Priceless Memories

The 4 Corners is a great hub for day trips or weekend getaways to explore the desert of Canyonlands in Utah, get lost in the mountain peaks, and play in the many rivers and lakes, like the Dolores River and Navajo Lake.  With over 300 days of sunshine a year it's a great place to call home and make memories.

My parents gave me the love of riding horses and the mountains.  Each summer, our family would pack up and ride 20 miles into the mountains and camp for a week to 10 days.  My first pack trip was when I was two years old.  I rode my own horse.  When I got tired, my Dad would just put me in front of his saddle and I'd take a nap while we kept exploring the mountains.  Some of the best days of my life were there in the mountains.  There were 6 of us and we loved being so far up in the mountains that we would rarely see another soul.  Yes, there were times we spent the day in our tent, reading, playing cards and napping, while it poured outside. Many mornings there was frost, so hunkering around the campfire was a necessity! 

This is a picture of me when I was three on one of our pack trips.  The memories made are priceless from sitting with my Dad on the hillside watching the horses graze, sucking on lemon drops while we rode along, eating fresh trout that my brother caught, to cuddling in our sleeping bags and endless more.  My Mom journaled each of our trips, and yes I have them! 

Life is precious, so please take time to breathe in the wonderful world we live in.  MancosHomes.com

Are you looking for a new home?

Have you been looking at homes online and dreaming about a new home?  If you have started searching, you might be frustrated.  Buying a home is a very important decision and you want to make sure you are doing everything right.   Here are some tips.

1.  Get prequalified for a loan-  I recommend talking to a few lenders and see what they offer.  First time home buyer, or veteran?  There are no down payment loans out there for you!  Once you are prequalified than you are ready to start the search.
2.  Hire a Realtor who will become your trusted advisor.  They should know the area,  are easy to reach, and can work around your schedule. Get references, and google them.  Do they have a website,  and Facebook page? Get a list of their homes they have sold, and speak to their buyers.
3. Your Realtor will search all listings on the internet, for sale by owners and will be able to help you narrow down your search.  They will be able to tell you if a home is over priced, the history of the home, and do comparisons.
4.  Once you find a possible home,  drive by it and go see it at different times of the day.  Are there barking dogs,  strange neighbors or outside lighting that you don't like in the area?  This step is so important.  Many people don't want to live in a subdivision with covenants.  Well if you don't there is nothing stopping your neighbors property to become junky, loud or a pig farm.  
5.  If after searching for a home you just can't find a suitable home, you might want to consider building.  Builders in Mancos are getting $150 a square foot, and a typical 5-10 acre lot will cost you around $65-90k.

Check me out on Zillow and ask about me at the coffee shop.  I'm here to help!