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Littleton

Littleton Colorado, a Great Place to Call Home

Littleton is a charming yet modern suburban area on the southwest side of Denver, covering nearly 14 square miles. Just a short commute (typically a 20 minute drive) to downtown Denver, the Denver Tech Center and the mountains, Littleton is conveniently located for work and play when you want to get away.

The Littleton area offers top rated public schools, endless outdoor activities, shopping, dining, seasonal events and a handful of attractions. Favorite annual events include Western Welcome Week and the Fire Truck Parade in downtown Littleton, the outdoor summer concert series at Hudson Gardens, and the Pumpkin Festival and Trail of Lights at the Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.

Littleton also boasts miles of parks and trails such as Chatfield State Park, Roxborough State Park, the Highline Canal, South Platte Park, Waterton Canyon, and Lee Gulch where you’ll find convenient hiking, biking, horse back riding, kayaking, tubing, hot air ballooning, camping and fishing.

Historic downtown Littleton, coined a “Modern Day Mayberry”, is lined with turn of the century buildings filled with specialty boutiques, art galleries, dance studios and locally owned eateries.

Appealing to a broad population, Littleton offers all types of housing from renovated victorians to multi-millon dollar estates to studio condos. Housing in Littleton is slightly more affordable than the city of Denver with Littleton’s average home sale in 2013 $298,497 and Denver $326,886. Popular neighborhoods with a Littleton address include Ken Caryl, Columbine, Polo Reserve, Roxborough, Trailmark, Grant Ranch, Stony Creek, Governors Ranch and Bow Mar.

If you’re looking for a family friendly community with a small town atmosphere enriched with culture Littleton is a great place to call home.

Thinking of buying or selling in Littleton, I’m here to understand your goals, provide professional service and deliver outstanding results.

Jennifer Blake, Littleton Realtor®

Call/text/email 303.842.2306 or jblake5280@gmail.com

80110, 80120, 80121, 80122, 80123, 80127, 80128, 80129

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Inspection Problems to Avoid

Once you’ve found your buyer, then you need to sell your property to the inspector. Following are tips to avoid common issues that arise during an inspection.

Inspection tips

  • Confirm water, electrical and gas services are turned on (including pilot lights).
  • Make sure your pets won’t hinder your home inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from the premises or secured outside.
  • Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electrical service panels, water heater, attic and crawlspace.
  • Replace burned-out light bulbs which may suggest an electrical problem.
  • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.
  • Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely.
  • Unlock any locked areas that your home inspector must access, such as the attic door or hatch, the electrical service panel, the door to the basement, and any exterior gates.
  • Trim tree limbs so that they’re at least 10 feet away from the roof. Trim any shrubs that are too close to the house and can hide pests or hold moisture against the exterior
  • Repair or replace any broken or missing items, such as doorknobs, locks or latches, windowpanes or screens, gutters or downspouts, or chimney caps.
  • Fix any dripping faucets, clogged drains or plumbing leaks.
  • Paint any exterior surfaces that are blistering or peeling, replace any rotted siding, trim, fascia.
  • Ensure all downspouts are installed and lead water away from the homes foundation.

Consider offering a home warranty for your buyer. For a small investment, $399 for a gold plan, Blue Ribbon Home Warranty will provide you with a pre-inspection, allowing you to address items that could be a deal breaker before a buyer has their own inspection, provides the Seller with 9 months of coverage, and provides your buyer with a 14 month warranty from the time of closing.

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Denver Weather

Denver weather is unpredictable at times, but with low humidity, high altitude and more than 300 days of sunshine a year the conditions tend to be mild most days.  In the winter, the average daily high is 45 and it’s not uncommon to have a day in the 60’s. The snow melts quickly after most snowstorms and Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) does an effective job of keeping the highways and main streets plowed and de-iced so residents can travel as safely as possible. With the well built infrastructure for snow, most school districts in the Denver Metro have very few if any “snow days”. In the summer, days are warm and most evenings are cool and comfortable. The average daily high temperature in August is 86.

It’s not uncommon for Denver to have large temperature spreads, with a high in the 60’s one day and a high in the teens the next. If you’re traveling to the area or new to Denver here are a couple of tips to be prepared for the altitude and sometimes crazy weather conditions that may exist:

  1. drink plenty of water – you need about twice the amount of water intake in Denver than at sea level.
  2. don’t forget the lip balm, sunscreen and sun glasses – with the dryer climate you’ll find yourself reaching for your chapstick several times a day and with the intense sun rays at the mile high altitude you’ll want sun glasses when you’re outside (especially driving) and sunscreen if you’ll be outside for an extended period of time.
  3. dress in layers –  it often feels much warmer than the actual temperature during the day, but once the sun goes down the chill sets in. Also, with the swing in temperatures you’ll be thankful if you’re able to remove layers or add layers to adjust accordingly.

For more information about moving to Denver, I’d love to answer your questions and be of assistance. I’m here to understand your home ownership goals, provide professional service and assist in preparing you on a successful move.

Jennifer Blake, Denver Realtor®

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Denver metro schools

As a mom and REALTOR® who works with family’s every day concerned with selecting a home that will provide the “best” schools I understand the importance of education for our children and the effects schools have on our community. Not only is education the foundation for our children’s future; schools have a direct impact on property values.

I’ve compiled a summary of the largest school districts in the Denver Metro Area, along with information on private schools and links to several third party resources. Generally speaking Cherry Creek, Douglas County, Jefferson County and Littleton consistently rank as top districts; however, choices do not end with public schools and you can find terrific schools in every district.

Denver metro schools:

Name # of Schools Accolades
Adams County 12

adams12.org

 56 total 7 schools receive top academic honors by the Colorado Department of Education
Adams County 14

adams14.org

 13 total
Aurora Public Schools

aurorak12.org

 59 total 3 schools received the 2012 Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award.
Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools

archden.org/index.cfm/ID/44

 38 total AoDCS 8th grade students score 3.6 years above grade level.
Cherry Creek School District

cherrycreekschools.org

 67 total 95% of schools are in the Colorado Department of Educations highest category.
Denver Public Schools

Dpsk12.org

 172 total 12.8% of students are in a gifted and talented program.
Douglas County

Dcsdk12.org

 68 total 23 schools received the John Irwin Award for excellent academic achievement.
Englewood

Englewoodschools.net

 8 total         4 elementary 2 middle      2 high school 1-on-1 iPad distribution for students k-8.
Jefferson County

Jeffcopublicschools.org

 155 total 6 high schools ranked in the top 40 in US News 2013 Best High Schools.
Littleton Public Schools

Littletonpublicschools.net

 23 total All 3 high schools are nationally recognized and have the highest gradation rate of any high schools in Denver
Private Schools

greatschools.org/colorado/denver/schools/?st=private

 300+

 data pulled on 12/20/2013 from the urls listed

Denver metro school district map

 

For third party information on schools in Denver, check out these resources:

5280 Magazine rankings of top high schools, http://www.5280.com/magazine/2013/09/deans-list?page=0,8

Newsweek top rated Colorado schools, http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/colorado

EdNews Colorado District ratings, http://www.ednewscolorado.org/news/education-news/state-releases-latest-school-district-ratings

Colorado Department of Education, http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/performance

Thinking of buying or selling in the Denver market, I’m here to understand your goals, provide professional service and deliver outstanding results.

Jennifer Blake, Denver REALTOR

Call/text/email 303.842.2306 or jblake5280@gmail.com

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Denver attractions and events

Denver and the surrounding area has activities for everyone. Following is a list of my friends and family’s favorites attractions and annual events, including the list of free days for families who are willing to brave the crowds and save big. So grab your calendar and pencil in what appeals to you! If you have an attraction or event you’d like added to this page, please contact me with the details.

Attractions

  • Butterfly Pavilion – visit their website for more information
  • Colorado Railroad Museum (2014) – Visit their website for more information. Free Days: January: Sat 1/4; March: Sat 3/1; May: Sat 5/3
  • Denver Zoo (2014) Visit their website for more information. Free Days: January: Fri 1/10, Sat 1/11, Wed 1/22; February: Sun 2/2, Mon 2/3, Thurs 2/20; November: Mon 11/3, Fri 11/14, Thurs 11/20
  • Denver Art Museum (2014) Visit their website for more information. Free Days: First Saturday of the month – except April, free day in April is on Sun 4/27
  • Denver Museum of Nature and Science (2014) – Visit their website for more information. Free Days: January: Mon 1/13; February: Sun 2/2; March: Sun 3/2; April: Sun 4/13 and Sat 4/26; June: Mon 6/2 and Mon 6/30; July: Sun 7/20; September: Mon 9/8 and Sun 9/28; October: 10/27; December: Sat 12/1
  • Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street, 2014) – Visit their website for more information. Free Days: January: Mon 1/20 20th (Martin Luther King Day); February: Mon 2/17 (President’s Day); March: Mon 3/3 and Sat 3/22 (World Water Day); April: Mon 4/22 (Earth Day); August: Mon 8/4; November: Sat 11/8, Fri 11/14 & Sat 11/15 (Holiday Sale)
  • Denver Botanic Gardens (Chatfield, 2014) – Visit their website for more information. Free Days: First Tuesday of the month (except no free days in July, September, October and December)
  • Denver Children’s Museum (2014) – Visit their website for more information. Free Days: First Tuesday of the month from 4:00-8:00 pm 
  • Elitch Gardens – visit their website for more information
  • Four Mile Historic Park – visit their website for more information
  • Lakeside Amusement Park – visit their website for more information
  • Pirates Cove – visit their website for more information (Littleton)
  • Water World – visit their website for more information

Annual events

  • Denver Stock Show January 10-25, 2015 – visit their website for more information
  • Denver Restaurant Week February 22-28 AND August 23-29 – visit their website for more information
  • First Friday’s – visit their website for more information
  • City Park Jazz in the Park, a summer concert series – visit their website for more information
  • Paris Street Market – visit their website for more information – 1st Saturday May-October (Littleton)
  • Western Welcome Week August 8-17, 2014 – visit their website for more information (downtown Littleton)
  • Brew at the Zoo – Fri. September 12
  • Great American Beer Festival – visit their website for more information – event occurs in October at the Convention Center and tickets go on sale in July
  • Boo at the Zoo – October 25-26
  • Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Botanic Gardens – mid October
  • Trail of Lights at Chatfield Botanic Gardens – mid December
  • Zoo lights – December dates to come
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Around Denver

The only thing better than visiting Denver is making it home. According to the Denver Office of Economic Development, Metro Denver’s growth rate has outpaced the national rate every decade since the 1930’s. Why are people flocking to Denver?

  • Possibly the strong economy, median household income is 15.6% higher than the national median.
  • Perhaps the sunny and mild weather conditions, locals wake up to more than 300 days of sunshine a year – that’s more hours of sun than Miami and San Diego.
  • Maybe to have eight professional sports teams to follow, Denver is one of only two cities in America with all eight sports.
  • Or maybe, just maybe because outdoor enthusiasts love having the Rocky Mountains at their back door with six times the size of Switzerland containing more than 20 resorts to stacation, 9,600 miles of fishing streams, 2,859 lakes and more than 1,000 peaks two miles high.

Whatever you’re searching for, Denver likely has it. I look forward to assisting with assisting you in making Denver home. – Jennifer Blake, Denver Realtor®

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Finding the right agent

Do you really need an agent to sell your house in today’s market? Here’s what Fannie Mae suggests to sellers on their website:

“Select how you’ll market and list the home (e.g., with a real estate agent or for sale by owner). Unless you are experienced at selling homes, it usually makes financial sense to get professional help—homes sold by agents typically sell at a higher price and spend less time on the market. An agent will also help you determine the best pricing for the house, they’ll market the home, and they’ll be your advocate throughout the process.”

Your home is a significant asset. Studies have shown using an agent will NET you on average 13% more than representing yourself and it just makes sense to let an expert guide you through the complex process and paperwork.

Things to considering when selecting an agent:

  • Listens to and understands my needs for moving
  • Experience with real estate transactions and the local market
  • Communication and availability
  • Marketing plan, how is my agent providing value to increase my proceeds?
  • Check reviews from past clients

Bottom line, you deserve to work with someone you trust, who will provide expert guidance and has a track record for delivering results.

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Why choose Jennifer Blake?

You have many choices when it comes to working with a licensed real estate agent. Thank you considering Jennifer Blake, REALTOR®. I’m here to be your REALTOR® for life and have extensive experience as both a Buyers Agent and a Listing Agent. Based on market statistics, on average my listings sell high and Buyers buy low – with an average of 101% sales to list price on listings, 98% sales to list price on buyers and a current market average of 99% sales to list price.

  • Your needs first. I’m here to understand your home ownership needs, guide you, educate you, advocate for you and deliver the results you want.
  • Quality service guarantee. I’m among the few agents in Denver who has obtained quality service certification. Offering you a positive experience is of greatest importance to me.
  • Strategic guidance. A strong offer is not necessarily about the highest price, a lender can cause heartache to both the buyer and seller, certain pitfalls of a home could be detected to be disclosed or corrected. Working with a Realtor backed by experience is often the difference between success and defeat. Whether you’re the buyer competing in a sellers market or a seller who doesn’t want to go through multiple buyers who are unable to close, I will provide expertise and tactics used by few other agents.
  • Price and negotiation. I am extremely analytical and enjoy going through the market activity and researching to discover pro’s or con’s of a property. Representing the seller, we will evaluate the “comps” and condition of your home to develop a pricing strategy that meets your needs and keeps your home within market value. Representing the buyer, we will evaluate the “comps” and inquire on the sellers position to offer fair market value. Every situation is different, but evaluating the data, researching the property and interpreting the other sides position – we’re able to be competitive yet reasonable and almost always win.
  • Full service. When representing a seller, you can be rest assured you’re receiving expert guidance on price, promotion and product, while receiving weekly updates to keep you informed. My goal is to make your home stand apart from the competition, attract buyers and sell your home for the most money. Marketing services include staging consultation, magazine quality professional pictures, home warranty, targeted online marketing, targeted direct marketing and professional networking.

No matter where you are in the cycle of home ownership, I’m here to provide professional service and deliver results.

Jennifer Blake, Denver REALTOR® – Call/text 303.842.2306 or jblake5280@gmail.com