Updates on Lakehouse & The Coloradan

As construction continues on Lakehouse and The Coloradan, I want to make sure to keep you all in the know of the progress that is happening. These stunning new condominiums are already going quickly so if you are thinking of getting in, now is the time!

Updates on the Coloradan – If you are a city person, this new spot if the place for you to live. Located in the heart of downtown Denver adjacent to Union Station, this stunning condo complex comes with everything you would expect from a state of the art facility. With work well under way, the Coloradan remains on schedule to open in Q4 of 2018.

·      With the bottom 4 floors of the building already in place (where commercial spaces and parking will be), construction is currently in “full-on” concrete mode with level 5 being 100% complete. Level 6 will be complete next week with the level 5 terrace, which houses the community garden, is beginning to take shape.

·      The crew has started installing concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls in the garage and coordinating in-wall mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

·      The exterior panels are currently being fabricated by Midwest Drywall located here in Denver and will be shipped to the site and installed on the building starting in September. From there, Douglass Colony will be installing the Terra Cotta panels from Germany.

·      One thing to know if you are thinking of buying a residence at the Coloradan is you must fill out a survey. Surveys are going to be sent out the week of August 14th so if you are thinking of putting your name in, make sure to contact me so I can get you a survey.

Updates on Lakeside – Maybe being in the heart of downtown Denver isn’t your still but you still want to be in an up-and-coming place then look no further then Lakehouse located right next to Sloan’s Lake. This 206 high-rise homes with options for penthouses, condominiums and row-home living.

·      NAVA Real Estate Development and Kentwood City Properties officially broke ground on Lakehouse in May 2017. The achievement was commemorated with fireworks and was quite a sight to see! Lakehouse effortlessly blends the beauty of Colorado with the convenience of urban living. Owners will enjoy a wide selection of lifestyle and wellness amenities with direct access to Sloan’s Lake.

·      Some features and amenities to take note of :

o   24/7 Attended Lobby

o   Community Lounge with Kitchen, Private Dining Room & Library

o   Expansive Outdoor Terrace with Lap Pool, Hot Tub, Firepit,

o   Mist Lounge & Barbeques

o   Wellness Center with Fitness Lab, Yoga Studio & Dry Sauna

o   Organic Urban Farm, Harvest Room & Juice Bar

o   Guest Suite

o   Aquatics Room with Equipment Checkout

o   Pet Washing Station

o   Bicycle Storage & Maintenance Station

o   Creative Worksho

o   Private Deeded Parking, EV Charging Stations & Storage Lockers

If you are thinking this might be the ideal place for your to settle in, contact me today and we can register you to receive updates and information as the building continues to grow.

The market is still a happening one and I know plenty of people who are ecstatic to see new condo buildings popping around Denver. Like I said earlier, they are going quickly because they are reasonably priced and some people are looking at them as investments for the future (real estate is the best investment in Denver). So if you are even considering one of these amazing spots, contact me today and let’s discuss your best options for getting the place of your dreams at either the Coloradan or Lakehouse!

How small changes can lead to big results

Have you ever noticed how “noisy” our days are? From the moment I wake up, my phone is already alerting me of emails and text messages I need to read, phone calls I need to return and appointments I need to get to that day. During the day, my phone and computer are both alerting me to social media posts and updates on listings and errands I need to finish before the day is over.

These days, we live in a society that is used to the everyday buzz and noise that surrounds us. Between our cell phones and our computers, we are never out of reach of anyone who wants to get in contact with us or getting a ding with the latest status update. It wasn’t that long ago that cell phones did not have the reach and pull they have today, we weren’t instantly reachable and we didn’t have easy distractions at our fingertips daily.

All of these distractions can be a nuisance throughout the work day and I know many people struggle with how to handle them all while staying focused at work and being productive. Recently, I have been working hard on being more present each and every day with my family, my clients and my friends. What I have come to find it the world will continue to be noisy with social media, notifications and emails but it is up to me to learn how to control that noise and also eliminate some of that noise.

One thing I have taken to doing is turning off all the notifications of my social media because I realized that when I saw them pop up on my phone or noticed my side bar dropping down to tell me the latest, it would immediately jolt me from whatever I was doing. There are studies about this behavior and the constant conclusion is our brains have a hard time refocusing once we’ve been pulled away by say social media. It can take our brain a while to get back on track so I work hard to keep those updates and notifications to a minimum.

In my industry, it can be hard with the amount of emails and text messages I get from clients and co-workers. As a real estate agent, it is imperative that I am able to answer any questions right away or be on call for my clients if they need to see a house or anything of that nature. But I also know, when I am with a client in person, I need to be fully there and so I either put my phone on silent or leave it at my desk. Every client deserves my full attention and having any small distraction around can pull away from that, and that’s not how any client should be treated.

I am currently reading a book called The Compound Effect, which has helped my career grow ten fold. It talks about how many small changes can lead to big results, even if you just change something by 1% and do it day by day in the end you will see much greater outcomes. For me, my listing marketing has improved, my follow up with clients has improved and all my relationships have improved. I'm working on cutting out a lot of the noise and focus on what is important, the relationships I want to make stronger, who I want to work with and making faith and family come first. I encourage you to also work on shutting out some of the noise in your life, starting with small things and taking it one day at a time. I promise it may not feel like much but eventually you will start seeing big changes, and good changes, in your career and in your life.  

Where to go glamping in Colorado

If you live in Colorado, chances are you’ve been camping a time or two. The mountains offer a beautiful background for a camping get away with the pristine lakes, stunning hiking trails and unbeatable views of the stars on a dark night. But camping is not for everyone, I know many people who love to camp but don’t necessarily like the sleeping on the ground aspect. They aren’t the biggest fans of bugs or the hard floor or being in a tent that can be cold one minute and hot the next. So for those of you who love the certain aspects of camping like fires and roasting marshmallows but would like a more comfortable place to lay your head at night, you might consider looking into the wonderful world of glamping.

Glamping, or glamorous camping, has become a thing not just in Colorado but also all around the world. You have the ability to go and do all your day and night time activities like hiking and swimming and making food while at night have the luxury of going to a tent that has beds, heat/air condition and other amenities. If you are thinking this might be something you are wanting to try, look at some of these great glamping spots around Colorado for you to try with your family or with friends.

C Lazy U Ranch – since 1919, this premier guest ranch has been a favorite for Colorado residents. Now with the added glamping experience, glampers will not have to worry about setting up a tent or building a fire because that is already done when you arrive with a s’mores ready to be used.

Evergreens on Fall River – a beautiful collection of log cabins that are 1.6 miles from the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and 3.2 miles from Estes Park. Enjoy the stunning views of the river from your cabin as well a an optional jetted tub for two.

Colorado Cabin Adventures at Grand Lake – if you are a fan of the classic mountain cabins, this is the spot for you. Surrounded by rivers and forests, with the lake just a hop skip and jump away, this is glamping at its finest.

Windsock Acres – just outside of Creede, these cabins are known for their unique architecture and character sure to please honeymooners and architecture lovers alike.

Collective Vail – surrounded by 1,000 acres of working ranchland, this glamping experience will give you a true taste of Colorado countryside. With luxury tents prepared for your arrival, cuisine made from ingredients from surrounding areas, horseback riding and ATV tours, this is a glamping experience not to be missed.

Mountain Goat Lodge – if you are more of a camper type of glamper, head to the Mountain Goat Lodge near Salida. Retro campers that look like they are straight out of the 1950’s are parked and ready for you to come enjoy a weekend in.

If you want to experience camping this summer but with a bit of a glamorous touch, glamping might just be the thing for you. My family and I recently did it and we had a blast! If you want to know more about my experience, shoot me an email and I will gladly talk to you about where we went and my thoughts.

The Square Footage Revolution of Homes

Driving around different neighborhoods in Denver, you may notice that different areas cater to a certain breed of home. Washington Park is renowned for its large, Victorian and modern homes that face the park on every side. Not far is Cherry Creek, one of the most expensive places to live in the city where buyers expect to drop a million or ten to own a piece of property. If you head towards Uptown and Chessman Park, you will find little brick bungalows and quaint townhomes with character for days. Then you find your way west to the Highlands, where new builds are popping up on the daily but resemble more homes found in San Francisco, tall, sleek structures with views to boot. Every part of the city has a certain feel to it with homes ranging in size in every neighborhood. But as I work with some new build developers, I have realized that there is a shift in the square footage of homes these days. What I am finding, and am gathering more facts to back this up, is that the square footage of homes is getting smaller.

Let’s dive a little into the history of houses in the United States. For example, in 1900, a typical American home contained 700 – 1,200 square feet of living space with two-three bedrooms and one (if they were lucky) or no bathrooms. Fast forward to 1950 and not much had changed with a typical house being around 1,000 square feet, small and lacking basic amenities and plumbing. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average size of a new single-family American residence in 1950 was 983 square feet. Jump way, way ahead how to 2000 and things have changed dramatically. A typical home is around 2000 square feet or more with three or more bedrooms and two and a half baths (we finally got that plumbing thing down). Garages are a standard along with central air conditioning. Today, it is nearly 2500 square feet. As home sizes ballooned over that time, family size shrank.  Finally, we make it to the present, where a revolution has begun to happen where people are now looking to downsize their homes and will trade in square footage for more freedom to travel and be more mobile.

One such thing that proves this is true is the tiny house evolution that has swept our nation in the past few years. Tiny homes are giving people the chance to own a place but not have all the responsibilities that come with owning a larger home. Tiny homeowners also can pick up and take their home with them if they so desire and for the younger generations who are into moving around and traveling more, a tiny home is an ideal investment.

For those of you who want to have a smaller home but not ready to commit to something as small as a tiny home, there are plenty of new builds happening around the state that can cater to your needs. Richmond Homes are bringing back the Seasons homes that have no basements and are less than 2000 square feet. There’s also my product, Easton Homes on Pinyon Street that are 2100 square feet with no basements but offer a very large garage for storage. Both of these are showing the way homes are going – more people are looking for less square space but still a home they can comfortably live in.

If you are thinking it is time to “downsize”, contact me today and let’s discuss your best options.

Updates on the Coloradan

It’s no surprise that I have lots of buyers who are closely watching the progress of the Coloradan condominiums right behind Union Station in downtown Denver. These condos are filling up quickly already with their prime location and their fairly reasonable price. From my first-time homebuyers to my experienced homebuyers, the Coloradan fits the needs of those parties and everyone in between.

The other day I received an email with some updates on the construction and I wanted to share the key points that were written in that email as the construction continues to have an opening for the Q4 in 2018.

·      Level 4 concrete if not 100% complete – that means that the first level of residential units is now complete (yay!). With the other stories below covering parking and retail spots – restaurants and shops – they have poured the first balconies and the views, even at that level, are already beautiful.

·      Level 5 concrete will be complete at the end of July – On level 5, residents will be able to enjoy the community garden with stunning views of the Union Station terminal and train canopy.

·      Stairs are making progress with the grand stairs connecting the retail space to the bridge across the train tracks.

·      Let’s talk about some of the amazing details of this beautiful building like the terra cotta panels used for the building that are all manufactured in Germany. The windows are manufactured in Wausau, Wisconsin and the exterior framed panels are well underway here in Denver (if you walk by you will see quite the base for the building).

·      As reshoring comes out of the lower level, mechanical, electrical and plumbing are starting to go in.

These are just a few of the updates on the Coloradan as every day brings about more updates and exciting things for this beautiful building. This August will mark one year of construction, hard to believe this was all just an idea a little over a year ago and here we are today building one of the most anticipated condominium buildings in downtown Denver.

Contact me today if you are interested in touring the space and want to get more information. They are taking reservations today and you want to get in earlier rather then later so you can get the view, and floor, of you wanting.