Category Archives: Denver

Q: What do Chimneys, Dryers, and Trees Have In Common?

A: All three can pose a dangerous risk to your property if they are not properly maintained!

Be sure to keep yourself, your tenants, and your home safe with proper cleanings of your chimneys and dryer vents. Trimming or removing dead, dying, or weak trees is also highly recommended as they pose a risk of falling and damaging your or your neighbor’s property.

Now that winter has come and gone, you should make certain your rental’s chimney is clean of dangerous creosote, especially if your tenants used the fireplace during the chilly months. Acids in the soot can also cause damage to the fireplace’s mortar and cause unpleasant odors. If you have any questions about chimney cleaning, please contact the Mavi Maintenance Department!

It is also extremely important that you make sure to have dryer vents cleaned. Dryer vent fires are a very real and expensive danger. Any questions or concerns about making sure your rental’s dryer vents are property cleaned can also be directed to the Mavi Maintenance Department – they will be happy to get you the information you need!

Last but not least, proper maintenance of trees on your property is of the utmost importance. Dead, dying, or weak trees and limbs pose a very real risk of falling down and damaging your rental property and your tenant’s personal property. There is even a chance of a neighbor’s home or personal property being damaged by wayward trees.

By staying on top of these three dangers with preventative cleaning and maintenance, you are protecting yourself from the potential of dangerous (and costly) disaster at your rentals.

Webrentz Scam!

Quite a few people have called our office about a rental after being referred by Webrentz, also known as Express Rentz, a service that currently charges $50 for access to their “premium” rental listings.

Mavi Unlimited is not and has not ever been affiliated with this company, and all information on rentals received through them was not approved by us. They steal information on rentals that we have legitimately and freely posted from CraigsList and PadMapper and provide it to subscribers at a cost. The information they provide is often useless, including rentals that were leased out months ago, rentals with incorrect pricing and rentals with false contact information!

Web Rentz currently has a BBB rating of D+. There are many reports of why this business is a scam. Here are some examples of the complaints online:

“I was suspicious of this site anyway, then I was turned off by the fact that they wanted my address,full name, and home phone number just for a free account. It seems a bit invasive for the kind of service they supposedly offer. Anyway, I signed up using false info only to find that once I had an account, I *still* couldn’t actually view the listings. You do get to see some pictures of properties that have already been rented (why would I want to see places that aren’t available?!) with a message saying that you need to become a PREMIUM (read: they charge you just to *look* at listings) member to view the currently available houses and information.” – Em M.

“DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THESE PEOPLE they also have listings that are posted on Craigslist already. So they charge you to look at already advertised listings.” – Mallory

“Webrentz is a JOKE. I work for a property management company, we DO NOT give them listings of our properties for rent, they JACK THEM OFF FREE LISTING WEBSITES such as Craigslist, Rentals.com, etc. and put them into their system and then CHARGE THE PUBLIC FOR INFORMATION THEY FIND FOR FREE.” – Property Girl

In short, do not use this company! Always be careful when looking for rentals online, and it’s probably safest if you see them directly on the company’s website. Make sure it is a real company you are working with, and it’s always helpful to do research, just as any legitimate rental company will research and screen potential tenants!

Ongoing Controversy Surrounds Short Term Rentals

In recent years renting privately owned homes and properties in residential neighborhoods for vacations, business stays, or housing swaps has been a popular option in lieu of a hotel room. However, rental laws don’t always allow for these sorts of transactions but that hasn’t been stopping the practice.  Both the Denver Post and  the Aspen Daily News have posted stories in recent days about the problems associated with these short-term vacation rentals – and why they might soon be made legal.

The biggest complaints about short-term rentals so far range from neighbors angry over noise, overloaded parking, and trash, to local property managers and owners of inns, bed-and-breakfast sites, motels and hotels worried about the competition.

These short-term rentals can also be unfair to those local business owners because when a rental property flies under the legal radar they don’t have to pay taxes or meet safety codes.

The flip side to the debate centers around property owners’ rights to utilize their properties.

It’s a heated and complex debate only made more confusing by the popularity of short-term home rental websites and home swapping websites.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think legalizing short-term rentals in Colorado is a benefit to neighborhoods, property owners, and local business?

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18744003#ixzz1Vy5Wbs6x

Read more: http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/148699

Ways to Beat the Colorado Heat!

I sure do love the summer, but these 90° + days are scorchers! If you’re like me you are inside at work enjoying the great AC, but if you don’t have the luxury of AC at home, or you’re not at work, here are some great places where Denver residents can beat that heat!  These great ideas are from the Huffington Post.

Chatfield Reservoir: Head to the foothills for the swim beach on the west side of Chatfield. This 1,355-acre storage reservoir is also open to boating, water skiing, jet skis, wakeboarding and tubing. Restrooms are available; no lifeguards are on duty.
Open daily through Labor Day, 10am – 6pm; $8/vehicle
11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton; 303-791-7275 

Chatfield Reservoir

Water World: Boasting more attractions than any other American water park, you’ll have 46 adventures to enjoy in your quest to stay cool. Wally World and Big Top Family Fun Zone are available for the youngsters, but thrill the big kid in you with rides like The Revolution’s six-story drop or the dark and twisty tubes of Jet Stream.
Open daily through Sep. 5, 10am – 6pm; $31 – $36, discounts for local residents, mid-day rates available
1800 W. 89th Ave., Federal Heights; 303-427-SURF (7873)

Belleview Park: Find both shallow and deep water in the creek here, which cuts through the middle of the greenery. Kids, adults and a few canines can usually be found wading through the lazy stream any time of the day. Families can also check out the nearby playgrounds, petting zoo and miniature passenger train.
Open daily; free
5001 S. Inca Drive, Englewood

Aurora Reservoir: East of town you’ll find designated swimming areas at this 2,500- acre park complete with restrooms, changing areas and picnic shelters as well as a windsurf beach and scuba area. Non-motorized boating is also permitted along with boat rental options.
5:30am – 9pm (times vary/month); $10/vehicle
5800 S. Powhaton Road, Aurora

Confluence Park: Splash around in the Platte near Confluence Park, across from REI, for a cool water respite in the midst of downtown. Bring a tube or kickboard for playing in the swift water, but beware of kayakers testing their mettle.
200 15th St., at Water St.

Pirates Cove: This little south-metro gem offers  big water fun without big parking hassles or prices. Visit during the week for easy seating, short lines at the slides, and plenty of tubing room on the lazy river.

Pirates Cove

Daily through Aug. 14, 10am – 6pm, Aug. 20 – Sep. 5, open weekends, 10am – 6pm; $6.25 – $9.25, age 2 & under free, passes available
1225 W. Belleview Ave., Littleton; 303-762-COVE

Huffington Post, Thompson, Sheri L., 7/25/11

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/be-cool-denver-6-fantasti_n_908817.html

Who’s up for a picnic?!

A nice picnic in a park sounds like a great way to kick off your long, holiday weekend! Denver has some of the best places for outdoor picnics. A family picnic in one of Colorado’s many parks would be a perfect way to start your 4th of July Festivities! Not to mention, International Picnic Day was June 18th!

These great parks are also near by some great Denver eateries if you prefer to grab lunch or dinner indoors!

Sloan’s Lake/Edgewater Coffee Company: Find a grassy spot on the east side of Sloan’s Lake, where you can enjoy a serene view of this 177-acre lake set against magnificent still-white peaks in the distance. At the northwest corner of Sloan’s, Edgewater Coffee Company offers an organic, fair-trade caffeinated pick-me-up along with a simple, yet ideal picnic menu including deli sandwiches, a BLT and PBJ with chips and fruit cups.
Sloan’s Lake, mostly bounded by 17th Ave., Sheridan Blvd., W. Byron Place & Stuart St.
Edgewater Coffee, 5224 W. 25th Ave., Edgewater; 303.237.4383

Rosamond Park/Slices: If you’re bringing the kids, grab a shady spot on the northwest side of Rosamond, where you’ll find a playground, sand pit and a basketball court for post-dining entertainment. For an adults-only outing, park on the east side where Rosamond (pictured) places plenty of concrete picnic benches amidst a slew of shade trees and green rolling hills, complete with flower gardens and a babbling brook. For lunch, stop by Slices on Hampden Avenue, a family-owned and operated pizzeria a few blocks north where you can take advantage of the drive-thru. You can grab pizza by the slice or a whole pie; we suggest the Mediterranean or spinach and garlic.
Rosamond, 8051 E. Quincy Ave. (E. Princeton Ave. to the north & S. Tamarac Drive to the east)
Slices, 7155 E. Hampden Ave.; 303-758-0940

City Park/Swing Thai: You know we love downtown Denver’s City Park, where you can enjoy lunch with views of Ferril Lake, in the open greenway, or beneath a shade tree near the massive children’s play area. If you’re not afraid of picnicking with a little sauce, swing by Swing Thai first where you can pick up take-out with organic tofu and sans added MSG, antibiotics or gluten.
City Park, bounded by 17th St., York St., 23rd Ave. & Colorado Blvd.
Swing Thai, 845 Colorado Blvd.; 303-777-1717

Wash Park/The Local: You’ll have no trouble finding an isolated spot in this 165-acre urban park – whether you’re seeking a water’s edge spot by Smith Lake, a seat near the historic boat house or on the acres of open lawn where you can comfortably people-watch passersby on the interlacing trails. Before you mark your territory, stop by The Local and choose from panini, specialty burgers, wraps, tacos, locally made hot dogs and more; gluten-free and vegan options available.
Wash Park, bounded by Downing St., Virginia Ave., Franklin St. & Louisiana Ave.
The Local, 2217 E. Mississippi Ave.; 303-425-6225

Civic Center Park/Food Trucks: With its Greek amphitheater, fountains and numerous gardens, Civic Center Park is already a picnic haven dropped right in the middle of Mile High. However, on Tuesdays and Thursdays this summer you’ll find the bonus of Denver’s best food trucks gathered from 11am – 2pm to give you a plethora of gourmet options steps away from your picnic spot.
Civic Center Park, Colfax & Broadway

Thompson, Sherri. June 15, 2011, Huffington Post.

Condo Buying: Why Bigger is Better!

Here is a great article by Ann Brenhoff of AOL Real Estate. The previously held thought was that most Americans are downsizing in terms of home sizes, however this article  states that when it comes to buying a condo, buying a large condo may not be a bad idea.  

Here are three examples.

1. More homeowners to share the financial burdens.

Every condo complex is governed by a homeowners’ association that sets monthly dues to cover the common expenses such as landscaping, facility maintenance and exterior building upkeep. HOAs are required to maintain a reserve should an emergency arise, and they also can pass assessments — sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars — to cover the cost of major complex repairs.

Do the math: If you buy a unit in a smaller complex, a greater share of the burdens will fall on each homeowner. It’s simple long division: 12 unhappy and financially strapped homeowners sharing a repair of $100,000 comes out to more per homeowner than when that $100,000 repair is divided by 50 unhappy and financially strapped homeowners. And if one of those homeowners falls under the financial wheels of the recession big rig and can no longer pull his or her weight, the missed payments need to be made up by the rest of the pool.

2. Some lenders require that a certain percentage of the units within a complex be owner-occupied.

If they aren’t, the lenders won’t fund mortgages to new owners. What this means is that those who need to sell their units have to find a cash buyer. Again, being in a complex with more units helps skew the odds in your favor. There have been complexes where, in order to avoid these situations, the existing homeowners actually buy a troubled unit to keep the complex mortgageable. Again, the complex has to be large to do this.
3. More of us are still buying big than buying small. 

Just 2 percent of all buyers bought units under 1,000 square feet last year, according to the National Association of Realtors. Compare this to the 16 percent who bought homes 3,001 square feet or larger. The median size of a home sold in 2010 was 1,780 square feet.

Popular wisdom says we are all downsizing. We may be trying to shrink our mortgages, and builders may be dishing up smaller new homes in the interest of shaving something off the price to remain competitive, but the numbers don’t lie. Buyers like big more than they like small.

Ann Brenhoff, June 16, 2011

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/06/16/condo-buyers-why-bigger-is-better/

Top 10 Hippest Housing Markets!

In a recent article found on AOL real estate, Sperling’s Best identified the top 10 most happening cities in America. By exploring 5 key lifestyle criteria — culture, arts, music, population growth and sports. And wouldn’t you know it, but Denver was on there, and ranked 3rd!

“This up-and-coming city is shaping up to be a major cultural destination. It features a high percentage of well-educated         residents and a focus on environmental initiatives. It’s also home to scads of extreme sports enthusiasts, who flock to the city for snowboarding and skiing”

Not a bad way to describe Denver!

According to Sperling’s Best, researchers said that the biggest difference between San Francisco(No.1),Boston(No.2) and Denver(No.3) and the bottom 3:Memphis(No. 48),Providence,RI(No. 49), and Tampa(No. 50) was the mushrooming art scenes and a commitment to the environment that catapulted of the top 3.

Here is the complete list of the top 10 and some other fun information!

  1.  San Francisco, CA:  This West Coast hot spot earned top scores in arts and music, as well as high rankings in number of homegrown sports heroes, well-educated residents, healthy lifestyle and energy-efficient building.
  2. Boston, MA:  The Boston metro area earns the number-two spot with great scores for the city itself and its music and arts scenes. Boston rises to the top for health resources and ranks in the top 10 for education level and LEED-certified buildings.
  3. Denver, CO:  Sporting heavy interest in alternative sports such as the X Games, snowboarding and skateboarding,Denver also features a high percentage of young, well-educated residents and a heavy focus on green building. Its art and music scenes are not to be underestimated, coming in the top 20 with potential to rise to the top in future studies.
  4. Portland, OR:  Featuring a stronghold on indie music and arts,Portland promises great things in the culture category, as well as a top 10 score for alternative sports fans.  This city also features a high score in LEED-certified building with a top 10 ranking in the city category.
  5. Austin, TX:  Known for its “Keep Austin Weird” tagline,Austin may soon boast about greatness instead.  The “Live Music Capital of the World” ranks fourth in the category of indie music and nails the top spot in the city category with a high percentage of young, well-educated residents, a healthy economy and substantial green building activity.
  6. Seattle, WA:  The birthplace of “grunge” in the 1990s achieves top 10 placement for its still-strong music and art scenes, and features a strong interest in alternative sports.  Not surprisingly, this eco-friendly spot scored fourth-highest for LEED buildings and for its level of educated residents.
  7. Washington, DC:  DC residents can stand proud of their ranking in the city category, boasting the best job situation in the “Cities on the Edge” study, as well as stable housing, highly-educated residents, significant energy-efficient building activity and relative affordability for residents.  This locale may need to focus on upping scores in music, arts and sports, which – while above average – did not rise to the top.
  8. Los Angeles, CA: The mega-metro of Los Angeles cracks our top 10 with consistently high scores for arts, music and hometown sports heroes.  Residents really love their alternative sports, propelling the city to third place in this category.
  9. Philadelphia, PA:  While Philly residents may often consider themselves the underdog in professional sports, this city scored sixth for producing homegrown sports heroes. Philadelphia also features high scores in the music, arts and alternative sports categories, and scored high in health resources and stable housing.
  10. Salt Lake City, UT: This winter sports haven rounds out the top 10 “Cities on the Edge” rankings, coming in second in alternative sports and third in the city category.  Its high number of young adults, healthy lifestyle trends and solid economy make it a strong contender for climbing the ranking in future years.

AOL Real Estate, June 2011

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/gallery/hippest-housing-markets/

Sperling’s BestPlaces

http://www.bestplaces.net/docs/studies/cities_on_the_edge.aspx

Weekend Events April 22-24!

This coming weekend if full of fun things to do! From Denver to Breckenridge there is something for everyone!

Unfortunately, this weekend’s weather forecast is not the most uplifting. For Friday, April 22, Earth Day; the forecast  is for a high of low to mid 60′s°. This seems to be the best looking day! Saturday however, could show us some precipitation. 9news is forecasting mostly cloudy with a chance for rain showers. Easter Sunday though is forecast to be partly sunny with a chance of rain. Highs for Sunday will be from 56-61 °. while the sun will may  be warm, the air will most likely be chilly — so dress warm, and pray that the weather people are wrong and we have 70′s° and above for the weekend!

That being said, here are some fun events to get out to do… weather permitting, of course.

  • Breckenridge will be hosting a weekend long Easter egg hunt from  Saturday, April 23 – Sunday, April 24.  This is a free event! And on Saturday night, parents can partake in some fun too, a “hoppy” hour!
  • For some adult fun, “Microwbreweries for the Environment” will be going on in some of Colorado’s finest breweries! Enjoy a night of $2 beers at the Boulder Theatre.  This event is on Friday, April 22nd at 8:30 pm. Tickets cost $25 and proceeds go to  the CU Environmental Center, Flatirons Neighborhood Farm, The GrowHaus and Sprout City Farms. http://www.bouldertheater.com/event_detail.php?id=1457
  • To celebrate Earth Day, The Children’s Museum will be hosting WOW! a free event on Friday, April 22 that teaches the importance of Earth Day to kids while making crafts out of recycled items.
 Have fun enjoying these Spring time events with your friends and family!
(Huffington Post April 21, 2011)

Tips for Winterizing Your Home!

Its Winter in Colorado! And as we know, some of our coldest and snowiest months are yet to come!  Mavi has come up with a short list of helpful tips to keep your rental/ home free from freezing pipes and cold weather. These items will be helpful to prevent any potentially disastrous winter time accidents.

 

-   Heat should be kept at a reasonable temperature during the winter months (at least 62 degrees) and should not be turned off when the home is empty (i.e. Vacations)

-   During exceptionally cold periods, it is recommended that you leave your kitchen/bathroom faucets in a slight drip to keep water flowing through and prevent freezing.

-   Hoses should be detached from any exterior spigots/faucets. Keeping a hose attached during extreme cold can lead to freezing pipes.

-  Any applicable heat tape needs to remain attached to pipes, water heaters, etc. and remain plugged in. Any exterior baseboard heaters that warm a utility closet must remain turned on and set at a reasonable temperature (again, at least 70).

–  If you are a Mavi tenant:   If you live in a community where snow removal is not provided (check your lease) you will be responsible for shoveling/de icing any drive ways, sidewalks, walkways, etc. If any fines are incurred from respective towns, cities, or home owner’s associations, these will be your responsibility.

 

 

Mavi Unlimited Property Management

303.665.8944

admin@maviunlimited.com

 

Denver’s Winter Time Events

Happy Holidays  Denver, Co!

December can be a very stressful month for lots of people! Much of this stress stemming from monetary issues! Ever wonder what holiday events you and your family can take part in that doesn’t break the bank? I wonder that my self from time to time, so I thought I would share with you some things that I have found.

There are many things to do in Colorado during this time! It seems there are events to suit every person’s taste, and in every price range as well.

For the Denver beer enthusiast on December 14th, Bull and Bush Pub and Brewery will  be serving holiday and winter time beers from across the globe! They are featuring over 50 beers to try! And whats better, drink tickets only cost $1!

For  you lovers of sea food and fashion faux pas, Jax Fish House on  17th St. in LoDo is hosting an Ugly Sweater Contest December 23rd from 6pm – 8pm! Season drinks will be served as well as an extended happy hour!

How ’bout some sweets!? The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs will be serving up loads of chocolatey goodness! The Holiday Chocolate Festival will be December 12th from 11am to 6 pm. This event is entirely free! However, I recommend you by tasting tickets : )  http://www.holiday.chocolate-festival.org/

Lastly, the Denver Botanic Gardens will be running its annual Blossoms of Light display! Featuring “over one million colorful lights draped in elegant designs highlight the Garden’s winter beauty”. This would be a great one to bring the whole family to! Or even, a great date idea!

Dates and Times:
Open nightly, beginning Dec. 3, 2010 through January 2, 2011
Including Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Year’s eve and Jan. 1
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Admission:
$9.50 Adults
$7.50 Adult Member, Student, Senior (65+)
$6.50 Child (ages 4-12)
$4.50 Child Member
Free for children 3 and under

All of us at Mavi Unlimited wish you and yours the very best holiday wishes!