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Archive for the 'Relocation Information' Category

97% high school graduation rates are possible

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There are many different ways to evaluate Colorado Springs schools, but one measurement is the graduation rate.    The percentages are based on a federal formula that takes the number of students receiving a regular diploma  divided by the number of students who started 9th grade + students transferred in – students transferred out.  Graduation rates are one indicator of whether the local Colorado Springs public school system is doing what it is intended to do: enroll, engage, and educate youth.

The complete reports are on the Colorado Department of Education web site, and you can download the data into an Excel Spreadsheet.    For someone who loves statistics (which is me),  it’s full of amazing information including the graduation rates by gender and by race; and you can even pull data by each High School in the districts.   As an example, in District 11, Mitchell High School has a Read the rest of this entry »

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District 11 continues to be the biggest

School Districts Colorado Springs school districts vary from big to little

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With school now officially back in season, I thought it’d be a good time to provide you with the some general information about the local Colorado Springs school districts.  Also, While driving, don’t forget to watch out for all our little citizens as they make their way back to their local school after their summer vacations.

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Academy School District 20 

  • Schools:  31
  • Students:  22,229

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Private schools in Colorado Springs provide options

Private schools in Colorado Springs

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One of the many factors involved in relocating to a new area are the schools and the quality of education.   There are many good schools districts in Colorado Springs, but I often have people ask me about the private schools; hence I thought I’d put together this info to share.   This is only a partial list, but it does include the larger Private Schools in Colorado Springs.  Also, as part of the research of putting together this article, I found a great web site on Private Schools, www.privateschoolreview.com.  The site includes info on the number of students, number of teachers, teacher-student ratio, tuition cost; and much more.

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Colorado Springs School

  • Age 3 – grade 12
  • www.css.org
  • Location:  Southwest side of town

Catholic Schools of Colorado springs

Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind

Evangelical Christian Academy

Pikes Peak Christian School

Fountain Valley School

Colorado Springs Christian School

  • Pre-k thru 12
  • cscslions.org
  • Location:  North and Woodland Park

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To find out more information about buying a home or an investment property in Colorado Springs area, call ….

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Don’t forget about the outside

 The outside is just as important as the inside

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In today’s age of Internet savvy buyers, the pictures of a property that are posted online are everything.   And lately it seems like more and more buyers focus just as much on the outside of the property, including the landscaping, the backyard, the deck, the hot tub, the views, the front porch; just as much as they focus on the inside of the property.   They are buying more than a home, they are buying a lifestyle.

Many buyers moving to Colorado Springs are doing so because they want to enjoy the beautiful views and the outside space; yet over and over I see listings that don’t include any outdoor pictures.   Too bad for the sellers, as the outside can be just as important as the inside.

IMG_3629 back patio

 

IMG_3621 back patio

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Resources for Colorado Springs Crime Statistics

Where is the Crime in Colorado Springs?

 For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

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Trulia recently purchased a mapping technology that draws statistics and inputs this information into a map.  One of the many challenges of being a Realtor that specializes in ColoradoCity view COS Springs relocation, is that people coming into the city want to know where it is safe to live; and where are the major areas of crime.    Since I’m bound by Fair Housing Laws, I have to be extremely careful of what type of information I share, as I’m not allowed to “discriminate” against particular neighborhoods.  But I can certainly direct potential buyers to different web sites that will help them gather their own information and make their own informed decisions.

Trulia new acquisition draw statistics from 3 different data sources that report to most the police agencies in the country, SpotCrime, Crime Reports, and EveryBlock.  This data is then used to power the results in the maps.   The Crime Map is still in currently in beta form and currently only covers 50 major metropolitan areas.   It will eventually be a great resources for people moving to Colorado Springs.

Here’s a list of some of the other web sites that I share with potential buyers:

  • CBI website http://cbi.state.co.us/ — Gives you everything from registered sex offenders to crime stats.
  • http://www.neighborhoodscout.com — When you put in an address for a Colorado Springs neighborhood, it gives you all types of information about the area, including crime stats, a general overview of the area, as well as school information.
  • http://www.NeighborhoodScan.com – This site gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
  • http://www.spotcrime.com – Maps out crime occurrences, and allows you to pull up details on specific crimes.
  • http://www.crimereports.com — Also gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
  • http://www.relocationessentials.com — Compares crime in Colorado Springs vs. the national average.  As an example, it shows you that Colorado Springs has less homicide and burglaries than the national average.
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Colorado Springs on list of most affordable Homes in Colorado

 Colorado Springs is affordable

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Since I’m a statistic fanatic, I read every article I can that talks about pricing and comparing home prices in Colorado Springs with other parts of the U.S.   Caldwell Banker does a homePalmer Park view of the peak b small listing report that compares pricing in 2300 cities across the U.S.    The report includes a list of the top 10 most expensive markets and the top 10 least expensive market.    6 of the most expensive cities were in California, and some of the least expensive homes were Georgia and Ohio

According to the report, In Colorado, the average four-bedroom, two-bathroom home is $357,556.    The national average price is $293,251.

The top five most affordable Colorado markets were

  • Pueblo at $141,160
  • Alamosa at $186,890
  • Montrose at $208,875
  • Colorado Springs at $222,936
  • Thornton at $234,856

The top 5 least affordable Colorado markets were:

  • Evergreen at $922,183
  • Boulder at $860,671
  • Durango at 472,147
  • Broomfield at 470,345
  • Golden at 470,244

The prices come from the average home listing price between September 2010 and March 2011 in more than 2,300 North American markets.

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To find out more information about buying a home or an investment property in Colorado Springs area, call ….

Kathy (719-287-1049)   KTorline@msn.com

 

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How accurate are real estate listings on the Internet?

It’s on the Internet, it must be correct

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As a Buyer’s Agent in Colorado Springs, I work with many buyers from all parts of the world looking to relocate to Colorado Springs.   The Internet is a wonderful tool for buyers, as they can find out so much information about the Colorado Springs area as well as check for IMG_1764 pinon valley neighbrohoodpotential homes.  BUT, not every home listing they find on the Internet is correct.

Each Realtor is typically responsible for inputting their home listings in the local MLS system, which is called PPAR in the Colorado Springs area.    Many Realtors have office administrators or assistants that input the data for them; but the Realtor is ultimately responsible for the the information.   Even though most Realtors strive to have the information correct, it’s extremely easy to get something wrong.   I’m guessing that the average listing has 100 to 150 fields of data that need to be filled in; which leaves alot of room for error.   

But even more important than the initial input of all of the data about a home, is all of the places the information gets distributed to line.  Every web site has a different way they get their information and different ways their information gets updated.    As an example, as a member of PPAR, my listings get distributed to Zillow and Trulia and Realtor.com.   But there are many, many other web sites out there; and some of them get updated more often than others.  According to a recent quote in the Wall Street Journal, “21% of the data agents individually submit for posting on real estate websites isn’t updated when changes are made to the price or when the property is sold, according to a report released last month by listing web sites, Trulia.com”

Remember, just because it is online doesn’t make it accurate

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To find out more information about buying a home or an investment property in Colorado Springs area, call ….

Kathy (719-287-1049)   KTorline@msn.com

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9 neighborhoods with Historic Colorado Springs Homes

Are you looking to buy a Historic Home in Colorado Springs?

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If you are interested in buying a Historic Home in Colorado Springs, here’s a quick listing of some of the neighborhoods you may want to check out:

 

  1. Old Colorado City1325 CASCADE 15 percent
    • Location:   Historic West side of Colorado Springs
    • Year Built:  1890 to 1920
    • Currently 59 properties for sale built before 1940
    • Price Range:  $41,000 to $495,000
    • Average Price:  172,766
  2. Old North End
    • Location:  Central Colorado Springs
    • Year Built :  1910 – 1930
    • Price Range:  $129,900 to $999,999
    • Average Price:  $482,190
  3. East End Addition
    • Location:   Central Colorado Springs
    • Year Built:  1920 – 1940
    • Price Range:  $175,000 to $264,000
    • Average Price:  $217,425
  4. Ivywild
    • Location:  Southwest Colorado Springs
    • Year Built:  1900 – 1940
    • Price Range:  $85,000 to $195,000
    • Average Price:  $157,190 Read the rest of this entry »

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Facts, figures, and details from HUD

 A Wealth of Information

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HUD sent out a press release last week about their new web site, www.hud.gov/datamap.   The new site uses data from the Census Bureau, Labor Department, state and local governments, housing industry sources, as well as HUD’s own field economists.  desktop publishing uid 1747676

One of my my favorite features is that it has an interactive map, where you can click on particular sections of the country.  Colorado is in Region VII.    Once you get into the market at a glance section, there is an amazing wealth of information, all in easy to read charts.  Here’s some of the info I picked up from the site about El Paso County and housing in the US.

  • As of 2008, 32% of the population is renters. vs 68% were owners.
  • The population in El Paso County as of 2008 was  616,975
  • The average rent for apartments in the area was $695
  • In the United States, the average price of a house in 2009 was 172,500.
  • Homeowner rates increase by the age of the homeowner.  As an example, 80% of people over the age of 65 own their own house, vs. 52% for homeowners between the age of  30 to 34.

What I didn’t like about the site is that there are Comprehensive Market Analysis Reports, but the report for Colorado Springs was from 2007, and market conditions have changed immensely from 2007 to 2010.

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Kathy (719-287-1049)   KTorline@msn.com

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I can’t be there to see it, now what?

 Relocating to Colorado Springs

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Occasionally I work with a buyer who is overseas and is intersted in Relocating to Colorado Springs and buying a property that they won’t be able to see in person.   Wow, scary stuff for everyone involved.   Even with all of the amazing info now available on the Internet, it still doesn’t take the place of seeing the property in person.  Here’s some of the additional steps I take, as a Colorado Springs Realtor, to help make sure the buyer gets the most accurate information possible.

  • Pictures, pictures and more pictures (and then even more pictures)

I take pictures of everything I can see, including the roof, the furnace, the hot water heater, everything in house.    I take pictures of the neighborhood up and down the street, the next door neighbors, the neighbors across the street, the neighbors behind the house, the parks, the schools, the shopping areas that are close by.   I try to create the same experience for the buyer that they would have when they actually came visit the house.

I make sure they check out Read the rest of this entry »

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Colorado Springs Housing prices have started to increase

Colorado Springs Real Estate — prices have started to increase

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If you read the national newspapers on a daily basis, you’d think all houses in Colorado Springs and in Colorado have plummeted in value.     Not true, and I’m a big believer that graphics and charts tell the real story; so here’s my attempt to show the current pricing trends in the Colorado Springs housing market.  The last column in the graph below is 2010 and shows that the current pricing is closer to 2005/2004 and it also shows that our prices have started to increase.    We reached our high in 2006, and we’re currently down 18% from our high.     Remember, real estate is always local, it varies from city to city, and from neighborhood to neighborhood.
2010 year to date

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How to avoid information overload when looking at houses

Information overload can be avoided

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Since I work with many buyers, I’m always thinking about how I can help the average Colorado Springs first time home buyer look for a home.   One of the biggest challenges for first time home buyers is information overload.   How do they keep all the information straight?  At the end of a full day of showings, how do they remember what they saw?

Here are my top 6 tips to help the Colorado Springs first time home buyer:

  1. Keep notes on each house as you go through it.  Why do you like it, what needs work?  What’s the good, the bad, and the ugly? IMG_2429.JPG carlton outside  When you get in the car, write everything down you can about the house.  You may think you’ll remember the information later in the day, but if you write it down you know you’ll remember the key points.
  2. Nickname the house.  The “bright” house.  Or the “70’s house” with the shag carpeting.  Or the “cul-de-sac” house.  Nicknaming the house will help you keep them straight.  After seeing 10 – 15 houses in a day it becomes confusing.  All the houses run together.
  3. If you don’t like the house,  get rid of the paperwork or cross it off.  (no reason to keep unneeded paperwork as it just adds to the information overload.)
  4. Take pictures to help you remember the houses and the features you like.
  5. As you go through the day seeing houses, rank the homes.  On a scale of 1 to 10, which house is a 9 or a 10?   Write this information down on the MLS property sheet.
  6. Write down all the pluses and minuses of each home on single piece of paper.  That way you can look at all of information on one single sheet vs. flipping thru 20 different sheets.

Remember Knowledge is Power

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Moving to Colorado Springs ?

Crime information is easy to find 
For FREE Colorado Springs Relocation Information, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

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Many people who are moving to Colorado Springs want to know where the good and where are bad parts of the city are located.   One of the Plant & Animal Kingdom c10142many things I do to answer their question, is to send them to different web sites that gives them the crime stats.  In the age of All Things Internet, there is no shortage of information, they just have to be directed on where to find it.  Here’s some of my favorite sites:
  • CBI website http://cbi.state.co.us/ — Gives you everything from registered sex offenders to crime stats.
  • http://www.neighborhoodscout.com — When you put in an address for a Colorado Springs neighborhood, it gives you all types of information about the area, including crime stats, a general overview of the area, as well as school information.
  • http://www.NeighborhoodScan.com – This site gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
  • http://www.spotcrime.com – Maps out crime occurrences, and allows you to pull up details on specific crimes.
  • http://www.crimereports.com — Also gives you extremely detailed information about sex offenders.
  • http://www.relocationessentials.com — Compares crime in Colorado Springs vs. the national average.  As an example, it shows you that Colorado Springs has less rape and burglaries than the national average.

But even with all of the comprehensive national data, the best web site which is chocked full of information is part of the City of Colorado Springs web site.   You can pull up a weekly report that shows you the location of crimes by different categories.   There is also information on all of the Meth Labs that were discovered in Colorado Springs by year.   (See Don’t let your dream house become a nightmare)   You can even follow the Colorado Springs Police Department on Twitter.

When you are looking at moving to Colorado Springs, these web sites can help give you a better pictures of neighborhoods you want to live in.    Remember, Knowledge is Power

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Colorado Springs is on THE List

America’s Fastest Recovering Cities
Good news for Colorado Springs

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For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

I love it when I come across a national article giving Colorado Springs postive recognition.  This morning, I happened to see an articleIMG_1950 home from Forbes about America’s Fastest Recovering Cities.

According to the article, the list was formed by compiling statistics from the 100 largest Metropolitan areas, and the statistics included unemployemnt, housing prices, GMP, Foreclosures, and sales rates.

Heres a link to the complete list; Colorado Springs is #14, Read the rest of this entry »

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How to choose a Buyer’s Agent

How do I find a Buyer Agent?

For a free Buyers Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

Finding homes for sale in Colorado Springs can be overwhelming task, especially for first time buyers.   So, how do you go about selecting a Buyer’s agent to help you? 

For starters you may want to put together a check list of questions to ask potential agents.ravencrest

  • How many transactions did you complete last year? 
  • Do you primarily work with buyers ?
  • What is your commission?  How do you get paid?
  • Do you work as a Buyer’s Agent?  Have you had any special training to work with buyers?
  • Do you have recent references I can contact? Read the rest of this entry »

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The numbers show the Colorado real estate market is improving

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Explanation of Days on Market

One of the many ways all Realtors judge their local real estate market is by the Days on Market.  If properties are selling quickly, the market is heating up.  If homes take a long time to sell, the market is slow.

IMG_9602 southwestLet’s first start with some definitions:   Days on Market (DOM) in real estate is defined as the number of days a property has been on an Active status in the Multiple Listing Service.    The average days on market for single family homes in Colorado Springs for the last quarter ending September 2009  is currently 77 days.  For Condos and townhomes it is 97 days.

But an important thing to remember is this number varies on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood and it also varies by different price categories.   As an example:

  • Briargate Days on Market:  80 (vs. 99 in 2008)
  • Central Days on Market:  64 (vs. 79 in 2008)
  • Manitou Springs Days on Market: 75 (vs. 124 in 2008) Read the rest of this entry »

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10 things to know about Colorado real estate

What makes Colorado real estate different?

For a free Buyers Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

I recently took some accreditation classes in another state.  It was eye-opening for me to understand how much the laws vary from state to state.   Since a major portion of my business is from Internet leads and from people moving to Colorado Springs from other parts of the country,  these classes were very helpful.

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Did you know ?

  1. Colorado is an “actual knowledge” state, which means as Colorado Realtors we only need to disclose facts that we know and we must disclosure material facts. Some states are “imputed knowledge states”, which means Realtors are expected to know certain things.
  2. Most Realtors in Colorado list properties for sale in their local MLS and ask for 1% for Earnest Money.   Some areas in the U.S. ask closer to 10% for Earnest Money.
  3. The majority of Colorado Springs homes get listed in some type of MLS database; and many homes get listed in multiple MLS’s.    There are some major cities in the U.S. that don’t have an MLS.
  4. Colorado doesn’t have dual agency.  Many states still have dual agency.   In Colorado you can only be an agent for either the Buyer or the Seller, you can not be an agent for both. Read the rest of this entry »

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Colorado Springs Real Estate on road to recovery

Colorado Springs Real Estate on road to recovery
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    Palmer Park view of the peak b small

    Forbes magazine  recently published an interesting article about “It’s best cities for a housing recovery”.  According to the article some metro areas are more on their way to recovery than others.  Forbes looked at 161 metro area and their top 5 list of cities includes Colorado Springs:

    The Rankings

    1. Miami, FL

    2. Lincoln, NE

    3. Colorado Springs, CO

    4. Salem, OR

    5. San Luis Obispo, CA

    According to the article, foreclosure home sales in Colorado Springs are only 20% of the transactions and sales activity is up 14%.   Not sure if I agree with their analysis, as in some zip codes in the city foreclosures sales are only 5% and in other areas, it’s probably closer to 40%; but regardless it’s always nice to see national recognition in a positive way for Colorado Springs.

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    What to do with hazardous waste in El Paso County

    Getting ready to move in Colorado Springs? 
    What do you do with the old paint cans?  The old car batteries?  Old computers?
    For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com
    El Paso county has a Hazardous Waste Collection Facility on 3255 Akers Drive, which is close to Constitution and Marksheffel Road..  The collection center is free to residents of El Paso and Teller County, but they encourage a donation of non-perishable food for Care and Share.

    The web site is full of all types of amazing information, including what is household waste and a recycling directory.

    The facility accepts:Agriculture & Industry uid 1737832

    • household paint and paint-related products
    • lawn & garden chemicals
    • household items: cleaners (carpet, drain, oven, toilet bowl), aerosols, ammonia,
    • batteries (alkaline & rechargeable),
    • fluorescent lights,
    • mercury thermometers
    • propane tanks,
    • automotive products (no tires): antifreeze, batteries, brake & transmission fluids, cleaners (bug/tar, chrome, engine, vinyl), contaminated oil, flares, fuels, wax, etc. 
    • ammunition,
    • fireworks
    • electronics: including CPU’s, monitors, keyboards, printers

    For other counties:

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    For more information on Colorado Springs, please feel free to call Kathy at 719-287-1049 or email:  KTorline@msn.com

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    Beware, it’s lightening time in Colorado Springs

     Did you know that Colorado and Florida lead the way for the most lightening related deaths last year?

    For a Free Colorado Springs Relocation Guide, Email Kathy Torline at KTorline@msn.com

    I work with many people who are looking at relocating to Colorado Springs, and tholightning-bolt-during-thunderstorm-uid-1038068ught it would be a good idea to do a quick blog about lightening in Colorado.  Colorado has an average of 16 lightening related injuries a year and 3 deaths a year, all due to lightening.  For those statistics people out there, there is a entire web site devoted to lightening to Colorado. 

    When thunder roars, go indoors!

    It’s such a serious problem in Colorado, Governor Ritter has proclaimed a week in June the Colorado Lightning Safety and Wildfire Awareness Week.  Here’s some facts about lightening in Colorado:

    • Thunderstorms are most likely from April to September, peaking in July. Though mountain thunderstorms are most common during mid afternoon, the first lightning strikes can occur before noon.
    • Fifty percent of all known Colorado lightning casualties happen in one of four places: on mountain summits, under a lone tree, in wide-open areas and on lakes.

    Lighting safety suggestions:

    • If you hear thunder, go inside a building or get inside a hard-topped vehicle.
    • If you are outside, avoid open spaces.  Don’t be the tallest object in an area.
    • Stay away from isolated trees, towers, or utility poles.
    • Stay away from metal conductors including  fences and wires; lightening can travel a long distance through metal.
    • Make yourself as small as possible.  Never lie flat on the ground.

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    For more information on Colorado Springs, please feel free to call Kathy Torline at 719-287-1049 or email:  KTorline@msn.com

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