Woodland Park McAfee Estate

If the Colorado real estate bug has bitten you, antivirus software developer John McAfee may have the cure.
McAfee, founder of the antivirus software company that bears his name, will sell his 280-acre estate and 10,000-square-foot mansion in the Colorado mountains at an auction May 10.
"He's told me he'd like to see it sell for $20 million," real estate agent Keli Konczak said. But with no minimum bid and no reserve price on the estate, "it goes for what it goes for."
Konczak said she has handled other conventional property sales in Colorado for McAfee.
The mansion, outside Woodland Park about 50 miles south of Denver, has five bedroom suites, nine fireplaces, hand-carved doors, flagstone floors and unobstructed views of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak, according to The National Auction Group, which is handling the sale.
The surrounding compound abuts the Pike National Forest and also has three guest homes, two guest apartments and nine guest cabins, for a total of 19 bedrooms on the estate.
The property also has trout lakes, observation decks, picnic areas, meeting facilities, a horse paddock of about 10 acres, a six-car garage and paved parking for 36 cars.
Konczak suggested the property could be developed.
"Somebody could build a new subdivision, and with those incredible views, it would be something," she said.
She and William R. Bone, president of The National Auction Group, said McAfee told them he is selling the estate because he doesn't spend much time there any more.
Bone said this will be the fourth home National Auction has sold for McAfee in three years.
The other properties were a 1,044-acre oceanfront plantation in Hawaii, which sold for $3.13 million; a villa in Port Isabel, Texas, $2.2 million; and another oceanfront estate on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, $1.7 million.
"He enjoys the creation of beautiful properties -- he's trying to build something perfect, and that gives him pleasure," Bone said. ------
On the Net:
The National Auction Group's page on McAfee site: http://www.national-auction.com/default.aspx?id63This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D6.

For more information on this home, or any other home in the Woodland Park, Teller County, Colorado Springs Area, Please contact Miranda Price at 719-641-8430 or mirandaprice@kw.com

www.YourWoodlandParkRealtor.com

Tips for a Quick Sale

1. Unclutter a Messy Room
   The first step is to completely unclutter every room. To get top dollar, put half your possessions in storage. This means it might not be feasible to live in your home comfortably while it's on the market, but it's a worthy sacrifice. Less clutter makes your home look larger and in some cases, more up to date. Less decorations make it easier for the potential buyers to picture their possessions in the home.
2. The Perfect (if Unrealistic) Closet
   Put the bulk of your clothing in storage, and leave a lot of space between hangers. Leave a only a few select items of neatly-pressed clothing hanging. Keep one or two pairs of shoes in shoe boxes. Once again, less stuff makes it look bigger!
3. Keep the Bathroom Basic
   In the bathroom, you should have some pretty towels and a bar of soap, and not much else. Remove everything from the counter tops and empty the medicine cabinet. Put everything in storage except a couple rolls of toilet paper. Put candles around the bathtub and remove your razor, shaving cream and half-empty shampoo bottles.
4. Tend the Walls and Floors
   A fresh coat of paint goes a long way toward making your home look fresh, clean and move-in ready. Clean the carpets. If they're stained or at all worn out, then replace them. After an exhausting move and a pricey purchase, a buyer doesn't want to envision their first tasks as busting out the paint and paying for new carpeting. Unless you are an "as is" seller, you want home buyers who are looking to move into your home, not buy your home at a lower price and flip for a profit. Move in ready helps get your home top dollar.
5. Remove Frightful Furnishings
   Look at your furniture with a critical eye. If you've been flopping your tush into your easy chair every night for the last eight years, it's probably looking a little sad. Remove or toss anything old, ratty or dirty. If you have nice furniture, then leave the nicest pieces in the house. If not, then purchase a few inexpensive, sleek pieces.
6. Home Improvements Count
   Make a list of every single improvement you've made to the property since you've lived there, the time frame the improvement was made and approximately how much it cost. Also make a list of everything you personally love about the home. Put this information in your listing, and include it on your flier. (Your agent can do this for you)
7. Show It Off
   Make your home super easy to show for real estate agents. Use a lock box. Your showing instructions should be "show anytime." If you prefer a call first, then the instructions should be, "Call first, leave a message and go." Being an easy show is CRUCIAL! Many times a buyer will only go out once or twice with their agent before deciding on a home. Not having your home ready and fore-going the showing could cost you a shorter sale time. Many times a buyer will not come back to your home if they couldn't see it the first time around.
8. Scram, Get Lost and Make Yourself Scarce
   Try to be out of the house before the buyer arrives. The majority of buyers will feel tense and intrusive snooping around and opening closets and cabinets when the seller is there. If the buyer arrives before you can get out of the house, then make them feel welcome and leave promptly. Don't come back until they're gone. I have shown properties where the seller has followed us around the entire time, trying to be friendly and sell us on their home. I have been so distracted during the showing, I cant remember the house when we leave. The buyer usually just wants to get out of there as quickly as possible and doesn't take the time to discuss and consider the home.
9. Find a Sitter for Fido
   It may not seem feasible or practical to have pets relocated while your house is on the market, but if you truly are seeking top dollar, you need to have a pet-free household. Many people are sensitive to odors and pet dander, so clean thoroughly once you find alternative living arrangements for your pet. When buyer's enter into your home, the first thing noticed is pet odor and mess. 9 times out of 10, if you have a pet, the buyer will be asking you to clean or replace the carpets.
10. When Your Hard Work Pays Off?
    Don't dare price your home high in this market. Be extremely careful to price your home very competitively from the beginning, when the largest number of buyers will see your listing. The longer your home is on the market, the less a buyer feels they should offer you. Once you receive an offer, you should almost always counteroffer.

Woodland Park Hospital Update

Pikes Peak Regional Hospital is currently being built just West of Woodland Park, Colorado. This hospital will be a 15 bed hospital, offering a variety of medical and surgical services with space to expand up to 25 beds if needed. Each of the patient rooms with have an impeccable view of Pikes Peak.

The 40,000 square foot facility will contain:
A surgery department including same day surgery and recovery
An emergency room with a 24 hour/7 days-a-week trauma unit and special procedure rooms
A heliport will be located adjacent to the hospital for the safe and timely transfer of patients to hospitals in Colorado Springs and elsewhere, if needed.

The impact of a close 24/7 emergency and trauma services will be huge for Teller County. No more rushing down the pass to the nearest hospital. Valuable time will be saved with the in-town hospital.

Hospital Services will include:
State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, including radiography
Fluoroscopy
Mammography
Ultrasound
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
CT scanning
In addition to these services, the facility will offer diagnostic and treatment services in cardiology, physical therapy, cardiopulmonary medicine, and women’s services.

To learn more information about this incredible city and all of Teller County, contact Miranda Price, Your Woodland Park Realtor at www.YourWoodlandParkRealtor.com

Woodland Park Finally a City

In 1980, Colorado determined that any municipality with a population of greater than 2,000 may call itself a city. The cities determined as such prior to that time, did not have to rescind their status, even if they had fallen to below 2,000 residents. Thus, Victor and Cripple Creek may maintain their city status even though their population has plunged over the years.
Teller County is comprised of two kinds of municipalities: statutory and home rule.
Statutory municipalities are governed by the state and offices are filled by election. Victor, Cripple Creek and Green Mountain Falls use the mayor-council, or trustee form of government while Woodland Park has a council-city manager form of government. Woodland also chose home rule in 1975. They are one of 84 other cities in the state under home rule.
Article XX of the state constitution gives cities meeting the 2,000+ rule the right and power to govern themselves in all matters that are of “local and municipal concern.” Voters create a governing charter that sets out almost everything to do with running the city to include zoning, local elections and term limits, police and municipal courts, penalties and fines, and personnel issues. Any amendments must be approved by the voters.

To learn more information about this incredible city and all of Teller County, contact Miranda Price, Your Woodland Park Realtor at www.YourWoodlandParkRealtor.com

*Information for this blog has been taken from “The Looking Glass” and written by Pat Hill for the March 28, 2007 issue.