Snow Removal

How To Shovel Your Deck, The Right Way!

Snow shoveling is something most Coloradoans are very familiar with, especially in Pagosa Springs! While it seems fairly straightforward, shoveling 3 feet of snow off of your deck can be difficult if you don’t know how to do it! Below are some guidelines that will make your Winter Chores a breeze!

Snow Shoveling

Before It Snows:

  1. Inspect your deck for lifted nails or screws. These can catch on your shovel or shoes while you are shoveling. Not fun!
  2. Move anything below the edges of your deck. Snow will pile up over time; you don’t want your snow blower buried in snow under the deck!
  3. Put your snow shovels where you can easily access them after it snows.

After It Snows:

  1. For Light Snow, the best way to clear your deck is actually to sweep it with a broom! A regular corn broom works great for this, and wont snag on the wood. This method is great because it won’t scratch your decks finish like a snow shovel could. If you want to kick it up a notch, a good leaf blower can also take care of light snow on your deck!
  2. Shovel Parallel To the decking. Shoveling snow into the edges of your deck boards will tear the decking up. It will also make it much harder to clear snow, as you will get caught on the edges more often than not.
  3. If your deck has an ice problem, do not chop the ice with a shovel! The best way to cure an icy deck is with ice melt. There are many types to choose from, some are even pet safe! So shop around and find an ice melt that best suits your application. This is good to have on hand anyways! Sprinkling ice melt on your deck after shoveling will ensure no ice forms on the newly cleared surface.
  4. Make Hot Chocolate and admire your work! It is really that easy to properly clear your deck!

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t buy or sell a house! Give us a call today at (970) 507-8655 to talk to a real estate professional. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook to keep up to date with NextHome events and Virtual Open House videos!

Giving Trees

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

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
  • 12 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 12 cup vegetable shortening, softened
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 34 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 34 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°. Combine 1 12 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

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!

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

NextHome Thanksgiving

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

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!

Beat The Cold!

Pagosa Escape Zone

Escape Zone
Photo: Pagosa Escape Zone

If you’re looking for things to do out of the cold, Pagosa Escape Zone should be on your list! The escape zone features rooms with 3 scenarios to choose from and each room is sanitized between bookings for covid safety. The goal for each room is simple… Escape!

While they do change regularly, the current escape scenarios are:

Escape Zone

  • Treasure of the Rocky Mountains – “In 2010 an 86 year old multi-millionaire named Forrest Fenn buried over $2,000,000 worth of treasure in the Rocky Mountains of North America – the only clue to the location of his treasure is a riddle in the form of a poem…you have 60 minutes…DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to find the treasure and “ESCAPE” before time runs out???”

Escape Zone

  • Jimmy Buffet Themed Beach Party – “Come join our beach party where you and your team of 2 to 8 people have 60 minutes to find Jimmy Buffett’s lost shaker of salt and ESCAPE before time runs out. You may not want to leave this tropical paradise once we lock you in…DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES???”

Escape Zone

  • Krampus – “You and your group of 4 to 8 people have 60 minutes to decipher clues, find codes and solve puzzles in order to ESCAPE before Krampus returns and makes you his next victims…DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES???”

The Pagosa Escape Zone is the perfect spot to have fun with friends, spend time with family, or even host a team building event for your business! Located next to Mountain Pizza downtown for easy access, this is an awesome place to warm up after a day of skiing! Check the Pagosa Escape Zone website for more information! Don’t forget to like NextHome RMR on Facebook! If you would like to talk to a NextHome real estate expert, give us a call at (970) 507-8655. We would love to help you find your Next Home!

Beat The Cold!

Smoken Moe’s Unreal BBQ

Smoken Moe's
Photo Courtesy: smokenmoesunrealbbq.com

Smoken Moe’s Unreal BBQ was established in 2006 in Ignacio, CO and moved to Pagosa Springs in 2012. Known for some of the best BBQ this side of Texas, Smoken Moe’s is a great place to beat the cold and sit down for a warm meal! Moe’s offers pit-smoked barbeque smothered in signature sauces, perfect to warm you up! They also offer catering and you can even order food by the pound to bring the barbeque home! The menu has plenty of options, so you are sure to find something great to eat!

Smoken Moe's
Photo Courtesy: smokenmoesunrealbbq.com

With everything going on in the world, it is more important than ever to support your local businesses! Whether you’re going out to a local restaurant for lunch or buying gifts for Christmas, shopping local helps your community thrive and grow. If you would like to talk to one of our real estate experts, give us a call at (970) 507-8655! You can also like us on Facebook for NextHome RMR updates!

Wolf Creek Pass

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!