Affordable Area Activities

Free Day

Denver Museum of Nature and

Science

Sunday, May 31, 2009

9 am to 5:30 pm.

2001 Colorado Blvd.

Click for more information.

 

Auditions for Colorado Choir

Saturday, May 30, 2009

12 noon to 6 pm

Augustana Lutheran Church

5000 E. Alameda Avenue 

 

Blacksmith Demo Days

Saturday, May 30, 2009

10 am to 2 pm

Clear Creek History Park

11th and Arapahoe, Golden, CO 80401

Free!

Walk Score Comes to Denver Metrolist

Denver Metrolist has added a new field to its program:  walk score.

Brokers can now search for homes for their clients by putting a minimum walk score into the search parameters.

A home’s walk score is calculated by locating nearby stores, parks, restaurants and more. 

Metrolist is responding to the growing demand by some buyers to purchase homes in neighborhoods where their environmental footprints will be reduced.  The demand for homes that are located in areas where one can live a car-light or car-free lifestyle is increasing.  Although public transportation is not part of the walk score calculation, light rail has added to the consciousness about this issue.

The higher the score, the less driving required to live in the neighborhood.

• 0-24       Car-dependent.  Virtually no destinations within walking distance.
• 25-49     Car-dependent.  Few destinations within walking distance.
• 50-69     Somewhat walkable.
• 70-89     Very walkable.  It is possible to manage without a car.
• 90-100   Walkers paradise.  Most errands can be done on foot and many folks in the neighborhood don’t own cars.      

For more information go to www.walkscore.com.

If you’d like help calculating the walk score of your current home, please email me at debpallai@comcast.net or call me at 303–883-8837.

Neighborhood Profile: Baker Historic District

from 6th Avenue to Alameda, Broadway to Platte River

A walk through the Baker neighborhood is a walk through Denver history. 

One of  Denver’s first residential districts, Baker boasts elegant and nostalgic Victorian, Dutch Colonial and Denver Square homes.  Many of the homes are on smaller lots.

The Baker neighborhood was granted historic designation in 1985.

Since then, developers have built modern condominium and retail areas, giving the area an ecclectic feel.

Within easy reach of downtown and I-25, restaurants, art galleries  and antique stores, Baker provides convenient and quality  inner city living.

Affordable Area Activities

30th Annual Old South Gaylord Memorial Day Weekend Festival

Saturday, Sunday and Monday May 23, 24 and 25

1000 block of South Gaylord

Fun for the whole family.  Music, rides, food vendors and craft vendors.  Magic show for the kids 9-11 each morning.

Free admission

Old South Gaylord Festival

11th Annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival

May 22-25, 2009

Hours vary.  Click here for more information.

Colorado artists will display their works.  Media include:

Photography

Fiber

Glass

Wood

Clay

Jewelry

Metal

and others.

Free!

Boulder Creek Festival

9th to 14th, Canyon to Arapahoe.

Saturday and Sunday May 23 & 24, 10 am to 7 pm

Monday May 25, 11 am to 7 pm

Boulder kicks off the summer with its 22nd annual street festival. 

Activities include music and dance, the Great Rubber Duck race, carnival rides, food and beverage vendors, an art show, arts and crafts AND special areas and exhibits for children and teens.

Free!

More information available here.

debpallai@comast.net

www.debpallai.com

I Repeat: $8,000 First Time Buyer Tax Credit

The first time buyer tax credit won’t be around forever.

Transactions must be completed by December 1, 2009 and purchasers must occupy the property as their primary residence.  This program is for first time buyers, defined as anyone who has not owned a home for 3 years. 

The tax credit is for 10% of the purchase price, up to $8,000.  There are some income limitations.

If you know anyone contemplating a purchase this year, please let them know this program exists.

For more details, please click here or send me an email or give me a call.

debpallai@comcast.net

303-883-8837

MLS Statistics April 2009

		% Change vs
	Apr 09	Prior Month	Year Ago
Single Family (Res + Cond)
Active	20,705	0.37	-20.89
Under Contract	5,183	7.40	-17.56
Sold	3,390	5.74	-20.52
Avg DOM	104	-2.25	-2.64
Avg Sold Price	$233,482	0.47	-5.70
Residential
Active	15,639	0.35	-22.02
Under Contract	4,153	6.30	-18.05
Sold	2,706	4.48	-19.30
Avg DOM	102	-3.77	-0.97
Avg Sold Price	254,442	1.14	-4.80
Condominium
Active	5,066	0.44	-17.18
Under Contract	1,030	12.08	-15.50
Sold	684	11.04	-25.00
Avg DOM	110	3.77	-7.56
Avg Sold Price	$150,560	-0.76	-14.09

© 1998-2009 Metrolist, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Affordable Area Activities

6th Annual 5 Points Jazz Festival

Saturday, May 16, 2009, 11 am

20th and Welton  to 27th and Washington

Free!

Five Points Jazz Festival

Denver Montclair International School International Bash

Saturday, May 16, 11 am to 5 pm

Denver Montclair International School International Bash

Fun for the whole family!  Kid-friendly event includes international food, entertainment and culture and arts and crafts.

Free!

The Thunderbird Show

Learn all about parrots!

Athmar Park Branch of  The Denver Public Library

Tejon and Mississippi

Saturday, May 16, 2-3 pm

Free!

Green housekeeping

Are you interested in using less toxic materials for your everyday household chores?  Many commercial cleaners pollute the air and water and irritate the eyes and skin.  Greening your cleaning practices will not only help the environment, but may also cost you less money.

• BAKING SODA:  use to clean countertops and the inside of the refrigerator.  An open box of baking soda (or some sitting in a bowl) in the frig will help eliminate odors.
• WHITE VINEGAR:  use to deodorize the toilet bowl and for washing windows.
• CASTILE SOAP:  an interesting product.  Castile soap is traditionally soap made with olive oil, but you can also find castile soap made from other vegetable oils.  It is available in liquid and cake form.  Use it to wash your skin, hair, pets and laundry.  Dilute it and put it in a spray bottle for general cleaning.
• CREAM OF TARTAR:  most of us have used this in baking to help stiffen egg whites, but, it also has cleaning properties.  Use a thick paste of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide to remove bathtub stains. 
• HYDROGEN PEROXIDE:  anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-mold and anti-mildew.  Use to clean mirrors, shower stalls and toilets.  Leaving the peroxide on the surface for a while will improve its effectiveness.

For more information and other green cleaning tips go to:

www.greenerchoices.org and www.thegreenguide.com

Affordable Area Activities

Colorado Chocolate Festival

Saturday and Sunday, May 9 and 10

Denver Merchandise Mart

I-25 and 58th Ave.

10 am to 6 pm

$7 adults, $3 kids 5-12

Kids under 5 FREE!

Gala opening on Friday eve –$12

7-10 pm

http://www.chocolate-festival.org/

 

Orange Blossoms and Illusion:

Wedding Costumes from 1885-1960

Saturday, May 9 and Sunday May 10

10 am to 4 pm

Radius Gallery, 815 South Yarrow St., Lakewood

Gowns and grooms’ costumes and accessories from the Lakewood Heritage Center’s Permanent Collection.

Free!

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

May 9 and 10

10 am to 8pm

Civic Center Park

Music, food, arts and crafts, dance!

Free!

Cinco de Mayo

Real Estate Tax Assessments in Mail

Your real estate tax assessment is in the mail.

Brace yourself.  Your assessment is likely to be higher than the current market value of your property.

Assessments are based on real estate sales from January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.

Counties are expecting more appeals this year than in the past.  To appeal, you must present hard data of home sales during the subject period.  You have until June 1, 2009 to appeal.

If you live in the Denver metro area, and are having trouble find the appropriate sales data, please call or email, and I’ll try to help:

debpallai@comcast.net

303-883-8837.