What's a top concern for home buyers today? Authenticity.

That's what Heather McCune, director of marketing for Bassenian Lagoni Architects in Park Ridge, Ill., said. Buyers today want cost-effective architecture, plans that focus on spaces and not rooms and homes that are designed "'green' from the outset." Key for builders is "finding the balance between what buyers want and the price point."

Among the top 10 must-have features for home buyers listed by RISMedia's Steve Kerch are:

• Large kitchens with islands
• Appliances that are energy efficient
• Brick and stone interiors
• Community landscaping

View the entire list and read more at RISMedia.

Posted in Education And Training, Seller Resources, Ownership

Interviewer:  You are watching another great episode here on metrobrokersTV.com and I am joined today in the studio with Rhonda Giles.  Rhonda, thank you for coming down and joining us.

Rhonda Giles:  Scott, thank you very much for having me.

Interviewer:  Tell us your story.  How did you get to become a Metro Broker?  Why did you choose Metro Brokers?

Rhonda Giles:  Well Scott, I have been in real estate for 34 years now in the Northern Colorado area, the entire time in Greeley and I have been with the big companies and I have been with small companies and the more I have got more familiar with Metro Brokers and their concepts and the independence and the independent companies working together did sound like a wonderful idea and that's what I really, really like doing is being independent, but yet working with other companies when we need to.

Interviewer:  Now, did you... what company were you with before Metro Brokers or were you... this is a small independent company?

Rhonda Giles:  I have been, in Greeley, I have been with both, smaller companies and the larger companies.  The last office I was with was New Horizons before I went to Metro Brokers.

Interviewer:  And then you decided to come around in[Phonetic] full force and with Metro Brokers and decided to open up an office in Greeley, correct?

Rhonda Giles:  Yes, that is correct.  Back in the early '90s, I got very involved at state level with the CRS Chapter, certified residential specialist, and as I was going through the different chairs and working throughout the state with CRS, I got to know a lot more Metro Broker people and they all impressed me and they all enjoyed so much that they talked to me about it many times about why I should join Metro Brokers and the details of opening Metro Brokers and bringing it into a town like Greeley and so we decided that's exactly what we wanted to do and we started a Metro Broker office in Greeley?

Interviewer:  And where is that office in Greeley?

Rhonda Giles:  We are located at 3835 West 10th Street in Greeley.  It is right next door to the brand new post office on West 10th Street or Highway 34, so a very good location and lot of exposure.

Interviewer:  And how is it going for you with Metro Brokers?  So, you haven't left, so you must be enjoying it.

Rhonda Giles:  Love it.  We opened our office in 1996.  There were just three of us when we first opened up.

Interviewer:  And how many brokers do you have in your office now?

Rhonda Giles:  Scott, right now we have approximately 10 brokers and we are growing.

Interviewer:  So, you definitely out there recruiting.

Rhonda Giles:  Recruiting and enjoying every minute of it.

Interviewer:  And let's talk about more of what you are doing up in Greeley.  You are trying to get the name out there.  Is there any special things you are doing to help out, to grow Metro Brokers up in Greeley?

Rhonda Giles:  Since we are one of the original offices in Northern Colorado, we are helping try opening offices in Loveland and in Fort Collins and promoting the ideas of independent companies working together.

Interviewer:  So, you definitely enjoy being your own boss.

Rhonda Giles:  Very much so.

Interviewer:  Any last thing that people should know about why they should be a Metro Broker?

Rhonda Giles:  Very much so ; it's we have got fantastic technology, the website, like the metrobrokerstv, ads, we supply... sponsor The Rockies[Phonetic], we just have a lot of publicity, a lot of coverage, a lot of exposure and we work well together as independent brokers working together.

Interviewer:  So, basically to sum it up, best name, best price in the real estate business today correct?

Rhonda Giles:  Definitely.

Interviewer:  All right.  From Rhonda's mouth to our own ears, it's the best name, best price in real estate.  For more great interviews, go to metrobrokerstv.com.

Posted in Metro Brokers TV Advantages, Who's New, Franchise Opportunity, Ownership

Interviewer:  I am Scott Shields with Metro Brokers TV and I am joined in the studio today with Gail Gray.  Gail, thanks for coming down and joining us today.

Gail Gray:  Thanks for having me Scott.

Interviewer:  And now Gail, you are up north in our Greeley office.

Gail Gray:  I am with I Deal Real Estate Services and our office is at 3835 West 10th Street.

Interviewer:  Great.  Give a website.

Gail Gray:  homesofnortherncolorado.com.

Interviewer:  Okay.  So, [Inaudible] people will be able to go there and find out more about you as well.  Now Gail, tell me your story with Metro Brokers.  How did you get joined with Metro Brokers?

Gail Gray:  I was actually with Century 21 and I liked it okay, but I noticed how many of my dollars went in someone else's pocket and I decided to leave Century 21 and I went around and tapped[Phonetic] lots of different offices and Metro Brokers was the ideal fit for me.

Interviewer:  And why was it?  Was there a certain specific that made you...?

Gail Gray:  You know I am a self starter.  I really like real estate.  I like being in control of the transaction and their expertise, they give us classes, advertising information, I mean it's just a full service.

Interviewer:  So, there is no question Metro Brokers was your [Voice Cross Over].

Gail Gray:  Metro Brokers was absolutely the right place to be.

Interviewer:  Now, do you specialize in any area up in Greeley or...?

Gail Gray:  You know I do mostly residential, but I love buyers.  I love to work with buyers and see them walk through the front door and find the perfect house.

Interviewer:  Well, that's great and it is going good for you right now?

Gail Gray:  Yeah, it's going great.

Interviewer:  Great and how long have you now been with Metro Brokers?

Gail Gray:  I have been with Metro Brokers four years.

Interviewer:  And are you loving it?

Gail Gray:  I am loving it, every minute of it, you know and I love that each company is an independent company, but we work well together.  We support each other.  You know we just get information to each other.  It's just a great place to be.

Interviewer:  Well, you heard it from Gail.  It's a great place to be.  Find out more information about how you become a Metro Broker at joinmetrobrokers.com and for more great interviews, stick to your channel right here at metrobrokerstv.com.

Posted in Metro Brokers TV Advantages, Join Metro Brokers, Who's New, Ownership

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 on 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?

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 company.

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

Jesse Sehlmeyer: Thank you.

Posted in Movers and Shakers, Franchise Opportunity, Ownership