At Home Colorado - Boulder County Edition

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate News, Open Home Listings, Homes for Sale, Rentals and More!

BOULDER COUNTY

Haven

The

that nature calls home...

Final chance for some of the most coveted home plans at Barefoot Lakes in Firestone.

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.

February 4-5, 2022

Over 65 years of age? Apply for Some Relief for Your Property Taxes

Make Your Home Wildfire Ready

Property values have risen substantially in Boulder County and this can put upwards pressure on taxes. This burden is especially noticed by seniors on fixed incomes trying to stay in their homes.

With the recent Marshall Fire devastation in, it’s painfully clear: we need to take steps to reduce our home’s risk to wildfire.

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AGRICULTURE COLORADO HOME AND REAL ESTATE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adrian Card Tom Kalinski Zach Wichter Emma Castleberry Duane Duggan Katie Laughridge ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Thais Hafer Toni McNeill Mary Romano MANAGING EDITOR Greg Stone

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS

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.

Submit your real estate and home-related news, press releases, events and article ideas to: gstone@prairiemountainmedia.com.

ADVERTISING

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

New state regulations impact Colorado farms As farmers prepare for the 2022 crop production season, new regulations from Senate Bill 21087 (Ag Workers’ Rights) will be in effect for the ADRIAN 2022 growing CARD season.

Those include limitations to hand weeding and thinning, capped at 20% of weekly hours worked, primarily applicable to workers on vegetable farms. Employers can apply to the Colorado Department of Agriculture for a variance to exceed this cap.

Additional rules promulgated from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment in fall 2021 to prevent heat-related illness among farmworkers will require specific break periods to include rest, water provided by the employer, and shade when the air temperate reads or is forecasted to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

During “increased risk conditions” — when the daily high temperature is 95 degrees or higher, or unhealthy air quality index exists, or more than 12 hours worked in a day, or heavy clothing is worn, or the worker has less than five days on the job (acclimatization) — employers shall provide breaks with rest, shade and water of at least 10 minutes every two hours.

Employers are required to provide annual training on these topics.

Both are clearly in the interest of worker health, and while

many employers view regulations with disdain, they are aware that protecting worker health is always in the best interest of farm business goals. Additional tracking when breaks should happen and providing employee drinking and shade are doable with planning.

Beginning in 2023, all ag employers will face something new: a requirement for overtime pay to workers, dramatically impacting farms and ranches.

CDLE promulgated a phase-in of overtime pay starting in 2023 (COMPS order No. 38) when all farms and ranches will be faced with time-and-a-half pay at all hours worked above 60 in a workweek. The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association was a key influencer moving CDLE to add a category of “highly seasonal employers” to the COMPS No.38.

Starting in 2024, ag employers with a workforce that doubles in a 22-week period (which can be broken into blocks of four weeks and up to three periods in a calendar year) will be subject to a 56-hour cap on regular time pay.

Highly seasonal employers must disclose to employees at the start of the employment period, and 30 days before “highly seasonal” is in play, which weeks will be at the 56-hour overtime trigger.

Employers can change these periods with at least one week’s written notice. Outside these “highly seasonal” 22 weeks, overtime is triggered when more than 48 hours are worked in a week. “Small employers” with fewer than four workers are also eligible for the 56 hours trigger.

Employers in either category will see a 54-hour trigger in 2024 and a 48-hour trigger in 2025.

Most U.S. employers choose to not pay overtime, and thus the likely outcome of the overtime rule is an overall reduction in farm worker pay, as noted by the Colorado State University Food Systems policy brief.

While employees may lose out on earnings, employers are concerned that ag jobs will become even less desirable, especially in a hot job market.

This becomes most acute for ag employers who cannot find local workers and thus resort to using the H-2A temporary foreign ag worker program.

These workers are recruited from countries all over the world, motivated to earn U.S. dollars and return home with that income.

Anecdotal data from both H-2A employers and workers reflects what seems obvious when a worker chooses to leave home and travel to another country to do a hard job; maximum income is the primary motivator.

Those anecdotes also show a concern that Colorado may no longer be competitive for recruiting H-2A workers if their hours will be capped at 56 per week. This presents a potential threat to the Colorado produce sector.

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

At Home is a marketing feature of the Boulder Daily Camera, Greeley Tribune, Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald. ©2022 Prairie Mountain Media.

READ MORE ONLINE AT: ATHOMECOLORADO.COM 2

AT HOME COLORADO

As farmers prepare for the 2022 crop production season, new regulations from the Senate Bill 21-087 (Ag Workers’ Rights) will be in effect for the 2022 growing season. (Photo: Shutterstock).

BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES-CALL

HOME

Make your home wildfire ready With the recent Marshall Fire devastation, it’s painfully clear: we need to take steps to reduce our home’s risk to wildfire.

Research shows fire TOM mitigation can KALINSKI reduce risk, but no one thing eliminates it completely. Colorado State University (CSU) identifies two factors critical in helping a home survive a wildfire – the defensible space around your home and the ignitability of the structure.

Following is a short list of factors and recommendations from CSU, but be sure to check the CSU link below to see the full list.

Structural ignitability Starting from the top, CSU notes the roof, eaves, decks, exterior walls, and windows need attention.

A fire-resistant roof tops the list for protecting your home. Wood and shake-shingle roofs are highly flammable and prohibited in some areas of the state. Asphalt shingles, metal sheets and shingles, tile, clay tile, concrete, and slate shingles are all recommended roofing materials, according to CSU. Most decks are wood and highly combustible. To lower the risk, do not store materials under your deck and follow the guidelines for defensible space.

Exterior walls are affected by radiant heat and direct contact with fire flames. Windows are one of the weakest parts of a building in a wildfire and usually fail before the building ignites.

are not adjacent to plantings.”

• Remove all dead branches, stems and leaves.

• Water grass and vegetation during the growing season and keep wild grasses to a maximum height of six inches.

• Keep firewood at least 30 feet away from structures and uphill, if possible.

Research shows fire mitigation can help reduce fire risk. (Photo: Anna Shvets/Pexelss).

Defensible space Defensible space – or the area around your home – can help your home survive a wildfire, if fire fuels are cleared or reduced.

CSU suggests that the design of your defensible space depends on your location, so you may want additional guidance from your local Colorado State Forest Service forester, fire department, or a consulting forester. Creating a proper defensible space does not mean that your home is guaranteed to survive a wildfire, but it does significantly improve the odds.

Defensible space falls into three zones: Zone 1 is 0 to 15 or 30 feet from your home and other structures – including eaves and decks or porches. CSU recommends removing most flammable vegetation with the possible exception of a few low-

growing shrubs or fire-resistant plants. Common ground junipers are highly flammable, so should be removed or not planted.

Recommendations for Zone 1 include: • Use nonflammable hardscape like gravel, pavers, concrete, and noncombustible mulch materials. Do not plant in this area and remove bark mulch, wood chips, pine straw, and other combustible ground covers.

• Homes with noncombustible siding such as stucco, concrete, stone, or brick can have widely spaced foundation plantings of low-growing shrubs or other fire-resistant plant materials.

However, CSU says “do not plant directly under windows or next to foundation vents, and be sure areas of continuous grass

• For best protection, remove all trees from Zone 1. Trees in this area are considered part of the structure and incorporated in the defensible space measurement. Remove branches overhanging or touching the roof and all fuels within 10 feet of the chimney.

Zone 2 extends at least 100 feet from all structures. CSU recommendations for Zone 2 include the following. Check the CSU link below to see the full list.

• Thin and prune trees by removing stressed, dead or dying trees and shrubs. Create at least 10 feet between crowns, which is measured from the outermost branch of one tree to the nearest branch of the next.

On steep slopes, the distance should be greater.

• Prune lower tree branches to a minimum of 10 feet from the ground.

• Have only one or two dead trees per acre and clear from falling on the house, power CONTINUED – See Page 14

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M WT ANT MORE INFORMATION? Check out these great homes and many more at: Check out these homes and many more at:

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QUEEN ANNE VICTORIAN 1039 Mapleton Ave BOULDER $3,600,000, 4 Beds, 3 Baths, 2504 SqFt

BEAUTIFUL SOUTH FACING LOT 1313 Spruce Ave LONGMONT $3,100,000, 6 Acres

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PRIVATE RETREAT W/ VIEWS 277 Alpine Dr NEDERLAND $1,895,000, 4 Beds, 4 Baths, 3908 SqFt

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS 420 21st Ave LONGMONT $1,500,000, 1 Level, 7577 SqFt

INDIAN PEAKS BEAUTY 535 Sawtooth Pt LAFAYETTE $1,455,000, 5 Beds, 5 Baths, 5366 SqFt Kristen Brown Martin 303-478-1883

30 ACRES - FLAGSTONE QUARRY 2463 Steamboat Valley Rd LYONS $1,250,000, 30.67 Acres

WARM AND LIGHT 869 W Willow St LOUISVILLE $750,000, 3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1858 SqFt

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN GAMING ZONE 127 Main St CENTRAL CITY $750,000, 4275 SqFt

BUILD A LAKEFRONT DREAM HOME 7670 W Grand Ave LITTLETON $675,000, 0.13 Acre

SOLD TOGETHER OR APART 1525 Spruce St 1A & 1B BOULDER 1,275,000 (together), 3052 SqFt

NEAR WANEKA RESERVIOR 200 E Cornwall Ct LAFAYETTE $599,000, 3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1307 SqFt

COOL & SOPHISTICATED 444 17th St 903 DENVER $519,000, 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1065 SqFt

PRISTINE MOUNTAIN LAND 0 Moose Dr LYONS $350,000 40 Acres

RARE PIECES OF LAND 1851-1990 Country Dr FREDERICK Prices and Square Feet Vary

GREAT SPACE FOR SMALL OFFICE 118 8th St DACONO $324,990, 1980 SqFt

SPECTACULAR VIEWS 1524 Hauck Meadows Dr FREDERICK $250,000, 0.9 Acre

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME 105 Millionaire Dr E BOULDER $225,000, 5.95 Acres

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Boulder 303.499.9880

Downtown Longmont 303.651.3939

Downtown Boulder 303.442.3180

Nederland 303.258.7070

4770 Baseline Rd #220 Boulder, CO 80303

1911 11th St #200 Boulder, CO 80302

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AT HOME COLORADO

512 4th Ave #101 Longmont, CO 80501

286 N Bridge St Nederland, CO 80466

Lafayette 303.497.0588

109 N Public Rd View these homes online!

Lafayette, CO 80026

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Louisville 303.666.6500

225 W South Boulder Rd Louisville, CO 80027

Each office independently owned and operated.

BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES-CALL

Boulder’s Independent Real Estate Professionals Fire Emergency Management Afterthoughts

8127 Hygiene Rd $995,000 Farm house, studio, water rights.

9849 Isabelle Rd $5,500,000 Greenhouses and home on 31.5 acres.

One month ago it was that the fire ravaged so many lives. The fortitude shown by the people affected has been noteworthy; so, too, the generosity and camaraderie of those not so affected. The cleanup is far from done and already contractors are engaged in places. One hears of GoFundMe sites unconditionally raising and donating money. Social media is alive with assistance. The collection points are well stocked and superbly managed.

But is has been a difficult time for those who lost homes; difficult dealing with the agencies, difficult even to take possession of Red Cross and other forms of aid for bureaucratic reasons but nothing more difficult than for those experiencing insurance issues.

Our hearts bleed for you all.

5991 Nelson Rd $1,950,000 35-acre buildable parcel w/privacy.

303.444.3177 klrealty.net 7852 Scenic Dr

0 Peak to Peak Highway

14025 N 87th St

Just Sold

$100,000

Just Sold

February 4-5, 2022

team@klrealty.net ATHOMECOLORADO.COM

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THE PATRICK DOLAN TEAM Are you thinking about selling? Our top team is ready to help you navigate the process! Contact us today: (303) 441-5642 • patrick-dolan.com • patrickdolanteam@gmail.com

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8021 FOX RIDGE CT, BOULDER 3 Beds • 5 Baths • 4,320 SQ FT • Offered at $2,500,000 Gorgeous remodel and addition on nearly an acre lot with stunning back range views! Open floor plan with tons of natural light and the utmost attention to detail and finishes! More Info & Photos: patrick-dolan.com/8021-fox

FOR SALE!

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4189 57TH ST, BOULDER

4281 VINCA CT, BOULDER

630 CREE CIR, BOULDER

6 BD • 5 BA • 5,800 SF • $2,195,000

5 BD • 4 BA • 5,640 SF • $2,200,000

4 BD • 3 BA • 2,826 SF • $1,301,000

Near net-zero custom designed home!

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patrickdolanteam@gmail.com BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES-CALL

MORTGAGE NEWS

Millions of homeowners can still cut their mortgage payments with refinancing

Even with mortgage rates jumping, as many as 6 million U.S. homeowners could save an average of $275 a month by swapping out mortgages.

(Photo: Wutthichai Luemuang/Dreamstime.com/TNS).

By Zach Wichter Bankrate.com (TNS) Even with mortgage rates jumping since the start of the year, millions of American homeowners can still benefit from a refi. Mortgage data

Open House // Virtual Tour

firm Black Knight estimates that roughly 6 million homeowners could save an average of $275 a month by swapping out mortgages.

That total counts homeowners defined by Black Knight as “high-

quality refinance candidates.”

Those are borrowers with credit scores of 720 or higher, who hold at least 20 percent equity in their homes, are current on their mortgage payments and who stand to shave at least 0.75 of a percentage point from their existing mortgages.

While 5.9 million homeowners may still be in a position to save an aggregate of $1.6 billion each month, Black Knight’s report acknowledges that it’s a significantly smaller pool of good refi candidates, which was near 20 million in 2020.

According to Bankrate.com’s national survey of lenders for Jan. 19, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage was 3.75 percent.

If you have a 30-year mortgage for $250,000 at 4 percent, your monthly payment is $1,194. Drop the rate to 3 percent, and the payment falls to $1,054, a savings of $140 a month. (Beware closing costs, however – they can add thousands of dollars to the price of refinancing.)

Even though they’re higher than

they were last year, mortgage rates remain low by historical standards and banks are increasingly eager to help borrowers refi.

What you can do To score the best deal on a mortgage: •

Shop around. Closing costs and rates vary by lender, so get three bids.

•

Understand the break-even point. That’s the moment at which the savings in monthly payments offset the amount of the closing costs. This refinance calculator can help you decide.

•

Don’t chase the lowest rate.

Yes, a low rate and paltry payment are good, but make sure those benefits aren’t overwhelmed by closing costs.

Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com.

QUICK GUIDE

VIEW THIS WEEK’S OPEN HOUSES/VIRTUAL TOURS AT: OPENHOMES.ATHOMECOLORADO.COM

BOULDER 128 Eddy Place, Boulder $899,000 Open House: Sat., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Paul Dart RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 931-5198 280 Echo Place, Boulder $1,499,000 Virtual Tour: https://is.gd/yde79m Jon Hatch RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 513-2834 February 4-5, 2022

1412 Old Tale Rd., Boulder $3,695,000 Open House: Sunday, Noon to 3 p.m.

Stu Wright WK Real Estate (303) 888-1679

LONGMONT 7306 Mount Sherman Road, Longmont $849,500 Open Houses: Sat., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sun., 1 to 3 p.m.

Amanda Lovato Lovato Properties (303) 717-6069

LOUISVILLE 756 Owl Court, Louisville $799,000 Open Houses: Sat., 1 to 3 p.m.; Sun., 1 to 3 p.m.

Alicia Miller RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 818-0954

LIST YOUR OPEN HOUSE OR VIRTUAL TOUR! Visit OPENHOMES.ATHOMECOLORADO.COM and click “Place a Listing”.

For more information, call Thais at 303.473.1456 or Toni at 303.684.5329 ATHOMECOLORADO.COM

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COVERPROFILE

Haven

The

that nature calls home...

Final chance for some of the most coveted home plans at Barefoot Lakes.

By Emma Castleberry At Home Colorado

H

The Chelton by Lennar Homes. (Photo: Barefoot Lakes).

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AT HOME COLORADO

omes are going fast at Barefoot Lakes, Firestone’s masterfullyplanned community and the haven that nature calls home. The choice of where to live is one that can create a ripple effect in your life – and choosing to live at Barefoot Lakes ensures that the ripple effect will be a positive one, full of natural wonders.

Lennar is offering your final chance to live in a home from one of its most popular collections, the Pioneer Collection. The Pioneer Collection at Barefoot Lakes includes three home plans, each designed to offer livable, flexible space for the modern family. The Chelton two-story home with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths is perfect for multi-generational families, with an open layout on the main level and a private suite with a kitchenette upstairs.

BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES-CALL

COUNTY RD 28

HIDEAWAY PARK HAVENS PARK

COUNTY RD 9 1/2

WATERSIDE PARK

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THE COVE

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This is part of Lennar’s Next Gen home product that provides functional living space for extended families.

The Pioneer Collection homes, like all Lennar homes, come with Lennar’s signature EI “Everything’s Included” program. “We include all the features in your home with no upgrade costs,” says Carrie Castilian, marketing director for Lennar. New home consultant Briana Cruttenden adds, “With our Everything Included, buyers don’t have to pay extra for upgrades. When they walk through our model homes, they know what they are going to get.

We include a lot of features most buyers would want as standard – some of those include smart features; stainless steel kitchen appliances, including the refrigerator and gas range; a full unfinished basement; AC unit; EVP flooring on the main level; quartz countertops and so much more.” Pioneer Collection homes start in the high $500s.

Brookfield Residential is also nearly sold out of homes from their Harvest Portfolio, a bright, modern collection of homes starting in the low $700s. “The last batch of our Harvest Portfolio new homes are meant to bring the natural beauty of Barefoot Lakes inside through walls of windows and carefully designed spaces,” says Marni Shwartz, marketing manager for Brookfield Residential. Key features of the Harvest Portfolio include MyCommand smart home technology allowing you to control your home with the sound of your voice, quartz countertops and a tankless water heater. In addition, the Harvest Portfolio uses the modern miracle of glass to its fullest potential with glass doors that spill out onto covered patios, windows that turn the kitchen into a sunroom and a sunroom into an even sunnier room.

This coveted Harvest Portfolio address is just across the street from The Cove, one of Barefoot Lakes’ most impressive amenities.

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Pricing, product specifications, amenities and landscaping are subject to change without prior notice. NORTH

Home sites are currently growing in The Havens, with homes available now and even more on the way. (Photos: Barefoot Lakes).

This lifestyle center features a pool and kids splash pool, which opens on Memorial Day, as well as outdoor seating, a grill area, and a 24-hour fitness center with keyfob access and a flex room. Join neighbors for a pick-up game on the pickleball courts or gather around the firepits to watch the stars. Spend cooler nights in the indoor lounge area watching the game, or use the coffee station to fuel your morning

The choice of where to live is one that can create a ripple effect in your life – and choosing to live at Barefoot Lakes ensures that ripple effect will be a positive one, full of natural wonders. (Photos: Barefoot Lakes).

February 4-5, 2022

LA KE TE

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work or chat with a friend.

In addition to The Cove, Barefoot Lakes is home to a number of community parks that offer lush, green spaces for neighbors to gather and enjoy the natural environment. The largest of these is Peninsula Park, a lakeside park with playgrounds and miles of nature trails looping around near 100 acres of lakes. Tucked away in the WaterSide neighborhood is WaterSide Park, a character-rich, nature-infused neighborhood park with its own network of trails for running and strolling.

Barefoot Lakes continues its tradition of park-centric communities with its newest neighborhood, The Havens. Just beyond The Cove, follow a trail through the enhanced native greenbelt to your home, where winding roads lead to a peaceful and playful park.

Hideaway Park, a large, programmed park with outdoor installed lawn games such as can jam, ladder golf, and cornhole, is slated to open in spring or summer of this year. The larger park in this neighborhood, Havens Park, is also growing. It will feature an open field and green space, indicative of true Colorado and Denver city parks, as well as a number of family-friendly features including rock scrambles, natural slides and benches.

Home sites are currently growing in The Havens, with homes available now and even more on the way. Lennar offers its Pioneer and Grand Collections at The Havens and Brookfield Residential has limited homes remaining from its Harvest Collection as well as a brand-new portfolio of homes coming to Barefoot Lakes in spring of 2022. Sign up to be the first to learn about this collection at BarefootLakes.com.

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REAL ESTATE

Over 65 years of age? Apply for some relief for your property taxes Property values have risen substantially in Boulder County and this can put upwards pressure on taxes. This burden is especially DUANE noticed by DUGGAN seniors on fixed incomes trying to stay in their homes.

As a reminder, property taxes may be paid in one single payment by May 2 or in two equal payments. If your taxes are submitted in two payments, the first half of the payment is due by February 28. The second half of the payment is due by June 15. If you have a loan and the lender is escrowing for taxes, the lender will be paying your taxes. If not, be sure to pay attention to the due dates.

Seniors have a few different opportunities in Colorado and Boulder County that are available to ease the burden of the payment of property taxes.

Senior Tax Deferral program First is the senior tax deferral program. This is a program offered by the State of Colorado that enables you to postpone the payment of your property taxes until you sell the property, or even until your death when your estate can deal with it. Of course, there is a bit of a catch.

Interest is applied and accrues on the deferred amount. The interest rate is usually reasonable, but it is different from year to year. Also, there are eligibility requirements, so you will need to fill out an application for approval through the Boulder County Treasurer’s office. The Treasurer’s Office sends the application to the State of Colorado for approval. If approved, you have the option of deferring either the entire amount of your taxes or half of the taxes.

Seniors can use this benefit to simply help their annual cash flow with the money that would have gone to taxes to be used for any other desired purpose.

Eligibility requirements for application To apply, you must be 65 years old on or before January 1 of the year you are applying. You cannot 10

AT HOME COLORADO

receive income from the property by renting it out as it must be your primary residence, but you can maintain a home office. If the property is owned by a trust, you must be the trustee and beneficiary of the trust. Lastly, if you have a reverse mortgage, you likely will not be able to defer your taxes as the lender is required to submit a subordination agreement with the application.

Timing The deadline for application delivery to the Treasurer’s Office is March 18. If you want to defer next year, start thinking about it in January and get your application in.

Making an application You can follow this link to start your application: bouldercounty.org/property-andland/treasurer/taxes/property-taxdeferral/senior.

To be ready to get the application filled out, have the following ready: • • • • • • • •

Your full name If the property is held in a trust, the name of the trust Property address Your date of birth Phone number Name of your mortgage company (if applicable) Approximate balance on your mortgage Whether or not you have a reverse mortgage

Senior Homestead Property Tax Exemption (Discounted property tax program for seniors) In 2000, Colorado voters approved a property tax exemption for qualified seniors (also known as the Senior Homestead Exemption) as a state constitutional amendment. The Colorado legislature makes a determination each year to see if the state budget allows for this discounted property tax program for seniors. Since 2000, there have only been a few years when the program was suspended due to budget shortfalls.

The property tax exemption does not happen automatically for eligible seniors. First of all, a senior needs to know about the program, then must apply for it through their county assessor’s website. The requirements for

Increases in property taxes is especially noticed by seniors on fixed incomes trying to stay in their homes. (Photo: Pexels).

eligibility are quite simple: •

The senior must be 65 years old by January 1 of the year of the application.

•

The senior needs to be the owner of record for the property and lived in it as a primary residence for 10 consecutive years before January 1.

The deadline to apply is July 15th of each year. If the senior qualifies, the exemption goes into effect for the tax year that is being applied for. The discount will first appear in the tax bill that is sent in January of each year.

For those who qualify,

50 percent of the first $200,000 in actual value of their primary residence is exempted, for a maximum exemption amount of $100,000 in actual value.

The State of Colorado pays the property taxes on the exempted value.

Exceptions to ownership and occupancy requirements include: if a property is owned by a trust, corporate partnership, or legal entity; the applicant or spouse is or was living in a nursing home, hospital, or assisted living facility; the residence was condemned or destroyed by a natural disaster; or homeowner passed away prior to CONTINUED – See Page 14

BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES-CALL

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19 Years

of Boulder County Gold Awards!

4536 Angelina Circle Longmont 1412 Old Tale Road Boulder 14516 N. 107th Street Longmont Open Sun 11am-2pm $825,000 Open Sun 12-3pm $3,695,000 New Listing! $1,200,000 Delightful Low-Maintenance Lifestyle!

Creekside estate on one acre lot in the city.

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6470 Cherry Court Niwot New Listing! $3,525,000 Exquisite custom Home with attention to detail! www.6470.wkre.com Joyce Pollich: 303-249-6501

1045 Waite Drive Under Contract Beautifully updated home! www.1045.wkre.com Rachel Weinberg: 303-541-1913

Boulder $875,000

2329 Glacier Court Lafayette 3 Bed, 4 Bath $1,590,000 New modern custom home in Trail Ridge West. www.2329.wkre.com Paul Calcagno: 303-579-6463

8850 N. County Line Road Longmont 15600 Peoria Crossing Road Byers 525 3rd Avenue Longmont 7 Bed, 9 Bath $3,875,000 Land $2,115,000 Commercial $4,500,000 Luxury home with barn on 35 Acres!!

Grand historic building in Old Town Longmont.

355 acre certified organic farm near Byers. www.8850.wkre.com www.525third.wkre.com www.15600.wkre.com Dennis & Jann Culver: 303-618-3366 Tom Hill: 720-312-7271 Jim Green: 303-775-2553

VIEW THE ENTIRE MARKETPLACE INVENTORY OF LISTINGS ON WKRE.COM BOULDER OFFICE: 303.443.2240 LONGMONT OFFICE: 303.776.3344 wkre.com 12

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This 2600-sqft, 5BR, 3BA classic ranch home in North Gunbarrel Estates is beautifully updated and wonderfully located with easy access to open space trails, to Boulder, to Niwot, and to Longmont proper.The bright and open kitchen is complete with white quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, beautiful cabinets, and hardwood floors.The gourmet kitchen ties in seamlessly to a breakfast nook and a wide open living space. Down the hallway you’ll find three bedrooms and two updated bathrooms, whereas downstairs there is a spacious den, two more bedrooms, a third bathroom, and laundry room.The quarter-acre lot offers Colorado outdoor living at its finest in the private and serene backyard.

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13

Relief for your property taxes (continued) January 1. In the event of deeding the property into a trust, the trustee can re-apply. A surviving spouse can also re-apply in the event of the death of a spouse.

For more information about the senior tax exemption, visit the Boulder County Assessor website at: bouldercounty.org/ property-and-land/assessor/seniorexemption.

taxes will resume to the nondiscounted amount.

To learn more about property tax prorations, see my article at: athomecolorado.com/real-estateat-home-colorado/property-taxprorations-at-closings.

Senior Tax Worker Program As a senior – in this case, 60 years of age or older – you can work off some of your property taxes through temporary employment with Boulder County. The senior must own property in Boulder County and live at the location where the taxes are due. The senior will be paid $12.32 per hour and can earn up to the amount of the county portion of the tax bill not to exceed $1,000.

NOTE: Due to ongoing concerns surrounding the transmission of COVID-19, all Boulder County employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit proof of vaccination or an approved reasonable accommodation prior to starting work. Also, due to the ongoing pandemic, open positions for senior tax workers may be limited.

Senior Homestead Tax Prorations When Selling Because the Senior Property Tax Exemption is a discount for qualifying seniors, there can be confusion when a senior sells their home. Oftentimes the property tax amount shown in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is at the discounted rate. Care should be taken to make sure a home buyer understands what the property taxes will be when the senior tax exemption no longer applies.

For the home closing, taxes are prorated to the lower “senior” amount and the home buyer gets the benefit of the lower tax rate until the end of the year that was prorated. At the start of the following year, however, property

Wendy Conder

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Half of the salary will be paid by the Boulder County Commissioner’s Office and half by the hiring department within the county. The senior will receive a paycheck, subject to regular withholding. The senior will be responsible for paying their property taxes on their own by the due date.

The application for the Senior Tax Worker Program is available on the Boulder County Commissioner’s Office website and the deadline to apply is July 15: bouldercounty.org/jobs/seniortax-worker-program.

There you have it -- three

avenues to help seniors with their property taxes!

Duane Duggan is an awardwinning Realtor® and author of the book Realtor for Life. He has been a Realtor for RE/MAX of Boulder in Colorado since 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career.

He has been awarded two of the highest honors bestowed by RE/MAX International: The Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Legends Award.

For questions, email DuaneDuggan@boulderco.com, call 303.441.5611 or visit boulderco.com.

Fire mitigation (continued) lines, roads, or driveways.

• Isolated shrubs are okay but not under trees and at least 10 feet from tree branches. Space shrub clumps at least 2.5 times mature height. If a shrub is 6 feet high, spacing between clumps should be 15 feet or more.

• Do not stack wood against your home or on or under your deck and clear all flammable vegetation within 10 feet of wood piles.

• Locate propane tanks and natural gas meters at least 30 feet from any structures. Do not locate them below or above your house, since the fire would burn uphill or leaks would flow into your home. Clear all flammable vegetation within 10 feet.

Zone 3 is the area farthest from your home and extends from the

• Non-smoking community • Sixteen distinctive floorplans • Granite countertops, wood-style plank flooring & stainless steel appliances • Full size in home washer and dryer • Attached & detached garages available • Two pools, spacious sundecks, and FREE WiFi at pool/spa and clubhouse • 24-hour fitness center • Playground, sand volleyball, sport court • Clubhouse with conference room & business center • BBQ areas at the pool and throughout the community • Across the street from a grocery store anchored shopping center and walking distance to other services and restaurants

edge of Zone 2 to your property boundaries. Your local Colorado State Forest Service forester can help you with this zone.

This is a reduced list and there is a lot more to consider. It can seem overwhelming, but getting started is the first step. Be sure to read the full guide at: • static.colostate.edu/clientfiles/csfs/pdfs/FIRE2012_1_ DspaceQuickGuide.pdf 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 40-year background in commercial and residential real estate. For questions, email Tom at tomkalinski33@gmail.com, call 303.441.5620, or visit boulderco.com.

Love your New Apartment Home!

Now Accepting Dogs!* *Breed Restrictions

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STYLE AT HOME

Farm fresh styles for spring Katie Laughridge Tribune News Service (TNS) Despite the chill outside, it is full spring ahead in the decor world. It is always a strange time to walk in from the cold into a warm and colorful home. This inbetween time can also pose some decorating challenges. What is a home to do when it feels too early for full floral, but you don’t want to live in a winter wasteland for another month? This isn’t a onesize-fits-all answer, but this year I am doing what I love to do yearround – bringing out the veggies.

Garden-inspired decor is light and airy without bringing out the tulips too early in the season. It’s OK to tiptoe into spring! With this look, I started by featuring some of my favorite classic cabbage dishes on my existing tabletop displays. The classic cabbage dishes are a timeless addition to any china cabinet and perfect for almost any season (however, they really shine in the spring and summer months!). By slowly adding in these new touches, I get to enjoy my blue-and-white

table for a while longer without it getting stale.

Cabbage plates make for a great cabinet display when they are off the table. Replacing the holiday dishes is never easy, but these do take the sting out quite a bit. They pair well with just about any color and look ready for a fluffy bunny to come take a nibble out of as you prepare for Easter. I snuck in a few tomato dishes to accompany them and have the beginnings of a great display (and a great salad).

As we delve deeper into spring, so too can our tables. I have been loving garden-inspired decor so far this year. There is something so fresh and clean about bringing produce into a display that breathes new air into our spaces. This love may also have something to do with my inability to grow veggies in real life. My current favorite table in the shop is bursting with homegrown goodies that even my lack of a green thumb can’t ruin. Vegetable dinner plates really pop against the beautiful, cheerfully colored chargers. Each one is cuter than the last, and I can’t decide which

Garden-inspired decor is light and airy without bringing out the tulips too early in the season. (Provided photo/TNS).

Start welcoming spring slowly by featuring some of your favorite classic cabbage dishes. (Provided photo/TNS).

design I like best. Luckily, they are adorable as a matching set or mixed.

Since it is still too early for fresh garden supplies, we have adorable faux veggies and herbs saving the day and looking good enough to eat (but I wouldn’t recommend it).

A bowl of tomatoes can create a stunning countertop display, while a few herbs in a pot can make a table topper that puts a smile on your face. It has all the charm and allure, without spending a day in

the garden.

Soon we will be toiling in the soil for all natural goods, and I can’t wait for that either. In the meantime, I am chasing my winter blues away one place setting at a time.

Adapted from nellhills.com.

Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s. For more information, contact Katie at info@nellhills.com.

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RECENTLY LISTED HOMES UNDER CONTRACT

UNDER CONTRACT

BOULDER | 5640 TABLE TOP COURT

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4 BR * 4 BA * 3335 TSF (957994) * $829,900

1 BR * 1 BA * 764 TSF (958029) * $420,000

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3 BR * 5 BA * 4320 TSF (958201) * $2,500,000

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FREDERICK | 234 5TH STREET

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3 BR * 5 BA * 2992 TSF (958270) * $1,299,700

1 BR * 1 BA * 637 TSF (958286) * $285,000

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