Tips From The Property Shop for Listing Your House

Property Shop Team Selling Real Estate

Spring is a time for new beginnings, and you may find yourself ready to exchange the home you’re in for something better suited to your lifestyle and needs. If you’re considering putting your house on the market, or if you’ve already done so, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your listing in the Roaring Fork Valley.

1. Fix the Little Things

Before you put your house on the market, take the time to walk through it to see if there are any areas that need improvement. Minor issues such as loose electrical sockets and leaky faucets can make a home feel dated and in need of too much work. Now is the time to attend to any small repairs, replace light bulbs and check the batteries in smoke alarms.

2. Consider Curb Appeal

Potential buyers often drive by a home that’s on the market before making an appointment to see it. This means the outside of your home is the first thing they will see. Pay particular attention to the side of your home that faces the street, taking the time to clear away any junk or overgrowth. Consider giving the front door a new coat of paint or adding some potted flowers for a splash of color.

3. Depersonalize

Buyers need to imagine themselves and their belongings in a house before they’re willing to make an offer, but that can be difficult for them to do if your things are in the way. This is an excellent time to purge unwanted belongings or pack some away in storage. Remove anything too personal, such as family photos or memorabilia, to give potential buyers a blank canvas to envision their lives.

4. Deep Clean

Nothing gives a house an instant face-lift like a thorough cleaning, so spend some time on this. Shampoo carpets, repaint dingy walls and scrub every surface. Pay particular attention to high-use features such as doorknobs and light switches, which collect grime over time. Clean windows to allow more natural light to filter through, and remember to wash or replace old curtains or blinds.

5. Price It Right

To determine your asking price, take some time to look at comparable homes that have recently sold or are currently on the market in your area. Pricing your house too low may move it quickly but will reduce your payback. An inflated price can leave your home sitting on the market without serious buyer interest. Also consider the current market and how it relates to your own needs. If sales have slowed but you need to sell quickly, you may find it worthwhile to set your asking price below the home’s current value. If it’s a seller’s market, however, you may be able to increase the asking price without penalty. This is where The Property Shop comes in. We offer integrated sales and marketing strategies to help you get the best possible price in the shortest amount of time.

6. Consider Hiring Professionals

While a seller can handle most everything necessary to list a house, hiring a real estate professional can save you time and headaches, help you navigate the sales process, and advise you on ways to get the most value from your home. Professional cleaners have the equipment and knowledge to remove stubborn stains and ensure nothing gets missed, and a staging company can enhance your decor and highlight your home’s best features. For more flattering listing photos, consider hiring a professional photographer who knows how to make real estate look its best. A little up-front investment can mean a faster, smoother sale and additional money in your pocket.

Best wishes as you continue to explore listing your home in Glenwood Springs and beyond. We’re here to help. Meet the girls and contact us to learn more.

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home from The Property Shop

Home Resolutions

 

It’s a new year and a great time to set resolutions from your home in 2019. We are excited to share our 7 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home.

1. Get Organized

Winter is our favorite time of year to get organized. It is time to declutter and create more space to enjoy in your home. Take a systematic approach to getting organized this year so that it isn’t overwhelming. Go room by room. You can then enjoy each space after its been cleaned out and is living at its best. Before you go shopping for more containers, shelves and storage, first clean out and assess your needs. Pass along anything you don’t need anymore to charity. Need more inspiration? Check out Roaring Fork Valley local Evan Zislis and get inspired to get organized.

2. Lose Weight

Reduce the carbon footprint of your home in 2019. The Community Office for Resource Efficiency is your resource for saving energy. From rebates and grants to home energy assessments and do-it-yourself tips, CORE has you covered.

Start with an easy one – consuming less water. Did you know the average home consumes 400 gallons of water a day? Simple changes like low-flow shower heads go a long way towards conserving water. As does changing your consumption pattern such as taking a bath instead of a long shower to warm up on a cold winter day.

3. Learn a New Skill

Your home is a great place to learn new skills. Continuing education builds confidence, inspires and is great for your overall well being. Perhaps you don’t consider yourself handy around the house. In 2019, learn a new skill. Ask your neighbor to teach you how to mow the lawn. Turn to YouTube to learn how to clean the gutters or fix the sink. You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment and you’ll save money.

4. Volunteer in Your Community

We live here, we give here. It’s one of our core values at The Property Shop. Volunteering in your community is a great way to give back and is part of our New Year’s Resolutions. Get involved in the Roaring Fork Community. Volunteer for a local non profit, help in the community garden. Or, simply take a walk around your neighborhood and pick up any trash you see.

5. Get Stronger

Did you know that an hour of mowing the lawn burns 300 calories? Or an hour of gardening burns 200 calories? Sometimes it is hard to fit in exercise during a busy work week alongside the to-dos of homeownership. The good news is that basic home maintenance such as lawn mowing, gardening, building a fence, and cleaning the gutters all help you maintain and build fitness.

6. Quit Smoking

Improve the air quality in your home. Your home contains dust, mold spores, pollen, and viruses. Yikes! In winter, this can be worse because our doors and windows remain closed. Start improving your indoor air quality by replacing your furnace filters and having your HVAC system regularly maintained. Use low-VOC paints and cleaning products that are good for the environment and good for you. We are also lucky in Colorado to have the occasional warm winter day. Crack a window when the temperatures allow and enjoy a bit of fresh air in your home.

7. Stay on a Budget

Most homeowners are reactive when it comes to budgeting for their home. They pay for services and parts when something breaks. Instead, create a 2019 home maintenance budget. U.S. Census Bureau notes that average annual maintenance and home improvement expenditures are $3,300 for every home. Review your receipts from 2018 and forecast your home maintenance and improvement budget for 2019.

Happy New Year! These are resolutions we can all keep to make ourselves and our homes healthier and happier. Make sure and call The Property Shop for all our real estate needs in 2019.

Family Holiday Traditions from The Property Shop

The Property Shop Team Photo

The holidays are here! Our team is exceptionally grateful to our customers and community for a wonderful 2018! As we reflect on our gratitude at year end and get ready to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, we asked our team to share their favorite holiday traditions. Enjoy!

Kathy – My Mom always made oyster and sliced chestnut stuffing. Her generation loved it and thought it exotic. The X’ers and Millenniums think we’re crazy! So now we make doctored up Stove Top Stuffing! My Dad would make oyster stew on Christmas Eve. Basically a rue, milk, and oysters! My Nana made “Tom & Jerry’s and would only use brown farm eggs. Rum & brandy are added and it’s served hot. My cousins still carry on this tradition using the original Tom & Jerry punch bowl and cups.

Kathy's Bowls

Wendy – In the Harrison family, we made traditional family cookie recipes, like scotch shortbreads, fruit tarts, and pecan butter cookies. Christmas Eve, the kids were given 1 gift to open, it was new PJ’s, which they still looked forward to way after they were grown up 🙂

Haddie – Growing up, and still to this day, Christmas is not Christmas without lasagna. In my Italian family, we have never had a Christmas without lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. The smell of homemade sauce simmering in the big pot on the stove all day makes you so hungry! By the time the lasagna is assembled and cooked, you are ready to eat! Sitting around the big table, surrounded by family and friends, and sharing a delicious meal is my family’s Christmas tradition.

Amy – One of my favorite things about the holidays is our Christmas book tradition. We have a collection of Christmas books that we have collected over the years and each year, at the end of November, I wrap each of the books and put them all under the tree. Each day in December, each of the kids gets to unwrap a book. Even though we have seen all of the books before, the process is fun and exciting because everyone has family and personal favorites that they can’t wait to open and read again. The messages and illustrations in some of these books are so powerful and special. Every year, I purchase a new book for each of the kids and put their school picture in the front and list some of their interests for the year and the books are added to the collection. It is so much fun and special in so many ways. Once the kids are grown, they will have their very own collection of books to carry on the family tradition.

Laura – We celebrate the holidays by making the favorite cakes, cookies, candies, tamales, and posole that we both grew up with from our grandmothers. We also attend Christmas Eve services with family, this is truly a special time together and is the reason for the season.

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From our family to yours, happy holidays! We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! If you are in the mountains, here’s to also celebrating snow and the outdoors. Best wishes from The Property Shop!

Turkey Time Tips From Your Friends At The Property Shop

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. The Team at The Property Shop is feeling thankful for our wonderful customers and our community. As we get ready for the holiday, we would like to share a few turkey time tips.

How to Prepare a Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Step 1: Select the right size turkey for your guests. We recommend selecting the higher weight for each group size below to allow for plenty of leftovers.

Adults to Server // Pounds 
2-4 adults // 8-12 lbs
5-7 adults // 12-16 lbs
8-10 adults // 16-20 lbs
11-13 // 20-24 lbs

Step 2: Thawing Time. If you purchase a frozen turkey, refrigerating it is the safest method for thawing.

Turkey Size in Pounds // Thawing Time
8-12 lbs // 1-2 days
12-16 lbs // 2-3 days
16-20 lbs // 3-4 days
20-24 lbs // 4-5 days

Step 3: Roasting Times. The cooking times below are calculated based on an oven temperature of 350 degrees and assume that the turkey has been prepared without stuffing. The target temperature for turkey is 165 degrees.

Turkey Size in Pounds // Cooking Time
8-12 lbs // 2.75 – 4 hours
12-16 lbs // 4.25 – 5.25 hours
16-20 lbs // 5.5 – 6.5 hours
20-24 lbs // 7 – 8 hours

We asked our Team to share their favorite Thanksgiving tips.

– Start Early: Not just early in the morning, but start your Thanksgiving preparations the weekend before so that the day off is more relaxing and fun.
– Share Fun Facts: Have your guests guess how many pounds of cranberries are consumed on Thanksgiving (the answer is 770 million). How fast can a turkey fly? Up to 55 miles per hour!
– Serve Your Favorites: Choosing a menu can be overwhelming as it is common to worry about your guests’ preferences. This year, serve your favorites. It’s likely these dishes will be loved by all.
– Keep the Kids Busy: Plan ahead for the kids with a Thanksgiving art project. Just Google “Thanksgiving art projects for kids” for great ideas. Our favorite, cover the table in brown packing paper and have the kids decorate the table and write what they are thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at The Property Shop!

Bundle Up Your Home for Winter

Winter is in the air in the Roaring Fork Valley with yellow leaves on the trees falling under the weight of fresh snow. The team at The Property Shop created our Fall Home Maintenance Checklist and are excited to share tips for getting ready for winter in Colorado.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Outside Maintenance

Start with the outdoor to-do’s as winter is quickly approaching. The maintenance items below ensure that your home will be winterized for the coming months and that when spring arrives, you’ll be ready to enjoy all it has to offer with fresh flowers and a green lawn.

  • Store hoses and turn off outdoor water
  • Drain and turn off sprinkler system
  • Clean out gutters
  • Trim trees and perennials
  • Plant spring bulbs before the first freeze.
  • Fertilize lawn

Inside Maintenance

Our inside maintenance to-do’s focus on safety, warmth and energy efficiency. And just like you need to rotate your car tires from time to time, did you know you need to do the same with ceiling fans? Jump on this list today and be ready for winter.

  • Change and test batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Get your heating system serviced and change filters.
  • Reverse ceiling fans.
  • Seal any gaps around windows and doors with weatherstripping.
  • Inspect and clean out dryer vent.

Live. Work. Play. It’s our motto. Our tips for home maintenance take just a bit of work, and ensure you’ll get to enjoy playing this winter in Glenwood Spring and the Roaring Fork Valley.

Favorite Fall Activities in the Roaring Fork Valley

Looking for the best things to do for Fall in the Roaring Fork Valley? You’ve come to the right place! Here are the top 7 local picks for autumn activities!

 

 

Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze!

There’s nothing quite like traipsing about a pumpkin patch or a spooky journey through a corn maze to get you in the fall spirit! For the best local option, be sure to try out Studt’s Pumpkin Patch and New Castle Gardens Pumpkin Patch. Perfect for families with children!

 

Leaf Peeping

Are you the kind of person who likes to take in a breathtaking landscape, or enjoy the beauty of the outside world? Leaf peeping is the perfect choice for you! Leaf Peeping, also known as ‘Momijigari’ (lit. “Red Leaf Hunting”) in Japan, is the practice of taking your friends and family and heading out into the wilderness to observe the leaves changing color! The third and fourth weeks of September are considered the perfect time, when the vibrant yellows blend beautifully with the dark greens of the conifers and the reddish hue of the soil and maples. Higher elevation trees change earlier, so be sure to check out our top 10 hiking spots for the best locations to try this out!

 

High School Fall Sports

It’s a fall tradition!  Support your local high schools and show school spirit by going to a game!  It’s Friday under the lights for football for most high schools.  Volleyball and soccer round out the fall sports players.  Check with the high schools for game times and locations!  Come cheer on your favorite team and enjoy the crisp fall air!  The youngsters, 8—13 play on Saturdays starting at 10 AM.  Bring a blanket to sit on and an umbrella for the sun!  In Glenwood, October 22, 2018.

 

Ski Swaps

Looking to gear up for the winter season without breaking the bank, all while having a great community experience and making new friends or ski buddies? Come explore the great deals at the Aspen Ski Swap on October 13th, 9:30am-1:00pm at the Aspen Middle School.  Whether you’re looking to offload old gear or pick up the latest and greatest in slope-surfing accessories, the Ski Swap is the best place for miles around!  See you on the slopes – do your snow dance and hope for lots of the white stuff!

 

Celtic Fest & Oktoberfest

Start by celebrating the Irish by enjoying authentic beers and wines, Celtic dancing and music. Then switch gears the next day and celebrate the Germanic heritage of the Roaring Fork. Polka, beer, face painting, and Bavarian pastries await.  Break out your lederhosen and get ready to try the Celtic Fest & Oktoberfest in Carbondale on October 12 and 13th, 2018! This event is a blast for all ages, with plenty of delicious fare and activities to keep you entertained well into the night!

 

Chili Cookoff

Does your secret family recipe impress your friends and guests with its deliciousness? Are you ready to reveal your talents to the wider community, and win glory? Do you think you have what it takes to become a Chili Champion? If so, Rifle’s 39th Annual Chili Cook-Off & Jalapeno Eating Contest on October 11th is the place for you! Come join in on a fantastic night of swapping and refining recipes, and eating the finest chili the valley has to offer. New this year, apple pie!

 

And Other Great Events!

Still looking for more fun fall activities. Check out the Carbondale Clay Center Throwdown Hoedown and Rally the Valley, both on September 22, 2018 And don’t miss the Western Adventure Weekend which takes place  September 21st – 23rd in Rifle.  Enjoy live music, a 5K adventure race and mountain biking.

 

We’re enjoying fall in the Roaring Fork Valley and are delighted to share some of our favorite activities and events with you. If you’d like to learn more about real estate in Glenwood Springs and the surrounding area, please contact us.

Top 10 Hiking Trails in the Roaring Fork Valley

Thinking about visiting Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork Valley, but not sure what to do on your visit? Try visiting our world renowned hiking trails for an unforgettable outdoor experience! Here are the top 10 best hikes.

1. Doc Holliday’s Grave Trailhead

Difficulty: Easy
A hike to the legendary gunslinger’s grave is the perfect choice for beginners new to the area and visitors still getting used to the altitude. A beautiful, leisurely, and shady hike to Linwood Cemetery with a host of interesting landmarks and fascinating explanatory plaques along the way make this the perfect hike for the history buff interested in learning about the area!

2. Hanging Lake

Difficulty: Moderate

With crystal-clear water and a sterling reputation, Hanging Lake is a critical experience for anyone hoping to visit Glenwood Springs. With an easily accessible location right off of I-70, and a length of about one-mile, this hike is perfect for a day trip, and has a very satisfying finish: just make sure to head out early to beat the crowd, and try to stay off the log!

3. Storm King Mountain Trail

Difficulty: Hard

The Storm King Mountain trail is a memorial built by volunteers, to honor the firefighters who bravely gave their lives on July 6th, 1994. Much like the men it was designed to honor, the trail is rugged and tough: while not for the faint of heart, the observation points, valleys, sheer cliffs, and touching memorial shrine at the end of the trail offer an unforgettable experience to those ready to brave the dangers and intensity. Be sure to pack adequate water and food for this trail!

4. Grizzly Creek Trail

Difficulty: Easy
Following along the beautiful, burbling Grizzly Creek, there are ample opportunities to stop, rest, and enjoy an outdoor picnic or even fish! The swirling waves and rapids are a beautiful companion for any hiker, and can even help you cool off in the hotter times of year, but be careful those currents are as strong as they are lovely!

5. Glenwood Canyon Trail

Difficulty: Medium
Running between the Colorado River and I-70, the Glenwood Canyon trail is an excellent choice for bikers who want a beautiful view without a major uphill hike- with lots of opportunities to hop on and off the trail, you’ll have an easy, no-strings adventure with plenty of opportunities for rest and refreshment.

6. Red Mountain Trail / The Jeanne Golay Trail

Difficulty: Hard
A favorite pick for trainers and those looking for physical conditioning with their hike, be prepared for quite the workout! The Jeanne Golay Trail is named for famed local Jeanne Golay, who trained and raced on this road on her way to winning the National Road Cycling Championships in ‘92, ‘94, and ’95, and you’ll quickly see how she maintained an edge in endurance after reaching the top! With a great view and a guaranteed, downhill-only route for bikers and hikers on the way back, Red Mountain is an excellent pick for those looking for a quiet but intensive experience.

7. Mushroom Rock

Difficulty: Easy
Bisecting the Crystal and Roaring Fork Valleys, Mushroom Rock is a short (.6 mile) and fun hike approximate to neighboring Carbondale, just outside of Glenwood Springs. Great for biking, and those who are looking for a great view, but be sure to bring adequate sun protection: though this is a short hike, there isn’t much foliage to go along with the views, and exposure can be a concern!

8. Boy Scout Trail

Difficulty: Moderate
Universally considered to be the best trail by bike-riding enthusiasts of the area, the Boy Scout Trail begins with a 6 mile climb, but ends with a smooth cruise through Forest Hollow with gorgeous views, wildflowers, and a year-round cool breeze. The ride downhill will deposit you right into Glenwood Springs for a well-deserved post-hike celebratory meal!

9. Atkinson Canal Trail

Difficulty: Easy
A paved, perfectly accessible 3.1 mile trail for all ages and abilities, Atkinson Canal Trail is the perfect choice for families with children- it runs along the Roaring Fork River and has a great many amenities and picnic areas if you decide you need a break. Dogs are also permitted, and the full trail is entirely wheelchair accessible!

10. Arbaney Kittel

Difficulty: Easy
A little further upvalley near Basalt is Arbaney Kittel- a dirt-only trail with midvalley charm and more isolated from the crowds that tend to come in from I-70. Quiet, dog friendly, and perfect for dogs, bikes, and even horseback riding! If you’re curious about the full Roaring Fork Valley experience, Arbaney Kittel is a must!

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Glenwood Springs has been the choice of hiking enthusiasts for decades, and there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon- visit The Property Shop today and let us help you find the perfect home base nearby!

7 Reasons to Relocate to Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs

Are you looking to move on to something bigger and better? Eager to get away from the traffic and hustle of metropolitan life, but worried you’ll miss the culture, class, and artistic depth of the big city? Why not have it both ways? Relocate to Glenwood Springs today and live in a beautiful, welcoming, up-and-coming mountain community!

Nestled between the Colorado River and Storm King Mountain, Glenwood Springs offers countless delights for the new visitor or resident: here’s what you should check out first!

1. The Hiking
If you’re not a nature enthusiast already, Glenwood Springs is guaranteed to make you one. Hanging Lake is routinely featured on blogs and subreddits for nature and hiking connoisseurs everywhere, along with Glenwood Canyon Trail and Red Mountain Trail. With a beautiful, temperate mountain climate several degrees cooler than Denver, you can hike, bike, and walk comfortably on a year-round basis.

2. The Vibrant Community Events
From Farmers Markets to Summer Concerts, the nights in Glenwood Springs are alive and electric with amazing and unique community events. From disc golf to live music, there’s nearly always something interesting going on! Glenwood Springs also hosts the historic Strawberry Days, the oldest, continuously held public celebration west of the Mississippi, and even has its very own highly successful Vaudeville Theatre, Escape Room and local gaming store.

3. The Skiing
A stone’s throw away from the world-renowned slopes of Aspen, Snowmass, and Vail, Glenwood is the perfect home base for the skiing enthusiast. Why force yourself to commute out from the urban sprawl just to cram in as much skiing as you can in a hectic weekend? Instead, live where the slopes are right outside your front door and ski any day of the week you desire!

4. The Hot Springs
The Glenwood Hot Springs are an incredible American natural wonder and a favorite of Glenwood Residents – for 130 years these sparkling mineral waters have eased the aches and pains of visitors and provided a unique oasis for the mountain residents to congregate and socialize. With a world-class fitness center and an extremely convenient location, you’ll quickly see why the Glenwood Hot Springs has drawn settlers from far and wide through the ages.

5. The Outdoor Activities
In Glenwood Springs, there is an endlessly inventive and exciting array of activities on offer. First, of course, is the nationally recognized and award-winning fishing. The majestic Colorado River, a certified Gold Metal Water, flows directly through the center of the community. Also atop the water are opportunities to go whitewater rafting with Blazing Adventures. If water sports aren’t quite your thing, try spelunking with the Glenwood Adventure Caverns, or flying through the air in a hot air balloon with the local Above it All Balloon Company! There’s something for everyone in Glenwood Springs, and you can see the full list of activities here!

6. Job Growth And The Burgeoning Entrepreneurial Community
With Glenwood’s newfound popularity and the associated influx of smart, creative young professionals, it’s natural that Glenwood has also seen an explosion of job growth and new businesses. Colorado has always been the proud home of pioneers who want to make their own way in the world, and that has lead to a host of tech startups and small professional groups springing up and building a unique business network – GlenX, Roaring Fork Technologists, the artist collectives of nearby Carbondale, technology companies. Glenwood is also a fantastic choice for anyone working in forestry, outdoor education, the culinary industry or hospitality, as there are multiple globally-popular tourist destinations and nature preserves nearby.

7. Rising Property Values
Safely tucked away in a cool and shady mountain paradise, Glenwood Springs was once a secret outpost and getaway known to only a few prospectors and native Americans. Now, it’s a rapidly growing, in-demand, and trendy destination: with an average increase of 80% to property value in the last five years, you can be guaranteed that a home purchase in Glenwood Springs is an investment with a high return. Let The Property Shop help you find the perfect home for you and your family today, and we’ll see you on the slopes!

Glenwood Springs Events and Activities: Summer 2018

Glenwood Springs Downtown Market

Image: Glenwood Springs Downtown Market

Summer in Glenwood Springs is chock-full of fun and exciting events and outdoor activities. There’s a lot to do in Glenwood Springs in the summer, so we’re only going to highlight a handful. Let’s get started!

Glenwood Springs Downtown Market

Visit the Glenwood Springs Downtown Market for locally-grown vegetables and fruit, flowers, baked goods, clothing, jewelry, artwork, food vendors, and live music. The market is held at Centennial Park between 9th Street and Grand Avenue on Tuesdays from 4:00-8:00 PM.

Big Summer Block Party

Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11

Check out the Big Summer Block Party for live music, food vendors, activities for kids, and a beer garden. The Salida circus will also be there with a snake charmer, jugglers, and stilt walker.

Music on the Mountain

Listen to live music at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Ride the tram, bus, or Adventure Vehicle to the top of Iron Mountain for free when you bring a canned food item for the Lift-Up Community Food Pantry.

Colorado River Rafting

From Glenwood Springs, you can easily experience a whitewater rafting adventure on the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon. We recommend signing up for a guided raft trip with a local guide company to get the most fun out of the experience. Sign up for a half or full day adventure on the water.

Hike No Name Trail

The No Name Trail, also known as the Jess Weaver Trail #1847, starts in Glenwood Canyon and traverses up into No Name Canyon, all the while following No Name Creek. The moderate trail is 7.6 miles one way.

To get to the trailhead, head east on I-70 into Glenwood Canyon for two miles and take exit 119 for No Name. From the highway exit, turn left to cross over I-70 and drive for a half mile to the trailhead parking lot.

Golf at Glenwood Springs Golf Club

Located in West Glenwood Springs, the Glenwood Springs Golf Club is a 9-hole public golf course with beautiful mountain views from the fairways. Take a lesson, visit the pro shop, and practice putting and chipping. Also, visit The Greenside Grill for breakfast and lunch.

We hope you’re able to get out there this summer to enjoy these events and activities in Glenwood Springs!

Grand Avenue Bridge Tour with The Property Shop!

What an excursion we had with the knowledgeable public information team from the Grand Avenue Bridge project!

Here at The Property Shop – we look for opportunities to stay informed about community projects so we can guide our clients with as much information as possible. Just as the new Glenwood bridge construction connects the north to the south, we would like to connect you to your new home – we would like to be your bridge home in 2017.  Make The Property Shop your “PLACE” to shop for property and let us help you sell or buy real estate!

Model of Grand Avenue Bridge Project at Glenwood Springs City Hall | The Property Shop, Inc.
Model of Grand Avenue Bridge Project at Glenwood Springs City Hall | The Property Shop, Inc.


Our tour started at City Hall, checking out an overview of different project phases as well as a visualization of the project outcome with the miniature model. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, you should. It is a wonderful way to see what the final product will look like.

From City Hall, we had a look at the project from several stopping points around the project. While you can see a lot of the progress from the road, the views and information we took in on our walking tour brought a much more holistic perspective and understanding of the massive scope of this project.

Construction Crews on 7th Street | Grand Avenue Bridge Project | The Property Shop, Inc.
Grand Avenue Bridge Project Construction Crews on 7th Street | The Property Shop, Inc.

The Property Shop, Inc. brokers learn about the Grand Avenue Bridge Project | View south from GAB job site on north side of the river
The Property Shop, Inc. brokers learn about the Grand Avenue Bridge Project | View south from GAB job site on north side of the river

Our Take

In many ways, the Grand Avenue Bridge is a gateway to our area. Sometimes, it can be hard to see the challenges and the advantages of what this new bridge will bring. Construction is always tough on communities, and our city will be no different. This bridge and the impact it will have are unprecedented. In our small town, we’re not used to waiting in a line of cars seemingly not moving. The big trucks don’t add much to the nerves either.

We love our Glenwood Springs home and we believe that the new pedestrian and traffic bridges will add to our community – they will be well worth the wait! Glenwood Springs and our valley is on the cusp of a new era. We see the evidence all the time, not just with the Grand Avenue Bridge project, but in all the new investment and development planned for our area. We foresee great potential for reinvigorated prosperity and opportunity in Glenwood and the region. It is going to be great!

If you or someone you know wants more information on the region or Glenwood Springs real estate, please contact us. This is our community and we can help you make your best decision.

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Thank you to the GAB Public Information team for the tour! | The Property Shop, Inc.
Thank you to the GAB Public Information team for the tour! | The Property Shop, Inc.

What We Are Excited About

Multimodal Connectivity

One aspect of this project we are particularly excited about is the accommodation of multimodal transportation, including busses, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The new layout will help to provide, safer and easier access from one side of town to the other.  The pedestrian underpass on River Street will give pedestrians access from the north side of the Colorado River through beautiful Two Rivers Park to the Rio Grande Trail.

The New Pedestrian Bridge

The Phase II Fact Sheet describes the new pedestrian bridge as a “steel girder bridge with lookout points, dual elevators, and red brick exterior. The bridge will be 16-feet wide and accommodate both pedestrian and bike traffic”. It will have spectacular views of the Colorado River, Glenwood Canyon, the Hot Springs Pool and west to South Canyon. It connects the 6th Street and the historic hot springs district to 7th Street and the rest of our charming downtown.  The new pedestrian bridge is set to open for public use this year and is considered one of the most important assets of the approximately 95-day detour.

The New Traffic Bridge

For starters, the current traffic bridge is more than five-decades old. The Grand Avenue Bridge Fact Sheet states, “Replacing the GAB provides a long-term solution to numerous issues, mitigates all clearance issues and best serves the public as a whole. The current traffic bridge was constructed in 1953 and is considered “functionally obsolete” by the threshold in the National Bridge Inventory.”

We have long heard of plans to replace the bridge and it is so exciting to see the project move forward.

Hard to conceive now, both bridges will add beauty to our town as iconic features for many years.

Picture Album from The Property Shop’s
Grand Avenue Bridge Tour

Use the arrows to see more pictures from our tour!

 

Other Handy Information We Learned

According to a January article by Tom Newland, GAB Public Information manager, “Pedestrian and business access will continue to remain open throughout the project. Phase two will be completed in March… Phase three work will be completed this spring and summer. Phase three is all construction activity prior to the bridge detour, scheduled to begin Aug. 14, 2017.” In preparation for the detour, our community will have to be thoughtful and work together to be successful.

Keep an eye out for the updates in the Post Independent including the team’s weekly Monday column, Answer Man. Be sure to sign up for project updates and reach out to the project team if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.  There is a lot of information out there designed to keep you in the know.

Additional Information

For more information regarding the Glenwood Springs Grand Avenue Bridge Project:

Click here to sign up for project update emails.

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