In any case, the folks who put their heads together and opined for the sake of rankings put Seattle in first place in a tie with Washington DC.  Denver and Raleigh-Durhum tie for seventh.  Here you can read what one of the judges/contributors, Richard Florida, had to say about the major Front Range town at his blog, Creative Class.

Just as a side note, I think it’s interesting that Richard put these two cities into the same slot.  However you feel about the Boulder v. Denver debate, I think a lot of locals would agree that, while the two places are close in geography, their independent flavors are as far apart as possible.

How do you consider Boulder vs. Denver? Just another symptom of sprawl, or two distinct cities with different styles?

So smart home buyers are presented with an interesting opportunity that accompanies such a phenomenon. Lane calls it hyperlocal buying. I call it real estate locavorism or crossing the price point gap. Here’s how it works.

Say you live in a neighborhood of a few different price points, like the example neighborhood in the graph. The average asking price in 2009 of the homes in the yellow zone is $3M; the homes in the pink zone are at 900; the homes in the purple are in the 600s. Knowing that homes in the sub-650 market are still selling relatively well in Boulder, for example, at closer to asking price than higher end properties, sub-650 home owners can put their properties on the market and stretch their closing times. Knowing that homes above 700 are struggling more, they can make an offer on that next-level home a few streets over at a more lateral price, with vertical benefits in square footage that the buyer is likely to capitalize on later. Because the neighborhood is familiar, there’s none of the pain or expense that accompanies a crosstown or cross-country relocation.

Whatever the numbers are–selling into the 300 market and buying into the 500 one, for example–hyperlocal buying is a new take on the old concept of upward mobility, at a deep discount. It’s selling on one side of the chasm, and buying into the other, without spending the same amount it would have cost you five years ago.

What do you think about hyperlocal buying? Have you experienced any of the benefits or drawbacks of the multi-tiered neighborhood? Comments, as always, are open.

The home is one of my favorites in town, although Highland Ave. in Boulder is a plum street in the historic district. (In fact, there are two other great homes on the market on Highland, also beautiful, and huge: 410 Highland Ave, known for its impressive tree swing, and 403 Highland Ave, known for its buttery location at the foot of the foothills.)

One of the reasons this spectacular street is so coveted is because it’s in the Mapleton neighborhood, but I like Highland because it’s a short street with “T” intersections at both ends; through traffic is not an issue. They’re only a block apart, but Mapleton Ave. is busier than Highland, especially during the summer months, when tourists and hikers head up Sunshine Canyon, or stop at the Sanitas trail head. Highland is hidden enough from the main drags that Pearl Street and downtown parking poaching is limited.

But 700 Highland is notable because it’s perhaps the biggest on the block. At more than 10,000 square feet, plus a generous lot size, you can get your groove on Boulder-style, with room to spare. It’s so huge that it was once a school house. Built in 1906, it’s got history, and where there’s history, there’s character. (Even though the character’s been tastefully refurbished over the years.)

Even if you’re not shopping Boulder’s luxe market right now, there are 18 photos of the property at COhomefinder. Take a peek inside. The home is listed by Goodacre and Co, the local brokerage famous for its family ties to ’80s-’90s Victoria’s Secret model and Harry Connick Jr. spouse, Jill Goodacre. Who knew Colorado real estate and celebrity gossip would ever end up at the same blog?

After you’ve eaten all you can, and frozen some, maybe you’re not sure what to do with the rest of your Colorado peaches.  I was pleased to find a nice recipe in the monthly newsletter we get from our milk delivery service, Longmont Dairy Farm, called Poached Peaches Served with Chantilly Cream.  And then a friend who wants to see me gain 47 pounds suggested that I skin and saute some pitted peaches in butter, and add cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, and then serve them over ice cream. You’re welcome.

And there are about a million other things you can do with them, I’m sure, including grilling, and that old standby: Making pie.  If you do, call me, my hobby is pie tasting.

For more sweet ideas, try the Colorado Proud recipes section.

P.S. Here’s what the Daily Camera had to say about this year’s surge in ladybug populations.

5D and EX1 Lady Bug Swarm from Michael Ramsey on Vimeo.

There’s been some noise around Boulder this summer about the road improvement/widening projects going on, some of which is stimulus packages at work.  However you feel about all the roadfoolery going on at both the major north-south through ways of Broadway and 28th Streets, think back to Denver T-Rex project of yore, and how that screwed up the daily commute for anyone traveling between central/downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Center.

Still, T-Rex is considered a triumphant achievement in “transforming the way people in the metro Denver area commute within the areas of Interstates 25 and 225, then the Country’s 14th busiest intersection.” (Wikipedia)

To keep up with what road is being ripped apart, and where, visit these links to the City of Boulder’s Cone Zone.

• North Broadway Transportation Improvements Project – Iris to Norwood
• Broadway (Pine to Iris) Reconstruction Project
• Valmont Road lane closure west of 28th
• 28th Street and Valmont Road area closures(Transportation Work)

If you find yourself outside the Colorado Front Range, you might want to visit the Healthy Homes Tour and Fair in Avon, CO (in the Vail Valley). The Tour and Fair takes more of a whole-life approach, with ideas, products, and information on how to live sustainably beyond the structure of one’s home.  The fair is free, and so is the transportation, provided by the Town of Avon bus system.

Even while summer is waning, you can still see some great homes in Colorado, as the Denver Tour of Solar Homes takes place on October 9, and is a showcase of what’s new and possible in  the realm of solar living.

Enjoy!

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by pnwra

Of course the agent looks at data, such as the number of similar homes that sold in the same area, the number of days it takes similar homes to sell, how many other similar homes are for sale at a given time, and other measurable factors.  That’s all good.

But then there are intangibles, such as the shape the home is in, it’s layout, and whether it’s considered desirable or not.  All these factors determine the art of the sell. And a very important part of the art and science of selling a home in today’s market comes down to price.

The Object of the Seller’s Game
Remember, the seller’s agent is trying to get the highest possible price for her client’s property, within the shortest amount of time.

Why Price Plays Such an Important Role
When a home is priced too high, it sits on the market.  The fact that a home has been on the market for 30, 90, 200 days alone is enough to make it undesirable.  Shoppers will look at a home’s days on market (DOM) column without even seeing it and wonder what’s wrong with it, even if the answer is “nothing.”

What to do About it. And What Not to do About it

• Don’t test the market, and don’t throw numbers out to see which one sticks.
• Price reductions are nowhere nearly as effective as new listings.
• Withdrawing a house from the market or re-listing it draws attention to its having gone stale, or makes buyers wait to see how low they can make their offer.
• Do consider carefully the advice you receive from your agent, balanced against your own research and instinct.

Pricing right, right away can save you time, energy, and money down the road.  And consider that money you may have lost due to market conditions will translate to savings on your next home, even if you’re trading up or laterally.