Margaret Stapleton has been a contributor to All Denver Real Estate for more than 10 years. She shares her perspective on how Covid has changed Evergreen Real Estate.
This Evergreen Realtor is ready to say “Goodbye to 2020”. We who live in Evergreen and all of metro Denver have faced an exhausting list of challenges this year. So, we respect the Covid rules while we mourn the loss of some family members and friends who have suffered or succumb to the virus.
Covid Rules Changed Evergreen Real Estate Too
Yet, Americans thrive, survive, and take care of one another along the way. Because, that’s part of our heritage, our culture, and our responsibility. In the words of Brian Buffini, successful Realtor and my mentor: “America is an anvil that has worn out many a hammer.”
Just last week, the Colorado real estate commission issues new guidelines for Realtors. Those included strict rules for open houses and showings. Still, Realtors continue to show homes safely. Realtors persist and adopt just like all of us do. This is what say about holding open houses in Evergreen and other level red zones of Colorado.
Consider all the changes of 2020 including these. Masks are now a fashion statement. Also, drive-in movie theaters made a comeback. Restaurants succeeded by sharing their secret recipes. In addition, Americans rushed to adopt pets. Air travel was difficult. So, we drove and filled up hotels and restaurants along the road. We became better musicians, readers, bakers, gardeners, and students. Major corporations, freed from restrictive regulations, used their resources to produce hand sanitizers, masks, and life-saving vaccines. Now, nations around the world are predicting a baby-boom in 2021.
The New Standards for Evergreen Realtors
Evergreen Realtor, Margaret Stapleton (in red) enjoys friends and clients in snow tubing.
We are all doing more outside and less inside places outside of our precious homes. The Evergreen lifestyle includes hiking, snowshoeing, skiing and even tubing in Evergreen. We have become more organized and inventive at working and learning from home. In fact, now remote home officing is a requirement for all home buyers as result of this pandemic. In 2021, we will demand bigger homes to answer our expanding needs. My buyers expect more bedrooms, baths, classrooms, exercise/health centers, game rooms, and home theatres. Home builders are already modifying their existing floor plans to provide more rooms within the home’s footprint for these and other amenities.
Lower Unemployment and Low Interest Rates
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the November, 2020 unemployment rate is down to 6.7%. Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, has stated that the “pace of jobs growth is rising faster than many people expected.” Chairman Powell has stated that no matter what happens in the recovery, “we expect to maintain the current 0 – .25% target rate for fed funds through 2023.” These are really good times for buyers, sellers and investors.
Decentralization Means Leaving Big Cities
“After selling our home in San Francisco, we realized we had a choice to relocate anywhere we wanted. Colorado was at the top of the list. We found Margaret on social media. Her lifelong history as an entrepreneur and a 20-year Realtor made her a great choice. Margaret advised us of the challenges, prepared us with competitive ideas, kept the process moving, and was able to get us into our new home in less than 30 days, saving us weeks in rental expenses. She was fun and easy to work with, advised us of the details of each listing, quickly responded to our questions and gathered resources for us to make the best possible decisions for our needs. We would highly recommend Margaret, in fact, we already have!” ~ Evy and Dane Wilkins
There has been an incredible exit from disturbing urban eruptions as many Evergreen Realtor will be happy to tell you. Evergreen real estate has been busy this year. But, not everything is the same. Millennials especially are skipping over starter homes. Instead, they are looking right away for bigger homes, great internet, privacy, and 1-2 hour drive to downtown neighborhoods including downtown Denver.
Regardless of the roadblocks to success, more homes were sold in Colorado 2020 than in any year, ever! Land parcels of all sizes are selling for great values all along the Front Range. Sellers, while nervous about opening their homes to the market, were extremely successful. But, we adopted to new guidelines for lenders, title companies, and us Realtors® who studied and complied with state and local mandates.
Yes, It was a year of change for us Realtors in Evergreen, But, I look backward and forward with great appreciation. Holiday blessings to all.
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