Boulder’s best buy on BEAUTIFUL light and bright, end unit townhouse.

Awesome features include:

Over 1000 square feet with ATTACHED 2 car underground parking garage. 

An A/C that will knock your socks off !!

 Also includes a  large shaded private patio, which is south facing. Great for outdoor dining and bbq’s. 

All newer and updated appliances, and the washer and dryer are included!   Read all about this great deal on an affordable home.

 You won’t beat this price! 2 Bedrooms and 2bathrooms (1F, 1T). The spacious master includes a bathroom and 2 closets with plenty of storage.  2nd bedroom is WEST FACING so enjoy those views.  An end unit townhome is hard to find so don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Dogs are allowed and it’s only one block to AWESOME open space trails, bike paths, and nature trails.

CHECK OUT THESE VIEWS! ONLY TEN MINUTES TO BOULDER!

Also within walking distance to bus stop, community park, playground, golf course, Boulder Country Club, shops, & restaurants.  Newer carpet and wood-laminate flooring. Southwest facing with beautiful back range and seasonal Flatirons views! Be on Pearl St. in 10 minutes. This one won’t last! 

Only a mile from a King Sooper’s shopping center, which has: the delicious Gunbarrell Deli, Page Two Coffee & Gifts, Gurkhas Indian Food, and Serrano’sSouthwestern Grill.  There’s also Dairy Queen, a liquor store, the Gunbarrell athletic club, Blackjack Pizza, a nail salon and two day cares, Burger King and a Quiznos, and a postal store with USPS mail drop, also a bank, Short Stop gas station, J&S Full Service automotive repair and car wash.  Summary…. this location has everything you need!

Give me a call, we’ll get you in for a showing today! (303) 319-3346.

Well - in Boulder Colorado  it could be!  With over 40 dispensories, growers, in home care services and herbal medicine shops just in Boulder alone with ” medical marijuana” names such as Bubbua Kush or Blue Dream.   Nope!   In fact Rockygrass  isn’t something you plant or smoke! It’s a bluegrass festival in Lyons Colorado that happens every year in July. Lyons is located 15 miles north of Boulder Colorado and the festival is held at Planet Bluegrass Ranch on Hwy 35 just northwest of Lyons.  Just 25 minutes from Boulder and 1 hour from either Denver or Ft. Collins it’s known as one of the best bluegrass festivals around the country.   Three Days of sun, music, river wading and floating, good food, camping, and exquisite scenery!   Check out this years music lineup! – Doc Watson, Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, and Tony Rice, just to mention a few.  Read on for more info

If you are planning to visit Boulder Colorado during the summer, make sure you check out the Rockygrass lineup of musicians for that year and buy your ticket(s) in advance (they go on sale in Jan or Feb) because they sell out quickly.  My family visited me the summer of 2008 and we went to all 3 days of the Rockygrass  festival.  Not only was the music fantastic, but during the hot mid day sun we spent hours in the North St. Vrain river cooling off.  No matter where you are sitting in the park, you have good views and the music just surrounds you!   If you need a break you can visit the small quarry town of Lyons where they have restarants and antinque stores.  You could schedule a morning mountain biking at Hall Ranch or touring Rocky Mountain National Park, or take a ride into Estes Park and have lunch.    There is camping at Planet Bluegrass Ranch and there is also local lodging close by in Boulder or Longmont.   I found that my Verizon cell phone worked well, but some other service providers were a little spotty.  As much as you love your dog……please leave Spot at home, there are way to many young, old, dancing, singing people and children around – so NO DOGS.    I found it easy to buy my tickets online at www.shopbluegrass.com or call them at 800-624-2422.  Have a great summer in Boulder!  Call or email the Troia Team if you are making a visit to Boulder any time soon.  We offer free tours of the area!     Lyons Colorado is a nice affordable alternative to Boulder and close enough to be able to participate in the Boulder Fun!

For the pick of Boulder Colorado’s finest grown produce there is only one place to be….  If you are looking for live music outside, I know where you should go…If you are interested in tasting some local flavors such as tamales and honey, the destination is clear….. Boulder’s Farmers’ Market.  The Boulder County Farmers’ Markets take pride in bringing you locally grownvegetables, meats, fruits, flowers, plants, gourmet cheeses and wines sold by the farmers that produce them. While you’re purchasing your fresh vegetables and fruits (many of them organically grown) enjoy a tasty pastry from a local bakery or a meal created by local chefs.       There was a time when city grocery stores featured locally grown agricultural products. But as a demand for fruit and vegetable production increased, farms grew larger in size and fewer in numbers. Many growers decided to enter the wholesale business and abandon their seemingly less profitable retail stores.  In the Autumn of 1986, a small group of local farmers decided to organize a formal Farmer’s Market to be located in downtown Boulder, Colorado.  The site had to be permanent, highly visible, attractive, accessible and shaded. Boulder’s Central Park, located in the heart of the city, was chosen and the Boulder County Farmers’ Market was off and running!!!!!!

Having been there myself, more than a few times, I can suggest some of the vendors you must visit.  The local honey goes unrivaled.  There is a bread vendor, who has the best loaf of olive wheat bread you will ever taste.  Enjoy a nice lunch from a number of vendors while you listen to a local musician play music for you.  Of course if you want to escape the crowds, a local restaurant called the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is a few steps away.  There is a yogurt vendor who has some of the freshest varieties of delicious flavors.  Of course my back yard is full of flowers and vegetables that I picked up at the market.  These are just a few of my favorites.  For a list of all your favorite vendors click here.

Near the corner of Arapahoe and Broadway Central Park is an ideal location.  Sunshine shade and the Boulder Creek will be there waiting for you.  Many people bring their children and dogs to just chill in the park and enjoy the day.  The Saturday market is a great family environment, and will be open to the public from 8 in the morning to 2 p.m. April 3-November 6.  For a more mature scene head there on Wednesday nights.  There is beer being served and fewer kids running about.  That market is open Wednesday nights from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 5-October 6.

If you are interested in a more local scene with “roots” in our city, don’t head to Safeway or King Soopers, head to the Boulder County Farmers’ Market.  I will see you there……

The Coldwell Banker Story.  I’ve been on a lot of listing appointments lately with spring arriving here in Boulder Colorado and included in the listing presentation are reasons why to choose Coldwell Banker.  I, myself even had to ponder the reasons why to choose one brokerage company over another when becoming a real estate agent.   Upon intensive research and endless appointments with recruiting office managers, I went with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and The Troia Team.  Here’s why I did and why you should as well.

The history of our residential brokerage is fascinating and proves this company comes with experience – over 104 years old in fact!  Yes, legacy has it that the origination of Coldwell Banker began to evolve in 1906 after the devestating earth quake and fire.  Saddened economic times resulted and contemptuous business practices emerged.  Two men sought to change the way companies were operating by creating a real estate firm that was based on the principles of honesty, integrity, and professionalism.  Our accomplishments to this day are proof that we are the most successful and influential brokerage.  Check out the video.

QUESTION: How did we get our name?

ANSWER: The two men who founded our company were Colbert Coldwell and Benjamin Banker.

Why should you list with us?  What sets us apart?

The tangibles: 1) Reality Check from ColdwellBanker.com, Previews (homes over $700,000), Colorado Homes On Demand, and CBAgentInfo (agent’s source for all needed links and resources).

We are ahead of the times and always updating our marketing strategies.  See us on YouTube, social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.

Our direct marketing campaign includes CB direct connect which is a monthly promotional email.  Your new listing or open house can also be distributed.

The Troia Team utilizes Proquest which is the 1-800 number on the top of your yard sign.  It allows potential buyers to call on the sign and gather more information regarding the home.  They are immediately contacted by a Troia Team Realtor, making for the quick sale of your home.

Let’s not forget about Leadrouter.  When I put your home in the multiple listing service, it also goes to websites such as coloproperty.com, Realtor.com, Zillow.  Buyers are able to inquire about a listing through the website and again, they are promptly contacted by an agent.

….300 Websites and COUNTING!!!!

Most importantly and as our history demonstrates, our company follows the values you must have in a Realtor: Integrity, Honesty, and Professionalism.  Contact me today for a free market analysis and subscribe to our website for up to date news.

Here ya go readers and potential buyers.  Another update on the mortgage rates here in Boulder Colorado.  Not much has changed but a few numbers have.  Please check them out.

1) 30 yr is at 5.2 with no points and 5% even with 1 point

2) FHA 30 yr is 5.238 with no points and 5.138% with 1 point.

Also, I would like to inform you all about a unique program that only Coldwell Banker is offering.  It is a Pre-Purchase Rate Protection (PPRP).  It allows a buyer to lock a rate without identifying a property, and is good for a 90 day lock.  Every Coldwell Banker Mortgage customer gets the opportunity to enroll in the (PPRP) as soon as they receive a mortgage pre-approval decision from Coldwell Banker Mortgage.

So click here and lock in your rate today with a professional mortgage broker.

Here is the first of many to come.  The Troia team at Coldwell Banker will have frequent market updates for your convenience.  So please visit our blog frequently and stay in the loop. 

1) 30 year fixed conventional loan is at 5.22% with 0 points.  5% with 1 point

2) FHA 30 fixed is at 5.239% with 0 points.  5.149% with one point

For more info or to speak to a professional motgage lender please click here. 

Rates are Climbing

The cycle of mortgage rates tend to consistenly rise slowly with large unpredictable and infrequent drops occuring occassionally.  Most likely, tomorrow’s rate will cost you more than today’s.  So lock in a loan today and you will save tomorrow.  Pick up the phone and call a qualified professional real estate agent with the Troia Team and lets find you a home.

Cities offer us bright lights, night life and excitement.  All things you expect from the city.  However, not all of us want that twenty four hours a day seven days a week.  For those of us who need to live near the city but not in it, the surrounding areas are the answer.  The Denver metropolitan area consistently ranks as one of the most desirable areas to live in the United States. Of course all our cities offer easy access to the 28 major resorts areas found in the nearby Rocky Mountains, which offers skiing, hiking, rafting, and camping, as well as beautiful and breathtaking scenic wonders… most are well within a two hour drive. Below are a few of Denver’s cities and reasons why you and your family might want to move there.

Thornton: In the early 1950’s a 7 million dollar 5,000 home project was out into place.  Named after Dan Thornton, then current senator, the city was created.  Close to Denver, an easy drive to the Rocky Mountains, access to parks, museums, professional sports teams and shopping… We like to think that the City of Thornton has it all.  As you’ll discover, Thornton is a good place to visit and an even better place to live!  Within ten minutes  North of downtown Denver, Thornton is very close and convenient for city visits or going to work.  As in most cities in Colorado, Thorntonoffers activities and areas to stay active.  Thornton has aggressively pursued recreation programs with nearly 1,000 acres of land developed or designated for public parks. The numerous lighted tennis courts, athletic fields, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, recreation centers and gymnasiums offer recreation opportunities for people of all ages and activity levels.  Click here for more on Thornton’s demographics.

Westminster: On your way out of Denver on highway 36, while you head Northwest, keep an eye out for Westminster.  Only about fifteen minutes away from downtown, Westminster has plenty to offer. This city is a growing suburban community that offers a wide choice of housing, excellent schools, and public facilities. The best features in Westminster include the hundreds of recreational activities. If history is your interest, take a step back in time and visit Westminster as it was 100 years ago by visiting the Bowles House Museum.  With an age over 100 years there is plenty of history to take in.  As for getting outdoors, here is some info…Westminster residents love the outdoors and have 2,900 acres of parks to enjoy. A total of 54 parks are located throughout the city, and each Westminster resident has a park within a half mile of their home. This includes our four-legged friends who can romp at the city’s 300-acre Off-Leash Dog Park located at 105th Avenue and Simms Street or our newest dog park located at the Big Dry Creek Park.  There are also plenty of sports to play and recreational activities to dive into.  The Department of Parks, Recreation and Libraries offers a wide variety of activities and programs including adult activities, adult arts and crafts, adult sports, swim lessons and aquatics classes, fitness and wellness programs, child/teen arts & crafts and activities, preschool and tot, youth/teen sports and classes for our mature adult population.  For more information on Westminsters schools click here.

Wheat Ridge: Wheat Ridge was founded as a community in 1859. It was a farming community that supported Denver and nearby mining communities, and became the largest producer of carnations worldwide until the mid-20th century. Wheat Ridge did not incorporate until August 1969, when it was faced with annexation by surrounding cities. This city is one of my personal favorites.  Very close to the city and affordable homes make this an ideal location for first time home buyers taking advantage of the first time home buyer credit. With a strong motivated local government Wheat Ridge is planning for the future.  Already gearing to adopt and change in ways that will be best for its’ residents, Wheat Ridge has designed the Repositioning Wheat Ridge report to help address future issues.  Part of the report is the “Wheat Ridge 2020, a public, non-profit corporation, created to facilitate and encourage appropriate development in Wheat Ridge.” This sounds like a city I can trust to develop well in the future.  Just one more reason Wheat Ridge stands out from other cities.  For more information of Wheat Ridge’s demographics, click here.

So whether you are relocating, selling, looking to upgrade, want to get out of or get closer to the city there is a place in Denver’s metropolitan areas for you.  For a list of all the cities you may want to move to, near Denver, click here.

 “Save Spork “  I received an email last week with a link that you were suppose to click  ://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savespork/ .  Spork , a 10 year old miniature Dachshund was taken to Lafayette’s Jasper Animal Hospital to have a bad tooth extracted.   Spork is now up on “vicious animal charges” for biting a veterinarian technician.   The owner said that dog was just in pain and scared, and so far the family has spent over $6000 on fees involved with the ticket.  The courts will be reviewing the case in April 2010 and will decide if the dog should be euthanized or not.  

Thousands of people are rallying around Spork and some are not.  Today, in the local Boulder Camera paper, someone made a funny comment on the story about Spork and said  “the moral of the story is to never trust a dog named after a sharp eating utensil” !

The “Save Spork”  Facebook page has drawn more than 9,000 members, blog posts, mainly in support of Spork, also are proliferating. Click here for more information on pet ownershipo vs pet guardianship and other animal law issues in Colorado.  

Lafayette,   once a part of the Colorado coal-mining boom, is redefining it’s working class roots and rich ethnic diversity as a thriving community with cultural and commercial centers found in the revitalized Old Town District.  As a real estate agent in Boulder Colorado,  trends are showing for the surrounding Boulder areas like Lafayette, inventory coming down and prices up just a little.    For more info on home prices in this area check out our website link:  http://blogtherockies.com/local-stats/.  and visit the City of Lafayette City website: http://cityoflafayette.com/ .   We look forward to hearing your comments about Spork the Dog, and don’t forget to check out our Troia Team blog about the Mork and Mindy house.   Ah, come on…..I think you can admit that you really liked Mork from Ork ! 

The fallowing are all definition of a buyers’ market: 1) When the demand for property is less than supply so the advantages shift to the buyer.  2) A market which has more sellers than buyers. Low prices result from this excess of supply over demand.  Also soft market or opposite of seller’s market. 3) When a buyers’ market exists in commodities, the buyer is able to be selective in purchasing contracts, as there are many individuals wishing to sell. Furthermore, these buyers will generally be able to purchase contracts at lower prices than those that were previously prevalent. 

Basically the key elements of a buyers’ market are these: lots of inventory (or homes for sale) and buyers willing to buy them up at competitive prices.  That being said, Boulder is a buyer’s market.

One good reason for Boulder’s buyers’ market is the tax credit. With the tax credit extension about to expire, offered to not only first time home buyers but move up buyers as well, now is a good time to take advantage of this offer. The deadline was moved from November 30, 2009 to April 30, 2010, with any contracts closing before July 1st.  Close before then and guarantee yourself some money back from uncle Sam at the closing table.  Weather that is $8,000 for first time buyers or $6,500 for move up buyers, this offer is one that can’t be wasted.  There is a household income cap and maximum purchase price buyers must obey in order to qualify. HERE for more details.

What if I told you I could save you close to $4,000 if you were to buy a home today instead of down the road? You could use that to pay for this years’ heating, electric, cell, and cable bills. “How?”, is what I hoped you would say.

First off I would refer you to Coldwell Banker mortgage.  Here our loan agents can offer you ZERO closing costs at a value of $1,500.  Now comes the big deal, locking in a rate today that is better than a rate tomorrow.  The life of interest rates is this: a gradual increase over a long period of time and then a big decrease all of a sudden.  With rates once again gradually increasing, you can count on tomorrow’s rate being worse than today’s.  On a $300,000 loan, if you lock in a rate today at 5 3/4 and tomorrow it goes to 6 1/4, which it eventually will, you will be saving $200 per month.  On 360 payments over 30 years that is $72,000 dollars you will save. More immediately it is $2,400 per year.  That plus the money CB mortgage will save you on closing costs puts you in the green $3,900.00.  Not bad for buying sooner than later.  Also remember, that is not including the tax credit if you qualify for it.

If you are a buyer, get out there and take advantage of this market.  The Troia team has agents specializing in all sorts of homes in all sorts of areas.  Give us a call and find your dream home.

I’m sure you heard the good news  by now,  Boulder was rated the happiest and healthiest place to live in the United States.  This was according to a Gallup Poll and the Colorado Daily reports:

The new massive study of Americans’ attitudes and lifestyles concludes that Boulder is the prime U.S. location for general well-being and quality of life.

“The fact that Boulder is up there makes a lot of sense when you’re looking at what we know of happiness,” said Tim Wadsworth, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Colorado. “For example, health is huge, and Boulder is known for its high level of health.”

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index asked more than 353,00 Americans in 2009 about their jobs, finances, physical health, emotional state and communities when calculating the rankings.  Click here to know more.

Boulder ranked No. 1 in overall well-being out of 162 large and medium-sized cities. It also topped the list in work experience, rated No. 4 in healthy behaviors, No. 7 in physical health, No. 10 in access to basic needs for a healthy life and No. 27 in emotional health.

The top 10 happiest cities are mostly in the West — including in California, Utah and Hawaii.

Huntington, W. Va., and Fort Smith, Ark., ranked the lowest in overall well-being.

Wadsworth said he doesn’t know how seriously to take polls that ask people to subjectively report whether they’re happy. And if people genuinely are happy and healthy, Wadsworth said, it’s difficult to know whether to credit Boulder.

“Is it that living in Boulder makes people happy, or do happy people make life decisions to move to Boulder?” Wadsworth said.

Boulder does, however, have a lot of the attributes that are generally considered essential to a happy community. For example, many residents are educated and affluent. Younger and older people seem to be happier, Wadsworth said, and Boulder has a lot of students and retirees who fit into those groups.

“And weather matters,” Wadsworth said. “That’s one of the reasons I moved here.”

Good weather and proximity to trails, open space and the mountains make outdoor recreation easy, he said. And a lot of Boulder residents work either at CU, one of the government-run research institutions or for themselves, which allows them to work somewhat independently and have more flexibility in their daily schedules, Wadsworth said.

CU sophomore Katie Miller, 20, said she’s much happier living in Boulder than in her Connecticut hometown. Where she comes from, Miller said, people are much more stressed.

“Everyone works all day in New York — they don’t do anything else,” said Miller, who spent the weekend skiing at Breckenridge. “I don’t know if anyone works here.”

Marilyn Johnson, 60, said she’s lived in Boulder for 35 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else. With a home near Chautauqua Park, she walks her dogs daily in the foothills. Over the weekend, she went to the Boulder International Film Festival. Her family started a natural food business.

“It’s very easy to eat healthy here,” Johnson said Monday while shopping at Whole Foods. “And there’s just so much to do.”

If happy hour is an indication of the level of happiness in Boulder, Henry Pariser said the community is in good spirits. Pariser, kitchen manager at Southern Sun, said his restaurant has two happy hours — one at 4 p.m. and one at 10 p.m.

“This place fills up,” he said. “There are people waiting on both sides of the restaurant to get a seat.”

Pariser said he just moved to Boulder three months ago after living in Chicago, Napa Valley and Las Vegas, and he’s found his favorite spot.

“You wake up every morning and look at the Rocky Mountains – how could you not be happy?” he said.

Come and buy some real estate in Boulder,apparently it’s place to be.