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The Colorado Senior Property Tax Exemption allows 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value on a qualified applicant’s primary residence to be exempted.
To qualify the following requirements must be met:
- The applicant is at least 65 years old on January 1st of the year of application.
- The applicant or his/her spouse is the property owner of record and has owned the property for at least 10 consecutive years prior to January 1st.
- The applicant occupies the property as his/her primary residence, and has done so for at least 10 consecutive years prior to January 1st.
There are also provisions in place for the surviving spouse of senior citizens. For detailed information, please see the pamphlet produced by Colorado Department of Local Affairs regarding Property Tax Exemption for Senior Citizens in Colorado.
The short-form for qualifying senior citizens must be completed and submitted to the county assessor on or before July 15th of the year for which the exemption is requested.
If you have any questions or need any help, please feel free to give us a call. 303-989-2100.
Because of the way that our olfactory sense affects perception, aromatherapy is another excellent way to combat the winter blahs.
To add warmth, choose traditional winter scents like:
- Pine
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Vanilla
- Peppermint
- Apple cider
- Wood Smoke
- Cranberry
- Ginger
- Maple
- Nutty Scents
Other scents to consider that help to uplift and combat fatigue are: Bergamot, Citrus scents (such as orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit), Sage, and Jasmine.
Try mixing and matching to create your own blend of “winter feel good!”
One way to reduce the winter doldrums is to incorporate natural elements into your home.
Plants and fresh flowers are perfect living accents that add a splash of color and provide a constant reminder of the warmer months ahead. Choose bouquets that remind you of spring sunshine or go with the colors of the season and accent with white.
Other natural elements that compliment the season are decorative bowls filled with pinecones or nuts and vases filled with curly willow branches or pussy willow. You can also use rattan or wicker baskets to add a natural touch.
A few small accents will go a long way in bringing the freshness of the outdoors into your living space. Use your imagination!
Now that the holidays are over, the impact of the long, winter months starts to set in. In Denver, we’re lucky, because we tend to have an abundance of sunny days throughout the season, but it still gets dark earlier, and we have plenty of snow and frigid weather to look forward to.
Of course, the indoors don’t have to be gloomy. With a few small additions, interiors can become warm and cozy throughout the winter season. That’s why we’ve put together a series of posts with ideas for warming your dwelling. We hope that you’ll find them useful and fun!
We’d also like to hear your ideas.
What do you do to stay toasty and positive during these dark winter months?
Happy New Year from the team at Anton Hospitality Brokers! We hope that everyone had a joyful holiday season, and we’re looking forward to a prosperous 2012.
We’re all excited about the year to come, and we’re making a point to focus on all things positive. It’s beautiful outside today, and the sun is shining brightly in the metro area. It’s a perfect way to start out 2012.
Keep you holiday festive and safe by observing the following fire safety tips.
Trees
- Old trees are safety hazards. When purchasing a holiday tree, the trunk should be sticky to the touch and the needles should be green and firmly connected to the branches. Needles that fall out easily are a sign of an old tree and are a significant fire hazard.
- Do not place your tree near a fire or a heat source such as a heating vent. This will dry out the tree more quickly and make it easier for the tree to catch fire.
- Do not ash cigarettes or place candles near the tree.
- Always keep the base of the tree filled with water.
- Never leave your live tree up for longer than two weeks.
- Artificial trees should be labelled as “Fire Resistant”
Lights
- Always maintain your lights. Make sure that wires are not frayed and sockets are not broken.
- Only use lights that have been tested by a recognized safety testing facility.
- Never connect more than three strands of lights, and plug the ends into an extension cord before plugging it into an outlet
- Never leave holiday lights unattended.
Decorations
- Use only flame resistant decorations
Candles
- Avoid using lit candles as decorations, but if you do, make sure that they are in stable holders and out of reach of children.
- Never leave candles unattended.
- Keep all candles away from evergreen trees or wreaths.
From the HUD Website
The Denver Homeownership Center is currently offering $100 down payments for all eligible HUD real estate owned (REO) properties. Purchasers must be owner/occupants, utilize FHA insured financing and offer full list price.
This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to get into a home, especially while rates are low.
Additionally, many HUD properties are eligible for 203K financing, which allows a Buyer to roll the cost of repairs into their FHA loan.
To find out how to qualify, please give us a call at 303-989-2100, and we’ll get you connected with a participating lender and answer any questions you might have.
The psychology of color is an interesting study, and color meaning can change from culture to culture. When considering which colors to use in your home decor, it’s best to first consider what effect certain colors will have on you and the other members of your household. It’s also important to determine what type of ambience you’re trying to create in a specific room.
As an example, you may want to use accents of yellow and orange in an area like a family room where you want to encourage cheerful social interactions. In a bedroom, you might use blue to promote relaxation or pink to promote gentle romance.
The most important thing is to have fun with it!
Color meanings in the West
Red – Passion, Stimulating, Vibrancy, Courage, Romance, Power
Yellow – Sunshine, Nourishment, Warmth, Happiness, Friendliness
Blue – Calm, Soothing, Tranquil, Peaceful, Healing, Relaxing, Embodies Trust
Green – Growth, Health, Vibrancy, Vitality, Nature
Orange – Social, Cheerful, Stimulating, Active
Purple – Nobility, Mystery, Abundance, Spirituality, Intuition
Pink – Gentle, Soothing, Loving
Gray – Clear, Detached, Neutral, Calm, Quiet, Lacks Energy
Black – Sophistication, Power, Elegant, Modern
White – Freshness, Innocence, Clarity, Cleanliness, Purity, Hope, Openness
Brown – Strength, Grounding, Stability, Reliable, Comfortable, Nurturing
Positives of buying
- In a home, you have more personal freedom to make interior and exterior changes. You can paint, decorate, renovate, plant a garden, or keep a pet (subject to city, county, or homeowner’s association rules.)
- You can take a mortgage loan interest deduction on your federal and state taxes. (Interest will comprise nearly all of your payment for more than half the life of your loan.)
- You can deduct your property taxes.
- Home ownership allows you to build equity.
- Mortgage interest rates are currently low, while rental rates continue to rise.
- Rental rates can increase when your lease is up, but a mortgage payment remains the same.
- If you’re buying a home with a Home Owner’s Association, you may have access to additional recreational and entertainment facilities.
Negatives of buying
- Home ownership comes with a greater maintenance responsibility.
- Depending on where you buy, you may have to pay monthly HOA dues on top of your mortgage payment.
- With home maintenance factored in, your expenses will be less predictable.
- Requires a larger down payment than a rental.
Positives of renting
- The landlord takes care of the interior and exterior maintenance.
- Rentals provide greater mobility, because there’s no property to sell when you want to move to a new location.
- Renter’s insurance is significantly less expensive than homeowner’s insurance.
- Requires a smaller amount of initial cash to get your foot in the door.
- Often comes with amenities like a pool, fitness center, and clubhouse.
Negatives of Renting
- You’re limited in how you can modify the property
- No tax deductions
- You have to make monthly payments, but you don’t build equity.
- The rental rate can continue to rise with each lease renewal.
- You may or may not have a good landlord.
Well, that depends on a number of factors.
A lender will first want to pull your credit and look at your debt-to-income ratio which compares your gross income to your expenses. They’ll look at housing expenses, car payments, student loans, child support, etc.
According to FHA guidelines, your monthly payment should never be more than 29% of your gross income. Additionally, your monthly payment with all your other non-housing expenses should not exceed 41% of your income.
On an FHA loan, these calculations will be used to decide how much you can qualify for.
A lender is also going to look at the cash you have available for your down payment and closing costs. They’ll expect you to provide documentation, such as bank statements and gift letters, to show where the money is coming from.
It’s also helpful to play with a mortgage calculator. It can give you an idea of what your monthly payments will look like, given a specific purchase price and down payment. You may find that you can qualify for more than you actually wish to spend. It’s always good to determine what your comfort zone is and use it as a base.
Everyone’s scenario is completely unique and requirements can and do change. The best way to find out what current programs you can qualify for and how much home you can purchase is to speak directly with a banker. We have several trusted lenders we work with, and we’d be happy to refer you to them. Just give us a call at (303) 989-2100 or send us an e-mail to info@antonhospitality.com.
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