HOMELESSNESS

Participants in the program attend weekly check-in meetings where they update the court on their lives. During these meetings, participants are also given the opportunity to speak with resource navigators who can help connect them with many resources, including housing, food and clothing.

Housing navigators from Je erson County and the City of Arvada are available to participants, as are resources from Community Table Food Bank and other local aid organizations. e program currently has approximately 120 participants, with 40 participants attending on a weekly basis. Since January 2021, the program has seen 10 graduates. Graduating from the program looks di erent for each participant, but typically they no longer bene t from the resources o ered by One Small Step, meaning they have homes and are employed.

O cer Chris Humphrys, who is on Arvada Police Department’s CORE team — which deals most frequently with the city’s homeless population — believes the program helps to connect unhoused people in Arvada with resources they need and holds them accountable to achieving their goals.

When he gives tickets that enroll people in the program, Humphrys knows they’re facing help — not punishment.

“ e consequence for this ticket is getting o the street,” Humphrys said. “...No ne. ere’s no jail time, if you comply with the program. You’re just taking the literal one small step. We work with folks to try to get them plugged into the resources. When they come back next week, they tell us about the progress they’ve made.”

However, the support doesn’t stop at graduation. Humphrys mentioned one recent graduate of the program, who now works concessions at the Pepsi Center, continues to come every week to connect with the community created by One Small Step.

“You don’t have to keep coming if you don’t want to, but we’re happy to see you every week,” Humphrys said to the graduate. “And they were

What Are Some of the Common Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Selling?

I received an editorial submission on this topic, and it’s a good one, but I have my own points to make. The subheads are his, the paragraphs are mine.

Overpricing Your Home: We all make this mistake at times. The important thing is to take quick action. You know it’s overpriced when there are few or no showings and no offers. Don’t wait— reduce the price immediately or risk it becoming “stale.”

Neglecting Necessary Repairs: But what’s necessary? A furnace at the end of its expected life may be needed, but it’s not going to generate more showings or offers. Leave it as an issue to be brought up at inspection. Call it “lipstick on a pig” if you want, but I favor spending money on making your home more appealing visually to buyers, starting with your lawn care/landscaping and the exterior look of your home.

Follow-up on Recirculation Systems for Water Heaters

A reader from Arvada pointed out that it’s possible to have a hot water recirculation system on a tankless water heater. (I said you could only do this with a tank water heater.) Thanks for the correction.

He also disputed my recommendation of installing such a system saying the convenience could be costly in terms of electricity used by the recirculation pump.

However, none of my three installations of a recirculation line required the installation of a pump because the water heater was in my unfinished basement and the hot water naturally rose through the pipe circuit to the rooms above. A tankless system does require a pump, making it inefficient.

I focus on what I call “eyesores”: things that draw negative attention from a visitor to your home — carpet stains or noticeable wear; hardwood that badly needs refinishing; damaged countertops, etc. You get the idea. Note: the further the eyesore is from the front door, the less serious it is. The buyer has already fallen in or out of love with your house by the time he or she notices the shag carpeting in the basement bedroom. They are not going to change their minds by then.

Poor Home Staging/Presentation: I provide a free home staging consultation because this is so important. Decluttering and thinning your possessions is the one improvement that costs almost nothing. If you don’t want to do this, I’ll refer you to another Realtor and get a referral fee! I want my sellers to appreciate the importance of “looking good.”

Mistakes in Marketing/Listing: This is why you should use Golden Real Estate! We don’t skimp on marketing, as you have probably noticed. We do only magazine quality HDR photos using a professional photographer. We do narrated video tours with drone footage. Our “for sale” signs are classy and have solar powered lights. (And we make sure our signs are vertical.) We purchase a website URL for every listing. And we do all this whether it’s an inexpensive condo or a multi-million dollar home. Oh, yes, we also have this newspaper ad in the Denver Post plus three weekly newspapers which puts our listings in front of over 200,000 people who still read!

Just Listed: 3-BR Bungalow in Denver’s Park Hill

One piece of marketing that costs the agent only time, not money, is to complete ALL MLS data fields, not just the mandatory ones. Some of those optional fields, such as descriptions of each room, add a great deal of information for buyers. We complete those optional fields.

Ignoring Local Market Trends: We are currently in a “balanced” real estate market. The “seller’s market” of last year is over, but some sellers and their agents price their homes at a wished-for price that isn’t reflective of the slower, lower market that we are now in. I like how Megan Aller puts it in her market trends reports: “Sellers think it’s 2020 and buyers think it’s 2008.”

Above all, remember that all real estate is local — it can be rising in one

Join the American Solar Energy Society for the Solar Village & Electric Vehicle Show on Friday, August 11th, 10am to 4pm, in front of CU Boulder’s University Memorial Center. There will be solar energy workshops, exhibits, EV shows, and activities for kids that are free and open to the public. Anyone interested in sustainable energy and energy efficiency is invited to visit this event, sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society, New Energy Colorado, and the Colorado Renewable Energy Society.

The Solar Village will offer a variety of educational displays and experts covering photovoltaic systems, heat pumps, passive neighborhood and falling in another. And real estate is also emotional; sellers and buyers don’t always act rationally in the decisions they make about their home. Personally, I utilize three different valuation models when creating a market analysis for a prospective listing. solar design, super insulation, and other sustainable energy technologies. Also free and open to all is a Solar 101 Workshop from 11:45 to 1pm in an adjoining tent at which four experts in these topics will speak and answer questions. More info at www.ases.org/conference

Keep in mind the mortgage market, not just the real estate market. Yes, the interest rates are high right now, and no one can accurately predict when they will be lower. But there are programs for first-time homebuyers (defined, by the way, as someone who hasn’t owned for three years), for first responders, teachers and others. And there are ways to buy down the interest rate for one or two years in hopes of refinancing when rates are lower.

Our ‘Styrofoam Corral’ Closes Forever on Aug. 31st

currently occupied by the Corral for other purposes. Our contract of sale requires us to close and remove it by August 31st.

This charming brick ranch is at 2670 Kearney Street in the sought-after Park Hill neighborhood, minutes from City Park, the Denver Zoo, and the Denver Museum of Natural History. Downtown Denver is a 15-minute drive away. The home is on a double lot with extensive flower and vegetable gardens. Both the bathroom and kitchen have been updated, the latter with new granite countertops and a Bosch dishwasher. New double-pane Anderson windows are throughout the house. Inside, one can find original hardwood floors across the main level. The main sewer line was replaced in 2009. The other kitchen appliances and the A/C unit are about five years old. Outdoor amenities include a newer storage shed, a children's play structure with swings and a slide (removed if you don't want it), and a large concrete patio. There's an attached two-car garage (unusual for this 1946 home) and a non-conforming third bedroom in the basement. Perfectly situated on a tranquil, wide street, the house is just a block from McAuliffe International Middle School. A new roof was installed two weeks ago. Listing agent Greg Kraft will hold an open house on Saturday, August 12th from 11 to 1. Take a narrated video tour, including drone footage, at www.ParkHillHome.site, then call Greg at 720-353-1922 for a private showing.

For over a decade and a half, Golden Real Estate has hosted a “Styrofoam Corral” behind its former location at 17695 S. Golden Road. Perhaps you or someone you know brought some of the 36,000 cubic yards of Expanded Polystyrene (its real name) that we have kept out of landfills.

Well, we sold that building last week to Joe & Stacy Fowler, proprietors of The Golden Hayride, and they need the space

$659,900

We had hoped to find another host for this valuable community amenity, but have had no luck so far. Call us if you can help!

Henceforth, you’ll have to take your Styrofoam to SustainAbility Recycling at 6240 W. 54th Ave. in Arvada. Their website is www.sustainability-recycling.com

Jim Smith

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851

Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com

1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401

Broker Associates:

JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727

CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855

DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835

GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922

AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071

KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428