Puerto Rico's government closed the only zoo they had after years of animal welfare concerns.    This zoo was a 45-acre location and were allegations of abuse and neglect, and lost its USDA exhibitor license.   More than 300 animals will have to find new homes, and the majority will likely be coming to Colorado.The Wild Animal Sanctuary outside of Keenesberg has more than 700 animals that have been rescued from similar situations.    They are preparing currently, and will be a massive effort.    The sanctuary's founder, Pat Craig, flew to Puerto Rico to examine the situation and has been tasked with finding new homes across the country.   The largest carnivores will be moved to Colorado.The elephants, kangaroos, storks, porcupines, rhinos, and chimpanzees will be placed elsewhere along ... 05/04/2023

This very popular yoga class is now available again.  So, gather your yoga mat and get registered for this yoga class!    This class is a great way to stretch off the work day and support felines in need!Every Friday from June through September, Denver Animal Shelter is hosting Cats on Mats, a professionally-instructed yoga class made even more fun and relaxing thanks to roaming adoptable kittens and cats!    You'll need to bring your own mat, and if necessary (😊) cuddle with a special cat, or consider beginning the adoption process!The hour-long class begins at 5:30 pm and takes place in the Community Room of the Denver Animal Shelter at 1241 W. Bayaud Ave. in Denver. Personally, not sure if I would get any yoga done, would have to pet and cuddle all the kitties, and probably would end... 05/03/2023

  This has happened over the years .....  Listed a townhome, and was standing out front talking to the Seller, and a neighbor stopped and wanted my card.  She had planned to sell in 6 months, and she called, we listed, and SOLD. Another neighbor called me and inquired as to the price it was listed, as she was thinking of selling too.   So far, they haven't called to sell yet.   With both of the neighbors having the exact same property - style, square feet, year built, etc. the research was already done.    The condition was different and easy to do the adjustments!    ALWAYS be visible to the neighbors when you are getting ready to list a property, as you never know how many around will want to list too!    In our market, we could use more listings!   04/26/2023

 We have experienced 60's to 80's over the last month, so Spring wanted to arrive in Denver.  We got spoiled with the nice warm temperatures, but sure would be nice to have these temps for a whole week!   Many homeowners have turned sprinklers on, since we have had to hand water the grass, trees and shrubs for a couple of months.Again, Saturday almost the entire day was snowing.  Luckily, it was only accumulating on the grass, and did get about 4", but the streets remained wet.  Tuesday and Wednesday we are expecting either rain or snow.   The mountains close to Denver are expecting up to TWO FEET. Luckily, pansies are hardy plants, and so are my chives and made it through Saturday. Homeowners need to remember, if you hook hoses back up, it is a good idea to unhook them when finished.  ... 04/25/2023

This cute property now has a new owner, and the Seller is quite pleased!   She had an opportunity to move to North Carolina for a new job, and has contracted on a home in Columbia NC.   Congrats to this Seller, and wishing you great success on this new chapter!The market in Denver is heating up, and only took a full weekend of showings, and the right buyer came through the door.    This property is now pending, and looking forward to working with the cooperation agent.You don't want to miss this charming one-level townhome in Raintree East!  With no one above or below and only one shared rear wall, the property has a cottage feel. Enjoy abundant natural light in the open living, dining, and kitchen spaces. Just off the kitchen is a private patio for entertaining or enjoying your favorit... 04/24/2023

Over the past decade, 18 states plus DC have legalized marijuana for recreational use.    4/20 has been a day that has been recognized as a national Holiday for cannabis culture. When police officers say "420", it means marijuana smoking is in progress". The true meaning behind 4/20 started in Marin County CA, in 1971 when five students at San Rafael High School would meet at 4:20 pm by the campus' statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to partake.   They chose that specific time because extracurricular activities had usually ended by then.   This group became known as the "Waldos" because they at met all a wall. In past years in Denver, Civic Center Park was the place where everyone goes on 4/20 to smoke pot outdoors.   This is the biggest unsanctioned smoke outs in the nation.   This year, I... 04/20/2023

With the weather warming in the Denver metro area, we are seeing rattlesnakes out more now.   When you go for walks and walk your dog, it is imperative to keep an eye out for these snakes.There have been many sightings of rattlers at North Table Mountain near Golden.Rattlesnakes like rocky outcroppings, grasslands, rocky stream crossings, and ledges.  They den in prairie dog burrows, rock crevices, or caves.   On average, it is estimated Colorado sees about 200 rattlesnake bites per year, with about five deaths per year.   As a rule of thumb, rattlesnakes can, at best, strike a distance of two-thirds their total body length.  For example - a three-foot-long snake may be able to strike a distance of two feet.  always keep a safe distance from any snake.If you do get bit, get to a medical... 04/19/2023

  The 30th Annual Furry Scurry will be held at Wash Park in Denver May 6th, 2023.    All monies raised (100%) will go for the care of over 24,000 homeless pets at the Dumb Friends League.      It costs $20,330 per day to care for these homeless pets.     This will be a 2-mile walk that begins at 9 am around Wash Park, with refreshments before, during, and after walks.  There should be around 12,000 people in attendance and 5,000 dogs.     Funds raised at this event allow the Dumb Friends League to provide medical care to sick or injured animals, provide behavior training that allows pets to be adopted more quickly, investigate cases of animal cruelty, and much more.In 2022 -  100% placement of healthy and safe cats, dogs, horses and small mammals 5460 animals served through vaccine clin... 04/17/2023

A Denver magazine has done some research on all the neighborhoods within the City & County of Denver, and have ranked neighborhoods in order of the BEST neighborhoods.The criteria in which they did the rankings were - Average home sale prices were provided by REcolorado. The percentage changes reflect the difference in average closing prices between 2020 and 2021. Five Denver neighborhoods did not have statistics available or had five or fewer home sales in 2021 and thus were excluded from consideration. Crime data—the total number of crimes reported in each neighborhood in 2021—come from the Denver Police Department and are based on National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) definitions. (Note: The data is dynamic, and we based our calculations on the numbers available on March 1... 04/15/2023

The stats are out for the month of March, and the numbers reflect the uptick of a spring buying season.   The inventory increased 15% from last month but increased 41.5% over last year.  The inventory has not moved much since the beginning of the year. This data is courtesy of Joan Cox - House to Home, Inc. I track data daily for the Denver metro area, and the amount of price reductions have been hovering around 650-700 each week and homes returning to market have been around 200 per week.   The inventory this time of year is seasonally low, and is around 4,000 during the week, and today saw the most homes for sale this year - 4706.  (includes land up to high-end homes) See what homes are currently available - Active Homes for sale in Denver Buyers - If you have thought about buying a h... 04/14/2023

A Luxury Home can be identified differently in cities across the country, but in Denver, my Luxury blog posts will report on detached single-family homes listed in the Denver metro area for over $1.3 million.  (Over the years I have used $1 million as luxury, but with our rising home values, had the need to increase this amount.)  Some have mountain and/or city views, and some properties back to a golf course, or have water views all to compliment one's lifestyle.  (however, we don't have much water)  Some are updated with products from around the world, and some have expansive square footage or acreage.     Whatever a Buyer is looking for, most likely if you have over $1.3 million, you can find it in Denver or in the surrounding suburbs.     Here is how the luxury market fared for the ... 04/13/2023

  Many times homeowners want their home on the market RIGHT NOW.    Maybe they need to get to their new home quickly, or have other personal reasons to get their home sold quickly. Putting a home on the market prior to it being truly ready for showings, is a huge mistake.     Those repairs or de-cluttering efforts and of course deep cleaning should be complete prior to being available for showings.  Buyers will see what still needs to be done, and make offers below list price, or worse - not make an offer if it needs work. It is good to get these items done prior to having a home active on the market -   ~ Deep clean more than you ever have before, every nook & cranny in the home, it does make a difference.   Don't forget the intake vents up high and the baseboards!  ~ De-clutter every ... 04/11/2023

Easter Sunrise Service will be a hybrid of in-person and online worship!   Gates at Red Rocks will open at 4:30 am.   Pre-worship service music begins at 5:30 am, and the worship service begins at 6:00 am.   Service will end around 7:30 am.   This worship service is FREE and open to the public.  General seating and parking are available on a first-come basis.Father Pablo Burson and Rev. Tamara Boynton will be this year's worship leaders.There will be no collecting of food donations this year.There is nothing like sunrise at Red Rocks!  This is an outdoor service, dress warmly!   No pets allowed except for service animals.   04/05/2023

 You know spring is here when the Colorado Rockies begin their season!  (and it didn't almost get there!)   The Colorado Rockies Opening Day is this Thursday, and time to get ready for a summer of baseball games. Opening Day at Coors Field is April 6th, 2023Game begins at 2:1020th & Blake - Downtown DenverThe Rockies take on the Washington Nationals  You can view the Rockies schedule HERE, and plan to attend a home game this year.   It does look like there are a few tickets available on the website, but the weather on Friday is expected to be a bit chilly.    The high on Thursday is expected to be 42 degrees.    Tours of Coors Field are available Monday through Saturday during the season and then Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the off-season and provide a behind-the-scene... 04/04/2023

The stats are out for the month of February, and the numbers reflect the uptick of a spring buying season.   The inventory declined 10% from last month but increased 79.4% over last year.  The inventory has not moved much since the beginning of the year. This data is courtesy of Joan Cox - House to Home, Inc. I track data daily for the Denver metro area, and the amount of price reductions have been hovering around 600-650 each week and homes returning to market have been around 225 per week.   The inventory this time of year is seasonally low, and is below 4,000 during the week, and pops up to a bit over 4,400 for the weekends.  (includes land up to high-end homes) See what homes are currently available - Active Homes for sale in Denver Buyers - If you have thought about buying a home t... 03/21/2023

It is nice to be top of the list on most things, but not the #1 state for car thefts.  Colorado is #1 in the Country, sadly. Denver Police have launched a program for DenverTrack in hopes to recover stolen vehicles faster.   This program would allow vehicle owners to preauthorize PDP access to GPS sytem location data only in the event a registered vehicle is stolen.   DPD would access  OnStar or Bluelink in most vehicles built since 2015.   If a car is older, tracking can also be done with aftermarket GPS and Bluetooth systems. Currently this program is available to anyone living or working in the City of Denver.   You go onto www.Denvergove.org/denvertrack and fill out a form.   Denver police will mail you stickers for your vehicle aimed at deterring would-be thieves.   OR, you could g... 03/13/2023

Presented by Bellco, this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade will be on March 11, 2023.    The 2023 Grand Marshal will be Noel Hickey - the Owner of Celtic on Market.The HistoryThe St. Patrick's Day Parade has become the single largest gathering of Colorado residents every year in one place, and now has been 58 years!    The Parade has its own Board of Directors, group of volunteers, and relies on donations, not paid for by City of Denver.   Each committee member has a deep love for the Irish culture and enjoys sharing that sense of pride with the entire Denver community.The very first Parade was in 1889, and there was a Grand Ball the night before the Parade.   It was held at the Special Hall at the Denver Chamber of Commerce and was lit entirely by gas lamps.   This was the most prominen... 03/09/2023

Looking for a home for a buyer this week, had to laugh when my client called and asked why a home listed in March (list date this past week) had leaves on the trees and beautiful green grass.    Then when you look at the interior photos, you could see out the windows and there was a lot of snow, and barren trees. This screams to me, either the house was listed last year and did not sell, or the Sellers had some beautiful photos taken of their yard, as it was beautiful!   So, had to look it up and see what the history was.     The house was on the market for 6 months last year, and a discount company ended up buying it.    My client asked why it had been on the market so long, so did some research, and of course, it was overpriced when listed last year.    Even though the home backed to ... 03/07/2023

You don't want to miss this charming one-level townhome in Raintree East!  With no one above or below and only one shared rear wall, the property has a cottage feel. Enjoy abundant natural light in the open living, dining, and kitchen spaces. Just off the kitchen is a private patio for entertaining or enjoying your favorite beverage. The primary bedroom includes a large closet and access to the hall bath via a pocket door. The second bedroom features a stone fireplace with gas logs and an additional vanity with a sink. This room would also make a great office or cozy den. Updates include newer vinyl plank flooring and newer paint throughout, new appliances, and a new stacked washer/dryer. The shared garage is located at the back of the 86 building and is easily accessed with a remote or... 03/03/2023

Debe Maxwell, CRS has challenged us to write about our city and let the public know WHY we live and work in our City.   Why do I love Denver - let me count the reasons!   I personally have lived here since I was five, and that is a LONG TIME.   I have traveled to many places, but cannot think of ANYWHERE I would rather live! The number one reason almost everyone LOVES living in Denver is the weather.   This sentence is a bit more difficult to write, as this winter has been more harsh than normal.    The normal is - we get a few inches, and in a couple of days, it has melted, and we are back into the 50's or 60's even mid-winter.   In early 2022, we had snow from January to April, then it was very nice.    We usually have very low humidity all year, which is wonderful, but we do have to ... 02/28/2023