I am a Realtor servicing Colorado Springs and the Front Range. I would love to help you buy a home or sell your current home. Look around on my blog & then visit my website: Springs LifeStyles Real Estate
Many home owners think that winter time is NOT the time to put your home on the market. 
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is currently 3.82%, down 13 basis points from 3.95% at this same time last month. After peaking at 4.1 percent, the 30-year fixed mortgage rated hovered between 4% and 3.95% for the rest of the month, before falling to the current rate.
The rate for a 15-year fixed home loan is currently 3.18%, while the rate for a 5-1 adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is 2.75%.
Two great reasons to buy a home
Make money with somebody else's money: The best part of buying a house is, what other investment enables you to use somebody else's money to make money? That's exactly what happens when your house appreciates in value and you sell it for a profit.
Four steps to take before buying a new home
You also need to calculate your debt-to-income ratio, which shows the amount of your income that goes toward paying your debts. The higher your ratio, the less likely you will qualify for a home loan. Find out if you can get a mortgage before you begin searching for your dream home. If your debt-to-income ratio is more than 36 percent, you should think about getting out of debt, or at least reducing your debt immediately.
Your credit score also plays a role in your loan eligibility. If you have a higher credit score, you will be eligible for better loan rates. If you have a low credit score, on the other hand, you should first learn how to improve your credit score before you get pre-approved for a loan.
2. Get pre-approved. Take the time to get pre-approved before you begin looking at homes. In fact, many real estate agents won''t work with you until you have received pre-approval for a mortgage. Regardless, you should look to get pre-approved anyway. You might find the perfect home, and then find out the bank denied your loan application. This heartbreaking scenario wastes your time and your agent's time, too. I have several mortgage brokers that I highly recommend and would happily refer.
3. Find a real estate agent. Once you've improved your credit score and you know how much home you can afford, you need to find a great real estate agent. Your agent acts as your representative, provides you with information about market prices, and helps you find a home. Because you are reading my blog I hope that you will send me an email or call me so that I can talk with you about your home buying needs.
4. Take stock of your financial situation, again. By the time you get ready to buy a home, you may be sick of thinking about money. After following each of these steps, look at your available income one more time, and review your short- and long-term financial goals.
For many, fall is a favorite time to be outdoors. Be sure to include these routine home maintenance steps among your autumnal activities.
These aren't the only maintenance tips to follow, but they should give you a good start on keeping your home safe and secure this autumn. Take action soon but please consult with a professional where appropriate.
*much of the above information was taken from www.amfam.com article
I want you to be one of the few who are informed. You know the genuine value of "home and hearth", but do you know the dollar value of your house? Or how much of that value belongs to you? A number of key decisions can be more wisely made with the benefit of this knowledge.
This event is held in Memorial Park, in Colorado Springs, off Pikes Peak Avenue between Hancock Avenue and Union Boulevard near the shores of Prospect Lake from Sept. 3rd - 5th.
Mass ascensions of dozens of balloons are scheduled for Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings with a Balloon Glo® scheduled for Saturday and Sunday evenings. Each year a variety of concessions are available and entertainment is provided during each event. Admission for spectators is free!
Per city ordinance - no pets are allowed in Memorial Park during the Colorado Balloon Classic.
The park is filled with festivities all day long. It's recommended you arrive at the park by 6:00 am to be a part of all the activities and walk the field and be next to the balloons as they inflate and take off! The evening Balloon Glo activities start at 5:00 pm with the Glo started at dusk/dark. For more information, visit their website.
Borders bookstores are now closing (due to bankruptcy) and store closing sales are going on with discounts up to 40% off. Call or visit your local Borders store to learn about their discounts. You only have until July 31st to redeem any rewards points or Borders Bucks you may have accumulated, so don’t delay!
If you have gift cards, they’ll be accepting them through their entire store closing sale and at Borders.com.
I love golf and am so excited that the 2011 U. S. Women's Open is taking place this week at the Broadmoor. This is the 66th annual U. S. Women's Open at it takes place from July 4 - July 10, 2011 on the Broadmoor East Course. Big names like Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Paula Creamer, Christina Kim, Annika, Brittany Lincicome, Natalie Gulbis and more will be here. There will be autograph signings and of course plenty of golf. Normally, this is something fun to watch on ESPN, but since this is local, if you can make it, you should. Talk about a once in a lifetime experience. You can check out ticket information as well as a schedule of events here. Maybe I'll see you there!
Whether you’re looking to make local business decisions, integrate into a new neighborhood, or find volunteering opportunities where there is a need, it’s important to be informed about the health of your community. Fortunately, finding that information is quick and convenient when you visit this County Health Ranking Site.
This website brings together 50 reports through the collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The result is a health ranking of each state’s counties.
How Does Your Community Rank?
1. Simply visit http://www.
It’s that easy. With just a few clicks, you can see your county’s overall ranking as well as important local statistics related to:
Check out your county today - and share this information with friends, family members, and co-workers in your community!
Memorial Day is more than going to a parade and having a BBQ or picnic! It is a day of remembrance of those who have died serving our country.
