…by way of Las Vegas, where I am currently attending the annual CRS Convention. CRS stands for Certified Residential Specialist. This group represents the top 3% of Realtors from all around the country. At the convention, I get to take a bunch of classes, listen to interesting speakers, and network with the cream of the crop. I always come home with a couple of new ideas, and I return to my office feeling energized and focused.
Vegas sure has changed over the years! I remember when you could get a jumbo shrimp cocktail for $1. This morning, I had bacon and eggs with a cup of coffee at Caesar’s Palace, and the tab ended up at $35. My wife, Laurie, and I took a side trip to see an exhibit of artifacts from the Titanic. Tonight we’ll go see a comedy show. If you want to see the big name entertainers in Vegas, it will cost you hundreds of dollars. The slot machines no longer spit out coins like they did in the old days; instead you just get a slip of paper that tells you how much money you’ve got left. Even with all the changes over the past 50 years, it’s still fun for me to get out of Dodge for awhile. It just makes Pagosa look that much better when I come back home.
Around town, the mountains are getting a lot of snow. The snowpack is currently at 98% of average for this time of year with more snow forecast in the coming days. Wolf Creek Ski Area is reporting 240” of snowfall year-to-date, with a 90” depth midway.
Now for the latest real estate news. The stats for the first month of 2019 show that overall sales are down 13%. Condo sales are down 71%, and land sales are up 21%. Inventory is down in all three categories. Don’t let these big numbers fool you, because it’s not as bad as it sounds. Early in the year, we’re working with a very small sample size which exaggerates the numbers. The bottom line is we sold six fewer properties this January than we did last January. Pending sales are a better indicator, and we currently have 68 pending sales compared to 75 last year at this time. I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but there is no shortage of buyers in our market. The problem is a lack of desirable inventory at the right price.
So long for now! Winter is about half over, and the days are getting longer. I’m already thinking about the spring flowers and green grass.
GRI, CRS
2011 & 2014 Realtor of the Year
Phone (970) 731-4065
Fax (970) 731-4068
Cell (970) 946-3856
Email: [email protected]
