December 6th is St. Nicholas Day   Saint Nicholas was known for his kindness and generosity. December the 6th has been celebrated as Saint Nicholas Day for centuries in Christian countries around the world. This Holiday is celebrated still to this day, mainly in Northern Europe. It is said that id children leave a shoe outside their door at night, the morning of December 6th, they would find coins or small candies as gifts. A very popular celebration for families is to have someone dress up as Saint Nicholas and visit the home. This is when the children and family "examine the conscience". Good behavior is awarded and bad behavior is admonished. This is seen as great way to get everyone on a good path early during Advent to prepare for the Christmas Holiday.   12/07/2009

December 5th is Bathtub Party Day It seems like there is a day for everything. On Saturday, December 5th, we celebrated Bathtub Party day. This is a day to relax. It was created as a day to relax with friends. It is said that we need to invite some friends over and share a bubble bath with a glass of bubbly.. Not sure who has a bathtub large enough to handle a party - but if not, use a hottub and enjoy your friends company and a good glass of Champagne. Here's To the Bubbles (Tub and Drink of course) 12/07/2009

National Cookie Day   I'm not sure why all of my posts this week have been about cookies... I guess I'm in the mood. Welcome to National Cookie Day! Today is a great day to have a glass of milk and some cookies. If you are the cook in your home, bake up a batch. If not, I'm sure there is a local cookie store not too far from where you are. A little history lesson on the cookie. The English word "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "koekje," which means little cake. Bakers used to place a small amount of cake batter in the oven to test the temperature. They soon discovered that these little bits of cooked batter were quite tasty on their own, and the cookie was born! As an added bonus - Here is the Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Level: Easy Prep: 15 min Cooking: 9 min Cooling tim... 12/04/2009

Operation Santa Paws. While we are celebrating with our family and friends this time of year, we will enjoy plenty to eat and drink. We will give gifts to our loved ones and enjoy the sounds and sights of the Holiday lights and Music. Even with all of this going on, many of us recognize our blessings and do our best to give to those that are less fortunate than us. We donate our time at the local food bank; donate toys and clothes to families in need. It is a wonderful time of year for all of us to give back. To those that do - THANK YOU, you are making a difference. There is still one area that is forgotten about around the Holidays. The animals. We all like to give out the cute puppies and kittens as gifts to our little ones. We don't pay attention to the older pets available to us at... 12/03/2009

With so many holidays in the month of December, the first week has been named National Recipe Week. This is a great time for all of us to share our favorite recipe with friends and family. So go ahead and add your favorite winter holiday recipe and let's put together the great AR recipe book! To get us started, here is a great Cookie recipe for you.             Gingerbread Men: Ingredients 6 cups flour 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon Ginger, Ground 2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Ground 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups butter, softened 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup molasses 2 egg   Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until ligh... 12/02/2009

For the past decade or more, home loans have tended to be anything but basic. Complex loans, such as those that feature interest-only payments or option Adjustable Rate Mortgages, have been the rule, rather than the exception.  The sheer complexity of the home loan marketplace can leave the new home buyer frustrated and confused. In addition, these complex loans are, at least in part, intertwined with the economic downturn in the housing market.Option-AMR mortgages, for example, allowed the borrower to defer their interest while they made payments on the principal. This worked fine, until home prices began to fall. At that point, payments rose and the deferred interest payments caused many mortgages to increase while the value of the home dropped. This created a huge loss for the lender... 11/05/2009

PURCHASE A HOME WITH NO MONEY DOWN So you are ready to buy a home but with this economy, who has the huge down payment? Most lenders that you speak with will tell you with no money down, they can't get you a loan. NOT TRUE!!! I am very happy to tell you about the Economic Development programs that are now available. As a direct lender, I have access to this exclusive Government sponsored program. It will allow you to purchase a home without putting any money down! Wait, it gets better..... The credit underwriting guidelines have been relaxed as well. This means if you were not able to purchase a home before due to credit, we might be able to help you now. Just change jobs? That used to be a problem. Now with the economic development program, we can work with that as well. What is the E... 10/28/2009

On friday, I participated in a DAR field trip to the Plains Conservation site in Aurora. Colorado history has always fascinated me, especially since my husband's family homesteaded here back in the mid 1800's. As a former member of "The Shady Ladies of Central City" I have spent many hours studying the roles of women in the settling of the West...from soiled doves to wives of military men...all trying to survive in a harsh environment. So visiting this preserved rendition of an old homestead had special meaning to me. Touring the small home built of sod and mud, to sitting on the stiff, wooden bench in the one room school house, I could imagine the hardships our families endured as they set down roots in Colorado.  Even as the suburban developments creep towards this beautiful park, you... 10/25/2009

If you have been wanting to learn more about credit, then this is the day. It is annual Get Smart About Credit Day. Originally put together to teach young adults and teenagers about getting credit and being responsible with it. This day has turned into a day that is used by banks and employers along with schools. It is a fact that most Americans can't go through life without some type of credit. We need it for a place to live; a car to drive; to pay for airline tickets and in some cases even to pay for food. So, it is important that we use our credit wisely. The banks and lenders are all tightening up the restrictions on obtaining new credit. So, it is now more important than ever to know where you stand. If you need to know what your current credit scores look like, you can check with ... 10/15/2009

National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work and School Day Remember when you had a bad day and the only thing that would make you happy was your teddy bear? Well, now Teddy has his own appreciation day. Today is National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work Day. On a day like today (foggy and gloomy in Denver), a little comfort can go a long way. Your bear is your companion that you can talk to. They will never judge you and your day will feel a bit more secure. It's been years since I had a teddy bear, but looking at my daughter and her "Beary" - it makes me feel better already. So, here's to teddy bears and all of the smiles and happiness that they bring! Cheers!   10/15/2009

(Thanks to Callie Hamblin of Aurora for submitting this blog idea) Aurora, CO recently washed out the competition to win the award for best tasting water in the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association's taste test.  The competition was open to AWA members in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.  A five judge panel composed of news media representatives and water taste test professionals chose Aurora water over that of Denver, Centennial, and out of state competitors and concluded that it had the best appearance, smell, taste and overall impression.  In June, 2010, Aurora will represent the Rocky Mountain Section of the AWA in Chicago at the Association's AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE) "Best of the Best" Taste Test. Aurora water meets and exceeds state ... 10/07/2009

Whatever you do, don't look at this link. It has a list of banned books! Welcome to banned books week. This week was established in 1982 to show support for our First Amendment and the freedom to read. Banned Books Week shows the benefits of open access to information while at the same time, it draws attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States. Many books have been targets to get banned, but the hard work of our teachers, booksellers and librarians have kept the information available. Banned Book week is a great opportunity to show one of the great freedoms that we have in this country. So, pick up a good book and celebrate. Be thankful for those that put up the quiet fight for your First Amendment. 09/29/2009

Aurora CO Homes For Sale   Wow. That was a lot of paperwork! But, you got through it. You signed everything, paid your down payment. Congratulations to you - THE NEW HOMEOWNER!!! YOU HAVE THE KEYS!!!! Now for the not so fun part, moving... If you choose to do the moving yourself, odds are you have already started packing. If not, grab a few friends and get moving. If you are looking to hire a company to do your moving for you, there are a lot of options. It is good to compare prices on the different companies. Also, check the references and insurance. This is your family's things they are taking care of. The most often overlooked things to take care of when moving in are scheduling your services. You want to be sure that you get the utilities put in your name (gas; electricity and water... 08/26/2009

Welcome to the closing process. In this part of our series we will go over what is involved in the closing process. You have already found the home; have the contract approved and your loan is approved. The next step is to schedule the closing date. Usually this date was on the original contract, but it's best to confirm the date with everyone. The mortgage lender will send the final closing documents to the title company a few days before the closing. This will allow the title company to get everything in order. They will type up the final HUD 1 Settlement Statement. This form breaks down the money for your purchase. It will show a line by line itemized beak down of the costs involved. It will show the purchase price and finally, it will show the money that you will need to bring to th... 08/24/2009

Aurora CO Homes For Sale.   So your offer was accepted? Congratulations! You have the contract accepted on the Aurora CO Homes for sale that you wanted and the pre-approval letter from your mortgage lender. Now it's time to start the loan process. First thing to do is to make note of all of the dates listed on the contract. It is very important that you and your team (Real estate agent and mortgage lender) know these dates. It can cause a lot of issues if something is missed. You need to get together with your mortgage lender as soon as you can. They will then put together the list of items that they need from you. Any updated paystubs; bank statements; things like that. It is very important that you get these put together and sent out as soon as they are requested. Any delays in the ge... 08/20/2009

So, now that we have established that you love the area that the Aurora CO homes for sale are in, let's talk about how to get one. Getting started consists of two main parts. Finding the home and getting approved for it. Getting pre-approved for a home loan is very important. This will insure that you are looking at homes that you know you can afford and you will know in advance if there are any concerns about you obtaining a home loan. It will also give you a good idea of what kind of money that you will need for down payment. When choosing a Mortgage Lender, it is important to look for a few things. Above all else, make sure that they seem like someone you can trust. They will have access to details of your finances and you want to be sure that they can get the job done. You need to f... 08/19/2009

As we continue in our multi-part series about Aurora CO Homes For Sale and the First Time Buyer, we should focus a bit on the nightlife and social events. The Denver, CO area has been selected as one of the fastest growing downtown districts in the country. The area is expanding daily with lots of new exciting things to do. Many new companies have established base here in Colorado, this has created new jobs and brought a lot of commerce to the area. The downtown 16th street mall is a great outdoor shopping area. Featuring a tram that will take you down from one side to the next or you are able to get some exercise in the nice weather and enjoy the scenery. The 16th street mall offers great celebrations for the holidays from fireworks on New Year's Eve to a great Cinco de Mayo festival, ... 08/18/2009

The Bibeau Group has prepared the following statisitcs on the real estate market in the Greenfield neighborhood of Centennial, CO. Greenfield is a subdivision in the Cherry Creek School District in the southest Denver metro area. The following information was compiled on August 11, 2009*. Sold Greenfield Homes Stats : 11 homes sold (including 5 in June) Average Days on Market: 72 Average Net Sold Price: $310,750 Average Net Sold Price Per Square Ft: $121 Highest Sale Price: $213,500 Lowest Sale Price: $410,000 Net sold price/original asking price: 97%     Sold Greenfield Homes By Address: Date Address Sold Price* Fin. Sq. Ft. Days on Market 5-12-09 20252 E. Lake Ave. $300,000 3,226 87 5-21-09 5923 S. Ireland Ct. $406,000 4,728 97 5-22-09 20614 E. Lake Dr. $220,000 1,864 243 5-29-09 627... 08/13/2009

Aurora CO homes For Sale   So, you are looking at Aurora CO Homes for sale, but don't know where to look or what to do? Welcome to the First Time Buyer's Series. In this seven piece installment, we will discuss different areas to look, what to look for, and how to go about buying it. Aurora, CO has something to offer everyone. Located in the Greater Denver, CO area, it sits near the Rocky Mountains. For the outdoorsman, Colorado has a unlimited list of things to do. Mountains - You can have your choice of what to in these mountains. With ski resorts only an hour away, you are able to get away with ease. During the summer, many of the resorts offer great mountain bike trails or the downhill Alpine slide. Interested in camping? If you buy one of the Aurora CO homes for sale, you can head ... 08/13/2009

This 2 story home for sale in Aurora, Colorado, listed by Denver, Colorado’s top real estate agent is ready for immediate possession. The Aurora, Colorado home for sale has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a total of over 3500 square feet. There is a walkout basement, premium lot and tremendous views on this fabulous home for sale in Aurora, Colorado. Please contact Tatyana Sturm, Denver Colorado’s top real estate agent at: tatyana@exitrealtydtc.com for more information on this home for sale in Aurora, CO or any other home for sale, by Denver Colorado’s top real estate agent, in the Denver, Colorado. Please visit www.5280exit.com for more information on this Aurora, Colorado homes for sale or for additional homes for sale in Denver, Colorado. 08/11/2009