Ruthie's Corner

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...

September Homeowner Checklist: 5 To Dos It’s that time again… time to prep your home for the cooler weather that’s on its way.  Get these completed so that you can take a much- needed break by taking a nap on the couch or curling up with a good book.  Change décor & bedding.   It will soon be chilly and that means the lighter sheets currently on your bed, need to be changed out with layers of warm comfort like maybe wool or fake fur.  Also, with the change in season, comes Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas so now is the time to swap out summer pillows and décor for the cozy cooler weather décor and accessories, such as a cozy throw and thicker window curtain panels, etc. Check smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors.   & replace batteries.  Also, now is the best time to check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher too.  Lastly, did you know that if your smoke detectors are yellow, it means they need t...

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...