Sharon Cardwell AMERICAN HOME, INC.

98765 West Iliff Avenue Lakewood, CO 80228

Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Permit #123 Lakewood, CO

DEADLINE

FOR

ORDERING

THE

JULY ISSUE:

5:00 p.m. TUESDAY JUNE 12

Sharon Cardwell
REALTOR

QUESTIONS? Call Brett Koller 720-287-5715 / brett@uniquelitho.com

Knowledge. Experience. Dedication.

Dear Friends: The American Dream means different things to all of us, but for many, it stands for owning a home of our own. So in recognition of our nations 236th birthday this month, my cover story touches upon that dream, and how it grew up and expanded over the years, right here in Colorado. As is mentioned in the July cover story, be sure to visit the new HISTORY COLORADO museum (formerly the Colorado Historical Society). Youre in for a wonderful surprise. On display now is an exhibit introducing visitors to life in small town Keota, Colorado, in the 1920s. Understanding our past helps us to appreciate the present, and marvel at the future. As a Colorado real estate specialist, I am not only appreciative of the opportunity I have to help others achieve the American Dream, but I marvel at the changing face of our beautiful Front Range communities. Its not only a privilege to live in Colorado, but an honor to work in this profession. Heres wishing you a WONDERFUL SUMMER!

COLORADO REAL ESTATE

News & Views

NEWS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO THE COLORADO HOMEOWNER

If your home is currently listed for sale, this is not intended as a solicitation. JULY 2012

Two Acts of Congress that changed the face of Colorado

The American Dream of homeownership has long been a goal for most people, and as a Colorado real estate specialist, I have the thrill and honor of helping people achieve that dream. But how did that dream get its start? As we celebrate Americas birthday this month, lets take a look at two extraordinary things that happened 150 years ago that shaped homeownership in our state--and throughout the West. This is a complex story, and as such, too large to adequately cover in this article. Hopefully youll want to know more about Colorados history, and if so, there are plenty of resources. The newly opened HISTORY COLORADO museum is a great place to start for a hands-on experience of frontier life. A Bents Fort exhibit also offers a fascinating look at the forts that guarded our pioneer citizens. By the mid-1800s, immigrants were pouring into eastern seaboard cities by the thousands, creating dangerously overcrowded conditions. Most of the best farmland in the east was already taken, and the government needed to open the frontiers to expansion. To encourage people to move west and settle the land, Congress passed the HOMESTEAD ACT OF 1862. Any U.S. citizen, or intended citizen, could lay claim to 160 acres of surveyed Government land, provided that for the next 5 years, the homesteader lived on the land and improved it by building a dwelling and growing crops. The 1862 Act liberalized two earlier homesteading Acts. At the same time, Congress passed the PACIFIC RAILROAD ACT, whose purpose was to build a transcontinental railroad and telegraph line, in order to secure land for postal, military and other purposes. Railroads received not only financial compensation, but also 10 square miles of land for every mile of track completed. As the railroads moved west, they advertised their land for sale in the eastern U.S., and in Europe, often inflating details of the land. By 1870, the rush for free and inexpensive land was fueled by immigrants from Europe, ex-slaves, Civil War vets, groups looking to escape religious persecution, and anyone looking to improve their lot in life. You may be amazed to know that homesteading wasnt discontinued until 1976, except in Alaska, where it continued until 1986. The last claim under this Act was for 80 acres in southwestern Alaska.

Sharon
Office: (303) 777-2222 Cell: (303) 567-2380 Fax: (303) 772-3277 Email: SCardwell@comcast.net Web: www.SCSellsHomes.com

NewsBriefs
According to a new survey of
1,500 adults by American Express Spending and Saving Tracker, 70% of homeowners surveyed said they intend to take on a home improvement project this year, and they plan to spend about $3,500 on sprucing up their home. The top two home projects they have lined up is painting, which 37% say they plan to do, and 24% are planning a landscape project.

Denver made the Top 10 list in a recent Rent.com survey of best cities in the nation for newlyweds. The survey factored in cost of living, annual mean wages, the unemployment rate (which was given double the weight of the other factors), and the availability of rental inventory. Making a mortgage payment is more affordable than paying rent in 98 of the nations 100 largest metro areas, according to the recently released Trulias Winter 2012 Rent vs. Buy Index. The Index tracks asking prices for rental units compared to what mortgage payments would run in major metro areas. In 2011, the national average for a home loan was $222,261, with a $1,061 average monthly payment on a 30-year mortgage at 4 percent, according to a recent LendingTree survey of real estate purchases last year. At $667,299, homeowners in Hawaii carried the highest loan amount, with an average $3,234 monthly payment (before taxes and insurance). Mississippi homeowners had the lowest loan amounts of $137,182, or $655 monthly mortgage payments, on average.

Six simple things sellers can do to get the highest appraisal price
Were seeing numerous signs of an improved real estate market here in the Front Range, and thats good news for everyone. But one issue that can stop a sale in its tracks is a low appraisal. So heres a brief look at what sellers can do to improve their chances of getting the best appraisal. If youd like to discuss the specifics about your own home, just call and well take a look at the details. 1. Knowledge is power. Begin by asking your real estate professional to do a comparative market analysis, looking for homes sold in your area that would compare with your home. (Note that real estate professionals have access to far greater details of area home sales than you will find on the Internet.) 2. Create a list of all features and improvements to your home that make your home stand out from the competition. Include receipts of these improvements, if possible. 3. First impressions matter, and although appraisers will look beyond any mess, a neat and clean home adds value because it looks well taken care of, both inside and out. 4. You and your real estate professional should be available to answer questions the appraiser may have, and also to provide him or her with printouts of the comparable sold homes and a list of any improvements that have been made. Hovering over the appraiser is never appreciated, but being available is always a good idea. 5. Control your pets and the kids. The less stressful the appraisers inspection, the better off youll both be. 6. Cooperate with the appraiser. A nice, friendly and cooperative owner will make a much more favorable impression than a contentious one. In the end, the appraiser is not obligated to use any of the data that you provide to him or her. However, making the appraisers job easier by following these guidelines contributes to the best possible results. If you have any questions about our Front Range market, or if youd like to see comps for your home, please dont hesitate to call--and lets talk.

Americans in 2011 spent

5.8% of their after-tax income paying interest on mortgages, credit cards, car loans and other debt, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That's the smallest share since 1977, and a steep drop from a record high of 9.1% in 2007. Mortgage interest payments are down 30% from their 2007 peak. Interest payments on other debt, such as credit cards and car loans, are down 50%. The Fed has pledged to keep interest rates low through 2014.

COLORADO CORNER
1. Name the astronaut portrayed in The Right Stuff, who grew up in Boulder. 2. Name the 1940-50s movie actress and amateur interior decorator that decorated the first two show homes ever built in Thornton. 3. How much were tickets at the 1964 Beatles concert at Red Rocks? 4. Although this famous showman died January 10, 1917, he didnt get buried until June 3. Who is he? 5. The lighted M symbol is located on what mountain? 6. By popular vote in 1881, Denver became the capital of Colorado. Name the other two cities that were Colorado capitals prior to Denver. 7. The Broncos defeated which NFL rival in the first ever AFL victory over the NFL? 8. What city has the distinction of being the United States' millennium city because it best symbolizes the overall composition of America? 9. Name the former First Lady who spent her childhood at 750 Lafayette Street in Denver. 10. Which President sent Lt. Pike on an expedition to Colorado?
1. Scott Carpenter 2. Jane Russell 3. $6.60 4. Buffalo Bill Cody 5. Mt. Zion 6. Golden and Colorado City 7. Detroit Lions / 8/5/1967 8. Fountain, CO 9. Mamie Eisenhower 10. Thomas Jefferson

The Best Books to Read this Summer!

To help you dive into a great book this summer, heres a guide to the best. From childrens books, to teens, boomers, grandma and grandpa, this months Report compiles a ton of lists from a wide variety of notable and respected resources. Reading is fun, and this list makes it easy to find something perfect for you or a friend. Grab hold of this Report--and have some great Summer Fun!

Just ask for your free copy!

GREEN IDEAS

FOR THE

COLORADO HOMEOWNER

If the World Were a Village

You may have seen this before, but its worth revisiting from time to time to remind us of the need for acceptance of others who are different, and an understanding of our need to make the world a better place--no matter how small our deed.
If we could reduce the world's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this: 61 villagers would be Asian (of that, 20 would be Chinese and 17 would be Indian), 13 would be African, 12 would be European, 14 would be from North, Central and South America, 1 would be from the South Pacific. 50 would be male, 50 would be female 25 would be white, 75 would be persons of color 67 would be non-Christian, 33 would be Christian 80 would live in substandard housing 16 would be unable to read or write 50 would be malnourished and 1 would be dying of starvation 33 would be without access to a safe water supply 8 people would have access to the Internet 1 would have a college education 1 would have HIV 32 would breathe polluted air 26 would smoke 48 would live on less than U.S. $2 a day 20 would live on less than U.S. $1 a day 24 would not have any electricity, and of the 76 that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night. And by the end of a year, one villager would die and two new villagers would be born, increasing the population to 101.

Tired of junk mail invading your home? Heres how to stop it.
The average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year. Not only does this represent a nuisance, but its a huge waste of paper and resources that end up in our landfills. It may be July, but in a few short months those holiday catalogs will start pouring into our mailboxes. It takes time for changes to filter down the system, so if youre interested in removing your name from any unwanted junk mail lists, now is an ideal time to start.
Go Direct: Call the 1-800 number on the back of any unwanted magazines or catalogs. Asked to be removed from the mailing list. Or write a short letter to the catalog/magazine address. Credit Card Mailings Call 1-888-5OPTOUT (1-888-5678688) You can call this number to get your name and address removed from the lists circulated by the major credit card agencies. The online form is found at: www.optoutprescreen.com. Junk Mail and Catalogs The Direct Mail Marketing Association helps stop unwanted catalogs. Go to: https://www.dmachoice.org/ dma/member/home.action Another good option is to register online with Catalog Choice to be removed from several different mailing lists for free at: www.catalogchoice.org. For $20 a year, they also offer a service called MailStop Shield which will remove your name and address from the most common mailing lists companies buy. Here are three other good resources for helpful details: 1. http://www.dmaconsumers. org/consumerassistance.html 2. http://www.41pounds.org/ 3. http://www.obviously.com/ junkmail/

There are more than 500 passes in Colorado, but of the paved passes, only two boast an elevation higher than 12,000 feet. Name those two passes.

COLORADO TRIVIA
The high point of Trail Ridge Road (U.S. 34) outside Estes Park hits an elevation of 12,183 feet. Independence Pass ranks the second highest (CO 82) at an elevation of 12,095. (At 11,992 feet, Loveland Pass almost makes the list.)

The smartest thing todays Colorado home buyer can do

There are three mortgage terms that seem to cause much confusion among first-time home buyers: pre-qualified, pre-approved, and approved. Lets look at what these terms mean, and how one of them plays a critical step in formulating a successful strategy for todays Colorado buyer. Pre-qualification gives a borrower a general idea of how much they can borrow, based on a basic review of their finances. Pre-approval is based on an in-depth review of the borrower's financial history and gives them a quite accurate idea of how much can be borrowed. This process generally requires a mortgage application.

Approval is the final approval by the mortgage lender. It takes place after a house is chosen and an offer is made, and usually requires a home appraisal as well. Now--lets focus on the pre-approval process, because buyers who are preapproved will save time, shop with confidence, and speed up the buying process. Being pre-approved saves time because if the lender uncovers a mistake in your credit records, youll have the information you need to fix the problem. Also, by knowing what the lender is willing to lend, youll be able to focus on looking at homes you can actually afford to buy. Being pre-approved helps you shop with confidence because it eliminates any doubt

you may have about qualifying for a loan. And being pre-approved speeds up the buying process because for sellers, preapproved buyers are less risky than someone who still needs to go through the lender qualification process. As a result, offers from pre-approved buyers are viewed more favorably than an offer from someone who has not yet been vetted and approved for a loan. The home buying opportunities that exist in our Front Range market are growing with each and every day. So if youre giving thought to buying a home, lets talk about your needs, wants and desires, and how together we can help you accomplish your real estate goals. Dont hesitate to call at your convenience.

SNAPSHOT OF MY BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY:

Help my clients to understand the choices they will face, and to make the entire real estate transaction an enjoyable experience, start to finish.

YOUR

BUSINESS AND REFERRALS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Sharon Cardwell
REALTOR, GRI
American Home, Inc. 98765 West Iliff Avenue Lakewood, CO 80228 Office: (303) 777-2222 Cell: (303) 567-2380 Fax: (303) 772-3277 E-mail: SharonC@comcast.net Website: www.SCSellsHomes.com

Knowledge. Experience. Dedication.