I rarely write completely unlrelated-to-real-estate posts, but I thought of the AR group, "Whacked", when I saw this item in the Solutions catalog. A digital camera on a pet collar. You set it to snap pictures every few minutes, up to 40. So you know what your pet was up to all day, of course! And only $49.95 + shipping. Wow - I think I'll take another look at that World Vision gift catalog!  With the kind of junk retailers offer at Christmas, I think most people really don't need to buy anything at all. This is my dog, Daphne. She's happy with a simple chew stick, then being left alone to nap. December 7, 2009 - OK so now I need to write an update. Evidently, a camera just like these was used to study the behavior of 50 cats. And the discovery is - (drum roll) cats sleep less than peop... 11/29/2009

Starting at 10 am and up until 4 pm today Arvada residents can take your used turkey-frying oil to two locations in Arvada for recycling. Indiana Service Center:  6701 Indiana StWadsworth City Shops: 6161 Olde Wadsworth Blvd City staff will be there to help you empty your containers of used vegetable oil / grease into barrels provided by Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises. Please take your empty containers with you after they are emptied.  The event closes promptly at 4:00 at both locations.  Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises refines the oil into biofuels and agricultural products. Thank you for recycling your vegetable oil! I am a residential real estate agent, happily helping folks buy a house or sell a house in the beautiful and friendly suburbs northwest of Denver. Learn ho... 11/28/2009

So you’re ready to buy a house. You’ve gotten your finances together, your lease is about to expire or your current house is on the market, you’ve researched neighborhoods and looked at a multitude of houses online. All you have left is the fun part – going to look at houses and picking one. Easy, right? Sometimes, it is just that easy. If you’ve got a small geographical area chosen, and know what features are ‘must-haves’, and there are plenty of houses to choose from – but not too many – you could easily pick a house to write an offer on the first day out. But one annoying thing that can happen is having too many houses to choose from. That’s annoying because you might feel like you have to see every single one, or you’ll miss out on something. So, you find one you really like, but yo... 11/27/2009

So you want to buy a house in the beautiful Denver area, but you’re nervous because you’ve heard horror stories about what can go wrong. I’m here to tell you, while there truly is a lot that can go wrong, these problems can almost always be addressed and solved. As long as home owners want to sell a house, and home buyers want to buy a house (and not TOO MUCH changes in the political realm), things can be worked out. There’s a lot of annoying things that can happen in the loan process. It’s important to remember that your lender wants you to get a loan, and in fact will not get paid if you aren’t successful. In other words – don’t forget that you’re on the same side! First, your lender will give you a list of things to do and not to do in the interim before closing, such as, “Don’t buy ... 11/20/2009

House with the Arvada Sun .. Please scrool down to get the beat ..then return here and repeat: There is a house..... in Arvada ...Colorado They call ...a super good ....deal And now .......its really cool ... for sure.. o boy Its mod.. and a true number one . My mother ..she swears....like a sailor She really likes my new..blue sceens .....yea My father was a ..common man bought no down... to be.... very lean. So mother.... tell your children they ought ..to really buy ...this one Spend your money investin ..in this ministry In the House ..with the Rising fund. There is a house..... in Arvada Colorado They call a super good ....deal And now .......its really cool ... for sure.. o boy Its mod and a true number one . --------------------------------------------------- Gary DiGiorgio The D... 11/17/2009

Towguy in Shining armor‎ - ‎ - Today We had a wicked experience this am on the way to the office. Our front ball joint on the front of the car...snapped. Thank God..we were only four blocks from home..going 20 mph. I thought we had a tire blow out. Once we pulled over,I looked and to my dismay, the front tire / wheel was under the car. Had we been doing 60mph..we would have rolled...and who knows.....Yet by the grace of God in heaven....Im here to report we are good and GOD IS GOOD !! Shane from Reds towing showed up with his big red truck. It wasn't easy, yet he used every tool to get our car up and loaded on the deck. Thanks Shane and Reds towing !!! Also.. A HUGE thanks to my awesome Brother Ron...He came and picked me off the street....and loaned me his ranger.....A Loan Ranger........ 11/16/2009

Yes, this is my 100th real estate-related blog post about buying and selling homes between Denver and Boulder.  I can't believe it!  Blogging seemed so hard at first - such a huge learning curve. But now, I take my camera everywhere I go, and jot down ideas all the time. I have a list of ideas for posts yet to be written.   Best of all, I've met some wonderful people via blogging. I had a buyer close week before last, one closing tomorrow and another under contract, who all found me online. I have a lot to learn still, I know. My posts could be more SEO-savvy, and prettier.  But I've very much enjoyed the journey and look forward to all that's just over the next hilltop. Here's some of my most viewed posts: Life in Arvada - Neighborhoods, Stores, Things to Do, Local Info Home for Sale, ... 11/12/2009

A funny thing happened to me on the way to my blog this am.. I intened to write a normal blog....not using a tune..then to my dismay ...someone asked me for more words to the tune...It was awesome.. My normal words were transposed into the song...Not my intent.. yet it kinda worked anyway...So below ..find..the normal...then the tune words.... YOU DECIDE...which flows betta !!!! hehe Normal Seems we were able to survive many years ago ..without phones Yet today, we are like babies dependant on our phones. In fact, when our cell phone is not working..broke or just dead..we all are in dread... For me ..it is time to get a new phone on Sunday !! yeah!!! Im getting the new Verizon ..droid.... any comments from fellow dependants ??? At the very bottom ..is a great clip on storm Vs droid So .... 11/12/2009

There’s a lot of controversy about government spending these days, including the extended tax credit for home buyers. I'm not going re-hash the debate, but I want to make a statement about my thoughts from the perspective of a real estate agent.   First, did the credit that is about to expire help at all?  I think the obvious answer to anyone familiar with our local market is “Yes!”  It most certainly turned the entry-level market around.  It’s actually difficult to find a nice, 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in Arvada for less than $225,000, with simple specifications such as it doesn’t adjoin a busy street or train track.    That’s not my opinion, that’s the real-life experience of people looking for a home right now. The tax credit cleaned out existing entry-level inventory. There are more ... 11/11/2009

We all need a little humor ....we all need 8 hours of sleep a night too. well we may not get 8 hours, yet we can find humor thru one another.... so please laugh along with Dean and me...on this remix ..... Please scroll down to click on the demo. Then please scroll back up to sing along to...... ---------------------------------------. Everybody Needs a Realtor. ------------------------------------------.. Everybody ..needs a Realtor ....sometime. Everybody list their home... somehow. Something in my listining.. just told me. That you're selling ....right now.. Every buyer finds a home ...someplace. There's no telling where it may appear. Something in my heart keeps saying. Buying someplace.... is near... If I had it in ...my contract. I'd arrange.. for every close ..to have no alarm. T... 11/06/2009

Remember the wonderful song “Downtown” Where we could forget all our problems, forget all our cares... Well that was yesterday...today is today...when you need to forget all your problems Forget all your cares ....you can go ....“On Line “... So just scroll down and click on the video to listen to the gentle song Then scroll back up the and sing along to this re write below “On Line” When you’re house hunting and wishing you had a home You can always go .....on line.. When you’ve got tax problems, all the toys and the furry Seems to help,..... you know...on line Just listen to music of your fingers on the keyboard Linger on my web site where the newest homes are pretty How can you lose ?? The screen is much clearer there You can forget all your tax problems, forget all your credit cards... 11/05/2009

 Gotta love Colorado-- The 2 foot snow from last week is gone from the streets and is still in the hills Goin to be a great skiing - boarding base !!!!   Gary DiGiorgio The DiGiorgio Group 9035 Wadsworth pkwy 2000 Westminster.Co 80021 Direct 303 898 4279 Office 303 422 5200 fx 303 467 0211 Gary@Di-DenverRealty.com       11/05/2009

Over the last two days, the Denver area (including my home town of Arvada) experienced The Big Snow of 2009 - that's what I'm calling it, in hopes that it's the only one. No, I don't like snow. Yet it's a part of our lives here in Colorado. The good news is, it usually doesn't stay on the ground here in town very long, especially early and late snow falls. But for those of your who looooove snow - even after it melts here you don't have to go far to find it, so no worries! Anyway, back to the topic - I saw a few pictures of friends' dogs posted on Facebook, and love the personalities they show. I'll be adding more pictures as I get them, so if you have one, send it on! First up - my own beagle, Daphne.  I was doing all I could to coerce her to come out into the snow, but as you can see,... 10/30/2009

  Joetta’s Neighborhood Newsletter Hello, Friends & Neighbors!   As we transition from summer warmth to winter chill, I hope the crisp air and glorious colors of autumn bring you good memories and a sense of joy for what’s to come as 2009 winds down. I know some of you will read this newsletter at your desk, some will have your laptop with you in front of a crackling fire, and some will read it on your phones. Wherever and however, I hope you enjoy! Input from Readers Senator Evie Hudack would like to invite you to join her for coffee (or breakfast) at Panera Bread Café (7739 Wadsworth) on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 to 8:30 am, to discuss issues of concern to you.  The next one will be November 5. She’s also having a town hall meeting Saturday, November 21, from 10:30 am ... 10/22/2009

            Did you know Arvada has a community garden? They had an open house a few weeks ago*, and I stopped by.  What a great place, and a nice bunch of people. It’s located at 57th and Garrison. There are 120 plots. Club membership is $25 per year for individuals, $35 for families, and includes a plot, water, hose. Non-members can rent plots, but they have a waiting list.             You can tour the gardens, and be sure to stop by for your fall decorating needs, such as pumpkins, corn stalks, and gourds. (Please stick to the paths, and - do I have to say it - DON't PICK ANYTHING!)  Hours of operation are Monday and Wednesday, 7:30 to noon, and 4:30 to 7 pm; Friday from 4:30 to 7 pm; Saturday 7:30 to noon. For more info call Kyle or Jackie at Young's 303-422-8408. *Oh wow - that was... 10/17/2009

Whether buying or selling a house, the existence or lack of building permits for past work is easy to determine in the city of Arvada, Colorado. And it's an interesting little bit of sleuthing too, based on my recent experiences. My eyes were opened to the importance of checking for building permits recently when my clients made an offer on a beautifully remodeled home.  The place had been purchased recently for over $100,000 less, with some mention of structural issues in the listing. I checked with the listing agent, who forwarded the receipts for the work - done by a structural enginering firm. I called the engineer and found out about their warranty. He also said he'd personally explain to the buyers what they did and how they solved the structural problems. Then, we noticed that th... 10/02/2009

Only 35 shopping days left for "wannabe" home owners in Broomfield, CO that want to take advantage of the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. The $8000 federal tax credit, offered this year to stimulate home sales, will end November 30, 2009, which means that first time home buyers in Colorado who qualify for the credit must close on their first home purchase transaction on or before November 30th. I'm telling home buyers in Broomfield, CO and surrounding areas that in order to take advantage of the tax credit, you have to be Under Contract, no later than October 30th.  Really, the minimum time frame for processing a typical real estate transaction is at least 30 days. However, many transactions are actually taking 45-60 days, due to changing loan requirements and the over supply of... 09/19/2009

Joetta’s Neighborhood NewsletterHello, Friends & Neighbors! It’s a pleasure to once again bring you reliable real estate news and tidbits from around Arvada and the Denver area.      Picture this – a husband and wife lived in their 4-level home for more than three decades, and now climbing all those stairs is getting difficult and dangerous. They’d love to get a one-level house, but the nice ones cost more than they could sell their current home for. They can’t use any of their savings to make up the difference, because they need that cash for living. Or how about this – after raising her family in the home she shared with her husband, a lady has lost her husband, and there is a mortgage on the home. She can’t keep up with the payments, and the house needs serious maintenance, plus ther... 09/10/2009

It’s a pleasure to once again bring you reliable real estate news and tidbits from around Arvada and the Denver area.   Best Tips of The Month – #1 - Get your own radio station for free (from Amanda)If you have the internet and decent speakers hooked up to your computer, and if you like music, go to www.Pandora.com now. Put in your favorite artist or band, or whatever you’re in the mood for. And Pandora will play music for you, similar to what you chose. It’s so wonderful!  My daughter told me about it. She said there is a commercial every now and then, but I’ve had it on for several minutes and haven’t heard one yet, so can’t say how often they occur.#2 – Quit carrying paper coupons around (from Cindy)This is another tip for those who have access to the internet. Go to shortcuts.com an... 08/18/2009

(Update Nove has moved out of this location, and another coffee shop has replaced it.  I haven't been there yet, hopefully it's good!) My small town of Arvada, Colorado is home to the famous Novo Coffee's shop, The Arvada Coffee Bar, and I didn't even know it! I first heard of Novo Coffee just the other day when I read this blog post: "Novo Coffee is a Heartbreaker". The story starts with an east coast band, called Akron/Family, in Denver to play the Bluebird Theater recently. They have a favorite espresso blend, called Heartbreaker, which they buy at Grumpy's in New York city. Grumpy's is the only place the blend is served, but "the band was on a mission to find the perfect cup of Colorado joe" and - lo and behold - Heartbreaker is a proprietary blend of Novo Coffee, headquartered in D... 08/08/2009