Golf villas capitalize on desire to live near Redlands Mesa course

There’s fresh activity and excitement at Redlands Mesa Golf Course community, where Zag Built recently completed a new sales office near the clubhouse. Zag Built also purchased seven lots from Brightstar Development, the owner of the golf course community, and is currently putting in the infrastructure for golf villas. “We’ve had tremendous interest,” said Mike Zagrzebski with Zag Built. “We expect to have them pre-sold prior to starting.” The ...

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The Area Stories: PALISADE

With the summer produce, festival and tourist season right around the corner, there’s good reason to be optimistic right now in Palisade. The town itself is feeling optimistic right now, too, especially since it was able to finish some major capital construction projects under budget and on time. “The fire station opened in January,” said Rich Sales, town administrator. “We built the fire station without having to borrow any money.” The fire station is the ...

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Ridgewood Heights

Anyone looking for a life without a lawnmower might want to take a drive to Ridgewood Heights, a townhome development in the middle of the Grand Valley, off 28 1/4 Road south of Patterson. Since 2010, Colorado Redstone Development has been steadily building and selling maintenance-free townhomes. “We’re rolling as fast as we can,” said Linda Daly with Cornerstone. Up to this point, the company generally has two buildings going at a time. As buyers sign contracts, it ...

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Grand Valley Open House Weekend

Unless you’re living in your dream house in your dream neighborhood with the perfect house payment, there’s no reason not to take advantage of the Grand Valley Open House Weekend next Saturday and Sunday. The Grand Valley Open House Weekend is part of a national promotion by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to get people out, looking at houses that are available for sale in their area. The association is also encouraging its members to participate and hold open ...

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Lower Valley still oriented toward agriculture

A few years ago, large landowners in the Loma and Mack area might have been tempted to try growing houses instead of corn or alfalfa, but the housing bust and higher commodity prices have reversed that trend. “My husband has gone back to farming,” said Priscilla Studt with Studt Realty. Studt’s husband, Jeep, is growing corn and alfalfa on leased acreage from Mack and Loma to the northwest area of Grand Junction. When real estate was booming, he developed Pritchard Mesa, ...

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FRUITA: Quality of life continues to attract residents

The town of Fruita prides itself on being a small town, the kind of place that appeals to families and those who come for the recreation and stay for the way of life. The new hospital and recreation center both represent a commitment to the people who live in the area to provide a high quality of life. “We want economic development with an eye toward small town atmosphere,” said Clint Kinney, city manager for the town of Fruita. In pursuit of that goal, the town formed a ...

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Get a jump on spring projects at the 
Home Improvement 
and Remodeling Expo

The Home Improvement and Remodeling Expo, sponsored by the Housing and Building Association of Northwestern Colorado, March 1-3 at Two Rivers Convetion Center is always a good sign that winter is ending. There’s no better way to get a jump start on those spring home improvement projects than visiting the show, since there will be nearly 90 vendors featuring products and services in every home improvement segment. It doesn’t matter what your home improvement dreams or ...

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Blue Star Industries building in subdivisions across the Grand Valley

John Davis, owner of the construction and development company, Blue Star Industries, has a long history in home construction in the Grand Valley. As a younger builder, he was one of many individuals in construction who went bankrupt after Exxon pulled out of the Grand Valley in 1982. He bided his time, working for City Market in the 1980s and dipping his toes back in construction in the 1990s by buying and fixing HUD homes. He started buying land and building new homes in 2000, but kept ...

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So long 2012

The real estate market of 2012 was an interesting one, with plenty of buying opportunities and bright spots. There were, unfortunately, quite a few short sales and foreclosures as well, which can have a negative effect on nearby home values. Although most people would agree that 2012 continued to be a buyer’s market, the reduced amount of available residential inventory in 2012 is normally indicative of a seller’s market. “We started the year with 500 fewer (homes for ...

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Sunlight Mountain Resort

Sunlight is a local mountain, favored by those who live near Glenwood Springs. Because it is so close to Glenwood, the ski resort pairs up with the hot springs pool in Glenwood and with many Glenwood-area hotels to offer Ski-Swim-Stay packages.  After playing hard, skiers can head to town, check into their hotel and then go soak their worn-out bodies in the hot springs pool. How great is that? Miles/distance from Grand Junction: 95 miles, 1.5 hours Cost of a one-day lift ticket: ...

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Powderhorn

As the mountain closest to Grand Junction, Powderhorn is also closest to the hearts of many Grand Valley skiers, who consider the Grand Mesa their backyard. In addition to the nearby proximity, locals love it because it’s never crowded and expert groomers are there every day to keep the snow on the most popular runs in great shape. The glade runs are also fun and easily accessible, and the resort continues to open up more gladed areas for skiing. Distance from Grand Junction: 35 - 40 ...

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Crested Butte

Crested Butte is enormous, with acres upon acres of varied terrain. It’s a great place for beginners, intermediate skiers and advanced crazy skiers who want to ski off the edge of cliffs and do all sorts of gnarly, jaw-dropping maneuvers. As a destination resort, the area gets a lot of out-of-state visitors, but because it’s so large, lift lines, especially once you get away from the main base area, are manageable. This is an easy mountain on which to spend several days and ...

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New medical office building will be catalyst

Community Hospital and its majority partners behind the Canyon View Medical Plaza broke ground on Dec. 12 on an ambitious project they hope will be the catalyst to change the northwest section of Grand Junction. The two-story medical office building is the first phase of a medical campus at 2373 G Raod that will eventually include a new hospital, which has owned the 40-acre parcel for more than seven years, but before a single shovel hit the ground, the staff did a little soul-searching. ...

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Long-awaited truck route construction set to begin in Delta

Like other towns across the country, Delta enjoyed a housing boom five or six years ago when credit was easy and some people were cashing in on home equity to move up. At the height of the boom, the town of Delta issued 110 single-family building permits in one year. After the bust, the town issued four building permits in 2010 and another four in 2011, according to Glen Black, community development director for the city of Delta. Although the six permits issued this year represent a 50 ...

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Good deals for investors, words of wisdom for tenants

The current real estate market has some challenges and opportunities for both renters and property owners. A vacancy rate of 3.8 percent for the third quarter of 2012 was reported by the Colorado Division of Housing, which is was lower than it’s been since 2008. The third quarter ends in September and includes those late summer months which are typically tighter as renters try to get settled before the coming school year. “Today, the vacancy rate is closer to five or six ...

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Infill development gives a big bang for the buck

Developing where infrastructure is already in place, where roads exist, where sewer, water and utility lines, pipes and systems are waiting to be used, can be a less expensive proposition than trying to develop a piece of raw land without those urban services. City planners tend to like infill development because it is more fiscally and environmentally responsible. “If we continue to grow in suburban fashion, we’ll run out of land,” said Dave Thornton, principal planner ...

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Rural land

Regardless of what happens in the stock market, what happens in real estate and what happens in the energy industry, everyone needs to eat. In a world with an ever-expanding population, owning land that’s devoted to agriculture can be a lucrative position. “The public doesn’t understand that the single largest industry in this country is food,” said Mike Krieg with United Country RealQuest Realty, who added that sales in agricultural properties have never been ...

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Planned communities, patio homes and reverse mortgages serve needs of seniors

Most people don’t buy a house in their 20s or 30s and expect to remain in that home until retirement and beyond. Housing needs and wants change with kids, jobs and hobbies. There is no one perfect housing situation that works for everyone in their later years, either, but there are plenty of options, especially here in the Grand Valley, which has cultivated its appeal to older citizens. The Village at Country Creek in Fruita is the only new home development in the valley that was ...

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Featured Area: Clifton

Although Clifton has its own wastewater treatment plant, its own water services and its own fire department, Clifton is not a municipality. The density in some parts of Clifton are as high as areas in cities, but Clifton is in an unincorporated part of Mesa County. Although some residents want more urban amenities like sidewalks, streetlights and a municipal police force, there is not enough consensus among residents to do anything other than maintain the status quo. The majority of ...

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Commercial activity shows buyers recognize good deals

Commercial real estate sales can be more closely tied to the job market and the economy than residential real estate sales. Businesses aren’t comfortable making large deals on properties unless they’re confident in their business plan and future prospects. So when a business signs on a contract on a large building with plans to expand, that can be a sign that the economy isn’t as sluggish as it once was. Since it’s often accompanied by help wanted ads and additional ...

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Finally! Homes ready for sale at Red Rocks Valley

Red Rocks Valley, a Redlands subdivision off South Camp Road near Monument Road, was first brought into the market in late 2008, with plans to build 98 homes, starting with the higher density patio homes in the center of the subdivision. The projected sales price for those patio homes was set at more than $500,000. The financial meltdown and subsequent recession wreaked havoc on many plans and projections, including those for the subdivision, which went through foreclosure. The Pauls ...

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Admire the fall colors and the real estate

Fall officially begins Sept. 22, but the leaves all over the state of Colorado have been putting on their annual fall show for a few weeks. With sunny skies in the forecast, it’s a lovely time to hop in the car and take in the sights up in the mountains. Powderhorn Resort is celebrating fall in a big way this year. This weekend, the resort has been hosting a fall festival, with live music and lift rides. Desert Moon was scheduled to play on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Pineapple ...

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Passionate about the Parade

Builders are passionate about the Parade of Homes, usually working long hours and losing more than a little sleep in an effort to make sure their parade homes are finished and ready to shine. With good reason, too, since a good showing in the parade can mean increased business. “It’s the best marketing you can do,” said Nate Porter with Porter Homes, who is also serving as the president of the HBA through the end of 2012. Porter estimates that 50 percent of his business ...

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Fannie Mae property sales will continue without David Durham

David Durham came to the Grand Valley 31 years ago. He had a law degree, but decided to take the real estate exam, hoping that it would help him provide for his family. As a young real estate agent with no local connections, he started his career by canvassing neighborhoods, leaving business cards, shaking hands and trying to rustle up business. In 1983, he came across a Fannie Mae home that was in foreclosure in the Oxbow subdivision. He contacted the agency and told them that he could ...

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Blue Heron Meadow

It can be difficult to find a brand new home right now, especially if a homeowner wants to live in certain parts of town. In the north area, there aren’t a lot of active developments, which is why Ross Hennerman is happy to be closing on his new home in Blue Heron Meadow, off G 1/2 and 26 Road. “I like the north area and I really liked the neighborhood,” Hennerman said. The lots are large at Blue Heron Meadow and the semi-custom and custom homes don’t feel crammed ...

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Cancer survivors subject of film

When a young person is given a diagnosis of cancer, the standard response isn’t usually, “Thanks, this is going to change my life for the better.” Yet those who survive often say their diagnosis was like a gift. “After you manage to survive something like that, you can survive anything,” said Wilfredo Aqueron, a 35-year-old film student who also happens to be a cancer survivor and an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army. “You’re going to get the ...

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Developers still pounding away on residential projects on Orchard Mesa

Although a few subdivisions in Orchard Mesa sat empty in 2009 and 2010, new houses are now under construction in various subdivisions all across the area. In subdivisions like Chipeta Heights, the original partners managed to hang in through the tough economy and are still pounding away, making progress. There were 52 lots in the subdivision when it was brought to the market in the summer of 2008. Right now, there are only 18 remaining lots available for construction. Eric Perry with ...

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New apartments bring new life to North Avenue

When Bruce Milyard and his partners purchased 2.2 acres on North Avenue off 28 1/4 Road in 2007, he had no dreams of community-wide revitalization. He was simply making a deal on an almost-vacant piece of land during a construction boom. “It’s in an area of North Avenue that needs revitalizing,” Milyard said, “but I liked the location, and it was the right size.” The site used to be the home of a car-wash business that had been closed for years prior to the ...

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New apartments bring new life to North Avenue

When Bruce Milyard and his partners purchased 2.2 acres on North Avenue off 28 1/4 Road in 2007, he had no dreams of community-wide revitalization. He was simply making a deal on an almost-vacant piece of land during a construction boom. “It’s in an area of North Avenue that needs revitalizing,” Milyard said, “but I liked the location, and it was the right size.” The site used to be the home of a car-wash business that had been closed for years prior to the ...

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Builder stresses quality over quantity

Treece Bohall with Pool Creek Builders doesn’t want to form a multi-million dollar business, nor does he want to build dozens of homes per year. He does, however, hope to build his reputation as a builder of quality homes. “I want to do one or two houses per year,” Bohall said. “If I can pay my bills, have a little fun and feed my family, that’s all I want.” Bohall has been in the construction industry in one way or another since he was 16. He had an ...

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Poised for a comeback? Builders find success in southeast area

Construction activity in the southeast area has been fairly limited in the past few years to a few homes in neighborhoods that had existing infrastructure. That could be changing, however, as some builders have worked their way through existing developments and have been able to demonstrate that there is a demand for new homes in that part of town. “We built the last house (in Swan Meadows, at C 1/2 and 30 Roads) earlier this year,” said Kim Kerk, development manager with Blue ...

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New subdivisions, new recreational opportunitiess in the Redlands

If the three most important factors in evaluating real estate are location, location and location, then the Redlands continues to be a perfect place to buy residential real estate. The backdrop of the Colorado National Monument, the proximity to open space and two beautiful golf courses, the odd feeling of remoteness while only being a few minutes across the river — all combine to keep the Redlands an attractive place to live.  For the past few years, there hasn’t been ...

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Understanding the appraisal process

When a home is listed for sale, the seller and the real estate agent work together to put a reasonable price on the home. That price can be based on the agent’s market assessment, the seller’s costs or loan amount or even simply the amount the seller hopes to make on the sale of the property. Buyers, however, have the option to agreeing to the amount or offering a lower or higher amount. In today’s buyers’ market, most buyers don’t offer more than the ...

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What’s the deal with curb appeal?

Today’s market can be tough for sellers who are competing against foreclosures, which have the potential to drag prices down. Giving a home a curb appeal makeover is one way a home can sell more quickly or be valued more appropriately. Generally, a home that has gone through the foreclosure process sits empty for a variable period of time. In our climate, an empty home in the spring, summer and fall begins to look like a vacant, neglected home. Lawns don’t get watered and turn ...

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