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Giving Trees

Community / Events / General / Holiday Posts / Pagosa Springs

Giving Trees – Gifts Needed!

NextHome Rocky Mountain Realty & Rentals is doing Giving Trees in Pagosa Springs again this year! Each Giving Tree will have tags with Luke (that Orange Dog) on them, so they are easy to find.

Each of these tags will have a child’s name and item from his/her wish list. If you would like to sponsor a gift for one or more of these kids, you can simply take the tag off the tree, purchase and wrap the gift, and bring it by our office to be taken to that child! Trees will be located at Ponderosa Lumber and Ace Hardware.

If you would like to sponsor a gift, but don’t want to go into the store for a tag, we will gladly provide you with gift info, just give us a call at (970) 507-8655 or email us at info@nexthomermr.com.

This is a wonderful way to give back to the community during the Holidays, especially this year! We want every kid to have a good Christmas, and this is a great way to help! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook for NextHome updates and virtual open house videos!

Giving Trees

It’s Cookie Season

Community / Entertainment / General / Holiday Posts / Pagosa Springs

Make Your Own Snickerdoodle Cookies This Holiday Season!

Cold December air and short Winter days mean the Holidays are fast approaching! Christmas parties and family gatherings are always better with treats; especially a good cookie. Impress your friends this year by baking some delicious Snickerdoodle cookies… from scratch! Here’s a great recipe to get you started:

Snickerdoodle Cookie

Yield: Makes About 3 1/2 Dozen Sugar Dusted Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1⁄2 cup vegetable shortening, softened
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 3⁄4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°. Combine 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, butter, shortening, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in a bowl and beat on medium speed of hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add flour, and beat until just combined.
  2. Using 2 tablespoons, portion and roll dough into 1″ balls; combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and roll balls in cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place balls 2″ apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, and using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, press each ball to flatten into a disk; bake until lightly golden and set, about 10 minutes.
  3. Enjoy your delicious baked goods!

 

This recipe is courtesy of Todd Coleman, Executive Food Editor for Saveur.com

If you’re wanting to sell your home or buy a new one this Holiday Season, give us a call at (970) 507-8655.

Holiday Lights Tour

Community / Entertainment / Events / General / Holiday Posts / Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs Holiday Lights Competition

The Pagosa Springs Annual Holiday Lighting Contest is officially underway and 24 businesses and residential properties have entered this colorful contest so far! Lighting is guaranteed to be on every Friday and Saturday night until New Years, so you have plenty of time to tour Pagosa and see all of the Christmas decorations and lighting that has been put up. Downtown Pagosa Springs is already covered in lights!

Christmas Lights

To participate in this fun tradition, just download the Visit Pagosa Springs App! Like us on Facebook to keep up to date on NextHome Rocky Mountain Realty & Rentals.

Happy Thanksgiving From NextHome Rocky Mountain Realty & Rentals!

Colorado / Community / Fall / General / Holiday Posts / Pagosa Springs

We want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from the NextHomies here at NextHome Rocky Mountain Realty & Rentals!

NextHome Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Giveaway

Community / Events / Fall / General / Holiday Posts

Congratulations to these lucky tenants on winning our Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway!Thanksgiving Giveaway 1 Thanksgiving Giveaway 2IMG_4032

We appreciate you!

NextHome Rocky Mountain Realty & Rentals will also be setting up Giving Trees in Pagosa Springs this holiday season. More info on that soon! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook for updates and weekly virtual open houses!

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

Colorado / General / Holiday Posts / National Forest / Nature / Outdoor Activities / San Juan National Forest

Christmas Trees in The National Forest

For many people, going out to cut down a Christmas Tree is a valued family tradition passed down from generation to generation. It is a great way to bond as a family in our beautiful National Forests. Pagosa Springs has an abundance of tree-cutting areas and opportunity, so you are sure to find the perfect tree for you and your family! The Forest Service provides some excellent guides for identifying trees and cutting them:

Christmas Tree Cutting1024_1Christmas Tree Cutting1024_2 Christmas Tree ID1024_1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The San Juan National Forest offers permits (priced at $8) to go out and find the perfect tree for your family! Not only will you get a Christmas Tree for the year, but you are also contributing to the conservation of our forests, and fire mitigation as well! If you are unsure where to find a tree, you can contact the Forest Service here and they will answer any questions you may have! *Permits will go on sale November 12, 2020.

Southwest Colorado is a great place to enjoy a snowy Christmas. Give us a call today at (970) 507-8655! We would love to help you find your Next Home!

Wolf Creek Pass

Colorado / General / Nature / Rocky Mountains / Snow Report / Wolf Creek Ski Resort

Covered In Snow!

It snowed in Colorado this past weekend… A lot! Wolf Creek Pass received 14 inches of powder overnight, and Pagosa Springs woke up to steady snowfall! With snow starting to fall, now is the time to prepare your home for winter. Check our Winter Prep Guide out to see what you should do to prepare for winter!

Wolf Creek Pass

It isn’t too cold to sell your home or buy a dream home! Give us a call at (970) 507-8655 to talk to a Southwest Colorado real estate expert! If you would like to look at our current listings in Pagosa Springs and surrounding areas, click here!

Winter Is Coming!

Colorado / General

How To Prep Your Home For Winter Weather

Winter Wonderland

Prepare For Emergencies – Every year, harsh winter conditions get the best of hundreds of people in the US. It’s important to be prepared in case you are unable to leave your home for supplies. Here’s a list of supplies we recommend keeping in your home this winter:

  • Non-Perishable Food and Bottled Water for at least 3 days
  • Flashlights/Headlamps & Batteries in case the power goes out.
  • Snow Shovels ( To get out of your home!)
  • Ice Melt & Sand – Use the ice melt first, and then throw sand over the melted ice to give traction.
  • Alternative Heat – If your main heat source fails, it is good to have backups such as kerosene heaters and wool blankets.
  • Tool Kit – Most residences already have one, but it’s a good idea to keep a tool kit stocked with common tools and any specialty tool you may need for heaters, lights, etc.

Inspect Roof – The worst time to realize your roof has a leak is after the first snow hits. Luckily, it is easy to inspect your roof for possible issues beforehand. You don’t even need to get on the roof! Grab a pair of binoculars and work your way around the house, looking for the following:

  • Broken or Missing Shingles
  • Cracked Caulk or Rust Spots on the Flashing
  • Shingles that are Buckling or Curling Up
  • Moss or Lichen Growing on the Roof (this could indicate the roof is decaying beneath the surface)

If you aren’t comfortable tackling these issues yourself, you can get a professional roof inspection for roughly $119-$300.

Insulate Windows – Windows that don’t seal property can let cold drafts into your home, driving your energy bills up and comfort down. To prevent these drafts, you can re-seal the window with silicone, line the window with draft blockers, or even seal it with shrink wrap! If your window is cracked, clear nail polish can temporarily fix the window until it can be replaced.

Inspect Fireplace/Woodstove – It is a good idea to have your fireplace/woodstove inspected every year before using it. This is to ensure that there are no birds nests or other blockages that could catch fire in your chimney and cause problems. These inspections can cost anywhere between $79 and $500 depending on your area and the type of fireplace you have.

Clear Decks and Pathways – With winter comes snow, and with snow comes snow shoveling! Cleaning everything off your deck will make shoveling snow so much easier than it would be trying to navigate around summer furniture! Clear wide paths to outbuildings and anything else you may want access to after the snow flies.

Following this steps will help you prepare yourself and your home for winter! If you enjoyed this post and would like to talk to one of our Southwest Colorado real estate experts, give us a call at (970) 507-8655. To view the homes we currently have for sale, click here!

 

Wildfire Defensible Space

Colorado / General / National Forest / Nature / Outdoors / Pagosa Springs / Rocky Mountains / San Juan National Forest

Wildfire Defensible Buffer Zones

wildfires

Wildfire Buffer Zones can be used to reduce fire damage to buildings and sensitive areas in landscapes prone to wildfire. This guide from the USDA National Agroforestry Center shows what you can do to to increase the defensible space around your home and property. If you have any additional questions regarding wildfire safety, see the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s website here.

Zone 1. A minimum of 30 feet is needed for firefighters to protect a structure from wildfire. On a slope, increase the distance to 100 feet downhill of the structure. Use low growing and low flammability plants, spaced apart from each other. Remove dead material.

Zone 2. Deciduous trees and shrubs and widely-spaced conifers may be used in Zone 2. Remove branches within 8 feet of the ground (but no more than 30 percent of the height of the tree) and space trees so that crowns remain at least 10 feet apart at maturity. Remove ladder fuels which are tree limbs and other materials that allow fire to burn into the tree crown.

Zone 3. Manage this zone to maintain forest stand health and other landowner objectives. Limit number of dead trees or snags but save some for wildlife (1 to 2 snags/acre). Check with your local forester for additional guidelines.

Characteristics of Low Flammability Plants

• Supple moist leaves and water-like, thin sap

• Little or no accumulation of dead vegetation on the plant

• Open and loose branching structure

Source: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/buffers/guidelines/5_protection/11.html

If you liked this post be sure to check our others out here! We would love to help you find your Next Home. Give us a call at (970) 507-8655 to talk to a Southwest Colorado expert! You can view our current featured listings here.