Real Estate Zealot

Find the Right Investment Property and Tenant

A Denver native and second-generation real estate broker, Kyle Surplus with Liberty Associates can help you find that perfect family home or investment property. Call Kyle at 303-909-2323 or visit KyleSurplusRealty.com.

Interviewer: Welcome to Metro Brokers TV, today in our studio we have Kyle Surplus with Liberty Associates, welcome Kyle.

Kyle Surplus: Thank you Kari, its a pleasure to be here.

Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about your background?

Kyle Surplus: Absolutely, well Kari, I'm a second-generation realtor so you could say real estates in my blood. I've grown up here in Colorado from like growing just for over 45 years literally going to school from kindergarten through college, so you know growing up here you could say I've got a real good knowledge of Denver and the surrounding areas, I have come from a professionals, most of my adult life I've been in professional sales background, so it was the perfect training ground and segue into real estate, working large financial technical transactions has really prepared me to help my clients in buying and selling of real estate.

Interviewer: What would you say is your area of expertise?

Kyle Surplus: Well Kari helping clients from literally Castle Rock to Fort Collins and everything between, some of the areas that I specialize in are South Aurora, Centennial, Parker, Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock.

Interviewer: Wonderful, now you also manage rental properties as well, is that correct?

Kyle Surplus: Correct, I manage my own investment properties and from all stages, from acquiring, kind of understanding the best neighborhoods, you know which ones are appreciating where well get the highest rents, all the way through to marketing for tenants, qualifying them and retaining good solid tenants, so I think it brings real solid knowledge to my clients to be able to have that real world experience in you know quite honestly managing rental properties, there's really no substitute for experience and I can provide that to my clients.

Interviewer: Thats wonderful, how would you say the real estate market is currently?

Kyle Surplus: Great question, I would say its hot, quite honestly there's three factors that have contributed to that. About a year ago in March of 2012, inventory across Denver in the metropolitan areas shrank by 52%.

Interviewer: Wow.

Kyle Surplus: So that instantly created a supply and demand issue, you couple that with historically low interest rates a couple of months ago they were the lowest on record, as well as a lot of you know this economy has really been hard on in Colorado families you know as well and I think a lot of people are staying in their houses and fixing them up, so you dont have a lot of new inventory coming up, so its really creating a sellers market which is fantastic for sellers and challenging for buyers, so in my opinion its a ideal time to be represented by a seasoned and experienced realtor.

Interviewer: Wonderful, so how can clients reach you?

Kyle Surplus: Well I encourage them to go to my website, kylesurplusrealty.com and learn a little bit more about me, I also have some neat search engines on that where they can put in some criteria, kind of look into some neighborhoods theyve been thinking about, find out the value of their home all that you know on their time and you know utilize those tools at their discretion and then if they need to contact me, they can email me directly from my website as well as call me on my cell phone which in 303-909-2323.

Interviewer: Wonderful, well Kyle thank you so much for taking the time out on your day to come talk to me today.

Kyle Surplus: Well thank you very much for having me.

Interviewer: For more real estate related videos please go to metrobrokerstv.com.

Customer Service is Our Priority

Rick Watkins of Rick Watkins Realty understands that the client is Number One. Whether you are buying your first home or trading up or downsizing, call Rick Watkins to help you get the home you really want. Call him at 303-880-0739 or find him online at RickWatkins.com.

Interviewer: Today in our studio we have Rick Watkins with Rick Watkins Realty, Welcome Rick.

Rick Watkins: Thank you Kari for having me here.

Interviewer: Well thanks for coming. So tell me a little bit about your business.

Rick Watkins: Well I am a real estate broker in the State of Colorado, I've been selling homes here since 1986 and actually I grew up in a real estate family, and in high school I actually did some of the driving around work putting signs in, in the yards and delivering keys and I've actually been licensed here since 1986.

Interviewer: Wonderful

Rick Watkins: Yeah.

Interviewer: So now you pride yourself on really putting the client first, tell me about that?

Rick Watkins: Well I do, I really believe that the client is number one and I really live on repeat business, so I always treat my clients best and do the best I can for then and make sure that the home or the condo or you know whichever property they are looking for, they are getting what they really want and that it's done, the transaction is done in a competent manner, so.

Interviewer: What would you say are your areas of expertise?

Rick Watkins: Areas of expertise, well as far as you know there's different areas of expertise, there is location and I go all around Denver, whether its Denver metro or Littleton or out to Aurora, or north of Brighton or Roxborough or Castle Rock, so I go everywhere. I also help a lot of people in their first home, you know a lot of people are getting their first home right now, it's kind of fun because now I'm selling my clients' kids houses.

Interviewer: Oh fun.

Rick Watkins: Which is really kind of cool and, but you know first time home buyers you know with the economy there are the short sales and the foreclosures and I do some of that, I'm hoping that goes away soon but I do some of that business but you know mostly its helping people in their first home and also you know the trade up homes and you know the different...

Interviewer: The whole gamut?

Rick Watkins...the whole gamut, yeah.

Interviewer: So are you involved in any organizations?

Rick Watkins: I am involved in you know the real estate organizations, SMDRA, which is the South Metro Realtor Association; The National Association of Realtors and also I do a little bit of volunteer work with, during the winter time with Arapahoe County's Santa Claus Shop, which is for people who are in need to get their kids toys and food boxes and stuff like that, so I do that a lot, during the end of the year when they have a little bit more time.

Interviewer: How can clients reach you?

Rick Watkins: They can call me at, my phone number is (303) 880-0739 or my website is simple enough and it's RickWatkins.com.

Interviewer: Great. Well Rick thank you so much for joining us today.

Rick Watkins: Thank you Kari.

Interviewer: For more real estate related videos, please go online to MetroBrokersTV.com.

Hire the Right Agent for Your Needs

"Find an agent you feel confident in." says Greg Howard of Metro Real Estate Group. Greg can help buyers, sellers and investors take advantage of the opportunities available in this housing market. He has the experience you need.

Call Greg at 719-445-9515.

Interviewer: Hi I'm Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today we have in the studio with us Greg Howard, with Metro Real Estate Group, Greg thanks so much for coming in today.

Greg Howard: Thanks for having me.

Interviewer: We are talking about how we can help sellers and buyers take advantage of the market right now, what's your input on something like that?

Greg Howard: Well we have two topics, we have the seller, and we have the buyer; the problem that people have right now with selling their house is that they are worried about what they can and they can't get for their home.

For buyers, there's a lot of good opportunities out there, even with a slight shift up.

So, as far as the seller goes, we need to talk to them, they need to find an agent that they feel comfortable with, they need to ask the right questions, they need to find out whether their goal that they have is actually attainable. If it happens to be a property that is slightly upside down, they need to get a hold of an agent that can kind of counsel them in the right direction, so that they can either short sale it, they can get as much money for it as they possibly can, stage it, there's a lot of tricks to the trade, and the first thing that you have to do is find an agent that can teach you those tricks. Number two, you got to have an agent that you feel confident is giving you the real information.

Interviewer: Is it the best time to sell right now?

Greg Howard: It very well could be, it depends on what your goal is, and if you have to sell, you need to get hold of an agent that's going to tell you how to do it to get the most for your money.

If you want to move up, right now it's really a pretty good opportunity- but, once again, you have to have an agent that can get the most money out of your property, and then help you when you take that money and sink it into another property. There are a lot of houses out there that are selling under value, and there are reasons for that. They will either be houses that are put on the market at too high a price, and then the seller gets desperate and has to reduce their price to get it sold. So there's a lot of opportunity out there, so if you want to sell now, and buy at a really great value, you can do that right now.

Interviewer: What about the market for buyers?

Greg Howard: I wouldn't say it's good as it was 12 months ago, but it's still an excellent market for buyers. The key that people have to be aware of, here in 2012 is, anything under the $250,000 mark you need to find the home, and you need to pull the trigger, because there is going to be multiple offers. Those houses are flying off the market! I would say probably in my last five transactions we have had multiple offers, and this is as a buyer going in, so you need to let them know that when they find it they need to be ready to make a decision.

Interviewer: Any particular area that's hotter than others?

Greg Howard: Gosh, I'm in Colorado Springs, and I also deal with the South end of Denver, it's not necessarily an area, it's a price range, the way the lending is going right now and in my opinion they are giving away money, at 3% for a 30 year fixed, it's the house (value) anywhere from $250,000 and down- that's the hot area. The nicer the neighborhood, the more established the neighborhood, those even go a little bit quicker, but it's primarily the price right now that seems to be driving it.

Interviewer: Is the market any different for investors?

Greg Howard: Yes, it is, I mean investors can still find a lot of really good deals out there, I think it's a little harder because we got a lot of buyers out there looking and they're competing with investors currently. An investor has to be a little more savvy. We've got some systems in place at our office where we can actually find properties before they hit the MLS. Maybe we can find them for you and we'll work out a situation where we can help you buy them on the courthouse steps.

Interviewer: Well Greg this has been great information, thank you so much, and how can buyers or sellers get a hold of you?

Greg Howard: Website, GregHowardRealtor.com, and you can also find me on the Metro Brokers Online website under Greg Howard. Phone number is, 719-445-9515, and I do deal with properties in the South Denver areas as well as Colorado Springs.

Interviewer: Great, Greg thank you so much for coming in today.

Greg Howard: It's been a pleasure, thank you.

Interviewer: Absolutely, and for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in online to Metro Brokers TV.

Invest Your IRA in Real Estate

Art Momper from The Denver Home Team explains how to use your IRA to invest in real estate and enjoy income in your retirement!

Let Art Momper help you buy, sell or invest in real estate. He will use his experience to help you find the right property for your needs. Call him at 303-683-1222.

Interviewer: Hi I'm Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV and today we are in the studio with Art Momper, and he's with The Denver Home Team. Art thank you so much for coming in to day.

Art Momper: Glad to be here.

Interviewer: You've been a realtor now for about 37 years, how would you say that your experience has helped you out over the years?

Art Momper: Well, the situation with our market is, it's always evolving and so I've learned about the markets from every dynamic that's out there. I'm able to bring a lot of big picture guidance to my clients and help them with their decision making. In our business sometimes people get real focused on little details, sometimes they get focused on the big picture and not enough on the details, so you know, you ought to be able to look at the situation and guide them accordingly. Real estate is not done in a bubble and so being able to bring a big picture overview has really been important and especially with this market.

Interviewer: How do you stay current with all the latest technology and so many things have evolved over the years too?

Art Momper: Yeah it is very fluid in our market place, but people expects you to be current and I know a lot of brokers that are experienced in the market, but they haven't stayed current in their technology and I think all our clients these days are pretty literate and they're expecting us to stay on top of it. So I'm always up to date with the most current technologies, the most innovative websites, we are able to get people's properties on the market and distribute it in a couple of hours, using all the electronic signatures, social media etcetera, so I make sure that if it's out there and it works, I'm doing it.

Interviewer: That's right. We mentioned you have been in the business for 30 some odd years, and so what do you think your clients value most about your experience that you've had?

Art Momper: Well, I think they value my honesty. I put honesty before compensation. So, when I work with people, I'm going to tell them the truth, and when I'm helping someone buy a house, I'm very critical about the details of that property, so that if they do enter into a purchase decision on it they know they are going to get a good outcome. My assistant and I kid all the time that I talk more people out of buying a house than those brokers who have sold- because if I don't think it's the right property, I'm going to tell them that. If I have to defer compensation for that, that's fine with me, I'd rather get the good outcome. As a result, I get a lot of referrals, and people are glad to include me in their future business plans.

Interviewer: Absolutely, so you've been with Metro Brokers now for over a year.

Art Momper: Yeah, I've been about a year and a half.

Interviewer: Okay, so how would you think that is the benefit to you and to your clients?

Art Momper: Yeah, it's been a big decision, I was a RE/MAX Broker for 31 years and helped build that brand. I was a broker on it for about 18 years; so I have a lot of experience in managing brokerages and taking care of that kind of business. So, I brought that over to Metro Brokers and what it's really allowed me to do is maintain my low fee structure while continuing to add services. A lot of other brokerage opportunities have extremely high overhead and that really doesn't benefit the client. Metro Brokers has provided a really good forum for me to continue to advance my technology investments while maintaining the service...so that's been great.

Interviewer: I understand that you are an expert in Self Directed IRAs to purchase real estate, can you explain a little bit about that?

Art Momper: Yeah, that's an interesting niche in the market...the IRS allows people to use their IRAs to buy real estate.

Interviewer: Okay.

Art Momper: It is self directed for any purchase, actually, but the real estate is a great one because when you buy a piece of property and it's throwing off rent, you can live off that rent in your retirement without killing the tree if you will, you can just eat the fruit. Whereas, if you have a stock-based portfolio, you start selling the stock and that's the end of your revenue stream. So, it's really a much superior way to package a retirement fund. It's a very complicated process from the broker's perspective, and so you definitely need to do it with somebody who understands it, and I've got a large investment of time and energy into understanding the process. I've done it myself and, also, I own several properties through an IRA, and it's a great program if you use an expert like me.

Interviewer: Well on that note, how do we get a hold of you because I think I might be interested myself!

Art Momper: My name is Art Momper, and I'm at 303-683-1222.

Interviewer: Alright.

Art Momper: And my website is www.ArtMomper.com

Interviewer: Alright, Art thank you so much for coming in and talking with us today.

Art Momper: Thank you.

Interviewer: You bet, and for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in online to Metro Brokers TV.

Education and Experience in Denver Real Estate

Metro Broker Paul Bursey has the credentials and experience to help you with any transaction, foreclosure or short sale. Call Paul at Bursey & Associates, Inc. - 303-981-6284 or visit PaulSBursey.com.

Kathy Soltero: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today we have in the studio with us, Paul Bursey, he's with Bursey & Associates, and Paul, thank you so much for coming in today.

Paul Bursey: Well thank you Kathy.

Kathy Soltero: You bet. Tell us a little bit about your real estate career, and how you got into it?

Paul Bursey: Well actually I've been in the real estate since 1982, and I've sold over a thousand transactions since then, I work primarily with buyers and sellers, residential real estate. I love working up and down the I-25 corridor, you know anywhere from Castle Rock to Thornton. I like to specialize in the residential and the resale side of things, but I do, do and work with investors, I do property management, I've had as many as 40 rental properties managed at one time, and we also work with private investors out of Chicago, I work with local investors here, and then I've done a little commercial as well.

Kathy Soltero: How do you find the market going right now for investors, I mean we have gone through a lot of foreclosures in the last few years, and it seems, does it seem to be tapering off a little bit more?

Paul Bursey: You know what, the investors that I was working with in Chicago decided to liquidate because they didn't see the market being improving in the next few years, so they had 35 homes here in Denver and 330 nationally. So after a five year period, they just said hey, it's time to go ahead and take the capital and invest it in another area. So I think there's still opportunities out there, I go to the auctions, I work with investors, you just have to be really careful about where you get into, what price points you get into, and make sure you study that neighborhood before pulling the trigger.

Kathy Soltero: So when you are working with investors from outside you're pretty much their eyes and ears and everything.

Paul Bursey: Yeah, yeah, they fly into town maybe once a quarter just to check things out, see what's happening, but for the most part it's, yeah I'm their eyes and ears.

Kathy Soltero: Were they more or less investors to buy rental properties, or were these fix and flips or...?

Paul Bursey: No actually they bought from model show homes from a builder here in town, and they expected to lease the homes back to the builder, once the builder had sold out, then they go ahead and sell the home, and hopefully make money, but because they bought back in '05 and '06, the market at its peak, everything deteriorated and they lost a lot of money and their portfolio.

Kathy Soltero: Oh, that's a bummer. Tell me about your specialties, what are your credentials?

Paul Bursey: You know what, just recently I've had meetings with Wells Fargo, and we got a second wave of foreclosures in short sales coming our way here in Denver, as many as 3000. So I've been focusing more on short sales, I just got my designation for SFR, Short Sale Foreclosure Specialist, I do have a GRI, Graduate in the Real Estate Institute, and I also got my BPOR, and now I'm working on my CDPE, which is a certified.

Kathy Soltero: All these are alphabetical.

Paul Bursey: Yeah right, and so it's, that's a Certified Distress Property Expert, so that's what the banks are requiring to go ahead and work with them.

Kathy Soltero: Okay, tell quickly about any organizations or activities that you are involved in.

Paul Bursey: You know what I've been involved with the Denver Real Estate Board for years and years, Chamber of Commerce, not any more with the downtown Denver partnership, but mostly on the Denver Board.

Kathy Soltero: Okay, great. Now how does anybody get a hold of you?

Paul Bursey: You know what, I'm with Bursey Associates Inc., Metro Brokers, I work out of the Park Meadows Office, and at I-25 and County Line, and if you're in need in buying or selling or investing in properties, you can call me at, 303-981-6284, or you can go ahead and e-mail me at paulsbursey@msn.com.

Kathy Soltero: Great, Paul thank you so much for coming in, it's a pleasure talking with you.

Paul Bursey: Kathy it's great, thank you very much.

Kathy Soltero: You bet, for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in to metrobrokerstv.com.

The Old Fashioned Style of Doing Business

Metro Broker James Frazee believes customer service is job number one, and the old fashion style of doing business can help buyers and sellers. Call James at Real Tech Enterprises, Inc. - 303-548-9157 or visit DenverShortSaleLogic.com.

Kathy Soltero: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero with metrobrokerstv.com, and today we have in the studio with us James Frazee, and he is with Real Tech Enterprises. James thanks so much for coming in today.

James Frazee: Thank you for having me.

Kathy Soltero: Absolutely, tell me a little bit about your background in real estate, how you got started?

James Frazee: You bet. Well my background in real estate started 22 years ago, January 2^nd 1990, I jumped in to it, and then doing residential real estate ever since. I've been focusing mostly on short sales in the last two to three years, because there's so much of them, and just serving buyers and sellers needs.

Kathy Soltero: What is your feeling about customer service, I mean you really focus on that, don't you?

James Frazee: I sure try, I was brought up to do so, and at the same time, I always have really made that a very big part of my business, I believe in the old fashion style of doing business, and I try to give people that, and I hope that carries across with all the referrals I receive from all my past clients, I think that works. I've been really blessed, I even had one where, I worked with him for a good long time, and even asked me to be his best man at the closing you know, and so, and we are very close friends today.

Kathy Soltero: Oh, that's awesome, that is a very close relationship with your customers.

James Frazee: Yeah, I've been very lucky.

Kathy Soltero: Tell us about the areas of town that you actually focus on.

James Frazee: All over, in today's market, you can't focus just on one, but pretty much a front range, Denver Metro Area, like when we have transactions from Castle Rock, all the way up to Longmont, so kind of everywhere, I've put a lot of miles on.

Kathy Soltero: It's kind of really a crazy market out there now, where are you seeing things headed, what are your feelings about what's going on?

James Frazee: Wow, great question. These are turbulent waters right now, I don't know where it's going, all I can do is stay on top of where we are today, and try to stay involved in all the new policies, procedures, anything that has to do with what's going to affect a buyer and seller through Congress, or whatever. There is a lot of great programs for buyers and sellers that congress has put in forth, but at the same time a lot of them are kind of falling through the cracks too, so yes just staying on top of it.

Kathy Soltero: Absolutely. You say you focus a lot on short sales, in the last few years, because I think we all have had to kind of change gears and directions a little bit, how have you seen short sales change because they have evolved immensely in the last few years?

James Frazee: Well there's good and bad with everything. The good is compared to when I started doing it, it took a lot longer to do it, sometimes transactions would sit out there for a year, and that's very frustrating for a seller that wants to have closure, and the buyer too, it matters who you represent, but that's changed quite a bit, which has been good for both parties, buyers and sellers. Some other things that's still kind of changing is what the banks are willing to do, there is around 500 different lenders around the nation that creates a lot of individuality on their policies, and with the policies, you think you know it all, and then some might throw us your curve ball, so I'm always learning.

Kathy Soltero: Well how can customers get a hold of you?

James Frazee: Best way of course is what I carry on my, in my pocket, which is always my cell phone, that's 303-548-9157, a great way to get a hold of me, of course is my e-mail, my staff is always monitoring that, that's info@denvershortsalelogic.com, and of course check out my web address, which is, denvershortsalelogic.com.

Kathy Soltero: Very good, James thank you so much for coming in and talking with us today.

James Frazee: Thank you.

Kathy Soltero: You bet, and for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in to metrobrokerstv.com.

Believe in the American Dream

Metro Broker Dorothy Jones believes in the American Dream of home ownership. Let Dorothy make that dream happen for you. Call her at Metroplex Realtors - 303-726-0731 or visit her website at Metro Brokers online.

Interviewer: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero, with Metro Brokers TV, and today in the studio we have with us, Dorothy Jones; and she is with Metroplex Realtors. Dorothy thank you so much for coming in and talking with us today.

Dorothy Jones: It's my pleasure, thank you for having me.

Interviewer: Absolutely, tell me a little bit about yourself in real estate.

Dorothy Jones: Well I've been in the real estate business for twenty years, there's about 41 years of experience within my office.

Interviewer: And you're a Denver native too, so you know a lot about the area, tell me what areas you work in primarily.

Dorothy Jones: I primarily work in the Aurora and Denver Metro area, but I've worked as far as Greeley and Boulder I've worked for thirty years for IBM, so I know the Boulder area and I know the Metropolitan area.

Interviewer: Absolutely, so what type of real estate is your specialty?

Dorothy Jones: I specialize in residential but I do also some commercial.

Interviewer: Oh, really. That's quite involved isn't it?

Dorothy Jones: Oh yes, mostly churches, apartment buildings.

Interviewer: And what types of clients do you primarily work with, do you like to work with first time home buyers.

Dorothy Jones: Oh, yes.

Interviewer: They are kind of fun aren't they?

Dorothy Jones: I'd run the gambit young, old, and poor, rich.

Interviewer: Oh no, do you work with sellers or buyers mostly, do you do both or.

Dorothy Jones: Both buyers and sellers, yes.

Interviewer: It's a pretty tough market out there still, I mean we are starting to see it rebound a little bit, but the process can be very confusing don't you think?

Dorothy Jones: Yes I think so, but I helped to navigate the waters that we have to tread in order to get through the process and with less stress for my buyers or sellers.

Interviewer: What sort of things do you think you have to focus on then?

DorothJones: Well mainly financing, for those who don't have cash, which is most of the population. Financing... and then just to inform them of what they all will be going through, so that they don't have the stress of wondering what is going to happen. Tell them in advance, they will know.

Interviewer: You feel like you are a kind of a counselor sometimes, don't you.

Dorothy Jones: Yeah more a facilitator.

Interviewer: You kind of really help them through the process, you know it really is great, helping clients, pursue their dreams, don't you think in real estate, that's something that you get an opportunity to do.

Dorothy Jones: Yes, that's the part, one of the parts that I really love is just helping them realize their dreams. Some people had never thought that they'd be home owners, especially first time home buyers, and then, some people think, "I'm too old to buy a house", you know, "I'm disabled and I can't buy a house"... there are different situations, and anybody can be a home owner. And you are going to pay somebody's mortgage.

Interviewer: So give me a quick synopsis, what you feel like the market is doing, where do you think it's headed?

Dorothy Jones: Well I think it's leveled off as far as pricing, and the prices will eventually creep up. I think it was more of a buyer's market, I think now it's more of a sellers market, it's turning, the tide is turning, and the properties that are under a certain price range, so 250,000 or less are going really quick.....

Interviewer: They certainly are.

Dorothy Jones: And so if the buyer isn't qualified, isn't pre-approved, then they will probably lose out on that deal.

Interviewer: Absolutely, so Dorothy where can customers reach you if they want to buy or sell a home.

Dorothy Jones: Well my direct number is 303-726-0731.

Interviewer: Okay and do you have a website then, as well, or.

Dorothy Jones: Yes. You can see my website at Metro Brokers online.

Interviewer: And where is Metroplex Realtors located.

Dorothy Jones: We are located just a block east of Havana; between Dartmouth and Yale.

Interviewer: Okay, well Dorothy Jones, thank you so much for coming in, and talking with us today, it's been a pleasure.

Dorothy Jones: Yeah I appreciate for having me here thank you.

Interviewer: And for real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in to MetroBrokersTV.com

Hire an Expert in Denver Real Estate

Ken Aggus of Metro Brokers, Aggus Realty is your expert for managing properties or buying or selling a home in the Denver area.

Call him at 303-210-1338 or go online to AggusRealty.com.

Interviewer: Hi I'm Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV and today, in the studio, we have Ken Aggus, with Aggus Realty. Ken thank you so much for coming in with us today.

Ken Aggus: You're welcome.

Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about your business, you manage properties as well as sell real estate?

Ken Aggus: I do, we have been managing properties for the whole time I've been involved in real estate for over three decades. But in recent years we've decided to beef up and expand our property management. So we hired a couple of full-time people and now we've been growing on that end. But my first love is really working with buyers and sellers, so about two thirds of my time goes into that.

Interviewer: Right. So where are you located, so that we can get an idea where you work mostly?

Ken Aggus: We are in Wheat Ridge. After about 26 years in Westminster, in the same location, we relocated to the area near I-70 and Ward Road with Metro Brokers Professionals office and recently the Metro Brokers Northwest office from Arvada has joined us. So we've become one of the larger Metro Brokers offices.

Interviewer: You're getting - it sounds like you're growing by leaps and bounds up there?

Ken Aggus: Well, we are trying.

Interviewer: Now tell us about your involvement in the community, you're also involved besides being a real estate agent?

Ken Aggus: Well in the realtor community, I've been involved in the national, state and local associations the whole time. I've also worked a couple of years on the Metro Brokers education committee helping to develop the program and curriculum for the Metro Brokers Academy and I was the president of the Jefferson County REALTORS® Association a long time ago. In 1996, I was honored to be the REALTOR® of the year.

Interviewer: Congratulations, that's fabulous. Well that's three decades, so you've been in it for more than thirty years...?

Ken Aggus: A long time, thirty three.

Interviewer: Wow. So tell us about your background, I mean what got you started in it?

Ken Aggus: I was in the building materials business in the beginning, but my parents, Frank and Grace Aggus, started our company in 1959 and in 1979 they talked me into getting a real estate license. So, I did that. And then I left building materials, went into the business and I became the broker owner of Aggus Realty in, I think, it was '83 and I've been Aggus Realty ever since. The most rewarding career move I've ever made though was joining Metro Brokers in about 2000.

Interviewer: It's a great organization.

Ken Aggus: We really enjoy it.

Interviewer: You have also embraced technology - tell me about your website and what you've done to grow it so well?

Ken Aggus: Well I've always been a firm believer that a REALTOR® who doesn't embrace technology is going to really struggle to succeed. I am one of the few people left still working who wasn't born with a computer in his hand, but I've been involved with creation of the Jefferson County Association website and the initial CAR website and this was way back and couldn't be getting to that now.

Interviewer: Right, right well so if customers want to get a hold of you what's the best way to contact you?

Ken Aggus: If anybody is looking to buy or sell or have their property managed they should call me at 303-210-1338 or my website address is AggusRealty.com.

Interviewer: Ken, thank you so much for coming in and talking with us today, it's been a pleasure.

Ken Aggus: Thanks for having me.

Interviewer: And for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune in to MetroBrokersTV.com.

What is a Strategic Short Sale?

Metro Broker Barbara Gregg, of Diva Properties describes how a strategic short sale can be a better alternative than just walking away, for someone about to lose their home. Let Barbara help you through the process. Call her at 303-757-7900

Interviewer: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero, with Metro Brokers TV, today we have in the studio with us, Barbara Gregg, and she is with Diva Properties, Barbara thank you so much for coming in today, and talking with us.

Barbara Gregg: Thank you for having me.

Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about what your feel is on how the Denver economy is going in real estate right now.

Barbara Gregg: I think Denver is very strong, big part of that is we are organic, there is no device we've got, we've got our industry, power, energy, mining is big right now, we've got agriculture, so we have a lot to offer as well as the amenities, so we are certainly one of the strongest in the country.

Interviewer: You do a lot of short sales; we've done a lot of short sales in the last few years, how receptive do you think the banks are right now, and how they are responding, and that sort of thing.

Barbara Gregg: Well the banks have gone through a huge metamorphosis, at how they look at short sales, they want to do them now versus before they didn't, and I think they have decided that it actually helps their bottom line to do a short sale. So Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac just passed a rule where they have thirty days to give a short sale approval. Now I don't know enforcement, I don't know how that is going to look, but as of June 15^th, they have 30 days to get short sales approved, or not approved, so that should be huge.

Interviewer: Awesome, so there's been a lot of talk about strategic default, can you explain that and what are your views on that?

Barbara Gregg: Well the strategic default, that is when people can and have the ability to pay the mortgage, and they look at the situation, and they choose not to. They say, "Well the home is underwater by $200,000." I mean there are strategic calculators, there are strategic monitors and there are books to help people go through and see, you know, the long term picture- does it serve me to continue to pay the mortgage?

Interviewer: Okay.

Barbara Gregg: So, in Colorado, it's not so big, in places like Florida and California, it's huge, because people paid $500,000 for a house that is worth $150,000. You know, at that point you keep paying your 500,000 dollar mortgage, does it make sense.

Interviewer: Now can you define what tactical short sales are?

Okay this is my favorite; "tactical" is what I call a strategic short sale, because the definition of tactical is strategic. But the difference is that people that may not have the option of paying, both with strategic, they are making a choice, they can pay, they choose not to, but tactical people have lost their jobs, there's been health issues, they are no longer able to continue to pay, with that they lose their power, they go into the panic, the fear, the humiliation, and then they make bad decisions. So with tactical what we try to do is give them the same options that people that are using strategy, and we just turn it around, and say okay we'll look at your fear, we'll look at your humiliation, we'll look at your shame, we'll look at your pain, lets look at all that, because it's real, but then lets move on, and make great decisions, so things look better in six months.

Interviewer: Right, right.

Barbara Gregg: Now and, generally what happens is people will get afraid to move out of the house, and that's honestly the worst thing they can do...

Interviewer: ...without taking steps to maybe short sale it do modifications or something to that nature, is that correct.

Barbara Gregg: And there's all kinds of laws being passed right now, with the refinancing, so even if they have tried to refinance, provided that there is the money there, provided you know if you have lost your job, they are not going to refinance, if you don't, if you cant prove income to cover it, then we need move on, and look at bankruptcy.

You know, a lot of times people will say, "Barb we just, we want our kid to graduate from the house, we need nine months." I can get them nine months, and we do that-strategically, it doesn't just happen, we have to have a plan, and we have to work the plan, so that's why it's important to work with a specialized short sale agent, that they can make help make things better, instead of status quo.

Interviewer: Right, so what's the best way people can get a hold of you if they want to buy or sell their homes?

Barbara Gregg: We have this incredible new web site; I think it's one of the best searches in the web site, wwwdenverhomesandcondos.com.

Interviewer: Okay.

Barbara Gregg: And then my phone is 303-757-7900.

Interviewer: Alright Barbara thank you so much for coming in and talking with us, I know it's such a short time, and that's such a huge issue, but it's been very informative, thank you.

Barbara Gregg: Thank you.

Interviewer: And for more real estate related videos like this one, be sure to tune into MetroBrokersTV.com.

Your Brighton Real Estate Source

Metro Brokers agent, Jan Hepp-Struck of Hepp Realty is located in Brighton Colorado and can help you with residential or commercial real estate in the Northern Denver metro area.

Interviewer: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today in the studio we have Jan Hepp-Struck with Hepp Realty. Thank you so much Jan for coming in and talking with us today.

Jan: Thank you.

Interviewer: Tell us about where you are located? You are out in Brighton?

Jan: I am located in Brighton. I founded Metro Brokers of Brighton in 1983 and began Hepp Realty LLC. I joke with my friends, my peers and tell them that I am Metro Brokers. I was elected as one of the first female members of Metro Brokers Inc. board and then I served as the first female president of the board in 1987 and the second in 1997 and I served on the board and as an officer and in committees for over 18 years consecutively.

Interviewer: Wow in the 80's that wasn't a great time...

Jan: 80's and 90's yes.

Interviewer: Well and then it started to get better right.

Jan: Yes-yes-yes.

Interviewer: Okay. So, is that as long as you have been in the industry that's when you got started and everything?

Jan: No I actually was originally licensed in 1977 and then I joined Metro Brokers in 1983.

Interviewer: Okay great wonderful. Well being a president and that sort of thing, past president, that's awesome.

Jan: It is. It was a pleasure.

Interviewer: Tell me about you are so involved in your community. Tell me about that?

Jan: It's been my pleasure to give back to my industry and to my community. I have a resume two pages long itemizing all of that, I've recently been appointed by the Brighton City Council to serve on the Brighton Urban Renewal Authority, which is fascinating. I am enjoying that.

Interviewer: Oh, my gosh. So that's like all the expansion and kind of development that can go around in Brighton and that sort of thing.

Jan: Yes-yes.

Interviewer: That's wonderful that you have got all that input then.

Jan: Yes-yes.

Interviewer: What locations then do you actually focus on?

Jan: I focus in Brighton, that's my location, but, in addition to that all of Adam's County and Southern Weld, so I would be your contact for residential and commercial office, retail, industrial, farm, ranch and land real estate in Brighton, Henderson, Thornton, Fort Lupton, Northglenn, Lochbuie, Kingsburg, Hudson and the Tri-town areas, as far as on Firestone Fredrick and Dacono.

Interviewer: Wow so that really is a broad area.

Jan: It is a broad area full of communities that were smaller but, now they have grown.

Interviewer: Absolutely. Your website says that you offer a 100 percent customer satisfaction. Explain what that means?

Jan: Well our customer's satisfaction is our number 1 priority and we all focus on being in touch, in contact and taking care of all the responsibilities and duties at our end.

Interviewer: So tell me how can people get in contact with you Jan?

Jan: My cell phone is the best way to contact me, 303-520-4340 or the website HeppRealty.com, where they can view more information about me, my company and our listings.

Interviewer: Awesome. Well thank you Jan very much for coming in and talking with us today.

Jan: Thank you.

Interviewer: You have been hearing from Jan Hepp Struck with Hepp Realty out in Brighton, Colorado and for more real estate related videos, like this one, be sure to tune in to metrobrokertv.com.