Green Home Tip #1: Replace Appliances

If you need to update your appliances, you should seriously consider purchasing those that are EnergyStar qualified. In general, these appliances do not cost any more than those that are not energy-efficient. Yet, they can potentially save hundreds of dollars each year in terms of energy cost.

Green Home Tip #2: Install a Programmable Thermostat

Turning your thermostat down when the weather is cold and up when the weather is warm can save as much as 3 to 5 percent of your bill for each degree that is adjusted. It is also a good idea to make adjustments to the thermostat while away at work or while sleeping at night. To make it easier to make these adjustments and to enjoy the energy savings, installing a programmable thermostat is a good idea that will certainly appeal to potential buyers.

Green Home Tip #3: Install Aerators and Low-Flow Toilets

Taking steps to reduce water usage will go a long way toward winning over potential buyers. To that end, you might want to consider installing aerators on your faucets and replacing the toilets with low-flow models.

Green Home Tip #4: Replace Your Bulbs

Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs that are EnergyStar-rated will certainly please potential buyers. While this won’t necessarily increase the value of the home, it will help create a positive impression on the eco-conscious buyer.

Green Home Tip #5: Check the Insulation

Replacing insulation that has been compressed or damaged will increase the energy-efficiency of your home while also reducing your chances of getting hit with a bad mark on your home inspection. If you have less than seven inches of fiber glass insulation or less than six inches of cellulose insulation, you should add more in order to increase the overall effectiveness of your insulation. Putting an insulating jacket around the hot water heater and pipes will also help save on heating costs.

Of course, some of these eco-friendly changes might not be noticed by potential buyers unless your real estate agent points them out to them. Therefore, you should be certain to point them out to your agent in order to make sure he or she accentuates these features when showing them to a potential buyer. By making a point of showcasing all of the little steps you took toward making your home more eco-friendly, you will leave a positive impression on those who are looking on your home. In the end, these green features might be just the thing that sways a buyer to make an offer on your home instead of the other ones that are being considered.

Visit BuySarasota.com for your Sarasota real estate search. View comprehensive information on hundreds of condos and neighborhoods in Sarasota, FL. View details on thousands of MLS listings including downtown Sarasota condos and properties on all of the barrier islands.

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

5 Low Cost Ways to Create a Green Home

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One of the biggest changes to affect students and parents was the change in starting time, with the elementary schools now starting an hour later than the middle schools in an effort to address bussing issues. In addition to changing starting times, a larger number of parents are now having to transport their children to and from school because the walking distances for middle school and high school students have been increased by half a mile.

While the increase in walking distance is certainly far more inconvenient for parents, most agree that they would rather see the school system saving money in this way rather than cutting back on classroom teachers. In fact, by rearranging the schedule and increasing the walking distance, the district stands to save more than $1.8 million this school year as well as $5 million over the next three to five years. After seeing a $17.7 million cut in state aid, the district found itself needing to make cuts in all departments.

Despite the increase in walking distance, Cherry Creek students are still walking far less than those who attend Denver Public Schools. In fact, Cherry Creek middle school students are only walking up to 1.5 miles and high school students are walking up to 2 miles, while middle school students attending Denver Public School must walk up to 2.5 miles and high school students must walk up to 3.5 miles to get to school.

Meanwhile, 19 schools within the Cherry Creek School District also underwent infrastructure improvements during this past summer thanks to funds provided by a bond issue that was passed by voters back in 2008. The construction resulted in larger classrooms while also streamlining the overall layout of the schools in order to improve classroom instruction while also providing teachers and students with improved access to the school and its facilities. Parking lots, irrigation systems and landscaping were also improved at the schools affected by the bond issue.

Interestingly, the construction projects that were funded through the 2008 bound issue helped to reduce some of the effects of the $17.7 million budget cuts. Furthermore, the bond issue made it possible for the district to open Pine Ridge Elementary School for this school year, as crews were able to complete improvements on wiring, protection equipment, plumbing systems and heat and air conditioning during the summer.

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Cherry Creek School District Introduces Major Changes This School Year

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The hand-built carbon fiber Roadster takes no gas and produces no fumes. There are over 1200 Roadsters on the roads today, and together they have driven over 4 million electric miles – saving more than 20,000 gallons of gas and almost 5,000 barrels of oil. It is quickly becoming the choice for discerning drivers who demand performance with a clean conscience.

As part of Tesla’s Summer Electric Roadster Tour, we will be in Cherry Creek to show that electric cars are a reality and don’t need to compromise in design, performance and engineering. We’re thrilled to offer test drives to prospective buyers.

We’d love to get the word out about the event. Please let me know if I can give you any more information on Tesla or if you are interested in checking out the roadster for yourself.

WHERE: HW Home, Cherry Creek North, 199 Clayton Lane, Denver, CO 80206

WHEN: Sunday, August 22^nd, 2010. 10am-4pm.

WHAT: The public is invited to check out the Roadster and Tesla will be hosting test drives for prospective buyers. Test drives are limited so RSVP to Erin Callan at 303.440.3758 or ecallan@teslamotors.com

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

Tesla Roadster Coming To Cherry Creek North

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The government has tried everything it could think up to help. Obama hoped to prevent defaults with a plan designed to encourage banks to refinance the mortgages of those unable to pay. The Fed held down mortgage rates by buying up mortgage-backed securities. And Congress offered that enticing tax credit to qualifying buyers.

But even taken all together, these initiatives have not made any lasting inroads—in part because they can’t get to the real root of the problem, namely that affordability is no longer the driving factor behind many foreclosures. The problem now is negative equity. Everyone thought the typical individual most in need of help was the homeowner deeply underwater on his mortgage (owing far more than the house is worth in this market) and who then, say, loses his job. However that’s less and less frequently the case. Now we see a growing number of underwater borrowers who are merely making a practical business decision. They are simply walking away from mortgages that they can in fact afford, but that is on property they can’t see ever selling at anything but a huge loss. On top of that, banks are balking at rewriting mortgages, despite incentives to do so since too often borrowers default later on anyway. A nationwide spike in home sales would help reverse all this, but those tax credits seem to have done little more than move sales around—speeding up sales that would have happened anyway.

So the market stays becalmed. The steady drumbeat of foreclosures continues as the glut of available homes grows. By some estimates, it will take more than eight years of steady sales to clear the backlog of houses already held by banks, even if no more homeowners default. This overhead holds down prices, which in turn makes it that much harder for the homeowner with negative equity to “climb out” of it.

There are plenty of scapegoats—this administration, the previous administration, lax financial oversight, lenders too willing to lend and buyers too willing to borrow. But looking backward won’t get us anywhere. Historically, sustained housing recoveries are far more dependent on job growth than on anything else including interest rates, widely thought to be some kind of silver bullet. So disappointing jobs figures will always equal bad news for the housing market.

So will we stagger ahead with fitful progress, or slip back into the dreaded “double dip” recession? The answer lies in the jobs numbers. Keep a close eye on them. If millions of Americans continue to remain out of work, a turnaround could be a long time coming.

Dylan Taft is a tech savvy Ulster County, New York real estate professional, working with a small but, dedicated staff. Visit Dylan’s professionally optimized website for more information on the latest property marketing strategies, and details on the Ulster County real estate area.

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Appropriately dubbed Fashion Illustration Then & Now: A Retrospective of Fashion from the ‘70s/’80s and Today, the show will include advertisement campaigns from a number of different top cosmetic companies, retail stores and advertising agencies from around the country. It will also include some of his new work from the “Fashionista Series,” which consists of mixed medium collages featuring an interesting fusion of real drawings, photography and found items.

This fashion-inspired exhibit will also feature art from Howard’s paper doll illustrations. Earlier this month, Howard’s paper doll book was featured in The New York Times. Entitled Four Famous Dandies, the book was praised by The New York Times as being “…a sartorial explosion of color, prints and swish.” Released in August 1, 2010 by Paper Studio Press, the book serves as a historical illustration Patrick McDonald, Beau Brummell, Oscar Wilde and The Duke of Windsor, all four of which are considered to be dandy fashion icons.

“It was so much fun to do the research!” said Howard in a KDVR article.

This exhibit won’t represent the first time Howard’s work has been on display. In fact, Howard’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums throughout the country, including Texas, New York and Chicago. It has also been exhibited in Tao and, most recently, Howard was asked to donate 39 of his pieces to be included in a permanent display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

The Thursday reception, which will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 in the John Jellico Gallery at The Art Institute of Colorado, will be open to the public at no charge. Those who attend the reception are invited to browse through the artwork while also enjoying light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.  Some of the exhibit pieces will also be available for purchase during the reception. Those who can’t make it to the reception will still have plenty of opportunity to view Howard’s work as it will be on display at the gallery from August 20, 2010 through September 17, 2010.

The John Jellico Gallery at The Art Institute of Colorado can be found at 1200 Lincoln Street in Denver, Colorado.

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August 25th CALENDAR OPPORTUNITY

SOL Lingerie 2010 Ad Campaign Launch Party

WHAT: The SOL Girl has parked her truck from her Road Trip and taken to the
skies!  Destination SOL!  Join us Wednesday August 25th from 5-8pm as SOL…Store
of Lingerie, one of the country’s leading lingerie stores specializing in bra
fitting and fine European intimate apparel,  celebrates the ‘Denver Based Flight
Crew’ that created SOL’s 2010 Ad Campaign: SOL Air.

Wednesday August 25th from 5-8pm is the opportunity to get your picture taken
with the SOL Girl and get her autograph. Meet Cindy Johnson, SOL’s co-owner and
the Creative Director behind the entire concept, as well as all the other talent
who made it happen: Photographer, Jody Zorn of Zorn Photo, graphic artist Bari
de Jaynes, hair stylist Sedrique, SOL Girl Tiffany Vartanyan and the rest of the
talent.

Mix and mingle over drinks and airline peanuts. Everyone who attends receives
their very own custom SOL Air luggage tag and is automatically entered to win a
$500 shopping spree at SOL!  Shop the new Fall styles that have just arrived and
the Behind the Scenes video of the shoot will be shown for the first time
throughout the evening.

A percent of proceeds will be donated to Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space
Museum who generously offered their site as the location for the SOL Air photo
shoot.

WHEN: August 25th, 5-8pm

WHERE: Sol…store of lingerie
248 Detroit St  (in Cherry Creek North)
303-394-1060
www.SOLlingerie.com

CONTACT: Janelle Kenny
303.548.4731
janelle@sollingerie.com

Banner photo by pbo31, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

SOL Lingerie 2010 Ad Campaign Launch Party

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 5, 2010

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mike Blake, mike@cherrycreeknorth.com (303.394.2904)
Kristi Omdahl, kristi@cherrycreeknorth.com (303.394.2904)
Jay Clark, jlc@lonewolfcommunications.net (303.775.0417)

Culinary arts to shine for 2nd Annual
CHERRY CREEK NORTH FOOD & WINE
Spicing up Cherry Creek North August 20-21

Tickets are on sale now for Cherry Creek North Food & Wine, presented by Steele Street Bank, a two-day celebration that will shine the spotlight on the vibrant culinary arts in the beautiful Cherry Creek North neighborhood on August 20th and 21st. The weekend event includes free culinary classes, an intimate Opening Night VIP Party of tastings with a celebrity chef, a Grand Tasting on Fillmore Plaza highlighting the breadth of chef talent among the restaurants in Cherry Creek North, and a host of wines and spirits to complete the culinary experience. As one of Cherry Creek North’s signature events, the culinary weekend will again be among the summer highlights!

The best way to experience Cherry Creek North Food & Wine is through the Aficionado Patron Package that is limited to just 150 people. This package includes admission to both premier events of the weekend – the VIP Opening Night Party and the Grand Tasting. Aficionado Patron Packages are $80 through August 6 and $100 thereafter. Tickets are also available for the VIP Opening Night Party and the Grand Tasting individually.

For more details, visit www.cherryarts.org/foodandwine, or call 303-355-2787.

TICKETS: Tickets are on sale now at www.cherryarts.org/FoodandWine; Tickets prices: $80 (weekend pass – limited to 150 packages), $65 (VIP/Fri. tasting only), $40 (Grand Tasting/Sat. only). Prices increase after August 6 to $100, $75 and $50.

SCHEDULE:

• Friday August 20, 2010 from 5 to 8 p.m.: Cherry Creek North Food & Wine Opening Night VIP event with live music and food prepared by Celebrity Chef Elise Wiggins of Panzano Restaurant (ticketed event).
• Saturday August 21, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Enjoy complimentary culinary educational opportunities by celebrity chefs on Fillmore Plaza (no cost – open to the public).
• Saturday August 21, 2010 from 6 to 9 p.m.: Cherry Creek North Food & Wine Grand Tasting will feature Cherry Creek North restaurant samples as well as wine and spirits stations. Live chef demonstration by Celebrity Chef Elise Wiggins and other local chefs (ticketed event).

SPONSORS: Steele Street Bank & Trust presents Cherry Creek North Food & Wine, a Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District signature event. Additional sponsors include Continental Airlines, 5280 Denver’s Magazine, Viking Range Corporation and the Vineyard Wine Shop in association with Elite Brands. Event produced by the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.

WHAT ELSE: A portion of event proceeds will benefit the year-round art education and outreach programs of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is a 501c3 non-profit corporation dedicated to providing access to art experiences and supporting art education in Colorado.

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

Cherry Creek North Food & Wine ~ August 20-21

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“While our overall showing for all price points were down 10.1 percent in June, compared with June 2009, our million dollar-plus showings were up 8.2 percent,” said Niederman in a recent Inside Real Estate News article.

This observation is quite important to note, as this data gives a clearer idea of where the market is headed rather than focusing on where the market has been, as is the case with the Case-Shiller report that was recently released.

“I like the Case-Shiller report and I am happy that they compile it, but it looks backwards, and I’m interested in looking forward,” continued Niederman. “Traffic through homes is a leading indicator and one we are following closely.”

To that end, Carol Ihli, who is the co-managing broker at Kentwood, took a look at the showings that took place during the month of June. She found that there were 422 showings of houses priced at the $1 million or higher mark, which is far more than the 390 showings that took place in June of last year. Interestingly, she also found that 38% of these showings were in Cherry Hills Village, which is where some of the area’s most expensive homes are located. In keeping with these findings, previous reports also indicated that more six-figure homes were sold in June of this year than during the same time period in 2009.

So, just why are luxury homes seeing so much action? While there is no definite answer to this question, it is likely that many buyers are seeking out the bargains that the struggling economy has provided. After all, sellers are far more realistic today than they were during the boom days of the past.

“I think sellers are much more likely to be realistic of what they can sell their homes for in today’s market,” said Niederman. “ I think last year, they were holding on to unrealistic prices, while now they are willing to meet the market.”

Another reason for the growing interest may be the fact that there is now more money available for so-called jumbo loans, which are also available at much lower rates than last year. In fact, qualified buyers can now snatch up these loans with a 5 percent rate as opposed to the 6.125 percent rate they were facing last year. When applied to a million dollar mortgage, this rate difference translates to a savings of about $720 per month. Assuming the buyer hangs onto the home for the typical seven years, that is a savings of over $60,000 during that time frame.

“That provides a real incentive for someone to buy,” said Niederman. “And that is $60,000 that is tax free. If you were thinking of buying a home in the next year or two, and you can afford it, it probably makes sense to buy now to take advantage of depressed home prices and low rates.”

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

Denver Luxury Homes See an Increase in Buyer Activity

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“Cherry Creek is still the strongest retail submarket in the metro area,” said Mary Beth Jenkins, who is the president of The Laramie Co. “This is a destination area that draws from a six-state region. Regardless of the economy and the vacancy, this is the one location in town that will be the last to crater.”

In other words, despite the economic downturn, retail space in the Cherry Creek North shopping district isn’t likely to see a rent decrease any time soon. With the popularity of the shopping district combined with the fact that the Cherry Creek North business Improvement District is moving forward with plans to invest $18.5 million into the district in order to install new benches, lighting, signage and landscaping, retail space in the area is simply far too valuable for the owners to justify bringing down the costs.

“Owners in Cherry Creek are sticking to what they used to be getting and saying they’ll just keep the space vacant,” said Susan Karsh, who is the managing director at Frederick Ross Co., which specializes in retail leasing. “Rents are all over the place because there are a lot of independent (building) owners in Cherry Creek North who can do what they please. Different landlords have different financial considerations.”

According to Julie Bender, who is the president of the Business Improvement District, a growing number of merchants are also deciding to purchase their buildings. Just last year, for example, Stephanie and Lee Prosenjak purchased the 10,500 square foot building that currently houses their Cherry Creek Dance for $4.96 million. Similarly, Max Martinez and Scott Seale recently paid $2.6 million for the 6,200 square foot building that used to house Smith & Hawken. The pair plans to relocate Max’s women’s clothing boutique into the building. Interestingly, the former owner, John Sheridan, never intended to sell the building. But, after Smith & Hawken closed its doors and he was unable to release the building, he decided to go ahead and sell the building.

While some owners are selling their buildings, yet others are taking steps to prepare for the future. Don Sturm, who is the landlord of the JoS. A. Banks, is planning to extend the storefront in order to make the buildings fronting Filmore Plaza more inviting and accessible by pedestrians. Others are reinforcing their buildings in preparation for adding condos on top once the housing market turns around. Of course, moving forward with some of these plans will largely depend upon the residents and the changes they allow to be made to the neighborhood.

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

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Unfortunately for REALTOR® Carolyn Capalbo, the scandal has left a lasting impact on her and her career. Although the other Carolyn Capalbo was only the mother of the woman at the center of the scandal, she still managed to grab headlines and to have her name included in numerous articles about the scandal. Since many of these articles and the accompanying photos were posted to the Internet, they have remained online for several months. The result? Any potential client who performs an Internet search of the name “Carolyn Capalbo” are still greeted with unflattering photos and news articles that are certain to leave a negative impression.

Although Carolyn Capalbo the REALTOR cannot be sure of the impact this mix-up may have had on her business, there is no doubt that it has caused a great deal of confusion in her personal and professional life.

“The initial burst of phone calls surprised me,” said Carolyn Capalbo the REALTOR® in an interview with Real Estate Industry Watch. “Reporters were calling me directly looking for information regarding Ashley. Reporters were also contacting my Broker’s office looking for information. My own buyer’s agents asked me if I had another child from a previous relationship. My children were also questioned at school if they had an older sister or half sister.”

Fortunately, Carolyn Capalbo is part of a close family that has been able to weather the scandal nicely. Married for twenty years, Capalbo and her husband are the proud parents of triplets. Once a stay-at-home-mom, Carolyn Capalbo waited to start her career until after her husband retired from the Army. After enjoying significant success during her first year in the business, Capalbo knew real estate was her calling. Although she has a long road ahead of her in terms of cleaning up her name, Carolyn Capalbo the REALTOR® is certain to continue to enjoy the same success in the years to come as well.

Post from: Cherry Creek Today | News, Shopping and Real Estate In Denver

REALTOR® Carolyn Capalbo Works to Overcome Name Confusion

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