What is your profession?

I am a full-time real estate professional in Chaffee County with extensive knowledge and experience in residential, commercial, hospitality properties, dude ranches, vacant land, and agricultural properties. It is important to me to be a local expert and offer my clients extraordinary real estate services. I enjoy working with buyers and sellers who are looking for a hardworking and top-producing broker in Buena Vista, Colorado with over 22 years of experience.

How do you measure success and how has that changed over time?

I love helping people reach their real estate goal, it is very rewarding to me. Success to me is the satisfaction of others as a result of my professional work. When I find the right property, obtain the best terms, and ultimately arrive at a positive conclusion for a difficult and detailed transaction, that’s a successful day. I deeply enjoy knowing that my work contributes to a better overall real estate system and greater professionalism in the industry. It is customary to set production and performance goals as part of an annual business plan, but honestly, the satisfaction of my clients and receiving referrals from past clients are two markers of success for me personally. I care deeply for the people in this industry, and that has been realized over the years as I have had the honor of serving as a mentor to several real estate agents in the Arkansas Valley. Leadership in this capacity requires dedication, hard work, and generosity, but I feel that is the level of professionalism our town, my peers, and this industry deserve.

What keeps you in your profession?

Real estate is an ever-changing environment that keeps me on my toes! I love to solve problems, provide insight, and navigate challenging hurdles for a better solution. I find this industry very rewarding and am motivated by hard work and value the flexibility of my profession. It’s also very fulfilling when we get to a closing and the client has benefited from my efforts and expertise.

What’s your business superpower?

In my world, communication is king. Building relationships and maintaining consistent communication with my clients over the years have been the most important tools in my business. It’s critical that I am a reliable and dependable advocate for my clients. To properly serve my clients, I need to stay on top of evolving situations while maintaining a vision for what their goal is. I seek to deeply understand a buyer or seller’s situation, their “why”, and prescriptively offer creative solutions that they may not have previously considered. It’s my job to see inconsistencies between identified needs and client expectations, and being able to communicate about these differences, that creates an extraordinary real estate experience. I believe that because I focus on reliability, honesty, and integrity, many of my clients turn into longtime friends.

What are some of the key competitive advantages that you offer? And why do your customers choose you over another business?

I am tenacious when it comes to protecting my clients, their rights, and their goals. I take my job very seriously and am fierce about problem solving. I look at obstacles as opportunities and assisting my clients to navigate the real estate process is incredibly rewarding for me. One of my personal strengths is investing long-term into my clients to help them accomplish their real estate dreams. I am a Buena Vista native, and due to my roots, extensive experience, and relationships in town, I am in a unique position to provide insight to my clients who may be new to town on anticipated pricing, cultural dynamics, and developments in town for years to come. After 22 years of full-time real estate experience in Buena Vista, I’ve developed tools and resources that are invaluable for clients on both sides of an agreement.

At the end of your career, what is the legacy that you hope to leave behind?

I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in Colorado real estate leadership by serving as President of local professional boards for two terms, working on committees at the state level, and attending state and national conferences. It is very rewarding to know that my investment in maintaining professional standards in real estate assists others in their career and ultimately contributes to improved quality in real estate overall.

Julie Kersting, GRI, CRS, E-Pro is the Managing Broker at First Colorado Land Office in beautiful Buena Vista, CO.

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