Local Update – El Paso County Enacting Stricter COVID-19 Guidelines

November 4, 2020 By Claire Garlick Leave a Comment

From KRDO: El Paso County Commissioner Chairman Mark Waller says the county will move to Safer At Home Level 2 restrictions on Nov. 4 due to rising COVID-19 rates.

Under Safer at Home Level 2 guidelines, offices must move to 50% capacity, indoor events are capped at 100 people, outdoor events are capped at 175 people, retail stores must operate at 50% capacity, restaurants must operate at 50% capacity or 50 people (or 100 with calculator) with six feet between parties.

All schools can be in-person, hybrid, or remote as appropriate under Level 2.

Waller tells KRDO that Gov. Jared Polis’ office made the decision to increase the coronavirus restriction level in El Paso County.

The move comes as El Paso County’s two-week coronavirus incidence rate has climbed over 270 per 100,000. According to state guidelines, that number should put the county at Level 3 restrictions, however, the state made the decision to only bump the county up from Level 1 to Level 2.

Waller says the restrictions take effect on Nov. 4 so that it doesn’t affect Election Day.

Starting in early October, the number of COVID-19 cases in El Paso County began to spike up, with two of the highest daily-count days since the pandemic started happening this month. County officials had said they were meeting with state health officials to discuss mitigation efforts, but Waller expressed displeasure with the lack of time given to come up with a new plan.

Waller also argues the restrictions on businesses likely won’t make a difference, because — according to scientists — the spike is largely due to house parties where people aren’t wearing a mask or social distancing.

“We want to have the opportunity and the ability to try to figure out where this is coming from so then we can take appropriate actions, because this shot in the dark kind of solution that we’re using right now just isn’t what we need moving forward,” Commissioner Waller explained.

However, public health officials insist we need to make do with the restrictions we can implement, and encourage people to follow guidelines at home, too.

“It is the cumulative effect of all of our individual actions that will have the impact that we need,” said Medical Director Dr. Robin Johnson.

Article originally published at https://krdo.com/news/top-stories/2020/10/30/el-paso-county-enacting-stricter-covid-19-guidelines-after-election/.

Do You Have Enough Money Saved for a Down Payment?

October 30, 2020 By Claire Garlick Leave a Comment

One of the biggest misconceptions for first-time homebuyers is how much you’ll need to save for a down payment. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t always have to put 20% down to buy a house. Here’s how it breaks down.

A recent survey by Point2Homes mentions that 74% of millennials (ages 25-40) say they’re interested in purchasing a home over the next 12 months. The study notes, “88% say they have significantly less savings than the average national down payment amount, which is $62,600.”

Thankfully, $62,600 is not the amount every buyer needs for a down payment in the United States. There are many different options available, especially for first-time homebuyers (millennial or not). That amount can also be significantly less, depending on the purchase price of the house.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), “The median existing-home price for all housing types in August was $310,600.” (These are the latest numbers available). NAR also indicates that:

“In 2019, the median down payment was 12 percent for all buyers, six percent for first-time buyers, and 16 percent for repeat buyers.” (See graph below):

That means if a qualified first-time buyer purchases a home at today’s median price, $310,600, with a 6% down payment, in reality, the down payment only amounts to $18,636. That’s nowhere near $62,600.

Knowing there are also programs like FHA where the down payment can be as low as 3.5% of the purchase price for a first-time buyer, that up-front cost could be significantly less – as little as $10,871 for the same home noted above. There are also other programs like USDA and loans for Veterans that waive down payment requirements.

The Point2Homes study also shares how much millennials have indicated they’ve saved for a down payment. As we can see in the graph below, 39% have already saved enough for a down payment on a median-priced home. Another 47% are close to reaching that goal, depending on the purchase price of the home.

Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge about the home-buying process is keeping many motivated first-time buyers on the sidelines. That’s why it’s important to contact us to understand the requirements in our area if you want to buy a home. Our team and your lender can guide you through the process.

Bottom Line

Be careful not to let big myths about home-buying keep you and your family out of the housing market. We would love to meet with you to help you better understand and plan for your options today.

Article originally published at https://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/2020/10/13/do-you-have-enough-money-saved-for-a-down-payment/.

Garden of the Gods Park Receives More Than $360,000 to Support Visitor Experience

October 27, 2020 By Claire Garlick Leave a Comment

Garden of the Gods Park receives more than $360,000 to support visitor experience and public safety programs

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department received a donation earlier this month totaling $367,826. Funds will support the visitor experience, public safety programs and the next phase of restroom construction in the ever-popular Garden of the Gods Park.

The generous donation was made by the Garden of the Gods Foundation, with $50,000 from the Garden of the Gods Trading Post.

“We are extremely grateful for the wonderful collaboration between the Foundation, Trading Post, and the City,” said Karen Palus, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services director. “This is such a great example of community organizations working together toward a common goal, which in this case, is enhancing and protecting Garden of the Gods Park for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

The Garden of the Gods Foundation, a local 501(c)(3) organization created in 1994, works to improve the quality of Garden of the Gods Park by gathering resources and distributing grants that enhance and protect the park. It also owns and operates the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, which was built to give back to the park. Since its founding, the Foundation has granted more than $4 million to Garden of the Gods Park, a registered National Natural Landmark.

“The Garden of the Gods Foundation is proud of its long-term commitment to preserve and maintain the Garden of the Gods Park,” said Jan Martin, president of the Garden of the Gods Foundation. “Our annual contribution to the parks department to enhance and protect this park feels even more significant in 2020, and we thank the thousands of visitors who have continued to patronize the Visitor and Nature Center and the park itself despite the challenges of this year. Every purchase made in the visitor center supports the park.”

The Visitor & Nature Center was closed for several weeks in March and all of April and May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened to the public in June.

Article originally published at https://coloradosprings.gov/parks/article/news/garden-gods-park-receives-more-360000-support-visitor.

Local Update – El Paso County Enacting Stricter COVID-19 Guidelines

Do You Have Enough Money Saved for a Down Payment?

Bottom Line

Garden of the Gods Park Receives More Than $360,000 to Support Visitor Experience

Garden of the Gods Park receives more than $360,000 to support visitor experience and public safety programs

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