Brendan Winans -- Previews International

So... I'm a certified specialist in luxury real estate through Century 21 Fine Homes & Estates. However, given the current state of things, I've been more flexible lately in the sense that I've been working leads and deals that would be considered "outside my niche". This has opened up a lot of business for me and has been bringing in consistent income. So that's good right?

My concern is how this effects my image. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that working these deals some how gives me a bad image.. no. What I'm saying I've been working hard to develop an image as a Luxury Realtor, so by being a Luxury Realtor who actually has been doing every kind of deal.. am I actually being counter productive, in the sense of my goals being accomplished in the long run?

Advice would be greatly appreciated...

-Brendan Winans

Ok, so I've been in real estate for a little while now. I absolutely love my work, I feel (with out being overly arrogant) that I'm pretty good at what I do. Just given the amount of time I've been in the business, I can already write a book on "weird experiences". My most recent one came to an end (or so I hope) this morning. Here it goes:

So two days ago, I get a call on one of my "investor special" listings in downtown Denver. It was a female, and she was asking if anyone had called animal control from my listing. I thought this was a strange question, the home has been vacant since 2002 (it is an estate). I asked her to clarify, she ignored my request and started asking questions about the listing, all leading to her final request. She was wondering if I could talk to the owners (who live in Tennessee) to see if they could work out some sort of lease agreement. I explained to her that it was an estate and that the owners were simply inheritors who were looking to liquidate the property. Next thing you know, the woman begins crying hysterically and tells me that she is in her 50's and is homeless (she was a legal assistant who was let go, she and her dog have been wandering the streets ever since), and is willing to work on the property (cleaning it up and such) if the owners let her live there... rent free. She told me that her car broke down in front of the place, and that she parked it in the driveway and has been sleeping in it. She begged me not to call the police. I am a compassionate man, and my heart reached out to her and her situation. I told her as long as she was only parked on the driveway and she was staying in her car, I wouldn't notify the authorities. I told her that there isn't much I can do as far as the lease idea goes, but that I would throw it in front of the owners. I also told her that I would pray for her, and that I wish her all the best in getting her life back on track. Folks, it was sad... I really felt for this woman.

So that was two days ago... this morning, I'm on my way to pick up some coffee and cream from the grocery store when I get a call. It's the woman, this time sounding less emotional than before. She asked me how I was, to which I replied "great, thank you, how are you?" what she said next... got to me...

She said "I'm fine thanks, I was just calling to ask you if you would please have the electricity and water turned on to the property"... I was speechless. Wha... wha... WHAT???

She then told me how she has been speaking to all of the neighbors informing them that she has moved into the property and is going to be cleaning, and fixing it up. She said all the neighbors love her... (thats because, thanks to her, they all think that she bought the place and is going to fix up the "eye sore" of the neighborhood!!!). First of all, this property is a fixer upper.. not quite in live-able condition.. second SHE BROKE INTO... AND MOVED INTO MY LISTING!!!

A million thoughts are going through my head at this point... what do I do, she's homeless... well there are shelters.. but she has a dog... what if she burns the place down... if she's doing things that require the water to be on, thats not gonna be good!

So I had to do it, I had to call the police.

The police called me back, after they sent a squad car over there. They said that the women claimed she was working with Century 21, living on the property, and fixing it up...

...WHOA

The police officer was kind, and let her leave, but said that if she comes back to the property that he will arrest her.

What could I have done? ... I HAD to call the police. I HAD to look out for my sellers.

I mean.. what would YOU have done?

-Brendan Winans

Wells Fargo Upgrades the Denver Metro Area to 'Stable'...

Borrowing money has been made easier by Colorado's biggest mortgage lender. Wells fargo upgraded the status of the Denver Metro area from 'distressed' to 'stable'. "The fundamentals in the Denver market are changing" says Greg Osborne, Regional Vice President of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. "Inventory is being worked down, and as a result, prices are stabilizing".

There has been a 20% drop in homes on the market, according to August's numbers. 24,648 homes on the market. Over 6,000 less than last years 30,827.

Jim Theye, managing broker for Kentwood City Properties, says that the move could signal that the market has hit bottom and is showing signs of improvement... Denver has a 1% chance of home prices falling. That's far better than the 35% chance of prices falling.. forecast for the region in 2003.

Source: Denverpost.com http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10464806

Dated 9/15/2008

-Brendan Winans