As discussed in last month’s newsletter, the “New Normal” in our real estate markets is scarce inventory and rising prices. The number of listings for sale is at an all time low. Colorado led the nation in 2014 for home price appreciation with a gain of 8.4% according to the recent year-end numbers from Core Logic.
As 2015 got underway, the market continued to show strength, but is clearly struggling with the lack of inventory. The volume of real estate sold across all Front Range markets in January increased 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Inventory levels increased to 2.1 months. However, the increase was probably more a result of the typical January fall-off in sales than it was due to an influx of new listings. In fact, we are starting the year at an even lower supply of listings on the market than last January’s level of 2.8 months.
The Super Bowl is behind us and the spring market is in full gear. Buyers and the agents who represent them are scouring the market trying to find homes for their clients to purchase.
As a result, many homeowners are receiving letters or solicitations stating that they have buyers interested in their home, and asking if they might consider selling. Enticed by an easy sale and a price that may be higher than expected due to three consecutive years of appreciation, some homeowners are selling without listing the home and exposing the property to all the buyers in the market.
Other sellers who’ve listed with an agent are allowing their agent to limit the market exposure of the property to a limited number of buyers working with that agent or just within the agent’s office.
In a market this hot, both of these courses of action could be a mistake. At the risk of sounding overdramatic, not exposing a property to the entire market or taking the first offer that comes along could cost a seller thousands, ten of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In the new normal, almost any house will sell if the price is set low enough. The demand is out there. The real challenge is to get the highest price and the most favorable terms to ensure the sale closes.
There are times when it might make complete sense for a seller to take the first offer that comes along. This is a fluid, rapidly moving, and somewhat tricky market to navigate.
Which is why it’s critical to work with a real estate agent that you can trust. An agent who will help you lay out your options, assess the advantages and disadvantages of any given course of action, and allow you to make the decision that makes the most sense for you (not for the agent!). In short, a trusted advisor.
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Historic building becomes pop-up art space
for March Loveland Art Studio Tour fundraiser
Loveland, Colorado – Like peanut butter and jelly, art and history just go together. And now there is a new opportunity for regional artists, history lovers and the community to bring them together again – not peanut butter and jelly, but art and community history – when the Loveland Art Studio Tour’s Open Hang at the Pulliam Building opens March 20 and 21, 2015. A VIP opening and reception will be held Friday evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Open Hang Show is free and open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
Organized by the Loveland Art Studio Tour, the Open Hang is a way for area artists to share their work with the community and for art lovers to find pieces from local favorites or to discover new artists. “The Open Hang is a new opportunity for Loveland artists,” said Sheron Buchele Rowland, LAST Executive Director. “We are excited about being able to showcase local artists in this format as well as show off this incredible historic building.”
For a small fee, any interested artist can bring up to three pieces of artwork to display during the event. Any two-dimensional or three-dimensional media can be displayed during the event. Each artist is responsible for bringing their own “Command-style” hangers, pedestals or lights to display their pieces, as well as an artist’s statement for display.
Open Hang events are occurring throughout the world and began in 1978 when Walter Hopps created the Museum of Temporary Art in Washington, D.C. Hopps’ vision was that for 36 hours anyone could show anything in the gallery. These types of events occur on a regular basis everywhere from Berlin to Hong Kong and now in Loveland.
The event is a fundraiser for the Loveland Art Studio Tour, an annual event each October where local artists open their studios to the public. In addition to the art show, representatives of Restore Pulliam will be on hand Saturday to discuss the historic building’s future as well as its past.
Here are the important details for interested participants: Artist entry fees are $20 per item submitted, or three pieces for $50. Student artists qualify for reduced entry fees, $15 per item, or three pieces for $35. There is a limit of three works per artist participating in the show. There will be a 65/35 percent commission split for participating artists, which can be reduced for a limited number who sign up to assist during the event. Unsold artwork must be picked up between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
For more information about participating in the Open Hang, attending the show, or the opening night reception, visit lovelandartstudiotour.com.
About the Loveland Art Studio Tour
Major sponsors include the Thompson Valley Art League, City of Loveland, Steven Held Design, Full Circle Marketing, Shannon Marketing Communications. Learn more at http://www.lovelandartstudiotour.com/, or www.facebook.com/lovelandartstudiotour.
24th Annual Governor’s Art Show Jury Selections Announced
2015 show features unique artists from communities throughout Colorado
Loveland, Colorado – The 24th Annual Governor’s Art Show (formerly The Annual Governor’s Invitational Art Show and Sale) is pleased to announce the participating artists in this year’s show, which will be held May 31 through June 28, 2015 at the Loveland Museum & Gallery.
Fifty-three Colorado artists will display their sculpture, photography, mixed media, oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings at the Loveland Museum/Gallery. “Our jury really had a challenging job,” said Pam Osborn, show director. “With more than 300 entries from some of the most talented artists in the state, narrowing the field was extremely difficult.”
Featured among this year’s artists is an interesting story of an artist coming full circle and returning home. 2001 Rotary art scholarship winner Mark Bailey, who graduated from Thompson Valley High School and then attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, now lives and works in Windsor as a professional artist. “I come from a family that appreciates art,” said Bailey. “I grew up attending the show and seeing the works of Quang Ho, Ron Hicks and Kim English, among many others, was definitely one of my early inspirations to pursue painting.”
“We are so pleased, as we approach our silver anniversary in 2016, that the show continues to grow and evolve, attracting young and established talents who are new to the show, others who enter every year, and seeing artists return who we haven’t seen recently,” said Osborn. “The show has really become a reflection of the state of the art world in Colorado.”
For almost a quarter century, The Loveland Rotary Club and The Thompson Valley Rotary Club have combined efforts to aid Colorado artists in earning more than $2 million over the term of the show.
In addition to Bailey, some of the Colorado artists participating in the show for the first time include plein air painter Rita Cirillo, painter Amelia Caruso, wildlife painter Ezra Tucker, and steampunk sculptor John Paul Price. Kim Mackey of Pueblo returns this year, along with Loveland sculptor Gary Alsum.
“As we celebrate our 24th year of the Governor’s Art Show, we are excited by the wide variety of art we get to share, and the growth in submissions over the last few years,” added Osborn. “The quality and variety of work will make this one of our most exciting shows in many years.”
For a complete list of artists in this year’s show as well as representations of their work or to purchase opening reception and special event tickets, please visit the GAS website, www.governorsartshow.org
2015 Show Sponsors Sought
Those interested in sponsoring the 2015 Governor’s Art Show should contact governorsartshow@gmail.com for details.
The 2014 show was made possible by Platinum-level sponsors The Nanci Garnand Team; Gold-level sponsors Good Samaritan Society, KUNC, Loveland Ready-Mix Concreate, Medical Center of the Rockies, The WBO Company, and Shannon Marketing Communications; Silver-level sponsors Columbine Gallery, Dancing Pines Distillery, Embassy Suites, Kaiser Permanente, Osborn Farms, Spring 44 and Wilbur’s Total Beverage; dozens of Bronze-level sponsors; and many others, including Bronze and promotional sponsors and Patrons.
Sponsorships are now available for the 2015 show, and a complete list of sponsors will be posted at http://2015.governorsartshow.org/sponsorships-2/.
Beneficiaries of Sale Proceeds
This event is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Loveland and Thompson Valley Clubs. Funds raised through the sale of art at the show go to each club’s respective foundations. Throughout the year, funds are given to a wide variety of causes and groups, including; shelter boxes for Haiti; medical supplies for those in need around the world; clean water projects in Nicaragua and Burma; shoes for children in Thailand; Trees, Water, People; Rotary International’s “Stamp Out Polio” project; Project Self Sufficiency; House of Neighborly Service; art scholarships for local students’ and Rotary Youth Leadership Camp scholarships.
About the Governor’s Invitational Art Show & Sale
The Governor’s Art Show & Sale is the largest fundraiser and a capstone project of the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs. It stands out as one of the most prestigious exhibits of original art in the Western United States. For more information about the Governor’s Invitational Art Show & Sale, visit www.governorsartshow.org, call 970-663-0919, or email governorsartshow@gmail.com. You can also learn more at the event’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GovsArtShowandSale.
Let's eliminate pesticide use in Longmont
A recent Times Call article noted an 80% decline in honey production in Colorado. At least 2 Longmont apiaries unaffected by floods lost 80% of their bees this past season.
Problem? Unacknowledged widespead use of a pesticide called Aqualeur. In Longmont's case, Aqualuer is being used throughout the city, all summer long. Mosquitoes are not being tested for West Nile, so the decision to spray repeatedly is based on numbers of mosquitoes, not any real threat.
The fact sheet for Aqualuer says, “...highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds while bees are visiting the treatment area.”
Which part of “highly toxic to bees” do we not understand? Which part of “Do not allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds” do we not comprehend? This neonicotinoid is being sprayed all over town during peak bloom season, when flowers in trees and gardens will be in full bloom, and will definitely be coated with fallout from each application. It doesn't stop being poisonous once it falls from the air. It remains in the soil and can be taken up by plants. It damages earthworms and other friendly soil organisms.
The 13 active spray sites shown on Colorado Mosquito Control's map come to a total of 4,513 acres. Per their site, CMC sprays 1 oz per acre (with no testing of mosquitoes at all). Spraying all 13 sites dumps 35 gallons of bee-killing pesticide into the environment. It remains in the air for 4-5 hours, drifting onto flowering gardens and crops. Remains active on plants and in gardens and yards for 50-70 days, longer in soil. This describes just one evening of spraying in Longmont. This summer our area was sprayed six weeks in a row. Last summer some areas were treated eight times.
Let's estimate that just 10 areas of Longmont are sprayed for six consecutive weeks. That's actually quite accurate, based on the email notifications we received from CMC over the summer.
Spray areas range in size from 165 acres to more than 800 acres. Averaging 350 acres per area x 10 totals 3,500 acres = 28 gallons per spray!
Multiply by 6 weeks, and we have a total of 168 gallons of Aqualuer, a neonicotinoid that is known to be deadly to bees, distributed throughout Longmont during peak bloom time.
How can this not hurt the bee population and other pollinators?
Solutions:
Follow in the footsteps of Seattle and Spokane, Washington and Eugene,Oregon to ban Neonicotinoids. Longmont could be a leader in the bee-saving effort.
Adopt the larvacide-only policy used very successfully by the City of Boulder since 2010. It's right here: https://www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/west-nile-virus-mosquit...
- Boulder's strategy actually tests the larvae for West Nile to carefully track and monitor which areas are the highest risk. They then use larvacide to prevent rapidly multiplying larvae from taking flight as adults.
- Contrast that to the strategy employed by Colorado Mosquito Control - No testing being done on mosquitoes trapped in Longmont, and repeated sprays on designated areas if more than 100 mosquitoes are present in said area's trap. Adulticiding is highly ineffective, not to mention all the pollinators, water dwellers and soil organisms that are damaged. The residual toxicity is extremely damaging to our ecosystem.
- One drop of larvacide, a naturally occurring bacteria, kills thousands of larvae. No harm to any pollinator, including bees.
- Contrast to using 168 gallons of Aqualeur all over town. Aqualuer is known to be deadly to bees, according to their own fact sheet, not to mention all the pollinators, water dwellers and soil organisms that are damaged.
- Longmont residents can purchase mosquito traps that are just like the ones CMC uses to trap and count mosquitoes. They are very effective and come in many shapes and sizes. DynaTrap makes a quiet device that attracts the insects with light and draws them into the trap with a fan.
I'm praying for a miracle – that we wake up before it's too late!
Helping the Longmont Theatre raise funds for the Illuminate the Marquee campaign has been a topic amongst the volunteers this season. So we came up with a fun idea of painting toliet seats. The Lefthand Artist Guild was excited to participate as well as some of LTC's members. There are some really fun seats. From traditional landscapes to street art and science fiction. We are excited for you all to bid on the seats. What a fun thing. www.32auctions.com/LTCRaiseTheSeat. If you would like to see the seats in person they are on display at The Great Frame Up at 430 Main St. Then they will be displayed at LTC starting on March. 13 for the run of Urinetown.
Colorado author/illustrator releases children's storybook app encouraging safe outdoor adventures:
Mountain Mountain Rangers is a children's app that was released on 1/27/15 on Apple products including all ipads and iphones. The app includes uniquely illustrated children's stories primarily aimed at children ages 3-8. It teaches children important lessons about safely enjoying the outdoors including the 10 essentials and Leave No Trace practices. The app is free and includes the first story in the series. Four additional stories are available for 99 cents each. Each story comes with 3 children's coloring and activity pages making the app an interactive mountain learning experience. Here is a link to the app page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id934279431
and to the article in the Durango Herald:
http://durangoherald.com/article/20150202/NEWS01/150209947/App-designed-for-kids
and to the website:
www.mountainmountainrangers.com
and to a youtube video of a reading of the first story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ABxwwbstak&feature=youtu.be
