This new concept of "Wee Cottages" by Boulder Creek Neighborhoods is helping desperate home buyers penetrate the competitive Colorado housing market. Priced at the low $300k's, these homes are helping new families, first time home buyers and seniors have a home that is manageable, priced well and new! Wee Cottages started in Loveland and now are entering the Stapleton and Longmont areas. 


Watch the CBS story on Wee Cottages to learn more!

Denver area's most popular neighborhood? Zillow says it's in Broomfield (Photos)​IN THIS ARTICLE

• Residential Real EstateIndustry

By Ben Miller  – Contributing Writer
May 4, 2018, 7:09amZillow picked its most popular neighborhoods in the Denver area by the number of page views per listing and Northmoor Estates in Broomfield came out at No. 1.

Looking for a fun activity on the weekend? Check out Live Music and have fun with La Dolce Vita's Open Mic Night every Saturday and Sunday through June. 

For a complete list of upcoming events and musicians, check out Events & Happenings in Olde Town Arvada 

Live Music at La Dolce Vita

Saturdays at 7pm and Sundays at 6pm. 


Open Mic sign up starts about 6:00pm on Saturdays .10:00am – 1:00pm on Sundays
March 4th Open Mic
March 5th Brian Del Mar
March 11th Band On The Fence
March 12th Cellist Daria
March 18th Open Mic
March 19th Alice and Dan
March 25th Spirit Ridge
March 26th Moses Walker


April 1st Open Mic
April 2nd  Brian Del Mar
April 8th  Acoustic Review
April 9th Cellist Daria
April 15th Open Mic
April 16th Alice and Dan
April 22nd Steve Gilbert
April 23rd Moses Walker
April 29th Acoustic Jelly
April 30th Band On The Fence


May 6th Open Mic
May 7th Brian Del Mar
May 13th Meghan Cave
May 14th Cellist Daria
May 20th Open Mic
May 21st Alice and Dan
May 27th TBD
May 28th Moses Walker


June 3rd Open Mic
June 4th Brian Del Mar
June 10th Someone Special
June 11th Cellist Daria
June 17th Open Mic
June 18th Alice and Dan
June 24th TBD
June 25th Moses Walker

​

With Denver being considered as on of the locations for the new Amazon Headquarters, speculation on what that could do to rent in the area is already being discussed. Of 20 cities being considered, Denver and Nashville are the two with the most potential of feeling the increase in rent. In the Denver Business Journal, Zillow estimates an increase of 3.6% in rent in the Denver area if Amazon HQ moves here. Read more below:


Denver rents would zoom if Amazon builds HQ2 here, says report 
By Ben Miller  – Contributing Writer 
a day agoIf Amazon.com Inc. picks Denver for its new HQ2, residents could see rents going up more than ever.
According to research by Zillow, Denver rents could increase an additional 2.3 percentage points each year if Amazon picks Denver. Only Nashville would see rents rise more (2.4 more percentage points) than Denver's in the country if that city is selected.
In January, the Seattle-based e-commerce giant (Nasdaq: AMZN) released a list of 20 cities that could end up with the company's coveted new $5 billion second headquarters campus that it says eventually will employ 50,000 people.
Of those 20 cities, Nashville and Denver rank one and two when it comes to expected HQ2 impacts on rent, followed by Los Angeles. Without Denver being selected as HQ2, Zillow expects Denver-area rents to increase 3.6 percent next year.
What would an additional 2.3 percent increase in rent mean? Zillow estimated that the current median rent in the Denver area is $2,047. If Amazon picks Denver as HQ2, that would jump to $2,168 in 2019.
"Nashville and Denver are the only two metros that could see a greater boost to rents due to Amazon than Seattle has seen," said Aaron Terrazas, Zillow chief economist, in a statement.
And Seattle's housing costs have gone through the roof in the past few years. Although Amazon isn't the only reason Seattle's housing costs have skyrocketed, the company is on a manic hiring frenzy in that city.
The New York Times reported today on the Zillow report, quoting Felicia Griffin, executive director of United for a New Economy, a Colorado nonprofit that has opposed the Amazon project, who said “I definitely think it has the possibility of pushing us over the tipping point."

Who wants Amazon the most? Here's how residents in Denver and other HQ2 cities respondedApr 18, 2018, 9:27am

By Jeff Jeffrey  
National Digital Producer, The Business Journals 
Residents of Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis appear willing to do whatever it takes to win Amazon’s second North American headquarters. Their cousins in Denver, Austin and Boston? Not so much.
The Business Journals for the first time has partnered with Elon University in North Carolina to conduct an online poll in all 19 of the U.S. regions that, along with the Canadian city of Toronto, remain in the running for Amazon’s “HQ2.” The survey was conducted from March 30 through April 3 and was designed to gauge each city’s enthusiasm — and willingness to make sacrifices —to land the Seattle-based company’s eye-popping $5 billion proposal to develop a new campus for up to 50,000-employees. 
While the majority of the survey’s 7,397 respondents voiced general support for the project, disparities abound. For example, some cities proved more sensitive than others to HQ2’s potential effects on traffic, and there was broad disagreement as to whether local small businesses will benefit, or be hurt, by the move. Many offered full-throated support in favor of special tax and financial incentives, while majorities elsewhere said they are obliged to tell the company to take nothing and like it.
In Los Angeles, for example, 21 percent of respondents said the city should offer “as much as possible” to land Amazon’s HQ2 — the highest percentage in the country. Compare that to places like Austin where just 8 percent thought landing HQ2 was worth offering huge incentives to the company. 

As warmer days and longer nights start to settle into place, the Baseball Park starts calling its fans. And, this year, Coors Field has more food items to satisfy baseball goers throughout the season. So, along with that cold beer and cracker jacks, try the new Rocky Mountain Po'boy's, Mile High Mac-N-Cheese and Rockies Fritters. See the full article in the Denver Business Journal below:

What's new on the Coors Field menu this coming Rockies season? 
By Ben Miller  – Contributing Writer 
3 hours agoFans attending Colorado Rockies games at Coors Field this upcoming baseball season will see some new menu additions at concession stands.
That's according to longtime Coors Field concessionaire Aramark, which announced the new menu selections on Wednesday.
New menu additions will include: Chicken & Purple Slaw Taco Trio (chicken topped with salsa verde and purple slaw, in flour tortillas), Taco Club (taco seasoned ground beef topped with melted cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, fried jalapenos and a drizzle of avocado sour cream), Rocky Mountain Po’boy (Rocky Mountain oysters topped with garlic slaw, guacamole, green chili ranch, pico de gallo and cotija cheese, on a po’boy roll}, Triple Play Dog (hot dog topped with Carolina style pulled pork, crumbled bacon bits and purple slaw), Mile High Mac-N-Cheese (green chili mac-n-cheese topped with crumbled chorizo and pico de gallo), and Rockies Fritters (fried purple berry fritters covered in a sweet rum glaze and dotted with purple and silver pearls).
“Food has become a major player in the fan experience and that increased role is a motivating factor for us to continue to enhance our menu offerings each season. Ballpark food has come a long way," said Carl Mittleman, president of Aramark’s Sports and Entertainment division, in a statement.

In addition to the Rockies, Aramark provides concession service to the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays.
Last year, the Rockies saw a 12 percent increase in attendance, with 2,953,650 fans attending games.

The Denver Business Journal released this article addressing the stresses of being relocated and tools to use to make that transition easier. Read more below:

8 ways to make employee relocation a more positive experience 
By PODS for Business 
Mar 12, 2018Moving for a job is a big deal for employees and the employers moving them. A smooth move can pave the way for a seamless transition into a new position or facility, which is of huge value to businesses.
Here are eight tips for making your next corporate relocation the easiest one yet.
1.    Be clear about relocation policies
A corporate relocation is a careful balancing act. Each party must feel the process is fair, especially when it comes to money. Having clear, well-expressed policies prevents misunderstandings and increases the likelihood of a successful move. Employees need to know what services are cost covered by the company, and what portions of the move they are responsible for. They need to know the specific relocation services the company provides. And they need the information in writing. That protects both parties from misunderstandings that arise in verbal agreements, and it provides a ready reference if needed.
2.    Forge relocation specialist partnerships that add value
The logistics of a relocation often demand skills, products and services that are not core competencies of your company. So, cultivate partners that can help ease the burden for the employee, and for you. For example, when you partner with PODS®, your transferees enjoy simplified moves with single points of contact, flexible scheduling, and access to secure storage centers. PODS also adds certainty in pricing for your company with its lump sum and direct billing options. When you partner with relocation industry specialists, you offer your employees expert help in adjusting to their new surroundings.

3.    Consider cost of living difference 
A person earning $70,000 in Dodge City, Kansas, moving to Baltimore, Maryland, will experience a cost of living increase of almost 20 percent. An equivalent home will cost 35 percent more, and they’d need to make more than $83,000 per year to stay on an even footing, according to cost of living comparisons. So it’s often important to make corporate relocation assistance available for more than just moving expenses. Cost of living subsidies, help with child care, and loans to bridge time between mortgage transactions can help cover the difference between earnings and livings costs. Of course, in some cases, a salary bump won’t hurt either.
4.    Move employees with skills and who embrace change
If a transferee doubts their ability to transition, you are adding risk to an already taxing event. It’s also important to ensure a good job fit. Moving someone without the experience or skills required and hoping they’ll get up to speed is asking a lot. They face moving challenges, and they also face adjusting to an unfamiliar workplace where they haven’t developed a strong support network. Be sure the employee is up for it before investing in a relocation.
 5.    Make the relocation package convenient and descriptive
Each employee relocation is unique. Some transferees go ahead of family while others move together. In all cases, moving is complicated. Whatever you can do to make it easy helps turn a stressful situation into a manageable one. Instead of bombarding employees with folders filled with paper, provide information on USB drives or in the cloud. If your company has enough relocations to justify an instructional app, even better. Consider information you can include that provides assurances to your relocating employees. Go beyond just putting words on paper and describe the services employees can access to help put them at ease.
6.    Empower employees with resources and information
Design your relocation services so they help employees feel empowered. Consider using short videos to introduce people to their new location. Besides giving them overviews of the workspace and facilities, include information about what’s nearby. Providing an overview of neighborhoods close to the job helps employees narrow their search for homes or apartments. Provide information about registering vehicles, public transportation, schools and getting drivers’ licenses.
7.    Maintain a personal touch
Don’t go so overboard with technology that you remove people from the process. While employee relocation apps can help transferees track expenses, organize receipts and keep checklists, it’s still important to have the human touch. To avoid becoming impersonal, set up regular times for HR to check in with transferees. It’s amazing what you can find out about how your transferee’s relocation process is going just by informally chatting over coffee.
8.    Offer flexible storage solution 
Employees are not moving specialists. Most people underestimate the time and space they’ll need for transitioning their belongings. Often, they don’t ask for storage options, even though many say afterward they wished they had. Plus, they are dealing with the challenges of purchasing and selling homes and adapting their lives to a new city. This is another place where PODS excels at relocations. With PODS’ secure storage options at both ends of their move, transferees don’t have to deal with loading and unloading multiple times. Instead, they get flexibility in storing their personal items, and a helping hand to support them at what might otherwise be a stressful time.

Colorado's mountains and outdoor activities attract hundreds of thousands of people every year, and celebrities are not excluded. True, we aren't Hollywood, but many well-known actors and actresses have had the pleasure of enjoying all that Colorado has to offer. With epic ski resorts and acres of wilderness to submerge in tranquility, many celebrities have built extravagant oasis's in Colorado. Learn more below:

Tom Cruise: Just outside Telluride, Tom Cruise owned a large 7 bedroom 9 bath resort totaling 10,000 square feet on 298 acres. 

Oprah Winfrey: Another celebrity in Telluride is Oprah Winfrey. Her 60 acres includes a 5 bed and 6.5 spa-like baths spanning throughout her 8,706 square foot home. The mansion includes a fitness room, a game room, a 7-person indoor hot tub, a theater and a guest house. Other extravagances include a tree-top fire pit to roast marshmallows among the tree line, a 56 foot long wine tunnel to hold 1,600 bottles of wine and a glass bridge between upstairs rooms. 

Kevin Costner: Kevin Costner lives part time at his 150 acre ranch in Aspen, Colorado. He got married here and Shakey Graves recorded an album in the compound when they were passing through Colorado in 2017. 

President Ford: President Ford used to own a home in Beaver Creek. This ski chalet had front door ski-in, ski-out access to the slopes. With 7 beds, a theater, a game room, a private massage room, a separate caterer's kitchen and of course an office for President Ford, this home certainly is a mansion to behold.  

Jerry Seinfeld: Jerry's old ranch-style home in Telluride totaled 14,000 square feet with 11 beds, 12.5 baths, 26.84 acres, a 5,500 square foot deck and limitless views of Colorado's mountains. 

Melanie Griffith: Melanie's raised her family for 15 years in her Aspen home. This 5 bed, 6 bath home comes complete with a 9,000-bottle wine cellar and 2 acres of Colorado's natural beauty. The town of Aspen is a short 15 minute drive and, after a long day of skiing or snowmobiling, there's nothing better than relaxing by the huge fireplace.  

Joe King: Drummer Joe King from The Fray, lives in an architectural masterpiece. The wood slat exterior makes his home notable in the Wash Park area. This modern design is elegant with wood ceilings, brick walls and concrete mosaic tile inlays. The exterior was designed after the gas lanterns in New Orleans, in dedication to a city that King and his wife love. To top off the masterpiece, there is a private pool open year round and surrounded with a mahogany wood deck. 

View more celebrity homes and their interiors on Colorado Homes & Lifestyles 

Saying "I Do" under the flatirons in Boulder is romantic and ever so  perfect for a bride looking for the nuptials to be in a mountain town. Below are 5 Star wedding venues in the Boulder area according to The Knot. Visit The Knot to learn more about venues all over Colorado. 


The Greenbriar Inn: This venue is located at the mouth of Left Hand Canyon. With the foothills as a backdrop, both indoor and outdoor wedding ceremonies are popular in this spectacular location. There are 7 rooms/areas you can chose from, fitting a party both large or small. Work with the chefs to customize a delectable menu to be accompanied by their extensive award winning wine list. Learn more


Wedgewood Weddings: Located right off the Boulder Creek, you will enjoy the sound of tranquil water and the views of the flatirons. You can choose to host your guests in the Party Tent, the Creek Room or the Flagstaff Room. You can also chose from multiple different packages, allowing you to customize the perfect reception within budget for you. Learn more


The St Julien Hotel: This gorgeous hotel accommodates elegant weddings outside with a mountainous backdrop or inside in a lovely ballroom. You can select 5 different spaces With spa accommodations and downtown shopping and restaurants right out the front door, this venue is perfect for entertaining out-of-town guests. Learn more 


Rembrandt Yard: This art gallery and event center is located in downtown Boulder. You can customize your wedding whiting the two-floor venue. Enjoy mountain views through the floor to ceilings windows and feel free to have the freedom to create a unique event that is special to you! Learn more 


Hotel Boulderado: This historic hotel is a classy place to host an intimate or large wedding. Select from the Ballroom, the Mezzanine, the Evergreen Meeting Room and the Boardrooms to create your special event. This is also great for accommodating visiting guests. Allow them to stay in rooms once occupied by Helen Keller, Robert Frost and other famous names. Learn more


Boulder Country Club: Enjoy panoramic views of the mountains, lavish balconies, ceiling high windows and wedding planners to help take care of your special day. Learn more and read reviews 


Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art: This exquisite venue is most notable for the paintings and sketches located in the galleries. Parties can gather in the Event Space or on the Lawn, but are also welcome to  roam the gallery during the reception. Learn more 

Redfin predicts 3 of Denver's hottest residential neighborhoods in 2018 below:
Denver area's 'hottest' residential neighborhoods? Two are in one city 
By Ben Miller  –  Contributing Writer Jan 29, 2018, 7:28am MST Updated Jan 30, 2018, 1:11pm
What are the Denver area's "hottest" residential real estate areas in 2018? Two are in Lakewood, according to Redfin.
Each year, the online real estate company picks out the nation's and large U.S. metro area's "hottest" neighborhoods. Last year in the Denver area, it was Greenfield, located in the south Aurora/Centennial area, which was rated the ninth-hottest neighborhood in the country by Redfin.
This year, no Colorado neighborhood made Redfin's national "hottest neighborhood" list. In fact, no neighborhood outside of California's Bay Area made the national list, as nine from San Jose and one from San Francisco were the top 10 in the country.
In the Denver area, Redfin says the Green Mountain area in west Lakewood will be the area's "hottest neighborhood." Homes there have an average sale-to-list price ratio of 99 percent; 22 percent sold over list price (as of December); and homes spent an average of just 28 days on the market.
Also making the Denver area's top three "hottest neighborhood" list is Applewood in Lakewood. Homes there have an average sale-to-list price ratio of 97.3 percent; 8 percent sold over list price (as of December); and homes spent an average of 55 days on the market.
The third "hottest neighborhood," according to Redfin, is the Regis neighborhood in north Denver. Homes there have an average sale-to-list price ratio of 100,4 percent; 54.8 percent sold over list price (as of December); and homes spent an average of 46 days on the market.
What determines a neighborhood's "hotness?" Redfin said "Hottest Neighborhoods is a prediction based on the most recent growth we’ve seen in page views and favorites on Redfin.com."