Fireproofing Your Home with Aflecktos

Posted on April 4, 2018 by blogeditor

In 2012, 4,000+ acres in Black Forest near Colorado Springs burned. This occurred during the biggest wildfire that Colorado has ever seen. The local fire departments acted fast and contained the problem. This cost over five hundred families their homes. Nowadays, there are products out there that you can use for fireproofing your home in the event of a wildfire. Barricade II Fire Gel is one of the best out there. Recently, professionals tested and approved this fire gel for use in an array of firefighting functions.

Fireproofing Your Home

Getting your hands on some of this powerful fire-retardant gel is now extremely easy with Aflektos. Aflektos is the leading distributor of Barricade II Fire Gel in the state of Colorado. Aflektos is run by Stephen Tivy, a local that is dedicated to helping his neighbors with fireproofing and fire mitigation. Tivy is passionate about bringing the community together. He brings awareness to Colorado homeowners on how to protect themselves from wildfires. Tivy was living in Black Forest in 2013 during the fire that has left many areas blackened still to this day, therefore he has seen what can happen when homeowners do not prepare for future disasters by fireproofing your home.

Not only does Aflektos sell the Barricade II Fire Gel, but it can also provide you with the equipment to apply it to your home and property. During many wildfires, the flames spread through the crowns of the trees. With Aflektos, you are now able to pump the fire gel up into your trees where the fire spreads to stop embers from catching fire to your home. For horse owners, it is important to know how certain chemicals can potentially harm your animals. Also, you will be glad to know that the products you get from Aflektos are approved by the EPA and will not harm your horses or the plant life on your property.

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Lowering Debt Rates for Horse Owners

Posted on April 2, 2018 by blogeditor

Here is some important information about lowering debt in Colorado. We all know that horse owners have a lot of financial things to deal with. The last thing you want to worry about is debt when running a dude ranch in Denver. Credit card debt in America is back to levels prior to the recession. The average credit card annual percentage rate, or APR, is just under sixteen percent. This is according to CreditCards.com and the site’s Weekly Credit Card Report, a trusted place to get information from many agents of the real estate business.

Homeowners have an advantage over renters when it comes to conquering debt issues. With a little basic money management, you can take those higher debt rates and replace them with lower debt rates. Credit cards and assets—such as personal cars, boats, motor vehicles, and other personal property—usually have interest rates higher than that of real estate loans.

Lowering Debt Rates

How can you get a low rate of financing? Did you know that borrowing against your home typically can give you the lowest rate of financing of anything else? An advantage of borrowing against a home is that the interest could be tax deductible. You could refinance your home mortgage to take cash out to retire personal debt as one option. Another way to do this would be to secure a home equity line of credit or HELOC.

Qualified mortgage interest includes acquisition debt. This can only be used to buy or improve a principal residence. Of course, this is only up to one hundred thousand dollars of home equity debt and it can be used for any purpose. We would all certainly like to become debt-free, paying the least amount of interest that you possibly can is a great first step to meeting that goal. Owning a home provides an asset that allows for options not available to renters. Seek professional advice from your friends at Colorado Horse Property.

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Horse Property Market Value

Posted on April 2, 2018 by blogeditor

If you are selling or buying a horse property in Colorado, then you should be aware of how market value works. This explanation of the Colorado market value is simple enough, but there are certain nuisances that make it more complicated. For example, homeowners could order an appraisal before they put their home on the market. However, they would incur the expense of it themselves. Also, it can’t be used by the buyer or their lender in the home buying process.

Licensed appraisers look at Colorado market value in three ways—The market data, the replacement cost and by income. A part of being an appraiser is determining which of these three ways they will use. The replacement cost looks at what it would cost to rebuild the property. The income way uses a capitalization rate based on the net operating income of a property to determine value. The market data way relies on recent sales of similar properties nearby.

Colorado Market Value

Real estate agents use a similar approach to determine fair market value. They perform a Competitive Market Analysis or CMA. This analysis it looks at recent sales of similar properties, considering properties currently for sale and what homes actually sold. Both appraisals and Competitive Market Analysis reports have a distinct advantage. One is based on the personal opinion of a professional and the other is based on online website estimates using raw data and mathematical formulas.

Though this information is important when selling a home, it is not the “end all, be all” so to speak. Regardless of which method is used, it is just an estimate. Obviously, some estimates are more accurate based on the experience of the person making the estimate. If you need help finding an experienced appraiser that can give you accurate Colorado market value estimates, contact your friends at Colorado Horse Property today.

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Colorado Horse Travel

Posted on March 31, 2018 by blogeditor

Before doing any horse travel, go over your checklist. You don’t want to get down the road and discover you left something vital behind. Checking your list before leaving will give you time to inspect your tack and equipment. You will also have time to gather any spare items that you might need, like extra bridles and bits. Having extra is better than having none at all.

Before doing any horse travel, remember your first aid kit. Traveling with large animals can be dangerous for the animal even if you take every precaution. Make sure that all the items in your horse’s first aid kit are up to date. Also make sure that you can administer all of the items in the kit by yourself.

Horse travel is a unique challenge for horse owners.

Anticipate driving and towing challenges. There are a few things you need to know that you can do by yourself before leaving the ranch. You should be able to change a trailer tire without assistance and correctly apply a set of jumper cables to a dead battery. Even if you have done these things before, it’s always a good idea to brush up on those skills before your trip.

Always remember to review your route. You will need to be able to identify places that would be appropriate for stopping. It is important to check on your horse several times during a long trip. Knowing places to stop is also good for refueling or even handling emergency situations. Find spots along the way with parking areas and access roads spacious enough for you to comfortably maneuver and park your horse trailer. If you are not already signed up with a company that provides roadside-assistance for towing, then you should do this before leaving. If you are looking to buy a horse trailer, check out Parker Trailers, in Parker Colorado.

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Horse Property Water Tank Maintenance

Posted on March 30, 2018 by blogeditor

Water tank maintenance is an important step in caring for your horses.

Water tank maintenance isn’t as easy as it sounds. If you need help, remember these few easy steps to get you started. First, the tanks need to be emptied. Then you are going to want to scrub your water tanks clean. You should rinse tanks with a ten percent bleach solution. After that, simply rinse the tanks out two more times with regular water and you are ready to go.

With that said, there are many different water tank maintenance techniques to use for your horses. Bleach can be added to the existing water in a tank. You should use regular household bleach in the recommended quantities. These can be found on the label of the product you are using. But don’t let your animals drink as soon as you apply the bleach. There should be a waiting period prior to consumption to let the chlorine dissipate. If done correctly, this can be an effective means of disinfecting your water tanks.

How long do I wait after applying bleach to the water? Following the bleach treatment, let the water stand for at least an hour before allowing your horse to drink. In Colorado, water temperatures are more on the colder side. If the water in your tank is cold, then you should increase the waiting period to at least two hours.

If you are a horse owner, then you know that water tanks need to be cleaned frequently. The goal is to avoid toxic algae buildup and unsanitary tank conditions. Make sure to follow the right instructions. Strict adherence to recommended levels of bleach and the subsequent waiting time needs to be followed in order to avoid over application. If you are looking to buy an automatic water tank system, try High Plains Cattle Supply in Platteville.

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Home Deductibles for Horse Owners

Posted on March 30, 2018 by blogeditor

Deductibles are essential homeowner tools and here’s why.

Owning your own home is an amazing thing. You have a lot more control on what goes on in your own home. You are building up equity for your future. Owning your own home as a horse owner is even more amazing. You don’t want to be relying on a landlord when it comes to your animals. However, it is nice to know that someone has you covered in case something happens to your property and this is where deductibles come in.

The idea behind insurance is to that the risk of loss and give it to a company, and all you need to do is pay a premium. Most policies have a deductible. These reduce the amount of the claim. For more information, contact Colorado Horse Property for professional help.

Policyholders often consider higher deductibles to lower the premium. Lower deductibles mean less money out of pocket if a loss occurs but higher premiums. Higher deductibles result in lower premiums, but you bear a more significant part of the loss. Reviewing your deductible is essential. Discuss risks with your property insurance agent so that you’re familiar with the amount. Make any changes that would be appropriate before a claim is made. The FEMA website has information and frequently asked questions about flood insurance.

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Equine Herpes Virus Prevention

Posted on March 28, 2018 by blogeditor

When it comes to the equine herpes virus, you should think about what your horse is doing. Some horse owners out there may have only one horse, but many Colorado horse owners own multiple horses. In the case of multiple horses on the same ranch, you should also consider what the horses around are doing, too.

If you only have one horse, then it goes without saying that your horse is at less of a risk of contracting the equine herpes virus. Likewise, horses that only ride at your house are at less risk. Horse that leave the ranch periodically to compete and has a more social lifestyle with other horses are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Vaccinate your show horse at least seven days before a show. Two to three weeks before is even better. Some horses may have an active herpes infection and you might not even know. When you go to vaccinate them their body will react. Their legs will swell up and there is a chance they will develop a fever.

Equine Herpes Virus is very serious.

Know your horse’s baseline temperature. Monitor your horse’s temperature daily during and after a competition. Don’t share water troughs, buckets, or sponges. Don’t use communal hoses. This might sound stingy, but use your own and don’t share it to reduce your horse’s risk of contracting EHV.

Clean and then disinfect hay nets, bags, or troughs after use, and don’t share them between horses. The EHV virus can live in this type of environment for a time under ideal conditions. That can set you up for future infection. You can use any disinfectant. Even commercial household cleaners like bleach wipes can kill EHV.

Clean and disinfect areas in the trailer where a horse’s nose or nasal discharge might be. If you handle multiple horses, wash your hands before moving from one horse to the next. For more information on EHV, contact your local horse rescue center and talk to a professional Colorado horse handler.

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Exercising Your Horse

Posted on March 21, 2018 by blogeditor

Horses are essentially grazing athletes. When you own a horse you know that exercise is a very important part in the long term care of your a horse. It is not acceptable to keep horses confined in yards or stables. At least not without providing lots of opportunities for movement. With a field full of grass and zero natural predators, domesticated horses are known to gain weight and becomes lazy.

Horses can be just like a domesticated dog or cat that doesn’t get enough exercise. It is important to make sure your horse gets the right amount of horse exercise to stay healthy. Starting with the basics, horses exercise in three different maneuvers, including yielding the hindquarters, yielding the forequarters, and backing up.

Colorado Horse Exercise

Using these types of exercises are great for your horses health. It can also help you with your relationship with your animal. The more you direct your horse in the round pen and the more advanced the exercises get, your leadership skills increase. Horses will pick up on your confidence and show you more respect over time. While working with your horse, you have to prove to him that you’re worthy of being a leader, by leading him safely and showing how trustworthy you are. Make your horse comfortable by doing the right thing, because your horse will be uncomfortable if you do the wrong thing.

When your horse does what you’re asking, make him/her feel comfortable. When he ignores you or acts disrespectful, make him feel uncomfortable by adding pressure. Are you looking to relocate or retire to a beautiful horse property in the great state of Colorado? Contact Colorado Horse Property to find the perfect agent for you today.

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Colorado Horse Property Inventory

Posted on March 21, 2018 by blogeditor

This fluctuation in the Colorado home inventory goes up and down depending on supply and demand. The NAR, National Association of Realtors, defines a market as balanced when it has a six month supply of homes for sale. The National Association of Realtors is America’s largest trade association. The NAR represents 1.2 million members. These members include NAR’s institutes, societies, and councils. Members are involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Likewise, if it takes longer than six months to sell, it is thought to be a buyer’s market and less than six months, a seller’s market.

Colorado Home Inventory

When it comes to looking at the market, the inventory of existing homes has been reducing. This reduction is by approximately 1.5 million houses. This accounts for 10.3% lower than a year ago. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis there are 5.7 months’ supply of new homes currently on the market in the United States. Therefore, inventory has a direct impact on price.

When demand is constant, but inventory is reduced, price tends to increase. This is because the same number of people are trying to buy a smaller than normal number of homes. It is definitely a good think to be able to spot the direction prices will be moving, whether you are buying or selling a home. When prices and mortgage rates rise, buyers might not be able to afford the same price or size of homes. Colorado is a great state to live and raise horses. For more information on how to get a horse property, contact the professionals at Colorado Horse Property.

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Lender and Borrower Relationship

Posted on March 20, 2018 by blogeditor

For most transactions lenders and borrowers have a formal relationship. However, when the lender and borrower know each other, whether they are family or friends, is an entirely different story. The Internal Revenue Service has specific rules that govern the transaction especially when the parties know each other.

Colorado Lenders and Borrowers

For starters, the loan must be done in a business-like manner. Even though you know one another doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do everything that you would normally do. You are going to want to have a written note specifying the loan amount, interest rate, term and collateral. The Internal Revenue Service requires that the mortgage be a recorded lien to allow the interest deduction.

You may be in a situation in which you have a less than normal interest rate on your mortgage. Though this is a great thing, remember that there are restrictions on this as well. The rate charged in the note is regulated by the minimum applicable federal rate which is published monthly by IRS based on current Treasury securities. You don’t want to make any of these agencies mad, so make sure you follow the guide lines they specific as closely as you possibly can.

Your tax professional can guide the transaction whether you’re a buyer or a seller and your real estate professional can help arrange to have the documents drawn and filed. If you are looking for a lender, contact Colorado Horse Property for assistance.

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