First the great Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft neighborhood of LoHi got Justin Cucci's amazing Root Down Restaurant.

This week Justin's newest venture opened it's doors for the Downtown Denver LoHi audience with the new Linger Denver Restaurant! LoHi residents have a lot to be excited about.

Residing in the old Olinger Mortuary Building (don't worry, it occupies the old garage and office spaces) Linger is named with a wink and a nod to it's unusual past.  Now we love to see the brownfield development or any other sustainable use recovery of older spaces and in this case it is both clever and delicious.  The name Linger comes from dropping the O from the large neon blue Olinger sign that Downtown Denver loft residents can see on the LoHi hill.  Look even closer and you will notice that someone adapted the "mortuary" tagline to now read "eaturary".   And that same signage area is where the folks at Linger plan to put a huge outdoor patio equipped with it's own bar and grilling area.

Lohi and all of us at New Era Realty can't wait.

The LoHi Neighborhood is truly an amazing downtown neighborhood to live and experience all the best of Downtown Denver living.  Located just across the pedestrian bridge from Riverfront Park, Commons Park, and the beginning of Lodo (Lower Downtown) the LoHi Denver location is tough to beat.  And the one thing our clients (and our team... our office is in LoHi) can't stop raving about is the amazing number of incredible restaurants, bistros, bars, shops, and amenities in this great Downtown Denver neighborhood.

Even better... the real estate options are incredible.  From historic Denver Square single family homes to new built modern townhomes to amazing mid rise multi dwelling units this neighborhood offers the best options for size, square footage, and price.  There is something for everyone and with great new projects available today so give any of us at New Era Realty to learn about the amazing LoHi neighborhood in Downtown Denver.

We hope to see you at Linger as well, enjoying the delicious food, views of the downtown Denver skyline, and of course... the friendly "spirits".

There can be a lot of real estate jargon thrown around when a few of us sit down talking about the exciting new projects in Downtown Denver.  "Have you seen the new MDU being built in LoHi", "What a great loft conversion", "is it a soft loft or a hard loft".

The downtown Denver marketplace already has it's share of jargon due to the may downtown Denver condo neighborhood acronyms (LoHi, LoDo, CPV, and more) so we thought we'd spend a day going over a little of the Downtown Denver real estate vocabulary you hear around town... the Hard Loft versus the Soft Loft.

Most everyone knows the history of the term for a Loft.  Back when industrial and warehouse buildings were first converted a new style of "Downtown Loft" came into being.  From Manhattan to Denver to Los Angeles there was an explosion of creative ways to convert these funky spaces that were often characterized by high ceilings, exposed ductwork, brick walls, and high wood beams.  It was the high loft ceilings that gave these their original name... that and the fact that may had bedrooms that were lofted to take advantage of the high ceiling space.   While many like to think of the original lofts as the favorite residence for the artist or designer the truth is that these funky and open spaces drew in all audiences and are still some of the most popular Downtown Denver lofts for our clients.

Because of the huge popularity of the original lofts developers soon looked at the possibility of creating new "lofts" instead of trying to find older buildings that could be converted.  These new lofts were called "soft lofts" and they represent anything that was built anew as a residential development versus something that was converted from an industrial use.  In the downtown Denver condo market these can be new projects that are very similar to the original lofts such as the Promenade Lofts or Park Place Lofts.  Both of these Downtown Denver condo projects in Riverfront Park have high ceilings, exposed ductwork, concrete floors, and open floor plans.

Other soft lofts are more like a true condominium such as the Glass House in Riverfront Park and SPIRE in Downtown Denver.  Advocates for the soft loft cite their energy efficiency and better use of space using modern techniques and modern materials.  Often the developer will talk about the soft loft as the "best of both worlds" with some exposed high ceilings but not exposed ductwork or utilities (which some say is quieter).  Of course the newer soft lofts often include amenities such as swimming pools, hot tubs, movie theaters, and more.

What's your favorite.. the classic and historic hard loft from an industrial conversion or the newer soft loft with its modern benefits.  It usually boils down to the character and design of the individual residence and for that a walk through is the best way to find out what will strike a chord in your heart.

So call any of us at New Era Realty today and let us take you on a tour of the Downtown Denver loft world.. both historic and new.

All of us at New Era Realty wanted to remind you to send in your ballot for the election of the next mayor of Downtown Denver (well, actually the mayor of all of Denver but most of our readers live in or near the great heart of Denver.. it's Downtown).

The Denver Post has some articles that where Candidates talk about their opinions in "Ditmer:Candidates: Talk about the City".

We aren't here to talk about the candidates, there are more than enough political voices out there doing that.  We wanted to talk about how exciting of a role the new Mayor will get to play in our great Downtown Denver neighborhood.  Let's look at what the next few years will offer for those living and working in the Downtown Denver area...

• The existing Mayor Vidal announced a new Downtown Denver Bicycle Improvements initiative.    Denver is continuing it's green and sustainable living Downtown evolution.
• The Union Station Neighborhood nestled between Lower Downtown and Riverfront Park will be moving toward completion and creating an entirely new and robust Downtown Denver community.   New restaurants, shops, public spaces, transportation, and of course great new Downtown Denver condos and lofts are planned.
• FasTracks will continue it's completion including the much anticipated train from Union Station to Denver International Airport.
• The 14th Street Initaitve will move forward to become the new Downtown Denver Ambassador Street.  Yes, the great location for SPIRE and the Four Seasons will be getting even better with expanded pedestrian walkways, outdoor patio seating, and public art.
• The much discussed improvements of the 16th street mall are still undetermined and the next Mayor of Denver will have a great role to play in how this iconic symbol of Denver gets developed.   The 16th street plan calls for an intensive study and then ongoing improvements.  We can't wait.

We could go on and on but this should give you an idea of the great and amazing projects taking place in Downtown Denver.  It's one of the reasons our clients love their Downtown Denver lifestyle.   Call any of us at New Era Realty today and learn what so many already know about the great Downtown Denver lifestyle.

For many of our Downtown Denver clients the question of parking never comes into question.  The home in LoHi has a detached garage or a driveway, the new modern Downtown Denver townhome has below ground parking, the residence comes with one parking space.

But for newer Downtown Denver high rise buildings today, and most likely moreso in the future, the parking is optional.

When Glass House in Riverfront Park was first sold ever residence came with one parking spot.  Glass House Penthouse residences came with two.  The remaining spots were offered to anyone who bought a two bedroom Glass House residence and they sold out FAST!

Now SPIRE takes the car option to be car optional.  Each of the residences were sold without any parking and then a homeowner could add in a parking space (or two for a two bedroom) or they could pass entirely and save anywhere up to approximately $55,000.  SPIRE also offered scooter or motorcycle parking so if you did want to pass on the car spot you could get one of these two wheeler spots for much less.

We wrote some time ago about the various strategies in the selection and price value of different spaces (See that post here) but this particular post was to share a pretty interesting idea one of our folks has followed.

They took their residence, in this case a two bedroom, and purchased two parking spaces with the residence.  The funny thing is, they don't need them.  Scooter, bicycle, or car share programs meet the need for this Downtown Denver condo resident.  So why buy two spaces?

• First... the initial purchase period offered what they determined would be the lowest price of entry.  Parking may or may not become more valuable but initial spaces sold at the Glass House for $25K, then $35K, then $40K.  Resales, if there were any on the market to price are anyone's guess.  SPIRE and many other Downtown Denver lofts are experiencing price increases as well.  Fell free to call us to get a parking price analysis.
• Second, limited supply and great growing demand means a fairly reliable rental market for them.  And they have shared that renting it out has yet to be a problem.  Rents of up to $200 per space are common in their building.
• They don't want to be landlords but the parking space is a fairly maintenance free area as it is part of a limited common element.  Not too much can go wrong with a parking space but it is recommended to make sure your lease is reviewed by an expert to make sure it puts the renter under the same HOA terms and rules and all that wise legal stuff.  But overall... maintenance free.

So their story is about renting out their parking spaces to cash flow and cover their HOA fees.  Why even bother if they don't have a car.  In their case the goal was resales or other events they can't foresee down the road that might make them need a space or two.

Their story was pretty interesting... they live the car optional lifestyle with a bit of strategy.  Who knows what those spaces might rent for down the road but we like their creativity.

Cheers and when it's time for you to select your Downtown Denver condo or loft remember to give any of us at New Era Realty a call so that we can assist you and share our experience with you.

By the way, the Gothamist reported the highest parking rental in NYC of $1,200 per month at the Empire.  Who knows, maybe one day our friend will be able to rent out his parking to cover his mortgage.

Hello New Era Realty readers, I'm one of the New Era Team enjoying a great vacation for a few days from the sunny and beautiful beaches of Cancun.

Why is this post about Cancun... well it's actually not.  It's about how important the new Downtown Denver condo location rail line to DIA is for my lifestyle and the folks at New Era thought it was worth mentioning.

I departed for my much needed vacation recently from my home in the Glass House in Riverfront Park.  That meant talking someone dear into giving me a lift to the airport in the wee hours of the morning.  I also could have called for a Downtown Denver taxi ride or shuttle, which costs way too much.  If I had a later flight I could have taken the one hour long bus ride from the Downtown Denver Market Street Station to the airport as well.  But, such as it was I was fortunate enough to have someone care enough to give me a lift (and vice versa I do the same for my closest).

But on the horizon is the great new Union Station Neighborhood project adjacent to Riverfront Park that will allow Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft residents to simply walk over to the new transit center and take a marvelous new rail line all the way to DIA.  Welcome to the new benefit that Downtown Denver residents of most major cities already enjoy.

From a very simple perspective its the convenience of a huge magnitude.  No longer will Downtown Denver condo residents have to pay for high taxi trips or wake their loved ones up in the early morning to get a DIA trip.  Visitors who come to see me in my Downtown Denver condo or loft will be able to simply hop on a train directly to the Union Station Terminal.  Guests, business travelers and everyone has a greater option.

My property value just went up and I love living in Downtown Denver... I just wish the rails were running now.

So does my ride.

Call New Era Realty today to learn all about the great living in Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver lofts.  Move in now, take the train later.

New Era's newest Downtown Denver Loft listing! Located in the Ballpark area. This beautiful large two bedroom, two bathroom loft has great mountain and Downtown Denver Views. Walking distance to Coors Field. The Ballpark district is one of Downtown Denver's most desirable locations. Built in 2006, this 1320sq ft loft offers many modern features. Use the roof top deck for Barbeques or enteratining. It features exposed duct work, and true loft ceilings. It has a master suite, and walk in closets. All appliances are included, including washer and dryer. You won't find a better Downtown Denver Loft! Built by one of Denver's premier builders - Ryan Homes.

This Downtown Denver property scored an incredible 91 on walkablity! It's in walking distance to not only Coors Field, but great restaurants like Mexico City, and Marco's Coal Fired Pizzaria. For more surrounding destinations  to this property, visit the Walk Score Web Site.

Yesterday we blogged about how walkable the great Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft lifestyle is. In that same spirit of sustainable Downtown Denver living today we wanted to share a great news of Mayor Guillermo Vidal Announcing bicycle improvements in Denver!

Downtown Denver is already a great bicycle town.  With miles of trails including the Cherry Creek Bicycle/Running trails that intersect at Riverfront Park it is incredible easy to navigate our great city.  Many of our clients living at any of the many bike location friendly spots such as SPIRE, Riverfront Park, or LoHi commute almost entirely by bicycle and by foot.  We even offer bicycle tours of the great Downtown Denver neighborhoods right from our great New Era Realty office here in the Lower Highlands.

We like our bicycle friendly town and this announcement means it's only going to get more bike friendly in Downtown Denver.

The Mayor's announcement is focusing in on creating more bike lanes throughout our city.  These dedicated bike lanes help keep the cyclists off the sidewalks with a dedicated single traffic lane apart from the car traffic streams.  These new "cycle tracks" (the actual name given to the lane by Denver Public Works) are a win for everyone..

• Pedestrians don't have to worry about bikes sharing the sidewalk or accidental collisions
• Bicyclist don't have to worry about pedestrians or cars cutting in front of them (okay, they still have to worry but not as much)
• Car's have their traffic lanes reserved just for them

Sometimes it is better not to share and in the case of Downtown Denver traffic flow this is a perfect example.   They are even planning for "Bike Boxes" at intersections to allow cyclists a dedicated space to wait at intersections.

Cheers for Downtown Denver condo and loft residents as the city develops one more great way to stay fit and save money on fuel.  Now all we need is for the sunshine to return so we can get out for a sunny ride.

Learn all the details about the Mayor's Downtown Denver Bicycle Announcement here.

Here is a link to the current Denver bicycle map and don't forget that this week the Denver cruiser rides started back up in the heart of Downtown Denver.  Pedal on!

It is simply an amazing time to be a buyer of real estate and many of our clients have asked us to keep our eyes peeled for bank owned or other short sale opportunities.  The market is getting stronger every day but there are certainly some great items to be found and all of us at New Era Realty make sure to stay up to date on these special opportunities in the Downtown Denver condo, Downtown Denver Loft, and Downtown Denver Real Estate market.

What sort of opportunities come up... well this week a listing in the Glass House in Riverfront Park, one of the MOST desirable Downtown Denver neighborhoods and Downtown Denver condo high rise buildings had a one bedroom for right around $233K.  Yes, that's no typo!

That pretty much means the same incredible initial pricing that was seen for those fortunate few who were in the Glass House Downtown Denver condo's first initial wave of purchases.  If you don't remember those days.. the Glass House was almost completely sold out in the first 45 days due to the incredibly low prices.

Multiple offers were expected this week on this special Glass House residence and someone will be very happy in their new Downtown Denver Glass House condo.  Since we mentioned the Glass House in Riverfront Park we thought would share a few details about why this building is so popular.

• We have to start with the pool.  Unlike many other high rise buildings the Glass House has a Junior Olympic Pool.  For those looking for a large pool with swimming lanes and the kind of space that allows you to really enjoy Denver's amazing summers.  It's located on the 8th floor with a beautiful view out to the Union Station landmark and the Denver skyline.
• The 8th floor also boasts a media room, fire pit, outdoor grills, and a club lounge that serves up continental breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Downtown Denver residents in Glass House enjoy complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate 24X7 in this lounge.
• 24 Hour front desk with additional concierge style services provided through their onsite property management.
• And of course, this Downtown Denver condo high rise offers the incredible Riverfront Park location.

This is just one example of the many great Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft opportunities we are on the watch for on behalf of our clients.  If you are interested in learning more about our services or the process with bank owned or short sale Downtown Denver properties please contact any of us at New Era Realty!

Cheers and let's hope the weather warms up again so everyone can enjoy those great amenity pools!

Would you like $12K for Downtown Denver Condo Living?  Well that is what the District of Columbia on Friday April 29th the DC office of planning announced it's Live Near Your Work (LNYW) Pilot Program.

Now nothing like this is proposed for Denver and this is a DC based only program... for now.  Remember this is a "Pilot Program" which means it is the test for something we may see more of.  Here is how it works..

Here’s How the Live Near Your Work program works...

The program will match up to $6000 in incentives that an employer offers you to move within two miles of work or to within a quarter-mile of a qualifying bus or train station.

2 times $6,000 is a $12,000 perk to provide folks an incentive to minimize or entirely eliminate their commute.  Many predict the program to be a huge success with many commuters already fed up with rising gasoline prices, lengthy commute times, and all the headaches of living away from Downtown centers or metro stations.

Just think how great it would be if this program were to be offered for our Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft clients.  Not only does our Downtown Denver condo market enjoy a very walkable and transportation friendly location it also is in the process of one of the biggest transportation development projects in the country with the new Union Station and FasTracks lines.  We keep reminding our Downtown Denver condo and Lohi neighborhood clients that this station will be providing direct rail access to DIA.  Vacation just got easier.

From a financial standpoint these incentives.. if they were to arrive to the Downtown Denver marketplace or if the city of Denver developed their own program would be great... but that's just a small piece of the prize.  Many of our Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft residents are already enjoying the dollars and time that they took back with their Downtown Denver lifestyle.  Our clients in SPIRE rave about walkable city life in the heart of the Downtown Denver Theater District.  Our Riverfront Park and Glass House clients share stories of living car free at the junction of the many Downtown Denver bike trails and enjoying the green space of Commons Park, and our LoHi clients rave about the great restaurants and bistros that keep opening (Linger, Ale House at Amatos to just name a couple) withing footsteps of their front door.

DC office of planning...we like the concept and kudos for encouraging great downtown living!

The Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver Residential neighborhood of the Lower Highlands (LoHi) continues to amaze our clients with how cool it is!

The newest announcement to recap is the new Linger Restaurant.  Linger, the newest creation by Root Down's Justin Cucci is scheduled to launch in late Spring of 2011.  For those who don't keep track that means a mid June opening based upon the first day of Summer of June 21st, 2011.

Linger will occupy the old Olinger building and have started adding photos to their Linger Restaurant Denver Facebook page.    The buzz for residents in the Downtown Denver LoHi neighborhood is about what cool design and food Justin will treat us to.  Photos show conveyor belt tables and the menu hint is... a mix tape.  All of us at New Era Realty would love to hear what you think the Mix Tape hint leads to.

For those of you familiar with LoHi you already know how this Downtown Denver neighborhood claims some of the best new restaurants, bistros, bars, and cafes in Denver.  It's also one of our clients most popular locations to live in.  With so much to do (and eat) within walking distance a number of amazing new Downtown Denver condo projects are now available... and selling fast.

Here is our LoHi Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft recap.

• Vallejo Townhomes - Mod and hip Townhomes with roof top decks, cool finishes, and a great location.
• The Carlyle Flats in LoHi Downtown Denver - Perhaps the best value in LoHi with an incredible location and green designed features.
• Ale House at Amato's is open and pouring great ales from it's rooftop deck at the base of LoHi
• Want to enjoy some tunes in LoHi... Check out the upcoming LoHi Music Festival on May 13th and 14th

And these are just a few of the Downtown Denver condo news updates for LoHi... but we encourage you to give any of us at New Era Realty a call to tour these great developments and the many amazing available Downtown Denver single family home listings in LoHi as well.

Cheers!