1105 Home and Real Estate

Saturday Reporter-Herald N ove m b e r 5, 2011 E1

www.reporterherald.com Saturday, November 5, 2011 Reporter-Herald

Real EstateMatters

• •

� See GLINK/Page E5

ILY C E GLINKTRIBUNE MEDIA SE RV I C E S

Question: We would like todownsize and are lookingat a community with a lot

of short sales and foreclosures. Isthere anyway to lessen the expect-ed protracted period of waiting tohear from the bank for purchaseapproval? We can make an all-casho f f e r.

Answer: If you’re looking for aquick purchase, your best bet is tolook for a property that has al-ready been foreclosed by thelender. These homes are typicallyreferred to as REO property, for“real estate owned.” When a bankowns the property, the process tobuy it can be relatively quick. Infact, lenders usually have theirown real estate brokers and attor-neys ready to get a quick sale ofthe property.

Some lender-owned propertiescan close within a week or two ofthe signing of the contract. How-ever, the lender will want to knowfor sure that you have the fundsready to close. If you do, the clos-ing can be relatively painless andquick.

Make sure you have an attorneyto represent you in the purchase.Recently, Sam closed on a condo-minium owned by a lender, andthe lender seemed clueless thatthe future owner might be respon-sible for past expenses owed to thecondo association. Troubled build-ings don’t always fit the normalprocess of buying and selling, andsome buyers can be in for big sur-prises. In this troubled building,the buyer would have ended uphaving to pay several thousanddollars for past amounts owed.

You should also work with a realestate broker or agent who has ex-perience in distressed real estateand in the problems that can re-sult from buying a house or homein a troubled community or devel-opment.

If the development or buildingyou are buying in has many otherforeclosed homes or condomini-um units, and the financial stabili-ty of the community is precarious,you might be in for a wild ride liv-ing there the next several years.

If many homeowners in a devel-opment don’t pay their share ofthe expenses, you and any otherowners who have money may endup paying more and may never getanything back from those whodidn’t pay. You may also find thatcertain lenders will not close realestate deals in those communitiesnow and for some time to come.

Living in a community that hasa financial black cloud over itcould be a challenge. In addition

Q u i ckpurchasepossible onfo r e c l o s e dproper ties

Yo u rH o m e,

Yo u rChoices

O a k wo o dHomes offerscustomization,value atThompsonRiver Ranch

PAID A D V E RT O R I A L

Surrounded by openspace, scenic viewsand trails, adjacent to

Interstate 25 and U.S. High-way 34, and under five min-utes from the Shops at Cen-terra, Thompson River Ranchis proving this really is thetime to buy. With nine mod-els to tour, you can get agood idea why OakwoodHomes sold nine in thecommunity last month.

When you’re investing in ahome, getting the most valuefor your money is key. Payingfor options you don’t want,or need, will only raise eachmortgage payment, perhapsmore than you’d like.Oakwood Homes atThompson River Ranch is

giving its buyers theopportunity to make everychoice of what they want intheir home.

“Every family that comesin has a budget in mind.Finding out what is mostimportant is the start. Acouple choices adding $100to a mortgage payment canbe a deal-breaker, so analyz-ing what each family needscomes first,” said DwayneMontoya of Oakwood Homes.“Why increase the cost ofyour home with options youdon’t want?”

A recent buyer atThompson River Ranchworked with Montoya andbuilt their home from theground up. With no kids, thefocus for them was thekitchen and great room forentertaining in the Turnerplan they chose.

“Upgraded cabinets,granite counters and blackappliances to enhance their

kitchen ... those and othersimilar features was theprimary focus.” recalledMontoya. They were ablekeep the price of the homeunder $200,000; this kepttheir payments close to$1,330 per month while stillgetting everything they reallywanted. They could haveadded more to the home,but doing this allowedthem to stay under budgetand have what was mostimportant.

Oakwood’s build schedulewill put the couple in theirhome under five monthsfrom the day they signedtheir contract. This is a hugeplus to many families

needing a new home quicklyand still being able tocustomize it themselves.

Seeing rent in northernColorado slowly increase dueto the tight rental market,Thompson River Ranch getsmany families touring thearea because they are tired ofrenting and their lease is upwithin the year. In manycases, the mortgagepayments for a home in thecommunity are actuallylower than what familiesare paying each month torent.

For families who need tobe in right away, OakwoodHomes has two quickmove-in homes availabletoday that come with someof the most popular featuresthat won’t disappoint. Bothhomes in the low $200sfeature three bedrooms andtwo-and-a-half baths withover 1500 square feet ofspace, but very different floor

plans.While touring the models,

be sure you tour thecommunity as well. Parks,trails, playground, picnicareas and more ... the wholefamily can find something toenjoy. Follow the signs to thesales office and pick up acommunity map to make ite a s i e r.

Dwayne Montoya and MikeWelty are on hand thisweekend from 10 to 6 p.m,to answer any questionsabout the community orhome choices available. Withnine models to walk throughand a variety of showcasedoptions, you’re bound tohave a few questions at theend.

For information or to setup an appointment with oneof them, call 970-669-9801.Before visiting, you cansee community informationand floor plans at www.O a k w o o d H o m e s C O. c o m .

“Analyzing whateach family needs

comes first.— Dwayne Montoya, Oakwood Homes

www.HomeStateBank.com970-203-6100

Check the license status of yourmortgage loan originator at

http://www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate/index.htm

An FHA 203(k) mortgage allows you to finance both your homepurchase and renovation with a single loan. Call now to learn more.

Loans and rates subject to credit approval. Owner-occupied residences only. FHA conditions and restrictions apply.

Vivian DeVoe, VP Mortgage Banker, NMLS#269876, 970-227-4702

Buying a home that needs work?Call the experts in FHA 203(k)renovation financing.

Think big Bank small

E2 Saturday Reporter-Herald N ove m b e r 5, 2 0 1 1

Peakview Meadows Sales office openThursday thru Monday from 1-4 Prices startingat $195,900. 5 Models to choose from

Peakview Meadows, Berthoud

SALES OFFICE OPEN

Kurt AlbersCentury 21 Humpal, Inc.970-231-1224kurtd57@msn.comwww.warbergfarmatchapmanreservoir.com

Maintenance FREE* Patio Home-Great openfloor plan-Split 3 bdrms - Upgrades anddesigner tile! Alder doors, trim & cabinets,5 pc. master bath. Stone fireplace. 2 1/2 cargarage. MLS#666495. $339,900

3480 Peruvian Torch Drive, Loveland

BUILDERS MODEL - DAKOTA GLENOPEN HOUSE 12 TO 4 THURS.-MON.

Venna HillmanERA Herman Group/Glen [email protected]

OPEN Saturday 1-3 2+Acre Lake front& horselots starting $225,000 water tap included.Surface rights, walk paths, parks, boat docks,fishing and peace garden.

Warberg Farm at Chapman Reservoir

OPEN SAT 1-3 PM

Kurt AlbersCentury 21 Humpal, Inc.970-231-1224kurtd57@msn.comwww.warbergfarmatchapmanreservoir.com

Looking for Maintenance-FREE* lifestyle?Open floor plan, patio home w/3 bdrms/3baths, granite kitchen island, backs togreen belt with mountain views! Convenientlocation. MLS#622329. $342,000

3464 Peruvian Torch Drive, Loveland, CO

BUILDERS MODEL-DAKOTA GLENOPEN HOUSE 12 TO 4 THURS.-MON.

Venna HillmanERA Herman Group/Glen [email protected]

Spectacular ranch-style home offeringpremium finishes throughout. Open floor planw/10 ft ceilings, designer kitchen, finishedbasement, slab granite, wood floors, front &back landscaping. $499,900

1187 Coral Burst Dr. - Crescendo Village in Alford Meadows

OPEN SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12-4

Ron McCrimmonFuller Sotheby’s International Realty970.214.2763AlfordMeadows.comwww.RonMcCrimmon.com

UP TO $199,999 $200,000 - $299,999 $500,000 - $599,999$300,000 - $399,999UP TO $199 999UP TO $199 999 $200 000 $299 999$200 000 $299 999 $500 000 $599 9$500 000 $599 9$300 000 $399 999$300 000 $399 999

Featured Properties

WWW.HOMEANDREALTYGUIDE.COM•CLICK ON OPEN HOUSE MAPS

For information on how a Realtor may add a listing, call Dan Grassmeyerat the Loveland Reporter-Herald at 970-635-3615 or

email: [email protected] can join our on-line realtor community at:

colonews.com/FeaturedProperties_RH/featured_newclient.phpFor details about these open houses, see the ads in this section.

For additional open house listings, please check the “Real EstateClassifieds” section of this publication or on line at, reporterherald.comwhere you can find all of the information in todays Real Estate Weekly.

This guide is brought to you by the Daily Reporter-Herald, local realestate agents and area builders.

saturday sunday

Price: Location: Address: Time: Office/Contact: Phone:

$139,840 NE Loveland 4905 Hahns Peak #101 11 AM-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-FTC Downtown, JeremyJohnson

970-313-6166

From the$140’s

Loveland 43rd St & Wilson AveThe Cottages at Enchantment Ridge

12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515

Starting inthe $150’s

Milliken 110 Traders Lane 12 Noon-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Tracy Wilson 970-567-0907

From$159,900

Loveland 1899 East 11th St. 10 AM-6 PM Midtown Homes, Boise Village North,Wayne Lewis

970-456-4600

$169,900 Loveland 4403 Elliot Pl 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515

Starting at$195,900

Berthoud Peakview Meadows 1-4 PM Century 21 Humpal, Inc., Kurt Albers &Chris Rampone

970-231-1224,970-430-0845

Startingin the$200,000’s

Windsor 620 Moonglow Drive 1-4 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Kelli Couch 970-310-8804

$207,315 Loveland 3441 Foster Pl 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515

$219,900 Loveland 4478 Hayler Ave 12-4 PM Cottage Realty 970-532-5900


$249,900 Berthoud 1621 Hollyberry 1-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Kathy Beadell 970-290-1798

$298,664 Loveland 4355 Ridgway Dr 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$299,900 Loveland 1920 New Hampshire St 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$299,900 Loveland 4454 Stump Ave 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$326,900 Berthoud 1723 Wales 1-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Lisa Moore 970-566-4627

$339,900 NW Loveland 3480 Peruvian Torch 12 Noon-4 PM ERA Herman Group NoCo/Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$342,000 NW Loveland 1/4 mile west of Wilson on 14thStreet/SW/HWY 402 to the DakotaGlen Subdivision

12 Noon-4 PM ERA Herman Group NoCo/Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$350,000 Loveland 3555 Capitol Peak Drive 12 Noon-2 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Cindy Kutin 970-391-4735

$449,000 NW Loveland 4297 Golf Vista 1:30-3:30 RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Julie Riedel 970-679-8365

$499,900 Loveland 1187 Coral Burst Drive, CreshendoVillage At Alford Meadows

12 Noon - 4PM

Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, RonMcCrimmon

970-214-2763

$625,000 NE Loveland 3015 Challenger’s Point 11 AM-1 PM RE/MAX Alliance-FTC South, Rich Johnson 970-310-7223

Price: Location: Address: Time: Office/Contact: Phone:

$139,840 NE Loveland 4905 Hahns Peak #101 11 AM-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-FTC Downtown, JeremyJohnson

970-313-6166

From the$140’s

Loveland 43rd St & Wilson AveThe Cottages at Enchantment Ridge

12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515

Starting inthe $150’s

Milliken 110 Traders Lane 12 Noon-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Tracy Wilson 970-567-0907

From$159,900

Loveland 1899 East 11th St. 10 AM-6 PM Midtown Homes, Boise Village North,Wayne Lewis

970-456-4600

$169,900 Loveland 4403 Elliot Pl 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515

$188,000 Lovela nd 3255 Adelaide Place 1-4 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Diane Iwanicki 970-412-7082

Starting at$195,900

Berthoud Peakview Meadows 1-4 PM Century 21 Humpal, Inc., Kurt Albers &Chris Rampone

970-231-1224,970-430-0845

$199,750 NW Loveland 369 W 9th 1-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-FTC South, Rhonda Heth 970-566-3516

$207,315 Loveland 3441 Foster Pl 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-215-0515


$220,000 Loveland 3174 Blackberry Drive 12 Noon- 2 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Doug Miller 970-481-9444

Starting at$225,000

Berthoud Warberg Farm At Chapman Reservoir 1-3 PM Century 21 Humpal, Inc., Kurt Albers 970-430-0845

$229,900 SW Loveland 353 Johnson Dr 1:30-3:30 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Don Riedel 970-679-8265


$249,900 Berthoud 1621 Hollyberry 1-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Kathy Beadell 970-290-1798

$255,000 Loveland 3518 Akron Court 1-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Rich Gardiner 970-227-0964

$298,664 Loveland 4355 Ridgway Dr 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$299,000 Loveland 2892 Ariel Drive 1-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, GeorgenaArnett

970-481-9801

$299,900 Loveland 1920 New Hampshire St 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$299,900 Loveland 4454 Stump Ave 12-5 PM Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$326,900 Berthoud 1723 Wales 1-3 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Lisa Moore 970-566-4627

$335,000 Loveland 2890 Carina Circle 1-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate,GeorgenaArnett

970-481-9801

$342,000 NW Loveland 1/4 mile west of Wilson on 14thStreet/SW/HWY 402 to the DakotaGlen Subdivision

12 Noon-4 PM ERA Herman Group NoCo/Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$349,900 Berthoud 103 Common Drive 12 Noon-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, Miki Roth 970-690-9459

$383,000 NW Loveland 3489 Peruvian Torch 12 Noon-4 PM ERA Herman Group NoCo/Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$449,000 NW Loveland 4297 Golf Vista 1:30-3:30 PM RE/MAX Alliance-Loveland, Julie Riedel 970-679-8365

$499,900 Loveland 1187 Coral Burst Drive, CreshendoVillage At Alford Meadows

12 Noon - 4PM

Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, RonMcCrimmon

970-214-2763

$259,900 Loveland 1658 Stove Prairie Circle 1-3 PM The Group Inc., Real Estate, MaribethBergan

970-690-1735


Mortgage rate update

30-year fixed

15-year fixed

5/1 ARM

This week Last week Tre n d

4.08%

3.38%

3.02%

4.22%

3.47%

3.01%

Home & Real Estate is producedevery Saturday by the

Loveland Reporter-Herald.

Regional Snapshot for Loveland/Berthoud Residential

Ju n e Ju ly Au g u s t

Active Listings 973 938 860Previous Year Active Listings 1101 1092 1054

Sold Listings 155 134 154

Median Sales Price $220,000 $208,958 $223,700Previous Year Median $234,000 $238,000 $192,000

Average Days on the Market 121 103 107Previous Year ADOM 121 122 121

Year to Date Listings Sold 676 810 964Previous Year YTD Listing Sold 728 839 941

News and Press Releases: TheReporter-Herald welcomes news onhirings, advancements, awards,classes and other information ofinterest to the real estate and homecommunity. Submit information toj c o d y @ r e p o r t e r- h e r a l d . c o m .

Advertising: For advertisinginformation, call Dan Grassmeyer.

Office: 970-635-3615Cell: 970-214-6297E-mail:

d g r a s s m e y e r @ r e p o r t e r- h e r a l d . c o m

LOCAL AGENT EARNS CIAS DESIGNATION

Brad Rowe of RE/MAX Alliance in Loveland hasearned the prestigious Certified Investor Agent Special-ist (CIAS) Designation, havingcompleted extensive training tounderstand the different real es-tate investor types, and the invest-ment opportunities, financing op-tions and calculations needed toprovide solutions for each. The fivereal estate investor types include:first-time investors, move-up in-vestors, portfolio investors, perfor-mance investors, and rehab and re-sell investors.

“For decades, investing in realestate has proven to be a consis-tent and stable way for individuals to build wealth,”Rowe said. “Real estate investment supports a numberof industries, including construction, retail and profes-sional services, and is a strong way to energize and in-crease investment in our local economy.”

With the CIAS Designation training, Rowe will helpNorthern Colorado area residents build wealth throughreal estate investment, and homeowners facing foreclo-sure find potential buyers for their properties. For moreinformation, call Rowe at 970-461-4241.

Brad Rowe

H&Real Estate

B r i e fsRE

Find out what to do in Loveland.

Every day on page

B2

750W.Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland669-1234 viewmore properties at:

www.HomesInColorado.com

Each office independently owned &operated

4297 Golf Vista Dr, LovelandAmazing Setting! On POND & GOLF

COURSE. Dramatic home has all the right el-

ements: GREAT KITCHEN (stunning granite,

dbl ovens, views) GORGEOUSMASTER (large

soaking tub & HIS/HERS

WALK-IN CLOSETS).$449,000| MLS #667770

Call Julie Riedel970-679-8365www.HomesInColorado.com

OPEN SATURDAY 1:30-3:30 P.M.2503 Logan Dr, Loveland

Location! Updated two story across from LakeLoveland, 4 beds, 2.5 baths, office w/ separateentrance, private backyard w/ decks, pond &mature landscaping, granite counters, mas-

ter bath w/ jetted tub, craftrooms & more! Call for your

appointment today!$350,000 | MLS #665751

Call Julie [email protected]

OPEN SUNDAY 1-3 P.M.353 Johnson Drive, Loveland

(Meadowbrook Heights) Ranch with80% finished basement, 4 bdrms, 3 baths,huge fenced yard, front porch and backcovered deck, immediate possession pos-

sible, just freshly painted.$229,900 | MLS #667530

Call Don A. Riedel970-679-8265www.RiedelGroup.com

OPEN SATURDAY 1:30-3:30 P.M.

3015 Challenger Point, LovelandViews galore from this 5 bed, 5 bath ranchstyle home that backs to Westerdoll Lake.Garden level walk-out located in SevenLakes subdivision. Recreational lake

rights included! Check itout today!$625,000 | MLS #659326

The Jennifer Kelly TeamHosted by Rich Johnson970-310-7223

OPEN SUNDAY 11 A.M.-1 P.M.369W. 9th Street, Loveland

Absolutely charming 4 bdrm, 2 ba home!Spectacular kitchen remodel. Lots ofupdating, care & character. Corner lot.Updated baths. Must see! Hwy 34, S on

Garfield, W on 8th, N onGrant,W on 9th.$199,750 | MLS #667941

Call Rhonda [email protected]

OPEN SATURDAY 1-3 P.M.2121 BlueWing Dr, JohnstownNew Construction. 2 story, 3 beds, 3baths, 3 car tandem garage, a/c, fire-place, hardwood floors, loft area, study

on main, 5 piece bath,much more.$232,000 | MLS #667680

Call Lanette [email protected]

OPEN SATURDAY 12-2 P.M.

www.1015W32nd.comWell-maintained, beautifully landscaped,

tri-level near sculpture park; efficiently

designed kitchen, finished basement, cedar-

lined closet for out-of-season storage! Main

floor laundry and 1/2 bath.

$210,000 | MLS #660546

Call Nanci Garnand622-1846 or 227-1327www.LivingInLoveland.com

www.3627Maplewood.comSpacious and unique floorplan with walk-

in closets galore! Gourmet kitchen and

LARGE laundry/pantry. Master bedroom

is a suite retreat! Community pool, walking

trails, and 18-hole frisbee

golf course.$301,750 | MLS #666187

Call Nanci Garnand622-1846 | 227-1327www.LivingInJohnstown.com

2993 9th Pl Ct SW, LovelandNew Construction. Ranch w/ bsmt, 3bed, 2 baths, Australian cypress hard-wood floors throughout, granite, tile andtravertine backsplash, 2 1/2 car garage,

a/c, fp, much more. Com-pletion Nov. 2011.$269,900 | MLS #661504

Call Kathy [email protected]

OPEN HOUSE

NEWNEWNORTHERNNORTHERNCOLORADOCOLORADO

HOMESHOMESMegan Wachtman

8z Real EstateBroker/Owner

970-217-7977www.MeganWachtman.8z.com

www.cohomefinder.comA better way to buy and sell a home in Colorado!

Priced from $270K

www.CosBuilders.com

Priced from $210K

New Construction

17-326536

• $3,000 BUYER CREDIT

MONTHLY PAYMENTS

• STARTING AT $999• OVER 10 MODELS

• CONNECTED TO CITY TRAIL

GREAT VALUE

GREAT COMMUNITY

GREAT LOCATION

NEW HOMES

FROM

$159,900 - $229,900

Sales Office Open 10-6 Daily1899 East 11th Street, Loveland, CO 80537

Phone: (970) [email protected]

FHAApproved Community

Loveland, Colorado


Share your news!Share your news!In the “Together” section of the

DANA DR AT C HBA N K R AT E .COM

It’s the magic phrase uttered by almostanyone who’s ever considered the cost ofhome remodeling: “We ’ll get it back

when we sell.”Unless you keep those projects practical,

you might just be kidding yourself.For example:Steel front door — good.Master suite addition costing more than

the average American home — bad.Every year, Remodeling magazine looks at

the hottest home upgrades and calculatesjust how much owners get back when theysell.

Upkeep is more popular than upgradesthese days, said Sal Alfano, editorial directorfor Remodeling. These are the projects thatoften recoup the biggest slice of expenses atresale.

Ever wonder what brings the lowest returnwhen you plant that “for sale” sign? Thinkhigh-dollar, highly personalized add-ons like atricked-out garage or a super luxe mastersuite addition.

Here are the five improvements that rankdead last nationally when it comes to gettingthose renovation dollars back at resale.

The standard home office renovation is thisyear’s biggest loser in the resale value sweep-stakes. Nationally, homeowners spent an av-erage of $28,888 and can expect to recoup45.8 percent at resale, according to the Re-modeling report.

Alfano offers two tips for home-office re-modelers when they sell. First, opt for some-thing that can easily be converted back into ab e d ro o m .

Second, when you’re selling, call it a study,den or hobby room. Don’t use words that in-voke images of actual work.

Real estate agents will tell you that poten-tial buyers want square footage, pristine con-dition and lots of light. So a brand-new roomthat has the word “sun” in it, it has to begreat for resale value, right?

Not necessarily.Your first clue: The word “addition” —

which means expanding the footprint of yourhome — indicates that this is not a renova-tion for the faint of heart.

While it seems simple enough, the nationalaverage for a sunroom addition is $75,224,according to the report. Homeowners can ex-pect to recoup 48.6 percent when they sell.

That doesn’t mean that adding a sunroomis always a bad move.

If your home needs another common area,a sunroom could be the answer, said KatieSeverance, co-author of “The Complete Id-iot’s Guide to Selling Your Home.”

Who doesn’t want to wake up in a five-start-hotel-quality suite with an attached spa bath-room and a kitchenette that affords you cof-fee and pastries before facing the world?

Once you see the price tag, it won’t just bethe coffee keeping you up at night.

For a super-deluxe master suite addition —which adds square footage and uses top-dol-lar materials — the average cost is $232,062,according to the report.

In years past, this project was “sort of atrend in vacation homes” that migrated toprimary dwellings, Alfano said. Sellers can ex-pect to recover 52.7 percent at resale.

Your buyer can purchase a newer housewith the same features as part of the originalfloor plan that “probably lays out better any-w a y, ” said Loren Keim, author of “How to SellYour Home in Any Market.”

So while the next buyer may appreciateyour luxury accommodations (which couldeven tip their decision in your home’s favor),chances are they won’t want to pay the fulltab for your remodel.

Unless you’re a hermit who never enter-tains, you’ve probably wished for an extrabathroom now and then.

But bathroom additions require seriouscoin. For a moderately outfitted addition withsynthetic stone or plastic laminate surfaces,figure parting with $21,695, according to theRemodeling report. Go upscale, with premi-um marble or fine tile, and you can easilyspend $40,710. Either way, you get about thesame return: 53 cents on the dollar.

While additions usually cost more, prosmight be able to reconfigure your existingspace to add a bathroom for less, Alfano said.

Instead of cleaning out the garage, howmuch would you pay to have a new onebuilt? This time, it would have all the organi-zational built-ins and windows for naturallight, and you could store a couple of cars inthere.

The price tag for a well appointed, de-tached two-car is $90,053, according to thereport. You can expect to recover 53.6 per-cent of that when you sell.

“It’s a dream garage,” Alfano said.

H& Real EstateRE

5 worsthome fixesfor the money

Office renovationearns worst

home improvementi nve s t m e n t

Open Houses This Weekend - www.thegroupinc.com

FRIDAY - SUNDAY 12:00-3:00110 Traders Lane, Milliken Pick your own fixtures, carpet & colors.Wonderful ranch style & 2-story home plans to choose from. Yourchoice of 3 great subdivision to live in – Settlers Village – ColonyPoint or Centennial Farms. VALUE YOU CAN SEE… QUALITY YOUCAN COUNT ON with a WINDMILLS HOME. Visit us at 110 TradersLane in Settlers Village. 100% FINANCING! NO MONEY DOWN!!!

Prices starting in the $150’sMLS#

Call Tracy Wilson567-0907

NEW CONSTRUCTION

SATURDAY 1:00-4:003255 Adelaide Place, Loveland Sunny end unit townhome.Wood floors, stainless steel appliances, large upstairs loft,spacious bedroom with 2 closets in the master plus an oversizedtwo car garage and views of the green grass that you don’t haveto mow! Great for anyone who wants to enjoy the foothills.

$188,000MLS# 666756

Call Diane Iwanicki412-7082

SATURDAY 12:00-2:003174 Blackberry Dr., Loveland Well maintained 4BD 2BA2,034 sf tri-level home is move-in ready! Newer A/C, kitchencounters & backsplash, microwave, some flooring, water heater& exterior paint. Beautifully landscaped yard with large patio,front sprinklers.

$220,000MLS# 667380

Call Doug Miller481-9444

MANY RECENT UPGRADES!

SUNDAY 1:00-4:00620 Moonglow Drive, Windsor Greenspire at WindsorLake. It’s more than just a home… IT’S A QUALITY OF LIFE!Miles of bike trails, open space & parks. Personalize your homefrom framing to finish! Extraordinary floor plans – Ranch &2-Story. Lots available on Windsor Lake! Visit our Sales Center at690 Moonglow Drive or call for a personalized showing today!

Homes Starting in the $200,000s!MLS# 648489

Call Kelli Couch970-310-8804

AN EXCLUSIVE SERVICE OF THE GROUP, INC. REAL ESTATE

Northern Colorado Real Estate SourceThe Real Estate Source is a magazine produced by The Group featuring

homes for sale and new home neighborhoods throughout Northern Colorado.

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Real Estate Source

NEW HOMES BUILT BY WINDMILLS, LLC

SATURDAY 1:00-3:003518 Akron Court, Loveland Unique 4-level on a ¼ lot. 4bedrooms, 3 baths, large kitchen, living room and family room.Master suite w/jetted tub and large shower with 4 heads.Sun roomw/tile floor & hot tub looks out to a mature, park-like backyard &multi-level deck. Newer carpet & paint. Low maintenance vinyl &brick siding. Close to schools & sculpture park.

$255,000MLS# 666526

Call Rich Gardiner227-0964

SATURDAY 1:00-3:001658 Stove Prairie Circle, Loveland Stucco ranch style homewith an inviting tile entry. Great room w/gas fireplace opens tokitchen & breakfast nook. Tharp cabinetry, slab granite countersw/full tile backsplash & hardwood floors. Master w/5-pc bath &large walk-in closet opposite 2 guest bedrooms. Formal diningroom. Central air. Unfinished bsmt. Private patio.

$259,900MLS# 663127

Call Maribeth Bergan690-1735

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 1:00-3:002892 Ariel Drive, Loveland Colorado Craftsman style homequality built by Oak Valley Homes. Kitchen features a largeisland and shaker style alder cabinetry. Ranch style home withopen floor plan backs to open space. Beautiful finishes includehardwood floors, designer tile & slab granite. Full, unfinishedbasement. Fully landscaped yard.

$299,000MLS# 662114

Call Georgena Arnett481-9801

NEW CONSTRUCTION

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 1:00-3:002890 Carina Circle, Loveland Colorado Craftsman style home.Finishes include hardwood floors, designer tile, slab granite,alder trim & doors and shaker style alder cabinetry. 12’ ceilingsin great room w/wood beams. SS appliances, gas fireplace andcustom built-ins. Fully landscaped. Close to I-25, Centerra andthe Medical Center of the Rockies.

$335,000MLS# 662119

Call Georgena Arnett481-9801

NEW CONSTRUCTION

SATURDAY 12:00-3:00103 Common Drive, Berthoud Elegant turn-of-the-centuryhome built with quality. Wrap-around covered front porch.Formal living and dining rooms. Huge family room w/fireplace.Kitchen features Tharp City Scape cabinets, granite countertops& pantry. Unfinished bsmt. Covered patio. 8’ doors in the 3-cargarage.

$349,900MLS# 622778

Call Tracy Wilson567-0907

SUNDAY 12:00-2:003555 Capitol Peak Drive, Loveland Gorgeous ranch. Wood floorsin entry, kitchen & eating area. Alder cabinets. Butler pantry.Private master bedroom with walk-in closet & 5-piece bath.Unfinished garden level basement. Outdoor living includes largedeck, stamped concrete patio and gas line for BBQ.

$350,000MLS# 659371

Call Cindy Kutin391-4735

Northern ColoradoENERGY STAR® Homes

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Real Estate Transactionsare supplied by ProspectsUnlimited Inc., 1151 EagleDrive No. 467, Loveland,CO 80537, 667-1537.

L oveland• Brian & Charlotte

Hoesch from Abfc 2005He2 Trust, 4056 La VetaDr, Loveland, $174,000,home

• Jim Gansen fromHousehold Finance CorpIii, 4789 Sunvalley Dr,Loveland, $170,000,home

• Yukiko Hipp fromSara Howard-Davis, 4425Walden Ave, Loveland,$244,500, home

• John Hayarthur fromGlenna Keil, 700 MadisonAve, Loveland, $81,000,home

• Melissa Cox from Cyn-thia Kennedy, 541 SherriDr, Loveland, $165,000,home

• Daniel Eccher fromMatthew Medeiros, 1845Monarch Cir, Loveland,$335,000, home

• Steven & Elaine Jet-ter from Troy Niswender,5912 Long Branch Ct,Loveland, $435,000,home

• William & TimothyMeehan from Wesley Or-tolano, 8036 Firethorn Dr,Loveland, $480,000,home

• Shawn Muscott fromLaura Parrish, 2553Steamboat Springs St,Loveland, $185,000,home

• Patrick & HeleneYoung from Pnc Bank,442 Elder Ct, Loveland,$121,000, home

• Julie Knight from As-pen Homes Colorado Inc,4420 Wolcott Dr, Love-land, $379,800, home

• Joshua Buchholtzfrom Margie Blehm, 1916Empire Ave, Loveland,$170,000, home

• William & MarleneWilcox from GMAC Mort-gage LLC, 2067 GraysPeak Dr Unit 14 101,Loveland, $94,900, condo

• Douglas Chaney fromHelen K FunkhouserTrust, 1018 W 33rd St,Loveland, $194,000,home

• Tracy Stephens fromLakeshore CondominiumsLLC, 4905 Hahns Peak DrUnit 203, Loveland,

$159,800, condo• Reta Baker from

Loveland City HousingAuthority, 1209 Eilene Pl,Loveland, $136,000,home

• Kristin & AnthonyJansen from Jodi Olinger,3362 Williamsburg St,Loveland, $196,000,home

• Ronny Gifford fromSuzanna Petersen, 1270Milner Ave, Loveland,$177,500, home

• Richard & MelanieWeichel from R R HomesInc, 4670 Georgetown Dr,Loveland, $329,800,home

• Michael Quintanafrom Randall Young, 4379Creekwood Dr, Loveland,$287,000, home

Berthoud• Paul Kisselbach from

Judith Uilk, 510 Mayo Ct,Berthoud, $250,000,home

Estes Park• Criss Clinton from

Stephen Sichler, 915Spring St, Estes Park,$270,000, home

• Suzette Hess from Ad-vantage Bank, 1420 Sier-ra Sage Ln, Estes Park,$460,000, home

• Balshekar Ramchan-dran from Leslie Smith,416 Overlook Ct, EstesPark, $450,000, home

• Harold Farrenkopffrom David Petersen,1181 W Park Ave, John-stown, $200,000, home

• Brian & Suzanne Hallfrom Walter Cate, 533King Ave, Johnstown,$308,000, home

• Raymond & B Consta-ble from Kyle Condie,1904 Sherwood Ln, John-stown, $188,000, home

• Ashleigh & LyndaShotkoski from OakwoodHomes LLC, 3819 Arrow-wood Ln, Johnstown,$171,700, home

• Carmen Wine fromSamantha Sweeney LivingTrust, 1809 ChesapeakeCir, Johnstown, $194,000,home

M i l l i ke n• Steve Mitchell from

Gilson Dev LLC, 9521County Road 485, Mil-liken, $195,000, home

• Stevan & Willa Ioerg-

er from Julia Hart, 104Birdie Dr, Milliken,$260,000, home

• Jeremy Baughmanfrom HJ Bell Constr Inc,2065 Birdie Way, Milliken,$239,000, home

Windsor• Richard & Gene Trant

from Fed Home Loan MtgCorp, 146 Beacon Way,Windsor, $170,000, home

• Jessica Joles from Sfr2010 2 Reo Corp, 1995Bayfront Dr, Windsor,$375,000, home

• Larry & Rosalind Ew-ing from Tt Invest LLC,2040 Bayfront Dr, Wind-sor, $41,200, home

• Judith & Brett Bo-gaard from HighlandMeadows Development I,5983 Bay Meadows Dr,Windsor, $80,000, home

• Nicholas & Carol Raufrom Mcdonough PatrickJ & Susan C, 4609 Free-hold Dr, Windsor,$325,000, home

• Gregory & Haley Geb-hardt from Vestas BladesAm Inc, 234 Cattail Bay,Windsor, $334,000, home

• Prestige LLC fromWinter Farm WindsorLLC, 661 Yukon Ct, Wind-sor, $35,000, home

• Stacie Hobart fromPrestige Homes LLC, 560Arrow Ct, Windsor,$211,800, home

• Susanne Hockingfrom Bonnie Rowe, 7922nd St, Windsor,$132,500, home

• Saint LLC from Win-ter Farm Windsor LLC,532 Dakota Ct, Windsor,$70,000, home

• Judith Thomas fromFaith Allis, 128 SunflowerDr, Windsor, $167,000,home

• Brandon & MichellePohlen from BrianHoesch, 511 SherwoodCt, Windsor, $214,900,home

• Brenda Hall from Hs-bc Mtg Services Inc, 404Meadow Dr, Windsor,$179,900, home

• Julie & Stewart Clinefrom John Isbell, 418Fieldstone Dr, Windsor,$175,000, home

• Jeremy Lucio fromPlatinum Properties Lllp,949 Durum Ct, Windsor,$232,900, home

• Randall & Jana Nacefrom Janice Thompson,

662 Babine Ct, Windsor,$270,000, home

• Don & Lorna Van-meter from Aaron Bylund,5424 Far View Ct, Wind-sor, $465,000, home

• Garret & NatalieZetterquist from FarmersBank, 1473 Bison Run Dr,Windsor, $42,500, home

• Aaron & Sara Lopezfrom Windmill LLC, 84Veronica Dr, Windsor,$237,500, home

• Suzanne Beattie fromMichael Austin, 1063 Fair-field Ave, Windsor,$222,000, home

• Alberto Rodriguez-caro from Jon Lauer,1357 Windjammer Dr,Windsor, $187,500, home

FORECL OSURES• Borrower: Julie Sin-

clair, Lender: Aurora BankFsb, Amount: $115,169,Property: 144 Indiana Ave,Berthoud, Filed:10/25/11

• Borrower: Richard &Connie Kohler, Lender:Fitzsimons Federal CreditUnion, Amount:$201,489, Property: 235Graham Ln, Johnstown,Filed: 10/24/11

• Borrower: RaymondMartinez Luera & LisaLuera, Lender: Wells Far-go Bank Na, Amount:$161,035, Property: 1000Charlotte St, Johnstown,Filed: 10/24/11

• Borrower: Justin Ul-rich, Lender: Bank OfAmerica National Associa-tion, Amount: $163,979,Property: 304 MedinahAve, Johnstown, Filed:10/24/11

• Borrower: RichardRedabaugh, Lender: TheBank Of New York Mellon,Amount: $188,177, Prop-erty: 116 N Estes Ave,Johnstown, Filed:10/24/11

• Borrower: Scott Kren-ning, Lender: Us Bank Na-tional Association,Amount: $490,000, Prop-erty: 810 Deer MeadowDr, Loveland, Filed:10/21/11

• Borrower: Myndie &Richard Neece, Lender:Bank Of America Na Suc-cessor, Amount:$153,179, Property: 1740Moonstone Cir, Loveland,Filed: 10/24/11

• Borrower: Rosa &Daniel Duran, Lender:

The Bank Of New YorkMellon, Amount:$168,176, Property: 5604Gabriel Dr, Loveland,Filed: 10/25/11

• Borrower: Sherri Graf,Lender: The Bank Of NewYork Mellon, Amount:$124,000, Property: 4056Cypress Ct, Loveland,Filed: 10/25/11

• Borrower: Lavina &June Schmidt, Lender:Aurora Bank Fsb,Amount: $100,841, Prop-erty: 3516 N County Road13, Loveland, Filed:10/25/11

• Borrower: MountainMeadows Property Man-agement, Lender: HsbcBank Usa As Trustee,Amount: $182,407, Prop-erty: 1153, 1155, 1157 E3rd St, Loveland, Filed:10/26/11

• Borrower: Ella Ahn-ert, Lender: Bank OfAmerica Na Successor,Amount: $130,976, Prop-erty: 100 N Laura Ave,Milliken, Filed: 10/20/11

• Borrower: RobertMunro & CorrieMatthews, Lender: Col-orado Housing And Fi-nance, Amount:$165,886, Property: 180 EHawthorne Ct, Milliken,Filed: 10/20/11

• Borrower: JohnDougherty, Lender: TheBank Of New York Mellon,Amount: $173,333, Prop-erty: 322 W CottonwoodSt, Milliken, Filed:10/24/11

• Borrower: Brian Hill,Lender: Wells Fargo BankNa, Amount: $131,380,Property: 1577 S FrancesAve, Milliken, Filed:10/24/11

• Borrower: Toni Zim-merman, Lender: HsbcBank Usa National Associ-ation, Amount: $150,681,Property: 101 Arapaho St,Severance, Filed:10/24/11

• Borrower: Robert &Yvonne Lauro, Lender:Bank Of America NationalAssociation, Amount:$543,100, Property: 1648Leana Ct, Windsor, Filed:10/20/11

• Borrower: Christo-pher Durling, Lender:Capital Funding AdvisorsLLC, Amount: $826,034,Property: 1805 SeashellCt, Windsor, Filed:10/20/11

• Borrower: Darren &Hope Johnson, Lender: UsBank National Associa-tion, Amount: $156,554,Property: 730 Lilac Dr,Windsor, Filed: 10/21/11

• Borrower: Guadalupe& Augustina Segura,Lender: Jpmorgan ChaseBank National Assoc,Amount: $138,888, Prop-erty: 1120 Nantucket St,Windsor, Filed: 10/21/11

• Borrower: Robert &Evelin Seay, Lender: TheBank Of New York Mellon,Amount: $145,533, Prop-erty: 965 Nantucket St,Windsor, Filed: 10/24/11

• Borrower: Kenneth &Therese Mahannah,Lender: Bank Of AmericaNa Successor, Amount:$135,614, Property: 204 ENebraska Ave, Berthoud,Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: Sandra Ko-htz, Lender: Wells FargoBank Na, Amount:$177,602, Property: 1121Fairway Club Cir A5, EstesPark, Filed: 10/13/11

• Borrower: RonaldErbes, Lender: Bank OfAmerica Na Successor,Amount: $180,685, Prop-erty: 8139 E County Road16, Johnstown, Filed:10/19/11

• Borrower: EdwardMiknevicius, Lender:Wells Fargo Bank Na AsTrustee, Amount:$165,859, Property: 414Edgewood Ave, John-stown, Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: Lori Hays &Debra Rogers, Lender:Wells Fargo Bank Na AsTrustee, Amount:$106,563, Property: 648W 10th St, Loveland,Filed: 10/13/11

• Borrower: RichardRogers, Lender: Jpmor-gan Chase Bank NationalAssoc, Amount:$115,910, Property: 229Blossom Dr, Loveland,Filed: 10/14/11

• Borrower: BarbaraGygax, Lender: Bank OfAmerica Na Successor,Amount: $118,528, Prop-erty: 520 E 5th St, Love-land, Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: Ronald &Sheila Mcdowell, Lender:The Bank Of New YorkMellon, Amount:$172,837, Property: 3966Driftwood Ct, Loveland,Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: Robert &

Kirsten Grove, Lender:Gmac Mortgage LLC,Amount: $105,670, Prop-erty: 660 Madison Ave,Loveland, Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: AnneMiller, Lender: Bank OfAmerica Na Successor,Amount: $130,026, Prop-erty: 1845 Elk Springs St,Loveland, Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: RobertLazarony, Lender: BankOf America Na Successor,Amount: $187,594, Prop-erty: 116 35th St Sw,Loveland, Filed: 10/17/11

• Borrower: Amber &Chad Delzeit, Lender:Deutsche Bank NationalTrust Company, Amount:$183,612, Property: 195Cardinal Ave, Loveland,Filed: 10/18/11

• Borrower: Sean & Di-ane Rud, Lender:Deutsche Bank NationalTrust Company, Amount:$137,698, Property: 811 SOuray Dr, Loveland, Filed:10/18/11

• Borrower: Cat Pfaus,Lender: Colorado HousingAnd Finance, Amount:$115,987, Property: 204 SOlive Ave, Milliken, Filed:10/17/11

• Borrower: Brian &Laura Snider, Lender: TheBank Of New York MellonTrust Co, Amount:$125,779, Property: 835 SLilac St, Milliken, Filed:10/17/11

• Borrower: Trollco Inc,Lender: Guaranty BankAnd Trust Company,Amount: $1,086,271,Property: 1399 Water Val-ley Pkwy, Windsor, Filed:10/14/11

• Borrower: Trollco Inc,Lender: Guaranty BankAnd Trust Company,Amount: $808,104, Prop-erty: 1357 Water ValleyPkwy, Windsor, Filed:10/14/11

• Borrower: Trollco Inc,Lender: Guaranty BankAnd Trust Company,Amount: $1,057,178,Property: 1341 Water Val-ley Pkwy, Filed: 10/14/11

• Borrower: ChristinePier, Lender: The Bank OfNew York Mellon,Amount: $135,967,Property: 156 CrabappleDr, Windsor, Filed:10/19/11

H& Real Estate TransactionsRE

to the financial challenges you may encounterin the community, you may also face a situa-tion where you don’t know from day to daywho your neighbors are or will be. Somehomes may remain vacant for some time. Oth-er homes may have renters that change fre-quently. Still other homes may have mainte-nance and upkeep issues that aren’t ad-dressed.

However, if you are careful and come to acommunity knowing what you are getting intoand can foresee what may change in the nearfuture, you could get a great deal. Sam’s clientwas able to obtain a property that had sold for$300,000 a couple of years ago for about

$50,000.As to whether you should contemplate a

short sale, there are some things you can do tospeed up the process, which is anything butsmooth. Many transactions are painfully slowand tedious, and the results often fail to meetanybody’s expectations. You truly need pa-tience to go this route.

In a short sale, a home seller wants to sell ahome for less than the mortgage balance on it,and seller doesn’t have or can’t come up withmoney to make up the difference. In that situ-ation, the lender has to evaluate the financialcondition of the seller, the value of the proper-ty, and whether it’s better off taking this deal,waiting for a better deal or foreclosing on thep ro p e r t y.

Yo u ’d think that a lender would understandthat it would be better off never allowing ahome to go into foreclosure. However, Samonce had a deal fall through with a big box

lender because it wanted some prospectivebuyers to bump up their offer by 5 percent.The market changed and the buyers decidedto buy something else. Two years later, thehome is still on the market.

So what can you do? Research the marketand know what homes should sell for in thearea; be prepared to walk from the deal if thelender is not responsive in the short sale pro-cess. You can also ask real estate brokers andattorneys that deal in short sales to see if onelender is better than another in handling shortsales.

In some regions, certain lenders have be-come quite fast and efficient in handling shortsales, while others have not gotten their act to-g e t h e r.

If you can find out which lenders are willingto work with their borrowers, you’ll have anedge. Before you make an offer on a home, tryto find out what lender has a mortgage on theproperty. If you know the name of the lender,you can at least know whether you have a bet-ter chance of getting the property.

Also, if the property you’d like to buy has on-ly one loan, you have a better chance of get-ting the short sale approved. If multiplelenders are involved, it’s much more likely thatat least one will drag its feet in getting thedeal closed, or reject it altogether.

Thus, if you know which lenders are willingto deal, and if a property has only one loan,you have a better chance of getting the deal togo through. Finally, you also need to have alisting agent or attorney or other party that isrepresenting the seller that knows the shortsale process, and that can get things startedearly and process the paperwork to the lendersin an efficient manner.

Question: My husband and I are 56 and 55respectively. We have three college tuitionsand two of three weddings done, and we arenow thinking of taking advantage of the greatprices for a vacation condo.

We have enough cash for the 20 per-cent down payment, but won't have thefull amount until we reach 59 1/2 andcan cash out some of our investments.We both have 401(k)s, and full pensionswhen we retire.

We first thought about taking an earlywithdrawal, but decided against thatwith all the penalties and taxes. We arenow thinking in terms of a 5/1 ad-justable rate mortgage (ARM) and pay-ing it off when we reach the age where

we can withdraw without penalty.Is this a good idea? Do you have any other

suggestions?Answer: Borrowing money at today's historic

low interest rates is a very good idea. You'llneed at least 20 percent down to get the bestinterest rate, and you can decide if paying 4.5percent is a smart move or if you'd prefer topay off the property over a few years once youhave access to your 401(k)s and pensions.

Prices are extremely cheap in some secondhome locations, and there are loads of foreclo-sures, some of which might be well worth alook in terms of value. We recommend thatyou try to buy something cheap that will selleasily in five or seven years, in case your planschange.

We don't recommend 5/1 ARMs at the mo-ment, simply because the fixed interest ratesare so low. The best choice at the moment is a15-year loan, if you can swing the payments.That will allow you to take advantage of evenlower interest rates. That way, if you decide tokeep the loan, you know you're protectedagainst higher interest rate swings. (We re-cently refinanced to a 15-year at 3.25 percent,but the interest rate on a vacation homemight be slightly higher.)

One option would be to refinance your pri-mary home (assuming it is paid off) to a 10-year mortgage. Right now, those interest ratesare hovering around 3.25 percent (or less). It'sa great way to lock in a super-low rate. Essen-tially, you'll only be paying principal with verylittle interest in each payment.

Run some numbers and then talk to at leastthree or four different lenders to get an idea ofwhat it will cost you to finance this property. Ifyour vacation destination is in another state,consider speaking with a lender that is local tothat area. You'll want someone on the groundwho really understands what happens locally.

GLINKFrom Page E1

For more information, callGlink’s radio show at800-972-8255 on Sundaysfrom 9 to 10 a.m., write to RealEstate Matters Syndicate, P.O.Box 366, Glencoe, IL 60022 orvisit www.thinkglink.com.

Real Estate Matters

Welcome HomeCindy Kurtz Broker Associate/Partner970.962.6832 m [email protected] www.Cindy-Kurtz.com

5401 Stone Creek Circle, Loveland, CO 80538970.613.0700 www.thegroupinc.com

2469 Indian Hills, Loveland, CO 80538 $315,0004 bdrm, 3 ba, formal living, dining, family room & office on main level.Gorgeous Italian marble floors, newer triple pane windows. 50 yearshingles, security system, remodeled kitchen w/granite tile counters,dual fuel gas range, wood beam accents, xeriscaped yard with veggiegarden. 20x22 workshop in the basement. MLS# 654183

7803 Windsong Road, Windsor, CO 80550 $880,000Executive home located within an equestrian neighborhood. Extensiveupgrades include Brazilian maple/cherry flooring, imported tile, iron insetrailing. Panoramic mountain views, & only minutes from I-25. Over twoacre lot. Also includes a 3,000 square foot heated workshop/barn. Up toseven garage spaces in the barn or expand the workshop. MLS #663034

660 Mt Massive, Berthoud 80513 $220,000Beautiful home located in a quiet desirable neighborhood. Threebedroom, two bath, with builder finishes. Hardwood floors in kitchen,panel oak cabinets, and covered porch. Unfinished basement offeringroom to grow. Spacious back yard with excellent views. This is a mustsee! MLS#664809

4120 Silverthorne Court, Loveland 80538 $115,000Immaculate main level condo. This home features easy access withwide doors and ramped entry. Two spacious bedrooms, light andbright.Central air and all appliances. Backs to open space and hasa low maintenance private fenced area, one car attached garage.MLS#667768


Carol O’Meara is withCSU Extension inBoulder County.Contact her at303-678-6238 orcomeara@co. b o u l d e r. c o . u s .

Front Range Gardening

H& Front Range GardeningRE

CA RO L O'MEARACSU EXTENSION

If there was one good thing that came out of theheavy snowstorm of October 27, it was the forg-ing of new friendships over the broken remains

of our trees. Above the din of chainsaws cutting thecarcasses of maples, poplars, and elms, neighborscame together to clear the debris and ponder themiracle of modern pain relievers.

When snow storms punish your trees, take stepsto help them by clearing their branches, but not bygrabbing the branch or trunk and shaking it. Thatadds to the stress on the wood, often causingcracking or breakage. A better approach is to use abroom to carefully knock off snow, using a rapid,upward sweep of the broom to dislodge snow with arap to the underside of the branch.

Once the storm passes, clean up broken limbsand leave it at that; pruning to shape the treeshould wait, since the tree needs the energy storedin all of the live wood to recover. In general, healthyyoung trees can be shaped to restore their formone or two years from now, while older trees shouldhave a minimum of two years or longer to recoverbefore shaping takes place. But a tree’s recoverydepends upon its health prior to the storm and theamount of damage; if you are in doubt, contact anarborist to assess the tree before pruning it.

If your tree has broken branches, clean thewound, making it as neat as possible. In caseswhere the limb splintered away from the trunk,prune behind the break to make a clean cut, eitherjust in front of a healthy side branch or the branchcollar against the trunk itself. Branch collars arethe slight swelling where the limb joins the trunk.

If possible, trim branches to leave a clean cut,making sure you follow the three steps for properpruning (which prevent bark tears):

1. Twelve inches away from trunk or from whereyou want the prune to be, make your first cut onthe underside of the branch, sawing upwardsthrough one-third of the branch.

2. One-inch outward from the undercut, sawdownwards through branch. At the point of no re-turn, the weight of the branch will snap the limb,but the undercut will stop bark tearing of the tree.

3. Make your last cut just outside the branch col-lar, the spot where branch and trunk join.

Where the branch has torn from the tree, take asharp knife and remove all the jagged edges of barkaround the tear. Cleaning up those wounds meansfewer places for insects or disease organisms toshelter. The tree will heal the wound itself, sothere’s no need for wound paint or the diapers, tar,cement, and Elmer’s glue suggested by well-mean-ing neighbors.

When working with your tree, use common senseand don’t stand under the branch you’re sawing.Limbs can be heavier than you realize, and a trip tothe emergency room can be avoided if you move tothe side when working. Ensure that the area underthe branch is clear of objects you’d like to keep be-fore you start working, and above all, never work ona limb that is above a power line.

If the tree is seriously damaged, with 50-percentor more involved, it may need to be assessed to de-termine if it is in a dangerous condition. If you’renot sure if your tree is a goner, contact an arboristto assess it — hazard tree assessments requirespecifically trained experts to address this highlytechnical situation with potentially serious legalcomplications. Many city foresters and certified ar-borists have the training and insurance to performhazard tree evaluations.

Check out the Colorado State Forest Service’sCaring for Storm-damaged Trees athttp://csfs.colostate.edu/pdfs/111317- c s f s - s t o r m - d m g d - t r e e s - 6 p a n e l - w w w. p d f.

TLC for Tender Bulbs

Out on a Limb

ANNE WUERSLINCSU EXTENSION

When leaves falland frost arrives,the garden goes

to sleep. People usuallyconsider fall a time forplanting spring-floweringbulbs such as tulips anddaffodils, which can over-winter in the ground. But,part of garden clean-up isto dig tender bulbs, tu-bers, corms and rhizomesand put them in properstorage, as the Coloradowinter temperatures aretoo cold for their survival.Often what was planted inthe spring will have multi-plied, and next season,you’ll have more bloomsat fraction of the price.

Botanically speaking, atrue bulb is a collection ofleafy scales and containsthe growing point of theplant in the center. Corms(gladioli, crocus) are sol-id, modified stems with atunic sheath. They replacethemselves yearly by grow-ing new corms or sidecormels on top of the old.Tubers (dahlias, tuberousbegonias) are thickenedstems which grow largerand larger each season,usually from an under-ground leading pointcalled an eye. Rhizomes(iris, lily of the valley, can-nas) are modified swollenstems which have adaptedto lie and grow parallel tothe soil surface. They mul-tiply season to season,sending out growingstems at intervals to thesurface.

Gladioli corms shouldbe dug up before a truehard frost. Cut the sword-

like foliage down to oneinch above the parentcorm, shake off the soil,and let air dry for one totwo weeks, out of the sun(a garage or basementworks well). Gently sepa-rate the original corm anddiscard; keep new cormsand place them in paperbags. You may want to la-bel the bloom colors onthe bag. Some mothflakes in the bags will helpprevent against thripsoverwintering, if this wasa problem in your garden.Store the bagged cormsin a cool basement orgarage, at 40-50 degreesF. Hardy crocus corms canstay in the ground for win-ter; they tend to clump,due to new corm growthnext to old, creating amore spectacular bloomshow in spring.

Wait for the foliage toblacken from frost beforedigging up dahlia tubers.Use a garden fork or smallspade, taking care not toslice into the tubers orbreak off the necks whichare attached to the crownof the plant. Cut off deadfoliage and stems toabout two inches, turnover and drain out any wa-ter from the hollow stem.Let superficial soil remainand do not wash tubers —this will prevent excessivedrying out and shrivelingduring the winter. Labelthe color and varieties ofthe dahlias. Store stemside up in a darkened coolbox which can be linedwith black plastic andfilled with sawdust, vermi-culite, or peat moss (donot use garden soil). Takecare not to let the tubers

dehydrate. Storage shouldbe cool and somewhatdamp, around 35 to 45degrees, always abovefreezing. In March, re-plant indoors for a headstart on summer growthor wait until the last frosthas passed in spring,around May 15, and plantin the ground.

Tuberous begonias, aswell as caladium tubers,can be dug after a lightfrost when the foliageturns brown. Take thestems with some soil andair dry for one to twoweeks. At this time, thestems should separatefrom the tuber. Shake offany remaining soil andstore in bags (paper orperforated plastic) withpeat moss, perlite or dryvermiculite, and store likegladioli corms. They canbe potted up indoors inFebruary for eventualplacement outdoors afterdanger of frost haspassed.

These summer-bloom-ing bulbs are show-stop-pers in the garden, andwill bloom reliably year-af-ter-year. For more infor-mation on summer-blooming bulbs, visit theCSU Extension website atwww.ext.colostate.edu andread Fact Sheet #7.411.

Anne Wuerslin has re-ceived training throughColorado State UniversityExtension’s Master Gar-dener program and is aMaster Gardener volun-teer for Larimer County.For more informationabout CSU Extension,Larimer County, telephone970-498-6000 or visitw w w. l a r i m e r. o r g / e x t .

Storm damaged treesneed patience

1105 Home and Real Estate

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