Sharon Cardwell AMERICAN HOME, INC.

98765 West Iliff Avenue Lakewood, CO 80228

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

DEADLINE

FOR

ORDERING

THE

MAY ISSUE:

5:00 p.m. FRIDAY APRIL 13 (Your lucky day!)

Sharon Cardwell
REALTOR

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

Knowledge. Experience. Dedication.

Dear Friends: Our Front Range spring real estate market is looking better than it has in several years. One of the indications of a market that is improving is that buyers are back in the market, and we now need more inventory of homes for sale! So if youve been on the sidelines waiting for the market to improve, the time has arrived. The decision to buy or sell a home is a serious issue, and one that requires a comprehensive analysis of the facts. As a Colorado real estate professional, I welcome the opportunity to provide you with the kind of detailed, current information youll need to make the best decision. So call me and lets talk specifics. Theres no cost or obligation, and Im certain youll be surprised at the depth of details I can provide. From Cinco de Mayo, to Memorial Day, and Mothers Day in between, heres wishing you a fun month of celebrations.

COLORADO REAL ESTATE

News & Views

NEWS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO THE COLORADO HOMEOWNER

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

Resources to Help the Colorado Homeowner this Spring

As a Colorado real estate professional, clients often ask me what is the single most productive thing they can do to make a dramatic difference when it comes to selling a home for the highest price and in the shortest period of time? The answer is simple: clean and de-clutter the home. Whether you are getting ready for a yard sale, to sell the home, or just decide its time to clean house, as Colorado citizens, we have a responsibility to properly dispose of the clutter weve collected, especially items that are hazardous to our environment. So where do you turn? Start with this list of recycling resources: Recycling and Disposal Facilities If you only used one resource, this would be it. Enter your zip code, select the category of items to dispose, and youll be presented with local options for recycling. Some communities even have free pick-up events that will be listed on this site. http://earth911.org County Facilities Many counties and municipalities conduct annual collections of household hazardous wastes, while others have permanent collection facilities or sponsor curbside pickup programs. To check programs and facilities available in your county, visit: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/ hhwcollect.htm Rechargeable Batteries When your rechargeable batteries no longer hold a charge, dont toss them in the trash. For a dropoff site near you--check out: www.call2recycle.org/locator Single Use Batteries For a list of local drop-off locations for these kinds of batteries, go to www.earth911.org. Type in single-use batteries and your zip code. Old Cell Phones Do something good for the environment and for humanity by donating old cell phones to charity. Here are two resources: http://www.phones4charity.org/ and http://www.americancellphonedrive.org/ Another resource Id like you to turn to is me! My Colorado real estate experience and knowledge can help pave the way for a smooth move. Dont hesitate to give me a call if you ever have questions or need help.

HAPPY MAY!

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

Is your home a target for burglars?

NewsBriefs
A windfall of $25 billion from five of the nations largest lenders is going to make a huge difference to many homeowners and the homeless in Colorado. The money is a result of an out-of-court settlement over abusive foreclosure practices. Colorados total compensation will be $205 million, but will come in a variety of ways, of which $51 million will be in hard cash. The bulk of the money is intended to help homeowners refinance or modify loans to avoid foreclosure. A recent report issued by CoreLogic noted that 41 states reported higher rates of 90-day delinquent loans than Colorado. The 8 states reporting lower rates than Colorado were: Virginia, West Virginia, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Nebraska and North and South Dakota. Florida leads the nation in mortgage delinquencies at 17.4% of all home mortgages in the state. This figure compares to 4.1% in Colorado, and 7.2% nationally.

The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) and 13 housing counseling agencies have been awarded a $889,254 grant from the NeighborWorks Americas National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program to continue their work making housing counseling available to Colorado homeowners at risk of foreclosure. Since 2008, NeighborWorks America has awarded CHFA and its partners over $6.3 million through the NFMC program. These funds have helped more than 13,000 Colorado households receive free, HUD-approved counseling from agencies located across the state. How much has Colorados population grown in the past 10 years? According to recent statistics released by the Colorado Demography Office of the Division of Housing, our state population grew 15.4% in the 10 years covering 2001 through 2010. Out of 64 counties in Colorado, exactly 50%, or 32 counties, experienced double digit growth in the past 10 years.

Its May in Colorado and that means more time outdoors enjoying the beautiful, sunny weather. Unfortunately, warm weather also brings about an increase in home burglaries, so lets take a quick look at not only some interesting burglary statistics, but some simple ways you can help prevent your home from becoming a target. Since the highest percentage of home burglaries occur during the summer months of July and August, when many people are away from their homes on vacation, or have left windows open for ventilation, now is a great time to institute a plan for protecting your home and your family. On average, a burglary occurs approximately every 15 seconds in the U.S., and results in an average loss of about $1,600 dollars. Here are some other interesting statistics: Most burglaries occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. 80% of burglars enter your home through a door, not through a window. Burglars will normally try to break in through the back of the house, or wherever is least visible to the rest of your street, so if they do break a

window, it will most likely be one on the first floor in the back of your house. The average burglary is over in less than 12 minutes. Burglars are looking for items that are small and expensive and easily converted to cash. Their favorite items include: cash, jewelry, laptops, guns, digital cameras, and small electronics (Ipods, GPSs, PDAs MP3s and CDs). Preventative Steps: Since burglars spend an average of just 60 seconds attempting to break in, the best way to help protect your home is to delay them for 90 seconds or longer so they get nervous and leave. Here are five no- and low-cost preventative burglar tips: 1) Dont make it easy. Lock your doors and windows. 2) Upgrade to a heavy-duty strike plate on your exterior doors. 3) Insert a wooden stick into the door track of sliding glass doors to prevent opening. 4) Put exterior lights on timers. 5) Buy motion sensors for exterior lights, especially at the rear of the house. If youd like to see what crimes, if any, have occurred in any neighborhood, check out: https://www.crimereports.com.

COLORADO CORNER
A Colorado Quiz
Last month, Colorado opened the doors to its newly completed HISTORY COLORADO MUSEUM at 12th and Broadway in Denver. Its an amazing museum--and one which you should plan to visit soon. In the meantime, heres a fun little trivia quiz about our state: 1. What is Colorados state motto? a) Nothing without providence. b) All for our country. c) Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. 2. Whats our highest mountain? a) Mt. Elbert b) Mt. Evans c) Pikes Peak 3. What is our state nickname? a) The Golden State b) The Centennial State c) The Rectangular State 4. In what year was Colorado admitted to the union? a) 1898 b) 1888 c) 1876 5. The C on our state flag is filled with gold. What does this color represent? a) The autumn color of aspen trees b) Gold mining of Colorado c) Our abundant sunshine 6. What is our state bird? a) Mockingbird b) Lark Bunting c) Brown Thrasher 1) a 2) a 3) b 4) c 5) c 6) b 7) a 7. Colorado has a higher mean elevation than any other state. What is our mean elevation? a) 6,800 feet b) 4,600 feet c) 7,100 feet

Make More Money with these Yard Sale Secrets!

This months FREE REPORT will give you step-by-step directions on how to hold the most successful yard sale EVER! Find out: The best way to display your items How to properly price an item Advertising tips that brings crowds Tips to encourage shoppers What sells best and what doesnt Valuable security tips Call or email for this FREE Report!

GREEN IDEAS

FOR THE

COLORADO HOMEOWNER

Things Mothers Teach Us!

Mothers teach us about ANTICIPATION.

A Safer Home:

How to properly dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications

Look in anyones medicine cabinet or bathroom drawers and most likely youll find bottles of unused, unwanted and expired medications. Its important to dispose of these items to keep them from falling into the hands of small children. In addition, older children and teens may be tempted to experiment with easily available medications. But tossing them down the drain is not an option because pills can pollute lakes, streams and water supplies. To help Coloradans properly dispose of these meds, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has recently started the Colorado Medication TakeBack Pilot Project. How Do I Use the Project? Simply gather up your unused, unwanted and expired medications, take them to one of the project locations, and drop them into the box. The Pilot Program Tamper-resistant collection boxes, available at several Denver metro-area locations, are intended for prescription medications and over-the-counter products, but cannot accept narcotics. For a list of the collection box locations and a list of accepted and unaccepted items, visit: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/ medtakeback/factsheet.pdf As for disposing of narcotics, check to see if your county has a scheduled collection day for old, expired and unwanted narcotic medications. If they do not, here is the recommended way to dispose of these dangerous drugs: Take unused, unneeded or expired medicines out of their original containers. Mix them with an undesirable substance like kitty litter or used coffee grounds. Remove or destroy all identifying personal information, including prescription number, on the empty medicine container labels. Eliminate personal information by covering it with black permanent marker or by scratching it off. Wrap the medication mixture in newspaper to help conceal it and place it in the trash. Whole Foods accepts medication bottles which they recycle. Be sure to keep children or pets away from the trash before it is picked up and hauled away.

"Just wait until we get home."

Mothers teach us to MEET A CHALLENGE.

"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you! Don't talk back to me!"
Mothers teach us about TIME TRAVEL.

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
Mothers teach us about STAMINA. Mothers teach us FORESIGHT.

"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone." Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
Mothers teach us about WEATHER.

"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

Mothers teach us LOGIC.

" Because I said so, that's why!"

Mothers teach us RELIGION.

"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

Mothers teach us about HYPOCRISY.

"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
Mothers teach us HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. Mothers teach us about our ROOTS.

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up." "Shut that door. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
And our mothers teach us about JUSTICE.

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

May 13, 2012: Happy Mothers Day!

Front Range freeways are everywhere today, but can you name the very first one in the metro Denver area? And where did it lead?

COLORADO TRIVIA
The first limited-access auto freeway in the metro area was West Sixth Avenue. It was built during World War II and went from downtown Denver to the Federal War Production plant near Golden.

Ten easy ways to increase your homes curb appeal

When people drive up to a home, the general impression they have from the curb is called the curb appeal, and it is a critical factor in getting potential buyers to even step inside the front door. To help increase the curb appeal of your home, here are ten easy ideas to consider. 1. Add instant pizzazz by installing a border along your driveway. A border made of bricks, pavers or stone really adds interest to a dull slab of boring asphalt or concrete. 2. Solar lights or hard-wired exterior lighting along the entryway makes a home appear more inviting and friendly. 3. Nothing increases curb appeal faster than

flowers. Whether pouring from a hanging basket, in berms, beds, or along the walkway leading to a front porch, flowers are a cost-effective way to make a big impact. 4. If youve got dead spots under large trees, quit fighting the lawn and plant shade-loving flowers around the base of the tree. Another option is to apply mulch around the tree base. Covering the dead spots will make your entire yard look healthier. 5. As long as its working, we tend to ignore our garage door. But, replacing an old, dilapidated garage door will not only improve your energy efficiency and enhance home safety, it will dramatically improve the way your home looks. 6. Replacing outdated, rusty light fixtures, old door handles and kick plates adds a handsome touch to your home and improves your

homes first impression. 7. If you have your own mailbox in front of your home, does it need straightening? Will neighborhood rules allow you to replace it with something more stylish? At the very least--plant flowers around the base. 8. Is your front door dull? Add a fresh coat of paint, replace it with one that adds personality, or just get it sparkling clean. 9. Trim trees, shrubs and bushes to present a well-manicured landscape. 10. Break up a flat, boring yard with a berm that integrates plants, mulch, stone or trees. If youd like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion of your home, its market value, and ways to increase your homes overall appeal to potential buyers, dont hesitate to call and lets talk.

SNAPSHOT OF MY BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY: Take service and professionalism to new heights when it comes to helping my clients achieve their Colorado real estate goals.

YOUR

BUSINESS AND REFERRALS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

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

Knowledge. Experience. Dedication.