Thursday, May 31, 2012


Summer Is Here!!


With the months quickly sliding into summer, and away from the slower mud-season, we all need to get ready to fill our calendars with the many great activities that happen in our beautiful little valley. From the active events like Tough Mudder to the lazy days relaxing at an outdoor concert there is no shortage of activity for anyone around Vail this June.  Here are some events I will surely be attending.

Summer Teva Mountain Games
May31st-June 3rd


This is a great afternoon activity for the family or a fun night trip with some friends. Becuase of the wide range of activities there is something for everyone at the Teva Games.  Come during the day with the family to watch some of the mountain biking events, try a fly fishing casting clinic, or watch the dog dock dive.  Then drop the kids off with a baby sitter and come back for some of the great free concerts at night. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights they are holding a free concert at Checkpoint Charlie in Vail Village. For more information check out their website for complete schedule and event locations. http://www.tevamountaingames.com/summer

Tough Mudder
June 9th-10th



If you didn't get enough adventure sports with the Teva Games you can get more than your fill with the 2012 Tough Mudder held on Beaver Creek Mountain.  With 25,000 participants last year and around the same expected this year it makes for a fun weekend in Beaver Creek. While the racers are out killing themselves on the course there are many booths set up in the village with food and apparel for the spectators to enjoy. They also have a band playing during the day to welcome back the racers and entertain the more sane non-participants.

Eagle Farmers Market
Every Friday from 4-8PM



Starting June 15th and going through mid September the farmers market will give you a nice evening activity for the family here in Eagle. New this year, the markets will be held in Eagle Ranch on Capitol St. and will have many things on top of great locally grown and made food.

Free Concerts
July Thursday Nights in Eagle



The Town of Eagle is continuing this popular weekly event with the free music and a host of kids' activities to keep the whole family entertained! All concerts start at 6:30 at Eagle Town Park. Feel free to bring a picnic, lawn chair, cooler or a leashed dog to this great community event.


Eagle Flight Days
June 22nd-24th



This classic Eagle community event is returning for it's 51st year with everything from fighter jets to pancakes to karaoke. While the town doesn't have it's full schedule out yet for this event if it is anything like years past we know it will be great fun. 


Beaver Creek Rodeo
Thursdays starting June 28th



Who doesn't like a good ol' rodeo. This event is perfect for all ages.  It has the classics like bronco riding and calf roping with some great new activities like mutton busting (if you don't know what this is click here) and a mechanical bull.  They also have pony rides and great BBQ for the whole family. Held at the Beaver Creek Rodeo Arena in Avon every Thursday through mid August with gates opening at 5PM.



These are just a few of things that make us locals so glad that we came for the winters but ened up staying because of the summers! If you need any more information on any of these events please contact me.  There will be many more to come so I will do my best to keep you in the know. I hope to see you out there this summer!


Monday, May 14, 2012


10 Cheap Fixes to Sell Your Home
In today's market, buyers want a move-in ready house at a great price!  I tell my sellers they need to make their home feel fresh & new to add to the saleability.  This doesn't have to cost a lot of money though... I have found some great fixes that are relatively cheap and will help you sell your home more quickly (if it's priced right :-).

1. Make your kitchen pop!
With the kitchen being the central hub of a home, make it fresh with simple accessories.  Add a new faucet set to the sink and some new cabinet door pulls to brighten up the older accents. Updating lighting fixtures with brighter energy efficient ones can also bring greater value into your home. 

2. Give your appliances a facelift.
New panels for your kitchen appliances can give old fixtures a new and uniform look. If you have miss-matched appliances, simply call the manufacturer and order new face panels to give them all the same look.  One trick for dishwashers is that many of the panels are white on one side and black on the other. So by simply removing and flipping it around you may achieve that cohesive look.

3. Take care of the bathroom.
Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are one of the most important rooms for buyers.  Stop by the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Chambers in Eagle for a new toilet seat or pedestal sink to brighten up an old bathroom.  Then, get dirty and do a quick once over with new grout on the spots that look dingy to give the look of a well-maintained home. 

4. Add Storage!
Especially in older homes,storage is a much valued commodity.  By taking advantage of the space you have with organizational systems you can give the space a more purposeful use. There are many do it yourself options as well as online tools to measure and set up the space to your needs. 

5. Hire a professional.
Hire a handyman to come in for a few hours and tend to the many small fixes that are probably needed.  With the professionals expertise you can fix all those faulty outlets, lights or sinks that may drip.  Again, the goal is to present a well-maintained home to buyers.

6. Mind your steps.
If your flooring is dingy, rent a carpet cleaner and in 2 hours your home will have a nice, clean, fresh look. If some spots are unrepairable, add area rugs to hide the problem spots.

7. Brighten your space.
If your room has boring or dark lighting, add some simple but modern lighting fixtures to liven up the space or buy lamps.  The more light the better!  Add new blades to a ceiling fan while keeping the body for a cheap update to that fixture. 


8. Your entrance gates
The front door is part of the first impression so add new hardware if yours is dated. If the door itself isn't up to snuff, then give it a nice coat of fresh paint for increased curb appeal.

9. Some fresh sod goes a long way.
Spend time pulling weeds, edging sidewalks and driveways and trimming hedges.  This will give a well-maintained look to the front facade. If that doesn't cut it, you may also need to buy some new shrubs and plants to place around your house with a fresh bed of mulch. This is the first thing buyers see and for a couple hundred dollars and a day's worth of work, you can add a ton of value to your house.

10. Paint correctly.
While new paint can add new life to a room this is a job many people do incorrectly or poorly. Make sure when doing this you are sanding down all bumps and blemishes on the wall as well as fixing nicks and holes. If the original color is dark make sure you are priming the space first to allow the new color to shine. Only pick neutral colors!

Don't do this!

Many of these jobs can be done over a weekend with only a few hundred dollars. While the actual value of these fixes are hard to quantify, there is no doubt that prospective buyers will appreciate and notice these minor cheap fixes. If you need any help or further information on staging your home, please let me know.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012





Off-Season Happenings in the Vail Valley 



With the slower pace for everyone in this shoulder season you may be wondering what activities are available in this transition time of year.  The winter activities are done but the hiking, biking and golf have not yet hit full swing so many people choose to take their vacations to get their beach fix in after the snowy winter.  While I can absolutely appreciate a nice cold drink while sitting on a secluded beach staring at an expansive blue ocean, I also LOVE this time of year here in the Vail Valley.  We have less people in town now which means more trail room for hiking and biking, abundant dining specials, and just the relaxed feeling most don't achieve during the busy winter months.

Here are some of my favorite options for what to do during this spring period.

1. Go for a hike!
       - With the dry winter and spring we have had so many trails that usually are not accessible until late Spring which are currently dry and beautiful. One of my favorites is the 2nd Gulch Trail right here in Eagle which is a great mountain biking trail too.  It starts at the Arroyo Drive Parking Lot and goes for 9.5 mile loop to the south with a nice steady climb for half of it.  It is nice and dry with the beginnings of the wildflowers starting to show. Click here for a map of the area's trails.

2. Go to dinner!
       - There is a great new restaurant in Eagle called The Old Kentucky Tavern right on Broadway Street. They have daily lunch specials for $7.95 as well as pizzas and plenty of great whiskey. Visit them at their Facebook page for their menu and more information.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Kentucky-Tavern/326668487355701



3. Get a massage!
      - Edwards Massage is doing a great off-season special by offering a 60 minute for only $35. I have never seen a deal like this in this valley.  They are located at 56 Edwards Village Blvd, Unit 114; right by Sato's. Give them a call to set an appointment at, 766-7100.


This is just the tip of the iceberg for spring time activities but they are some of my favorites.  I hope to see you out there this spring.