August Newsletter - Longmont Association of REALTORS

Volume 1, Issue 52
August 2014
Inside this
issue:
LAR
Upcoming
Education
3
LAR
Calendar
4
IRES
Article
5
IRES
Calendar
6
Who’s
Where
7
8
Affiliate
Spotlight
9
Governmental
Affairs
10
13
1
2
Please Support your Association
by taking your classes at LAR!
Common Colorado Endorsements & How to
Read A Title Commitment
September, 4,2014
Time: 9am-11am
Instructor: Dean Ruybal
CE Credit: 2 Hours
Cost: $20 REALTORS / $30 Non-Members
Location: LAR Classroom
Working with & Educating First Time Home
Buyers
September 11, 2014
Time: 9am-11am
Instructor: Brian Manning
CE Credit: 2 Hours
Cost: $20 REALTORS/ $30 Non-Members
2014 4 Hour Commission Update
September 18, 2014
Time: 9am-1pm
Instructor: Lorraine Roemer
CE Credit: 4 Hours
Cost: $35 REALTORS/ $50 Non-Members
* For complete class details and to register for any of the above classes,
please visit our website at www.longmontrealtors.com
We would like to Thank the following Affiliates for their generous
Class Sponsorship during the month of July
Stephanie Mckay - Heritage Title Company
Jennifer Paris—State Farm Insurance
3
2014
Sun
3
Mon
4
Tue
Wed
5 Business After
Hours 5-7pm
Boulder County
Fair Grounds
2015 BOD Voting
Begins
6
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
7
8
9
Independent
Broker
Committee mtg.
9am
10
11
12
Affiliate Committee
Mtg. 8:30am @
Le Peep
2015 BOD Voting
Ends
13
General
Membership Mtg
9am
14
15
LAR Membership
Annual Chili
Cook Off & Picnic
12pm-2:30pm
16
17
18
19
Board Of Directors
Mtg. 8:30am
Rookie Session Sandy Pettinger
11:30 LAR Happy
Hour Martinis
20
21
Governmental
Affairs Mtg. 2pm
22
23
26
27
28
29
30
24
25
Independent
Broker
Committee mtg.
9am
Be sure to look
at your Friday
Notice for more
information on
meetings &
events at the
LAR!
31
4
By Niki Moran, Projects Manager
Be Wise With WiseAdvertise
By Niki Moran, Projects Manager
Why are listings inaccurate on Zillow and Trulia? As the listing agent, how do
you ensure that you receive the leads? How can you protect listing data so it is not
retained for other purposes in the future?
Our recent syndication survey revealed that many of you have these questions and
concerns. To help you master the complexities of online marketing, ListHub, our
syndication partner, has created an excellent video program called WiseAdvertise.
WiseAdvertise covers an array of important topics including the following:
• Online Listing Accuracy: Sources of incorrect listing information, and how to identify the source of listings.
• Data Protections: What rights you give away when you send your listings to publisher sites, and a review of the protections
provided by ListHub’s publisher agreements.
• Broker Choice: Considerations when deciding whether or not to syndicate, choosing sites wisely if you choose to syndicate,
and a review of tools available for making those decisions.
• Duplication and Trumping: What happens when the same listing is syndicated from multiple sources.
• Lead Routing and Traffic Routing: How to control the flow of consumer click-through traffic and inbound leads.
• Analytics: How to measure your advertising, including the definition of key terms: Views, Click-Throughs and Leads.
It is free to participate and the program is available in a self-guided eLearning format which you can complete at your convenience. The entire course will take about an hour to complete. Upon successful completion of the course a Certificate of Completion will be available for download, acknowledging your accomplishment and understanding of syndication.
To register click here or, on IRESis, navigate to Resources/Training/WebTools. Your IRES staff took the course and we highly
recommend it. Don’t wait to get your questions answered and your concerns addressed!
5
6
PRIMARY REALTOR® MEMBERSHIP:
Darryl Sobering – KW 1st Realty Associates
Sharon Morrison – ERA Tradewind Real Estate
Judy Coats - ERA Tradewind Real Estate
Katherine Morgan – Supreme Realty Group
Sena Hagen – KW 1st Realty Associates
Janice McLees – ERA Tradewind Real Estate
Nancy Sundal – KW 1st Realty Associates
Leisa Blake – KW 1st Realty Associates
SECONDARY REALTOR® MEMBERSHIP:
Your local Land Title real estate sales
and marketing consultant is
Kyle Snyder
303.328.7157
or
[email protected]
Jenelle Bezdek - Supreme Realty Group
Thomas Kahn - Re/Max Alliance on Walnut
REALTOR® REINSTATE: None
REALTOR® TRANSFERS:
Ashley Bevan –KW 1st Realty Associates – Roots 8z Real Estate
Ann Thompson – Berkshire Hathaway Home ServicesRe/Max Alliance on Walnut
James Sarvadi – Remax alliance Longmont- Sarvadi Real Estate
NEW REALTOR® OFFICE:
Supreme Realty Group
Re/Max Alliance on Walnut
Sarvadi Real Estate
REALTOR® OFFICE DROPS: None
PRIMARY REALTOR® DROPS:
Do You Have A Change?????
Mark Alexander – KW 1st Realty Associates
Please notify LAR
whenever you have a change in
address, email, or phone number.
Ryan Hostetler – AGPROfessionals, LLC
Anna Holen – Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
Charles Hartley – Re/Max Eagle Rock
Ryan Bach- Re/Max Eagle Rock
Elizabeth Strom – KW 1st Realty Associates
Jo Klimecki – KW 1st Realty Associate’s
Burney Brandel –KW 1st Realty Associate’s
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REALTOR® OFFICE DROPS:
AGPROfessionals, LLC
Re/Max Eagle Rock
PRIMARY AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP:
Michael Sherman – 8z Title Company
PRIMARY AFFILIATE TRANSFERS:
Glenn Grothe - Pillar To Post – Fredrick
PRIMARY AFFILIATE DROPS: None
SECONDARY AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP:
Your local Land Title real estate sales
and marketing consultant is
Kyle Snyder
303.328.7157
or
[email protected]
Lenise Jacobs- Land Title
Barbara Loomis – Fidelity National Title
Elena Jobson- Heritage Title Co.
Brenda Koch – Heritage Title Co.
SECONDARY AFFILIATE TRANSFERS: None
SECONDARY AFFILIATE DROPS:
Amanda Martinez – Fidelity National Title Co.
NEW AFFILIATE OFFICE:
8z Title Company
Pillar To Post – Fredrick
AFFILIATE OFFICE DROP: None
Do You Have A Change?????
Please notify LAR
whenever you have a change in
address, email, or phone number.
8
At 2 Buckets Cleaning we pride ourselves on providing the greatest at-home cleaning services while
keeping a close emphasis on minimizing our impact on both your personal and the greater environment.
I began 2 Buckets Cleaning in 2005. I always kept a very tidy home. I have a keen eye for both detail
and maintaining a very clean environment. As a single mother who wanted to provide both a clean and
safe environment for my child, I found myself struggling to find cleaning products that held up to both
my safety and efficacy standards. Green is a complex issue. As a house cleaning company we are primarily concerned with two elements- the health impact of our services on the client, and our impact on
the environment.
We are committed to using the most appropriate ‘green’ home cleaning products. Where there lacked
options in the market, we spent years perfecting our own formula. At 2 Buckets we utilize our own glass
and all-purpose cleaner. We are passionate about keeping all our families and the environment healthy
and safe. These specially developed products provide us that opportunity.
We insist on customizing our services to best suit you and your families needs. Whether it is weekly, biweekly, once-a-month, or otherwise; it is up to you.
Our services include but are not limited to:

weekly, bi-weekly, once-a-month schedule

deep cleans

move-in/move-out

construction clean ups

commercial

one-time clean
We specialize in the details and exceeding all our clients needs!
9
August 2014
Barbara Koelzer, Regional Government Affairs
Director
[email protected]
303.886.5675
Boulder County
Flood Assistance Available: Boulder County has been awarded a first-round sum of more than $5 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery funds from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This money is
to be used to help eligible homeowners impacted by the 2013 Flood who need financial assistance with eligible projects including home
repairs (septic and well systems and individual driveways, bridges, and culverts) and temporary rental assistance.
Eligible homeowners can apply online at www.BoulderCountyFloodGrants.org or in hard copy at various County offices as of July 21.
Note: City of Longmont residents must apply through the City.
A first round of applications will be sorted and prioritized according to level of vulnerability, and subsequent applications will be prioritized as funding is available. There is no “hard deadline” for applications. However, to be considered for the first round of prioritization,
residents should submit applications no later than 4 p.m., Friday, August 15.
In order to meet federal requirements, households must meet the following criteria before they are deemed eligible for funding: 1) The
assistance will be used for a primary residence in Boulder County; 2) Total household income is less than 80 percent Area Median
Income (AMI) for temporary rental assistance (priority will be given to households under 30 percent AMI) and 3) Less than 120 percent
AMI for home repairs (priority will be given to households with 80 percent AMI or less).
Commissioners Choose Flood Recovery over Sustainability: Earlier this year a group of residents asked the Commissioners to
consider a sustainability measure that would include support for energy efficiency, sustainability programs, and local food infrastructure.
Surveys have consistently shown strong support for sustainability initiatives and in a poll earlier this year, sixty percent of Boulder
County residents said they would support a sustainability tax. Boulder County Commissioners have long placed a high priority on sustainability, making it a guiding principle for the County.
However, over the last several months Boulder County has been weighing a number of questions and soliciting public feedback on
regarding possible November ballot requests. The latest poll convinced the Commissioners that flood recovery and human services
(safety net) programs should be the County’s priority.
The Commissioners released the following statement summarizing their position,“At this time, with the recovery challenges we still have
before us, we believe a flood recovery revenue measure and supporting our human services safety net should be our first priorities. We
continue to believe, however, that the long term health and economic vitality of our county depends on our working together in our
own towns, cities, and unincorporated county, to pursue ideas that help our residents, businesses and institutions reduce their
environmental footprint. We know that climate change is already impacting Colorado with more frequent and intense droughts, wildfires
and extreme weather events, and it is critical that we do what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of a
changing climate.”
10
Longmont
Mall Financing Decision Not Made in Haste: Recently the Longmont City Council voted recently to use a financing tool called certificates of participation (COP) to help fund the redevelopment of the Twin Peaks Mall. But in spite of claims made by some critics, the
decision was discussed and analyzed over a year before the vote. The initial decision was made by the City Council in January of 2013 as a
way to raise $27.5 million that the City had committed to the project.
At that time it was agreed that the COP would be authorized once the developer submitted its development and financing plan; that
happened on June 24, 2014. This timeline is important because the Times Call story implied that opposition to the COP was timely
because the decision was under consideration. In effect, the decision was made months ago after the Council discussed financing options.
Possibly those who opposed the use of COP weren’t paying attention back in 2013.
The Council had to choose between two options: the COP or the issuance of bonds by LURA or the Twin Peaks metro district. Staff
and City financial advisors recommended the COP because it had a higher chance of success. They said that the issuance of bonds by either
LURA or the Twin Peaks metro district would require the City to make a moral obligation pledge which would require the City to replenish any reserve funds if
pledged revenue from the URA TIF and District property taxes were insufficient to cover the annual debt service on the bonds. Since 2008, the prospect of
completing a financing through a URA with a moral obligation is not as certain and is not considered attractive by investors.
The COP agreement involves the sale of four city properties (the Safety & Justice Center; the Civic Center Complex; the Library; and the
Development Services Center) to a trustee to be held as collateral on the financing. The underwriter, Piper Jaffray, will purchase the COP from
the City in return for the COP proceeds to be used for the redevelopment project and associated costs. The underwriter then markets the
COP’s in individual denominations of $5,000 or greater as with a traditional municipal bond. The City will repay the financing over a period of
twenty-three years through 2037 through base rental payments that are subject to annual appropriation by the City Council. After final
repayment of the COP’s in 2037, title to the properties returns to the City.
Note: The City used a similar approach to fund the construction of the new Fire Station #1 in 2008. It has also been used to fund the
construction of projects across Colorado: in 2005 for example, about $197 million in COPs were issued to construct new buildings on the
Health Sciences Center and Fitzsimmons campus as well as about $130 million for the construction of a new correctional facility.
Council to Consider Extending Transportation Tax: On July 22 the City Council will consider an ordinance on first reading to extend
the current ¾ cent transportation tax for another 10 years. In April the Council had told staff it wanted to review an ordinance that would
continue with the current funding level to cover four main areas, including 1) Street maintenance, transportation services, traffic signal
maintenance, and snow removal; 2) Capital construction projects; 3) Street rehabilitation program, concrete repair and replacement; and
4) Transportation system management projects, school and pedestrian safety, traffic signals, turn lanes, safety, capacity, and multi-modal
improvements.
Assuming the Council approves the ordinance, it will face a second reading in early August. The tax was first passed in 1986 and has been
extended by Longmont voters five times since then.
11
Weld County
Does Fracking Hurt Home Prices? Congressman Jared Polis, who represents Larimer and Boulder Counties, has been in the news
because of his role in pushing constitutional initiatives that would further restrict gas and oil development in Colorado. On He has said
many times that he wants to protect property values. For example, on July 16 he said "My one goal is to find a solution that will allow my
constituents to live safely in their homes, free from the fear of declining property values or unnecessary health risks."
But is there any data to support his assertion that fracking hurts property values? The answer to this question appears to be no. According
to data from IRES, median home prices in the Greeley MSA have increased from $170,500 in 2011 to $230,000 in the 2nd quarter of
2014. Looking specifically at towns with a lot of gas and oil development (Mead, the Tri-towns and Erie) median single-family prices
have increased substantially. In Erie for example, the median home price in 2011 was $302,391. By June 30 2014, the median price was
$378,000.
To be sure many factors may explain the rise in home prices. But our sales data does not seem to support the claim that living near fracking operations hurts property values.
STATE
Local Control Initiative Won’t Make Ballot: Supporters have halted efforts to put Initiative No. 75 on the fall ballot this year. Two
initiatives supported by Congressman Jared Polis may still make the ballot. Number 88 would require 2,000 foot setbacks. Number 89
contains an environmental bill of rights. Initiative No. 75, backed by the Colorado Community Rights Network, would have allowed cities
to ban any for-profit business that didn’t meet “community values.”
"We're not halting as much as postponing it, and coming back much stronger in a little over a year," said Lotus, the chairman of the Colorado Springs branch of the Community Rights Network. Lotus has a single legal name.
"We only had about two months to collect signatures where you can potentially have as much as six months," Lotus told the Denver Business Journal. "We didn't have much time to get set up, but we're going to come back next time (for the 2016 election) a lot stronger, with a
larger organization, more signature gatherers and more money," he added.
No Special Session: The Governor has given up trying to create compromise legislation to avoid the contentious gas and oil ballot initiatives being pushed by Congressman Polis and others. In his statement Governor Hickenlooper said, “Over the past several months, we
have worked with a bipartisan coalition to explore a legislative compromise that would avoid a series of expensive and divisive ballot initiatives surrounding oil and gas development in Colorado. Despite our best efforts and those of other willing partners, we have not been
able to secure the broader stakeholder support necessary to pass bipartisan legislation in a special session.”
The Governor and his Republican opponent Bob Beauprez, have voiced opposition to the ballot measures. Senator Mark Udall and his
opponent Congressman Cory Gardner have also come out against the measures. Early polling shows indicates a lack of public support for
the measures however, if enough signatures are gathered to place them on the ballot, expect a full court press by opponents of the energy
industry.
NATION
NAR Supports Bill to Reform Secondary Mortgage Market: NAR sent a letter to Congressmen John Carney (DE), John Delaney
(MD), and Jim Himes (CT) thanking them for introducing the “Partnership to Strengthen Homeownership Act of 2014,” a comprehensive approach to reforming the secondary mortgage market. NAR appreciates their efforts in providing another legislative option that 1)
Protects the affordable 30-year fixed rate mortgage; 2) Shields taxpayers from unnecessary bailouts, and 3) Ensures the availability of
mortgage capital in all markets and under all economic conditions.
House Passes Short-term Extension of Highway Trust Fund: The House easily passed a ten-month Highway Trust Fund patch yesterday on a lopsided vote, and with just over two weeks until DOT has to cut payments to states, the fate of fund now lies with the Senate. Across the Capitol, just hours before the House voted 367-55 for the bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid outlined a plan to set up
votes on three separate bills: the House version, the Senate Finance measure that differs on several issues and a plan from Sen. Barbara
Boxer to extend policy through December in an effort to force a vote on a long-term bill this year.
But a unanimous-consent agreement setting up those votes might be difficult - only one senator can block it. And with the White House's
endorsement (http://1.usa.gov/1mPyWiZ) of the House bill, expect plenty of Republicans to push for a clean vote on the lower chamber's bill. It won't be quick or painless, but the consensus speculation is that the Senate will end up passing the House's bill before the
August recess.
Congressmen Polis and Gardner both voted for the bill. NAR sent a letter in support of the House bill, saying, “At a juncture when local
economies – and the residential and commercial real estate markets that anchor those economies – are struggling to regain their vitality, it
is of utmost importance that funding and financing are available for transportation investments that foster economic development and
facilitate sustainable growth.”
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August Special Offers
Lenovo is now offering instant savings on its suite of notebooks, tablets, laptops, and accessories. Act now and save on
your favorite Lenovo products with these special offers. With instant savings no coupon or discount code is needed, as
long as you shop through Lenovo.com/NAR. Free shipping on web orders is included.
Note: because these deals are just for NAR members, you may be prompted to create an account. Don't worry, sign-up is
fast and easy. Need help choosing the package that is right for you? Call a sales associate at the number below for personal assistance.
The following special deal is good through Aug. 22, 2014:
Employee Pricing From Lenovo® is back. During this limited time offer you and your family can save up to 30% on
select PCs and notebooks.
The following special deals are good through Aug. 31, 2014:
Discount on Select Tablets:
 A Series: 20% off — 7" to 10" wide view Android tablets
Discount on Select Laptops/Ultrabooks:






U Series: 25% off — designer laptops/ultrabooks
Z Series: 25% off — mainstream entertainment laptops
Flex 214 and 15: 25% off — slim multi-mode laptops
ThinkPad Yoga: 10% off — multimode business ultrabook
ThinkPad T440, T440p, T440s, T540p, W540: 10% off — notebooks
Y50 (excluding HD): 21% off — high-performance gaming notebooks
Discount on Select PCs/Desktops/Towers:






IdeaCentre Horizon: 20% off — multi user entertainment PC
A Series: 20% off — stylish all-in-one desktops
B Series: 20% off — multimedia all-in-one desktops
C Series: 20% off select models — entry-level all-in-one desktops
H Series: 20% off select models — budget-friendly ultra-small towers
K Series: 20% off — extreme performance towers
Think Savings. Think Lenovo. Visit the Lenovo website.
Contact This Partne
Purchase Lenovo's award-winning products at www.lenovo.com/NAR, or by calling 800-426-7235, extension 4827 to speak to a
Lenovo sales associate. Need help with your configuration? Just ask the sales associate for assistance.
Note: When ordering on line, if you do not already have a Lenovo account, be sure to select "Create Account" on the Lenovo page
for REALTORS® first.
13
Longmont Association of Realtors®
Mission Statement
The Longmont Association of REALTORS® helps it’s
Members to be ethical, professional and successful by
providing quality services, protecting the free enterprise
system and real property rights.
The Longmont Association of Realtors® is pledged to the letter and spirit of
U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. The Association encourages and supports an affirmative advertising and
marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining because of race,
color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or nation origin.
14