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. 

 

Source 

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.

Source

Different color paint for each side of the room.

Source

Pictures of each child hanging above the bed.

Source

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

Source

A curtain divider physically separates the space.

Source

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.

Source

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:

source

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. 

Source

Source

Source

Source

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:

Source

Throw pillows:

source

Curtains:

Source

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