Issuu

REAL ESTATE

Open Home Listings, Builder Spotlight, Homes for Sale, Rentals and More! Colorado Home & Real Estate | AtHomeColorado.com

atHome 13 zero-cost ways to

MAKE YOUR HOME FEEL FRESH Quick Guide and Featured Open Homes Looking for a home? View comprehensive listings of local open houses taking place this weekend from all across the area. December 9-10, 2017

Reasons to Buy a Home Homes that make a good ﬁrst During the Holidays impression have 5 things in common Many prospective buyers shy away from purchasing a home during the holidays, but there can be some advantages.

What does your home say to people as they walk through the front door? If you want to make sure the conversation is good, there are ﬁve things you should watch for.

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

AT HOME

atHome

ASK ANGIE’S LIST

What’s the best kitchen countertop material?

COLORADO HOME AND REAL ESTATE

ATHOMECOLORADO.COM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Megan Alderton Gabrielle Savoie Bonnie Bing Agnel Philip Ronald D. White Carol O’meara Suzanne Plewes Jack Guttentag ADDITIONAL CONTENT Tribune News Service ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Thais Hafer, Toni McNeill EDITOR/FEATURES COORDINATOR Misty Kaiser

SEND US YOUR NEWS. At Home welcomes news from the local community on real estate/home tips, events, hirings, advancements, awards, community involvement and other information of interest to the Boulder County and Northern Colorado areas. Submitted items should be non-promotional in tone. Visit AtHomeColorado.com/ Submit-Your-News. ADVERTISING INFORMATION: To advertise in At Home or to promote your open house contact Thais Hafer at 303.473.1456, Toni McNeil at 303.684.5329 or visit AtHomeColorado.com/Advertise To submit an open house listing, visit AtHomeColorado.com/ SubmitOpenHouseLoveland.com.

FACEBOOK.COM/ ATHOMECOLORADO

AT HOME

The right countertop will lend both functionality and style to your kitchen. (Dreamstime)

By Megan Alderton, Angie’s List Angie’s List (TNS) If you’ve thought about remodeling your kitchen, you’ve probably given some consideration to countertops. After all, countertops are not just an important functional feature; they’re also a primary design element. And the many options available can make the choice seem overwhelming. Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of ﬁve popular materials to help you choose the best countertops for your kitchen: GRANITE Granite has long been a top countertop material, and for good reason: It’s durable, heatresistant, attractive and easy to clean. What’s more, granite is cut from veins of naturally occurring stone, which makes each slab entirely unique. Typically, a granite countertop slab will run anywhere from $50 to $150 per square foot, though granite tiles will yield a similar result for less. One downside to granite is it’s porous, so it must be sealed once a year to maintain its appearance and durability. ENGINEERED QUARTZ Engineered quartz is another popular countertop material. In fact, many designers argue that it’s

taken granite’s place at the top. That’s largely because it’s tougher than granite. It’s nonporous, so it’s resistant to cracking, scratching and staining. And it doesn’t require the maintenance and sealing that come with natural stone. Because the material is engineered, it comes in uniform slabs. But there are a number of attractive colors and design options available — ranging from sleek, modern monotones to traditional marble look-alikes. Engineered quartz is one of the more expensive countertop options. Typically, you’ll spend as much or more for engineered quartz countertops as you will for granite. BUTCHER BLOCK Wooden butcher block countertops are not only functional and durable, but they can also add warmth and beauty to any home. The downside to wooden butcher block countertops is they require frequent maintenance. Wood has to be sealed about once a month to prevent damage from heat and moisture, and regular wax and oil treatments will keep it looking its best. The good news is minor damages such as scratches and small burns can typically be sanded out. Wooden butcher block countertops typically fall about mid-range in terms of pricing.

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

CONCRETE Concrete countertops offer natural strength and heat resistance, as well as the opportunity for full customization. Not only can homeowners choose from an array of precast colors and designs, but they may also opt to include additives such as rocks, shells and colored glass to add texture or create a look all their own. Concrete countertops used to crack and chip easily, but material innovations have addressed these issues. Concrete is a good option for both modern and traditional interiors. And, like butcher block, it typically falls about mid-range in terms of pricing. LAMINATE Laminate (commonly referred to by brand name Formica) is one of the most affordable countertop materials. Generally made with paper pressed between plastic resins and bonded to particle board or plywood, laminate is durable but easily damaged. The downside to laminate is it’s not heat- or scratch-resistant. The upside is it comes in a wide range of colors and textures that mimic higher-end materials at a much lower cost. And, its price point makes it more easily replaceable than other countertop materials. Of course, these are only a few of the countertop materials available. You may also consider options like soapstone, tile and stainless steel, for example, which all come with their own pros and cons. Ultimately, the best material for your kitchen countertop will depend on your budget, use and design preferences. ——— Megan Alderton is a reporter for Angie’s List, a trusted provider of local consumer reviews and an online marketplace of services from top-rated providers. Visit AngiesList.com. December 9-10, 2017

LAWN AND GARDEN

Living trees provide lasting memories

A living Christmas tree lasts long after the holiday season is over. (Shutterstock)

This is a magical time of year. The smell of fresh-cut pine perfumes the air; choices are made between ﬁr or pine, and cars adorned with carcasses of trees head home to put up their prize. Cut Christmas trees are a tradition reaching back to 16th century Germany, when evergreens were brought inside and decorated with

December 9-10, 2017

candles, sweets, or ribbon. While I love having trees in the house, their time with us is fleeting; a month goes by and their needles shed BY CAROL and we’re faced O’MEARA with taking Colorado State University Extension them to the compost pile. One way to keep the holiday cheer is to use a living tree instead. If you opt for a living tree, planning ahead is the key to success. To keep them healthy, you’ll have to water them, which, in addition to the soil, can make a mess on the carpet. Make sure the location in the home can accommodate a bit of moisture and mud. Before purchasing the tree, consider the size and weight of what you can handle. The bigger the tree, the heavier it is. Shop early to find healthy trees, looking for those with deep green needles and no brown tips, yellowing, or shedding. If possible, check to ensure the tree isn’t rootbound by gently laying it on its side and sliding the container down to inspect the roots. For those that are balled and burlapped, look for firm rootballs with no cracking. As you move the tree from store to car to house, lift it from the bottom of the rootball. Though

tempting, don’t use the trunk as a handle to lift the tree, and avoid thumping it down hard against the ground. Living trees can be held in the yard until it’s time to bring them inside. Living trees can’t stay in the house longer than seven days or it compromises their ability to be returned to the wild of your landscaped yard. Have your decorations on hand for when you move the tree into the house so that you make the most of its time inside. Bringing a tree indoors immediately can result in shock – not from the tree’s response to you housekeeping but from the difference between conditions outside and in. Buffer this by acclimating it in a protected area, such as an unheated garage or enclosed porch. Approximately four days before moving the tree indoors, place it in this holding area to prep it for the move into the home. Like cut Christmas trees, living ones should be located in a cool spot, away from heating ducts, ﬁreplaces, and space heaters. But one thing this tree needs is sunlight, so try to keep it near a sunny window. Pop the rootball into a container that has at least two inches of gravel on the bottom, which will allow for the plant to be watered without it sitting in a puddle. Check the rootball daily to ensure that it is moist, but not soggy.

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

Once the holiday is over, acclimate the tree to moving back outside by placing it in the sheltered porch or garage for a few days. If you plan to plant a living tree after the holiday, dig the hole now, before the ground freezes, making it at least twice as wide but no deeper than the rootball. Remove the container and place the tree in the dug hole so the top of the rootball is slightly above ground level. Put some backfill in the hole. Remove any wire and rope from the rootball, then fill with the rest of the backfill. Water heavily to settle the soil, adding more, if necessary, to bring the soil level with the ground. Mulch the planted area. Water the tree monthly or more, especially if winter is dry, windy, and warm. Colorado State University Extension, together with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, provides unbiased, research-based information about consumer and family issues, horticulture, natural resources, agriculture and 4-H youth development. For more information contact Colorado State University Extension at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd., Box B, Longmont, 303.678.6238, e-mail comeara@bouldercounty.org or visit ext.colostate.edu/boulder.

AT HOME

COVERPROFILE

13 zero-cost ways to

MAKE YOUR HOME FEEL FRESH By Gabrielle Savoie, Domaine (TNS)

research before tackling anything major, but remember a little patina can go a long way in making a home feel lived-in but fresh.

here comes a time in the life of every busy person when a decor refresh becomes not only necessary but also imminent. That doesn’t necessarily involve a full-blown remodel or decor overhaul, but just like any good spring-cleaning session, you sometimes need to roll up your sleeves to make your home feel new again. Are you hosting the holiday parties this year? Do you have guests staying over for a few days? Don’t let your home show that you’ve been working 10-hour days every week and that your decor has suffered accordingly. Because we’re all short on time and money before the year’s end, we know our wallets don’t always follow our hearts’ desires. This is why we came up with some fresh home hacks to update your decor without spending a dime or jeopardizing an entire weekend. Keep reading for our favorite home hacks to make your home feel new again — for free.

USE YOUR LEFTOVER PAINT We all had those leftover paint cans lying around that are essentially 95 percent empty but we keep just in case. Why not use some of that paint to reﬁnish a piece of furniture or a room accent? Dip-dye the legs of a chair or paint the mantel or a door for an instant refresh.

STYLE A PIECE OF FURNITURE BEFORE THROWING IT OUT Context has a huge inﬂuence on how we perceive items. This is why higher-end retail stores put so much effort in presentation compared to their discount counterparts. If you have a tired piece of furniture lying around, channel your inner decorator and give it the best overhaul you can: Style it with your ultimate favorite books, mirrors and vases. You just might also look at it in a whole new light.

RETHINK YOUR LAYOUT With a pen, paper and a little muscle, you can completely transform the ﬂow of a room. Plan a completely new layout with your existing furniture: Move your sofa by the window, or move furniture away from the walls and closer together. Don’t hesitate to bring accent furniture from other rooms or swap artwork from room to room.

FLIP YOUR RUG UPSIDE DOWN This only works with certain rugs, usually oriental ones, but here’s a quick designer tip: Flipping your rug upside down will expose the textural weave and more muted colors of its ﬂip side. So if you’re growing a little tired of your rug, take a peek at what’s on the back and turn it around.

AT HOME

EDIT DOWN TO A MINIMUM

Combining and restyling a few of pieces of furniture like this arm chair, stool and lamp can make you see the pieces you already have in a whole new light. Rearranging the bookcase behind to incorporate books, favorite vases, and a collections of vintage items, like these cameras, gives the space character. (Shutterstock.)

DECORATE WITH GREENERY FROM OUTSIDE

STRIP SOMETHING BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL TEXTURE

Get out in the backyard, go for a walk and ﬁnd pretty branches to decorate with. Greenery adds life and sculptural elements. All you need is a standard ﬂorist’s vase and some fresh water.

If you live in an older home, chances are some things have been painted over and reﬁnished dozens of times. But do you know what lies beneath? Try stripping a door back to its original wood, or do the same with wooden beams or even vintage furniture. Do your

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

Sometimes, when decor feels a little tired, you don’t need to add anything to make it better. In fact, you just might need to remove the elements that are making it less than spectacular. By editing down your decor to a minimum, you’re able to reintroduce your favorite pieces and those only. The rest can go to storage or charity, and you’re left with a fresh, well-edited space.

HANG YOUR KIDS’ ARTWORK Do you keep your children’s drawings and paintings in boxes or binders? Why not frame them instead? Kids’ art is colorful and candid, and it makes for great artwork that you can easily swap around. December 9-10, 2017

hang them to create instant art. Visit Grandma’s attic if you’re short on heirlooms and vintage treasures.

REARRANGE YOUR BOOKCASE I can guarantee that even the owners of the most impeccably styled homes in magazines can’t keep their houses looking remotely as pristine as they did on the day of the photo shoot. It’s only natural for homes to amass clutter and for objects to get displaced. Take a moment to restyle a bookcase or a console table.

CREATE A READING NOOK

Recovering an existing headboard makes it feel new and fresh. (Shutterstock)

THINK LIKE A STYLIST Hop on Pinterest, gather inspiration of your favorite styled homes and try replicating the vignettes you love most. Interior stylists often spend very little money on accessories and props to make homes look great for a photo shoot: Think vintage pottery, a couple of trays and strategic placement.

Open House Saturday & Sunday 11-1pm

RE-COVER YOUR OLD HEADBOARD It’s possible that you’ve grown tired of your headboard or you simply feel that your bedroom is lacking a little texture. Why not re-cover it? You can choose a new fabric that ﬁts your and your room’s aesthetic and voila, you have a whole new look without the expense of buying a brand new headboard. Otherwise, you could

grab a throw or blanket lying around the house, and effortlessly re-cover your headboard by draping the throw over it.

HANG OR DISPLAY VINTAGE OBJECTS Do you have old tennis rackets you don’t use or vintage china passed down from your grandmother? Display these pieces around your home or, even better,

Chances are that you have a lounge chair, accent table and task lamp somewhere in your home, though not necessarily styled together. Gather them and assemble a comfortable reading nook. Add pillows and a throw to complete the look. ——— Get the latest on home decor trends, design ideas, shopping guides and food news, and take a look inside your favorite celebrity homes on DomaineHome.com.

Featured Property

148 Ponderosa Ct, Red Feather Lakes 80545 $274,000 • MLS# 830054 3 Beds • 3 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 1,919

612 E Pitkin St, Fort Collins 80524 $1,575,000 • MLS# 836957 5 Beds • 5 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 5,637

3054 Suri Trail, Bellvue 80512 $1,730,000 • MLS# 831423 5 Beds • 5 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 6,075

1221 Quillan Gulch Rd, Loveland 80537 $500,000 • MLS# 829077 3 Beds • 2 Bath • Total Sq. Ft. 1,752

Turn Key estate with everything included. This end unit townhome offers 2000 sq ft of luxury. Granite slab counter-tops, SS appliances, great room w/ fireplace, vaulted ceilings, 2 master suites & so much more. John Simmons Jesse Laner 970-481-1250 970-672-7212 jsimmons@c3-re.com jlaner@c3-re.com

Once in a lifetime opportunity to own this COMPLETELY new home in Old Town. Double lot w/ 4 car garage/shop & conforming carriage house w/ side parking. Primary residence features high end finishes inside & out. John Simmons Jesse Laner 970-481-1250 970-672-7212 jsimmons@c3-re.com jlaner@c3-re.com

This Ranch home features a walk-out basement, main floor office, fitness or craft room, formal dining, gourmet kitchen, guest or in-law retreat & thousands in upgrades. 1077 sq ft attached garage and a detached 2177 Sq Ft garage w/office. John Simmons Jesse Laner 970-481-1250 970-672-7212 jsimmons@c3-re.com jlaner@c3-re.com

Mountain Home on 35 acres and just 40 minutes outside of Downtown Loveland but feels like its a world away! Road is maintained all the way to the driveway. Meadow in front would be great for horses! John Simmons John Feeney 970-481-1250 970-231-4172 jsimmons@c3-re.com jfeeney@c3-re.com

Open House Saturday 1-4pm

Open House Saturday 11-1pm

UNDER CONTRACT

Open House Sat 11-3pm Sun 11-2pm

New Price! 365 Acres!

2501 Fairplay Drive, Loveland 80538 $325,000 • MLS# 837270 4 Beds • 3 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 2,280

303 Prairie Clover Way, Severance 80550 $369,000 • MLS# 835176 4 Beds • 3.5 Baths • 3 Car Garage

2796 Glendale Dr, Loveland 80538 $465,000 • MLS# 837126 4 Beds • 4 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 3,492

2498 Mehaffey Dr, Loveland 80538 $430,000 4 Beds • 4 Baths

729 Sawmill Road, Loveland 80537 $750,000 • MLS# 817026 3 Beds • 3 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 4,377

This stunning home has a spacious sun-room, spacious kitchen with new appliances, two large living areas, & gas fireplace. Enjoy an oversized garage, expansive deck, & tons of new updates throughout! Amanda Hicks 970-581-0384 ahicks@c3-re.com

Beautifully updated Multi-level with Partially finished basement - lovely deck and fully fenced yard-- Come see! 2674 Sq. Ft.

Everything you want! Totally updated Open Floor Plan and a kitchen that has it all--White cabinets, granite counters, SS appl, wood floors, bright windows! Vaulted Ceilings. All new carpets. Come See!

This beautiful 4 bed 4 bath home in a quiet west Loveland neighborhood has vaulted ceilings, updated kitchen and bathrooms, new carpet, spacious laundry room, oversized garage, NO HOA, on a huge lot.

Beautiful & Custom home near Loveland! Own 35 Acres near town, floor to ceiling windows, 4 car attached garage, unfinished walk out basement & home office in the loft. Mountain living at its finest! John Feeney 970-231-4172 www.RealEstateInNorthernColorado.com

IS TL

3635 Como Ct. Loveland 80538 $385,000 3 Beds • 2 Baths • Total Sq. Ft. 3,276 Newer Patio home, open flr plan, hickory floors, knotty alder trim, & plantation shutters. Kitch. W/ island, pantry & SS appl. Liv Rm has lots of light & fireplc. Full unfin. bsmt. On a cul-de-sac. Mandi Krueger 303-981-5870 mkrueger@c3-re.com

Mollie Otto 970-646-1303 motto@c3-re.com

Lisa Young 970-219-1955 lyoung@c3-re.com

www.MyColoHome.com December 9-10, 2017

Lisa Young 970-219-1955 lyoung@c3-re.com

Brett Janzen 970-290-3096 bjanzen@c3-re.com

970.225.5152 • C3 Real Estate Solution, LLC. Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

AT HOME

HOME DÉCOR

Use whatever you love to up your holiday decorating

Lanterns are a trendy item for holiday decorating this year. A candle in each lantern results in a rustic look. Also also popular are small holiday scenes, greenery, glittering Christmas trees and other festive items tucked inside lanterns. (Fernando Salazar/Wichita Eagle/TNS)

By Bonnie Bing, The Wichita Eagle (TNS)

A sampling from a collection of white pitchers add snowy white and winter white to a silver and white display in a hall entry. Placing items on a tray makes a display look more complete. (Fernando Salazar/Wichita Eagle/TNS)

Before you start putting everything away so you can decorate for the holidays, stop. Those items you collect, whether it’s ﬁgurines, colored glass pieces, porcelain bunnies or whatever, can be used in your festive decor. Treasures that have happy

memories attached can add to how special your mantel or tabletop will look. The display is unique and can be a conversation starter. Just remember you don’t have to include an entire collection. All it takes is a little imagination and festive ribbon, greenery, lights, or whatever ties into your theme this year. Retailers say lanterns are a

big hit this season, so if you’ve accumulated lanterns over the years, this is the time to get them out. Put battery operated candles in them and you’ll have a rustic look to welcome guests. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and drag out the same centerpiece or use the same idea year after year. So using what you’ve collected is an easy way to bring on change. And think about repurposing. If you ﬁlled glass containers with candy last year, this year put colorful balls in them, or pine cones, maybe some plain and some painted. It’s fun to change things up. Not feeling creative? Flip through one of the many magazines offering holiday ideas for inspiration. You don’t need to copy, but it helps get you in a decorating mood. Look around the house. You’ll be surprised that treasures you already have can easily make a holiday statement this season.

Plan Ahead ** Request Your FREE Report: How to Sell Your House for Top Dollar - Fast! Do you own a home in Northern Colorado? Are you considering selling or even just curious as to how the process of selling your home would go? We at the Nanci Garnand team believe in transparency, and want you to know what your home sale will look like in advance

so you can be prepared and avoid any unpleasant surprises. The free EBook we are offering has valuable information and advice about selling your home in today’s market. Then, when you’re ready to sell contact us to guide you through the process.

We provide assistance with every aspect of the sale of your home. From moving boxes to contract negotiation we will make sure the sale of your home goes as smoothly as possible. Check out www.SellersEBook.com

to get your free EBook today.

Our Pet of

Patio Home The Week: Open House Tucker from Louisa Sat 1 - 3

www.

2740Lochbuie.com

Heiman Scheele!

Call us for details

www.LovelandHousePrices.com

@NoColoHomes

#happypethappyhome

The Nanci Garnand Team (970) 541-0840

Dave Gornall (970) 590-8891 6

AT HOME

Nanci Garnand (970) 227-1327 Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

December 9-10, 2017

REAL ESTATE

Millennials want to own homes too, if US economy would consent By Agnel Philip, Bloomberg News (TNS) WASHINGTON — Kelsey Marshall and her boyfriend Chris Eidam, both 27 years old, call the home-buying process “terrifying.” But they’re clear about one thing: It beats the heck out of renting. “We’re wasting money where we are right now,” near Bridgeport, Conn., Eidam said. “We just take our rent and we throw it away. That money doesn’t go to anything.” If that line of thinking sounds familiar it’s because, contrary to much of what’s written about them, millennials have many of the same attitudes toward housing as their parents and grandparents. Most say they want to eventually own homes, and only rent because of ﬁnancial necessity. They even appear to be choosing more traditional houses in the suburbs over renting or buying in city centers. So far, so good, for the housing industry — but that’s not the whole story. Home-ownership rates are still near record lows, several percentage points down from before the housing bust, even after one of the longest economic expansions on record. Hardly anybody expects them to come all the way back. And that’s not because of some new mindset among millennials — it’s because of the economy they came of age in. For now, realtors are celebrating a small but noticeable uptick in buying among millennials, the country’s largest age-group. Nationwide, for two straight quarters, the homeownership rate among those aged 35 and younger has increased. That’s “huge” for the industry, and shows that millennials are “getting back into the game,” said Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist at Trulia. “In the long run, we expect millennials to own homes at rates of their parents or close to it,” he said. “It’s just that they’re experiencing headwinds.” But what if those headwinds are here to stay? Rents consume a larger share than they used to out of earnings that aren’t growing much, making it hard to save for a December 9-10, 2017

The current real estate market has made it difﬁcult for millennials to purchase a home rather than rent. (Shutterstock)

down payment. Lending standards have relaxed some; still, young buyers already carrying record levels of student debt can struggle to qualify. Home building has lagged and become increasingly geared toward high-end houses, as wealth skews upward. Perhaps above all, for the generation that’s just getting started on careers, job security is a thing of the past. “You go back 20 or 30 years, people would get a job in their late 20s, early 30s with the idea that they might work there until retirement,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research and an economist who studies housing. “People aren’t in that boat today.” For young people whose careers will likely require frequent moves from city to city, the math often doesn’t add up. Owners have to stay put for some years to recover the transaction costs, especially in regions where prices don’t rise much. Tax proposals currently in Congress would reduce or eliminate deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes, further undermining the case for buying. That’s “not necessarily a bad thing,” Baker said. “It’s good for a lot of people to be a homeowner, but in a lot of cases, you might say someone wants the option — they’re in Chicago, New York and they get a good job offer in California or something — you want people to be able to take that. If they are tied to their homes, that’s a big commitment.” There are barriers on the supply

side, too. Builders all over the country have been shying away from the more affordable homes that millennials favor. That’s limiting availability and driving up prices, leaving the market ill-prepared for a large inﬂux of young buyers. Industry analysts cite labor shortages, restrictive zoning laws and materials prices among the reasons. “The result is that price gains continue to exceed income growth through scarcity,” said Rob Dietz, chief economist at the National Association of Homebuilders. “Particularly in that smaller home market, which is the hardest market for a builder to essentially reach and build to these days.” Jessica Feliciano has noticed the squeeze. Every house the 34-yearold has looked at in Hartford’s desirable suburbs got snapped up before she could make her move. “Once a good house comes on the market and it’s priced properly, it’s gone within like ﬁve days,” she said. “So if you don’t schedule a showing and make a decision basically on the spot, it’s gone.” Zoning and associated land costs are especially tough in Connecticut, helping make it one of least dynamic housing markets in the U.S. The state’s 169 towns all have different standards, and most have been resistant to building more homes per acre, even though in places where that’s been attempted, it’s often been a success. “Every town has their own politics and their own zoning

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

and their own ideas of what they want,” said Johnny Carrier, a builder near Hartford, who succeeded with a neighborhood of townhomes in Newington and is looking for opportunities to replicate it elsewhere. The U.S. housing industry expresses confidence that in spite of all the obstacles, millennials will come round to home-ownership as their life-situations change. While they’ve been getting married and having children later than their parents did, young adults are starting to cross barriers typically associated with buying. The number of households is edging up, as the last millennials graduate from college and strike out on their own. When that trend surfaced in 2014, young adult households typically became renters. Last year, more became owners. “Right now, probably a third of our housing business is young couples coming out of the apartments,” said Chris Nelson, a builder in Simsbury, an upscale Hartford suburb. “We really think that that’s just the beginning. That over the next three to five years, we’re going to see a ton of people coming out of the apartments, buying homes.” Conditions should eventually get easier for those buyers: More homes are expected to come on the market as Baby Boomers downsize or pass on. But it may take a while — and it may be another, yet-to-be-named generational cohort that sees the full benefits. “In the long run, we’re going to age out of the problem,” said McLaughlin, the Trulia economist. “That may be, however, another 20 years before that starts to happen en masse.” AT HOME

REAL ESTATE

Preparing to Sell Your Home in 2018 At this time of year, many homeowners start thinking about selling in the upcoming Spring or Summer. If you are one of them, SUZANNE it’s important to keep a few PLEWES RE/MAX Alliance things in mind. The tips below will help make your future home sale just a little bit easier. Delay Furniture Purchases Since you’re going to be moving soon, it’s best not to add to the amount of furniture included in that move. Wait until after the move and select new furniture to be delivered directly to your new home. This will save in moving costs and eliminate the potential for those new items getting damaged in the move.

Avoid Additional Décor Every home has different needs when it comes to the décor. Any new items that you purchase now may not ﬁt with your new home’s layout or design. Plus, you don’t want to add any new pieces that could damage your walls and require repair before selling. Save yourself the money and additional work by avoiding the purchase or installation of any new home décor.

new pet.

Don’t Adopt Any New Pets New pets are a popular family holiday surprise. However, they do make selling your home a little more complicated. First, pets come with belongings, which can add clutter to your home. Secondly, it’s best to remove pets from your home during showings. So, a new pet could make scheduling showing appointments more complicated and less convenient for you. Consider waiting until after you move before adopting a

Start Decluttering It’s never too soon to start packing! This can be a great way to get organized, declutter, and prepare your home for future showings. We all know that packing takes time, so getting a head start can signiﬁcantly reduce your stress.

Don’t Accumulate More Debt You will naturally spend a little bit more money than usual during the holiday months. Try to be conservative with your spending. Credit card debt could impact your ability to purchase a new home. Your credit score can also affect qualiﬁcation for certain mortgage programs and interest rates.

Tackle Repairs Repairs are another important aspect of prepping your home for sale. Don’t wait until the last

minute to start identifying and addressing needed repairs. Slowly work your way through the list over the next several months. You’ll be so glad you did! Request a Home Valuation If you’re curious about what your home is currently worth or what you can do to improve its value, a real estate agent is your best resource. By knowing what your current home is worth, you can ﬁgure out what home you can afford next.

—————————————— Suzanne Plewes is a broker associate at RE/MAX Alliance. Write to 750 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland, CO 80537, call 970.290.0373 or e-mail suzanneplewes@remax.net.

OPEN HOUSES FEATURED WWW.ATHOMECOLORADO.COM/OPEN-HOUSES

FEATURED PROPERTY 4527 Angelica Dr, Johnstown $799,900

RIC

P EW

Stunning 2-story home in Thompson Crossing! Beautifully appointed 6 bedroom, 6 bath home with custom foyer, vaulted ceilings, cherry hardwood floors, upgraded fixtures, smooth slab granite, Pella windows and more! Wonderfully spacious formal dining room and kitchen with large island. Private main floor master retreat with fireplace and 5 piece bath. Main floor laundry room, and study. Large loft upstairs for extra room. Finished basement with wet bar, large family room and media room. Enjoy the fireplace while relaxing on the covered patio and admiring the beautiful fenced backyard. All of this on a large corner lot! Don’t miss it! MLS#833662 Kathy Harms, MCNE Office 970-225-1190

LIST YOUR OPEN HOUSE 8

AT HOME

Cell: 970-396-2284 KathyH@SearsRealEstate.com

VISIT ATHOMECOLORADO.COM/SUBMIT-OPEN-HOUSE OR CALL 303.473.1456, 303.684.5329 Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

December 9-10, 2017

OPEN HOUSE

QUICK GUIDE

WWW.ATHOMECOLORADO.COM/OPEN-HOUSES BOULDER 4718 Jameston St. $556,000 Sunday 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Richard Alpers Coldwell Banker Residential (303) 263-8237 4949 Sundance Square $580,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Sean McIllwain MOD Boulder (720) 252-6051 3601 Arapahoe Avenue #304 $609,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Rich Gribbon RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 441-5685 3130 Eastwood Ct $645,000 Sunday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Lorrie Trussell RE/MAX Alliance (720) 235-2409 1250 Albion Way $750,000 Saturday 10:00 AM-1:00 PM Matthew Jensen WK Real Estate (303) 819-6494

2141 Grove Circle W $835,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Steve Altermatt RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 441-5669

634 Mathews Way $450,000 Saturday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Janet Borchert WK Real Estate (720) 564-6034

120 Bowen Street $360,000 Sunday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Matthew Jensen WK Real Estate (303) 819-6494

3101 11th St $1,169,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Zach Zeldner RE/MAX Alliance on Walnut (720) 480-7650

1223 Northview Drive $620,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Denise Patryas RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 441-5644

2708 Mountain View Ave $399,000 Saturday 12:30 PM-3:30 PM Dennis Culver WK Real Estate (303) 618-3366

FIRESTONE 10269 Deerfield Street $550,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Janet Borchert WK Real Estate (720) 564-6034

2708 Mountain View Ave $399,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Christina Bremner WK Real Estate (720) 201-7036

840 Grape Ave $1,295,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Leyla Steele RE/MAX Alliance On Walnut (303) 859-3110 3246 5th St $2,350,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-3:00 PM Tom Kahn RE/MAX Alliance (303) 579-4678

DACONO 4595 Sedona Ln $440,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Sean Gilliam RE/MAX Alliance (970) 313-6706

1522 Moonlight Dr Starting in the mid-$400,000’s Saturday & Sunday 12:00 PM-5:00 PM Stan Meade/Tim Shea Pedal To Properties (303) 817-7777

FORT COLLINS 8273 Spinnaker Bay Dr $630,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Keith Huntsman The Group Inc (970) 227-2779 LAFAYETTE 112 Starline Ave $409,000 Saturday & Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Ben Oliver Fourstar Realty (303) 803-7526

213 Deer Trail Circle $775,000 Sunday 2:00 PM-4:00 PM Keith McQuillen WK Real Estate (303) 589-1432

ERIE 740 Pierce St $350,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Janet Thompson Thompson Daviau Realty (303) 668-9987

2547 Concord Circle $695,000 Sunday 1:30 PM-3:00 PM Andrew Muller RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 434-6633

2141 Grove Circle W. $835,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Steve Altermatt RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 441-5669

740 Pierce St $350,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-2:00 PM Janet Thompson Thompson Daviau Realty (303) 668-9987

LONGMONT 2318 Stuart Street $295,000 Saturday 12:00 AM-3:00 PM David Wagner ERA Tradewind Real Estate (720) 244-0980

918 Half Measure Dr $600K’s+ Daily 11:00 AM-5:00 PM Marlita Lazo Markel Homes (303) 522-7928 1024 Confidence Dr $760,000 Sunday 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Suzy Williamson RE/MAX Alliance (720) 491-9885

LOUISVILLE 1805 Blue Star Lane - Model Home $600K’s+ Wednesday - Monday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Michele Steward Markel Homes (303) 604-9196

LOVELAND 3037 Crux Dr $309,950 Saturday 10:00 AM-6:00 PM Matt Nesbitt The Group Inc (970) 419-2327

4037 Don Fox Cir $387,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Sara Horner The Group Inc (970) 443-8556

3037 Crux Dr $309,950 Sunday 11:00 AM-5:00 PM Matt Nesbitt The Group Inc (970) 419-2327

2498 Mehaffey Drive $430,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-3:00 PM Brett Janzen C3 Real Estate Solutions (970) 29-306

2501 Fairplay Drive $325,000 Saturday & Sunday 1:00 PM-4:00 PM Amanda Hicks C3 Real Estate Solutions (970) 581-0384 3440 Oberon Dr $360’s-$430’s Saturday & Sunday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Brittany Munoz LC Tulip (970) 227-1334 4069 Buffalo Mountain Dr $370,000 Saturday 12:00 PM-3:00 PM Cathy Vance The Group Inc (970) 231-0234 1402 W 31st Street $370,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Kristen Perry Re/Max Alliance (970) 556-8919 3635 Como Ct $385,000 Saturday & Sunday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Mandi Krueger C3 Real Estate Solutions (303) 981-5870

2498 Mehaffey Drive $430,000 Sunday 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Brett Janzen C3 Real Estate Solutions (970) 29-306

NIWOT 6880 Totara Place $539,000 Sunday 12:00 PM-3:00 PM Julie Meko RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 931-6555 SEVERANCE 303 Prairie Clover Way $369,000 Saturday 11:00 AM-1:00 PM Lisa Young C3 Real Estate Solutions (970) 219-1955 SUPERIOR 2855 Rock Creek Circle #213 $390,000 Saturday 12:00 PM-3:00 PM Barry Remington WK Real Estate (720) 373-9297

Northern Colorado Real Estate Agents: Promote Your Listings Effortlessly. Simple, Powerful, Affordable Real Estate Advertising.

Your ad on thousands of top websites - reaching potential prospects anywhere they go online.

Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind home you’re eager to sell or personalized services you want to promote, advertise effortlessly with LeadHax to command the market before your competitors do.

• Build your ad in seconds! • Packages start at just $99. • Target your audience.

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Listing Sample

Visit LeadHax.com or contact Thais Hafer 303.473.1456, hafert@dailycamera.com

LIST YOUR OPEN HOUSE December 9-10, 2017

VISIT ATHOMECOLORADO.COM/SUBMIT-OPEN-HOUSE OR CALL 303.473.1456, 303.684.5329 Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

AT HOME

HOME DÉCOR

Why your Christmas tree costs more — again

Los Angeles Christmas tree seller George Lopez cuts string off an evergreen on Dec. 6, 2016. Nationally, Christmas trees are projected to cost 5 percent to 10 percent more this year than last. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

By Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times (TNS) On an uncharacteristically crisp December night in Los Angeles, seasonal music mixed with a piney fragrance as mechanic Jose Rodriguez got a lesson in economics to explain why his Christmas tree was scrawnier and costlier than last year. Tree seller George Lopez said the noble fir that Rodriguez was considering might not have even made it onto his lot last year. But Christmas trees are in short supply, Lopez said, so the grower harvested the less-than-ideal specimen rather than leave it for another season to fill out a few gaps. “What am I going to do, not buy a tree?” said Rodriguez, who eventually counted out $125 for a fir that Lopez figured would have cost about $100 last year. “Once the decorations are on, it should be OK.” For the second year in a row, American consumers are paying more for their Christmas trees, 10

AT HOME

and the selection might not be as lush. “It’s a tight supply and demand balance this year,” said Doug Hundley, spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association, which projects that trees across the country are costing 5 percent to 10 percent more than last year. A tree grower for 35 years, Hundley these days handles media questions for the trade group and doesn’t want anyone talking about shortages lest consumers get the wrong message and buy the plastic and metal variety instead. “We believe everyone who wants a natural Christmas tree will be able to ﬁnd one,” he said. Hundley and other experts say the supply squeeze grew out of the Great Recession as well as agricultural shifts toward more lucrative crops and other land uses, which could contribute to higher prices in the future. Growers in Oregon and North Carolina, which supply most the nation’s Christmas trees, were

betting on an increase in demand shortly before the recession hit in 2007. Sales tanked, causing a severe oversupply of trees. That resulted in sharply lower tree plantings, said Chal Landgren, a professor at Oregon State University Extension Service and a Christmas tree specialist. “The recession certainly had something to do with it, but the bigger problem was that we also overplanted by about 2 or 3 million trees” before the downturn, Landgren said. “There wasn’t any market for those trees,” he said. “People left the industry and we’ve shrunk.” Between 2010 and 2015, the number of acres growing Christmas trees in Oregon fell to 41,223 from 57,250, federal data show. Some growers planted other crops that were more profitable, and some faced a generational change, Hundley said. “A lot of the growers started out in the 1950s. They are all aged out and their children sometimes aren’t as interested in carrying on,” he said. Tougher conditions have winnowed trees, too. “In an average year, about 10 percent of the seedlings die,” Landgren said. “In these last two years, growers have experienced 50 percent, 60 percent and even 70 percent losses on noble firs.” Another factor: With vast distances to cover getting trees from the growers to market, higher fuel prices are contributing to higher costs. Diesel, the fuel that powers long-haul trucks, is averaging more than $2.80 a gallon nationwide, up more than 40 cents from a year earlier, according to AAA. In California, diesel is averaging more than $3.55 a gallon, up about 70 cents from a year earlier. Lopez, who runs Lopez Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Trees from the Venice United Methodist Church parking lot, agrees that everyone should be able to find a tree, but it might

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

not be up to the standards of past years. Getting 200 noble firs to sell used to be a simple, single-source purchase. This year, Lopez said he thinks distributors might be hoarding for fear of running out before the tree-buying season ends. “I ask for 200 trees, they give me 20,” Lopez said. “I go to another distributor and he gives me 50. It took forever.” And the quality of the trees is down: “I had to look at 100 trees before I could find 10 that I wanted,” Lopez said. Most consumers will find the quality difference acceptable, and pay up; such is the cost of keeping families in festive moods. But for some, the difference in price this year will put trees out of reach. For four years, Errol H. Segal, who operates Active Recycling Co. in the Chesterfield Square neighborhood of South Los Angeles, has been giving free Christmas trees to anyone who brings in recyclables to sell. Ashley Cano, 25, and her husband, Laccarri Ogletree, rounded up whatever they could find to recycle so they could get in on the free tree offer. Otherwise, she said, they would have a hard time affording one. “This is even more great,” Cano said, “because I just lost my job at Subway after working there four years.” Segal handed out 80 trees the first year. This year, he gave away nearly 100 on the first day, out of a 400-tree stash. “The first comment I’ve been hearing from people is that Christmas tree prices have just gone out of sight,” Segal said. “Next year, I’m going to go for 1,000 trees.” December 9-10, 2017

THE MORTGAGE PROFESSOR

Encouraging first-time home buyers to save for a down payment By Jack Guttentag The Mortgage Professor (TNS) This is a hot-button issue. Many aspiring first-time homebuyers find it difficult to save for a down payment, and millennials heavily burdened by student debt find it especially challenging. There is widespread sentiment that they ought to be given a helping hand. State-Based First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account Laws: In response, a number of states have passed laws designed to encourage saving for a down payment. These programs eliminate state income taxes on interest paid on deposits earmarked for that purpose by first-time home buyers. According to Jonathan Lawless writing in National Mortgage News of Nov. 17, such programs have arisen in Montana, Virginia, Colorado, Mississippi, Iowa and Minnesota, and are pending in Pennsylvania, New York, Oklahoma, Maryland, Utah and Louisiana. After taking a close look at the laws in several of these states, I have concluded that they lack a key requirement of a successful savings program: savings discipline. This article describes a different type of program that does provide savings discipline, and would therefore result in a much more powerful inducement to save for a down payment. In addition, it would be national in scope, and no taxpayer funds would be required. The Importance of Savings

Discipline: Savings discipline is the imposition of a cost on those who fail to meet their savings objective. Its role is to protect savers against momentary weaknesses that can subvert their objective. The discipline can be provided in the terms of a savings program, or by the savers themselves. The most striking illustration of self-imposed saving discipline is one I saw in Liberia some years ago, where wannabee homeowners used their savings to purchase cinder blocks, which they piled up on their land until they had enough to start building their home. They lost the interest they could have earned if they had put their savings in a bank, and their cinder blocks were subject to weather-based deterioration, but the process thwarted temptations to use their savings for something else. Even in the US, a sizeable segment of the population ﬁnds it impossible to save without being subjected to savings discipline. Large numbers of people deliberately over-withhold on their income taxes in order to get a refund at the end of the year. The practice is particularly widespread in the US military. Most over-withholders realize that they are giving an interest-free loan to the government, but they accept that as the price of savings discipline. Layaway plans offered by department stores, where a customer makes a partial payment

particularly aggressive in pricing these deposits because of their expectation that successful saver/ home buyers may well take their mortgage from them. Differences Between the DPA and the State Programs: The cost of failure on a DPA is loss of interest. In contrast, there is no cost of failure in the state programs because those who fail earn the same interest rate as those who succeed, and receive the tax benefit immediately. While they must repay the tax benefit at some point in the future, they are no worse off for having participated in the program. The DPA would be available nationwide. In contrast, the state programs are limited to residents of the state purchasing properties in the state; those planning to purchase a home in a different state do not qualify. The DPA would require no public funding. In contrast, the states will incur revenue loss, and will be faced with a formidable administrative hassle. They will have to incur the expense of getting failed savers, who may now live in other states, to repay the tax benefit. ——— ABOUT THE WRITER Jack Guttentag is professor emeritus of finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Comments and questions can be left at mtgprofessor.com.

for a product which is put aside for them, are very similar. Proposal For a Privately-Based First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account Program: The core player in this proposal is a depository institution offering a new type of account – call it a down payment account or DPA. A DPA would differ from all other accounts in that interest would accrue but not be paid except as part of a home purchase, where both principal and accrued interest could be used for the down payment and to meet settlement costs. Deposits used for any other purpose could be withdrawn at any time but would receive no interest. Accrued interest would not be an expense to the depository until it was paid as part of a home purchase transaction. Government’s only possible role is in authorizing this new type of deposit, should that be necessary. Savings Discipline on the DPA: Those who fail get no interest while those who succeed earn enhanced interest. Because the failures receive no interest, the rate that will be offered on these accounts and enjoyed by successful savers will be higher than those on comparable standard deposits. For example, if the bank anticipates that half the deposits will receive zero interest, then it will pay 2 percent on an account type that would otherwise be priced at 1 percent. Banks that are also mortgage lenders will be

Mountain Gate at Mariana Butte Fall Home Sale

$449,000

Homes starting at $379K, includes landscaping, AC & nicely ﬁnished 51 homes in Mountain Gate built by Savant Homes, Northern Colorado’s 2015 Builder of the Year 7 homes to choose from, 5 ranch plans Model Open Friday-Monday 1pm-4pm Weekly or By Appointment

Call DJ Johnson www.savanthomesinc.com December 9-10, 2017

4703-A Boardwalk Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80525 | 970-226-3990 Each office independently owned & operated

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

(970) 213-0648 djjohnson@remax.net AT HOME

REAL ESTATE MATTERS

Do not put heirs on the title to your house By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin, Tribune Content Agency

: I read somewhere that what my mother did by putting her kids on title to her home with her was wrong. How can title be changed back to just the mother’s name? Our mother added all of her adult kids to her property deed, but now she is having to sell the house and move in with one of the kids. The house is paid for in full. We are worried about the tax implications when the house sells. Mom must keep all the money for her care.

: There probably isn’t anything you need to do now. If you have a buyer for your mom’s house, your mom will sell the house to that buyer. On the documents with the settlement agent or title company, she will give her social security number and allocate the entire purchase price to her social security number. You and your siblings will sign the documents to convey title to the new buyer but none of you will receive any money from the sale. All of the proceeds from the sale should go straight to your mom. Your mom will bear the tax consequences of the sale and you and your siblings should not be affected.

Now, we say this assuming that you and your siblings didn’t have anything to do with paying for the home or paying for the monthly expenses for the home. We also assume that none of you took any deductions for expenses that had to do with the home, such as mortgage interest. We also assume that none of you is looking for any cash to come from the sale of the home. The situation would change dramatically if one of you wants money from the sale or took deductions on your federal income taxes for real estate taxes or claimed the home as an investment property. But if the kids were only on title for estate planning purposes, so that the home would go to all of you when your mom died, you should avoid what’s known as a taxable event from selling a home that is not your primary residence and conveying title from all of your names to the new buyer. Let’s go over why we think having parents add adult children to the title of their house is a bad idea. The primary reason is that you might squander a tax opportunity. Under current IRS rules, your mom’s cost basis for the home might be quite low. If she were to die, her basis in the home would not transfer to you. Instead, the IRS would assess the home’s

value as the fair market value of the home at or around the time of your mom’s death (which is called a “stepped-up” basis). So if your mom purchased the home years ago for $30,000 and now it’s worth $300,000, her cost basis (“basis” is the word the IRS uses) is $30,000 plus costs of purchase, costs of sale and the cost of any capital improvements made to the home while she lived there. Let’s say that the proﬁt on the home is about $250,000. If you and your siblings are on title to the property when your mom dies, the cost to you isn’t the $300,000 sales price you get when you sell the home, it will be the basis that your mom had, which could be a lot lower. Here’s the bottom line: If you and your siblings are not on the title when your mom dies, you will receive the stepped-up basis and consequently have no proﬁt when you sell the home and no federal income taxes to pay. But if you are on title when she dies and then sell the home, you may have federal income taxes to pay. If parents are trying to avoid probate, instead of putting kids on title, they’d be better off establishing a trust and then retitling the house in the name of the trust. The trust would allow for the easy transfer of title of the home after the death of a parent, or a parent can have a will that

tells the executor who gets the proceeds of the home, but you’d have to go to probate court to probate the will to get the home sold. In some states, newer deed documents allow for the transfer of title of a home upon the death of a parent. These transfer on death instruments are becoming more popular. Title companies, on the other hand, have their reservations on how well they work and the practical issues of knowing exactly what has gone on with a property and the title to the property. In any case, for your purposes, if the closing is soon, you, your siblings and your mom will sign the closing documents, and your mom will report the sale of the home to the IRS, but we doubt that you and your siblings will have any federal income tax issues. For more information, you should talk to an accountant, enrolled agent or relative that has knowledge about your situation and your federal income taxes. (Ilyce Glink is the creator of an 18-part webinar+ebook series called “The Intentional Investor: How to be wildly successful in real estate,” as well as the author of many books on real estate. She also hosts the “Real Estate Minute,” on her YouTube channel. Samuel J. Tamkin is a Chicago-based real estate attorney. Contact Ilyce and Sam through her website, ThinkGlink.com.)

ASK A PLUMBER

The ins and outs of toilet shopping By Ed Del Grande, Tribune News Service (TNS) Dear Ed: My wife and I have been toilet shopping for our master bathroom, and we’ve noticed that some toilets have smooth sides and some toilets have wavy sides with curves. What’s the difference, and why would you choose one style toilet over the other? — Jerry and Gail, Massachusetts

A A skirted toilet is for the most part a cosmetic upgrade that conceals the trapway of the toilet. (Kohler) 12

AT HOME

: When you talk smooth-sided toilet bowls, it usually refers to whether or not the toilet bowl is “skirted,” or exposed. Standard toilets have what is called an exposed trapway, and that basically means you can see the outline of the toilet trap on both sides of the toilet bowl. Some homeowners may ﬁnd the exposed trap Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

curves on a standard toilet a little less attractive and a little more time-consuming to clean. If that’s the case, many toilet companies do offer concealed or skirted toilet bowls. A skirted toilet is for the most part a cosmetic upgrade that conceals the trapway of the toilet. These toilet bowls have smooth sides and can be easily wiped down, since there are no nooks or crannies to worry about. Bottom line: If you want an easy-to-clean fancy toilet, a skirted one can really help you dress up your bathroom. —— Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book “Ed Del Grande’s House Call,” the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com December 9-10, 2017

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS The following Loveland-area home sales were supplied by Colorado Weekly Homebuyers List Inc., 303-744-2020. Listed are the buyer, the property address, the seller and the amount. Berthoud • Matthew and Patricia Clark — 1219 Cedar Drive, Theodore Ruiter Trust, $298,000. • Chadley and Tami Root — 706 S. County Road E. 27, Rose and David Vanriper, $725,000. Estes Park • Robert and Susan Newman — 514 Grand Estates Drive, Unit D6, John and Barbara Johnson, $297,000. • Lyda and John Gardiner — 681 Conifer Lane, Scott and Brand Applegate, $525,000. Fort Collins • Kimberly McCarthy — 5620 Fossil Creek Parkway, Unit 6302, Mickey L. Nancy H. Story, $208,000. • Savannah Gregory — 2943 Rams Lane, Apt. C, John Clay, $236,200. • Hans and Annemarie Bleiker —

1072 Sundering Drive, Sundering Properties LLC, $245,000. •Mark Franke — 2007 Mathews St., Unit H4, Milton and Lind Trlica, $270,000. • Lindsay Lucas — 4500 Seneca St., Unit 14, Julie Ann Morgan, $274,000. • Gregory Nickerson — 2000 Cheshire St., Duane E. Smith, $279,900. • Anthony Gambee — 357 Albion Way, Unit D3, Lucas M. Maison, $281,500. • Shannell Sedgwick — 3933 Celtic Lane, Unit C, Paul R. Thompson, $283,500. • Corey Inniss — 1319 Casa Grande Blvd., Brett and Kristy Hill, $302,900. • Joseph Moorehead — 1307 Ash Drive, James and Frank Vance, $304,800. • Andrew and Jessica Knight — 308 Milky Way Drive, Jared and Natalie Dybzinski, $315,000. • David and Terri Englund — 3524 Silver Trail Drive, Janet K. Hamilton, $315,000. • Chase Norton — 1420 Elm St., Antonia E. Razal, $316,200. • Brian and Alexa Carpenter — 4507 Goshawk Drive, Paul and Meghan Smith, $317,500.

• Analene Carlisle — 1632 Adriel Circle, Peter H. Davidoff, $320,000. • Timothy and Sarah Hegstrom — 1119 Timber Lane, Ashley N. Lopez, $325,000. • Sean Gallen — 737 Marigold Lane, Dustin Boreson, $330,000. • Blake and Kareen Larsen — 2545 Maple Hill Drive, Mary E. Frank, $343,300. • Jerimy and Caroline Nelson — 3924 Bingham Hill Road, Randall and Sheryl Pope, $350,000. • Julie and Jordan Graf — 2432 Stover St., Vicki A. Elmore, $350,000. • Lee and Jennifer Weir — 2901 Eindborough Drive, Jarrod S. McCorkle, $355,000. • David Hooper — 4904 Deer Trail Court, Rebecca R. Riesenkruger, $360,000. • Peter Stackhouse — 1504 Emigh St., Georgine Bush, $370,000. • Joseph Carbon — 3407 Oregon Trail, Ralph and Kathrine Germain, $375,000. • Michael and Sandra Rummler — 1320 Basseterre Place, Skip and Kelly Larson, $379,500. • Beau and Erika Browning — 6455 Edgeware St., Kathleen R. Nace, $380,000. • John Fetter — 1126 Argento Drive,

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Isaac and Shannon Rosenberg, $385,000. Tyler Wilson — 1608 W. Mountain Ave., Michael J. Mentel, $386,300. Jeffery and Ladona Molander — 1833 Manchester Drive, Julia and Nathan Forbes, $395,000. Joseph Byers — 2319 Manchester Court, Rex and Constance Renfrew, $400,200. Adam and Elizabeth Snow — 800 Grouse Circle, John David Fetter, $412,200. Fabio Haubrich — 5232 Lady Moon Drive, Singer Family Trust, $417,000. Julie and Bradley Morgan — 1533 Coral Sea Court, Francis G. Wendowski, $419,900. Audrey Stine — 615 Laporte Ave., Marcia M. Siebenaler, $435,000. Aaron and Ashley Conkey — 4401 N. Highway 1, Alexandra Keller, $450,000. Mitch and Angela Prater — 1624 Smith Place, Recycled Properties LLC, $464,900. Richard and Tammy Eversole — 3636 Muley St., Timothy and Christine Anderson, $476,000. Blake and Kelly Lund — 1708 Willow Springs Way, Ronald and Amy Volk, $570,000. Michael Domeraski — 508 Park-

The Hometown Experts with a World of Experience® Life is better in Colorado. Find your home in Colorado here. N PE

1 UN

-3

N PE

1554 Yonkee Dr, Windsor

Motivated Seller! True custom home by prestigious Province Builders. Solid 5 panel Hemlock doors thru-out. 4 bdrm 5 bath, 5 burner gas cooktop. 2nd mstr suite, large media rm. Beautiful sunset mtn views! $615,000 | MLS #835573

New Condos in Loveland 1 & 2 Bedrooms ▪ Starting at $179k

SALES CENTER NOW OPEN! 2970 Kincaid Dr. in Loveland Open Wednesday-Sunday (970) 373-1459

Call Ralph Lee

970-556-9874 RalphLee@remax.net

3336 Huckleberry Way, Loveland

Magniﬁcent log home in wonderful setting! Mn ﬂr master & 3 big bds. Rich wood tones prevail, & lots of glass provides great views of the valley. Delightful big kitchen & lg bsmt. Must see acreage to appreciate! $695,000 | MLS #835417

Listed by Will Harper 970-222-2890 Hosted by Liz Stevens 970-988-0293

1-1

1402 W 31st St, Loveland This is a spacious home with over sized rooms, backyard has a nice water feature with room for a garden. Clean and ready for move in. Seller is Motivated. Bring an oﬀer. $370,000 | MLS #835590

Call Kristen Perry

970-556-8919 Kris@HomesOnTarget.com

T US

LIS

6612 Avondale Rd #1A, Fort Collins

Convenient location in South Fort Collins. Cozy ranch-style town-home w/ 3 bedrms, 3 baths and a 2-sided ﬁreplace. Call for your private tour. $269,000

Call Rhonda Heth

www.EnchantmentRidgeLoveland.com

-4

970-566-3516 rhondaheth@remax.net

759 Deer Meadow Dr, Loveland

Beautiful Aspen Homes ranch at Mariana Butte. Across from golf course. Stds: granite, hardwd, SS apps, double oven, AC, FP, 3-car garage, covered deck. Highly energy eﬀ-among best in biz! Upgrades: oversized garage storage, gas cook top, & more! $494,675 | MLS #822300

Call Dennis Schick

970-567-3942 dschick001@outlook.com

RE/MAX Alliance  Each oﬃce independently owned & operated  Five Northern Colorado locations to serve you.

4703 A Boardwalk Dr, Fort Collins | 226-3990 125 S. Howes St, Ste 120, Fort Collins | 482-1781 750 W Eisenhower, Loveland | 669-1234 1275 58th Ave, Ste A, Greeley | 330-5000

December 9-10, 2017

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

AT HOME

way Court, William and Rhonda Hitchcock, $612,000. • Andrew Bantham — 3226 Hearthﬁre Drive, Michael Scott Leary, $650,000. • Ronald and Amy Volk — 1319 Paragon Place, John and Laura Dement, $897,300. • Josh and Angela Petit — 6558 Rookery Road, Mark and Cosette Crane, $3,450,000. Greeley • Charles Langley — 3804 Yosemite Drive, Richard Ackerson, $65,000. • Jacqueline and Roy Nelson — 6607 W. Third St., Unit 1111, Greg Smith, $175,000. • Raymond and Carol Patch — 5775 29th St., Unit 1001, Donald R. Holtz, $203,500. • Elia and Jerry Jojola — 2437 15th Ave., Richard T. Lohr, $210,000. • Jose and Oscar Saucedo — 2158 Wedgewood Drive, Jose Rodrigo Torres, $215,000. • Derick Griego — 6915 W. Third St., Unit 425, Andrew and Anthony Torres, $225,000. • Andrew Pendergraft — 1023 22nd Ave., Arthur Wayne Pendergraft, $233,000. • Srijaya Nalla — 6603 W. Third St., Unit 1523, Michelle L. Vanbeber, $237,500. • Lloyd Gerbitz — 2152 10th Ave., David and Jonnie Schommer, $240,000. • Joshua Witter — 2504 W. 26th St. Road, Brian A. Dunlap, $240,000. • J. and Nancy Steele — 5124 W. 11th St., Linette K. Guy, $240,000. • Daniel Rodriguez — 1519 28th Ave. Place, Viki L. Little, $242,000. • Lloyd Gerbitz — 1604 14th Ave., Palata Granda LLC, $247,500. • Rodolfo Pacheco — 842 E. 20th St. Lane, Christopher and Tiana Kelley, $256,000. • Russell McMillan — 2933 Alpine Ave., Fred Ramirez, $260,000.

AT HOME

• Natali Aguilar — 519 E. 28th St. Road, Ethan and Mirannda Kurtzer, $260,000. • Carlos and Esther Gutierrez — 610 47th Ave. Court, Laramie Lin Callen, $260,000. • Cesar Rivera — 1429 32nd Ave., Larry and Patricia Seegrist, $269,000. • Jose Torres — 1903 34th Ave., Rutherford Inc., $277,500. • Kerry and Cynthia Kuttler — 1806 84th Ave. Court, Anita C. Eley, $283,000. • Adam and Laura Walker — 1108 76th Ave., Jeffrey and Ryan Kayl, $284,500. • Shelley Kohlert — 2731 W. 25th St., Jason Beitzel, $285,000. • Matthe Lilly — 4936 W. Eighth St., William and Julie Zuege, $288,000. • Kimberly Hammond — 2176 Buena Vista Drive, Richard D. Hoffner, $304,100. • Thomas Johnson — 908 54th Ave., William L. Stevens, $315,000. • Grant and Kate Gattis — 111 53rd Ave., Kendal and Tiffany Brazelton, $329,900. • Michael Stone — 1139 52nd Ave., Kathy J. Berry, $338,200. • Aaron Smith — 3023 67th Ave. Way, Linda Naticchioni, $347,400. • Chialin Tsai — 6205 W. Seventh St., David and Dawm Pointer, $350,000. • Jose Cabrera — 2305 Talon Parkway, Matthew and Natas Milligan, $353,000. • Rodney and Anna Redman — 2552 57th Ave., Kent and Terri Britton, $459,000. Johnstown • Yingying Ma — 3760 Cedarwood Lane, Katherine Lyford Corey, $296,500. • Tamela Cash — 5113 Saguaro Court, William E. Skeldun, $460,000.

Loveland • Karen Pomerleau — 1004 Cynthia Court, DD Sl LLC, $151,000. • Charles and Lisa Smith — 1550 W. 28th St., Apt. A4, Sally J. Hartshorn, $210,000. • Douglas Ireland — 2325 W. Linda Drive, Karen Pomerleau, $241,000. • Tristin Koback — 1747 Elk Springs St., Casey Anthony Barnum, $265,000. • Steve and Lisa Beasley — 3675 Wild Horse Court, Paul Guerrero, $277,000. • Jeremy Cornelius — 1790 Rhyolite St., Gregory and Laura Doyle, $279,000. • Amanda Rash — 515 S. Empire Ave., Kathryn A. Silvertooth, $279,000. • Kristen Townsend — 433 E. 12th St., Linda L. Davis, $280,000. • Jacob and Heather White — 3931 Boulder Drive, Dorothy E. Ward, $285,000. • Kara Kincade — 726 Carson Court, Amber L. Sullivan, $312,000. • Steven Irons — 366 Sunmountain Drive, Jared and Jamie Smith, $315,000. • David Howard — 2368 Oleander Court, Natalie D. Franklin, $317,500. • Merinda Bennett — 1607 W. 12th St., Bertha A. Holzworth, $318,500. • Bruce and Karen McWilliams — 397 Lilac Place, Anita M. Corder, $335,000. • David Sowell — 809 S. Del Norte Ave., Pla Leopoldo, $335,000. • Gerald and Karen Fulner — 2611 Forsythia Drive, Florin and Sally Schlautman, $335,000. • Neal Babcock — 4126 14th St. SW, Sarah C. Soehnlein, $340,000. • Mercedes Higgins — 1191 E. 20th St., Larry and Jane Pitoniak, $370,000. • Jared Smith — 6 Namaqua Court, Calvin and Sandra Carter, $379,000.

Loveland Reporter-Herald – AtHomeColorado.com

• Diane Sullivan — 173 Vela Court, Michael James Thompson, $390,000. • Qinyu Cao — 1975 Massachusetts St., Brien and Claudia Ariss, $395,000. • Alexandria and Jason Greeno — 4800 Patmore Ash Drive, Gregory and Angela Vanheel, $425,000. • James Hensel — 3633 Akron Court, Steven and Cheryle Engeman, $465,000. • Christopher and Alezia Mirras — 6233 Jordan Drive, David and Rhonda Lawrence, $650,000. • Michael Miniat — 6905 Ridge Valley Court, Grant M. Cole, $675,000. • Michael and Lindsey Muessel — 3020 N. County Road 27, Eric and Kim Paulsen, $795,000. Windsor • Stephen Amend — 747 Second St., Mark and Susan Gill, $244,900. • Miles Mickelson — 620 Second St., Richard Werber, $245,000. • Stuart Donnenfeld — 1127 Valley Drive, Loren E. Anderson, $330,000. • Douglas and Louise Schmidt — 1401 Walnut St., Stuart and Kathryn Veltkamp, $364,500. • Jeff and Jamie Collins — 1068 Canal Drive, Clint and Teri Bidwell, $365,000. • Eric and Roxanne Tegl — 6439 Murano Drive, Kip and Kaylene Polly, $710,300. • Glendale and Sandra Adkins — 301 Habitat Bay, Craig and Jennifer Rasmuson, $800,000.

December 9-10, 2017

Real Estate place yoUr ad:

Real Estate

Ranch CONDO For Rent $1400/mth Age 50+ community 2 Bed, 1.5 Bath 2 Car Attached Garage 814-934-8155 Lisa

303.466.3636 BoUlder/Broomfield/longmont or 970.635.3650 loveland or frontrangeclassifieds.com

Every other year, two bedroom, on the beach, with lawn, timeshare in Kehei, Maui. Wonderful place to take a family, with pool and barbecue area. Maui Schooner. Available immediately. $2000 nine70-556-2731

Water Mineral Want to purchase minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: P.O. Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201

A Home of Your Own!

RENT TO OWN See if You Qualify: Call or Text

Devin Oâ€™Branagan ERA Tradewind

303-775-0710

www.DevinSells.com

2BR 2BA Patio Home in NE Longmont : 1700 sq ft wheelchair accessible, master bath, wall-hung sink, wall-hung urinal, roll-in shower, closet included in bathroom. More Info & photos. $400K FSBO.

FAIR HOUSING NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Law which makes it illegal to advertise a preference limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion , sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preferences, limitation or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call The Colorado Civil Rights Office at 1-800-262-4845/ HUD at 1-800-669-9777.

Berthoud-area farm house. 3 BR, 1 BA. $1650/mth plus util. Avail Jan. 1. 303-912-5186

EMPTY YOUR GARAGE Have a Garage Sale this week. Call 303-466-3636, 970-635-3650, 719-275-5300 or 888-355-0935

December 9, 2017

Foothills Apartments 2BR 1BA Units in Loveland: Washer/Dryer in Unit. $1045/month for Upper Level Units; $1145 for Downstairs Units. Water, Sewer, Trash included. No Pets. 1 Year Lease. Available No w.

970-669-7850

Tired of paying Rent? We can help you buy w/$1000 down Western Plains Realty Ken or Tammy 970 663-5008 westernplainsre.com

SELL YOUR STUFF! List your stuff and get it done! Any item less than $500 sell for FREE! Call

303-466-3636 970-635-3650 719-275-5300 888-355-0935

VWXII

/LVW \RXU VWXII DQG JHW LW JRQH

Rentals

303-678-7988

sell your

In Loveland - Private Large Bedroom & Bath: Kitchenette, Frige, W/D & Private Entry. Female Preferred. $475/month, utilities & cable included. 970-587-5439.

SELL YOUR HOUSE

Items less than $500:

free, 3 lines, 30 days Items $500 or more:

$10, 5 lines, 30 days

List your house and start packing. $75, 5 lines, 30 days. To place your ad, call 303-466-3636 or 970-635-3650 Or visit

FrontRangeClassifieds. com

Private party and general merchandise only; not for commercial/business accounts. Excludes cars, homes and pets. No refund for early cancellation. Reporter-Herald

AT HOME

R15

OPEN HOUSES THIS WEEKEND

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12-2

SATURDAY 12-3

SATURDAY 10-6 & SUNDAY 11-5

SATURDAY 11-1

2501 Knollwood Ct., Loveland - Exquisite movein ready, updated kitchen w/granite countertops, newer stainless appliances & tile backsplash. Spa-like baâ€™s w/high-end finishes including granite countertops, tile flrs/showers & custom vessel sinks. Hardwood flrs in kitchen, diningroom & formal diningroom. 2 patios. $425,000 MLS# 834751

4069 Buffalo Mountain Drive, Loveland - Carefree cottage beauty at I-25 & Hwy 34. Great room to 2nd story w/wall of windows-great light & views of Boyd Lake, foothills & mtns range! Main level living- Lots of upgrades/updates: hardwood & tile throughout. Master w/5-pc bath. Lg dining, study & 3rd level HUGE 35x11 FLEX/BONUS RM

3025 Crux Dr., Loveland - Complete & waiting for you! 4BD 3BA 2,247 sf 2 story. Open floorplan with main floor bedroom, well appointed kitchen, master suite with private bath & large walk-in closet & large loft. Great location near Centerra! Visit Sales Center at 3085 Crux Dr.

3037 Crux Dr., Loveland - Complete & waiting for you! 3BD 2BA 1,405 sf ranch. Open floorplan has awesome kitchen with granite & island, master suite with private bath & large walk-in closet. Great location near Centerra! Visit Sales Center at 3085 Crux Dr.

4037 Don Fox Circle, Loveland - VIEWS of the mountains, golf course & Big Thompson river. Beautifully updated 2BD/2BA townhome w/newer finishes, granite counters, hardwood, tile, carpet & Pella storm doors. Main floor living, a/c, newer water heater & full unfinished bsmt. Pre-inspected & move-in ready.

Geoff Frahm Paul Matthews 970-290-5510 970-988-5161

$370,000 MLS# 837749 Alycia Martinez 303-994-6307

$334,950 MLS# 831413 Matt Nesbitt LeAnna 970-393-3102

$387,000 MLS# 834011 Sara Horner 970-443-8556

$309,950 MLS# 831426 Matt Nesbitt LeAnna 970-393-3102

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 11-3

SATURDAY 10-5 & SUNDAY 12-5

SUNDAY 1-3

SATURDAY 12-3 & SUNDAY 12-2

5220 Hialeah Drive, Windsor - Sprawling ranch on corner lot w/large yard. Luxury master retreat- access to covered patio & huge walk-in closet w/laundry. European Knotty Alder Cabinets, Granite throughout, Elite SS kitchen appliances- Gas or Electric Range (buyers choice), Built-in Micro, dishwasher & FRIDGE! Gourmet Kitchen, powder bath, drop zone. Hand Texture main walls, 4 car garage, passive radon, Energy Rated, A/C & Fireplace! High Plains School Boundaries!

7410 Turnbull Circle, Windsor - Sprawling Split 3 bedroom Ranch in highly desired school boundaries â€œHigh Plains in Lovelandâ€?. Best Ranch for the price in Belmont Ridge, 3 BR 2 BA unfin basement on large lot. Walk, Hike, Bike or run in this nature filled neighborhood. Close to everything & approx 5 mins to I25. This home is built with quality throughout, still time to pick out your interior selections. MOVE IN by the Holidays.

2621 Bluestem Willow Drive, Loveland Wonderland homes at The Lakes at Centerra. Multiple luxury ranch style and 2 story homes. See completed inventory homes, under construction spec homes and a variety of available lots including lakefront homesites.

8273 Spinnaker Bay Drive, WIndsor - Ranch in desirable Highland Meadow on .32 acre lot backing open space w/views! Hickory wood floors, formal dining, main floor study/4th bed & gourmet eat in kitchen w custom cabinets, granite, SS appliances. Finished bsmnt. Covered patio, landscaped yard & new roof.

2330 Durango Dr., Loveland - Custom built home by Del Mar Construction in West Loveland, close to Mehaffey Park. New kitchen appliances, flooring, fresh paint throughout and updated upper level baths. A/C is one year old. Furnace and deck replaced within the last five years.

Starting in the $500â€™s MLS# 827988 Melissa Doherty 970-391-5800

$484,000 MLS# 832720 Melissa Doherty 970-391-5800

Starting in the mid $500,000s Rick Moehling Jamie Kimberlin 970-573-7465 970-391-1470

$340,000 $630,000 MLS# 836159 Keith Huntsman 970-227-2779

Luke Hobbs 970-412-0390

Jesse King 970-903-3483

! " # " $ % % SATURDAY 1-3 1805 Kinnikinik Pl., Loveland - Nice ranch style home on cul-de-sac. 3 beds, 1 bath, & 2 car attached garage. Amazing backyard w/ covered patio, large fenced in garden area, fruit trees, backyard shed w/ electrical & RV parking. No HOA & close to schools. Sold As-Is.

$260,000 MLS# 837856 Danny Valles 970-213-4463

" " ! % search â€œGroup Real Estateâ€?

AT HOME

Cool.

Smart.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL OUR OPEN HOUSES VISIT WWW.THEGROUPINC.COM 16

Easy.

HARMONY OFFICE 970.229.0700

HORSETOOTH OFFICE 970.223.0700

CENTERRA OFFICE 970.613.0700

MULBERRY OFFICE 970.221.0700

OLD TOWN OFFICE 970.493.0700

LOVELAND OFFICE

Loveland Reporter-Herald â€“ AtHomeColorado.com

970.663.0700

December 9-10, 2017