Jobs & Volunteering in Boulder

October 17, 2013 by

Jobs & Volunteering in Boulder

Boulder County is a caring county government that offers professional growth, an inclusive culture, comprehensive benefits and daily opportunities to make a difference in the community. Learn about current job offerings, volunteer opportunities, and internships. Boulder County is a great place to work, play and live. Come join us!

Featured Programs

Current Openings

Current Openings

View all current employment opportunities with Boulder County.

Medical Reserve Corps

Medical Reserve Corps

The Medical Reserve Corps of Boulder County (MRCBC) works to establish teams of trained, local volunteer medical, public health, and safety professionals who can contribute their skills and exp

 

 

John Marcotte

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Mysteries of underwriting explored

October 16, 2013 by

Mysteries of underwriting explored

If you are a real estate professional and  want to get a better handle on changes regarding credit scoring, mortgage underwriting guidelines, and how to better prepare buyers for the home loan process, you will want to attend a continuing education course on tap next week.

 

The course, titled Mysteries Unlocked – Credit Scores & UnderwritingChallenges,  will be held from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the Mount Vernon Country Club at 24933 Club House Circle in Golden.

It only costs $8 and includes an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet!

Those attending can earn one continuing education credit.

Speakers at the conference will be Jim Kaiser, sales director of Evergreen-based Advantage Credit and Gayle Campbell, vice president of underwriting at Universal Lending. The class is part of the 2013 “Back to School Series” of courses sponsored by Universal  Lending Corp. andLand Title Guarantee, which also are sponsors of InsideRealEstateNews.com.

The credit scoring portion of the class, among other things, will address:

  • Scoring models;
  • How to increase potential buying power with better scores;
  • And how current changes in the market will impact scores.

The class also will address the next year’s Qualified Mortgage Standards that go into effect on Jan. 10, 2014. Campbell is prepared to address and answer any questions on this crucial and important topic.

If you would like to attend, go to Universal Lending Corp. Registration.

 

 

John Marcotte

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Boulder homeless housing on tap

October 15, 2013 by

 

Boulder homeless housing on tap

Ground will be broken on Wednesday on this energy-efficient homeless housing development in Boulder.

Ground will be broken on Wednesday on this energy-efficient homeless housing development in Boulder.

Boulder Housing Partners  will break ground on Boulder’s first permanent supportive housing development for the chronically homeless at noon on Wednesday.The 31-unit apartment community will provide permanent homes and supportive services for homeless individuals to help them achieve long-term stability and self-reliance.

The $7.6 million development, which follows the national Housing Firstmodel, will increase the number of permanent housing units available to Boulder residents who have suffered from chronic homelessness, a critical component of Boulder’s 10 year plan to end homelessness.

“The recent flood event reminds us all about the significance of a stable home, and how fragile the line can be between being housed and being homeless,” said Betsey Martens, executive director of BHP. “We are excited to have arrived at this day when it’s time to put a shovel in the ground and begin to create a permanent and safe home for people who’ve not had one for a very long time. We are grateful to the community for an engaged and vigorous dialog that resulted in support for 1175 Lee Hill.”

The development will be  at 1175 Lee Hill Drive in North Boulder, at the intersection of Lee Hill Drive and Broadway. The two-story, multifamily apartment building will offer 31 one-bedroom, fully-furnished units. Residents will also have access to a variety of indoor and outdoor community spaces, laundry facilities and a community room for classes and social events. The general contractor is Denueve Construction and it is being designed by Humphries Poli Architects.

Each resident will be assigned a case manager whose role is to assist them in obtaining available community services such as federal income benefits, medical care, counseling, and job training.  BHP will contract with the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless to provide on-site case managers for the residents of 1175 Lee Hill.

BHP is a national leader in sustainable affordable housing development.  Accordingly, 1175 Lee Hill is designed to be 30 percent more energy efficient than city code. A 56 kW solar array will be installed on the roof, offsetting 100 percent of the common area electricity demand.  It will integrate a variety of energy efficiency and sustainable features which will contribute to a low-maintenance, comfortable and healthy living environment.

Prospective tenants are eligible to apply if they are an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Financing sources for the development include:

  • Boulder County;
  • Colorado Division of Housing;
  • City of Boulder;
  • Fannie Mae;
  • And the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority.

Interested parties can register for project updates and join an interest list at: http://www.boulderhousing.org/LeeHill

 

 

John Marcotte

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RE/MAX soars

October 14, 2013 by

 

RE/MAX soars

Denver-based RE/MAX began trading this morning. Although soaring may be a better way to describe it.

 

The stock went public at $22 per share, slightly higher than the $19 to $22 range originally anticipated in the initial public offering the Class A shares. Soon after it started trading under the symbol RMAX on the NewYork Stock Exchange, the stock rose almost $5 a share, or more than 22 percent. The total market cap of the company, however, was not immediately apparent.

In addition, the company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.5 million shares of Class A common stock to cover over-allotments, if any.

The net proceeds of the offering are estimated to be approximately $194.2 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.

The company, founded in Denver by David and Gail Liniger in 1973, intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to reacquire regional RE/MAX franchise rights in select markets, redeem preferred membership interests and to repurchase ownership stakes from existing shareholders.

Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

William Blair, RBC Capital Markets and JMP Securities are acting as co-managers for the offering. Perella Weinberg Partners is acting as advisor to RE/MAX.

 

 

John Marcotte

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Ravenna’s vision remains

October 13, 2013 by

 

Ravenna’s vision remains

Ravenna

Ravenna

When Glenn Jacks first unveiled the 634-acre Ravenna luxury housing community near Waterton Canyon in Douglas County, he had this to say about the development with giant red rock outcroppings giving it a postcard worthy rugged beauty: “The big thing is that we can’t mess it up.”

That was in 2005.

At first, the rich were lining up to often spend $500,000 or more to buy lots at Ravenna, which takes its name from an Italian city that served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire 1,600 years ago.

“From 2006 to 2007 things were going great and we were selling beyond our pro forma pricing,” said Jacks, whose River Canyon Real EstateInvestments LLC was the developer.

Then the Great Recession hit.

“We felt the pain,” Jacks said. “Denver was no different from any other place in the country. It was a miserable time.”

After sales that came to a virtual halt, Jacks, limited liability company filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code for the 243-lot community.

The bankruptcy filing listed $19.7 million in assets and $45.3 million in liabilities.

Earlier this year, the Gold Club at Ravenna emerged from bankruptcy, with Jacks still in charge of the community.

Last week, officials reported that in the past month more than 30 lots have been reserved and two homes have closed.

Lot prices drop

Lots now are priced from $200,000, a fraction of the original listing prices.

“Custom homes are in high demand and the market is steadily gaining momentum, especially in Colorado,” said Dale Schossow, of Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing brokerage firm.

Ravenna includes an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jay Morrish.

“With most of Denver’s golf course communities already built out, Ravenna’s land appeals to buyers looking to build their very own dream home.”

Jacks said prospective buyers are coming from Evergreen, Genesee, “and other foothill communities,” as well as nearby Ken Caryl Ranch.

“We’re even getting some people who are living in Cherry Creek North or downtown, and want to trade urban living for the true Colorado experience, but still being close to all the amenities downtown,” Jacks said.

Golf Club at Ravenna

Golf Club at Ravenna

S. Robert August, who initially marketed Ravenna for Jacks, said the land is gorgeous.

“It’s a remarkable piece of land,” August said. “The property is beautiful. It’s one of the nicest sites you will find anywhere in the U.S.”

Full article here

 

 

John Marcotte

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Estes Park flooding impact

October 12, 2013 by

Estes Park flooding impact

More than 1,000 jobs could be lost because of a drop in tourism as a result of the recent flooding in Estes Park,  according to an analysis byColorado State University.

 

A drop in tourist visits to Estes Park as a result of flood-damaged roads could have a ripple effect through the rest of Colorado’s economy, shows a preliminary analysis conducted by the Regional Economics Institute at CSU.

With major roads leading into Estes Park damaged or destroyed, it is clear there will be a drop in tourist activity, the report notes.

The full extent will depend on how quickly the state’s highway infrastructure in the northern foothills can be repaired.

The report examined a variety of scenarios, including the possibility that tourist visits to the western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park could drop between 30 and 100 percent.

If tourism activity in Estes Park were to decline 70 percent, it could translate into a loss of 1,111 jobs, a $90 million decrease in stateeconomic activity, and a $46.1 million drop in real household income. In addition, state tax revenue could dip by $5.8 million and local tax revenue by $4.4 million.

“We know that tourism is a major driver of Colorado’s economy and the damaging floods will certainly have an impact on access to Estes Park, one of Northern Colorado’s strongest tourist draws, though only time will tell how significant that impact will be,” said Martin Shields, director of the Regional Economics Institute at CSU. “Our preliminary research, however, indicates that any reduction in tourist visits to Estes Park will have an impact on the state’s broader economy and it could be significant. We’ve provided some very rough numbers in our report, and more study would be warranted to understand the complete picture.”

Shields, co-author of the report with professor of economics Harvey Cutler, believes that if reduced accessibility to Estes Park persists into 2014, many potential visitors will reconsider their vacation plans. This reduces not only visitation to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, but complementary destinations in Colorado as well, from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs along the Front Range and from Steamboat Springs to Aspen in the mountain areas.

Estes Park saw an estimated $187 million in tourism expenditures in 2011, with approximately 56 percent of visitors from out of state. The report also projects the impact of 100-percent and 30-percent losses of tourism activity in Estes Park and demonstrates the economic urgency of repairing tourism-critical roadways. Read full article here 

 

John Marcotte

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Best September for home contracts

October 11, 2013 by

 

Best September for home contracts

YTD closings. Source: Gary Bauer, Metrolist.

YTD closings. Source: Gary Bauer, Metrolist.

You don’t have to tell Lydia Lin that last month was a record September for home sales activity in the Denver area.

Last month, she put about 10 homes under contract in as many days, despite being on vacation for five of those days.

“It’s crazy,” said Lin, owner of One Realty in Denver. “I’ve sold almost 50 homes this year, while in all of last year I sold 32.”

Reports by independent broker Gary Bauer and Metrolist showed 5,337 homes were placed under contract in September, the best September on record.

A total of 4,730 homes were closed, the third best September for closings. Closings reflect homes that were placed under contract in previous months.

Bauer said some Realtors he talked to, like Lin, had a fantastic September, while others saw a steeper than normal decline.

Indeed, while contracts were up 19.7 percent from a September 2012, they were down 16 percent from August, which also was a record, with 6,353 contracts being written.

Closings showed the same trend, falling by 16.1 percent from August, but rose 19.8 percent from August 2012.

Part of the drop was the normal seasonal decline, which likely will continue for the rest of the year, Bauer said.

Lydia Lin

Lydia Lin

“Right now, we’re still seeing a lot of activity in hyper-local neighborhoods like West Highland, LoHi, Berkeley, Sunnyside and other neighborhoods,” Bauer said. “What is happening in Berkeley is just amazing.”

Also, he and others said if the governmental shutdown continues, it also will hurt the market more than normal.

Lin said September started out slow, but picked up in the middle of the month when mortgage rates fell.

“It seems like the last couple of weeks, things are just going kind of gangbusters,” she said.

Falling rates have been key, said Peter Niederman, CEO of Kentwood Real Estate. Read full article here

 

John Marcotte

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RE/MAX stock soars another 12%

October 10, 2013 by

 

RE/MAX stock soars another 12%

The trend continues.

Denver-based RE/MAX has been trading on the New York Stock Exchangefor two days and both days it has been the second biggest percentage gainer on the NYSE.

It went public at $22, higher than the expected $19 to $21 per share. RE/MAX issued 10 million shares, raising $220 million.

On Wednesday, it closed at $27, a 22.7 percent first-day gain.

Today, it gained another $3.21, for an 11.89 percent jump, on a day that the S&P 500 and the Down Jones Industrial Average each fell 0.9 percent.

Since the franchise real estate company started trading, it has gained 37.3 percent. Some 2.45 million shares traded today. It traded as high as $31.08 today.

Not everyone is a fan of the stock, which trades under the symbol RMAX.

CNBC commentator Jim Cramer called it a “sell.”

Given the state of the economy, a falling equities market, and  a potential debt default that could be a disaster for the real estate market, Cramer was baffled why the IPO of RE/MAX went so well.

Cramer said he would prefer to avoid investing in a newly publicly tradedcompany at this time, or in the real estate sector. RE/MAX, of course, is both. Cramer said he feels he is one of the few who is properly factoring in the potential downside to the shares of RE/MAX.

RE/MAX was founded in Denver in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger. They remain the largest shareholders, owning 61 percent.

Read entire article here 

 

John Marcotte

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September – 2013 Real Estate Market Stats

October 9, 2013 by

September – 2013 Real Estate Market Stats

The leaves are changing, the temperatures dropping and there is a slight uncertainty on how the last three months of 2013 will progress. One thing that is certain is that the housing market in Colorado is still very strong and record numbers continue to be the trend each month.

Wishing you a colorful October!

September – 2013 Real Estate Market Stats

Residential Sales

Entire MLS (All Areas)

Residential Highlights:

  • 18% increase in the number of closed sales year-over-year
  • 20.2% increase in the number of closed sales year to date
  • 39.1% decrease in average days on market (39 days in September)
  • .7% decrease in # of active listings
  • 11.4% increase in # of new listings (4097 new listings in September)
  • 8.1% increase in average price – sold ($331,382 in September)

Condo Highlights:

  • 26.7% increase in number of closed sales year-over-year
  • 26.8% increase in number of closed sales year to date
  • 42.2% decrease in average days on market (37 days in September)
  • .7% decrease in #  of active listings
  • 7.1% increase in # of new listings (968 new listings in September)
  • 11.5% increase in average price – sold ($208,364 in September)

Click here for Full report of entire MLS

Courtesy of Land Title

 

John Marcotte

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Resort roller coaster leads to suit

October 8, 2013 by

 

Resort roller coaster leads to suit

A drawing of what some Beaver Creek residents are calling a mountain roller coaster.

A drawing of what some Beaver Creek residents are calling a mountain roller coaster.

An entertainment center that would include what is being called a “mountain roller coaster,” prompted some residents of in Beaver Creek to file a lawsuit against Vail Resorts.

Vail Resorts, which owns Beaver Creek and is developing the center, announced last week it had started construction on new recreational activities on private land it owns above what is called the Ranch and is accesible by the Buckaroo Express Gondola.

The recreational amenities include what it is calling the “Forest Flyer,” which will be tobaggons on steel tracks with curves, circles and dips.

Opponents call it a roller coaster at a mountain amusemetn park on a mountain facing Beaver Creek Village, as close as two blocks of some residential neighborhoods.

However, Beaver Creek remains undaunted by the suit filed by the Beaver Creek Property Owners Assocation and the Greystone Condominium Association.

“Beaver Creek is committed to providing new activities for kids on a year round basis that allow families to enjoy the beautiful and iconic nature of our mountain while also having fun and exhilarating experiences,” said Doug Lovell, chief operating officer, Beaver Creek Resort.

“Beaver Creek has a 30-plus year track record of industry leading guest service and doing so in a way that always delivers on our brand promise,” Lovell continued.

He said the planned activity center followed a “very public process.”

The neighbors suing Vail Resorts find little to like about the development.

Permanently “scar” mountain

“We believe an amusement park complex is not appropriate for a setting like Beaver Creek, where the rides will permanently scar the face of the mountain and alter the character and beauty of this valley for both residents and visitors,” said Tim Maher, president of the board of the Beaver Creek Property Owners association board of directors.

“The amusement park rides would be a distance of less than two football fields from the closest homes and well within sight and earshot of many homeowners’ bedroom windows,” he said.

The new amusement rides proposed at this point, opponent contend, include a roller coaster operated year-round, a ropes challenge course/zip line, a summer tubing hill and an operations building to support the roller coaster.

The roller coaster would run on a one-half mile long steel track, also requiring the installation of 2,000 feet of safety vinyl fencing with the help of a fence contractor and nearly 3,000 feet (10 football fields) of structural metal.

The BCPOA alleges that in addition to marring the view of almost every home with a mountain view in the valley, the proximity of the roller coaster to homes would generate year-round noise given its capacity of accommodating up to 500 riders per hour.

“Most people would agree an amusement park is not a good fit and very off-brand for Beaver Creek, which Vail Resorts markets as a premiere, world-class resort,” said Barry Parker, vice president of the BCPOA board. “The roller coaster proposed at Beaver Creek would be the only installation of its kind this close to residential areas in any U.S. mountain resort.”

“The vast majority of coasters in the U.S. are installed at amusement parks or water parks, not luxury resorts.”

He also raised environmental concerns.

“Based on our review of the plans, construction of an amusement park complex at Beaver Creek would also result in significant environmental damage, including the removal of 350 mature aspen trees for the roller coaster alone,” Parke said.

Vail Resorts’ landscape plan only calls for replacing those trees with 92 significantly smaller trees, he said.

“This environmental damage is a direct contradiction to Vail Resorts’ stated core philosophy that their resorts operate in some of the world’s greatest natural environments, and they are compelled to care for and preserve them,” Parker said.

The 50-foot tall high ropes challenge course would be built directly over a wetland area and stream that feeds into the Eagle and Colorado Rivers. Vail Resorts has not yet obtained permits from the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

Colorado Open Lands, a private, non-profit land conservation and land trust organization, holds the conservation easement for the land on which Vail Resorts plans to build the amusement park complex, he said.

 

Read the full article here

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John Marcotte

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