Fall Maintenance Schedules Are Slightly Different In Colorado

Most areas of the country have some sort of seasonal fall maintenance, and in some regards In Colorado Springs isn't really THAT different. Generally when the nights are starting to get cold, having the furnace cleaned and serviced is a good idea almost everywhere. But here, that would also include the humidifier (cleaning and starting it back up). Most places, if there is a sprinkler system, you start watching the weather, and you have it shut off and drained or blown out before a hard frost hits, along with disconnecting outside hose bibs so they don't burst the pipes. Here, the same holds true, but we can have some pretty dry warm weather mixed in almost all winter, so many people will start up and shut down their sprinklers several times to account for weather fluctuations. Cleaning gutters is always a good idea after the leaves have made their mess. Our soil conditions fluctuate a lot, and so many people also get their lawns aerated and fertilized in the fall. Thatching is not common here, but aeration in spring and fall are.

Other maintenance items that are helpful, include checking weather stripping, covering the swamp cooler or AC compressor, and most importantly, making sure your ski equipment is handy, tuned and ready for the 1st opening day, often in October!

They say our fall color season is really a short one this year, the most recent storms must have shocked the trees. Last year was the best color season I can remember, wish I had taken more photos like the one shown, taken last year at Parliament Park in Briargate.

Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784! Visit me on Facebook to see even more photos!

Fall Weather Right on Time

It snowed yesterday here in Colorado Springs. Not just on the top of Pikes Peak, but right here in town. While that sounds pretty silly, given yesterday was the last day of summer, the fact is, it is not that unusual to get our first snow in September. What would be unusual is if stuck to the ground (it didn't), or if there was much of it (there wasn't). Still, it gets some of us excited for the change in seasons. After all, season pass sales for the ski resorts are going on, the leaves are just hinting at changing, and fall in Colorado is a favorite for many of us, myself included. While today was cool and gray, the sun will be back along with pleasant temps by the weekend. No, the photo was not from yesterday, it was our fall blizzard of '06, hit just before Halloween. That is when our first real snow usually hits. Can't wait!

This fall is kind of fun, with the Broncos at 2-0 and the Rockies looking like they will make a serious playoff run as the National League wildcard. We all remember the 'Rocktober' of 2 years ago, with a closing run of 21 out of 22 games to get into the World Series. It could happen!

Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784! Visit me on Facebook to see even more photos!

Peyton Pines - Affordable Treed Acreage

Yesterday I walked some lots out in Peyton Pines, and kicked myself that I don't go out there more often. While it is a 40 minute drive from my office (pretty much due east), it is only about 30 minutes to Peterson AFB, and less to Shriever, making it a fairly doable commute for many Air Force personnel and defense contractors, or others working on the east side of town. The setting is idylic. We kicked up deer on 2 different lots we walked, and the panoramic views were serene. There is a nice mixture of pine trees and meadows, and the prices are really pretty reasonable. The 5 acre lots we saw were both under $125,000, and horses are welcome.
Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784!

Fountain: All America City and Gateway to Fort Carson

I listed a house this week in Fountain, and since I had not written about Fountain in a while, thought I'd dedicate a blog entry to it. Fountain is an incorporated city in it's own right, but since it is only 10- 15 minutes south of Colorado Springs and part of the metro area, we consider part of our market.

Being south of the Springs, and a somewhat lower elevation (5,500 ft), it has a slightly warmer climate. Spring comes a little earlier, fall and winter come a little later, and summer days are a few degrees hotter. Many snow storms miss Fountain altogether, although they do get some snow in the winter. It still has a pretty strong agricultural feel to it, as there are many small 'ranchettes' all around the area, with a variety of different farm animals visible from the roads. The District 8 schools are pretty well thought of, and the high school boasts a 93.5% reading proficiency score on the state CSAP tests, as well as one of the lowest dropout rates in the state.

Fountain is a very popular place for families associated with Fort Carson (military or civilian), due to the easy access to Gate 20. It is close, and offers a variety of affordable housing options, with the average price for August 2009 at $169,000. There are many new home options in Fountain area as well, making it popular for those who are looking for value in a new home.

Oh yeah, the house! Located at 11235 Falling Star and listed for $224,900, the following link has some good details on what kind of value is available. This particular house is kind of special, in that it is so new, and has such a great lot, backing to park land. MLS details on 11235 falling Star

Our weather has turned cool (60 or so) for the weekend, with gray skies and some rain expected. What a great way to kick off football season! Sunny 70's return tomorrow, but a cloudy cool day can be a nice break sometimes.

Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784! Visit me on Facebook to see even more photos!

Colorado Balloon Classic Is A Great Summer Finale

Our family loves the hot air balloons. While we don't attend this great Labor Day weekend event every year, we at least try. Sometimes life - and lack of sleep - get in the way, and occasionally the weather forecast isn't favorable for the dawn launch. But when you catch it right - WOW! It is just amazing to see over 100 hot air balloons launch almost the same time. Add the incredible scenic backdrop they launch to, and it is almost magic. There are 3 days of dawn launches, plus an evening 'balloon glow', so our odds are good of catching at least something.
These shots are from last year's festival, hope we make it this year again!

Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784! Visit me on Facebook to see even more photos!

Colorado Springs Home Sales Jump in August Over '08

The preliminary sales data from the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors indicates home sales in Colorado Springs for August of '09 to be up a whopping 14.5% over August of '08, while the inventory of unsold homes dropped 20.3% from 1 year ago. Prices are still on the soft side, but down only 5.4% from 1 year for the average, and only 2.5% for the median. The average home sold for 97.5% of the asking price. This is the strongest year to year gain in sales we've seen since I started tracking it several years ago. It is due to several factors, including:
1. Stronger demand from returning GI's to Ft Carson
2. The $8,000 first time Home Buyer Tax credit (which is due to expire in less than 3 months)
3. Low interest rates, still in the low 5's.
A more sobering look indicates prices and sales dropped from July, indicating that we may have seen our best sales month already this year, which follows our normal seasonal pattern.
Got questions about living in Colorado Springs? Call me at 719-590-4768 or 888-568-6784!