November Newsletter 2025
Thankful
It certainly seems like we were just writing about Thanksgiving 2024, and another one has arrived. The years go faster the longer we are here, but we remain thankful.
What are we thankful for?
Well, you, for starters. If you are receiving this, you are part of the Denver Concierge family. As a client, partner, or supporter of our small business, how could we not be thankful?
Today’s business climate couldn’t be much more difficult. We are still in a post-COVID inflationary time. The cost of nearly everything is still very high, and labor costs have never been higher, especially in Denver.
Yet, 27 years later, we remain. We like to think it’s because we are pretty good at what we do, but that is far from the entire story.
Through the years, all of you have trusted us to be in your homes, sometimes every week. We take that trust very seriously and don’t take anything that we do for you for granted.
We are thankful for you. In the face of price increases, weather, illnesses, and lots of things out of our control, you remain with us as well.
At the risk of being sappy this holiday season, we say thank you for supporting our small business.
We are also so very thankful for our wonderful ladies who clean your homes every week. We are sure by now that you probably don’t notice our monthly award winners at the end of each newsletter, and that’s perfectly normal.
But please know that those awards are based largely on your feedback and that recognition, along with our annual awards, are important to our folks.
So as we head towards 2026 and another Thanksgiving newsletter that will come way too fast, we simply say thanks.
Your support, feedback, and trust are all we have.
Finally, in these chaotic times full of political divides and strife, we hope that all of us can come together this holiday season and put aside everything else that might be in the way.
Getting back to business, we are closed tomorrow to celebrate and give thanks. We are also giving our teams Friday off, so we will be celebrating a four-day break as we launch into the holiday cleaning season full speed ahead.
We will be back in the saddle on Monday, December 1st, and will be chugging along right through Christmas Eve on Wednesday the 24th. We will be closed on Christmas Day and again for New Year’s Day on the 1st.
This first holiday newsletter covers lots of interesting topics, starting with Xcel Energy and their plan for a pretty big rate hike. We also discuss the housing market in Denver, brain styles and productivity, and our near-record lack of precipitation.
Read on to learn more, and we wish you and your families, and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving 2025.


Xcel Proposed Rate Hike
We hate price increases. As a small business, even a tiny increase of 2% or so bothers us.
We hold our breath every time we have to do it, because we realize how tough things are presently.
So when we read that Xcel Energy was proposing a 10% increase, it sure caught our eye.
From Tuesday’s Denver Post article, “Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest electric utility, has asked state regulators for an increase of $355.5 million to its rate base, which would boost the average residential electric bill by nearly 10% per month.”
“Xcel filed the proposal Friday with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, which will take testimony from the company and various intervening parties and hold a public hearing. If approved, the increase would take effect in September 2026.”
Xcel Energy-Colorado President Robert Kenney said the utility’s last increase to the rate base was in 2022. The average residential bill rose by 3.2%”
Wow, that’s a big one, and three times the amount of the last one.
The difference between Xcel Energy and the rest of us, however, is that they have no competition for their service, leaving customers at their mercy.
The only saving grace is that this request must be filed with Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission, which can approve or deny the increase.
We are all for companies being profitable, but this is a significant increase, and we all need to be aware of how the process works.
It sure looks like the full cost of the Marshall Fire settlement and other costs are being fully passed on to the consumer.

Brain Styles & Productivity
Did you know that your brain has a specific “productivity style”?
We are always happy when we are productive, but we have never really given thought to why that happens or how.
So when we ran across this concept, we naturally wanted to learn more.
Fast Company published a cool article on this, and from that article, the four styles:
- The Disciplined Virtuoso (Focus & Discipline)
These are your “practice room” professionals. Like Prince, who mastered 27 instruments through relentless repetition, they thrive on structure, consistency, and clear goals.
- The Creative Shape-Shifter (Reinvention & Innovation)
Think David Bowie or the Beatles. These individuals thrive when they can reinvent themselves, innovate, and question the status quo.
- The Resilient Improviser (Experimentation & Recovery)
Modeled after jazz legends like John Coltrane, this style thrives in uncertain times. They treat challenges as improvisational prompts, seeing them as opportunities to adapt and grow.
- The Collaborative Conductor (Collaboration & Vulnerability)
Like Beyoncé, who builds a powerhouse creative team, these leaders excel at orchestrating others. Their groove is creating safe, trust-filled environments where collective brilliance emerges.
So very interesting!
The article goes on to teach us how to not only identify which style is yours, but how to turn that specific style into a strength.
Another good recap of those can be found here as well, should you want to go the traditional route.
The complete article referenced above from Fast Company can be found here.
Our takeaway? We all have different styles for learning, getting things done, and generally functioning in life.
Understanding our style and the styles of those around us can make life easier for all involved.

Denver Real Estate Trends
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
If you were lucky enough to sell your home during or around the pandemic, you probably did just fine.
Things these days are a bit more challenging for homeowners looking to downsize or get some much-needed equity out of their homes.
According to Zillow, Denver is leading the U.S. in a less-than-desirable category, with 91% of homes in metro Denver losing value in 2025.
Yikes.
The only saving grace is that we aren’t completely alone. Nationwide, 53% of homes lost value.
Once hot markets like Phoenix and Austin are also getting hit, with both metros coming in just behind Denver at 89%, so we are not alone in our pain.
From the paywalled article in the Denver Post, “Denver’s home values were growing in 2024, so it’s natural to see a bit more giveback now. What stands out more is the depth of the losses. The average Denver home has lost about the same as the national average, while Austin’s average drop is more than twice that,” said Mischa Fisher, Zillow’s new chief economist, in an email.”
“While nearly all Denver homeowners have lost equity, those losses are mild and very much in line with what homeowners across the country are experiencing when measured from the peak, he said.”
Big changes in our once very hot housing market.
Other headwinds exist as well, including skyrocketing homeowner’s costs driven by natural disasters.
The Denver Post article can be found here.
Yahoo Finance published a good look at this issue, and shows other metro areas and it is here.
We are hopeful that the economic situation improves and that our housing market rebounds a bit, but we cannot lose sight of the massive appreciation many of us have seen over the years, leading us here.
Our state needs to rebound!

Where is the Snow?
December 10. That is the latest first snow recorded in Denver.
In history.
Yes, you read that right, we are in the middle of the second-latest snowfall in Denver history.
In fact, our current streak sits at 221 days without measurable snowfall. The previous record?
232 days, which occurred in both 1887 and 2021. We just passed 1889, which was 220 days, and if we make it through the weekend, we will be past the 225 days set way back in 1888.
Crazy for sure.
Westword did a fun piece on this and it is here.
We aren’t smart enough to know why this is happening, but we have a suspicion that winter may show up angry and make up for the current drought.
Denver 7 has a fun chart of consecutive days without snow here.
About that drought?
“In the fall of 2016, we were down in the teens and 20 percent of normal that year too,” Strautins said. “Then we had some storms come through later on, and by the late spring of 2017, we were at or above normal for snowpack across Colorado.”
“A pattern change starting Sunday could bring more storms to the state as November ends, though Strautins said they’ll likely affect higher elevations first.”
We know the snow is coming. For now, enjoy the mild weather, and let’s hope we get enough moisture to avoid an official drought in 2026.

Monthly Award Winners
Our October award winners were Sandra Vidales, Xochitl Tehuacati, Cecilia Reyes, Yessica Censo, and Fidelia Bautista.
In the Team Leader ranks, the two were Mayra Soto and Natalia Olivas.
We are so proud of our winners and of all the folks who are in and out of your homes each week.
We are also very appreciative to be a part of your lives and your homes. You provide the platform for our teams to perform, and for that, we are grateful.
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for October.

Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
As we enter into another holiday season, I wanted to change things up a bit and do a “Frequently Asked Questions” section.
Since we get a lot of the same questions regularly, this will help all of us stay on the same page, so here goes:
Q: Can you tell me what time the team will arrive at my house?
A: We can give you an estimated arrival time with the caveat that it could be subject to change. Unexpected last-minute cancellations dictate a shifting of houses from their original placement on the team’s roster. In which case, we will text you.
Q: Will I always have the same team?
A: Yes, because our employees are granted sick days and vacation days, there will likely be a day when one of your team members will need to be substituted.
Q: Can I leave while the team is cleaning?
A: Absolutely, and we recommend it. Cleaning is a noisy business and best experienced after the fact once you come home to a clean and quiet house. If there are questions that arise during the clean, we can always reach you via text.
Q: Is it ok to leave pets unattended in the house while the team is cleaning?
A: Yes, but we ask that recent additions like Petey the kitten and Charlie the visiting dog be formally introduced to the team first.
Q: Can the teams accept and sign for packages while at the house?
A: Yes, and they will also bring in any parcels or mail left outside.
Q: Who is the go-to for any comments, concerns, or questions?
A: That would be me. 
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bee

































Memory loss isn’t random—it’s the result of specific, often preventable factors.”































