Realtor® Judy Pitt, a sales associate with Wright Kingdom Real Estate in Boulder, was one of five winners chosen by the National Association of Realtors® as REALTOR® Magazine’s 2011 Good Neighbor Award winners. Pitt was selected for founding the nonprofit Kazi Yake (His Works) to address the need for clean water in Kenya.

“The Good Neighbor Awards program acknowledges Realtors® who are dedicated to strengthening communities through volunteer work and helping those in need,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “As a past Good Neighbor Award recipient, I know of the tremendous effort and time these winners devote to each of their causes. Judy is an extraordinary example of how Realtors® truly have a global impact, especially on communities in need.”

Through her nonprofit Kazi Yake, which translates from Swahili to mean “His works,” Pitt has spent 10 years trying to bring potable water and hygiene information to rural villages in western Kenya, where children die every day due to remediable ailments such as diarrhea, malaria, typhus, and cholera that are brought on by tainted water.

Kazi Yake initially focused on teaching simple hygiene practices and providing bio-sand filters for drinking water and rudimentary hand-washing stations. From there, Kazi Yake has grown in both scale and scope. This summer, the organization completed drilling a deep-water well to serve approximately 10,000 people whose only previous access to water was a contaminated river. More than 100 midwives trained by Kazi Yake now can instill good hygiene practices in new mothers, who then help prevent the spread of disease by passing these habits on to their kids.

“Out of clean water comes many things,” said Pitt. “One of those is healthy children. If you have best practices for midwives, for example, they wash the baby when it’s born and pass good practices on to the mother.”

Pitt was introduced to Kenya by Shem Okello, head of the National Baptist Convention of Kenya, who spoke at her Bible study class in Colorado. After many trips to Kenya, Pitt won the confidence of the locals by adopting their lifestyle. This closeness has led to Pitt being considered part of Okello’s family, to the point where she even has a Kenyan name: Judy Shida Taabu Okelo Okello. “I claim [Shem] as my ‘first family,’” said Pitt. “I have children named after me, which lets me do the teaching I do, because I’m considered a grandmother.”

Since her first trip to Kenya in 2003, Pitt has been back 11 times, spending up to two months at a time and bringing along as many as 20 volunteers. In addition to providing water and hygiene training, the volunteers help Pitt plan crops, repair roofs and build playgrounds. Pitt plans to settle there permanently after she retires from real estate.

Over the years, Kazi Yake has built 18 churches and trained many widows to run small tailoring or craft businesses. Pitt persuaded a Colorado seed company to donate 10,000 seed packets and send experts to train the villagers how to increase harvest yields. She is now raising money to build a medical clinic that will provide surgery, dental, and birth services.

Pitt and the other four Good Neighbor Award winners will each receive a $10,000 grant for their charity and a $2,000 Lowe’s gift card, and will be profiled in the November-December issue of REALTOR® Magazine. The recipients will received their awards on Saturday, November 12, at the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim, California.

“The Good Neighbor Awards honor Realtors® who are leaders in their community,” said Frank Sibley, REALTOR® Magazine publisher. “This year’s winners have literally saved lives, and inspire those around them to make positive changes in the world. We hope this award and the grant money will allow these Realtors® to expand their reach and help even more people.”

Celebrating its 12th year, the Good Neighbor Awards has been awarded annually since 2000 and is presented by NAR’s REALTOR® Magazine. The Good Neighbor Awards is sponsored by Lowe’s and HouseLogic.

Nominees were judged on their personal contribution of time, as well as financial and material contributions to their cause. To be eligible, nominees had to be NAR members in good standing. For more information about the Good Neighbor Award winners visit www.realtor.org/realtormag.

It collects interest on real estate escrow accounts and donates the money to nonprofit and public agencies that assist low to moderate income families with their housing needs.

RE/MAX Alliance has participated for a number of years in providing funds to CARHOF through their corporate and office escrow accounts.  “As always, we’re proud to give back to our community and help families realize the American Dream of homeownership,” said Chad Ochsner, Owner. “We look at our business as much more than helping clients buy and sell homes. We are also dedicated to helping families and to show our commitment to the community by supporting endeavors like CARHOF.”

In 2010, CARHOF donated more than $400,000 to support affordable housing in Colorado through grants.  Seventy percent of the revenue collected goes back to the community from which it was generated. Each local association of Realtors® determines which organizations to fund in their community.

Information about CARHOF is available online at: coloradorealtors.com/car_carhof_main.asp

For more information on specific offices, sales associates, or career opportunities with RE/MAX Alliance, please contact Kim Hawkins at 303.759.6636 or via email at kimhawkins@remax.net. Additional information is available online atHomesInColorado.com.
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Stevens partnered with Environments for Living™ (EFL), which requires the builder to meet specific building standards designed to result in homes that are safer and more energy efficient, comfortable and durable than conventionally built homes. For builders who meet these tough standards, and the buyers of their homes, EFL offers a comfort and energy usage guarantee.

Sopris Homes, building since 1994, became the first builder in Colorado to guarantee both comfort and energy use on all its homes.

High-performance homes
Besides systems-engineered whole house design and quality-controlled construction, a high-performance home relies on performance testing to assure that the home is healthy, comfortable, affordable, energy efficient, durable and environmentally responsible.

Sopris homes are built for high performance. Tighter construction methods reduce energy loss from the home. Every exterior wall is insulated with blown-in insulation for a superior thermal envelope. HVAC systems use high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioning, with multi-zone heating and cooling that allows you to control each level of your home independently. High-efficiency furnaces exceed 90 percent efficiency. Fixed and casement windows have an airtight seal. Low-E coatings provide superior comfort and reduce the size of furnaces and air-conditioners. Sopris’ mechanical ventilation system supplies fresh filtered air for indoor air quality. Custom ductwork is engineered for each home, and all heating and cooling is done through ducts rather than building cavities; ducts are sealed and then tested for tightness. For durability and mold prevention, drainage planes are installed on the exterior walls to avoid water infiltration, and the home is covered with a layer of waterproof material.

Environments for Living™ (EFL)
EFL requires strict performance testing of each Sopris home. Confidence in the builder’s engineering, materials and workmanship allows EFL to guarantee that the temperature in Sopris homes will not vary more than three degrees between rooms in the same heating zone, and the energy used to heat and cool the home will not exceed a guaranteed usage.

David Bell, director of building science for EFL, works with builders like Sopris Homes to build performance-based homes. “I give them performance specifications they must meet, and training for their subcontractors to implement our program. We take a systems approach; the builder must implement seven items necessary to build a high-performance home – how the home performs in terms of comfort and efficiency. Each home is rated by a third party using the HERS rating.”

The seven key areas the EFL program addresses are: tight construction, fresh air ventilation, improved thermal systems, right-sized HVAC systems, air pressure balancing, internal moisture management, and combustion safety.
EFL also provides each homeowner with a manual, explaining how EFL homes differ from conventionally built homes, and the “science” behind key features like the home’s thermal envelope.

Bell adds: “The fact that Sopris is participating in the program, and the things they are doing, are a testament to their commitment to build a quality house. The homeowner should enjoy comfort [for] years.”

HERS testing
Robby Schwarz, of Energy Logic, does all the performance testing for Sopris Homes. “We quantify the energy performance of houses for Sopris,” he says. “We do quality control, energy code compliance, and program compliance for Energy Star and EFL. With the HERS index scoring system, the lower the score, the better…100 is equal to a new, code-built home; 0 means it uses as much energy as it generates.” The maximum score Sopris will accept is 69 to 70, which means it is 31 percent more efficient than a new home built to standard code.

To earn the Energy Star label, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Sopris has been very consistent in meeting the standards of Energy Star and EFL,” Schwarz says.
Energy Star calculates estimated energy savings from a menu of options. EFL goes further – designing a whole house approach to ensure that energy saving features complement each other to achieve the desired effect when they performance test every home, so they can offer an energy-use guarantee. They also inspect to be sure these items were installed correctly during construction. They tell how much energy is being used to heat and cool the house. This can be related to a dollar amount to judge whether the home’s energy bills will be lower.

Energy Logic uses a four-step process: They look at the house plan and build a computer model of the house. From that they can estimate and quantify whether it will meet the energy code and Sopris’ internal requirements, and they can make recommendations. Next, in three onsite visits, they do a duct-leakage test to determine how airtight it is and how well it will do in delivering energy to the house; that the insulation has been installed correctly, checking the air barriers, windows, ventilation systems, and more; and, a week before the house closes, performance testing and giving an analysis.

“The best comparison is to standard new-home construction,” Schwarz says. “Sopris does a tremendous job exceeding standard new-home construction that meets both Energy Star and EFL [requirements]. They stand behind it by offering energy-use guarantees.”

Net-zero energy-use homes
Sopris Homes designs and builds near-zero and net-zero energy homes, too. If you begin with a Sopris Home that meets EFL standards, you already have the most efficient structure and materials in your home. The next step is adding solar and geothermal.
A Sopris home near Boulder, built for near-zero energy-use, has turned out to be a zero energy home. This 6,624-square-foot high-performance solar and geothermal home pays no energy bills. After living in the house for a year, the owner was producing more energy than he was using.

“We’re currently building another home near Boulder that may also be zero-energy, and we have another in the design stage that will have a passive solar greenhouse to collect heat and distribute it to other parts of the house,” says John Stevens.

“We’ve been studying and implementing EFL energy-efficient building practices since 1999. We’ve got the foundations for energy efficiency in the design and construction of the house’s thermal envelope. The less energy the house requires [because it is well built], the less energy you have to produce on site. The more energy that is produced on site, the closer to zero the energy use will be. The zero-energy home can include  photovoltaic (solar) for electricity, and geothermal for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water.”

Geothermal heating is one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool a home, by tapping the relatively constant temperature of the earth. It uses less energy than conventional heating or cooling systems, which translates into savings on utility bills.

Dan Rau, president of Colorado Geothermal Drilling, which designs and installs geothermal systems in homes, works closely with HVAC contractors. Almost two years ago Rau installed a system on the first Sopris net-zero home. “There is very little maintenance on a geothermal system,” he says. “You just change the air filter. The operational cost is lower than a standard conventional natural gas heating system. Installing geothermal is an added expense the owner does upfront on a new home or on a retrofit. It pays for itself.”

He points out, “The way Sopris is going about building a home, they take the whole house into consideration. The better they build that building envelope, adding extra insulation, and the construction they do, the less it costs to install and to operate a geothermal system.”

Educated Homebuyers
How much do homebuyers know about the importance of choosing a high-performance home – one that is built on sustainable systems that deliver net-zero or near-net-zero efficiencies that reduce the costs of ownership and lessen a home’s lifetime carbon and materials footprint?

Robby Schwarz comments: “I find it interesting that people know more about the technology of their cell phone or their car than they do about the biggest investment they make: their home. Comfort, durability, safety and efficiency: Builders like Sopris are building these into their houses, and homebuyers should bring these into their buying decision.”

For more information about Sopris Homes, call 303.527.0000 and visit www.soprishomes.com.

By Judy Finman for At Home

This year’s list was determined by a survey conducted by 5280 Magazine and Five Star Professional. All Denver-area residents who purchased a home valued at more than $150,000 over the past 12 months and over 5,000 5280 magazine subscribers participated in the survey. Additional surveys were also sent to mortgage and title companies for their feedback and evaluations. Fewer than seven percent of all licensed real estate agents in the Denver area were recognized as a Five Star Real Estate Agent for 2011.

The following list of RE/MAX Alliance agents have been nominated for their excellence in overall customer service, client communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall customer satisfaction.

Deanna Albright, Bryan Benham, Craig Bennigsdorf, Tim Bohac, Gregory Brownell, Cheryl Bustin, Tammy Camalick, Duane Caraballo, James Carroll, Kevin Chambless, Tammy Christian, Bernie Clarke, David Colson, Ron Cooper, Sherri Curry, Karen Cutrell, Leanne Dalton, Chris Davis, John Demaray, Joe DiVito, Amanda DiVito-Parle, Dave Dombrowski, Ainslie Dougherty, Mandy Dowell, Robert Dunlap, Frank Duran, Paul Erdmann, Jeffery Gazaway, Mary Gedack, Chris Grund, Wesley Hardin, Jeffery Harmes, Kristine Holvick, Cathy Howrey, Erik Ingvaldsen, Mary Jane Ogle, Janine Kahler, Sneed Kaker, Diana Kearns, Michael Kearns, Meena Kikkeri, Mark Kruse, Crystal Lawrence, Jim Leuschner, Karen Levine, Lenny Maiocco, Robert Martin, Beth Mason, Xenia Matteson, Marlene Maxon, Andre Mazur, Fran McGrath, Patrick McGuire, Zach McGuire, Debbie Meschke, Lin Miklas, Rex Miller, Becky Moore, Kelly Moye, Andrew Muller, Janice Nelson, Peggy Nelson, Karen Nichols, Steven Noel, Ereka O’Hara, Tom Raff, Peggy Reed, Margene Ricciardi, Mark Risley, Mary Rosinski, Dave Savoie, Deborah Schmidt, Timmie Schones, Kathie Shandro, Kirk Shillington, Archie Shrout, Wendy Sims, Shelly Slocum, Neil Spencer, Thomas Tripp, Rene Vellinga, Sheila Weaver, Liz Willoughby, Jodi Wilson, and Jennifer Zimmerman.

“We are delighted to see so many of our hard working agents nominated for this wonderful award,” said Chad Ochsner, Broker Owner of RE/MAX Alliance. “It is a true testament to the power of quality service and professionalism ALL RE/MAX Alliance agents provide and display for their clients.”

This year’s entire list of real estate agents was published in a special section of the September issue of 5280 Magazine.

For more information on specific offices, sales associates, or career opportunities with RE/MAX Alliance, please contact Kim Hawkins at 303.759.6636 or via email at kimhawkins@remax.net.  Additional information is available online at www.HomesInColorado.com. Follow RE/MAX Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.

The Market may change but Joan will never compromise her passion for customer service. Repeat customers and referrals are the life of her business. She was a 5280 Magazine FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent two years in a row. She has been a recipient of the Broomfield Community Foundation Philanthropist of the Year award and is a proud supporter of many local charities.

Pallone & Associates Metro Brokers
7050 W. 120th Ave Suite 200 Broomfield, Co 80020
Office-303-466-4663
Cell-303-810-9647
Fax-303-484-7072
pallonesells@msn.com
www.pallonesells.com

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By Julie Kailus -

It’s no secret that Louisville is one of Boulder County’s most coveted communities. CNN Money Magazine reiterated that fact once again, this year naming Louisville the No. 1 small town in America. Positioned a short walk to the historic yet seriously hopping Old Town Louisville, the new North End neighborhood may be just the spot for homebuyers to get a foot in the door here.

Easy Commute, Established Community
Offering both an easy commute to Denver, Boulder or the mountains and a comfortably pedestrian-friendly layout, North End features Colorado-inspired architecture, high-style homes, mountain views, durable green construction and instant access to trails, parks, open space, shops, restaurants, top-notch schools and public transportation.
The sustainable community, developed by longtime local builder Markel Homes, boasts easy, open floor plans with high ceilings, dramatic kitchens with hardwood floors and warm maple cabinetry, master suites with deluxe five-piece baths, contemporary and tasteful interior finishes, and large and unique windows that allow for abundant natural light. Another attractive quality is that most first-phase homes at North End are occupied by residents who have already settled in, giving the neighborhood an established feel.

A Different Kind of Quality
North End homes are known for eye-catching architecture, attractive design and a number striking interior finishes. But, it’s the long list of standard items that keeps buyers coming back. These turn-key properties come complete with all professional landscaping, sprinklers, drip irrigation and fencing. It’s easy to add square footage with fully excavated unfinished basements equipped with rough-in plumbing for a future full bath, nine-foot ceilings, extra large egress windows to maximize natural light and plenty of room to retain that always-handy additional storage space. Features like built-in bench seats in mud rooms, gas ranges in kitchens, automatic garage door openers and patios with gas stubs for backyard BBQs are extra perks too.
“At North End, it’s not necessary to spend tens of thousands in additional options to get the home you want. We include many standard features that can cost a fortune with other builders,” says North End sales manager Michele Steward. “Plus, our home buyers really enjoy the ability to adjust a floor plan, move a window, or finish their home with more unique selections.” says Steward. “Our design center allowances are generous, so it’s easy to choose attractive finishes that would be upgrades elsewhere.”

Always Green Built
In Louisville responsible, green living is a priority. In addition to standardizing quality features, each North End house is green-built for a healthier home and planet. Markel Homes utilizes sustainable construction practices, resource conservation and renewable energy efforts, combined with high-performance home features, to help create a smaller carbon footprint. The advantages are obvious: Reducing exposure to chemicals, allergens, mold and pests help families breathe cleaner indoor air and enjoy a more comfortable indoor environment. Plus, a longer-lasting and better functioning home requires less maintenance, while less energy and water use mean lower utility bills.
To date, Markel Homes has built more Energy Star® homes in Boulder than any other builder, and plans to raise the bar again by adopting Energy Star®’s version 3.0, a set of upgraded energy and building standards. Attractive green features at North End include low-VOC cabinetry and paints, eco-friendly and durable recycled-content and engineered building materials, advanced insulation systems, 92%+ high-efficiency furnaces, programmable set-back thermostats, ceiling fan prewires, Energy Star®-rated appliances, high-performance windows, and water-saving features like low-flow toilets and showerheads, WaterSense®-certified bathroom faucets, and low-water use zone and drip irrigation systems for landscaping.

Just Released – Town homes and duplexes: Homebuyers interested in a super low-maintenance home without sacrificing bedroom count, square footage and that single-family home feel should consider a series of new town home and duplex options priced in the high $300s and low $400s. “Get in early” builder incentives include solid-surface countertops, hardwood floors throughout the main level, stainless appliance packages and contemporary interior finishes. Choose from great locations and customizable interior options. Now under construction, models and the first few available homes are estimated to be completed this spring.

Closeout Phase I – Single-Family Homes: Choose from the last available lots, including cul-de-sac locations, some situated on protected open space, and a handful of south-facing and corner lots locations. Ranch and two-story styles are available from the $400s. Additionally, a series of popular semi-custom, single-family homes are situated on larger, premium lots and feature spacious floor plans, three-car garages, gourmet kitchens and large back yards. Two-story and ranch plans, priced in the $600s.

For more information, visit North End at South Boulder Road and 95th Street in Louisville or visit the sales center at 2411 Rose Court, open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Michele Steward, 303.604.9196 or Michele@MarkelHomes.com
For more information on Markel Homes visit www.MarkelHomes.com, www.Facebook.com/MarkelHomes, or call 303.449.8689.

The 2011 Flatirons Tour of Homes is a great time for those looking for a new home, great ideas on remodeling, interior design and the use of the latest green technologies.

By L.L. Charles, Edited by Greg Stone -

Call it Home Envy. Or let’s say you’re just looking for great décor ideas. Whatever your passion, there are plenty of reasons to attend the annual Flatirons Tour of Homes, presented each year by the Flatirons Council of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver. This year’s tour, which will take place September 17-18 and September 24-25, will include homes in Boulder and Broomfield Counties chosen by their builders as exemplary expressions of their vision and skills.

Thousands of home aficionados check out the event each year to see the innovative architecture, forward thinking construction and materials and dazzling décor that have us saying “Wow!” and jotting down design notes. The tour will also showcase many of the latest green technologies that are helping to reduce both the carbon footprint and cost of ownership of today’s modern home.

During the event, each home on the tour will be visited by a team of judges from the home industry, including architects, builders and sales professionals. Homes will be assessed on a standard set of criteria ranging from street appeal to design principles and the best use of materials.

The 2010 tour’s winning home, The Springleaf, was designed to perform as a net-zero home (producing more energy than it consumed over the course of one year) taking advantage of advanced framing techniques, sustainably-sourced materials, water-efficient fixtures and cutting edge heating and cooling systems. The home uses 100-percent LED and compact fluorescent lighting, and zoned heat allows the homeowner to adjust the temperature based on the changing pattern of use throughout the day.

Deanna Franco, presenting Realtor for the home said, “The Springleaf is not just a wonderful example of contemporary architecture and style. It takes full advantage of the latest and greatest energy saving and environmental awareness, pairing sustainability with an incredible urban location in one of Boulder’s most desirable locations. Through the collaboration of Silverline Builders, Cunningham Farms developers Ron Monahan and Terry Britton and George Watt Architecture, the completed home illustrates that you can build to the highest standard of green and still be aesthetically pleasing and functional.”

Don’t miss this year’s selection of homes.

For more information on the Flatirons Tour of Homes, go to www.FlatironsTourOfHomes.com or call Mary Romano at 303.473.1450.

The primary objective of any company or organization should be to make their community a better place to live. Chad Ochsner, Broker Owner of RE/MAX Alliance, believes if you help those less fortunate, everyone benefits.
“Real estate is a service oriented industry,” said Ochsner. “Realtors are called upon to serve, volunteer and donate their time and efforts to help others. Being actively involved in community fundraising events and local charities is a way of giving back.”

RE/MAX Alliance’s principal company involvement over the years has been the Children’s Miracle Network, including 10 years of volunteering for the Alice’s 36 Hours for Kids radiothon. The 2010 RE/MAX Alliance Charity Golf Tournament was held in August at the Riverdale Dunes and Knolls Golf Club in Brighton, Colorado. The tournament raised a record breaking $67,063. All of the funds were donated to Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network.

“We are so humbled by the generosity of those who gave in so many ways to help support and raise awareness for such an amazing charity,” said Ochsner.  “Each year, Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide more than $2.5 billion in charitable care. To see the ear-to-ear smiles on the faces of children who have benefited from the Children’s Miracle Network reinforces why we give to the Children’s Miracle Network and the reason we do this golf tournament year after year.”

Project PAVE (Promoting Alternatives to Violence through Education) is another organization that Ochsner and RE/MAX Alliance are actively involved in. “Project PAVE is about empowering youth to end the cycle of violence in their relationships,” said Ochsner. RE/MAX Alliance was a recent Sponsor for Project PAVE’s 2011 Scholarship Luncheon.  Information about Project PAVE can be found at www.projectpave.org.

“The leadership of RE/MAX Alliance is committed to the community’s we serve in a variety of ways,” said Ochsner.  “That also leads to our associates taking that lead and giving back as well with their time and hard earned commissions.”

Ochsner’s compassion, community involvement and his understanding that with leadership comes obligation, has encouraged all members of the RE/MAX Alliance family to give in the many ways they do.
“With all the blessings we have in our lives, it’s really an obligation and privilege to give back,” said Ochsner. “We know with our efforts, we are laying the groundwork for future generations; our future homebuyers and sellers.”
For more information on specific offices, sales associates, or career opportunities with RE/MAX Alliance, please contact Carol Canfield at 970.226.3990.  Additional information is available online at www.HomesInColorado.com. Follow RE/MAX Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.

According to the REAL Trends Top 500 Report recognizing the top real estate companies in the country, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® once again was named the highest-producing network in terms of total sales for 2010 among this elite top 500 group of companies Wright Kingdom is the affiliate of LeadingRE in the Boulder County area.
The 97 LeadingRE affiliate firms on the Top 500 list produced 551,832 sales “sides” in 2010 totaling sales volume of $142.4 billion, over 30 percent more transactions than the closest competitor, Coldwell-Banker, with 415,540 units and 60 firms on the list.

LeadingRE produced more than twice as many sales as both Keller Williams (236,318 units) and RE/MAX (218,583 units), although both had more companies on the list, with 119 and 111 companies respectively.

Of the top 25 companies that made the list for 2010, 15 were LeadingRE members, three were Prudential, two were Coldwell-Banker, and one each were Realty Executives, RE/MAX and Keller Williams.  The remaining firms were non-affiliated independents.

The power of local branding was further emphasized with #1 market share rankings for the nation’s top 96 markets.  In that portion of the study, LeadingRE members ranked first in the market in 40% of the cities, compared to 24% and 11% for the next two networks.

The Top 500 report was released last week at the REAL Trends “Gathering of Eagles” annual conference.  This third-party survey is widely recognized as the leading study of its kind.
“We are honored to be part of the powerful Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® network,” comments Lew Kingdom.  “These results are outstanding given the challenges of today’s economy.  These numbers demonstrate that savvy consumers are recognizing the opportunities that exist in the housing market today due to the most affordable prices and the lowest interest rate we’ve seen in many years.”

The affiliates of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® produced total 2010 sales of 800,000 valued at $225 billion.

The magazine is similar to a traditional print magazine, but it is more flexible and environmentally conscious since it’s online and digital.

“Technology has become one of the key factors in maintaining and growing a company and organization in today’s business environment,” said Chad Ochsner, Broker and Owner of RE/MAX Alliance. “At RE/MAX Alliance we’ve continued to upgrade and improve our technology oriented services. Providing our associates with a direct-online-client communication tool, we believe the Economic Outlook digital magazine is a step in the right direction.”

The Economic Outlook distributes monthly and is a FREE publication for consumers. To learn more about the RE/MAX Alliance digital magazine, please visit www.homesincolorado.com/economicoutlook. If you are interested in receiving January’s issue and future issues, you can do so by going to www.facebook.com/remaxalliance and click on the digital magazine tab to be included on the distribution list.

Access the digital magazine with your smart phone by taking a picture of the QR code. QR Code reading software needed (easy to get).

For more information on specific offices, sales associates, or career opportunities with RE/MAX Alliance, please contact Kim Hawkins at 303.759.6636 or via email at kimhawkins@remax.net. Additional information is available online atHomesInColorado.com. Follow RE/MAX Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.