13 Out of 15 Years: Pinon Real Estate Group Voted Best Real Estate Company in Salida

For the 13th time in 15 years, Pinon Real Estate Group has been voted Best Real Estate Company in Salida — and we couldn’t be more grateful.

One award is an honor. To receive this recognition from our community 13 times over 15 years is something altogether different.

To us, it represents years of relationships, repeat clients, referrals, local knowledge and, most importantly, the trust of the community we’ve been proud to serve for more than two decades.

And in 2026, we have even more to celebrate.

Susan Dempsey Hughes, Broker/Owner of Pinon Real Estate Group, was voted Best Real Estate Agent 2026, while Hayden Mellsop received an honor that extends well beyond real estate: Outstanding Citizen 2026.

Three awards. One incredible community. And a whole lot to be thankful for.

13 OUT OF 15 YEARS — A RECOGNITION WE DON’T TAKE FOR GRANTED

Real estate has changed tremendously over the past 20+ years. Markets have shifted, technology has changed the way people buy and sell homes, and Salida and Chaffee County have grown and evolved.

Through all of it, our goal has remained remarkably simple: know our market, take care of our clients and provide the level of service people should expect when making one of life’s biggest financial decisions.

We know our clients have choices when selecting a real estate company. Every client who chooses Pinon, every past client who sends a friend our way, and every person who took the time to vote for us represents trust that has to be earned.

That’s what makes this recognition so meaningful.

SUSAN DEMPSEY HUGHES — BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT 2026

This year’s Best of Salida results gave us another reason to celebrate when our Broker/Owner, Susan Dempsey Hughes, was voted Best Real Estate Agent 2026.

Susan’s knowledge of the local real estate market, dedication to her clients and leadership have played an important role in shaping Pinon Real Estate Group and the way we serve our community.

Those of us who work alongside Susan see the commitment she brings to the office and to her clients every day, so seeing our community recognize her in this way is especially meaningful.

We couldn’t be prouder.

HAYDEN MELLSOP — OUTSTANDING CITIZEN 2026

And then there’s an award we love for an entirely different reason.

Hayden Mellsop was named Outstanding Citizen 2026.

Unlike our real estate awards, this recognition isn’t about transactions, sales or market knowledge. It’s about being part of a community — something that has always mattered deeply to us at Pinon.

We believe being a local business means more than having an office in town. It means participating in the community, supporting the people and organizations around us, and caring about the place we all call home.

We’re incredibly proud to see Hayden recognized for exactly that.

We’re also fairly certain he would prefer that we stop making such a fuss about it. But we make no promises.

MORE THAN REAL ESTATE

For more than 20 years, Pinon Real Estate Group has had the privilege of helping people buy and sell homes, land and investment properties throughout Salida and Chaffee County.

But some of our favorite moments have happened outside of a transaction.

They happen at community events, fundraisers and local traditions. They happen when a former client stops by the office, when someone we helped years ago sends a friend our way, or when we get the opportunity to give something back to the community that has supported us.

That connection to Salida is a big part of who we are.

THANK YOU, SALIDA

We have a lot to celebrate in 2026, but mostly, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Thank you to everyone who voted. Thank you to our clients who continue to trust us. Thank you to the people who recommend Pinon to their friends and family. And thank you to the Salida community for supporting our locally owned company year after year.

We’re proud of the awards. But we’re even more proud of what they represent: relationships built over time, local knowledge, service to our clients and a genuine connection to this community.

From all of us at Pinon Real Estate Group, thank you, Salida!