Colorado REALTOR® Magazine January 2020

JANUARY 2020

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

®

MAGAZINE

Official Magazine of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

COLORADO MARKET IN REVIEW Decade closes with record-low inventory across the state Page 6

PLUS...

MLS Changes and the Clear Cooperation Policy: What REALTORS® Need to Know Page 12 Colorado Project Wildfire Partnerships Gaining State and National Attention Page 18

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

®

MAGAZINE

The COLORADO REALTOR® is published by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® 309 Inverness Way South Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 790-7099 or 1-800-944-6550 FAX (303) 790-7299 or 1-800-317-3689 EDITOR: Lisa Dryer-Hansmeier, V.P. of Member Services lhansmeier@coloradorealtors.com DESIGNER: Monica Panczer, Creative Marketing Specialist monica@coloradorealtors.com The Colorado Association of REALTORS® assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manu­ scripts, photographs or art. The acceptance of advertising by the Colorado REALTOR® does not indicate approval or endorsement of the advertiser or his product by the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.

JAN 2020

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

®

MAGAZINE

CE ANYWHERE

IN THIS ISSUE: 4 5 6

CE ANYWHERE CE ANYWHERE

2020 Shaping Up to Be a Busy Year Colorado Real Estate SnapShot Decade Closes With Record-Low Inventory Across Colorado

12 MLS Changes and the Clear

Cooperation Policy: What REALTORS® Need to Know

EARN CE 24/7 THROUGH CAR'S NEW PROGRAM

17

14 Building on a Solid Foundation 16 Move the Middle: Boost Agent Performance

17 Now It's Easier to Earn Your CE 18 Colorado Project Wildfire Gains National Recognition

23 2020 Colorado Legislative Session

This is a copyrighted issue. Permission to reprint or quote any material from this issue is hereby granted provided the Colorado REALTOR® is given proper credit in all articles or commentaries, and the Colorado Association of REALTORS® is given proper credit with two copies of any reprints.

Opens

24 Determining the Effectiveness of TRID

26 Healthcare Options for REALTORS® 28 Connect with CYPN 29 CAR Foundation Update 30 Today's Tech 33 Free Tax Webinar 35 REALTOR® Day at the Capitol &

The term “REALTOR®” is a national registered trademark for members of the National Association of REALTORS®.

The term denotes both business competence and a pledge to observe and abide by a strict Code of Ethics. To reach a CAR director who represents you, call your local association/board.

Economic Summit

HEALTHCARE OPTIONS FOR REALTORS®

3

26

36 Living Large in a Small Space 38 RPAC Newsletter 40 RPAC Major Investors

2020 Shaping Up to Be a Busy Year at CAR

FROM THE CHAIR

Janene Johnson 2020 Chair of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

It’s so hard to believe we’re entering the third decade of the 2000s. There have been so many advancements in all areas of our world since we “partied like it was 1999”; it’s astounding. The real estate industry in particular has become even tougher to stay focused amid all the new and wonderful improvements and distractions. Here at the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, the one thing that has remained constant over all of these years is the true mission of the Association: “Making REALTORS® More Successful and Protecting the Real Estate Industry.”

For 2020, it is the intention of the CAR Board of Directors to continue in our quest to support our 26,000 members and to keep doing all the things we do so well in order to fulfill our mission statement. CAR’s leadership will continue to travel across the state and meet with the members where they live and work.

On the political and policy front, the Government Affairs Division is looking forward to an extremely active legislative session. And in case you haven’t heard, we have a presidential election in 2020! It will prove to be an interesting year. REALTOR® Day at the Capital & Economic Summit will be held Feb. 13-14, 2020 in Denver. This is an excellent way for you to cultivate relationships with your legislators and learn more about the policy issues that affect you and your business. I encourage you to attend; I know you’ll find it a fun and worthwhile event.

The Member Services Division is looking forward to 2020, with many exciting events and programs in store. Planning is underway for CAR’s 100th Anniversary , which will take place October 17-20, 2021 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. At the most recent Board of Directors meeting, the directors voted to approve the creation of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee as a result of the very successful plan put in place by the D&I Task Force. Additionally, it is also our intention to focus on the Global Task Force as one more resource for our members who have an interest in the global real estate community.

The Legal and Risk Division will continue their good work in raising the bar for professional standards among members. Legal Counsel Scott Peterson will continue with his Legal Bites videos and he will be traveling throughout the state with his awardwinning “10 Legal Things” course.

All in all, we have a lot to look forward to in 2020. And as always, the Association is looking for volunteers who have a passion for the real estate industry. Click here to get involved with CAR. I look forward to hearing from you over the course of the year. Let’s commit ourselves to making 2020 the best year yet!

4

Real Estate SnapShot S TAT E O F C O L O R A D O - D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 PERCENT OF LIST PRICE RECEIVED

98.6

Historical Median Sales Price

%

0.1%

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

57

1.8%

YTD 2019= 48 YTD 2018= 45

$500000

$400000

$300000

$200000 June 2017

MONTHS SUPPLY

-25.0%

1.8

Sept 2017

5.6%

YTD 2019= 142,040 YTD 2018= 138,761

$378,924

DEC 2019= 7,015 DEC 2018= 6,007 YTD 2019= 117,736 YTD 2018= 112,058

June 2018

Sep 2018

Dec 2018

Mar 2019

June 2019

$400,000

$385,000

5.6%

$319,000

$298,000

$308,638

7.0

3.9%

2018

2019

2018

Inventory of Active Listings 22,498

-21.7

%

Sep 2019

Dec 2019

Single Family Condo

%

2019

$297,000

3.9%

2018

2019

2018

Sold Listings 8,804

17,617

16.8%

Mar 2018

State of Colorado - NOV

2019

DEC 2019= 5,665 DEC 2018= 5,365

Dec 2017

Median Sales Price $400,000

DEC 2018= 2.4

Single Family Condo

State of Colorado

16,885 12,895

7,542

-16.5%

-23.6%

0.1

%

6,700

5,756

19.1%

16.4%

4,530 5,424

2,074 1,742

2019 2018

2019 2018

2019 2018

2019 2018

2019 2018

2019 2018

Total Market DEC

Single Family DEC

Condo DEC

Total Market DEC

Single Family DEC

Condo DEC

Percent changes calculated using year-over-year comparisons. All data from the multiple listing services in the state of Colorado. Powered by 10K Research and Marketing.

For more data visit ColoradoREALTORS.com 5

INVENTORY OF ACTIVE LISTINGS STATEWIDE - DECEMBER

MARKET TRENDS

DECADE CLOSES WITH RECORD-LOW INVENTORY ACROSS COLORADO

14,711

-13.2%

16,885 12,895 14.8%

-23.6%

4,146 DEC 2017

DEC 2018 SINGLE FAMILY

DEC 2019

5,424

4,530

-7.6%

30.8%

-16.5%

DEC 2017

DEC 2018

DEC 2019

TOWNHOUSE/CONDO

Housing markets gear up for most active months with little inventory as affordability improves Colorado housing markets closed out the past decade with 10-year record or near record lows in several key inventory related categories, according to the latest monthly market data from the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR).

Despite inventory lows, healthy, double-digit percentage gains occurred in the pending/under contract and sold listings across the Denver-metro region and statewide in comparison to the year prior and, median pricing stayed relatively flat from November to December resulting in solid single-digit appreciation across all product types statewide year-overyear.

Statewide, there were just under 12,900 single-family homes active in December, down 23.6 percent from December 2018.

Townhome condo inventory of actives in December (4,530) faired a little better but was still down 16.5 percent from a year ago.

Finally, the overall months supply of inventory for both singlefamily and townhome/condos in the Denver-metro region fell 27 percent from November to December to just 1.4 months and is down more than 33 percent from a year prior. Statewide, the 1.8 months of supply is down 25 percent from December 2018.

December data from the seven-county Denver metro area and state revealed the lowest, if not close-to-the- lowest numbers in new listings, inventory of active listings and months supply of inventory for both single-family homes, as well as townhome/condos.

The CAR Housing Affordability Index (HAI) – a measure of how affordable a region’s housing is to its consumers based on interest rates, median sales price, and median income by county – improved 3.4 percent (87 in December 2018 to 90 in December 2019) for the Denver-metro region and remained flat at the statewide level at 95. A higher HAI reflects greater affordability.

Single-family new listings fell nearly 30 percent for the second straight month in the Denver-metro region but remain up 9 percent compared to December 2018. Townhome/condo new listings fell nearly 26 percent, on top of their nearly 30 percent dip from October to November 2018 but also remain up 10 percent over the same time in 2018. Statewide, new listings of single-family homes fell more than 27 percent from November to December 2018 but remain up 4.3 percent over 2018. Townhome/condo new listings were off nearly 15 percent from November to December but remain up almost 9 percent over December 2018.

“As we move into 2020 that severe lack of choice for buyers will continue to be a challenge statewide and sellers will have to be mindful of how they price their properties initially to ensure sales at the best price,” said Denver-area REALTOR®, Karen Levine. “While sellers continued to experience appreciation in 2019, it was not as robust as seen in previous years. The median sales price increased just 4.1 percent statewide and the average was just slightly higher at 4.6 percent.”

Taking a look at some of the state’s local market conditions, Colorado Association of REALTORS® market trends spokespersons provided the following assessments:

Looking to the inventory of new listings, the entire sevencounty Denver metro area had less than 6,300 active single-family homes in December, down 29 percent from December 2018. Townhome/condos totaled less than 2,500 in December and are down 22 percent from a year prior.

6

AURORA: “Mirroring numbers across the Metro area, Aurora and Centennial experienced 30 to 40 percent decreases in inventory across most zip codes. Sold numbers were up equal to the downward move for available homes and condos.

Days on market also dipped and is now sitting at slightly over 1 month. The median price of a home is up compared to December 2019 at $383,625 while the median price in Centennial sites at $475,000. Condo inventory is also very low with median prices up about 3.8 percent year over year at $249,000 in Aurora and $305,000 in Centennial. We expect to see some improvement to our inventory as we move into the spring,” said Aurora-area REALTOR® Sunny Banka.

inventory continues to make it brutal to buy. Flip that pancake over though and you have a lot of happy sellers. In fact, you can buy a home in 2018 and sell it in 2020, and likely even walk away with some cash in your pocket.

BOULDER/BROOMFIELD: “The 2019 Boulder County real estate market finished without much pizzazz as pricing remained even with the year before. We had a healthy number of new listings, but sales were only up 4 percent from the year prior and with new listings up 9 percent, there was some leftover inventory. In spite of the less than exciting numbers, the market remains strong, with homes selling under an average of 48 days and a sales price/list price ratio over 98 percent. This ‘slowing down’ of the market really indicates a healthy one. This plateau was likely a necessary correction and while the numbers don’t show growth, they indicate a solid, healthy market that is correcting itself and will likely stay strong in the future.

“Looking at the national picture, we see the Federal Reserve pushing funds into the dept market as it works to keep interest rates low and stabilize a diverse range of economic issues that ultimately impact our housing markets. The stock market continues to reach record highs and gold and silver values have pushed up amid global tensions and geopolitical factors,” said Colorado Springs-area REALTOR Patrick Muldoon.

“Our Colorado market has become so tough and unaffordable that the U-Haul report showed that people are now coming here less than they were just last year. In 2018 Colorado ranked number 16 on the list of states to move to. We now sit at 42 as word on the street is, we cost too much. Many are headed to Florida and Texas, the top 2 States to move to, although they did trade pole positions this year.

“2019 was indeed a banner year for the Colorado Springs-area housing market for single-family/patio homes. The past year resulted in the highest level of sales volume, as well as average and median sales prices, and the second-highest number of home sales compared to any other calendar year on record.

The year-over-year single-family/patio home sales activity in December 2019 saw a more than 17 percent increase in monthly sales, a 3 percent increase in the year-to-date sales, a 25 percent increase in the months’ sales volume, a 9 percent increase in year-to-date sales volume, a 10 percent increase in median sale price rising to $329,990, a 7 percent increase in the average sale price climbing to $364,584, and a 15 percent increase in new listings, along with an unfortunate 23 percent decline in active listings.

“Broomfield County enjoyed a strong and steady year. With 9 percent more listings than the beginning of the year and 19 percent more sold listings, the inventory was gobbled up and the prices rose 4.3 percent for the year. With average days on market at just 35 days, Broomfield experienced a solid, growing real estate market that remains firmly in the control of the sellers. Townhomes and condos fared just as well with an increase in price of 3.4 percent and sales under an average of 31 days. The numbers won’t make any records, but they are indicative of a strong, steady market and one that is more vibrant than its Boulder County neighbor,” said Boulder/ Broomfield-area REALTOR® Kelly Moye.

“Looking back 5 years and comparing single-family/patio home sales in December 2014 with December 2019, monthly and year-to-date sales are up 43 percent, monthly sales volume spiraled 104 percent, year-to-date sales volume soared 109 percent, the median sale price rose 47 percent to $329,990, and average sale price up 45 percent, ascending to $364,584.

All of this escalation took place while active listings were down 50 percent.

COLORADO SPRINGS/PIKES PEAK AREA : “Imagine for a minute you can ‘only afford’ $400,000 or less and you happen to live in the Pikes Peak Region. You are likely going to wake up each day, find that 2 or 3 new properties hit the market over the last 24 hours in your search areas. You warm up a cup of coffee and call your REALTOR® to set showings only to find they are already under contract. That is the current cocktail our market is producing. Our median sales price rose 10 percent for single-family homes and 11.9 percent for townhome/condos.

Low interest rates continue to keep this market hot and lower

“Of the 16,064 single-family/patio homes sold last year, 3.9 percent were priced under $200,000, 68.3 percent were between $200,000 and $400,000, 20.9 percent between $400,000 and $600,000, 4.6 percent between $600,000 and $800,000, 1.4 percent between $800,000 and $1 million, and 0.8 percent were priced over $1 million. Year-over-year,

7

continued on next page

MARKET TRENDS CONT. DENVER METRO AREA: “The 2019 Denver-metro region literally closed strongly with 5,548 homes sold and closed, an 18 percent increase over December 2018. We had strong pending/under contract numbers in the previous months resulting in successful closed transactions. Despite the challenge of low inventory throughout the year, the Denver-metro region sold 6.4 percent more homes in 2019 than in 2018. The holidays and early winter weather did not deter sellers from getting their properties on the market in December, as we saw 9.3 percent more new listings this December than were listed the previous December.

there was a more than 41 percent drop in the sale of singlefamily/patio homes priced under $200,000, primarily due to the inventory shortage, while we had a 27 percent increase in both, homes priced between $300,000 and $400,000 and between $500,000 and $600,000, and a 30 percent increase in homes priced between $800,000 and $1 million.

“Buyers generally purchase properties offering competitive values, even in a soaring real estate market. Unsurprisingly, even in a record-low inventory market with only 1-month supply, 18 percent of the El Paso County, and 14 percent of the Teller County active listings in the Pikes Peak MLS had price reductions. Unequivocally, the Colorado Springs-area housing market continues to be plagued by distressingly low inventory and serious affordability challenges due to eversoaring prices,” said Colorado Springsarea REALTOR® Jay Gupta.

“Sellers still experienced steady appreciation in 2019, with the average sales price up 3.3 percent and the median sales price increasing 2.5 percent compared to 2018. As we move into 2020, we anticipate the market to continue to be strong but still challenging as we seek to find the right homes for MEDIAN SALES PRICE STATEWIDE COLORADO people with continued low inventories.

Permit numbers would indicate we should experience a little inventory relief 5.6% from new construction, but most of those DEC 2019 - SINGLE FAMILY HOME homes will be priced above $500,000.

Finding affordable housing in the metro area will continue to be a struggle, unless developers find a work-around of 7% the construction defect legislation and regulation costs, so that condominium DEC 2019 - CONDO/TOWNHOME construction can fully return to the marketplace,” said Denver-area REALTOR® Karen Levine.

DENVER CITY AND COUNTY: “Denver continues to show that December is a completely unremarkable month in regard to overall real estate market changes. It’s necessary, however, that the statistical consistency ensues as it sets up the following months - reliably the most active of the year. During this past December, the number of new listings to the market only had a two-unit difference from the prior year. Days-on-market remained unchanged from last year, though 2018 and ‘19 were 17 percent less than the 35-day average we had in 2017.

Our month’s supply of inventory dipped below one-month in December to 0.9, though in contrast to 2018 (1.2) and 2017 (0.8), the picture hasn’t radically changed.

$400,000 $319,000

DURANGO: “Incredibly, total year-end sales numbers in La Plata County are almost exactly even in 2019 when compared to 2018, up by just 5 sales to 1,138. While on the surface one could say the market is stable and the same forces were at work, each year was fantastically different than the other.

2018 was a year of record drought and a fire which closed major businesses for summer months. 2019 had record snowpack, with a sluggish first six months, followed by a burst of activity and strong December finish. Overall, inventory was up 4.7 percent affording buyers a bigger choice. Rates were significantly lower in 2019, which can have a noticeable effect on sales in La Plata County where there is a high cost to ownership and many residents struggle with breaking into the market. The median price climbed a small amount overall, just keeping up with inflation. Another trend at work is the

“What occurs in December that is remarkable is how much less expensive it is to buy vs. November. The median price this past December vs. the previous month went down $20,000, while a little more; $25,588 in 2017 and $18,200 in 2017. Though less expensive, there is less inventory to choose from, fluctuating 0.2 - 0.4 months. What these numbers show, time and again, is how there really is an art to the timing, both for buyers and sellers, should their situation, flexibility and schedules allow.

There is certainly a best time to buy, a best time to sell should the stars align, and the inventory provide,” said Denver-area REALTOR® Matthew Leprino.

8

movement of some purchasers out of Durango markets into Bayfield, where the median sales price is almost $175,000 less at $334,000 for a single-family home,” said Durango-area REALTOR® Jarrod Nixon.

declined 13.5 percent, or 154 homes. Homes in the next price band, $400,000, jumped 6.5 percent and $500,000-600,000 homes sales increased 5.2 percent. The increases in these price points is what led to the median price going up slightly. But what does it say about the typical home buyer in this area? Are there fewer home buyers in the $300,000 price range? Probably not since that price point is highly representative of first-time buyers with limits on buying power, they are likely choosing to rent for a little bit longer to save for a down payment. Those buyers that have built equity in homes they already own are parlaying that equity with stable interest rates and moving on up the housing scale.

ESTES PARK: “Larimer County has remained strong through 2019 with no major growth or dips in single-family homes.

New listings are down less than a half of a percent – a mere 28 homes less than last year. Townhome-condos are ending the year similarly. Sold listings were up just over a half of a percent from 2018, a 9-property advance. Days on market dropped 1 day from 83 to 82 and the percent of list price to sold is directly in line with single- family homes that are still fetching a healthy 99.3 percent compared to 99.7 percent last year. The average sales price has gone up 2.1 percent to $318,023 in 2019. New listings of townhouse-condos have been a definite trend and the healthiest growth category in 2019 with a 9.4 percent jump over 2018. While 2019 didn’t show major growth or decreases, this does indicate a strong market with consistent sales and property values in Larimer County.

“While the numbers appear mostly flat, like the landscape between Fort Collins and Cheyenne, this pause in appreciation and increase in inventory is far more sustainable than the double-digit appreciation freight-train we’ve seen in recent years. Look for 2020 to provide opportunity for first-time home buyers as sellers adjust once again to this new normal in the housing cycle,” said Fort Collins-area REALTOR® Chris Hardy.

“2019 was the year for townhouse-condo sales in the Estes Park area while single family homes are showing signs of a correction in the market. Townhouse-condos had 7.1 percent more new listings, closed 10.1 percent more and fetched an average of $354,726, a 12 percent hike from 2018. Singlefamily homes are trailing behind with new listings down 14.5 percent compared to 2018. Closed sales are also down 10 percent and the average sales price dipped 1.3 percent to $599,906. Even days on market had substantial lengthening to 104 days in 2019 versus 87 in 2018, a 19.5 percent increase in the time it took from listing to close,” said Estes Park-area REALTOR® Abbey Pontius.

“Normalcy is beginning to return to the market. Looking back on 2019 and looking ahead to 2020, we can see the trend of the last market cycle tapering to a close while the next cycle is being ushered in.

“Although the age-old definition of a balanced market being a six-month supply of inventory has not yet been reached in many, even most of the price ranges, the trend appears to be moving back towards that balance. Competition is still fierce for quality homes in the lower price ranges, but many second time and move up buyers are enjoying the benefit of a little more inventory, a little bit more time to make a decision on a home, and even having some negotiating leverage. At the same time, sellers are still confident that when their home is priced correctly and properly presented to the market in good condition, they can still attain a reasonably quick sale and stronger contracts with buyers who have had enough time to be more confident in their decisions, all of which usually results in a less stressful transaction for everyone involved.

FORT COLLINS: “The year-end numbers for the greater Fort Collins, north Larimer County area look much like its landscape – some rolling hills but mostly flat. Median price increased just 3.4 percent to $423,500. Months of inventory remains at just over two months of availability, yet the number of homes available for purchase went up 11.5 percent in 2019. For townhomes/condos, there’s even more to choose from as that housing stock increased nearly 20 percent for the year. Interest rates have stabilized at just under 4 percent for a 30-year fixed mortgage and the affordability index improved 5.6 percent.

“We may be moving into a sort of ‘golden age’ in real estate where conditions for both buyers and sellers are right so that both may achieve their end goals. As always, there are pitfalls, and transactions remain very complex, so consumers should do their due diligence and move forward with a sound plan that suits their needs,” said Fort Collins-area REALTOR® Bob Sutton.

“However, when you look at what’s happening in the individual price bands, the data gets a bit more interesting. The number of single-family homes sold in the $300,000 price range

9

continued on next page

MARKET TRENDS CONT. FREMONT/CUSTER COUNTIES: “Fremont County real estate sales ushered in the New Year with positive numbers in nearly all categories across the board. New listings were up 3.2 percent over 2018 and sales were up 4.3 percent. Buyers still need to be nimble as sales continue to outpace new listings.

The average months supply of inventory for 2019 was 3.3 months, down slightly from 2018s 3.74 months. The median price of homes sold increased nearly 14 percent in 2019, while the average home price increased 5 percent. The only negative results for the year were small. The percent of list price received came in 0.4 percent less than the previous year and average days on market was just over 1 percent higher. It was a positive year and we’re showing continued growth in the area with indications that 2020 will keep us in a positive direction.

see some new construction which brings hope to first-time homebuyers, as well as move-up buyers. Spring should bring new resale inventory as well,” said Glenwood Springs-area REALTOR® Erin Bassett.

GOLDEN/ARVADA – JEFFERSON COUNTY: “Despite a slight softening at the end of 2019, Jefferson County looks to remain a strong sellers’ market going into 2020 with a nearly 36 percent decline in inventory. New listings are down 8 percent for both single-family homes and townhome/condos. The average days on market increased significantly to 40 days for single- family homes and 34 days for townhome/condos.

“Looking at pricing, the median sale price for single-family homes sits at $481,500, an increase of 6.5 percent year-overyear, and $300,000 for townhome/condos, an increase of 5.3 percent from this time last year. Homes are selling at asking price, indicating accurate pricing without any significant swings in either direction,” said Golden/Arvada-area REALTOR® Barb Ecker.

“Looking at Custer County, we experienced a 15 percent increase in new listings over 2018 and a sales increase just over 1 percent. The median price of a home in Custer County increased 6 percent and days on market remained stable,” said Fremont and Custer County-area REALTOR® David Madone.

PUEBLO: “Overall, the 2019 Pueblo market was about the same as 2018, plus or minus 2 percent. The two big differences were median sales price, which rose just more than 13 percent to finish the year at $210,000, and days on market, up 8.6 percent over 2018. 2019 sold listings slipped a total of 45 from 2018, just a 1.6 percent dip. We are still low on inventory with just 349 active listings at the end of the year, down nearly 33 percent from the end of 2018. This puts our months supply of inventory at 1.6 months, down more than 30 percent from the end of 2018. Total building permits will end 2019 at about 500, 60 more than in 2018. The last 3 years produced 1,300 permits compared to the early 2000s where that figure represented just one year of permits. New residential building is coming back, but we need more to satisfy to demand. December pending sales improved a total of 42 over 2018. Agents across the market remain positive that 2020 will be a little better than 2019 with interest rates remaining low and strong demand continuing. Once again, this past year, most of the sales and construction occurred in Pueblo West,” said Puebloarea REALTOR® David Anderson.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS: “2019 came to a quiet close in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys. Inventory in both the single-family and townhome/condo markets remain low.

Looking at the single-family market, there were 43 new singlefamily listings in December, the exact same as December 2018.

Year-over-year, we saw a 10.6 percent decrease in new listings in single-family homes. The median sales price increased 36 percent over December 2018 with a year-over-year increase of 9 percent across the communities examined. The percent of list price received remains comparable to 2018 at 97 percent.

December closed out with a 40 percent drop in active listings over December 2018 and an average of 3 months supply of inventory across the board.

“The townhome/condo market fared slightly better when it comes to new listings which were up 18 percent over December 2018 and a total of 11 percent year-over-year.

Sold listings were down slightly in December but up nearly 17 percent over 2018. The median sale price for townhomes/ condos rose more than 11 percent but the percentage of list price received remained flat at 98 percent. Currently, there are 67 available units which brings us to a 2.3 months supply of inventory.

TELLURIDE: “Telluride home sales rose 12 percent from 2018 to 2019 reaching a 10-year high at $594.3 million. What was so unexpected was that 44 percent of the year’s sales volume took place in the last quarter of the year. December 2019 alone was 112 percent above December 2018 sales and represents the largest monthly sales volume in Telluride’s history. There were

“While our market continues to struggle with low inventory, which of course results in higher prices, we are starting to

10

VAIL: “The past year can be defined by two very distinct markets in the valley. Through June, the market was negative 7 percent in units and 8.3 percent in dollars. Both categories were showing a malaise in productivity, however, the summer and fall seasons showed a very consistent upward trend from the first half of the year. We had improvement month-bymonth versus 2018 performance, culminating with a yearly performance that closed out even on units and positive 3.2 percent in dollars. The performance is one of the strongest positives for the back half of the year I have seen in my tenure in the valley. This was accomplished with a market experiencing very tight inventory, particularly in key price points.

four condominium sales in the Town of Telluride that averaged $5 million each. The largest dollar sale was a condominium in the Town of Telluride that sold for $7.725 million with the second largest sale in December being a 700-acre vacant land sale 30 minutes west of Telluride for $7.25 million.

“Prices in the Town of Telluride for homes are double the price for homes in the Town of Mountain Village on a price per square foot. Prices for high-end condominiums in the Town of Telluride equaled prices for homes. We have never seen that before. Generally, it is my opinion that the walkability of the town of Telluride has been the single greatest factor in this trend, plus the quality of the high-end condominiums equals that of high-end homes. As in other Colorado markets, we have an inventory challenge. On January 1, there were 31 condominiums for sale in the Town of Telluride and 95 sold in 2019. This is the lowest amount of condominiums for sale in the Town of Telluride in my 30-year career. Most other categories of real estate for sale are low in inventory but not extremely low. With the strong Telluride economy and even better tourism, we are poised for another great year in 2020 for the real estate market,” said Telluride-area REALTOR® George Harvey.

“Inventory continues at a very low level as the months supply of units sits at 5.7 months for townhomes/condos reflecting a 16.2 percent decline in supply. The single-family/duplex supply sits at 5.8 months down more than 28 percent.

“One very positive note to start the year are pending sales which are positive 7.1 percent on single- family/duplex units and plus 5.2 percent on townhome/condo product. Wrapping up 2019 has been a strong positive trend and we look forward to a continuance of same,” said Vail-area REALTOR® Mike Budd.

Median Sales Price - Statewide Median Sales Price - Month Jan-2019 Feb-2019 Mar-2019 Apr-2019 May-2019 Jun-2019 Jul-2019 Aug-2019 Sep-2019 Oct-2019 Nov-2019 Dec-2019

Single % Change % Change Townhome % Change % Change Family YTD Monthly Condo YTD Monthly $377,000 +3.9% -0.5% $290,000 +3.6% -2.7% $385,000 +2.7% +2.1% $296,000 +0.3% -+2.1% $392,000 +3.0% +1.8% $295,338 +1.8% -0.2% $400,000 +2.6% +2.0% $304,820 +2.6% +3.2% $410,500 +3.9% +2.6% $315,000 +5.0% +3.3% $407,000 +1.8% -0.9% $309,900 +1.6% -1.6% $409,000 +4.9% +0.5% $310,000 +4.0% +0.0% $405,000 +3.8% -1.0% $315,000 +6.4% +1.6% $400,000 +6.7% -1.2% $312,216 +2.4% -0.9% $399,950 +5.3% 0.0% $314,950 +5.1% +0.9% $398,000 +5.7% -0.5% $315,000 +5.4% +0.0% $400,000 +0.5% +0.5% $319,000 +3.9% +7.0%

11

MLS Changes and the Clear Cooperation Policy: What REALTORS® Need to Know LEGAL UPDATE

Scott Peterson Legal Counsel, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

New Year, new you, Colorado REALTORS®! With the changing of the decades, we have some exciting new changes “coming soon to an MLS near you" (I couldn’t resist)! As most of you know, 2020 is going to be the first year of the mandatory adoption of NAR’s new “Clear Cooperation” Policy. While some of you will be blissfully unaffected in your marketing strategies, others will need to contemplate significant changes to their marketing plans.

First, what is the Clear Cooperation Policy? As adopted, NAR’s new mandatory MLS policy says the following: “Within one (1) business day of marketing a property to the public, the listing broker must submit the listing to the MLS for cooperation with other MLS participants.”

Well, isn’t that nice and easy? A one-sentence policy from NAR? The only issue is that the definition of “marketing a property to the public” is very, very broad.

According to NAR, “public marketing:” “includes, but is not limited to, flyers displayed in windows, yard signs, digital marketing on public facing websites, brokerage website displays (including IDX and VOW), digital communications marketing (email blasts), multi-brokerage listing sharing networks, and applications available to the general public. (Adopted 11/19)” So… what does it all mean? Effectively, it will end the increasingly common practice of “coming soon” and/or “pocket listings” among MLS participants across the country. For some REALTORS®, this will be a significant shift in marketing practices. In other cases, it will force REALTORS® to have a broader discussion with sellers who request a little time, but want a little early exposure.

12 12

At its core, the new policy is intended to provide looking to get a little early exposure and “buzz” going full exposure of listing availabilities to consumers on the listing. From my perspective, this is a perfectly and MLS participants. As many of you know, with legitimate request from the seller and is, candidly, difficult the evolution of social media, syndicators, and other for the broker to deny or disregard. Unfortunately, if the digital marketing platforms, a broker’s ability to market broker is an MLS participant, the new rule will require a property “off the MLS” has significantly increased. In the broker to deny the seller’s request…or deal with addition, within “hot” markets or neighborhoods, a MLS fines and/or other penalties. simple “Coming Soon” sign in front of a For obvious reasons, the second property can elicit sign calls and other scenario (seller requested Coming consumer interest in a property. All of Soon) may become difficult for a this marketing activity largely occurs Within one (1) business REALTOR® to address with their outside of the purview of other MLS client(s). In the case of an agency day of marketing a participants. As a practical matter, relationship, the tension between property to the public, this can denigrate the quality of the MLS rules and a REALTORS® fiduciary information and accuracy of the data in the listing broker must obligation to their seller client can the MLS. submit the listing to the present an interesting conflict. For MLS for cooperation with The reasons that a broker may choose this reason, it will be important for to market a property off the MLS the REALTOR® to be prepared for a other MLS participants. can vary greatly. Sometimes there robust conversation with their seller is a potential benefit to the seller, regarding the new MLS policy and sometimes there is a potential benefit the benefits to the seller of a listing’s to the broker, sometimes it is both. full exposure to the marketplace.

Occasionally, brokers take advantage of “Coming Soon” It is difficult for me to believe that most sellers won’t listings to solicit unrepresented buyers either for “direct understand and accept a REALTORS® need to comply deals” on the sale of the property, or other brokerage with the rules and policies of the MLS. opportunities. In these cases, the broker is likely not As various MLSs across the state of Colorado move acting in the best interest of the seller and certainly not forward with adopting the new policy, it will be in the best interest of the larger brokerage community. interesting to see how market participants respond to The new MLS policy will mitigate these instances of the rule. As the May 1, 2020 mandatory adoption date is broker motivated “Coming Soon” listings going forward. just around the corner, we will not have to wait long to In some cases, a seller may legitimately request that a see the impact. Stay tuned! broker market a property as “Coming Soon” so that the seller can finalize repairs or staging on the property and “prepare it for market.” In these cases, the seller may be

13

BUILDING ON A SOLID FOUNDATION FROM THE CEO

Tyrone Adams CEO of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Happy New Year! We finished the last decade with the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, your state Association, in great shape! Our membership was up to 26,678 members by the end of 2019. CAR continues to build on a solid foundation of a strong leadership and volunteer pipeline, being financially solvent, delivering relevant benefits and features, and having a great professional team to carry out the implementation. As we move forward into the new decade, we are looking forward to continuing to build on this foundation.

The following are snippets of what Colorado REALTORS® can expect from CAR in 2020: • Continuing our strong political advocacy efforts, especially with 2020 being an election year. As one political pundit put it, “We should expect to see more politics versus legislation.” While nothing is certain at this time, it is believed that Colorado’s real estate industry will face statewide growth restriction ballot initiatives, rent control bills, arbitration bills, water bills, and a lot more. If you have not subscribed to CAR’s Capitol Connection, subscribe so you can stay up to date on all the legislative activity that will impact you and your customers. Email Cameron Hill at chill@ColoradoREALTORS.com to get signed up today!

• Continuing to build our Key Contacts program. It is important that we continue to build relationships with Colorado legislators so we can ensure our voice is heard on potential legislative issues that will impact Colorado’s real estate industry. Our goal is to build a network of 100 legislative contacts throughout Colorado. If you are interested, please contact Liz Peetz at epeetz@ColoradoREALTORS.com.

• Push to get members to vote and participate in the 2020 Census. According to NAR, only 60 percent of REALTORS® actually vote in elections. And even fewer participate in the decennial U.S. Census. Both have lasting impacts on our Colorado communities. Consider these reasons why it is important to participate in both this year:

14

WHY VOTE:

school lunch programs.

• Reduce Risk for American Business. Because census numbers help industry reduce financial risk and locate potential markets, businesses are able to produce the products you want.

• Voting is the opportunity to contribute to the political process, and the system was created to work best when everyone participates.

• You have an opinion on the issues. Voice these concerns with your vote.

Also in store for 2020: • Adding More Specialty Groups to CAR Business Meetings. We will be adding two more specialty groups this year to our business meetings: a Property Management Forum and a Global Task Force. If you are interested in participating in either one, please contact Johna Olio at jolio@ColoradoREALTORS.com.

• The local elections matter, too. We have a presidential election every four years, but when you go to the polls you will also be voting for your local representatives as well.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN THE U.S. CENSUS: • Arguably, the most important role of the U.S. Census is congressional redistricting and apportionment. Apportionment determines how the 435 members of the House of Representatives will be divided among the states. Preliminary estimates suggest Colorado will gain an additional congressional seat.

• Promote Buyer and Seller Advisory Guides. In 2019, CAR created a Buyer and a Seller Advisory Guide for REALTORS® to share with their clients and customers.

This is just a glimpse of what CAR is doing for Colorado REALTORS®, in addition to the rest of the benefits you already enjoy like the Legal Hotline, business data and research, professional development, professional standards, and more.

• Help Your Community Thrive. Does your neighborhood have a lot of traffic congestion, elderly people living alone, or overcrowded schools? Census numbers can help your community work out public improvement strategies.

This foundation would not be as solid as it is without the tireless work of our volunteers and professional staff working together. Get involved in an area you are passionate about and help CAR strengthen its foundation for you.

• Make Government Work for You. It’s a good way to tell our leaders who we are and what we need. The numbers are used to help determine the distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal and state funds. We’re talking hospitals, highways, stadiums, and

Reach out to us at any time. We look forward to serving you and we wish each of you much success in 2020!

15

MOVE THE MIDDLE

BOOST AGENT PERFORMANCE Don’t forget about low performers and high performers, but spend time moving your middle performers up.

By Larry Kendall, author of Ninja Selling and Chairman Emeritus of The Group, Inc.

This article originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of the REAL Trends Newsletter is reprinted with the permission of REAL Trends, Inc. Copyright 2020.

T

he biggest opportunity for performance improvement in any organization is in moving the middle,” according to business coach Michael K. Simpson. He lays out the formula in his book Unlocking Potential.

Most companies have a low-performing group (10% to 20%); a middleperforming group (60% to 70%); and a high-performing group (10% to 20%).

Improving performance in the middle 60 to 70 percent yields the quickest path to greatness.

Traditional coaching programs tend to focus on top performers, with many of these associates paying for personal coaches. The middle tends not to hire coaches because they don’t have the production to afford coaching. A typical management trap is focusing on the bottom 10% to 20%, trying to bring them up to the middle. This has proven to be a waste of time. Instead, put your management resources into paying attention to your top performers and helping the middle improve.

Some simple math makes the point. A 10 percent improvement among the top 20 percent of performers yields a 2% gain overall. On the other hand, a 10 percent improvement in the middle, which constitutes 70 percent of your sales associates, would equal a 7 percent improvement overall—more than three times as much. When we look at profit per associate, the returns may even be higher as the middle often has a less generous commission split.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT? Focus on these three success keys: Mindset, Skillset, Actions. Most in the middle have the ability, but they don’t have the motivation and focus. That’s where you come in.

MINDSET. My observation, based on over 40 years of training and managing sales associates, is that most middle of the packers are drifters. They have no definite chief aim and are living their lives by default. They have the talent but lack the motivation to put it to work. Help continued on next page

16

CE ANYWHERE Earn Your CE Anywhere!

CE ANYWHERE

Online Course Available through CAR and CRES ABOUT CE ANYWHERE:

• Classes are offered online year-round and allow you to study at your own pace from your office or the comfort of your home.

them discover their goals or why. To get their attention, you may need to point out the consequences of their drifting. Based on their current pattern, here’s their trajectory—they won’t be able to pay for their kid’s college, they will end up living in poverty (as 45% of Americans over age 60 do), etc. This wake-up call can then be used to set positive goals and a plan. This approach is called motivational interviewing.

• Class content is designed specifically for REALTORS®.

• Watch instructor-based video classes on your computer, phone, or tablet 24/7.

• CE Anywhere courses are taught by highly respected Colorado-based real estate professionals who understand the state’s regulations.

Motivational interviewing is a psycho-therapeutic approach that attempts to move an individual away from a state of indecision or uncertainty and towards finding the motivation to making positive decisions and accomplishing established goals.

• After completing the course, take a quick test and receive your CE certificate within 24 hours!

• CRES is locally owned and State of Colorado approved.

SKILLSET. My observation is that the middle of the pack has most of the skills. The one area that many are missing is an effective CRM (Customer Relationships Manager). Because they have been drifters, they’ve never taken the time to put their database together in a useful format. You can help them with this. Hire a student or a temp if you need to. This is a huge opportunity for you and them. We have seen average producers triple their income quickly once they have their CRM in place and are using it. This is the one thing you can do that will help them the most.

ACTIONS. We have a saying in our Ninja training: “Flow Fixes Everything!” Flow is the frequency of interaction—face-to-face, voice-to-voice, mail, email, etc. What holds most in the middle from doing these activities? It’s a lack of motivation (drifting) and a lack of a database. Solve these two areas, and you’ll see them writing their notes, making their calls, sending their mailings, and meeting face-to-face with their friends and clients. And you will see an increase in production. Flow will fix everything.

www.CAR.CRESCHOOL.com

Once they’re motivated and active, help them stay focused on their goals, so they don’t drift. It’s easy for them to get distracted.

Remind them of their intentions to help them stay on track.

Manage their activities, and their production will take care of itself. You will have moved the middle!

17

WILDFIRE

Colorado Project Wildfire Partnerships Gaining State and National Attention Colorado REALTORS® continue to play vital role in educating homeowners on wildfire mitigation and safety efforts as programs take hold

By Marty Schechter, CAR Wildfire Representative

Despite a relatively calm Colorado wildfire season in 2019, REALTORS® across the state have significantly grown their proactive efforts to help educate homeowners about wildfire risks, prevention and safety resources through CAR’s Colorado Project Wildfire. Colorado Project Wildfire’s innovative partnerships and program successes are now getting the attention and accolades from a growing list of state and national wildfire focused organizations.

Officially launched in 2015 with just a handful of local associations and communities participating, Colorado Project Wildfire has grown significantly over the past several years.

With more than half of our state’s population now living in a wildfire prone area and Colorado ranked third in the nation for homes located in areas with high wildfire risk, a growing number of our REALTOR® associations and members understand the critical role they can play to reduce wildfire risk.

communities alike. Together, we are continually gaining ground by delivering critical resources and support to local residents, as well as fire and safety officials implementing a wide range of community education events aimed at homeowners in very specific Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas.

Through CAR members and local association leadership, Colorado Project Wildfire programs have been created and nurtured across numerous mountain and Front Range communities through strategic partnerships with key stakeholder groups.

While high profile media exposure of wildfires, similar to what we’ve seen in California over the past year or what is currently happening in Australia, raises general awareness, it is the local and personalized events, communication, education and training that are making the biggest impact on residents and driving behavior.

Colorado Project Wildfire programs continue to focus on efforts that are founded in education, awareness and mitigation by individual property owners and

18

These diverse programs range from annual awareness events to year-round programming. Some

highlights from these local programs include: SUMMIT ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® – Distribution of SAR’s fifth annual wildfire education piece to 12,000 single-family and lot owners in Summit County. The information is designed to educate property owners on the need for voluntary defensible space to protect the community and ward off potential state mandates through voluntary efforts. In addition, SAR promotes the free County Chipping program, which has been an important part of community engagement. The annual mailer also promotes SAR’s REALTOR® Volunteer Work Days to help clear slash from properties for the county chipping program, and SAR’s Defensible Space Grant Program.

There are approximately 31,000 year-round residents in Summit County with approximately 18,000 single-family homes. To date, more than 11,000 homes/ parcels have participated in the Chipping Program over the past six years – a more than 60 percent participation in a taxpayer approved, publicly funded, social program, according to CSU Summit County Extension Office Coordinator Dan Schroder.

For more information: CLICK HERE

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS BOARD OF REALTORS® played a key role in planning and implementing a Spring 2019 two-day conference targeting industry stakeholders and the public. Following the success of the event, which was attended by more than 75 wildfire and safety professionals and 200 members of the public, the Association is helping drive the creation of a Wildfire Council in Routt County that will include representation from various governmental agencies, city and county officials, HOA representation, insurance industry representation, and REALTORS®.

“These next steps are all a direct result from our two-day Wildfire Conference where we were able to engage the stakeholders, as well as the community at large,” said Steamboat Board of REALTORS® CEO Ulrich Salzgeber. “We found economies of scale during this process that should make everyone's efforts streamlined, more effective, and save taxpayer money by eliminating duplication of services.”

BOULDER AREA REALTOR® ASSOCIATION – the Association and its members continue to be a proactive partner in the Boulder Wildfire Partners mitigation program to help homeowners prepare for wildfire. The program is funded by Boulder County,

19

a $1.5 million grant from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and a $1.125 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Wildfire Partners is a nationally recognized model for wildfire mitigation that is incorporated into Boulder County's building code. The program, which offers home/ property assessments by paid evaluators, delivers site specific recommendations, access to financial and other resources, and a certification upon completion.

Wildfire Partners went over the 2,000-home certification mark in Boulder County during the past year.

“Our success is based on our ability to tailor our message down to the homeowner,” said Wildfire Partners Program Coordinator, Jim Webster. “We used to do group trainings with 50 plus people from a community group, now it’s all about one on one, here is what’s relevant to your home, your situation. Yes, it’s slower and more expensive but, it works.

We’ve done training with REALTORS® in Boulder and Longmont and look forward to growing our established relationships.”

For more information: CLICK HERE

continued on next page

WILDFIRE CONT...

VAIL BOARD OF REALTORS® – the Association continues to proactively implement the successful REALFire®, a voluntary property assessment program piloted in Eagle County. The REALFire® program helps residents identify specific actions they can take on their property to reduce wildfire hazards. The program was inspired

by REALTORS® engaging with residents on wildfire safety and education.

REALFIRE® property assessments provide residents with many benefits: • An in-depth, on-site assessment conducted by experienced fire professionals • An opportunity for property owners to identify mitigation actions unique to their property • A detailed follow-up report with customized mitigation actions designed to measurably reduce the wildfire risk to their property • An opportunity to earn a REALFire® certificate acknowledging their mitigation achievements.

This type of recognition can be used to enhance real estate transactions and can be shared with local insurance providers For more information: https://vbr. net/realfire-program.html “We’ve seen some very impressive results from our efforts not just in partnering with local firefighting agencies and experts but the residents of those specific communities,” said Colorado Project Wildfire Taskforce Chair Mike Budd. “From the earliest and ongoing efforts of our members in

Summit County to cutting edge programs here in Eagle County, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Montrose, Estes Park, Crested Butte and more, we’re getting more and more individuals involved and taking advantage of the resources that already exist in their communities to help them protect and in most cases improve the safety, functionality and value of their property.”

These long-term efforts and mounting program successes have not gone unnoticed.

“Over the course of the past few years, our Colorado REALTOR® members have not only been invited to the table for these important discussions and planning but we’ve significantly expanded our voice and role in creating meaningful education, awareness and solutions to our state’s wildfire mitigation needs,” said Elizabeth Peetz, CAR Vice President of Government Affairs.

Expanding stakeholder partnerships A key step in the growth of Colorado Project Wildfire over the past 18 months has been the formation of strategic partnerships with organizations including the Colorado and U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, Ready, Set, Go!, Colorado Firewise Communities, Fire Adapted Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information 20

Association (RMIIA).

Working in cooperation with these stakeholders, Project Wildfire has been able to create and share distribution of joint stakeholder news releases, partner website links, industry education events/conferences, newsletter/ publications, and media interviews.

Together we have delivered access to a diverse range of resources and recommendations to help Colorado citizens prepare for and respond to wildfires, including: • A consumer-focused Colorado Property and Insurance Wildfire Preparedness Guide featuring best practices in wildfire mitigation, defensible space, safety and insurance preparation for property owners, frequently asked questions, and direct links to a wide range of local community resources for residents.

The guide, funded by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation, is available at ColoradoProjectWildfire.com. Tens of thousands of these guides have already been distributed to residents through a cooperative distribution program with our Project Wildfire partners.

• The Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (CO-WRAP), hosted by the Colorado State Forest Service, is an online mapping tool that provides access to statewide wildfire risk assess-

ment information: www.coloradowildfirerisk.com • Early warnings save lives – The Colorado Office of Emergency Management works to ensure that Colorado residents are aware of potential threats in their communities, including wildfire risks and hazard evacuation notices so residents are able to take action. Currently, only 20 percent of Coloradans are signed up for the free emergency alert notification system alerts.

Register today by going to www. bitly.com/COAlertSignUp and finding the link to your county emergency alert program.

• Register every cell phone in the home • Receive alerts by text, phone call or email • Keep information up to date In addition to these critical partnerships, CAR and Project Wildfire representatives have been tapped to present program initiatives and share partnerships at state and national wildfire conferences including: • Firewise Community Workshops • National Cohesive Strategy Workshop (Mass.)

• Colorado Wildfire Matters Review Legislative Committee

presenting in March at the National WUI Conference in Reno, Nevada with CAR represented by Sarah Thorsteinson, Executive Director of the Summit Association of REALTORS®.

Thorsteinson has also been appointed as one of just a few private-sector members of the state’s first Fire Commission. Established in 2019 through the approval and signing of SB19-040, the Fire Commission operates under the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The Commission is made up of 24 voting members and a minimum of seven ex-officio members, including Thorsteinson, authorized to develop task forces and help find solutions to a wide range of issues that impact Colorado’s fire service. In addition, the Commission aims to enhance public safety in Colorado through an integrated statewide process focused on the fire service’s capacity to conduct fire management and use, preparedness, prevention and response activities to safeguard lives, property and natural resources.

“I’m honored to have been asked to serve on the commission as an ex-officio member representing property owner interests,” said Sarah Thorsteinson. “It is my hope to influence outcomes where the property owner is affected

• Colorado Homeland Security and All-Hazards Senior Advisory Committee • Colorado Fire Commission • Colorado Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) • Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) Land Use Planning Forum The stakeholder team will also be 21

- whether it’s wildfire funding mechanisms, wildfire preparedness, and defensible space, or homeowner education. I’ll be serving on the subcommittee for funding mechanisms which will look specifically at how to better fund fighting fires across our state.”

“Project Wildfire delivers an innovative approach to introducing what have generally been nontraditional partners – REALTORS® and the insurance industry – as a leveraging force for sharing current knowledge and best practices about wildfire action and preparedness to achieve a condition in which residents can be adapted to wildfire and live with it comfortably,” said Daniel Beveridge, Wildfire Mitigation Program Specialist for the Colorado State Forest Service. “After all, wildfire has been and always will be a part of life, particularly in the American West.

"Our greatest success over the past year was elevating knowledge of the program to a level higher than it has been before.

Delivery of the concept to an audience at a national workshop will hopefully promote similar strategies in other locations and move the needle toward greater awareness and action at the homeowner level. Site-specific

I AM A COLORADO REALTOR® HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? • As a REALTOR® you have a front-line position in our efforts to educate consumers about the dangers of wildfires, their impact on home buying and ownership and the reasonable steps they can take to protect their homes.

• Start by spending time on CAR's Project Wildfire website to learn more and discover the resources available to you and your clients.

• Offer to take a leadership role in your local Association, creating a local Project Wildfire Committee and offering programs for your membership.

• Encourage your local Association to identify and reach out to fire awareness and public safety organizations in your community to make them aware of the role your REALTOR® colleagues can play in helping them educate homeowners and future buyers.

• Attend fire-awareness education programs in your area and participate in Colorado Association of REALTORS® programs and webinars on this topic.

• Help spread the word to your colleagues and friends – the first step in wildfire prevention is education.

For more information or to become more actively involved with Colorado Project Wildfire, contact Cameron Hill at the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, 303-785-7116 or chill@coloradorealtors.com.

www.coloradorealtors.com/projectwildfire

WILDFIRE CONT...

risk reduction activity has grounding in clear science and offers a foundation for real change in the future.”

From an insurance industry perspective, Colorado is in many ways ahead of the curve of many Western states in developing and supporting model community mitigation projects. Partnership efforts have focused on best practices for using the science provided through the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IIBHS) and other partners to protect property through mitigation.

“As an industry, we understand the importance of insurability of these properties and are working with residents and other stakeholders to be a part of the solution to reduce that risk,” said Carole Walker, RMIIA executive director. “That’s why we’ve joined forces in Colorado to educate and provide key resources to our insurance and real estate companies and agents. These are trusted advisors who are in a position to have the mitigation conversation at a critical point when homeowners have a financial incentive to safeguard their properties.

22

“Together, we’ve opened up a dialogue between our Colorado insurance, REALTOR®, fire, forest, and government partners that allows us to share information, address challenges and strategize on solutions to reduce wildfire risk.”

Thanks to long-term and ongoing education and mitigation efforts taking place in high-risk WUI communities across Colorado, wildfire officials are experiencing a pleasant surprise over the past few years: fewer homes and lives are being lost to wildfires.

Colorado Project Wildfire’s growth has been instrumental in delivering consistent and creative fire mitigation information and access to resources.

That’s a win-win for wildfire personnel and residents throughout the state and a positive shift that can be attributed, in part, to increased awareness of risks and actionable mitigation efforts by those living in WUI areas.

For more information visit www.ColoradoREALTORS. com/projectwidlfire

LEGISLATIVE

HOT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AS 2020 COLORADO LEGISLATIVE OPENS credit improvements • Data privacy, including remote notarization • Revisiting changes to the Homestead Exemption • Business licensing authority for counties, including short term rental regulation • Transportation and infrastructure funding • Changes or improvements to Construction Litigation Reform • Public option for healthcare and how that affects Association health plans and small businesses • Increasing the availability of funding for affordable homeownership in the Division of Housing • Source of income additions to the Colorado Fair Housing Act

It’s the start of a new political season. The second regular session of the 72nd General Assembly reconvened for the next 120 days on Jan. 8, and we have Elizabeth Peetz set our sights on what Vice President of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of learned observers REALTORS® are saying could be an acrimonious adventure. Political year legislative sessions can bring out the worst and the best in anyone. It’s often hard to find the big policy compromises as every topic becomes fodder for the next campaign that’s not too far away. As we head into a long season I challenge you to consider a few words of wisdom:

Of course, many new ideas could arise in the next few months so this list is by no means exhaustive.

CAR, as always, will be here fighting for the real estate industry.

This is an important year to stay engaged with CAR because your voice will be most valuable in a very active policy year.

I encourage everyone to share your personal stories with us when we reach out for your input because we will have opportunities to impact legislation in a positive direction.

Democracy can be messy, but it’s purposely slow and deliberative in Colorado under the GAVEL rule that requires every bill to receive a hearing. Therefore, I wish you all a very happy New Year and leave you with some last pieces of advice as we head into the opening days of policy season:

“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock,” – President Thomas Jefferson “Deliberation and debate is the way you stir the soul of our democracy.” – Jesse Jackson Thank you in advance to our 2020 fearless Legislative Policy Committee members; they will likely be very busy volunteering their time to help CAR be the voice of real estate and homeowners at the state capitol. The list of bills that could cross legislators’ desks is long.

Here are just a few of the potential legislative topics we could deliberate over this year: • Special district transparency • Rent control and inclusionary zoning • Mill Levy Equalization that could raise property taxes • HOA bills, including the information center sunset that would allow HOA’s to assess homeowners to install solar panels, and CAM regulation • Water speculation regulation and wildfire mitigation tax

“Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment, it is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos.” – President George W. Bush “Baseball,” [like politics] is not a sport you can achieve individually.” – Curt Schilling “And to preserve their independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.” – Thomas Jefferson

23

DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRID CFPB ASKS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

By Sue Johnson, REAL Trends Strategic Alliance Consultant

This article originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of the REAL Trends Newsletter is reprinted with the permission of REAL Trends, Inc. Copyright 2020.

In a November 22 Request for Information (RFI), the Bureau asked for public comments on the TRID Rule’s effectiveness as it prepares an assessment report of the Rule that the Dodd-Frank Act requires to be published within five years of its effective date. The TRID report must be completed by October 3, 2020, and public comments in response to the RFI are due by January 21, 2020.

T

he Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is giving stakeholders another chance to weigh in with any remaining grievances over its TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID).

The 2015 TRID rule (also known as the Know Before You Owe Rule) replaced the RESPA and Truth in Lending Act (TILA) disclosures consumers had received when applying for a mortgage loan. Specifically, it combined the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and initial TILA disclosure to create a new Loan Estimate. It combined the HUD-1 Settlement Statement and final TILA disclosure to create a new Closing Disclosure. It required that the creditor provide the Loan Estimate to the consumer within three business

days of receiving an application and the Closing Disclosure no later than three business days before closing.

It changed who was responsible for disclosing title insurance premiums by making the creditor (rather than the settlement agent) ultimately responsible for providing the Closing Disclosure. Finally, it subjected a broader category of charges (such as charges by affiliates) to RESPA’s “zero tolerance” prohibition on cost increases over the disclosed estimates.

The implementation process for TRID was complex, cumbersome, and costly for all segments of the home buying industry. The CFPB’s guidance often was vague, and many found the Rule’s requirements to be overly restrictive, confusing, and unnecessary. The continued on next page

24

EFFECTS ON MORTGAGE MARKETS

Bureau tried to address some of these concerns in July 2017 and April 2018 amendments and updated its guidance in January 2019 to clarify the roles and responsibilities of various parties during the loan origination process.

• Did the TRID Rule affect the price of mortgages or the volume of mortgage originations in the aggregate or for particular market segments or mortgage product types?

The CFPB says in its new Request for Information that its assessment of the TRID Rule will involve cost-benefit analysis, with a focus on the Rule’s effects on consumers, firms, and mortgage origination markets.

• Did the TRID Rule affect entry, exit, or consolidation in any parts of the mortgage market?

• Did the TRID Rule’s specific provisions affect market structure by changing the relationship between various providers (e.g., creditors and settlement agents or creditors and their affiliates)?

It specifically asks the following questions: EFFECTS ON CONSUMERS • How did the TRID Rule affect consumers’ understanding of their mortgage disclosures?

The CFPB also requests comments on any aspects of the TRID Rule that “were or are confusing or on which more guidance was or is needed during implementation,” and asks for recommendations “for modifying, expanding, or eliminating the TRID Rule.” This last reference led one housing publication to note that “eliminating the rule is not off the table.” Given the long and expensive implementation process, most observers think that is unlikely.

• How did the TRID Rule affect mortgage and settlement service shopping behaviors?

• How did the TRID Rule affect consumer satisfaction with mortgage disclosures, mortgage products, and settlement services?

Nonetheless, this new Request for Information offers the industry an opportunity to lay its remaining issues with TRID on the table. If the Rule still is creating frustrations or inefficiencies for you and your customers, now is the time to let the CFPB know.

• How did the TRID Rule affect the ability to compare and choose among mortgages and settlement services?

EFFECTS ON FIRMS • What were the TRID Rule’s implementation costs to firms?

• What are the TRID Rule’s ongoing costs and cost savings to firms?

Sue Johnson is the former executive director of RESPRO, the Real Estate Services Providers Council Inc. She retired in 2015 and is now

• How did the TRID Rule affect creditors’ ability to sell mortgages to others on the secondary market?

a strategic alliance consultant for REAL Trends, Inc.

• How did the TRID Rule affect the way creditors disclose information to consumers?

25

Association

Health Insurance Healthcare Options for Colorado REALTORS® The issue of association health insurance plans has become a hot topic, and its subtle complexities leave many scratching their heads wondering why it’s not simpler. First, let’s explore why it might be more important than you think. Then, we will explore the current state of health plans, where they are likely to go from here, and how you can be a savvy consumer.

WHY IT MIGHT BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK

ber! That is $5,000 per hour, by the way, which is pretty good money in any career!

If you’re paying for an insurance plan, there’s little doubt you feel the pain of paying for healthcare, both the monthly cost of coverage and the costs associated with receiving care when needed. If you’re not covered, it’s likely you’re a little uncomfortable with the idea that a medical complication could spell financial ruin. However, it has now become one of the largest expenses in a typical household, rivaling taxes and a mortgage or rent payments. For many small business entrepreneurs, health insurance has become a major sacrifice or simply unaffordable.

So, don’t forget the importance of managing your expenses, both in your business and your household. The larger the expense, such as healthcare, taxes, etc., the more room there usually is to make meaningful changes with well-placed attention and effort.

BEING A SAVVY CONSUMER There has been a lot of chatter about Association Health Plans (AHPs), so let’s address that first. AHPs have recently been allowed by the federal government. Now the burden is on each state to set up a system to regulate them so they can be offered within each given state. Some states have done this, but Colorado has not finished this process. This is likely to happen soon, but if you’re expecting this to make the cost of health insurance drastically different, then it might be wise to curb your expectations. AHPs that have already been rolled out generally discount their plans roughly four to six percent compared to individual plans already available to REALTORS® in those states.

This is not nothing, especially when you consider health insurance premiums for some families are over $3,000 per month.

However, this is not the solution many imagined it would be.

From an accounting perspective (yes, it’s boring, but it matters!), cutting expenses is not as sexy as the hot marketing, farming, prospecting, and networking tools at your disposal.

But consider the simple fact that cutting expenses is more profitable than increasing revenues! First, it is often easier to do than increasing revenues. Second, it has a dollar for dollar impact on your profit, whereas revenues get diminished by taxes and other expenses before they are considered profit.

Where is this going? Let’s connect the dots. When is the last time you earned $10,000 with maybe two hours of research, no marketing, no concessions, no expenses, no negotiation, and no liability? Yet, spending a few hours looking through healthcare options could quite possibly save you $10,000 annually! And cutting expenses is straight profit, remem-

Why is this? Many people imagine that insurance companies have been dying to offer group insurance to association members, or that an associations as large as a REALTOR® association either at the national or state level would have such

26

a large pool of prospective customers that insurance companies would compete ferociously to serve them. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Insurers are very cautious about what is known as adverse selection. This is a fancy term meaning they fear that only the high-risk people will purchase the insurance, and the healthy people will go elsewhere. In other words, being a REALTOR® does not make someone’s medical risks statistically lower, so insurance companies are not discounting AHP’s much.

Sedera, a non-faith-based medical cost sharing option. It is combined with several other components that make up a pretty comprehensive solution to managing healthcare expenses. This solution is not appropriate for all CAR members because it does have some temporary limitations for pre-existing conditions.

However, most of the features, like the benefits related to prescription medications, regular doctor visits, urgent care needs, and telemedicine do not have these limitations. The limitations, which diminish each year and fully disappear after three years, apply to the larger medical expenses like surgeries and other relatively expensive treatments caused by pre-existing conditions (“pre-existing” means the condition has been present sometime in the last 36 months). If this is something you can live with, the cost savings can be significant.

SO, WHAT’S A REALTOR® TO DO? STEP 1 – Like any other savvy business owner, be as enthusiastic about managing your expenses as you are about your revenue generating projects. This is especially true about your largest expenses like taxes and healthcare costs.

SUMMARY

STEP 2 – UNDERSTAND YOUR OPTIONS.

When AHPs are available in Colorado, it will be a very high priority for CAR to work with insurers to offer the best plan possible.

Hundreds of CAR member households have already chosen medical cost sharing, so the AHP will not replace what is currently available; it will simply be another important option for CAR members to consider.

First, knowing how traditional health insurance plans work is something you’ve probably already tackled if you’ve been working for a while. If you haven’t been, then take the time to understand how they work and how they impact your finances on a monthly basis and when you need medical care.

Medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States, so this is no small matter.

QUESTIONS? Contact Alpine Association Benefits at 720523-5524 or info@alpineassociationbenefits.com.

Second, learn about and consider medical cost sharing. If this is a new concept to you, take the time to learn about it. This could be the $5,000 an hour opportunity knocking! This is a popular and rapidly growing trend in the country as a viable alternative to traditional health insurance.

RESOURCES

• Webinar on How it Works

• Pricing Grid • Enrollment Link

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) has adopted

27

WHO WE ARE The Colorado Young Professionals Network is an energetic and supportive group of REALTORS® that lead the way in the real estate industry and local communities through educational, philanthropic, and social events.

To learn more or to find events at a local CYPN chapter near you, visit our website today!

We value

Education

to remain mindful and knowledgeable

We

Embrace

We

Cultivate

We

Support

all members, whether they are young in age or young at heart

Leaders who will influence tomorrow

our local communities because we are empowered by their companionship

We are the Colorado Young Professionals Network

CONNECT WITH US! Instagram: ColoradoRealtor_YPN FaceBook: Colorado Assoc. of REALTORS® (CYPN)

28

You can make a difference any day! Donate at www.CARFoundation.org.

2020 CAR Foundation Board of Directors: Chris Djorup – Chair

CAR Foundation Looks to Build on Last Year’s Success

Deborah Shipley – Chair-Elect

By: Stacey Brown, Executive Director of CAR Charities

Katia de Orbegoso

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation had an amazing 2019, and it’s all thanks to the support from Colorado REALTORS® who stepped up and donated their time and money. And with the New Year already underway, I’m very excited for what the CAR Foundation has planned for this year.

First, on behalf of the Foundation we would like to thank the following members for their service on the Board of Directors: • • • • •

Justin Knoll Denise Patryas Ryland Percy Shannon Picaso Jan Reinhardt

THE FOUNDATION HAS INVESTED OVER $7.8 MILLION OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS

I would like to briefly recap our 2019 successes. We had two exciting events that helped raise money for the Foundation and raise the profile of the Foundation’s mission to promote safe and affordable housing, advance homeownership for all Coloradans and provide housing-related disaster assistance to our neighbors in need.

In July, the Foundation hosted its First Annual Fundraiser at Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight Center in Englewood. Over 350 REALTORS® and friends joined us in celebrating the Foundation and the work you helped us to accomplish! We were able to raise over $11,000 and presented $60,000 in grants to nine non-profit organizations dedicated to combating homelessness. Learn more about the grant recipients in the October 2019 issue of Colorado REALTOR® Magazine.

Planning for the Second Annual Fundraiser is already underway. Mark your calendars for August 20, 2020 and join us at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver. This year it will be possible for you to donate online, so don’t worry if you aren’t able to attend. Watch your inbox for details coming soon.

The CAR Foundation’s second big event last year was Colorado Gives Day in December. Through your unwavering support, the Foundation raised over $13,000 – nearly double the amount we received in 2018!

29

Jim Renshaw – Past-Chair Wil Hotz – Treasurer Jerome Bleger Amanda Erickson Beverlee Henry Mary Ann Hinrichsen Janene Johnson Erica Kirk Donna Major Scott Matthias Robert Walkowicz Andrea Warner

Remember that you don’t need to wait for either of these events to make a gift to the CAR Foundation. You can go online anytime and donate. Your contributions, including the escrow interest program, allow the CAR Foundation to give generously to communities from every corner of the state.

Lastly, the CAR Foundation will soon be accepting grants for this year. If you have a favorite area housing nonprofit in your community, tell them to apply!

Applications will be accepted March 30, 2020 – June 1, 2020. Contact me at sbrown@coloradorealtors.com with any questions. Your generous support helps change lives. On behalf of the CAR Foundation Board of Directors, thank you!

TECHNOLOGY

TODAY'S TECH: WHY IT HAS YET TO MEET THE GREATER NEEDS OF THE HOUSING CONSUMER

By Dave Zitting, co-CEO of Avenu Technologies

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER IN REAL ESTATE, AND THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE. From Silicon Canal to Silicon Slopes to Silicon Prairie, tech cities continue to pop up across the nation as long as the consumer continues to evolve and demand, tech gurus, will be there to respond. Although many sectors have found success among this rise in tech, it seems others have tried and missed the mark. Now, the reasons why a business or technology was not successful is not what we are here to discuss, and for time’s sake, we won’t. But what I want to discuss is one major area in technology that more than often gets overlooked, comradery.

As we all know, buying and selling a home is a very emotional transaction for more than 85% of the nation’s housing consumer population (due to financial capabilities and experience). This emotion drives brokerages to specialization, which encourages consumers to need a human connection and coaching, not just A.I. This is what many tech gurus fail to recognize and easily overlook. However, we have been trained to expect new and modern consumer

experiences. Let’s call this Pre-DesireUser-Experience (PDUx). The concept is easy to whiteboard, but much more challenging to deliver.

A NEW SET OF EXPECTATIONS Simply put, consumers have a new set of expectations based on other contemporary consumer experiences (think Amazon, Uber, Grubhub, Apple, Airbnb, etc.). The idea is to provide the consumer with what they need and want at the moment or before they think they want it. If your customer’s inner-speak is, “I need and want… and where do I start…?” The question then becomes, how does the housing industry respond? Unfortunately, as a whole, we haven’t.

When consumers buy and sell a home, they are required to complete this transaction while navigating many different industries—real estate sales, real estate financing, moving services, home products and services, security, energy and utilities, warranty, insurance, and more.

Let’s refer to each of these industries as kingdoms, all of which are vying for the consumer’s attention, but operate quite

30

competitively and separate.

Today, most technology strategies are focused on staying within each of these various kingdoms, and often the gurus themselves establish their careers within that sector. The individual industries that make up the Housing Market are a somewhat esoteric set of knowledge.

And more consideration needs to be on the actual result. We must all ask the question, are we responding to our customer’s needs? We need to look beyond the traditional Net Promoter Score and Social Surveys, asking, “Were you satisfied with the lending experience?”

What we need to ask is, “did you enjoy selling and buying a new home?” Unfortunately, that answer is most often unequivocally, “No.”

MANAGING THE OUTCOME Housing consumers gauge met expectations based on two very straight forward outcomes: Was it easy or difficult?

And was it fair? When consumers are forced to work with multiple, disjointed industries to complete a single transaction, each of which is complex, it makes it nearly impossible to meet these

TOP TEN ISSUES AFFECTING THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY The Counselors of Real Estate has identified the current and emerging issues expected to have the most significant impact on real estate, with U.S. infrastructure being the leading concern of the 1,100-member organization.

Infrastructure Housing in America Weather and Climate-Related Risks The Technology Effect End-of-Cycle Economics Political Division Capital Market Risk Population Migration Volatility and Confidence Public & Private Indebtedness

trained and ingrained expectations. This disjointedness also dramatically increases the overall cost of housing.

As a whole, regardless of what industry career path you operate within, you need to start asking some new questions: Do you satisfy our client’s overall housing expectations? And are you doing it in a way that supplies delight when buying a home, while at the same time providing PDUx and saving your customer money in the process? If you want to respond positively to these questions, it may be time to expand your current technological strategy.

There is a way to come together as an industry to create this type of comradery, save money, and streamline processes while unilaterally making it easy for all parties involved.

Read more here.

The technology is here and readily available amongst all industry kingdoms. It’s time that we work together to supply real estate professionals with predictable and sustainable career experience, while at the same time finally meeting our clients’ overall expectations. We can delight them if we work together and think together.

Watch This Weird ’90s NAR Video of REALTORS® In the Future (2000)

Dave Zitting’s mortgage industry career launched in 1989, and within ten years, he was Co-Founder and CEO of Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI). After a successful exit from PRMI, Dave, co-CEO of Avenu Technologies, Inc., became laser-focused on Avenu’s work to enhance the real estate sales process through revenues and career opportunities for real estate agents. IntroLend, MoneyTips, and HomeKick are collaborative technological platforms that create ease for the home buyer and new revenue streams for professionals. This article originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of the REAL Trends Newsletter is reprinted with the permission of REAL Trends, Inc. Copyright 2020.

Our friends at the National Association of REALTORS® Library & Archives dug up an old 1990 video that was created by NAR for its 8th annual State & Municipal Town Hall Meeting. Click Here to View.

31

Connecting you to the best of urban living and Colorado’s wide open spaces.

2,500 acres of residential

500

acres of parks, greenbelts and open space

21

miles of trails

Accessibility to DIA, light rail, E-470 & I-70

A 3,100-acre master-planned community offering attached and single-family detached homes.

For exclusive development updates and special events, download The Aurora Highlands Broker App.

I-70 and E-470 | TheAuroraHighlands.com | 32

TAX DEDUCTIONS

DISCOVER THE PAINLESS RULES TO PAYING LESS TAXES Free Webinar February 6, 2020 at 12:00 PM MST The vast majority of self-employed people are hoodwinked by the complicated tax system "a pricey mistake costing thousands per year," IRS expert Sandy Botkin, reveals the savings blueprint that'll lower taxes and increase cash 100% guaranteed!

​​​​​​​Join us for a FREE training, taught by former IRS attorney, Sandy Botkin. ​​​​​​​ Come learn the commonsense steps that’ll make sure you dramatically lower your taxes for the rest of your life.

Then learn how you can keep those savings to help build your wealth.

DESPITE HAVING SOME OF THE MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY TAX CUTS IN HISTORY, MOST SELFEMPLOYED PEOPLE ARE STILL UNKNOWINGLY PAYING TOO MUCH IN TAXES.​​​​​​​

REGISTER NOW and you will learn:

You’ve likely seen a reduction in your tax rate... But, by my estimate, a staggering 95% of owners are still paying too much in taxes by a lot!​​​​​​​ …And the IRS is happily cashing our checks. It’s like they consider it a “donation” and they DEFINITELY aren’t contacting businesses to inform them that with a little forethought they could have qualified for some easy deductions. ​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​The fact is, YOU, the owner of the business, can have a bigger impact on your tax bill than your tax accountant can…

IF you bypass all the complicated stuff and learn the simple basics of how the tax game is either won or lost.​​​​​​​

• The single biggest reason the majority of self-employed people are paralyzed by our complicated tax system – peek behind the curtain and you’ll see that winning the tax game isn’t as hard as you think.

• The trick to getting your CPA to proactively help you qualify for NEW highly-profitable tax deductions instead of just claiming the same “vanilla” ones you got last year.

• 3 simple things the wealthy do during the summer months to ensure they pay less taxes than the rest of middle America, and how you can

too!

•How to qualify MORE of your mileage as business mileage making it deductible.

• How you can write off 100% of your family’s medical expenses with a little paperwork and a 15-minute phone call.

• How your kids can pay for their own soccer, music lessons, and video games with tax-free income by simply hiring them part-time.

• Plus, some other HUGE money-saving opportunities that become available when you put your company’s tax strategy first!

Register today at: https://events. genndi.com/register/16910513923843 8037/54573bb07d

ABOUT TAXBOT Taxbot is an app that helps automate mileage and expense tracking for self-employed people. And it does it according to IRS rules so you can rest easy that you could win in an audit.

LEARN MORE 33

WELCOME

TO THE

NEIGHBORHOOD

Three Piece Sectional $1348 (U-196-3PC) | Cocktail Ottoman

Queen Storage Bed $599 (B733-QBED) | King Storage Bed $

278 | Armless Chair (As Pictured) $258

$

Counter Height Table with Wine Rack $398

699 | Chest $398 | Media Chest $348 | Mirror $118 | Nightstand $228

(D647-32) | Barstool $88 | Server $398 | 7 Piece Set (As Shown) $926

We deliver ALMOST ANYWHERE in the UNITED STATES!

AFW.com

^Available In-Store Only | While Supplies Last Every effort has been made to produce this flyer without error. Should any error occur, we reserve the right to correct it by displaying corrections in all stores. All items are subject to availability, while supplies last. Merchandise shown may not be available in all stores, see an associate for details.

34

REALTOR® DAY AT THE CAPITOL & ECONOMIC SUMMIT Feb 13-14, 2020 Whether you’re a seasoned veteran to REALTOR® Day at the Capitol & Economic Summit or a potential first-time attendee, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss! During this two-day event, you’ll receive high-level briefings on issues that affect you while advocating on behalf of the real estate industry and your clients.

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020 Network and build personal relationships with your elected representatives. You’ll also attend an exclusive luncheon featuring J.J. Ament , CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, and Patty Silverstein , President & Chief Economist of Development Research Partners.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 A panel of experts will discuss the challenges of affordable housing in Colorado and how REALTORS® can play an active role in solving this crisis. Panelists include: Alison George, Housing Director, Colorado Department of Local Affairs-Division of Housing; Karen Kallenberg, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado; Ted Leighty, CEO, Colorado Association of Home Builders; and Elizabeth Peetz, Vice President of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of REALTORS® Panelists will discuss hot topics such as: • Potential legislation that affects homeownership • The cost of regulations of construction of new homes • Economic/affordability stats • Implications of growth limits DETAILS When: Thursday, Feb. 13-14, 2020 Where: Sheraton Denver Downtown, 1550 Court Pl, Denver and First Baptist Church, 1373 Grant St, Denver Cost: $105 per person/includes both days Space is limited, Register today!

35

TOP 2020 CAR EVENTS Mark your calendar!

REALTOR® DAY AT THE CAPITOL AND ECONOMIC SUMMIT FEB 13–14, 2020 | DENVER

CAR SPRING SUMMIT APRIL 21–23, 2020 VAIL, CO.

CAR FALL FORUM OCTOBER 12-14, 2020 BEAVER CREEK, CO.

LIVING LARGE IN A SMALL SPACE

By Rachel Sellers, American Furniture Warehouse Living in a small space presents some unique challenges. With less space to work with, everything in the room must be worth the space it takes up or the room risks feeling cluttered. Here are smart ways to get the most out of a small living room, bedroom, and home office.

LIVING ROOM The living room has a variety of functions: it’s a key spot for entertaining, relaxing, napping, dining, and sometimes working. With this in mind, it’s important to choose pieces that multitask and make the most of the space. For entertaining, get more seating space than a conventional sofa and loveseat combo by choosing a sectional and adding in an accent chair. Not a fan of sectionals? Create a conversation area by arranging a few smaller chairs so that they face each other.

If storage space is in high demand, select a cocktail, side, or end table that incorporates storage and some other functionality, like a USB charger. Lift-top cocktail tables can be

36

particularly handy because, as the name suggests, the top lifts up to provide a handy surface for working on a laptop or eating a meal while relaxing. Many lift-top tables incorporate storage space under the top as well, making them an excellent choice if space is at a premium. If a cocktail table just doesn’t work with the space, skip it and use an ottoman or pouf instead to enjoy extra seating. Some ottomans even include storage space as well as a tray integrated into the lid, making them small-space superstars.

While function is crucial, also consider the way the room looks. The overall color palette has a huge impact on the feel of a space, and a palette of subtle neutrals easily keeps a space peaceful and unified instead of overwhelming and chaotic. Enhance the calm feel by choosing visually light

furniture like glass tables, pieces with higher legs, and armless chairs to create an open look that gives the illusion of more space.

HOME OFFICE Whether it has its own dedicated room or is simply a desk tucked into the corner of another room, a home office should work hard to support hard work. The star player of any home office is the desk, and there are a variety of desks that offer more than just a work surface. Many desks go beyond pencil drawers to offer storage in the base; some even include multiple locking file drawers that can eliminate the need for a separate file cabinet. Need more storage than what’s offered by a desk alone? Consider taking advantage of unused wall space by adding a hutch to the desk or incorporating floating shelves above the desk. Another easy way to add more storage to a home office is with a mobile pedestal. They can easily fit under most desks and typically feature two utility drawers and one file drawer, making them an excellent choice to pair with a desk that doesn’t offer any storage on its own.

BEDROOM The bedroom is a place to rest, recharge, and get ready for the day ahead. Create a practical and clutter-free space that supports this by opting for smart, space-saving pieces like a storage bed. Storage beds feature drawers in the footboard or side of the bed and are a great way to take advantage of space that might otherwise go unused. Depending on the amount of storage needed, a storage bed may even eliminate the need for a separate dresser or chest. If it doesn’t provide enough storage, choose a taller dresser or chest to make use of the vertical space in the room.

Storage aside, it’s important to have enough space to comfortably walk around the room and access any drawers. Maximize the available space by placing the bed against a wall or in the corner. Want a headboard, but don’t want to sacrifice space?

Create the look of a headboard by framing some fabric on the wall, or try mounting a headboard on the wall. For even more style, add an area rug underneath the bed. It grounds the room, adds softness underfoot, and provides some extra color and pattern that can bring the whole room together.

If the “office” is really just a desk and chair in a living room or bedroom, try choosing a visually light desk to keep it from dominating the room. An L-shaped desk or corner desk is ideal in these situations because they can fit in corners that would otherwise be unusable and offer more workspace than other types of desks.

Creating a small space living room, bedroom, or home office that’s big on function doesn’t have to be a challenge. Simply choose pieces with built-in storage, use the vertical space in the room, and opt for visually-light furniture for a small space that feels like home.

®

Rachel Sellers is a Content Writer for American Furniture Warehouse, one of the nation’s top furniture retailers with a large selection of affordable furniture and home decor. American Furniture Warehouse has more interior design tips, how-to guides, inspiring looks, and other design and lifestyle topics on the American Furniture Warehouse blog.

37

COLORADO RPAC

JANUARY 2020

NEWSLETTER

YOUR BEST INVESTMENT IN REAL ESTATE!

REALTOR® DAY AT THE CAPITOL AND ECONOMIC SUMMIT FEB 13-14, 2020 Whether you’re a seasoned veteran to REALTOR® Day at the Capitol & Economic Summit or a potential first-time attendee, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss! During this two-day event, you’ll receive high-level briefings on issues that affect you while advocating on behalf of the real estate industry and your clients.

The 2020 NAR Leadership Team with HUD Secretary Ben Carson

FAIR HOUSING MAKES US STRONGER

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020 Network and build personal relationships with your elected representatives. You’ll also attend an exclusive luncheon featuring J.J. Ament, CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, and Patty Silverstein, President & Chief Economist of Development Research Partners.

NAR’s Leadership Team recently met with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, HUD’s Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing Anna Maria Farias, HUD General Counsel Paul Compton, and FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery and other senior officials to discuss fair housing just hours after unanimously passing a new plan to tackle the issue.

Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 A panel of experts will discuss the challenges of affordable housing in Colorado and how REALTORS® can play an active role in solving this crisis. Panelists include: Alison George, Housing Director, Colorado Department of Local AffairsDivision of Housing; Karen Kallenberg, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado; Ted Leighty, CEO, Colorado Association of Home Builders; and Elizabeth Peetz, Vice President of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

The meeting allowed us to reiterate our commitment to partnering with HUD to advance fair housing protections, and we agreed to work jointly on public service announcements and other proactive initiatives to communicate the importance of housing access for all Americans.

The new NAR initiative, abbreviated ‘ACT,’ will emphasize Accountability, Culture Change and Training in order to ensure REALTORS® are doing everything possible to protect housing rights in America. Specifically, we will take new actions to ensure members uphold the fair housing standards incorporated in NAR’s Code of Ethics; begin integrating fair housing into all conferences and engagements; and form partnerships with fair housing advocates to pursue shared goals around accountability and training, among countless other initiatives.

Panelists will discuss hot topics such as: • Potential legislation that affects homeownership • How regulations affect the construction cost of new homes • Economic/affordability stats • Implications of growth limits

Our Code of Ethics and its adherence to fair housing are the cornerstones of our commitment as REALTORS®. With this new plan, we will see more robust education focusing on core fair housing criteria, unconscious bias, and how the actions of our members impact communities. A partnership with government officials and fair housing advocates will allow us to further promote equality as we continue to work to diversify our industry.

When: Thursday, Feb. 13-14, 2020 Where: Sheraton Denver Downtown, 1550 Court Pl, Denver and First Baptist Church, 1373 Grant St, Denver Cost: $105 per person/includes both days Click here to register or learn more.

38

THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO SUPPORT RPAC AND EACH MEMBER HAS THEIR OWN STORY

and handicapped individuals that won a national community service award from Reagan.

What does RPAC mean to you?

RPAC is a collective avenue for all REALTORS® to invest in our business and ensure that we can protect the rights of our clients, consumers, and the people we work for. The compound nature of putting together 1.4 million members to affect change is better than anything I can do by myself. That really matters to me.

Major Investor Spotlight: Scott Matthias, RE/MAX Professionals

I’ve invested in RPAC, and I’ve been to DC, and I’ve sat across the table form decision makers and elected officials. I’ve seen firsthand results from what I chose to do with RPAC, and what RPAC does for us. Through these efforts, we continue to strive to make home ownership viable and available.

Major Investors invest at least $1,000 in RPAC annually. For more information click here.

Who are you in your professional life?

I’m a REALTOR® who loves to help deliver the American dream of home ownership, and I have a real passion for doing so. I’ve been in the business for 34 years, the last 11 of which have been at Re Max Professionals.

I’ve volunteered at various levels of our association structure for 33 out of those 34 years for the simple reason of making our industry better.

How long have you been contributing?

I’ve contributed to RPAC for 34 years, right from the time in my first year when my broker told me I “needed” to write a check for what was then the Political Survival Fund (PSF), now RPAC. What message would you like to give to other REALTORS® about why they should contribute to RPAC? We’re all “insurance poor” these days. You never feel like you can get enough insurance for our homes, business, cars. Etc. We do what we can to protect our homes, we protect our family and we all wear many different hats in this life. The bottom line is that my business provides for everything else in my life and allows me to wear all those hats. Therefore, I need to protect that business, and RPAC is my best investment in it.

Over the years, I’ve been a local Chairman of the Board, State CAR President, CAHOF President, NAR 2016 RPAC Participation Chair, National director and will be the 2021 NAR Region 11 RVP. Who you are outside of your professional life?

I’m a giver. My motto is “You get by giving”. For 22 years I’ve been leading teams to build 2 houses a year outside of Juarez, Mexico. I take friends, family and clients. The biggest reward is taking kids who get to see what impact they can have through service towards mankind. I’ve run 11 marathons, raising close to $150,000 for various charities. In my spare time, my wife and I enjoy the outdoors, our grandkids, and rooting on the Denver Broncos.

Every year when we make our annual business budgets, we need a line item for RPAC as insurance for our business.

And finally, don’t think that your voice can’t be heard. Don’t think you can’t make a difference. Your contribution can make a difference. We can’t just assume that homeowner rights are going to remain and are untouchable. Each one of us needs to stand on the line, and do our part.

Tell me one thing about you that not many people know, or one thing that would surprise people about you?

My favorite President was Ronald Reagan. And, in a former professional life at King Soopers, I put together a shopping program for senior citizens 39

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

2019 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

2019 NAR President’s Circle ($1,000 Minimum to RPAC and $2,000 to Na onal Poli cal Par es or NAR-Selected Federal Candidates) Keith Kanemoto, Longmont Assoiation. of REALTORS® Piper Knoll, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Michael Labout, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® John Lucero, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Ron Myles, Denver Metro Commercial Assoc. of REALTORS® Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Todd Schuster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

Tyrone Adams, Colorado Association of REALTORS® David J. Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Gary Bauer, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Brandon Brennick, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Michael Burkhard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Dale Carroll, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Joseph DiVito, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Janene Johnson, Grand County Board of REALTORS® Jay Kalinski, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association

NAR Corporate Ally Program (Multiple Listing Services voluntarily investing in RPAC) IRES Pikes Peak REALTOR® Service Corp Summit MLS

Platinum R - Annual Investment of $10,000+ Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Gary Bauer, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association

Golden R - Annual Investment of $5,000+ David J. Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Dale Carroll, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Keith Kanemoto, Longmont Association of REALTORS® Michael Labout, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® John Lucero, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Michael Marcus, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Ron Myles, Denver Metro Commercial Association of REALTORS® Todd Schuster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Vail Board of REALTORS®

Crystal R - Annual Investment of $2,500+ Robert Walkowicz, Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS®

Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® John Mitchell, Aurora Association of REALTORS®

{as of December 20, 2019)

40

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

2019 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

Sterling R - Annual Investment of $1,000+ Andrew Abrams, Denver Metro Assoc.

Tyrone Adams, Colorado Assoc.

Dana Allen, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

David Anderson, Pueblo Assoc.

Brian Anzur, Denver Metro Assoc.

Suzi Apple, Vail Board Okie Arnot, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Barbara Asbury, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Piyush Ashra, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Richard Averill, Denver Metro Assoc.

Ann Bagwell, Aurora Assoc.

Windy Bailey, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Sunny Banka, Aurora Assoc.

Erin Bassett, Glenwood Springs Assoc.

Karen Becker, Aurora Assoc.

Edward Behr, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Kassidy Benson, Denver Metro Assoc.

Marlene Berrier, Pueblo Assoc.

Pat Bigley, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Lisa Bikki, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Nick Bokone, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Calen Brennan, Denver Metro Assoc.

Michel Brossmer, Denver Metro Assoc.

Brandon Brennick, Denver Metro Assoc.

Mike Budd, Vail Board Dale Bugby, Vail Board Michael Burkhard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Vicki Burns, Craig Assoc.

Michael Burns, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Janna Burton, Montrose Assoc.

Nels Cary, Telluride Assoc.

Randy Case, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Amy Cesario, Denver Metro Assoc.

Kathy Christina, Summit Assoc.

Joe Clement, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Carol Click, Four Corners Board Barbara Cline, Aurora Assoc.

Camellia Coray, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Jacob Curbow, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Mercie Curbow, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Shane Dawson, Durango Area Assoc.

Natalie Davis, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Allison Decent, Vail Board David DeElena, Aurora Assoc.

Amanda DiVito Parle, Denver Metro Assoc.

Joseph DiVito, Denver Metro Assoc.

Chris Djorup, Denver Metro Assoc.

Chris Doyle, Fort Collins Board Barbara Ecker, Denver Metro Assoc.

Molly Eldridge, Gunnison Country Assoc.

Catherine Eusea, Loveland-Berthoud Assoc.

Dan Fitchett, Vail Board Shelby Foster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Danielle Frisbie, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Bob Fullerton, Glenwood Springs Assoc.

Marjorie Genova, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Micah George, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Jaima Giles, Gunnison Country Assoc.

Jace Glick, Denver Metro Assoc.

Euan Graham, Denver Metro Assoc.

Sheri Griego, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Scott Grossman, Denver Metro Assoc.

Buck Haddock, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Heather Hankins, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Lauren Hansen, IRES Deborah Hansen, Loveland-Berthoud Assoc.

Steve Harder, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Ed Hardey, Aurora Assoc.

Chris Hardy, Fort Collins Board Debra Harmon, Montrose Assoc.

Tyler Harris, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Toni Heiden, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Susan Hendricks, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Phil Heter, Denver Metro Assoc.

Mary Ann Hinrichsen, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Matthew Hintermeister, Telluride Assoc.

Ken Hotard, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Deborah Howes,Pikes Peak Assoc.

Terry Hutchison, Durango Area Assoc.

Brad Inhulsen, Greeley Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Janene Johnson, Grand County Board Dennis Johnson, Summit Assoc.

Jay Kalinski, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Stacey Kelly, Aspen Board Larry Kendall, Fort Collins Board Pamela Kiker, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Krista Klees, Aspen Board Kelly Kniffin, Durango Area Assoc.

Justin Knoll, Denver Metro Assoc.

Piper Knoll, Denver Metro Assoc.

Pie Konchar, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Cynthia Kruse, Vail Board Dave Kupernik, Denver Metro Assoc.

Betsy Laughlin, Vail Board Bob LeGare, Aurora Assoc.

Matthew Leprino, Denver Metro Assoc.

Karen Levine, Denver Metro Assoc.

Libby Levinson,Denver Metro Assoc.

Cheri Long, Aurora Assoc.

Roy Lopez, Aurora Assoc.

Alan Lovitt, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Russ Loya, Fort Collins Board Kevan Lyons, REALTORS® of Central Colorado Mike MacGuire, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Gary Maggi, Loveland-Berthoud Assoc.

Melissa Maldonado, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Janet Marlow, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Lisa Martin, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Michelle Martinez, Montrose Assoc.

Bill McAfee, Pikes Peak Assoc.

John McComas, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Joe Bob McGuire, Durango Area Assoc.

Stew Meagher, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Pam Meier,Denver Metro Assoc.

Robbin Merta, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Rick Miller, Denver Metro Assoc.

Kristen Miller, Denver Metro Assoc.

Steve Mills, Gunnison Country Assoc.

Toni Milyard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Kelly Moye, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Patrick Muldoon, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Daniel Muldoon, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Abbi Munn, Durango Area Assoc.

Mitch Myers, Aurora Assoc.

Christopher Mygatt, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

George Nehme, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Karen Nichols, Denver Metro Assoc.

Jarrod Nixon, Durango Area Assoc.

Chad Oschner, Denver Metro Assoc.

Kevin Ortiz, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Greg Osborne, Denver Metro Assoc.

Wynne Palermo,Pikes Peak Assoc.

Mike Papantonakis, Denver Metro Assoc.

Kevin Patterson, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Jason Peck, Denver Metro Assoc.

Al Parker, Denver Metro Assoc.

John Pfeiffer, Vail Board Liz Peetz, Colorado Assoc.

Scott Peterson, Colorado Assoc.

Linda Philpott, Aurora Assoc.

David Pike, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

41

Hank Poburka, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Danae Policky, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Preston Porter, Pagosa Springs Area Assoc.

Amanda Potter, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Veronica Precella, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Cheryl Pribble, Loveland-Berthoud Assoc.

Bobbi Price, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Sally Puff-Courtney, Telluride Assoc.

Debra Ann Reardon, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Amy Reid, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Anna Rickenbach, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Daren Roberts, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Albert Roer, Telluride Assoc.

Gretchen Rosenberg, Denver Metro Assoc.

Laura Ruch, Denver Metro Assoc.

Jolon Ruch, Denver Metro Assoc.

Crissy Rumford, Vail Board Elisabeth Salzgeber, Steamboat Springs Board Ulrich Salzgeber, Steamboat Springs Board Scott Sammons, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Dennis Schick, Fort Collins Board David Scott, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Christine Serwe, Durango Area Assoc.

Richard Sly, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Alan Smith, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Lynn Snyder Goetz, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Diane Sorensen, Denver Metro Assoc.

Tami Spaulding, Fort Collins Board LaDawn Sperling, Denver Metro Assoc.

Denise Staab, Fort Collins Board Cathrine Sullivan, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Stephanie Tanis, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Steve Thayer, Denver Metro Assoc.

Eric Thompson, Fort Collins Board Ron Thorne, Mountain Metro Assoc.

Mark Trenka, Denver Metro Assoc.

Joseph Tripoli, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Beverly Trout, Vail Board Ann Turner, Denver Metro Assoc.

Ali Van Westenberg, Denver Metro Assoc.

Allan Vaughan, Fort Collins Board Lisa Wade, Boulder Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Peter Wall, Denver Metro Assoc.

Jim Wanzeck, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Andrea Warner, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Sarah Warnock, Loveland-Berthoud Assoc.

Darrell Wass, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Bret Weinstein, Denver Metro Assoc.

Dean Weissman, Pikes Peak Assoc.

Robert Werthman, Pikes Peak Assoc.

John Wells, Durango Area Assoc.

Anne Whipple, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Brad Whitehouse, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Brenda Wild, Aspen Board Jim Wotkyns, Durango Area Assoc.

Merrite Wyatt, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc.

Greg Zadel, Denver Metro Assoc.

Sandi Zimmerman, Denver Metro Assoc.

Sabrina Zunker, Denver Metro Assoc.

Aspen Board Durango Area Assoc.

Durango Land and Homes Fort Collins Board Mountain Metro Assoc.

NARPM South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

Summit Assoc.

Tupper’s Team

{as of Dec 20, 2019)

INVEST I N

30-year fixed views Discover Zia’s light filled 1, 2, and 3 bedroom floor plans with dramatic mountain and city views, starting at the low 300s.

RIVERFRONT PARK

NOW SELLING! LIVEZIACONDOS.COM