Home mortgages have become almost as cheap as they were during the 1950s. On June 30, Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey had average interest rates on 30-year FRMs at 4.58%, with rates on 15-year FRMs averaging 4.04%, rates on 5/1-year ARMs at 3.79% and rates on 1-year ARMs at 3.80%. Low mortgage rates along with low home prices create a great time to own a new home.
I want to buy a new home…
July 7th, 2010Another Great Weekend in Winter Park!
June 30th, 2010The annual Blues Festival held at Hideaway Park this last weekend was a total success! Unlike the previous year, there was only one cloudburst that brought rain and dime sized hail. It did nothing to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm though! Everyone ran for cover when the band shut down, taking advantage of the break, beating a path any one of several of the nearby local restaurants for a little food and brew. Half an hour later, the weather cleared, the sun came out, the crowd came back and the bands played on!
If you haven’t taken the time to experience one of Winter Park’s music weekends, you should! KYGO will be hosting a day of free country music in the park on Saturday, July 10th. Come up and spend the afternoon with Chris Cagle, the John Abbott Band and Cory Brunson! This year’s Jazz Festival will be held on July 24th and 25th featuring the likes of Chaka Kahn, Brenda Russell and Ryan Shaw.
If weekends aren’t your thing, there is always the “Music in the Park” held every Thursday evening in Hideaway Park throughout the summer. It’s good music. It’s a good time! Come up and join us for some fun in the mountains…
Denver City Council Unanimously Approves New Zoning Code
June 24th, 2010The Denver City Council unanimously adopted the city’s first new zoning code in more than 50 years this past Monday night. Over the past five years, the city council, city planning and development department, and a public/private group called the Zoning Code Task Force have worked on the new zoning code. This new code was created to support the city’s growth plans, including the Comprehensive Plan of 2002 and Blueprint Denver in 2002, both previously passed by the city council. This new code is form and context-based zoning, designed to better manage future growth and be more user-friendly than the old code. This new code is form and context-based zoning, designed to better manage future growth and be more user-friendly than the old code. For more information or questions about the new zoning code, please visit www.newcodedenver.org. By the Home Builder Advocate.
Whole-House Systems Approach
June 8th, 2010Designing and constructing an energy-efficient house requires careful planning and attention to the details. The whole-house systems approach will help you, your architect, and builder develop a successful strategy for incorporating energy efficiency into your home’s design.
Architects and builders who use this approach recognize that the features of one component in the home can greatly affect other components, which ultimately affects the overall energy efficiency and sustainability of the home.
A whole-house systems approach considers the interaction between your home, your building site, your climate, and these below elements or components of your home:
- Simplify the design for sustainability.
- Reduce the home’s maintenance costs.
- Foundation insulation and moisture control.
- Advanced farming methods will provide greater insulation values, reduce lumber use and waste – this improves energy efficiency in the construction of a traditional wood-framed house.
- The thermal envelope: complete air barrier, drainage plane, insulated sheathing and minimizing thermal bridging.
- Proper insulation and sealing.
- Whole-house ventilation.
- Bathroom and kitchen fan ventilation.
- Energy efficient appliances and home electronics.
- Energy efficient lighting and day lighting.
- Efficient and correctly sized heating and cooling systems.
- Tight ducts and pressure testing.
- Energy efficient hot water system.
- Innovative and energy efficient windows/glass and exterior doors.
- Field verification.
These are some benefits of using a whole-house systems approach:
- Reduced utility bills.
- Less maintenance required and less costs for maintenance.
- Increased comfort.
- Reduced noise, drafts, moisture, dust, pollen and pests.
- A healthier indoor air quality for you and your family.
- Improved building durability.
Mortgage rates are at a yearly low
June 2nd, 201030-year at 4.78%
Mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level of the year as European turmoil caused investors to pour money into the safe haven of U.S. government securities. The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dipped to 4.78% this week from 4.84% a week earlier, according to a survey by Freddie Mac. Concerns over the European debt crisis have sent yields for 10-year and 30-year Treasury bonds to their lowest levels of 2010.
