Have you found yourself missing the trips to the movie theater since the pandemic began? While you may not be able to get the full cinema experience, hosting a backyard movie night can be a fun and unique substitute.

Here are a few tips for creating your own drive-in experience from the comfort and safety of your backyard without breaking the bank.

• Round up a projector: You can order a projector online that you'll enjoy for years for around $100. If spending that dough isn't in the cards, many libraries rent out projectors for the low, low price of "free".
• Choose a screen: A lightly colored sheet will do just fine here, or you can order a projector screen just for the occasion. Another option? Run to your local home improvement retailer and grab a large drop-cloth from the painting section.
• Media player: Most people use a phone or laptop as a media player, connected to the projector with an HDMI cable. Many projectors will also play media files plugged in with a USB thumb drive.
• Optimize audio: While your projector will have built-in speakers, they're likely insufficient for the outdoor experience. If you own a soundbar or a portable speaker with Bluetooth or an auxiliary jack, you can connect it to your media player for optimal sound.

Earth Day is celebrated every April 22nd by billions of people across the planet. It is a global day of action to support and create momentum for environmental awareness and protection.

Did you know how Earth Day was founded?

• John McConnell, an Iowa native born in 1915, successfully persuaded the United Nations to recognize the first official Earth Day on March 21, 1970 - the spring equinox in North America in that year. A peace activist and ardent Christian, McConnell envisioned his holiday as a way to promote not only care of the Earth but also an end to human conflict.
• Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea of a "national teach-in" on the environment for April 22, 1970. The Senator was looking to harness the power of the student anti-war movement, and partnered with Congressman Pete McCloskey and Denis Hayes, then a Harvard graduate student, to organize rallies at universities and colleges across the United States. The focus on the student movement was critical to the selection of the date. April 22nd fell between spring break and final exams.
• The first Earth Day was so successful that it created genuine political urgency. The establishment of the United States EPA by President Nixon and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and the Endangered Species Act are all credited to the Earth Day movement.
• Denis Hayes went on to found the Earth Day Network which continues the tradition of the first Earth Day movement and has worked diligently to expand the Earth Day holiday internationally.

With everyone's help we can make sure that our planet is strong and healthy for generations to come. You can make a difference! 

The Denver Real Estate Market continues to be a STRONG Sellers Market for the foreseeable future. 

Demand for available housing continues to drive the real estate market. More home closed last month than any other March on record!  Buyers continue to find heavy competition, multiple offers well over the asking price on the limited inventory available to purchase. 

Although more listings came to market last month, overall inventory remains very low. 

March ended with only one week of inventory reflecting a 5 week decline from this time last year reflecting under 2,000 homes available to purchase. 

Heavy competition has driven up home prices. Home prices are up 15% compared to March 2020. 

More Market Stats 

All indications show that things will remain tight for the upcoming months. It makes it even more important to partner with a strong Realtor who knows how to navigate challenging markets and get you the winning bid. 

Curious about what’s happening in your neighborhood? You can create a custom market report to see what’s active, under contract, and sold in your neighborhood! 

Considering selling or refinancing your home? Get an INSTANT property valuation now!

Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance to you!

Imagine owning your home outright in 15 years! 

If you've been in your home for five years, and if current interest rates are one percentage point less than your existing mortgage rate, now might be the time to consider a refi.

Refinancing can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the course of your loan term. Whether you're hoping to save cash month-to-month with a lower rate on a 30-year mortgage, or you want to aggressively pay off your home in 15 years, the time has never been better. 

Whether it's buying, selling, or refinancing - if you're looking for a new way home, We can help. Call us today!

April 2021
Real Estate News
Brought to you by Scott Beard
 
Which states have the lowest cost of living?

For many of us, the past year has brought about a slew of unexpected changes. The pandemic didn’t slow rising home prices or increase the amount of available inventory in major metro areas, but what it did do was dispel the idea that all office workers must be tethered to a physical location.

With remote work becoming more and more normalized, many Americans are wondering why they’re paying exorbitant housing costs for less space, less privacy, and less stability. With that in mind, let’s take a glance at the most affordable places to live in the United States by cost of living index*.

Mississippi: With a cost of living index of 84.8 (the national average is considered 100), Mississippi has the lowest housing costs in the country and has held the top spot for years. You can expect to pay around $134,000 for a home, so if you’re looking for a new home town where your money can go further, Mississippi might be for you. 

Oklahoma: Oklahoma has the second-lowest cost of living in the U.S, with an index of 86.1. You can expect to pay $142,000 for a home in Oklahoma, meaning you’ll be able to afford that tailgating rig sooner than you planned.

Arkansas: Coming in third is Arkansas. The cost-of-living index is 87.8, and transportation, housing, and health care costs are all lower than the national averages. It’s estimated that for a family to live comfortably in the state they would need to make around $44,571 a year. Arkansas also offers a screamin’ deal on milk at an average price of $1.75 a gallon.

Other states with a low cost of living are Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Alabama, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Indiana.

*Cost of living indexes are meant to compare the expenses an average person can expect to incur to acquire food, shelter, transportation, energy, clothing, education, healthcare, childcare, and entertainment in different regions.

Avoid Moving Woes

It’s a timeless and universal truth: moving is no fun. Ancient Polynesian seafarers, while nervously prepping outrigger canoes for uncharted trips across the South Pacific, probably groaned in frustration when they realized at the last minute that someone forgot to pack up all the fishing gear.

Sure, locating to a new place can be an exciting adventure, but the actual moving process can be stressful, costly, and full of surprises. Make your next move as smooth and simple as possible by avoiding these pitfalls:

Hiring a shady mover. Moving scams can run the gamut from bogus “moving deposits”, to bait-and-switch estimates, to overly-complicated contracts designed to nullify mover liability. You can steer clear of a less-than-upstanding mover by doing your homework. The Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, your state transportation regulator, and the U.S. Department of Transportation - and even your relatives, friends and neighbors - are all good sources of information about whether a moving company is on the up-and-up. Doing some homework online can save you a lot of heartache.

Failing to schedule your move well in advance. During the summer months, good moving companies are booked up quickly. Rather than waiting until the last minute, make sure your move is scheduled weeks - or better yet, months - in advance. You don't want to be scrambling to find a mover the day before you're supposed to head out.

Packing too much stuff. Do you really need those old boxes of baby clothes that you haven't laid eyes on since your 6-year-old was in diapers? Before you move, "edit" your belongings. Think about whether you can trash some of your possessions, donate them to charity, or give them away to friends and relatives. Consider holding a garage sale to clear out some of the clutter. If you haven't seen, worn, or used something in a year, think hard about whether you need to keep it - and whether you need to haul it to your new place.

Ignoring the need to pack ahead of time. You'll find very few people who'll say that packing is fun. In fact, a survey commissioned by SpareFoot found that people who moved in the past year identified packing and unpacking as the biggest hassle in the process. (Our ancient seafarers would probably agree.)

You can lessen the load by beginning to pack well before moving day comes along. Start by boxing up stuff that you won't need right away - for instance, if you're moving in the summer, pack up your winter clothes so that they're out of the way. If you get down to the wire and need help with packing, enlist friends, neighbors, relatives, or colleagues to lend a hand. Just make sure you have plenty of pizza and cold beverages on hand. If you can't rustle up any free help, consider hiring laborers to do the packing for you; that may be a small price to pay to alleviate moving-related stress.

You can keep your home in top shape with simple tasks throughout the year. This month, be sure to:

1.   Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.

2.   Drain approximately 2 gallons from your water heater to eliminate sediment.

3.   Clean your clothes dryer vent duct.

4.   Vacuum your bathroom vent covers.

5.   Replace or clean your furnace filter.

6.   Clean out your basement window wells.

7.   Clean your refrigerator's condenser coils to keep it operating efficiently.

8.   Clean around your air conditioning compressor and make sure that it gets sufficient air flow.

As always, We appreciate referrals from my friends and past clients. If you know of anyone who is looking to buy or sell real estate, please send them our way!

You can keep your home in top shape with simple tasks throughout the year. This month, be sure to:

1.   Take a look at your lawn mower and give it a quick tune up. You'll be needing it soon enough!

2.   Examine the exterior foundation grading/slope and ensure water moves away from your home. If water is collecting near the house, you'll want to get things fixed right away.

3.   Inspect your roof's surface, flashing, eaves, and soffits; after winter weather, the roof could use a little attention.

4.   Drain approximately 2 gallons from your water heater to eliminate sediment.

5.   Examine, repair and replace caulk and grout around your tubs and showers.

6.   Service your kitchen disposal by grinding several cups of ice cubes.

7.   Check your window and door screens in anticipation of warmer weather.

8.   Vacuum your bathroom vent covers.

As always, we appreciate referrals from my friends and past clients. If you know of anyone who is looking to buy or sell real estate, please send them our way!

Each year, the city of Chicago celebrates St. Patrick's Day with a unique tradition. It dyes a portion of the Chicago bright florescent green. How did this all get started and how is it done? Here are three fun facts about the Windy City's aquatic feat:

The Market Tightens as Inventory Remains Very Low...

Although the Denver Housing Market continues to be extremely hot, the lack of inventory looks to derail the momentum.

The number of active listings across the Denver Metro Area continues to be a concern.  We saw an 11% decline in new listings from the prior year. The Denver Real Estate Market only has 2 weeks of inventory making it very difficult for Buyers to secure a property.

March 2021
Real Estate News
Brought to you by Scott Beard 

Your way-too-eager, probably over-the-top early spring checklist

Let's face it – it's been a long winter, but brighter and warmer days are upon us. If you're the type of person who likes to be prepared, it isn't too early to gear up for lawn and garden season. Here are some tips to help you hit the ground running this spring:

• Test the content of your soil with a kit. Soil test kits are designed to determine levels of PH, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and other micro/macronutrients in your soil. An accurate test will tell you how to amend your soil for optimum growing.