Scott Shields

Amy Chase: Hi. I am Amy Chase and welcome to Metro Brokers TV. I am here today with Howard Prager out of the Colorado Springs central office. Howard's office is Howard Prager's Home Selling System. Howard welcome.

Howard Prager: Thank you very much Amy.

Amy Chase: Tell us a little bit about your real estate background. How long have you been in the business and...?

Howard Prager: 40 years.

Amy Chase: 40 years, terrific. Okay. How long have you been with Metro Brokers?

Howard Prager: I have just joined Metro Brokers in the last few months.

Amy Chase: Okay and where were you prior to coming to us?

Howard Prager: Well, I retired for 10 years. I had done lot of repos and other types of things and just got fed[Phonetic] off the land and didn't need to do anything, but this current market attracted me. It has attracted me for both the young people that can get in and really get good deals and in addition to that, for investors who can also get in and get good deals including myself.

Amy Chase: Absolutely. So, obviously being in the business for that long, you have seen a lot of trends. Tell us a little bit about what you are seeing now in Colorado Springs.

Howard Prager: Well, first of all, the current market you know nationally and in Colorado Springs, the market hasn't been lower. You know going all the way back to the 1980s, which was the last you know big deep market decline, that wasn't even as low as it is now. So, this is really a deep decline; however, right now, everything is really looking up in Colorado Springs and that's because in Fort Carson 10,000 GI's are coming into Colorado Springs with their families. So, that's 10,000, there is 5000 listings on the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors. So, something has got to give and it is giving. The properties that are you know listed for less than $250,000 are really starting to sell and sell fast.

Amy Chase: How are you analyzing your data and what are you doing for marketing and how are you getting the word out to your potential investors and buyers?

Howard Prager: Well, I do Google Ads and in addition AdWords, in addition to that I am pretty high up in terms of the people that look on Google and the other search engines. I am advertising in the military papers and other sites where the military are likely to look and so forth. In addition to that, I also advertise for investors to get in because it is a good opportunity for them as well. Knowing the market is very important and it's just as important as it is in the stock market, but real estate you have to know where it is exactly.

Amy Chase: Even more so and if somebody wants to contact you, what's an e-mail address or how do they get on your mailing list?

Howard Prager: Okay. howardprager... Prager spelt, p-r-a-g-e-r, howardprager.com or howard@howardprager.com for my e-mail address.

Amy Chase: Terrific and with regards to Metro Brokers, is there anything that you would like to tell our viewers today about what you like about Metro Brokers, the business model or what it offers you as a broker?

Howard Prager: Well, I think it offers me everything. It offers me independence. I can supervise myself and supervise others and I do not have to report back because I know what I am doing and I have been at it for 40 years and I don't see why I should pay a huge franchise fee to some organization that's going to try and do everything for me.

Amy Chase: So low fees, flexibility....

Howard Prager: Low fees....

Amy Chase: And the freedom to do what you want to do when you want to do it.

Howard Prager: Exactly.

Amy Chase: Terrific. Howard, thank you so much for coming today.

Howard Prager: Thank you very much for having me.

Amy Chase: You bet.

Metro Brokers 2009 Television(TV) Advertising Commercial Production "Happy March"

Metro Brokers 2009 Television Advertising Commercial Production "Happy March"

MetrobrokersTV: Hi. Welcome to Metro Brokers TV. I am Robin Wood and I have the pleasure today of speaking with Bob Luna from Metro Brokers Crescent Properties, LLC. Thanks for joining us Bob.

Bob Luna: Good to be here Robin.

MetrobrokersTV: So, congratulations first of all for becoming the President Elect for 2010.

Bob Luna: Oh thank you.

MetrobrokersTV: For Metro Brokers Organization. How long have you been with us, with Metro Brokers?

Bob Luna: With Metro Brokers, nine years now.

MetrobrokersTV: And how long have you been in the business?

ob Luna: It's 30 years. So, a long time.

MetrobrokersTV: Different companies?

Bob Luna: Different companies. Started out with Century 21, went to RE/MAX, and finally saw the light. I think that this is the place where I am going to be for a long time.

MetrobrokersTV: Excellent. Excellent. Well, you definitely will be at the helm next year for us, thank you. So, tell me a little bit about your business.

Bob Luna: Most of my business is out of Boulder County. I manage an office in Lafayette. It's a very traditional little Victorian house. We get a lot of walk in traffic, have the little brochure boxes out front and it's just a lot of fun. So, it's antique furniture, the whole bit, but lot of technology in there.

MetrobrokersTV: Yes, there is. We do have so much technology in Metro Brokers and I imagine you will be using that to help with our membership as you take [Voice Cross Over].

Bob Luna: Well, that's what I am hoping for and promoting the outlying areas is the area that you know I think that Metro Brokers really needs to grow in, you know getting the message out. There is... we just started a Fort Collins Metro Broker office. The agent up there in one month has already gotten two leads from other Metro Brokers for two listings. So, she has gotten two listings just because of joining Metro Brokers right away. So, that's great.

MetrobrokersTV: That is great. What other areas do you think that we could really focus on trying to draw into this group, the successful Metro Brokers group?

Bob Luna: That's a good question. Colorado Springs I think is another sleeping giant for Metro Brokers. Grand Junction and again that whole northern corridor from Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Collins. So, very excited on trying to get the word out there as to what Metro Brokers is all about.

MetrobrokersTV: Now, what types of tools do you think we can use to let these areas know what we offer?

Bob Luna: Well Robin, we are in one of the best tools that they have right here at Metro Brokers TV. The other thing it's our online, the metrobrokersonline.com. That's all web based and it is all maps for the state. It has all the leads from all the MLS'. So, your searches can all be done from one place. Now, it offers lead generation and lead capture to all of our brokers. So, it's a phenomenal tool and getting that word out is the most important thing.

MetrobrokersTV: Thank you so much Bob for all that great information.

Bob Luna: Well thank you Robin. It has been my pleasure.

MetrobrokersTV: For more interviews and membership information, please join us at metrobrokerstv.com.

MetrobrokersTV: Hi, this is Robin Wood. We are here with Metro Brokers TV today interviewing Doug Lindstrom. Hello Doug. Thank you for joining us.

Doug Lindstrom: Hi there. Thank you. My pleasure.

MetrobrokersTV: So I understand your company's name is Metro Brokers - Legacy Partners.

Doug Lindstrom: That's right.

MetrobrokersTV: Where are you located?

Doug Lindstrom: We are located up in Loveland at the I25, 34 interchange up there in Centera.

MetrobrokersTV: Excellent and you are an office owner.

Doug Lindstrom: That's right.

MetrobrokersTV: Congratulations.

Doug Lindstrom: Thank you.

MetrobrokersTV: And the only office up in Loveland.

Doug Lindstrom: That's right. They had an office up there at one time, but I am the newest, the latest and greatest up in northern Colorado.

MetrobrokersTV: Fantastic. Oh, trail blazing.

Doug Lindstrom: Yes.

MetrobrokersTV: This is exciting.

Doug Lindstrom: [laughs]

MetrobrokersTV: So, now, how many years have you been in the real estate business?

Doug Lindstrom: About nine years. I started out in California working for First Team Real Estate in Orange County, moved here in 2005 and started with RE/MAX Alliance, and I have been with Metro Brokers Legacy Partners about two months now.

MetrobrokersTV: Two months... two exciting months.

Doug Lindstrom: Two exciting months, yes.

MetrobrokersTV: So, it's... can you tell me why you left RE/MAX.

Doug Lindstrom: Why I left RE/MAX? Well, there is actually a few reasons; #1, it was probably a value play. Regardless of the market, I just needed more value in what I was doing and how I was operating a real estate business. #2 I made a ultimate decision with my wife and we just said, you know what, you might as well invest in yourself if you are going to invest in anything right now and that's what we ultimately did and it is hard to beat with the money and the value you get out of Metro Brokers.

MetrobrokersTV: Yes, yes. Now, speaking of value from Metro Brokers, lots of value and lots of tools, what have you found to be advantageous for your business?

Doug Lindstrom: Well, so far they have a great website, online mapping, of course all your listings and then I use... really utilize CTM e-contracts quite a bit and then of course the stop sign is a good brand and a recognized brand that adds some credibility.

MetrobrokersTV: Yes, it does. Now, you specialize in residential, commercial...?

Doug Lindstrom: I probably do about 90% residential and just a little bit of commercial here and there.

MetrobrokersTV: Excellent. Well, thank you so much for joining us today.

Doug Lindstrom: You are welcome.

MetrobrokersTV: And explaining to us why you are.

Doug Lindstrom: Sure.

MetrobrokersTV: And we are very fortunate to have you.

Doug Lindstrom: Thank you.

MetrobrokersTV: Good luck in your new business up in Loveland.

Doug Lindstrom: You bet. Thank you very much.

MetrobrokersTV: Thank you. For more great interviews and information on our membership, please join us at metrobrokerstv.com.