Scott Shields

 MetroBrokersTV:  Welcome to Metro Brokers TV and we are here today with Jesse Sehlmeyer.  Welcome Jesse.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  Nice to see you Mark.

MetroBrokersTV:  Tell me your company name again Jesse.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  Vintage Homes of Denver.

MetroBrokersTV:  And that is a Metro Brokers company that you are an independent shareholder and owner.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  It is and we are down here in Pearl Street.

MetroBrokersTV:  So, prior to Metro Brokers, you were telling me before our conversation here, you were with another company.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  I was.  Actually, started at Keller Williams for a brief time when getting into the real estate business.

MetroBrokersTV:  Back then did you interview some other companies prior to making that choice?

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  I did.  I actually interviewed Metro Brokers, Coldwell Banker, and Keller Williams before making the decision.

MetroBrokersTV:  And your decision with Keller Williams back then was...

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  I think the main thing was just to get the initial agent training and support that Keller Williams had, but I knew that going there I wanted that support, but eventually wanted to make the move to having my own company since I come from an entrepreneurial background with my parents and other people.  So, I knew that was something I was eventually going to do.

MetroBrokersTV:  You were with Keller how long?

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  Actually right to a year.

MetroBrokersTV:  I see so many Keller Williams agents over here at Metro Brokers because of the platform that people get to operate under as... for being an entrepreneur.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  That's a great thing about Metro Brokers is you really have a true 100% concept where I have the freedom and flexibility to run my business and still have a powerful brand behind me as Metro Brokers is.

MetroBrokersTV:  So, one of the things you were joking beforehand they didn't tell you about at Keller, they don't really talk about numbers.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  Right and the numbers was... that was a big shock and I think the reason why I left rather quickly from Keller Williams.  Once I got that initial training, I could take my business background and then tie that to real estate and just realize that the fees for what I received after that initial training just really weren't in line with how I wanted to grow my business and run a company.

MetroBrokersTV:  So, Metro Brokers still very much a 100% concept.  Fees for services and you don't really have any corporate dogma on how to run your business.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  No.  That's the beauty of Metro Brokers.  I get to run my real company, and not a team, the way I want to, I get to brand it, I get out there with the consumer and Metro Brokers is there just as a support, as a overall powerful branded name in the marketplace and it is a very common brand that people know the stop sign and they know Metro Brokers and they get that piece of it and then I think it really balances out my business and my company, which we focus on mainly development, investment, and working in kind of the core areas of Denver.  So, I think the two together it is a really successful combination for our company.

MetroBrokersTV:  How about some tools that we provide for agents like the exclusive listings collection, the higher end sign [Phonetic]?

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  I think it is just a progressive thing for Metro Brokers to really look at the marketplace and realize that you need to have that perceived image in the marketplace when you are competing in the million dollar plus listing arena.  So, I think it is just another step in being a progressive....

MetroBrokersTV:  Well, we appreciate you coming down here today Jesse.  Great talking with you.

Jesse Sehlmeyer:  Thank you.

MetroBrokersTV: Welcome to Metro Brokers TV and we are here today with Jesse Sehlmeyer of Vintage Homes of Denver and welcome Jesse.

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Thanks Mark.

MetroBrokersTV: Hey, part of the reason we are interviewing you today is you are one of the more successful agents in the southeast Denver area. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your business and where you practice your business?

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Vintage Homes of Denver was really created to specialize in the old Denver markets around Wash Park, Platt Park, Congress Park, really the enclaves of Denver, being a Denver native and growing up learning the history of Denver. I really want to focus my business on one very specific area of town and that has been the focus of our business over the last several years.

MetroBrokersTV: Your office is on Pearl Street, right?

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Yeah, right on 1601 S Pearl Street, right in the heart of the shopping district.

MetroBrokersTV: So, tell me do you do mostly work with investors, developers right now.

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Doing a lot of investment development including scrape offs and pop tops, major renovation project properties. That is definitely core of our business, but we also do quite a bit of resale in old Denver since that has been an area we have marketed to since day one as well.

MetroBrokersTV: So, tell me, we are in the second half year 2008, how has that business being going? How is your market doing with the economic conditions today?

Jesse Sehlmeyer: At this point, we are actually still about 97% of planned projections for sales and volume this year and most of the properties that we put out are still selling within a very reasonable timeframe for the market, even considering what people are considering a slow down in the market as a whole, we have had great success in areas that we do business in. Markets are very localized and I think you just have to really show the consumer that these local areas of Denver are still doing quite well and you really have to also prove these markets are doing well also.

MetroBrokersTV: So, average agent last year metro Denver doing less than three transactions. What are you doing as far as marketing program? Do you have a sphere of influence? Are you using paper marketing, electronic mediums?

Jesse Sehlmeyer: At this point, we always market heavily to our sphere of influence, our database and really looking for that long term referral business, that has been a big anchor and we are also doing electronic mailings to them at this point and we are also getting into the video segment, like Obeo somewhat or Vid2rl looking at going forward as a part of our overall marketing.

MetroBrokersTV: So, you are working with snail mail and newsletter to clients, electronic newsletters to clients, upgrading things as far as video on your properties and so forth and anything else you are doing out there to stay successful?

Jesse Sehlmeyer: I think really it seems kind of like a funny way doing things by just getting out there and meeting people in public. I try to at least I would say one to three lunches a week meeting a new investor or builder and just really getting out there and trying to see what they are doing in the market and how we might be able to work with them in the market.

MetroBrokersTV: Real estate is a contact sport.

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Yeah, just getting out there and meeting people and nuturing those relationships for the long term.

MetroBrokersTV: Well, we appreciate you coming in today Jesse and appreciate your input.

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Thanks.

William (Will) Roberts is With Metro Brokers BrokerforDenver.com

BrokerIPTV : Today we are talking with William Roberts, President elected Denver Board of Realtors, welcome, glad you are here.

William Robert: Glad to be here.

BrokerIPTV : Talk about issues, water shed issues, hot button issues, what is on the mind at the Denver Board in 2008.

William Robert: Sure, there is four primary issues on the mind right now, not just Denver Board of Realtors, but also the Colorado Association Realtors. One of those issues being the tenant-land lord issues, you want to make sure that, tenants should be interviewed fairly and the same time protecting land lords, another issue is 1031 exchanges, couple of years ago, there is 1031 funds that were pretty much embezzled away from the appropriate clients. So we want to make sure that there is a possible like regulation in there for some of those 1031 exchange companies.

BrokerIPTV : Want to talk about the board itself an organization's local organizations, what do you think is the future of Local Board Organizations?

William Roberts: Well it looks like people talking about consolidations. It is really more of economies scale and power in numbers, so I think that is one dynamic that we may see of the next few years.

BrokerIPTV : Strategies for the Denver Board in 2008, what are they?

William Roberts: Well one of our visions is mixture that we were providing the best resources possible for members and so our strategies are the very consistent with the past , website, making sure that we were broadcasting for example webinars been able to provide more links directly to our members, course educations always fundamental for us and government affairs making sure that were are watching the zoning issues and protecting our members and their clients.

BrokerIPTV : You have a long history of been a participant in various boards and committees and so forth are you sure you know what you are getting in to President elect?

William Roberts: I am looking forward to it, it is going to quite time commitment, it's already quite a time commitment now, I am sure you can imagine, so I am looking forward to it, I think it is going to be a lot of fun and service our firm is already a leading service.

BrokerIPTV : Well fantastic talking with you, great meeting you, thank you. I appreciate it.

William Roberts: Thank you, glad to be here.