Conscious Real Estate Archives - Conscious Real Estate

Posts

How to Know if a Real Estate Agent is Any Good – Part 2

Continuing the list of How to Know if a Real Estate Agent is Any Good.

Clearly, finding a good real estate agent is an issue. If you google “how to find a good real estate agent,” you mostly find articles on how to identify a bad real estate agent… and for good reason. There are more shitheads in the real estate industry than in the White House. (As we all remember, Donald Trump started out in real estate… sigh…) Fact is, when you find a great real estate agent, they will earn every dime of their money.

Have you read Part 1?

Here are the second 4 ways to know that you have found a good real estate agent:

5) They are emotionally intelligent.

Real estate agents will need to be able to use various styles of negotiation over time and will need to have the emotional intelligence to know which negotiation tactics will be useful in different situations. A lot of real estate agents, or humans in general, only know one style of negotiation. Some are incredibly nice, some use a “take it or leave it” approach. If an agent is accustomed to working in the city and then needs to work with clients in a small town in the mountains, they will likely need to take a different approach in their negotiations because the super intense Gordon Gecko shit is going to freak the mountain people out. They live in the mountains for a reason – to get away from loud crazy people. Furthermore, some clients will require their agent to take a hard-headed approach to negotiations, whereas other clients prefer to keep things mellow.

A good real estate agent will also know when to push you or when to back off. Some clients may find the perfect home for them and they are afraid to commit. A good real estate agent will know the area and know if this client has found a rare gem and that now is the time to jump on it! And other times, if the client isn’t quite ready yet, if the agent knows the area well, they can assure their clients that another home with that little extra “something” will come along soon.

6) Your agent pretty much always responds to you in a timely manner.

Things happen quickly in real estate. The Denver real estate market moves incredibly quickly and if home-buyers can’t view the property right away, it will go under contract pretty quickly if it’s priced correctly.

Furthermore, a lot of home-buyers and sellers get kind of freaked out during the process. I started noticing this while helping my friends with their real estate deals. Since I know how they are on a normal day, I have seen some of my most mellow friends start to lose their shit when they’ve had to buy or sell homes. Moving can be a huge stressor. There are a lot of moving parts (cheesy pun intended) and unfamiliar concepts during a real estate transaction. This can be very upsetting for Capricorns who like to understand every step of the process as though they actually are a real estate agent. If you have an agent who responds to you quickly, it can help to put your mind at ease if you have a question that’s burning a hole in your brain.

It can be tough to know what to look for in a good real estate agent.

7) They’re proactive.

A lot of issues can be avoided by planning ahead. Surprises will always come up, but a good real estate agent will foresee the majority of potential problems in advance and at least give you a warning. If your home doesn’t sell quickly for asking price, this agent is looking ahead to see what additional marketing they could add or if there are any quick and easy fixes to an issue that may be deterring potential home-buyers. If you are a home-buyer who is having a difficult time finding a home in your price range, a good real estate agent will be constantly creating new ways to find you a home in a competitive market. If you are purchasing a home, a good real estate agent will ensure that you are thoroughly inspecting the home and will have helped you carefully craft your offer so that you haven’t offered more than what the home will appraise for.

8) They’re honest with you, sometimes painfully so.

Every real estate agent has to be the bearer of bad news from time to time. We don’t look forward to this, but if we are truly being loyal to you and doing the best job we possibly can, then we have to do it, no matter how bad it hurts.

Maybe your dogs have used the carpet as a latrine one too many times, and you can’t smell it because you’re used to it. No one wants to tell you that your home smells bad, but if we are going to sell your home for top dollar, it needs to be free of pervasive odors. Maybe you feel incredibly soothed by your chocolate brown walls, but a lot of buyers prefer a warm light gray and we can sell your home for more money if you repaint your walls a more neutral color. Maybe you have spent your entire adult life working on your Star Wars figurine collection, but it’s not likely to photograph well or be attractive to buyers, so we might need to put Princess Leia in storage. Maybe we just found out that your last real estate agent sold you the home without doing a thorough inspection and now you are on the hook for $10,000 to replace your sewer line. Maybe your home just isn’t worth as much as you thought it was. Maybe your mom did real estate for 40 years and has now given you advice that is incorrect and we have to tell you that your mom is wrong. Seriously, my dearest client… I would rather stab myself in the eye than tell you that your darling mother is incorrect. All of this sucks. But if we are doing our jobs to the best of our ability, we will be honest with you even when it hurts.

The good news is that great real estate agents exist! You don’t just have to put up with an agent who doesn’t have your best interests at heart. If you don’t feel right with the first agent who you’ve met, interview some others until you find an agent who can provide you with a positive experience.

Want a Fantastic Agent instead of a Problem Agent? Give us a call at 303-908-9873.

Make sure you read Part 1 of How to Know if a Real Estate Agent is Any Good.

Colorado Real Estate, Denver Real Estate, Home Buyer Information, Home Seller Information, Real Estate Agents

How to Know if a Real Estate Agent is Any Good – Part 1

A lot of agents will have practiced convincing scripts that are designed to get you to hire them. These scripts are formulated to be effective and many real estate agents play the numbers game. “If you talk to X amount of people using Y tactic in Z amount of time, you are likely to earn A.” For instance, these agents will use your name regularly throughout the conversation because that is a proven tactic to get people to like you… (I outlined a lot of the talking points included in these scripts in a previous series of posts, “Shit Real Estate Agents Say To Get You To Hire Them.”)

You are not a number, you are a person and you should be treated as such. A good real estate agent isn’t going to use a bunch of crappy tactics to get your business. A good real estate agent will be honest with you. They will be authentic. They won’t have to utilize a script, but rather, will be able to have a conversation. They will show how they can be of service to you. A good real estate agent will earn your business.

As a consumer, it can be tough to know what to look for in a good real estate agent.

Real estate transactions truly are a convoluted process. In some cases, a consumer may be able to sell or purchase a home without the help of a real estate agent and not lose money, but those situations are few and far between. Most often, you need a (good) real estate agent. A good real estate agent will be able to gain your business without the bullshit… unless you enjoy falling for bullshit. Some people do and that’s ok. And some of you lovely people tend to succumb to pressure… or you want to believe the best in people and take what they say at face value.

Here are the first 4 ways to know that you have found a good real estate agent:

1) You feel comfortable around them.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been showing properties when another group of potential home-buyers enters who look miserable and awkward with their agent. I have seen agents stop everything to give their clients a history of residential electricity during moments that were completely out of context. I have seen agents mistakenly telling their clients that the floors are original hardwoods, when they’re clearly not only not original, but are made of manufactured product. Often, clients look like they have to “behave” around their realtor, like they are with their boss or are meeting their partner’s family for the first time.

You should not have to “behave” around your realtor. They are working for you, not vice versa. Whatever it takes for you to feel comfortable, whether you need to speak your mind freely, ask a million questions, vent about the process, breastfeed your child, or have a bowel movement, this is your time. You are buying or selling a house, dammit. It’s kind of a big deal. There should be no walking on eggshells – only honesty and communication.

If an agent is just coming at you with a sales pitch when you first meet, you are likely to feel uncomfortable. Get out there. When a good real estate agent meets with you for the first time, they will address how they can best meet your needs – not what supposedly makes them so much more special than any other agent.

Furthermore, consider this: if a real estate agents comes across to you as off-putting, how will the other side perceive them when it comes time to negotiate? If you are a home-buyer in a competitive market like the Denver metro area, sellers will be less likely to accept your offer if your realtor comes across as difficult or obnoxious.

2) They listen (instead of constantly running their mouth.)

This should be really obvious, but apparently, it’s not. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people tell horror stories about realtors who simply didn’t listen throughout the course of their transaction. If an agent doesn’t listen to their clients, how are they going to achieve their objectives? If an agent isn’t listening to a home-seller, they may miss some key information about your property that will help it to sell for top dollar. Or if an agent isn’t listening to a home-buyer, they may waste their time by showing them a lot of homes that they aren’t interested in.

Some of my recent clients fired their previous agent to work with me. Among the many things that their previous agent did wrong, she didn’t listen. My clients explained to their previous agent during the inspection period that if the sellers didn’t fix the problems with the property, they were not interested in moving forward with the transaction. Period. Simple. They clearly expressed this to their agent, yet their agent ignored their wishes and continued to pressure her clients into moving forward with the transaction. What their agent should have done would have been to apply that same pressure to the home-sellers to fix the problems that the buyers desired. This agent clearly forgot who she worked for, and also, she simply didn’t listen. I assure you, these particular clients communicated very clearly and effectively. If she would have listened to her clients and understood that they meant what they said, she would have earned her commission. Instead, I got to pick up some clients who were already familiar with the market and already knew exactly what they wanted. All I had to do was my job, while they lavished praise upon me. They even bought me a sweater.

The good news is that great real estate agents exist!

3) They ask questions.

Not only do they ask questions, they ask good questions. How long do you want to stay in this home? What are your ideal goals for this property? Do you have the resources or the desire for a fixer-upper? Do you plan on staying at your job for a long time and if not, where might your job move? Which is more important – being near your work or being near your play? Will living near a busy street bother you? You’ve mentioned loving dogs – do you plan to get one (or many?) You mentioned wanting top dollar for your home – are you willing to paint the home, since “burnt sienna” has not been in style since 1993?

You may have your mind bogged down with this process, but a good real estate agent is like a detective. They will anticipate and meet your needs for many years to come by asking the right questions.

Many of my clients who are relocating to Denver need guidance on neighborhoods and areas. Most realtors just begin suggesting popular neighborhoods to their clients. Here’s the thing: every neighborhood in Denver is popular these days and LoHi isn’t for everyone. I simply ask clients what their neighborhoods were like in their previous city and ask them what they did and didn’t like about their old neighborhood. I then use that information to guide my clients in which neighborhoods may work for them in Denver. We then drive around to various areas that could be a good match before we ever view homes.

4) They are here to serve their client, rather than themselves.

Real estate is supposed to be a service industry, but a lot of agents make the mistake of believing that they are in sales because they “sell” homes. Here’s the thing: the homes have to sell themselves, (although we can certainly showcase them in their best light.) Yet a lot of agents working with buyers push their clients to purchase homes that aren’t right for them, so they can close the deal and move on to something else. I understand why they do this – if the buyers don’t purchase this home, it could be several more months before they finally do purchase a home, which takes a lot of time and energy. The agents may simply need money now, so they push their clients to move more quickly than the situation calls for. Or listing agents may not get top dollar for their sellers, because that requires a lot more work. And yes – this stuff does take a lot of work. I have absolutely had days where I spend a lot of time winning a relatively small amount of money for my clients. It’s not necessarily a fun or relaxing way to spend a Tuesday – but if it’s important to their clients, a good real estate agent will make it a priority and do their best to achieve the desired outcome.

Want a Fantastic Agent instead of a Problem Agent? Give us a call at 303-908-9873.

Check back next week for more on How to Know if a Real Estate Agent is Any Good.

Colorado Life, Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Nonprofits

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Colorado Mountain Club

Adventure!

That’s what I often hear when people are asked why they moved to Colorado. There is so much of it, but truly

one of the greatest adventures is exploring the mountains. It’s long been a thought of Coloradoans and in 1912, the Colorado Mountain Club officially began as an organization dedicated to service and protection of the wilderness and love of hiking the wild outdoors.

Flashback… Hiking in 1912

Let’s just say that these hikers were nothing short of… well, bad-ass (can we say that?). Yes, they sure were. Women and men alike got their hike on with spikes, poles and wool gear. Big change from our moisture wick and poly for arctic hikes and sturdy, yet light summer gear now. Early Colorado Mountain Club leisure adventurers could be imagined in either of these early hiking pictures.

Early hikers broadened the outdoor activity and brought awareness and education to the botany and fauna of the land. As a group activity, it was one that encouraged teamwork and also seemed to ignore the fact that so many physical activities were limited to one or the other of the sexes. Many hiking groups were blind except to ability and the sense of adventure.

Since Then…

The Colorado Mountain Club started with 25 service-minded, outdoor oriented people gathered in Denver. James Grafton Rogers was the first President of the club and their very first outing was to Denver’s Cheesman Park, which was was a bit more natural and a lot less urban at the time. Can you just imagine? Their first official “mountain” trip was a hike to the top of South Boulder Peak.

The Club grew rapidly and many of its members became the first to climb all of Colorado’s known 14,000-foot peaks. Thus, starting the trend to climb alllllllll the 14-er’s as we call them for short now.

And, the Colorado Mountain Club has expanded outside of the U.S. to offer adventure trips. The next ones? Switzerland! Slovenia! Portugal! Nepal! Mexico! New Zealand! Yes. It’s incredible how many amazing hiking trips you can go on through the club. You can also stay semi-local by checking out their “ancient ruins” Utah trip and Bryce Canyon adventures. Today, the club runs over 3,000 activities and trips a year. That’s a lot of smiles, a lot of comradery and lot of nature-lovin’ which we are SO into. Huge thanks to this organization.

Passionate About Hiking and the Environment (In the News)

So as we’ve mentioned, we’re totally all about adventure, nature, Colorado and exploring the world. AND, we are huge into protecting the environment. It’s another reason why we love this organization so much.

The Club and it’s volunteers have influenced environmental issues since 1921 when the club spoke out against a proposal that threatened National Parks. They also helped work with area leaders in establishing the Rocky Mountain National Park.

In later years, they worked towards advocating against new dam construction, timber sales and water diversions. Further, in the 40’s and 50’s, they went on a tree planting mission. Today, they continue their conservation efforts through policy advocacy, trail maintenance, their backcountry snowsports initiative, snow preservation, and keeping public land public!

Why Donations Are Greatly Needed & How Conscious Real Estate Helps

There couldn’t be a greater need than now to protect the Earth and public lands designated as natural areas. At Conscious Real Estate, we donate 10% of our own commission from every home sale to a nonprofit of our clients’ choice.

Allison Parks, Founding Broker of Conscious Real Estate presents her donation to Colorado Mountain Club

We couldn’t have been more proud to have been able to donate to the Colorado Mountain Club. Here’s Conscious Real Estate founder, Allison Parks, proudly delivering the check to the club. Interested in working with us? Or, are you a Denver-area professional that wants to connect? Click here to send us a note. We look forward to hearing from you!

Colorado Real Estate, Colorado Socially Conscious Businesses, Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Real Estate

An Open Letter to My Non-Profit Colleagues

Greetings Nonprofiteers!

We all know that a strong and vibrant community makes real differences in real lives. That’s why your work to build, sustain, and strengthen our common fabric provides lasting inspiration well beyond the walls of your organizations.

As the owner of Conscious Real Estate – the premier Denver residential real estate brokerage that gives back to our community – I sought to develop brokerage that followed this example.

That’s why Conscious Real Estate, as a standard practice, donates 10% of every commission to a nonprofit of our client’s choice.

Through our work, I have met many of you, donated to some, and endeavor to take common cause with all your efforts.

We here at Conscious Real Estate are grateful to have had the opportunity to do this work over the past three years and watch your organizations grow and flourish. At the same time, we are dismayed by the obvious headwinds facing nonprofits in 2017 and beyond. With that in mind, Conscious Real Estate is committed to redoubling our efforts to sustain your vital role in our community.

A bit about how our brokerage works: When a Client purchases or sells a home through a Conscious Real Estate agent, the Client chooses a non-profit to which we donate 10% of the sale commission. While Conscious is exclusively a residential broker, we facilitate a similar arrangement for commercial real estate transactions through a partner broker, Forte Commercial Real Estate. Put another way – the more we grow, the more we give.

Allison Parks (Conscious Real Estate Founder, left) with Tiana Nelson (President and Chief Operating Officer, PawsCo)

So what are the results so far? In 2016, our average donation per transaction was well over $1000. This is real money for real organizations providing support and development to real communities – our community.

While we have received extremely positive feedback about the impact we have made thus far – feedback that we treasure – we still have significant work ahead of us. Our efforts to continue supporting you rely on your generous referral of Conscious Real Estate to your friends, family, and supporters. At the same time, we know that since your hands are always busy and your time is always short, you can’t regularly engage with Conscious to learn about the work we do.

In our heartfelt effort to keep an open line with our non-profit friends, we created this (occasional) newsletter just for non-profits to speak to only your needs. Through this forum, we seek to establish a tighter bond with you so you know the initiatives we pursue to support your work.

With this newsletter, we will include a toolbox for you that will include pre-written social media posts, pre-written newsletter blurbs, and ways that you can mention us to your supporters. We can also provide fliers, business cards, and other collateral to assist in your outreach efforts. Also, since this is a collaborative effort, we look forward to your feedback about the trends in the non-profit world and how your organizations can best be supported.

Finally – if we haven’t met – let’s meet! Please don’t hesitate to contact me through telephone, text, tweet, or smoke signal. I’d love to make your acquaintance. Again, I truly appreciate everything you do for our community and that’s why I created a business to help support you.

After all, you support our community – and that supports us all.

Warm regards,

Allison Parks

Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Nonprofits

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Denver Dumb Friends League

As part of our core company values, each of our agents donates 10% of their own personal commission to a nonprofit of their client’s choosing. Conscious Real Estate broker Kimberly McAleenan recently had the pleasure of delivering a check to the Denver Dumb Friends League.

As one of the oldest and most widely recognized nonprofits serving animals (and animal lovers), one can expect a top-notch organization focused on reducing animal homelessness, placing adoptable animals in furr-ever homes (see what we did there?), and working with local vets to provide vaccinations and medical services.

So, in this post, we’re sharing some of the unique things you may have not known about this long-standing nonprofit.

Some things you may not know? Well, cats and dogs are not the only adoptable animals. In fact, the Denver Dumb Friends League has an entire equine department including adoptions, camps, classes, horse rehabilitation facilities and more. Their programs for youths are empowering and teach empathy and responsibility. And, their adoption and rehabilitation programs help horses find “greener pastures” after their youth in the workplace or racetrack.

The DDFL also has an entirely robust small mammal adoption program. Here, individuals and families can browse through pages of pet rats (with and without hair), bunnies of all breeds, mice and guinea pigs. And, while “typical” kitties and pups are also available, the organization even separates “working cats” for cats who are more inclined to the outdoors, specifically as “mousers.”

Another important part of the Denver Dumb Friends League’s mission is to investigate abuse claims.

In very recent Colorado news, the Denver Dumb Friends League has participated in several investigations. In one such Denver case, a dog was shot during a burglary. Polo, the assaulted 12-year-old Labrador Retriever, received injuries costing the family over $13,000.

While the authorities were relieved the family was safe, organizations like the DDFL point out that: “studies show that people who intentionally harm animals may be more likely to commit violent crimes towards people. By taking the time to report what you observe, you’ll not only be helping the animal involved, you’ll be helping prevent future crimes and promoting respect for all life.”

In response to the crime, DDFL has partnered with the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers to offer a $7,000 for information leading to an arrest in the crime.

In another case out of Fremont, Colorado, an investigation by the DDFL, the Colorado Humane Society and local authorities led to the seizure of 63 horses. In reports, the authorities first noticed a lack of food and water. Anna Blake, a board member of the Colorado Horse Rescue said, “We’re very concerned about those horses. It didn’t happen fast, it’s a consistent lack of care over a period of time.”

“One of the phrases that was used in the court was ‘walking dead,’ and this is not thin, this is near death,” Blake said.

And for dearly loved “dumb” friends, they offer end of life support and guardianship.

During your pet’s lifetime, the Denver Dumb Friends League offers behavioral assistance and training referrals (in addition to basic medical services like neuter/spay). And when it gets closer to rainbow bridge time, they offer end of life services such as euthanasia, cremation and interment at the Sheilagh R. Malo Pet Memorial Garde. No one likes to think about this part, but it’s important to know that when you have a friend at Denver Dumb Friends League when the time comes. And, their end of life services are affordable, at $70.

For the unfortunate times that an owner precedes their pet in passing, the DDFL also offers guardianship where they become the legal guardian of the animal. Pets in this program are placed not in a shelter, but in a loving foster family home while the DDFL works diligently for a forever home.

The Denver Dumb Friends League makes life better.

Everyone knows life is better with a dog/cat/bird/lizard/bunny… right??? Well, we sure think so at least, and so do our clients. We love donating to this fantastic organization because they do amazing things like end pet homelessness and human loneliness. We also get excited when we hear stories like the recent acquisition of 79 dogs from Texas into the Denver Dumb Friends League program. Ready for a paw-fect pal? Check out adoptions or attend an event.

Wanting to make a difference and donate a large sum (without doing a thing)? Then, send us a referral for a friend or colleague who might be looking for a home in the Denver area, or contact us here if that person is you! We look forward to hearing from you and even more to the day we get to present the check to your favorite charity. (!!!!)

Conscious Real Estate Broker Kimberly McAleenan (left) presents donation to Denver Dumb Friends League

Colorado Socially Conscious Businesses, Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Nonprofits

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Steve’s Club

Steve’s Club is a nonprofit that started off completely grassroots in one of the most dangerous public housing units in urban Camden, New Jersey. The city is in better shape than it was when this news report: 36 Hours in Camden was filmed, but it is still considered one of the most challenging places to live and especially to grow up.

Crime is high, single parent households are common, buildings are crumbling and abandoned, there are hardly any restaurants or supermarkets and many of the residents have lost a family member or friend to violence.

Steve’s Club Founder Steve Liberati started the organization in May 2017, donating CrossFit inspired fitness programming to low-income youths in the Centennial Village Apartments public housing complex. Since, then Steve’s Club has grown nationwide, making an impact for at-risk kids everywhere there’s a club in America.

“Our mission at Steve’s Club and its participating members, is to provide a national network of programs through which at-risk or underserved youth of any socioeconomic background can join in the CrossFit Community at a reduced, low or no cost structure.”

“We Everywhere”

Imagining Steve’s Club founders saying that to themselves now that the nonprofit has spread from the East to West coasts and everywhere in between. Local communities can start their own Steve’s Club and the CrossFit connection has been extremely supportive.

When kids experience quality leadership, it impacts their lives. Seeing a strong, consistent and health adult regularly in their lives, which, living in Camden, couldn’t have been all too common, must have been an incredible blessing to the community. In our local community, Steve-Club Denver works with at-risk youths here in our community. Using CrossFit and team building, the program gives kids strength both inside and outside.

Steve’s Club Denver

Once Steve’s Club took off (pretty much instantly), the need for something nationwide became very clear. Here in Denver, even Five Points and Colfax Street are gritty neighborhoods that can never compare to Camden, NJ, however, the need is here for at-risk kids to have an outlet to get through to adulthood. Steve’s Club is one option for them, and one that we’re extremely proud to have recently donated to.

The mentors and coaches “foster resilience to stress and aim to improve the lives of all involved.” We love how they explain their mission:

“We care just as much about outcomes related to mood stability, decision-making, and social functioning, as we do about more easily measurable variables such as benchmark times, lifted pounds, or total rounds. Our group is passionate about fitness and every factor that is needed to sustain a life with regular exercise. In case there were any concern, we are also fully capable of having a boatload of fun along the way.” – Steve’s Club Denver

At-Risk Youth & Health

It’s obvious that without access to healthy food or a place to do healthy recreational activities…any human, teen, or child would feel antsy, perhaps choosing activities that are an outlet of a type, but without the results of a program like Steve’s Club/CrossFit. Simply wearing yourself out helps you sleep, regulates your blood flow, gets oxygen to your brain and allows for incredible stress relief. Steve’s Club also started as a way to bring healthier food to urban teens in poverty. Whether you’re into Paleo or not, Steve is and we can definitely agree it’s a lot healthier than Hot Cheetos and Takis. He also started Paleo Kits that have also helped improve inner city nutrition.

About Conscious Real Estate

There are lots of real estate brokers in Colorado, we know. But how many donate 10% to charity with every single sale? Not many we’ve found! Our agent, Kimberly McAleenan had the pleasure of delivering the Steve’s Club Denver donation and we are stoked she introduced us to this awesome organization that’s all about strength and empowerment. Giving to good causes is what we’re ’bout.

So, do you have a favorite nonprofit?

Thinking about upgrading, downgrading, moving closer to the mountains, getting more land, or moving into the city? Consider working with Conscious Real Estate and think about that gold star you’ll get when they get their check and another cause gets to continue – because of you!!! (And you’re celebrating in your new home.) Sound blissful? It is! Contact us to set up an interview today.

Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Nonprofits, Green Ideas

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Re: Vision

Despite its urban locale, Westwood, a southwest Denver neighborhood has long been economically neglected.

A thriving community with over 80 percent of its residents identifying as Latino, Westwood is known for its Mexican fare, Asian market, pho options, parks, bike paths and incredible public art murals.

Josiah Lopez, Artist

Yet 30 percent of Westwood families live in poverty and before Re:Vision began its programming, even more families were affected by the compounding factor of Westwood’s status as a “food desert.”

“In the U.S., over 23.5 million people live in food deserts, areas where food is neither affordable nor accessible.” – Re:Vision

When access is limited to quality and healthy food choices due to distance or cost, it causes problems unseen to the casual observer. For example, according to Re:Vision’s latest statistics, 67 percent of Westwood residents are risking obesity and diet-related illnesses. Correspondingly, the health impact affects lifespan. A Westwood resident’s lifespan, on average, is “12 years shorter than surrounding Denver neighborhoods.”

Example of a food desert with limited access to health or fresh foods.

Seeing a problem only getting worse, Re:Vision founders have created a system of community leaders, education programs, backyard gardens and a partnership with the Westwood Food Co-op. The results show that a small group of people can make change when they do it together. At Conscious Real Estate, we’re proud to have contributed to the cause of gaining access to healthy food in one of our favorite neighborhoods in Denver.

Thanks to the generosity of our clients who choose which charity to donate to after every sale, we have been introduced to Re:Vision and encourage you to make a donation if your passion is positive local community growth and wellness.

Allison Parks, left, Owner & Founder of Conscious Real Estate with generous Re:Vision client donor

Re:Vision is a nonprofit that operates several programs that benefit the Westwood neighborhood:

Re:Farm Program

This program encourages and supports local community men and women training to be a Re:Vision Promotora, or resident leader.

The Promotoras then assist Westwood families in growing their own food in household yards. The bounty? In 2016, Re:Farm’s backyard gardens grew over 55,000 pounds of organic produce. (Yes!) Another shocking fact: Over 90 percent of the backyard garden program participants earn less than $15,000 a year. The amount of food grown at home for these families can keep them out of complete abject poverty and help reduce child hunger. Here’s a map of the over 400 households Re:Vision has helped create backyard gardens for.

Also within the Re:Farm program, Re:Vision has created a three day a week pop-up market, El Mercadito, which allows the purchase of fresh, organic produce. Bonus: They accept SNAP.

The Westwood Food Co-Op completes the Re:Farm program. The local grocery store is community-owned and seeks to help with Westwood’s status as a food desert.

For more info:

www.revision.coop/programs

Re:Unite

Re:Vision helps communities thrive by creating spaces and resources for residents to make change and improve their neighborhood.

Community leaders are trained as Promotoras, a concept common in Latino communities where a community leader offers themselves to the public as a liaison for problems and solutions. Promotoras teach nutrition classes, help families cultivate gardens and keep track of the overall wellness of their community.

Part of the success of the Promotora program has been the creation and utilization of La Cocina, a kitchen space with commercial equipment to accommodate cooking classes and family events up to 12 people.

Re: Own

We know well here at Conscious Real Estate how challenging the real estate marketing is right now in Denver. As part of the Re:Own program, Promotoras advocate and assist families faced with displacement due to the current housing market pressures. The Westwood Food Co-op also helps to provide ownership in business and aid in neighborhood employment.

Overall, Re:Vision is making huge strides in increasing the quality of life for people living in Westwood. We love supporting local causes that are making clear strides towards a better whole.

About the Author | Conscious Real Estate

Are you a giver? Consider recommending us to a friend or co-worker who might be thinking about buying a home in Denver. Not only do we help you with the sometimes stressful process, but your favorite cause will get a donation to continue their programming as well as a lot of great karma love. Click here to send us a referral or a heads up to an amazing nonprofit we should know about.

The Team at Conscious Real Estate

_________________

For more info on Re:Vision and to make a donation:

www.revision.coop

Colorado Real Estate, Colorado Socially Conscious Businesses, Conscious Real Estate Donations, Denver Social Enterprise, Denver Socially Conscious Businesses

Change the World with Conscious Real Estate

How much do YOU want to change the world?

Here at Conscious Real Estate, we want to change the world a lot. Let’s talk about what we do… We help people buy and sell houses and we love that! But we took it one step further and created a philanthropic real estate business model.

We are Colorado’s only real estate social enterprise. Each time one of our clients buys or sells a home with us, we contribute 10% of our own commission to the nonprofit of our clients’ choice.

Here is some sad news… On the day of this writing, August 21, 2015, Conscious Real Estate did NOT close on any homes. Yet a quick look at the MLS states that 299 homes sold on this day in Colorado. Our owner, Allison Parks, decided to tally up the total sales prices of 100 of these homes. Taking the total of these 100 sales into consideration and considering that commission is negotiable, our estimate is that if those buyers and sellers would have used Conscious Real Estate on just one side of the deal, that would have generated around $75,000 to $100,000 for nonprofits. That’s right… we could donate that in just one day of real estate sales.

Imagine what a DIFFERENCE that $75,000 to $100,000 could make in our local and global community from JUST… ONE… DAY of people buying and selling houses with Conscious Real Estate. And that’s if we only represent 1/3 of Colorado’s home sales from that one day…

Now imagine if those buyers and sellers used Conscious Real Estate for those 100 home sales each day next week, just Monday through Friday. That would create $375,000 to $500,000 for nonprofits in just one week. What difference do you think that could make?

In one month, it would create $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 for nonprofits. What difference would THAT make?

In a year, that would create $18,000,000 to $24,000,000. That is an enormous amount of money to give away and quite frankly, nothing would make us happier.

the-person-who-says-it

Every day at Conscious Real Estate is Colorado Gives Day.

We’re here, folks. We are willing to do the work. We are willing to grow as big as we need to, we are willing to hire more people and create jobs, and we will always keep our commitment to customer service our top priority. We know that, without our clients, we are nothing. We will keep our communities close to our heart every step of the way and implement innovative business practices that increase the greater social good.

If you would like to change the world with us and you have a friend who is planning to buy or sell a home, let them know that they can make a difference with their next real estate transaction if they work with Conscious Real Estate. For more information, please contact Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or allison@theconsciousgroup.com.