The panel suggested that Windsor is bucking a nationwide trend of fewer jobs, lower salaries and sluggish real estate activity.

Continue reading to learn more about why this may just be a banner year for the Windsor, Colorado economy.

Living in Windsor, Colorado

According to the recent article I read, Windsor closed out 2011 with a bang: Not only did sales-tax collections increase, but so did new housing projects.

Here’s an overview of the economic activity in Windsor near the end of 2011:

• During the month of November, local sales-tax collections were $418,375, an increase of 6.7 percent when compared to the previous year.
• From January to November 2011, the sales tax collections were $4,952,975, up 5.7 percent when compared to the same period in 2010.
• In addition, there were 227 single-family home building permits pulled between January and November.
• Compared to the previous year, that’s an increase of 102 percent.
• Experts have said that those 227 single-family home building permits represent the highest level of new home development in five years!
• Windsor is now outpacing every other Northern Colorado community in terms of new housing starts in 2011.
• In Fort Collins, 209 permits were pulled.
• In Johnstown, 169 permits were pulled.
• And in Loveland, 139 permits were pulled.
• Meanwhile, construction use tax through the first 11 months of 2011 totaled $1,012,102. That’s 208 percent more than the town’s estimated budget. now:

In terms of recent real estate market activity in Windsor, it’s more of a mixed bag right

• Between October and December, the average price per square foot for a Windsor home was $151, up 1.3 percent when compared to the same period last year.
• During that same period, the median sales price was $235,000, down 6 percetn when compared to the same period in 2010.
• Meanwhile, the number of home sales decreased 30 percent.
• But during the week ending on January 4, the average listing price for Windsor homes actually increased by 1 percent – from $386,063 to $389,947.

Investing in Windsor, Colorado Real Estate

As with most markets, the housing market is expected to improve as the local economy continues to improve.

Thus, if you’re thinking about investing in a Windsor home for sale, now is an ideal time to get a great deal on one.

That’s because home prices will eventually start to rise as the local Windsor economy continues to thrive.

Start looking for your dream Windsor home today by browsing one of my pre-defined searches:

• Search homes for under $150,000
• Search homes between $150,000 and $200,000
• Search homes between $200,000 and $250,000
• Search homes between $250,000 and $300,000
• Search homes between $300,000 and $350,000
• And so on!

For information on a specific listing or the Windsor real estate market in general, please feel free to contact me, Jason Humpal, your Northern Colorado real estate expert!

Until next time,

Jason

According to the latest Fort Collins real estate market news from Trulia, both the median home sales price and the average price per square foot have steadily been decreasing over the last several weeks.

Continue reading to learn more about the latest real estate activity in this Northern Colorado community.

Fort Collins Homes for Sale

Here’s a brief overview of the current state of the Fort Collins real estate market:

• Currently there are 1,194 resale and new homes on the market, including 272 in some stage of the foreclosure process.
• Between October and December, the average price per square foot for a Fort Collins home was $151, down 2.6 percent when compared to the same period in 2010.
• Also between October and December, the median sales price dropped by 1.7 percent, to $218,000.
• During that same period in 2010, the median sales price was $221,750.
• Here’s how nearby Colorado communities recently compared in terms of median sales price:

Severance: $213,500
Loveland: $195,000
Windsor: $235,000
Timnath: $332,852
Laporte: $163,050
Drake: $58,000

• For the week ending on January 4, the average listing price for Fort Collins homes was $339,447, up 0.3 percent when compared to the week before.
• During that previous week, the average listing price was $338,551.
• Here’s how nearby Colorado communities recently compared in terms of average listing price:

Severance: $351,232
Loveland: $335,788
Windsor: $389,947
Timnath: $357,661
Laporte: $345,304
Drake: $231,437

• During the week ending on January 4, the median sales price for a 1-bedroom Fort Collins home was $112,144
• The median sales price for a 2-bedroom home was $165,000
• And the median sales price for a 3- and 4- bedroom home in Fort Collins was $211,400 and $349,900 respectively.

Relocating to Fort Collins, CO

Interested Northern Colorado home buyers have an opportunity to get a great deal on a piece of Fort Collins real estate right now!

For more information on the various Fort Collins residential neighborhoods – or to inquire about available listings – contact me, Jason Humpal, today.

And if you already know what price range you’ll likely be in on the Fort Collins real estate market, I recommend checking out my helpful, pre-defined home searches for the area:

• Search homes for less than $150,000
• Search homes between $150,000 and $200,000
• Search homes between $200,000 and $250,000
• Search homes between $250,000 and $300,000
• Search homes between $300,000 and $350,000
• And so on!

Until next time,

Jason

The $13.6 million center will be built near the intersection of Fairgrounds Avenue and Aladar Drive.

Continue reading to learn more about this major development coming to Windsor and why it’s expected to fuel the local economy.

New Development Coming to Northern Colorado

According to the recent article, the Army Reserve Training Center for the 409th Engineer Company will be built across the street from The Ranch.

Currently, the military is working to finalize purchasing the land from Eagle Crossing Windsor LLC, which is owned by well-known area developer Martin Lind.

Little else is known about this development, but more details are expected to be released in the next several weeks.

Still, officials aggress that this new center is likely to create a lot of economic activity in the Windsor, Colorado area.

After all, the construction of the building alone will create plenty of construction jobs in the area.

And once it’s built, visitors to the training center will likely invest in Windsor area real estate and shop at Northern Colorado stores during their stay.

That’s great news for Windsor, considering that the median home sales price has decreased by 6 percent since 2010.

Your Windsor, Colorado Area Real Estate Expert

By the time this training center is complete, residents will have one more reason to be proud of their Northern Colorado community.

If you’ve been thinking about relocating to the Windsor, Colorado area, feel free to contact me, Jason Humpal.

As your Northern Colorado real estate expert, I’ll provide you with such helpful home buying tools as:

• Home finder assistant
• Home buying tips
• FREE buying guide
• Buyer FAQs

And with my state-of-the-art MLS search tools, you can now search for homes in specific price ranges. For instance, if you’re a home buyer on the Windsor real estate market, you can:

• Search homes for less than $150,000
• Search homes between $150,000 and $200,000
• Search homes between $200,000 and $250,000
• Search homes between $250,000 and $300,000
• And so on!

Until next time,

Jason

Evidently, the Loveland Historic Preservation Commission recently recommended that the city keep several old farm buildings (many dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s) that are near the new site of the Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation and Technology project.

Continue reading to learn more about this recent development in Loveland, CO.

Protecting Open Space in Northern Colorado

According to the recent article in the Reporter-Herald, the city of Loveland recently acquired more than 130 acres along the Big Thompson River during its negotiations to develop the new technology park.

The area includes 11 farmhouse properties, some dating back to 1890. It also includes acres of old farmland.

In recent years, employees of Hewlett-Packard and later Agilent Technologies were the only ones who had access to the large open space, which was used for recreation.

Agilent Technologies was even said to have used the property for business retreats.

Now, the city is trying to figure out the best way to utilize the recently acquired land.

Recently, the city hired park planners AECOM to create a site plan for the 130 acres near the new Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation and Technology Park.

The initial plan for this open space is expected to be unveiled in the fall.

Living in Loveland Colorado

I think it’s absolutely fantastic that the city of Loveland plans to preserve 130 acres of land near the new technology park for public use.

It’s developments like this that ensure that Loveland area residents enjoy such a high quality of life.

I’ll keep you posted as more details are revealed about this large swath of open space.

In the meantime, if you’re considering relocating to the Northern Colorado area, make sure to contact me, Jason Humpal.

I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about living in Loveland, or any one of these other Northern Colorado communities:

• Berthoud
• Firestone
• Frederick
• Greeley
• Johnstown
• And others!

Until next time,

Jason

Kentucky-based Cumberland & Western Resources LLC recently purchased the property from the city for $5 million and renamed it the Rocky Mountain Center for Innovation and Technology.

Continue reading to learn more about this exciting real estate deal and how it will affect Loveland area home owners.

ACE Project Moving Forward with New Owner

As I’ve noted in previous entries, the ACE Project (Aerospace and Clean Energy Technology Park) is a project that will be headed up by NASA and The Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology.

It’s expected to put Loveland at the forefront of technological advancements as well as between 7,000 and 10,000 jobs to the area.

The project will be located at the former Agilent Technologies campus, which the city bought last summer.

The city’s plan was always to sell the property to a developer and for months, town staff searched for a suitor.

In November, the city began negotiations with C&W, which is owned by Tennessee billionaire Brad Kelley.

A couple of weeks ago, C&W closed on the deal with the city by paying Loveland $5 million cash for 170 acres of the 300 acres in the park.

City officials expect to use the remaining 130 acres that they still own as a public park.

Going forward, C&W is expected to renovate about 810,000 square feet of the existing businesses at the park.

Investing in Northern Colorado Real Estate

The recent real estate transaction between C&W and the city is a great win for Loveland residents and officials.

After all, the city netted a $1 million-plus profit from the deal and was still able to retain some of the land for public use.

What’s more, once the property is renovated, the ACE Project will start bringing in the thousands of jobs it’s promised to bring to the area.

For Loveland area residents, this means that their quality of life is about to improve dramatically as new jobs comes to the area, fueling the local economy and driving up home values.

Check back here, your Northern Colorado real estate resource, for updates on the ACE project.

And if you’re thinking about entering the Loveland area real estate market soon as a home buyer or seller, make sure to contact me, Jason Humpal.

Until next time,

Jason

I hope you were able to bring in  the New Year surrounded by friends and family and that you’re as excited I am about all the potential that a New Year brings with it.

If you’re like a lot of residents here in the Loveland area, one of your New Year’s resolutions may have been to spend more time with loved ones.

If so, continue reading for some upcoming community events that will help get your New Year’s resolution off to a good start!

 Fun Things to Do in the Loveland, Fort Collins Areas

 Cirque du Soleil, Dralion: Come be amazed by the skills of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil troupe.  Dralion combines ancient Chinese circus tradition with the performance style of Cirque du Soleil – a must see for all ages! Although the show is still a month away, make sure to buy your tickets now before they get sold out.

• When:3:30 p.m. Feb. 12
• Where: 1^st Bank Center, 555 Eldorado Boulevard, Suite 200 in Broomfield CO
• Admission: Prices vary
• More Info: Call (303) 410-0700

Estes Park Music Festival: Come bring your whole family for an afternoon of skilled musical performances from local talents.

• When: 2 p.m. on Jan. 22
• Where: Stanley Concert Hall, 333 W. Wonderview Avenue
• Admission: Prices vary
• More Info: Call (970) 577-4000

Mythbusters Performance: Are you a fan of the Discovery Channel show, Mythbusters? Then come see Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman live during this Mythbursters: Behind the Myth tour stop in Loveland!

• When: 7 p.m. on Jan. 12
• Where: Budweiser Events Center, 5290 Arena Circle in Loveland
• Admission: Prices vary
• More Info: Call (970) 619-4111

Percussion Classes: Looking for a new way to bond with your children or loved ones? Why not take a class together? Taught by Jose Madera, you can sign up for clinics, classes or workshops on Latin percussion.

• When: All day on Jan. 9
• Where: Sellars Project Space, 4430 Tennyson Street in Denver
• Admission: Prices vary
• More Info: Call (720) 475-1182

Investing in Northern Colorado Real Estate

I hope you and your family get a chance to enjoy at least one of these community events.  If you do, let me know what you think of it!

And if you’re new to the area and are interested in purchasing a home in the Loveland and Ft. Collins areas, be sure to contact me, Jason Humpal.

As your Northern Colorado REALTOR, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have and let you know about available listings.

Until next time,

Jason

Not only did the average listing price fall but so did the median sales price.

Continue reading to learn more about the latest Fort Collins real estate market activity, and how it may affect you as a home buyer.

 Ft. Collins Properties for Sale

Here’s an overview of the latest real estate activity in Fort Collins, based on the Trulia market data:

• Currently there are 1,249 resale and new homes on the market, including 260 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages.
• From September to November, the average price per square foot on a Fort Collins home was $152, which represents a 2.6 percent decrease when compared to the same period last year.
• During that same period, the median sales price for homes was $218,299, which represents a 3 percent decrease when compared to last year.
• And between September and November, the number of home sales increased by 13.1 percent.
• During the week ending on December 7, the average listing price for Fort Collins homes was $331,138, down 0.1 percent from the week before.
• During that same week, the median sales price for a 1-bedroom home was $108,250
• The median sales price for a 2-bedroom home was $160,690
• And the median sales price for 3- and 4- bedroom homes in Fort Collins was $214,000 and $325,000 respectively.

 Investing in Fort Collins Real Estate

Despite the uptick in real estate activity in the Fort Collins area, home prices are remaining relatively low.

This is great news for home buyers interested in getting a good deal on a Northern Colorado home.

If you’ve been thinking about taking that next step toward owning your own Fort Collins home, then contact me, Jason Humpal.

I’ll be happy to let you know about available listings in the area as well as provide you with such helpful home buying resources as:

• Free relocation package
• Moving Tips
• Mortgage calculator

Until next time,

Jason

Right now, the city is seeking input from residents in order to make this the best park possible.

Continue reading to learn more about this new public park and why home owners are so excited about it.

 Living in Loveland

According to the recent article I read, Mehaffey Park has been one of the city’s dreams for more than a decade.  And now it’s finally going to reach fruition.

The new community park will be located between 22^nd and 28^th streets, just west of Wilson Avenue.  It will encompass about 60 acres.

The park is named after Ray Mehaffey, a retired forester who  formerly owned the property.

The newest addition to the local public park system is expected to be completed over the next two years.

Here are some of the features that the Parks  and Recreation Department has already discussed adding to the park:

• An arboretum
• Ball fields
• Wildlife habitats
• Drinking fountains
• Picnic area
• Tennis courts
• Racquetball courts
• And more!

Residents have until December 30 to offer their input on what other features they think should be included at the new community park.

They can submit their ideas online or by mail, 500 E. Third St. Suite 200, Loveland, CO 80537.

Investing in Northern Colorado

I think it’s fantastic that our community will be getting a new public park soon. And I think it’s even better that residents are allowed to give their input on what should go in the new park.

Loveland’s community-oriented spirit is just one of the reasons why it’s such a great place to call home.

Plenty of people move to this Northern Colorado town each year for an array of reasons, from our great public schools to our excellent residential neighborhoods.

If you’re interested in learning more about what makes Loveland such a great place to live, then contact me, Jason Humpal.

I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have as well as provide you with my many helpful relocation resources, such as:

• Free relocation package
• Moving tips
• Buyer FAQs

Until next time,

Jason

That’s because the Northern Colorado is brimming with fun, family-friendly activities during this time of year.

If you’re looking for something to enjoy with your kids this holiday season, I recommend you continue reading to learn about a couple of events that are going on in the area.

These events are guaranteed to be fun for everyone, all the while bringing you and your loved ones closer as a family.

Enjoy These Family Friendly Events

A Candlelight Christmas: Help your family get into the holiday spirit by joining the Larimer Chorale.  The group, which will be directed by Michael Todd Krueger, will host its traditional candlelight presentation with music featuring the choir, brass and organ section. Come about 45 minutes early for a pre-concert chat.

• When: 7:30 to 9:30 on Dec. 17
• Where: First United Methodist Church of Fort Collins,1005 Stover Street in Fort Collins, CO
• Admission: Adult $18; Senior $15; Student $5
• More Info: Call 970-482-2436

Polar Express Celebration: Bring the entire family to this holiday celebration at Berthoud Public Library. Visitors are encouraged to wear their pajamas and there will even be a visit from Santa Claus!

• When: 5:30 p.m. on December 19
• Where: Berthoud Public Library, 236 Welch Avenue in Berthoud, CO
• Admission: FREE
• More Info: Call (970) 532-2757

Christmas Candlelight Festival: If you and your family don’t mind a little excursion, I recommend you check out Boulder’s candlelight festival.  This event features choral and handbell music, as well as a candle lighting ceremony.  Some of this year’s featured music will include Mozart’s Missa Brevis in C, “Spatzenmesse”.

• When: 5 p.m. on Dec. 16
• Where: Unity Church, 8900 Arapahoe Road in Boulder
• Admission: $15 general, $10 students/seniors/children $1 discount per ticket for payments with cash or check
• More Info: Call (303) 546-0114

Relocating to the Loveland, CO Area

I hope you get a chance to check out at least one of these fun holiday events going on in the Northern Colorado area.  If you do, let me know what you think!

And if you find that you and your family enjoy the Loveland area so much that you want to make it your permanent home, then contact me, Jason Humpal.

As your Northern Colorado real estate expert, I’ll be happy to talk with you about what you’re looking for in a home and then help you find it on the local housing market.

And if you are interested in living in another city besided Loveland, I recommend you start by checking out some of my community pages, which will give you an idea of what it’s like to live in:

• Berthoud
• Fort Collins
• Longmont
• Greeley
• And more!

Until next time,

Jason

Evidently, the city of Fort Collins is teaming up with Colorado State University to study the economic impact of bikes and the related culture of bicycling on the community.

As many of you know, the Northern Colorado area is renowned for its pedestrian-friendly mentality.

For instance, in 2010, Fort Collins was ranked as the 6^th best place to live in the country by Money Magazine.  Two factors the magazine noted as reasoning for the ranking: bikes and beer.

And at one point, the city ranked number 2 for “America’s Top Cities for Bike Commuting: Happier, Too,” which was an article in The Atlantic.

So it makes sense why the city and the local university would want to conduct this study.

Continue reading to learn more about this community-wide study and what it says about quality of life in Northern Colorado.

Living in Fort Collins, Colorado

Here are some of the factors that researchers will consider as they relate to economic impact:

• Bike lanes
• Recreation trails
• Bicycle parking
• Impact on younger workers

The project, titled “Do Bike Friendly Communities Attract and Retain Creative Workers? Assessing Cycling’s Economic Impact through Household Location Choices of Highly Educated Workers,” is expected to be completed in about five months.

The study aims to provide actual data for something that many residents know anecdotally: Many people move their business to the area because of its high quality of life.

Some researchers are already suggesting that the study could inspire future projects studying, among other things:

• Bicycle-related tourism
• Special events that may stimulate the local economy
• The effect of the local bicycle industry on the economy
• Any correlation between on-street bike parking and local business activity

Investing in Fort Collins Real Estate

I think it is so neat that our city is taking the time and money to learn more about how bicycling improves residents’ everyday lives.  It really shows that this city cares about the wellbeing of its residents.

I’ll keep you posted as I hear about any conclusions drawn from this story.

In the meantime, if you’ve been thinking about relocating to Fort Collins, contact me, Jason Humpal.

I’ll be happy to tell you even more about the high quality of life we experience in the Northern Colorado area as well as answer any questions you may have.

Until next time,

Jason