The people of Colorado want to know, is it Coloradoan or Coloradan?

When people talk about the people of Denver, they may refer to us as ‘Denverites’. This nickname has been around for a long time and people who live in Denver use it to describe themselves in many different ways. But it seems there is a little controversy when it comes to how to describe people who are live in Colorado. When it comes to the residents of Colorado, are they a Coloradoan or a Coloradan?

A while back, the Denver Post wrote an article about this very topic, dissecting the rules on languages and names. Apparently, when a place ends in an “o” like Colorado, you would add “an” to the end of it for the proper description. The only exception to this rule is if the place name is of Spanish origin, then you would remove the “o” before adding “an”. To give you an example of how this rule works look at Chicago and Idaho. These two names derived from Native American languages therefore their residents are referred to as Chicagoans and Idahoans. Now if we look at San Francisco, which derives from Spanish origin, the people who live there would be called San Franciscans.

Now let’s look at Colorado, which is a Spanish word for the color red, we would then according to this rule be Coloradans, not Coloradoans. Yet, a few years ago, some newspapers were calling themselves the “__________ Coloradoan” or changing their names from Coloradan to Coloradoan. This can make it a bit confusing for residents who are trying to figure out the proper term!

But based off of this rule, it seems the new build being built at Union Station, the Coloradan, is following the rules as being a residential tower that grammatically fits here in Denver. This is the beautiful new high rise tower I discussed last week with you all, towering 19-stories high with around 334-units, it is one of the most anticipated buildings coming to the Denver Metro area. The great thing about this place is the prices that range from the high $200,000 and extend upwards of $1.3m. With the constant need for places for new homebuyers these days, and the low inventory which can make it tough to find the right condo or house, here is an opportunity for new homebuyers as well as experienced homebuyers to have a great Coloradan home to call their own. If you want more information about this amazing build, shoot me an email or give me a call today and let’s chat about how you can be a Coloradan living in the Coloradan!

Photo by: @Walnut Street Photography

The Coloradan Coming to Union Station 2018

If you have been downtown Denver lately I’m sure you have seen the countless changes that are happening to our beautiful city. Buildings are popping up, the skyline is changing and there continues to be new spots to enjoy a good meal, shopping and of course, great places to live. One of the most anticipated new real estate development that is starting to break ground is the Coloradan located right next to Union Station. This 19-story, 334-unit for purchase residential condo tower is prime location for anyone wanting to live in the heart of the city. 

It has been nearly 10 years since a high rise has been built in downtown Denver and I have been there for three of these tower projects in the past. I helped buyers find places in the Glass House, the Four Seasons and Spire. With new construction, it is important to have an agent who understands the ins and the outs of the process from the contracts to the sales process. As an experienced agent with this type of sale, I know I can help my buyers get what they want.

The great thing about the Coloradan, besides the amazing location that will have a Whole Foods directly across the street, is the affordability of the units. There will be everything from studios to lavish penthouses, with the prices starting in the high $200,000, which will extend upwards of $1.3 million. With that price range, I know many of my first time homebuyers will be interested in the ability to buy into this beautiful residential tower. The housing market is hard right now as it is, house inventory is so low but condo inventory is even lower. With the start of building again on condos, this will hopefully let a lot of new homebuyers be able to have the opportunity to buy in this competitive market and that is where I come in to help!

I am super excited for this project and will be writing more blogs and making videos on the updates as the construction process continues. For now, take a look at the website for a virtual tour and if you are thinking the Coloradan might be the perfect place for you, give me a call today and let’s work on reserving your spot today.

http://riverfrontdenver.com/buildings/coloradan-union-station/

How a Good Review is Good for your Business

In today’s day and age, all business owners know the importance of reviews when it comes to their businesses. Whenever you walk into a coffee shop, restaurant or salon, you can see a Yelp sticker proudly displayed in their windows. Whenever I travel to other cities with my family, I use Yelp when looking for places to eat or things to do and go off of reviews. Just as Yelp does for these business owners, it is imperative to my businesses that people also review me.

As a real estate agent, one of the things we always tell our clients is that referrals are the best thing they can give to us. If I did a stand up job for them, and they appreciated my work and dedication to helping them buy or sell their house, that they please remember when they hear someone discuss looking for a realtor to give them my name. In the real estate industry, a lot of our business comes from referrals while the other comes from our own circle plus going out and meeting new clients. I also ask my clients, if they would recommend me and think I did a great job for them if they would write a review about me on either my LinkedIn page, Facebook Page or my personal website. These three are the best places to write reviews reaching a large audience and also are a type of a digital word-of-mouth. It’s imperative to have these reviews for any business owner because –

·      These reviews allow your business to reach new audiences

·      They enable your business to build up a positive reputation

·      They can help your business be found through an online search

A study a couple years back stated that 92% of consumers read reviews, 92%! Basically everyone out there is going to try and find a review about the good or service they need and will make a decision based on the reviews they read. Of those 92%, 68% said that when they read positive reviews about a company or a person, it made they trust the business more. In the real estate industry, I know how imperative it is to have trust with my clients. While it is important to have all the real estate knowledge I have, when I first meet with new clients I know that the two things that will be the biggest factor in their decision if I am the right realtor for them or not is if they trust me and if they like me as a person. So building a portfolio of positive reviews from previous clients always is a helpful place to point new clients to before we sign any contracts together.

That being said, I know how important reviews are to my business and that is why I make it a priority to write reviews for the people I do work with as well. I take time every week to go through the people I have worked with the week before and find a place to write a review about them so that they too can grow their business because of the positive reviews. We are all here to help one another grow in our businesses, so make sure to take time to post good reviews when you can!

A little history on a favorite of mine, LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver)

The history of the city of Denver can be traced back through many years and through many stories. It used to be quite the Wild West back in the day (and I am not talking about that long ago!) and the city still boasts a certain Western culture flair to it. As the city grew and developed through the years, it became sectioned off into different areas that we still refer to today such as Capitol Hill or Washington Park or the Highlands. One of my favorite areas of Denver, and where I happen to do a lot of business, is LoDo or Lower Downtown Denver. Everyone knows where LoDo is when referenced to and it was and continues to be a growing area with amazing living spaces as well as incredible restaurants and entertainment facilities.

LoDo was actually known was the Union Station neighborhood until 1983 when a Denver Post reporter referred to the area as “LoDo” (which he took from Manhattan’s SoHo). During that time, LoDo was not a well-developed area. Downtown Denver is not what it used to be, back then, it was a pretty rough area and very underdeveloped, not a spot you would be out on a weekend evening. LoDo has become a national model of how a decaying city neighborhood can be converted to a flourishing retail, residential and recreational area that continues to grow and develop today. The Union Station building, which recently got its own face-lift and renovation, remains the main building in the area that arose from predominantly rail-related enterprises such as Market Street bordellos, Wynkoop Street warehouses and Larimer Street saloons.

South Platte River, Cherry Creek, Larimer Street and 20th Street bound the official neighborhood. Early on, LoDo was the core commercial and rail hub of Denver but unfortunately it descended into skid row in the 1930’s. In 1988, Denver designated parts of LoDo as historical districts that helped provide incentives for preservation. In the 1990’s, LoDo became the hot area of the city attracting young late-night crowds. The success of the area also inspired Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies to build their home, Coors Field, on the northeast edge of Blake and 20th Street in 1995. To this day, LoDo continues to be a developing neighborhood attracting a diverse crowd of people looking to live and play in the heart of the city.

There are many amazing spots in LoDo from Larimer Square, Flour Mill lofts, the Oxford Hotel and Denver Untion Station that would not have happened without the visionary dreams of Dana Crawford (whom the Crawford Hotel is named after). Dana Crawford was a young mother during the summer of 1963 looking for a plot of buildings with the potential to become a place for people to gather, shop and dine. Crawford had fallen in love with such areas growing up in Kansas and attending graduate school in Boston and wanted to bring the same to Denver. She found herself in he 1400 block of Larimer amongst bands of drunks and homeless people, but it was here that she saw what potential the area had and it is said that was her greatest gift for years to come.

LoDo has and will continue to be a staple neighborhood in Denver offering up amazing living places and so much life. As I said, it is an area I have come to know and love and if you think it is an area you could see yourself living, give me a call today and let’s go grab a coffee at one of the many amazing coffee shops down there.

Denver Restaurant Week

Denver is known for many wonderful things, from our closeness to the mountains, work life balance, great companies to work for, incredible weather and great music and art venues. One thing we are constantly also being put on the map for is the food that this city is turning out. More and more chefs and restaurants are setting their sights on the Mile High City as a place to bring cuisine because this is a city that welcomes all flavors and types of food. Denver has always been a city that flourishes in many cultures of food, from Asian to Mexican to American, this city is enriched with restaurant owners and chefs who aren’t afraid to try new things knowing Denver is city they can do that in.

It is almost time for Denver Restaurant week, running ten days from February 24th – March 5th, with hundreds of local restaurant participating this year. There are a few changes when it comes to pricing this year though that are leaving many people happy. In the past nine years, it has been $52.80 per couple which Visit Denver is raising this year to $60 per couple. But, there is now price points starting as low as $25 for a multi-curse meal, which is the lowest ever. From $25, $35 and $45 for a selection of great meals, you are sure to find something to make your taste buds happy. Richard Scharf, president and CEO of Denver recently said in an interview with Denver Business Journal, “"We wanted the pricing structure to reflect the entire culinary scene," Scharf said. "The low-, mid- and higher-range options allowed the flexibility for even more restaurants to participate, and the prices make it easy for diners to experience more of everything that Denver has to offer."

With over 245 restaurants to choose from, you can go a few nights for some great deals and some delicious bites. I know my husband and I like to take a few date nights during Denver Restaurant Week because we get to try out so many restaurants that we may not try otherwise. Or we like to get into one of the new hot spots and see what all the praise is about. But we also have classics that we like to go back to every year if we can, either way, it is a great week to spend time with your loved ones or even take some clients out to experience some of the great food we have here in Denver!

Below is a link to all of the restaurants and menus being offered this year. Make sure to buy your tickets early and get reservations as soon as possible for some places!

http://www.denver.org/denver-restaurant-week/menus/