My Favorite Week is Now 2 Weeks! Denver Restaurant Week
guest author – Laura Scheer

Denver Restaurant Week is an annual event – a Denver favorite for many locals.  Personally I see it as a chance to get out in different parts of town and try a new local scene or re-visit past favorites at an appealing price.  Many of the restaurants that participate offer a fixed menu and all offerings are at a set price of $52.80 for 2.  – is just around the corner. And in fact in most participating restaurants it will be running for two weeks – from February 20 – March 5th. 

Some of my favorites (some are long time favorites!) that you may want to consider trying this year –

Tamayo, Larimer Square – Denver

Campo de Fiori – Cherry Creek – Denver

Barolo Grill – 6th Avenue, Cherry Creek North – Denver

The Fort – Morrison

Vesta Dipping Grill – LoDo, Denver – an all time fav!

Washington Park Grille – South Gaylord Street – Denver

Highlands Garden Cafe – Highlands, Denver

Marlowe’s – Downtown

The Capital Grillle – Larimer Square – Denver

Panzano – Downtown

Restaurant Kevin Taylor – Downtown

Gabriel’s – Sedalia

And the one we will be trying this year:

Jing – Landmark, Greenwood Village

I love heading to downtown Denver, whether its just Steve & I or a larger group of friends.  And some of the restaurants participating, including some of my favorites, offer such a great deal on the Restaurant Week menu that reservations will likely go fast.  And if you have recently relocated to Denver, Denver Restaurant Week is a fantastic way to get to know your new city and try many restaurants downtown and in the Denver suburbs.

Here’s a complete list of the restaurants that are participating in Denver Restaurant Week.

If you read my blog regularly then you have likely heard me talking about absorption rates, especially regarding market statistics.  I’ve tried to explain how it relates to home sellers and buyers but it occurred to me that for many, the idea may not be too clear. Basically, absorption rates are derived from dividing the number of active listings by the number of sold listings for a specific period of time.  This is the basic and easiest way to determine absorption rates.  There can be other methods, such as using pending sales, etc…but generally this is it.

So, what can absorption rates tell me and why do I care? Once you’ve done the math, the number you come up with will be the amount of time the local real estate market is absorbing the current inventory.  In other words, this shows how fast are they selling.  Nowadays, this number is typically a number of months of inventory in a particular area.  As a home buyer or home seller this number can provide you a valuable target.  Sellers can determine for themselves how long the market is absorbing homes in their area and then determine how to price and market their own home to be on the front end of that time frame.  Buyers can use absorption rates to help determine the relative strength of a neighborhood and how to price an offer.

I hope this brief explanation helps you understand this key real estate statistic. If you are considering selling or buying a home in the Denver metro area, and you would like to discuss an effective strategy for your success then please contact me, I would love to help.

Steve Scheer, Denver Realty Partners
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101 or email at sold@SteveScheer.com .

One highly regarded source of real estate trends and statistics is the Case-Shiller Index.  The recent figures coming from this report show that Denver is one of only 4 US cities in this 20 city composite that show a year over year increase in values from November 2008 through November 2009.  Some may argue that these figures were taken for the period just prior to the extension of the home buyers tax credit and that these gains may only reflect buyers trying to beat the previous deadline for this credit. However, the Denver real estate market has shown signs of relative strength for awhile with a flattening out of major price declines and I am bullish on the recovery.  This certainly is not going to be a quick rebound, rather a slow but overall positive gain.

The Case-Shiller Index certainly isn’t a definitive answer to the Denver real estate market’s statistics but it gives us an idea of local Denver real estate trends.  In looking at the MLS statistics taken from Metrolist, these figures show an overall decline in the median sold price of single family listings(Residential and Condo) for the Denver Metro area of only 0.8% year over year from December 2008 to December 2009.  Slightly different than the Case-Shiller and takes in to account this past year’s holiday season.

Of course, this reflects overall real estate activity and prices differ from area to area and price range to price range.  However, with values nearly stable and trending upward, I think it is time to reinvest in Denver real estate whether that is buying your own home or investment property.  If you need help identifying a home for your next purchase, give me a call or email and I would be happy to help.

Steve Scheer, Denver Realty Partners
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101.

Of course, what I run into a lot are people not satisfied with needing to start out in anything less than what mom and dad have, or friends, etc…This is where you need to look hard at the magic reality mirror and ask yourself what you can comfortably afford.  Owning your home and building equity over time can do amazing things for your life.  But you may need to buy something less than you imagined at first and build from there. Or maybe not. It depends on your financial situation.

But are there affordable homes in this area for first time buyers? Yes. There are options in almost all areas of the south Denver metro area. Some options are condo’s or townhomes, some are single family homes that may need some work or may be bank owned deals. It really depends on what level your first home will be. There are still options available, even with the recent credit crunch. You definitely need to be working with a trusted mortgage professional that will counsel you on the loan programs that will best fit your lifestyle and goals. Just remember what I said earlier, look for what you can comfortably afford, not as much as you can qualify for, there is a difference!

If you need help finding qualified mortgage professionals, just let me know. I have established relationships with a number of mortgage pro’s that will do just that. Keep your best interests in mind and work to find you the best solution to owning your first home. Give me a call anytime, I’ll be happy to help.

Steve Scheer, Denver Realty Partners
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101.

October brings all four seasons in 30 days to Denver, generally speaking.  We have a little bit of winter as we can see this evening.  But its not unusual, as we all experienced this past weekend, to have a wonderful spurt of summer in October as well.

Add to that the beautiful colors throughout Denver and the suburbs, and its just amazing.

I took this photo with my phone during a morning walk with my dog last week.

Sums up fall in Denver for me.  Beautiful.

If you are thinking of relocating to Denver, you will love October.

Steve Scheer, Denver Realty Partners
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here