Colorado REALTOR Magazine November 2020 by Colorado Association of REALTORS

c o lo r a d o

NOVEMBER 2020

REALTOR Official Magazine of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

MAGAZINE

REALTOR® and Veteran Mark Solomon Is On a Mission to Help Homeless Vets Page 16

The Opportunities and Benefits of Volunteering at CAR Page 6

A Salute to REALTORS® and Our Industry! Page 14

Colorado’s Worst Wildfire Season in History – As Told by Our Members Page 20

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

MAGAZINE

The COLORADO REALTOR® is published by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® 309 Inverness Way South Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 790-7099 or 1-800-944-6550 FAX (303) 790-7299 or 1-800-317-3689

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

MAGAZINE

NOV 2020 ISSUE:

EDITORS: Lisa Dryer-Hansmeier, V.P. of Member Services: lhansmeier@coloradorealtors.com, Nick Baker Communications & Public Relations Manager: nbaker@coloradorealtors.com DESIGNER: Monica Panczer, Creative Marketing Specialist: monica@coloradorealtors.com The Colorado Association of REALTORS® assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manu scripts, photographs or art. The acceptance of advertising by the Colorado REALTOR® does not indicate approval or endorsement of the advertiser or his product by the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. The Colorado Association of REALTORS® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®.

From the Chair: Thank You......................... 4 From the CEO: Benefits of Volunteering.... 6 Election Recap............................................ 8 Thank You Legislative Volunteers............11 Colorado Real Estate SnapShot...............13 A Salute to REALTORS® and Our Industry!.14 A Place to Call Home.................................16

COLORADO’S WORST WILDFIRE SEASON IN HISTORY – AS TOLD BY OUR MEMBERS

Remaining Professional During a Pandemic...........................................19 Colorado’s Worst Wildfire Season in History–As Told by Our Members.....20 Colorado Gives Day..................................22 How to Get Your Real Estate Business Finally Working for You!....................23

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

Free Tax Webinar......................................24 FirstBank Commits $60 Million to Support Affordable Housing Across Colorado.......26 The Need For Human Connection............28 Colorado Project Wildfire Taskforce Makes Tremendous Strides..................................30

The term “REALTOR®” is a national registered trademark for members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The term denotes both business competence and a pledge to observe and abide by a strict Code of Ethics. To reach a CAR director who represents you, call your local association/board.

NAR Committee Appointments.........33 RPAC Major Investor Spotlight.................34 Leadership Academy.........................35 RPAC Major Investors...............................36 MEET AMY DORSEY RPAC MAJOR INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT

FROM THE CHAIR

Janene Johnson 2020 Chair of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

What a year we have had! When I ran for the position of Chair-elect back in 2018, I could never have foreseen what the future held. While 2020 has been challenging and terrifying, it has also been productive and given us insight as to what the Association can accomplish when met with adversity. Last month during Fall Forum, I said I wouldn’t have traded being the Chair in this crazy year for anything and I truly meant it. The fact that our staff and volunteers managed to turn the in-person Spring Summit into a full virtual event with only about 15 days’ notice was miraculous. Throughout the pandemic, we have been so sad not to be able to meet in person, but please know that as soon as it is safe we will make sure to have more events and meetings in person. There have been some wonderful unintended consequences to the StayAt-Home and Safer-At-Home health orders. During these virtual events, many more members than average have attended. It seems that we have been able to reach more members with valuable information. The value of RPAC contributions has become much more evident as our Government Affairs team continues to strengthen our position as the voice of real estate in Colorado. The Attorney General’s office and the Governor’s office both reached out to CAR to assist with understanding the vital role real estate plays in the state’s economy, especially during the Safe-At-Home and Safer-At-Home restrictions. Plus, this being an election year, the Government Affairs team helped all of us with the vetting of candidates, explaining the pros and cons of various ballot issues, and provided funding for issues that need our support for the benefit of the industry. A group of dedicated members also helped us to rewrite our Strategic Plan that will be in place for the next several years. It used our existing plan and, with the help of a phenomenal facilitator, we were able to create a road map that will help us to navigate the ever-changing world in which we live. Member Services continues to be very busy and a task force is working diligently on the 100 Year Celebration that will take place in fall 2021 at The Broadmoor. I know we’re all excited to go back to that wonderful hotel for our big celebration. The Diver4

STAY UP-TODATE Subscribe to CAR's YouTube Channel!

CAR LEGAL BITES

sity and Inclusion Committee, our newest committee, is working hard to ensure all voices across the state are heard in the real estate industry. The Legal and Risk Division is always striving to ensure our members have the latest up-to-date information and that we continually raise the bar in professionalism. Thank you especially to Legal Counsel Scott Peterson for the amazing Legal Bites over the last seven months. The CAR Foundation has been busy trying to not only grant additional monies this year as a result of the pandemic, $350,000 to be exact, but now also is trying to figure out ways to help those in need due to the recent wildfires. Please don’t forget that Colorado Gives Day is coming up on December 8th and our Foundation could really use your generosity! The 2020 Leadership Council has worked very hard all year and even though meetings and events were held virtually, I feel this Council has done an amazing job in keeping everyone informed and engaged. Thank you to all the members who are not only in leadership roles, but those who work tirelessly to make us all successful in this industry. Finally, I want to send a very heartfelt and clear message of thanks and gratitude to the CAR staff. Limited space in this article prohibits me from mentioning them all by name, but all of you are so appreciated; there aren’t enough words. As I said in my Fall Forum year-end summary, none of this would be possible without all of you, from CEO Tyrone Adams to everyone on staff. Thank you! I’ve been extremely proud to be your 2020 Chair of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. I appreciate your support through this tough time and I am hoping that 2021 will see even more success and engagement in the Association that I love so much. Thank you everyone! 5

CAR FOUNDATION HELPING OTHERS

ONE THING FOR NOV 2020

The Opportunities and Benefits of Volunteering at CAR FROM THE CEO

Tyrone Adams CEO of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year in Colorado. It represents so many things, like three straight months of holiday celebrations. It’s a time of the year when people seem to be genuinely more caring and loving towards one another. And, of course, we enjoy the leaves with their changing colors in so many variations. For the Colorado Association of REALTORS® this time of year represents the changing of the guard for leadership on December 1st and opportunities for members to get involved at their state Association. “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” -Erma Bombeck, American humorist and bestseller author I love this quote because the same can be said about REALTOR® Associations. Our volunteers are the catalyst for the Colorado Association of REALTORS® being an effective organization for its members and local associations.

“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”

We have plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in areas of your passion! Participating on a committee provides you with the opportunity to test and expand your leadership skills as well as increase your professional contacts. Just ask some of your colleagues who volunteer or think about your own experiences of being a volunteer.

VOLUNTEER

OTHER TIDBITS:

We understand you have families and businesses to focus on, which is why we take pride in making sure our volunteers’ time is used wisely and effectively.

• CAR will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary of making a difference in Colorado. Watch for all the opportunities to participate next year.

Do you have a passion to help our communities? The CAR Foundation is looking for members to serve on its Board next year. This year they gave out $350,000 to help our communities. Now they are still looking for ways to help members and residents of Colorado who have been severely impacted by the wildfires.

• CAR has approximately 27,300 members as of September 30th. • CAR donated $10,000 to the CAR Foundation to help those affected by the recent wildfires in Colorado. • The CAR Board of Directors passed a motion to include “any act or conduct which may cause disrespect for or lack of public confidence in the real estate profession or in the name REALTOR®.”

What about participating on a Shark Tank-style board where you get to help determine auxiliary benefits that help Colorado REALTORS® in their business? Also, we continue to look for Key Contacts that can help us with our grassroots political advocacy efforts.

• CAR has a new mission statement: Our mission is to be the collective voice for real estate and consumer property rights, and to advance Colorado REALTORS® as industry leaders in knowledge, ethics, and professionalism.

If you are experiencing a time crunch you can still get involved by participating in CAR events, investing in RPAC to help with our political advocacy efforts, and/or help support safe and affordable housing by becoming active with the CAR Foundation .

• CAR’s new strategic plan focuses on value to members, outreach and influence, communication and member/industry engagement, local board relations, governance, and operations.

This is just a small sample of opportunities you can choose from. Find more here. Will you help us continue to be the voice of real estate in Colorado by volunteering at your state Association? We promise it will be a worthwhile experience!

Last but not least, on behalf of CAR we wish you and your family a very safe and joyous holiday season!

LEGISLATIVE

2020 ELECTION RECAP

Elizabeth Peetz Vice President of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

compromise. And, as voters, all of us need to hold them accountable to represent everyone. As a country, this election proved that there is no mandate for one party, in fact, America needs to represent all parties and all people because we are still very divided as long as citizens and policymakers alike do not prioritize listening first.

None of us could have predicted the tumultuous election season and the outcomes we’ve all just experienced. So, as we turn our attention to the ballot measures that need to be implemented with rulemaking processes, new leadership entering governmental halls and re-elected policymakers returning with new ideas, we have to ask ourselves, what do these changes mean for our real estate industry?

Now as we turn our minds to Colorado, we see a blue state success story on election night. We may never know how much that success was dependent on the top of the ticket or the millions of dollars of out-of-state money that poured into our election. What we do know is that the balance of power in the state house, state senate, and Governor’s office is solidly Democratic. All four caucuses held their Leadership elections for the state legislature, and these will be the ones directing the 100-member General Assembly in January.

In Colorado, we are fortunate to have a long and successful tradition of mail ballots that have positioned us as a model state for voting at home. This election was no different as we set national records for voter turnout that reached approximately three million strong in our state. Across the country, the percentage of people who cast their votes rivaled the early 1900s, likely as a result of the intense passion both for and against the President this cycle, as well as increased ways to cast votes. However, 2020 did show us that many states have room for improvement in processing procedures, transparency and perhaps taking action to correct some violations of election laws in the future.

House Democrat Caucus results: • House Speaker: Alec Garnett (D – Denver) • Majority Leader: Daneya Esgar (D – Pueblo) • Asst Majority Leader: Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez (D – Denver) • Co-Caucus Chairs: Meg Froelich (D – Arapahoe) & Lisa Cutter (D – Jefferson) • Co-Whips: Monica Duran (D – Jefferson) & Kyle Mullica (D – Adams) • Pro Tempore: TBD - to be appointed • Joint Budget Committee member: TBD - to be appointed

Nevertheless, as the dust settles, winners and losers need to take steps to instill more trust in cooperative discussion, critical analysis of the information and development of public policy ideas they consume, and build bridges that transcend echo chambers of immediate emotional reactions to move toward an America that can voice disagreement without demonizing the opposing side of the argument. It’s up to our leaders to set a good example by not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk to find the way back to respect, transparency, and

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Senate Democrat Caucus results: • Senate President: Leroy Garcia (D – Pueblo) • Majority Leader: Steve Fenberg (D – Boulder) • President Pro Tempore: Kerry Donovan (D – Delta, Eagle, Chafee.) • Asst Majority Leader: Rhonda Fields (D – Aurora) • Whip: Jeff Bridges (D – Greenwood Village) • Caucus Chair: Julie Gonzales (D – Denver) • Joint Budget Committee members: Dominic Moreno (D – Commerce City) & Chris Hansen (D– Denver)

Looking at the federal races, we see only two of the 9 seats changing hands next year. However, one thing we will be watching closely is the redistricting process that will redraw congressional and legislative district lines under the new Colorado process with Independents, Republicans and Democrats working together to draft a proposal. U.S. Senate: Hickenlooper Beats Gardner Incumbent Republican Senator Cory Gardner was defeated by former Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper. Senatorelect Hickenlooper won with 54 percent of the vote. This race was a major national target for Democrats looking to flip the U.S. Senate. At this time, the Senate may remain in Republican control; however, the deciding seats in Georgia may happen in a January 2021 runoff election.

Senate Republican Caucus results: • Minority Leader: Chris Holbert (R – Parker) • Asst Minority Leader: John Cooke (R – Greeley) • Whip: Paul Lundeen (D – Monument) • Caucus Chair: Jim Smallwood (D – Parker) • Joint Budget Committee member: Bob Rankin (R – Carbondale)

U.S. House of Representatives: All incumbents win reelection, and we add a new member to the delegation. All of the Congressional incumbent candidates won reelection easily on Tuesday, including Rep. Ken Buck (R, CD4), Rep. Doug Lamborn (R, CD5), Rep. Jason Crow (D, CD6) and Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D, CD7). In the 3rd Congressional District, where the NAR did not endorse a candidate, Republican Lauren Boebert defeated Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush to replace Rep. Scott Tipton, who lost the GOP primary to Boebert.

House Republican Caucus results • Minority Leader - Hugh McKean (R-Loveland) • Assistant Minority Leader - Tim Geitner (R-Colorado Springs) • Whip - Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells) • Caucus Chair - Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction) • Joint Budget Committee - Kim Ranson (R-Lone Tree) The preliminary focus of the new leaders appears to be centered around expanding environmental policy mandates, taxes and fees to shore up budget deficits, Covid-19 relief, landlord tenant and housing policy, wildfire mitigation, and returning to some of the policies that were abandoned during an abbreviated 2020 session. As the freshmen and returning legislators develop their agendas and priorities, CAR will be working to navigate how we address barriers to homeownership, defend against policy that increases the costs of housing, and promote a strong economic recovery post Covid-19. Stay tuned for more details and legislative preview as we get closer to December.

Ballot Measures Reflect Differences in Personal and State Responsibilities CAR took a position on four statewide ballot questions and were successful on 2 of the 4 (Prop EE & Prop 117), lost one (Prop 118), and remained neutral on a third (Amdt B). What was most interesting on election night was the true paradox of voters perhaps not reconciling one side of the budget lever with the other side. Colorado voters approved ballot measures that reduce individual and corporate income tax burdens and require voter approval of enterprise fee funds while we drastically increased the burdens of expanding government bureaucracy and fiscal responsibility for family and medical leave, and reintroduction of wolves. And in Denver, voters approved increased taxes on everyone for climate change mitigation, homelessness prevention, school operations, and so much more. One thing is certain, affordability in Denver is becoming more and more challenging in terms of housing prices and public policy. Time will tell if these issues have long-term implications for the rest of the state as we see an urban exodus in housing across the country during Covid-19, even though the market becomes more and more expensive as supply dwindles to critically low levels.

Any time a single party controls the reins of power, we have to be vigilant for overreach and policy or legislation that will alter the course of Colorado’s trajectory. Given the majorities held in both the state house (41 Democrats to 24 Republicans) and state senate (21 Democrats to 15 Republicans), the legislative committees will reflect their balance of power accordingly, which means that, business and real estate could very well be at risk as the taxes on these industries could be seen as low hanging fruit for the general assembly if Colorado still faces uphill winds from Covid-19 in our state budget to fund essential services.

Maybe the biggest surprise for some was the margin of approval on Amendment B -- more than 57 percent with an

continued on next page

LEGISLATIVE CONT. influx of several million dollars spent locally to earn Coloradans’ votes. Amendment B was referred by the General Assembly to repeal the 1982 Gallagher Amendment. The amendment that was removed by voters from the Colorado constitution tethered residential property assessments (currently at 7.1%) to the assessment rate for commercial property (currently at 29%) if the 2021 legislature agrees to uphold the freeze promise of the 2020 legislature. Now the hard work begins to look at long-term property tax reform proposals and perhaps policy that will solidify a stronger, more certain future for homeowners and commercial property owners in terms of their tax burdens. CAR will be actively participating in conversations around how future property taxes should be structured at the Capitol next year. The closest statewide margin on election night was on Proposition 114: Restoration of Grey Wolves. That measure narrowly passed with 50.22% of the vote. The state budget is going to be heavily impacted by adding new programs like wolf reintroduction, which is slated to cost at least $5.7 million over the next several years. Possibly most concerning for CAR and its members was the victory of Proposition 118: Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program. CAR opposed this measure because it places a new $1.3 billion tax on Coloradans and businesses while mandating an employment benefit that is already in place for many Colorado workers. The Prop 118 campaign was driven by millions of dollars donated from outside Colorado, and our state’s business community just could not keep pace with this influx of political dollars. Many groups will closely monitor legislation that will be needed to implement this new program in executive rulemaking and legislative policy adjustments that will result in over 196 new state employees to manage the program.

RESULTS OF OTHER STATEWIDE BALLOT QUESTIONS INCLUDE: Amendment C – Bingo Raffles (requires 55% to pass) Yes 51.61% No 48.39% Amendment 76 – Citizenship Qualifications of Electors (requires 55% to pass) Yes 62.35% No 37.65% Amendment 77 – Local Approval of Gaming Limits Yes 59.59% No 40.41% Proposition EE – Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Products Tax Yes 68.46% No 31.54% Proposition 113 – National Popular Vote Yes 52.69% No 47.31% Proposition 115 – Prohibition on Late-Term Abortions Yes 40.69% No 59.31% Proposition 116 – State Income Tax Rate Reduction Yes 56.61% No 43.39% Proposition 117 – Voter Approval Requirement of Certain Fee-Based Enterprises Yes 52.12% No 47.88% On behalf of our entire Government Affairs division, we share our thanks and appreciation to each and every member of our 2020 policy committees for their service and dedication. For those members getting ready to begin their service in December, we say welcome and get ready to get to work! You will have many opportunities to engage in a diverse range of issues that are all so very important to our real estate industry in 2021 and beyond. For anyone who still has interest in serving as a key contact for CAR, please contact our Government Affairs Department at bgarcia@coloradorealtors. com. Or learn more here: https://www.coloradorealtors.com/key-contacts/

LEGISLATIVE REVIEW

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

309 Inverne ss Way South Englewood, CO 80112

www.Colorad

oREALTORS. com

Read the 2020 Le gislative Review Online

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 LEGISLATIVE POLICY MEMBERS AND INCOMING CAR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS “A hearty thank you and congratulations to all of you who have stepped up and agreed to serve for 2021 on CARPAC and LPC. As you know, these committees serve a vital role in keeping CAR front and center in advancing the REALTOR® cause. I appreciate the time, energy and effort you will be putting forward in this next year on behalf of all of CAR and the membership.” -Robert Walkowicz, 2021 CAR Chair The countless hours and dedication from members place the Colorado Association of REALTORS®️ at the frontlines and gives our industry a voice in all issues pertaining to real estate, private property rights, and economic vitality. Each year the CAR Board of Directors sets the CAR priorities for the upcoming year in CAR’s Policy Statements. CAR is devoted to making homeownership a reality for everyone who wants the opportunity. We will fight to break down barriers to entry by enhancing financial literacy and improving down payment assistance, protect small businesses from harmful taxation, and work to rebuild our economy safely so that all Coloradans may prosper. Welcome and congratulations to CAR’s 2021 Legislative Policy Committee Members and incoming CAR Political Action Committee Members. The next century of opportunity launches in 2021 and we can't wait to see what the new policy year brings forward. *2021 Committee terms begin December 2020.

2021 LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Jon Roberts, Chair Janet Marlow, ViceChair Kurt Albers Barbara Asbury Rebecca Balboni Sunny Banka David Barber Jack Beuse Brandon Brennick Jay Brown Mike Budd

Vicki Burns Reatha Butler Kathy Christina Ann Connelly Sherry Cree David DeElena Deanna Dyer Will Flowers Karen Frisone Bob Fullerton Micah George

Paige Haderlie Ann Hayes Susan Hendricks Debbie Howes Angela Hutton-Hall Michelle Jacobs Janene Johnson Matt Kaufmann John Lucero David Madone Janet Marlow

Stewart Meagher Aaron Ravdin Jessica Reinhardt Jon Roberts Scott Sammons Dale Souther Brian Urdiales Scout Walton Andrea Warner Sabrina Zunker

2021 CARPAC MEMBERS Randy Reynolds, Chair Will Flowers, Vice Chair

Molly Eldridge Shelby Foster Amanda Hardin

Janene Johnson Wynne Palermo

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MKT-016838

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

99.8

Historical Median Sales Price

1.1%

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

-6.4%

YTD 2020= 44 YTD 2019= 47

$500000

$400000

$300000

$200000 Mar 2018

MONTHS SUPPLY

-53.3%

1.4

Single Family Condo

State of Colorado

June 2018

Sep 2018

Dec 2018

Mar 2019

June 2019

Sep 2019

Dec 2019

Median Sales Price $450,000

6.9%

$400,000

12.5%

YTD 2020= 112,958 YTD 2019= 118,469

37.2% SEP 2020= 13,384 SEP 2019= 9,754 YTD 2020=101,619 YTD 2019= 93,130

$313,250 $400,000

7.5

2020 2019

AUG 2020= 12,630 AUG 2019=11,813

$430,000

2020

2019

Inventory of Active Listings -50.5%

9,804

2020 2019 Single Family

6.2%

2020 2019

2020

10,058

-39.1%

2020 2019

10.3%

$306,000

2019

13,039

-54.5% 21,530

Total Market

$325,000

Sold Listings

28,741

14,213

June 2020

Single Family Condo

State of Colorado

$345,500

2019= 3.0

Mar 2020

4,196

29.6% 6,894

9,867 7,588

28.9%

30.0% 3,118 2,418

2020 2019

Condo

Total Market

Single Family

Condo

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

For more data visit ColoradoREALTORS.com 13

A SALUTE TO REALTORS® AND OUR INDUSTRY! LEGAL COUNSEL

SCOTT PETERSON General Counsel of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

such a sweeping pandemic; our state, counties and, in some cases, cities were each responding with different orders, directives and mandates to try and address their unique concerns.

So much of what I get to do as a brokerage industry attorney is harangue and whine and cudgel and cajole REALTORS® about liability, best practices, and risk management. I get to lecture and instill fear in you regarding all of the ways you can get into trouble. It is something that I relish very deeply. And for that, I am sorry.

Caught in the middle of all of this mayhem were Colorado businesses and, uniquely positioned for confusion, was the real estate industry. Many businesses (retail, restaurant, services, office-based business, etc.) were just simply closed. It was immediately clear that certain businesses weren’t going to be “essential” (gyms, hair salons, restaurants, most retail environments, etc.). Other “essential” businesses were forced to remain open and available to the public. In many cases, this is where we found our true heroes of the pandemic in our healthcare, grocery, and public safety workers.

But not today, Colorado REALTORS®. Today I am here to give you a COVID elbow bump, a socially distanced high-five, and a six-foot air kiss. Today I am here to commend you and our industry partners on a pretty miraculous 2020. It has been a very challenging year in so many respects, but you all have stepped up to the challenge like never before. Well done!

REALTORS® and our industry partners were thrust into a very unique “hybrid” of various categories. Of course, almost immediately CAR was able to convince Governor Polis’ office that real estate was an essential service. Pandemic aside, people require shelter and the ability to engage in real estate transactions. But, unlike many other “essential” businesses, a REALTOR's® workplace is literally anywhere. Your job consists of active client engagement in various listings, title company offices, automobiles, coffee shops, and client homes. Unlike a grocery store or hospital or Home Depot, you can’t control your physical work environment.

As I look back over the previous 11 months, we have seen historic market swings throughout the entire state. January, February and early March gave us hope for continued real estate velocity in 2020. Record setting economic numbers, sky high consumer confidence and historic employment levels were good indications for things to come in the traditional spring/summer transaction seasons. Of course, all of the changed in mid-March as the world was almost immediately overwhelmed with total paralysis as a result of COVID-19.

The unique nature of the real estate business lead to much confusion and a wide variety of evolving protocols. It required responding to state and local mandates that were sometimes (often?!) inconsistent. It required unique levels of sensitivity to the wildly different ways your sellers and buyers and others involved in the transaction reacted to the evolving threat of the virus. It required you to locate and secure wipes, hand sanitizer, and masks at a time when other people couldn’t even locate toilet paper!

Our industry came to an immediate and nearly complete stop over the course of only a few days as Colorado’s citizens and political leaders tried to grasp the implications of a global pandemic. There was no “blueprint” for addressing

In moving almost instantly from 0 MPH to 180 MPH, REALTORS® have adopted the COVID protocols, played by the rules, and responded to unprecedented consumer real estate demand. You adapted to masks and gloves, wipes and sanitizer, socially distanced showings, COVID advisories, parking lot closings, virtual inspections, and very anxious clients. You capably and professionally jumped into the highest velocity market that most of us have ever seen while simultaneously being cognizant and respectful of COVID’s legitimate concerns and our government’s varying mandates. Once again, well done!

Indeed, mid-March through mid-May was one of the most unique and challenging times our industry will ever see. Very little “new” business and yet a mad scramble to keep existing business together and close transactions that were already under contract. Despite these challenges, REALTORS® and our industry partners (title, lending, appraisal, inspection, etc.) stepped up and kept Colorado real estate transactions on track for Colorado consumers needing to buy, sell and lease. Well done! And then as some of the initial COVID quarantine craziness began to subside and the “curve” began to flatten we started to see the impact of people getting out and reevaluating lifestyle and priorities. People realized that one’s home is indeed one’s castle. Buyers and sellers realized that the new post-COVID world may be very different for many years to come. More focus on the home, remote work, remote school, restaurant takeout and food delivery. People from other population dense states recognized that being quarantined in a major city was significantly more miserable than being in the Colorado outdoors. This fact combined with Zoom and remote work opened up relocation possibilities for many new Coloradans.

Our industry, and REALTORS® in particular, is to be commended for its very significant role in facilitating Colorado’s economy and consumer demand at a time when many other industries simply cannot. With all of this said, some of the most recent news is clearly identifying disturbing COVID trends in positive cases. Each of you obviously know the public health concerns related to this virus. Moreover, all of you understand the implications of returning to a “Stay at Home” order that will revert everyone to the March-May quarantine days. I promised no lectures in this article so I will simply remind you to continue acting with the level of professionalism, maturity and respect all of you have demonstrated throughout this unbelievably challenging year. But I also encourage you to reflect on how much our industry and our partners have accomplished in ways that none of us could have imagined even one year ago. Acknowledge your successes and I will say again: Well done!

By late spring/early summer, the Colorado real estate market was on absolute fire and it remains that way to this day. Literally every corner of the state is seeing record level interest from prospective buyers. Of course, inventory is a challenge and pricing is high, but I am not sure I can identify a single Colorado real estate submarket that hasn’t seen breakneck activity since at least July. And, once again, Colorado REALTORS® and our industry partners have responded in stellar fashion!

A PLACE TO CALL HOME REALTOR® and Veteran Mark Solomon Is On a Mission to Help Homeless Vets In August 2020, ground was broken on the Veterans Community Project Village, a tiny home village in Longmont that will provide temporary housing to veterans experiencing homelessness. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis was on hand, as were a host of local dignitaries and community leaders. Colorado REALTOR® and Navy veteran Mark Solomon was there, too. As a co-founder of Veterans Community Project (VCP), it is a calling that brought him from Kansas City to Longmont in his mission to end a problem that has afflicted the U.S. for decades.

100% privately funded and now has a staff of 20. Solomon said that VCP’s private funding model enables them help all vets, reMark Solomon gardless of discharge status. Organizations that rely on federal dollars are not allowed to help vets who have been dishonorably discharged. Solomon says VCP defined a vet as anyone who took the Oath of Service, “whether they served for five minutes or 35 years.”

Solomon enlisted in the Naval Reserves as an Intelligence Officer in 2004 and has done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2015, Solomon and a group of his combat veteran friends gathered in a Kansas City restaurant to discuss vets in crisis and their need for housing, counseling, and other services. Several of Solomon’s friends were working with organizations that specialize in helping vets. Those assembled expressed frustration at the lack of funds available to provide them with basic necessities while government red tape proved to be a hinderance in getting them aid.

“My buddies and I who started VCP at some point raised our hands and took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, up to and including with our lives. We thought if people were willing to write a blank check to their country, the least we could do is take care of them when the come home, regardless of the circumstances or outcomes of their service,” said Solomon. One of the VCP’s first actions back then was to provide bus passes to veterans so they could get to their jobs.

Their meeting would lead to the creation of Veterans Community Project (VCP), a multi-million-dollar charity that is

“We had a line around the building for our bus passes. And then we got around to asking what else we can do,” said Solomon. “We came up with this plan to end veteran homelessness. At the time we were thinking we were going to do that in Kansas City and maybe expand,” he said. “It morphed a lot faster than we thought it would ever be. Solomon sketched some ideas on a napkin. One of his goals 16

was to create a tiny home village for vets in need of temporary housing and also provide treatment for afflictions like post-traumatic stress disorders. Solomon says that is where his real estate background came into play. “I started looking for property while realizing most of my other military buddies had non-profit experience, but they didn’t have business experience,” Solomon explained. “I had a business perspective from running my own team and was able to connect us with resources.” Working with Kansas City officials, VCP eventually purchased a five-acre lot of land owned by the city. The goal of a tiny home village for vets was one step closer to reality. The lot had no infrastructure such as water and sewage lines, but VCP worked with two Kansas City Councilwomen, who became champions for their cause, to help move the process along and cut through red tape. It cost about $1 million to outfit the lot with the necessary infrastructure, of which the city covered around $750,000 while VCP covered the remaining $250,000. In January 2019, VCP Village opened with its first 13 tiny houses that has since grown to 49. The units range from 249 square feet for houses designed for individuals and 320 square feet for family-size units that can accommodate a family of six. Each tiny house is fully equipped with a bed, linens, kitchen with cooking utensils, etc. Residents can bring their pets with them to their tiny home, and they can take the furnishings when they are ready to move into permanent housing. VCP Village also includes a 5,000 square foot community center with medical and dental offices and teaching kitchen. There’s also an outreach center provides Kansas City-area vets with free bus passes, employment support, counseling and housing referrals, and more. VCP takes a wholistic approach to a vet’s unique situation, realizing housing is only one component. Vets can stay as long as they need and case managers craft a customized program for each resident to ensure they get the help they need. For example, one vet may be in an alcohol rehab program while her Village neighbor is taking a class on money management.

“We customize it very much for each veteran, making sure we deal with the issues that got them where they are,” Solomon said. “There are lots of levels of accountability. As long as they’re making progress with their issues, they can stay in their house.” The average stay in a tiny home is 16-18 months based on preliminary findings, he said. Seventy-four percent of vets are placed into permanent housing once they leave the Village, which is about twice the average of other programs. “You treat them as an entire person, making sure we take care of every aspect of their life,” he said. “Get them jobs if they’re unemployed. Make sure they know how to handle money.” Solomon has found that Vietnam-era veterans are the largest group suffering from homelessness, but homelessness can also afflict peacetime vets. However, he says he envisions the vets from Iraq and Afghanistan wars looming in the distance and a larger chunk of them will need services like those offered by VCP in the near future. “Right now they’re couch surfing on their friend’s couch or living in their cars. They’re about to end up on the streets,” he said. “Our goal is to circumvent that cycle and get in front of it. Solomon says the reasons why a veteran becomes homeless are complicated and can affect peacetime and wartime vets, and each person’s situation is unique. VCP did not have Longmont on its radar for the next village. However, a chance encounter with Kevin Mulshine, a partner with HMS Development changed things.

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Mulshine had been touring various homeless veterans’ facilities around the U.S. on behalf of the Longmont Veteran’s Housing Coalition (LVHC). Back in 2018, the Longmont City Council passed a resolution to support the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, a national initiative for local communities to find housing for homeless vets. The LVHC included organizations such as Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2601, and the Longmont Association of REALTORS® (LAR). HMS is constructing a subdivision with about 450 homes and agreed to donate two acres of land for Longmont’s veterans’ housing initiative. LAR, for its part, donated $5,000 in seed money for the project. LAR CEO Amy Aschenbrenner said she thinks the tiny home village that she and other LHVC members help kickstart is a proactive first step in confronting a crisis that can be found in large cities and small towns. “The goal of this project was finally to be able to address the issues of the veterans going through homelessness and address them so they have dignity,” she said. “And that there are no barriers that are keeping them from the help they so desperately need.”

emergency assistance funds in the hands of Longmont-area veterans so they can stay in their homes or find a temporary place to stay during the winter months. Solomon finds that vets learns of VCP through word of mouth or through referrals. “Word spreads fast when there’s an organization willing to say ‘yes’ because most of it’s ‘no’,” he said. The other organizations are tied by federal dollars. VCP, because of private funding, creates more flexibility. Solomon is being deployed overseas in December 2020 and should be back in November 2021, just in time for the first tiny homes in Longmont to begin accepting vets.

HOW YOU CAN HELP Support the Veterans Community Project at VeteransCommunityProject.org and click on the Donate tab. Or, sponsor a tiny home in the VCP Village – Longmont. Contact Amy Aschenbrenner at amy@longmontrealtors.com.

VCP has helped around 7,000 veterans in the past three to four years. VCP already had a ribbon cutting for its next tiny home village to be built in St. Louis and plans to announce additional cities in the coming months. Solomon said it is inspiring to be around veterans who are changing their lives for the better and understands. For Solomon’s work with VCP, he received the NAR Good Neighbor Award in 2019. He credits his real estate career for providing him with the opportunity to help

his fellow vets.

Solomon said Mulshine was impressed with the tiny home village concept and eventually VCP was selected by LVHC to manage the tiny home development. The Longmont village will be comprised of 26 tiny homes with a 3,000 square foot community center that will offer similar services as the one in Kansas City. It is expected to be completed by Veteran’s Day 2021.

“Real estate allows me to be flexible in my job. I don’t like saying ‘giving back’ because that means I took something. I like to pay it forward,” he said. “The communities I’ve lived in have been great to me in terms of my real estate business and I’m going to pay that kindness forward by making the community better.” Solomon says some of VCP’s biggest supporters have been other real estate companies, who have donated money, sponsored houses, and raised money. Solomon encourages REALTORS® who wish to get involved, whether it is donating money or volunteering.

VCP is already assisting veterans in the Longmont area. The organization recently signed a lease on retail space where vets will be able to walk in and get assistance and they have already hired a full-time case manager. Solomon says VCP is the only veterans-specific service organization in northern Colorado.

“We are a group of connectors and a group of givers. And I think the professionals (in the real estate industry) who love what they do are willing to make an impact in their community,” he said.

As word has gotten out in the area, other service organizations who don’t handle veterans’ issues are now referring cases to VCP. Solomon says right now the priority is getting 18

Remaining Professional During a Pandemic I think I speak for the masses when I say this year has been a learning experience for all of us in the REALTOR® comCYPN munity. This coronavirus pandemic has taught me so much and really solidified my belief that Piper Knoll now, more than ever, NAR YPN Major Investor being professional and at Representative the top of one’s game is the key to getting your buyer into their next home. So, what does it really mean to be “professional” as a REALTOR®? For me, that answer is simple. It means making sure all your actions as a REALTOR® put your client in the absolute best position to get them under contract at the price and terms that work for them.

that they would love to keep or a date that works for them for closing. This is information that will help make your offer stronger than the agents that just call to see if there are offers in hand. Giving the seller as many wins on their requests will give you a big advantage. With the speed and competition in this market, it is critical that you submit your clients best offer and that it is free of all technical mistakes. Your client may want to strengthen their offer by offering to waive appraisal, limit inspection requests, even offer significantly over listing price or include an escalation clause. However, one of the most critical things you can do to strengthen your position is to write a technically perfect offer, free of omissions and mistakes. You can’t count on a counter proposal in this market, and an offer with technical mistakes can make you look inexperienced and cost your client the property. Once you are ready to submit your buyer’s offer, make sure to include a detailed email, highlighting the strength of your offer, and introducing your buyer’s lender to give the listing agent the confidence to know that you are a professional! It is so much easier for the listing agent to present a full offer, with all necessary documents like a lender letter or proof of funds up front. The easier you make their job (with the fewest emails), the better chance you give your client!

It’s safe to assume properties that are priced well and in good condition will have multiple offers, so here are a few rules we live by and use in our business every day. Whether you are a YPN’er or an OG in the game, I hope you find a few tips that will help grow your success in this unprecedented market. First, when you schedule showings make sure you complete your showing in your scheduled timeframe. It is not OK to show up 15 minutes late. And don’t forget to follow all the seller’s instructions while showing the property. I know this sounds very basic, but it is surprising how many homeowners complain that buyers show up outside their showing window and aren’t following instructions (even COVID-19 rules!!). This starts you off on the wrong foot if this is the right home for your buyer. If you are running behind, call the listing agent and let them know. I guarantee the listing agent and seller will be grateful for the communication!

Hopefully these tips will help your buyer win their next offer; however, if your client’s offer isn’t accepted, be gracious with the listing agent. It isn’t fun for a listing agent to call and tell you their seller selected another buyer; how you handle that call could have an impact down the line. All this competition is causing an increase in buyer’s remorse, and the offer the seller accepted initially could terminate and your client could have a second chance at the home. Establishing a strong and professional relationship with that agent may earn you a call if they are going back on the market!

When your client is ready to write their offer, make sure you check the MLS for important details or requests from the seller regarding what they may like to see in the offer or any deadline for offers to be submitted. I strongly encourage you to call the listing agent in advance of writing an offer, but be careful of the questions you ask. Calling the other agent to see if they have other offers doesn’t give your client an advantage. Knowing what is important to the seller, like a post-closing occupancy need, warranty deed type, an antique chandelier

As the market slows a bit in the 4th quarter, I encourage you to take the time to invest in your business, your skillset, and your mindset. Sharpen your skills by writing practice offers. Start NAR’s Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) to gain additional knowledge to help you grow. Focus on personal calls to your clients and providing a high level of service. Build your database and create templates and systems. You can’t go wrong when you work to build a better business through becoming more professional!

WILDFIRE

Colorado’s Worst Wildfire Season in History – As Told by Our Members Abbey Pontius – Larimer County

tain and there were the untamed flames kissing the sky. I saw a flash of something burst into flames and then instantly a spot fire started just to the right of the main fire. It was way too close for comfort from the Cameron Peak fire.

It’s been the wildest two weeks ever…from watching the Cameron Peak fire grow and start taking over smaller communities outside of the Estes Valley, and then on the edge of our homes. Then the Troublesome fire broke out threatening even more of our lively community. Glen Haven, Storm Mountain, and around to Red Feather Lakes, Masonville and beyond, for the Cameron Peak fire. The Troublesome fire threatened Allenspark, Meeker Park, Estes Park and surrounding area and then grew wildly overnight.

The Troublesome fire grew fast and furious. One day it's down by Boulder as a small outbreak. The next day, as I sat eating breakfast with our local Association directors, we observed numerous emergency responders heading toward RMNP. Was this the sign the fire had broken the divide? Is it time to worry? It was. In less than a half-day we were put into voluntary, then into mandatory evac as the winds and dry conditions were a huge deficit to fight the oncoming danger. The skies turned red. Flakes of ash escalated to burnt pine needles and bark burned falling from the sky. It was so hard to breathe. The air was heavy with smoke and ash.

None of us were resting. Everyone had bags packed and was ready to be evacuated. We lived in voluntary evacs for quite a while at our home. Watching mandatory evacs popping up constantly, then downgraded to voluntary, then back to mandatory. What a rollercoaster of emotions! You could feel the anxiety in the air (not just the smoke). You can still feel it as we are unsure of what will happen in the next week or two, and the general cleanup to get back to business.

Our favorite mountain biking trails and hiking places have been destroyed. This doesn’t mean anything compared to the homes that have been lost. The firefighters and emergency responders have been so busy protecting and trying to stay ahead. It’s amazing to see the teamwork from our town and many departments from around the state pitching in. There have been many more homes that were saved due to their endless efforts. Black faces, tired and weary, hungry and dirty, they come for rest in town in Estes Park, Loveland and Fort Collins. We opened our lodges, homes and vacation homes for them to stay close. Our locals who stayed regardless of the danger have all met the challenge. From buses transporting elderly and sick from the hospital and the Good Samaritan, trailers gently loaded with horses being trans-

We could see the giant mushroom cloud of smoke as the flames devoured our wonderful wild landscaping in the distance and knew in our hearts it was coming this way. We watched from the Estes Park sign on Highway 36 made of stone as you enter the valley, the orange in the distance but only behind the ridge. We saw it crest the top of the moun-

Janene Johnson – Grand County

ferred to pastures generously opened from strangers. People stopping to help anyone in need who is trying to evacuate. Homeless or transient being assisted to get to the Red Cross or using others' phones to call for arrangements.

While Grand County is fairly large in size geographically, it is a relatively small, tightly knit community. The outpouring of kindness, offers of help and just being there for our neighbors was astounding. I always knew we were a strong and mighty community, but it was never tested until the Williams Fork and the Troublesome fires pushed us to our limits. People offered assistance in moving anything, from furniture and treasures, to cattle and horses. I even saw a discussion on our community’s Facebook page about whether a goat and a sheep could be transported out of the area in one car or not. I did not witness the outcome, but my guess is there were eventually two cars involved!

The community spirit is overflowing here. Donations of food, assistance with housing, folks offering to check on homes, housing for firefighters and many outlets for assistance are open and operating. The generosity of our locals is stellar. We have restaurants that are giving away meals, loaves of bread and sack lunches for the firefighters. Plumbers were running around like crazy to get to the homes that have damage or freezing promptly to stop the water loss and more damage immediately. The biggest request we are seeing now is firewood, and for donations to our local fire departments like Glen Haven. The gas and electricity were shut off to a portion of town so this has caused some serious housing issues as plumbing has frozen and now during thaw is bursting and flooding homes. That was my last two days and I assume won’t be the end of it yet. There was waist deep snow with a home spraying water all over due to burst pipes with five feet of water in the crawlspace. No heat and no water now. The furnace is under about four feet of water so it’s a replacement situation and the tenants cannot come home until it's habitable. I don’t have accurate numbers, but have heard approximately 700 homes are in the same situation with no water, frozen pipes and scrambling to get repairs going.

Once the Troublesome fire raged through Granby and Grand Lake, the needs became very obvious. Housing at first was critical, and still is. We’ve had offers from our many second homeowners, whether from other parts of Colorado or out of state, toREAD use their properties. READ MORE MORE Our food bank was evacuated, so we had to move quickly and establish another location. We’re doing well with food READ MORE and the bare necessities, but warm winter clothing is now an issue. READ MORE

The majority of folks are just now getting back to town, but we still have mandatory and voluntary evacs in place and expect them to stay put until the fire is contained and there is no threat. As the colder weather and snow have helped, the fire is not extinguished, just dampened for now.

$30 Can Help Your Mountain READ MORE Neighbors in Need! Community READ MORE If every REALTOR® gives just $30, we can help people rebuild their lives through our CAR Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. These funds will be used to assist residents READ MORE across our state directly impacted by our 2020 wildfires. For DONATE! donatins of $100 or more you will receive a Foundation Pin.

As we start returning to our homes the relief we feel is tremendous. For some it’s met with more frustration. With services such as gas and electricity turned off for safety, met with freezing temps, some are dealing with damage and major water issues. Hats off to all plumbers, electricians and maintenance personnel, aside from the firefighters, as they are now in the spotlight to get families and businesses up and running. It’s the beginning of a recovery. Staying tuned and on edge until these fires are put out.

For over 30 years, The CAR Foundation has invested millions in safe and affordable housing for DONATE! those in need REGISTER and housing-related disaster assistance. That’s who we “R”!

DONATE!

THE FOUNDATION

Give to the CAR Foundation on Colorado Gives Day Help support safe and affordable housing and disaster relief for fires.

Colorado Gives Day, December 8, 2020

The CAR Foundation is participating once again in Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 8. This annual statewide movement celebrates and increases philanthropy in Colorado through online giving.

• Search for CAR Foundation on ColoradoGives.org.

Give any dollar amount you feel comfortable with to help the CAR Foundation continue to help provide safe, affordable housing, consumer education on buying and selling a home, and support for our communities with a natural disaster strikes.

• Under Donation Frequency, click the button "Colorado Gives Day". Enter the details of your donation and click "Add to Cart."

• Click the "Donate" button on its search result listing. • Enter or select the amount you want to donate.

Don’t wait, help struggling communities across Colorado by scheduling your donation today!

This year alone the CAR Foundation has given $350,000 to a multitude of organizations who help communities across Colorado. Since the Foundation’s inception in 1991 it has granted over $7.9 million to individuals and families through housing organizations. We are also looking for ways to help residents of areas impacted by wildfires.

We thank you in advance for considering donating to the CAR Foundation!

Would you help us continue to be a light in helping keep and restore safe and affordable communities by donating to the CAR Foundation on Colorado Gives Day! You don’t have to wait until December 8th; you can schedule your donation today by going to ColoradoGives.org.

The Foundation has Invested Over $7.8 Million Over the Last 25 Years

How to Get Your Real Estate Business Finally Working for You! 3. Take advantage of marketing automation. It does the work for you!

Getting a real estate CRM is easy. In fact, it is so easy that it is just a few clicks away. The steps following that are simple too, especially with a good real estate CRM. With the help of an easy set-up wizard, concierge call, and webinars, you are well on your way to getting your real estate business working for you. But what if you just don’t do anything after you’ve followed all these steps? What if it’s been months and you still haven’t taken advantage of all of the benefits a robust real estate CRM has to offer. Well, it’s never too late to start getting your real estate business working for you and not the other way. Here’s how:

You can organize your database and create notes based on phone and email correspondences. But do you know there is so much more to a real estate CRM than organizing your database and creating notes? There’s a whole “marketing team” working for you. It just needs to be given “instructions” that will prompt it to carry out tasks for you. How do you get this “team” working for you? Take advantage of any marketing automation tools offered in your real estate CRM. That means enabling automated social media posting, customizing a monthly e-newsletter for your prospects and past clients, and most importantly, creating a personalized agent website. A website that is all about you and your brand. All of these steps feel exactly as though you have a whole marketing team supporting you and your vision behind the scenes. Try it out!

1. Allocate 30 min every day to getting your real estate business in order. Whether you are new to real estate or a seasoned professional, there is always room to grow. You don’t need to do everything in one day. In fact, quite the opposite. Doing everything all in one day will overwhelm you and make you less productive in the days following. Allocate at least 30 minutes to getting your real estate business in order. Whether that means cleaning up your database, creating keep in touch tasks, or working on your website, you have to get your feet wet. This way, after it’s been weeks you can finally concentrate on your life’s responsibilities while your CRM will act like your personal assistant around the clock.

4. Read an eBook to try to better your understanding of the features of CRM There’s one thing about downloading a CRM, but taking advantage of all its automation features is a whole different playing field. A good CRM will come equipped with the right resources to help you take your business to the next level. eBooks are a good way to start. If you have 5-10 minutes of free time, do yourself a favor and read about topics like “getting the most out of your CRM” and “becoming an email marketing superstar.” As mentioned previously, there is always room to learn and grow and your real estate business will benefit from this.

2. Watch a webinar. Or two. Or three. Always keep learning about your CRM. It’s easy to get started. Take advantage of a few helpful resources in the beginning and then think you have grasped the system and you’re ready to go. The answer is no. It is good to be confident, but not over-confident. Humility is a great thing and it speaks volumes, especially when it comes to your real estate business. Take advantage of free webinars that your real estate CRM software has to offer. There are always components of the CRM you could be missing or even new features that have been launched. When you consistently ‘stay in the now’ and learn about new features they become your greatest gift. Then you can easily integrate them into your real estate business and have it working for you because you’ve set it up properly. Remember, there is no such thing as knowing too much.

KEY TAKEAWAYS Get your real estate CRM working for you. It’s not too late to change the game and stand out as a top real estate CRM. You just have to have the right tools and you are well on your way. Give yourself time every day to work on your CRM, keep learning, and make sure you automate your marketing! Want to give this a try? Take advantage of Ixact’s Five Week FREE Trial. You can do this all and more and have your CRM doing all the work for you!

TAX WEBINAR

7 STRANGERS LEARNED TO SAVE OVER $10K ON THEIR TAXES IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS Would you like to know the exact deductions to look for? Register for the Taxbot free webinar and you can see the specific questions to ask, and see if you can save $10,000 as well. To reserve your seat for this free webinar, simply click the link at the end of this article. Sandy Botkin is a former IRS tax attorney who used to teach the tax code to other IRS attorneys. When he was on the "inside" he saw how effective the tax system was at extracting money from everyday Americans. After years of seeing the government scam people out of their hard-earned money, he couldn’t do it anymore. "I couldn’t be part of a system that was deliberately taking more money from taxpayers than they actually owed." said Mr. Botkin. "So these days I’m on a mission to help as many small business owners keep as much of their money as possible." Mr. Botkin is hosting a FREE webinar on this very subject: "How to Save $10,000 In 10 Minutes!" Come and learn why most selfemployed people "donate" an extra $10,000 to the IRS each year and how to make sure you get every deduction you are legally entitled to!

You will also learn how to legally pay for your kid’s hobbies, sports, video games, and even their college education–through your business–tax free! Also discover: • The IRS approved "Healthcare Refund" that you have never heard about even though it has been in the tax code for 60+ years! This could be the easiest money you can find with average savings of almost $6,000/ year for those that qualify. • Travel points are great... But they are worth nothing when compared to the cash savings you can get when you plan your travel so that you get bonus tax deductions! • The little-known trick to write-off your equipment twice! (Including your cars, computers, furniture, and more!)

• How to automatically create a good offense and defense against the IRS and protect your money. • And many other legal ways to squeeze massive amounts of money out of your tax return! So, if you’re in business, and you like the idea of keeping a much bigger chunk of your hard-earned money out of the IRS’ greedy hands… Join us for this FREE Webinar! Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 12:00pm MST

Click here to access this FREE training on “How to Save 10,000 in 10 minutes!”

• How to "create" $15,000 in extra cash using some simple home office tips your CPA hasn't mentioned to you.

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

LEARN MORE 24

LENDING

FirstBank Commits $60 Million to Support Affordable Housing Initiatives Across Colorado

Simon Kafati FirstBank Assistant Vice President, Mortgage & Consumer Lending

Bank partners with Habitat for Humanity Colorado and Impact Development Fund to strengthen communities through homeownership amid economic challenges

“Colorado already had an affordable housing crisis, and then the pandemic hit,” said Jim Reuter, CEO of FirstBank. “Unfortunately, the growing need for affordable housing options has only increased as we navigate through extraordinary times. We’re hopeful this commitment will put owning a home within reach for many Coloradoans, and positively impact hundreds of deserving families across the state.”

FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on “banking for good,” announced a $60 million commitment to help mitigate the affordable housing crisis in Colorado. The bank pledged $30 million in support to both Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) and Impact Development Fund (IDF), two nonprofit organizations dedicated to developing and preserving affordable homes and communities.

So far, the bank has purchased $15 million in mortgages from Habitat, best known for its affordable homeownership program; building strength, stability and self-reliance through housing. Habitat Vail Valley’s Elyse Howard, one of many affiliates utilizing the program shared, “The FirstBank Loan Purchase program has been critical to Habitat Vail Valley's ability to increase our local home building capacity. This generous new commitment of $60 million from FirstBank will go a long way toward helping Coloradoans achieve housing stability.”

As part of its commitment, FirstBank will purchase a total of $60 million in mortgages from both Habitat and IDF, providing needed capital to these organizations, so they can, in turn, build and preserve more homes and communities for low-income families.

FirstBank also recently began purchasing mortgages from IDF, a nonprofit that connects organizations across the state with the development financing and technical assistance needed to create, rehabilitate and preserve housing for low to moderate income residents. This will enable the organization’s affiliate partners, which include local Habitat chapters, to significantly increase financing capacity for affordable housing initiatives.

This comes at a critical time when economic effects of COVID-19 has made homeownership even less obtainable for many Coloradoans, who were already feeling the financial burdens of the state’s affordable housing crunch. According to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, about 280,000 Coloradans are “severely burdened,” meaning at least 50 percent of their income goes toward housing.

“The pandemic has compounded the equity gap for many families in our state and we are likely to see the

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lingering impact of that for many months to come,” said Sean Doherty, Executive Director of Impact Development Fund. “FirstBank’s swift action has already kept the security of homeownership within reach for families throughout Colorado and, as we start to shift our focus to the long-term impact of the pandemic, we’re grateful to be able to continue this important work alongside FirstBank and Habitat for Humanity.”

Bank has been recognized as a leader in corporate philanthropy, contributing nearly $70 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. The company is also unique in that a large portion of its stock is owned by management and employees, giving employees a financial stake in the bank’s success through its Employee Stock Ownership Program. For more information, visit www.efirstbank.com. About Habitat for Humanity of Colorado Habitat for Humanity builds safe, decent affordable homes to for low income families who purchase the home with an affordable mortgage. Twenty-five Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Colorado are building in 45 communities, and to date have built over 3,000 homes in partnership with families who would otherwise be unable to obtain the security, stability, and hope that homeownership can provide. For more information about Habitat for Humanity, please visit www.habitatcolorado.org.

“It has been a game changer,” said Cheri Witt-Brown, Executive Director of Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity. “We have been able to triple our capacity in one year through Impact Development’s partnership. This fiscal year we will build and close 15 homes.” FirstBank’s commitment goes beyond pledging funds. The bank is recognized as one of the most philanthropic companies in Colorado, donating nearly $5 million to charitable organizations last year and around $70 million since 2000. Habitat and IDF also join a growing roster of affordable housing providers supported by FirstBank. In 2019, the bank invested over $156 million into affordable housing and down payment assistance programs.

About Impact Development Fund IDF is recognized as a community-based 501c3 organization with a mission to create economic opportunity by delivering flexible capital to strengthen underserved Colorado communities. Certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a community development financial institution, IDF embodies the concept of public-private partnership through our investor network that includes banks, foundations, private interests, local and federal government. Our constituents reside in all 64 counties of the state, while our focus targets the creation, rehabilitation and preservation of housing that is attainable to residents earn-

About FirstBank FirstBank began providing banking services in Colorado in 1963. Today, the bank maintains more than $20 billion in assets and operates more than 110 branch locations across Colorado, Arizona and California. FirstBank offers a variety of checking accounts, savings accounts, home equity loans, mortgages, and a full range of commercial banking services, including financing, treasury management and deposit accounts. Since 2000, First-

ing less than the area median income.

by Larry Kendall, Author of Ninja Selling

THE NEED FOR HUMAN CONNECTION Are you losing connection with your associates?

When the pandemic required lockdown in March, many leaders turned to Zoom (or similar digital platforms) to connect and communicate with their associates. This was an important and critical move as many associates were afraid and confused. Electronic "Zoom worked meetings brought them early on, but now I together and attendance soared. Many leaders feel our people are commented, “Zoom Zoomed out. We are meetings may be the new abnormal going forward. losing connection, We are getting a much communication and our higher attendance rate with virtual meetings. culture.” We may not return to live meetings.” Fast forward four months and some leaders report attendance dropping to as low as 25%—and that assumes their associates are really there. How do

you know when their video is turned off? As one leader said, “Zoom worked early on, but now I feel our people are Zoomed out. We are losing connection, communication and our culture.” THE NEED FOR HUMAN CONNECTION Psychologists report that over 40% of Americans are suffering from loneliness—a severe lack of human connection. Zoom is not a substitute. A Fortune magazine article (Humans Are Underrated) says that an increase in electronic communication results in a reduction of empathy, which is the ability to understand and appreciate the feelings of another human. Is there a need for a return to live meetings? Psychologists say, “Yes.” Will associates feel safe meeting in groups again? An indication is our live Ninja classes are selling out in 90 minutes compared to the usual two weeks. People are craving human connection, even if they have to wear a mask and stay six feet apart. As one student in a continued on next page

recent class said to me, “I may still be afraid of dying, but I’m no longer afraid to live!”

Leadership is a live contact sport. Connection, communication and culture building happen best faceto-face. Zoom is a way to communicate information but a poor substitute for human connection and culture building. Leaders need to do more.

THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP AND CONNECTION A study in Forbes magazine asked 4,000 leaders what areas they were focusing on for personal improvement. A better understanding of finance and technology were the top two areas reported. The study then asked the associates working for those leaders, what areas did they feel their leaders needed to concentrate on for improvement. Here’s their response:

Recognizing the limits of his electronic meetings, a CEO told me how he started scheduling live breakfasts or lunches twice a week with seven associates. His commitment to meaningful, personal, face-to-face connection with 56 of his associates every month (over 600 each year) has yielded amazing results. “I saw a huge shift in our entire organization the very first month I started doing it. Word spread that I care and that I notice how much our people matter. Our culture supercharged immediately. This is the single best use of my time. I now have our managers doing it. It’s a process we will install forever. Live eats Zoom for lunch!” 

1. Leadership. “Where are you taking me?” 2. Emotional Intelligence.“How are you treating me?” Associates want to feel: a. Valued. “I notice you matter.” b. Inspired. “Here’s where we are going together.”

This article appeared in the October 2020 issue of Real Trends

c. Empowered. “I trust you to help us get there.”

For an excellent leadership video on this, watch Craig Groeschel’s keynote speech at the Global Leadership Summit by clicking here.

TOP

Over 700,000 acres have burned this year in Colorado.

Wildfire Preperation Tips

Colorado Project Wildfire Taskforce Makes Tremendous Strides In Midst of State’s Worst Wildfire Season on Record Following a relatively mild 2019 Colorado wildfire season, the relentless and unprecedented nature of all things 2020 has now added “catastrophic,” “historic,” and “worst” wildfire season on record to its list of casualties this year with approximately 700,000 acres burned and hundreds of homes and other structures lost. And the fires are still burning. Prior to 2002, Colorado had never had a fire even come close, let alone exceed 100,000 acres. The Hayman fire changed that, and fortunately 11 years passed before another fire crossed that boundary. Now, in 2020, Colorado has three of the largest fires in state history, including the Cameron Peak fire which is the first to exceed 200,000 acres. Even before the outbreak of fires that have required firefighters to battle incredibly challenging conditions and terrain, COVID restrictions had drastically limited the growing number of annual in-person, communitybased events and mitigation activities. And

yet, members of the Colorado Association of REALTORS® Project Wildfire Taskforce continued to make tremendous strides across a wide range of program goals and objectives. A record number of REALTOR® members representing wildfire prone communities across the state participated in an informative Fall Forum discussion and update on a wide range of topics designed to help educate homeowners and help prevent the potentially devastating impact of fires to property, structures and lives. With members providing updates on local programming and initiatives from Aspen and Durango to Mountain Metro, Vail and Steamboat Springs, the Taskforce also reviewed the latest legislative policies and proposals, as well as insurance industry issues and a presentation of a newly released interactive tool from the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) focused on a more localized wildfire risk index. Here are some highlights of the program work and resources that has and continues continued on next page

to be implemented by our REALTOR® team and stakeholder partners since the Stay at Home and Safer at Home restrictions were implemented statewide:

WILDFIRE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN – PUBLIC OUTREACH: In May, CAR partnered with the CSFS and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association (RMIA) to promote and encourage a wide range of mitigation and wildfire preparation activities that could be completed during statewide Stay-at-Home orders related to COVID.

past few seasons showing that proactive wildfire mitigation efforts are effective and now is a perfect time for people across the state to take action.

From completing home inventories, including photographs and video, to cleaning gutters and rooftops, trimming backyard shrubs and trees, to removing flammable materials from the perimeter of the home, reviewing insurance policies and more, we encouraged homeowners to take advantage of extra time at home to engage in a wide range of low-cost mitigation steps proven to protect homes and land and help reduce damage to structures and communities.

THE COLORADO FIRE COMMISSION: Established in 2019 through the approval and signing of SB19040, the Colorado Fire Commission operates under the Colorado Department of Public Safety and is made up of 24 voting members and at least seven ex-officio members, including Sarah Thorsteinson, executive director for Summit REALTORS®. Thorsteinson is one of just a few private-sector members of the state’s first Fire Commission, which is authorized to develop task forces and help find solutions to a wide range of issues that impact Colorado’s fire service. The Commission, which includes sheriffs, fire chiefs, experts from the DFPC, forest service representatives, and members of the Governor’s cabinet, aims to enhance public safety in Colorado through an integrated statewide process focused on the fire service’s capacity to conduct fire management, use, preparedness, prevention and response activities to safeguard lives, property, and natural resources.

Our promotion and outreach included a Top 10 Wildfire Preparation Tips produced in cooperation with CSFS and the National Fire Protection Association.

COLORADO STATE FOREST SERVICE WUI RISK INDEX: With more than half of the state’s population living in a wildfire prone area, the CSFS wildland-urban interface (WUI) risk index provides a county-by-county assessment using housing density combined with modeled fire behavior to determine where the greatest potential impact to people and homes is likely to occur. The index for each county is presented as an infographic to provide a simplified, accessible overview of the various levels of wildfire risk for residents living in that county. The index is intended to increase awareness of wildfire risk, particularly in counties with a significant amount of its population located in the WUI.

The Commission focused its 2020 efforts on wildfires as a whole and will look at structure fires in particular for 2021, including building materials and codes which will be of strong interest to CAR and its members.

INSURANCE AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY:

The documents containing the infographics are available in a PDF format through the Colorado Forest Atlas at The public can access and download the documents for each of the 64 counties in Colorado through a drop-down menu available in the Wildfire Risk Viewer application within the Colorado Forest Atlas coloradoforestatlas.org.

CAR’s Government Affairs team, led by Liz Peetz, worked through one of the most challenging legislative sessions in 2020 to keep a close eye on a wide range of fire management and wildfire related bills and proposals. Like almost every other facet of our lives, it’s unclear what fire management funding will look like in 2021 due to COVID-related budget constraints. Based on this year’s season, the issues, budgets and outcomes will be top of mind at the Capitol when the new session begins in January with lawmakers likely pushing funding for both fire suppression and fire mitigation.

“Every homeowner should be aware of the wildfire risk in their community and the associated responsibility to reduce that risk, not only to protect their property, but also to improve the safety of first responders,” said CSFS Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Daniel Beveridge. “There are numerous examples from the

continued on next page

WILDFIRE CONT. The Colorado Fire Commission is considering bringing forward bills that use insurance premium taxes as a funding mechanism for fire suppression without raising taxes.

cooperatively with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to share valuable research and interactive tools available to the public including a Wildfire Ready Guide PDF brochure and newly released video animation depicting home ignition and the use of fire resistant building materials that can be shared on websites, through social posts, etc.

One bill that was passed and signed by the Governor prior to the pandemic was HB-1057. This bill expands access to the current wildfire mitigation grant by reducing the amount of funding an organization commits and opening up the grant to additional types of organizations.

“Although it’s easy to be distracted by the historic nature that this wildfire season and coronavirus have brought us in the past eight months, we can’t take our eyes off of the significant and potentially deadly threat that wildfires bring to our state each year,” said Ulrich Salzgeber, chairman of CAR’s Colorado Project Wildfire Taskforce. “With more than 27,000 members living, working and supporting communities throughout our state, we will continue to be proactive in helping educate and support homeowners and residents living in these WUI areas about the steps they can take and the resources available to them to mitigate their properties and be prepared for the growing wildfire risk.”

From an insurance industry perspective, Colorado is in many ways ahead of the curve of many Western states in developing and supporting model community mitigation projects. Partnership efforts have focused on best practices for using the science provided through these diverse local and national partners to protect property through mitigation. “Colorado’s devastating 2020 wildfire season is a stark reminder that our combined federal, state and community mitigation efforts to reduce risk to properties isn’t just something we should do, but something Coloradans urgently need to do now, not sometime in the future,” says Carole Walker, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association. “The loss of hundreds of homes and hundreds of thousands of acres burned is another tipping point for insurers and REALTORS® to use our collective voices in urging property owners to protect their homes and their ability to insure those homes.

The local and personalized events, communication, education and training that are making the biggest impact on residents and driving behavior. “We’ve seen some very impressive results from our efforts not just in partnering with local firefighting agencies and experts but the residents of those specific communities,” said Salzgeber. “From the earliest and ongoing efforts of our members across the state, we’re getting more and more individuals involved and taking advantage of the resources that already exist in their communities to help them protect, and in most cases, improve the safety, functionality and value of their property.”

“While these fires further demonstrate Colorado’s escalating wildfire threat, we do still have a competitive and available homeowners insurance market. Homeowners in high-risk areas will likely pay more for insurance, and depending on factors, such as slope, access roads, proximity to fire protection, may have to shop more for insurance carriers or look to higher risk insurance,” Walker adds. “However, insurers put a strong emphasis on mitigation when determining insurability of properties. If homeowners invest in proper mitigation and complete insurance requirements to address wildfire risk this will help them get and keep affordable coverage.

WHAT’S NEXT/OPPORTUNITIES/HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

EXPANDING STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS:

While battling through the 2020 wildfire season, the CPW Taskforce came out of its October meeting with plans to continue and expand the important wildfire education work in the coming months and years, including special opportunities around the 100-year CAR anniversary that will be highlighted throughout 2021.

A key element in the growth of Colorado Project Wildfire has always been the formation of strategic partnerships with organizations, including the Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, National Fire Protection Association, Fire Adapted Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association (RMIA). In recent months we’ve worked

For CAR members working across the state’s growing WUI communities, there are opportunities to get more involved with Colorado Project Wildfire, to lead efforts in local communities to raise awareness and participate in the advocacy efforts, as well as, apply for grants to implement those programs. Details can be found at: www.ColoradoREALTORS.com/projectwildfire

NAR COMMITTEES

2020-2021 NAR COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS TYRONE ADAMS, Housing Opportunity Committee AEC Representative 12/1/20 11/30/22

DONNA MAJOR, AEC Volunteer Leadership Advisory Board Member: At-Large AND Board of Directors Large Board Representative

SUNNY BANKA, Risk Management Issues Committee Member

MELISSA MALDONADO, Commitment to Excellence Committee AEC Representative

DAVID BARBER, Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee Chair

JANET MARLOW, Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board Member: At-Large

TED BRYANT, Board of Directors DSA Recipient

SCOTT MATTHIAS, Board of Directors Region 11 Vice President AND Executive Committee Member: Regional Vice President

NATALIE DAVIS, Member Communications Committee Member: Immediate Past

CHRIS MCELROY, Legal Action Committee Member: At-Large

DAVID DEELENA, REALTOR速 Party Member Involvement Committee Member: State Representative [Colorado]

LARRY MCGEE, Board of Directors Large Board Representative AND Commitment to Excellence Committee Member: At-Large

AMY DORSEY, REALTOR速 Party Trustees for Campaign Services Committee Member: Region 11 Representative

RON MYLES, Board of Directors DSA Recipient AND Commercial Committee Member: Commercial Board Representative

SEAN DOUGHERTY, Professional Standards Committee Member: At-Large

GEORGE NEHME, RPAC Major Investor Council Member: State Representative

MOLLY ELDRIDGE, Member Communications Committee Member: At-Large

LINDA PHILPOTT, Board of Directors State Allocated Director AND Meeting and Conference Committee Member: Regional Representative AND Federal Financing & Housing Policy Committee Member: At-Large

WILLIAM FLOWERS, Housing Opportunity Committee Member: State Representative MARJORIE GENOVA, Board of Directors State Allocated Director AND Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee Member: State Representative

VERONICA PRECELLA, AEC-RCE Certification Advisory Board Member: At-Large RANDY REYNOLDS, Board of Directors Large Board Representative AND Public Policy Coordinating Committee Member: At-Large

MICAH GEORGE, Professional Standards Committee Member: State Representative

JANET SCAVO, Board of Directors DSA Recipient

HEATHER HANKINS, Board of Directors Large Board Representative

BONNIE SMITH, Finance Committee Member: At-Large

ANN HAYES, Board of Directors State Allocated Director AND RPAC Participation Council Member: State Representative

STEVEN THAYER, Board of Directors Large Board Representative AND Leading Edge Advisory Board Member: At-Large

JANENE JOHNSON, Broker Engagement Council Member: State Representative

LINDA ROMER TODD, Public Policy Coordinating Committee Member: At-Large

KEITH KANEMOTO, Leadership Academy Advisory Group Member: Commercial Representative

MARK TRENKA, Board of Directors State Allocated Director AND Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee Member: State Representative

KATE ANNE KELLEY, Consumer Communications Committee Member: At-Large

MARILEE UTTER, Board of Directors Affiliate President/CRE AND Institute Advisory Committee Affiliate President-Elect

JUSTIN KNOLL, Board of Directors Large Board Representative AND Consumer Communications Committee Vice Chair

STEVE VOLKODAV, AEC-RCE Certification Advisory Board Member: At-Large

PIPER KNOLL, Board of Directors Large Board Representative AND REALTOR速 Party Member Involvement Committee Member: Committee Representative [YPN Advisory Board] AND Young Professionals Network Advisory Board Member: Immediate Past Chair

ROBERT WALKOWICZ, Board of Directors State President AND REALTOR速 Safety Advisory Committee Member: State Representative

KRISTAL KRAFT, Land Use Property Rights and Environment Committee Member: Region 11 Representative

KAY WATSON, Housing Opportunity Committee Member: Region 11 Representative

MICHAEL LABOUT, Professional Standards Committee Member: At-Large

GREG ZADEL, MLS Technology and Emerging Issues Advisory Board Chair [Immediate Past Chair MLS Committee]

MARK LEVINE, Federal Taxation Committee Member: At-Large

RPAC MAJOR INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT: AMY DORSEY Who are you in your professional life?

about all the noise when I’m out there.

I’m a broker in Slifer, Smith & Frampton’s office in the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch. I’ve been a REALTOR® since 1993 and now specialize mostly in resort real estate with some residential and commercial real estate experience in my past. I grew up in Denver, but learned the residential side of things in New York City. After working in Los Angles and Texas, my husband and I moved to Vail in 1993 and I’ve enjoyed my career in real estate ever since. I also had the pleasure of serving as a Colorado Real Estate Commissioner from 2012 to 2018.

Other than that, I truly enjoy my time in real estate. You have to make hay while the sun shines, and I like to be busy and to get work done!

Tell us something about yourself that is interesting or that many people don’t know about you? Those who know me know I do like to talk when I’m comfortable around my friends, but you’d be surprised to find out that I was a very, very quiet child. My mother said I didn’t talk until I was four years old! I’ve always been painfully bashful and shy, and it’s tough to be a REALTOR® that way. But I’m very curious about people and I like to find out about them and find out what moves them. As I’m building relationships with clients, my curiosity about them helps me overcome my shyness.

The thing I love most about real estate is being a source of information for people. I love helping them and being the source of local knowledge and industry expertise. It’s great to discover someone’s likes and dislikes, what they say they want and what they actually want, and eventually finding the perfect property for them.

Who are you outside of your professional life?

How long have you been contributing and what does RPAC mean to you?

My husband and I genuinely enjoy the quiet times at home. During the quarantine period, it’s been great to stay home, read, cook, and learn about new things. In fact, I cooked my way through a couple of cookbooks during COVID, and it’s been a blast!

I was assisting on a project at Seasons in Avon in 1993. We were selling small one- and two-bedroom condos at prices then in the $60-$70K range. When we’d make a sale I got a quarter of 1 percent for my commission. I literally got some $33 checks. One day, I got a call from the Political Survival Fund (NOTE: RPAC was called PSF in those days) who asked me for $99. I was able to contribute $25. Then I started seeing the list of people who gave to RPAC and they all were people I knew and respected. They were

I also really enjoy snowboarding and being on my road bike. When you’re on the board or on the bike, you have to focus on the present and what you’re doing; you can’t think about all the other distractions in life. Biking and snowboarding help me forget

Major Investors invest at least $1,000 in RPAC annually. For more information click here. 34

giving $99, $250, $500 or even more. What would you want to tell other REALTORS® about why they should invest in RPAC?

That sparked my curiosity and I wanted to learn more. The more I learned, the more I figured out how important RPAC was to everything we do. The issues always spoke to me.

My thought process goes like this: If you are going to sell people homes, you’re responsible for helping to protect those homes and to protect the idea of home ownership.

In my second year I gave $99, in the third year $150. In 1999, I gave $250 every time I was asked by the state chairman at CAR meetings. CAR eventually sent me a pin that I was a $1,000 contributor and to me if felt like I had arrived professionally. I always say that my Sterling R pin was, and my Golden R pin now is my favorite piece of jewelry. My RPAC Major Investor pin is my badge of honor.

It’s just like the idea of selling a new car and providing a warranty to go with it. It’s protection. We have to help them protect the idea of owning their home, owning a piece of land. I come from a family of immigrants who were able to own businesses back in the old county, but not the land underneath the buildings. The idea of ownership has always been important to me.

RPAC is a calling to me. I served on many other committees and volunteer at all the association levels. I loved my time serving on other committees and they were valuable, but things really made sense to me when I went to LPC and when I went to the RPAC meetings. That’s when it made sense to me about how important these issues are to me.

Our homes are our havens, and we learned that more than ever during quarantine. We as REALTORS® are responsible for helping them protect their investments.

BE A leader... Enrollment is now open for the CAR Leadership Academy! This exclusive four-month training and development program is designed to nurture future CAR leaders.

SPACE IS LIMITED

• Develop Leadership Skills • Spokesperson Training • Create Networks • Education Workshops

Application deadline is November 27,2020. QUESTIONS? CONTACT HOLLY KRELL AT 303.785.7129 or HKRELL@COLORADOREALTORS.COM

Updated October 24,2020

Colorado Association of REALTORS® RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS 2020

Updated March 6, 2017

NAR Presidents Circle

($1000 min. to RPAC and $2000 to national political parties or NAR-selected federal candidates)

Tyrone Adams, Colorado Association of REALTORS® David J. Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Brandon Brennick, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Micah George, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Janene Johnson, Grand County Board of REALTORS® Jay Kalinski, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Keith Kanemoto, Longmont Assoc. of REALTORS® Piper Knoll, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Michael Labout, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® John Lucero, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Melissa Maldonado, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Ron Myles, Denver Metro Commercial Assoc of REALTORS® Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc.

NAR Corporate Ally Program

(Multiple Listing Services voluntarily investing in RPAC) IRES Pikes Peak REALTOR® Service Corp

Pikes Peak REALTOR® Service Corp REcolorado Platinum R - Annual Investment of $10,000+ Pikes Peak REALTOR® Service Corp Boulder Area REALTOR® Association REcolorado Gary Bauer, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Colorado Association of Service REALTORS® Pikes Peak REALTOR® Corp George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® REcolorado Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Pikes Peak REALTOR® Service Corp REcolorado

Golden R - Annual Investment of $5,000+ David Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® Micah George, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Keith Kanemoto, Longmont Association of REALTORS® Piper Knoll, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Michael Labout, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® John Lucero, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Ron Myles, Denver Metro Comm. Assoc. of REALTORS® Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association

Crystal R - Annual Investment of $2,500+

Robert Walkowicz, Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS® Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Heather Hankins, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Mountain Metro Association of REALTORS® John Mitchell, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Kelly Kniffin, Durango Area Association of REALTORS®

Sterling R ~ Annual Investment of $1,000+ Tyrone Adams, Colorado Association of REALTORS® David Anderson, Pueblo Association of REALTORS® Brian Anzur, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Barbara Asbury, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Piyush Ashra, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Richie Averill, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Ann Bagwell, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Windy Bailey, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Rebecca Balboni, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Sunny Banka, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Karen Becker, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Ed Behr, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Chris Bettin, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Bruce Betts, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Lisa Bikki, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Pat Bigley, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Nick Bokone, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Brandon Brennick, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Michele Brossmer, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Mike Budd, Vail Board of REALTORS® Michael Burkhard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Janna Burton, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Sterling Campbell, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Bobbie Carll, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Randy Case, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Kathy Christina, Summit Association of REALTORS® Carol Click, Four Corners Board of REALTORS® Mercie Curbow, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Jacob Curbow, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Charles D’Alessio, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Natalie Davis, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. David DeElena, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Chris Djorup, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Molly Eldridge, Gunnison-Crested Butte Assoc of REALTORS® Amanda Erickson, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Amanda Fein, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Shelby Foster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Angela Fox, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Danielle Frisbie, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Bob Fullerton, Glenwood Springs Association of REALTORS® Marjorie Genova, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. John Gillam, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Euan Graham, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Heidi Greer, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Sheri Griego, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Devan Hall, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Lauren Hansen, Colorado Association of REALTORS® Tina Harbin, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Steve Harder, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Ed Hardey, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Chris Hardy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Kati Harken, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Debi Harmon, Montrose Association of REALTORS® Tyler Harris, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Toni Heiden, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Annette Hejl, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Susan Hendricks, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Phil Heter, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Amanda Hill, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Mary Ann Hinrichsen, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Matthew Hintermeister, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Deborah Howes, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Juli Jacobson, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Janene Johnson, Grand County Board of REALTORS®

Updated October 24, 2020

Updated March 6, 2017 Jay Kalinski, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Larry Kendall, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Krista Klees, Aspen Board of REALTORS® Justin Knoll, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Pie Konchar, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Cynthia Kruse, Vail Board of REALTORS® Kevin Kuebert, Vail Board of REALTORS® Dave Kupernik, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Betsy Laughlin, Vail Board of REALTORS® Polly Leach-Lychee, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Matthew Leprino, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Karen Levine, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Libby Levinson, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Jill Limberg, Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS® Cheri Long, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Alan Lovitt, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Russ Loya, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Kevan Lyons, REALTORS® of Central Colorado Mike MacGuire, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® David Madone, Royal Gorge Association of REALTORS® Gary Maggi, Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS® Donna Major, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Melissa Maldonado, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Tammy Marasia, Denver Metro Comm. Assoc. of REALTORS® Michael Marcus, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Janet Marlow, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Stew Meagher, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Deven Meininger, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Robbin Merta, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Kristin Miller, Denver Metro Comm. Assoc. of REALTORS® Toni Milyard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Kelly Moye, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Daniel Muldoon, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Kirstin Muldoon, Pueblo Association of REALTORS® Patrick Muldoon, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Emily Sian Murphy, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Mitch Myers, Aurora Association of REALTORS® George Nehme, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Rebecca Nehme, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Jarrod Nixon, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Chad Ochsner, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Roberto Ortiz, Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS® Mike Papantonakis, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Wynne Palermo, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Al Parker, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Kevin Patterson, Pikes Peak Assoc. of REALTORS® Elizabeth Peetz, Colorado Association of REALTORS® Karen Peirson, Aspen Board of REALTORS® Scott Peterson, Colorado Association of REALTORS® Linda Philpott, Aurora Association of REALTORS® David Pike, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc. Hank Poburka, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Amanda Potter, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Veronica Precella, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Bobbi Price, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Julia Purrington, Mountain Metro Association of REALTORS® Randy Reynolds, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Anna Rickenbach, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Gretchen Rosenberg, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Laura Ruch, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Crissy Rumford, Vail Board of REALTORS®

Ulrich Salzgeber, Steamboat Springs Board of REALTORS® Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Brett Sawyer, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Rebekah Scarrow, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Dennis Schick, Fort Collin Board of REALTORS® Laura Sellards, Vail Board of REALTORS® Christine Serwe, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® John Simmons, Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS®\ Richard Sly, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Lynn Snyder Goetz, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Assoc Diane Sorensen, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Tami Spaulding, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® LaDawn Sperling, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Stephanie Tanis, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Steven Thayer, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Ron Thorne, Mountain Metro Association of REALTORS® Mark Trenka, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Steve Volkodav, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Lisa Wade, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Andrea Warner, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Scott Webber, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Dean Weissman, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Robert Werthman, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® Brenda Wild, Aspen Board of REALTORS® Jim Wotkyns, Durango Area Association of REALTORS® Merrite Wyatt, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Assoc. Debra Yund, REALTORS® of Central Colorado Greg Zadel, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Sandi Zimmerman, Denver Metro Assoc. of REALTORS® Aspen Board of REALTORS® Colorado Group Realty – Steamboat Springs Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Gunnison-Crested Butte Association of REALTORS® Glenwood Springs Association of REALTORS® Loveland-Berthoud Association of REALTORS® South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty Tupper’s Team

Colorado REALTOR Magazine November 2020

Articles inside

The Need For Human Connection

Tremendous Strides

Affordable Housing Across Colorado

A Place to Call Home

Colorado Gives Day

Remaining Professional During a Pandemic

A Salute to REALTORS® and Our Industry

History–As Told by Our Members

Election Recap

From the CEO: Benefits of Volunteering