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Solar comes to the Air Force Academy
Solar comes to the Colorado Springs Air Force Academy
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Related Articles:
- 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
- What is allowable for VA Seller Concessions?
- What are my housing choices near Fort Carson?
- Peterson AFB housing, what are my choices?
- News Flash – Colorado Springs ranked Fittest City
- Moving to Colorado Springs, check out Zip Skinny
- El Paso County taxes are some of the lowest in the nation!
- Colorado Springs in ratings for Best Places to Start Over
The Colorado Springs Air Force Academy has a new solar facility. Since I drive up and down Interstate 25 on a daily basis, I’ve watched it gradually take form over the last 6 months and I’ve been curious about exactly what it is and what it provides. Here’s some of the details:
- It was designed and built by SunPower Corp., and is expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 1,200 average American homes each year — or about 12,000 megawatt-hours.
- The photovoltaic array covers 30 acres and cost $18.3 million.
- According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, the system at the USAFA will avoid more than 9,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the equivalent of removing 40,900 cars from Colorado’s highways over 25 years.
- The system uses high-efficiency SunPower solar panels with the SunPowerTM T0 Tracker system. The Tracker follows the sun’s movement during the day, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems
- The Air Force Academy has a Net Zero Initiative by 2020, and this installation moves it one step closer.
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Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
Financing options for Colorado Springs Military — VA Loans are the best!
Are you a military member or a veteran?
Are you moving to Fort Carson? Schriever AFB? Peterson AFB? Air Force Academy?
Related Articles:
- How do I get a down payment for Homes in Colorado Springs?
- Credit score explanation
- Financial Do’s and Don’ts
- Local lenders vs. a National lender
With your VA Guaranteed Home Loan benefit you can still obtain a loan with no down payment and a fixed interest rate that is as good as or better than a conventional mortgage rate. Let’s start with some of the basics about VA loans.
What is a VA Guaranteed Home Loan?
Some people have the misconception that the military is the organization loaning the money. Not true. Your VA Guaranteed Home
Loan will be made by a private lender, such as your bank or a mortgage company of your choosing that has VA lending approval.
The guaranty means the lender is protected if you fail to repay the loan. This is also why you will not have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). Normally, a lender would require a down payment and/or PMI to obtain a loan.
For even more facts about VA Guarantee Home Loans in Colorado Springs, go the web site for the United States Department of Veteran Services.
You still must meet loan requirements
If there are items in your credit history that are derogatory, you can be denied a loan even though you have your Certificate of Eligibility. The VA cannot demand a lender make a loan to you that would violate their lending practices.
Lenders also must comply with the VA rules and policies when it comes to income and credit standards. Just having the benefit is not enough, you must be credit worthy and have the correct debt to income ratios.
Is a VA Appraisal the same as an Inspection?
No, these are not the same thing. Read the rest of this entry »
12 things to know about the HAP Housing Program for military
Good news on the HAP Program
Related Articles:
- 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
- What is allowable for VA Seller Concessions?
- What are my housing choices near Fort Carson?
- Peterson AFB housing, what are my choices?
The good news for military personnel at Fort Carson, Schriever AFB, Air Force Academy and Peterson AFB is that 
further financial help may be available through the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP). HAP is an established Department of Defense program that is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was initially only used to assist in Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) moves, but the new economic stimulus plan expanded the program to include Permanent Change of Stations (PCS) moves.
The program offers military homeowners a chance to move without having to go through the process of a short sale and the possibility of ruining their credit. (This is very extremely important for anyone with a security clearance.)
Here is a summary of the HAP program for PCS applicants
1. Qualifications: PCSing more than 50 miles, having purchased your home or entered into a contract to purchase prior to July 1, 2006. Also, you must have lived there and it was your primary residence; and your orders were between February 1 2006 through September 30, 2012. The requirements also state that the Owner must not previously received these benefit payments.
2. Your home must have declined at least 10% in value. (This isn’t a problem in the Fort Carson and Colorado Springs market).
3. First priority HAP PCS assistance is given in the Dallas District to applicants with the MOST COMPLETE PACKAGE.
4. HAP benefits are based on the amount you originally purchased the property, plus capital improvements (prior fair market value PFMV verified by your settlement statement). The full amount of your negative value will not be reimbursed.
5. The government will provide benefits Read the rest of this entry »
How to buy a Fort Carson HAP home, or a Peterson AFB Hap Home
Don’t forget about HAP homes
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
If you are buying a home around Peterson AFB, Schriever AFB, Fort Carson, or the Air Force Academy, you may want to know 
about HAP properties.
Related Articles:
- 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
- What is allowable for VA Seller Concessions?
- What are my housing choices near Fort Carson?
- Peterson AFB housing, what are my choices?
- 6 Key things to know about the Homeowners Assistance Program for Military families
HAP stands for Homeowner Assistance Program, and it is designed to help military service members sell homes that are worth less than they paid for it.
For example, if you are looking at a Colorado Springs home where the military seller owes $350,000 on the mortgage, and the home is only worth $300,000, this may be qualified for a HAP approved sale. If the seller qualifies, HAP will cover most of the mortgage loss at the time of sale, and allow you to buy it at it’s current market value. It’s important to note that this is not a traditional short sale and is not subject to lender(s) approval; consequently it doesn’t take nearly as long as a short sale.
HAP, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers, assists military personnel who are PCSing (permanent change of station) with orders to a new base more than 50 miles away. To qualify Read the rest of this entry »
The $8000 tax credit has NOT expired!!!
Tax credit still available for military in Colorado Springs
Related Articles:
- 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
- What is allowable for VA Seller Concessions?
- What are my housing choices near Fort Carson?
- Peterson AFB housing, what are my choices?
While the tax credit has expired for most Colorado Springs home buyers, military families should know that may still be eligible for the $8000 first time home buyer’s credit.
Members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community are eligible for this
special rule. The rules applies to any individual (and, if married, the individuals spouse) who serves on qualified official extended duty service outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after Dec. 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010. If they have served on offical extended duty, they have until April 30, 2011, to sign a contract and until June 30, 2011, to close on the new house.
The rules also state “A person who is forced to return to the U.S. for medical reasons before completing an assignment of at least 90 days of qualified official extended duty outside of the United States may qualify for the one-year extension.”
Also, if a homeowner don’t live in the new house for at least three years, they have to repay the tax credit. However, military members are an exception when they have to move due to military orders. This relief applies where a home is sold or stops being the taxpayer’s principal residence after Dec. 31, 2008, in connection with government orders received by the individual (or the individuals spouse). It’s called “qualified official extended duty”, and means living at least 50 miles from the home.
Visit www.irs.gov for more information on qualifying and claiming the tax credit.
If you meet the above guidelines, there is still plenty of time build your brand new home in Colorado Springs or buy an existing home.
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Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
I can’t be there to see it, now what?
Relocating to Colorado Springs
Related Articles:
Occasionally I work with a buyer who is overseas and is intersted in Relocating to Colorado Springs and buying a property that they won’t be able to see in person. Wow, scary stuff for everyone involved. Even with all of the amazing info now available on the Internet, it still doesn’t take the place of seeing the property in person. Here’s some of the additional steps I take, as a Colorado Springs Realtor, to help make sure the buyer gets the most accurate information possible.
- Pictures, pictures and more pictures (and then even more pictures)
I take pictures of everything I can see, including the roof, the furnace, the hot water heater, everything in house. I take pictures of the neighborhood up and down the street, the next door neighbors, the neighbors across the street, the neighbors behind the house, the parks, the schools, the shopping areas that are close by. I try to create the same experience for the buyer that they would have when they actually came visit the house.
I make sure they check out Read the rest of this entry »
Moving to Colorado Springs ?
Crime information is easy to find
For FREE Colorado Springs Relocation Information, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Some other articles that could be of interest:
many things I do to answer their question, is to send them to different web sites that gives them the crime stats. In the age of All Things Internet, there is no shortage of information, they just have to be directed on where to find it. Here’s some of my favorite sites:- CBI website http://cbi.state.co.us/ — Gives you everything from registered sex offenders to crime stats.
- http://www.neighborhoodscout.com — When you put in an address for a Colorado Springs neighborhood, it gives you all types of information about the area, including crime stats, a general overview of the area, as well as school information.
- http://www.NeighborhoodScan.com – This site gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
- http://www.spotcrime.com – Maps out crime occurrences, and allows you to pull up details on specific crimes.
- http://www.crimereports.com — Also gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
- http://www.relocationessentials.com — Compares crime in Colorado Springs vs. the national average. As an example, it shows you that Colorado Springs has less rape and burglaries than the national average.
But even with all of the comprehensive national data, the best web site which is chocked full of information is part of the City of Colorado Springs web site. You can pull up a weekly report that shows you the location of crimes by different categories. There is also information on all of the Meth Labs that were discovered in Colorado Springs by year. (See Don’t let your dream house become a nightmare) You can even follow the Colorado Springs Police Department on Twitter.
When you are looking at moving to Colorado Springs, these web sites can help give you a better pictures of neighborhoods you want to live in. Remember, Knowledge is Power
Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
Tax Credit for military personnel
Tax Credit for military personnel
Must Read Posts:
- Government and Military are #1 employers in El Paso County
- Relocate to an Award Winning City in the Colorado Rockies
- Relocating, it’s all about the schools
- High Altitude Tips
- Moving to Colorado Springs, check out Zip Skinny
Military families stationed at Fort Carson, Peterson AFA, Schriever AFA, and the U.S. Air Force Academy and other military installations in the Colorado Springs Since Colorado Springs will be glad to learn that 
the First Time Home Owner Tax Credit has some wonderful additional benefits for the military. Here’s some of the highlights:
- Members of the military and certain other federal employees serving outside the U.S. have an extra year to buy a principal residence in the U.S. and qualify for the credit. Thus, an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2011. If a binding contract is entered into by that date, the taxpayer has until June 30, 2011, to close on the purchase. Members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community are eligible for this special rule. Read the rest of this entry »
Colorado Springs Foreclosure – December Pick
Colorado Springs Foreclosure Pick of the week
Search for Foreclosures in Colorado Springs
Related Article: Buying a short sale vs. a foreclosure, what’s the difference?
My pick of the week is in Falcon Highlands, east of Colorado Springs, on 11006 Birch Hollow Way. Falcon is only a short commute to Schriever AFB, and Peterson AFB.
It includes over 4800 square feet, with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a 3 car attached garage, priced at less than $300,000.
If you are looking for a BIG house at reasonable price in Falcon; then this is the property for you. The property was built in 2007/2008; by John Laing; but was never finished as John Laing went into Bankruptcy.
The house has a great floor plan, with lots of room to expand in the 2500 square foot basement.
The upsides….. large attached two car and one car garage, laundry on the same level as the bedrooms, open floor plan, separate dining space, main floor office, newly built; never lived in. Plus it’s on over 1/2 acre lot. The downsides ………….. no landscaping, no window coverings, and no floor coverings, except in the kitchen and bathroom.
The description in the MLS Says: “Newly finished former popular Clayborn floorplan includes slab granite counters, upgraded Whirlpool appliances, and hardwood floors in the entry and kitchen / eating nook. Kitchen offers a gas cooktop, double oven, and breakfast bar. This spacious rancher has a great room, main level laundry, convenient mud room, 3 car garage, and unfinished basement with plenty of room to expand. Living spaces flow with ease from one to another, and home has a functionality that all will appreciate!”
6 Key things to know about the Homeowners Assistance Program for Military families
HAP program updates
Related Post: Housing relief for military families in Colorado Springs
I have a client I’m assisting with getting qualified for the HAP program and have already written one blog about this; but as new details continue to become available, I thought it would be a good idea to update my readers.
Military families stationed at Fort Carson, Peterson AFA, Schriever AFA, and the U.S. Air Force Academy 
and other military installations in the Colorado Springs area will be glad to learn they may now be eligible for relief for their housing challenges. The program is called the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP), and is administered by the Army Corps of Engineers. For military personnel in Colorado Springs, the main contact is US Army Corps on Engineers in Fort Worth.
HAP Field Office, Fort Worth
U.S. Army Engineer District, Fort Worth
P.O. Box 17300
Ft. Worth, TX 76102-0300
817-886-1112
888-231-7751HAP
The official guidelines for the program are expecting to be released within the next 60-90 days and already the counselors for our area indicate they have many applications waiting.
According to the web site, here are some of the requirements:
1. Permanent reassignment requires move of more than 50 miles. Read the rest of this entry »
Peterson AFB housing, what are my choices?
Must Read Posts: Relocating, it’s all about the schools
When relocating to Peterson AFB or Schriever AFB, there are many neighborhoods to choose from including the Powers Corridor on the East Side of town, Falcon/Peyton also on the east side of town as well as the Marksheffel area. Commute times vary from 10-35 minutes from these areas.
Search for Homes for Sale Near Peterson AFA and Schriever AFA
Powers Area in East Colorado Springs
As Colorado Springs continues to grow farther east, the homes on Powers Blvd are becoming more and more popular. It has the city’s largest concentration of retail shopping, restaurants and entertainment; and new restaurants and shopping continues to be added. Commuting from Powers takes 10-25 minutes. Some of my favorite neighborhoods include Stetson Hills, Indigo Ranch, and Springs Ranch.
Falcon and Peyton
Falcon and Peyton are two of the upcoming and growing neighborhoods in the Colorado Springs area. Read the rest of this entry »
What are my housing choices near Fort Carson?
Colorado Springs Military Relocation Tips
Must Read Posts: Relocating, it’s all about the schools
When relocating to Fort Carson, there are many neighborhoods to choose from including the Cheyenne Mountain area in southwest Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security/Widefield which are close to the base, and the Powers Corridor on the East Side of town. Commute times vary from 5-35 minutes from these areas.
Search for Homes for Sale Near Fort Carson
Fountain, Security/Widefield
Due to its close location to the base and an abundance of affordable housing, Fountain and Security/Widefield are one 
of the most popular choices for Fort Carson Relocation. Directly East from I-25 , Fountain is a vibrant growing community. Fountain is located 10 miles south of Colorado Springs and the Fountain Valley area also includes Security and Widefield; which are located in-between Colorado Springs and Fountain. Commute times to Fort Carson range from 5-20 minutes. Some of my favorite neighborhoods in the area are the Glen at Widefield, Windmill Mesa, and Clearview Estates.
Cheyenne Mountain in Southwest Colorado Springs
Cheyenne Mountain is on the southwest side of Colorado Springs, just north of Post. Part of the area is included in one of the most poplar school systems, District-12, Read the rest of this entry »
What is allowable for VA Seller Concessions?
VA Loans – Part II
Must Read posts: 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Must Read Article: 6 BIG advantages of VA loans
One of the biggest areas of confusion about VA loans is the Seller Concessions. In the recent class I was in where the instructors were from the Denver VA office, they did a great job of explaining what can and what can’t be used as 
part of Seller Concessions.
VA Mortgages have a limit of 4% of the Appraised Value that the seller can contribute to a buyer on a VA purchase without it being considered excessive. For VA purposes, a seller concession is defined as anything of value added to the transaction which the buyer pays no additional amount and which the seller is not customarily expected to pay. Some examples of concessions include seller payment of the following:
- Buyer’s VA funding fee
- Buyer’s prepaids (Taxes and Insurance) Read the rest of this entry »
6 BIG advantages of VA loans
VA Loans
For a free Buyers Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Must Read Articles:
- NORAD is still alive and smaller under Cheyenne Mountain
- After fierce competition Colorado Springs finally lands the Air Force Academy
- An early history of Ft. Carson
- History of Ft. Carson part II
- Military relocation? 6 tips to read before you buy a home
- Relocating to The Air Force Academy? Here’s some great info to make your move easier.
I went to a training class last week on VA loans and came across all types of valuable information I wanted to share with our Colorado Springs home buyers. (I’m a strong believer that a Realtor needs to constantly increase and update their knowledge about all things real estate, never can learn too much.)
Since Colorado Springs is surrounded by military bases (Fort Carson, Peterson AFA, Schriever AFA, and the U.S. Air Force Academy 
) ; as well as there are many military retirees in the areas, VA loans are very popular. The stats show that 30% of all loans in the area are VA Loans.
Advantages of VA loans
When a Colorado Springs home buyer is trying to decide what type of loan they are going to use, it’s important for them to understand some of the advantages of VA loans:
- No down-payment requirements.
- There are not many loans left that don’t require a down-payment
- No monthly MIP
- MIP is the abbreviated term for the Mortgage Insurance Premium that many FHA loans and Conventional loans add to your monthly mortgage payment
- Assumable Mortgage
- This could be really important in the future if interest rates start to rise; it could make it much easier to sell a property and have a new buyer assume the existing loan
Read the rest of this entry »
- This could be really important in the future if interest rates start to rise; it could make it much easier to sell a property and have a new buyer assume the existing loan
Housing relief for military families in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Military
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Military families stationed at Fort Carson, Peterson AFA, Schriever AFA, and the U.S. Air Force Academy and other military installations in the Colorado Springs area will be glad to learn they may now be eligible for relief for their housing challenges.
An addition was made to the the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP), administered by the Army Corps of 
Engineers. For military personnel in Colorado Springs, the main contact is US Army Corps on Engineers in Fort Worth. Their phone numbers are:
The program was originally intended to only assist military homeowners affected by base closings or a partial closure of a base.
According to the web site the new groups affected are:
- Homeowners who cannot ‘ride out’ the depressed real estate markets until their home values can recover, they are moving because of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) order”
- Wounded warriors required to relocate for medical reasons
- Surviving spouses of fallen service members
Again, according to the web site: “HAP benefits offset some of the losses incurred when homes are sold, purchased by the government, or foreclosed upon. Applicants should understand that Read the rest of this entry »
It’s against the law
Fair-housing laws prevent agents from talking about neighborhood demographics
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Luckily, the Web picks up where agents leave off
A real estate agent can be a wealth of information about a house. So a homebuyer who asks what crime is like in a 
specific Colorado Springs neighborhood might be surprised when the agent defers the question, directing a client to the Web or local police instead. I work with many buyers looking to relocate to the city, and I often explain to them what I can and what I cannot say.
It comes as a shock to many buyers when they learn that a Colorado Springs realtor absolutely cannot address some requests because it is against the law. For example, if a married Jewish couple asks a realtor to find them a home close to a synagogue, the agent can’t accommodate that request. If a buyer is moving to the city, and wants to know the safest part of the city and the best neighborhoods to live in, an agent cannot answer. Also, Read the rest of this entry »
NORAD is still alive and smaller under Cheyenne Mountain
NORAD
- After fierce competition Colorado Springs finally lands the Air Force Academy
- Military relocation? 6 tips to read before you buy a home
- An early history of Ft. Carson
- History of Ft. Carson part II
NORAD today, stills sits under the caverns of Cheyenne Mountain, even though its in a warm 
status. It may not be as large as it once was due to the consolidation of NORAD and Northcom now housed mainly at Peterson Air Force Base, but its still there protecting us from not just external but now internal threats with the help of the FAA.
In 1957, both Canada and the United States were reeling from the threats of the Soviet Union, especially after the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik. Everyone was scared and even schoolchildren were drilled on diving under their desks and covering their heads in case of a nuclear strike. Both countries realized the importance of a continental home alarm system. This lead to the creation of NORAD at Ent Air Force Base (now the Olympic Training Center). Read the rest of this entry »
Military relocation? 6 tips to read before you buy a home
Are you in the military?
Are you relocating to the Colorado Springs area? Do you want to purchase a home?
- Government and Military are #1 employers in El Paso County
- Relocate to an Award Winning City in the Colorado Rockies
- Relocating, it’s all about the schools
- High Altitude Tips
- Moving to Colorado Springs, check out Zip Skinny
Buying home is a complicated process which needs some investigation and education before making a decision. if you are in the military, you should ask yourself some questions before making the decision to purchase:
- Can you get financing? (It’s important to talk to a mortgage professional to get pre-qualified for a loan.)
- Is your tour of duty going to be longer than 2 years before the next PCS? If you know your current tour is less than two years, you have to weigh the risks of breaking even or even a loss when you go to sell.
- Will you have the opportunity to do another tour here or will you have an opportunity to come back? Read the rest of this entry »
Top 5 VA Loan Myths
Guest Blogger — Marry Ann Daniell
Search for Homes in Colorado Springs
It was only a year ago that I started blogging on an wonderful site, ActiveRain, which is an amazing resource for 
Realtors and anyone else involved in the Real Estate Industry. It’s has a wealth of information; and the most wonderful thing is that fellow Realtors all over the world share information with each other.
Since Colorado Springs has a high military population with both active duty and retired personnel, I thought this article would be helpful to share with our readers. Our military installations in the Colorado Springs area include: Fort Carson Army Base, the Air Force Academy, Peterson AFB & Schriever AFB, Cheyenne Mountain AFS and NORAD.
I’m very pleased to sh
are this article written by Mary Ann Daniell, a Realtor in Fort Hood Texas. I contacted Mary Ann and she gave me permission to share this article. You can contact her in Fort Hood at her Office Phone: (254) 547-4165 x 230, or send her an email at maryann@maryanndaniell.com. If you are ever looking for information on Fort Hodd, make sure and contact her.
Hope you enjoy her article!
One of the best benefits of the VA Guaranteed Home Loan is that you can purchase your home with no money down. Most buyers know this about the loan program, but there’s also plenty of misinformation floating around out there, too.
Some common misconceptions buyers often bring up during their search for financing:
VA Loan Myths
- I have to apply to VA for my VA loan
- I am already APPROVED for a VA loan since I am active duty military
- VA Loans can take 90 days to close
- I must have my Certificate of Eligibility in hand
- VA Inspects the home for defects before I buy the house
Here’s a quick clarification of these points about VA loans:
I have to apply to VA for a VA Loan – Not True!
You apply for a VA loan through a lender who is approved by VA to Read the rest of this entry »
Relocating to The Air Force Academy? Here’s some great info to make your move easier.
Moving to the Air Force Academy?
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Are you preparing for a move to the Air Force Academy? If so, I hope you find these sites 
helpful. The Academy is celebrating its 50th graduation in May and it continues to educate young men and women for service with The United States Air Force. The Academy has approximately 4000 cadets and graduates about 1000 per year.
If you are moving here with your family, there are four housing areas located on the grounds of the Academy. You can also live off base where there is plenty of housing located in the northern part of Colorado Springs, Monument or Palmer Lake.
Anyone being transferred to the Academy is assigned a sponsor to make your transition easier, but here is some arrival information that will also help make your move go more smoothly.
If you have children of school age, they will be attending the award winning District 20 school system, Read the rest of this entry »
