Remodeling can be a hassle. When making plans for remodeling, hiring an architect can help your dream of vaulted ceilings and a new walk-in shower go seamlessly from vision to reality. Many homeowners are unsure whether or not they need an architect or a contractor.  I always explain that while the contractor is the construction pro, the architect is the ace with aesthetics. Hiring both is usually the best way to go.

First, what can you expect from your architect?  Architects offer a range of services, from preliminary schematic design, including development, preparation of construction documents and the administration of the agreement between you and your builder or contractor. Some projects will require other services, such as pre-design work, which

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The 10 year Treasury bond, fell off the proverbial table this morning to new lows as Standard and Poor's notified France that it was lowering their credit rating one notch to double A+. Financially this knocks France out of the top tier of countries in the Euro zone. The WSJ is reporting that rumors are circulating that other countries are facing similar downgrades but that Germany will retain its AAA rating.  That triggered a flight to the relative safety of US bonds.  The yield on the 10 year dropped below 1.85%, a number we haven't seen in this decade.  The DJIA is only down about 100 points which signals that the money that came off the sidelines the past 2 weeks is staying in the market - for the moment.  That's good news. 
 
Freddie Mac's weekly

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Home prices in Colorado as a whole held their own during the third quarter of 2010, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, but many of its metro areas appeared farther down the rankings for home-price appreciation rates than they’re used to.

Colorado’s saw its home prices drop 0.24 percent in the third quarter from the previous year, but increased 0.60 percent over the second quarter, earning it a rank of six out of 51.

Fort Collins/Loveland was the highest-ranking of all Colorado metro areas, coming in 58 out 306 with a year-over-year decrease in home prices of 1.39 percent and an increase of 0.10 percent over the previous quarter. Boulder ranked 71, with a decrease in home prices of 1.65 percent compared with a year ago and an increase of

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On the surface, rates aren't making any sense.  The 10 year treasury dropped to a record low today, 1.90%, 30 year bonds dropped with it.  And mortgage rates went up.  Why?
If you remember back to just prior to Christmas, Congress rammed through the payroll tax cut extension through February and the President signed it so they could all get on with Christmas.  The hang up had been: How are we paying for the tax cut extension? Well, we are paying for it with an increase of the fees paid by the Mae's and Mac - Fannie, Ginnie (FHA/VA) and  Freddie. And of course, when fees on the back end increase, the fees or rate to the customer must go up.  On conventional loans, the yield on mortgages will increase 10 bps or .10% in rate.  So since mortgages work on

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While it seems like everything is getting more expensive these days, from groceries and gas to airfare, apparently the cost of a few, mostly big-ticket items will go down this year.

According to Yahoo! Finance, while the price of some items or services may be cut while others may increased, possibly negating the savings. Here are five 2012 deals that are just that – deals:

Consumer electronics

It’s not unusual to see the prices fall in the first couple of months of the year as the newest computers, televisions and electronic devices make their debut. But the savings could increase and continue into the year as stores seek to compete with websites. Television set prices, especially, reflect this trend.

But, according to Yahoo! Finance, shortages mean

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Boulder area single-family home sales fell month-over-month in November, but they remained strong for a year in which no home-buying tax incentives were offered.

According to the Boulder Area Realtor Association, 210 single-family homes and 78 condominiums/townhomes sold in November, outpacing the195 single-family homes and 66 attached units that sold in November 2010.

However, the number of single-family homes that sold in November fell short of the 247 single-family homes that sold in October, though the same number of condos/townhomes – 78 – sold as in the previous month.

From January through November, a total of 2,843 single-family homes and 929 attached units in Boulder County sold. While sales of single-family homes sales in 2011 may still

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Never be the last homeowner in your neighborhood to renovate. Many buyers know that the key to a quick sale is to be on par with surrounding properties, but not to completely surpass them. So, when updating before a sale, keep in mind the following dos and don’ts.

Don’t add in superfluous luxuries like a home-office or master suite. They may look appealing to you, but your buyer may see them as over-the-top.

Don’t go overboard with the extras. You may need to revamp your kitchen, but you probably don’t need to choose the highest-end cabinetry or appliances. Most buyers won’t fully appreciate these luxurious details, costing you money in the sale.

Don’t go crazy on the yard. You might think a new patio or deck will be a huge selling point, but it may

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Another example of Boulder’s warmth and generosity was exhibited at the recent Holiday Giving Program. Share-A-Gift and the Rotary’s Share-A-Coat served several hundred families to make this holiday season a bit brighter during these tough economic times.

Share-A-Gift served over 1600 children directly and over 1000 more indirectly with gifts for the holidays. (Through various Agencies in Pitkin County and the Pine Ridge Native Americans via Unity Church) Parents shop for toys, books and bikes for their children, all of which have been donated by Boulder Valley businesses, churches, schools and individuals. Throughout the prior week during set-up and the weekend event, several hundred volunteers gave enthusiastically of their time and energy for this

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Today is all about jobs, employment, unemployment and the ^%$#& details.
 
Today's employment report came in at or above the high end of expectations, creating 200,000 jobs in December.  Unemployment dropped to 8.5%, the lowest level in 3 years.  All great news about the economy - right?  Well, the stock market fell, the bond market climbed  and mortgage rates dropped - exactly the opposite of what would be expected.  So what happened?
 
November's employment numbers were revised down to 100,000, 20,000 below November expectations.  The unemployment rate for November then increased to 8.7%.  But much of these unemployment number decreases are coming from the a smaller labor force, not job growth.  Although the 200,000 jobs gained is a good number investors are…

It’s time again for the annual “Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer” snowshoe walk in Frisco, Colorado.  Debbie Duggan, wife of Broker Duane Duggan, leads the “HARDHATS 4A CURE” team to help raise funds that benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Last year, they had a great turnout and the team raised a total of $2355. There is lots of fun during and leading up to the event, and this year they want to encourage more men to join the team – yeah, they can wear a pink hardhat, too. The event is on Saturday, March 3rd in Frisco.  Early Bird Registration is $27.00 and ends at 5 pm on Jan. 18th. After that date, the registration fee is $37.00 and there are discounted rates for children.

If you can’t make it to the “Romp” you can still participate by

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