Want to meet me in person? Attend a Boulder Real Estate Meetup. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 303.746.6896.
Oops, Did You Blow Valentine’s Day?
Don't worry, it's not too late. Here's a shot at redemption. We're growing our Facebook presence. Like House Einstein and get a chance to win your sweetie a full body massage from Boulder's Dragontree Holistic Day Spa. Oooh la la, the "Dragontree Massage" begins with an aromatherapy foot bath, then retreat to a private massage room. Once there, you will be covered in hot fennel packs while you enjoy an aromatherapy steam treatment using essential oils chosen to relax and uplift you. A one hour full body Swedish massage follows, which finishes with a hot towel cleanse. Mmm... [...]
Development In Boulder [Meetup]
by Osman Parvez There is a ton of development going on in Boulder. Hundreds of new hotel rooms and thousands of new residential units are being planned or currently under construction. This month, we'll be talking about it at the Boulder Real Estate Meetup. Join us for a discussion about development in Boulder. We'll be talking about the impact of development on our neighborhoods, the real estate market, and more. The tentative date is Thursday, February 27th. Wednesday, February 26th. Stay tuned for details. Additional Resources Boulder Development Map New Boulder Hotels [...]
Thursday’s Real Estate Meetup Agenda [Join Us]
Just a reminder. Our meetup begins at 6:00 pm tomorrow. RSVP HERE. Venue We're meeting at the Riverside, a beautifully renovated historic building featuring a restaurant, cafe, co-working space, and event center. The Riverside is a sponsor of our meetup, donating the space. If you bump into Mitchell Magdovitz at the event, please let him know how much we appreciate it. The Riverside is located at 1724 Broadway (Broadway and Arapahoe), next to the Conoco gas station. Parking Parking can be a little challenging, so please consider allowing a few extra minutes. The nearest parking is located directly across the [...]
Bad Data – An Open Letter to the Boulder Realtor Association
by Osman Parvez An analysis is only as good as the underlying data. Back in 2012, I contacted the Boulder Realtor Association (BARA) to let them know their statistical data had a pretty big error. Here's the email I sent and BARA's response (link). The data error led me to drop Broomfield from my regular monthly reports. I couldn't in clear conscious continue to publish market research that was based on a flawed data set. I'm now starting to put together my end of year report for 2013 and the damn data error still persists. [...]
The Impact of Flood Damage in Boulder [Meetup]
by Osman Parvez The next Boulder Real Estate Meetup will be held at The Riverside (NE corner of Broadway and Arapahoe) at 6pm on January 23rd. You're invited. After September's floods, the real estate landscape in Boulder changed. Virtually overnight, listing agents began touting unaffected properties as having survived the flood unscathed. Meanwhile, many basements and lower levels experienced varying degrees of flood damage and owners wondered what to do. I've received many phone calls and emails asking about extent of responsibility, permitting, and liability. Time to call in the experts. Brandon Apple from [...]
Baby, it’s Cold Outside [Coat Drive]
by Osman Parvez Brrr! It's a little chilly out this morning. As you pull those heavy winter coats out of the closet, consider donating your still warm but perhaps too small coats to those in need. You can help keep kids warm. Coat Collection Box in Bear Creek Elementary This is the final week of the Share-A-Coat drive brought to you by my Boulder Club. In 2012, over 2,500 coats and many miscellaneous items of clothing were collected and distributed to needy families in Boulder County and to various charitable organizations. I'm in charge of picking up coats [...]
Coming Out [Authenticity]
by Osman Parvez This post has nothing to do with real estate. I wouldn't share it except it's about many things I care about. Recorded at TEDxBoulder - watch the video below to see a gifted story teller share her experience with being authentic. It's about the power of sharing your truth, having tough conversations, and being honest. It also happens to feature one of my favorite restaurants in Boulder, the South Side Walnut Cafe - a place that makes a point about being a safe harbor for diversity. I'm grateful that people like Ash and [...]
Don’t Be a Victim – Scam Warning
by Osman Parvez Just a heads up. Scam artists always follow natural disasters. In the coming days and weeks, there will be rush to repair and put right what flood victims have lost. Be wary and be wise of con artists posing as contractors, particularly those who stop by in front of your house or who are from out of the area. Verify that they represent a legitimate business and be cautious about providing payment up front for services yet to be rendered. Common scams involve home repair, debris removal, insurance fraud, and door to [...]
