The Fire’s Impact

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Our heart goes out to all of the people impacted by the Marshall Fire in Boulder County.

If you would like to give your support, we have set up a special fund through the Windermere Foundation where we will match any donation you make up to $5000.

You can make that donation HERE.

This devastating event will have significant impacts on the real estate market both short term and medium term.

There are some interesting things to consider related to the fire:

  1. This will be the costliest wildfire in Colorado history, by far.  The total losses will probably approach $800 million.  The most expensive wildfire up until now was last year’s East Troublesome fire at just over $500 million.
  2. It’s likely that the vast majority of the residential property owners who lost their homes were underinsured.   Given the recent rise in both property values and construction costs, these homeowners may find that their insurance won’t cover their actual loss.  We encourage everyone to check in on their own property insurance versus actual replacement costs.
  3. Nearly 1000 households are now in need of housing.  Today there are only 161 residential properties for sale in Boulder County.  In addition, the rental market also has low supply.  We expect that many of the people impacted will consider housing alternatives outside of Boulder County simply out of necessity.
  4. The homebuilding industry is currently challenged with both labor and material shortages.  It may take long time to replace the properties that were destroyed by the fire.

Again, we are so sad for the people who were impacted.  We are also encouraged to see all the different ways that our community has stepped up to help.

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Your Guide to Thanksgiving Weekend Events 2021

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The year is coming to a close and Thanksgiving is just days away! Communities, locals and businesses are rallying together to finish the month off with a little holiday spirit and a whole lot of gratitude. See what Colorado has lined up for Thanksgiving Day and the year ahead:

 

 

Thanksgiving Day Run

Each year, cities across the state plan Thanksgiving Day runs & walks to raise funds for community organizations. The Mile High Turkey Trot in Denver is four miles long and has had 10,000+ participants in years past! Registration fees go toward United Way, an organization that assists families and individuals in poverty. Likewise, the Thanksgiving Day Run in Fort Collins has been going strong for 28 years now! This four-mile event is open to runners, walkers and kids in support of RamStrength, a local organization that supports cancer survivors. Lace up your shoes and start your Thanksgiving Day by giving back to those in need.  

 

 

Pop-Up Markets

Check out the Colorado Holiday Maker’s Market at the Aztlan Community Center. 80+ local vendors will be selling their handmade, high-quality products on Sunday November 28th from 12p-5p. The Wolverine Publick House will also be opening their doors to local artisans for the Little Zurich Open Air Holiday Market. This outdoor marketplace is free to attend and offers visitors the chance to participate in a variety of activities including candle dipping and wreath making while you enjoy ciders, wines and hot chocolates around the fire pit.

 

 

Free Horse Carriage Ride

Break up your holiday shopping with a horse carriage ride in Fort Collins! Head down to the Foothills Mall on Saturday November 27th from 5p-7p to enjoy a ride in a Clydesdale pulled carriage designed to give a slow tour of the shopping complex. Pick-up location is across from the Cinemark Theater and Bistro.

 

 

Holiday Lights

Ring in the holiday season by exploring the newly hung lights across Colorado! The Grand Illumination is held the day after Thanksgiving to bring the community together for the lighting of downtown Denver. The Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Zoo, and Butterfly Pavilion will also be adorning their spaces with holiday lights, but the festive displays don’t stop there! Downtown Colorado Springs, Seven Falls, Estes Park, and Gunnison will all hold lighting ceremonies to show their holiday spirit.

 

 

Support the Rapids & Donate to a Great Cause

The Colorado Rapids, Major League Soccer Team in the Denver Metro area, have made it to the playoffs and will be playing the first Thanksgiving Day game in MLS history at the DICK’S Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. This is a huge accomplishment in an of itself, but the league isn’t stopping there. For every fan inside the park prior to kick off of the Western Conference Semi Final Playoff, the Colorado Rapids and Kroenke Sports Charities will donate fifteen meals to the Food Bank of the Rockies. Show your support while helping families facing hunger this holiday season!

 

 

When in Doubt, Hike it Out

Show gratitude for the awesome state we live in by jumping on a trail at one of Colorado’s 41 state parks. Lory State Park, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, and Cheyenne Mountain State Park are just a few areas that are worth exploring.

The post Your Guide to Thanksgiving Weekend Events 2021 appeared first on Windermere Colorado REALTORS.

Building Stronger Communities By Helping Those In Need

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We’re halfway through the Windermere Foundation’s 30-year anniversary and our offices aren’t showing any signs of slowing down their donations. Last quarter, the Windermere Foundation collected $556,937, bringing our year-to-date total to $865,029, and our grand total to $38,871,157 raised since 1989. These donations are used to support non-profit organizations and programs that help low-income and homeless families throughout the Western U.S.

 

Every Windermere office has its own Windermere Foundation fund account from which they make donations to help those in need in their local communities. This quarter, we’re highlighting Windermere offices in Oregon, Utah, and Colorado, which are each doing their part to give back by hosting clothing and donation drives, contributing to educational programs, and funding weekend backpack meals for public elementary schools.

 

Windermere Medford

The Windermere office in Medford, Oregon collected clothing donations for CASA of Jackson County’s summer clothing drive for kids in local foster care homes. The Windermere agents also volunteered their time to help sort and put away the collected items. According to CASA, the donations are enough to help 150 kids going through the court and foster care system. CASA was grateful to have the help and support of the Windermere Medford office.

“Thank you all for everything! Your team goes over the top each year and it is so fun and heartwarming.  If we could only share the stories of these children, but please know what a difference having a new summer outfit, shoes, swimsuits, etc. makes. Many, many happy hearts and smiles to come!” ~Erin Carpenter, Development and Media Manager, CASA of Jackson County

 

Windermere Utah

The Windermere offices in Utah combined their funding to make a donation to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Salt Lake City Walk. Through the Windermere Foundation, they donated $5,000 to raise awareness about mental health issues and teen suicide. The mission of the AFSP is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. The programs are offered in schools and include speakers which are usually the surviving parents or other siblings telling their stories of loss to prevent others from making the same deadly mistakes.

 

Windermere DTC

The Windermere DTC office in Centennial, CO donated $5,000 to The CE Shop Foundation to support their recent fundraising campaign at the Elephant Rock Cycling Festival. Donations collected will help fund weekend backpacks of food for two Denver public elementary schools for the 2019-2020 school year. The CE Shop Foundation is on a quest to help Eliminate Childhood Hunger.

 

  

 

Thanks to our agents, offices, and everyone who supports the Windermere Foundation, we have been able to make a difference in the lives of many families in our local communities. This year we celebrate the Windermere Foundation’s 30th anniversary with a renewed year-long focus on giving back, doing more, and providing service to the communities that have made us who we are.

 

Our goal for 2019 is to raise over $40 million in total donations. If you’d like to help us reach this goal, or learn more about the Windermere Foundation, please visit WindermereFoundation.com.

 

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Windermere Foundation Has Donated Nearly $1,000,000 This Year!

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Thanks to the generosity of Windermere agents and the community, the Windermere Foundation collected over $903,500 in donations through the second quarter of 2017. This is an increase of 10 percent compared to this time last year! Individual contributions and fundraisers accounted for 62 percent of the donations, while 38 percent came from donations through Windermere agent commissions. So far, we have raised a total of $34,009,527 in donations since 1989.

Each Windermere office has its own Windermere Foundation fund account that they use to make donations to organizations in their communities. Year to date, a total of $979,486 has been disbursed to non-profit organizations dedicated to providing services to low-income and homeless families throughout the Western U.S.

One organization that has been the recipient of Windermere Foundation funds is the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Scholarship Fund. LULAC has considered education its number one priority since it was established in 1929. The scholarship fund was established in 1975 to provide scholarships to help Hispanic youth in underserved communities make the dream of college enrollment a reality. Former recipients of LNSF scholarships are now leaders in fields of business, science, government, and education.  A rigorous selection process assures the expectation that future recipients will demonstrate the same level of excellence.

Last year, the Windermere office in Salinas, CA supported LULAC’s scholarship fund with a $1,000 donation, and will be making this donation annually. Christopher Barrera, Realtor and President of LULAC Salinas Council #2055, says “I am proud to be associated with such a great organization like Windermere Valley Properties in Salinas, and it’ll be an honor to present a check to LULAC on behalf of Windermere and the Windermere Foundation.” Each year, the LULAC Salinas Council holds a Black & White Ball to raise money for the scholarship fund. Monies raised are matched by LULAC national. There were 14 scholarships awarded in 2016. Thanks to the $15,000 raised through their event, matching funds from LULAC national, and a donation from the Windermere Foundation, they will be awarding 39 scholarships at a presentation ceremony on July 29 in Old Town Salinas.

Generous donations to the Windermere Foundation over the years have enabled Windermere offices to continue to support local non-profits like LULAC. If you’d like to help support programs for low-income and homeless families in your community, please click on the Donate button.  To learn more about the Windermere Foundation, visit http://www.windermere.com/foundation.

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