From the Trail
Jon Hatch
From the Trail #50, Dad and Son!

Another perfectly good day wasted on the Colorado River with ma Bird!

From the Trail #50, Dad and Son!

Boulder Real estate jon hatch chautauqua realtor

On the Corner 4th Quarter 2023

On the Corner 4th Quarter 2023

The Mann Sisters were a hit at Chautauqua,

by Silvia Pettem 

When Ethel and Marion Mann were young girls, their mother would invite dancers to dinner, then urged her guests to "teach the girls a few steps."   

The sisters' journey to stardom began in 1926 when Ethel won a dance contest. The prize was a year of dance lessons in New York City. Ethel, her sister, and their mother all moved from Boulder to New York. After Ethel's classes, she taught Marion everything she had learned. 

While in New York, they watched cowboys at rodeos in Madison Square Garden and learned rope tricks from "cowboy philosopher" Will Rogers.

Boulder County Buzz, June 2023

Boulder County Buzz, June 2023

Well, hot dog—summer is here! I hope you’re enjoying it wherever you are. We are for sure; with house and yard improvements, trout chasing, hiking and running and we’re putting our Christmas gifts to good use, SUPing the Boulder Reservoir. We are looking forward to camping at Brainard Lake up in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area in July. And we can’t wait for a festive Independence Day holiday weekend with good friends, good food and live music galore. I hope you all have an awesome weekend!

On the biz front, last week I was recognized by RealTrends, Inc. for my 2022 production. In Colorado and the in the country I achieved the top 1.3% and 1.5%, respectively, in sales volume. RealTrends identifies the country's most successful residential real estate brokerages, teams and agents. They compile and verify transaction sides and closed sales volume for the industry's trusted annual rankings program. And the first half of this year is off to record production for my business. I will soak in some of the July and August lull in by enjoying the ColoRADo wild, but I'm still very busy with buyers and have some sweet listings coming soon. I can’t tell you how amazing it is that YOU all got me here. In my 19th year I feel so blessed to have such a long and successful career and I owe it to you for looking out for me by asking me to help you and your friends and family in touch with me. THANK YOU!

Please scroll down to take a look at our latest housing statistics from our RE/MAX of Boulder Managing Broker Todd Gullette. Here are his insights into the numbers: “All signs point to a stall or pause in our market with no danger signs apparent. Inventory has risen over the last year, but the overall level of inventory is still extremely low, protecting home values to a great degree. Median and average prices countywide shifted from high appreciation over the last two years to a stall, flirting with neutral or low single digit negative appreciation. The sales price to list price ratio shows a drop of around 5%, while average market time or days on market  increased 88% for single-family homes and 37% for attached dwellings. The number of sales for the year so far has dropped once again around 25%."

In addition, you’ll find that we’ve added new charts showing percent of available homes under contract for individual towns and cities. "This statistic is a great way to take a quick temperature of the market," says Gullette. He notes, “Above 35% under contract is still an appreciating market. Last year we saw under contract percentages well above 75% in most areas.”

Well, please reach out to me anytime—I’d love to hear from you!

Happy holiday to you and don’t forget to SMILE,

Jon Hatch

Realtor®, RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement®, RE/MAX Hall of Fame®, GRI®, ABR®
RE/MAX of Boulder

​303-513-2834
​​​hatch@boulderco.com
​​​http://www.jonhatch.com

​Lead photo: Classic Colorado Mountain town abode in Creede with dooryard cooktop and clothes washer included by ​Jon Hatch.

Early editions of On the Corner (2006-2015)

Enjoy archived editions of the On the Corner newsletter right here!

On the Corner 4th Quarter/Year End 2022

On the Corner 4th Quarter/Year End 2022

Boulder's first films were shown at Chautauqua, by Silvia Pettem

In 1898, when the Chautauqua cultural and educational movement opened in Boulder, its summer visitors were treated to speakers, entertainers, and musicians in its newly built auditorium. Boulder residents attended, as well. The Chautauqua Association also brought in motion pictures –– the first ever shown in Boulder.

At the time, the public was caught up in the fervor of the Spanish-American War, creating a demand for patriotic newsreels. The first shown at Chautauqua was the Battle of Santiago Bay, leading viewers to believe it was filmed in Cuba. The film, however, featured cardboard models of ships that were partially disguised with cigar smoke.  

On The Corner, 2nd Quarter 2022

On The Corner, 2nd Quarter 2022

Dear OTC readers, I wanted to take a step back in time to share this story which I published in OTC

back in the fall of 2009. A harrowing story of two young men who climbed the Third Flatiron and

painted the letter “C". It is one of my favorite stories in the many years I've been publishing this

newsletter. It was a pleasure to interview Dale Johnson, one of the men, who lived in the

neighborhood with his wife Frandee Johnson. Dale passed away in 2012. He would've been 91

years old today. Back in 2009 the average sales price in Lower Chautauqua was $738,000. The

average price per square foot was $358/sqft and the highest price home sale that year was

$1,050,000. It was time of The Great Recession. I was five years into my real estate career and my

kids were 4 and 6 years old. Today they are 18 and 20 and this market my 18th year in the biz.

Gee, how time flies. Thank you all for reading this all these years and for your personal

compliments along the way. Enjoy the climb up this rock again - it’s a good one!

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2022

On the Corner, 1st Quarter 2022

A supporter of women’s rights, Cockerell happily tagged

along. Shortly afterward, he was hired at CU as professor

of zoology. In 1887, Cockerell had moved from England

to Colorado, a recommended treatment for tuberculosis.

Later he returned to England and married his longtime

sweetheart, but within a few years she and both of their

children died. Grieving, but realizing that own health was

better in a high, dry climate, he moved to Colorado

permanently in 1893.

On the Corner, 4th Quarter 2021

On the Corner, 4th Quarter 2021

Early Chautauqua visitors were music-lovers

by Silvia Pettem

In 1898, when Chautauqua opened as a summer resort, the auditorium and the dining hall were its only buildings.

Out-of-town attendees lived in tents, and luxuries were few. But those who came and stayed demanded live music.

"Without music," stated an early Chautauqua Bulletin, "Chautauqua could not exist. All lovers of music are invited to the feast, spread daily under the cooling shadows of the rock-ribbed mountains."

The fifteen-piece Kansas City Orchestra (known for livening up the mostly Texas crowds with the song "Dixie") gave

weekly full-length concerts in the Auditorium during the venue's first year. The orchestra also played six weekly outdoor concerts, as well as "sacred" concerts on Sundays.

FROM THE TRAIL #49, Christian "Chris" Benitez

FROM THE TRAIL #49, Christian "Chris" Benitez

I met Christian "Chris" Benitez on a trail run on the Mesa Trail in Boulder on Sunday. It was sunny but very cold and at the the top of the Chautauqua Road (which I never run - it's too many people) and I saw him leaning there strumming his guitar. It was quite lovely. But it was cold. How were his fingers not frozen in the pine trees shade? I said hello and asked to take a video and he gave me his phone. I shot video with both his and my phone side by side. He began playing Santana's song called Dreams. It was wonderful. After this song he introduced himself. He's an engineer. From Mexico City. He's here in Colorado to learn English and get the best job so he can make the best money and bring it back home when he visits his wife and three kids 13, 17 and 23. Then he played for me and a trail hiker an old traditional song called Ratas about corrupt government ways there and he really played it well. A dog even almost jumped in his lap. Eat your heart out Andy Thorn! He approved the video usage. I have shared the videos with Chris. He hasn't responded. I hope he likes it. He didn't have to say it, but I could tell coming here was his joy. His release. His pleasure. A few hikers stopped to listen. It was quite wonderful. Chris has a gift and I'm glad I got to witness it. Please enjoy! HATCH

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 4 1st Half 2021

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 4 1st Half 2021

Historical marker honors Los Seis de Boulder

By Carol Taylor

Walking through the east entrance to Chautauqua Auditorium, you might notice a recently installed

tribute to Los Seis de Boulder, six Chicano activists killed in 1974. As the unveiling was during the

pandemic, most people aren’t aware of the new historical marker.

The inscribed rock is unobtrusive, as there are strict regulations on what can be placed at a National Historic Landmark.

The story of Los Seis remains a sensitive topic. On May 27, 1974, a parked car exploded by the

Chautauqua Auditorium. The blast was heard all over Boulder. First responders faced a grisly scene

as body parts were strewn about the area. Eventually, Neva Romero, Una Jaakola, and Reyes Martinez

were identified as victims….

Hatch Sells Lower Chautauqua!

Dear neighbors and friends, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the very first edition of your On the Corner newsletter. I began publishing OtC in the early days of my real estate career as a way to bridge my professional photojournalism career and my real estate career. It’s kept me very engaged in this neighborhood, which has so many stories to tell. This spring also marks my 15th year in the real estate business. It’s awesome to have grown such a successful business. I’ve worked really hard to make it this far and I definitely recognize that a lot of my business comes from right here in the neighborhood. On the opposite of this big card you’ll see homes that I sold here in 2021. Each of them are so different and they all have such interesting histories. Like many homes here, they also have been through different transformation over the years. The homes built in the LC have just as interesting stories to tell as the residents that call Lower Chautauqua home. “If these walls could talk,” right? Such rich history here, and that’s why I appreciate it so much. And I appreciate you. You’ve entrusted me to market and sell your homes and you’ve trusted me to help you buy the house here that you now call home. The many homes I’ve sold here dot the neighborhood from Bellevue Heights to Interurban Park and from the Cul-de-sacs off King Avenue to Baseline Road. Many of you have referred business to me over the years and for that I am grateful and truly appreciate your business and your referrals! I’d like to continue to earn your trust. Please contact me anytime to discuss selling or buying real estate. I’m happy to offer a market analysis of your home anytime, with no strings attached! Sincerely, HATCH

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 3 Q1 2021

Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden was a renowned artist with a life-long love of nature Born in Denver in 1907, Anne Ophelia Todd’s family moved to Boulder in 1910. The Todd family, like many who were affiliated with the University of Colorado, lived in a bungalow in the University Hill neighborhood. Anne’s father was a pathologist on the faculty of the medical School when it was located in Boulder. Their neighbors and close

family friends were Dr. T. D. A. Cockerell, a notable zoologist who wrote extensively on bees, and his wife Willmatte, a science teacher and botanist, who propagated a red sunflower.

Young Anne was influenced by their work. As children, Anne and her sister explored the outdoors in Gregory Canyon and in the hills behind Chautauqua Park where she claimed to know every rock and bush. In an oral

history interview, she said, “I can’t imagine a more perfect place to grow up than Boulder.”When not running free in the outdoors, she learned to paint with watercolors, which would become her favorite medium. Drawings she made as a teenager of some of her father’s specimens were published in a textbook….

Boulder County Buzz - January 2021

Boulder County Buzz - January 2021

Do you remember where you were one year ago? I don’t remember, really. Likely I was setting goals and ramping up for 2020 biz. I know I was eating out, seeing live concerts and going to the movies with family. Masks and hand sanitizer? Nope! What a difference a year makes. However, 2020 had so many great moments for me. I did things differently and explored the countryside and woods more than usual. I slowed down some. And time seemed to stop occasionally, right? We all forgot what day it was. 2020 gave moments to breathe and pray for patience and for those we lost. While it was my best year yet in the biz, I found it hard to cheer out loud, as so many suffered. Here’s to normal again and to leadership, science, community, in-person stuff and live music in 2021!

Now, I know the New Year just started, but it's never too early to start planning your real estate future. While 2020 was a historic year for home sales, 2021 is expected to continue with high demand for housing here in the BoCo. Boulder County again saw a drop in inventory and immense demand and so average sales prices were up 6% from 2019. Properties under contract are way above 50% in some areas like Louisville 85% of listings are pending sales. The low inventory, coupled with low mortgage interest rates at around 2.6%, and relocation are driving the market! In Boulder the average sales price for all of 2020 is $1.291M. The median finally cracked the $1M mark. So if you’re on the fence about selling, wait no more. It just may be time. Please reach out—I’m happy to strategize with you.

I have several new listings coming soon. Please visit my featured Boulder property coming to market in early February: 860 Grant Place in Chautauqua Heights in Boulder. This wonderful home, near Historic Chautauqua Park is going to go fast we think. Several restorations and additions have made this home so comfortable. It’s fully decorated with sunlight and color—a magazine property you could say. Please visit this home on my custom website today and yes, share with your friends!

This month I’m again featuring the non-profit program, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This organization's mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. Please see how important this program is and consider giving today!

Finally, thank you all for asking me to help with your real estate adventures and for referring your friends and family. I appreciate it so much. I hope you get what you strive for in 2021 and that all good things come your way.

Don’t forget to smile,
HATCH

Boulder County Buzz - December 2020

Boulder County Buzz - December 2020

It’s December? Holy Schnikes! And despite the grip of Covid-19 on our country I have to say, it feels nice to welcome the winter transition here in Boulder County. One of the greatest gifts this Christmas season will be to say buh-bye to 2020 so we can begin to get back to normal with vaccines coming into view. The year 2020 has been full of strangeness, uncertainty, wonder, sadness and joy, but hello 2021!

What are your plans for 2021? Maybe a change in your real estate landscape? It's never too early to start planning for the busy spring season and if real estate is on your horizon, I’ll be happy to help you with your goals and to share my perspective on the current housing market in your 'hood. It’s not too early to get started.

Expert predictions on the 2021 housing market are very positive. Will pent up consumers be ready to spend? 2020 was a very strong year for real estate — how will 2021 compare? I can’t wait to see.

Please visit my featured Boulder property this month; 11264 Uptown Avenuelocated in Broomfield, CO. This ridiculously awesome townhome at Venue at Arista in Urban Transit Village is totally custom and comfortable. Please contact me today for more information and yes, share with your friends!

Take a minute to tune in to my YouTube Channel and watch From the Trail #46. Who are you grateful for? I’m grateful for the many things my dad showed me all through his life, to make me a better person. Thank you dad!

And this month I’m featuring non-profit program The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Please see how important this program is and consider giving today!

Thank you all for asking me to help with your real estate adventures in 2020 and for referring friends and family to me. I appreciate it so much.

Happy holidays to you and yours, and see you in 2021!
HATCH

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 1, Q1/Q2 2020

On the Corner Vol. 14 Issue 1, Q1/Q2 2020

If you take a moment to look back to what you were doing around the 3rd week in February this year, where were you? Well, I had the pleasure of sitting down with neighbor Sally Holloway to learn a little bit about her life her in the Lower Chautauqua neighborhood. She’s lived in two homes on lower Bluebell Avenue for about the last 66 years where she raised 3 children with her husband John JP Holloway. The words Covid, pandemic and social distancing were not in your conversation, I’ll bet. It was still wintery and the air was cool and finches were nibbling on seeds at the bird feeder on the opposite side of the window from Sally’s living room chair, from which she shared her stories of her life here. Sally is a very kind person. A smart woman and a wonderful wife and mother. Please join me as we learn more about Sally Holloway, 94, in a question and answer format for you On the Corner readers.

Boulder County Buzz - September 2020

Boulder County Buzz - September 2020

"What's new is old,
what's old is gone
You're pushed up to the edge
So put your wingsuit on.”

-Anastasio/Fishman/Gordon/McConnell

As you know, last week we had 100 degree temps and then within hours, falling ash from Colorado wildfires was replaced by a falling snow. The wet and heavy snow stuck to still full green leaves and large branches snapped and fell to the ground. The crash waking us from our slumber was rather unsettling. It’s not the first time this year we’ve been jostled and made uneasy. We’re reminded how quickly things can change. How things can break. How things can go in a different direction than we want. How do we handle this? Can we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off? How do we do that? Nature has provided us a wonderful escape this summer with camping in the woods more than ever before. Getting into nature and tuning out has a been valuable reset tool and I trust you’ve been able to find yours.

We're just a few days away from the Autumnal Equinox. This too feels like a good time to recalibrate. I look forward again to my favorite trout hunting season. It’s usually a quiet time of the year to slow down and reflect on all that we have to be grateful for. Many have lost something or someone this year but I hope you’re reminded of what you do have. I’m very grateful for such a good community Kristin and I have and we appreciate your friendship. May you find solace this fall. And please go out and VOTE!

In good vibes,
HATCH

Boulder County Buzz - August 2020

Boulder County Buzz - August 2020

Welcome to mid-August, where the scorching real estate market the past couple months has been eclipsed by the searing dry heat of late summer sun. In fact, several wildfires are burning across Colorado once again and we acknowledge those on the front lines protecting our wild-lands and personal properties from devastation. Here in Boulder County the market has tapered to some degree. But some areas and some price ranges are still soaring. Prices remain stable and this lull is normal for this time of year as we transition to the fall season. Of note for me this year is that my clientele has flip-flopped and I have had more sold listings than buyer purchases. This is great because the number of homes for sale is still at all time lows and the demand has been noteworthy even during this pandemic. Either way I feel fortunate to be still working.

Please visit my featured Boulder property this month; located in North Boulder in the Village at Uptown, 1310 Rosewood #5A is a one bedroom, one bath store front style condo with a modern flair and cool vibe. It’s a great property to get into this Boulder market and enjoy ownership and a live/work lifestyle. Please share with your friends!

Also, please tune into my YouTube channel for my latest production that is From The Trail #45!

In the meantime, remember to thank the essential workers in your life and find ways to support local businesses that are feeling the burn of dealing with limited service allowance and restrictions. And please give to your local charities if you’re able to.

Be well, and don’t forget to smile!
HATCH

FROM THE TRAIL #44, with Otis Taylor

FROM THE TRAIL #44, with Otis Taylor

Boulder, Colorado resident and blues musician Otis Taylor grew up in Denver, but like the old blues song said, he was born in Chicago in 1948. According to Taylor his parents were both jazz fans. "My dad worked for the railroad and knew a lot of jazz people. He was a socialist and real bebopper." His mother loved everything from Etta James to Pat Boone. The first instrument Taylor learned to play was the banjo, but he soon rejected the banjo for its association with the racist American South. Taylor would eventually return to the banjo upon discovering its African roots...

Boulder County Buzz - June 2020

Boulder County Buzz - June 2020

"From high above we're all the same down here
Without a map the lines all disappear
We're so tired of our senseless fight
The one thing we can all do right
Is come together, come together, come together.”

-Anastasio/Nicholson/Greenberg


It's clear that emotions are running high right now. We have been completely shaken by the impact of this pandemic. We’ve lost jobs and loved ones. There is deep political discord. It feels like we are now more divided than ever. Racial tensions are elevated. And so it’s easy to feel discouraged, to harbor anger and fear and to be discouraged. But change is on the way and I say stop watching the news and go out and take a hike and breathe the air and touch the trees or the grass out there. Be the change by being happy and alive. Do what you love. Find something, or better yet, find someone to celebrate. Consider holding those who have lost something. It’s time for us to rise up and come together!

And what better way to rise up, than to get down; like with our friends in the Acoustic Ambush band who played live at Chautauqua Park. What a celebration!

For me and my real estate business, I couldn't be busier today. The market is returning to some normal behavior after weeks of the covid19 chaos. It’s not all the way normal but it is more vibrant than we maybe expected. Thank you as always for finding me and for referring business. Pease stay tuned for a new featured listing in the Lower Chautauqua neighborhood in Boulder coming later this week. This home at 2132 Bluebell Avenue is a 2-story, 4bd/4ba, 4,300sqft Craftsman-style home with a double lot in the best neighborhood in Boulder below Chautauqua Park. A deep lot on this lush and wooded property designed by nature especially for your tree-climbing adventurer. Priced at $1,985,000. You will want to check back in on this one soon for gorgeous virtual tours!

Thank you all for being you and for staying positive!

HATCH

FROM THE TRAIL, #43 - with ACOUSTIC AMBUSH

FROM THE TRAIL, #43 - with ACOUSTIC AMBUSH

When the friends we know put smiles on our faces in a time when life is weird, it’s liberating, it’s observing the silver linings and for some, it’s just downright awful and sad. Thank you to Acoustic Ambush; Chris Alaimo, Russ Grabski, Dave Haynes and Jeff Lyons for lighting up our Chautauqua Sunday with amazing beats and ridiculous jamz and bringing in special guest Lily Fangz. She killz it! #acousticambush #LILYFANGZ

Boulder County Buzz - May 2020

Boulder County Buzz - May 2020

Hello and howdy! I trust this note finds you happy, healthy and dialed into silver linings during this disruptive time in our world. We rise up and see the world before us and try to accept the imperfections and trouble and to be grateful for the gifts we do have.

My family is healthy and happy and making the best of this strange spring semester. Our son Ethan graduates from Boulder High School this spring and we are so proud him. We just participated in a radical car parade downtown to celebrate the 2020 seniors. We are all stoked for his next adventure in the Pacific Northwest. Phoebe has been making beautiful art and is helping Kristin plant flowers and plants in our backyard oasis. These kids are not bored.

My business during this mess has fared well, thank goodness. The Boulder County real estate market is cruising, now that we can show properties again and with safe measures in place. It will take some time to fully come to normal but this market is so resilient and is showing signs of strength and resiliency. In most markets, prices will stay stable through this. Check the stats here for more on the numbers but know that as time passes we will see more about COVID impacted the market. I’m as busy as ever for this time of year and grateful for your support, as always.

We hope to be with you all soon but in the meantime, please come fly with me for FTT#42 and listen to our friends the Good Kind band as they played live all around Boulder on a recent weekend afternoon. We are grateful for their talent and that for a moment in the day, they take our minds away from the reality that is and make us smile.

Love to you all and thank you,

HATCH

Jon Hatch

303-513-2834

jon.hatch@compass.com

compass - boulder

1470 walnut Ave. suite 201/202

Boulder, CO 80302