Do A Good Deed - Help Build A Home For Another

Doing a selfless deed for another is a great way to spend part of your summer. How about giving one day (or more) of your time to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity.

This non profit organization builds low cost homes for families in need around the world. The Habitat for Humanity seeks to lessen poverty and homelessness by building houses with volunteers and donated money and materials.

These homes are sold to families in need at no profit and are financed with affordable loans. The money brought in from their monthly mortgages goes right into making more homes for other families. This organization has built more than 250,000 homes throughout the world and have created better living environments for over 1 million people.

This summer would be a great time to volunteer to help build a house for a family in need. The day I volunteered was a wonderful experience. Well trained employees of Habitat For Humanity provide a safety talk and all of the tools and materials needed. They are also quite good at matching your individual skill level with tasks that need to be done for that day. Repeat visits are very welcome. - If you do not have the time to help build one of their homes, your donations are always appreciated and help as well.

For more information and locations close to you:
Habitat for Humanity Denver locations or call (303) 534-2929 TODAY.

SPRING IS HERE! - RUN IN A MARATHON OR RACE

Are you looking for a fun, active summer activity to participate in? There are many races/marathons in and around the Denver area this summer that are a fun and exciting way to push yourself.

The Cottonwood Classic 5K
This race is in Thornton on May 17, 2008

Couples Relay
A run or walk race for couples in Ft. Collins on May 18, 2008. Each person runs/walks 5K. Couple can be male/female, male/male, or female/female.

Boulder Boulder
This 10K race is in Boulder on May 26, 2008. Registration costs $40 and up (depending on package)

Rocky Mountain Half Marathon and Women’s 8K
This marathon is in Denver on June 8, 2008

Donor Dash
This is a 5K race in Washington Park in Denver on July 13, 2008

Denver Marathon
This is a marathon, half-marathon or 4 person marathon relay on October 19, 2008. It starts in front of the capital building and goes through the heart of downtown Denver and ends at Civic Center Park

Save Money On Your Gasoline Expenses In 2008

This past year we have seen gas prices increase dramatically. On May 1, 2008 the average national gas price was $3.62 per gallon, the highest our nation hase ever seen. Gas prices in 2008 overall have increased 18% from last year alone.

There appears to be no signs of slowing. The gas prices will continue to rise in the spring and into the summer. In some places gas prices will reach $4.00 per gallon. Traditionally, gas prices peak during the summer months. This summer’s gas prices look like they may be even higher than predicted.

With gas prices at a new high throughout the nation, many of us are looking for ways to cut down on their fuel consumption. If you are interested in reducing your gas consumption, here are a few ideas:

* Walk or bike instead of drive to close destinations
* Carpool to work or other activities
* Take public transportation (light rail)
* Don’t jump in the car every time you want something. Plan fewer trips with multiple stops and route your trips in advance of leaving.
* Drive slower. Driving 10 miles per hour slower on the highway will reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10%.

Fill up with the least expensive gas in your area.
Here are some sites that can help you do so:

Gas Buddy

MapQuest gas prices

Appreciation Seen In Select Denver Subdivisions

A recent article in the 5280 magazine noted several Denver neighborhoods that experienced an increase in their average sales price for 2007. The article lists only some of the areas showing appreciation for the year. There are many additional subdivisions that are showing upward movement in price trends throughout the Metro Denver area.

Here are the communities listed in the recent magazine article.

Average Sales Price and Percent Increase From 2006 to 2007 For:
Berkley: $274,000; 5 percent
Cherry Hills: $2,016,500; 7 percent
Country Club Historic District: $1,082,000; 26 percent
Highlands and West Highlands: $305,011; 4 percent
Highlands Ranch: $319,000 (average of Redstone and Coyote Creek); 1.5 percent
Ken-Caryl Valley: $564,000; 5 percent
Louisville: $392,000 in 2007 and early 2008; up 7.3 percent from 2006
Mayfair: $671,000 (average of Montclair and Hilltop); 10 percent
Old Bonnie Brae: $904,212; 13 percent
South Park Hill: $456,000; 5 percent
Stapleton: $454,000; 4 percent
Washington Park: $654,000; 9 percent

Other interesting new is that according to the Metrolist numbers the number of days it is taking for a home to go under contract is decreasing. During of April 2007 it took 108 days to sell while last month, it took 103 days. Although this is not a significant difference, it is just another indicator to tell you which way our market is moving.

Metrolist figures show another interesting point. The number of buyers in the market is also increasing. Under contract properties increased by 7% this past March as compared to March of 07 and April to April showed a 2% increase. - These market indicators are saying the Denver real estate market is improving.

Feel free to contact me to discuss specifics of any community you have interest in or if you would like to know about other subdivisions showing significant promise.