Life Style Denver by Gretchen Faber

1115 Madison Street in Denver’s Congress Park

This lovely cottage will make the perfect starter home or rental. Denver's rental vacancy rate is unusually low, and as an investor this home would make an excellent rental property.  The location is stellar. Updated kitchen & bath, bright, sunny rooms and a lovely yard. Enjoy summer evenings on your front porch. Wood and travertine tile floors add elegance. The finished basement with recessed lighting adds amazing space for a family room or office. Just steps to restaurants, ...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!

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!

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!

Denver’s Parade of Lights 2011

In Denver we have a colorful tradition to kick off the Holiday Season every year. The first weekend of December, after all the leftovers are polished off, we head to downtown Denver for the Parade of Lights.  Plan to bundle up, put hot cocoa in your thermos and stake out your corner early.  This is an annual event you won't want to miss. Floats are covered in lights and Elves toss candy to the crowd, bands march with lights strung across their...Continue Reading!

What the Press Has to Say About Real Estate

10/15/11.  The Wall Street Journal. "It's time to buy that house." 10/21/11. Business Week. "Crazy deals await." 10/03. Market Watch. "Now could be the best time in history to buy a home." US News & World Report. "Many buyers who waited for rock bottom are finding now is the time to buy." Denver's inventory is low and buyers are searching for great properties.  If you're thinking of selling your home, get it on the market soon! These headlines should begin to foster the consumer...Continue Reading!

HouseLogic Answers Your Home Maintenence & Renovation Questions

Have you ever wondered how often you need to clean your gutters? Or how to winterize sprinklers? The HouseLogic site provides a terrific resource for home maintenance questions.  You'll find resources for calculating the net benefit of some home improvement projects, for going green at home and for landscaping and gardening. Create a profile, and you can build a home improvement plan for the future, get ideas from professionals and share pictures of your projects.  If you're house obsessed, or just in...Continue Reading!