Janelle Walston's (jwalston) Blog

I know, you'd expect the "Loft Lady" to live downtown in a loft, right?  Well, up until very recently, my family has been of such a size that loft living just wasn't a realistic option. So, I drive in from the other side of town, and my commute of 13 or so miles didn't seem like that big of a dea...

I'm not sure whether it is just the changing real estate market, or if people are actually changing, but I've had some rather upsetting experiences lately that have prompted me to reconsider my office and personal business policies.  I have always been an intuitive person, and have used that intu...

All marketing experts will tell you that having an easily recognizable brand is an essential part of establishing a successful business.  Re/Max has their balloon and McDonald's has the arches; you get the idea.  When I was the first Realtor in Colorado Springs to successfully sell lofts in the d...

As an EcoBroker and a generally concerned resident of this planet, I have done all I can to support and promote responsible growth.  This can be a fine line to walk when you are part of an industry that has always promoted growth, and not always in a responsible manner.  But, I know that there ar...

I wanted to share with the Colorado Springs community about a wonderful grant program that is available to business and property owners downtown.  The Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority is offering a "Challenge Grant" for those who want to do improvements to their property that will ...

Everyone in downtown Colorado Springs is buzzing about the opening of two-way Tejon Street. We are converting our downtown main drag from a one-way street to allow for two-way vehicular traffic again. There has been much debate about how this will affect retailers, pedestrians and drivers--so, we...

Any community trying to develop a thriving downtown area must necessarily learn how to balance the great mixture of people and uses in a small amount of space.  Downtown Colorado Springs is no exception, and we are at a very critical turning point in deciding what type of downtown we will have. T...

I have been in real estate for more than 20 years, and at this point, there isn't much I havn't seen or at least heard of when it comes to lending, appraising, and closing a real estate transaction.  But, as a sign of the rapidly changing real estate times, I was hit with a new problem the other ...

I'm sure that I am not the only real estate professional who has potential and existing clients that ask me to fulfill duties above and beyond those required of a Realtor. I pride myself on providing excellent customer service, and I love to have that reputation. However, I have lately been wonde...

Historic Preservation and the Real Estate Professional I wanted to share with everyone a wonderful resource we have in Colorado for educating Realtors about historic preservation and their local historic resources. Many people feel that real estate, by nature, is not compatible with preservation ...