Derek and I were a part of the National Association of Realtors® Association Executive Institute presentation on “Applied Social Media” yesterday. Because of this, we had the privilege of spending the night at the Broadmoor.

We have never experienced more exceptional service than our night at the Broadmoor.

Read Also: Phoenix Real Estate Guy - Customer Service, Broadmoor Style

The Broadmoor is a 5-Star Resort Hotel that has been a rich part of Colorado Springs history since Spencer Penrose had it built in 1891, where it started out as a gambling casino.

Read More: Broadmoor Hotel History

Here are some pictures from our stay:

For more information on homes for sale near the Broadmoor, please call: 719.434.7525

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

NORAD TRACKS SANTA 2008 - Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, CO

The Colorado Springs Real Estate Connection’s Kristen Senn (Colorado Springs Military Relocation Specialist) answers the age-old question:

Where’s Santa?

That’s the question all the kids want to know on Christmas Eve.

About NORAD - “NORAD is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada.” (NoradSanta.org) Because of the large amount of of high tech monitoring devices that they have, NORAD is the BEST resource for finding out WHERE that Jolly Man will be this Christmas.

NORAD Tracks Santa - History

A little history about this tradition…..NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955 when a wrong phone number placed in local Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement had all the local kids in Colorado Springs calling NORAD to talk to Santa. The calls came into the Commander-in-Chief’s operations hotline and instead of telling them they had the wrong number he had the staff start checking the radar for his location from the North Pole.

Every year since 1955, local volunteers meet at the secret NORAD center to track Santa and answer that very popular question via phone and email for the millions of boys and girls from around the world.  Last year my husband and 2 boys volunteered to track Santa for a few hours on Christmas Eve and it’s an experience they will never forget and they are looking forward to doing again in a couple of days.

NORAD - Christmas 2008

This year the NORADSANTA.ORG website feature tracking in 7 different languages. You can track Santa in 3d via Google Earth, via your cell phone, an iGoogle Gadget, and then there is Bitz the Twittering Elf who is keeping us updated through…you guessed it, Twitter.

Track Santa With NORAD this Christmas

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

The Colorado Springs real estate market has more homes on the market than in recent years. If you are looking to SELL your home, you will have to make sure it is in the best condition possible. One way to do this is to hire a handyman to take care of some of that “To-Do” list for you.

Read Also: Colorado Springs Real Estate Answers: Why Didn’t My House Sell? Part Two: Condition

I recently received an email from a gentleman who works specifically with Colorado Springs Homeowners who are looking to sell their home.The Wagner iTeam goes out of their way to support local and family-owned businesses, so I have decided to share his information with you - our readers.

Bob Randall (aka Bob the Handyman) is a “Bonded, Insured and Honest” experienced handyman in Colorado Springs. He works for $25 an hour or will bid by the job. He is also a resource for larger referrals, like home remodels.

Knocking some of those nagging “To-Do’s” off your list can make ALL the difference when it comes to getting your Colorado Springs home ready to put on the market.

You can reach Bob the Handyman at: 719.930.3178

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

Part of the beauty of living in Colorado Springs is the ability to wear shorts AND wool coats in the Wintertime. As Colorado Springs real estate agents, we really appreciate the weather. Why? Well, because if it is too snowy to show homes on Monday, chances are Tuesday will be warm and sunny and great weather to buy a home for sale in Colorado Springs.

However, there are days when everyone in the house is going stir crazy and it is just too cold to go out hiking. For days like that, here are some suggestions.

Top 5 Family Friendly Things to Do in Colorado Springs This Winter

1. Olympic Training Center -  (FREE)
Every year thousands of Olympic hopefuls and world-class athletes train in Colorado Springs, at the Olympic Training Center. Stop by for a 15-minute film and a one-hour guided tour of the facilities. Every tour is different and is determined based off of the athletes’ training schedules. There are all kinds of great photo opportunities to include many Olympic inspired statues and the opportunity to stand by the Olympic Flame with spanning Rocky Mountain views in the distance.

Location: Central Colorado Springs - Close to the intersections of Boulder Ave and Union Blvd., just east of Memorial Hospital (main).

Tour Schedules: 1.888.659.8687 - Open Year-Round

2. Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Cowboy Museum
($5 Adults and Discounts for Seniors, Youth and Military. Young Kids are FREE)
Immerse yourself in the history and culture of an All-American sport that found it’s origins in Colorado in 1869 and is now a major spectator sport. In addition to the history rich museum with over 90 exhibits, there is the opportunity to meet a live, retired rodeo bull, a bucking bronco and a long horned steer.

Location: Northwest Colorado Springs - 101  Pro-Rodeo Drive (I-25 and Exit 147)

719.528.4764  -  Open Year Round  -  9am-5pm daily

3. Simpich Dolls (FREE)
Spend some time watching skilled artists and craftsmen create custom, storybook and holiday dolls in Historic Downtown Old Colorado City. Dolls can even be ordered and purchased at this location.

Location: Old Colorado City - 2413 W. Colorado Avenue

800.636.3272  -  Open Year Round

4. World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame
($3 Adults and Discounts for Seniors and youths. Young Kids are FREE)

Enjoy a tribute to all things figure skating - from the bone blades and leather straps of the 8th century all the way to the modern day stars of today.

Location: Southwest Colorado Springs- 20 First Street (Near the Broadmoor Hotel and the Broadmoor Brownstones)

719.635.5200 - Open Year Round - Mon-Sat 10am-4pm

Want to go Ice Skating? Check out the World Arena for daily year-round public ice-skating sessions. 719.477.2150

5. Ghost Town Museum
($6.50 for adults, discounts for seniors and youths, Young children are FREE)

Wild West fun in Colorado Springs! Walk down wooden sidewalks through a turn-of-the-century western town, pan for gold, and check out the 1867 Wells Fargo Express Concord stagecoach that used to run between Denver, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Location: Westside Colorado Springs -  400 S. 21st St. - Corner of Cimarron (HWY 24) and 21st Street - Just west of Van Briggle Pottery

719.634.0696  -  Open Year Round - Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

Read Also:

• Colorado Springs Real Estate and Area Information Links
• Colorado Springs Has A ‘TUDE! - Altitude, That Is (Dealing With Altitude Sickness)
• Who Lives in Colorado Springs?
• About Colorado Springs - Quality of Life Indicators for the Pikes Peak Region

Relocating to Colorado Springs?

Contact the Wagner iTeam for information on moving to Colorado Springs
719.434.7525

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525

The Colorado Springs Real Estate Connection is a local, Colorado Springs blog. Now, Colorado Springs is not a huge metropolis with a bunch of bloggers, so when I DO find other local Colorado Springs blogs … I check them out.

Recently, I came across a couple great Colorado Springs Art blogs.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Blog

Taken from Fine Arts Center Blog: “The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is a place for artistic discovery and entertainment, featuring a world-class museum, theatre company and arts school with exhibitions, productions and learning experiences for young and old.”

Colorado Springs Arts Blog - Gazette

This is the Gazette’s Arts Blog. Contributors include: Brian, Warren Epstein, Brian, Mark Arnest

Other Colorado Springs Arts Sites (non-blog):

• Pikes Peak Center
• Colorado Artists Guild
• The Colorado Springs Art Guild
• Colorado Springs Art Schools and Colleges

Thanks for reading our Colorado Springs Real Estate Blog!
Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Realty,
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate
Pictures of Colorado Springs
(719) 434-7525