Life Style Denver by Gretchen Faber

Downtown Denver Flipping the Switch, Lighting the City and County Building

Denver has been lighting the The City and County Building during the holiday season since 1926. This year is no different, and Mayor Hancock will flip the switch to the lights tonight. Driving past the building on winter nights puts a smile on the face of everyone but Oscar the Grouch or Scrooge.  Head downtown during the next month, and check it out. A few years ago, the city made a switch to LED lights for energy efficiency, and it looks just...Continue Reading!

Mashed Potatoes Shouldn’t Need Gravy | Thanksgiving 2011

It's Thanksgiving 2011.  The time of year we begin to eat ourselves into oblivion and hibernate. The good news about living in Denver is the winter sunshine, snow on the slopes, and long pants. Long pants cover up the pale, mashed potato looking legs. But I digress.  It's time to talk a key Thanksgiving meal element.  Mashed potatoes.  If you love yours covered in gravy, well, I guess you have a right to your culinary opinion. An occasional dab of gravy doesn't do much...Continue Reading!

Shop Denver Small Businesses on 11/26/2011

This is shop local weekend on Small Business Saturday. Time to support your favorite local Denver area businesses. Here are a few Gretchen Faber favorites: Pine Creek Clothing Company in the Washington Park neighborhood. The Tattered Cover Bookstore at Colfax and Elizabeth. PJ's Boutique and 5 Green Boxes on Old South Pearl Street. The Tended Thicket on Old South Gaylord Street. Bonnie Brae Wine & Liquor. Mariel's and Cry Baby Ranch at Larimer Square. Antique Row on South Broadway. Feel free to comment below and add your own favorite locally...Continue Reading!

Adopt-A-Pet at Denver Animal Shelter

It was time to renew Duke's license-to-exist in Denver today, and when I logged onto the Denver Animal Shelter's license renewal site, there were photos of awfully cute cats and dogs looking for a new home. Don't let these pets be homeless for the holidays, consider adoption.  Duke says it was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he's definitely the best dog ever. That's Duke on the left, loping around Chatfield Reservoir (in the doggie area.) Are you looking for...Continue Reading!

Denver Among Top 10 Healthiest Housing Markets

Recently, Builder Magazine listed Denver as among the top 10 healthiest housing markets in their  "Healthiest Housing Markets: Mid-2011 Update." We've been experiencing such low vacancy rates for rentals, that much of what's driving home sales is investor interest.  Investors are willing to take a risk on our market and are snapping up good rentals.  With investors getting back in, more buyers will feel confident in the coming months. Builder Magazine says permits for new construction look to double in 2012 and...Continue Reading!

Pine Needles Plauge Denver Area Gutters

Have you cleaned your gutters lately? I was showing a home in Park Hill recently, and we noticed piles of pine needles in the gutters.  The buyers remarked that it looked like a fire hazard. Denver area pine trees shed massive numbers of needles this time of year, which clog gutters and prevent proper drainage.  Remember to check your gutters for needles and leaves, and clean them out before the rain and snow descend.  This should be one of your regular home...Continue Reading!

Denver Solidifies Art Culture with Opening of Clyfford Still Museum

Denver's standing among the arts and architecture community has steadily risen in recent years with the addition of the Denver Art Museum's Hamilton Wing, the Museum of Contemporary Art and now the official opening of the new Clyfford Still Museum. The Clyfford Still Museum was built to house Still's collection of nearly every work he produced.  He was a pioneer in the early 20th Century's Abstract Expressionism movement, and held on to most of his works until his death. Still bequeathed the...Continue Reading!

Mother-In-Law Suites Gaining Favor

While showing homes this year to several of my clients, one new trend seemed to stand out. Several people mentioned a need to have an accessible second master suite for their parents.  Bloomberg News confirmed this trend today in their online post "Homebuilders Target In-Laws, Dogs as Extended Families Grow."  We joke about our 20-somethings moving home and whether we could live with our mothers-in-law, but the reality is that many families are consolidating and cohabiting. That's a great trend for families. ...Continue Reading!

Research the History of Your Denver Home at the Library

Do you like to do research?  The Denver Public Library offers you the ability to learn about the history of your house. If you're interested in your home's past, who lived there, if  any businesses were there, or what it looked like then plan a day at the DPL main branch. The helpful librarians can find copies of original building permits, some blueprints and ownership records.   The library sometimes has early photographs of a building or the neighborhood and...Continue Reading!

Should I Decorate My Listed House for the Holidays?

Every year, sellers ask whether they should decorate for the holidays. The answer is yes!  Within reason.  Here are 5 things to keep in mind: Keep it simple. Don't overdo the clutter or festive air.  Less is more.  Just like you cleaned out your closets to make your home feel larger, resist the temptation to pull out every decoration you've collected over the years and fill up the space. Tasteful decorations add to the warmth and homey feeling, but over-the-top or outlandish...Continue Reading!