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It’s Unlikely That Home Prices Will Decline in Metro Denver At the end of May, the tide of the pandemic finally began to shift. Mask mandates have been lifted for fully vaccinated people, according to the CDC. Although this decision is controversial, for many it signals a return to pre-pandemic ways of life. As more people are vaccinated and sellers feel safer, it should help ease some of the low housing inventory. However, uncertainty remains in this market. We get asked daily, “Will home prices go down?” Let’s look at the historical data to see why we don’t think this is likely.   The graph below shows the historical price change for homes and condos over the past 50 years. You can see that the average Metro Denver home price has gone from about $50k to about $500k, an increase of 10x! However, after removing the effect of inflation,you can see that the average price 50 years ago was equivalent to $200k today. So, over the past 50 years, prices haven’t really gone up by a factor of 10. Rather, they have increased by a factor of about 2.5. A large part of that price increase is because larger and more deluxe homes were built over the past 20 years than in previous decades. So, what will happen over the next five years? The red dashed line is an educated prediction. Over the past 50 years, we have seen an average of 6% home appreciation. We think we will see a bit less over the next five years, so we added a forecast that prices will go up 5% per year. The average home price will probably be about $600k five years from now. If you’re a first-time buyer and can afford to buy a home, now is always a good time as prices drift steadily upwards, which could price you out of the market.   The next graph shows that the income per capita in Denver has gone up drastically over the past 50 years. If you look at the 1970’s, the average salary was around $8K. Currently it’s around $100k. Just like with home prices, you can see that’s an increase by a factor of about 10. However, removing the effect of inflation, the average wage in Denver win 1973 is equivalent to about $40K today. Without inflation the wages have a little bit more than doubled, and there’s good reason for that. This is a much more sophisticated city, with a much wider variety of jobs today than it was 50 years ago. Denver also has a highly educated workforce, among the best in the nation. So, what will happen to incomes over the next five years? We forecast 3.5% growth. Why? Because that’s what our wage inflation has been over the last 5-6 years, and it’s likely to continue at about that pace.   The third graph shows mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are exceptionally low right now. They are still close to 50-year lows, even though they’ve gone up a bit recently. This is another driving factor to keep the demand for homes high. What will happen to rates over the next five years? If you look at the average mortgage rate over the past decade, it was about 4.5%. Consequently, we predict that we will go from our current rate, about 3%, to about 4.5% over the next five years.   The fourth graph looks at the average mortgage payment, without inflation. This was built by looking at the average price of homes each year with an assumed 10% down payment. This shows what the principal & interest payment would be with the prevailing mortgage rate each year. You can see that the long-term average is about $1,550 per month. This is barely more expensive than the current average. So, homes are actually about as affordable as they have been historically, on average. What will happen to mortgage payments over the next five years? We think that is the question fueling of a lot of people’s concerns because they’ll probably be going up a lot! You can see on the chart the payments are going to increase from maybe $1,600-$1,700 per month today, to maybe $2,500/per month. This seems like a serious problem until we look at things from an affordability standpoint.   Finally, we will look at affordability. This is ultimately the metric that matters the very most! This chart was built by taking the principal and interest payment for an entire year and dividing it into the per capita income. This graph essentially shows how much of the average person’s income would have to be used to pay their mortgage payment. You can see that it is currently in the 30% range. The historical average is about 35%. Therefore, we are slightly more affordable now than the historical trend, on average. This affordability is a gift of historically low mortgage rates and higher incomes in Metro Denver. Right now, the market is stable. It makes sense that we are seeing higher prices from a supply and demand standpoint. Over the next five years you can see this metric will rise substantially. However, because incomes are also going up dramatically, it is not going to be as impactful as some people fear. Instead of these payments being below the historical average like they are currently, they will rise closer to the long-term average.   There is no reason in a market where we have low inventory, and favorable mortgage rates, for prices to go down. Based on the historical data, we think the market will see modest price increases for the next five years in the Metro Denver market. Please reach out if you’d like to discuss making a move in this market – our conversation will be focused around your specific goals!   Bonus – Here are some more market stats comparing April 2020 and 2021:

Check out these June Events and Fun!     June 4thto 20th: Film on the Rocks: Drive-In “These movies will be viewed from the comfort of your car in the Lower South parking lot of Red Rocks, on our state-of-the-art 55ft. LED Screen. All tickets to Film on the Rocks 2021 include movie snacks that will be distributed to each vehicle upon entry. A bag of CityPop Popcorn, theatre size box of plain M&M’s, 7oz Twizzlers, and two Coke products (choice of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani upon availability).”Tickets & More Info!         June 5thto August 1st: Yoga on the Rocks “EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY VENUES IN THE WORLD FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE – DOWNWARD DOG. Start your day with an exhilarating workout at the most awe-inspiring venue in the world – Red Rocks. If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver on your behalf. In order to provide a touchless ticketing experience, tickets are available online only. No drop-in sales at the door. Participants should not attend if they aren’t feeling well or may have been around those who are sick.” Tickets & More Info!       June 14thto 16th: Colorado Rockies v. San Diego Padres                                     “The Colorado Rockies take the field against the San Diego Padres.” Get Tickets!         June 18thto 20th: Juneteenth Music Festival 2021 “One of the nation’s largest Juneteenth celebrations is back and is better than ever. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary as a music festival, Denver’s Juneteenth Music Festival is returning to the Five Points neighborhood with in-person entertainment. There will be a host of events with a special kickoff featuring the Grammy Award-winning R&B group 112. You can also celebrate from the sofa with virtual programming available online. Either way you choose to celebrate, make sure you #DREAMBIG!” More Info!       June 24thto 27th: Denver Fashion Week “Denver Fashion Week is back. Set to take place on June 24-27 at the Forney Museum of Transportation, come celebrate local fashion and a return to society. Get ready to dress your best and snag your tickets today!” Tickets & More Info!       June 24thto 27th: Denver Fringe Festival  “The Denver Fringe Festival is back for its second year June 24-27 as a hybrid festival with both live performances at indoor and outdoor venues in Five Points/RiNo Art District as well as live-streaming and pre-recorded shows. Named “Best New Festival” in Westword’s 2021 Best of Denver listing, the Denver Fringe Festival features a variety of performing arts including original theatre, comedy, circus, magic, immersive and more. This year’s festival has expanded to include a KidsFringe with family-friendly performances and free workshops for kids all day Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27 at the Zabiti Circus Wagon. Ticket prices are just $15 for most shows, and most kids shows are free.” More Info!       June 26thto 27th: Denver PrideFest 2021 “Denver PrideFest features a parade, exhibitors from across the country, culinary vendors, a political rally, family activities, a 5K race, and entertainment. The event is the Center’s largest fundraiser, providing over $1 million in support to help the organization serve more than 57,000 people annually with programs for LGBTQ+ youth, seniors, Colorado’s transgender community, and training and legal programs.” More Info!   Have an amazing June!

Detached Housing Inventory Count Remains at 30-Year Lows   The top story in real estate this year continues to be an extreme lack of homes for sale across the nation. Inventory in Metro Denver continues to decline dramatically for both homes and condos. This year, the Months of Inventory (MOI) started at 30-year lows (around 0.3 months). This trend has continued right into the spring. On the bright side for buyers, coronavirus vaccines should encourage on-the-fence sellers to take the leap of listing their homes to help relieve the inventory shortage. Hopefully, by as early as this summer, these sellers will feel safe enough to invite people in for showings. On a broader scale, the housing shortage is harder to solve than many people may think. Preparing land for new construction and going through the necessary permit processes can be a multi-year affair. Homes cannot be built fast enough to meet current demand. Our current housing market is a result of basic supply and demand. There are not enough homes on the market and construction is slow due to pandemic fears. These factors mixed with a strong supply of buyers are causing average prices to rise. In Q1 2021 average home prices were up 19% for detached homes and up 10% for condos. This is well above the 6% average appreciation from 1971‒2018. However, it is also important to note that these dramatic price increases are partially due to an influx of luxury listing sales over the past year. Strong price appreciation is expected to continue across all price ranges for the first part of the year, but more moderate price growth is likely in the second half.   Information for Buyers Frustrations continue for buyers and their agents, but deals are still closing! The scarcity of listings on the market has been the talk amongst agents this year, who are submitting offers in very competitive situations, often for over the asking price of homes. Despite tough times, there are still ways to make your offers look more attractive to sellers. For example, an Appraisal Gap Guarantee, in which, in the event the property does not appraise at or above the purchase price, the buyers promise to pay a certain amount over the appraisal price of the home. This can be an extra incentive for sellers to accept your offer over other offers that do not contain such a guarantee. Most buyers are also not negotiating as hard with sellers to fix minor inspection issues that may arise since sellers currently have the upper hand in negotiations. Some buyers are even waiving the inspection altogether to get deals done, but that is not recommended or prudent because you may get stuck with serious and costly issues to fix down the road. Whatever the case may be, an honest discussion with your agent can make all the difference to stay competitive in these situations.   Information for Sellers Can I get offers over list price? We may be able to help! For many home sellers in Metro Denver, the scarcity of inventory can be a blessing. If your home is in the entry-level ($0-$300k) to mid-range ($300-500k) price range, your home is likely in high demand. This makes negotiations much easier than they would be normally. Colorado is even in the top bracket of states across the nation, with over 50% of homes selling for over list price! To what extent your home might sell over the list price will depend, in part, on the desirability of your neighborhood. Our brokerage has created “Sold at a Premium” price change maps. These are heatmaps showing which Denver neighborhoods had the most homes selling above the asking price for 1Q 2021. On this map, green means that under 25% of sales were at a premium. Red means 75% or more sold at a premium. As you would probably expect, very expensive areas like Cherry Hills had few homes that sold at a premium. Whereas homes in cheaper neighborhoods sold for huge premiums because of strong demand for entry-level homes.     Keep in mind that you can never underprice a home. However, even in a market such as ours, you can overprice a property. Having a knowledgeable agent is crucial to your success, on either side of the transaction. Don’t hesitate to reach out to see how we can help you achieve your real estate goals!   Here are some more market stats comparing March 2020 and 2021:

Check out these May Events and Fun!     May 7thto 9th: Pete Lee “Comedy Works South welcomes Pete Lee performing May 7 – 9, 2021!Pete Lee’s joyful humor comes from his Midwestern roots. He was the first stand-up comedian to get a standing ovation on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Pete performed on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and shot his own Comedy Central Half Hour Special. Lee was hired to be a writer and cast member on FUSE TV’s Video on Trial, VH1’s Best Week Ever and the NFL Network’s Top 10’s. Pete was also a cast member of TruTV’s Greatest Ever and he’s a regular on TruTV’s Comedy Knockout and Comedy Central’s Roast Battle. Looking to dine before the show? Check out lucyrestaurant.com”Tickets & More Info!       May 12thto 13th: Diplo “AEG PRESENTS is thrilled to announce DIPLO live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.” Tickets & More Info!           May 13th: Westword Feast To-Go “Introducing Westword’s Feast To-Go, a drive-thru event at the Stanley Marketplace on May 13 that will celebrate the resilient Denver dining scene. Feast To-Go will serve up food from restaurants and trucks that we’ve honored with Best of Denver awards over the past few years, along with beverages. After loading up, you can enjoy your goodie bags and restaurant samples outside at the Stanley Marketplace, or at home. All Guests must be 21+, with a Valid I.D.” Tickets & More Info!       May 15thto 16th: Chalk Lines & Vines: “Arapahoe County is gearing up for a full slate of spring and summer events to support our thriving communities and full pandemic recovery. In May, we bring you Chalk Lines & Vines, the County’s inaugural spring wine and chalk art festival. Grab your friends or a date and come on out to the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and Event Center in Aurora for samples of Colorado wine, live chalk art and entertainment, food trucks, and fun, laid-back vibes. The event will be held outside where you can socialize safely and enjoy incredible views of the Front Range and Eastern Plains.” Tickets & More Info!         May 15thto 16th: Runners Reunion 5K and 10K: “It’s the Runners Reunion! May 15-16, 2021. Choose the 5K on Saturday or 10K on Sunday. We are excited to host the Runners Reunion in May, our normal marathon weekend. Great chance to return to running in person – with a fun twist! We’re adding some fun to make it an extra special reunion – wear your school colors proud (your alma mater, college, high school,..). On Race Day you’ll be able to find those fellow black/gold Buffs, or Green/Yellow Rams, or perhaps Red/White East High School Angels. Dust off those colors and look for your compadres on Race Day.” Registration & More Info!       May 21stto 23rd: The Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show “The Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show, May 21-23, 2021! Venue: Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center. Free parking, free admission, safe family fun! Share the great news! Shop minerals, fossils, meteorites, crystals, handmade gemstone gifts, and jewelry! Support your favorite dealers and support small businesses.Open to the public 10am – 6pm Friday / Saturday and 10am to 5pm Sunday.” More Info!           May 26thto 31st: Film on the Rocks Drive-In “These movies will be viewed from the comfort of your car in the Lower South parking lot of Red Rocks, on our state-of-the-art 55ft. LED Screen. All tickets to Film on the Rocks 2021 include movie snacks that will be distributed to each vehicle upon entry. A bag of CityPop Popcorn, theatre size box of plain M&M’s, 7oz Twizzlers, and two Coke products (choice of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani upon availability).” Schedule & More Info!     Have an excellent May!

Check out these April Events and Fun!     April 10th– April 18th: Through It All: A Colorado Ballet Season Finale “Colorado Ballet presents a celebratory return to live performances with its season finale at Lone Tree Arts Center. Marking Colorado Ballet’s first company performances in over a year, the dancers couldn’t be more excited to perform and share the culmination of their work and perseverance through all of the past year. From choreography by Marius Petipa to new works choreographed by Colorado Ballet’s dancers, this program will feature a variety of repertoire including classical variations, pas de deux and contemporary ensemble pieces. Performances will follow all health and safety guidelines.” Tickets & More Info!       April 13th– April 18th: Women + Film Festival “The Women+Film Festival is an annual tradition that celebrates outstanding cinema by and about women, unique perspectives, and connects Colorado audiences to the filmmakers whose groundbreaking work examines the roles, challenges, and triumphs of women everywhere. This year’s Festival will take place April 13 – 18 on our Virtual platform, which will give you access to the entire program from the comfort of your home. The Festival will feature over 15 premieres, including local stories, powerful documentaries, and compelling narratives. We will also present poignant conversations with community leaders focused around the films in the festival and pressing issues facing the community.” More Info!       April 16th– April 18th: Colorado Rockies v. New York Mets “The Colorado Rockies take the field against the New York Mets!” Tickets & More Info!         April 22nd– April 25th: Lotus at Red Rocks “LIVE NATION is thrilled to announce LOTUS live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre!” Get Tickets!           April 23rd– May 2nd: Denver Restaurant Week “Celebrate the local culinary scene during VISIT DENVER’s Denver Restaurant Week, April 23-May 2. Top restaurants will offer multi-course dinners for one of three tasty prices: $25, $35 or $45 per person. Patio, to-go and delivery options will be available!” More Info!         April 24th: Colorado Rapids v. Austin FC “The Colorado Rapids take on the Austin Football Club at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park during their Home Opener!” More Info!           April 29th– Aril 30th: Trevor Hall “AEG Presents is thrilled to announce TREVOR HALL live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre Friday, April 29th and Saturday, April 30th.” Get Tickets!         Have a great month and enjoy the beautiful weather!

A REBOUND IN CONFIDENCE, BUT INVENTORY LAGS BEHIND   Winter is winding down, and spring has officially arrived! As we pass the 1-year mark since the pandemic began, some things are considerably different from last spring. Consumer confidence has come a long way since the turbulent shutdown last year. Three FDA-approved vaccines are currently being administered. As of April 2nd, Colorado is in Phase 2 of vaccine distribution, meaning all Coloradans age 16 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Congress also approved a third wave of stimulus checks for many people. Many checks were sent out last month across the country, further soothing some of the financial burden from the ongoing pandemic. On the other hand, housing inventory continues to lag in seven counties that make up the Denver metro area. The average number of listings in February is historically 13,500. At the end of February 2021, there were only 2,025 active listings, a record low (includes attached & detached homes). This February was down 58% in inventory from the same time last year. The simple fact is that we need to reach a critical mass of people getting vaccinated for some sellers to feel safe opening up their homes to strangers. We do not expect this to happen until sometime this summer.   INFORMATION FOR BUYERS: Interest Rates Are on The Rise   The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate recently increased to the 3% mark for the first time since last July. This may discourage some buyers, potentiallylessening a bit of the competition in the market. Despite this recent increase, it is important to keep in mind that 3% is still historically very low. In Feb. 2020 before the pandemic hit, the rates were already considered historically low at 3.5%. In comparison, rates were at 4.5% in Feb. 2019, and 6% in Feb. 2008 at the start of the last recession. These increased rates mean that a homeowner would owe more money in interest over time. However, they would also be gaining equity at a faster rate, as appreciation in Metro Denver is up to nearly 20% from this time last year. Lately the media has been focusing on the most extreme cases of homes selling for more money than their list price, further frustrating buyers. They have highlighted homes that have had over 100 showings in the first weekend and 20+ offers, telling buyers that they need to be prepared to offer 20% above the asking price on homes. Although this is an extremely competitive market and that is true of select homes, it is certainly not the norm. In February, on average, homes sold for a 1.9% premium (See the February Market Snapshot Graphic.) For a $350K home, this would amount to $6,650 over the asking price. It is still a dramatic reflection of low housing inventory, but not as dire as a 20% markup. Many homes still sell at, or near, market value. Many buyers are getting frustrated over getting outbid on brand new listings. One helpful strategy to combat this could be to focus on homes that have been sitting on the market longer than one weekend. These homes may be perceived as defective by buyers. However, in many cases, they were simply just priced too high by overzealous sellers. After being passed over by buyers for being overpriced, or having passed on decent offers, these sellers may sign lower offers than they had initially hoped to accept.   INFORMATION FOR SELLERS: A Strong Seller’s Market Continues for Now   The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has slowly been on the rise since the year began, as it appears that it bottomed out at the end of last year. As these rates continue to climb past 3%, some marginal buyers will pull out of their home searches. This will gradually reduce the buyer pool. In addition, it is all but guaranteed that as more people are vaccinated and comfortable with people in their homes, many first-time sellers will list their homes to try and capitalize on the current seller’s market. Over the course of the year, this should increase the available inventory. Although showing traffic is still incredibly high and it is expected to remain a seller’s market for quite some time, the new inventory will most likely reduce some of the current fervor in the market. As a prospective seller, especially in the $1MM+ price range, act now to get the most out of your home sale. 63% more homes over $1MM were sold in Feb. ’21 than in Feb. ’20. Buyers are cashing in on low- interest rates while they can. For listings under $800K, you should be getting 20 showings in the first week on market. If not, odds are that your home is overpriced. Although the market is in your favor, you should expect that if you get 10-20 showings the first weekend and receive an offer, and that offer is at-or-near asking price, that is totally normal. Do not lose out on a good offer because you are reaching for the far-off 20% above asking price sale. Throughout the process, remember the reasons why you are selling your home and celebrate that closing when it happens!        

Scarcity In The Market Persists, But Not Forever A growing number of Colorado residents are getting their vaccinations against the Coronavirus, and many are increasingly optimistic about the prospect of moving closer to their normal routines later this year. This optimism is also becoming apparent in the local real estate market. Despite a dismal 2,316 active listings on the market at the end of January, as of mid-February, that number had already jumped closer to 3,300 actives. Although that number is prone to fluctuation and still signifies a seller’s market, it is a good sign of things to come in 2021. Every vaccine that gets administered brings us one step closer to a normal economy and further away from the negative effects of the pandemic.   Tremendous Excitement For Sellers Many home sellers are ecstatic and with good reason. The lack of inventory in the market brings friction for buyers and their agents. However, on the seller side, it can be a best-case scenario. The average number of showings per active listing was 20 in January. This high showing traffic tends to lead to competitive bidding wars. These bidding wars can drive offers up tens of thousands of dollars above asking price, if a home is priced correctly from the start. Another real estate metric is MOI or months of inventory. This is a metric that represents how many months it would take to sell every home currently available on the market if buyers kept buying at the same pace that they did in the last 12 months. For detached homes, MOI is close to 0.3 months or only about 9 days! For condos, it is 0.8 months or around 24 days. This data shows an extremely strong seller’s market, and we do not see that changing any time soon. The average sales price in Q4 2020 was up a whopping 17% from Q4 2019. For condos, this increase was around 5%. The luxury market also shifted to a seller’s market in 2020, which is fairly unprecedented.   An Uncomfortable Lack Of Inventory, Trepidation For Some Buyers The lack of current housing inventory is primarily caused by two factors. The first is that many potential sellers are uncomfortable showing their homes due to the virus. They want to limit the amount of people walking through their homes. This fear can be remedied if proper safety protocols are followed. The second major cause of low inventory is that entry-level and lower-paid workers have been disproportionately affected by the recession. Many are still worried about losing their jobs and don’t want to lose the security that their home provides. Low inventory currently spans all price points but is especially acute in the entry-level market. We are in hopes that by the end of summer all of the people thinking about selling their homes, but did not due to Covid-19 fears, will do so as more people are vaccinated. This first round of immunity should give people more confidence. Eventually, they should move past their fears and into selling their homes. New construction is projected to be on the upswing this year too, which should help the inventory slightly. Many would-be buyers are nervous that we are in a bubble. They are fearful of buying in a Seller’s market only to have the bubble burst after their purchase. For clarity, in the past 50 years, there has never been a time when prices dropped when it has been a seller’s market and a simultaneous shortage of inventory. There have only been three years out of the last 52 where home prices dropped in the Denver metro. One was in 1985 when mortgage rates, inflation, and unemployment were in the double digits, and we had about 11-12 months of inventory. That year was an extremebuyer’s market. 2008 and 2009 were the other two years when priced dipped. We had 35,000-36,000 homes on the market during the Great Recession. Those two years also had well over 6 months of inventory. Foreclosures are another common concern for would-be buyers who are worried about a bubble. However, foreclosure activity is the lowest it has been in 20 years, and all the leading indicators show an improvement as people catch up on forbearances in 2021. The odds of foreclosure being a large factor on the market any time soon are very low. Not as many people are behind as you might think. Unless people bought their home in the past year and are in forbearance, they should have equity built up, and thus won’t go into foreclosure. They may fall behind, but even so, they can sell their homes and walk away with the equity.     Buyers: Sales are still happening every day at all price points, so do not let yourself get too discouraged. It may just take a bit longer to make a move than normal. There are strategies to come out victorious in multiple offer situations. This extremely low inventory should let up a bit by at least July as people start to cast off some of their Coronavirus fears.   Sellers: Now is a better time than ever to put your house on the market. Inventory is incredibly low and demand continues to surge. Take advantage of the current conditions while interest rates are still low – we are seeing them begin to shift!  

Check out what is going on in Denver this March!   March 8th– 10th: Colorado Avalanche v. Arizona Coyotes “Colorado Avalanche take on the Arizona Coyotes at Ball Arena!”       March 17th: St. Patrick’s Day “No parade – no problem!  We are still celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the Denver area this year in a BIG way and helping our local restaurants and bars while doing it!  The Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has teamed up with Bellco Credit Union and Breckenridge Brewery to help bring a little luck of the Irish to Denver area restaurants & bars.  Metro Denver St. Patrick’s Day Dine & Decorate aims to help bring guests back into our local restaurants while also donating to the Mile High.” Events & More Info!       March 18th, March 25th: Triple Threat “Comedy Works South presents Triple Threat featuring three national touring headliners in one show on March 18 & 25, 2021! You are in for an AMAZING show! This Triple Threat show includes three national touring headliners each doing a full set all in one night, one show. Catch Stephanie McHugh, Louis Johnson, and Bryan Kellen as they prepare their sets for their own Dry Bar Comedy special.” Tickets & More Info!       March 20th: TEDxMileHigh – UNCHARTED “We all start somewhere as we venture into the uncharted – sometimes teeming with clarity, sometimes hesitant with uncertainty. And while we can never know what contours the journey will take, we can know it will require ingenuity, collaboration, and nerve.We inherit maps that can inspire the way forward. Adventurers who have gone ahead of us exploring the space of inner worlds between neurons & synapses, mapping our collective motivations and movements, examining our impact on the natural world and climate, and poets who have long weaved meaning and inspiration. There is much to explore.On March 20th we will venture together into unmapped ideas in science, art, business, health, poetry, and social science. Join TEDxMileHigh as we celebrate our human spark of discovery and impulse to forge ahead into the UNCHARTED.Speakers and schedule will be announced leading up to the event.” Registration & More Info!     March 21st: Colorado Bridal Show “Colorado Bridal Show. Plan Your Wedding! Shop Local Wedding Professionals. Get Show-Only. Pricing. Register For Vendor Prizes. Complimentary Wedding Magazines. Sample Wedding Reception Tables. Register For A Honeymoon Giveaway at Mountain Lodge Telluride. Register for The Knot Guide To Weddings Giveaway. All Brides Get A Gift Card For Free. Wedding Bands, Up to $379 Value.Masks Required, Current Social Protocols Will Be Followed.” Tickets & More Info!       March 24th: Michael W. Twitty – Passover Lecture “Join JAAMM as we welcome an incredibly special guest, James Beard Award-winning author and food historian Michael W. Twitty, for an interactive lecture event around the holiday of Passover.” Tickets & More Info!         March 28th: Central Park 5K “Run/walk this spring in beautiful Central Park! All registrants receive awesome swag, an expo party with music, finisher goodies, an after-party beer deal, and more!” Registration & More Info!     Have a great month and stay safe!

The Short Answer: An Infinite Amount Just because “white” is often thought of as one color doesn’t mean all-white kitchens are the same. There are actually 494 different shades that fall within the actual hue. Beige isn’t white, though some people consider it a “white” color. Eggshell white is different from the sort of white you’ll find on a piece of paper. There are white colors so “bright” they impact the eyes. Other whites are muted. So which hue of white is right for your kitchen? Well, that’s going to depend a lot on your personal preferences. It will also partially depend on the sort of home you’re decorating. Sometimes a purely white kitchen is perfectly complementary to a given space. In other instances, white will starkly contrast with the rest of the home, and it’s not a good thing. Here we’ll explore a few of the details that surround kitchen décor. Because endless variations of design exist for kitchens, we’re just going to focus on a few kitchen features to help give you an idea of what’s out there, and the best steps for your property. 1 – The Cabinetry Component White Shaker cabinetry represents one of the most popular styles of white kitchen cabinets, and you can explore quite a selection at the Cabinet City website. A few notable examples of this cabinetry style include Malibu, Jersey, Lexington, Aspen, Huntington, and Irving White Shakers. Each of these styles brings something slightly different to space. Beyond wooden cabinetry, there are also metal options and those that have transparent cabinet doors. You might have the interior and exterior of cabinets colored white, then paint around the edges of glass doors. Backlighting your cabinets is a fine step that makes your kitchen “pop”. Also, you might explore “open” cabinets. That is to say: those which are essentially a stylistic cubby hole—there are no cabinet doors at all. This is a sort of Spartan, modernist style that has become more prevalent in recent days. 2 – Countertop Shades Now counters can be white as well. You could paint them, then apply a protective coat to keep the counters easily cleanable. Or, you might look into granite countertops. Granite and marble have a variety of shades, and there are a few quartz options out there that have a “pearl” coloration to them which fits comfortably among a variety of white shades. Here’s what Home Depot has in this area. Metal counters can be a bit more difficult to find in white colors, as the paint is superfluous in many scenarios; though there are white metal options out there that have different qualities of coloration defining them. Generally, you want countertop options that are designed and polished to their natural coloration. 3 – Appliances, Lower Cabinets, Tile, And Trim Appliances for the kitchen are usually black, white, gray, or dusky red color. Different variants exist, but these are the primary options. Often, homeowners try to match appliances to the décor of the rooms those appliances are central to. Additionally, you have lower cabinet options that need to be matched to upper cabinets, appliances, counters, etc. The tiling scheme you use on your floor, or the backsplash of tile behind the sink, may be purely white, or you could have a checkerboard pattern. Some kitchens will put white and off-white together in tile design for a subtle contrast. Trim is another region of kitchen design to consider. A lot of kitchens use LVP, or Luxury Vinyl Plank, for the floor. Well, the edges of that LVP are hidden under “trim”, which is usually about a half-inch thick, and two inches high. That trim outlines the kitchen, and sometimes it’s good to contrast it to the white. Other times it’s best to match it exactly.   Finding The Balance Befitting Your Home Whether you decide to make the whole premises white, or just the cabinets, there are multiple options to explore. Countertops, appliances, tile, trim, lower cabinetry, upper cabinetry—all have their variations. What makes sense is taking a few pictures of your present kitchen in good light from a good angle, and sketching out a few possible designs. Also, taking pictures helps you search for cabinetry online, or explore local home improvement stores. Whatever works best, do that—and keep in mind: just because your kitchen is white doesn’t mean it’s the same design scheme as any other house. Especially if you go the DIY approach with your renovation, your kitchen will be as unique as you are.