Off ered by: Dan & Beth Cochran – The Haven Team, Keller Williams
Over the past several weeks, Freddie Mac has reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropping to record lows, all the way down to 3.03%. Last week’s reported rate reached the lowest point in the history of the survey, which dates back to 1971 (See graph below):
What does this mean for buyers? This is huge for homebuyers. Those currently taking advantage of the increasing affordability that comes with historically low interest rates are winning big. According to Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac: Clearly, buyers are capitalizing on today’s low rates. As shown in the chart below, the average monthly mortgage payment decreases significantly when rates are as low as they are today.
Bottom Line If you’re in a position to buy a home this year, let’s connect to initiate the process while mortgage rates are historically low. We would love to be your Real Estate Professional. Please give us a call, 303-709-3501.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, what a strange and stressful year this has been so far. I’ve learned that fi nding the silver lining(s) in bad situations helps to get you through the stressful times. That said, I’ve noticed a whole lot of home improvement and landscaping projects around town. One of the main themes has been really evaluating how to better enjoy time at home.
It seems natural that home gathering spaces are the primary focus—updating family rooms, converting basements, creating backyard oases, and turning bathrooms into mini home spas. e possibilities are pretty endless and the bonus is that these home improvements may make your home more physically and emotionally attractive to potential buyers if you want to sell. If you plan well, you may even get a good return on investment.
According to HGTV, these are the top five projects with the greatest return on investment for 2020: 1) Minor bathroom remodel with new tub, tile, flooring, toilet, sink, vanity and fixtures (avg. cost $10,500, avg. return 102%); 2) Landscaping (avg. cost $3,502 for materials/$1,465 for designer— avg. return 100%); 3) Minor kitchen remodel with refaced cabinets, new wall oven, cooktop, sink and fi xtures, laminate (stone or glass if home value is >$500k) countertops and resilient flooring (avg. cost $14,913—avg. return 98.5%); 4) Exterior improvements with vinyl siding or new paint (avg. return 95.5%); 5) Attic bedroom conversion (avg. return 93.5%). If improving your home’s value for resale is your ultimate goal, be sure to do your research or talk to a realtor to make sure you are making the best investment possible for your area.
For proven expertise in establishing your home value and/or searching for a new or existing home, please call Jan at: (303) 520-4340.
Defensive driving means you are aware of other drivers at all times in order to stay safe on the road. Every time you get into your vehicle to take it for a drive, you should expect the unexpected and always be ready to react if something goes wrong. Remember to also keep a steady speed and do not text and drive.
As a small business owner and consumer myself, I know that every little bit can make or break a budget.
As an Allstate agent, I am always looking for ways to save my clients with their auto insurance. That’s why I wanted to let you know about an additional discount you could receive on the auto policy in case you are not currently receiving it.
If you are over the age of 55 and stay accident free for three years, you can complete an approved defense driving course to receive a defensive driver discount from Allstate. After the three-year period, you would need to complete the course again and submit documentation of the course to receive the discount.
One of my clients just informed me Eagle View Adult Center is not o ffering in-person classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but you can safely order the online class and complete it here: https://www.aarpdriversafety.org/
Use the promotion code of DRIVINGSKILLS for an additional 25% discount. You can also reach them by phone at 1.800.350.7025 and call the Rippy Agency at 303.219.1470 to get your discount added. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Melissa Rippy Exclusive Agent/Personal Financial Representative T: 303.219.1470 F: 303.395.1413 220 Pavilions Place Ste D Brighton, CO 80601
Off ered by: Lisa Asmussen – Integrity Insurance LLC
Have you been diligent about checking your coverage annually? It can be easy to delay, since it’s a daunting task and a challenge to juggle with the holiday season. The enrollment period comes and goes, and you think, ‘next year I’ll do better.’ Maybe you have never met with a broker, I’d like to invite you to schedule a visit, read on to find out why.
Each year you receive an annual notice of changes. Even if your coverage isn’t changing much you may bene t from information about other plans available. Changes will be outlined in the notice, read it over to know how you’re affected. Often, clients have an interest in certain bene ts of a plan, like providers and hospitals. They also want a formulary that has coverage for their prescription medications, plans change covered medicines and your needs change.
We can visit by phone, virtually or in person so you get information in a comfortable meeting that empowers you to make decisions about the continued fit of your coverage.
Questions I often answer are: when/how to sign up, what about my employer coverage, how can I lower drug costs, why/when to stop HSA contributions, can HSA be used for Medicare, why is Part B more than I planned, how does disability work with Medicare, I’m turning 65 can I get help understanding Medicare, can I get information to consider as I evaluate my retirement benefits and my Medicare options, how does VA or retired military work with Medicare and who can benefit from a give back, I didn’t sign up when I should have, now what do I do and will there be a penalty.
Having a resource that you can turn to each year for experience and knowledge can save time and energy and give you confidence in your choices. I take a personal interest in listening to your needs providing quality service at no cost to you. Find me on Facebook and online at: www.insure-integrity.com/lisa
Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. This is an advertisement. Calling the telephone number in this advertisement will connect you to a licensed producer/agent.
As an industry leader, the health and safety of Planet Fitness’ members and team members is a top priority and we are thrilled to begin welcoming our members back to the Judgement Free zone®. In preparation for reopening clubs in a safe and responsible way, Planet Fitness has taken several steps to strengthen existing cleanliness policies and procedures, in an e ort to protect the health and well-being of members, team members and the local community. Some changes include:
All team members will have completed extensive training related to our enhanced cleanliness and sanitization policies and procedures
Team members will receive daily temperature checks when they arrive to work each day
Increased, thorough cleaning will be conducted using disinfectant on the EPA list effective against COVID-19, including 20-minute walk arounds by our team to continually clean and sanitize high-touch areas
Increased sanitization stations will be available throughout the gym floor and members will continue to be asked to wipe down equipment before and after use
Touchless check-in is available via the free Planet Fitness app. Simply download the app in advance and scan in at the front desk
Some pieces of cardio equipment will be temporarily marked out of use to enable Social Fitnessing™ and create additional distance between members
New signage will be placed throughout the club that highlights sanitization and Social Fitnessing™ guidelines
Now more than ever it’s important to stay active, in order to stay healthy, and we look forward to safely and responsibly welcoming our members back to Planet Fitness. See you soon!
Let Them Eat Beehold Cakes and Cookies At Your Next Special Event!
Would you like to hear that you had “the best cake ever” at your next event? Or, “those cookies were so amazing!” Don’t look any further to find the answer to your successful party o fferings. Woman-owned Beehold Cakes was formed to bring delicious memories to all of your important occasions.
Call Kerri Basham 303-888-2265 to begin your tradition of memorable events when serving Beehold Cakes and Cookies!
Thank you Brighton for inviting The Denver Hospice into your community. We look forward to building on the existing relationships that we have been honored to have in Brighton and, developing a stronger bond with your community.
Over the years of providing care in the Brighton community, we have grown our abilities to fulfill our mission of encircling those facing advanced illness with unprecedented levels of comfort, compassion and expertise.
The Denver Hospice is the region’s leading, largest and most trusted not-for-profit-provider of life-enhancing hospice and palliative care. We o ffer more expertise, more resources and a more complete continuum of compassionate care to patients facing life-limiting illnesses and end-of-life transition. We are uniquely qualified to help patients and their families get more from life.
After more than 40 years of providing high-quality care to thousands of patients and their families, we continue to grow to meet our patients and families where they are physically, emotionally and spiritually by hiring, training and retaining hospice and palliative care experts who embrace our mission and have dedicated their careers to providing personalized, compassionate care.
While we have grown in size and capabilities, in order to provide comprehensive care, we continue to be responsive to the needs of our individual patients and their caregivers.
Thank you, Brighton! We invite you to learn more about The Denver Hospice at www.thedenverhospice.org or by calling us at (303) 321-2828.
Offered by: Willy Strohmeier – Colorado Karate Club
Elizabeth, a lively 9 year old girl and her mom walked into our school a few years ago. Her mom told us stories of her child being horribly bullied at school, and the damage that it was doing to her. Not only was it hurting her self esteem, but just being able to get through each day was becoming incredibly difficult. Elizabeth’s mom had heard that Karate could help her child with bullying, and she was willing to try it… if it would only help, it would be so worth it, she told me.
The world out there can be brutal sometimes, it could be other kids, the economy, your boss, the weather, a virus that shuts down our economy… so many things that can bring us down, and beat us further while we are there. As if it wasn’t bad enough, for the most part, we have no control over any of it.
However as Mr. Jim Rohn used to say, “it is not the blowing of the wind, but the setting of the sails that will determine our direction in life”. We all have a choice, we can let life beat us down and blame the world for our misfortunes. Or, like Elizabeth did, and continues doing, taking ownership of ourselves and charting our own destination.
Despite the nasty world out there, this young lady understood that the one thing she could change was herself, and thus, change her life entirely. You may wonder what she did. Did the bullies magically go away? Did she beat them to a pulp with her Karate moves? No, none of that. This young lady became confident in herself. She understood that her self worth did not rest on the mouths of the other kids. But even better, she became an advocate and a protector of other youths like her former self, and I could not be any more proud of her.
This month we opened the doors to what is now Our Second Karate School (this one in Westminster), and it is because of students like Elizabeth, that I look at the future with hope, and the expectation of even greater things to come. Today, Elizabeth continues to train diligently and confidently; setting her own goals, her own sails, despite the turbulent winds that may blow around her each day, and her mom knows it’s been all worth it many times over.
If you think Karate training may be of benefit to you or your child, please give one us a call for a no-obligation evaluation at one of our schools.
When we work our whole life and see a Medicare deduction coming out of our paychecks with each pay period, we tend to think Medicare will be free when we retire. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Medicare has many moving parts but Original Medicare is made up of Part A & Part B.
If you or a spouse work 40 quarters of your life and pay into Medicare the whole time, you will qualify for “free” Medicare Part A. Part A is what covers you as an inpatient in the hospital or skilled nursing facility.
Part B has a monthly premium that might be adjusted based on your income. Low income individuals can qualify for assistance through the state Medicaid program and have all or some of their Part B premium, co-pays and deductibles paid for.
High income earners will have what is called an Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). The IRMAA will be attached to both the Part B & D premiums. This amount is determined by looking at your Modified Adjusted Gross Income from 2 years prior. So for 2020, SSA looks at your 2018 income.
Medicare has a chart that shows the IRMAA rates based on different income ranges. You can find this chart at www.Medicare.gov, hover over the menu option “Your Medicare Costs” and then select the option “Medicare Costs At-a-Glance”. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see a link for both Medicare Part B Costs and Medicare Part D Costs.
Offered by: Danielle Maroney – Thollot Diamonds & Fine Jewelry
Summer means jumping into new things; revamping your wardrobe, getting out in the summer sun, and finding new ways to express yourself. At Thollot & Co. we understand both the desire for new methods of expression and the devotion to maintaining the memories of your family heirlooms. In the name of combining the two, Thollot & Co. has already helped many people to repurpose their older treasures into new pieces, while maintaining the heart behind those unworn pieces and honoring the memories they represent.
At Thollot & Co., our unique custom jewelry process allows you to combine the experience and knowledge of our many qualifi ed jewelry designers with your own particular vision for a new piece. Using your older heirloom pieces or unworn jewelry, our team can help you bring a modern style to the treasures of your past. It all starts with a consultation which allows you to talk through your ideas for revamping your treasured jewelry and come up with a plan for your new piece. Our team then develops a 3D digital CAD model of the piece which you can see from all angles and edit to ensure that your exact vision is coming to life. Next, we create a wax model of your piece which you can try on to further certify your satisfaction with the end result! After that, our unique “Pour Your Heart Into It” experience allows you to pay true homage to the emotional value of your original piece by casting the new piece yourself. Pictures and videos of this powerful moment are encouraged as you bring your vision to life with your own hands under the guidance of one of our expert jewelers. Nowhere else are you able to create such a special memory to honor the memories of your precious heirloom and refurbish it with a modern style you’ll want to wear again and again. If this part of the process does not appeal to you, our expert jewelers will cast the piece for you and provide you with an unforgettable “unveiling” when you come in to pick up your beautiful new piece of jewelry.
Thollot & Co. knows that the heart and soul of your old pieces are very precious to you, and we also know that many people don’t wear their family heirlooms because of their outdated style. We believe the true memory in jewelry is experienced through the wearing of the pieces, so our team absolutely loves being able to help you capture the spirit of your outdated jewelry and bring them up to date with a modern makeover that ts your style and allows you to wear them as you continue to make new memories.
O ffered by: City of Brighton Communications Sta ff After about five months, the Baseline Road Water Pipe Installation project between 19th …Read More »
I got a call from Susan at the Brighton Buzz asking if I wanted to
advertise n the next issue. My response was that I either needed to keep
my ad running or fold the business.
About 90% of the calls that I receive include a comment like, ”I
saw your ad in the Brighton Buzz…. . “
The majority of my calls take me inside a home, it is not unusual for somebody to pick up a copy of the Buzz and say they found me right there. The Buzz that they show me is frequently not the latest issue. The Buzz has great holding power! At the same time, I can always tell when The Buzz has hit mailboxes. My phone starts ringing. A lot of people seem to look through it right away.
The cost per home is low, the cost per response is
reasonable. Am I going to continue to advertise in the Brighton
Buzz? You can count on it!
Roome Paget
Gray Guy Handyman Service, LLC
Brighton, CO
Susan is Superb!
July 19, 2015
Wonderful! Well written! Informative! Susan is Superb!
Susan is Amazing!
July 19, 2015
Susan is Amazing! Thanks for all your had work. We all appreciate it.
Advertising process was flawless!
July 19, 2015
Advertising process was flawless! The ad looked great, the responses are already coming in and Susan was terrific to work with. Thank you! We'll definitely be working with you guys again!
