Colorado REALTOR® Magazine November 2023 by Colorado Association of REALTORS

colorado

NOVEMBER 2023

REALTOR Official Magazine of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

MAGAZINE

A Message From Your CAR Leadership Page 8

2024 LEADERSHIP INSTALLED Page 10

PLUS:

Thank You From CAR President Natalie Davis Page 4

CEO Update: Reflecting on a Year of Successes and Uncertainties Page 6

Legislative Successes at the Capitol for 2023 Page 16

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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

NOVEMBER 2023:

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

Thank You From CAR President Natalie Davis...... 4 The Value of Your Membership............................... 5 CEO Update: Reflecting on a Year of Successes and Uncertainties............................................................ 6 A Message From Your CAR Leadership.................. 8 Jason Witt Installed as 2024 CAR President........ 10 Sandi Zimmerman Honored as CAR REALTOR® of the Year............................................................... 12

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CAR LEADERSHIP

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.

Mark Kinslow II Honored as Colorado Young Professional of the Year......................................... 14 REALTOR® Lisa Nguyen, the Estes Park Board of REALTORS®, and Zillow, Inc. Honored With Diversity & Inclusion Awards................................ 15 Legislative Successes at the Capitol for 2023..... 16 Share the Good With YPN..................................... 18 Fair Housing Month 2024...................................... 25 RPAC Update........................................................... 26 Ombudsman and Mediation Training................. 27

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.

Fall Forum Photo Recap........................................ 28 49 CAR Members Selected to Serve on 33 NAR Committees and Boards.......................... 30 CAR Member Resources......................................... 31 10 Work Habits to Manage Risk........................... 32 AE Spotlight on Robyn Pale.................................. 34

SHARE THE GOOD WITH YPN

Leadership Spotlight on Shelby Foster................ 35 Fact-Checking Process for AI-Generated Content................................................................... 36

FROM THE PRESIDENT CAR Appointed Past President Greg Zadel congratulates Natalie Davis on a great year.

Natalie Davis 2023 President of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Dear Colorado REALTORS®: As my tenure as 2023 President of the Colorado Association of REALTORS® comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable journey we've embarked on together throughout this past year. A year filled with both triumphs and challenges, but together we have navigated through them with grace and perseverance. Our industry is a dynamic one, and in 2023, we faced unique challenges that tested our resilience and adaptability. The ever-changing landscape of real estate demanded our unwavering commitment, and you, our dedicated members, rose to the occasion. Together, we navigated through economic shifts, regulatory changes, and a rapidly evolving market with unparalleled grace. Reflecting on our accomplishments, I feel an overwhelming sense of admiration for the countless hours of hard work and determination that have gone into making this year a success. Despite the obstacles we faced, we never lost sight of our shared goal: 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. As I pass on the torch to the incoming President, Jason Witt, I am left with a deep sense of inspiration about the future of our industry. The passion and talent within our membership are unparalleled, and I have no doubt that under new leadership, even greater achievements will be realized. Thank you once again for allowing me to serve as your President. It has been an incredible journey filled with growth, friendship, and collective success. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to witnessing all that we will accomplish in the years ahead. With Love and Appreciation, Natalie Davis 2023 President of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

THE VALUE OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP We know that being a REALTOR® member is a choice, and we’re grateful for your commitment to professionalism and property rights. CAR will continue to lead the way by investing in your business, fighting for your rights at the state capitol, and offering programs that help you succeed.

$462.2 Million in property values saved by defeating proposed rent control bills.

$23,000

saved in potential legal fees by bringing legislation that protects Coloradans from predatory business practices.

$4,500/year

saved for an average REALTOR® by protecting the industry from a sales tax on services.

$6,000

saved for an average REALTOR® by killing a proposed transfer tax

$1,286

saved for REALTORS® by successfully amending legislation to protect brokers from frivolous litigation.

$4,000+ saved for property owners by modifying legislation to ensure owners could transition rental properties to the market without being subject to mandatory relocation assistance to a tenant.

LEARN MORE

calls per day, on average, for the CAR Legal Hotline, a service that provides REALTORS® with direct access to a qualified attorney, saving participating REALTORS® thousands per year in attorney’s fees.

ethics complaints processed in 2022, furthering our committment to professionalism and protecting consumers.

$1.8 Billion

consumer touches annually, reinforcing REALTOR® professionalism, knowledge, and using a REALTOR® in real estate transactions.

$10 Million+

invested in Colorado communities by the CAR Foundation, touching more than 90,000 lives and providing aid to 541 households.

$1,600/year

in money saved by any member who takes full advantage of business tool discounts.

3,500

members annually take advantage of CAR’s virtual and in-person education and event opportunities.

FROM THE CEO

Tyrone Adams CEO of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Reflecting on a Year of Successes and Uncertainties As we approach the end of 2023, one thing is for certain: it has been a year marked with successes, uncertainties, and glimpses of the future of the real estate industry. The past eleven months have tested our resilience as advocates for our members, our communities, consumers and organized real estate. Some of our successes this year include strengthening our governance structure and leadership pipeline and rolling out a Diversity & Inclusion toolkit that is being used as a template at the National Association of REALTORS® and other state associations. Our housing research program continues to keep CAR at the forefront of being the voice of real estate in Colorado. We also continue to engage heavily in Colorado’s business communities. Last but not least, we continue to provide support in many ways for our local associations to help them be the voice of real estate in their local communities. These successes plus more have garnered CAR recognition by the Common Sense Institute as Colorado’s 2023 Champion of Prosperity. While this acknowledgment is great for CAR and all of the volunteer members, local associations, staff, and consultants, our work is never done. It is a given that change is certain. What isn’t certain is the outcomes of the NAR lawsuits and current organizational dysfunction that is having a trickle-down effect on the state and local associations. The other uncertainties include the impact of continuous low housing inventory levels, inflated housing prices, high interest rates, proposed legislative housing initiatives, and more. Will this cause a significate drop in membership in 2024? Will more brokerages create nonmember sides? We don’t know. What we do know is the onus is on us, REALTOR® Associations at all three levels (you know the three-way agreement), to articulate the value of being a REALTOR®, and the importance of organized real estate for our members and consumers. What other organization fights for your real estate business and for homeownership rights? CAR exists to empower Colorado REALTORS® as industry and community leaders with knowledge, ethics, professionalism, and as the collective voice for housing and property rights. To put a part of what we do (a very important part) in better perspective, our political advocacy efforts for 2023 included CAR tracking and taking positions on more than 85 bills (out of 617 introduced).

THE IMPACT OF THESE EFFORTS? • Saved property owners $462.2 million in property values by defeating proposed rent control bills. • Brought legislation that would save consumers and property owners around $23,000 in legal fees, protecting Coloradans from predatory business practices. • Killed a transfer tax that would have cost an additional $6,000 (based on an estimated 12 transactions at $250,000). • Successfully amended legislation to protect brokers from frivolous litigation, saving on average $1,286 in penalty payments. • Successfully advocated for removing the real estate broker liability for new radon requirements, saving REALTORS® thousands in legal costs. • Successfully modified legislation to ensure property owners could transition rental properties to the forsale market without being subjected to mandatory relocation assistance to a tenant, potentially saving these property owners thousands of dollars. • Successfully helped adopt legislation aimed at preventing real estate brokerages from paying prospective clients to enter into long-term listing agreements enforceable by lien. When you add in tangible benefits like CAR legal hotline, professional development, research, professional standards, networking opportunities, and other business tools, the value of being a REALTOR® outweighs not being one.

Looking ahead, we have our work cut out for us. Year in and out, there is proposed legislation like rent stabilization (control), legislation impacting land use, tenant/landlord issues, wildfire, insurance, and affordable housing to name a few. The sentiment is that, regardless of the outcome of the NAR lawsuits, the way brokers, MLSs, and associations do business will change. A more problematic possibility is if buyers must not only come to the table with a down payment and closing costs, but also a commission to pay their buyer’s agent. How many buyers would forgo representation, or simply not look at homes that don’t offer a commission? This has the making of plenty of unintended consequences for both buyers and sellers. As we enter a new year, we remain cautiously optimistic about the future. Mainly, it is because of the lessons we have collectively learned from past challenges in our industry, the resilience we have shown over time, and the innovative solutions we have implemented to remain relevant. In closing, as your CAR team, we want to express our gratitude to every member of the Association for being members and for every volunteer for your unwavering dedication and commitment to the success of this Association and real estate industry. As we embrace the new year, let us continue to build upon our successes, supporting one another, and making a positive impact in the industry and our communities. Have a safe and joyous holiday season!

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CAR LEADERSHIP Dear Colorado REALTORS®: For over 100 years, and through many storms, Colorado REALTORS® have been serving their communities with purpose and distinction. Those of us serving as volunteer leadership and those who have dutifully served you in the past often refer to our association as a family. The REALTOR® family. Like any family, through good times and through times of worry and struggle, we’ve always been here to support you in any way we can. That continues to be true today. Regardless of what’s happening on the national stage, the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) will continue to uphold the ethics and standards of the REALTOR® profession. We will continue to fight for our industry, and for our Colorado communities. Most importantly, we will continue to fight for you, our member, and the consumers we all serve. We will weather this storm, just like the many that came before it. The results of the recent lawsuit do not change who we are. We as REALTORS® need to stand firm as community leaders, advocate for our communities and our industry, be passionate about the ethical standards that elevate us all, and ensure we’re communicating our value as professionals. We’d like to share some summary information from the ruling, as well as information that we hope will be helpful to you when communicating with clients, colleagues, and community. You have a voice. We hear you, and we are here to listen. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to us at communications@coloradorealtors.com and someone from CAR leadership will get back to you. We appreciate you and thank you for being a member. Sincerely,

Natalie Davis, 2023 CAR President

Jason Witt, 2024 CAR President

UPDATE IN THE CASE OF BURNETT V. NAR ET AL. Recently, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) shared an update on the recent Burnett trial verdict, along with answers to commonly asked questions. Please click here to read this update from NAR President Tracy Kasper, and as always, visit competition.realtor for any updates on any lawsuit related to NAR.

WHAT WE’RE DOING AS YOUR STATE ASSOCIATION: CAR continues to reinforce that Colorado REALTORS® are every day, hard-working Americans who enrich the communities in which they live and work. We’ll continue to reinforce the value and professionalism a REALTOR® brings to any real estate transaction. CAR leadership continues to stay inthe-know on all things that may impact our members, our association, and our industry. Your volunteer leadership attends calls and meetings every day, and our number one priority is advocating for you. We’ll continue to be the only statewide entity that fights for your real estate business and for homeownership rights.

CAR exists to empower Colorado REALTORS® as industry and community leaders with knowledge, ethics, professionalism, and as the collective voice for housing and property rights.

Ensure you can explain how commissions work, and that compensation is and always has been negotiable. The U.S. real estate model has long been viewed as the most consumer-friendly in the world, as it provides the greatest economic benefits for both buyers and sellers and creates greater access and equity for first-time and lowand middle-income buyers. https://realestatecommissionfacts.com/ provides key information for your clients.

We’ll continue to advocate for you at the state capitol. In the last year alone, CAR tracked and took positions on more than 85 bills out of the 617 introduced. The impact of these efforts saved property owners $462.2 million in property values by defeating rent control bills, protected Explain to clients that in Colorado, the real estate indusColoradans from predatory business practry accounted for $96.1 billion, or 19.8%, of tices, successfully amended legislation to the gross state product in 2022. The typical "No one has protected brokers from frivolous litigation, home sale results in $177,700 in total ecomore facts, and saved REALTORS® thousands in potennomic impact, creating thousands of jobs stories, and tial legal costs, penalty payments, taxes, from related industries and housing-related mandatory relocation assistance, and more. testimonials to expenditures. The work you do matters and back up their contributes to the economic health of our state and the wealth of your clients and value than WHAT WE’RE ENCOURAGING YOU TO communities. you." CONTINUE DOING AS REALTORS®: Your work in your communities and with Articulate YOUR value proposition. Ensure your clients showcases your commitment everyone, especially your clients, understands what you to consumer advocacy. You lead as entrepreneurs, small do. The value real estate professionals provide consumbusiness owners, experts, and community advocates to ers, guiding them through one of the most important protect consumers and create wealth. There’s no better decisions of their life, cannot be understated. There are story to tell than that. And there’s no better voice to give more than 28,000 REALTORS® in Colorado who embody life to that story than you. all that is being done to ensure generational wealth through homeownership, while abiding by the Code of Ethics and exhibiting their commitment to the highVISIT THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES: est professionalism in the industry. Take a look at all • competition.realtor the things – big and small – that REALTORS® do to help • realestatecommissionfacts.com clients when buying and selling a home. • 179 Ways REALTORS® Are Worth Every Penny of Their Compensation

Jason Witt Installed as 2024 CAR President 2024 CAR Leadership Team Inaugurated Bob Fullerton installs Jason Witt at the 80's themed event. The Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) installed Jason Witt as its Board President at the CAR Fall Forum in Snowmass, CO, a role he will assume from Dec. 1, 2023, through Nov. 30, 2024. “We are looking forward to Jason and his leadership at CAR. His passion and servant leadership philosophy are contagious and will help CAR deliver a great experience for Colorado REALTORS® statewide,” said CAR CEO Tyrone Adams.

Witt is passionate about CAR’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, commenting, “I will continue to be a voice and advocate for Diversity and Inclusion, we have a beautifully diverse state, and everyone deserves a voice and a seat at the table. Diversity can help us achieve greatness!” Witt is licensed to teach the At Home with Diversity class to his fellow REALTORS® and holds Accredited Buyer's Representative Designation from the National Association of REALTORS®.

Witt is an Associate Broker with The Witt Group at Century 21-West Slope Realty in Cortez, CO. He is a Colorado native who grew up in Summit County and has called Cortez his home since 2009. Prior to becoming a REALTOR®, he spent much of his working career in the hospitality/service industry, building successful businesses throughout the United States. In 2014 he was awarded the "Rookie of The Year" award by the Four Corners Board of REALTORS® and served as the Four Corners Board of REALTORS® President in 2022. Witt is a graduate of CAR’s Leadership Academy, served as CAR’s Western District Chair in 2020, and most recently, served as CAR’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair in 2022.

“Our theme for this year, One Voice, is more than just a set of words,” said Witt. “It represents our collective commitment to unity, to a shared vision, and to a harmonious approach in all that we do. One Voice signifies a resounding consensus among our leadership team, committees, and staff as we strive to execute our mission and vision.”

Witt is actively engaged in his community, serving as the President/Director of Concert Operations for Southwest Colorado Concert, Inc. and as District Chair for the San Juan Mountains District of the Boy Scouts of America. He enjoys coaching in the community, playing golf, hiking, and showing his real estate clients the best southern Colorado has to offer.

Other top officers who will serve with Witt are:

In his new position as President, Witt will serve as a conduit between CAR’s more than 28,000 members and the Board of Directors. Working in tandem with the leadership council, he will assist with the organization’s direction and vision for the coming year.

President-Elect: Dana Cottrell, Summit Resort Group, Dillon, CO Treasurer: Aline Pitney, Westwater Realty, Louisville, CO Immediate Past President: Natalie Davis, The Evolution Group, Greenwood Village, CO

2024 CAR Leadership Council - 80's Style! The board’s main responsibilities include leading and coordinating the volunteer efforts of the association aimed at maintaining stability in Colorado’s real estate industry, protecting private property rights, supporting efforts for affordable housing opportunities, and providing resources and services designed to help Colorado REALTORS® succeed in their business.

Government Affairs: Jay Brown, Legacy Group Real Estate, Englewood, CO OTHER APPOINTMENTS Appointed Past President: Justin Knoll, The Knoll Team at West & Main, Denver, CO

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE 2024 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL:

AE Representative: Millard “Rip” Ripley, Grand Junction Board of REALTORS®, Grand Junction, CO

DISTRICT VICE PRESIDENTS

Ex-Officio, Tyrone Adams (CAR) - CEO

Metro – Brian Anzur, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Denver, CO Mountain – Courtney Peroutka, eXp Realty, LLC, Mountain House, Fairplay, CO Northeast – Jamie Goodvin, RE/MAX Alliance Greeley, Greeley, CO Southeast – Andrea Warner, Colorado Peak Real Estate, Colorado Springs, CO Western – Doug Phillips, RE/MAX Alpine View, Montrose, CO DIVISION VICE PRESIDENTS Legal & Risk Division: Connie Tremblay, The VanGundy Group, LLC, Grand Junction, CO Member Services: Shelby Foster, ERA New Age, Littleton, CO

Jason Witt and Scott Peterson relive their "Blind Lion" days.

SANDI ZIMMERMAN HONORED AS CAR REALTOR® OF THE YEAR SELECT MEMBERS THROUGHOUT STATE ALSO HONORED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Sandi Zimmerman, REALTOR® at RE/MAX Professionals in Castle Rock, CO, was named Colorado REALTOR® of the Year by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) at its annual Inaugural dinner in Snowmass, Colorado. The award is the most prestigious award given to a CAR member and is a culmination of a distinguished career within the REALTOR® organization— at the local, state, and national levels. In addition to leadership within the association, the REALTOR® of the Year is a person active at the community level and successful in business. “Sandi is a true icon within CAR,” said CAR CEO Tyrone Adams. “She always leads by example and is a wellrespected leader amongst her peers. When she told members to “Get on Board” as President of CAR in 1995, she not only got on board, but she stayed on board.” Zimmerman was born in Boulder, CO, where she graduated from Boulder High School, continuing her studies at UNC in Greeley, CO where she obtained a degree in Business and Communications. She has been a REALTOR® in Colorado since 1979 and holds multiple designations, including Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI), and Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR). A REALTOR® member for 44 years, Zimmerman has played a pivotal role at CAR, serving as CAR President in

Ann Hayes gives Sandi Zimmerman the CAR ROTY Pin.

1996 as one of the youngest Presidents in CAR’s history. But Zimmerman’s accolades go back even further, earning REALTOR® of the Year from the Douglas/Elbert REALTOR® Association in 1988 and 1994, also serving as that association’s President in 1987 and 1988. She also secured CAR’s Distinguished Service Award, has been a CAR and NAR Director, and has held numerous committee chair appointments. Zimmerman not only gives her time in REALTOR® associations but she regularly donates time to those less fortunate. She is the current co-chair of the Professional Miracles Foundation, a foundation that helps provide financial support to families with children suffering from lifelong illnesses or accidents. Among other charitable efforts, she has also helped build homes in Juarez Mexico for those living in poverty. In addition to honoring Zimmerman with the REALTOR® of the Year award, 2023 CAR President Natalie Davis presented the association’s Distinguished Service Award. The awards honor outstanding contributions to the real estate industry and the association. Honorees were: Nicole White, EXP Realty, LLC, Estes Park, CO Ann Hayes, Keller Williams Colorado West, Grand Junction, CO Stephen Foster, C3 Real Estate Solutions, Loveland, CO David Barber, RE/MAX Leaders, Aurora, CO Kate Kelley, WK Real Estate, Boulder, CO Sandra McGee, The Evolution Group, Greenwood Village, CO

David Barber and Natalie Davis

Natalie Davis and Ann Hayes

THANK YOU 2023 LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Kate Kelley and Natalie Davis

Nicole White and Natalie Davis

Stephen Foster and Natalie Davis

Mark Kinslow II Honored as Colorado Young Professional of The Year Mark Kinslow II, a REALTOR® with Key Real Estate Group in Englewood, CO, was named Colorado Young REALTOR® of the Year by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) and the Colorado Young Professionals Network (CYPN) at its annual convention in Snowmass, CO. This award, also known as the Gus Williams Young REALTOR® of the Year Award, recognizes young professionals who strive each day to better the industry and their local community. The CYPN is a group of REALTORS® who strive for leadership, and they honor individuals who have a strong commitment to the Young Professional network, as well as those who raise the bar for success both in their community and real estate business. Kinslow received the 2023 award for being a guiding light for young professionals and encouraging others into leadership roles with the South Metro Denver Young Professionals Network. Fellow REALTORS® appreciate Mark for his inclusiveness, innovation, and support. “What sets Mark apart? It's his unique blend of inclusiveness, innovation, and unwavering support that resonates with our REALTOR® community,” said Kate Kelley, CYPN’s 2023 Chair. “His positive attitude is infectious, and he's always there offering a helping hand and a kind word.” Kelley presented Kinslow with the award at CAR’s inaugural dinner in October. Mark is being recognized for his positive attitude, and always being there to support his REALTOR® family and association. In addition to the award, CYPN donated $500 on his behalf to Freedom Service Dogs, a nonprofit organization that transforms lives by partnering people

Kate Kelley presents Mark Kinsolow II with the CYPN of the Year Award at the CAR Fall Forum.

with custom-trained assistance dogs. Clients include veterans with PTSD, children and teens with autism, and individuals with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injury. The Colorado Young Professionals Network (CYPN) is a group of REALTORS® who are “young at heart or young in age” and lead the way in the real estate industry and their local communities through educational, philanthropic, and social events. They value education, cultivate leaders, and support local communities. For more information, visit www.coloradorealtors.com/colorado-youngprofessionals-network.

Click here to learn more about YPN

REALTOR® Lisa Nguyen, the Estes Park Board of REALTORS®, and Zillow, Inc. Honored with Diversity & Inclusion Awards The Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) presented REALTOR® Lisa Nguyen, the Estes Park Board of REALTORS®, and Zillow, Inc., with awards dedicated to Diversity and Inclusion practices in the real estate industry. The awards were presented at CAR’s annual inaugural dinner in Snowmass, CO. “It is an honor and a privilege to recognize individuals and organizations leading the way in diversity and inclusion initiatives that are transforming and making an impact on our industry and communities,” said Nicole White, CAR’s 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair, who presented the awards to the winners.

2023 COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AWARD RECIPIENTS: Individual Award: Lisa Nguyen has been a prominent leader in the REALTOR® community, driven by an unwavering passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Her commitment to DEI and underserved communities goes beyond words—it's deeply ingrained in every aspect of her life and work. REALTORS® who know her admire her as a "Fair Housing Champion" for her tireless efforts to amplify the voices of the silenced. Lisa tirelessly advocates for equal treatment through her

Nicole White (r) presents Lisa Nguyen with the Diversity and Inclusion Award at the CAR Fall Forum.

leadership roles with the Asian Real Estate Association (AREAA) and the Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® (DMAR). Her fellow REALTORS® call her a fair housing champion who works relentlessly to give a voice to those who have been silenced. REALTOR® Organization Award: The Estes Valley Board of REALTORS® has made Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion a pillar within their association. A few of their accomplishments include supporting the LGBTQ+ community by participating in the Estes Valley Pride Month celebration, making the NAR Fairhaven Fair Housing simulation mandatory for new member orientation, and partnering with community organizations to further DEI efforts. Brokerage Award: Zillow, Inc. strives to be a brokerage that not only speaks of DEI but embodies the idea. Zillow requires Fair Housing training for all employees, which includes how to respond to consumers or partners that make discriminatory comments or requests of Zillow employees. Zillow also works hard to protect consumers via their local legal protection tool, which allows consumers when searching for housing to determine which states and local jurisdictions offer protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, and prospective renters from income or housing voucher discrimination.

LEGISLATIVE

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Brian Tanner

Successes

AT THE CAPITOL FOR 2023

VP of Public Policy, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

The current political composition and climate of the General Assembly made for a challenging 2023 legislative session. There were 617 bills introduced and CAR’s Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) monitored or took positions on 85 of these bills. “Success” could not be defined simply as passing or defeating bills but expanded to how we amended or improved harmful bills to REALTORS® and the real estate industry. However, our number one priority for the legislative session was to defeat rent control and even with a super majority of Democrats in the state House and a near super majority in the state Senate, we were able to defeat a Democrat-sponsored bill, House Bill 23-1115 “Rent Stabilization (Control),” in a Senate committee with a Democrat casting the deciding vote to defeat it. A number of CAR members, state, and local staff testified on why the bill should be defeated. Sen. Roberts cited a REALTOR’S® testimony in his closing comments on why he was voting against the bill. CAR brought forth Senate Bill 23 – 77 “Restrictions on Broker Engagement Contracts” to protect homeowners, buyers, and sellers from predatory right-to-sell schemes. Out-of-state companies have used these contracts to provide quick financial assistance to homeowners with initial cash payments usually from $300 to $5,000 in exchange for consumers signing multi-year listing agreements that typically last 40 years, including a lien on the property filed in favor of the company with listing

agreement. That contract is binding across generations, not just the current homeowner. CAR was able to build support on both sides of the aisle and pass SB 77 with a vote of 32-3 in the Senate and 59-5 in the House to help stop this predatory practice. In 2016, CAR helped pass legislation to create a firsttime homeowner savings account program. House Bill 23-1189 “Employer Assistance for Home Purchase Tax Credit” accompanies CAR's efforts to incentivize employers to encourage first-time homebuyer employees to opt-in on the savings account. The employer receives a tax credit of 2.5% of an employer's contribution to an employee's account and is capped at $5,000 per employee per year. An employer can receive up to $375,000 in credits for all contributions. The employee can allow the employer to withhold a certain amount of the employee's paycheck into the savings account established by the employer. The employee must use the money-eligible expenses, which include a down payment and closing costs, including fees for appraisals, mortgage origination, and inspections. If the employee wants to use their contribution for a different purpose, they then forfeit the employer's contribution allocation, and the employer can recapture it. CAR helped ensure passage of this legislation. CAR’s LPC took a position of “Amend” on about a dozen bills. These were bills where the introduced versions were incredibly harmful to REALTORS®, but likely had enough legislative support to pass and therefore needed changes continued on next page

Natalie Davis (far left) and Brian Tanner (far right) congratulate the 2023 Legislators of the Year at the CAR Fall Forum.

or amendments to make them palatable. One such bill was House Bill 23 -1192 “Additional Protections in Consumer Code.” HB 1192 as introduced would have jeopardized REALTORS’® Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance by allowing potential claims to be reclassified as a deceptive trade practice, which E&O insurance does not cover. Section 1 of the introduced version changed the definitions of key words and removed mental state from the general unfair or deceptive trade practice provision. Section 1 would have made it easier to sue REALTORS® as possible Colorado Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) claims with treble damages without E&O insurance coverage. CAR actively advocated to remove Section 1 from HB 1192, with General Counsel Scott Peterson testifying to the unnecessary harm it creates for REALTORS®, and in partnership with others, we successfully amended HB 1192 to remove this dangerous section. Another problematic bill was Senate Bill 23 – 206 “Disclose Radon Information Residential Property.” Section 4 of the introduced SB 206 put the liability on the broker for a seller to disclose certain radon information. There was also a requirement that a standalone document related to radon be distributed to the buyer before closing. SB 206 was a Democrat-sponsored bill that was supported by the American Lung Association and other health associations. CAR was able to work with bill sponsors to amend and remove the broker liability and include

radon information within the Contract to Buy and Sell along with an expanded radon section on the property disclosure form.

2023 Legislators of the Year At our Fall Forum this year, CAR was able to present awards for our 2023 Legislators of the Year to: • Sen. Dylan Roberts (D – SD 8) Clear Creek, Eagle, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, Summit counties • Sen. Kyle Mullica (D – SD 24) Adams County • Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R – SD 23) Weld, Larimer counties • Rep. Shannon Bird (D – HD 29) Adams, Jefferson counties • Rep. Marc Snyder (D – HD 18) El Paso, Teller counties • Rep. Rose Pugliese (R – HD 14) El Paso County This year’s honorees were recognized for their respective pro-housing positions and votes on a wide range of bills along with their commitment to consistently reach out for REALTORS’® feedback and positions on legislation. While their votes on legislation often aligned with our positions, just as important was their asking REALTORS® how to improve bills and their willingness to carry amendments to that effect.

Share The Good WITH YPN

RACHEL ROHRIG, CHAIR, BOLO YPN Provide an overview of your Young Professionals Network (YPN)? Which local association/s is your YPN part of? Why should local young professionals join the network? We are a part of BOLO. We have a very robust and active group of Young Professionals. We strive to have quarterly events that are volunteer, education and leadership based. We have a lot of fun and do a lot of good for our community. Share a bit about yourself as chair of your local YPN. What accomplishments are you most proud of during your year as Chair?

rental properties for displaced families and helped fill them up with furniture, soft goods, and anything they might need. During phase one, we supported over 20 families. The below event is phase two. Our goal is to help people rebuild their backyards in a climate friendly, water smart, and firewise way. We created a four-part series to help educate the public. Below was part two of a four part series where we discussed trees and ended up partnering with many tree organizations to distribute over 250 trees to over 150 neighbors. Read more What are some of the most recent events organized by your Young Professionals Network? The most recent events: • September 13 – Housing Tour of Baseline and Westerly • September 30 – Tool Drive and Landscaping Event • Oct 11 – State Demographer Lunch • Coming up: November 8th - Traci Dowd with Colorado Bureau of Investigation discussing Fraud Schemes

I am beyond proud of our Association and our YPN. In 2022, we won Best Small Association YPN of the Year. We work hard to engage and support our community. I am most proud of our YPN for creating a committee called Adopt A Neighbor after the Marshall Fires. Our goal has been to support the community for the long term. The event below was phase two of our committee. Phase one was the first full year where we helped find continued on next page

What are some of the most recent events organized by your Young Professionals Network? We have had several events so far this year including: A Canva learning event, multiple happy hours, volunteering event for the Special Olympics, and a Cornhole tournament fundraising event to raise funds for our Turkey drive we do every year in November.

ANTHONY HEIDEN CHAIR, GJARA YPN

How did these events impact your community, YPN, and local associations, and what measurable outcomes did you achieve?

Provide an overview of your Young Professionals Network (YPN)? Which local association/s is your YPN part of? Why should local young professionals join the network?

These events had an impact on the community in many ways;

GJARA YPN helps young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas: • REALTOR® associations. Attend REALTOR® conferences and pursue leadership roles with their local, state, and national associations. • Real estate industry. Take an active role in policy discussions and advocacy issues; be informed about the latest industry news and trends. • Peers. Network and learn from one another by attending events, participating in online communication, and seeking out mentoring opportunities. • Community. Become exceptional members of their community by demonstrating a high level of REALTOR® professionalism and volunteering for causes they feel passionate about.

• For the Special Olympics organization, we provided volunteer hours where we helped direct and coordinate the athletes to their designated events while providing support and cheering them on during the events. It was an amazing experience for everyone, and we look forward to helping again in 2024. • Our Canva learning event was a huge success, we had a full class of around 30 participants. Marketing is ever changing, and online presence is essential. We decided to host a Canva learning event where we provided lunch and education about the Canva platform, to provide value through helping members enhance their online presence. This event was taught by one of our amazing YPN committee members, Kelsay Heath. • Our Happy hours have also been a success, where we have had great participation from our members, who doesn't want a free drink and a chance to network with other fellow members? Each of our

Share a bit about yourself as chair of your local YPN. What accomplishments are you most proud of during your year as Chair? I became chair to help strengthen the philanthropic aspects of the GJARA YPN for 2023. Being the chair for the GJARA YPN has been fulfilling in multiple ways, I enjoy helping my fellow professionals and creating a space for all of us to network and give back to the community.

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happy hours is held at a different local location where we have spotlighted a particular business to further help our community and awareness of the local businesses. • Our Cornhole tournament had great turnout, where we were able to raise $440 towards our annual Turkey drive in November. Twenty members competed, and more showed up to just network and watch. Last year's champions (Kyle Key and Sean Moon) defended their title and get to hold the ‘Champion belt’ and have bragging rights for another year! We also held this event at a local brewery. These events reflected our goals and mission by providing a diverse mix of opportunity, support, and awareness to all our members and our community. We will continue to build upon this year to further our reach and the success for all our members. Next year we plan to do even more community volunteering/events and to highlight our philanthropic efforts to help all members learn the importance of giving back to the community and each other. Our upcoming events include: • An Annual Turkey drive we have every November where we fulfill and deliver 125 full thanksgiving meals to deserving families in District 51. • YPN helps with the ‘Big Give’ every year where we help with getting presents for kids in the Grand Valley.

LINDSEY MONTALVO, CHAIR, SUMMIT YPN Provide an overview of your Young Professionals Network (YPN)? Which local association/s is your YPN part of? Why should local young professionals join the network? Summit REALTORS ® Young Professionals Network is the newest YPN in the state of Colorado as we were established by the Summit REALTORS ® in March 2023. We aim to bring together real estate professionals through philanthropic, educational, and social opportunities. YPN is the perfect place to network with like-minded individuals, grow your professional and personal network, and give back to the community. We hope to help young professionals in Summit County pursue leadership roles in our industry, stay informed about the latest industry news and trends, grow their networks, and promote a high level of REALTOR® professionalism by volunteering for causes they feel passionate about.

Share a bit about yourself as chair of your local YPN. What accomplishments are you most proud of during your year as Chair? I approached the Summit REALTORS ® to create a YPN for selfish reasons! I have only been in the real estate industry for a little over 2 years and a licensed assistant for over a year. I work for a smaller brokerage, so I was looking for a place to talk to other professionals who were new to the industry as well. In short, I was looking for my own real estate networking group. I personally recruited all our current members, who were just as eager to create this group as I was. Our current YPN members are comprised of real estate assistants, licensed REALTORS® both new and experienced, and a local lender who is an Affiliate member of Summit REALTORS ®. We bring a variety of experience levels and interests to YPN.

I am most proud of the progress we have made in the eight short months since we started. We have grown by two members, have created social media accounts to market our events, and have coordinated several successful events this year. Provide a brief overview of the most recent events organized by Colorado Young Professionals Network? The Summit REALTORS® YPN has had a very busy and productive first year! Our first event was an Inaugural Happy Hour, which was well attended by over 30 people! In the spring we hosted our first education class, a Q&A session on Short Term Rentals, which is a hot topic in our community. This summer, we hosted a fundraiser for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC), and we collaborated with Friends of the Dillon Ranger District (FDRD) for a trail clean-up day. This fall, we are fundraising for a Thanksgiving to Go Program through the Summit Colorado Interfaith Council and we are coordinating two volunteer nights with a local non-profit called Smart Bellies. We also attend the Summit High School Career Fair and introduced students to a wide variety of real estate focused professions. Although YPN focuses on educational, social, and philanthropic events, our YPN is finding the most success and community through coordinating philanthropic events. We are finding that our greater real estate community is eager to get out and donate their time and money to local non-profit organizations. It’s good for the soul! Summit REALTORS ® YPN raised $325 for BOEC this summer. The Thanksgiving to Go program provides

Summit REALTORS® YPN at fundraiser for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) inspiring outdoor experiences for those with special needs or disabilities.

grocery gift cards to Summit County families and individuals in need, so they can have a full Thanksgiving meal. We hope to raise over $2,000 for Thanksgiving to Go this year! At Smart Bellies, we help put together weekend food bags for hundreds of food insecure families in our community. At our FDRD trail cleanup day, we helped remove over a mile of barbed wire fencing which was detrimental to local wildlife. We are so proud of our real estate community for stepping up and helping us accomplish what we have thus far. We hope to establish long standing relationships with all of these local non-profits, and we look forward to volunteering with them in the years to come. How did these events reflect the goals and mission of your Young Professional Network? The Summit REALTORS® YPN is particularly passionate about creating community within our real estate community. We want to bring those newer agents together to learn from the veteran agents. We are inspired to keep connecting agents, lenders, and title company representatives together to strengthen working relationships. We want to keep giving back to our community. The events and classes we organize are well thought out with our goals in mind: to help young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas: REALTOR ® associations, real estate industry, peers, and community. Our first year has been a smashing success and we hope to take that momentum and grow in 2024. We are actively recruiting more members and hope to continue to grow.

Summit REALTORS® YPN helping eliminate childhood hunger in Summit County at Smart Bellies.

The common YPN stereotype is associated with happy hours and/or cocktailing. The intentionality behind our events in 2023 was two-fold – 1) Emphasizing the value of YPN while breaking that stereotype, and 2) Increasing RPAC awareness & participation among our YPN members. Provide a brief overview of the most recent events organized by Colorado Young Professionals Network?

KATE KELLEY, CHAIR, CYPN Provide an overview of your Young Professionals Network (YPN)? Which local association/s is your YPN part of? Why should local young professionals join the network? CYPN’s vision is to grow our statewide network, both in terms of engagement & membership, through proactive and collaborative efforts; help to charter new local networks; and provide resources and support for members to continue their leadership journey through participation at the local, state, and/or national levels.

We hosted 3 events: • Economic Summit session, Feb 2023: Kyle Kovats, speaker from NAR YPNAB. • REALTOR® Day at the Rockies, Aug 2023: meet up at Rockies game, sold out event. • Pickleball for RPAC, Sept 2023: sold out event, $2,000 raised for RPAC (we had to cut it short due to weather); offset expenses with two event sponsors.

As a professional, the real estate industry can feel competitive and isolating: YPN is the ideal place for either a newer agent or our “young-at-heart” REALTORS® to show up and get involved. It provides the space to connect with and learn from colleagues, opportunities for professional development, and creative ways to collaborate on business and/or volunteer efforts.

Share a bit about yourself as chair of your local YPN. What accomplishments are you most proud of during your year as Chair?

Thank the CAR leadership team for attending our REALTOR® Day at the Rockies.

Serving as the 2023 CYPN chair has been a great honor! I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside fellow REALTORS®, elevating the REALTOR® brand and support our upcoming local leaders and the next generation of REALTORS®. This year we chartered 3 new local networks – the Greeley Area, Summit, and Pueblo Associations of REALTORS® are officially up & running! LovelandBerthoud Association of REALTORS® and the Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® are working on getting their Young Professional Networks started, too.

Our Pickleball for RPAC event was held in Arvada and had REALTORS® from across the state and CAR staff. Tyrone Adams pictured here!

APRIL 2024

Fair Housing MONTH Join us Online!

Virtual Courses 01

HISTORY AND RISK MANAGEMENT April 2, 2024, 9:00am – 11:00am, 2 CE

Join us as we journey through the history of Fair Housing in Colorado and refresh your knowledge of the Fair Housing laws.

NAR FAIRHAVEN CHALLENGE Online - All Month This innovative training platform is available to all 1.4 million NAR members at no additional cost. Be an advocate for fair housing and the future of our industry.

PRIVILEGE WALK EXERCISE April 23, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm Participants will explore the complex concept of privilege with a virtual privilege walk. The privilege walk exercise examines the intricacies of privilege in our society.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND DIVERSITY April 16, 2024, 1:00pm – 2:30pm CAR will be hosting a panel of individuals who represent a community that is often thought of when discussing diversity.

fairhaven.realtor

April 2024 Come celebrate Fair Housing Month with us! The Colorado Association of REALTORS’® Diversity & Inclusion Committee is hosting four great activities in the month of April to educate and celebrate Fair Housing Month.

Be a Fair Housing champion and participate in all four activities to receive a free NAR Fair Housing merch item!

Learn more: ColoradoRealtors.com/fairhousing/

RPAC UPDATE

ONE MONTH LEFT TO MAKE YOUR 2023 RPAC INVESTMENT! We’re nearing the end of our RPAC year, and we are still pushing towards our goals! Still want to invest in RPAC this year? Need to complete your major investment? We have one last fun GIVEAWAY opportunity for YOU!

WIN 1 WEEK VACATION IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN! Enjoy a week stay for two in a one bedroom, two bath suite at the 5-star Occidental at Xcaret Destination hotel in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. In addition, you will receive a $500 gift card to an airline of your choice to help cover the cost of your flight! For additional details on what this stay includes**, please visit: OCCIDENTAL VACATION CLUB **Blackout dates: Easter and Christmas. Stay does not include a required $1,400 food and drinks package (package includes top shelf alcohol, high end restaurants, and pool/room service).**

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Use the link below to purchase raffle tickets! Buy one, two, or even ten tickets to increase your chances of winning! 2. $50 = 1 Ticket CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Raffle will close at 5pm MT on December 5th! Don’t miss this last chance to invest in RPAC! Reach out to Kerrianne at kbrenzel@coloradorealtors.com for questions or additional details! Thank you for supporting RPAC in 2023!

OMBUDSMAN AND MEDIATION TRAINING By: Crissy Rumford, Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate 2024 Mountain District Vice President-Elect, 2023 Professional Standards Committee

Each year, CAR’s Legal & Risk Division sends two Professional Standards Committee members to attend NAR’s Mediation Training in Chicago, IL. I was one of this year’s winners and attended the training held earlier this month. It’s taken me a day or two to get my head back on my shoulders after returning home from Chicago and the amazing training we received. Here are a few of my thoughts: It was an intense two and a half days of structured coursework, but our professors have been working with REALTORS® and staff for decades, so they know how we think and how to approach our unique learning styles while applying it to our specific industry. The first day was mainly terminology and the establishment of “process’, which set the stage for the practical experience of role playing we did throughout all of day two. It was exhausting, but in the BEST way because of the sheer amount of information! On day two, we were able to role play: being assigned to either a complainant, defendant, or mediator. All three roles brought a different and powerful perspective. The two primary instructors brought in another 12-14 ‘Coaches’ for day two, all who were seasoned professionals in mediation, and had different levels of experience which allowed us to see the different models and styles that each mediator employed. This was great because being new to this training, we all come from different backgrounds and will eventually need to find the model that works for us. At the end of day two, we had a cocktail reception where all the coaches, trainers, class attendees and

NAR staff were able to mingle and chat in a less formal atmosphere. This was a wonderful opportunity to ask the questions that might be more personal or require a more thoughtful conversation. Day three focused mostly on Ombuds training, which is really just an extension of everything that we had learned the previous two days. If I had to summarize the lessons that I learned, I’d say that the “process” that we were given provided the framework that will allow the rest to fall into place when we step into either the Ombudsman or Mediator role. But more than that, this training taught us that being a Mediator or Ombudsman requires digging deeper with those who are in conflict to examine if there are underlying issues causing the ‘stated issue.’ This provides a wonderful opportunity to get to the heart of the issue (and beyond) and come to a resolution that is not only acceptable to both parties, but hopefully one that will allow them to move forward without damaged egos and with a clear understanding of what caused them to end up in the conflict initially. Honestly, it’s a beautiful process and one that I plan to use in my personal life as well as in any conflict resolution that I’m asked to facilitate. It is an honor to be placed in a position where one can listen, empathize, and allow other to use guided discovery towards resolution. Thank you, Colorado REALTORS® for giving me the gift that I cannot wait to utilize within our Association and in my daily life!

CAR FALL FORUM PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

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49 CAR Members Selected to Serve on 33 NAR Committees and Boards Congratulations to CAR members who have been selected to serve on NAR Committees and Boards for 2023/2024. Please see below a list of Colorado REALTORS® and association staff listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Piper Knoll: Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board

Milford Adams: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, Fair Housing Policy Committee

Melissa Maldonado: AEC-AE Institute Advisory Board

Tyrone Adams: AEC Recommendations and Recognition Advisory Board Brian Anzur: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, Insurance Committee Brendan Bailey: AEC-AE Institute Advisory Board, Association Executives Committee & Forum Windy Bailey: Fair Housing Policy Committee Sunny Banka: Risk Management Issues Committee David Barber: Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee Ted Bryant: Board of Directors DSA Recipient Lauren Cecil: State and Local Issues Policy Committee Natalie Davis: RPAC Major Investor Council Sue Dolquist: Fair Housing Policy Committee Amy Dorsey: REALTOR® Party Trustees for Campaign Services Committee Sean Dougherty: Board of Directors Medium Association Representative, State and Local Issues Policy Committee Molly Eldridge: Board of Directors Small Association Representative, Local Leadership Idea Exchange Council, Small Board Forum Shelby Foster: REALTOR® Safety Advisory Committee Marjorie Genova: Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee Mark Gordon: Resort & Second Home Real Estate Committee Ann Hayes: Board of Directors State Allocated Director, Public Policy Coordinating Committee Loren Hotz: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, Public Policy Coordinating Committee

Donna Major: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, REALTOR® Safety Advisory Committee Janet Marlow: RPAC Major Investor Council Scott Matthias: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, Public Policy Coordinating Committee Chris McElroy: Board of Directors DSA Recipient Larry McGee: Business Issues Policy Committee Dan Murphy: Institute Advisory Committee, Resort and Second Home Real Estate Committee Ron Myles: Board of Directors DSA Recipient Lisa Nguyen: Fair Housing Policy Committee Robyn Pale: Single Family Investment Management Committee Aline Pitney: Housing Opportunities Committee Hank Poburka: Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction Committee Amy Reid: Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee Randy Reynolds: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, State and Local Issues Policy Committee Crissy Rumford: Risk Management Issues Committee Bonnie Smith: Board of Directors State Allocated Director, Finance Committee Steven Thayer: Board of Directors Large Association Representative, Consumer Communications Committee Ron Thorne: Board of Directors State Allocated Director, FPC Advisory Committee Linda Romer Todd: Public Policy Coordinating Committee Steve Volkodav: Federal Technology Policy Committee Robert Walkowicz: Board of Directors State Allocated Director, Meeting and Conference Committee Andrea Warner: Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee

Janene Johnson: Board of Directors State Allocated Director, Broker Engagement Council

Kay Watson: RPAC Participation Council

Keith Kanemoto: Leadership Academy Advisory Group

Jason Witt: Board of Directors State President, Diversity Committee

Kate Kelley: Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board

Michael Labout: Leadership Identification and Development Committee

Brenda Wild: Resort and Second Home Real Estate Committee

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10 WORK HABITS TO MANAGE RISK Terriska Jones Sales and Marketing Manager Williams Underwriting Group This article focuses on risk management for real estate agents to encourage agents and firms to be more aware of risk management and techniques to reduce risk. Risk management is the processes and structures put in place to monitor and reduce your risk. Your firm may have risk management guidelines and procedures in place for you to follow. They may even offer training classes and informative articles; however, you are responsible for your actions and your reputation. The following are ten work habits you can use daily to help reduce your risk of a claim. Some of these items are obvious but the obvious items are the ones we often take for granted. This list is not all encompassing, but it is designed to make you aware of your daily work habits. 1. DOCUMENTATION: It is extremely important to keep incredibly detailed and organized records of all real estate transactions. Documentation includes the notes in your file, consistent confirmation and verification of information, phone calls, texts and emails with our clients, title agents, banks, etc. Always send a follow up email to any oral conversations you have. 2. DISCLOSURE: Require the seller to complete all property disclosure forms. The seller should ALWAYS complete this form, NEVER the real estate licensee. If any new issues arise while the property is listed, you will have to

update the disclosure forms with the seller. There is no such thing as too much disclosure. 3. RESOLVE PROBLEMS QUICKLY: Address all problems before the closing date. Waiting to address them will only compound the problem. If you wait to resolve a problem, you put yourself at risk of making mistakes or overlooking something altogether. 4. DO NOT RECOMMEND SPECIFIC CONTRACTORS: You cannot be the expert at everything. You will have to involve your local professionals such as appraisers, surveyors, lenders, home inspectors, termite inspectors and attorneys where needed. Never specifically recommend any contractor. At most, you can provide a list of contractors along with their contact information. You can indicate that previous clients have used them before, but the choice must be made by the client. 5. CONSISTENT FIRM MEETINGS: It is important that brokers have mandatory firm meetings with their licensees. This helps the broker to remain informed of their licensees’ activities and it helps the licensees understand and comply with the firms’ guidelines. 6. HOME WARRANTY: Recommend that your buyers obtain a home warranty. It is extremely important that you retain written evidence of your recommendation. 7. HOME INSPECTION: Recommend that your buyers obtain a home inspection. Under no circumstances should you or your client accompany the inspectors. It is extremely important that your buyers sign a form if they decline the inspection.

8. THIRD PARTY INFORMATION: It is always a good idea to disclose the source of all third-party representation. Sometimes information from a so-called valid source turns out to be inaccurate. Disclosing your source will help reduce your risk significantly. 9. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: It must clearly be explained and documented to the buyer/seller what information will be kept confidential (Motivation and Personal Secrets). It also must be clear as to what types of information will be disclosed (Primary Property Condition). 10. ACT ETHICALLY: This seems like the most obvious of all, but we still get claims, and the commission still gets complaints. This happens when the agent becomes more concerned with the sale than making sure things are done properly. Treat your client as you would want to be treated. Providing great service is a wonderful thing, but make sure the service you are providing is within the scope of services you have agreed. Do not assume any liabilities. Williams Underwriting Group (WUG) is a Division of AssuredPartners NL, LLC which is our parent company. AssuredPartners is currently the 5th largest insurance agency in the country. WUG is pleased to announce that we will continue to provide real estate error & omissions coverage in Colorado for licensees and Firms. For the past twenty-five years WUG has understood the importance of providing quality claims-made E & O coverage to Colorado real estate licensees. Our policy will continue to be underwritten by Continental Casualty Company, a CNA insurance company (rated "A" by A.M. Best) WUG continues to be the exclusive real estate errors & omissions insurance provider for the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) with additional benefits for CAR members.

Did You Know REALTORS® Get Additional Coverage Endorsement with an E&O Policy from Williams Underwriting Group? CAR partner Williams Underwriting Group offers quality insurance products and superior program management, including real estate E&O insurance. REALTORS® simply provide a NRDS number to get an additional coverage endorsement at no additional premium. Online enrollment is now available for the January 1, 2024 to January 1, 2025 policy term.

>>ENROLL TODAY

AE SPOTLIGHT ROBYN PALE Executive Vice-President Telluride Association of REALTORS® Robyn with her son Ethan.

How long have you been an AE and how did you get your start? It will be 17 years in January, and as I worked in a local Real Estate Office for 9 years prior, it was a pleasant transition.

What would your members be most surprised by about your job? How much work is done behind the scenes. Our true goal is to support them and help them be more successful.

What do you love most about the job? Hosting REALTOR®/Affiliate Events. Sure, it can be stressful sometimes, but I love to see them enjoy spending time together.

Which talent would you most like to have? The means to give out 10, $100 bills during the Holiday Season to random local Families and hopefully make their year.

What is your biggest success as an AE? We strive to be RPAC Champions, and as such we’ve been over goal at our Local Association every year since I’ve taken over the position in January of 2007. I always seek out RPAC Fundraising Sessions at every NAR Meeting if time allows.

What is your favorite tv (or streaming) show to watch? So many to choose from lately, but the one that has stayed with me, and I only realized towards the end it was mildly based off of Joan Rivers, is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I am super sad to realize it has ended. Motto or piece of advice you try to live by? The Golden Rule…treat others as you'd like to be treated.

Robyn (center left) with several AEs at the CAR Spring Meeting.

LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT SHELBY FOSTER ERA New Age Real Estate, Associate Broker. Incoming VP of Member Services for CAR Shelby with her husband Brandon and Dog Indy.

What was your first job? I worked at Baskin Robbins scooping ice cream, making cakes, and slinging shakes! How long have you been a REALTOR® and how did you get your start? I have been a REALTOR® for 7 years. I started working for a Real Estate & Property Management company right out of college as the Assistant Marketing Director. Working for a small company, I knew my opportunities would be expanded if I got my license so after two years in my role, I got licensed and never looked back! What do you love most about being a REALTOR®? I love being a REALTOR® because I love helping people achieve the American Dream of Homeownership and creating generational wealth through real estate.

Tell us briefly about one of your most memorable listings: One of my most memorable closings was for an 18-year-old girl who closed on her first condo a few weeks before Christmas. It was during the peak of the market, and we were able to get her a really good deal and into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo all by herself! I was so proud of her and her parents for setting her up on a path towards homeownership so early in life. What is one thing you recently learned or are learning? This isn’t real estate related but I am starting to learn how to embroider. It’s been challenging, but a really fun hobby. What’s your favorite comfort media (book, show, movie, music)? As with most REALTORS® and Property Managers, I spend a lot of time in my car so I listen to a lot of podcasts. I’m big into true crime so my “most listened” to podcasts are Crime Junkie and Anatomy of Murder. What three words would your friends use to describe you? Three words my friends would use to describe me are compassionate, devoted, and ambitious.

Shelby at the CAR Leadership Retreat.

Fact-Checking Process for AI-Generated Content TECH CORNER

D. Jonathan Griggs VP of Internal Operations, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

As associations get comfortable using generative AI, it’s important to know if the information it outputs is correct. Generative AI can be useful for organizations when it comes to writing, task automation, customer service, and many other areas. However, these tools can also generate both disinformation and misinformation, and it can be difficult to identify these falsehoods. AI has an authoritative ‘voice,’ and [false information] may be surrounded by other obviously true information. Add to it that generative AI can get “hallucinations” where it makes up something that it thinks is true. Generative AI is vulnerable to purposeful manipulations where people try to inject bad information into the models, then the system gets trained on those false models. Knowing how to detect these issues can not only protect an organization’s reputation, but also reduce the risk of potential legal exposure from publishing false or misleading information.

ACCURACY AND FACT CHECKING While there are automated fact checkers, including Google’s Fact Check Tool, they are not always accurate. Bringing humans into the equation would be a good solution, just make sure to get several heads together. To avoid publishing factually incorrect content, have staff reach out to sources and check quotes and attributions that came from ChatGPT. Consult multiple sources to confirm accuracy, such as reputable news outlets, academic articles, government publications, or industry reports. Google also prioritizes reputable sources. It’s important to triangulate: Verify facts, statistics, and numbers from at least two or three different sources. You can also use fact-checking websites like Snopes, FactCheck. org, or PolitiFact, Essentially, you’re becoming an editor or fact-checker through this process.