Colorado REALTOR Magazine - October 2018

OCTOBER 2018

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

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MAGAZINE

Official Magazine of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Meet Good Neighbor Award Winner Chet Choman...Page 10

PLUS: CAR 2019 Leadership Installed Page 6 2019 Lead-Based Paint Contract Change Page 12

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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

OCTOBER 2018

c o lo r a d o

REALTOR

MAGAZINE

IN THIS ISSUE:

EDITOR: Lisa Dryer-Hansmeier, V.P. of Member Services 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®.

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We "R" Family Fall Forum Highlights Interview with 2018 CAR ROTY

10 Choman Named NAR Good Neighbor

12 Lead-Based Paint Contract Changes for 2019

14 Are You an Active Member?

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HEALTH BENEFITS FOR REALTORS®

16 4 Heating Mistakes to Avoid 18 Vote REALTOR® Party

20 September Market Trends

26 Health Benefits for REALTORS®

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.

28 Contract Updates

29 Local REALTORS® of the Year 30 Colorado Project Wildfire

32 Coaching Out of a Sales Slump

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.

33 Leadership Academy 34 Workplace Culture

36 Planning Your Space: 101 38 CAR Foundation

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PLANNING YOUR SPACE: 101

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39 RPAC Investors

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE 2019 CAR CHAIR JUSTIN KNOLL How long have you been in real estate and why did you decide to make this your career?

FROM THE CHAIR

Justin Knoll 2019 Chair of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®

I am a 4th generation REALTOR®, a story that began with my great grandfather, then my grandmother, to my mom, and now me. My mom is still an agent after 45 years in the business. I always joked that it’s like the mob: I can’t get out. It all started 18 years ago for me. I have always been drawn to real estate, housing, and the service side of it all. My mom told me not to do it, but we have worked together for 18 years on the same team and it has been amazing.

What tips would you give someone starting out new in the business?

I would have to say to manage your expectations and emotions, understand that every decision is your client's and not yours, don’t count your commission check until you have it, and treat everybody like they are a potential client, whether that’s today or 10 years from now.

How did you get involved in your local and state association and how do you think it has helped you in your career?

I was a Managing Broker at Coldwell Banker and one of my agents was the Director for Denver Board of REALTORS® and she asked if I would get involved. I interviewed and was chosen for the position of Director of the Board and I have been involved ever since. And that was 9 years ago!

I’ve realized that I couldn’t have learned what I have by paying for a 4-year education in college. Learning to run a business and serve others is the best thing I’ve gotten out of it. Volunteering on the board has helped my

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Where are you from?

networking immensely by building things and facing difficult situations with my peers. It has also helped me create deeper relationships.

I grew up in Aurora and have lived in the Colorado metro area my whole life. I am as Denver as they come!

What do you think is the most important trait as a leader?

Tell us more about how your family being in real estate has shaped your career?

Put yourself last and others first. One of the most influential books I have read is “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek. It’s all about putting yourself in other peoples’ shoes to gain more of an understanding of who they are, what challenges they face, and then making decisions based on that.

It’s the center point of most family conversations. I’ve probably been exposed to more sides of real estate than most people around. Seeing different perspectives and different ways to do business through my family has been eye opening for me. My mom and I have done business together for 18 years, but we both do it very differently. That has taught me to look and find new, creative ways to do business and not be fooled into thinking there is only one way to do things.

Briefly, what are your top goals for this year as CAR Chair?

To compel our members to dig deeper into what we offer and understanding where their money goes. I want us to be in control of our own story and find better ways to tell it.

In regard to legislative priorities, we’ll continue to fight to promote investment in RPAC, as the challenges are not going away. We are seeing more legislative initiative within the real estate industry.

Favorite TV show and or book you have read or watched lately?

My favorite book is “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin and my favorite TV show is "Ballers" on HBO. Anything else you would like to share?

Anyone who has thought about leadership or volunteering, the payoff is much greater than you can ever imagine. I totally recommend it. Let’s have fun and do great things! Is there a better place to be than in Colorado right now?

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

In addition to being at home and spending time with my family, I love to coach baseball, play softball, and spend time at Rockies games as I am a season ticket holder!

Justin with his wife, Piper, at the CAR Inaugural 5

FALL FORUM HIGHLIGHTS

2019 Leadership Installed The Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) installed its 2019 Leadership Council during the organization’s 98th annual State Conference.

Justin Knoll, President of Madison & Company Properties and REALTOR® in Denver, Colo. was inducted as Chairman of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, a role he will assume from Dec. 1, 2018 through Nov. 31, 2019. Knoll began his work with CAR as the Metro District Chair in 2014, followed by an appointment as VP of the Board Services Division. A year later he was appointed Chair of the Colorado Young Professionals Network (CYPN), followed by a three-year term as a Director for REColorado, the largest MLS in the region. In 2012, Justin received the Colorado Young Professional Network REALTOR® of the Year award and in 2013 was recognized as the REALTOR® of the Year for the Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®.

video in ways that matter to members. I want to reestablish the tools that we already have in place and tell the story of how to use them and why they are important.”

The 2019 Leadership Council includes: Janene Johnson (Winter Park) – Chair-Elect Linda Lowry (Pueblo) – Treasurer Ann Hayes (Grand Junction) – Immediate Past Chair Keith Kanemoto (Longmont) – Appointed Past President Chris Djorup (Centennial) – Metro District Chair Cecilia De Villiers (Longmont) – Northeast District Chair David Madone (Cañon City) – Southeast District Chair Steve Mills (Crested Butte) – Mountain District Chair Michelle Martinez (Montrose) – Western District Chair Molly Eldridge (Crested Butte) – Member Services Division Chair Chris Hardy (Fort Collins) – Board Services Division Chair Jarrod Nixon (Durango) – Government Affairs Division Chair Ann Turner (DMAR) – Association Executive Representative Tyrone Adams (CAR) – CEO

In his new position, Knoll will serve as a conduit between CAR’s more than 26,500 members and the Board of Directors. Working in tandem with the Leadership Council, he will assist with strategic planning and help set the organization’s direction and vision for the coming year.

“Part of my wanting to take on this adventure is the people I am surrounded by, from the staff to volunteers, and to continue to build energy and further our momentum,” said Justin Knoll as he reflected on the road to becoming 2019 CAR Chair. When asked about his goals for 2019, Knoll said, “I want to continue our legislative efforts, education, data and market trends, boiling down to better lines of communication through social media and

Click here to watch highlights from the 2018 CAR Fall Forum

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Mary Ann Hinrichsen is CAR’s 2018 REALTOR® of the Year!

Mary Ann Hinrichsen, a highproducing REALTOR® with RE/ MAX Masters Millennium in Greenwood Village, Colo., was recognized as the 2018 Colorado REALTOR® of the Year by the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) at its 98th Annual Conference.

The award is the most prestigious honor given to a CAR member and is a culmination of a distinguished career within the REALTOR® organization across the local, state, and national levels. In addition to activity within the association, the REALTOR® of the Year is a person active at the community level and successful in business.

Additional awards presented during the Forum included: Siân Murphy, broker associate at WK Real Estate in Boulder, Colo., was recently awarded the “Gus Williams Colorado Young Professional Network REALTOR® of the Year” at the Colorado Association of REALTORS® 2018 Fall Forum in Broomfield, Colorado.

This award honors an individual who exemplifies leadership and has a strong commitment to the Young Professional Network, as well as raising the bar for success both in their community and business. READ MORE HERE. Outgoing CAR Chair Ann Hayes presented the association’s Distinguished Service Award to five individuals. The award honors outstanding contributions to the real estate industry and the association. Honorees for 2018 were:

READ MORE HERE.

• Sunny Banka (Sunny Homes & Associates Inc, Aurora) • Dave Kupernik (24K Real Estate, Parker) • Veronica Precella (AE, Boulder Area REALTOR® Association) • Lisa Wade (RE/MAX of Boulder, Boulder) • Gary Bauer (Garold D. Bauer, Broker, Denver) In addition, Larry McGee was awarded the Political Service Award, the highest honor bestowed by CAR’s Government Affairs Division.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH...

Colorado REALTOR® of the Year Mary Ann Hinrichsen Bonnie Smith presents Mary Ann Hinrichsen with the 2018 CAR REALTOR® of the Year plaque at the CAR Inaugural.

How long have you been in real estate and why did you decide to make this your career? I began my career accidentally - but with avid interest - when I began working for a builder in Bismarck, North Dakota. When I moved to Denver in 1975, I went to work for another builder, Celebrity Homes, all of which provided a great deal of insight and knowledge into the new home field. After some soul searching, and since I had two daughters at home, I decided to go for the gusto and obtained my real estate license in 1984. I joined Moore and Company at that time. I joined RE/MAX Masters a few months after it opened in 1989 (which has since evolved into RE/MAX Masters Millennium) where I still call home today.

All of my involvement provided me with self-confidence, the ability to speak to groups, and pride in the REALTOR® brand.

What do you think is the most important trait as a leader? Leadership requires the ability to listen, to accept the ideas of others, to coordinate and organize, and be willing to get in and do the hard work with everyone else. Along with guidance, it is having a positive encouraging attitude, but with a focus.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working – for fun? From spring through fall, it is gardening. I love planting all the flowers. Even pulling weeds is therapy after a stressful day, or a peaceful way to begin the day early in the morning. I like being creative and writing, so I dabble in writing poetry. I also like to travel with my husband, Jeff.

What tips would you give someone starting out new in the business? 1) Make sure you thoroughly understand the contracts and how to write. 2) Take classes in sales and negotiating, including understanding personalities. 3) Learn to listen! 4) Establish a business plan that includes marketing, a budget, and a timetable and follow it diligently. 5) Establish a 'farm' area and be diligent in marketing yourself. 6) Find a successful mentor who is willing to provide guidance and encouragement. (I would have been infinitely more successful if I had been given that advice!)

Best advice from a mentor? Follow up and don't let your nerves rule your head! (I'm still working on it! ) What is the best way to stay in front of your clients? Rock stars like Brian Buffini, Tom Ferry, and anyone successful offers the same advice - stay in contact with your clients. I call frequently, take people to lunch, or pop by with a small gift or something.

How did you get involved in your local and state association and how do you think it has helped you in your career? My first broker at Moore and Company told me I should become involved at the South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association as soon as possible. I started out working on the charity auction, got hooked, and it evolved. I chaired or worked on countless committees, made some tremendous lasting friendships, and learned an incredible amount.

Favorite TV show and or book you have read or watched lately? America’s Got Talent is always fun. There are some amazingly talented people with a lot of courage to "go for the gold."

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Meet Colorado REALTOR® Chet Choman

2018 NAR Good Neighbor Award Winner “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” It is in moments when this type of generosity and servitude are displayed that recognition is in order. This type of philosophy is unmistakably present in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

Earlier this month, Chet Choman, member of the REALTORS® of Central Colorado, was presented with the 2018 Good Neighbor Award by the National Association of REALTORS®. This honor is only awarded to five REALTORS® across the country each year, and what a worthy recipient to represent REALTORS® in Colorado. Not only is he a good neighbor, but he has been making lifelong impacts in the San Luis Valley for years.

“We are so proud of Chet,” said Kevan Lyons, Association Executive of REALTORS® of Central Colorado. “He is one of those rare individuals that continually practices humility and selflessness.

His heart is to take care of others with no motive for personal gain.”

Choman demonstrates a commitment and dedication to finding housing for others even when he didn’t have that luxury as a child. At a young age, he was homeless for five years after his family was captured by the Nazis and taken from Poland to work the fields in Germany. In the early 1950s, an opportunity arose for families with farming backgrounds to be sponsored and contracted to work in the United States for two years. Choman traveled here with his family and moved into his first home in Yuma, Colorado.

In 1975, Choman obtained a broker’s license and became a REALTOR® to assist others in finding a home. “I was motivated to sell homes to people who were able to buy them, but I also thought we could do something for those who were unable to purchase a home,” said Choman. In the early 1980’s, Choman met with a group of individuals who were also concerned about people in their community not having a place to live. The group worked to find housing for guests, clients, and volunteers. He

Chet Choman, Colorado Realty and Land Co., Alamosa, Colorado

took a dream of helping the homeless population and made it a reality through the creation of La Puente Home.

La Puente Home serves as a homeless shelter for as many as 100 people per night, providing food and accommodations for those in need within the community. He also bought a hotel and converted rooms into smaller apartments, creating a space where people could stay when La Puente was at a high volume of occupants. Over the course of time, he built a 32-unit apartment project which now serves as low-income housing.

But Choman and his team didn’t stop there. With a passionate pursuit of forward-thinking, they always keep an eye out for opportunities to serve their community. “As we saw needs, we would get together and find ways to meet them,” said Choman.

After formulating a plan and setting it into action, the Adelante Family Resource Center came to be. This resource center serves as a 2-year program assisting with case management, skill development, housing, and classes on how to balance a checkbook, family planning, and budgeting.

Not only do Choman and his team assist with problems that have already occurred, they are an exemplary illustration of being proactive within their community. “We also try to find ways to prevent homelessness by supporting families to pay rent or other expenses,” said Choman.

In addition to meeting housing needs, Choman and his team strive to serve their entire community. In the 40 years that La Puente Home has been operating, Choman and his Board of Directors have developed 10 additional programs to assist their community, including P.A.L.S. (a children’s after school program), 15 food pantries across the valley, a coffee shop, three thrift shops, and several different resource centers involved with clothing, food, and community education. “For a long time, we didn’t have government support,” said Choman. “In the latter part of 2017, La Puente Home has been recognized by the state of Colorado as a Regional Service Provider and representing homeless-

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ness as a Regional Resource Center.”

Choman consistently shares that volunteerism is the true spirit of the San Luis Valley. He loves the valley and the people very much. “At 7,600 feet in elevation, we would normally be associated with mountains and high terrain,” said Choman. “But the valley is actually a desert because the mountain ranges around us grab a lot of the water. But the mountains give back the water through the ground, much like our volunteers giving back to our community. I think it is reflective of the people here: they may not have a lot, but they share what they do have. In 2017, we provided services to over 16,000 people, which is roughly onethird of the population of the valley and a lot of that was done through very committed volunteers.”

serving daily and their commitment to help those less fortunate than themselves as we strive to find more solutions to homeless issues.”

With the amount of success Choman has had in serving his community, he shares his vision for reaching beyond the valley. “With very little money, this could perhaps be a pilot program across the country,” he said. “This country was built on neighbors helping neighbors and as long as people care about their neighbors, places like La Puente will continue to be socially responsible for those in need.”

He believes that as REALTORS®, a real difference can be made within each community. “We, as REALTORS®, have a unique opportunity,” said Choman. “We make our living by providing housing and we can always become more involved in our communities and by helping others achieve their dreams as well.”

With his humble heart, hard work ethic, and unending generosity, it comes to no surprise that Choman was awarded the 2018 Good “We make our living by providing Neighbor Award by the National As“With Chet being only the second sociation of REALTORS®. He shares that housing and we can always become REALTOR® in Colorado to be awardit is an honor and he looks forward to more involved in our communities ed as a Good Neighbor by NAR, it traveling to Boston with Lance Chesgives us the opportunity to honor and by helping others achieve their lock, Director of La Puente Home, to be the unsung heroes of our associadreams as well.” recognized. “Oftentimes, it is difficult tion,” said Lyons. “It is gratifying to to receive recognition and funding in be part of an organization with the rural areas,” said Choman. “Receiving members of ROCC and REALTORS® an honor through the National Association of REALTORS® has across the country who invest in their local communities with potentially given us more opportunities for exposure and fundselfless attitudes.” ing. It allows us to tell our story more effectively, and for that, I Congratulations again to Chet Choman, Colorado recipient of am very grateful.” the 2018 Good Neighbor Awards. All that he does for his comChoman, having just achieved Emeritus Status for serving as a munity is truly inspiring. A huge “thank you” to Chet for all that REALTOR® for 40 years, continues his passions of helping others he does and continues to do for the REALTOR® community and by being an active REALTOR® and volunteering. “It’s easy to keep the San Luis Valley! going when you are so inspired by the people around you,” he Chet welcomes anyone who wants to learn more about La said. “Whether it be other REALTORS® or people lending a hand Puente Home to reach out - they would be happy to receive to folks that are in need, it is a constant source of motivation for me.” any visitors from around the state. Please feel free to contact When asked about the future of La Puente Home, Choman wishes for one thing: to end homelessness altogether. “We’d like to go out of business, but homelessness is one of those things that you never really conquer,” he said. “Unfortunately, the problem continues and keeps growing. So, we have dedicated volunteers

Lance Cheslock, Director of La Puente Home, at director@ lapuente.net or by calling 719-589-5909. To learn more about La Puente home or how to become involved, please visit their website at www.lapuente.net.

Lead-Based Paint Contract Change for 2019 Hold on to your hats, Colorado REALTORS®, a major structural shift to the lead-based paint clause is going into effect on January 1, 2019! This change will apply to the new version of the Colorado Real Estate Commission approved Contract to Buy and Sell (“CREC Contract”) and has me as happy as a dog in a sunroof!

LEGAL UPDATE

Scott Peterson Legal Counsel, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

For many years, Paragraph 10.10 of the CREC Contract has created a perilous, but often overlooked, situation for both buyers and sellers of residential real estate in Colorado. In the event the federally-mandated lead-based paint disclosure was not delivered and executed by all parties AND brokers on the transaction BEFORE the CREC Contract was fully executed, the contract was void. V.O.I.D… as in: THE CONTRACT DIDN’T EXIST! Based on the untimely delivery and/or execution of the lead-based paint disclosure, I would speculate that 30-40 percent of real estate contracts for the sale of pre-1978 construction have been technically “void” on their face. With the evolution of electronic form contract software and the ability to identify a documents execution based not only on the “date,” but the “time of day” as well, this began to create the potential for legitimate disputes related to the contract’s formation and validity.

In an effort to mitigate exposure to lead-based paint, the disclosures have been federally mandated since 1996 and must be delivered and acknowledged prior to a buyer being obligated to perform on a resi-

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dential purchase contract for homes constructed prior results of any lead-based paint inspection(s), their only to 1978. Under the sweeping Environmental Protecrecourse is to “terminate” the contract by the agreed tion Agency rule, the seller’s disclosure of the presence deadline. of lead-based paint is required. Moreover, real estate agents have responsibility for ensuring compliance.

Colorado REALTORS® should take the time to familiarize Since the federal implementation of the rule, the CREC themselves with the extensive revisions to Paragraph Contract has addressed the federal mandate by making 10.10 of the CREC Contract as well as all of the other imthe contract “void” if the lead-based paint disclosure was portant changes in the new version of the form. A curdelivered or acknowledged after the rent version of the document (with all contact was executed by the parties. of the new contract changes clearly Beginning January 1, 2019, this will REDLINED can be found here. (Please In addition to a host of no longer be the case. note that this new contract MAY NOT other changes to the be used prior to January 1, 2019!)

In addition to a host of other changes CREC Contract, the deto the CREC Contract, the delivery of In addition to lead-based paint, there livery of the lead-based the lead-based paint disclosure will are some important changes in next paint disclosure will be be moving to the “Dates and Deadyear’s CREC Contract. I would enmoving to the “Dates lines” section. Importantly, a seller courage all Colorado REALTORS® to will agree to deliver the lead-based take the annual 4-hour Commission and Deadlines” section. paint disclosure (signed by seller and Update Course early in 2019 (as opall licensees) to the buyer on or beposed to the week between Christfore the “Lead-Based Paint Disclosure mas and New Year!). Many of the Deadline” (hint for listing REALTORS®, important new changes will be adthis should obviously be VERY EARLY in the transaction!). dressed. It may also make sense to attend a specific contract course as well.

After receiving the lead-based paint disclosure from the seller, the buyer will then have until the mutually agreed Finally, if you have questions as you are reviewing the “Lead-Based Paint Termination Deadline” to terminate changes prior to 2019, you can always utilize the CAR the contract and receive the return of their Earnest MonLegal Hotline at www.coloradorealtors.com/legal-help/ ey. All REALTORS® should be aware that these are not legal-hotline/ to get clarification to your specific con“objection” or “resolution” deadlines. In the event a buytract questions. er takes issue with a lead-based paint disclosure OR the

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Are You an Active Member or Do You Only Pay Dues?

Can you believe 2018 is almost gone? As we approach 2019, now is a great time for you to start thinking about becoming an active member and not just “paying dues” to the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR)! Since this is the last Colorado REALTOR® Magazine for 2018, I am going to take a few liberties before I go into why and how you can get involved.

FROM THE CEO

Tyrone Adams President/CEO, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Thank you to all who have volunteered your time and energy in the past and present. I would also like to extend a special thank you to Ann Hayes and her Leadership Council for their exemplary leadership this year. It has been a pleasure working with you and we look forward to your continued support of CAR. Going forward into 2019, Justin Knoll and his Leadership Council will be carrying the torch and preparing CAR for the future. As staff, we look forward to working with you and the rest of you who will volunteer in 2019.

I’ve heard Justin speak a few times about getting involved and if you haven’t heard his analogy of buying a Coke and getting involved, it is worth listening to. He says that in order to actually get your Coke out of the vending machine you have to push the button. In other words, you must "take action" to get what you want.

Think of CAR as the vending machine: in order to get what you want out of your association for your business and your community, you have to “push the button” and get involved. For over 96 years, CAR has done some amazing things as a state association and it is in large part because each and every year we have dedicated members who decide they want to be active by “pushing the button.”

Make plans to attend the CAR Economic Summit and REALTOR® Day at the Capitol February 4-5, 2019

Currently, over 26,600 Colorado real estate brokers are voluntarily choosing to be called a Colorado REALTOR®. Unfortunately, only about two percent of our members are active. It goes without saying that we need more members to be active and not just pay dues. Our success as a state association depends on a strong, collaborative efforts between our member volunteers and the CAR staff.

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Participate in meetings like the CAR 2018 Fall Forum.

There are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved.

to advocate so you can conduct business in a fair and equitable manner, protect private property rights, and promote homeownership.

• Volunteer Your Time. Volunteer on a state committee, task force, or assist with opportunities on a project-toproject basis. Click here for the current list of CAR Committees and sample task forces from 2018. The best thing about serving on a committee or task force is you get the chance to design what you need!

Donate to the CAR Foundation. The Foundation promotes safe affordable housing in Colorado, helps provide consumer education on buying and selling a home, and helps communities when natural disasters strike! Click here for more information about the CAR Foundation.

• Contribute. Contribute by sharing ideas, suggestions, topics, general articles as a guest columnist, or you can request to become a presenter based on your experience as a REALTOR®. If interested, you can also become a CAR spokesperson.

• Participate. Participate in the programs and services that are designed specifically for you. We have programs and services, such as the Legal Hotline, professional development opportunities in-class and online, member connection events, industry research, discount programs and services, and more. Visit the CAR website at www.ColoradoREALTORS.com or talk to one of our customer service specialists to learn more at 303-790-7099.

• Influence Public Policy. The most important benefit we provide for REALTORS® is our political advocacy. Learn about CAR’s legislative activities, attend our legislative events and become an ambassador, and advocate for private property rights and homeownership at the state level and in your local community.

You see, there really isn’t a good reason not to get involved at your state association. There are many opportunities that are available at any level of commitment that works best for you.

• Be a REALTOR® Ambassador. Share your testimony of why you volunteer and why you are a REALTOR®. Keep abreast of all the benefits your local, state, and national associations have to offer you so you can pay this knowledge forward. Information is available on our websites and you can call the CAR office to request marketing materials to assist you as you promote the value of being a REALTOR® and why consumers should use a REALTOR®.

As one of the most frequent questions we get from members is “why be a REALTOR®,” you will be able to answer this question for yourself, having been directly involved. Do yourself, your colleagues, and your state association a favor and don’t just pay dues - “push the button” - we need you!

• Invest. There are two ways you can help financially:

Thank you for being a member!

Invest in RPAC (REALTOR® Political Action Committee).

This allows your local, state, and national associations

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4 Heating Mistakes To Avoid This Winter

Article provided by Xcel Energy.

3. Ignoring your ceiling fans. Some homeowners think their ceiling fans are only good for the summer—but they can actually be beneficial in the winter, too. Remember learning that heat rises? If you reverse the way the fans spin (changing them from counterclockwise to clockwise), the fans create an upward draft that pulls cool air up, pushing warm air back down throughout the room.

Xcel Energy wants to help your clients manage their energy dollars and increase their home’s comfort this winter with four easy ways to help avoid common home-heating mistakes. Share these tips with your current sellers and buyers to make sure their home is ready for the cold weather season ahead of time.

1. Cranking up the thermostat to quickly heat a chilly home. If you come home to a cold house, your first instinct might be to change the thermostat from 67 degrees to 78 degrees or even higher; however, thermostats don't actually work faster the higher they are set. They run at a consistent speed, no matter what. Turning your thermostat up to a very high temperature forces the heater to run for an hour or more without a break in between. Your home will still heat slowly, and you'll waste money while you wait for it to do so.

4. Waiting too long to fix heating problems. The longer you wait to schedule maintenance for an appliance, the more likely your appliance may break down or wear out completely, and you could waste more money on energy bills. Instead, call a HomeSmart professional to assess the inefficiencies in your appliance before it’s too late. A tuneup can help your system run more efficiency, helping you control costs.

When you avoid these four home-heating mistakes, you can look forward to enjoying your cozy home all winter long, without the hassles of high utility bills, burst pipes, or terribly chilly rooms.

Instead, use a programmable thermostat to turn the heat down to a cooler temperature while you are away. Set the time and temperature to begin heating the home prior to your return.

Remember, the HomeSmart from Xcel Energy Welcome Home Coverage plan offers peace of mind to both REALTORS® and their new home-selling and home-buying clients that can help protect customers during the long, cold winter months ahead. Call us at 866.837.9762 or visit xcelenergy.com/WelcomeHomeCoverage to enroll today!

2. Turning the thermostat down too low. Keeping your home too cold can cause similar, costly problems. During a cold day, temperatures in un-heated homes can reach freezing degrees. When your pipes freeze, the water expands and can cause the pipes to burst. To avoid this problem, keep your heater on when you leave for vacation, but turn it down to 60 degrees. Ensure your fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are in working condition, for safety while you’re away.

Article Sources: http://cadetheat.com/blog/dont-crank-up-thermostat-more-heat/ https://www.bounceenergy.com/articles/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-for-home-on-vacation https://www.homeselfe.com/why-you-should-change-the-direction-ofceiling-fans-in-winter/ https://digitiquehub.com/articles/dont-wait-too-long-to-repair-your-airconditioning-heating-and-cooling-hvac-system/ https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/energy-efficiency/energyefficiency-tips-winter

Also, add insulation to colder rooms in your house or rooms with exposed pipes, especially in the basement and attic.

Exposed pipes are at a much higher risk to burst, and you can minimize your chances of disaster (and decrease the amount of heat you lose through thin walls).

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Welcome Home Coverage

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GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Vote REALTOR® Party on November 6th Several Statewide Initiatives Make for a Complex Ballot – We’re Here to Provide Information to Help You Decide As we turn the pages of the calendar to the season of Fall, and your T.V. is filled with playoff baseball, football and those pesky political ads, remember there is a lot to consider this election cycle that could dramatically impact your business and Colorado’s economic future.

By: Elizabeth Peetz VP of Government Affairs, Colorado Association of REALTORS®

state - have been working throughout the summer and fall to find REALTOR® Champions that are the most supportive of REALTOR® Party housing-based issues. In the case of statewide ballot initiatives, we’re dedicated to giving you information on the critical issues that could most affect your industry and Colorado’s economic future.

It’s a LONG ballot this year (more than 3 pages!) and doing your civic duty will be more work this year, but I want to remind you that we are very fortunate to live in America and have the freedom to vote. So I hope that you embrace this opportunity and return your ballot by November 6th.

Voting is your right, and I encourage you to make up your own mind. But in case you want to know where CAR stands on critically-important ballot issues that will impact Colorado or have an impact on your real estate business, we offer you the following information:

In this day and age when there are so many emotions at or near the surface on many controversial issues that divide friends, families, and office environments, I encourage you to be a critical reader and look at many different sources of information to help you make decisions on how you would like to vote.

In that context, we’d like to offer you some information you can review as you receive your ballots in the mail during the week of October 15-19. The CAR Government Affairs Division - in coordination with our many talented and dedicated volunteers on our policy committees and interview teams comprised of members throughout the

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AMENDMENTS Y AND Z – Congressional and Legislative Redistricting – VOTE YES!

PROPOSITION 110 – Let’s Go Colorado – VOTE YES! Colorado’s transportation needs have been underserved for decades. Although effort has been made to direct dollars from the General Fund, it isn’t enough to address the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) $9 billion deficit. Revenue from Colorado’s gas tax continues to diminish as electric vehicles become more popular. The state’s current revenue stream does not allow us to keep up with today’s infrastructure needs or technological advancements. Proposition 110 provides a new, sustainable revenue stream to meet the state’s growing infrastructure needs. It allows local cities and counties to address their pressing needs and ensures all transportation users, including tourists, contribute. Click here for more information.

The current map drawing system for state and congressional districts needs reform. Colorado could receive an eighth congressional seat after the 2020 Census due to increased population growth. Competitive districts enable policy makers to engage voters with opposing points of view resulting in better public policy for everyone. Click here for more information.

AMENDMENT 73 – Funding for Public Schools – VOTE NO! CAR strongly believes education should be a top priority for the state–we too want more funding to support the success of our schools, students and teachers. However, Amendment 73 is not the right approach. 97% of Colorado businesses are classified as small businesses and would be subject to this burdensome taxation. This amendment would significantly burden Colorado consumers’ cost of living and harm Colorado’s economy. It will also complicate our constitution and increase residential property taxes. Click here for more information.

PROPOSITION 112 – Setback Requirement for Oil and Gas – VOTE NO! Responsible oil and gas development plays an important role in Colorado’s energy economy. Proposition 112 could have a devastating effect on Colorado’s economy, with the potential to eliminate between 62% and 80% of annual new oil and gas development in the state and diminish job opportunities for Coloradans. 77% of all jobs lost would in fact be outside of the oil and gas industry. As the voice of Real Estate, we represent all property rights, including both surface and mineral rights. Proposition 112 would not only detrimentally impact mineral rights owners, but would diminish 30% of downtown Denver’s commercial real estate, occupied today by Colorado’s oil and gas industry. Click here for more information.

AMENDMENT 74 – The “Takings” Initiative – VOTE NO! This amendment is filled with many unintended consequences harmful to taxpayers and detrimental to the well-being of Colorado’s economy. It would expose state and city government to prolonged and expensive lawsuits, which could cause municipal governments to cut spending and/or increase taxation or fees on Colorado’s taxpayers. City officials often regulate to protect consumers such as permits to limit where hazardous waste is stored or allow construction of affordable housing, or even regulate noise ordinances. All of these types of decisions would be at risk under this amendment. Similar types of measures have been passed in other states across the country and have ultimately cost them billions of dollars within the first few years. Click here for more information.

Ballots to all Colorado voters were mailed out Monday, October 15.

Click here to view Colorado Association of REALTOR®’s 2018 Ballot Guide for more information on ballot issues and candidates.

Click Here to find out more about CAR’s process on endorsement of candidates.

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MARKET TRENDS

Colorado Homebuyers May Be Getting a Touch of Relief in Seesaw Housing Markets Colorado homebuyers may be feeling a little bit of relief as a combination of seasonal and market factors have helped to slow down the fast-paced, over asking price sales and hold steady or even drop the median sales price in many parts of the metro area and state. Yet, some of the state’s hottest markets continue to see inventory shortages and rising prices despite all other factors, according to the latest monthly market trends data from the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. The conditions leave industry professionals using a wide range of adjectives and analogies to describe and help consumers understand the details of their local market.

ventory is up, prices are up, and the number of sold listings is down. So where are we headed? It will be interesting to see what these numbers look like in the coming months. As of Sept. 1, 2018 we had 733 single-family homes on the market with a median price of $375,000.

We had 267 condos on the market at a median price of $250,000. Days on market has increased as well. It looks like a opportune time for home buyers wanting to get into the market and maybe not experience as many listings with multiple offers,” said Aurora-area REALTOR® Sunny Banka.

BOULDER/BROOMFIELD

Taking a closer look at some of the state’s local market conditions, here are some perspectives from several of the Colorado Association of REALTORS® market trends spokespersons:

“It’s a tale of two cities in looking at Boulder and Broomfield housing markets over the past month. Boulder’s market is strong and steady with a 7.6 percent appreciation in both single-family and attached dwellings.

In what is a typically slow fall market, average days on the market remains a brisk 58 days and sales price to list price is just under 100 percent. That being said, there are a number of price reductions, again, typical for this time of the year. If it’s not priced right, the fall will make a needed correction!

AURORA “It is not just the weather that is changing here in Aurora, as it appears that we’re experiencing more than just seasonal slowing. Month-over-month numbers reflect an uptick in single-family listings while the number of homes under contract is down from August to September 2018. At the same time, the median sales price rose slightly during that same period.

“Broomfield’s numbers are a different story. For the first time in a long time, the stats are showing a significant slowing in the market. With single-family home prices up just 4.4% and attached dwellings down 9.5 percent, many wonder if the sky is falling. But, with average days on the market still hovering at 51 for houses and 33 for attached dwellings, the median price doesn’t tell the whole story. There are more affordable attached units selling more often for those seeking affordable options.

“Ironically, the condo market shows a little different story. Inventory is up from August 2018 with 267 units available. The number of sold properties is down, however, the median price went up from $240,000 in August 2018 to $250,000 in September.

“When comparing year-over-year data, we see that in-

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Median Sales Price - Statewide

Time will tell if these market corrections continue or if it’s just a brief dip in an otherwise strong, seller’s market,” said Boulder-area REALTOR® Kelly Moye.

Median Sales Price OCT-2017 NOV-2017 DEC-2017 JAN-2018 FEB-2018 MAR-2018 APR-2018 MAY-2018 JUN-2018 JUL-2018 AUG-2018 SEP-2018

BRIGHTON/I-76 CORRIDOR “As the fall temperatures start to cool down, so is the housing market in the Brighton and surrounding areas.

For sale properties appear to be sitting on the market a few days longer than they had been this spring and summer. While the number of available listings is up nearly 12 percent from one year ago, the number of single-family homes that have sold in September is down 22.5 percent. Pricing in the Brighton and I-76 Corridor still remains below the median sales price of the Denver metro area. Like the leaves on the trees, this market may be changing slightly and becoming more appealing to the buyers coming into the market with a larger inventory to choose from and prices that are softening slightly,” said Brighton-area REALTOR® Jody Malone.

Single % Change % Change Townhouse % Change % Change Family YTD Monthly Condo YTD Monthly $360,000 +7.5% +1.4% $277,250 +10.9% +2.1% $362,500 +9.8% +0.7% $275,000 +8.7% -0.8% $363,000 +10.0% +0.1% $284,000 +9.3% +3.3% $361,250 +8.6% -0.5% $280,000 +12.4% -1.4% $375,000 +9.5% +3.8% $295,000 +17.5% +5.4% $380,000 +8.0% +1.3% $290,000 +10.5% -1.7% $390,000 +9.4% +2.6% $297,500 +10.4% +2.6% $395,000 +8.3% +1.3% $300,543 +12.1% +1.0% $399,500 +8.0% +1.1% $305,000 +10.9% +1.5% $389,950 +7.7% -2.4% $298,250 +10.9% -2.2% $390,000 +7.5% +0.0% $295,590 +7.5% -0.9% $375,000 +5.6% -3.8% $305,000 +12.3% +3.2%

is still seeing a very robust economy and has been quite vocal on future interest rate hikes. With unemployment at a 50-year low, and the economy continuing to be very good nationwide, REALTORS® continue to watch to see what affect interest rates will have on our local market,” said Colorado Springs-area REALTOR® Patrick Muldoon.

“In the Colorado Springs-area housing market, during the past couple of months, there has been a noticeable increase in the sales of single family/patio homes priced over $800,000. The September year-over-year sale of homes priced over $800,000 was up 122 percent. There’s a great opportunity for buyers to buy in this price range as the supply and demand situation is terrific. Also, active listings of single family/patio homes were up over 14 percent improving the months supply of inventory to 1.9 months from 1.4 months last September. Every improvement in the supply of homes is highly welcomed by buyers as it eases the pressure for making an instantaneous decision. On the other hand, the rising interest rates along with a more than 11 percent increase in both the median and average prices made it even more challenging for first time buyers to purchase a home,” said Colorado Springs-area REALTOR® Jay Gupta.

COLORADO SPRINGS/PIKES PEAK AREA “A missed market for sellers? We may be seeing the pendulum swing the other way. Sellers who thought they would wait to sell may question that thought as interest rate hikes start to chip into affordability for buyers. New listings hitting the market this month were down 3 percent over September 2017 and yet, total active listings increased by 2.4 percent compared to the same time last year. The big number REALTORS® may be feeling is the -17.2 percent year-over-year drop sold listings for all property types – single-family, patio, townhome, and condos.

“Digging into the numbers further shows values are still up over last year and days on market still very low.

We continue to see a limited supply of inventory in our market areas. Townhome/condos saw a 35.4 percent increase in active listings through the same period last year, which pushed the monthly supply to a whopping 1.2 months, still extremely far from a balanced market.

DENVER “In Denver, the seller has control during the warmer months. Like a schoolyard seesaw, they have what the buyer wants and are able to throw their entire weight on that balance to maintain it. The buyer, who ideally has the money and the ambition to buy the home, may only

“A couple of big takeaways from the data; if you are a seller, the market is still very good and if you are a buyer, affordability continues to be an issue in our area. The Fed

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have gravity on their side but eventually we all know that gravity is triumphant. In this month’s release of numbers, we see a new trend not previously seen to such an extent.

While prices traditionally dip from those warm months to cool, the numbers show that speaking to our median price, it was $25,000 less expensive to have bought a home in September than August. Previous years saw a $7,000 decrease in 2017 while 2016 showed a gain of $12,650 during that same time period.

dicted. With inventory levels increasing for townhomes and condos, entry-level housing may finally see some relief as median prices in that sector have dropped from the multiple offer driven highpoint in April and May of this year.

“Northern Colorado remains a net in-migration area with low unemployment, moderate wage growth, and access to great schools, universities, and vibrant cultural attractions. If making a move to this area is in your near or long term plans – there may be no better time than the present to take advantage of these economics,” said Fort Collins-area REALTOR® Chris Hardy.

“Other forces at play - let’s consider them perpetual motion and pent-up-energy ahead of recess - stay quite consistent over time. Our average days on market remained unchanged over the last three years while the percentage of list price vs. final sales price also remains unchanged. The number of sold homes has been decreasing year-over-year, 3.2 percent in 2018, but this is a stronger reflection on supply rather than demand,” said Denver-area REALTOR® Matthew Leprino.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS “The overall September numbers in Glenwood Springs remain strong with new listings, pending sales and sold listings all up over the same period last year. However, agents are feeling a slowing across all communities, whether it’s seasonal or otherwise remains to be seen.

Extended days on market, fewer showings and price reductions are becoming more common as the leaves fall and we move towards winter. More inventory and less competition is making it a better market for buyers than has been seen this year,” said Glenwood Springs-area REALTOR® Erin Bassett.

FORT COLLINS “Sold listings – down. New listings – down. Affordability – down. Inventory supply – down. Days on market – down. Interest rates – up. Median price – up and down.

“With all these ups and downs – how do you know what’s good and what’s bad? Housing market ups and downs aren’t necessarily quantifiable as good or bad, as it all depends on what your goals are.

GOLDEN AND JEFFERSON COUNTY “In Jefferson County, the bear is not in hibernation just yet, with new listings for single-family homes ticking up slightly from this time last year and townhome/condo new listings dipping nearly 6 percent over the same time last year. Buyers are becoming a little more picky with sold properties dropping in numbers for both singlefamily and condos. However, a single-family home in good condition and a good location is still selling within 24 days on market; just 17 days for condos.

“If selling is what you’re interested in, then it should be noted that inventory remains tight and in certain price points, housing remains highly competitive as sellers with well-maintained, move-in ready properties are still commanding great prices. However, in the townhome and condo market, there appears to be a bit of softening as active listings and median sales prices are coming down from the summer highs. Sellers in this part of the market may have to sharpen their pencils and price aggressively to stand out from the competition.

“It is fantastic to see inventory increasing and it is still a great time to look for a home in Jefferson County with the median sales price at $444,500 for single-family homes and $280,000 for condos,” said Golden-area REALTOR® Barbara Ecker.

If buying a house is your focus, now may be a great opportunity to take advantage of lower interest rates before they pop-up again at the end of the year as popularly pre-

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PUEBLO/PUEBLO WEST

lion price range in the Town of Telluride, the Town of Mountain Village, and one on a nearby mesa. The stock market appears to be benefiting the luxury clientele, but there is some apprehension about trade wars and steam running out of the booming economy. In other words, the economy is great, but how much upside is left in it and are we headed for a leveling off? Additionally, the time to build in the Telluride market gets longer due to short supply of contractors and sub-contractors and the lengthy governmental approval process. I expect the market to continue at about the same pace for the next six to 12 months, not increasing or decreasing too much,” said Telluride REALTOR® George Harvey.

“Pueblo’s September housing numbers clearly reflected the slowdown our local agents felt. Compared to last year, new listings were flat, pending sales dropped just over 8 percent, and sold listings were down almost 26 percent. Showings have increased slightly over the past few weeks and we’re seeing a few more price reductions.

Yet, with a 98.9 percent sale price to list price, the longterm seller’s market continues. We saw new home permits rise in September and our average days on market fell slightly to 64,” said Pueblo-West REALTOR® David Anderson.

ROYAL GORGE AREA – FREMONT & CUSTER COUNTIES

VAIL “The September market for the Valley showed a 23 percent increase in dollars versus a year ago with a 6 percent decrease in units sold. Our year-to-date volume is plus 11 percent in dollars and 1 percent ahead in units. New listings were positive by 7.4 percent for single-family/duplex units over the same period in 2017 which is a good trend ramping up for the ski season. Townhome/condo unit inventory is still down nearly 14 percent compared to a year ago and our months supply of inventory is off slightly from six-and-a-half months to six. The market trends have remained relatively stable over the past few months and the high-end product continues to drive positive dollar volume. Lack of inventory in the opening and mid price points holds down the overall market opportunity however, we are hoping for a good seasonal bump in product. We continue to be optimistic about the upcoming ski season and the snow that has fallen in the past few days is a welcome sight for stimulating visits and hopefully transactions that coincide with a good snow year. Let the snow fall and visitors follow to jump start our winter season,” said Vail-area REALTOR® Mike Budd.

“The Royal Gorge area real estate market housing inventory has remained fairly stable over the last few months.

Custer County had new sales equal to new listings for the month of September, and for the past 4 months has enjoyed a 10-month supply of inventory available. Custer County properties are averaging 160 days on the market despite a very affordable median price range for these mountain properties at $237,500.

“Fremont County has a 4-month supply of inventory and that mark has remained stable for the last 4 months. New listings in September were down 18 percent while new sales were down 16 percent. Year-over-year new listings are up 5.4 percent while new sales for the same period are flat. Although up 17.6 percent year-over-year, Fremont County’s median sales price sits at a very affordable $200,000. Homeowners in the area are enjoying a calm stability and steady growth,” said Royal Gorge-area REALTOR® David Madone.

TELLURIDE “The 2018 Telluride market story has remained the same month-in and month-out. For the year, the dollar amount of sales is down 17 percent and sales volume is down 27 percent compared to 2017. The higher-end market has some scattered outlier sales in the $7 million to $8 mil-

The complete reports cited in this article, as well as county reports are available online at: http://www.coloradorealtors.com/market-trends/

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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 1 8

Median Sales Price

Single Family and Townhouse/Condo

Single Family Home $375,000 $355,000 SEP 2018

$385,000 $356,000

SEP 2017

YTD 2018

5.6%

YTD 2017

$305,000 $271,550 SEP 2018

8.1%

24,500

SEP 2017 - Total Market

26,867

SEP 2018 - Single Family

19,390

SEP 2017 - Single Family

21,347

SEP 2018 - Condo

5,005

SEP 2017 - Condo

5,462

$297,000 $266,000

SEP 2017

YTD 2018

12.3%

Inventory Active Listings SEP 2018 - Total Market

Average Days on Market

Townhouse/Condo

-8.8%

-9.2%

YTD 2017

-4.3%

YTD 2018= 43 YTD 2017= 47

11.7%

-8.5%

Sold Listings

New Listings Total Market

SEP 2018 - Total Market

8,843

SEP 2017 - Total Market

10,373

SEP 2018 - Single Family

6,740

SEP 2017 - Single Family

7,891

-8.4%

SEP 2018 - Condo

2,102

SEP 2017 - Condo

2,478

-14.7% SEP 2018= 11,507 SEP 2017= 11,347

-14.6%

-15.2%

0.4% Pending / Under Contract

Single Family Condo

SEP 2018= 9,611 SEP 2017= 9,660

-0.5%

$400000

YTD 2018= 91,330 YTD 2017= 92,583

$300000

$200000 Sept 2016

1.4%

YTD 2018= 114,545 YTD 2017= 114,065

Historical Median Sales Price By Quarter $500000

SEP 2018= 44 SEP 2017= 46

-1.4% Dec 2016

Mar 2017

June 2017

Sept 2017

Dec 2017

Mar 2018

June 2018

Sep 2018

Months Supply Overall

Percent of List Price Received

Current as of Oct 5, 2018. 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 24

998.9%

99.6%

SEP 2018

YTD 2018

SEP 2018= 2.5 SEP 2017= 2.8

-10.7%

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Health Benefits CAR is Proud to Offer Access to Health Benefits and More For ALL Members Beginning January 1, 2019 Recently, REALTORS® have been looking for alternatives to increasing insurance costs and in some cases a lack of access to group health insurance altogether.

Offering an affordable employee benefits package will be another advantage of your CAR membership in 2019. In June of 2018, President Trump released an Executive Order expanding Association Health Plans, prompting CAR to re-examine AHPs for our membership.

has indicated they will be hesitant to approve new Association plans until an adequate response has been received from HHS. This has prompted the Major Medical Carriers in Colorado such as Aetna, Anthem, Cigna and others to take a “wait and see” approach until after additional clarification has been received.

Another unfortunate challenge to Association Health Plans are carriers’ past experience in that arena. Traditionally, Association Health Plans have been a great value to members for the first few years, then have often not run well the longer the plan runs. As larger claims are paid out, carriers are forced to tighten up underwriting guidelines and increase rates often creating a spiral of higher costs and fewer members as the plan matures. Eventually, membership is able to find better value outside of the Association plan, effectively ending that plan’s viability. Carrier participation and contribution requirements, as well as medical underwriting, can be additional obstacles for associations. At this time, fully insured carriers in Colorado have proven to continue to be hesitant to offer Association Health Plans. CAR will continue to monitor the availability of fully insured and self-

Association Health Plans have, in fact, been available to industry associations for many years, but the new final rules do offer some new options. Under the new guidelines, working owners without employees, including sole proprietors, can join plans offered through the association. The final rules also allow for expansion of Association Health Plans to the SelfFunded Market, which seemed like great news.

The challenges of putting together an Association Health Plan in Colorado start with the Colorado Division of Insurance. After the recent Executive Order, Colorado’s Interim Insurance Commissioner sent a letter to Health and Human Services asking for clarification on several points of the order. The Division

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funded Association Health Plans and continue to look for innovative opportunities for CAR members to access quality employee benefits.

This is a voluntary product which will be available to you and all of your employees and families at extremely affordable rates. Rates start at $197.44 for any aged employee only, $348.81 for an employee and spouse, $316.77 for an employee with children, and $483.56 for a family. It is important to note that this is a limited medical plan and not an ”unlimited” insurance plan which is one of the reasons it is so cost-effective.

For 2019, CAR’s Solution for medical coverage will be APEX. APEX is an affordable limited medical plan option that satisfies the Individual Mandate of the Affordable Care Act for any member that signs up.

Highlights can be found by clicking the link here and include • No-cost preventive care • Unlimited teledoc visits at no cost (multilingual)

CAR will be rolling out this affordable limited medical plan offering, along with dental, vision, life, disability, critical illness, accident policies and more, through an online benefits exchange exclusively available to Association members and their staff.

All lines of coverage are available on a voluntary, a-la-carte basis, and premiums can be paid on-line directly by each member – meaning each business owner will not have to worry about collecting and paying premiums for their covered employees.

Access to one of the largest medical networks in the country, PHCS including 3 primary care office visits per member per plan year ($20 copay), 3 specialty visits per member per year ($50 copay), 3 Urgent Care visits per member per year ($50 copay), $50 copay for diagnostic lab and x-ray (up to 5 services per member per year) and $200 copay for CT Scan/MRI (1 per plan year) and available discounts for members that need additional services:

Additional plan information, rates for additional lines of coverage and the link to sign up will be available soon! Please keep an eye out for future emails providing the link to the exclusive CAR Member Benefits website.

• Pharmacy coverage through WellDyneRx with copays as low as $1 for low cost generic drugs • Hospital indemnity plan through Beazley featuring direct payments to members if the member is hospitalized. ($2000 per admission, $750 per day and a $150 ER benefit. Limitations apply.)

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CONTRACTS

Important Changes to Division of Real Estate Contracts and Forms Don't Use Revised Forms Until January 1, 2019!

Colorado REALTORS® should take the time to familiarize themselves with the extensive revisions to contracts and forms for 2019.

• Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Foreclosure) - Clean / Redline • Counterproposal - Clean / Redline • Estoppel Statement - Clean / Redline • Notice to Terminate - Clean / Redline • Personal Property Agreement (2019 New) - Clean • Residential Addendum to Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate - Clean / Redline • Square Footage Disclosure (Residential) - Clean / Redline

Below, please click to see the new contract changes, including a redlined version of each so you can easily identify the changes for 2019.

Please note that new contracts MAY NOT be used prior to January 1, 2019.

• Agreement to Amend/Extend Contract - Clean / Redline • Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Residential) - Clean / Redline • Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Income-Residential) - Clean / Redline • Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Land) - Clean / Redline • Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate (Commercial) - Clean / Redline

For additional information about Division of Real Estate contracts and forms, please Click Here.

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Congratulations to Local REALTORS速 of the Year Aurora................................ Ron Gilley

Pagosa Springs.................... Chris Liverett

Boulder Association.............. Kelly Moye

Pikes Peak........................... Cherri Fischer

Craig Association................ Yvonne Gustin

Pueblo Association............... Paula Williams

Delta County Board.............. Nancy Wood

REALTORS速 of Central Colorado North.................. Jeff Post

Denver Metro...................... Steve Danyliw

REALTORS速 of Central Colorado South.................. Debi Yund

Denver Metro Commercial.... Chris Cowan Estes Park............................ Javier Gomez

Royal Gorge........................ Linda Mattson

Four Corners....................... Jason Witt

SMDRA............................... Jack O'Connor

Glenwood Springs............... Paige Haderlie

Steamboat Springs............... Sue Stempel

Grand County..................... Kristie Delay

Telluride.............................. Chris Sommers

Grand Junction.................... Sheri Griego Greeley.............................. Brad Inhulsen

The following Associations/Boards will choese their REALTOR速 of the Year at a later date: Aspen, Durango, Fort Collins, Longmont, Summit, and Vail.

Gunnison............................ Michelle Gerber Logan County...................... Wendy Nuss Loveland/Berthod................ Sarah Warnock Mountain Metro................... Elizabeth Moore

2018

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COLORADO PROJECT WILDFIRE

REALTORS® Join Forces With Insurance and Wildfire Safety Organizations Preparedness Guide Available For Residents With one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in state history burning homes and endangering communities, the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) has teamed up with the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA) and other state wildfire prevention and insurance stakeholders to create a consumer-focused Colorado Property and Insurance Wildfire Preparedness Guide.

tal in driving access and information about programs and resources in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities throughout the state.

Fire Prevention Week took place Oct. 7-13 and there is still significant risk of further property loss as dry conditions continue statewide. The 2018 Colorado wildfire season is already the second most destructive on record (2002) with approximately 500,000 acres of forest and grassland destroyed and hundreds of homes lost or damaged, according to the Rocky Mountain Coordination Center.

Digital and hard copy guides featuring best practices in wildfire mitigation, safety and insurance preparation for property owners, frequently asked questions, as well as direct links to a wide range of local community resources for residents are available through the program’s website: ColoradoProjectWildfire.com.

“Unfortunately, Colorado ranks third in the Nation for homes located in areas with high wildfire risk,” said RMIIA Executive Director, Carole Walker. “As an industry, we understand the importance of insurability of these properties and are working with residents and other stakeholders to be a part of the solution to reduce that risk – a solution that we believe is founded in education, awareness and mitigation efforts by individual property owners and communities alike.”

“Working in partnership with RMIIA, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Division of Insurance, Colorado State Fire Chiefs, Firewise USA, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, RealFire, Wildfire Partners and other Colorado stakeholder organizations, our Project Wildfire team has created a unique, comprehensive resource guide with key wildfire and insurance recommendations for Colorado homeowners,” said CAR Project Wildfire Chair Mike Budd, a Vail REALTOR® who has been instrumen-

Wildfire officials and organizations across Colorado recommend taking steps to reduce wildfire risk and credit homeowner mitigation efforts with saving homes and structures over the past several years.

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❚ CASE STUDIES Homeowner s have bot h safety and on their pro financial inc perty—red entives to ucing wildfir of their hom complete e risk and e. Colorado fire mitiga improving tion insurers and become Fire the value and REALTORS® wise USA® insurability encourage communiti residents in WUI commu es and imp assessing nities to lement mit risk and tak wildfire. igation pro ing proper grams tha steps to hel t assist p their hom e survive a Wildfire Par tners: Wh en Lester Kar Colorado he plus moved knew it wa to the mount s a matter of a wildfir ains near Ne of “when not e. That day derland, if” his log hom arrived in residents to July 2016 e would be flee “100-fo when the in the path ot” flames Cold Spring homes bur on a mome s Fire forced ned, Karplu nt’s 1,900 not s’ home and ice. While participating seven others eight neighb in Wildfire in the path oring Partners, Bou program tha of the fire lder County t provides survived — ’s community homeowner all assessment s with a com wildfire mit that includ igation prehensive es step-by-s line and foll on-site pro tep mitiga ow-up inspec perty risk tion needs, tions. The yard sign and resources, result – a cov a con reduced wil sumer-help eted “Wildfi dfire risk. Ma ners assess re Partners ny insurance ment to me Certified” et their mit companies buying in igation req accept Wil wildfire-pron uirements dfire Parte areas nee . Karplus say takers of the d to ask the s homeow land?” If the ms elv ners es: “Are we answer is yes living with willing to be , they must wildfire and careunderstan the long-t For more info d the inevita erm commit rmation: wil ble risk of ment needed dfirepartn to protect the ers.org. ir property.

REALFire® : After living in his Beaver Benge pur Creek con chased a hom dominium e on the mo uate necess for two dec untain and ary fire mit ades, Michae knew it wa igation wo l around his s a “no bra rk — both new home, iner” to eva in terms of as well as fire lwas thrille creating def -resistive ma d to learn ensible spa from his HO terials in new ce property ass A that he cou constructio essment thr ld receive n. Benge ough the REA County, the a free, onLFire® progra site wildfir Vail Board e risk of REALTO m, thanks RS®, and oth to support from Eagle er local par tners.

Benefits of the REALFi re® progra • Residents m include: engage dire ctly with loc local wildfir al mitigation e risk. professional • Residents s to learn abo can earn a ut REA LFire® certific enhance rea ate of recogn l estate tran ition, which sactions or • Qualifyin share with they can use g residents local insura may be elig to work perfor nce ible providers. for an incom med on the e tax subtrac ir property.

• Assessme tion for mit nts identif igation y specific act property. ions proven to reduce wildfire risk on a Benge bel ieves hom eowners thr taking adv oughout WU antage of I com the mu vol niti wildfire risk untary opp es would ben ortunities , and the ava efit by to become ilable mitiga property and more educat tion resour invest in the ed on ces to enh safety and ance the bea value of the uty of their ir home. Res ources: REA LFire.net

• Insurance Institute for Business & nonprofit, Home Saf scientific res ety (IBHS) earch and solely by pro – An indepe communic perty insure ndent, ations org rs and rein anization sup to real-world surers. IBH ported solutions for S’ building home and resilient com safety resear bus munities. dis iness owner ch leads s, helping astersafety.o to create mo rg/wildfire/ re The 2017 wild fire season cost the United Stat in damages. es That year, 71,0 00 wildfires scor more than $18 billion of land, destroyin ched 10 million g acre claiming 66 lives 12,000 homes, evacuating 200,000 people s . By comparison, and 2016 saw 5.4 million acres burn ed.

$18 BILLION

“Every homeowner should ❚be WILDaware FIRE MITIGATION of their wildfire RESOURCE CENTER : risk and the associated responsibility to reduce that risk, not only to protect their property, but also to improve the safety of first responders,” said Dan Beveridge, wildfire mitigation specialist for the Colorado State Forest Service. “There are numerous examples from the 2018 fire season and seasons past showing that proactive wildfire mitigation efforts are effective, and taking risk-reduction actions can also improve insurability and support community adaptation to wildfire.”

of the danger Top 5 Moincreasing st Costly Color ado Wildfire s of wildfires in our state, to Colorado Property & Insurance activate the Association’s Wildfire Prepared ne ss Guide network of over 26,000 REALTORS® in providing Partners and and support information W Resources Visit our resource center at: colorado projectwildfire.com to homeowners living in high risk areas, and to advocate for incentives for homeowners who take concrete steps to Visit our resource center at: colorad oprojectwildfire.c om make their properties less at risk. Since its launch, Colorado Project Wildfire has established partnerships with like-minded fire-prevention organizations and assisted local REALTOR® associations throughout the state with complimentary programs to activate their members in promoting awareness and mitigation.

Additiona l resources and inform stakeholder ation for hom organization eowners can s: • Firewise be found thr USA®: Pro ough these gram provid nities how es instructio to adapt to nal resour living with ces to info together and wil dfir rm commu e take action and encour to reduce ages neighb Service (CS the ors to work FS) and the ir wildfire risk National Fire . The Colora er to implem Protection do State For ent the Fire Associatio est wise USA® wildfire-m n (NFPA) wo program in itigation/c rk tog Colorado. etholorado-firew • The Color csfs.colostate ise-comm ado State .edu/ unities/ Forest Ser wildfire mit vice: Provid igation exp es professio ertise and and commu nal forestry outreach and assistance nities reduce edu , cat wildfire risk • Ready, Set ion to help . csfs.colos landowner , Go! Progra tate.edu/w s m managed Chiefs, des ildfire-mit by the Inte igned to dev igation rnational Ass elop and imp ments and oci atio rove the dia the reside n of Fire logue betwe nts they ser • Colorado ve. wildlandfi en fire dep REALTORS® artrersg.org are workin prevention g in partne organization rship with s across our as well as acc other like-mi state to brin nde ess to resour d fire g education ces directly ColoradoR and to residents awareness, ealtors.com/ in their loc ProjectWildfi • The Fire al commu re Adapted Co nities. mmunitie communiti s Coalition es in the wil is committed dland-urb reduce the to helping an interfac ir risk for dam people and e adapt to age. The coa living with on activities lition provid wildfire and related to es informatio fire adapte d communiti n and exp ertise es. FireAdapt ed.org

2012-Waldo

(Insured losse s in today’s dolla

Canyon, Colo rado

rs)

Springs

2013-Black Fore

st, near Colorado

$470 million

Springs

$420.5 million

2010-Fourmil

e Canyon, Nort

hwest of Bou lder

2012-High Park

$236.6 million

, near Fort Colli

$115.3 million

2002-Hayman

, Southwest of

$50.8 million

ns

Denver

*Source: RMIIA

“While it’s always so difficult to see the impact that wildfires have on our state and our fellow Coloradans, we’ve been encouraged by the news that mitigation efforts have helped alleviate possible damage and destruction of homes and help prevent loss of lives,” said Tyrone Adams, CEO of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®. “We will continue to be proactive in helping educate not only our members but the tens of thousands of Colorado homeowners that are living in these WUI areas, about the vast resources that are available in their local communities that can help them mitigate their properties and be prepared for the growing risk wildfires present.”

ildfires con tinue to be a growing Rocky Mo threat in the untain Reg ion where booming in population high-risk wil is (WUI) areas. dland-urb While many an interfac e people mo Colorado ve to and for its for live in ests, mount and breath ains taking vie ws, don’t always they see the pot ential risks of los ing their hom es to wildfire – even in sub urban neighborh oods. It’s critical homeowner s unders tand the risks of living in wil dfireprone are as, the potential insurance impacts and what steps they should tak e to protec themselves, t their proper ty and per sonal finance s.

RMIIA's full-time job is to help consumers, the news media and community partners understand how insurance works and to share safety awareness and loss prevention tips. RMIIA is a non-profit insurance communications organization that represents property and casualty insurers in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Production of the Colorado Property & Insurance Wildfire Preparedness Guide was funded through a generous grant from the Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation.

For more information visit ColoradoProjectWildfire. com.

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® launched Colorado Project Wildfire in 2015 to help raise awareness e

31

COACHING OUT OF A SALES Slump

By Larry Kendall, author of Ninja Selling and chairman emeritus of The Group, Inc.

A

ll salespeople, even the best, will hit a flat spot and experience a sales slump. Your mission is to help them find a way out of their pain. You need to be their slump buster!

Ask them what they are grateful for and give them something positive to read or suggest a class that will re-energize them. Encourage them to sit with the top producers at meetings and interview them. Help them re-establish a player pattern and mindset.

How do you help them? First, look for the cause of the slump and fix it. In my 40 years of experience training and coaching salespeople, I’ve observed three primary reasons for sales slumps: mindset, skillset, and actions. These are also the three key drivers of their success. Use these three keys as a template for coaching your associates to success or out of a slump.

2. Skillset. Next, ask to see their Hot List. This is their list of buyers and sellers who want to buy or sell in the next 90 days. Nothing cures a slump faster than a transaction, so go through the Hot List looking for the transaction that is ready to be made. “Who is ready to write a contract this week?” is the question you ask.

1. Mindset. A change in the market, a tough client, or a life event (illness or divorce) can throw an associate into a victim mindset. Typical signs of a victim mindset are slumped shoulders, eyes down, negative attitude, constant criticism of the company or other associates, self-centeredness, and hiding out (not coming to the office or meetings). Victims project a negative vibe that customers avoid causing a negative feedback loop which deepens their slump.

If they have a good-sized Hot List but are not making sales, check to see if they have closing reluctance.

Are they afraid to close buyers or confront the brutal facts on pricing with sellers? Join them on their next sales appointment or have another associate who is a strong closer join them. For new associates, research shows that rookie sales associates blow their first five transactions due to inexperience, fear of the contract or closing reluctance. Assign a mentor to accompany them on their first five transactions.

What to do? Interrupt their negative pattern. Don’t scold them for poor production. They’re in enough pain already. Instead, have them share their frustration and concerns. Then, interrupt that pattern by asking, “regardless of the issues you’re facing, will you be better or worse off if this slump continues?” Show empathy but not sympathy. Their situation is going to get worse unless they change their patterns and their mindset.

3. Actions. If the associate doesn’t have a Hot List, it tells you they have an activity problem. Great managers and coaches manage activities, not production.

Focus on productive activities, and the sales will take care of themselves. We call these activities FLOW. Have your sales associates keep a weekly log of their flow activities (handwritten notes, live interviews, real estate reviews, mailings, etc.)

Start by helping them reconnect with their why–their life goals. Show them how real estate sales are a better way to fund their goals than getting a real job.

If they are in a slump, your first question is, “Can I see your activity log?” Sure enough, you will notice a drop off in their activities about 45 to 90 days prior to their

32

production slump. Activities predict production. Do a pattern interrupt! Get them back into the flow again and logging their activities.

weeks. Flow fixes everything!

Mindset, skillset, actions—a simple template for success and slump busting. Follow the formula. You’ll not only help your associates; you’ll earn a reputation as a slump buster.

The best slump-busting technique I’ve found over the years is to encourage associates to conduct 50 live interviews (face-to-face or voice-to-voice) this week, log them, and turn in the log to me on Mondays. Almost without exception, they’re back on track within two

This article orginally appeared in the October 2018 issue of REAL Trends Newsletter and is reprinted with permission of REAL Trends, Inc. Copyright 2018.

SEARCHING for visionary leaders!

CAR’s Leadership Academy is an exclusive four-month training and development program designed to nurture future association leaders. It is focused on developing participants’ industry and association knowledge through a series of workshops and seminars.

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• Your local board’s /CAR’s/NAR’S strategies, vision and goals • Media training and communication skills • Expanding your referral network across the state • Federal policy initiatives that strengthen the ability of Americans to own, buy and sell real estate • Contributing to the success of the REALTOR® organizations

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.coloradorealtors.com/education-events/leadership-academy 33

FEATURE

Workplace Culture: 6 “People-First” Strategies Article provided by FirstBank

impacts perceptions, both internally and externally. Sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor make it so any conversation about your company can become public information. Point being, how your employees are treated, and the work environment you create, can positively or negatively affect your business.

to share ideas, frustrations or hurdles. Leaders who also regularly check in are building better culture simply by making themselves visible, available, and welcoming of dialogue.

When you create a great company culture, it doesn’t only help retain talent, lower turnover rates, improve employee engagement and productivity. But it’s also been proven to improve reputation, customer satisfaction levels, and increase earnings growth, according to several workplace and organizational studies.

No matter how many ping pong tables or free snacks your office has, that will ultimately fall flat if you’re not considering your employees’ need for development and advancement. There comes a point when your company’s top performers are going to be looking for the next step in their careers, and want to know what they can do to move ahead. Providing regular feedback and helping employees understand what’s next in their career progression can help morale and improve chances of retaining talent.

KEEP DEVELOPMENT ON THE FOREFRONT

A strong culture can lead to strong profits. Considering labor is scarce and job seekers can easily compare a business’s pros and cons, focusing on your company’s culture should be as high of a priority as increasing sales.

For instance, we provide reviews twice a year, encourage advancement training courses, and give employees visibility into job stages, salary ranges, and expectations. This ensures they know what opportunities lie ahead. Having a ‘promote from within’ philosophy, and building skillsets from the ground up has allowed us to create a strong team of long-tenured employees (over 30 percent of our workforce has worked with FirstBank 10 years or more).

Here are six people-first strategies to develop a culture that counts.

CHAMPION COMMUNICATION When employees say they work at a great company, they often mean they can communicate openly and honestly.

A survey of over 1,000 employees found that 81 percent of respondents would rather join a company that values “open communication” than one that offers great perks.

Crazy, right?

PROMOTE RELATIONSHIPS Team-building, volunteer days, company barbeques, and friendly competitions may not seem like that big of a deal. But people and relationships are often the very core of how we feel towards our employer. Creating the right events and social efforts can foster relationships, aid communication, and ultimately, help turn a group of lukewarm employees into brand advocates.

Here’s the thing: open communication helps workers feel valued and respected, which is essential to building a positive work environment. But it falls on you to encourage honesty, and the sharing of both positive and negative feedback. This doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as weekly check-ins with staff, inviting them

34

You can start by simply setting aside a place and time for employees to bond, whether that’s an outing away from the office, or pizza in a shared workspace. Gestures like these send an important message that leadership values collaborative and supportive relationships. Likewise, leaders can set the example by making an effort to develop a personal relationship with each employee.

ceived recognition were much more likely to rate their workplace as fun. What’s more, the majority of respondents interviewed said that personal recognition would encourage them to deliver higher performance results.

Acknowledging good work can go a long way. Experiment with weekly shout-outs, or create a recognition program that encourages regular kudos from workers to their team members. At FirstBank, we have an interactive employee appreciation program that allows team members to earn points for great work and swap those points for gifts. It’s a program that serves our scale well, but can easily be replicated in a smaller environment.

COMBAT BURNOUT AND ENCOURAGE SELF CARE A company’s growth will not be sustainable if it comes at the cost of employee burnout. The solution? Give your employees some semblance of flexibility and opportunities to decompress. Enabling them to choose their hours, embracing work-life balance, encouraging breaks or eliminating guilt around taking PTO are some of the many ways you can diminish battle burnout, while increasing output.

HIRE FOR COMPATIBILITY While it often takes leadership to set a standard around which others can rally, the culture you’ve worked so hard to build can potentially be unmade by personalities that clash with it.

One of the things we do to help keep employees happy and healthy — in addition to encouraging work-life balance and using PTO – is allow employees to apply for a health-related allowance. This includes massages/chiropractic services, gym memberships, fresh food delivery services, and almost anything that promotes an individual’s health.

Hiring managers should always focus on finding the right person for the job, but it’s also important to understand your workplace culture and hire people who are also right for the company. The best talent enriches those around it, rather than tearing them down.

When considering how to factor culture into our hiring practices, we find ways to work our company values into interviews and then pay close attention to the responses.

Happy employees lead to happy customers, and you can’t neglect the most vital catalyst for client satisfaction.

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

REMEMBER, CULTURE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT

Recognition matters. Think back to the earliest days of your career. How did you feel when a mentor, co-worker or boss praised your work? Pretty stellar, right? Turns out there’s something to that:

Culture can’t be bought. It has to be made, and it’s a project that’s never finished. But hopefully, these people-first strategies will help you further define and refine your workplace culture, without breaking the bank.

In a survey of over 500 companies, employees who re35

Planning Your Space: 101 Tips From an Interior Designer ®

You’ve read countless home design blogs. You’ve combined all the best looks into a stellar Pinterest board.

You’ve made a list of every piece of furniture you want to own. You are totally ready to buy your dream furniture, right? Not so fast. There’s one crucial step you need to take before making your furniture dreams come true: planning your space.

through a conversation because it’s the only way to enter or exit a room is a little disruptive. If it’s not possible to avoid through traffic, try to direct your walkways around conversation areas. Second, moving around the room should be as direct as possible but not interfere with furniture placement. The goal is to make it easy to walk around the room without placing furniture in awkward spots. With these basics in mind, you’re ready to move on to the specifics that make each room enjoyably functional.

While it’s obviously necessary to make sure that any furniture you buy will physically fit in your space, it’s also important to go one step further and make sure that it will also function in your space. Even the most perfect sectional that can hold the whole family for movie night will only become a huge nuisance if it makes it impossible to walk around the room. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid problems like this by planning your room layout and considering the space around the furniture as well as the furniture itself.

MEASURE TWICE, BUY ONCE

LIVING

The first step in planning your space is figuring out how much space you have to work with. Begin by measuring your room, making sure that you also measure any doors and windows as well as the pathway furniture will take to get to the room. Once you have all your measurements, create a floor plan of your room using graph paper or a tool like the AFW Space Planner. This will allow you to easily visualize the layout of the space by drawing or placing to-scale representations of furniture in the floor plan.

LIVING ROOM Because your living room functions as everything from a gathering space to a solo movie theater, there are multiple things to consider when planning the layout. If you’re using your living room for entertaining, remember that people tend to congregate in relatively small groups so conversation spaces should be roughly 10 feet in diameter. You’ll want to incorporate 36-inch wide main walkways around these conversation spaces and ensure that there are 24-inch spaces around furniture for ease of movement.

PLANNING BASICS After you’ve measured your home and created a floor plan, it’s time to get planning with two important considerations. First, traffic ways should be separated from the center of activities. After all, having someone walk

36

If you’re using a coffee table, leave between 12 to 18 inches between the front of your sofa and the edge of the coffee table so that people can easily get up and down. Does your coffee table have doors, drawers, or a lift top? If so, remember to factor that into your plans.

inches of space if you plan on serving your guests. Once you and your guests are seated, allow for 24 inches in width per seat at the table. If you have a table with one or more leaves, remember to plan for the extra length in your room layout. Are you using a sideboard or creating an eat-in kitchen? Leave 48 inches between the table and the edge of the sideboard or cabinet.

Reclining furniture is an excellent choice for creating a relaxing living room, but it requires a little more space than stationary furniture. Be sure to account for the amount of space reclining furniture takes up both when it’s in an upright position and when it’s reclined. Pay special attention to how far the back moves when the piece is in a reclined position, because this determines how close to a wall you can place the piece.

BEDROOM

If your living room has a TV in it, it’s also important to consider how far your seating should be from the screen to get the best viewing experience. This depends on your TV’s size and resolution—the bigger the TV and the lower the resolution, the further back you should sit. According to audio/visual quality assurance company THX, you can calculate the distance you should sit from your TV by dividing the diagonal width of your TV by 0.84 to find your optimal viewing distance in inches.

BEDROOM

DINING

When planning the layout of your bedroom, consider how you’ll be moving in the space: you’ll likely be walking around the bed when making it, using drawers in your dresser, chest, and nightstand, and dressing for the day. Because it has less traffic than a living or dining room, you only need 24 inches for the major circulation path around the room. Your bed requires different amounts of space on each side depending on how you use that side of the bed: allow for 42 inches of space on the side or foot of the bed you’ll use for getting dressed, 22 inches of space on one side of the bed for circulation, and 12 inches of space on the least used side of the bed. Leave 36 inches of space in front of a dresser, chest, or closet so you can easily open drawers and access what’s inside.

DINING

Your furniture should both fit and function in your space.

By planning your room layout with your furniture and the necessary space around it in mind, it’s simple to avoid potential problems and create a space that you can enjoy.

Dining is a much more pleasant experience when there’s enough space for everyone to freely walk to their seat, sit down, and eat without bumping elbows with their neighbors. To ensure that you and your guests can easily move around the room, provide 38 inches for the dining chairs and the walkway behind the chairs, plus an extra 6

Rachel Sellers is a Content Writer for American Furniture Warehouse, one of the nation’s top furniture retailers with a large selection of affordable furniture and home decor. American Furniture Warehouse has more interior design tips, how-to guides, inspiring looks, and other design and lifestyle topics on the American Furniture Warehouse blog.

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FOUNDATION

Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation Colorado Gives Day – December 4, 2018 Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. We invite you to join us on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 and donate to the Colorado Association of REALTORS® Foundation. Over the span of 25 years, The CAR Foundation has invested $7.7 million to support Colorado nonprofits that encourage safe and affordable housing, promote homeownership, and provide disaster relief to Coloradans.

their brand new pins for the Foundation. Each pin is magnetic and in the shape of a heart, as the REALTORS® are the heart of the Foundation. Each pin is a $100 donation that can be designated to Housing, Education, or Disaster Relief.

Get your new Foundation pin today!

Every donation made is boosted by the incentive fund, increasing the value of every dollar! The CAR Foundation promotes safe and affordable housing, advances homeownership for all Coloradans, and provides housing-related disaster assistance to our neighbors in need.

DISASTER RELIEF FUND In the past, the Disaster Relief Fund has only been available to access after a disaster has ended. Oftentimes, funding is needed much sooner. The Foundation is happy to announce that the conversation of how to best use and distribute the Disaster Relief Fund during a crisis has begun.

The Foundation is thrilled to brainstorm ways on how to best assist in times of disaster.

As a “thank you” for your support, every donation on Colorado Gives Day that is over $100 will receive The CAR Foundation's new heart-shaped pin. Please contact Stacey Brown at sbrown@coloradorealtors.com or 303-916-2190 if you have any questions and thank you for your donation.

The CAR Foundation would like to extend a “thank you” to Bob Fullerton for inviting Stacey Brown, CAR Foundation Executive Director, to the Mountain District lunch during Fall Forum to discuss how to use the funds. The Foundation is open to any ideas or suggestions as they formulate a strategy to best serve communities in Colorado during times of disaster. Please contact Stacey with any input you have on this matter.

NEW FOUNDATION PINS The CAR Foundation is excited to announce the release of 38

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

2018 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

2018 NAR Hall of Fame Lifetime Investment of $50,000+

Gary Bauer Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Amy Dorsey Vail Board of REALTORS®

Ron Myles Denver Metro Commercial Association of REALTORS®

Linda Romer Todd Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association

Kay Watson Bonnie Smith Summit Association South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association of REALTORS®

Lifetime investment of $25,000+

Kit Cowperthwaite

Joe DiVito

Bill Osnowitz

Randy Reynolds

Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Pueblo Association of REALTORS®

Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®

George Harvey

Telluride Association of REALTORS®

Debbie Tamlin

Northern Colorado Commercial Association of REALTORS®

Michael Labout

Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®

Michael Marcus

South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

Scott Matthias

South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

Chris McElroy

Fort Collins Board of REALTORS®

Bruce Wolf

South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

39

{as of August 27, 2018)

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSÂŽ

2018 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

2018 CAR Hall of Fame - Lifetime Investment of $10,000+

Okie Arnot South Metro Denver

David Barber Aurora

Doug Barber Pikes Peak

Gary Bauer Denver Metro

Patricia Bigley Ted Bryant Pikes Peak Denver Metro

Vicki Burns Craig

Michael Dale Carroll Burkhard South Metro Grand Junction Denver

Joseph Clement Pikes Peak

Kevin Cook Loveland Berthoud

John Cooley Aspen

Kit David Cowperthwaite DeElena Denver Metro Aurora

Joseph DiVito Denver Metro

Mark Donahue Durango

Amy Dorsey Vail

Dana Duncan Pikes Peak

Don Flynn Colorado

Jack Fox Denver Metro Commercial

Karen Frisone Denver Metro

Greg Geller Denver Metro

Jace Glick Denver Metro

Heidi Greer Denver Metro

George Harvey Telluride

Kati Harken South Metro Denver

Ann Hayes Grand Junction Area

Toni Heiden Grand Junction Area

Bill Hurt Pikes Peak

David Jenkins Pikes Peak

Dennis Johnson Summit

Keith Kanemoto Longmont

Jeff Kirkendall Denver Metro

Cynthia Kruse Vail

Michael Labout Pikes Peak

Alan Lovitt Pikes Peak

Adam Malachi Denver Metro Commercial

Michael Marcus South Metro Denver

Scott Matthias South Metro Denver

Nancy McBride Longmont

Chris McElroy Fort Collins

Larry McGee South Metro Denver

Gary Morton South Metro Denver

Ron Myles Denver Metro Commercial

Bill Osnowitz Pueblo

Carolyn Osnowitz Pueblo

Wynne Palermo Pikes Peak

Everett Patterson Pikes Peak

Kay Deen Patterson Pikes Peak

Kevin Patterson Pikes Peak

Bobbi Price Pikes Peak

Randy Reynolds Pikes Peak

Jim Rhoades Fort Collins

Gretchen Rosenberg Denver Metro

Jolon Ruch Denver Metro

Richard Sly South Metro Denver

Bonnie Smith Summit

Tami Spaulding Fort Collins

Terry Storm Pikes Peak

Debbie Tamlin Denver Metro Commercial

Linda Romer Todd Grand Junction Area

Robert Walkowicz Loveland Berthoud

James Wanzeck South Metro Denver

Kay Watson South Metro Denver

John Wendt Aspen

Bruce F. Wolf South Metro Denver

Greg Zadel Denver Metro

40

{as of August 27, 2018)

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

2018 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

2018 NAR President’s Circle ($1,000 Minimum to RPAC and $2,000 to Na onal Poli cal Par es or NAR-Selected Federal Candidates) Melissa Maldonado, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Michael Marcus, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Ron Myles, Denver Metro Commercial Association of REALTORS® Jason Peck, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Todd Schuster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Lynn Snyder Goetz, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Brenda Wild, Aspen Board of REALTORS®

Tyrone Adams, Colorado Association of REALTORS® Barbara Asbury, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® David Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Gary Bauer, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Michael Burkhard, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Dale Carroll, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Jay Kalinski, Boulder 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®

Platinum R - Annual Investment of $10,000+ Gary Bauer, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® Colorado Association of REALTORS®

Boulder Area REALTOR® Association Linda Romer Todd, Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association

Golden R - Annual Investment of $5,000+ Dale Carroll, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Denver Metro Area Assoc. of REALTORS® Amy Dorsey, Vail Board of REALTORS® George Harvey, Telluride Association of REALTORS® Grand Junction Area REALTOR® Association Keith Kanemoto, Longmont Association of REALTORS® Michael Labout, Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS® John Lucero, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

Michael Marcus, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Scott Matthias, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Chris McElroy, Fort Collins Board of REALTORS® Larry McGee, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Ron Myles, Denver Metro Commercial Association of REALTORS® Todd Schuster, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association Bonnie Smith, Summit Association of REALTORS® Kay Watson, South Metro Denver REALTOR® Association

Crystal R - Annual Investment of $2,500+ David Barber, Aurora Association of REALTORS® Karen Frisone, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® John Mitchell, Denver Metro Association of REALTORS®

41

{as of August 27, 2018)

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

2018 RPAC MAJOR INVESTORS

Sterling R - Annual Investment of $1,000+ Andrew Abrams, Denver Metro Tyrone Adams, CAR David Anderson, Pueblo Monica Anderson, Grand County Brian Anzur, South Metro Denver Barbara Asbury, Pikes Peak Aspen Board of REALTORS® Richie Averill, Denver Metro Ann Bagwell, Aurora Sunny Banka, Aurora Erin Bassett, Glenwood Springs Ed Behr, Pikes Peak Mark Bowman, Denver Metro Michel Brossmer, Denver Metro Michael Burkhard, Grand Junction Area Vicki Burns, Craig Linda Buzzalini, Durango Area Nels Cary, Telluride Amy Cesario, Denver Metro Cheryl Chandler, Glenwood Springs Kathy Christina, Summit Carol Click, Four Corners Barbara Cline, Aurora John Cooley, Aspen Jacob Curbow, Pikes Peak Mercie Curbow, Pikes Peak Natalie Davis, Fort Collins Shane Dawson, Durango Area Betty DeBerry, Pueblo David DeElena, Aurora Joe DiVito, Denver Metro Amanda DiVito Parle, Denver Metro Chris Djorup, Denver Metro Chris Doyle, Fort Collins Barb Ecker, Denver Metro Molly Eldridge, Gunnison Country George Emmett, Vail Cherri Fischer, Pikes Peak James Flaum, Vail Bob Fullerton, Glenwood Springs Micah George, Grand Junction Area Jace Glick, Denver Metro Heidi Greer, Denver Metro Nancy Griffin, Aurora Scott Grossman, Denver Metro Andrea Haitz, Grand Junction Area Heather Hankins, South Metro Denver

Lauren Hansen, CAR Lisa Hansmeier, CAR Ed Hardey, Aurora Ann Hayes, Grand Junction Area Tor Hayward, Grand Junction Area Toni Heiden, Grand Junction Area Phil Heter, Denver Metro Mary Ann Hinrichsen, South Metro Denver Ken Hotard, Boulder Area Debbie Howes, Pikes Peak Dennis L. Johnson, Summit Janene Johnson, Grand County Jeremy Johnson, Greeley Area Jay Kalinski, Boulder Area Pamela Kiker, South Metro Denver Krista Klees, Aspen Kelly Kniffin, Durango Area Justin Knoll, Denver Metro Piper Knoll, Denver Metro Anne Marie Kremer, South Metro Denver Cynthia Kruse, Vail Dave Kupernik, Denver Metro Shannon Kyle, Glenwood Springs Bob LeGare, Aurora Matthew Leprino, Denver Metro Karen Levine, Denver Metro Libby Levinson, Denver Metro Cheri Long, Aurora Alan Lovitt, Pikes Peak Kevan Lyons, REALTORS®of Central Colorado Mike MacGuire, Pikes Peak Melissa Maldonado, South Metro Denver Janet Marlow, South Metro Denver Stew Meagher, South Metro Denver Kristin Miller, Denver Metro Rick Miller, Denver Metro Jill Moneypenny, Vail Josette Montgomery, Mountain Metro Kelly Moye, Boulder Area Daniel Muldoon, Pikes Peak Patrick Muldoon, Pikes Peak Chris Mygatt, Boulder Area George Nehme, Pikes Peak

42

Karen Nichols, Denver Metro Jarrod Nixon, Durango Area Wynne Palermo, Pikes Peak Jason Peck, Denver Metro Elizabeth Peetz, CAR Scott Peterson, CAR Linda Philpott, Aurora Hank Poburka, Pikes Peak Preston Porter, Pagosa Springs Area Veronica Precella, Boulder Area Sally Puff-Courtney, Telluride Amy Reid, Pikes Peak Julie Retzlaff, Vail Randy Reynolds, Pikes Peak Jamie Richards, CAR Daren Roberts, Glenwood Springs Albert Roer, Telluride Gretchen Rosenberg, Denver Metro Jolon Ruch, Denver Metro Laura Ruch, Denver Metro Crissy Rumford, Vail Kylie Russell, Denver Metro Ulrich Salzgeber, Steamboat Springs Marcel Savoie, South Metro Denver Dennis Schick, Fort Collins Lynn Snyder Goetz, South Metro Denver Tami Spaulding, Fort Collins LaDawn Sperling, Denver Metro Denise Staab, Fort Collins Stephanie Tanis, Pikes Peak Steve Thayer, Denver Metro Ron Thorne, Mountain Metro Mark Trenka, Denver Metro Ann Turner, Denver Metro Jon Wade, Steamboat Springs Robert Walkowicz, Loveland Berthoud Darrell Wass, Pikes Peak Dean Weissman, Pikes Peak John Wendt, Glenwood Springs Brenda Wild, Aspen Ryan White, Fort Collins Lori Wood, Grand Junction Area Jim Wotkyns, Durango Area Greg Zadel, Denver Metro Sandi Zimmerman, Denver Metro Sabrina Zunker, Denver Metro

{as of August 27, 2018)