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THE LIGHTER SIDE

Every Christmas Tree is the Most Beautiful One Open Homes and Virtual Tour Quick Guide Looking for a home? View comprehensive listings of local virtual tours and open houses taking place from all across the area.

December 17-18, 2021

What You Need to Know About The Federal Reserve’s Recent Meetings

It’s Time for Your Annual Real Estate Checkup

Whether you’re ready to purchase a home right now or you plan to wait a while, you may be interested in staying apprised of the Federal Reserve’s latest decisions.

To maintain your financial well-being, it is essential to schedule an annual real estate checkup.

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MORTGAGE COLORADO HOME AND REAL ESTATE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michaela Phillips Mary Lynn Bruny Paul F. P. Pogue Duane Duggan Tom Kalinski Adrian Card Cathy Hobbs ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Thais Hafer Toni McNeill Mary Romano MANAGING EDITOR Greg Stone EDITORIAL

At Home Colorado is a weekly publication designed for the Colorado home and real estate community. The Boulder County edition publishes Friday in the Boulder Daily Camera and Saturday in the Longmont Times-Call.

The Northern Colorado edition publishes Saturday in the Greeley Tribune and Loveland Reporter-Herald. Submit news releases and articles to: gstone@prairiemountainmedia.com.

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To advertise in At Home or to promote your virtual home tour visit AtHomeColorado.com/Advertise, call Thais Hafer at 303.473.1456, Toni McNeill at 303.684.5329 .

At Home is an advertising feature of the Boulder Daily Camera, Greeley Tribune, Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald. ©2021 Prairie Mountain Media.

What you need to know about the Federal Reserve’s recent meetings Whether you’re ready to purchase a home right now or you plan to wait a while, you may be interested in staying apprised of the Federal MICHAELA Reserve’s latest PHILLIPS decisions. The central banking system of the United States works to regulate the economy, and its actions have an impact on interest rates-something that immediately affects you if you’re a borrower. The Federal Reserve’s recent meetings signal changes to come, and here, I discuss the Fed’s game plan for the future: The Federal Reserve announces intention to begin tapering The Federal Reserve recently announced its plans to begin tapering the purchase of assets later this month (November 2021). This means that the central bank will reduce its monthly purchases of treasury securities by $10 billion and $5 billion of mortgage-backed securities. The committee came to this decision due to the signs of progress that the economy is showing at this stage in the coronavirus pandemic.

At the onset of the pandemic, the Fed implemented an emergency rate cut and took other protective measures to bolster the economy.

Rate increases could be on the horizon Although the Fed’s decision to start tapering is a sign of an economy in recovery, Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, has stated that “We

The central banking system of the United States works to regulate the economy, and its actions have an impact on interest rates--something that immediately affects you if you’re a borrower. (Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels).

don’t think it’s time yet to raise interest rates.” Many economists foresee a rate hike to follow the tapering process. The consensus among analysts seems to be that an increase of the benchmark borrowing rate is still months in the future--perhaps as much as one year away. It won’t be surprising if several rate hikes occur between 2023 and 2024 if the economy continues rebounding as the pandemic recedes and supply chain issues are mitigated.

Regardless of where you are in your home buying journey, the Federal Reserve’s decisions will have an impact on interest rates. If

you’re ready to purchase now, you may benefit from today’s rates, which are still very low. For those who need more time to prepare, it will be advantageous to focus on improving your credit score so you can secure the best possible interest rate--especially since rate hikes may be coming down the pike.

Michaela is the Senior Lender for Synergy One Lending in Boulder. She enjoys teaching her clients the pros and cons of being a Real Estate Investor. Contact Michaela at 303.579.5517, e-mail michaela@michaelaphillips.com or visit michaelaphillips.com.

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THE LIGHTER SIDE

Every Christmas tree is the most beautiful one

A rather stylish acquaintance said to me one holiday season, “I really don’t like Christmas trees that are decorated all hodgepodge. You know, ones that MARY LYNN have all kinds BRUNY of junk all over them.”

“Really?” I replied. “I love any Christmas tree, especially the ones that look like Christmas threw up on itself.”

Our family’s tree is decorated with ornaments that anyone has made out of any substance at any point in their life mixed with miscellaneous store-bought ones collected over the years, some of them nice, but also some really weird ones. I’m guessing my acquaintance would not like our tree.

Like a home’s interior décor, every Christmas tree has its own unique vibe. I think this makes them all fun to see. But I love a December 17-18, 2021

Christmas trees in general, no doubt due to my late father.

My dad loved Christmas trees and went all in. His enthusiastic decorating motto was: “If some is good, much, much, much more is way better, especially if it’s shiny.”

A bit to my mother’s chagrin (who has subtler taste), trees of my youth were jam-packed with large, multi-colored lights (the big ones you screwed in) and loads of huge glittered ornaments.

Growing up, I thought our Christmas trees were fantastic, objects of extreme beauty. My father was obviously a visual genius, a master of his craft.

When I was really young my dad also used (or should I say abused) tinsel. If you are over 50 perhaps you remember tinsel – in the little white boxes? He drowned our trees in the stuff.

You could barely make out the lights glowing beneath the blanket of reflective strips. The ornaments were simply MIA. It was a divine overall effect, kind of like a huge glowing foliage nightlight.

I remember my poor mother

muttering under her breath when - once again - the tinsel got jammed up in the vacuum cleaner. Remnants of it would show up months later behind couch cushions or clinging to the drapes. But the worst was when it occasionally came out of our pets’ behinds. I think that’s what put the final kibosh on the stuff being used.

One year when I was a young

adult my mom revolted and decided they would have a Victorian Christmas tree. It was all completely coordinated with pinks and purples with lace stuff and matched their decor. It was perfect – some in our family members thought it was too perfect. It was like a person who has had too much Botox: sure, it was pretty but it just didn’t look quite right.

My father was not a huge fan.

I imagine a truce was formed after tough negotiations.

Eventually the pastel tree got relegated to the living room and the “real” tree was set up in the family room, sans tinsel by then.

Christmas time peace ensued.

Luckily my husband and I have had only minor Christmas tree negotiations. He has agreed to allow any and all homemade children’s ornaments (jumbled composites of globs of glue, glitter, googly eyes and vivid imaginations). I have agreed to allow some greenery to actually show, meaning I limit my ornament enthusiasm. (Sorry, dad.)

I think our Christmas tree is imperfectly perfect. It’s a collection of memories reflected in the decorations we have made and gathered over the years. But that’s the lovely thing about Christmas trees: everybody thinks theirs – full of their own memories - is the most beautiful. Obviously, we’re all visual geniuses (or blinded by nostalgia).

Mary Lynn Bruny writes about local real estate and home-related topics. Contact her at ml.bruny@ comcast.net. To read previous The Lighter Side articles, go to athomecolorado.com/the-lighterside.

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REAL ESTATE

It’s time for your annual real estate checkup

To keep yourself healthy, you make sure to schedule an annual physical.

To maintain your financial well-being, it is essential to schedule an DUANE annual real DUGGAN estate checkup.

December is a great time to conduct that review so you can make any adjustments in the year ahead.

If you’re not a homeowner yet or don’t own any investment real estate, the real estate checkup can be done pretty quickly.

Ask yourself, “Do I own any real estate?” The answer is no – so it’s time to start to lay the groundwork. In general, the sooner you can own real estate in your life, the more likely it will be a useful source of retirement income. Now is a good time to get started. You can meet with a Realtor® and develop a plan to make that first purchase as soon as it is feasible for you.

If you already own a home or investment real estate, here are a few things you should evaluate during your annual real estate checkup: Get a market analysis from your Realtor One of the wonderful things about real estate in our area, is that it has gone up in value over time.

Sure, it’s had its ups and downs, but looking back when I started my real estate career in 1978, Baseline Subdivision homes, in the city of Boulder, were selling for under $30,000. Now, in 2021, they start at around $650,000.

As a homeowner, it is a good idea to get an updated value of your home each year and apply that information to your financial statement. You can use that information for planning and studying your financial future, relative to real estate and anything else you might invest in.

Check your insurance coverage on your real estate As mentioned above, keep track of your real estate values. It is also a good time to double check your insurance coverage and see if it is in line with replacement coverage.

Remembering our 2013 flood, it December 17-18, 2021

reduction this is one way to do it. The payment will be higher, however, possibly making it tougher to meet the qualifying requirements. Some lenders will allow you to recast your loan at a new interest rate and over a term you would like. In other words, if you are 10 years into a 30-year loan, a lender might be able to make a new loan at today’s rates, but on a 20-year amortization.

You might have the benefit of a lower payment if the interest rate is lower than your current rate, and not add 10 years to the loan.

is also a good time to check if you need flood insurance, sump pump failure insurance, etc.

Check your loan balance on your home and/or your rental properties If you have an amortized loan on your home, that means the loan balance goes down each month.

On a 30-year loan, principal reduction is fairly slow in the first half. If you keep the property and the loan for a long time, at about year 14, the principal reduction happens pretty rapidly. It makes it fun to see how much your equity has increased each year.

Mortgage insurance removal Mortgage insurance, for purposes of this discussion, will pay off your lender if you default. There is another kind of mortgage insurance that like life insurance, if you die the loan gets paid off so your loved ones don’t have the burden of a mortgage payment.

Knowing your loan balance can help you determine if you can get rid of mortgage insurance.

Many homes were bought with low down payments. As a result, many homeowners have private mortgage insurance as part of their payment. The combination of rising values and principal

reduction could make you eligible for removing the private mortgage insurance and lowering your payment. Check with your current lender to see if the mortgage insurance can be removed or if you need to refinance to get rid of it. You may not be able to do it now, but you can make a plan for how soon you could get it removed.

Check your interest rate Over time, we tend to forget what the interest rate is on our home mortgages. Interest rates currently remain at historical lows, so now might be a good time to refinance into a lower payment. Remember, if you have a five-year-old, 30-year amortized loan, for example, if you refinance, you start over on a new 30-year schedule. Refinancing at a lower interest rate and starting over on a new 30-year amortization, could substantially lower your payment. If you are able to eliminate mortgage insurance as well, you might really like your new payment.

Decide on your loan term, if you refinance If starting over on a 30-year loan doesn’t excite you, it is possible to refinance into a 15-year loan.

If your goal is rapid principal

Meet with your real estate lending professional and Realtor Knowing the current value and loan balances on your property gives you a wealth of information with which to discuss with your mortgage lender and Realtor. By knowing this information, you will learn how much equity you have. If you have equity, you have options to continue to grow your real estate portfolio.

If your family size has increased, you might need a larger home. It could be possible to purchase a larger home and build your real estate portfolio at the same time.

You can check into refinancing your old home, rent it, pull cash out for your down payment, and then buy your next personal residence.

If you are happy where you are, it might be possible to refinance and pull cash out to buy a rental property. By meeting with your mortgage lender, you can determine if you can qualify, or formulate a plan to be able to qualify in the future.

Get a home inspection A home and a rental property or can be an individual or family’s biggest investment in their life. Like anything else that is important to you, it is advisable take good care of it. It is vital to get a home inspection every once in a while. Spring is a great time to do that, to ensure that snow won’t be covering up any potential issues. For example, when was the last time you crawled up in your attic? There might be a family of raccoons living there!

The point is, a home inspector can alert you to simple repairs and maintenance items, that might prevent significant problems down the road. This helps you maintain ATHOMECOLORADO.COM

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REAL ESTATE

Notable advantages to selling a house in winter intends to make a purchase.

“Some people are contemplating moving and may just want to see what’s on the market. Since more homes tend to go on the market in spring and fall, this is also when window shoppers are likely to be out looking,” writes Realtor.com.

Winter freezes out the “lookers,” but not the serious buyers. While there may be fewer showings, those who visit are motivated to buy – a good thing for sellers.

4. Winter buyers are serious While it may come as a surprise, not everyone touring homes

5. Year-end corporate activity Companies often pay bonuses during the holiday season. The payout can mean some have a windfall to help them buy a home.

Additionally, even in these days of working remotely, corporations still relocate workers. Relocation packages are designed to help make the move and potential home purchase easier. Relocated buyers have the added cash to smooth their home buying process.

For those considering selling your home in winter, these advantages may help alleviate your concerns. A good Realtor can help ensure the process goes well and quickly.

Read the full story at www.realtor.com/advice/sell/ reasons-to-sell-a-home-in-winter.

Tom Kalinski is the broker/ owner of RE/MAX of Boulder, the local residential real estate company he established in 1977.

He was inducted into Boulder County’s Business Hall of Fame in 2016 and has a 40year background in commercial and residential real estate. For questions, email Tom at tomkalinski33@gmail.com, call 303.441.5620 or visit boulderco.com.

deductibles on such a policy.

Get started on your real estate checkup today by contacting your REALTOR®, mortgage lender, and home inspector.

Duane Duggan has been a Realtor for RE/MAX of Boulder in Colorado since 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career, the vast majority from repeat and referred clients.

He has been awarded two of the highest honors bestowed by RE/ MAX International: The Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Legends Award. Living the life of a Realtor and being immersed in real estate led to the inception of his book, Realtor for Life. For questions, email DuaneDuggan@ boulderco.com, call 303.441.5611 or visit boulderco.com.

If you’re considering selling your home next spring, you may want to consider stepping up your timeline. (Photo: Pexels).

If you’re considering selling your home next spring, you may want to consider stepping up your timeline.

Though spring is officially home-selling season, experts say a winter sale could bring TOM you a higher KALINSKI sale price and an overall less stressful process, according to Realtor.com.

The following are the benefits outlined by Realtor.com of putting your home on the market when temperatures and weather conditions take a turn and gardens are bare.

1. Less competition Quite simply, there are fewer homes on the market in the winter

so buyers have less to choose from. In Boulder County, no matter what time of year you are selling your home, seriously low inventory has been a hallmark of the local housing market in the past year. In this low inventory market, buyers tend to stay active year-round. As a seller the evenlower supply of winter works in your favor, making it an ideal time to sell your home.

2. You can show off your home’s ideal winter features Cold weather has been slow in coming to Boulder County so fa this year. But rest assured, low temperatures and icy snows are just around the corner. The chilly temps make winter the ideal time to tout your home’s advantages in this less than easy time of year. Details like south-facing driveways and front walkways sell themselves on snowy days: less

snow shoveling is appealing to every homeowner. Other amenities like cozy fireplaces and relaxing hot tubs highlight themselves in a winter home showing.

3. Growing families push parents to re-nest Statistics show September has more birthdays than any other month, according to the Center for Health Statistics and the Social Security Administration. Once a family settles in with a new baby, parents often begin to search for a new home to better suit their growing family, reports Realtor.com. Though the pandemic may have suppressed the birth rate in the U.S., there’s likely to be a push to find a larger home.

Real estate checkup (continued) your property and allows you to anticipate big-ticket updates, like a roof or furnace replacement, and budget accordingly.

Check into a home warranty It has been common for an independent home warranty policy to be part of a real estate transaction. These policies 10

AT HOME COLORADO

cover many working parts of the house, such as the furnace, air conditioners, water heaters, etc. Some of these companies provide coverage for a home you are already living in and own. For instance, if a failure of a water heater or furnace at the same time might create financial hardship, it is a good idea to look into the premiums, coverage, and

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LAWN AND GARDEN

Winter climate and snowpack: You get what you get Boulder County and the areas surrounding it, including the high mountains, are in severe to extreme drought (D2 and D3 in drought jargon, according to ADRIAN the Drought CARD Monitor). While this region of Colorado enjoyed a “donut hole” status through much of the state’s 2021 drought, we have now joined the remainder of Colorado, which is in some form of moderate (D1) to extreme (D3) drought.

If you are new to Colorado, you will soon learn that snow is the source of most the hydrology in the state. While there is a minor exception in the Republican river basin, no river flows into Colorado, earning it the title “mother of rivers”, rivers fed by snowmelt. Therefore everyone – commercial and residential users, farmers and ranchers, rafters and fishermen – keep an eye to the

The South Platte basin, with Boulder County as part of this watershed, is at 66% SWE. (Photo: Shutterstock).

snowpack as we enter a water year, Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

Currently, that water year is looking dismal. Warm and dry weather have excluded snowfall gains through most of the water year into mid-December. Recent snowfall has added to the overall picture, with a statewide average snow water equivalent (SWE) reported at 54% according to the

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Natural Resources Conservation Service. Imagine if you melted all the snow from a pipe inserted into in the snowpack and converted that to inches of water. Like measuring rain in a rain gauge, that is SWE. The South Platte basin, with Boulder County as part of this watershed, is at 66% SWE. Of critical importance to Coloradans, the Southwest part of the state, the San Miguel basin and Upper Rio Grand basin, are showing 31% and 33% Mother nature always bats last, so water managers in the state know most of the big snow events come after the new year. By late April we have typically reached maximum snow deposition and have a relatively clear picture of SWE contributions to hydrology.

Periodic rainfall events can charge the hydrology with more water but since these cannot be predicted are just a bonus when they happen.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration publishes short- and near-term temperature and precipitation forecasts through its Climate Prediction Center (CPC). The last CPC 30-day forecasts issued November 30 showed Colorado at a 40 to 60% probability of above normal temperatures. No surprise here given our weather lately. Interestingly, the state is divided nearly evenly by a horizontal line, approximately in the I-70 corridor, with a less likely warm forecast above and more likely forecast below this line. All but the Southeast corner of the state has equal chances of normal precipitation for the period.

The three month CPC forecasts issued November 18 show all but a tiny Northeastern sliver

of the state having a 40 to 50% probability of above normal temperatures and all but the southern third of the state having equal chances of a normal precipitation outlook with the southern third in a 33-40% probability of below normal precipitation.

Overlay the current meager snowpack for Southwest Colorado and lower probability of precipitation through February and the prolonged drought there is still on the table now. Given the decent snowpack to date in the South Platte basin and favorable precipitation forecasted through February, the Boulder County area could emerge from drought by spring.

While it is premature now to plan for 2022 water year drought contingencies, this is a strong reminder that climate is in flux, warmer and drier maybe the trend for the Boulder County area going forward, additional watering of critical municipal landscapes may be the norm, even during winter dormancy to prevent injury and death to perennial plants.

Water storage projects are highly controversial but could be the buffer needed to bridge dry water period.

Farming and ranching, normally risky businesses, now look even riskier.

Mother nature will determine the water Colorado gets. It is our job manage it wisely.

Adrian is the agriculture extension agent for Colorado State University Extension in Boulder County. For more information on agriculture, visit extension. colostate.edu/agriculture

Wendy Conder

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HOME

Preparing for home appraisal Paul F. P. Pogue Ask Angi (TNS) If you’ve ever bought or sold a house, you know the crucial role home appraisers play in the outcome. Even if you haven’t had the (sometimes stressful) pleasure of buying or selling a home, you should still familiarize yourself with what a home appraiser does—and how it impacts your bottom line should you ever find yourself closing in on a home sale.

On average, a single-family residential home appraisal will cost between $300 and $500, though that price may go up for larger homes. The same is true if a home has certain features that require more time and expertise to appraise. In most cases, the appraisal fee is the buyer’s responsibility. However, you’ll need to pay the cost if you’re trying to learn the value for nonsales reasons. If you’re hiring an appraiser, verify that they are state-certified and have relevant experience in your location.

Familiarity with the community helps appraisers accurately set the

price of a home.

Prepare for a home appraiser by making sure the home is as neat and clutter-free as possible. A clear area helps eliminate potential distractions so they can take a thorough look at everything. It’s also a good idea to handle all minor repairs in advance. Exterior damage, chipped or peeling paint, and torn screens tend to give the impression of a home that has not been well-kept.

Appraisers will inspect your home for health and housing codes, count the total square feet of all the rooms, look at the ease of layout, and consider things such as appliances and utilities.

They’ll also factor in available parking and driveways, as well as the home’s exterior condition and curb appeal.

Inform the appraiser about any home enhancements, and how much they cost. Recent installations such as a new $5,000 furnace or a $15,000 roof can boost the home’s appraised value.

If possible, give them written verification of the upgrades.

Similarly, a recent copy of your

MORE THAN AN AGENT

The appraisal process is a vital part of a home sale. You can take steps to ensure it goes smoothly. (Photo: Andrey Popov/Dreamstime/TNS).

property tax bill will help.

Be aware that any renovations done to the home without acquiring proper permits will likely show up in the appraisal or home inspection phase and could throw a wrench into your sale. Home sales are a significant reason you need to verify that your contractors pull all appropriate permits on any job.

Skipping permits can come back to haunt you years later.

Some of the most critical factors affecting your home’s value may be out of your control. There’s a reason that real estate relies on three essential words: Location, location, location! The quality of nearby schools, access to roads,

RODWIN ARCHITECTURE

noise factors such as nearby trains, and other elements will all help determine the final cost.

Appraisers will also factor in nearby home values and recent sale prices to estimate a local baseline.

In the end, if you don’t agree with your appraised value, you can bring it to the attention of the lender or company that ordered the appraisal. You’ll have the most luck if you can provide your lender with objective data, such as recent nearby home sales that were particularly low for reasons specific to that property rather than the neighborhood.

Visit at angi.com.

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We believe actions speak louder than words. But in case you want to see the words that hold us to those actions, we’ve got a whole Code of Ethics, too. It’s 8 pages based on honesty, integrity, and trust that’s exclusive to REALTORS®.

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DESIGN RECIPES

Dressing the bed

By Cathy Hobbs Tribune News Service (TNS)

high quality cotton duvet cover with duvet insert. Many designers recommend using flat sheets as opposed to a flat and fitted sheet.

Top sheets should be one size larger than the mattress size in order to allow them to be sufficiently tucked into.

Beds are meant to be comfortable and enhancing, gone are the days in which beds are just for function, these days “dressing the bed” is for some an art form, involving an array of pillows, lots of layers and texture.

Create a mood How do you want your bedroom space to make you feel? Do you want the space to feel warm and cozy or cool and tranquil?

Whatever you choose, you are going to want to make the right selections, that will help set the right balance. Warm colors will help to make a space feel cozy, while cool colors, will create a feeling that is more tranquil and calm.

Select a design aesthetic Modern or Traditional? What is your aesthetic? Once you know your own personal style and desire, this will provide direction as you select the perfect bedding.

A children’s bedroom is enhanced through the use of a graphic coverlet and colored throw. (Photo: Scott Gabriel Morris/TNS).

Traditional? Look for soft fabrics and small simple prints. More modern? Think of clean elements, such as piping or stripes and clean, graphic prints.

Must haves Where does one get started?

When creating the ideal bed, think of layering. Essentials include sumptuous sheets, a good quality, quilted coverlet, followed by a

Save or splurge?

Pillows, pillows, pillows. Pillows are a designer secret weapon. They allow one to swap in and swap out color and texture instantly.

Luxurious, high end pillows will add instant glam to nearly any bedroom. Sheeting is another area where you will want to splurge, in many instances, the quality of the sheeting will correspond with price point. Where can you save? Beyond the basics of sheeting and duvet covers, fringe items such as bed skirts and throws are where one could likely save.

Cathy Hobbs, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert. Contact her at info@cathyhobbs.com or visit her website at cathyhobbs.com.

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MARCH 4-6 Island Grove Regional Park Event Center & Exhibition Hall in Greeley The 2022 Northern Colorado Home & Garden Show is the perfect place for inspiration and education for any and all of your home needs.

Join us for our in-person show and get new ideas for your home!

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...is where our stories begin.

We are grateful for our clients and friends, near and far, who have continued to support RE/MAX of Boulder and RE/MAX Elevate through the past years and particularly through the trying times we’ve all been going through.

May your holiday season be bright and may your stories continue to grow as we move into 2022.

We wish everyone a very special holiday season!

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