Boulder originators carry on through 'biblical' flood

This week’s deluge in Boulder, Colo., shattered a 73-year-old rainfall record and triggered the mandatory evacuation of some 7,000 households, but despite what nature was throwing at them some area mortgage originators soldiered on.

This week’s deluge in Boulder, Colo., shattered a 73-year-old rainfall record and triggered the mandatory evacuation of some 7,000 households, but despite what nature was throwing at them some area mortgage originators soldiered on.

Colonial National Mortgage branch manager Marc Jalbert, was the only loan officer at the business when MPA called. But Jalbert couldn’t speak right away; he was conducting a closing, according to the branch receptionist – the only other employee who could make it to the office.

Jeff Barnow of Boulder Lending Group was the only person in his office this morning - most of the other employees were dealing with flooding issues in their own neighborhoods.

“I’m just trying to close some deals,” Barnow said. “I’ve got a lot of work.”

Barnow said it was too early to tell how the flooding would affect business.

“I haven’t really talked to any of my borrowers, so I don’t know if their houses have flooded away,” he said. “It could be killing my deals, or they could go through okay.”

The storm has dumped more than 14 inches of rain on the Boulder area since Monday, according to Boulder’s Daily Camera, with floods overflowing a dozen dams in Boulder County Thursday. A flash flood warning remains in effect for the area through midnight tonight, and the small town of Lyons – about 15 miles north of Boulder – is being entirely evacuated.

Photo credit: Shankar Gallery/Richard Lazzara