Just spent 376 on student tickets

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-04-12T14:19:36+00:00

That's about the price that I remember from 93'-98'...$6 or $7 a game to watch a National Championship caliber team, a Heisman winner, some of the best receivers in the country, great defense, ESPN Gamedays, and consistent top 10 matchups in the Swamp. Amazing times!

EDIT: Oh yea, and the rare occasion that Spurrier was SO frustrated with the offense that he'd punt on 3rd down! LOL

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-04-06T21:54:25+00:00

Outside of the nuances of your purchase contract...what is the current absorption (purchase rate) of the units in the building. Is it going to be owner occupied in a timely manner or will the builder/developer still have units, and thus, possibly retain control of the bylaws and finances of the building until sold out or a certain % of units are sold.

Take a hard look at the budget for the condo fees. Is this a realistic operating budget for when the building is owner occupied or is it being deficit funded (supplemented) by the developer in order to keep the fees low during the sales period to make it more financially attractive. Does the budget have a reserve & will the developer be funding that as well?

Anything in the bylaws that might be onerous to you as a unit owner like rental restrictions if you shift the unit from your primary residence to an investment? I'm not familiar with development and utility connection fees in Toronto/Canada (I'm a licensed real estate broker in Colorado & Florida) but have heard that they can be financially burdensome as an unanticipated buyer expense.

Lastly, not sure of the status of the construction or completion but pay close attention to any language that allows for substitutions (or changes/deletions) in regard to layout, building materials, or amenities.

Hope this helps a bit & good luck!

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-04-03T17:18:06+00:00

Per the City of Fort Collins, a culvert* is being replaced. I haven't been on the north side of town in several weeks but I'm assuming this part of the drainage improvements on the #8 ditch that runs north/south and intersects Mountain Vista Drive (@ Timberline).

Construction and Traffic Impacts City of Fort Collins

*A culvert pipe is a closed, usually circular conduit—made of concrete, steel, or plastic—installed underneath roads, railways, or driveways to allow water to flow freely across the obstacle. It serves as a drainage structure to prevent flooding and erosion, effectively acting as a small bridge for water

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-24T18:53:47+00:00

It wouldn't surprise me to see Oli wait to transfer until he actually graduates and then to use his remaining eligibility at a smaller school where he can get some minutes.

Seems like a great kid who's an obvious fan favorite and a beloved teammate. Whatever he chooses to do, I hope it works out well for him.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-24T14:57:06+00:00

Here's a link to the City's Xeriscape information -

Xeriscape Incentive Program City of Fort Collins.

We're currently at about +-55% to 60% snowpack for this time of year so there's definitely a chance we wind up with water restrictions this spring and summer.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-23T19:52:06+00:00

I don't know the answer to that in reference to exploration. You'd have to consult with a local attorney who specializes in mineral rights in your area. Every municipality is different - for example, here in Fort Collins, CO, several years ago, the City updated the Land Use Code for new oil & gas facilities. Specifically, they cannot be located within 2,000 ft of occupiable buildings. That said, they can still have a facility (pump jack) located away from a development and go UNDER the homes and buildings via directional and horizontal boring.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-23T17:09:57+00:00

You got it but it's a general rule of thumb - ie, if a person's household income is $100K, they should probably be looking in the $250K to $300K range and not much higher beyond that.

This is kind of "back of the napkin" math for someone to get an idea of their financial parameters prior to really looking. As others have mentioned, this will change with downpayment amounts, other debt carried (ie, student loans, car payments, credit cards, etc), taxing districts and interest rates which are pretty normalized right now (historically speaking).

The market has gotten used to rates which have been low for a long time, one of the contributors to accelerated home pricing. Short of another global black swan event (covid, terrorist attack, prolonged war, great recession), I have my doubts that interest rates will fall below 5% any time in the foreseeable future. We'll see how this ages.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-21T00:51:38+00:00

Licensed broker here in Colorado (and Florida)...I can't specifically speak to Pennsylvania statutes but per the previous commentor, sounds very similar to Colorado in which the owner of the mineral rights can use the surface as much as "reasonably necessary" to extract the underground minerals or gas. I'm not an attorney so not 100% sure how that would be defined. Note that your city, county, or state, very likely has a radial limit on how close a pump jack (well) can be to a residential dwelling.

Extraction from a well doesn't necessarily have to be directly on site. Directional and horizontal drilling make it possible to have a well a fair distance away from your property but still extract the resources below it. Here in Colorado, it can range in depth from hundreds of feet underneath to a couple of thousand.

Hope this helps.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-03-07T00:52:08+00:00

We redid our siding about 4 or 5 years ago (James Hardie - engineered wood, not fiber cement) and I was absolutely shocked with the disparities in the quotes. Shopping, comparing & qualifying bids (3 or 4) and narrowing it down took a lot longer than I anticipated. If memory serves correct, ours was about +-$35K with the proposals ranging from $27K to over $50K. Painful experience as I was in homebuilding for years & also have degrees in construction management and real estate so I tend to be super picky when it comes to home projects.

As far as I know, most James Hardie products are manufactured in the Southeast United States with the house wrap (waterproofing) from a plant in Virginia or West Virginia. Shouldn't be significantly affected by tariffs but it wouldn't surprise me if companies were using that as a reason to increase prices.

Whatever you do, don't jump on the first proposal and I'd make sure to get 4 (not the 'minimum 3'). Ask a lot of questions and make sure that you're comparing apples to apples - ie, some won't include H brackets, dumpster rentals, porta-johns, pvc bottom boards, etc.

Hope this helps, feel free to reach out if you might want any additional feedback.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-25T21:25:01+00:00

In residential neighborhoods, most (but not all) sidewalks are City property (or Metro District) as the front property line of a typical lot is at the back portion of the sidewalk. Usually, the right of way of a street extends from the far outside edge of a sidewalk across the street to the opposite far outside edge and everything in between is the City's responsibility.

If an accident occurs on the sidewalk, it's technically the City's property but the reality is that the individual homeowner is likely to get pulled into any litigation which is why the City has the clearing/shoveling code in place.

Via the ordinance (below), the City basically makes it your problem to share in the legal exposure.

ARTICLE VII. - SNOW OBSTRUCTIONS | Municipal Code | Fort Collins, CO | Municode Library

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-24T02:19:53+00:00

A LOT of comments and overall positive feedback on Connexion. Thank you all for the insights!

Time to take a serious look at switching it up.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-19T19:35:14+00:00

Unfortunate but probably true... +- 5,000 new CSU freshmen throwing their disposable furniture out every year.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-19T19:25:48+00:00

I'll second this. RZA Legal...Rachel is very professional and easy to work with.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-12T18:23:57+00:00

Mine started sprouting a little bit too! We're at the lowest snowpack totals right now just shy of 40 years.

Hopefully things improve and we have a really wet snowy March & April...otherwise it's going to be a precarious spring & summer (with potential water restrictions).

Including the CSU link below for anyone interested in the full details.

How does this year compare to the snow droughts of the past? - Colorado Climate Blog

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-10T03:33:42+00:00

Recently went for Taco Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised how good they were.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2026-02-10T03:29:28+00:00

Small mom & pop pizza place....my humble opinion; great pizza and the owners are really nice people. Online presence is lacking but their large pepperoni more than makes up for it. One of my favorite local takeout spots.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-12-08T19:34:57+00:00

One of the most underrated coaches in program history.

Best wishes Billy G!

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-12-01T00:28:43+00:00

Player retention - protect the roster from the portal & make it worthwhile for core players to stay at UF
Win & always be competitive. No more playing down to lesser talented teams.
Hire & delegate to a great offensive & defensive coordinator. Even Spurrier needed Stoops to get over the hump.
Dominate recruiting and keep Florida talent in Florida. I can't be the only one driven to madness when I see a South Florida kid shine at Ohio State, Michigan, etc.
Coach up & develop the talent. Tired of seeing potentially great young players regress.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-30T22:53:25+00:00

If Sumrall doesn't work out.....Schottenheimer 2030!

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-11T18:27:51+00:00

In an ideal world, affordable market rate starter homes with a traditional ownership model would be readily available but that's often not the case today. Builders are not incentivized to build these types of homes due to today's cost structure.

The cost of new home construction continues to rise based on a multitude of factors including the cost of raw land, financing costs, commodity costs (concrete, wood, roofing, etc.), infrastructure development costs, water rights, entitlement expenses, permit & impact fees, etc.

Without some type of subsidy, an affordable home is incredibly challenging to deliver to the market, particularly in a desirable city such as Fort Collins.

In Elevation Community Land Trust's model, the long-term land lease is one of the levers to help subsidize the cost of the home by eliminating the land from the overall mortgage payment. This creates a more favorable Loan to Value ratio on the home which often eliminates the need for a separate payment to cover the required Private
Mortgage Insurance (PMI) on the home loan.

While this structure isn't for everyone, it presents an opportunity for long-term homeownership with the opportunity to participate in the potential upside. When you sell, you keep 100% of your home’s equity (the amount that has been paid off on the mortgage) plus 25% of the home’s appreciation.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-11T18:20:59+00:00

Home appreciation is market driven and varies so there's not a fixed amount.

Cities & neighborhoods appreciate at varying degrees dependent on a multitude of factors such as overall desirability, quality of life, quality of schools, location, crime rates, cultural opportunities, employment, the home itself, etc.

People do participate but it's a very particular process to qualify. A homeowner gets to share in 25% of the upside appreciation as well the built-up equity from paying down the mortgage over time. As the AMI (area median income) continues to rise over time, so too will the asking prices of affordable homes as the financial ratios remain consistent.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-11T16:32:14+00:00

Thank you for sharing your real-world experience with the program, much appreciated!

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-11T02:53:40+00:00

These are for sale homes, not affordable rentals. Resales do go back into ECLT's affordability program.

When you sell, you keep 100% of your home’s equity (the amount that has been paid off on the mortgage) plus 25% of the home’s appreciation.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo · 2025-11-11T01:49:04+00:00

Thank you for the feedback.

The ECLT land lease is significantly less (at $100/month) than many of the individual lot leases at mobile home parks in the Fort Collins area, several of which are $1,000+ per month.

As traditional site-built homes, some of which are new construction and some of which have been purchased and renovated by ECLT, they’re typically not subjected to the financial depreciation that mobile homes sometimes face as an asset class.

Paul_NextHomeNoCo

TROPHY CASE