Janine Lewis-Barr has joined the Homestead Services Inc. real estate office in Falcon. Barr has been a real estate agent for seven years, specializing in land and land with property on the eastern plains. Lewis-Barr said she joined the Homestead team because the company has had a presence in Falcon for 17 years.Lewis-Barr is in her seventh year as a real estate agent. She said she has always had an interest in real estate and eventually left her office job to help people find land and homes in her community. She said the real estate business is both challenging and rewarding. ìThe challenge is in making sure your client is protected as far as the rules of the area,î Lewis-Barr said. ìYou donít want to lead somebody down the wrong path Ö thereís a huge difference between buying a house in town and what is required compared to buying something with property. The biggest thing is that people donít understand the water and septic rules. There are other rules. Just because you want to live in the country doesnít mean you can bring everything Ö you canít have a pig farm in the middle of Falcon.î She said it is rewarding to help someone find the home where they will raise their family.Lewis-Barr said the real estate market has been slowing down somewhat since interest rates have risen. ìBut I think itís better for everybody that it has,î she said. ìYou canít take somebody to go look at a half-million-dollar house and they have to decide in 30 minutes if theyíre going to buy it because thereís 15 people behind them wanting to buy it. I donít want to make a snap decision for an investment such as that.îAs a Colorado native and long-time resident of Calhan, Lewis-Barr has witnessed first-hand the growth throughout the years. Along with the growth, she has seen an increase in pride in the communities. ìCommunities like Ellicott, Calhan, Falcon, Peyton, itís been cool to see them all have such pride in their town,î Lewis-Barr said. ìTheyíre not just east of the Springs anymore; they are their own entities. You donít have to call a plumber in Colorado Springs to come out here because we have our own plumbers. The community is more self-supporting.î She said people on the eastern plains do not have to travel to Colorado Springs, Pueblo or Denver for work or services and amenities; they can go to Falcon or Black Forest.Lewis-Barr grew up on a ranch in Black Forest and now lives with her husband, horses, dogs and cats in Calhan. She has been barrel racing since childhood and continues to compete in the sport.
