Ruthie's Corner

Colder weather is here but there is still plenty to do! Check out some of the events happening in Cripple Creek and Victor from plays that are all Olio, to community Thanksgiving Dinners, Lighting of the mine head frames to Ice skating and hockey games. Winter is just as active in the CC-V district as Summer is. Come out and visit us and enjoy your fall and winter! Check out these links for more information Cripple Creek events Victor Events 

While some people who are selling their home think a small kitchen is a negative, there are several ways that you can make it stand out and appeal to potential buyers: Light it up. Darkness can often make smaller rooms feel even more cramped. To open the room up to more light, consider removing all curtains from windows and instead install recessed blinds. You still get the privacy factor, while also allowing your kitchen to have a brighter feel. Keep the counters tidy. Many people have things strewn about their kitchen counters and cabinets. Think about keeping your counter tops clear of all items, including photos, papers and even appliances, to make it seem like the room is larger than it truly is. Brighten the walls. Sellers should consider making the tone of the wall color in the kitchen brighter. Lighter colors tend to open up a room. They are also much more inviting, enticing potential buyers. Mounted appliances. Sellers may want to consider mounti...

óóó Featured Listings óóó For Recorded or Text Information - 24 Hours Call or Text 1-719-293-7937 Enter or Text the Four Digit Extension Number for Photos, Full Details & Current Pricing              Ruthie Grainger-Starr Grainger Realty LLC 150 Bennett Ave Cripple Creek, CO 80813 719-648-2288 (Due to changing market conditions our hotline pricing is more accurate than online sources with real time updates available 24 hrs.)

The median list price in December 2018 for single family homes in the CC-V District is $630,000. The list prices increased by 144% from the previous month.  The price per square foot for listings in this area is $216.  The median sales price in December for single family homes in the CC-V District is $215,750. The Sales prices increased by 44% from the previous month. The Average Days on Market in this area is 54. The median list price in December 2018 for land  in the CC-V District is $83,700. The list prices increased by 288% from the previous month.  The price per square foot for listings in this area is $1.  The median sales price in December for land in the CC-V District is $14,900. The Sales prices increased by 14% from the previous month. The Average Days on Market in this area is 149. Happy New Year!!! May you have a blessed 2019!!!

The median list price in November 2018 for single family homes in the CC-V District is $257,350. The list prices increased by 7.2% from the previous month.   The price per square foot for listings in this area is $263.  The median sales price in November for single family homes in the CC-V District is $150,000. The sales prices decreased by 21% from the previous month. The Average Days on Market in this area is 63. The median list price in November 2018 for land in the CC-V District is $21,500 . The list prices increased by 57% from the previous month.   The price per square foot for listings in this area is $1.    The median sales price in November for land in the CC-V District is $13,000. The list prices decreased by 80% from the previous month. The Average Days on Market in this area is 233.

Winter Dates Winter Dates (for you ….. & the kids too, if you’d like) It’s easy to come up with things to do during the warmer months, isn’t it? Or is it just me? I feel like the colder months make things harder… lol. Anyway, I wanted to take a moment to offer up some suggestions of fun things you can do with your partner, friend or even as a family! Check them out below: Ice skating Victor has an amazing Ice Rink at Bryan's Park!  Fire up a bonfire & toast marshmallows  Go sledding Build a snowman Go for a drive looking at Christmas lights  Check out the local events & go do something you haven’t yet done before See! Coming up with fun winter dates isn’t so bad. Just use some imagination and don’t overthink it. Many of the above ideas can easily be adapted to family activities as well. During this busy season, we need to remember to stop and enjoy… so I hope these winter date ideas inspires you to set some time aside and do something t...

Fun Family Pumpkin Memories Family is very important to me. It’s one of the reasons I became a real estate agent. Thinking of the impact I have on family’s lives either helping them get their dream home OR getting their home sold so they can move on is astounding and a privilege I take very seriously. Nothing says family quite like the fall season, wouldn’t you agree? There’s something about a pumpkin & hayride that brings out the kid in all of us. Perhaps due to the memories we had as children seeing unique candle-lit pumpkins on porches as you drive by, thoughts of halloweens past & the recollection of the fun (& messy times) using our creativity designing the face of our pumpkin. We certainly all know the conventional method for carving a pumpkin with a sharp serated knife, then a scooper to empty the pumpkin of its “insides”, then dropping in a candle. How exciting to see your pumpkin emit light, right?! But did you know there’s another way to ‘carve’ a pumpkin...

 Old-Fashioned Potato Soup I don’t know about you, but I look forward to enjoying delicious homemade soup every fall! And when I think of one of my all-time favorite soups from my childhood, it’s definitely my Mom’s old fashioned potato soup! So I thought I’d share the goodness with you. And if you’re like many these days that try to stay away from carbs/potatoes, you can replace the potatoes with cauliflower… mmmmm, it’s absolutely delicious!! Happy Souping  Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter 1 large chopped onion 8 diced & peeled potatoes 4 carrots, chopped 4 cups of water 2T chicken bouillon powder 3T flour 4 cups milk  Parsley & pepper to taste Preparation: 20 minutes Directions: Place potatoes, carrots, water & chicken bouillon powder in pot and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 7-9 minutes. Season to taste with pepper & parsley. Melt butter in saucepan in separate pot and stir in the onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes...

FUN Fall Family Ideas After a busy, enjoyable summer, isn’t it nice to be back in routine with kids back to school, the sun setting earlier (making kids bedtime easier), etc? It sure is. And that doesn’t mean the fun times have to end– no way! Here’s a list of family fun things you can plan this month. 1) Decorate. – Wreath for the front door – Inside for fall – The porch with pumpkins and other fall decor 2) Bake. – Pumpkin pie – Pumpkin bread – Homemade apple cider 3) Enjoy the Outdoors. -Make raking the leaves a family event. -Go to the local pumpkin patch & hop on a hayride. -Grab the ingredients for s'mores. Prepare indoors, then go outside after dinner to roast & enjoy.  -Plan a walk in the woods to see what you can see & end this special time with hot chocolate when you get back home. What fun Fall family things does YOUR family do? Do tell, I can’t wait to hear your ideas! Ruth Grainger-Starr Realtor® Grainger Realty LLC  Office:7...

Home Prices in Cripple Creek & Victor CO for September 2018 Real estate market data for Cripple Creek Victor CO provided by Ruth Grainger-Starr  of   Grainger Realy LLC, CC-V Home Prices We have seen months of listing price staying pretty level on home prices in Cripple Creek & Victor . However, with the start of the fall season the market slowed down a hair in September. If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Cripple Creek or Victor area but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. If you are interested in how much current inventory is on the market in the CC-V area you can find that information by clicking on the link. High inventory will suggest that homes are sitting on the market for longer. Currently in this area, homes have a median time of 22 days on the market before they sell. This would suggest that Sellers are in a great position to receive a close to list price off...

Fall Family FUN! With fall upon us, I wanted to share some fun family ideas you can start planning now. I’d love to hear what you’re going to be doing!  Here are 4 quick ideas to help you plan your fall family FUN! Decorate inside & out. When I was a kid, I always looked forward to helping Mom decorate for holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas… it was always fun pulling out the treasures and helping Mom put them out. Start a tradition in your home. Family FUN day. Choose a day each month that is designated Family FUN day and plan several hours out of the home bonding together. It could be going to the local pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, taste apple cider, and a hayride or visiting an outdoor park and having a picnic or going to an amusement park before it gets too cold. Or why not have a fun family game of touch football? Think about what your family enjoys, plan it & do it! Toast marshmallows. Who doesn’t like a toasted marshmallow? Head out back on...

3 Sure Fire Ways to Lose When Buying Your Next Home! Thinking about making a move?  GREAT! What an exciting time for you. Before you begin your homebuying journey, be sure to avoid these 3 sure fire ways homebuyers lose – big time – when buying a new home. You may ask:  “lose”? How can I lose? Great question. Too many buyers rush into the homebuying process before they’re ready.  And doing so not only wastes their time but, in some instances, it costs them thousands of dollars. Keep reading to learn what these top 3 mistakes are . . . so you make sure to avoid them!   Not getting prequalified BEFORE beginning your search Many buyers make this mistake, thinking they know what they can afford. What you may not consider, however, are other costs associated with home ownership – or a host of other issues that bear on the issue of your credit. I’ve worked with some buyers who were pleasantly surprised that they could actually qualify for MORE than...

Don’t List Your House Until You Do These 3 Things As an agent, people always ask me for the “truth” with respect to what is most important when selling your home. I guess as opposed to what is a myth…? Anyway, I thought I would share within this blog the 3 most important thing that can’t be overlooked when wanting to sell your home for the most money! 1) Clean & Organize – Did you ever wonder why Nordstrom’s has such a HUGE following? Well b/c it’s clean and organized is in the top 5 reasons in a recent survey. We all have busy and hectic lives, so when we think about an exceptional shopping experience or a place we’d like to call home, we need it to be a respite, a haven for order which will allow relaxation, thus clean and organized. I suggest getting your home deep cleaned by a local cleaner just before listing your home. It allows you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re putting your home’s best foot forward. As for organization, keep in mind, prospective buy...

What I Learned from A Recent Client  (& why it could make a difference for you) I love learning! Unlike some people, I actually look forward to attending the continuing education classes for my real estate license and I take full advantage of every training opportunity I can. How about you? Are you a lifelong learner too?  Well, today I thought I would share what I learned recently from one of my awesome clients. The day started out like any other, with a few client appointments… One in particular was with a young couple who were relocating into town for the wife’s job. We were to meet in the office at 1pm and then go see their short list of homes. Nothing out of the ordinary…. We had been communicating for the last month via email, texting and yes we even spoke on the phone  I knew where they wanted to live (after sharing with them maps and links to local places I thought they’d enjoy), what style of home they preferred, their desired yard size, etc… e...