Parker Colorado’s Top Recreational Trails

Parker, Colorado is a nature lover’s paradise. For those that enjoy the outdoors, there are many activities to choose from in Parker, including over 200 acres of developed parkland and 700 acres of open space land. In order to provide bicycle riders, walkers, joggers and equestrians with safe and enjoyable routes, Parker maintains 20+ miles of concrete paved, multi-use trails throughout the Town.

Below is a list and highlights of some of the best recreational trails in Parker. Get out and enjoy the wonderful amenities Parker has to offer!

Baldwin Gulch Trail

Baldwin Gulch Trail follows an intermittent waterway of the same name for approximately 1.25 miles from Lincoln Avenue (between Parker Road and Pine Drive) to its current endpoint at Twenty Mile Road. An underpass allows trail users to safely cross beneath Parker Road at E. Ponderosa Drive. Baldwin Gulch Trail will eventually connect to the Cherry Creek Trail near the east side of the Challenger Park Estates subdivision. A pedestrian bridge was built as part of the Pine Lane extension in 2007. There is trailhead parking along the trail at Twenty Mile Road.

Cherry Creek Trail

This trail, which is approximately eight miles long, is the most significant trail resource in the Town, and it extends from the Norton Farms Open Space in the north to Stroh Ranch Park in the south. Cherry Creek Trail includes a 10-foot wide concrete pedestrian / bicycle path and an adjacent unpaved equestrian trail. Trailheads with parking, restrooms and picnic areas are located along the Cherry Creek Trail at McCabe Meadows Park, Bar CCC Park and Cottonwood Community Park.  Over the next several years, this trail will be extended to Cherry Creek State Park to the north and to Castlewood Canyon State Park to the South.

Newlin Gulch Trail

Newlin Gulch connects the commercial development at Lincoln Avenue and Jordan Road to the Cherry Creek Trail. Pick up the trail behind the Stonegate King Soopers store along Recreation Drive and connect to the Cherry Creek Trail behind the Parker Recreation Center. An underpass under Lincoln Avenue was developed in 2007-2008. This cooperative project with Douglas County connected Newlin Gulch Trail to the County’s underpass at Jordan Road and to the neighborhood trails within Stonegate.

Preservation Park & Trailhead

Preservation Park and Trailhead is the northern gateway into Parker and Douglas County. The Town is continuing to move forward with improvements to the trailhead, which is located at the northwest corner of Parker Road and Valley Hi Drive just north of the Cottonwood community. The trailhead was completed in 2010 and includes enhanced vehicular access from Parker Road plus parking for cars and school buses. A concrete trail connect from the trailhead to the Cherry Creek Regional Trail was completed in late 2011. Preservation Park, located just north of the trailhead, serves as an interpretive and educational resource devoted to local history and includes both historic structures and artifacts. Two structures were recently relocated to the site and subsequently restored.

Sulphur Gulch Trail

This trail, which is approximately four miles long, connects to the Cherry Creek Trail within Bar CCC Park and extends east with an undercrossing of Parker Road and continuing along the south side of Main Street through the Town. An 8-foot wide concrete path connects several Town parks such as Bar CCC, O'Brien Park, and Town Hall.  Several community and Town trails are accessible from the Sulphur Gulch Trail including Tallman Gulch Trail, located within the Rowley Downs Subdivision, and various trails located within the Canterberry Crossing community.

Tallman Gulch Trail

Tallman Gulch Trail extends from the Idyllwilde community in the southeast corner of Town, and from there it passes north past Iron Horse Elementary School where it connects to the Sulphur Gulch Trail at Stonehenge Way in the Rowley Downs subdivision. While the majority of Tallman Gulch Trail is an eight-foot wide concrete path, there are several sections, which are dirt or other non-paved surfaces. An interconnected network of dirt trails winds around a large open space area at the southeastern terminus of the trail. Tallman Gulch trail is approximately three miles long. Highlights of the trail include Tallman Meadow Park and the Slemmer Barn historic site, both of which offer parking and picnic facilities.

Are you ready to get started finding your dream home in Parker? At Bandy Homes, we will guide you through all the phases of the home buying process in Parker and its surrounding communities, whether it’s Canterberry Crossing Homes & Real Estate, or a wide variety of lovely homes in Stroh Ranch. If you have a home to sell, we can help you with automated Parker Home Value estimates to get you started. Our trusted professionals will be there when you are ready to help you every step of the way!

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated Denver home value.

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790

Foreclosure: Not the Only Option for Your Denver Home

In recent reports, US Foreclosures activities are statistically decreasing but for homeowners who are slipping into a mortgage payment delinquency, the fear of becoming a statistic is strong.

Foreclosure should be viewed as the last recourse after everything else has been explored and not the first choice of solution. Many Coloradans are fearful of their situations and do not realize that there are positive steps that can be taken to avoid foreclosure. Our focus with homeowners facing foreclosure is to give them hope of a dignified solution to their financial crisis through current lender loan modification, loan refinancing (short or long-term) or a short sale (a lender-approved sale at less than the outstanding loan balance.)

Over 85% of the clients served by CDPE real estate professionals avoid foreclosure. Alex Chafren, founder of the Distressed Property Institute, believes that homeowners surrounded by a strong CDPE real estate agent team including legal and financial referrals have the greatest chance of avoiding foreclosure and at minimal financial investment to the homeowner.

Our commitment to help save homeowners from foreclosure began after participating in several foreclosures, short sales, and bank owned transactions.  Witnessing the helplessness, utter sense of aloneness and guilt felt by homeowners facing foreclosure compelled us to act as a homeowner advocate, lending a helping hand of expertise and compassion. Our 15 years of real estate experience, our commitment to education, strong marketing, systems development, and checklists, combined with our knowledge of the pre-foreclosure process, have given our clients a huge advantage in the epidemic of foreclosures.

Not having a clear understanding of the elements and consequences of foreclosure lead many homeowners to give up. There is a huge difference in "after foreclosure" as opposed to "life without foreclosure."  We may not be able to save every house, but we can offer the saving hand to every financially distressed homeowner.

At The Bandy Team, we help Denver homebuyers as well as sellers with all their real estate needs. We will help you work through any issues that may arise in buying or selling a Denver property.

Our team of real estate experts can answer your questions and can show you some real estate in Aurora, including properties in Heritage Eagle Bend and a wide variety of homes in Saddle Rock. Our trusted professionals will be there to help you every step of the way!

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated home value.

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

www.BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790

Marianne Bandy Presents: 2544 S. Dawson Court, Aurora, CO 80014 – Call 720-872-0862!

2544 S. Dawson Court, Aurora, CO 80014

4BR Two-Story Home for Sale in Aurora, CO

List Price: $296,000

Showings start at Open House on Saturday 5-28-16,  10:00 am.

Open House hours are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

See More Photos Here

Super terrific location! Close to schools, parks, shopping, restaurants and I-225. Light Rail opening winter 2016 is only 1 mile away. Backs to church’s open grass area. 4 really good sized bedrooms – all upstairs. Kitchen updated with new kitchen cabinets, double oven stainless appliances. Baths have been updated, new rough planked floors, new roof , fresh exterior paint, newer H2O heater, A/C is only 2 years old. Garage has shop space in rear of one of the bays. Big yard with Covered Patio and 2 storage sheds. Basement bathroom has been started. Solar panels on roof could be functional by adding storage unit, etc. Showings start May 28 at 10:00 AM.

Financial Terms:  Cash, Conventional, FHA, VA

• Property Type: Single Family-Detached
• Style:2 Story
• Bedrooms:4
• Bathrooms:1 Full/1 Three-Qtr/1 Half
• Lot Size:0.23 Acres
• Lot Size SqFt:10,149
• Total Square Feet:2,736 (approx)
• Price per Sq. Ft.:$108.19
• Year Built:1978
• Construction:Brick, Vinyl Siding, Frame

School Information:

District: Adams-Arapahoe 28J  (Aurora School District)

Elementary:CENTURY

Middle:AURORA HILLS

High:GATEWAY

Exterior / Lot Features:

Parking: 2 Parking Spaces
Patio/Deck:Covered
Sprinkler:Sprinkler System
Additional Exterior/Lot Features: 2 Sheds / Utility Buildings, Green Belt, Cul-De-Sac
Locale:Crestridge

HOME VALUES IN METRO DENVER HAVE GONE UP FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT!
GET YOUR FREE DENVER HOME VALUE ESTIMATE - CLICK HERE.

SEARCH ALL HOMES FOR SALE IN DENVER METRO AREA

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team
Keller Williams Park Meadows
Serving Metro Denver Home Sellers and Buyers for 15 Years

BandyHomes.com

720-872-0862

Who You Work With Matters!

LED Light Bulbs: Energy-Efficient Alternative For Denver Homes

Using LED (light emitting diode) light bulbs throughout your Denver home is a good way to save money, while still keeping your home well lit, which is no doubt a priority for most homeowners today. Replacing incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs with LED bulbs is an energy efficient and environmentally friendly choice. A LED light bulb lasts longer and uses less energy than other types of lighting.

Here are a few reasons why LED bulbs are better:

1. Energy Efficiency. One 11.5-watt LED bulb emits as much light as a standard 60-watt incandescent bulb. That means five LED bulbs still use less electricity than a single incandescent lamp.
2. Long Life. Incandescent bulbs typically have a life of no more than 1,000 hours, while LED bulbs may have 40,000 hours of life. That is 40 times more. This is especially attractive for light fixtures that are difficult to access, such as vaulted ceilings or top of stairways.
3. Instant Start. CFL bulbs have a warm-up period each time you turn them on. LED bulbs turn on at full brightness.
4. LED products are fully dimmable and are compatible with more than 100 different dimmer switches. CFL bulbs may be dimmable but still have a flicker tendency.
5. It is safe to place LED bulbs in the garbage, after they burn out. CFL bulbs contain mercury and must be recycled using the correct facilities.

6. LED bulbs emit very little heat. Incandescent bulbs waste up to 90 per cent of their energy in heat. LED bulbs typically waste no more than 20 percent of their energy on heat and are far cooler to the touch.

Using LED light bulbs in your home is one good way to reduce your home energy costs and be good to the environment.

Are you ready to place your home in the market? Let us give you some Tips for Selling Your Denver Home! At Bandy Homes, we will guide you through all phases of the home selling and home buying process in Denver. We can also help you to get started on relocation with our Denver Relocation guide and can show you some terrific homes in the Castle Rock area, including real estate in Founders Village and a wide variety of gorgeous homes in The Meadows. Our trusted professionals will be there to help you every step of the way!

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated Denver Home Value.

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790

The Premier Neighborhood of Washington Park in Denver, Colorado

Washington Park is located in Denver’s south park district. If you are looking for a community that is close to beautiful flower gardens and lots of activities, then this is the place for you. Washington Park is one of the nicest and most popular parks in Denver. The lovely flowerbeds around the gardens in the park are filled with vibrant colors both in the spring and summertime and the bed designs change each year. You will want to spend countless hours at the park to just take in its immense beauty. The 162-acre park was originally built in 1899 and is located in the center of this desirable neighborhood.

The park has two lakes, jogging trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a recreational center. When the warmer weather of spring hits, the park becomes packed. The Colorado Symphony holds a free concert in the park each summer. On summer weekends scores of volleyball nets pop up for leagues and pickup games.

If you are looking for a venue to rent for a special occasion, consider the newly renovated Washington Park Boathouse Pavilion located near East Exposition Avenue and South Humboldt Street. The venue can hold up to 150 people. The Boathouse was built after the “City Beautiful” campaign that took place in the early 20th century and it was built in 1913.

Residents living in Washington Park have an easy commute to shopping in Cherry Creek shopping center and downtown Denver. Single family homes, townhome, and condos in the neighborhood range from $300,000 to over $1 million.

At Bandy Homes, we will guide you through all phases of the home buying process in Denver and its surrounding communities. Whether it’s a real estate in Washington Park, homes for sale in Cherry Creek or a wide variety of lovely homes in Stapleton. We can also help you with Denver local area information to help you get started learning about the Denver Metro area. Our trusted professionals will be there to help you every step of the way!

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated Denver home value.

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790

Denver Home Inspections Can Prevent Unwanted Surprises

Laws in most states favor buyers in cases where you find a major defect in your new house, but pursuing actions with sellers after you have moved into your new home is time consuming and inconvenient.  Assuming the problem is not major enough to void the contract, you may be stuck with a home flaw you would not have accepted had you only known it existed.  A simple way to prevent a situation like this is to request a house inspection as a contingency of your offer.

Since the 1980's, when a California courts case required real estate agents to disclose to buyers any known defects, most other states have enacted laws requiring home owners and agents to disclose material defects.  This turn of events gave the home inspection business a shot in the arm.  Home inspections became the norm for how buyers, sellers, and agents can share knowledge about the condition of the home.

Some states now require home inspectors to be licensed, although Colorado is not one of them. Many inspectors belong to trade associations such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), as well as state associations.

If you are looking for an inspector, it's best to ask your real estate agent, who can offer a referral, or talk to recent buyers in the neighborhood who have used an inspector.  The credentials of a home inspector are important, but the mark of a good home inspector is thoroughness, without unduly alarming the buyer. You want a home inspector with a good track record of finding property defects during the inspection so that you do not discover them later.

The inspection will cover what can be seen in major systems from roof to foundation.  Separate inspections may be necessary for termites, septic systems, wells, or other specialized things like spas or pools.  It is not designed to critique aesthetics or lifestyle.

Ideally, when the inspection takes place, you should be there, but the seller should not.  The seller needs to provide access to all parts of the home and have the utilities on.  The process might take several hours. If you are unable to be there for the whole inspection, try to come at the end so the inspector can walk you through the house and explain his findings before preparing his report.

When the inspector discloses his findings, you may have some decisions to make.  How serious are the flaws he found? How much will it cost to fix them?  What is the priority to fix them?   If the problems are serious enough, you might not want to complete your purchase.

Depending on the findings, your real estate agent may be able to use them to help you negotiate on price.  If the seller already mentioned a problem before the inspection and set the price based on that, it is unlikely he will further drop the price based on that.  If the flaw is a minor one or one that a sequence of previous owners have lived with, the seller may give a little to sell the house, but your agent can guide you as to what is reasonable to expect.

At Bandy Homes, we will guide you through all phases of the home buying process in Denver.  We can also help you to get started on relocation with our Denver Relocation guide and can show you some terrific homes in Fitzsimons, real estate in The Meadows, and a wide variety of gorgeous homes in the Pinery.

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated Denver home value.

Our trusted professionals will be there to help you every step of the way!

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790

Tips to Avoid Moving Scams in Your Denver Home

It seems like every week we hear about more moving scams. Below are a few tips to help you avoid scams in your Denver home.

1. You want a bill, not a ransom note for your possessions.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says it received more than 9,300 complaints about movers in the U.S. in 2013.  A common scam among them is a bait-and-switch scheme in which a mover quotes a price and then holds your possessions hostage unless you pay an unexpected fee, says Katherine Hutt, a spokeswoman for the BBB.  Make sure and check out the mover you plan to use with Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org.

2. Get estimates in writing.

You should start your search by asking for estimates from at least three movers, which you should get in writing.  Be wary if one company quotes a much lower rate than the others.  Movers should offer to visit your home to assess the job. The cost estimate for an in-state move is usually based on the number of hours it will take.  For interstate moves, the cost is likely to be calculated based on weight and distance.  Be skeptical if the mover requires a large deposit or only accepts cash, which leaves no record of the transaction.

3. Check out the mover's reputation

Don't rely solely on recommendations from family and friends.  As stated before, make sure and go to the BBB's web site to see whether there are complaints against the company and whether they've been resolved. To find movers registered with the Department of Transportation, try to get quotes from companies that have passed the American Moving and Storage Association's background checks and licensing and insurance requirements.

4. Make sure you're covered.

Be sure and check with your homeowners or renters insurance provider to see whether your policy covers your belongings while they're in transit. You'll likely find that your plan covers the same hazards during the move as it does at home.  If your moving truck has an accident and bursts into flames, your policy may reimburse you, but it won't cover your belongings if they are broken or damaged by the mover. Interstate movers are required to offer two kinds of supplementary liability insurance. Released value coverage, at no extra cost, insures your belongings at a rate of 60 cents per pound.  Your other option is to buy full value insurance, which will cover repairs or replacement of damaged goods. Rates typically start at about $200 for $100,000 worth of coverage. If you discover while unpacking that something's broken or scratched, you have nine months to file a claim. Check out this Denver Moving Checklist to help you get started.

If you are ready to buy a Denver home, our team of real estate experts at Bandy Homes can answer your questions and show you some terrific homes in Aurora, real estate in Founders Village, also homes in Lowry and a wide variety of affordable homes in Littleton.

Curious about the value of your Denver home? Click here for a quick estimated home value.

Our trusted professionals will be there to help you every step of the way!

Until next time,

Marianne Bandy, Team Leader

The Bandy Team

 Keller Williams Park Meadows

www.BandyHomes.com

720-466-3790