First off, what’s a HUD home you may ask?  A HUD home is simply a foreclosure that was purchased using an FHA loan.  Millions of Americans have purchased homes using FHA Financing which insures the lender that if a borrower experiences a foreclosure then the bank is paid for the outstanding note.  The homes then goes through the typical foreclosure process and then are presented to the public for sale through HUD.  HUD’s mission is to get these homes back into the hands of people that are looking for an owner occupied primary residence.  They do not allow investors to bid on the property for about 3 weeks from when they are initially listed.  The general public gets first shot at getting a new home for a great price.

So how does the $100 down program work?

• The offer price must be the full listing price.
• The down payment requirement is only $100.
• You must finance using an FHA mortgage.
• The maximum loan amount can’t be more than 100% of the appraised value.

Epic Local Pass (formerly Colorado Pass): At $499 for an adult ($20 more this year), this pass is just too much to beat, especially for front-rangers.  This pass is a little more expensive than most other Colorado Ski Passes but when you factor in the 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek and the access to Tahoe Ski Areas, it actually presents the best value in the ski industry.  Pass Details: Unlimited access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with no restrictions.  10 restricted days at Vail and Beaver Creek.  Bonus: Works at Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe with restricted days.  Link to Pass Information

Rocky Mountain Super Pass +: If you like to ski or ride at Winter Park, Copper, and Steamboat then this is your pass.  At $459 Rocky Mt Super Pass may presents great value for Colorado Slope Riders.  Pass Details: Unlimited skiing and riding at Winter Park / Mary Jane and Copper Mountain.  Bonus: Six unrestricted days at Steamboat.  Link to Pass Information 

Been thinking about buying a second home in Summit County?  Start your Breckenridge Real Estate Search, or look for Silverthorne CO MLS Listings or Frisco Homes for Sale here.

Monarch Mountain Season Pass: Moving up the list from #5 in 2011, this pass is a bit of a gem especially if you have plans to ski or ride at places like Revelstoke BC (3 free days!).  At just $329 for an adult, this might just be the best Season Pass Ski Deal in Colorado.  Pass Details: Unlimited at Monarch Mountain with no restrictions, and 31 free days + plus discounts and at partner resorts of Loveland, Sunlight, Powderhorn, Silverton, Durango, Angel Fire, Pajarito, Sipapu, Alta, and Grand Targhee, we have now added free or discounted skiing and riding at Michigan’s Indianhead, Arizona Snowbowl, Revelstoke British Columbia (3 free days!), Sol Vista, Red River & Taos, New Mexico, and China Peak, CA!  Link to Pass Information

Loveland Season Pass: Hate the I-70 traffic and crowds?  Look no further than the Loveland Ski Resort Season Pass.  For $359, this is also one of the better values in Colorado Skiing.  Pass Details: Unlimited skiing and snowboarding at Loveland, plus 3 free days each at Monarch Ski Area & Durango Mountain Resort.  Bonus: One free day unguided day at Silverton Mountain!  Double bonus: the midweek pass is just $249 and has the same benefits of the full pass.  Link to Pass Information

Copper 4-Pack: Can’t justify a season pass?  Check out the Copper Four Pack for just $139.  Pass Details: 4 days of skiing/riding at Copper + 4 Friends and Family lift tickets valid anytime during the season at $59 for use only at Copper.  Link to Pass Information

Aspen-Snowmass Classic Pass: If you know you are going to make a trip to Aspen or Snowmass, then make sure to grab the Classic Pass for $199 (or 7 days for $329).  Pass Details: Good for 4 days at Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk.  Extension days can be added at a cheaper price than going straight to the lift ticket sales office.  Link to Pass Information

 Colorado Gems Card: This is the card that should be in every serious Colorado riders wallet.  For just $10, you get 2 free lift tickets (with restrictions) and discounts at A-Basin, Echo Mountain, Eldora Mountan Resort, Loveland Ski Area, Monarch Mountain, Powderhorn Resort, Ski Cooper, SolVista Basin, and Sunlight Mountain Resort.  Link to Card Information

Colorado Gold Pass: This is the Ultimate Ski Pass for the die hard Colorado Skiier or Snowboarder  For $3,000 you can access 21 Colorado Ski Resorts without any blackout dates or restrictions.  Pass Details: The Colorado Gold Pass is valid at 21 Colorado Ski Resorts. Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Purgatory, Echo, Eldora, Howelson, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Ski Cooper, Snowmass, SolVista, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park and Wolf Creek.  Unfortunately the Gold Pass is no longer valid at any of the Vail Resorts, boo.  Bonus: When you flash this pass you will be the envy of everyone at après events! Link to Card Information

Crested Butte X-Card: New this year, you can buy a 5 day unrestricted pass to Crested Butte for $259 ($52/day).  This is a great season pass for a front ranger that wants to spend some time at Crested Butte as well.  Link to Card Information

Ready to make your Mountain Move: Search for Breckenridge CO MLS Listings.

Bonus List: The 2011 Ryan Penn Realtor Top 5 Colorado Ski Resorts:

#1 Vail: “Humongous 7 mile wing-span.  You can ski 100 straight days here and still be surprised by something new.”
#2 Snowmass: “Perfect weekend escape, best ski in-out resort in Colorado.  Big Burn Baby.”
#3 Wolf Creek: “Hard to get to but worth it every time, best snow in Colorado.  Get extreme on the Knife Ridge Chutes.”
#4 Steamboat: “Fun, fun town and pow-pow-pow!”
#5 Aspen Highlands: “The Highland Bowl is outrageous fun.  One of the most interesting designs for a Ski Resort.”

What’s your favorite season pass Colorado?  Have a favorite mountain to add to this list?  Drop it in our comments.

IKEA’s Creative Marketing Plan for the New Centennial Store- Courtesy of CBS News 4 in Denver

Click Here to For the Full History of the new IKEA Store and the Media Hype Surrounding the Grand Opening

The new Ikea will  wonders for the local economy and we foresee a resurgence of Centennial CO Real Estate over the next few years.  Now may be the time to get in on the action and peruse our selection of Centennial CO Real Estate for sale on 360dwellings.  Click here to See ALL of the Available Centennial Colorado MLS Listings.  We have the fastest and easiest to use Map based search tool in ALL of Colorado.  Come check out why 360dwellings is considered the Best Real Estate Search available in the market today.

Courtesy of IKEA

2 Days…

1 Hour…

16 Minutes…

36 Seconds…

Until IKEA Opens in Centennial.

I was driving with a client yesterday and we passed by the new IKEA building and she remarked, “I think I may camp out for the grand opening.”  I asked her what she planned on buying and she told me “I’m not sure… but something!”.  I personally have never been in an IKEA so I’m not sure what all the fuss is about but I can assure you there is a huge fuss going on in the Denver metro area right now.  Almost all of my clients have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this furniture mega-store.  But why?

I guess I’ll know in 2 days or so the answer to all of my questions.   Come on by Wednesday morning at 9am to see the Swedish Giant open the store with a traditional log sawing and flag raising ceremony.  Shake hands with new Mayor Michael Hancock and enjoy the furniture madness.

Click Here to See ALL of the Deals and Promotions for the new IKEA in Centennial

Courtesy of Remodeling Magazine

Article by: Neil Walton

People always ask me, “If I finish my basement will that add value to my home?”  My answer is yes and no.  It depends on what sort of value we’re talking about.

As far as appraisal value is concerned in almost all cases making an improvement to your property will increase it’s value only by a percentage of what the cost was to make the improvement.  According to Remodeling Magazine if you were to remodel your bathroom for a cost of $15,752 you would get a value return of $9,200 which is a 58.4% return on your investment.  A standard kitchen remodel allows you to recoup 67.7% on your investment.

Appraisal value is based on your improvements, square footage and most importantly what similar homes in the vicinity have sold for recently.

Click Here to See a full List of Cost vs Value in the Denver Area

Now that’s not to say it’s a bad investment to fix up your home.  You’re going to enjoy that new kitchen quite a bit more than your old one.  Go ahead and rip out that linoleum and those formica counters.  You’ll love new granite counters and that double oven.  There’s a huge value to that, especially if you plan to stay in your home for some time.

The other value add comes when you want to sell your home.  The upgrades that you make to your home will differentiate you from the competition.  There is a huge value to buyers when they find a finished basement or remodeled kitchen and bath.  A quality remodel will be a major factor into the sell-ability of your home.

You must do the math and figure out if a remodel is right for you.

Remodeling Costs vs Value

Job Cost	Resale Value	Cost Recouped	Project	Job Cost	Resale Value	Cost Recouped	Change vs. 2009-10
$48,196	$31,575	65.5%	Attic Bedroom	$51,428	$37,142	72.2%
$14,098	$6,489	46.0%	Backup Power Generator	$14,718	$7,136	48.5%
$61,107	$42,538	69.6%	Basement Remodel	$64,519	$45,186	70.0%
$38,469	$19,185	49.9%	Bathroom Addition	$40,710	$21,695	53.3%
$15,752	$9,200	58.4%	Bathroom Remodel	$16,634	$10,668	64.1%
$15,403	$9,623	62.5%	Deck Addition (composite)	$15,620	$10,337	66.2%
$10,996	$7,352	66.9%	Deck Addition (wood)	$10,973	$7,986	72.8%
$3,476	$1,981	57.0%	Entry Door Replacement (fiberglass)	$3,576	$2,147	60.0%
$1,165	$1,197	102.8%	Entry Door Replacement (steel)	$1,218	$1,243	102.1%
$81,170	$49,746	61.3%	Family Room Addition	$85,740	$53,624	62.5%
$57,857	$36,120	62.4%	Garage Addition	$60,608	$35,876	59.2%
$1,230	$970	78.8%	Garage Door Replacement	$1,291	$1,083	83.9%
$27,955	$11,574	41.4%	Home Office Remodel	$28,888	$13,235	45.8%
$56,377	$37,857	67.2%	Major Kitchen Remodel	$58,367	$40,126	68.7%
$102,309	$64,982	63.5%	Master Suite Addition	$108,090	$68,146	63.0%
$21,046	$15,111	71.8%	Minor Kitchen Remodel	$21,695	$15,790	72.8%
$19,365	$12,217	63.1%	Roofing Replacement	$21,488	$12,780	59.5%
$10,776	$7,304	67.8%	Siding Replacement (vinyl)	$11,357	$8,223	72.4%
$72,471	$32,525	44.9%	Sunroom Addition	$75,224	$36,540	48.6%
$158,394	$99,004	62.5%	Two-Story Addition	$165,243	$107,338	65.0%
$10,510	$7,177	68.3%	Window Replacement (vinyl)	$11,066	$7,920	71.6%
$11,403	$8,169	71.6%	Window Replacement (wood)	$12,027	$8,707	72.4%

Check out a list of available homes in Colorado here at 360dwellings.com

Photo Courtesy of Denver Union Station Project Authority

The landscape of Denver is about to change.  Ground has been broken beginning the long awaited Denver Union Station Project.  A new main transportation hub is about to be reborn.

In the late 1800′s Union Station was the lifeblood of the city.  1000′s passed through daily and our economy and ultimately Denver was born.  Over the last few decades train travel has almost become a thing of the past and more used for commercial transport than personal travel.  Thus Union Station became a lonely desolate place with only a few commuter lines coming through a day.

Then came Lightrail and FasTracs which should return our fair Union Station to its  former glory.  You’ll be able to jump a train to the airport, up to Boulder, Out to Golden, to the Tech Center…  The heart of all will be Union Station.

The Denver Union Station Project will attempt to meld the past with the future as they combine some very interesting architectural styles together.  I ran across a great video that shows the vision for the area.

Link: Video Fly Over of Denver Union Station Project

Keep up with what’s going on at Denver Union Station Project Authority Website.

Time To Invest?

Riverfront Park is already commanding some of the highest price per square footage in the City.  When this project is completed you’ll want to be close to the terminal on the City side.  Look to loft buildings such as Street Car Stables or Icehouse Lofts.  Check out our Loft Page and and browse some of the loft buildings in LoDo.  Get in now and make a fortune down the road when this project is complete.

Link: List of Denver Lofts

By Ryan Penn | November 3rd, 2010

Ski magazine recently released their Top 50 Ski Resorts 2011 issue.  Everyone knows that Colorado has world-class Ski Resorts, but where did they rank for 2011?  Just how many Colorado Ski Resorts made the Top 50 list?  Not only is Colorado home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, we also have some of the best season pass and discount lift tickets deals.  Keep reading below for those.

#2 Vail, CO: “Vail is the biggest and the best.  No other resort has it all or does it as well.”
#4 Beaver Creek, CO: “This is my favorite mountain.  The staff, the snow, the runs, the groomers.”
#6 Snowmass, CO: “Huge ski-in/ski-out mountain for all levels.  Family-friendly.  The Big Easy.”
#7 Aspen, CO: “Fabulous mountain.  Fabulous town.  The skiing is a wonderful challenge.”
#8 Breckenridge, CO: “High altitude.  Very friendly.  Charming town.  It’s my go-to resort.”
#10 Aspen Highlands, CO: “Where the locals go on powder days.  This is a real skier/rider’s resort.”
#11 Telluride, CO: “Not crowded.  Scenic.  Fun town.  The Alps in North America.”
#14 Steamboat, CO: “The people in Steamboat have always been friendly, helpful and caring.”
#22 Winter Park, CO: “Down-to-earth feel.  Nicely quiet at night.  Serious skiing in the day!”
#23 Copper Mountain, CO: “Easy to get to.  Great terrain layout for all skiers.  Fun mountain for family skiing.”
#24 Keystone, CO: “An overlooked mountain.  Reasonably priced.  Great for families.”
#25 Crested Butte, CO: “Real hill  Real town.  You feel likely your actually on a vacation.”

The content and quotes for this article are from Ski Magazine.  You can read the full article here.

So, all-in-all Colorado is home to 12 of the Top 30 Ski Resorts in the Western United States.  Not bad.  But how about actually the best deals for skiing/snowboarding these mountains?  Following is the 360dwellings Best Colorado Ski Deals Top 7:

#1 Colorado Pass: At $479 for an adult, this pass is just too much to beat, especially for front-rangers.  Pass Details: Unlimited access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with no restrictions.  10 restricted days at Vail and Beaver Creek.  Bonus: Now valid for 5 restricted days at Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe.  Link to Pass Information

#2 Rocky Mountain Super Pass +: Like to ski or ride at Winter Park & Copper?  Then at $479 this is the season pass for you!  Pass Details: Unlimited skiing and riding at Winter Park / Mary Jane and Copper Mountain, plus six unrestricted days at Steamboat.  Link to Pass Information

#3 Loveland Season Pass: Hate the I-70 mess and crowds?  Look no further than the Loveland Ski Resort Season Pass.  For $359, this is also one of the better values in Colorado Skiing.  Pass Details: Unlimited skiing and snowboarding at Loveland, plus 3 free days each at Monarch Ski Area & Durango Mountain Resort.  Bonus, one free day unguided day at Silverton Mountain!  Double bonus, the midweek pass is just $249 and has the same benefits of the full pass.  Link to Pass Information

#4 Copper 4-Pack: Can’t justify a season pass?  Check out the Copper Four Pack for just $139.  Pass Details: 4 days of skiing/riding at Copper + 4 Friends and Family lift tickets valid anytime during the season at $59 for use only at Copper.  Link to Pass Information

#5 Monarch Mountain Season Pass: At just $329 for an adult, this might just be the best Season Pass Ski Deal in Colorado.  Pass Details: Unlimited at Monarch Mountain with no restrictions, and 31 free days + plus discounts and at partner resorts of Loveland, Sunlight, Powderhorn, Silverton, Durango, Angel Fire, Pajarito, Sipapu, Alta, and Grand Targhee, we have now added free or discounted skiing and riding at Michigan’s Indianhead, Arizona Snowbowl, Revelstoke, British Columbia, Sol Vista, Red River & Taos, New Mexico, and China Peak, CA!  Link to Pass Information

#6 Aspen-Snowmass Classic Pass: If you know you are going to make a trip to Aspen or Snowmass, then make sure to grab the Classic Pass for $259.  Pass Details: Good for 5 days at Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk.  Extension days can be added at a cheaper price than going straight to the lift ticket sales office.  Link to Pass Information

#7 Colorado Gems Card: This is the card that should be in every serious Colorado riders wallet.  For just $10, you get 2 free lift tickets (with restrictions) and discounts at A-Basin, Echo Mountain, Eldora Mountan Resort, Loveland Ski Area, Monarch Mountain, Powderhorn Resort, Ski Cooper, SolVista Basin, and Sunlight Mountain Resort.  Link to Card Information

Bonus List: The 2011 Ryan Penn Top 5 Colorado Ski Resorts:
#1 Vail: “Humongous 7 mile wing-span.  You can ski 100 straight days here and still be surprised by something new.”
#2 Snowmass: “Perfect weekend escape, best ski in-out resort in Colorado.  Big Burn Baby.”
#3 Wolf Creek: “Hard to get to but worth it every time, best snow in Colorado.  Get extreme on the Knife Ridge Chutes.”
#4 Steamboat: “Fun, fun town and pow-pow-pow!”
#5 Aspen Highlands: “The Highland Bowl is outrageous fun.  One of the most interesting designs for a Ski Resort.”

So now you know where to go and how to get the best deals on Colorado Skiing.  What are you waiting for?

The Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation, otherwise known as CHAC, offers down payment assistance to First Time Home Buyers who only have $1000 to put down on a home. CHAC considers a first time home buyer to be anybody who has not owned a home within the last three years. CHAC is a great alternative to CHFA, also known as the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, since CHAC allows lenders to provide a FHA loan as the first loan and an option of no payments for five years or a 2% interest rate for thirty years on the second loan.

If you are short on cash for a down payment CHAC beats CHFA in a side by side comparison, hands down.

These two options alone will give a borrower a lower monthly payment compared to CHFA along with more buying power to purchase a bigger home or a home in a nicer area. To qualify for CHAC down payment assistance one must be buying a home in the following counties:

• Denver County,
• Arapahoe County
• City of Lakewood or Jefferson County (excluding Arvada and Westminster)

If you are in one of the aforementioned counties CHAC will give up to $10,000 to you to help purchase your first home. CHAC will NOT provide assistance in Aurora, Douglas, or Adams County. Don’t worry though, if you are outside the already mentioned counties and in the state of Colorado CHAC will still provide up to $5,000 for down payment (repayable at $50 a month over 150 payments or 12.5 years for down payment assistance).

If you are buying in one of the lendable counties you must meet CHAC’s income requirements to qualify for the program as well.

• One person in the household the income limit is $42,550
• Two people in the household $48,650
• Three people $54,700
• Four people $60,800
• Five people $65,650
• Six people $70,550.

To qualify for CHAC Down Payment Assistance you need to meet the income requirements and you must attend a First time homebuyer class with CHAC.  Classes are held all over the Denver Metro. Upon completion of this class you will receive a Certificate that you are required to have in order to obtain your final approval on your CHAC loan.  CHAC only requires $1000 into the transaction so make sure your Realtor does not put down more than $1000 down for earnest money because you can’t get the excess back at closing.  Most sellers understand this CHAC requirement.

In my opinion If you are short on cash for a down payment CHAC beats CHFA in a side by side comparison, hands down.

For more information on CHAC loans please contact us at (888) 360-3935.

Bobby Kurpinsky is a Colorado Home Loan Specialist and has been assisting home buyers qualify for down payment assistance for years.  For questions feel free to email Bobby at bkurpinsky@megastarfinancial.com or call him directly at (720) 529-1706.

Don’t worry if you are still looking for Real Estate in Denver.  Not only did we hang on to our Neighborhood search but we made it even better.  We added 15 new neighborhoods and a new Luxury Home Search.  We still have all of our Niche Searches such as Foreclosures, Just Listed, Price Drops, etc.  We still have our Loft Search by Building and remain the only site to cover active listings in every Loft building in Denver.  We will be working over the next few months to add these same searches to Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Grand Junction, Durango, and more.

This has been a major technical achievement.  Main stream websites like Trulia, Yahoo, and Zillow are user generated listings and only cover about 40% of Colorado listings.  360dwellings ties in directly to all of the major MLS feeds across the state to bring real active listings in it’s already popular search functionality.

No matter what city you are searching in, you will still enjoy our Google based Map Search, Google Streetviews, Virtual Tours, Walkscores and everything else that has made 360dwellings the best search in Denver over the last year.

We are constantly looking for feedback on what you would like to see.  Do you have a Niche search you are looking for?  Just shoot us an email at: info@360dwellings.com.

Many are predicting that home values across Colorado are going to be seeing some serious appreciation over the next few years.  Interest rates are still at historic lows and the tax credit is still out there.  The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will still qualify.

One final note:  Our “Schedule Showing” feature makes it simple to schedule a time to preview a home or condo.  Just put in a requested date for the showing and you will receive an email confirming the appointment.