Denver Real Estate by Denver Neighborhoods

I came across this article via my car dealership eNewsletter– aren’t they so kind to offer information about wineries going green! Guess it doesn’t matter to me, I thought the article was worth posting!

Several vineyards are finding new ways to offer earth-friendly – and guilt-free – wine.  

Although vineyards are often filled with rustic, old-world charm, the process of making and selling wine usually relies on the efficiency of modern-day industrialization. Unfortunately, this efficiency is not necessarily eco-friendly, and wineries find themselves spending outrageous amounts of materials and energy on pesticides, packaging and distribution. The good news, however, is that more and more vineyards are going green, striving for Mother Nature’s seal of approval without sacrificing the aromas and tastes of their products. Here are a few wineries that keep sustainability in mind when the grapes get ripe:

1. Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards in Buellton, California: When Richard Sanford returned from the Vietnam War in 1968, he was immediately drawn to the Transverse Mountains that run east and west across southern California. After years in the winery business, Richard was ready for a new type of endeavor in 2005 when he started the Alma Rosa Winery, where organic farming is combined with a larger mission of sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly business practices. Sanford uses uniform bottles for all his wines to eliminate production waste, and all business stationery, promotional materials and shipping containers are natural, recyclable and chemical-free. The vineyard is designed with green building materials like adobe bricks (made by hand) and recycled first growth timber (originally harvested in 1912). Sanford also works with the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, to make sure that the animal kingdom isn’t interrupted by any of his business ventures; features like owl boxes, which help provide a natural means of rodent control, keep the vineyard in step with its natural environment.
2. BlackStock Vineyards and Winery in Dahlonega, Georgia: As the largest independent winegrower in the Southeast, it’s no wonder that BlackStock Vineyards is at the forefront of innovative, eco-friendly initiatives. Part of BlackStock’s plan for a greener vineyard is a high-density planting scheme; by using narrow equipment, the team can maximize their “per acre” productivity while lowering “per vine” usage. This Open Lyre system was developed by Dr. Alain Carbonneau of Bordeaux, France, and the folks at BlackStock have found it to be an effective method of low-impact farming in order to help preserve the natural richness of the topography and soil.
3. Shafer Vineyards in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California: Twenty years ago, before “going green” became trendy, Shafer Vineyards was way ahead of the game. While other farms were infusing the soil with rodent poison to kill gophers, spraying herbicides to avoid unwanted foliage and fertilizing stripped-down soil with various chemicals, Doug Shafer was on a mission to harvest the Earth in a more natural way. Today, the winery uses owls and hawks for rodent control, as well as songbirds for pest control. In 2004, Shafer Vineyards was officially a 100 percent solar-powered operation, producing its own electricity with strategically placed panels around the property.

Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or farming fanatic, these vineyards offer lessons in sustainability that can be applied both at home and throughout the industrialized world. The result is better health, for both those who enjoy the fruits of the land, as well as the land itself.

For more information, visit www.almarosawinery.com, www.bsvw.com and www.shafervineyards.com.

Though I do not live in District 34, and I wouldn’t normally blog about any particular political topic… I felt it important to share a great experience I had last night. I was invited to attend a political fundraiser event for Lucia Guzman, who recently announced her run for the State Senate. Lucia is the only out-lesbian who is running for a seat and though she is certainly focused on supporting legislation that supports equal rights and opportunities for the LGBT community, her message is truly about human rights, plain and simple. Isn’t that what it is really about? Shouldn’t we “all” have the same human rights in life? Feel included, welcomed and respected? This is a “calling” for Lucia as she spoke to the group last night and as I and others had the opportunity to hear her speak and get to know her one-on-one, it is a calling she takes very seriously. Lucia currently holds a position for the City of Denver’s Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations, appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper. She has also served on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, which improving the financial and strategic support given to higher education and K-12 in Colorado is one of her key initiatives she will continue to take a stand on when elected.

Mayor Hickenlooper attended the event, as a proud endorser of Lucia. Sharing some wonderful experiences he has had working with Lucia directly and why he thinks she is the best candidate for this position. He noted that Lucia was on his short list when he took office as the Mayor of Denver. His support of Lucia was completely evident by his kind words and warm, friendly smiles and hugs to Lucia and most every attendee. Lucia respectfully reminded everyone of Mayor Hickenlooper’s run for the Governor’s seat. 

My daughter Samantha and her friend Matt are students majoring in Political Science at CU-Boulder and also attended the event, eager to begin their path learning about the political process– which raising funds for a candidate seems like the perfect glimpse into this new direction for them! Plus they loved the free appetizers! Much better than campus food… They were thrilled to meet and talk with Lucia and when they heard Mayor Hickenlooper was going to attend, they were both shaking in their shoes!

I snapped a couple of pictures of them with both candidates– if you would like more information about Lucia and her run for the Senate position, go to: www.LuciaGuzman4Colorado.com

Matt, Samantha & Lucia!

Matt, Samantha & Mayor Hickenlooper!

Check-out this handsome brick ranch home nestled between Park Hill and Stapleton!

Handsome Brick Ranch!

Close to shops, restaurants, and bus lines! Great interior features, such as: a large living room, beautiful wood floors, many built-ins, wood burning fireplace, tile, stainless refrigerator, retro bathroom, nice sized bedrooms, barstool seating at kitchen, formal dining, huge fenced backyard and more! This is a great price point for the available tax credit and the new FHA 203k loan! Call or email me for more information! Click here to see more!

A Series of 3 Workshops:
- Solar for Older Homes

- Bricks, Mortar and Masonry

- Restoring & Maintaining Old Windows

Saturday February 20th, 8:30am – NOON at the historic Molkery Building located in Montclair Park at Newport & 12th. $10 admission fee

For more information, go to: www.denversoldhousesociety.org

Come and learn from these local experts! I live in Montclair and own a home built in 1939. I know I have been challenged by the maintenance of the older windows (that I just can’t give up!) and know that my home could certainly use some tuck-pointing here and there– it also seems from my non-expert eye that some of the bricks are due for replacement too. Making some contacts with companies who specialize in these areas will be very valuable!

As a recently designated GREEN Realtor, I plan to focus part of my business on assisting folks with retro-fitting their older homes with new energy efficient, people and environmentally friendly systems in their homes, so I am excited to learn about solar installation in older homes too.

I will have a table promoting my real estate services too! Please come by, enjoy the workshops and say ‘hi’! The spring market is starting off early this year due to the tax credits which expire April 30th. If you are thinking of selling and buying, let’s talk!
See you there!
Deb Goetz

“I expect the buying season will be moved up,” says Jim Gillespie, CEO of Coldwell Banker. Sales “are going to take off in February and March and really take off in April. … My concern is that the move-up buyer hasn’t thought what they need to do. Their window is really short. They have to coordinate closing dates.”

The average time it takes to get a home loan processed is about eight weeks now — two weeks more than it used to be, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The tax credit’s impact on 2010 home sales is uncertain. Some economists expect the credit to pull sales that would have occurred later in the year into the first half.

“The tax credit will absolutely have an effect,” says Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia, a residential real estate search engine. “It is going to shift demand from the later part of the year to the first part. January and February will be very strong. The next three months, there will be a surge in demand.”

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If you are seriously considering putting your home on the market, let’s talk! As you can see from this article, there is an early spring market about to boom with the tax credit deadlines looming around the corner and buyers need ample time to not only look for a home but then they need roughly 6-8 weeks to secure their financing. That means as a seller, if you are thinking of listing your home, you should consider getting it on the market ASAP! I am happy to provide a free market analysis on your home and also offer a listing discount to you if you also purchase a home utilizing my services. Call or email me for more information!

Deb Goetz

Notice the wildlife images which adorn my yard signs and various marketing materials? Well… I didn’t take those pictures myself! I wish I could say I did! They are images taken by the award-winning photographer Rob Palmer. The Denver Post did a recent article on him and his photography.  Click  http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_14157743 .    His work is amazing– how he can get such intimate shots of so many different animals is beyond me! When I was putting my creative marketing idea together about doing something different with my yard signs, I wanted native Colorado animals only and discovered Rob Palmer as the premier photographer for this. I reviewed his website, contacted him directly and worked out an agreement for photography rights and usage of various images I wanted to buy. The result is what you see at the top of this blog header. The signs are eye-catching, which is key for sellers– and make a nice impression right of the bat before the buyer even looks at the house. I use the images consistently throughout all of my marketing and have gotten a lot of great feedback! Most folks say they love seeing something different than the same old Realtor yard signs– something new and fresh! I plan to take the animal idea to another level and do some fun “Urban Wildlife” videos! Watch for those soon! In the meantime, check-out Rob’s website: www.falconphotography.com. The images are gorgeous! Here’s my latest animal friend!

And of course, if you are thinking about buying or selling, I’d love the opportunity to meet and provide a free market analysis on your home!

6800 Richthofen Pkwy is back on the market! Sellers are motivated and ready to move on! Come and make this your new home in the new year, it is gorgeous! Read all about it and see the virtual tour, you won’t miss any details here! Though, this is a home that must be seen and toured in person to really appreciate its original character and beauty. The master suite overlooks Montclair Park (well most of the rooms do!) and has all the luxuries you could imagine!

Check out the virtual tour, click here!

http://obeo.com/502735

Sales of existing homes in metro Denver and selling prices increased in November compared to the same month of 2008.  Here are some highlights from data released yesterday by Metrolist:
• Home resales, including single-family homes and condo/townhomes, rose 23.3% last month to 3,599 from 2,920 in November 2008
• Sales were down roughly 9% from October of this year, likely due to the traditionally slowing of homebuying during the winter holiday season
• Average selling price for resales rose 5.3% year over year, to $238,852
• 2,751 single-family homes sold – up 16.8% from November ’08
• 848 condo/townhomes sold – up 50.09% from November of last year
• $265,498 was the average selling price for single-family homes, up 9.5% from November ’08 and up 1.4% from October of this year.
• $218,000 was the median sales price for a single-family home, up 11.8% from November ’08
• $135,900 was the median selling price for condos, up 4.5% year over year
• Average days on market for houses and condos dropped nearly 14% to 81 in November, year over year, and was down 12.9% from October

Please call or email me today if you are thinking of buying or selling!

Source: http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/12/07/daily24.html

My inventory is getting low, fast! My listings have gone under contract quickly! Which is great, I’m not complaining! Just need more to sell! If you are thinking about selling and/or buying please consider contacting me. I would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business and add your home to my blog as SOLD!

Thank you,

Deb Goetz

720-628-9502 cell

deb@debgoetz.com