Before I begin this column, please know that I am not an accountant.When I was a boy, my father shared a bit of wisdom with me regarding taxes.  He said, "Give Uncle Sam every dime he is due... and not a penny more."  My father is both wise and a great citizen and his advice has served me well.Consider this when it comes to taxation - suppose you have a penny and you double it every day for 30 days.  You would end up with almost $5.4 million dollars!  And you could get taxed on it at that point.  Now let's suppose you take the same penny and do the same thing, but tax it at 25% every day.  You would end up with about $1,200 dollars.  If that tax were 35%, you would end up with only $20 after 30 days.  Would you rather be taxed as you go, or at the end of the investment life?In the real ... 06/09/2007

Laura Scheer asks: What are the most important steps to prepare ourselves for our first mortgage?  How do you choose a lender?First, let me offer my congratulations for asking the questions!  The cliché would be to say that home ownership is the American dream.  The truth behind the cliché is that home ownership can be one of the most effective ways for an individual or family to begin building wealth.For someone considering the purchase of a first home, the first big step is to get pre-qualified with a lender.  Before doing that, the following preparations should be made.•-         Gather financial documents that will be necessary for financing qualification.  As a start, compile the most 30 days of income verification (pay-stubs), your most recent two years of complete tax returns and... 06/09/2007

Sneak Preview ~ New Prairie Style Custom HomeLocation: The MeadowsFinal touches are being completed...boasting architectural character, this Prairie style contemporary has clean lines and warm tones. Granite counters throughout, cherry wide-plank hardwood, custom tile finishes, celestial windows, 3 fireplaces, 5 bedrooms upstairs (including Nanny quarters), main floor den (with views of the front range), side entry 3-car garage, Views, backing to open space, walk-in pantry, separate laundry room, professional grade cook top, wet bar, kitchen cabinets are trekked out for the gourmet of the house. The best part, this home will be ready very soon. Located on the prestigious Soaring Eagle Lane, high on a hill with remarkable Rocky Mountain views in every direction. This is the last lot to b... 06/04/2007

CASTLE ROCK, CO - HOMES SALES NUMBERS FROM MAY 2007 REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT Here are numbers from May 2007 regarding the activity in Castle Rock, Colorado.   On May 31, 2007 there were 1057 homes that were Active Listings - Homes for Sale.  In May 2007, there were 261 homes that were Under Contract.  Of those, 159 went Under Contract in May.  Of the homes that were Under Contract (261), 114 of them closed in May.    What does this mean?  Yes, there is large inventory in Castle Rock.  If you are a buyer, you have a lot to choose from.  To sell your home, make sure it is in great shape and priced right.  Do not over price a listing or your home will not be part of the sold statistics in these reports.  *Statistics from MLS deemed accurate but not guaranteed. *These numbers may not inclu... 06/01/2007

Ben, what is my business worth? I get this question 5 times a day. Here are some guidelines.SDE=Sellers Discretionary Earnings. How much do you make, plus addbacks like milage, meals, entertainment, etc. Don't addback expenses like rent or utilities, as new owner would have to pay that as well.Salons- 1.7 times SDE plus equipment and inventory. Service Business- 1.5 times cash flow.Liquor stores- 33% of Annual sales plus inventory.  Another methed is 2 times SDE plus inventory.Publishing Company- 70% of Annual sales. Another method is 4-6 times EBTID.Do you have a question about the value of your business? Call me for more detailed information. All conversations are completely confidential. Free Valuations. CASH FLOW IS KING!                                                            be... 05/26/2007

Douglas County West - (Includes Castle Rock, Larkspur, Sedalia, Palmer Lake, and Part of Littleton) The absorption rate spiked to 42.9 weeks in April 2007 this is primarily due to a very low number of solds in March.  We will see a big rebound in absorption rate for next month.  Apr-06Apr-07% Change# of sales closed - Month1711826.0%# of sales Closed - YTD576557-3.4%Avg Days on Market1171224.1%# of Active Listings1,1851,35712.7%# of NEW Listings5045599.8%Absorbtion Rate (in Weeks)25.742.940.2%Average Price (Sold)440,290523,11115.8%Absorption Rate Definition - the rate at which a market can absorb additional units of supply without causing market saturation and severe price distortions. For example, during a recessionary period, many homeowners may list their house for sale. Since the su... 05/22/2007

Castle Rock is a quaint old town grown up, a great affordable place to live close enough to Denver to commute, especially now that light rail is available just 10 miles north on I-25. The Outlets at Castle Rockis the largest collection of outlet shops in Colorado, and provides locals and Denverites with a great shopping experience.Real estate prices in Castle Rock run from $200,000s to the $500,000s, with most selling midway between. Townhomes range from $70,000 to $325,000. Castle Pines, an upscale community in Castle Rock, has homes selling upwards of $800,000.Beautiful Castlewood Canyon between Castle Rock and Franktown provides many day-use recreational opportunities. 05/16/2007

CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO NEAR THE TOP OF BEST AFFORDABLE SUBURBS LIST Business Week Online has recently published a list of the 25 Best Affordable suburbs in the nation.  The cities picked were based on affordability, safety, schools and culture, distance to a larger city.  Located in Douglas County, Castle Rock, CO has long been known for its quaint neighborhood feel away from the big city - but still close enough to commute  - and now the rest of the nation will know as well just how affordable & great it is.   The article quotes the median home price at $240,000, which as well all know can vary a bit based on when the number was pulled.  If you are looking for a home in Castle Rock, here are some current stats.  Personally, I feel that number from the article to be a bit low as a median... 05/12/2007

Castle Rock, CO Real Estate: March 2007 Market Report Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc.Denver Area Real Estatewww.stevescheer.com Data Based on numbers from MLS (MetroList) for Castle Rock, CO real estate. These numbers represent March 2007 of single family residential properties in Castle Rock (Douglas County).  March 2007 - Castle Rock, COActive Listings - (Total) 956Active New Listings (listed in March) - 235Under Contract  - 208Newly Under Contract in March - 121 So yes - listings are up & acitivity is up.  Looking at the numbers for March, you can see the number of homes that have gone under contract compared to the new listings is about half.  I do expect to see more new listings enter the market as we change seasons.  Inventory levels are a little over 4 1/2 months.  Sellers in ... 04/07/2007

Where should I camp in Colorado? So you live in the Denver area, or perhaps you just moved here or are about to.  And you want to experience the great outdoors - after all, the proximity of the Denver area to the vast selection of outdoor activities is almost endless.  And even now in the early spring, it is not too early to start planning them, especially if you want to go camping.  I do receive a lot of inquiries from clients that have relocated to the Denver area about where to go camping.  These inquiries come from all types, adventurous, first timers, some wanting the experience to the nth degree, others wanting to get outside and feel like they are camping but still want some walls around them.  My intention is to highlight different ones to give you a taste of what is out there f... 03/27/2007