Denver Life | Conscious Real Estate

How Will Legal Marijuana Affect the Colorado Real Estate Market?

January 5, 2014/2 Comments/in Colorado Life, Denver Housing Market, Denver Life, Denver Real Estate /by Allison Parks

Whether you voted to legalize marijuana in the state of Colorado or not, it happened – and the business of legal marijuana is a large enough industry to affect our local real estate market. This blog is not intended to be political, I simply consider it my job to stay on top of all aspects of real estate and our local economy. So, how can we expect legal weed to affect our local real estate market?

All in all, marijuana equals more money. In Colorado, 5 million dollars was generated in sales tax from medical marijuana in 2011. The state of Washington estimates that legalizing marijuana will create $1.9 billion in additional revenue in the next five years. The city of Oakland raised $1.3 million in tax revenue in 2011, which accounted for 3% of the city’s total business tax revenue.

Those numbers aren’t bad.

CNN Money quotes Alec Rhodes, managing director at Cassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate Services in Denver, estimates that marijuana growing operations occupy at least 1.5 million square feet of commercial real estate, which contributed to the local economy to get us through the recession.

So, if someone were relocating to a new city, what might they look for? Strong economy. Good schools. Colorado governmental regulations seek on the legal marijuana industry seek to provide this. In fact, the first $40 million of sales and excise taxes on newly legalized recreational marijuana has been earmarked as revenue for public schools.

All in all, it is likely that the legal marijuana industry will positively affect the Colorado housing market over the next ten years; home prices probably wouldn’t skyrocket due to the industry, but the additional reinforcement to our local economy will likely add benefit. The revenue generated from marijuana will redistribute into other local non-marijuana related businesses. Folks who work in the legal marijuana industry will need to buy homes, eat dinner at local restaurants, acquire legal counsel, hire employees, and so forth. With our nation’s economy still not up to full recovery, we can remain optimistic about maintaining our economic strength in the state of Colorado.

10 Reasons to Move to Denver Right Now

January 5, 2014/in Colorado Life, Denver Life, Denver Resource Guide /by Allison Parks

An eerie glowing full moon rises behind a tall skyscraper in the Denver Colorado skyline.

1) If you haven’t already heard, Denver has 300 days of sunshine per year. It keeps us cheerful and bright. Sunshine combats Seasonal Affective Disorder and allows us to occasionally wear shorts in December.

2) The mountains are right there. Not a skier or snowboarder? Hike. Kayak. Climb. Snowshoe. Stand-Up Paddleboard on the rivers. Take photographs. Breathe. Even if you choose to never set foot in the mountains, the front range always looks stunning from the city.

3) Strong economy. Denver has diverse and growing industries – technology, natural gas, clean energy, mutual funds, tourism. Our unemployment rate is lower than that of New York City.

4) No shortage of great restaurants. When I need to entertain guests, my problem isn’t “Which restaurant is good enough?” My problem is “Which great restaurant is perfect for this occasion?”

5) Lower cost of living than coastal cities. Considerably lower. The median price of a single-family home in Denver was $285,000 in the third quarter of 2013, compared to New York’s median of $515,000.

6) Parks. (No, not Allison Parks, though I am a GREAT reason to move to Denver.) Denver has the largest city park system in the nation. Denver has more than 200 parks within the city and 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains, including spectacular Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The city has its own buffalo herd and every year plants more than 200,000 flowers in 26 formal flower gardens.

7) Denver is a cultural city with the second highest educated population in America. In its Old West days, Denver had a performance of Macbeth before it had a school or a hospital. Today, the Denver Performing Arts Complex has nine theatres seating 10,000 people and is second only to New York’s Lincoln Center. The seven county metro area has a self-imposed sales tax for the arts that raises up to $40 million a year, which is distributed to 300 arts organizations and facilities.

8) Denver is one of only a few cities to have seven professional sports teams. Denver also has horse racing and a professional rodeo. Denver has 90 golf courses, 850 miles of bike paths and the nation’s largest city park system.

9) Denver brews more beer than any other city. If you’re a beer lover, you could tour artisan breweries for days.

10) Denver really is the Mile High City. There is a step on the State Capitol Building that is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. In Denver’s rarified air, golf balls go ten percent farther. So do cocktails. Alcoholic drinks pack more of a wallop than at sea level. The sun feels warmer, because you’re closer to it, but your coffee is cooler, because water boils at 202 degrees.

If you’re ready to relocate to Denver, let Conscious Real Estate help you find your new home! To contact one of our agents, call 303-908-9873 or email our owner, Allison Parks, at [email protected].

Conscious Real Estate Partners with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

December 4, 2013/in Denver Life, Denver Nonprofits, Denver Resource Guide /by Allison Parks

Conscious Real Estate is proud to announce a partnership with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education. CAEE is a professional organization for environmental educators, which facilitates communication, cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among the varied environmental education programs in the state.

Environmental education is a life-long learning process that increases awareness about the environment and its systems while developing critical-thinking skills that enable responsible decision-making. Environmental education builds knowledge and skills in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and allows opportunities to apply those skills.

Environmental education also fosters a connection to the community and civic responsibility by developing environmental literacy, which is the capacity to understand the implications of our actions, to critically think about daily choices, and to make informed and responsible decisions. Reaching this level of understanding and developing these skills on a large scale is only possible through quality education.

We need environmental education if we continue to expect the people of Colorado to make tough choices about environmental issues (i.e., water use, air pollution, development, transportation, etc.) We are lucky to live in such a beautiful state, and it’s important to bring environmental awareness and education to our current and future generations.

If you need additional motivation to support CAEE, watch this controversial commercial from Toys R Us which all but denounces not just environmental education, but education in general. Parents have to compete with such enticing ads to keep their children engaged in healthy activities, as obesity rises in our country and the educational system declines. Even Stephen Colbert had to take a stab at this one!

Become a member, donate, or volunteer with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education and follow CAEE on Facebook or Twitter to receive updates on the great work they are doing in our community.

Remember: Conscious Real Estate always contributes 10% of commissions to the nonprofit of your choice when you buy or sell a home with our realtors, so you can make a generous donation to great organizations in our community like CAEE.

If you can donate any technology items or office supplies, The Wish List for CAEE currently includes: projector, computer speakers, recent computers and laptops, Adobe InDesign software, Laptop cases/bags, Wireless mouse, laminator, colored paper, copy paper, paper shredder, flip chart paper, easels, Avery labels, Avery name tag holder, Avery name tag inserts, Spray Mount, Post It Notes, Tools (hammer, nails, etc.), Standing lamps, light bulbs, Vacuum, Room Air Conditioner, Fans, Plastic Bins, Tupperware, Set of knives, Folding Tables, Folding Chairs, Cutting Boards, Meeting Space, Small Moving Dollies, and Wheeled Storage for Events.

Please email [email protected] to donate these items.

Conscious Real Estate Partners with Yard Harvest

June 28, 2013/in Denver Life, Denver Nonprofits /by Allison Parks

A good nonprofit seeks to solve problems with creative solutions. Denver nonprofit, Yard Harvest does just that. Yard Harvest connects with local homeowners who have a surplus of produce on their fruit trees and vines. Volunteers harvest the produce, leave a portion with the homeowners, and deliver the rest to daycare centers, homes for the elderly, community kitchens, and other charities that serve people around Denver who are at risk of going without fresh, healthy food. They also partner with organizations that conduct educational workshops with the produce, providing much needed skills such as canning, cooking, and otherwise preserving and preparing fresh, healthy food. In 2012, they delivered 3000 pounds of fruit to a variety of organizations.

If you would like to participate in the efforts of Yard Harvest, you can register your yard for harvest, volunteer, or donate. Or, if you know of a nonprofit who could distribute the fruit to people in need, you may contact Yard Harvest to receive produce. As always, if you or someone you know is buying or selling a home, Conscious Real Estate contributes 10% of every commission to nonprofits, and we would love the opportunity to support the efforts of Yard Harvest.

Conscious Real Estate Loves Denver Farmers’ Markets

June 4, 2013/in Colorado Life, Denver Events, Denver Life /by Allison Parks

As we kick-off the summer, one of the many things we have to look forward to are the numerous farmers’ markets held throughout the Denver metro area. Conscious Real Estate loves farmers’ markets, as they provide a great opportunity to pursue healthy living through fresh and organic food, while supporting our local farmers and the “locavore” movement—which benefits our environment by lessening the distance produce travels from its source and increased organic farming.

In addition to fresh produce, farmers’ markets also offer plenty of delicious baked goods and craft foods, and other unique specialty items of interest along with various entertainment and family-friendly festivities. Farmers markets also provide a great way to explore the character of neighborhoods which you might be considering for a new home.

The following are a list of Denver area Farmers’ Markets worth a visit!

Cherry Creek Fresh Market

When: Saturdays, May 4 – October 26, 8am – 1pm & Wednesdays June 19 – September 25, 9am – 1pm.

Where: E. 1^st Ave & University Blvd., Denver

City Park Esplanade Fresh Market

When: Sundays, May 12 – October 27, 9 am – 1 pm

Where: E. Colfax Ave. & Columbine St., Denver

Highland United Neighbors Farmers’ Market

When: Saturdays, June 1 – October 12, 9 am – 1 pm

Where: 1500 Boulder St., Denver

South Pearl Street Farmers’ Market

When: Sundays, May 19 – November 3, 9 am – 1 pm