Complimentary Home Edition by Denice Reich & Stephanie Goldammer 2016 | www.CallItSold.comN E W SHILLTOP & CRESTMOOR

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSwww.CallItSold.com • 303-886-0000

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Denver Losing its Heritage to the BulldozerCity Council Paves the Way for Vertical Height

N eighborhood groups, working hard to preserve Denver’s unique and livable nature, are growing

increasingly frustrated by their inability to take on the Mayor, City Planning Depart-ment and the City Council. Their legiti-mate concerns are discounted in favor of developers’ deep pockets. Well intentioned but misguided efforts to build pedestrian friendly, high-density communities fl y in the face of Denver’s infrastructure realities. There simply aren’t the public transporta-tion options available to support car free or limited driving neighborhoods in most of Denver’s infi ll communities. And how do you get to the mountains without a car?

But this doesn’t stop The city from shoehorning in as much development as it can onto any remaining open parcel of land. Or from replacing old reasonable height limits with new ones to maximize vertical space, as it has done in Cherry Creek. Sadly, these towering residential and commercial towers not only bring added traffi c to Denver’s already crowded streets, they obscure views of our precious mountains. Drive west on 1st Avenue from Colorado Boulevard, and the majes-tic mountain vistas we all once enjoyed have been replaced by monstrous views of vertical boxes.

You can’t even see the mountains from some vantage points in Cranmer Park, a high-on-a-hill park long ago preserved for Denver residents to enjoy such magnifi cence.

The City Council has rapidly ap-proved new developments in Lowry Vista, Hentzell Park, City Park Zoo, Sloans Lake, Mount Gilead church,

Buckley Annex and West Highlands. During each hearing, countless neigh-bors pleaded with the City Council to protect the neighborhoods from these irresponsible developments. Instead of listening to their constituents, City Council sided with developers each time

Intersection at 1st and Colorado Blvd. The Cherry Creek Area Plan, enacted in 2012 and modifi ed in 2014, changed the former 55-foot height restriction in the district to allow buildings to rise to 12 stories in several

places – compromising our beloved mountain views.

Continued on page 2»

D enver’s white-hot real estate mar-ket is cooling slightly, but don’t expect a buyer’s market anytime

soon. According to Clear Capital, a na-tional real estate forecasting company, metro Denver home prices will rise 7.7 percent in 2016, a 4 percentage point drop from last year’s robust 11.7 percent gain.

Factors that will affect eventual sales prices this year are increasing interest rates, overzealous sellers with overpriced homes and the 20,000 luxury apartment units coming online this year.

Developers are fl ooding the market with apartments in large part due to Col-orado’s construction defects law, which gives condominium owners great latitude to sue developers for faulty building prac-tices. The law doesn’t apply to rentals. Some law reform has been attempted at the state level, but none has yet passed. In its absence, a number of cities – in-cluding Lakewood – have passed reform minded ordinances in hopes of luring back condominium development. Low condominium development is credited with helping to cause the metro area’s skyrocketing home prices and apartment rental rates.

Apartment growth tends to only sup-port one type of expanding demographic here: young single members of the mil-lennium generation. Families are over-looked – as are the negative impacts of unchecked high-rise building on parking and traffi c. A shadow is being cast over

Denver, as it is becoming known nation-ally for its refusal to consider the ancil-lary effects of building vertical masses throughout the city.

In our own backyard, prices soared last year, with Hilltop’s 114 home sales averaging $387 a square foot, and Crestmoor’s 24 home sales averaging $400 a square foot. Scraped homes are once again rising in demand, with the top land sales last year at 307 Clermont Street selling for $104 per square foot and 20 S Bellaire Street selling for $91 per square foot. The last time our homes appreciated this strongly was during the period from

2004 to 2006. Unfortunately, a hous-ing bust followed after. Some experts believe that our relatively low inventory compared to a decade ago mitigates the risk of a similar bust – we’re keeping our fi ngers crossed.

All indications, according to many experts in the fi eld, is that Denver will remain one of the top housing markets nationally for at least two more years. We do expect a healthy correction in the real estate market during this time, as more (but not too much) for-sale inven-tory comes online, causing a better bal-ance between buyers and sellers.

MARKET UPDATE

Denice & Stephanie

SELLModern to Vintage

Luxury to Scrapes

Tudor to RanchesAnd anything in

between

www.callitsold.com303-886-0000

CRESTMOORCRESTMOORCRESTMOORCRESTMOOR

9 Crestmoor Drive was originally listed at $995,000 in May of 2015 and climbed to meet the market demand – selling for $1,345,678 (with 23 offers).

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSwww.CallItSold.com • 303-886-0000

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

to jam as much density into our neigh-borhoods as possible.

Denver has always been a boom and bust town. The boom we’re experienc-ing now certainly won’t last forever, just as past booms have all come to an end. The City needs to recognize and respond to this history lesson by taking a much longer view of local development. Developers say we need to keep build-ing apartments to house the “masses of people” moving to Denver. But how can these people afford to rent these luxury apartments (which is all that is being built) when wages have not kept pace

with housing costs? What will happen to these luxury units when the next bust hits Denver? And what about the com-munity costs of such developments – that is the cost of added traffi c, pollution and parking concerns, not to mention school classroom size?

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis gave us much to think about when she said, “this is the moment to take a stand, to reverse the tide, so that we won’t all end up in a uniform world of steel and glass boxes.” Please Den-ver City Council: understand this wis-dom and put the brakes on the runaway growth that is currently bulldozing the charm and beauty of our city.

» Continued from page 1

Most Changed Neighborhood Home The home at 501 Forest bears little resemblance to its original façade, built in 1937 and redesigned over the years.

G ood news for Hilltop, Crestmoor and Lowry residents who either can no longer live alone or who

have parents needing a little extra as-sistance. The locally owned Rosemark has opened its doors in Mayfair, giving nearby residents a close luxury rental op-tion for assisted living or memory care. The 88-unit building offers four different light-fi lled living arrangements from stu-dios to two-bedroom options, with high

ceilings, hardwood fl oors, granite coun-ters and beautiful tile work. Monthly fees cover 24/7 care, all meals and snacks daily, and weekly maid and laundry ser-vice. Pricing is based on the apartment selected and the level of care required. The lovely property also offers a library, movie theater, beauty salon, arts and crafts room, gym and exercise room, and extensive gardens. Little furry friends are welcome too.

Taking a Shine to Brass

Prominent in the 1970s, brass became the design bane of the style savvy over the ensuing four decades. Homeowners routinely replaced what they could with chrome, nickel and stainless steel finishes, while home seekers turned their noses up at outdated brass-filled properties.

But modern trendsetters are taking a renewed shine to brass, incorpo-rating it into their home designs in both subtle and bold ways. A few shiny gold-tone light fixtures here, a brass table there. Others are mak-ing bigger splashes with all brass finishes in their faucets and hard-ware in the kitchen and bath.

Many designers recommend mixing metals to keep the design interest-ing and vibrant, and not locked into passing fads. So if you want to add a little sparkle to your cool gray metal abode, add a little sass with brass!

NEW NEARBY OPTION FOR SENIOR LIVING

The Rosemark, at 833 Jersey Street, offers luxury assisted living and memory care for older people needing a little extra attention.

Despite broad-based neighborhood opposition to rezoning the Mount Gilead church property on the south side of Crestmoor Park, Denver City Council

approved plans allowing for the development of a three-story building with 50 apartments plus 25 townhomes.

Pricing Your Home for Quick, Profitable Sale

D enver’s escalating home prices tempt some sellers to list their homes at un-realistically high prices, assuming the

market knows no ceiling. But sellers be-ware: doing so can cost you tens of, even hundreds of, thousands of dollars and unnec-essarily long periods of time on the MLS.

Regardless of the headlines, homes sell based on the comps of the other homes sell-ing nearby – with consideration of course given to the home’s condition and location. But in our experience, you can’t go wrong setting a reasonable price for your home. It brings strong prospective buyers in to view – and in our current environment, often leads to multiple offers ultimately driving up the fi nal sales price.

We are experts in the pricing and mar-keting of homes. Let us help you sell yours quickly and for the best price possible.

When Will Your Home Sell?

The fence that makes good

neighbors needs a gate to make good friends”

—Author unknown

Should have SOLD here

“Gotta Get Pricing”

Test Market

Stale Home

SOLD

$1,300,000

$1,200,000

$1,150,000

$1,100,000

$950,000

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YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE FOR A FIRST IMPRESSION.

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSwww.CallItSold.com • 303-886-0000

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

W hen it comes to home mainte-nance, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.

Keep your home running smoothly and prevent costly damage by regularly taking care of the following chores:

EXTERIOR • Prevent roof leaks by repairing loose

and damaged shingles, and ensuring flashing around chimneys, skylights and plumbing is in good working or-der. When leaks occur, repair imme-diately to avoid more widespread and costly destruction.

• Clear gutters regularly to promote proper water drainage, prevent paint damage, and protect fascia and soffit areas from decay. Make the job eas-ier by trimming tree branches hang-ing over the roof and gutters to lesson leave and dirt buildup.

• Preserve your foundation and home’s interior by making sure all water drains away from the house. Water finds the path of least resistance; don’t let that route point toward your home.

• Protect little ones and pets by ensuring the garage door’s reverse mechanism works properly.

• Keep sewers doing their job by hav-ing roots and debris regularly removed from the lines.

INTERIOR • Change furnace filters at the start of

the fall heating season, and replace monthly until spring. Change central a/c filters monthly during the hot sum-mer season.

• Repair or replace leaking pipes as con-tinued moisture can cause mold and other significant damage.

• Locate main water shut off in your house and let all who live there know

where it is. Can come in extremely handy in case of a water emergency.

• Check for rust on the water heater. Rust could lead to equipment failure and a basement full of unwanted water.

• Vacuum/clean refrigerator coils at least twice a year and more often if you have shedding pets.

• Test smoke detector and carbon diox-ide detectors. Fire marshals recom-mend replacing batteries every six months.

• Inspect/clean dryer exhaust. Thou-sands of fires are sparked each year by clogged dryer vents.

I s the separate dining room moving toward extinction? Modern floor plans certainly seem to suggest it,

with layouts favoring open expanses where no walls divide the living, din-ing and kitchen areas. Cooks want to join their guests at the party, parents can keep a close eye on young children and most everyone enjoys the more airy,

sun-filled space. Buyers still interested in character homes of the early to mid-20th century might have to weigh their desire for open living against the formal traditions of yesteryear. Eliminating walls can be costly, although plenty of people are willing to assume the ex-pense in exchange for the open concept prized today.

S ome people look at windows; other look through them. So says Jenny Sevde, a Denver-based

project consultant for Pella Windows and Doors. Windows original to old-er Hilltop and Crestmoor homes, with their single panes and low-energy ef-ficiency, might be due for an upgrade. Should yours be among them, Jenny of-fers these views on the costs and ben-efits of the three primary window fram-ing materials:

VINYLVinyl, inside and out, offers a mainte-nance-free, no paint option attractive to many homeowners. The least expen-sive choice, vinyl helps keep costs af-fordable when replacing a large number of windows. Jenny estimates that the average cost of a vinyl window for ma-terial and installation ranges from $700 - $900. Some of the cost will be offset by improved energy efficiency.

On the negative side, Colorado’s wide temperature swings can compromise vi-nyl’s strength and integrity. In addition, some find this material choice a mismatch with a classic home’s unique style and character. Vinyl’s relatively few color options is another one of its limitations.

FIBERGLASSFiberglass windows offer a consider-able step up from vinyl. They are im-pervious to much of what mother nature can throw at them – from hail storms and moisture buildup to big changes in temperature. Nine times stronger than vinyl, fiberglass virtually eliminates the expansion/contraction rate found in

vinyl. Like vinyl, though, they never need painting. They offer a true main-tenance-free, lifetime option that comes in a few more color choices than vinyl. Pricing per window (product and instal-lation) ranges from $800-$1100.

WOODFor many, wood is the gold standard for windows. The most expensive of options, wood allows homeowners the choice of any color stain or paint, and few can ar-gue with the beautiful look of wood. Un-like wood windows of yesteryear, today’s models include maintenance-free alumi-num exterior skins, and pre-treated wood to protect them from mildew, moisture and insects. And because today’s glass blocks nearly 85 percent of UV rays, the interior stain or paint lasts much longer.

A number of high-end options, such as internal blinds in the glass, can greatly increase the price of wood. The average wood window can range anywhere from $1200 to $2200 each.

For more information on window replacement, you can reach Jenny Sevde at 303-726-3979.

A View on New Windows

Inspect the InspectorHome inspection is a necessary protec-tion for both new and seasoned home-buyers. But not all inspectors bring the same level of expertise and skill to the profession; as a result, some strange, humorous and outright preposterous requests have crossed our table during many a negotiation. To name a few: • One inspector asked our client to

power wash the wood shake shingles on a steep pitched roof to remove “mold.” Two problems with this request: 1) the shingles were actu-ally cement tiles that had been, at great expense, made to look mossy

to complement the home’s historic character, and 2) had they been wood shingles, power washing would have completely pulverized the shingles.

• For another property, the buyer’s inspector asked our seller to level the kitchen sink. Apparently the northwest corner of the sink sat ever so slightly lower than the rest. The small variance that no one else would ever notice had no impact on the sink’s functionality. The costly fix would require removing counter tops, resetting the sink, and re-placing the counters -- for no good purpose. The seller refused this

silly request, and the buyer bought anyway.

• This one makes us take pause. We received a structural engineer’s report on a home he had never visited. He wrote the report based on the home inspector’s findings. We reported the engineer to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agen-cies and it ruled that he didn’t have to physically inspect the property. What?? This makes no sense to us. In our minds, a structural engineer should have to walk through the site before issuing a report. His write up exaggerated the potential extent and cost of several flaws so the buyers might pay less for the house. Instead, the contract died. As it happened, the problems were minor and easily fixed,

and the sellers sold it to someone else for more money.

We have a long list of inspectors we trust. We’d be happy to share those with you if you are in the home buying market.

Dining Rooms Becoming

“DINE”ASAURS

Home Maintenance – keys to keeping your house in tip top shape

The owners of 685 Clermont opened the wall from the kitchen to the dining room.

#1 Selling Team in Hilltop & Crestmoor

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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSwww.CallItSold.com • 303-886-0000

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HILLTOPAverage Price Per Square Foot $387Total Homes Sold 114Highest Sale Price $2,855,000

CRESTMOORAverage Price Per Square Foot $400Total Homes Sold 24Highest Sale Price $2,150,000 600-800 BLOCKSAverage Price Per Square Foot $351Total Homes Sold 53Highest Sale Price $1,176,870

MONTCLAIRAverage Price Per Square Foot $318Total Homes Sold 63Highest Sale Price $2,731,200

LOWRYAverage Price Per Square Foot $262Total Homes Sold 65Highest Sale Price $1,710,000

CHERRY CREEKAverage Price Per Square Foot $395Total Homes Sold 133Highest Sale Price $3,522,019

COUNTRY CLUBAverage Price Per Square Foot $449Total Homes Sold 34Highest Sale Price $2,850,000

BONNIE BRAEAverage Price Per Square Foot $413Total Homes Sold 38Highest Sale Price $2,850,000

BELCAROAverage Price Per Square Foot $542Total Homes Sold 2Highest Sale Price $2,361,900

POLO CLUBAverage Price Per Square Foot $449Total Homes Sold 3Highest Sale Price $2,127,500

EAST WASH PARKAverage Price Per Square Foot $491Total Homes Sold 101Highest Sale Price $2,710,000

WEST WASH PARKAverage Price Per Square Foot $378Total Homes Sold 129Highest Sale Price $1,950,000

PARK HILLAverage Price Per Square Foot $360Total Homes Sold 186Highest Sale Price $1,755,000

OBSERVATORY PARKAverage Price Per Square Foot $332Total Homes Sold 81Highest Sale Price $2,000,000

Exterior

InteriorResale ValuesResale ValuesResale Values

MODERATE RESALE

• Older Remodel - 80s or 90s

• Small Kitchen• Disconnected Small

Family Room• Master Bedroom

w/ 3/4 Bath• 3 Bedrooms• Small Dining Room• Small Mud Room• Some Hardwoods/Some

Carpet• Partial Basement• Needs Some TLC• Dim Rooms• Poor Flow

InteriorInterior MODERATE RESALEMODERATE RESALE

• Older Remodel - 80s or 90s

• Small Kitchen• Disconnected Small

Family Room• Master Bedroom

w/ 3/4 Bath• 3 Bedrooms• Small Dining Room• Small Mud Room• Some Hardwoods/Some

Carpet• Partial Basement• Needs Some TLC• Dim Rooms• Poor Flow

LOWEST RESALE

• Original Condition• No Basement/Cellar• Outdated Small Kitchen• Kitchen in Front• No Family Room• 2 Bedrooms• Basement Laundry• No Dining Room• 8' Ceilings (no vaulting)• All Carpet• Needs Major Repairs• Dark & Gloomy• Choppy Floor Plan

HIGHEST RESALE

• Open/Clean Lines

• New or RecentRemodel

• Large Kitchen/Family Room Combo

• Luxury Master Suite

• 4 + Bedrooms

• 2nd Floor Laundry

• Floor to Ceiling Windows

• 9’-10’ Ceilings

• Mud Room/Pantry

• Hardwood Floors

• Full Finished Basement

• Has Emotional Appeal

• Light & Bright

ExteriorExterior

LOWEST RESALEMODERATE RESALE

• Light & Bright

HIGHEST RESALE

• Unrealistic Price• Small/No Yard• Carport• Architecturally Impaired• Vinyl Siding/

Weeping Mortar• Bleak Street• On Busy Street• No Curb Appeal• Mismatched Home• Original Windows• Needs Major Repairs

• Reasonable Price

• 6250-7500 sq. ft. Lot

• Low-Pitched Roof

• 2-Car Garage

• Some Architectural Flaws

• Brick/Stucco/Stone

• Few Trees on Block

• Across from School

• Plain/Simple Design

• Cheap Rehab

• Vinyl Windows

• Needs Some TLC

• Small Windows

• Priced Correctly

• Contemporary

• Large Lot - 9,000 sq. ft. +

• 3-Car Garage

• All Brick

• Overhanging Street Trees

• Near Park/On Park

• Street Appeal/

Charming

• Quality Construction

• Wood Clad Windows

• Prime Condition

NEIGHORHOOD STATISTICS

2015 SALES

ADDRESS SALEPRICE

LOT SIZESQFT

PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT

SALEDATE

59 S Albion Street $370,000 6,261 $59.10 2/24/15

79 S Albion $370,000 6,261 $59.10 2/24/15

670 Ash $430,000 8,310 $51.74 11/7/14215 Ash $610,000 6,250 $97.60 12/3/1370 S Ash $800,000 12,500 $64.00 12/31/1320 S Bellaire $1,655,000 18,100 $91.44 7/3/154231 E Cedar Ave 9,593 1/29/154301 E Cedar Ave 15,453 1/29/154351 E Cedar Ave 11,071 1/29/15155 S Birch Street 12,065 1/29/15** 4 Lots Package Transaction ** $3,175,000 48,182 $65.90 1/29/15307 Clermont Street Pkwy $1,303,790 12,500 $104.30 4/14/15250 S Clermont Street $865,000 16,600 $52.11 6/22/15400 Cherry Street $809,669 12,500 $64.77 4/11/1455 S Cherry Street $750,000 13,300 $56.39 9/27/1370 S Cherry Street $685,000 13,300 $51.50 2/21/13110 S Cherry Street $595,000 11,880 $50.08 3/5/13121 S Cherry Street $660,000 10,600 $62.26 10/16/1398 Dexter Street $900,000 11,900 $75.63 6/15/1580 S Dexter Street $1,200,000 16,600 $72.29 4/8/14140 Dahlia Street $1,500,000 19,100 $78.53 3/4/1410 Dahlia Street $2,500,000 29,500 $84.75 11/13/13285 Elm Street $475,000 6,250 $76.00 10/18/13455 Forest Street $1,310,000 19,374 $67.62 10/21/14101 S Forest Street $900,000 12,300 $73.17 9/30/14126 Glencoe Street $475,000 6,250 $76.00 12/18/14

ADDRESS SALEPRICE

LOT SIZESQFT

PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT

SALEDATE

25 S Glencoe Street $588,500 9,970 $59.03 5/8/14115 S Glencoe Street $680,400 9,370 $72.61 6/30/15424 Grape Street $584,500 7,810 $74.84 5/19/14214 Grape Street $507,500 8,280 $61.29 11/8/1385 S Grape Street $450,000 6,250 $72.00 4/2/14130 S Grape Street $650,000 9,275 $70.08 5/8/15451 Hudson Street $565,000 7,120 $79.35 1/5/15260 Hudson Street $455,000 9,380 $48.51 8/30/13240 Hudson Street $470,000 8,120 $57.88 3/14/1410 S Hudson Street $525,000 8,750 $60.00 7/31/13142 S Hudson Street $478,000 9,380 $50.96 5/15/13178 S Hudson Street $680,000 12,500 $54.40 1/15/145235 E 3rd Avenue $830,000 12,851 $64.59 7/29/145511 E Bayaud Avenue $535,000 8,750 $61.14 12/21/13401 Holly Street $399,000 6,370 $62.64 6/19/14155 Holly Street $355,100 8,340 $42.58 3/2/13151 Holly Street $255,000 7,330 $34.79 12/3/1380 S Ivy Street $720,000 11,000 $65.45 8/31/1595 S Ivy Street $559,000 12,100 $46.20 6/13/13210 S Ivy Street $330,000 6,620 $49.85 2/5/14424 Jasmine Street $775,000 8,800 $88.07 5/6/13175 S Jasmine Street $526,000 7,020 $74.93 2/26/15460 Krameria Street $600,000 10,100 $59.41 12/5/13310 Krameria Street $620,000 9,620 $64.45 10/30/14115 Southmoor Drive $800,000 12,500 $64.00 1/29/15105 Southmoor Drive $900,000 17,250 $52.17 1/14/13

Recent Neighborhood Land Sales

* Based on information from REcolorado®, Inc for the period 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2015. This representation is based I whole or in part on content supplied by REcolorado®, Inc. does not guarantee nor is it in any way responsible for its accuracy. Content maintained by REcolorado®, Inc may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Not all properties were listed and/or sold by RE/MAX Alliance

*Based on information from the Denver County Public Records Pop-top or remodel

RE/MAX Alliance. 1873 S Bellaire Street, Suite 700, Denver, 80222. 303.759.6644