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Open Homes and Virtual Tour Quick Guide Looking for a home? View comprehensive listings of local virtual tours and open houses taking place from all across the area. December 10-11, 2021
How to Cope With a Housing Market That’s Hazardous to Buyers’ Mental Health
Gift of a Lifetime for First-Time Home Buyers
Those market conditions have intensified a process that’s always challenging into one that can test the mental health of even the most experienced homebuyer.
An exceptional gift idea is helping your relative or loved one with an interest rate or mortgage buydown. ATHOMECOLORADO.COM
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REAL ESTATE NEWS COLORADO HOME AND REAL ESTATE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeff Ostrowski Duane Duggan ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Thais Hafer Toni McNeill Mary Romano MANAGING EDITOR Greg Stone
EDITORIAL
At Home Colorado is a weekly publication designed for the Colorado home and real estate community. The Boulder County edition publishes Friday in the Boulder Daily Camera and Saturday in the Longmont Times-Call. The Northern Colorado edition publishes Saturday in the Greeley Tribune and Loveland Reporter-Herald. Submit news releases and articles to: gstone@prairiemountainmedia.com.
ADVERTISING
To advertise in At Home or to promote your virtual home tour visit AtHomeColorado.com/Advertise, call Thais Hafer at 303.473.1456, Toni McNeill at 303.684.5329 . At Home is an advertising feature of the Boulder Daily Camera, Greeley Tribune, Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald. ©2021 Prairie Mountain Media.
The Sagrillo Group creates new scholarship fund
BOULDER – Graduating Boulder County high school seniors just got a chance for help with the cost of their college education. The Sagrillo Group with RE/MAX of Boulder recently announced The Sagrillo Group Scholarship Fund, a merit-based scholarship fund for a Boulder County high school senior pursuing a two-year, four-year, vocational or technical school for the entire academic year starting in Fall of 2022. Applicants are asked to submit a 500-word essay on “What does home or the idea of home mean to you?” The essay topic is in keeping with the philosophy of The Sagrillo Group: Love where you live and enjoy the process of getting there. “I have been thinking about putting together a scholarship fund for many years. Now that my wife – and business partner – and I have one child in college and two others approaching their college years, I see just how important it is for students to have access to local scholarship funds,” said Dustin Sagrillo, broker associate and Colorado native. Whether home is a place or a feeling, The Sagrillo Group wants to hear from students in the Boulder County community about what home means to them. “In keeping with our team’s values, we based the scholarship on our strong connection to ‘home’ or our ideals of home since it’s where all our stories begin,” he said. “Writing about home, no matter the experience, is something we can all relate to and hopefully it will be easy and joyful to write about.” All graduating seniors in Boulder County with plans to continue their education full-time starting in Fall 2022 are encouraged to apply. The scholarship can be used toward tuition, books, fees and room and board.
The Sagrillo Group at RE/MAX of Boulder (Left to Right): Cameo Martine-Stern, Dustin Sagrillo, Lauryl Danuff Sagrillo
“My motivation for offering a scholarship comes from my own experience with my college-age daughter, who is now a sophomore,” said Cameo Martine-Stern, broker associate and former professional ballerina with New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Cleveland Ballet. “I watched her struggle through essay after essay, winning some scholarships and losing some. Ultimately it was two local scholarships that made it possible for her to pay for the honors college and a portion of her tuition for freshman year,” she added. The cost of college has continued to rise each year. Today the average price of tuition and fees comes to $38,070 at private colleges. Public college tuition and fees averages $10,740 for in-state residents and $27,560 for out-of-state students, according to the 2021 data from College Board Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid. Room and board costs are additional and average $13,620 at private colleges and $11,950 at public schools for 2021. As parents of college-age children, The Sagrillo Group has first-hand experience with how complex the college enrollment process can be, financially and practically.
“Scholarships can make a huge difference, open a door that may not have been opened and bring on opportunities that would not have presented themselves otherwise” noted Martine-Stern. “Scholarship assistance has a snowball effect.” The Sagrillo Group hopes that over time their annual scholarship fund will grow and that other community partners will donate so they will be able to help several students at a time. The goal is in keeping with their commitment to giving back to their community. This year’s scholarship is for $1,000. Applications include the 500-word essay, a high school transcript, any unusual circumstances relating to financial need, a letter of recommendation, a summary of activities and accomplishments and any additional information relevant to the scholarship. Full details are available at www.thesagrillogroup.com. Application deadline is March 15, 2022 with the completed application submitted to thesagrillogroup@gmail.com. All high-school seniors – regardless of ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic position – are encouraged to apply. For more information on The Sagrillo Group Scholarship Fund, visit www.thesagrillogroup.com.
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To place your listing, visit: openhomes.athomecolorado.com (scroll to the bottom for the order link).
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REAL ESTATE NEWS
Realtor.com® 2022 Housing Forecast reveals a whirlwind year ahead for buyers, especially first-timers PRNewswire SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Dec. 1) – Americans will have a better chance to find a home in 2022, but will face a competitive seller’s market as first-time buyer demand outmatches the inventory recovery, according to the Realtor.com® 2022 Housing Forecast. Additionally, with listing prices, rents and mortgage rates all expected to climb while incomes rise, 2022 will present a mixed bag of housing affordability challenges and opportunities. “Whether the pandemic delayed plans or created new opportunities to make a move, Americans are poised for a whirlwind year of home buying in 2022. With more sellers expected to enter the market as buyer competition remains fierce, we anticipate strong home sales growth at a more sustainable pace than in 2021,” said Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “Affordability will increasingly be a challenge as interest rates and prices rise, but remote work may expand search areas and enable younger buyers to find their first homes sooner than they might have otherwise. And with more than 45 million millennials within the prime first-time buying ages of 26 to 35 heading into 2022, we expect the market to remain competitive.”
With prospective sellers planning to increasingly enter the market this winter, Americans can look forward to more opportunities to make a successful home purchase. (Photo: Arina P Habich/Shutterstock).
hit their highest level in 16 years as buyers remain active and forsale inventory begins to recover from recent steep declines. 2022 buyers will face a competitive seller’s market, with record-high listing prices, fast-paced sales and limited for-sale home options as existing-home listings continue to lag behind pre-COVID levels. The new construction supply gap of 5.2 million new homes may shrink somewhat in 2022 as builders continue to ramp up production with a projected increase of 5% year-over-year. With prospective sellers planning to increasingly enter the market this winter, Americans
Realtor.com forecasts strong 2022 home sales and competition, as first-time buyers overwhelm recovering inventory levels Realtor.com forecasts 2022 home sales (+6.6% year-over-year) will
can look forward to more opportunities to make a successful home purchase. Affordability will be a growing consideration as mortgage rates and home prices rise, but a growing economy, strong employment market and workplace flexibility will enable more home shoppers to successfully buy their first homes without breaking their budgets. Additionally, with rents forecasted to grow at a faster annual pace (+7.1%) than for-sale home prices (+2.9%) in 2022, homebuying may become the more affordable option, when compared to renting, in many markets. Despite the challenging market, the
Wendy Conder
WENDY CONDER
303-775-0108 • wendy@wendyconder.com December 10-11, 2021
2022 housing trends reflect new home buying opportunities combined with the past decade of growing challenges Millennials fuel fierce firsttime buying competition for limited inventory through 2025: Millennial housing demand has been rising for years, but the pandemic ignited a first-time buying frenzy as the decade-long housing shortage converged with new opportunities for young buyers to pursue their first homes. Recent survey data shows millennials account for
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www.RealEstateInNorthernColorado.com Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. © 2017 C3 Real Estate Solution, LLC.
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How to cope with a housing market that’s hazardous to buyers’ mental health By Jeff Ostrowski Bankrate.com (TNS) As she hunted for a home this summer, first-time buyer Xinyu Li found herself feeling emotionally overwhelmed. She and her boyfriend had several offers rejected, and Xinyu compulsively checked online listings. “It was a lot of stress and anxiety,” she says. “I had to go to therapy.” Xinyu’s psychotherapist advised her on mindfulness strategies and suggested looking at online listings just once a day. After Xinyu closed on a condo and no longer devoted endless hours to her home search, she felt better and stopped seeing her therapist. Shopping for a home is a stressful experience even in normal times. Partly it’s the sheer size of the transaction — a house is the largest single purchase most people make. Then there are the emotional considerations about lifestyle issues such as commute times, school quality and neighborhood crime rates. Raising the stakes for homebuyers’ mental health, the housing market of 2021 is anything but normal. Prices have soared to record highs, inventory is super-tight and bidding wars are common. Those market conditions have intensified a process that’s always challenging into one that can test the mental health of even the most experienced homebuyer. “There’s a deeply emotional tie to homeownership in general,” says Ryan Gorman, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. “In a tough market and an inventory-constrained market, there are more buyers than there are homes to buy. When something is emotionally important to you, financially important to you, and challenging, it can be quite stressful.” Home prices on a tear During the coronavirus pandemic, home prices have risen at a double-digit clip. The typical American house sold for $352,800 in September, up from $311,500 a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors. In Xinyu’s case, the stakes were 6
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even higher. She and her boyfriend paid $882,000 for their Brooklyn condo. Those are the sort of numbers that create high-pressure situations, says Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist at Duke University and author of Predictably Irrational and other books. “All large purchases have the potential of creating a lot of stress,” Ariely says. “By definition, large purchases mean any mistake can be large. It’s inherent.” Bidding wars create many losers If buying a home is always stressful, today’s inventory shortage adds a new wrinkle: Sharp-elbowed buyers are fighting one another for homes. Only one person wins a bidding war. If there are a dozen buyers vying for one house, 11 walk away losers. “The biggest source of buyer disappointment is losing out on a property,” says Xinyu’s broker, James McGrath of real estate brokerage Yoreevo. “To avoid disappointment as much as possible, it’s important to have appropriate expectations. Losing out always stings, but if a buyer knows their odds are 25 percent instead of 95 percent, it won’t be so disappointing.” Of course, the level of competition adds a new layer of stress. Buyers know they need to bid aggressively to prevail in a bidding war – but that reality adds the risk of paying too much. ‘A hellish experience’ First-time buyer John Dempsey moved into his new place in early November. He paid $255,000 for a townhouse in Wilton Manors, Florida. That victory came only after a monthslong home search that he describes as “a hellish experience.” Dempsey lost bidding wars on six properties – after each time envisioning himself moving into the home he didn’t get. “You place a tiny little piece of your heart in the home. And then all of a sudden, the carpet is pulled out from under you,” Dempsey says. “You start to get despondent.” Dempsey struggled with an agent who often took hours to
A potential buyer with her Realtor view a home listed for sale during an open house. (Photo: Carline Jean/Sun Sentinel/TNS).
respond to his inquiries. He finally switched to a buyer’s agent with Better.com, the mortgage and real estate company where Dempsey works as an executive assistant. “She was so communicative,” Dempsey says. “She was like, ‘Don’t worry, you’re going to get it.’” Dempsey is happily at home in his new place, and he says the experience underscored the significance of feelings in the home-buying process. “I think people forget about the emotional connection home has,” Dempsey says. “To me, home is your solace. It’s your peace.” How to cope with a trying home sale market Homebuyers often focus on numbers. What’s my credit score? Where are mortgage rates? How much house can I afford? How much down payment do I put up? But emotions can be just as important, especially in an imbalanced market. Here are a few tactics and tricks to calm your mind and maintain your mental health: • Understand just how crazy this market is. Coldwell Banker’s Gorman suggests a “level-setting conversation” with your real estate agent to establish expectations around pricing, pacing and the level of competition. “Even if you’ve bought a house before, this market is not like it was then,” Gorman says. • Prepare to lose. “Losing is not fun in anything, whether it’s a game of checkers or the bid on a
home,” Gorman says. The deep emotional stakes with a home purchase make losing especially tough. • Pace yourself. Xinyu’s frantic searches of listings left her no closer to landing a property. “There’s kind of a paradox there,” Gorman says. “I’m not sure that endless Googling is going to give you any more information. Hitting refresh every five seconds is probably stressing you out and not really helping you.” • Find an agent to guide you through the process. Dempsey says his first agent’s spotty communication soured the process for him. Gorman isn’t surprised. “A lack of information creates a void that is often filled by fear,” he says. Gorman says “a quiet conversation with a skilled agent” is crucial. • Adopt the mindset of inevitability. Ariely says you should eliminate the yes-or-no part of the decision. “People need a new home, and there’s not an option not to get one,” he says. By dispensing with that bit of uncertainty, you can narrow your focus to choosing the right home. • Give yourself a time limit. Ariely suggests setting a deadline of three months, for instance. Within that time frame, accept the best property you can find. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com.
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Gift of a lifetime for first-time home buyers – Part 2 The holiday season is upon us and you may be thinking about finding a special or unique gift your family member or loved one could use for DUANE years to come. DUGGAN In my previous article entitled, “Part 1 – Gift of a Lifetime for First-Time Home Buyers,” I discussed gifting down payment funds or First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account (FHSA) contributions to first-time buyers to help purchase their new home. In this article, I will discuss another way you can help a home buyer. Even though the interest rates on home mortgages are historically low and very attractive, they are rising. As interest rates rise, a homebuyer’s purchasing power is reduced. An exceptional gift idea is helping your relative or loved one with an interest rate or mortgage buydown. Buying down an interest rate means buying points, which then lowers the interest rate, resulting in a lower monthly mortgage payment. This can make the difference between whether a buyer can afford a home or not -- and in the case of a permanent mortgage buydown, it can mean savings in monthly mortgage payments for years. The longer the new homeowner is planning on staying in the home, the more the longterm mortgage savings there will be. There are a variety of mortgage buydowns, but I want to touch on
An exceptional gift idea is helping your relative or loved one with an interest rate or mortgage buydown. (Photo: Pexels).
the 3-2-1 temporary buydown as well as the permanent mortgage buydown. Market forces do apply here, so be sure to consult your mortgage lender for availability and pricing. A 3-2-1 temporary buydown is simply that. You pay more at the closing to reduce the mortgage rate over the first three years of the repayment term. The rate will be reduced by 3% under the locked-in rate the first year, 2% lower the second year, and 1% lower the third year. For example, if the market interest rate is 6%, the rate would be 3% the first year, 4% the second year, 5% the third year, and 6% for the remaining 27 years. This can really help someone get into a home who is anticipating pay raises as they advance in their career. The pricing for a mortgage buydown like this is usually just the difference from what the payment should be and what the amount of the payment
actually being made is. The permanent mortgage buydown could be very beneficial to a homebuyer that is planning on staying in their home for several years. This type of buydown entails buying points for the entire life of the loan. Mortgage buydown pricing is market driven so a mortgage lender needs to be consulted for today’s pricing. However, buydown pricing might look something like this: Interest rate of 6.25%–0.00 par rate 6.125% – 0.25% of loan amount to buy the rate to 6.125% 6.00% – 0.50% of loan amount to buy the rate to 6.00% 5.875% – 1.00% of loan amount to buy the rate to 5.875% 5.75% – 1.75% of loan amount to buy the rate to 5.75% On a $400,000 mortgage, the numbers would be as follows:
$400,000 loan, 6.25% interest, monthly payment is $2,462.87. Pay 1.75% of the $400,000 to buy the rate to 5.75%, creating a monthly payment of $2,334.29 and a monthly savings of $128.58. 1.75% = $7,000 divided by monthly savings of $128.58= 54 months to stay in the house to break even. In this example, a gift of $7,000 would lower the monthly payment by $128.58, but the true long-term savings every month will accrue once the buyer stays in the home beyond 54 months. Be sure to consult your financial planner, accountant, mortgage loan officer, and Realtor to create a plan that is just right for your situation! To read Part 1, visit: athomecolorado.com/real-estateat-home-colorado/first-time-homebuyer/gift-of-a-lifetime-for-firsttime-home-buyers-part-1. Duane Duggan has been a Realtor for RE/MAX of Boulder in Colorado since 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career, the vast majority from repeat and referred clients. He has been awarded two of the highest honors bestowed by RE/ MAX International: The Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Legends Award. Living the life of a Realtor and being immersed in real estate led to the inception of his book, Realtor for Life. For questions, email DuaneDuggan@ boulderco.com, call 303.441.5611 or visit boulderco.com.
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Housing forecast (continued) over half (53%) of prospective buyers who plan to purchase their first home within the next year. Despite positive signs of inventory’s return to growth in 2022, this first-time buyer demand is expected to outmatch both new and existing-home inventory. As a result, home shoppers will face fierce competition in 2022 – and for at least the next three years as millennials finish their first time buying years, the relatively smaller Gen Z population increasingly enters the housing market, and more older Americans begin downsizing for retirement. Housing affordability issues will be a mixed bag: While historicallylow mortgage rates helped buyers better manage monthly housing costs in 2021, affordability will be an important consideration in 2022 as mortgage rates climb and home prices continue to rise 2.9%. However, a number of factors will help keep homeownership in reach for many buyers, including expected income growth of 3.3% by year end and declining unemployment, expected to drop from a projected 4.8% in the last three months of 2021 to 3.5%
during the same time period in 2022. Additionally, with rental prices expected to surge in 2022 as they catch-up from belowaverage growth seen during COVID, many markets may offer more affordable monthly first-time buying costs relative to rents. Shifting workplace dynamics create new home buying opportunities: From workplace flexibility to higher incomes, 2022 will see employees call the shots on issues that will play an increasingly important role in the housing market. As the economy grows and unemployment declines, bigger paychecks will enable buyers to compete even as housing costs rise, while more power to negotiate flexible workplace arrangements will allow home shoppers to explore lower-priced housing markets further from expensive city centers. In fact, recent survey data shows nearly one-in-five prospective sellers (19%) are looking to move because they no longer need to live near the office, up from just 6% in the spring. COVID compounds demand for more space – both inside and
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JUST LISTED
outside the home: Demand for more space has been a consistent trend throughout the pandemic and one that is expected to carry into 2022. With the number of Realtor.com viewers of suburban home listings rising 42.1% since the onset of COVID, the suburbs will continue to be more popular than big urban metros as home shoppers search for relatively affordable and larger homes. Recent data suggests builders will account for buyer preferences for more space in their 2022 production plans as new single-family homes have begun to get larger. However, with demand expected to outpace new construction growth and the typical 2,000 square foot singlefamily home price still rising at a double-digit annual pace in October (+16.7%), buyers may have to sacrifice extra space in order to afford a home in their desired area. Homeowner diversity will play an increasingly important role in the market: With U.S. demographic diversity increasing in younger generations, populations like Hispanic Americans will play a growing role in the 2022 housing market. Although they are underrepresented among homebuyers relative to their share of the population, the number of hispanic home shoppers is rising at a faster pace than non-Hispanics. Additionally, as the majority of new hispanic homeowners fell in the critical first-time buyer category, the population will increasingly drive housing demand and impact the homeownership rate in 2022 and beyond. “Our Housing Forecast suggests that we’re in store for
another dynamic year of activity, but 2022 will also come with growing pains as we navigate the path forward from the height of the pandemic toward a new normal,” said George Ratiu, Manager of Economic Research for Realtor.com. “With most real estate markets expected to be competitive in 2022, it’s important to remember that you’re in the driver’s seat of your real estate journey. The bottom line for buyers is to make sure you’re comfortable with your timeline and budget – and especially for younger buyers making this massive financial decision for the first time. For sellers, take into account your local market conditions as well as the likely increase in the number of homes for sale, and price yours competitively. The good news is that sites like Realtor.com provide more advanced digital real estate tools than ever before, including personalized matching to highquality real estate agents in your local area, to help you chart the best path forward for you and your family.” Homebuyers can use online tools like affordability calculators to get a sense of how much they can afford in the 2022 housing market, as well as apps to set up personalized searches and price alerts on new listings matching their criteria. Additionally, sellers can use online resources to explore multiple home valuations, instant offers from Opendoor, the Knock Home Swap™ for those buying a next home at the same time, and more.
1437 Beatrice Ct. - Hover Village Patio Townhomes
Nothing beats a solid brick home for warmth and quiet. This home includes Stainless Kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, AC, & is clean and ready! The 2bed 2 ba 1300+ Sq ft is all on one floor. No basement! HOA includes lawn care and snow removal to your door, as well as roof and exterior maintenance. One Owner and resident must be at least 55 years old in this W Longmont Community. Open Sat. 12-2 Offers by Sun. at 4PM.
Elliott Apartments are located in a historic residential neighborhood in Longmont, Colorado. Just two blocks from beautiful main street Longmont, Elliott Apartments has easy access to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
Offering 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments.
MLS#956016 TOUR: https://tours.virtuance.com/1937687
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AT HOME COLORADO
Dave@WagnerColorado.com
418 Emery St. Longmont • (303) 772-6452 BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES CALL
1301 Canyon Boulevard, Unit #405 | Boulder, CO 80302 LISTED FOR $2,150,000 An exclusive completely remodeled condo on the upper most floor, away from the busy streets but part of the energized Boulder lifestyle. Crisp and clean, sophisticated but understated, walls of windows, an open space to celebrate life.
Barb Silverman
Sales Associate 303.886.5329 bsilverman@livsothebysrealty.com BarbSilverman.com
Member of the Exclusive
1050 Walnut Street, Suite 100 | Boulder, Colorado | 303.443.6161 | livsothebysrealty.com © MMXXI Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.
December 10-11, 2021
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Tips: • Purchase gift cards in store and ensure they have not been tampered with • Purchase e-gift cards directly from retailer or a reputable site
COVERPROFILE
Temporary holiday jobs scams
Fraudsters know that retailers are using this time to attract seasonal employees. Beware of fraudulent job ads aimed at stealing money and personal information from applicants. Red Flags: • Employer asking for a payment upfront to start work • Jobs that do not require an interview • Outrageous wage for simple tasks
HOME
Tips for identifying and avoiding holiday scams DENVER – With the holidays in full swing, Westerra Credit Union offers these proactive tips in protecting consumers from possible scams that increase during this time. Financial fraud takes place year-round; however, it is particularly common during the holiday season. Below is a list of themes fraudsters use and what consumers should look out for during the busy holiday season.
Charity scams
Scammers play on consumers’ generosity by pretending to be a charity. Red Flags: • Spoofed website • Unsolicited phone call • Fake phone number (Scammers change their caller ID to make a call look like it is from a local area code.) 12
AT HOME COLORADO
• Scammers use names that sounds similar to real charities • Scammers claim that your donation is tax deductible Tips: • Research charities before you donate and make sure that the charity is legitimate • Make sure you know who you are donating to before your click on any links from an unsolicited email • Refer to the following website for additional information: www.ftc.gov/charity
Social media and online shopping
Scammers offer deals that are too good to be true. The victim ends up paying for an item and giving away personal information, compromising their identity and ending up with nothing in return.
Red Flags: • Social media posts and websites that offer vouchers and gift cards as incentives • “Known” friends sharing links for online surveys • Brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices Tips: • Do your due diligence to check the legitimacy of a website prior to providing personal information • Steer clear of untrustworthy sites with unrealistic discounts
Gift card scams
Fraudsters will scratch off the activation code and cover it back up for someone else to purchase. Red Flags: • Altered/damaged back of gift card
Tips: • Google the company name and address to make sure it matches what has been provided • Research the company on the Better Business Bureau site www.bbb.com • Never work for a company prior to being officially hired • Never send money to a job/ employer - they should be providing you with pay
Delivery scams
A message, phone call or email informs you that a pending delivery was delayed. You may be prompted to click on a link or provide your personal information so that they may retrieve more details pertaining to the package. There may also be times where you may receive an unsolicited check with instructions on how to complete the deposit. Fraudsters may also attempt to trick you into depositing fraudulent checks and request that funds are sent back via a check or gift cards. Red Flags: • Unsolicited communications (email, phone call or letter in the mail) Tips: • Never click on links within an unsolicited email • Never provide personal information to unknown individuals • Never deposit an unsolicited check • Track your packages through a CONTINUED - See Page 12
BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES CALL
Boulder’s Independent Real Estate Professionals
14025 N 87 St th
$1,500,000
9 acres with 2-bed, 1-bath home. Upgraded kitchen and bathroom, new paint and roof. Highland Ditch and old-growth trees. Convenient location just minutes from Hygiene, Longmont, hiking, biking and McIntosh Lake.
0 Peak to Peak Highway $100,000 Mountain get away on nearly an acre. No HOA. Easily accessible.
8181 N 41st St Just Sold Custom home with Flatirons views, outbuildings, and irrigation.
8127 Hygiene Rd $995,000 Cute and private ranch house with attached greenhouse, detached garage, trees and water rights on 1.6 acres. December 10-11, 2021
7852 Scenic Dr $1,625,000 Lovely, remodeled home in coveted Paul Nor Estates, on nearly an acre. Private, shaded, fully fenced yard.
303.444.3177 klrealty.net team@klrealty.net ATHOMECOLORADO.COM
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Identifying holiday scams (continued) genuine website Travel Scams Scammers promise a free vacation or a bargain-priced timeshare or vacation rental. Never provide personal information for the promise of a vacation deal. Red Flags: • Unsolicited communications (email, phone call or letter in the mail) • Significantly low prices on a vacation/timeshare • Requests for personal information such as bank account number, social security number, etc.
• Avoid following links to their website - this could potentially be a spoofed website
Letter from Santa Scams
This scam preys on families who participate in Letters from Santa. There are spoofed sites that will request personal and specific information about children. The provided information may contribute to identity theft. Red Flags: • Unsolicited communications (email, phone call or letter in the mail) • Site that requests personal information • Site that requests credit card information as a form of payment
Tips: • Never click on links within an unsolicited email • Never provide personal information to unknown individuals
Tips: • Never click on links within an
unsolicited email • Ignore unsolicited phone calls • Do your research • Keep an eye out for poor spelling and grammar • If you do decide to pay for the letter, make sure that you pay through a secure channel
• If the purchase sounds too good to be true it could possibly be a fraudulent offer • Conduct a reverse image search – if the same picture appears on multiple sites it is likely fraud • Consider your local animal shelter as an option
Puppy Scams
Be alert throughout the holiday season, become familiar with the potential dangers and do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns. If you suspect your information has been compromised, contact the impacted financial institution right away. Enjoy this wonderful time of year by being precautious and shopping smart. For more financial safety tips and scam alerts visit westerracu.com/ news/fraud-alerts. Westerra Credit Union has branch locations across Metro Denver including at 7270A W. 88th Ave. in Arvada.
‘Tis the season to introduce a new member to the family. However, pet scams are on the rise and you should make sure to request to see the pet in person prior to making a purchase. Red Flags: • Purchasing the pet sight-unseen • Not being able to view the pet in person or by live video • Using a wire, cash app and or gift cards as a payment method Tips: • Research your breed to get a sense of a fair price
Boulder/Longmont Area Real Estate Statistics HOUSE SALES
Year to Date
October 2021 Statistics
Average Sales Price
Sold Listings Location
Sold Inventory Avg. Sales Listings Price Boulder 102 92 $1,649,326 Erie 28 36 $774,904 Lafayette 24 15 $868,771 Longmont 113 92 $644,080 Louisville 10 14 $1,002,500 Lyons 14 41 $839,093 Mountains 49 55 $1,235,508 Niwot 4 7 $771,000 Plains 49 58 $966,451 Superior 5 9 $994,100 Total 398 419
Days on Market 44 36 44 34 35 13 55 20 36 26
October 2021 Statistics
Median Sales Price $1,255,000 $715,000 $752,500 $559,500 $936,000 $792,500 $850,000 $729,500 $815,000 $985,000
Location Boulder Erie Lafayette Longmont Louisville Lyons Mountains Niwot Plains Superior Total
Thru Oct-20 874 472 297 1,247 182 87 363 53 552 104 4,231
Thru Oct-21 981 267 247 1,064 153 96 404 53 469 73 3,807
% Chg 12.2 (43.4) (16.8) (14.7) (15.9) 10.3 11.3 0.0 (15.0) (29.8)
Sold Inventory Avg. Sales Listings Price Boulder 49 70 $668,923 Erie 3 4 $386,667 Lafayette 9 6 $502,297 Longmont 26 8 $377,392 Louisville 7 2 $547,676 Lyons 0 0 $0 Mountains 0 0 $0 Niwot 1 0 $275,000 Plains 12 7 $413,667 Superior 4 5 $700,307 Total 111 102
Days on Market 68 39 98 39 2 0 0 59 44 40
Median Sales Price $510,000 $410,000 $463,535 $380,000 $483,010 $0 $0 $275,000 $394,500 $720,621
Location Boulder Erie Lafayette Longmont Louisville Lyons Mountains Niwot Plains Superior Total
Median Sales Price
Days on Market
Thru % Chg Oct-21 $1,550,422 26.3 $738,896 23.7 $851,493 25.7 $695,107 25.7 $938,264 24.0 $777,219 33.8 $1,032,524 29.8 $1,425,178 15.9 $1,270,490 45.0 $1,020,928 43.4
CONDO & TOWNHOME SALES
Location Boulder Erie Lafayette Longmont Louisville Lyons Mountains Niwot Plains Superior
Thru Oct-20 62 50 47 59 45 62 75 93 67 41
Thru Oct-21 51 33 46 37 30 43 67 59 51 33
% Chg (17.7) (34.0) (2.1) (37.3) (33.3) (30.6) (10.7) (36.6) (23.9) (19.5)
Thru Thru % Chg Oct-20 Oct-21 $959,950 $1,275,000 32.8 $570,000 $684,000 20.0 $615,000 $771,000 25.4 $478,000 $560,000 17.2 $698,175 $850,000 21.7 $574,000 $708,000 23.3 32.8 $629,000 $835,000 $1,140,000 $1,273,000 11.7 30.2 $714,250 $930,000 45.2 $675,000 $980,000
Year to Date
Thru Oct-20 603 64 115 279 93 4 9 17 104 48 1,336
Thru Oct-21 687 43 129 242 61 0 3 15 119 56 1,355
Days on Market
Average Sales Price
Sold Listings Location
Thru Oct-20 $1,227,695 $597,095 $677,582 $553,090 $756,448 $580,991 $795,206 $1,229,228 $876,450 $712,163
% Chg 13.9 (32.8) 12.2 (13.3) (34.4) (100.0) (66.7) (11.8) 14.4 16.7
Thru Oct-20 $551,746 $349,397 $401,053 $367,289 $486,866 $410,000 $501,111 $325,971 $374,181 $512,151
Thru Oct-21 $590,834 $427,395 $465,979 $408,831 $505,745 $0 $377,633 $313,920 $403,410 $638,343
% Chg
Location
7.1 22.3 16.2 11.3 3.9 (100.0) (24.6) (3.7) 7.8 24.6
Boulder Erie Lafayette Longmont Louisville Lyons Mountains Niwot Plains Superior
Thru Oct-20 63 58 59 54 98 129 85 78 57 78
Thru Oct-21 66 35 49 39 71 0 64 32 44 48
Median Sales Price % Chg 4.8 (39.7) (16.9) (27.8) (27.6) (100.0) (24.7) (59.0) (22.8) (38.5)
Thru Oct-20 $465,000 $313,000 $401,500 $354,000 $459,700 $400,000 $390,000 $300,000 $352,750 $466,000
Thru Oct-21 $495,000 $415,000 $465,000 $400,000 $466,900 $0 $339,900 $301,000 $375,000 $637,336
% Chg 6.5 32.6 15.8 13.0 1.6 (100.0) (12.8) 0.3 6.3 36.8
Data Source: IRES- Information Real Estate Services
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AT HOME COLORADO
BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES CALL
OPEN HOUSES // VIRTUAL TOURS
QUICK GUIDE
LIST YOUR OPEN HOUSE OR VIRTUAL TOUR: VISIT OPENHOMES.ATHOMECOLORADO.COM OR CALL 303.473.1456, 303.684.5329
BOULDER
LONGMONT
5468 White Place $750,000 Sunday, 12 noon to 3 p.m. Bill Allen RE/MAX of Boulder (303) 441-5690
1437 Beatrice Court $399,000 Saturday, 12 noon to 2 p.m. David Wagner CRS, GRI, Equity Colorado - Front Range (720) 244-0980
7215 Lookout Road $760,000 Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Natasha Hubbard RE/MAX Alliance (303) 909-3810
Home, Sweet Home.
At Home Colorado presents engaging content about homes, from buying and selling to improvement, landscaping and design. It also features homes for sale, open house listings and local real estate news. Look for it Fridays in the Boulder Daily Camera and Saturdays in the Longmont Times-Call or visit AtHomeColorado.com.
For advertising information call Thais Hafer 303.473.1456, Toni McNeill 303.684.5929 or Mary Romano 303.473.1450.
December 10-11, 2021
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RECENTLY LISTED HOMES Affordable Housing Program
LAFAYETTE | 705 PASCHAL DRIVE
BOULDER | 1606 ZAMIA AVE
BOULDER | 3261 AIRPORT ROAD D106
4 BR * 4 BA * 3024 TSF (951048) * $915,000
3 BR * 1 BA * 1004 TSF (955610) * $134,533
1 BR * 1 BA * 706 TSF (955792) * $435,000 OPEN SUNDAY 12 - 3 PM
LOUISVILLE | 2274 PARK LANE
ARVADA | 5537 LEWIS COURT UPPR 206
BOULDER | 5468 WHITE PLACE
3 BR * 3 BA * 3138 TSF (955971) * $860,000
2 BR * 2 BA * 1313 TSF (955976) * $449,000
2 BR * 2 BA * 1948 TSF (955990) * $750,000
FREDERICK | 5511 TIPPLE PARKWAY
LONGMONT | 3101 SPINNAKER DRIVE
BOULDER | 315 BELLEVUE DRIVE
PRIME 3.33 ACRES (956025) * $490,000
3 BR * 3 BA * 2524 TSF (956049) * $515,000
3 BR * 2 BA * 2090 TSF (956130) * $1,995,000
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2425 Canyon #110 | 1320 Pearl 16
AT HOME COLORADO
303.449.7000 | BoulderCO.com BOULDER DAILY CAMERA / LONGMONT TIMES CALL