Video and Podcast: What Your Pruner Didn’t Tell You (Arbor Vital)
by Osman Parvez ---- From the February 2009 Boulder Real Estate Meetup, here is David Schaldach from Arbor Vital discussing how to select the right company to prune your trees and other issues related to tree care. Podcast: What Your Pruner Didn't Tell You - Arbor Vital (MP3) ---- 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 follow us on Twitter.As always, your referrals are deeply appreciated. -- The ideas and strategies described in this blog [...]
Boulder Wildfire
by Osman Parvez ---- There's a big wildfire (10 square miles) just north of Boulder, along the foothills. 11,000 people evacuated and some very dramatic imagery is being posted on the web in real time. Here's more on Flickr. Plus the live Twitter feed No word yet on structures destroyed or injuries. Best wishes sent to residents and emergency personnel for safety. image: david.evenson ---- 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 follow us on Twitter.As [...]
Quick January Meetup Report
by Osman Parvez ---- We had a packed room on Monday night at the 1st in our series of monthly Meetups. There was excellent dialogue and I came away knowing much more about the cost/benefits of solar, current mortgage programs, and yes.. even backyard chicken farming. The question/answer sessions were very informative. I'm now editing the video and audio recording from the event. It will be available to attendees on request (email me). I may also post select segments on the blog. Thank you all for attending. I hope you enjoyed attending the Meetup as much as I did in [...]
Let’s Talk About Boulder Real Estate
by Osman Parvez ---- Announcing the Boulder Real Estate Meetup. You're invited! On January 5th we will be hosting the first in a monthly series. It's a chance to hear from local companies, learn new things about real estate, and connect with others in the community. Presenting: Namaste Solar Electric Elevations Credit Union Mitchell Construction The event begins at 7 pm. We'll start with some mingling and noshing, after which each presenter will have 5 minutes. There will be a few minutes for Q&A. Minimal sales pitch, maximum information you should know. If you've been to the Boulder Denver New [...]
The Pops and Scrapes Survey
by Osman Parvez ---- If you own property in the City of Boulder, check your mailbox. You've probably just received your Pops and Scrapes Survey. To protect the potential use of your property and its future resale value, it's very important to respond. However you feel about the issue, it's critical for city officials to hear from a representative group of homeowners, not just those with strong feeling about home expansions. I've been to the workshops and meetings about this issue. City Council intends to move on it as soon as possible. Your survey must be postmarked by November 7th. [...]
Ecopass Under Attack – Meeting Tonight
by Osman Parvez ---- The following message came across my neighborhood email list last night. The program as it exists now is clearly being challenged. I thought it important enough to share with blog readers. If you care about keeping the neighborhood EcoPass program, I recommend you attend the meeting tonight. --- Hello Neighbors, I wanted to let all of you know that there are some interesting changes brewing for the EcoPass Program and how you can be involved in shaping these changes. Proposed changes are: *A 14 percent increase (consistent with the increase in all RTD fares) and an [...]
Boulder Pops and Scrapes Workshop – PHASE 1
by Osman Parvez ---- Can a house be too big for the neighborhood? Last night was the start of a new public process, something many demanded given the haste with which City Council was moving towards Draconian solutions only a few months ago. In a series of workshops aimed at solving the issue of "pops and scrapes," residents, consultants, and city employees have begun focusing on the task. When it comes to house sizes and other elements of design, seldom have I seen such a polarizing issue. Both sides were represented at last night's meeting. In case you forgot where [...]
Craving Classical? Boulder’s the Place to Be!
by Osman Parvez ---- Many in Boulder are lamenting the loss of KVOD, Colorado Public Radio’s classical music station, which no longer has decent reception in the city since the switch to 88.1 FM. However, from music festivals to solo recitals, classical music is being performed everywhere. Since 1978, the Colorado Music Festival has been a staple of summer at Chautauqua Park, commonly featuring pieces by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Beethoven. Last Friday, the festival wrapped up six weeks of concerts, with performances by dozens of artists, including the St. Petersburg String Quartet and fifteen-year-old Shannon Lee. A myriad of concerts [...]
Historic Farmstead Auction
by Osman Parvez ---- On August 3rd, the city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) began taking bids for 131-year-old Woodley Farmstead off 75th and Arapahoe. In 2005, the city bought the thirteen-acre property for $1.26 million. Sealed, public bids will be taken through September 3oth, starting at $750,000 for a six-acre portion of the farm. It was recently written up in the Daily Camera: City officials want to put just under half the original parcel it bought back into private hands to better ensure the historic farm house and outbuildings there are maintained and preserved... The farmstead [...]
Flood for Thought – The South Boulder Creek Floodplain
by Osman Parvez ---- If you live in Boulder, you've probably grown accustomed to sirens blaring at 10am on the first Monday of every month. They are part of an emergency warning system, in place to alert listeners of a flash flood. Recently, the Daily Camera ran a story proclaiming that Boulder is the number one flood risk community in Colorado. In August of 2007, the city completed the South Boulder Creek Flood Mapping Study. It places over 1,100 buildings and structures within a 100-year floodplain (i.e. there is a 1% chance of a flood of this magnitude occurring each [...]
Bring on the Sun
by Osman Parvez ---- Beginning today, a revised statue goes into effect extending and clarifying your rights to install renewable energy devices in Colorado, even in HOA governed communities. A previous law from the 1970's applying to solar panels has been extended to wind generators. Most interestingly, the new law defines "energy efficiency structures" that cannot be banned outright by HOAs, including Awnings, shutters, trellis, ramadas, or other shade structures. A garage or attic fan and any associated vents or louvers An evaporative cooler ("swamp cooler") An energy-efficient outdoor lighting system such as those that use fluorescent bulbs, solar recharging [...]
We Love Boulder Outdoor Cinema
by Osman Parvez ---- Ahh... the smell of fresh, buttery popcorn. The dark air conditioned theater. The flickering screen. It was magical. This is what comes to mind when I think about my early memories of going to the movies. That and waiting in line for Star Wars. Now you can rediscover the magic of going to the movies through Boulder Outdoor Cinema. It's a Summer tradition. We like to pack a picnic dinner, bring a bottle of wine (against the rules, shhh), and invite a few friends. It's a great way to bring people together and always a fun [...]
Boulder Tomorrow + Affordable Housing Study
by Osman Parvez ---- Here's a new site worth checking out: Boulder Tomorrow It's mission is to "serve members of the Boulder community by providing interesting information and links to issues taking place in and around Boulder. We hope it will encourage you to get involved." That sounds admirable. Given the number of issues that crop up around here, if the organizers keep up with it, it should get plenty of traffic. From the about us page: Boulder Tomorrow is a professional organization of business and community leaders who know how to get things done. We're nonpartisan and not for [...]
Would You Be My Neighbor?
by Osman Parvez ---- When our clients are getting serious about a house, we advise them to walk the neighborhood, knock on doors, and see what else they can learn. Sometimes we'll even accompany them. Why? Because neighborhood assessment is an important part of buyer due diligence. An hour or so walking your future neighborhood and talking to the people who live there will often reveal details about why a property is for sale, its history, and many important characteristics about the neighborhood. You might learn who has the loud dog or how long it takes to walk to public [...]
2008 Remodeled House Tour
by Osman Parvez ---- Want to see how people have remodeled in South Boulder? Join us at the 2008 Martin Acres House Tour. It's a community event where you'll meet the owners and learn about how they've made big and small changes to their property. Silver Fern Homes is glad to support the 2008 house tour as a corporate sponsor. The event will be held this Saturday, May 3rd from 11am to 2pm. For details, please visit the neighborhood association's website. Tickets are only $2 and can be picked up at any of the participating homes. As you probably know, [...]
