DENVER, CO - Time is running out for first time home buyer's to claim the $8,000 tax credit

As the November 30th deadline for the $8000 first time homebuyer tax credit approaches, realtors say people are still waiting to close on their homes. If anyone is looking to buy a home under this program they need to go in prepared with a pre-approved lender letter and be under contract before the last week of October. Sandy Trujillo of Metro Brokers says, "It takes probably about 30 to 45 days to close a transaction. There's issues that come up at times between the inspections, appraisals, underwriting conditions that you can't anticipate and so you need to have a little extra time built in there to make sure that all the details are taken care of." Trujillo has seen an increase in multiple offers on bank-owned and HUD homes and growing interest in the areas outside of Denver. Homes in the $200-299,000 price range such as in Aurora are great buys right now. The National Association of Realtors is working adamently with Congress to get the program extended but Trujillo says if they do extend it, there is no saying how long it will take. News of any extension could be delayed as close to the Nov. 30 deadline as possible. Trujillo states that to keep a since of urgency for the buyers, it is in the plans best interest to prevent sales from stalling and keep the buyers guessing. Something must be going right because the IRS says 1.4 million first time buyers have claimed the $8000 tax credit.

Jeff Newman from Chemist to Real Estate Broker

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today in the studio we have Jeff Newman, thank you so much for coming in Jeff.

Jeff Newman: You are welcome.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about yourself, your company, your real estate company, where you are at?

Jeff Newman: Okay I am Metro Brokers with, Partners in Real Estate and I work out at the office at underneath in [Inaudible].

Kathy Soltero: And do you work primarily in that area or where do you work?

Jeff Newman: Central is where I live, so I kind of specialize in the central and then kind of northern part of the metro area.

Kathy Soltero: And are you, your own office or by yourself?

Jeff Newman: I am, I am in that office but I am a broker on my own so independent.

Kathy Soltero: Okay very good. How long have you been in the business?

Jeff Newman: Five years.

Kathy Soltero: And how have you seen, I mean when you started real estate was just kind of teetering on a rough area here?

Jeff Newman: Right it was okay when I started and just rear kind of kept going down so.

Kathy Soltero: What did you do prior to real estate?

Jeff Newman: I worked in the pharmaceutical industry; I was a chemist so, quite different but...

Kathy Soltero: So what lured you into real estate?

Jeff Newman: Kind of one at I mean introvert in that job, so I wanted to be more of an extrovert and work with people and I don't know just loved real estate and so.

Kathy Soltero: Have you found that it's really kind of helped you get out and do you love your clients or?

Jeff Newman: I do and I think they like me too.

Kathy Soltero: Well that's a good thing, that's a really good thing. Do you specialize in any specific area, do you do foreclosures, do you do short sales?

Jeff Newman: Just basic residential, no specialization of, you know foreclosure or anything so.

Kathy Soltero: But you tackle them or?

Jeff Newman: I thought a couple yeah but never dived into it for you know do full time.

Kathy Soltero: and you say its central area, when you talk about central area what do you mean pretty since you are [Voice Crossover]?

Jeff Newman: The downtown area. I live down there so I really loved the older homes and you know [Inaudible] you know that market basically so.

Kathy Soltero: If there is one thing that you would want your customers to know about Jeff Newman that you have really stand out why they should work with you, what would you tell them?

Jeff Newman: That's I know my job and that I am, I make real estate the purchase fun.

Kathy Soltero: Jeff thank you so much for joining us on Metro Brokers TV and for more real estate related videos be sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.

Metro Brokers Jim Leto discusses his real estate company

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today in the studio with us is Jim Leto. Jim thank you so much for coming in.

Jim Leto: Well thank you for having me.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about your real estate company, where it's out, how many people are in it, that sort of it.

Jim Leto: Well the Metro Brokers office [Inaudible] is at 550, South Wadsworth in Lakewood and I am with real estate professionals and there is only about five of us in the office right now so.

Kathy Soltero: Do you work primarily then in the Lakewood area or?

Jim Leto: I do a lot of Lakewood and a lot of Denver also because I have been living in South West Denver area.

Kathy Soltero: And how long have you been in this business?

Jim Leto: 20 years.

Kathy Soltero: Wow so you have seen a lot of different cycles?

Jim Leto: Yes I have.

Kathy Soltero: How would you say the market is going right now?

Jim Leto: I would probably call it a fairly amazing market; I mean it's a challenge that's for sure. So but I am feeling pretty good that it's starting to break loose. I am getting some good listings and some good activity on them and I think there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Kathy Soltero: Absolutely. What did you do prior to real estate, you said you have been in it for 20 years so...?

Jim Leto: Well I did a lot of different things. I owned the retail stores, some clothing stores and then I was a Mayor in my little town and a county legislator in [Inaudible] state New York did that and then had a midlife crisis and moved to Colorado and at 39 years old and actually had a store in Colorado and so has been for a while.

Kathy Soltero: So then you went into real estate and closed down the stores or?

Jim Leto: Well it's not quite as simple. Actually I was widowed and then went out to California in business and bunked in an old friend of mine and we ended up getting married so.

Kathy Soltero: Oh!

Jim Leto: about a year and a half or two years.

Kathy Soltero: So you are joint business partners?

Jim Leto: Yeah she was, she was already real state agent in California.

Kathy Soltero: Oh that's awesome. So do you specialize in any specific area I mean right now we have got so many short sales out there its almost like every ten that we pick up but we just pull up ten listings almost nine of them are short sales?

Jim Leto: I don't think in that I have one short sale listing right now and that quite a courageous to have a lot of them because it is so next to the tail ends there. I specialize in town house area that I happened to live in now and also an area that I used to live in both of those happened to be in South West Denver.

Kathy Soltero: All right well Jim thank you so very much for being with us on Metro Brokers TV.

Jim Leto: All my pleasure, thank you.

Kathy Soltero: And if you want any more information or you want to watch more real estate related videos, be sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.

Cher Schafer on Real Estate and cherschaferhomes.com

Kathy Soltero: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero with MetroBrokers TV, today in the studio we have Cher Schafer. Cher Schafer thank you so much coming in.

Cher Schafer: Thank you, I appreciate it.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about your real estate office and your real estate company.

Cher Schafer: Well I'm Cher Schafer Homes of Metro Brokers and I'm located out of the Dakota Ridge office which is at C-470 and Bowles.

Kathy Soltero: Are you all by yourself then or do you have any other agents with you?

Cher Schafer: I don't have anyone underneath me, my license.

Kathy Soltero: Is that something you plan to do, are you going to expand?

Cher Schafer: Um, not at this time. I don't have any plans for that, I kind of like doing my own thing and being responsible for myself.

Kathy Soltero: How long have you been in the business?

Cher Schafer: Actually this month it's 20 years.

Kathy Soltero: Wow, so you have seen quite a cycle of things happen.

Cher Schafer: Yeah, definitely.

Kathy Soltero: What did you do prior to real estate? What lead you into a real estate career?

Cher Schafer: I actually got my real estate license when I was 21 years old. But I was in insurance at the time and I just kind of let myself be guided and it turned out to be real estate was the right thing for me.

Kathy Soltero: Did you do any real estate when you first got your license or?

Cher Schafer: No, it was inactive for awhile actually.

Kathy Soltero: And now CherSchaferHomes.com, do you specialize in any specific area? Or do you specialize in any kind of real estate?

Cher Schafer: Mostly residential, horse property also, townhomes that type of thing. Jefferson County, I've worked quite a bit there because I'm form Colorado actually and grew up in that area.

Kathy Soltero: Cher, you've been in the real estate business for twenty years, tell me how how you've seen it change dramatically over the past few years even?

Cher Schafer: Well, when I got into the business it was very much the HUD market then and so that kind of got me into that gear and was actually a good learning experience to go through that period of time. then it got better after that and now we're right there again, so.

Kathy Soltero: Is it different in dealing with those HUDs and the foreclosures and the short sales that it was back then?

Cher Schafer: It is definitely and you just have to be able to adjust I think to what the market is at the time. Right now the lower price range is really rapid and I think that's a good place to focus on right now too with people trying to take advantage of the $8,000 credit and that kind of thing.

Kathy Soltero: Alright, Cher Schafer, thank you so much for joining us today on Metro Brokers TV.

Cher Schafer: Thank you.

Kathy Soltero: For more real estate information or any of these real estate videos be sure to tune into MetroBrokersTV.com.

Cher Schafer on Real Estate and cherschaferhomes.com

Kathy Soltero: Hi, I'm Kathy Soltero with MetroBrokers TV, today in the studio we have Cher Schafer. Cher Schafer thank you so much coming in.

Cher Schafer: Thank you, I appreciate it.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about your real estate office and your real estate company.

Cher Schafer: Well I'm Cher Schafer Homes of Metro Brokers and I'm located out of the Dakota Ridge office which is at C-470 and Bowles.

Kathy Soltero: Are you all by yourself then or do you have any other agents with you?

Cher Schafer: I don't have anyone underneath me, my license.

Kathy Soltero: Is that something you plan to do, are you going to expand?

Cher Schafer: Um, not at this time. I don't have any plans for that, I kind of like doing my own thing and being responsible for myself.

Kathy Soltero: How long have you been in the business?

Cher Schafer: Actually this month it's 20 years.

Kathy Soltero: Wow, so you have seen quite a cycle of things happen.

Cher Schafer: Yeah, definitely.

Kathy Soltero: What did you do prior to real estate? What lead you into a real estate career?

Cher Schafer: I actually got my real estate license when I was 21 years old. But I was in insurance at the time and I just kind of let myself be guided and it turned out to be real estate was the right thing for me.

Kathy Soltero: Did you do any real estate when you first got your license or?

Cher Schafer: No, it was inactive for awhile actually.

Kathy Soltero: And now CherSchaferHomes.com, do you specialize in any specific area? Or do you specialize in any kind of real estate?

Cher Schafer: Mostly residential, horse property also, townhomes that type of thing. Jefferson County, I've worked quite a bit there because I'm form Colorado actually and grew up in that area.

Kathy Soltero: Cher, you've been in the real estate business for twenty years, tell me how how you've seen it change dramatically over the past few years even?

Cher Schafer: Well, when I got into the business it was very much the HUD market then and so that kind of got me into that gear and was actually a good learning experience to go through that period of time. then it got better after that and now we're right there again, so.

Kathy Soltero: Is it different in dealing with those HUDs and the foreclosures and the short sales that it was back then?

Cher Schafer: It is definitely and you just have to be able to adjust I think to what the market is at the time. Right now the lower price range is really rapid and I think that's a good place to focus on right now too with people trying to take advantage of the $8,000 credit and that kind of thing.

Kathy Soltero: Alright, Cher Schafer, thank you so much for joining us today on Metro Brokers TV.

Cher Schafer: Thank you.

Kathy Soltero: For more real estate information or any of these real estate videos be sure to tune into MetroBrokersTV.com.

Tom Guest with Key Masters real estate

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with metrobrokerstv.com, joining us today is Tom Guest. Tom tell us a little bit about your company.

Tom Guest: Hi Kathy. I have started Key Masters real estate and it's located in Highlands Ranch. We have four brokers working for us and we have been, been in business for about a year in that location.

Kathy Soltero: Do you specialize in that Highlands Ranch area or?

Tom Guest: Specialized in Highlands Ranch, but also work every other area in Denver Metro.

Kathy Soltero: How long have you been in the business?

Tom Guest: Been in the business for 17 years.

Kathy Soltero: Long time?

Tom Guest: Long time.

Kathy Soltero: You have seen a lot going on and [Inaudible]?

Tom Guest: Seen a lot of changes.

Kathy Soltero: What have you done prior to real estate, what got you into the real estate business that maybe was a good transition?

Tom Guest: Prior to real estate I worked retail wholesale and I used to run prize clubs and Pace Membership Warehouse. I was the Marketing Director for the nation for Pace Warehouse club.

Kathy Soltero: And you found that was a good transition then into real estate here?

Tom Guest: It was an excellent transition having the marketing experience.

Kathy Soltero: Do you specialize in anything we are seeing a lot of foreclosures right now, short sales that sort of thing throughout the market?

Tom Guest: Do a lot of bank owned properties helping buyers doing short sales, residential condos just a little bit of everything but there is a lot of bank owned opportunities.

Kathy Soltero: Are you seeing the market start to pick up a little bit right now?

Tom Guest: Seen an excellent pick up in the market this past year especially with the $8000 tax credit that has really benefited first time home buyers.

Kathy Soltero: All right. Well Tom tell me a little bit exactly where your office is located and if people want to contact you, how do you get hold of you?

Tom Guest: Our office is located in Highlands Ranch at 200 Plaza Drive, Suite 130 and just south of the AMC movie theater off of Broadway.

Kathy Soltero: And if they want to call you?

Tom Guest: Phone number 303 718 1182.

Kathy Soltero: And that's your direct line?

Tom Guest: Direct line.

Kathy Soltero: So we will get hold of Tom Guest. Thanks so much for coming in Tom.

Tom Guest: You are welcome, thank you.

Kathy Soltero: Great to talk with you today and for more real estate related videos, be sure to check out metrobrokerstv.com.

Moe Giroux on the road from Senior Space Shuttle Engineer to Real Estate Broker

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV and today in the studio we have Moe Giroux, Moe thanks so much for coming in.

Moe Giroux: Thanks for having me Kathy.

Kathy Soltero: You bet, tell me about your real estate career.

Moe Giroux: I got into real estate business in 1981. I started with Moe and Company back then. After a couple of years in the business I realized if you are going to be in this business and do some business you need to be in the 100% concept and at the time Metro Brokers were still getting going and the only company that was in office that was in my area was RE/MAX. So I joined RE/MAX in 1984 spend eight years there then I realized that you got to be in the business its time to do my own thing and that's what I did I joined Metro Brokers.

Kathy Soltero: And what areas of real estate do you actually specialize here?

Moe Giroux: I own the Metro Brokers office down town its called the Littleton South West office its down in the Ken Caryl Business Center which is basically the South West part of the town.

Kathy Soltero: And so you focus on that area or how many regions?

Moe Giroux: I do focus on that area but wherever the client takes me as well I go whatever the problem is whatever their issue is, within reason you know I go down the Castle Rock or Parker, Aurora is getting a little far away end up North is a little far away but in general it's the Denver South West Metro area.

Kathy Soltero: What did you do before real estate?

Moe Giroux: I was actually a senior engineer on the space shuttle program that [Inaudible] air space that's what brought me here in 1980, and realized right away that that corporate world wasn't quite for me and ended up getting my real estate license and haven't looked back its been great.

Kathy Soltero: With all the foreclosures and short sales and bank owned properties that sort of thing out there, do you specialize in any of those or what do you do?

Moe Giroux: Everything you just said. If you are not working those issues, you are not doing much business because that's, that's the majority of the market is, things are changing I think, the properties that are owned by people that are not foreclosures or bank owned they are realizing they need to compete and they are doing so. So we are starting to see more and more of let's say call the regular market coming out there, but in general yeah there is a still a lot of short sales out there and a lot of bank owned properties.

Kathy Soltero: Okay Moe Giroux, thank you very much for joining us on Metro Brokers TV.

Moe Giroux: Thank you.

Kathy Soltero: And if you would like to get more information, or other real estate related videos, be sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.

Michael Paul and Independent Broker with Realty Oasis

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with metrobrokerstv.com and today we are joined by Mike Paul, Mike thanks for coming in.

Michael Paul: Well thank you for having me.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about your real estate company.

Michael Paul: Well I am in Mark Eibner's office at Realty Oasis. I am a broker associate there not a, you know not an independent broker as many of the Metro Brokers are. It was purely just a matter of choice for me I didn't need to be, need to have my own company and I like it there a whole lot.

Kathy Soltero: And where exactly are you located?

Michael Paul: We are in the Inverness office park, Inverness Parkway very near the headquarters from Metro Brokers.

Kathy Soltero: Do you have lot of other agents that are working with you there?

Michael Paul: You know there are not a lot in the office but there are quite a number I don't know how many, but a lot that are associated there most of them work from their home or from starbucks or wherever.

Kathy Soltero: And how long have you been in the business?

Michael Paul: I am old.

Kathy Soltero: I know.

Michael Paul: Yeah I have been in the business for more than 30 years in one form or another.

Kathy Soltero: So you have seen it cycle around and around?

Michael Paul: I have, I have.

Kathy Soltero: What do you specialize in?

Michael Paul: Currently I am you know a horse property specialist. My wife and I have had horses you know all of our married life and before that even and so it's an area that we are comfortable you know when we meet horse people we always have something to talk about it.

Kathy Soltero: That's right is it a tough real estate market for horse property to decide something else?

Michael Paul: Yes yeah I think its every bit is tough there as it is in the other area of real estate we are feeling the pinch, but we just keep at it.

Kathy Soltero: Do you specialize just in the areas around Douglas County or?

Michael Paul: Well I live in Douglas County, so I probably do more business in Douglas, but we actually you know we form horse people. Its kind of what we do and so wherever they want to be and have horses that's where we go you know whether its buyers or sellers or whatever.

Kathy Soltero: Thanks Mike Paul for joining us today on metrobrokerstv.com.

Michael Paul: Well thank you very much for allowing me to be here.

Kathy Soltero: Absolutely and if you want to see more real estate related videos, be sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.

Jeff Newman from Chemist to Real Estate Broker

Kathy Soltero: Hi I am Kathy Soltero with Metro Brokers TV. Today in the studio we have Jeff Newman, thank you so much for coming in Jeff.

Jeff Newman: You are welcome.

Kathy Soltero: Tell me a little bit about yourself, your company, your real estate company, where you are at?

Jeff Newman: Okay I am Metro Brokers with, Partners in Real Estate and I work out at the office at underneath in [Inaudible].

Kathy Soltero: And do you work primarily in that area or where do you work?

Jeff Newman: Central is where I live, so I kind of specialize in the central and then kind of northern part of the metro area.

Kathy Soltero: And are you, your own office or by yourself?

Jeff Newman: I am, I am in that office but I am a broker on my own so independent.

Kathy Soltero: Okay very good. How long have you been in the business?

Jeff Newman: Five years.

Kathy Soltero: And how have you seen, I mean when you started real estate was just kind of teetering on a rough area here?

Jeff Newman: Right it was okay when I started and just rear kind of kept going down so.

Kathy Soltero: What did you do prior to real estate?

Jeff Newman: I worked in the pharmaceutical industry; I was a chemist so, quite different but...

Kathy Soltero: So what lured you into real estate?

Jeff Newman: Kind of one at I mean introvert in that job, so I wanted to be more of an extrovert and work with people and I don't know just loved real estate and so.

Kathy Soltero: Have you found that it's really kind of helped you get out and do you love your clients or?

Jeff Newman: I do and I think they like me too.

Kathy Soltero: Well that's a good thing, that's a really good thing. Do you specialize in any specific area, do you do foreclosures, do you do short sales?

Jeff Newman: Just basic residential, no specialization of, you know foreclosure or anything so.

Kathy Soltero: But you tackle them or?

Jeff Newman: I thought a couple yeah but never dived into it for you know do full time.

Kathy Soltero: and you say its central area, when you talk about central area what do you mean pretty since you are [Voice Crossover]?

Jeff Newman: The downtown area. I live down there so I really loved the older homes and you know [Inaudible] you know that market basically so.

Kathy Soltero: If there is one thing that you would want your customers to know about Jeff Newman that you have really stand out why they should work with you, what would you tell them?

Jeff Newman: That's I know my job and that I am, I make real estate the purchase fun.

Kathy Soltero: Jeff thank you so much for joining us on Metro Brokers TV and for more real estate related videos be sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.

Kathy Soltero of Metro Brokers talks about the roller coaster market

Mark Eibner: This is Mark Eibner with Metro Brokers TV and we are here today with Kathy Soltero and Kathy welcome to the show.

Kathy Soltero: Thank you my pleasure.

Mark Eibner: Hey you could tell our audience out there how long you have been in the real estate business?

Kathy Soltero: I have been in real estate now for eight years.

Mark Eibner: Eight years?

Kathy Soltero: We have seen a lot go on in short amount of time, is a great market to start out with and then it got, got of went down and it started to pick up again.

Mark Eibner: Well [Inaudible] all cyclic.

Kathy Soltero: Yes.

Mark Eibner: Any areas you specialize in, in the business?

Kathy Soltero: You know I have actually in the eight years I think done everything and short sales, listings, short sale buys, I have done foreclosures, I have done on the buy-side and on the list side, I have done relocations, I have done listings and buyers I have done first time buyers, I think I basically covered it all and there really I mean I love first time home buyers. I love cash buyers and I just love them all I think every deal is going to be different, short sales are amazing.

Mark Eibner: Well what do you think the majority of your business comes from then?

Kathy Soltero: I would say a lot of my business is coming from referrals and from the Internet, you know website really draws people to, to you and tells you a lot about who you are and that sort of thing. So you know hopefully people tune into metrobrokerstv.com and see more about me.

Mark Eibner: You bet. Well we appreciate you being on the show today Kathy.

Kathy Soltero: My pleasure.

Mark Eibner: For more information about Metro Brokers and their culture make sure to tune into metrobrokerstv.com.