Daylight savings time is a great reminder to change your furnace's air filter.  Filters are designed to improve the quality of the air your breathe and protect your HVAC system from build up of airborne pollutants such as dust, debris, animal dander and pollen.  Changing your furnace filter is an easy and economical way to keep your HVAC system working great for years to come.

Last spring while viewing a home with my clients we came across what has to be the dirtiest air filter I've ever seen.  Needless to say we did not make an offer an that home.

For most people their home is there largest investment, so be sure to not neglect yours.  Besides changing out your air filter this spring here is a great list of spring cleaning tips to keep your home (& life) in great shape:

​•A pressure washer loaded with dish detergent is a great way to clean your home's exterior.
•Time for some lawn clean up! Aerate, fertilize, and seed your lawn after picking up any debris that may have built up over the winter months.
•Clean out your gutters and make sure they are in good condition.
•Clean your windows, inside and out.
•Check and see if your HVAC filters and air purifier filters need to be replaced.
•Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to declutter – clothes, shoes, beauty products, and other household items are all things you could go through. Donate what you can.
•Get organized: refrigerator/freezer, pantry, and spice cabinet.
•Don’t forget to check expiration dates while you’re organizing.
•Replace worn out shower curtains and liners, towels, and bath mats.
•Deep clean carpets, rugs, upholstery, and drapes/curtains
•Use a damp towel to wipe down walls, baseboards and blinds and remove and wipe down your window screens. A mild dish detergent can also help with these tasks.
•Pull out appliances and furniture to clean behind and underneath.
•Your cleaning tools also need attention: replace as needed and swish your broom and mop around in warm, soapy water.
•Vacuum and spot clean your mattress. If you have a mattress cover, wash that a well. Spraying your mattress with disinfectant afterwards is also a good idea. Take the time to flip your mattress and get both sides.
•Toss your throw pillows in the wash with a mild detergent on gentle (if the fabric is machine washable). Tumble dry on low for no more than 30 minutes.
•Clean your garbage can, and if it lives inside a cabinet, clean the cabinet as well.
•Vent covers are often forgotten about. Take the time to wash them, not just dust them.
•Deep clean your rugs and the surface underneath them.
•Use white vinegar to tackle buildup on shower heads and faucets.
•Clean cabinets inside and out, don't forget the top!
•The inside of your washing machine and dishwasher could use a good clean to keep them running their best. Vinegar is a great tool to use for this task.
•Your houseplants could use some love too, dust them off and repot as necessary.
•Don't neglect doors: pay special attention to the areas that are touched a lot, especially by pets, as well as doorknobs/handles and hinges.

This month's newsletter provides a great overview of the history and challenges of bringing water to communities in northern Colorado.

Inflation, interest rates and talk of a global recession have real estate markets in flux.  Read more in this month's newsletter.

Several indicators in Colorado's real estate market all point towards a changing market.  Read more about trends and predictions by industry experts in this month's newsletter.  

Want to know how to capitalize on the current real estate market or just have questions about your home's value, don't hesitate to reach out.

The housing market frenzy from 2020 is carrying over to 2021.  Low interest rates, pent up demand and people looking to relocate or change their living situation has led to frenzied first few months of 2021.  This month's newsletter offers some insights to help guide your journey to buying/selling your home.

If you have questions or need help buying or selling a home in Colorado do not hesitate to contact me.

Reverse mortgages allow homeowners 62 and older to convert part of the equity of their home into cash without having to sell their home.  Like all things that sound to good to be true be sure you weigh the risks and benefits before moving forward.  See this months newsletter for an overview

While making New Year's resolutions for your own health, wealth and family, don't forget about your home.  We've put together some great ideas to protect and improve your most valuable asset.

It's a great time of year to re-focus yourself on your priorities so be sure to include your home in your plans.

The Pandemic is making most people, and Millennials in particular, to feel like they're finally ready to purchase their first home.  The question is do they have the savings to take advantage of our historical low interest rates to move forward. 

This months newsletter focuses on the importance of saving for and maximizing your down payment.

If you have questions about buying your first home in northern Colorado or the Denver metro area be sure to call me.  I am also able to put you in touch with lenders who are familiar with the down payment programs.

Keeping Thanksgiving 2020 small and safe doesn't mean it can't be fun or include lots of friends and family. We've heard of some great ideas, here are some of our favorites and a few of our own.
 
First, be sure you set aside times to call or zoom with older family members and those that might be spending the holiday alone.  If possible include them however you can.

1 - Watch a movie as a family theater style. No phones, dim the lights, with popcorn & snacks. Two great Thanksgiving Day options are Home For The Holidays or Planes, Trains and Automobiles
2 - Pre & Post feast hikes, weather permitting. If weather goes bad, you could do group yoga over zoom.
3 - Family construction challenge: Participating families are assigned a random project by organizer in the morning and after dinner everyone gets together on zoom to show off their project.  Use cardboard, legos, fabric, whatever you have at home to build a zoo, airport, school, farm, etc...
4 - Learn to Dance  Find a youtube video and the whole family can learn how to jitterbug, line dance or tango!  Great way to burn off that pumpkin pie!
5 - Yard games: cornhole, bocce, horseshoes, football
6 - Go to a concert, sort of.  Put together a family play list of only live music covering a wide variety of genres.  Turn it up!
7 - Virtual games over zoom: charades, pictionary, trivia, CAH, check this link for some great ideas https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32098665/best-games-to-play-on-zoom/
8 - Virtual Poetry Slam.  Spend the day finding your favorite poem (or song lyrics) to read to family and friends between dinner and dessert.
9 - Dress up and take a family photo (this is Kim's favorite). Maybe you even use a real camera.  Then pick one the whole family likes and actually get it printed!
10 - Time Capsule.  Ironically this was the year my family was to dig up the time capsule we buried 10 years ago.  Create & send a questionnaire to family members, collect and then bury it all together via zoom.  Then in 5, 10, 20 years when you are all together again you can share them and see where your heads were at in 2020.

Whether you've owned your own business for many years or started a new one recently, know that self-employed people can and do get mortgages.  Our November RE/MAX Advanced newsletter overviews some of the additional documentation & steps you may need to take.  Contact me for recommendations of lenders who are experienced working with self-employed borrowers.