I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this over the past several years of working in real estate. In Lake County, it’s a major concern for homebuyers and people considering moving here. Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer. The Lake County School District is in transition. The schools are not perfect, far from it, but there is a lot of good going on as well. For those interested in the topic, I would suggest beginning your investigation with the web site www.coloradoschoolgrades.com. You will see that Lake County schools have some of the worst grades in Colorado. Not so good. BUT, a good realtor will know more about the comunity and will dig deeper to find information. There are a lot of good things happening. A bond issue was recently passed which made Lake County High School eligible for a large state grant. The funds are being used to build a brand new high school, which will provide modern systems for classroom education. Community involvement in youth issues is on the rise as well. Full Circle began in 1991, and is now recognized as a leader in innovative youth and family programming in Colorado. See more about this program here: www.fullcircleleadville.org. Since Leadville is a bedroom community, and many parents work out of County with longer comutes, after school programs and activities that organizations like these provide are important. Another great program that has started in Leadville is Rachel’s Challenge. It is a national non-profit organization dedicated to creating safe, connected school environments where learning and teaching are maximized. Rachel Scott was the first victim of the Columbine tragedy in 1999. It is an inspiring program and story. See more information here: www.rachelschallenge.org. Causing the most buzz, in December of 2013, the Lake County School District voted to adopt Expeditionary Learning in kindergarten through 6th grades. Expeditionary learning is an educational model that focuses on transforming schools by focusing on teacher and student engagement. The bottom line: get involved and get informed, as a real estate agent in the community or as an interested parent. Volunteer in the schools, get to know the teachers and administrators, help with fundraising and school auctions, go to meetings. There is no simple answer to the question, but a well informed realtor will be able to give you added insight into what is really going on in the local school system!
DRONES- Wave of the future or potential FAA fine?
Want a sure fire way to get that million dollar shot from above? In the past, agents would have to hire a pilot, climb trees, or put ladders on top of pickup trucks. Not anymore. With less than $1,000 and some basic flight training, homespun amateur pilots are guiding unmanned helicopters with GoPro cameras attached. It’s a long way since the days of model rockets I used to send flying into the air hoping I would be able to find them when they returned to earth! How cool was that takeoff though!
At Independence Realty, we are always looking for innovative new ways to market and sell our clients property for them, and I believe that this technology will offer incredible new photos and images to engage our buyers interest. I’m looking forward to flying one myself. I’m just waiting for the snow to melt up here in the high country!
The FAA however, has not made a decision as to how they will regulate this yet though. Any commercial use of drones is still offically prohibited. Many real estate agents are going forward with the use of this technology anyways, and their protection is that they will only fly the drones on private property and will stay below 400 feet. They also don’t sell the photos, they just use them in their marketing. Is this a commercial use? Yes. Has anyone been fined yet? No.
The National Association of Realtors is among a coalition of more than two dozen industry groups asking the FAA to set guidelines that would allow them to utilize drones in advance of official guidelines that should allow some commercial uses, expected sometime in 2015. Despite the drones’ potential to boost home sales, the Realtors association is telling its agents to resist using them until regulatory issues are settled.
Interested in using drones for your real estate business or hiring one that does? Check out the two great articles below, and then call our office at 877.604.9088. We would love to discuss this new technology and how it could help you market and sell your high country land or mountain home!
http://www.startribune.com/housing/255038911.html
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Should you hire your “friend” as your real estate agent?
Hiring your friends to handle your real estate business is like loaning them money. As best said by Shakespeare, “Neither a borrower or a lender be. For loan oft loses itself and friend.
How does being a friend establish a professionals credentials? You use high standards to choose a doctor, attorney or accountant for your taxes, why shouldn’t you use the same standards when choosing the professional that is helping you with one of the biggest investments of your lifetime? A true friend will understand and respect that this is a business decision, offer their credentials, and be willing to compete for your business. It takes a lifetime to find true friends, and most people can count them on one hand, why jeopardize this gift?
The best way to chose a real estate professional to handle your transaction is to be EDUCATED! Here is a link to an incredible article on how to make a smart real estate agent hiring decision!
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/picking-agent1a.asp
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