February Newsletter 2022
Is the Pandemic Over?
No, we aren’t trying to be controversial here. Hopeful, maybe?
Mask mandates are dropping everywhere, and our incidence rate is trending in the right direction. Couple this with what looks like a much milder version in Omicron, and we are feeling better about things for sure.
Denver is lifting the public health order requiring vaccinations of city and county employees on March 4. Private employers are not affected by this and can still decide to require vaccination if they desire.
For any of you that want to “geek out” on the potential end of the pandemic, The Lancet wrote an exhaustive piece on the end of this wild ride. Titled “Covid-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near“, it does a great job of analyzing data and trends.
From that article:
“The impacts of future SARS-CoV-2 transmission on health, however, will be less because of broad previous exposure to the virus, regularly adapted vaccines to new antigens or variants, the advent of antivirals, and the knowledge that the vulnerable can protect themselves during future waves when needed by using high-quality masks and physical distancing. COVID-19 will become another recurrent disease that health systems and societies will have to manage.”
“For example, the death toll from omicron seems to be similar in most countries to the level of a bad influenza season in northern hemisphere countries. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the worse influenza season during the past decade in 2017–18 caused about 52 000 influenza deaths with a likely peak of more than 1500 deaths per day.”
“The era of extraordinary measures by government and societies to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission will be over. After the omicron wave, COVID-19 will return but the pandemic will not.”
We are sure hopeful that those thoughts and projections are correct. Of course, we don’t know what new strain might show up, but it seems to be weakening thankfully.
In the meantime, we will continue to wear masks in your home out of an abundance of caution. We have been very lucky in having few infections and have no cases of transmission from us to a client.
There are still some places with mask mandates, and the full list of mask mandates by county can be found here.
Stay safe folks, let’s hope this beast is winding down.
Wacky Weather
Have you ever looked outside and thought “Make up your mind weather!”
We have, quite a bit recently.
A couple of newsletters back, we were lamenting our lack of moisture. In fact, our snow drought had us conjuring up images of a nice early spring (much to the chagrin of our skiing clients).
It was not to be. In fact, we have been catching up on snow ever since. January dropped 13.4 inches of snow, ranking it as the 13th highest total ever.
February was similar racking up 15.8 inches, which was good for the 14th highest ever. The law of averages and regression to the mean are real things, even for the weather.
On the 22nd, the National Weather Service recorded the highest temperature for Denver at 8 degrees which set a new record for the coldest high temperature for the day.
The lowest high on Feb. 22 was 13 degrees back in 1913, according to the NWS. Another record was set on Wednesday morning when Denver recorded a record low for the day of minus 7 degrees.
The previous record low for Feb. 23 was minus 4 degrees. That was set in 1899, according to the NWS.
Wacky weather indeed. We hope you all have a Colorado wardrobe, as next week will be back into the 60s and 70s.
It’s why we love Colorado. Stay warm, or cool, but watch the weather.
International Women’s Day
Indeed, and it occurs on March 8.
A great opportunity to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives. From our very own Queen Bee to Maria Herrera our GM, we are so fortunate to have the most amazing women around.
That’s even before we talk about the dedication and commitment of the women who clean your homes (yes, they are all women, we haven’t found a man that can clean as well as they can).
If there are any men out there that want to give it a shot, we are always hiring. 🙂
From Wiki: “International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global holiday, celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.”
We love the women in our lives and want to take this time to thank them for all they do for us. We couldn’t be more grateful.
For all the details on this holiday and all that it recognizes, visit them here.
Real Estate Update
So much for the real estate market slowing down.
While the common wisdom is that as interest rates tick up, borrowing will get harder and slow the housing market, it’s not happening yet.
In fact, the inventory of homes across the Front Range is lower than it has ever been for January and February.
We found a very detailed report courtesy of Norada Real Estate that we thought was very interesting.
From that report:
“Denver metro area remains a seller’s market with January 2022 being yet another unusual month. The latest report from DMAR shows that the market ended the month down 17.77 percent in new listings from 2021, a 31.04 increase over the previous month. Usually, the market typically experiences a 70% increase in new listings from December to January. Similarly, the market ended the month with an all-time low of 1,184 active listings. To put this in perspective, that is over ten times less inventory than is typical at this time of year.”
Wow, still rocking, and the median sales price in January was $595k, which represented a nearly 17% increase over January 2021.
So, the trend continues at least for now. Great news for sellers, not so much for buyers.
Guest Article
Creating a Home that Works for You
By Curtis Fisher, Guest Writer, Tradesbright.org
Whether you rent or own your home, you want to feel comfortable in your surroundings. The decor in a home can significantly contribute to the ambiance of a dwelling. Denver Concierge offers some tips to help you turn your space from cold and impersonal to warm and inviting.
Working From Home
Depending on the amount of space you have, working from home can be a challenge. If you are in a rental, you cannot knock down walls or build additions, but you can make the area you do have more efficient. Zenbusiness shares some ideas for creating a functional home office including using spare closets or even the corner of a room. You can add shelving to the walls of a closet or purchase an L-shaped desk for that under-used corner of your living or dining room. You need a spot where you can focus on your important work, so think about how you will use the space and what will be most convenient for your own needs.
Making Space for Your Children
Kids tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Between the toys and crafting supplies, you may feel as though you are drowning in your children’s belongings. Ideally, every household would have a playroom to store all of these items. However, this is not the reality for many families. Nevertheless, there are many convenient storage options available to help declutter homes. Ideas for organizing the kid chaos include cube storage bins, installing shelving in their bedrooms and common areas, and donating toys that are no longer used.
Entertaining Regularly
If you have the entertainment bug, you want your home to enhance your ability to host. Try developing natural pathways through your space when you have company. This will make guests feel welcome and steer them to the area you prefer. In an open concept dwelling, you can place the furniture to separate seating areas and dining areas. To make fragmented spaces feel airier, try opening drapes or blinds to allow as much light as possible to enter the home.
Unwinding Comfortably
A nice method to ensure you can relax in your home is to dedicate one room for relaxation. Decorate in calming colors and purchase furniture that you can rest comfortably on. Studies show that incorporating houseplants in your decor could help to reduce stress and anxiety, so try adding a few into your home. If you have a favorite couch or chair that has seen better days, check into having it reupholstered rather than purchasing a replacement piece. Read several reviews online before meeting with a company representative to get a quote. A large couch could cost between $1,200 and $3,500 to reupholster depending on size and the fabric you choose.
Seeking a New Space
If you have done all you can in your current space and it still does not meet your needs, it may be time to consider moving. Before making any plans, research the local housing market to determine if you can buy or need to find a larger rental. Homebuyers should look into mortgage pre-approval before officially beginning their search to ensure they qualify.
Making your home a place you can enjoy and unwind with friends and family is essential to your well-being. Take the time to create an inviting atmosphere in your abode. If you cannot achieve this in your current space, consider relocating. Reach out to Denver Concierge for healthy and convenient housecleaning.
Monthly Award Winners
Our monthly award winners for January were Patricia Rodriguez, Maria Reyes, Aurora Dominguez, Maria Zapata, and Gabriela Barrancas.
In the Team Leader ranks, it was Paz Jimenez and Mayra Soto.
We are so proud of our winners, and of all the folks that are in and out of your homes each week.
We continue to be grateful to you for allowing us into your lives during these challenging times.
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for the month of January.
Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
Just a short and sweet Queen Bee Corner this time. I want to extend our sincere sympathy to those clients who have lost pets this winter. The girls get quite close to our clients’ pets, so they also feel the loss when they arrive and are not treated to the usual enthusiastic welcome.
All pet owners have been there and it’s heartbreaking. “Having a dog will bless you with many of the happiest days of your life, and one of the worst.”
On a more soothing note, the girls have recently been introduced to several new puppies and a few shelter dogs.
A welcome addition to our cleaning experience; even those who are overly zealous in their eagerness to help and are subsequently sent to their room. We love them all and they make the world a better place.
Bee