Tag: Denver

Summer Staycation Ideas for Families in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

Summer vacation is here and for many of us, the idea of being locked in a cramped car or plane for hours on end just makes us cringe. Thankfully, some brave soul a few years ago coined the phrase “family staycation” and it has been growing in popularity.

For those who don’t know, a staycation is where you stay at home and spend your summer vacation resting and relaxing and either doing some things in the general area of your home or venturing out on a road trip that is fast and able to get you home that night with no hotel accommodations required.

Here, then, are some of the best staycation ideas for those families in the Denver area:

  • Breckenridge—Let’s start with this beautiful little town that is about 90 minutes outside of Denver (on the way to Vail). Although this area is known for its winter sports and recreation, the summertime boasts popular activities such as an alpine gondola, horseback riding, and even an alpine rollercoaster, luge, and rope-course. This abundance of activities will keep your family happy and occupied on your trip.
  • Garden of the Gods—This one is great for multiple reasons. First, admission is free to the nature park, where you can walk and explore some of the most beautiful sights in the world. For additional fees, you can do rock climbing experiences and jeep tours as well.
  • Downtown Aquarium—This Denver staple is always a great place for a quiet day of watching fish and other sea creatures. New to the aquarium is an exhibit that allows you to suit up in scuba gear and explore a tank filled with sharks from the safety of a shark cage.
  • Butterfly Pavilion—While we are talking about the beauty of nature, you might want to consider doing a staycation trip to the Butterfly Pavilion. For the prettier and relaxing side of this exhibit, you can check out butterflies that are indigenous to regions from Colorado to the tropics. But you can also check out some of the creepier crawlies such as Rosie the Tarantula, as well as underwater invertebrates.
  • Casa Bonita—This has been a staple in the area for over 40 years and is the very definition of “dinner and a show.” The restaurant features great Mexican staples (including an all-you-can-eat buffet), plus a variety of shows including pirates, gorillas, cliff divers, and a gunfight. You can also check out puppet shows, the arcade, and spend some time at the gift shop.

Don’t feel like you have to go on a massive road trip this summer to have some fun and relax. Instead, stay at home and do a few day trip activities in the general Denver area.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Top Parks for Families in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

Summer is upon us and if you are like me, you are dreading the prospect of being packed away in the house with kids whining about having “nothing to do.” I always like to have a backup plan on hand for a fun day activity that will let the kids run themselves ragged and get rid of all that crazy energy that they seem so full of.

Here are some of the top parks in Denver that you can take your family to this summer for a fun-filled day:

  1. Central Park (Stapleton)—I’ve got to put this one at the top of my list for the sheer joy of the place and the beautiful, vibrant colors. Central Park has purple trees and colorful foam mountains that serve as the backdrop for family fun. Alongside this creative décor, they also have activities for all kids including rock-climbing and traditional playground equipment. There is also a fountain and sandcastle area for those who miss getting to do this at the beach. Finally, you absolutely must check out the “sensory sound garden” that allows kids to experiment with chimes and drums.
  2. Westminster Center Park (Westminster)—One of my favorite children’s tales is Peter Pan, so it should come as no surprise that this one is highly recommended. Westminster Center Park is also affectionately called Peter Pan Park because it is built around creating a miniature Neverland for kids to explore. The park boasts playground equipment built around a pirate ship, as well as tunnels, rocks, logs, and bridges that will fire up their imagination.
  3. Discovery Park (Wheat Ridge)—This one gets high marks for the sheer variety of the activities at the park. Besides having traditional playgrounds for little kids and older ones as well, you can also enjoy sandcastle building in the sandpit and cool down at the splash pad. This one also sets itself apart from other parks by its natural beauty (a creek runs right through it) and the skate park which allows your adventurous older kids to enjoy themselves.
  4. Downtown Children’s Playground (Denver)—No list of parks could be complete without this perennial favorite. The only thing that might detract from this one is that it is too well-located. Because it is in the heart of downtown, it gets larger crowds, especially on the weekends or during major family events. But if you do find yourself in the area and want the kids to run off steam, this park not only has traditional playground features, but it also includes a rubberized cushioning that will protect the little ones if they take a tumble.

No matter what part of Denver you are in, check out the local parks and playgrounds in your area. Spend some time during the day or early evening running off that energy and your kids may even wear themselves out and sleep well that night.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

How to Prepare to Buy Your First Home

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Real Estate.

If you’re thinking seriously about buying your first home, then you should know that the experience can be trying and difficult at times. The process can be a long one and can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.

In the end, however, when you walk into that home knowing that it’s yours, it feels so much more satisfying than renting. You should feel pride in what you have accomplished, especially knowing the economic benefits of owning versus renting.

With that being said, here are some things you need to do as you prepare to buy your first home:

  1. Check your finances—The first thing you need is a realistic appraisal of your finances. You have to determine if homeownership is something that you are financially ready for. Look at all of your monthly expenses and figure out if you will have enough money to put into emergency savings in case something breaks and you have to fix it. You will also need to have a substantial amount in savings for the down-payment on the loan.
  2. Get pre-approved—Next, you should start shopping around for the best interest rate on a pre-approved loan. If you get into a bidding war with other potential buyers, a pre-approval will actually swing in your favor since you don’t have to take the time to do extra paperwork. A pre-approved loan helps you find the cheapest rate possible and also helps you figure out exactly how much house you can afford.
  3. Find a realtor—Next, you will need to find a realtor with whom you can work closely. You want a realtor who will take into consideration all of your must-haves and who can find the best fit for your needs and budget. A realtor should be familiar with all of the neighborhoods in your area and should be able to find you the home that will work best for you.
  4. Hit a lot of open houses—An instinct for many first-time homebuyers is to go with the first house that catches their eye. Instead, you should look at as many homes as possible. Don’t settle on any until you are absolutely sure it’s what you want. This isn’t like a lease where you can move out after a year. You are making a long-term commitment, so you don’t want to rush in.
  5. Get an inspection—Once you find a home you are interested in, it’s essential that you get a home inspection. You don’t want to buy a house with serious plumbing or electrical problems, only to have to sink thousands into it for repairs.

After you’ve gone through all of this, it’s time to make an offer and see if your bid is accepted. Then comes the worst part of the whole process—the waiting. But once you get that call that your offer has been accepted, the feeling of elation makes the process well worth the experience.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Beautiful Public Gardens in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

Spring is in the air and that means that the flowers are blooming all across the greater Denver area. If you like to get outside and experience nature’s varied beauty, then there are several locations you and your family absolutely must check out.

These public gardens are the perfect locales for communing with nature and getting some fresh air:

  • Denver Botanic Gardens: York Street —The first of Denver Botanic Gardens’ beautiful locations sits on 24 acres and features beautiful plants and flowers from all over the world. These plants and flowers have been specifically cultivated to thrive in the high-altitude climate of Denver. The York Street branch features seventeen separate gardens showcasing plants that thrive in arid Western areas.Additionally, there are international gardens that include a bonsai pavilion, a teahouse garden, and other exotic plants from Asia as well as South Africa. There are also seventeen other ornamental gardens that are decked out every spring with special flowers.

    The Mordecai Children’s Garden features plants from six different climates including alpine, subalpine forest, montane forest, plains and grassland, riparian, and montane shrubland. All of these provide beauty and educational experience in the pristine Denver surroundings.

  • Denver Botanic Gardens: Chatfield Farms —Located just a quick drive out to Littleton, this branch of the botanic gardens is a 700-acre working farm that allows locals to see some of the native glory of the local plant-life. This farm features a cut flower garden, an iris garden, a lavender garden, and a prairie garden. The farm also features a butterfly pavilion that contains plants grown specifically to attract hundreds of beautiful butterflies to the area.
  • Chester M. Alter Arboretum —Located on the campus of the University of Denver, this garden is meant to beautify the campus with 2,100 trees and more than 400 different species of plants. As a special addition to the gardens, the arboretum features nine “Champion and Notable trees” that are among some of the oldest in the state and also feature special plants from around the world.
  • Hudson Gardens & Event Center – On the west side of town, you can experience this wonderful garden for free most days of the year. Hudson Gardens makes their income off of throwing events on their beautiful property and by doing a light show during the holidays, allowing guests free admission year-round to see the beautiful flowers, gardens, trees, and mini-lake. A favorite of bikers, because of their extensive trails, the gardens also raise their own bees, own their own greenhouse, and frequently run a model train through part of an exhibit.

If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do in Denver now that the weather isn’t freezing, then these three garden locations offer you a chance to experience the natural beauty of Denver’s foliage along with international plants and flowers.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Tips for Jumping into the Spring Homebuying Season

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Real Estate.

If you know anything about the home real estate market, then you know that spring is the biggest season for home buying. Buyers have been cooped up in their old homes all winter and are looking to move while sellers have had the same time frame to get their homes ready for sale.

But, if you’re looking to get into the homebuying market, then there are a few tips you should take care of before you start shopping.

  1. Make a list—Before you talk with a real estate agent, you should write out all of the must-haves that you want in a house. How many bedrooms and bathrooms will you need? Is there a specific location that you want? All of these will help narrow down the agent’s search so you don’t waste your time looking at houses that won’t work for you.
  2. Get your credit in line—A good FICO credit score is essential to buying a home. Let’s just say, hypothetically, you are buying a $300,000 home. A mortgage at 4.14% will run you a total of about $520,000. But if your credit is bad and your interest rate comes out to 5.73%, that same home will cost you about $630,000. That means that bad credit will make the same home cost you over $100,000 more than it would if you had good credit.
  3. Save as much as you can—One of the biggest problems with buying a home is that you have to keep a lot of cash on hand for down payments and emergencies. The more you put down, the better your interest rate and monthly payments will be. But you should also have at least 1-2 months of income set into savings for a potential emergency, such as a major home repair.
  4. Get preapproved—Because Spring is such a huge time for buying a home, you are going to be competing with a lot of other buyers that will be looking at the same prime properties. To make yourself look better to the sellers, you should arrive with a pre-approval from a local lender. These will generally carry more weight than a pre-approved loan from an online lender. You need to do everything that you can to make yourself look appealing to the seller.
  5. Be ready to negotiate—It isn’t enough to just make an offer, cross your fingers, and pray. In a competitive market, you will probably have to pay list price and not be able to haggle down on the price. But, you can still negotiate other areas like extended home warranties and closing costs. This can save you some money without asking too much that might wind up killing the deal.

This spring, thousands of homes, both old and new, will be placed on the market. If you want to jump into this “selling frenzy” then you need to get your finances in order and be ready to negotiate in order to be successful.

 

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Why Moms Love Living in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver, Motherhood.

Denver is a popular city that’s been growing steadily for about a decade. Ask any Denver mom, and they’re guaranteed to tell you it’s a great city for fun family activities, indoors or out.

But Denver’s also a great place for spoiling yourself and spending some “me time” to rejuvenate the body and spirit.  Here are some of the best spots in Denver for moms who need a little self-care this month:

  1. 5 Star Salt Caves — If you want a day spa experience unlike any other, then check out this man-made “salt” cave. The entire center surrounds the cave, which is made of Himalayan salt. Here, you can relax in a quiet environment and breathe in the salt-infused air – which is said to improve sinuses and breathing. In addition to salt therapy, the spa also features other traditional therapies such as saunas, massages, and footbaths.
  2. Upstairs Circus – Although this is better enjoyed with friends, it’s also a place you can come on your own to relax and get crafty. You can pay one fee for a variety of daily craft options and then design and craft all kinds of things including homemade jewelry and paintings as well as projects for the house such as key racks and serving trays.
  3. Movie Night – You don’t have to go see the latest blockbuster or yet another Disney cartoon. The Alamo Drafthouse in Littleton features special presentations of older movies in an unusual setting. One of their regular Signature Series features is an older, elegant movie such as Little Women or Sense & Sensibility, and you can skip the popcorn and enjoy high tea and biscuits or finger sandwiches. Or get the girls together for a night out dancing at the movies. Recent Dance Party nights have featured Brittney Spears and the Backstreet Boys for some flashback hits.
  4. BookBar – If you prefer a small, independent bookstore with real books rather than those big box stores or eBook readers, then you should check out this combination bookstore and wine bar. You can listen to a poetry reading, meet an author and get an autograph, or pick up a new book and curl up with a nice glass of wine.

Denver is a great city to explore and relax in. But for moms especially, it is filled with activities and opportunities that provide a break from the kids.

 

 

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.