Colorado Springs Vintage Homes Blog
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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 »
Beware, it’s lightening time in Colorado Springs
Did you know that Colorado and Florida lead the way for the most lightening related deaths last year?
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
I work with many people who are looking at relocating to Colorado Springs, and tho
ught it would be a good idea to do a quick blog about lightening in Colorado. Colorado has an average of 16 lightening related injuries a year and 3 deaths a year, all due to lightening. For those statistics people out there, there is a entire web site devoted to lightening to Colorado.
When thunder roars, go indoors!
It’s such a serious problem in Colorado, Governor Ritter has proclaimed a week in June the Colorado Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week. Here’s some facts about lightening in Colorado:
-
Thunderstorms are most likely from April to September, peaking in July. Though mountain thunderstorms are most common during mid afternoon, the first lightning strikes can occur before noon.
- Fifty percent of all known Colorado lightning casualties happen in one of four places: on mountain summits, under a lone tree, in wide-open areas and on lakes.
Lighting safety suggestions:
- If you hear thunder, go inside a building or get inside a hard-topped vehicle.
- If you are outside, avoid open spaces. Don’t be the tallest object in an area.
- Stay away from isolated trees, towers, or utility poles.
- Stay away from metal conductors including fences and wires; lightening can travel a long distance through metal.
- Make yourself as small as possible. Never lie flat on the ground.
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Some other articles that could be of interest:
- 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
For more information on Colorado Springs, please feel free to call Kathy Torline at 719-287-1049 or email: KTorline@msn.com
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
Moving to Colorado Springs, don’t forget to get your new Driver’s License
Don’t forget to get your Colorado License
For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
Must Read Articles
One of the many things to do when moving your entire house from one state to another is to remember to register your vehicle in Colorado and get your Colorado Driver’s License.
After becoming a Colorado resident, you have 30 days to qualify for a Colorado Driver’s license and 90 days to register your vehicle.
Colorado Driver’s License
When heading to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), bring the license from your former state 
as you will be required to surrender it in order to obtain the new license. There is no written exam or road skills testing required to change a valid out-of-state license to a Colorado Driver’s license, however you will need to pass the vision test. If your out-of-state driver’s license has expired, you may be required to apply for a STATE learners permit and pass all required testing to receive a driver’s license. The identification requirements are posted on the Colorado Department of Revenue Web site. There are several DMV locations in Colorado Springs:
- 4420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy., Colorado Springs, CO 80918 M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (719) 594-8701
- Chapel Hills Shopping Center 1710 Briargate Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80920 M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (719) 520-6240 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 »
Moving to Ft. Carson? Here’s some info for our new soldiers and their families
Moving to Ft. Carson soon?
Here are some helpful sites and info to make it as smooth as possible.
- look for the statue of Kit Carson also located by the main gate
Ft. Carson Army Base is also known as The Mountain Post and is located in the southwestern part of Colorado Springs. The main gate is located at I-25 and South Academy, though there are many gates to the base. The base extends past Fountain, where they are building a new improved gate (Gate 20) for all the new soldiers and their families who will be relocating here.
Quite a few of you will probably live on base and you might like to know what the housing it like. Feel free to check out the housing page. Don’t forget to check out the wonderful info located on the about page. If you plan on living off base and would like to purchase a home or get more info on the possibility of owning a home, please take a look at searching for homes.
Children on Ft. Carson attend Read the rest of this entry »
History of Ft. Carson part II
Fort Carson History
Search for Homes in Fort Carson
Please check out the part 1 post if you haven’t read: An early history of Ft. Carson
Part II starts in the early 1960’s and will go through 2004. I’ll deal with Ft. Carson today in another article that will also give some great websites if you’re being transferred here in the near future.
look for the statue of Kit Carson also located by the main gate
During the early 1960’s, Ft. Carson was home to only one major unit and was on McNamara’s list of potential base closings. This was not known at the time but the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin blockade was enough for the Army to reactivate two more divisions, including the 5th Infantry which formally reactivated in early 1962. The 5th was the Army’s first mechanized Infantry division to be organized. The problem was the need for land. Tanks need lots of room to roam and so in 1965, the base acquired almost 25,000 acres of state land (remember it was originally leased in 1942). They traded the land with some federal land owned at the time close to Lowry near Denver. Also, in 1965 and 1966 they purchased almost 79,000 acres south of the original base for around $3.5 million. All this brought Ft. Carson up to its current size of 138,523 acres, though Ft. Carson officials and the Army have recently been trying to acquire more land which has been met Read the rest of this entry »
An early history of Ft. Carson
Part one of the early history of Ft. Carson
Search for Homes in Colorado Springs
Must Read Articles:
- The Founder of Colorado Springs, William Jackson Palmer
- The Young Years of Colorado Springs
- Tea and crumpets in Colorado Springs
- The End of an Era in Colorado Springs
The history of Ft Carson started when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941; and the United States declared war on Japan which soon included all the Axis Powers. Officials in charge of selecting new sites for military installations went into immediate action, as they would soon have many new troops to train. Less than one month later it was announced that Colorado Springs had been selected as the site for an army camp. On February 22, 1942, Colorado Springs newspapers reported that the installation would be named Camp Carson in honor of Brigadier General Christopher “Kit” Carson, the famous frontiersman. The original military reservation consisted of 60,048 acres of land; some donated by the city of Colorado Springs, some purchased from private owners or acquired from the Department of Interior. The Army even leased some from the State of Colorado.
During World War II, a total of 104,165 soldiers trained at Camp Carson. More than 125 units were activated at Camp Carson and other units were transferred to the Mountain Post from other installations. The camp trained nurses, cooks, mule packers, tank battalions, and many other types of personnel. Toward the end of the war, after the departure of the divisions and established units, Camp Carson trained replacement troops as well. In late 1943, approximately 43,000 military personnel came here and were quickly trained so they could be sent overseas to do their part for the war. There were no facilities for dependents, so if a Read the rest of this entry »
