The Arc Floor Lamp

I have never been a fan of floor lamps as I can never get them to look right. Although, one of the latest trends in lighting that I can got on board with is the arc lamp. 

 

Crate and Barrel 

Over the weekend I bought this exact lamp for behind my sofa. There were a few reasons why I went with this floor lamp: the arc gives this lamp a lot of character vs. just a free standing floor lamp. Also, I currently have electric plugs on the floor, therefore, people do not run the risk of tripping over the cord attached to the wall.

An arc lamp looks great behind a sofa or chair.

 

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It also looks great accentuating a dinning room table or desk. 

 

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 Where would you put an arc lamp in your home? 

 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

What it means to be a buyer in the Denver area

Denver's real estate market still remains very tight with low inventory and many buyers. This article in the Denver Post clearly depicts the realities that most buyers face in this market. Homes under $400,000 are under contract typically in a week, multiple offers start coming in within hours of the home hitting the market and most offers come along with a letter playing to the emotions of the seller. 

Knowing that this is the market that buyer's walk into they need to pull out all the stops. A buyer in the Denver market has to be flexible with their time and their wish list knowing they may not get the home they put in an offer for. They must react quickly or the home will be gone within days. Buyers also need to be realistic with price and financing. This is not a typical market where there is a lot of negotiating, highest and best is asked for up front. Buyers also must be aware of what a seller and listing agent are looking for. 

"Full-price cash offers still typically move to the front of the pack. Next in line are those who have pre-qualified for a mortgage and have the cash on hand to cover any shortfall between what they offer and the appraisal.

Listing agents say that they look closely at a buyer's source of financing — bank, mortgage lender or broker. Within that, they weigh the reputation of the lender, downgrading those known for stringing out the approval process or stranding buyers at the closing table."

The below graphic shows how severe the lack of inventory actually is.

Buyers in this market must ensure they work closely with their agent. Open communication between buyer and agent is required now more than ever. Both the buyer and the agent have to be creative on ways to get a home in this market. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

My Corporate America Experience

Last week was my one year anniversary of leaving Fidelity. First of all, the year flew by! I thought I would take some time to talk about what I have learned since departing corporate America but then I realized it would be no different than this post. So, I figured I would take some time to mention what I learned from my years in corporate America because my time there was invaluable. Although, some people may scratch their heads wondering how finance could have helped a real estate career, my time in finance built a solid foundation to be successful in real estate. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Buyer Need

Meet Debra. Debra is looking for a home after years of renting. She is a facilitates manager at Columbine Elementary School in Denver and is crucial to the Columbine community. She is looking for a 2-3 bedroom home in Montbello, Green Vally Ranch or Aurora. She is looking for a home to call her own with enough room for entertaining her four adult children and ten grandchildren! A must have is a yard for all her grandkids to play in and room for a dinning table for all the family.

Who do you know who might have a home to fit Debra's needs? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

The Use of Navy Blue

I have been doing a lot of research on branding which has led me to information how colors can elicit a certain type of emotional response. Without going into about my own personal branding strategy (more to come!), I have been looking into the color navy blue. Of course, it is no secret that I love navy and would much prefer navy over black or brown any day. 

The color navy blue originally got its name from the British Royal Navy as the men wore dark blue uniforms contrasted with white. Psychologically, the color blue is associated with trust and responsibility. 

 Blue represents:

• Communication
• Peace and calm
• Honesty.
• Authority (the darker the shade of blue, the more authority is represents).
• Religion
• Wisdom

"Dark Blue: Dark blue is the color of conservatism and responsibility. Although it appears to be cool, calm and collected, it is the color of the non-emotional worrier with repressed feelings, the pessimist and the hypocrite. Dark blue can be compassionate but has trouble showing it as its emotions run deep. Dark blue is a serious masculine color representing knowledge, power, and integrity, and is used quite often in the corporate world."

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How can you use this information? Knowing the meaning and emotions behind a certain color can help in branding, in my current case, it can also be helpful to know when choosing colors to use in a room. When choosing a color scheme or paint color for a room you can of course chose the color that speaks to you. Another approach would be determine the 'feeling' you want a person to feel while in the room. If you would like a room to feel peaceful, wisdom (such as a library) or elicit a feeling of open communication - blue might be a great color to chose. Interesting enough, when I went looking for pictures of rooms that use navy, I found a lot of living rooms, bathrooms and libraries. 

 

Pottery Barn

 

Cory Connor Designs

 

HGTV

 

Contemporary living room by Lisa Patrole Photography

What does navy blue mean to you? What room would you paint navy?

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

 

Out-Of-Pocket Expenses for Buyers

Buying a new home can be daunting for the first time home buyer and the experienced buyer, alike. Through the process there are a lot of numbers being thrown around. Numbers related to the loan such as payments, insurance, terms and, also, out-of-pocket expenses. So many numbers that it can make your head spin! I put together a flyer regarding out-of pocket-expenses that you can expect with your home purchase in Denver.

Hopefully this helps set expectations about what the buyer will be responsible to pay out-of-pocket. As always, consult your real estate agent to get a better estimate of costs and when they will be due. Often times these expenses are due at time of service, such as inspection and appraisal.

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

Denver Public Schools

I have gotten very integrated into the school system through offering the Homes for Heroes program which gives discounts for teachers (also, administrators and support) when buying or selling a home. Denver Public Schools is the school system for the city of Denver and it covers elementary, junior and high school. 

 

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With so many moving to Denver, the school district is thriving but also has had to accommodate which has resulted in change in the schools. Go here to see the facts about the school district. As I have mentioned before, there are 50,000 people expected to move to Denver yearly and that trend will continue for upwards of ten years. All of the new people will change not only the landscape of the Denver Metro area but also the school districts. The Denver Public School has a long-term plan for the schools in the District to accommodate the change and provide the best education for its students.

Are you relocating to Denver or changing school districts? There are a number of resources that could be helpful to you. Take a look here for the individual school's ratings for both the current year and years past. On this page you can also find a description of the rating system to help you better understand how the schools rate. In addition to the public schools offered in the District, Denver Public Schools also offers the option of Magnet Schools. Students that join the Magnet Schools are chosen through a lottery system or based on academics.  

If you are wondering about the public's view on individual schools; greatschools.org offers a forum for the public to rate schools and provide their comments about their experience of the school. If you have any questions about a school, please do not hesitate to Contact me. 

I spend a lot of time weekly in the schools talking about how I provide discounts to teachers buying or selling a home through Homes for Heroes and have met a large network of people in the Denver Public School System. I can offer a high level of support helping you chose the right neighborhood and school for your little one. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

 

Home

For people that know me know that I am a collector of quotes. My Pinterest page is full of quotes about life, love, home and every other topic you can think of. I saw this quote and it made me stop. As I approach my one year mark in Denver I've been mulling over the idea of home. Is it Denver, yet? The short answer is sort of. I've been moving in that direction in the past few months. The things that have made it a bit easier lately are actually having my own place, finding a handful of friends that I jive with and creating a community in my new neighborhood and the city. Home, to me, is comfortable, stable, a connection to community, and also a place to be creative. All of these feelings can take time and I feel like in a few months I will be able to truly say Denver is home. 

What makes a home, a home for you? Is it a person? A feeling?

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352 

Shared Bedrooms

As a child my sister and I shared a room for a short time. We both had twin beds with matching Popples comforter. Maybe it is because the first 5 years of my life involved sharing a bedroom with my sister but nothing melts my heart more than seeing two twin beds in a bedroom, especially decorated as a child's room. I have seen some great ideas on how to separate the room to allow both children to have their own space and personality. 

Different color, but same design, comforters can create a unique space for each child.

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Different color paint for each side of the room.

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Pictures of each child hanging above the bed.

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Different artwork above the beds and different decorative pillows on each bed.

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A curtain divider physically separates the space.

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Did you share a room as a child? How would you separate the space? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

The Go-Giver

While on vacation I read a great book called The Go-Giver. It had been recommended by a number of people in real estate and finance who proclaimed that it matched my business philosphy. When I started my real estate business, I never wanted my clients to feel manipulated, controlled or not represented. I wanted (and still want) each and every one of my clients to have my undivided attention, to know they are represented, to offer an expert opinion of Denver real estate, the schools systems, the neighborhoods and the community. To perfect this I read everything and anything that I could get my hands on about Denver. I visited schools, parks, recreational buildings and drove around the city to get a feel for the different and ever-changing neighborhoods. My business philosophy is a simple one - give before receiving. I was entering a city that I had just moved to and was looking to gain trust and business. To do this I started volunteering at local hospitals and schools which had many benefits such as giving back, learning the community and gaining people's trust.

Starting any business can be terrifying and often times I would stop and question whether you can build a business under the premise of doing and being good. Enter the Go-Giver, a small but mighty book emphasizing that you can do just that. The concepts in the book not only apply to business but also life. Without spoiling the book, I would like to make mention of the five laws of success:

1. The Law of Value - Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
2. The Law of Compensation - Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. 
3. The Law of Influence - Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interest first. 
4. The Law of Authenticity - The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
5. The Law of Receptivity - The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

If you ever get the chance, read The Go-Giver. I promise it is worth the time. Although a quick read it offers a great philosophy on giving and receiving in the business world. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

The 16th Street Bus

The 16th Street bus is a free shuttle that runs up and down 16th Street. Originally, I thought the bus was mainly used by tourists but my love for the 16th Street Mall has only gotten stronger since moving Downtown. I live on one side of 16th Street and my meetings during the day are on the other side of 16th street. Recently, I have found myself on the 16th Street bus traveling to and from meetings through the weeks.

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The bus offers residents and tourists, alike, the ability to travel around the city free and efficiently. During the weekdays many business people use the bus, just as I do, to travel to and from meetings. As this article mentions, with the real estate marketing booming, many developers are snatching up parking lots or garages to build apartment complexes on. This helps solve the lack of inventory in the Downtown real estate market but does impact the availability (and cost) of parking spots. As parking becomes more of an issue, the 16th Street Mall bus will become a great luxury.

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Sell? Pop the Top? Renovate?

 With the high demand for real estate and very minimal inventory prices for homes are drastically rising. In addition, Denver's high demand is also changing many neighborhoods. Smaller homes are scraped and larger homes are built on the lot. Neighborhoods of original ranches, Denver squares and tudors are now amongst massive modern homes. Homeowners in Denver that need more space face a number of decisions with what to do with their home. 

Sell.

The lack of inventory, low interest rates and high number of buyers make it a great time to sell. Homeowners can get top dollar for their home and in most cases walk away with a hefty profit. 

Pop the Top.

If you need more square footage popping the top is always an option. This would involve creating another level on the home. 

Renovate.

The final option is to renovate - which would encompass any general updates to the home. Updates may be to kitchen appliances, floors or adding a bed/bath for the space to work better for you. 

If you find yourself at a crossroad with what to do with your home, I'd be happy to help go over the options. Most importantly we can discuss how much any additions or upgrades would add to your home's value vs. what you would get if you sold as is. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

Fashion Floral

There is always a parallel between the fashion world and interior design and one of the trends in fashion that I keep trying to get into is floral. With spring around the corner floral is popping up in woman's blazers, dresses, and pants. I have attempted floral numerous times, albeit with little to show for it. The floral blazers, shirts, pants, floral anything just does not look good. Then I found Tesori floral flats similar to these:

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Yes, depending on how you look at them they are either really ugly or totally awesome. Such a thin line fashion is sometimes. That same day I ended up showing a home that had very traditional architectural details and decor and what does every traditional decor home usually have? Floral, of course!

We all know the look; the floral wallpaper, carpet, upholstered carpet. Depending on your age it might be the interior of the home you grew up in. 

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Lately, I have seen floral getting a bit more modern. There are small pops of floral through the home unlike the overpowering presence it has had in years and interiors past. Here are some more subtle, modern ways to bring floral into your home:

A set of prints:

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Throw pillows:

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Curtains:

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Just like my floral fashion attempts in the past with failed large pieces such as dresses, blazers and pants, there are many ways to incorporate floral in a more subtle way (like shoes that provide the nicest pop of floral for an outfit). This holds true for both the home interior and fashion. Although, neither look is wrong, it is just a matter of what works for you. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352