Real Estate Zealot

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.

High Standards to Help you Buy or Sell a Home

Carl Lyday is rated in the top 4 percent of REALTORS® nationwide and he can help you buy a home in Douglas County and South metro Denver.

Front Range Properties is the place to find expert advice and ethical customer service. Carl deals with honesty and integrity and can help you buy or sell your home. Carl vows that he will help you search for the right home, no matter how long it takes! "We will search 'til the cows come home!" says Carl.

Call Carl Lyday at 303-917-1166.

Interviewer: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero, with Metro Brokers TV, today we have in the studio with us, Carl Lyday; he is with Front Range Properties, Carl thank you so much for coming in today.

Carl Lyday: Well Kathy, thank you very much and it's good to be here to take a few minutes to tell you a little bit about me and my company.

Interviewer: Well you have been in the real estate business now for 18 years; tell me a little bit about what you think is the most important characteristic a realtor should have.

Carl Lyday: Kathy I think that's an easy question, really. In any business transaction, I think the consumer is looking for someone to deal with that has the high standards of ethics, honesty and integrity. Now, when you are dealing in real estate, you are talking about multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you are putting your trust into that realtor. So if he or she doesn't have a high standard of ethics, and honesty and integrity it's not going to work. I graduated from the U. S Air Force Academy and honesty and ethics are just part of my life.

The surveys have shown that that's what the consumer is looking for in a realtor. Trulia has done a survey, Zillow has done it, and the National Association of REALTORS® have conducted surveys as to what people are looking for in a realtor.

Interviewer: Alright.

Carl Lyday: That comes out tops.

Interviewer: So those are all values you bring, tell me some of the other things you bring to your clients.

Carl Lyday: Well in the 18 years that I've been in business, I realize that knowledge of real estate law, real estate contracts, all of that is very, very important. But knowledge of the local area is extremely important, I've actually lived in Douglas County, and been a realtor there 18 years, I've lived in Parker for 10 years, Castle Rock for 7 years, and Highlands Ranch for 1 year. Plus I have had up to 16 single family rental properties in Douglas County. So I know the market, I know the area, and I think that helps to bring all that knowledge to the consumer.

Interviewer: So that's primarily the area you worked at there.

Carl Lyday: That's primarily and the South Metro Denver area, but I really like to say that I concentrate on Douglas County, because, again, I know it.

Interviewer: Tell me about some of your advanced designations that you have.

Carl Lyday: Well I've got two from the National Association of REALTORS®, and I'll explain about those real briefly, but they place me in the top four percent of realtors nationwide-according to NAR, (The National Association of Realtors), I have the Accredited by Representative designation, and the Certified Residential Specialist designation, and those rewarded after lots of additional education, and numbers of homes sold, so that brings a wealth of experience with those designations. Most people don't even know what they are, but I'm glad to explain it.

Interviewer: Right they just mean a lot of education too, experience and education I think. Tell me about the typical buyer that you work with.

Carl Lyday: Well I work with the entire spectrum of buyers, but one of the most satisfying things to me is working with a first time home buyer, just to see their excitement and happiness when you find the perfect first home for them, that makes the whole business worthwhile. But I do work with high end buyers as well, I have lived in Castle Pine's Village a gated community in Douglas County, with you know multi-million dollar homes, and so I know the luxury home market really well, as well.

Interviewer: Right, okay so you believe customer testimonials are probably one of the best ways for us to advance our careers, and for people to know about us.

Carl Lyday: And I agree. I've got a number of them and I encourage viewers to go to Zillow.com, where I've got a ton of them. They can look up my name, or just Google me, "Carl Lyday"- just Google me, and you'll find a lot of customer testimonials and they not only emphasize that honesty and integrity that I mentioned, but they also talk about my patience and my willingness to listen. Several have mentioned that I took them out to see over fifty homes before we found the right one. But if you are spending several hundreds of thousands of dollars, you don't want somebody trying to push you into a house. You want and I will pledge that I will search till the cows come home.

Interviewer: 'Til you find the right one.

Carl Lyday: Yep, 'til they find the right one.

Interviewer: How do they get a hold of you? What's the best way to get a hold of you Carl?

Carl Lyday: I have my cell phone, is the best way, 303-917-1166, and I also have an old adage that says- "If I don't return your call within a couple of hours, you can assume I died."

Interviewer: Oh, let's hope not right. Alright, well thank you very much Carl for coming in, it's been a pleasure talking to you.

Carl Lyday: Thank you very much Kathy.

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

First Time Home Buyers Choose Leslie!

Metro Brokers agent, Leslie Parker loves to work with first time homebuyers!

Hi, my name is Leslie Parker; I am an agent with Metro Brokers Realty Innovations in downtown Littleton, Colorado.

I have been a realtor for 10 years and I absolutely love working with First Time Home Buyers. I like helping them looking for their funky neighborhoods, including Sherman Park in Littleton, Platte Park area of Denver, The Highlands area off of West 32nd, where first time home buyers are usually looking for high walk scores, where to shop, where to eat, where the bars are, lots and lots of fun to help.

I would love to help you find your first house. Call Leslie Parker at 303-797-9067 or go online to LeslieParkerRealtor.com.

Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Mary Barela-Cordova is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist who specializes in downsizing. She is the managing broker of Metro Brokers Bear Creek office and handles all types of residential real estate and is an expert working with banks and bank-owned properties, relocations and first time home buyers.

Interviewer: Hi, I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV and today we have in the studio with us Mary Barela Cordova and she is with BC Realty. Thank you so much for coming in Mary.

Mary: Hi Kathy.

Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your business.

Mary: Well I'm pretty excited because my husband Mike and I just opened up our own Metro Broker office. It's the most recent Metro Broker office opened in the state of Colorado, last July we opened it and we now have 23 agents.

Interviewer: Wow! That's awesome.

Mary: We are very excited, it's a fabulous location, we're in Lakewood and we are right next to Bear Creek, which is great because our name is Metro Brokers Bear Creek.

Interviewer: Very good.

Mary: And then my office is BC Realty because of my last name Barela Cordova but I grew up in the BC, in the Bear Creek area.

Interviewer: Okay, so a lot of identification there.

Mary: Yes, yes so we are very excited.

Interviewer: How long have you been in the business?

Mary: I have been in the business 10 years, and I've been with Metro Brokers for seven and at about year six, no I'm sorry at about year five, I started looking into opening my own office, so we took a little bit of time. And a lot of thought, and lot of planning and it was all set perfect last year.

Interviewer: What about your experience in real estate, what sort of designations do you have in the 10 years you have been in the business, I'm sure you have probably done a lot.

Mary: I have done a lot, I'm a certified residential specialist, I'm an REO certified, which means I work with banks and bank owned properties. And I'm also an SRES, which is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist working with people that are downsizing and that kind of thing. So I also have that designation and I'm a managing broker. So I have eight associates that I manage personally. And one of the big things when we were opening our office is we wanted to make sure that we had people that were positive, energetic, caring people come to our office and that's what I'm looking for with my new brokers and actually I'm looking for more brokers now. So I'm on my way.

Interviewer: That's excellent, you are involved in your community, tell me about some of the programs that you are involved with?

Mary: My husband and I have always been supporters of Colorado Cerebral Palsy. So that's an organization that's very dear to our heart because we have some personal experience there with Cerebral Palsy. And we've always supported them and then once a year, they have an annual car show at the Arapahoe Community College right there in campus. We have a booth there, and we get our name out there, and we get to meet a lot of nice people and it's just for great cause.

Interviewer: So for real estate how is anybody going to get a hold of you?

Mary: Oh wait! We missed one more thing, The Seniors' Resource Center, I am a big supporter there, as well, I'm so sorry.

Interviewer: We know with your designation that's important because you have that kind of connection there.

Mary: Absolutely and I am, have been very involved there, my mother was a social worker there for 20 years and worked with people that have Alzheimer's and stroke victims and I volunteer there and I also helped them, they're building a new building. So I helped to raise money and give money and that kind of thing as well.

Interviewer: How can clients get a hold of you?

Mary: You can always reach me on my cell phone at 303-931-5871. And of course if you Google me, because this is, you know I'm way up there, you are going to see all my information, but certainly you can e-mail me as well at mary.bcrealty@comcast.net. Just like my name of my business.

Interviewer: Okay, well thank you very much for coming in and sharing all that with us.

Mary: Well you're welcome and thank you for asking me to be here and I look forward to helping Metro Brokers grow and now it's a great time to join, it's a fabulous corporation and we're always looking for excited, energetic realtors that want to work with us.

Interviewer: Good, Mary thank you very much for coming in today. We really appreciate, you sharing all that with us.

Mary: You're welcome.

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

Maximize Profits with Mary Ellis

Starting a New Chapter in Life? Mary Ellis of the New Century Group can help smooth the way and meet your goals. Whether it's a new marriage, divorce, retirement or expanding your family, Mary can help you with all your real estate needs.

Interviewer: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with metrobrokerstv.com, and today we're in the studio with Mary Ellis, she is with the New Century Group. Mary, thank you so much for coming in today.

Mary: Thanks for having me.

Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about your business, how did you get started?

Mary: Well, you know I started doing property management when my children were babies as a more flexible career and then it was just kind of an organic transition into real estate sales.

Interviewer: What do you enjoy most about it?

Mary: Well you know real estate involves me and the most intimate details of people's lives, their homes, their money, their families and being involved with people while they are trying to make, meet some goals and make a new chapter their lives is very fulfilling.

Interviewer: Now you have told me about some recent transaction that you had or experience you've had...

Mary: Yeah.

Interviewer: How much that impacted you?

Mary: You know I really love to help people move on, for example I was just working with this lady and she was moving down to a smaller house, retiring after losing her husband and so she had told me her and her son's goal was to maximize profits while having an easy transaction. So they listened to my advice, they priced the home competitively, they cleaned it, they staged it, they went under contract in two weeks.

Interviewer: Wow!

Mary: It closed within six, without any issues.

Interviewer: It still can happen, can't it?

Mary: Right. Indeed.

Interviewer: What do you see are the trends in the business right now, what do you think is happening?

Mary: Well I really see that we're seeing problems in the higher-priced homes with short sales and foreclosures, so that has kind of moved up to a greater than $500,000 market. And also because of the issues with tight credit, we're not seeing as much new construction. So there is really is more resale business going on.

Interviewer: What are the types of customers that you kind of focus on in your business?

Mary: Well I like to say that I'm in the business of change. So typically I'm working with people who are starting a new chapter perhaps they're getting married or they're getting a divorce. They're having babies or their children are grown and moving out. Perhaps they have gotten a promotion or they are being transferred, they might be having financial difficulties or a windfall. So you know it's a fun time to work with people while they're in transition.

Interviewer: There are all kinds out there.

Mary: Yes.

Interviewer: And every reason to sell or buy a home.

Mary: That's right.

Interviewer: How can people contact you now Mary, most importantly?

Mary: Well my website is www.maryellis.com, that's M-A-R-Y-E-L-L-I-S or my phone number is 303-661-9999.

Interviewer: Mary, it's such a pleasure talking with you today, thank you so much for coming in.

Mary: You bet.

Interviewer: And for more real estate related videos like this one be sure to tune into Metro Brokers TV online.

3rd Annual Metro Brokers Triathlon is for Everyone!

The 3^rd Annual Metro Brokers TriathlON Friday is a fun event for families and professional triathletes, as well. Come join the fun on Friday night, June 3^rd, 2011 at Cherry Creek State Park. Register at metrobrokerstriathlon.com.

Interviewer: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today we are talking with Mike Bradley he is with Metro Brokers Eagleview Properties. Thanks so much for coming in Mike.

Mike Bradley: Thank you.

Interviewer: You are talking about one of my most favorite events and it is our 3^rd Annual Metro Brokers Triathlon.

Mike Bradley: Yes.

Interviewer: Coming up pretty soon too isn't?

Mike Bradley: Yeah, June 3^rd of 2011.

Interviewer: Very good, at Cherry Creek State Park and tell me how you actually came up with the concept?

Mike Bradley: Well Metro Brokers had traditionally held a golf tournament and that's about 60 people who participate, it's one day, it doesn't have a lot of visibility and I proposed the idea of doing something that's bigger, attractive to a larger audience, has more publicity and realized from doing triathlons on my own that there's just not a lot of opportunities to do a triathlon and so we came up with this concept, got approved and moved forward from there.

Interviewer: And how did it actually come together and be a reality for you?

Mike Bradley: It took a while, but we got hooked up with a race director and he said, 'yeah, you can do this' and he put us in alignment with all the right resources and then we got a staff of volunteers and a great committee together and then Lodo's Bar & Grill jumped on as one of our bigger sponsors and they catered the whole thing. And our race director said you need something that's kind of unique to standout and a Friday evening event was what we selected, nothing is done on a Friday, and it works out so well.

Interviewer: Oh I think it does too, it's just awesome, and last year was my first year actually being there and I was just so amazed at how fun it is.

Mike Bradley: It's really good. Yeah.

Interviewer: It's just a great event and it's big... it's growing too isn't it?

Mike Bradley: Yeah it's a great, it's a family event, but it's also a USAT certified course. So we have professionals, we have amateurs, we have newbies, we have families that come out and do relay teams, it's just a great gathering on a Friday evening, it doesn't interfere with weekend activities and you know the publicity is great for Metro Brokers, but the sponsorship money, the registration money, all of it benefits and goes to the Adaptive Adventures charity, that's who we give that money to.

Interviewer: That's awesome. Tell me what's going to be a little bit different this year's event?

Mike Bradley: Well we are trying to improve it year to year and so this year we have a new timing company, we have a new race director, we have new trophies, and we have done something different with registration where all registration is either race day or online and there's no processing fees and then we are doing something that we have heard a lot of complaints about, the events shirt, one of the biggest complaints is that the shirts never fit, we have actual sizes, men's and women's sizes from double XL to our double extra small to triple extra-large.

Interviewer: Okay.

Mike Bradley: So if you register by May 13^th you get the exact shirt size that you want to get.

Interviewer: Is there an age that you have to be to be in this?

Mike Bradley: Nope, we have age... well it starts at age 14 and it goes up to whatever, but there are age brackets and then divisions for Athena which is the weight class for women and Clydesdale weight class for men, there's the newbie division and the physically challenged division as well.

Interviewer: Okay, so recap quickly for us some of the main things, its going to be on Friday the 3^rd...

Mike Bradley: Friday, June 3^rd at 6:00 p.m. start time.

Interviewer: Okay.

Mike Bradley: And we get started about four o'clock, everyone shows up, gets set up and then we're in the water at six.

Interviewer: Okay.

Mike Bradley: And all the registration is on metrobrokerstriathlon.com.

Interviewer: Okay very good. Thanks so much Mike it's so great to see you and we will see out on June 3^rd.

Mike Bradley: Great thanks for having me.

Interviewer: And if you do want more information about the triathlon; be sure to log onto metrobrokerstriathlon.com. Have a great day.

BNI-Old school tip, new school results with Metro Broker's Brian Macmillan

Brian Macmillan from Metro Brokers is a great young example of a proactive busines generation lifestyle. Are you still waiting around at home for someone to call you about buying or selling a house? You've all heard about "joining a leads group". This story will get a couple things straight. #1, you have to go out and get business. #2 They are not called leads Groups #3 Business is out there for the taking. #4 You need to take the bull by the horns and start your own club.

MetroBrokersTV: Welcome to Broker IPTV and today we are talking with Brian Macmillan and this is part of our Gen X Gen Y section in Broker IPTV where we talk to some of the younger producers and I mean people that are actually producing in the business. Brian is with Metro Brokers and Brian, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, like how long you have been in the business?

Brian MacMillan: This is actually the beginning of my fourth year in the business.

MetroBrokersTV :Great. So, tell me a little bit about your business? Where does most of your leads... where do most of your leads come from? Is it via Internet...?

Brian MacMillan: The majority of my leads actually come from my 1-800 call capture system and print marketing right now. We get a lot of buyer leads off that system, but then probably right below that would be my Sphere and then a BNI organization that I am a part of.

MetroBrokersTV : A BNI... why don't you tell me what that is?

Brian MacMillan: BNI is actually, it stands for Business Networking International. It is the world's largest referral network and about a year-and-a-half ago, I actually started a group up in the North Metro Denver up in Broomfield and we have had that going now for close to, I guess probably a year-and-a-half.

MetroBrokersTV : So, it is a referral group. It is not a leads group? How come they call leads group?

Brian MacMillan: Yeah, no. We call it definitely a referral group and there is a big difference. If you get a lead from somebody, they don't know you are calling. They don't know what your background is. How much... if you are not in real estate, you don't know what the production is, but a referral is something that is nice and warm. Those individuals know you are calling, they know they have been referred over to you highly, and they look forward to my call. So, there is a big difference and we try to weed those leads out actually.

MetroBrokersTV : Well, I know you do a lot of production, so obviously these referral groups BNI must be worthwhile. Why don't you just tell us how often you guys meet?

Brian MacMillan: We meet on a weekly basis and every Wednesday morning 7.30 to 9.00 up at the Eagle Trace Golf Course in Broomfield. I actually... I think that is one of the main reasons why it so successful is we are in front of everybody on a weekly basis versus just go and do some networking event monthly and people forget about you. We are in front of our... what I call my sales crew, 19 other businesses that are looking out for my best interests on a weekly basis.

MetroBrokersTV : So, that is pretty hardcore, meeting every week. There is a lot of people that don't have the dedication to meet every week. Tell me about like who is in charge and we talked about how often you meet, but who runs the show?

Brian MacMillan: Well, we are setup very much like a more large organization is setup. We have got a President, which is myself and the only reason why I had that role is because I started the group. We have a Vice-President, as well as Secretary and Treasurer. Now, we have a Membership Committee that reviews all applications that come in. For future prospects, we have a Visitor Host, an Education Coordinator, a VET Coordinator. So, we have a pretty solid leadership team that all has its own duties to make sure that the group is run efficiently.

MetroBrokersTV : So, tell me a little bit about the format then and who presents and how they present? You said that BNI has got a model that says, "Givers Gain" right?

Brian MacMillan: Yeah, that is the main theme. If I give you a referral, you are going to go out and try to get me one back to say thanks, essentially. It really does work that way. I have noticed over the year-and-a-half anybody who gives me a referral I go out of my way to try to get them back with business.

MetroBrokersTV : Interesting. So, why don't you tell us your production year-to-date just from your referral group?

Brian MacMillan: Year-to-date of course three transactions. I have got one set to close next month under contract and then currently working with one active buyer and one seller.

MetroBrokersTV : Well, that is great considering most brokers are... I think we will see the 2006, 2007 stats are in.. are you aware that the average real estate broker in Colorado will have less than three transactions per year. So, it sounds like the referral groups are a great way to generate business and keep yourself in front of people?

Brian MacMillan: Yeah, what I found is, in our profession when a referral comes through it generally the sale price is going to be higher. So, we definitely see more on that side of things and my print[Phonetic] marketing that pulls kind of the lower bracket. We always have a better chance of capturing more qualified buyers through the referral network as well.

MetroBrokersTV : That is great. Well, I appreciate your time very much Brian. It was great talking with a successful practitioner such as yourself.

Brian MacMillan: Thanks Mark

MetroBrokersTV : Thank you.

Metro Brokers has plenty of new GENX brokers like Andy Schiff

metrobrokersTV : Today we are talking with Andy Schiff from Metro Brokers Dayn Fox and Associates Andy, thanks for being with us.

Andy Schiff: Thanks for having me.

metrobrokersTV : Tell me a little about your business. Where do you specialize? Are you kind of a farm Geographic guy, investor, what is it?

Andy Schiff: I do a little bit every thing Dan. I focus on primarily my personal sphere. So it takes me all around and all sorts of different deals, investors, first time buyers, little bit of every thing.

metrobrokersTV : Terrific. What led you in to this business?

Andy Schiff: Lets see here in 2001 when I finished my under graduate in metro, I had a couple firms recruiting me and because my past sales experience, they wanted meet to come in and do onsite sales and I joined, I ended up waiting till 20O2, finishing my under graduate degree and getting in to it and at the time it was that, I was getting recruited in to the business so I, it was appealing because of that but at the same time my past was in sales and I and I really liked helping people.

metrobrokersTV : You are 30-years-old. You are younger practitioner. Do you feel that gives you some type of competitive advantage?

Andy Schiff: It does a little bit Dan. I think in todays market, e-mail, Internet all those things, entering the market in the last five, ten years I had a little bit head start on some of the veterans that might have been in the business little bit longer.

metrobrokersTV : In those of us who are younger in the business will be glad that the older people dont know how to turn on the computer yet.

Andy Schiff: Yes.

metrobrokersTV : How about a mentor?

Andy Schiff: Mentor, probably in regards to Real estate it is most easily answered with my step father who is a Real estate Developer here in Denver. And he used to start me a great deal about Real estate and the opportunities in Real estate.

metrobrokersTV : We are tech guys?

Andy Schiff: Yes.

metrobrokersTV : What gadgets, what hardware are absolutely necessary to do real estate for you?

Andy Schiff: PDA, e-mail access from the phone and pretty powerful Desktop computer.

metrobrokersTV : Sure, how about the industry as a whole as a younger guy, visionary, where is it going?

Andy Schiff: I thought to say I think, the talk of Brokers being eliminated from transactions is because of the internet and the amount of research consumers can do on their own. I think thats almost a myth, I think if you look at the statistics today, they are still showing that 80% to 90% of people are still using an agent even though they might have found their house on their own. I think there are still going to be a broker interaction, I think there are still going to broker interaction, I think you just need to be more responsive and more electronically savvy.

metrobrokersTV : How soon for the recovery?

Andy Schiff: I am pretty optimistic about Denver on Realtors. So I am very optimistic about Denver, I think 1. You got to look at job market , if you look at the job numbers since 05 Denver has been in a great position. Not a great position, but a good position. And I think its just getting stronger in the last two years and adding jobs and if you look at where we had our major slow down in Denver was at 01/02. And that was you look at 01/02/03/04 numbers and jobs and we are losing more jobs and we are gaining in Denver. So I feel like we are some what protected but I think it is going to be a for a real that nationwide comeback in real estate, I think its going to be late 08, early 09 unfortunately.

metrobrokersTV : Andy, great talking with you, thanks.

Andy Schiff: Thank you very much. Its a pleasure.

Metro Brokers Gen X Cory Schwab is big on being found on the web

MetroBrokersTV :Cory Schwab of Metro Brokers Absolute Faith Realty talks about technology, tools and the genx geny producer. Today we are speaking with Cory Schwab from Metro Brokers, Metro Center Absolute Faith Realty and Cory, you are relatively young practitioner in the business. What areas do you specialize in?

Cory Schwab: I specialize in residential and investment properties.

MetroBrokersTV :How is that being going?

Cory Schwab: It has been going real good. It is a great time to be in the market right now.

MetroBrokersTV :Particularly if you are an investor as well I would imagine.

Cory Schwab: Exactly, especially if you are an investor there is a ton of property out there, there is a ton of property that needs some improvement and I think it is a great time to be buying.

MetroBrokersTV :And these guys look at primarily at foreclosures or they just looking to pick up things low coming and low.

Cory Schwab: A little bit of both, some people look at the foreclosures especially the ones that would want to do little bit of the fix and flipping and also I have some investors that are looking to pick up multiple units in the same area and hope so if later redevelopment in you are doing some rentals right now.

MetroBrokersTV :What led you to this line of work?

Cory Schwab: Just basically my own interest in Real estate. My partners and I and a couple other business started looking at some different properties and we thought it would be great to have somebody that was in the know and that could kind of come in from the back and do a lot of our own investing.

MetroBrokersTV :If they mention you are young practitioner, you are 30-years-old. Do you feel that that gives you an advantage in this business?

Cory Schwab: I think that biggest advantage would be just using that technological tools that are out there for us or our generation is little bit more comfortable as far as the web as far as using some PDA, some wireless applications, those types of things.

MetroBrokersTV :Well, now that you have mentioned that what hard ware do you think is essential for doing Real estate today?

Cory Schwab: I think just web presence is the biggest one. Consumers right now, are doing a lot of their own research. They are checking out houses before they even contact Realtors so if your presence is out on the web right now it is a great time to be pulling in those people and you can help them do the searches. You can help guy them to their sites where they can get more information, there is a lot of places out there that they can get a lot of the background information that they used to go to Realtors for. So we here for it all focus them in a right direction, make sure you are find in the right property.

MetroBrokersTV :Are you a guy who is on the web a bit using the Zillows and the red fins and things like that utilizing that information.

Cory Schwab: I definitely utilize all that information. I take when I am doing competitive market analysis. I take every thing I can find, the more information I feel the better you are able to present to your customers. They are looking for somebody who is an expert so you mind us well, got out there and use all the different engines you can.

MetroBrokersTV :How about a mentor, did you have one coming up?

Cory Schwab: Mentor would be D Faith Tharan from Metro Brokers Absolute Faith, Realty. I am actually working under her right now. She has been on the business about 9 or 10 years and she has been really helpful.

MetroBrokersTV :How about attracting new business? What strategies can you pass on other to people?

Cory Schwab: Most of my business comes from referrals, and I do a little bit of direct marketing whether it be webcast type of e-mails or direct mail.

MetroBrokersTV :You talk to a lot of people, you meet a lot of people, what do you think or what is your kind of forecast for the industry?

Cory Schwab: For the industry overall like I said people are looking, they are getting a lot of information on their own on the web. But as far as the forecast in the market I feel like come and beginning of next year we are going to start to see a lot of people there were squeamish towards the end of this year about buying and selling. I think we are going to see a lot more of movement early 2008. It is a great time to be out there in the market right now.

MetroBrokersTV :Cory, thanks for being with us. Great having you.

Cory Schwab: Nice to meet you.