Life Above 7000 June 2023

AC in the foothills 22

Delivered to 24,332 Homes from 1-70 to Highway 285

Bailey: 3,899

Evergreen: 10,055

Golden: 2,691

Morrison: 872

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED... REAL ESTATE ANSWERS TO (UN)COMMON QUESTIONS

Conifer: 3,976

Idledale: 156 Indian Hills: 720 Pine: 1,963

Life Above 7000 (LA7K) Homes, Lifestyle and Entertainment Up e Hill

Published by Tupper’s Team and PandoraJohnProperties at Madison & Co. Properties

1193 Bergen Parkway, Suite O/P

Evergreen, CO 80439

303-997-4050

Editor@LifeAbove7000.com

Tupper’s Team, LLC, and PandoraJohn Properties are not responsible for the content of advertisements herein, or any claims arising from them. We are a group of REALTORS® and out goal in sending this magazine is we want you to enjoy living in the foothills. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, please know this is not intended as a solicitation.

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All Things Earnest Money

Whether you are a seller or a buyer, questions regarding earnest money always seem to be top of mind. Earnest money is a contractual deposit that a buyer tenders when they go under contract on a home. If a buyer terminates within the con nes of the contract, the buyer receives the earnest money back. If the buyer terminates out of bad faith or if it is past the buyer’s ability to terminate properly, the earnest money is released to the seller.

Who determines earnest money?

e amount of earnest money is determined by the seller (but can be negotiated by the buyer). Typically, the seller will review historical data as to what comparable homes were asking and then make a decision. In our foothills market, typically 1%-2% is realistic. However, some higher-end homes will o en have higher amounts requested. In some other states, earnest money can be very low or a “ xed number” so make sure you talk to your Madison agent about what is on par for current market conditions. e earnest money will be applied to a buyer’s down payment at closing.

The buyer can get the earnest money back for almost any reason, right?

No! Buyers do have many rights in the standard contract to buy and sell whereby they can lawfully terminate the contract and receive their earnest money back. However, buyers must act in good faith and adhere to the dates in the contract. Let’s say a buyer puts down $10,000 in earnest money and while under contract on house #1, they decide they want to buy a di erent house, so they make an o er and go under contract on house #2. e buyer cannot terminate house #1 under inspection, title, or loan issues as a veil for the real reason (wanting a di erent house). A seller can argue the buyer was not acting in good faith and make a claim to the earnest money. Buyers can terminate for legitimate inspection issues, title issues and loan issues under most circumstances. But there will be a date in the contract that a er which, the buyer would forfeit their earnest money. Buyers need to make sure that they do not think they can get out of the contract for any reason, at any time.

What if the buyer terminates and the seller’s harm is greater than the earnest money?

As a seller, imagine you pack up everything, leave the house with the moving trucks, go to closing to sign papers and the buyer terminates. If the earnest money was $5000, the seller may have more actual monetary damages than the earnest money. But in the standard contract to buy and sell, the seller agrees to the earnest money as “liquidated damages” and it is the seller’s sole and only remedy as a result of the termination. ( ere is a provision for speci c performance whereby the buyer must purchase the home, but it is rarely used).

Conclusion

Earnest money is one of the sections in the contract that can get glossed over but it has important rami cations. Talk to your Madison agent about all the pros and cons. As a seller, you should understand the circumstances under which you would be entitled to the earnest money, or a portion of it. As a buyer, you need to be aware of your dates and deadlines as well as how acting in good faith can play a role in the contract.

Cover photo by Dave Masters Photography

THE FOOTHILLS MARKET BY COMMUNITY

The chart below displays housing statistics for the first 4 months of 2023. See how your neck of the woods compared to the other areas in the foothills.

Note: To all you data hounds that might compare this to the table in our last issue, you’ll notice that prices have fallen, properties take longer to sell and they are selling below asking price (on average).

THE REAL HOUSE PETS OF LIFE ABOVE 7,000

You may be wondering how I ended up looking super happy in a dog ear headband… Well, here’s to being saved from a life at low elevation. My hoomans tell me all the time that I’m “not in Kansas anymore,” and just like that, I click my paws and say, “there’s no place like home.” My name is Bindi… I have a crippling fear of the car, which, if I have to get in, results in a graphic display of bodily cra ed gra ti anywhere within several feet of my face. I also leave what my mom calls puppy glitter (hair) everywhere I go.

Anyway, my mom was very mad at me today for some reason. Someone came to the door and I got so excited to greet them that I went running down the hall. In the chaos of loving my new friend, someone/something must have smashed into Mom, making her lose balance a er her overly ambitious bag-carrying from

the store. at wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but it sent an unopened jar of pickles soaring through the air. ere was a moment of silence, and then a loud crash as glass and pickle juice rained down from the heavens and littered the freshly cleaned oor with shards of glass, pickles and the pungent scent of vinegar and cucumber. Meanwhile, my human brother started crying about the pickles being lost to the oor and Mom was rushing around like she was on the oor of the doggy ER. Well, the oor is cleaned back up, the house smells like pickles, and now my mom is sadistically laughing about my new look. I have theories as to the perpetrator for the great pickle crash of 2023, but as of now, there is no con rmation.

GUEST COLUMNIST

Bindi

Foothills Homeowner Insurance Challenges

PandoraJohnProperties recently hosted a forum on the challenges of homeowner’s insurance in the foothills. Many are seeing their policy cost go up by 50% or more, and some are even getting cancelled at renewal time. Expert panelists Bruce Anderson with Farmers Insurance, Chief Skip Sherlaw of Inter-Canyon Fire Department and State Representative Judy Amabile spoke informatively on various aspects of this issue and here is a recap of some of what we learned.

Colorado ranks #3 nationally with homes located in very high wild re risk areas, and virtually all of Je erson, Park, and Clear Creek Counties are in the “Red Zone”. According to Bruce Anderson, many insurance companies have changed their underwriting values and reduced their appetite for wild re risk a er the Marshall Fire in Boulder County in 2021. Insurance companies rank properties based on wild re risk scores. e property’s score will determine if an insurance company will be willing to insure it and at what cost. For example, one company who rates re risk from 1-30, with 30 being the riskiest, used to insure up to a 15 wild re score. is was doable for most homes in the foothills. Now the limit is 8, leaving many homes out of the insurable range, or having to go to much costlier insurance options. Factors for wild re scores include:

• e density of fuels in the immediate area

• Proximity to the primary responding re station

• Proximity to the nearest re hydrant or cistern water source

• Slope of the lot (since res move uphill)

Losses in the last few years due to res and less willingness to take on the risk are the primary reasons for increasing rates, but other important aspects of insurance rates are:

• Consumer credit report score

• Prior losses at the property location or owner losses at a prior home

• Amount of coverage

Chief Sherlaw spoke on a plethora of topics, including ways to reduce your wild re risk score, starting with the “Home Ignition Zone.” Creating and maintaining the home ignition zone will improve the likelihood of your home surviving a wild re and may help your risk score in terms of density of fuel on your property. Creating the HIZ includes clearing your roof, gutters and deck of pine needles, keeping grasses mowed to 4” or less, raking and removing pine needles from 5’ around your home and deck, removing branches that hang over the roof and chimney, eliminating junipers (compared to a roman candle!), thinning

trees and disposing of slash. CSU has published a wonderful resource. Visit this link for the complete guide. https://csfs.colostate.edu/wpcontent/ uploads/2021/04/2021_CSFS_HIZGuide_Web. pdf

Representative Judy Amabile (who represents Clear Creek, Gilpin, Larimer and Boulder counties and has dealt with many res and issues during her tenure) spoke about House Bill 231288, the “Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan”, which she has co-sponsored. e goal is to ensure that everyone has access to insurance, regardless of their property’s risk factors or location. e bill creates a nonpro t unincorporated legal entity, the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan Association, to help persons who are unable to nd coverage in the voluntary market obtain property insurance coverage for their property. is will at least provide limited coverage to residents that can’t otherwise nd a policy. is bill will have a policy cap of $750,000. It is making its way through the legislation and is expected to pass, but won’t be in place until 2024. (More info on HB23-1288 at www.leg.colorado.gov/bills/ HB23-1288)

anks to our panelists for providing such valuable information, and to our informed audience for asking great questions. Let’s do our part and hope we see a re-free summer!

e Elephant Butte Fire near downtown Evergreen on July 13, 2020

PHOTO BY JASON HAMBURG

Long-time Evergreen residents look back on how our community has evolved

We asked some of our “seasoned” local residents what were some of their oldest memories they could recall of Evergreen. Many remembered the small local food market in downtown Evergreen long before Safeway or King Soopers. Some remembered the old movie theater, and many remembered the school changes. e synopsis below will give you a taste of what some of their fond memories were.

Steve Smith

1963: Going to the first car wash (where Baskin Robbins is today) and eating pizza at Bubba’s with his Dad.

Jean Vanderbos

Remembers when there was a one-room schoolhouse down Upper Bear Creek Road for the Clear Creek County children until there was funding to bus them to the Idaho Springs school.

Marcia Younger

1962: Taught 2nd grade at Wilmot Elementary School when it opened in 1962.

Dave Rickhoff

1954: Remembers going to El Rancho in 1954 on his way to ski with friends.

Holly Goltl

Mid-1960s: Remembers living in Evergreen before I-70 was built. She could ride her donkey “Maggie” for miles on dirt roads without ever seeing another person.

Karla Briggs

Around 1963: Remembers going to the original Evergreen public library, “Miss Julia’s library”, above the Church of the Transfiguration. Inside was a doll collection belonging to Julia Brewster Douglas. Jane Kemble was the librarian.

Elevating the Art of Fine Dining

We create authentic Italian dishes, cra ed only with fresh, local ingredients. Chef changes the menu seasonally to showcase the best of the season. Our wines are Sommelier selected and make for the perfect pairing with our menus. Come dine in a sophisticated atmosphere surrounded by incredible art and live music. The unique supper club vibe delivers an exceptional dining experience!

Now open for lunch Tuesday ~ Saturday 11 am - 2 pm. Dinner service Tuesday ~ Saturday 5 - 9 pm.

For Reservations, call 303.674.6826

29011 Upper Bear Creek Rd • Evergreen, CO 80439 BistroDelLago.com

Take a lovely hike on the Burning Bear Trail

For this month’s View from the Top, we go a little farther a eld, but to a trail that is still easily accessible. We are talking about the lovely Burning Bear Trail.

Many folks start this trail on Guanella Pass, near the Burning Bear Campground, but there are two approaches and we will start it at the other end just past Grant, in the Hall Valley. Take County Road 60 o of Hwy 285 for about 3 miles. ere is a small parking area and there is rarely another car. In fact, this whole trail is wonderful for its lack of crowds.

It’s great to start at this end if you are doing the full round trip (it’s 5.5 miles one way), as the steepest part is the rst 1.5 miles from Hall Valley. e trail starts at 9,500 . at this end, and tops out at 10,800 .

Once the trail levels o , you will be in a heavily wooded area with lots of shade, aspen groves, and with some small stream crossings. You then come to a large open area. It seems unusual, and it is.

is area was cleared during the building of the Robert’s Tunnel from the Dillon Reservoir. ere are also a couple of very old cabins here which are fun to check out.

As you get closer to Guanella Pass, you come across the big beautiful natural meadow. is meadow is great for moose sightings, especially early in the morning or at dusk. According to my friend and frequent hiker on this trail, Pat Meyer, there are o en mushroom foragers in this area too.

Campsites can be found as well, with some lovely spots near the various streams. If you do start at the Guanella Pass trailhead, this could be an easy out and back if you just go to the ridge summit, or even easier if taking out of town guests and you just walk the meadow. It’s gorgeous and very at for about 1.5 miles.

Beautiful meadows, wildlife, shade, aspens and a non-crowded trail make Burning Bear a real treat!

Trail: #601 Pike National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ psicc/recarea/?recid=12916

Tupper Briggs and John Erlandson

JE. We’ve been spoiled, Tup. Pandora & I came into this business ten years ago when properties were beginning to sell again after the Great Recession of ‘08 and the subsequent slow recovery years. We have known only the bull market, never an ebb but continuous and steady flow. You, on the other hand, have lived through market ups and downs and I’m sure, have wise words of wisdom for us in these changing times. What say ye?

TB. Yep, Tupper’s Team and I have been through a few market downturns. While no one enjoys a drop-off in business, we’ve found that recessions are just challenges waiting to be conquered. People move because their lives change: their families grow, their kids move away, their jobs change, etc. Those, not interest rates, are what drive real estate transactions and we’re here to help our clients through those transitions whenever they occur.

JE. Some would say that mercury is in retrograde, and who knows, maybe it is, but up here in God’s Country, we continue to put properties under contract. Yes, we are feeling a slow-down, but remain optimistic about our prospects for a good year. We continue to list amazing homes, and this year we have a long line of buyers waiting for just the right property to come along. What is Tupper’s Team experiencing, and what are your projections for the near and extended future?

TB. Ever since the 2008-2012 Great Recession, there’s been a national shortage of homes in the U.S. because builders were cautious. That lack of housing supply exists to this day, and it affects the foothills market even though we don’t have a lot of new construction activity. There are more buyers than sellers, and that will prop up the market for years to come.

JE. It came up in our last Madison staff meeting that well cared-for houses are seeing multiple offers and going under contract quickly, while others were experiencing longer days on the market and price reductions. Can you speak to that?

TB. Tupper’s Team is seeing the same thing. As long as homes are priced fairly given the competition from other similar house listings, they sell. And the updated/remodeled properties are, like always, selling at a premium.

JE. We are watching interest rates come down and appear to be stabilizing. Do you have a crystal ball and can you encourage our long list of Buyers?

TB. Economists are the experts who will understand tomorrow why what they said yesterday didn’t happen today, so I can’t say. Real estate is cyclical but invariably ends up higher after every five years, so we’re optimistic about the future. Housing has always proven to be an excellent long-term investment. Forward-thinking buyers know that.

JE. We, at PJP (Patrick, Jenna, Pandora & John), are grateful for what you and the Team have done for us at Madison & Co. We benefit every day from working beside you all. And we really do become who we hang with… that’s a good thing. You ‘da best!

TB. And Tupper’s Team is honored that PJP joined us at Madison & Co. We’re a good fit for each other!

To Survey or Not to Survey – (that is the question)?

When it comes to purchasing a house, getting a survey is very important. But when is it required versus desired?

In most transactions, a survey is not required by lenders or title companies. is is true for many straightforward lot/block legal descriptions. O entimes, a buyer can get a general feel for the property lines on smaller parcels. However, when it comes to larger parcels, properties that have been subdivided or some “red- agged” areas, title companies may require a version of a survey before they close the transaction. Depending on the type of surveys, some of the items they can reveal include:

1. e fence line is not the property line

2. “Your” shed is on the neighbor’s land

3. Neighbor’s driveway is on your property

4. A well or septic isn’t on the property

5. Easements - including recorded rights of others

In older neighborhoods, some properties were added onto before building permits were issued so a detached garage might not be on the correct property, or the neighborhood roads may go right through your land.

Buyers can start by talking to a local surveyor to investigate the types, timing, and overall need for a survey. Over the past few years, obtaining a survey has become more of a challenge as it can take weeks or even months

to complete and market conditions o en demand a buyer close faster than this. Keep in mind that most of the time when adding a fence or adding onto a home, you will need some form of a survey. So getting one before closing is optimal.

For sellers, obtaining a survey now might be a good idea. It can uncover unknown problems that you would have time to cure. It can also be a good marketing strategy, so buyers have a better understanding of where the lot lines are and avoid questions and possible closing delays.

ere are di erent types of surveys ranging from a drawing on paper with estimated lot lines to more precise (and expensive) surveys where the corners are agged by a surveyor. We can help get you started on what you need and then put you in touch with a survey expert who can take it to the next level.

So, while you might not need a survey in order to close on a home, surveys are important and can help avoid surprises a er closing. When time allows, it is better to survey than to not.

Assessments, Appraisals and CMAs, oh my!

What’s my home really worth?

County property assessments, appraisals and Realtors’ Competitive Market Analyses (CMAs) all purport to value your home, but they are rarely the same. Here’s why.

Assessments

In every odd year, your county assessor revalues your property based on recent home sales in your neighborhood during the 24 months (or 18 months in Park County) preceding June 30th of the year before –called the audit period. For example, this year’s reassessments will be based on sales that took place between July 1, 2020 (or January 1, 2021 for Park County) and June 30, 2022.

e reassessment is based on comparing your property’s characteristics, like room count, oorplan, age and square footage to other nearby properties that sold during the audit period. e updated value is further adjusted for di erences in nished vs. un nished square footage, basement con guration, lot size, garage facilities, date of sale and more.

If this all sounds complicated, it is. e assessor is charged with valuing every property in the county without actually seeing them, so the sheer scale of their job requires an elaborate computer program using regression analysis to take the di erent property characteristics into consideration to determine a fair value for your real estate. It’s a huge undertaking and it relies on abundant data about every property in the county. Also, their gure is as of June 30th of the year before, not the date you are noti ed of your new assessment.

e new assessed value is then used to calculate the property taxes that will be levied on your real estate the following year. For example, this year’s

new assessment will be multiplied by your area’s mill levy to arrive at your property taxes for 2024.

But is the assessment an accurate estimate of what your property might sell for in the current market? Not necessarily.

Appraisals

Lenders and courts prefer appraisals to support value because they are rendered by state-licensed appraisers following speci c protocols to compare sold properties to your real estate. Instead of looking at sales that occurred before June 30th of last year, appraisers rely on more recent data–preferably within the last 90 days–and they select the most comparable properties to the subject property to assure that their valuation is more accurate.

ey adjust for di erences like the assessor does, but narrow their purview more speci cally than the asses-

sor. Because they visit the home, they have the bene t of using subjective information, like views, the setting, the condition of the home, updating/ remodeling and more, that the assessor does not have access to.

A shortcoming is that they o en do not actually visit the comparable homes that they use in their analysis. ey use MLS statistics, their familiarity with the market and comments from listing brokers to rate how closely the sold properties are to the subject they’re appraising.

CMAs

So, how does a Realtor’s CMA di er from an appraisal? Perhaps the following helps explain it.

If you wanted to know how long it would take to get from Evergreen to DIA, an appraiser would use posted speed limits along the way as criteria to calculate your drive time. ey

would assume you obeyed tra c laws and drove at legal speeds to arrive at their estimate.

A Realtor, on the other hand, would want to know when you intended to make the trip.

Using their experience as someone who made the journey at di erent times on di erent days, they would adjust for rush hour delays, construction slowdowns and so forth to extend your drive time or anticipate that tra c might actually move 5-10 mph faster without congestion to shorten their estimate if you were traveling early on Sunday morning.

In the same way, Realtors look at your price range and recent buyer interest in your particular neighborhood to increase or decrease their estimate of what the market might bear. ey look at sold homes like the appraiser, but expand their purview to include current listings – how they compare to your home, how long they’ve been on the market, etc.- to determine how sti your competition might be.

A Realtor uses their familiarity with homes (having seen the other sold and currently listed properties rsthand) and their up-to-date knowledge of market activity to pinpoint a price that accurately re ects what the market will bear. And they may provide a price range rather than a speci c price, due to their respect for the market dynamics at play.

Assessments and appraisals have their place, but a knowledgeable, experienced Realtor’s CMA looks at both sold & actively listed properties and considers current market conditions to determine your home’s real value if you were to list it today.

WHAT’S GOIN’ ON Music, Events & Arts Calendar

PandoraJohnProperties ... For the Arts!

6/24 Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) Night in the Park Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, Evergreen5 - 9 pm

6/28 Evergreen Concert Series | Open: Kyle O’Brien & Friends Headliner:

Field, Evergreen 10 am - 6 pm

6/17 Evergreen Rodeo Parade | Main Street Evergreen, 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

6/17- Evergreen Rodeo | Rodeo Grounds

6/18 Gates open 2 pm Sat & 11am Sun

6/23 Boogie House Concert w/Sirsy for CAE, 6 - 9 pm Check out Boogieatthebarn.com for details

6/24- Bailey Days Old West Fest | Main Street

6/25 Sat 10 am - 8 pm & Sun 10 am - 3 pm, Bailey

6/24 Baritone Steven Taylor | Center Stage Evergreen, 7:30 pm

6/24 Evergreen Sustainability Spring Clean Recycling

Evergreen Lutheran Church, 10 am - 2 pm

8/5 Dam Duck Derby | Downtown Evergreen Evergreen 11 am – 3 pm

8/9 Evergreen Concert Series | Open: Jax Jordening Headliner: Cass Clayton Band Evergreen Lake House, Evergreen 4 - 8 pm

8/11- Rocky Mountain Folks Festival | 3-day Music Fest

8/13 Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons CO

8/14 Kids Triathlon | Buchanan Rec Center Evergreen 9 am

8/17 Bryce Menchaca Concert | Center for the Arts

7 - 9 pm, CAE Evergreen

8/19 Boogie at the Ranch | Details to come Visit www.boogieatthebarn.com for tix

8/19- Golden Fine Arts Festival

8/20 11th Street from Arapahoe to Maple 10 am - 5 pm

8/24- 130 for $130 Fundraising Exhibition

9/15 Center for the Arts, Evergreen

8/25- Epic Improv Comedy Summer

8/26 Center Stage, Evergreen 7:30 pm

8/26- Evergreen Fine Arts Festival

8/27 Buchanan Fields, Evergreen 10 am - 5 pm

Melanie Warsinske has made a name for herself. True, I and we have known her as Mel Nuchols, most often accompanied by husband Dan, and old-timey Evergreenites remember well the contributions she has made up here as Evergreen Chamber President, Leadership Evergreen Board President, Seniors Resource Center Marketing/PR Director, and Mountain Resource Center Fund Development Director.

All the while she was honing her craft, but her real claim to fame came when she decided to go full-time as an artist in 2019, and display to the world, excellence in abstract art. Her works are truly unique and yet, as with all the great ones, there is an unmistakable consistency. You will know a ‘Melanie Warsinske‘ when you experience one.

A ’76 graduate from Texas Tech University with a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), Mel honed her craft participating in ‘Parade of Homes’ shows upon moving here, as well as becoming a regular at Evergreen’s OPEN DOOR STUDIO Tours. Her influences include Mark Rothko, whose large fields of color and depth stir emotion within, and renowned artist and mentor, Tadashi Hayakawa, who has encouraged more freedom of expression and looseness in her work, pushing her as she states, “beyond my self-imposed limitations.” Mel’s art can always be seen at Denver’s Mirada Fine Art Gallery (note ‘Embrace’ Opening May 20 & Exhibition thru June 25), as well as in homes and businesses in Evergreen, Denver, Santa Fe, Park City, Arizona, California, Washington and regions beyond. -JohnE.

JC-73 Roadway Improvements (Buffalo

Park Road to Plettner Lane) Evergreen, CO 80439

Courtesy of the Je erson County Public Improvements Webpage: www.je co.us/ Blog.aspx?IID=100

Project Description:

Je erson County is planning improvements to JC-73 between Bu alo Park Road and Plettner Lane, downtown Evergreen, beginning mid-2023.

Benefits to the public will include:

Safety enhancements to the intersection of Bu alo Park Road and JC-73:

1. Le Turn Lanes

2. A Concrete Pedestrian Trail

3. Drainage and Flood Controls

4. Bridge Replacements at Cub Creek

e project will be funded in part with a grant of $8.75 million from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Je erson County’s share is estimated to be $2.19 million.

Project Schedule:

Preliminary design and public outreach e orts were conducted throughout 2021. Final design is nearly complete and currently undergoing state and federal agency

review. A public meeting was held on April 18, 2023 at Evergreen High School.

Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2023 and continue into 2025. Construction is planned to progress from Plettner Lane to Bu alo Park Road in several phases. Tra c impacts should be expected throughout the construction project as JC-73 is reduced to a single lane, on and o , during daytime and evening work activities. Two lanes of tra c will be maintained during the peak hours of 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Stakeholder Engagement Process:

Public involvement and feedback provided in 2021 were incorporated in the nal design. Je erson County will continue to develop a public information plan to implement during construction. E orts are currently underway to identify and incorporate the needs of Evergreen Schools, Evergreen Fire Department, Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce, Evergreen Parks

Crutches for Africa

You see them at garage sales… walkers, canes and crutches, or perhaps you have some sitting in your garage ready to be thrown out. Dave Talbot saw a need while in Uganda in 2005. As a survivor himself of polio, he saw people who also survived the disease, or had other crippling conditions, and needed crutches. Many literally walked on their hands and knees, or used crooked tree branches for canes. He realized that many people in the USA have lightly-used and no-longer-needed mobility devices from twisted ankles, accidents or operations. He put the two together – surplus equipment and people in need, and founded Crutches for Africa in 2006. It’s such a simple, logical but beautiful concept!

and Recreation, the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce, and area businesses. e information plan will focus on ways to: (1) Reduce tra c congestion, (2) Communicate planned work events, and (3) accommodate re and emergency response. is plan will be implemented and re ned throughout construction.

Evergreen Lake North Trail Project:

Information Courtesy of EPRD Evergreen Park & Recreation District, City & County of Denver, Je erson County, Colorado Department of Transportation and ESCO.

Je erson County is coordinating with Evergreen Metro District and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to mitigate the tra c impacts from construction of Evergreen Lake North Trail Project on JC-73 and CO-74.

NON-PROFIT HIGHLIGHT

Crutches for Africa collects mobility devices of all kinds and ships them in large containers the size of a semi-truck around the world. To date, 195,000 devices have been shipped! In the last year ve containers have been sent, two to Nigeria, and one each to Pakistan, Kenya, Uganda and El Salvador, with almost 5,000 devices in each container. Dave and his wife Candice, who head Crutches for Africa along with volunteers, have partnerships in each country to manage the distribution of the mobility devices. ey are given out for free to all who need them. Collections are taken in the Denver area, including the foothills, as well as several other cities around the country. Crutches for Africa has a strong partnership with our local Foothills Mountain Rotary, and members of the Rotary, along with other groups and

volunteers, help collect and distribute the crutches, walkers, canes and other devices that make such a di erence to people in developing countries.

Crutches for Africa also relies on many churches, groups, sports teams and individual volunteers to organize drives for mobility devices. ey also depend on individual donations. Today it costs almost $9,675 to send one shipping container. Dave is incredibly passionate about his work, and has a goal to reach one million mobility devices, and beyond of course!

Find out more about this small but mighty organization at www.crutches4africa.org or email Dave at c4a@crutches4africa.org

Project Overview

Construction began the north trail improvement project on Evergreen Parkway along the northeast portion of Evergreen Lake. e project will replace an existing so -surface trail on the north side of Evergreen Lake, as well as the wall supporting the trail. e improvement will create two new trails: An accessible, multi-use, concrete Upper Trail (near the road level); and a pedestrian-only, out-and-back, so -surface Lower Trail (lake level) with bump-outs for shing and observation. e project will include improvements to drainage, roadway characteristics, and support infrastructure at and near the project site.

The foothills housing market has been dragged down along with the national downturn engineered by the Fed. Listings are down because sellers are reluctant to exchange their 3% mortgages for 6% mortgages and sales are down as some buyers move to the sidelines due to the rising interest rates. But the Average Selling Price’s decline seems to be a ected more by the fact that fewer high-end properties sold this year compared to 2022, which brings that statistic down. Call Madison & Co. Properties to nd out why it is still a smart decision to buy or sell a home in today’s market.

303-997-4050

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by Anne Vickstrom mawecs2citall@gmail.com

Energetic doesn’t even come close to describing this 51-year-old father of two, husband, long-time Evergreen business owner, and gymnastics coach. e best part of his energy? He gives it to his – and our – community.

Tabor Cowden, owner of e Woodcellar Bar & Grill, coaches the University of Colorado Men’s Gymnastics, the Evergreen Cougars Girls’ Gymnastics, and his Junior Olympics club team Pinnacle Gymnastics that coaches 250 boys and girls from pre-school age to high school seniors. He has served as the state director for men’s gymnastics for four years.

Tabor has been involved with gymnastics his entire life. As a competitive gymnast, he won numerous state, regional, and national titles. With his father leading the way as his coach, he received a full ride to Penn State University in 1991. A er a serious injury in which he broke his neck, he ultimately graduated from Cal Berkeley where he helped lead the Bears back to a NCAA team championship in 1997. He has the unique distinction of competing for both Penn State and Cal in a NCAA team championship in the 90s.

Tabor doesn’t slow down. In his 30s when he was living back in his former hometown of Rochester, New York he owned twelve restaurants. Not originally intending to get back into the restaurant business, Tabor tells of an evening in Evergreen. “We had come up from Denver about 9:00 on a Friday night. e only places open were bars. I saw a need in our small town for the type of environment e Woodcellar o ers - family-friendly, music,” without a bar environment. Tabor has worked to create a place

that “caters to people my age.” He knows what parents of Evergreen students want and he delivers a wholesome, safe place to gather with friends. “We really want to embrace the community.”

In addition to coaching and running a restaurant, he recently purchased the Evergreen Athletic Center, formerly Nick’s Pro Fitness. As he balances family, a restaurant, and moving his business into the new location – which demands signi cant remodeling constructionhe also needs to travel with athletes to compete around the nation.

Excited to move Pinnacle Gymnastics to the Evergreen Athletic Center, a challenge while keeping qualifying athletes on their training tracks, Tabor understands the demand on parents and understands he can lighten the load. “Parents of recreational students during the 60-90 minutes of their children’s training o en sit in the lobby to get some work done but now in the new space, they can have a steam, sauna, or take a yoga class or work out.” Working to accommodate his community seems to be one of his goals.

Tabor is excited about not only altering the indoor space, but also the outdoor back lawn. “We can rent out to the community for sports and special events. We’ll have sports camps so that parents have some summertime resources.” He’s working to succeed in business, while bene ting the folks of Evergreen.

During Covid, Tabor worked to accommodate the locals. “We had big plastic sheets set up, creating ve di erent areas; we followed the protocols.” Each athlete had their own space, and while masked, they were able to keep training. “At the end of the day, parents said it was the best; kids were able to safely see

friends and work out.” In a time when so many locked-down students were holed up, Tabor’s e orts paid o not only with physical training but helping with the mental health of his athletes and their families.

At e Woodcellar, “We had lines out the door for Friday night sh fry pick up. ere was such amazing community support, it almost brings tears to my eyes. We were just so happy to have ten seconds (of interaction), masked, but at least some kind of human interaction.”

Tabor and his wife Laura have two children, Treyce (16) and Taya (14). “ ey’re both great gymnasts.” He laughed and added, “When ‘dad’ needed to watch them they were in a gym.” Of course, the Cowdens also spend as much time as possible skiing on the slopes and hiking the mountains around Colorado.

“ ere’s a yin and a yang and a balance when working with people to make it a win- win for everyone.” Having Tabor Cowden a part of our mountain community is de nitely a win.

Tabor and Laura Cowden

PHOTO BY DAVE MASTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Meet Tupper’s Team THE FOOTHILLS TOP REALTORS®

Peg Schroeder

•Peg grew up in Colorado skiing, hiking, running.

•She was heavily involved with children in Jefferson County while her kids were in school.

•Peg believes every day is a great day and an opportunity to make a positive difference in home-buyers’ and home sellers’ lives.

•Peg has many friends who are past clients because she cares deeply that they are happy beyond the purchase or sale of their home.

•Her goal is to be a good listener and make the transaction a smooth part of the bigger picture: turning the page on a new chapter of their lives.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT PEG:

“Kind, thoughtful, sel ess. Works hard & tirelessly for her family & clients”

Cell: 303-885-4404 Peg@TuppersTeam.com

Tupper Briggs

THE FOUNDER OF TUPPER'S TEAM

Tupper began his real estate career in 1973 which means this year, he’s celebrating 50 years in the industry! Over the years, Tupper has earned every accolade from the National Association of REALTORS®, as well as state and local boards. He continues to be a mentor and the “go-to guy” for all things foothills real estate.

THE TEAM’S COMMENTS ABOUT TUPPER: Mentor | Father Figure | My Friend | Human Hummingbird | A Man with Grace | I Love Tupper | Stellar Reputation | Genuinely Good Person | Savvy Business Person | Generous | Friend to Us All | He is a Friend of the Foothills, and a Friend of Mine | Everyone He Meets is a Friend

(720) 248-8757 Tupper@TuppersTeam.com

Jennifer Trinco

•Jennifer is a proud Colorado native, and there is no place else she’d rather live!

•She started in real estate in 1989 as an escrow of cer with a local title insurance company.

•Then worked as Tupper’s Closing Coordinator, so she’s seen it from the inside out. She saw the difference between mediocre service and sterling service and ached to have direct contact with clients so she could provide the latter.

•She loves helping nice people nd the homes of their dreams and, in the process, making new friends and neighbors.

•Honored by the clients who come back and refer their friends to her, she knows that she’s doing her job correctly if she makes the transaction look easy and smooth.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT JENNIFER: “Loyal, deeply knowledgeable, devoted to her clients. The team’s rst partner”

Cell: 720-989-1180

Jennifer@TuppersTeam.com

Alice Carmody

•After moving to Colorado in 1993 and working at a title company, she pursued a career in real estate.

•Since 1995, she has immersed herself in many aspects of real estate. Through the years she has assisted clients and watched their goals come to fruition.

•She is attentive to her clients’ needs and maintains a high level of expertise.

•Clients return to Alice year after year because of her knowledge in the industry and her commitment to being a strong negotiator.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT ALICE:

“Alice can spin more plates in managing her business & family than anyone I know”

Cell: 303-588-0530

Alice@TuppersTeam.com

Carrie Hurich

•Carrie grew up in the foothills as part of a hard-working family, where she learned the value of a strong work ethic.

•She began selling homes specializing in short sales and saw that selling real estate is more than a transaction, it’s about a new chapter in people’s lives.

•She listens carefully to her clients’ needs and works diligently to guide them to a positive, successful outcome.

•Carrie is organized, detailed and tenacious when it comes to serving her clients.

•Since joining the team, she now also works as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Madison while continuing to provide her clients top-notch service.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT CARRIE: “Innovative, organized, a natural-born leader, and a tech wiz. Our youngest partner”

Cell: 720-437-9889 Carrie@TuppersTeam.com

Matt Bachus

•Matt is from the Midwest where a strong work ethic is important and, just like in Colorado, the people are down-to-earth and friendly.

•Dedication to every detail is what you can expect from Matt.

•What he most enjoys about real estate is meeting and helping people- counseling and guiding those he works with so the process is stress-free.

•Matt also believes everyone is a VIP- he’ll “roll out the red carpet” for each and every client.

•A positive attitude and commitment to work until the job is done help him have more fun and exceed the expectations of his clients.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT MATT: “Gifted with a head for the business and we can always count on him for a good laugh”

Cell: 720-644-9363

Matt@TuppersTeam.com

Dana Bossert

•Dana comes from a hard-working Midwestern family. She grew up with a strong work ethic and strong family values.

•She works hard to earn the trust of her clients and gets satisfaction out of dayto-day and face-to-face contact.

•Being a good listener is important to her so she can zero in on what her clients are searching for.

•She’s been told she’s easy-going and not pushy- and she’s proud of that.

•A positive attitude helps her clients to stay focused on nding the perfect home.

TUPPER’S COMMENTS ABOUT DANA:

“Has a dry sense of humor, our resident Martha Stewart with an incredible eye for design that can help her clients see the potential of their dream home”

Cell: 720-989-1244

Dana@TuppersTeam.com

Air Conditioning in the Foothills

Few of us in the foothills have air conditioning, but it’s something more of us are starting to think about. From a real estate perspective, you can bet every buyer from Texas and Florida and in-between can’t believe our houses don’t have air conditioning! It’s our job as real estate agents to educate buyers on the way we cool our houses. We make ample use of the cool evening breezes, blinds, fans, good insulation and windows. However, the reality is that sometimes those options are no longer enough for optimum comfort during the summer months. Installing air conditioning is also one of the best return on investments when you sell your home.

Options for air conditioning are many, and e ciency and aesthetics have improved over the years too.

Central Air Conditioning: is is perhaps the most popular option for homeowners across the country, but not quite as popular in the foothills. We don’t always need whole house air conditioning, as it might just be those second level rooms that get too warm. But some prefer it and this type of system also helps with pollen and dust. Central air conditioning consists of a compressor unit located outside and an air handler located inside the home. Ductwork is used to distribute cool air throughout

the house. If your mountain home already has ductwork in place from gas forced air heat, this option can be relatively easy to install. However, many of us here have baseboard hot water or electric baseboard heat, and ductwork needs to be added which complicates the process. is can be quite costly.

Ductless Mini-Split Systems: ese systems have become popular and are a great option for mountain homes that don’t have ductwork. e system is quite exible since it can be used to cool all or part of the home. Mini-split systems consist of an outdoor compressor unit and one or more indoor air handlers. ey are mounted on the wall or ceiling and are connected to the outdoor unit by a small conduit. Mini-split systems are known for their energy e ciency and exibility since you can choose which rooms to install the air handler. is homeowner recently obtained local quotes for a two-room air handler system, and quotes ranged from $18,000 to $24,000.

Window/Wall Air Conditioners: Ultimately this homeowner went with a window air conditioner. ey aren’t as pretty, but look much better than the old style, and are much more a ordable. In this case, it was the best option for cooling an upper-level primary suite that didn’t have good ventilation and became

too hot in the summer. is application is easiest to install as well, albeit more complex when installed in a wall. Window air conditioners consist of a single unit that is mounted in a window or through a hole in the wall. ey work by drawing warm air from the room, cooling it, and then blowing it back into the room. Window air conditioners aren’t well suited for large rooms and open living spaces, but can be great for smaller closed-o spaces, such as bedrooms or o ces. e cost of a window AC unit is $450 and up for an 8000 BTU window unit, plus the cost of installation. All of

these units are quieter and more energy e cient than the units of old.

ere is nothing like a cool mountain summer breeze coming through our nighttime windows, but times are a changing and a little AC may be just the right addition during the hottest times of the year. Be sure to do your research, consult with a professional and obtain several quotes before making the move!