Boulder County Real Producers-December 2022

PREFERRED PARTNERS

This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted real estate affiliate. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring your magazine. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting the REALTOR® community!

AIR CONDITIONING

Squeaks Services (303) 280-5765 www,squeaksservices.com

ARCHITECTURE

Rodwin Architecture Scott Rodwin 1245 Pearl St. Ste. 202, Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 413-8556 RodwinArch.com

BANK/FINANCE

MidFirst Bank 840 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 376-3820 www.midfirst.com

CLEANING SERVICES

Perkins Detail Cleaning Service Denise Perkins (915) 270-3216 nextdoor.com/pages/ perkins-detail-cleaning -service-brighton-co/

ESTATE SALES

Blue Moon Estate Sales Dulgunn Lkhagvadorj 390 E Mississippi Ave Denver, CO 80210 (720) 432-2726 www.bluemoonestatesales. com/boulder

FLOORING

McDonald Carpet One (303) 449-0011 mcdonaldcarpetone boulder.com

HANDYMAN/ WOOD CRAFTSMAN

Omega Carpentry Omega Perkins, Jr (915) 249-9020 nextdoor.com/pages/ omega-carpentry -brighton-co

HEATING & COOLING Meyers Heating & Air, Inc. (303) 442-6640 meyersheatingac.com

HOME INSPECTION

Beagle Home Inspections LLC. (303) 731-6891 beaglehomeinspections.com

Inspections Over Coffee (303) 500-3378 InspectionsOverCoffee.com

INSURANCE

Superior Insurance Agency Vicki Kupfner (720) 259-0444 www.superiorinsure.com

INTERIOR DECORATING & DESIGN

2212 Design Inc. Property Staging Services Laura Akahoshi (720) 791-4800 www.2212Design.com

MUSIC SCHOOL

Boulder Symphony Music Academy Andrew Krimm 4730 Table Mesa Drive Suite I-300 Boulder, CO 80305 (720) 328-8286 www.bouldersymphony musicacademy.org

PRESSURE WASHING

Premier Window Cleaning and Pressure Washing Nick Casso (303) 564-5574 premierwindow cleaningdenver.org

PRIVATE PRESCHOOL

Boulder Country Day School Diana Emerson 4820 Nautilus Court North Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 527-4931 x295 bouldercountryday.org

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Peak Property Management at Re/Mex Elevate Terri Ellerington (303) 974-5477 www.peakpmelevated.com

RESTORATION - WATER, FIRE & MOLD 24-7 Restoration, Inc. Deb Barone (303) 485-1730 www.247restoration.com

ROOFING

Roof Check Inc. (303) 678-7828 Roof-Check.com

TITLE INSURANCE

First American Title Insurance Company 4940 Pearl East Circle, Ste 104 Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 449-8442 FirstAmColorado.com

WINDOW CLEANING

Premier Window Cleaning and Pressure Washing Tyler Byrne (303) 564-5574 Premierwindow cleaningdenver.org

BOULDER COUNTY

John Mendez Publisher John.Mendez@ realproducersmag.com 303-596-1685

Caitlin Berve Associate Editor content.co@ realproducersmag.com 505-402-4599

Kim Ash Ad Manager ads.rpboulder@ realproducersmag.com

Amanda Maughmer Photographer pinkpoppymedia.com 720-320-0213

Liv Berger Photographer theheadshotgal.com 312-208-1305

Saint Photographer b.saintphoto@gmail.com 970-988-8865

Brenda

Dr. Felicia Santelli Writer felicia@ santellihealingcenter.com

BOULDER COUNTY REAL PRODUCERS,

What a year in review, starting with the Marshall Fire, with 1,200 homes destroyed, having a major impact on supply and demand for everyone involved in Boulder County. Build or sell just the property, the insurance values for reimbursement for rebuild ing, the costs to rebuild, the costs to simply clear out debris, finding a builder, finding a place to rent, finding a new home has been quite the ride!

Today, interest rates have made the headlines as they have priced out many buyers who had been extended already. Few, if any, refis and qualifying for a loan has taken many buyers out of the market too. It appears that homes needing a few

a note from the publisher

By John Mendez

minor repairs are now being negotiated into the offer; homes are staying on the market a tad longer too. But the sheer lack of inventory in Boulder County makes this market one of the most unique markets in Colorado, if not the U.S.

If you are reading this “Publisher’s Note,” that means you’ve more than weathered the storm. It means you are one of the top REALTORS® in Boulder County. Congratulations … you are driving the market, and what happens in 2023 will be another year to remember.

Thanks again to everyone who allowed us to share their story with all of you in a past issue. At

the end of the day or year, it is about the people in our lives and the relationships we create, maintain and share. If you know of someone that we should feature, please send me their name and contact information, and I will be sure to let them know it was you who nominated them to be featured.

Regards, JOHN MENDEZ Publisher — John.Mendez@RealProducersmag.com Cell — 303-596-1685 Boulder County Real Producers

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

partner profile

Berve

MEET

MEYERS HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

AND OWNER ED MINNICK

You’ve just closed on a beautiful home. You’ve sent your client a closing gift and are excited to work with them in the future. Six months later, you get a phone call saying the furnace has failed, costing your client thousands of dollars. They aren’t happy because they now need to replace the most expensive appliance in their new-to-them house.

Article by Caitlin

, Ignited Ink Writing

Your next call might be to your home inspector. However, even though home inspectors catch many issues to make sure your buyers are happy and your sellers put the best home on the market they can, most home inspec tors are not trained and licensed for HVAC systems. That means they can tell when a system is working but not necessarily if it’s operating safely or properly. That’s where locally owned and operated Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning comes in.

“Just like your car, your heating and cooling system needs regular main tenance,” says owner Ed Minnick. “Preventive maintenance can extend the life of your system 30-50%, saving you money in the long run.”

Any time Meyers Heating and Air performs any HVAC work, they are asking three questions: Is the system running safely? (Safety is always pri ority No. 1.) Is the system operating properly? And how can we prolong the life of this system? Their goal is to make sure your clients get the most out of the heating and air condi tioning they have before they need a replacement. If Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning had taken a look at your client’s furnace, they wouldn’t have been surprised by its failure.

That said, Ed wants you (and your clients) to be sure to vet any HVAC team — just like you would your car mechanic — before you select who will be performing your main tenance. He says you should only seriously consider replacing your system if your energy bills have risen 50% or the repairs are 30% the price of a new system.

Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning is proud to have been serving Colorado 58 years as a family-owned business. Ed bought the company from Jim Meyers, the second-gen eration owner, shortly after he and his wife moved to Colorado from Iowa. Ed’s wife is from Colorado, and Ed spent time in college here. They were excited to enjoy the mountain lifestyle and economic opportunities Colorado has to offer. Now they spend most days either working or on the golf course and make sure to keep the family atmosphere, and staff of Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning keep the company legacy going.

Now is a great time to have your air conditioner, or lack of, checked out. The days over 95 degrees in Colorado have tripled in the last 10 years.

You and your clients deserve to be comfortable in your homes, to have cleaner, fresher, warmer, cooler air.

Ed says, “Don’t settle for the heat ing and cooling system that came with your house. There are things you can do to reduce noise, remove allergens, eliminate hot or cold spots and be more energy efficient.” Can you imagine a million-dollar appreciating investment and not being comfortable in it? That is what a home is in Boulder County now, on average.

Plus, with the energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, you want your and your client’s HVAC systems to hold out a little longer. The act includes a national rebate program for the installation of energy-efficient heat pumps and significantly increases the 25C tax credit to decrease emissions and energy costs. Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning already installs Mitsubishi’s energy-efficient heat pumps and participates in the Green Initiative to properly heat and cool homes without carbon emissions — using solar and other heat pump technologies instead of fossil fuels.

Heating and air conditioning are just one piece of the house your buyers are interested in or your sellers are ready to list, but they are an important piece. To keep your clients comfortable, happy and ready to refer you to others, contact Meyers Heating and Air Conditioning at 303-214-9914.

REALTOR® to know

DAVID TROW MEET

Article by Caitlin Berve, Ignited Ink Writing

Photos by Brenda Saint, B.Saint Photography

DO YOU BELIEVE IN POSSIBILITIES? Try to lead with love in your decisions and actions. Or check in with yourself and ask, “Am I surviving or am I thriving?” These are a few of the mantras David Trow lives by. He programs lines like these into his phone to inspire himself. And it’s a good thing he does because David is an ultrarunner. He competes in remote races around the world that are two to four times longer than a marathon (50-100 miles). While running, he is thriving.

David has always been a trail runner, but when he discovered people were running beyond mar athon distance, he thought it looked fun to get sweaty and grimy in one epic adventure. In order to be an ultra-runner, he has to train year-round. David would say he “gets” to train year-round because, while he enjoys mountain biking and snowboarding, he doesn’t need expensive equip ment or passes to run. Although David does say if you want to see funny looks on people’s faces, try riding an ElliptiGO — an elliptical machine on wheels. “It’s a great way to get distance on your legs without the impact of running,” he says.

Before ultra-running and real estate, David worked for an adventure travel company, where he helped find unique, often bed-and-breakfaststyle lodging for people doing five- to seven-day, multi-sport trips. This was pre-Airbnb vacation rentals. The adventure travel company was a perfect fit for David because of his passion for the outdoors.

After the adventure travel company, David was a manager for the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills and got his start in property management. He had always been drawn to the active lifestyle and easily accessible trails in Boulder, so he moved back to Colorado nearly 10 years ago. While ultra-running helps David thrive in his free time, he’d caught the real estate itch working in prop erty management. It was time to start thriving in his professional time too. So he began secretly shopping brokerages while at Meritage Homes and eventually joined Compass.

The mantra “believe in possibilities” kept David going after he became a real estate agent. “My transition from Meritage Homes to Compass was tough. ... I committed to a marketing plan to ramp up my business, and then COVID-19 hit.

On top of that, I was in the process of purchasing a new home,” he says. In a financially stressful time, David had to believe in himself. He had to believe keeping his path in real estate would pay off. And it did. Now he’s thriving and working alongside many of the REALTORS® he respected as a builder.

While David loves all aspects of his real estate career, he still has a soft spot for unique homes and locations like he did at the adventure travel company. One of his favorite extravagant homes was created by one of the men who founded Earth Day. It has a private apple orchard, is naturally (and effectively) cooled and has an area in the backyard designed to be filled with water and frozen in the winter to create an ice skating rink. It sounds a bit like a fairy tale house.

In addition to unique homes, David loves serving people through real estate. “I think it’s a privilege when someone chooses me to be their agent to guide them through the pro cess,” he says. He understands buying and selling a home is a huge life transition and is hum bled to be able to help people through that journey.

David’s desire to connect with people extends into his commu nity. He believes in the impor tance of community and sharing life experiences with others. He performed a series of interviews for The Faces of Lafayette and Louisville to show how people in the area build and serve their community. One of his favorite interviews features a DJ host named Jonathon who believes in community so much, he built an art studio called Kaleidoscope for other artists to use.

A large part of community is children. David loves them so much, he thought he wanted to be a teacher at one point in his life. “I think [children] are really important,” he says. Recently, he has begun support ing the Arts Hub, a children’s theater in Lafayette, and is excited to see Sleepy Hollow David also volunteers for a summer running camp hosted by two elementary schools called Run Wild Trail Camp. Most of the kids haven’t had the opportunity to explore the local landscape in the mountains, and he shows them how to safely use the trails. “Picture a really crazy afternoon day camp,” says David. “We play running games and teach them about nutrition and trail etiquette.”

David doesn’t have kids of his own yet, but he does have an adorable now 9-month-old vizsla puppy. Vizslas are hunting/bird dogs, but David picked that breed for their distance running abilities. Miles will be his adventure and running buddy. “Outside of run ning and outside of dogs, I just drink a lot of coffee,” David says. What he

means is he likes to get out of the house and connect with people. He’s a “yes” per son intent on thriving, not just surviving.

YOU CAN REACH DAVID TROW AT DAVID.TROW@COMPASS.COM OR 303-880-7255.

MEET

2212

partner profile

Article by Ruthie Urman

Design Inc.

AND LAURA SUGIYAMA

Born in Hawaii on the Big Island, Laura Sugiyama is quietly humble about her business acumen. In the five years she has been a stager for clients full time, her business has grown from an idea with her son, who works alongside her, to employing between five to eight people, some part time. With three design assistants and four warehouse workers, their 6,500-foot warehouse just “fit” them this year. (In the last few months, they acquired 2,000 more square feet to accommodate the various furnishings that are necessary for different client needs.)

The inventory of furnishing styles run the gamut from modern touches for today’s market to Victorian and in-between mid-cen tury modern home style. With clean lines, colors and artwork to match the year of the home, Laura says it’s more challenging than one thinks. Just finishing a beautiful, mid-century modern home, Laura decided to stick to the older designs, adding some modern pieces to make it look updated and give it a contemporary feel. She contends that she basically creates an ultra-modern minimalistic design (which is harder than it looks, using pieces that best highlight

the spaces and not take away or distract attention from the home). In a minimalis tic design, there are fewer pieces and the space becomes the artwork.

Laura enjoys working with a blank slate rather than what is already there; it’s less challenging and gives her a freer paintbrush, so to speak. That way, she can make it pop! Most people who look at real estate on the internet want to be immediately grabbed.

Before Laura went into the staging busi ness, she and her son, who is a contractor, did fix and flips and full-house renova tions. They originally planned to continue; however, the market grew extremely competitive with fewer opportunities to purchase houses, and the prices were

much higher, so much so they found they could not compete with the wholesalers.

The company, 2212 Design Inc., maintains all owned inventory and doesn’t depend on other companies for renting or purchasing furnishings. Most of it is bought through wholesale connections and allows them to discover pieces that are more unique; their inventory is not run-of-the-mill.

Each time 2212 Design Inc. does a new style or setting, Laura has a different favorite. And although Scandinavian cremes and beiges were once more popular and appreciated by her, she now leans toward colors, where the design trends are going. She says it’s vital not to lead in design but to stay on top, where the trends are. Currently, grays (a cooler shade) are not as in favor as beiges, a warmer shade. Clients are preferring and wanting more warmth in their homes and their lives, reflect ing life and comfortable spaces. Even warmer tones and colors, including splashes of color, may be con sidered, as long as the lines are clean and visually interesting to create different shapes and textures.

Laura relies on word-of-mouth “advertising” because, although she would like to be more involved in social media, she currently doesn’t have

the time. Luckily, the company was already in existence when she and her son purchased it. The woman who started it in 2002 worked it for 13 years and was ready to move on, so the foundation, including the original inventory, a stable business plan and an established warehouse, made it easier.

Their vast majority of clients are repeat REALTORS® or referrals. 2212 Design Inc. is all about culti vating and giving genuine attention and priority to everyone and offer ing a consistently solid product.

REALTORS® can depend on 2212 Design Inc. to get the job done — and get it done right — and not lose sleep at night worrying about a crazy color scheme or less-than-quality furnishings.

When Laura is not working, her family is at the foreground of her heart. She has four grown children and five grandkids, with another due around the corner. Every Sunday, the family gathers for dinner because the siblings are all close to one another and their parents. They are lucky to talk every day and connect on holidays.

Laura’s passion is rescuing dogs. She saved a pit bull mix that was confiscated from a drug house and speaks lovingly about and misses her dog, Jazzy, who’s been gone for three years. Laura has adopted Jazzy’s sister, Roxy, a miniature boxer who is blind and deaf. Sunday is another pit bull mix that her family adopted after losing Jazzy.

Laura is absolutely committed to rescuing dogs, and her longterm goal and dream is to open a senior dog rescue. She wants them to live out their lives peacefully and happily. She and her husband bought a house near Brighton on 2.5 acres. They intend to create an outbuilding for the dogs maybe five years down the road. A pipe dream, perhaps, yet doable, and Laura is the one to do it and make it work, in quality style.

You can reach 2212 Design Inc. and Laura at Laura@2212Design.com or 720-791-4800.

top producer

Kim meet PAYES

Article by Caitlin Berve, Ignited Ink Writing

Photos by Amanda Maughmer, Pink Poppy Media

im Payes has always loved living life to the fullest and exploring everything from mountain trails to cosmopolitan cities. That adventurous streak is at the core of who she is, earning her the nickname “Dora the Explorer.” When she was 8 years old in rural New Jersey, Kim would grab her bike, her best friend and a couple of tuna fish sandwiches and get lost exploring for the day. Her love for nature grew when she moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, for middle school and high school. As an adult, she would still love to be in a new place each day. She says, “There’s just so much to see and appreciate.”

Kim is recharged by nature. The sights, the smells, the beauty make her feel at peace and close to her late mother. “That was her church,” Kim says about her mother. “I’ve gotten a lot more spiri tual in the last seven years and have found this [nature] to be a way to connect with my mom.” More often than not, Kim’s only trail buddy is her Bernadoodle, Boden. This allows her to really be present on their hikes and feel grounded by the landscape around them. Their favorite trails are Green Mountain, Gregory Canyon, Shadow Canyon and the Lower Bluestem Trail.

To keep the outdoors beautiful and healthy, Kim donates to and sponsors an Inland Ocean Coalition event yearly. This organization helps raise aware ness about and address the largest threats to the oceans. Lowering carbon emissions, reducing plastic and other pollution, protecting our fisher ies, safeguarding watersheds, promoting marine protected areas and fighting for legislation that supports our oceans, waterways and climate can happen from anywhere in the world. Kim wants to ensure the nature she knows and loves is around for many generations to come.

It’s not just the outdoors that keeps Kim healthy and active; she is also a big yogi, practicing at Yoga Pod Boulder and Mecha. Both yoga and Pilates lead to a body less prone to injury, so they are a great complement to running and hiking for Kim. For reformer Pilates, Kim says, “You really have to focus and be present, so it is a spiritual quieting of the mind.” She claims it’s great for people with high energy and a lot of things firing off in their brains all at once. Pilates is also good for body alignment and strengthening the core. “Yoga is for heat, cen tering and grounding,” says Kim. Both require you to move with your breath.

Just like her own active lifestyle, Kim’s approach to real estate is lifestyle-oriented. She builds a story around a house to show buyers what living there would feel like, what kind of lifestyle they could have. For example, when she sold a lot in NoBo, she pointed out runners on trails, bicycles on Lee Hill and para gliders, as well as Boulder’s budding art community, so her buyers could see the people around them living the lifestyle they wanted. Kim is always positive about the real estate mar ket in Boulder because she knows it’s a place people will continue to want to live. She enjoys the relation ship-building aspect of real estate. Her love of helping people through big economic decisions, apprecia tion and passion for life and honest, caring nature are some of her biggest strengths as a REALTOR®.

Because of her love for the new, Kim particularly enjoys showing. She gets to see new places and use her eye to illustrate what something could be. The potential of a place gives people ideas and helps them see themselves living there. When Kim stages, she tries to keep it as neutral as possible so buyers can see the home’s potential and let the house speak for itself.

Kim got a taste for real estate as well as a love for nature from her parents. They bought a lot of houses, and she loved it. Even as an adult, she hasn’t stayed in one home for more than a couple of years. It’s the change, the new, that feeds her soul. She got into real estate for “the idea of really being able to help people find the home of their dreams or prepare their house to sell because I loved that.”

Kim wants to help her client’s real estate experience be as stress-free as possible, whether they are a firsttime condo buyer or purchasing a

LIVING IN GRATITUDE TO SET THE TONE FOR A POSITIVE LIFE AND APPRECIATING THE PEOPLE AND ENVIRONMENT AROUND HER GIVE KIM HER ZEST FOR LIFE.

multi-million dollar house. She just got her senior real estate designation and is particularly looking forward to helping retirees transition to smaller houses.

Kim leads with her heart, both with her clients and with her fellow real estate agents. She prides herself on being a good co-REALTOR® and a resource in the industry. Most real estate agents know the industry is really about relationship building, not selling, but Kim knows it’s not just relationships with clients that matter. It’s also the relationships she has built with other industry professionals that make her a successful REALTOR®.

Despite her love for nature and real estate, by far the most important thing in Kim’s life is her now adult children. They are her primary travel buddies, having gone to Europe and Mexico together, and are a fiercely tight-knit family. McKenna (25, female), Grayson (23, female) and Kreitler (18M=, male) don’t quite have Kim’s adventurous streak, but they will happily hike for their mom. The family enjoys skiing, shopping and visiting Sun Valley together. However, to them, the simple, low-key family time like making dinner, sitting on the deck laugh ing or filming silly TikToks are the most important.

Kim’s office has recently hired her daughter Greyson to help keep in touch with past clients, perform showings, manage their social media presence and assist with property management at Latitude 40. Kim is excited to see her daughter showing an inter est in real estate and to get to work with Greyson.

Now that her youngest, Kreitler, is off to college, Kim says, “I’m dying that I’m an empty nester.” She is proud that her house was the hangout house and loves being around teens/young adults. So she’s looking forward to volunteering in a Big Brother, Big Sister or teen mentoring position where she can get teens out on the trails and teach them about nature. “The late teen demographic is where things fall off,” Kim says when talking about people’s physical health and interest in the outdoors. She wants to get teens invested in the outdoors so they continue to live a healthy lifestyle and care for our planet.

Kim takes each day as it comes. She is presentoriented and loves spontaneity. Living in gratitude to set the tone for a positive life and appreciating the people and environment around her give Kim her zest for life.

You can contact Kim at 720-839-1038 (she enjoys texts) or kim@lat40realestate.com.

Greyson Payes is a risk taker determined to experience all life has to offer while connecting with people. Like many teenagers, she chose to take a gap year between high school and college. Unlike many teenagers, Greyson spent her gap year in Milan, Italy, as an au pair to experience another culture, broaden her perspective of the world and explore the fashion industry. She didn’t know Italian, but she’s grateful to have been put in a situation where she had to figure those things out on her own. “It was great to be by myself in a new place and grow as a person,” she says. “I was forced to grow up [in a good way].”

Greyson found her Italian opportunity online through Au Pair World — a website designed to connect au pairs with families. While in Milan, she took an Italian class, looked after four little boys and lived in the family’s flat. She had a blast, but after one year, she was ready to come home to Colorado and her family. She was planning to go to college in Arizona after her gap year but missed home so much, she switched to a local school.

At the University of Colorado in Boulder, Greyson earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, intending to be a social worker, but her love of people meant she got too attached to her clients. Remembering how much she enjoyed going to showings with her mom, Kim Payes, growing up, Greyson started taking real estate classes in college. As a REALTOR®, she will get to connect deeply with people and build relation ships in a different way than social workers do. As her mom’s assistant, she already gets to connect with clients and says, “The opportunity to learn from my mom is great. I’ve always looked up to her and am so grateful to be able to work with her.” She is excited to learn everything about real estate and invest in some

In Italy, Greyson realized the fashion indus try wasn’t for her. She still loves thrifting and putting together outfits with unexpected color and pattern combinations for herself and her friends and

Article by Caitlin Berve, Ignited Ink Writing Photos by Amanda Maughmer, Pink Poppy Media

recreating Pinterest looks. However, her creativity really gets to shine when she helps run Latitude 40 Real Estate Group’s social media accounts, finds the perfect closing gifts for clients and gets to stage houses.

Greyson’s compassion for people has led to her helping the homeless. During a trip to New York when she was 10, she saw homeless people in the cold and knew she wanted to help that population and people in general. At the homeless shelter near her mom’s house in Boulder, she helps prepare food with her family.

When she’s not working or vol unteering, Greyson spends time with her family. She says, “I look up to my sister and aspire to be like her. My little brother just left for college ... but we can talk about anything. My youngest sister is my little mini-me.” Greyson is close with everyone in her family — mom, dad and siblings. She even borrows her mom’s dog, Boden, occasionally for the weekend. “He has a lot of energy, and that gives me a lot of encouragement to go outside and do things with him,” she says. He’ll need that energy to keep up with her.

You can reach Greyson at greyson@lat40realestate.com.

The opportunity to learn from my mom is great. I’ve always looked up to her and am so grateful to be able to work with her.

First American Title

And Greg Grossman

Article by Photos by

Greg Grossman is back in the title business after a “reset” of his life for the last six months. He ended his 18-year job in December 2021, flying outside of Palm Springs to visit his mom. He badly needed a break, taking four trips to help his mom out with her two houses. He worked on general maintenance and prepared one house for a new tenant. After being in the title business for 25 years, he figured he needed his “reset,” and who could argue with being a snowbird near Palm Springs?

Greg, although humble about it, has two clear passions: bike riding and skiing. One day a week (and four days a week while on his sabbati cal), he volunteers at Loveland Ski Patrol. He really enjoys being a member of like-minded people and gets great satisfaction rescuing people on the slopes. His jobs varied: safely preparing the slopes (com pacting the snow on the steep runs that are not open to the public), mak ing sure fences work properly, marking off obstacles, placing tower pads on lift towers and training other members on how to run a toboggan. Training and watching them succeed gives Greg great satisfaction.

One windy, clear, baby blue-sky day toward the end of winter, Greg was breaking cornice on the ridge on the Super Nova Run. They test break (knock off) the cornices to make them safe for the public. Suddenly, the cornice slipped out from under him. All he could do was hold onto the ridge. Seeing the drop-off would have been 3-4 feet, he was able to pull himself up. Excitement was in the air, and although he’s set off slides before, this was the first time he came close to riding it out. The avalanche was most definitely a memorable experience. “It made for a more fun day,” said Greg.

At another time, he saw a skier with a mohawk and thought he looked familiar. So he walks up to this guy, wondering how friendly he was and asks him outright, “Are you Glen Pike?” (the extreme skier who has appeared in various movies, including Warren Miller’s). Glen responded that he was. After introducing himself, Greg shared he enjoys watching him in movies, and Glen said, “Nice to meet you.” That was another of Greg’s exciting moments. He’s met top racers as well.

He has pulled skiers off the hill, saving a lot of lives, and they are all extremely grateful — something that makes Greg smile and feel good about. Sometimes he even skis down the hill with new skiers that are overwhelmed by our Colorado mountain slopes. And he’s been helping skiers since he was 18 years old, every year, once a week. Now that’s dedication!

As an avid cyclist, his biking also takes him to high points, literally. In June, Greg rode from Longmont to Leadville (13 hours of dealing with what I would call a sore bum). In August, he entered the Leadville 100 — 100 mile riding — a ride that begins in Leadville and circles back to Leadville.

The ride goes through Twin Lakes, the Columbine Climb (the largest at 4,000 feet), climbing over 12,000 feet in all. The turnaround is at the top of Columbine, then the Powerline climb, then St. Kevins (pronounced Keevins). Greg finished in the top 1,000 — meaning he finished in under 12 hours. His comment in regards to that? He laughs as he says, “I’m just an old guy who likes to ride his bike and wishes he were fast.”

Greg commutes two to four days a week between Longmont and Boulder to work on his bike. When I asked about riding in the wintertime, he told me that if it snows, he just has to “figure it out when he gets there.” An adventurer at heart.

What’s his favorite thing about working in the title business?

Connecting with all kinds of peo ple. No high pressure there. His easygoing manner and soft-spoken way makes Greg a great contact in the local title business.

With over 20 years in the Boulder market, Greg is the same person with a new company, looking forward to re-establishing old connections and forming new ones. You can reach Greg at ggrossman@firstam.com.

As an avid cyclist, his biking also takes him to high points, literally.

Free Health and Wellness Gifts to Give

health and wellness

Article by Dr. Felicia Santelli

Building on the popular Christmas carol “12 Days of Christmas,” the following are gift ideas for you to contemplate during the holiday season. When you give to yourself, you give to others. You share it in your heart. They feel it in theirs. That is what this season is about.

You may wonder what these gifts have to do with health and wellness. We are not just physical beings! Wellness is achieved when body, mind and spirit are in harmony.

1. LOVE

Most of us are searching for our purpose and meaning of life. It’s been said, “If you dedicate your life to love, you will be happy and every thing will fall into place perfectly.”

After years of life experiences, we realize love is our true nature, and no matter what else we do, “all we need is love,” as John Lennon wrote.

2. GRATITUDE

This time of year, when all of nature rests, we speed up our lives and stress our minds and bodies. Stress creates mental tension. There is no pill, powder, potion or lotion that will get rid of stress. To relieve stress we can use drugs. Try nutrition and exercise. Watch our diet. Reduce sugar. Take a walk. Sing. Dance. The most effective stress reliever is an attitude of gratitude.

Blessing what is in your life reduces stress. Be mind fully grateful for everything you have in your life. It is an essential element to optimal health. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them” (John F. Kennedy).

3. HOPE

When challenged by unexpected adverse circumstances, such as the news of cancer or the death of a loved one, we first attempt to deny reality. Subsequently, we get angry, bargain with life, become depressed and, finally, accept it. Then, something difficult to define, an intangible, begins to breathe life back into us. This is the invisible hope.

It allows a young Japanese, promising ballerina, Ma Li, who lost her arm in a car accident and subsequently tried to kill herself, to dance with a young Japanese man, Zhai Xiaowei. Zhai lost his leg after he fell off a tractor at 4 years of age. Ma Li convinced Zhai, who was training to be a cyclist, that he could dance. Today, they dance beautifully together in exquisite harmony,

balancing each other’s deficits with their remaining strengths. Watch them perform on YouTube (she with out an arm, he without a leg, ballet, hand in hand).

Indeed, “Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible” (William Sloan Coffin Jr.).

4. COURAGE

With silver armor gleaming, the noble warrior stands immovable. Defiantly outnumbered, facing his foe, he’s Hollywood’s embodiment of courage and fearlessness. A true hero.

Most of us will never experience that moment of resolutely staring down death. And we may not consider ourselves courageous or fear less, especially in today’s world with never-ending reports of catastrophe, violence and uncertainty. It all seems so daunting and dangerous.

Movie heroes aside, there is a more genuine and eternal fearlessness within us that lies at the heart of our spiritual being. True courage walks softly. Embraces gently. Speaks kindly. It is far more potent than mere physical might. It doesn’t combat; it alchemizes by fearlessly loving the seemingly unlovable. Transforming pain into peace, discord into harmony.

While not Hollywood superheroes, we do have within us the power to melt every fear, conflict, prej udice or suffering. Courage is love’s face in action.

5. AWARENESS

According to Wikipedia, “Awareness is the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, thoughts, emo tions or sensory patterns. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of something.”

So, are you aware of what you are thinking, what you are feeling? Being aware of what is going on inside affects our health and our relationship to the world around us. Be more consciously aware!

Norman Vincent Peale says, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it this way: “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”

6. LISTENING

One of the most empower ing and healing gifts you can give someone is the gift of yourself, being totally present and listening. By that, I don’t mean merely holding your breath and waiting to speak the minute the other stops. Nor do I mean the need to jump in and fix, change, save or control another person’s experience.

Listening that is most healing is listening from the heart. Not just to content but to intent. Listen to what others are feeling. You don’t necessarily have to do anything. Just hear it and let the other person feel heard. Listening is the foundation of intuition. Listening is the gift that keeps on giving.

7. FORGIVENESS

When we think of “forgive” or “forgiveness,” we often perceive it as an act we bestow upon someone who has wronged us. We are in some way absolving them of some act that was unacceptable or inappropriate. But on a spiritual level, forgive ness has very little to do with another person and much more to do with ourselves. Forgiveness is about allowing ourselves to move past a situa tion and no longer hold negative feelings toward it. We are choosing to let go of the anger and/or frustration and embrace a sense a peace that is truly a gift to ourselves.

There is another dimension to forgiveness: There are times when we acknowledge that we have done things that we are not proud of and feel a

sense of guilt. It’s important that we come to terms with guilt and forgive ourselves. We need to remember that we are worthy of the same forgiveness we give to others. And in forgiving ourselves, we move forward without guilt or burden and truly open ourselves to a new world of possibilities.

8. LAUGHTER

Laughter is a great gift to the world. We seldom have any idea what people we meet are dealing with, what might be troubling them. The kindness of your laughter might be someone’s saving gift for the day.

Your laughter is never wasted. One person will always benefit immediately — you! Every smile, every laugh is a signal to your inner self: I am a happy per son; goodness is all around. Such thoughts affect your brain chemistry and nervous system.

And there is an immediate ripple effect into the world around you. The cutting edge of neuroscience is the recent discovery of mirror neurons — brain cells dedicated to mirroring the emotions of others. We are literally hard-wired to respond to others!

You don’t know when your good nature and cheerful ness will make a big difference to someone. Foster an attitude that promotes smiling, a wonderful gift to all you meet.

9. SURRENDER

How do we know it’s time to make a change in our lives? We may feel stiffness, a pain in our chest, or stuck in our inability to move for ward with a decision. Here are a few exercises I do when I feel the urge to make a change.

One suggestion is to dive deep into a daily practice of meditation. Empty the mind as much as possible. Use a mantra that you resonate with, chant or simply concentrate on the inhale and exhale. Take some deep breaths and let go of your day. Let go of your posi tion in life. Let go of your dilemma, and sit in silence and rest there. When we surrender our attachments, we allow a new awareness to surface. Making small changes in our present behavior can result in bigger changes later.

10. MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them, good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-bymoment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment.

11. JOY

When I spend time with my grandchildren, they bring immense joy into my life. The best thing about being a grandpar ent is when you’re with your grandkids, you’re totally present and involved with them.

Joy is one of those emotions you feel when you are present in the moment. It is experienced not in the grandiose but in the minute. It can be achieved from little things which are otherwise insignif icant: walking in the snow with a good friend, playing with a grandchild, partaking in a holiday meal with family, decorating a tree. Joy is meant to be shared; it is not in things. It is in us!

12. PEACE

I think it’s wonderful that there is a short period of time each year when we focus on peace as a pri ority. This quest for peace is found at the heart of all spiritual tradi tions, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu. This mes sage is for each of us, regardless of religion. This is a time for all. We can refer to it as “the peace that surpasses understanding.”

These gifts work for the holiday season, but Wellness is a 365-day process. There is no rea son why we cannot give these gifts to ourselves and apply them every day during the year.

This holiday season, may we find peace on Earth and goodwill to all!

Wes & Terri Ellerington | (303) 929-8116 info.peakpm@elevated-team.com peakpmelevated.com