Welcome, Karen! I’m so happy to have you as a participant in Boss Babes! Can you start by sharing a little bit about your real estate business and the locations you serve?

Absolutely! I’m the proud owner and managing broker of Emerald Realty, Inc. I specialize in residential real estate and serve the entire Denver metro area and surrounding cities. I’ve been working in real estate for over 25 years, and I absolutely love it!

With the housing boom over the past five years, many of my clients were priced out of the Denver metro area. They found themselves calling Colorado Springs “home” because it’s less expensive there. As a Realtor, my goal is to help every client have a smooth real estate transaction that’s memorable in the best way possible.

So if that means moving outside the Denver metro area to find something more aligned with their budget, that’s what I do.

Are there any specific people you’ve discovered you enjoy working with?

That’s easy! Although I love helping my repeat and referral clients grow their empires, I want to see more single women, and single mothers, become homeowners! I’ve already helped so many women buy their first homes, and it’s so rewarding to help them take control of their lives that way.

The statistics on homeownership are pretty interesting compared to what they were twenty years ago. Today, there are more single women homeowners than single males! Women are making financial choices without being married, and I’m here for it! For the single people out there, I want them to know that owning your home makes YOU the “whole package.”

I love this perspective, Karen. That’s a real “Boss Babe” move! Women have taken center stage in their lives more in the past years, and I love that you’ve taken a special interest in helping them.

What first inspired you to start your real estate career?

Honestly, real estate fell into my lap! I was a young mother, attending college, in need of a part-time job, when I met Gene Osborne. He was a local real estate investor converting apartments into townhomes and hired me to host open houses. After three Realtors failed to sell these homes, he asked me what I would do. I shared my thoughts with him, and he said, “Go for it!” Apparently, I had a knack for connecting with people and understanding their needs because we had many buyers ready to go into contract on those same homes! That’s when Gene encouraged me to get my real estate license.

Fast forward 25+ years, and I have my own brokerage and mentor new agents. I’m also a Diamond Award Member and one of the 2023 Board of Directors at the South Metro Board of Realtors!

I believe that God looks out for us and led me to this career path. I am so grateful for the opportunity to thrive in a field I love.

Did you face any challenges as you began your real estate career? If so, what strategies helped you succeed?

It was tough starting out. I was only 22 when I started my career and didn’t have much real estate knowledge. Other brokers were mean to me and made me feel dumb because they were much more experienced than me. I decided that if I was going to survive in this business, I would have to stand out.

So I returned to college and took courses that improved my speaking, writing, and management skills. Then I focused on education courses taught by Real Estate attorneys. In between that, I read books to help me understand customers and overcome their objections.

As a young woman, I knew buyers and sellers much older than me wouldn’t trust me. So I focused on helping people around my age group. I began with people I knew and talked about my career to anyone that would listen.

I became an educator early on for my clients. I spoke about the “Why.” Why homeownership is better than renting. I taught people how to grow their net worth and create passive income with the equity from homeownership. I showed how easy it was to become a homeowner and diversify retirement plans because 401k and stocks aren’t as reliable as real estate. And today, I’m proud to say that many of my clients own rental properties!

All along, I’ve had the mindset that if there’s a will, there’s a way. And I’ve always had the determination to succeed.

I continuously work on myself with education classes that don’t just fulfill my continued education requirements. I choose courses that help me be a better person, understand my clients, and adapt to changing markets. I go the extra steps to find the right grants, homebuyer programs, and mortgage lenders willing to be optimistic and find a way.

Homeownership is an American right, and everyone should own a piece of our land. I find a lot of gratification in helping first-generation homeowners and buyers who may otherwise think it’s impossible. It’s not impossible at all! You just have to find the right Realtor that is determined to help.

Thanks for sharing how you stood out and grew a thriving real estate career for yourself! I also believe that mindset plays a huge role in our success. What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a successful real estate agent?

Be genuine, live your life with integrity, and your business will flow. Give back to your community and help others. Also, never stop working on yourself and learning!

Take other brokers out to lunch and pick their brains. You’ll be surprised how many of us want to help beginners. We want to help you succeed and stand out as an ethical Realtor.

Most importantly, be a Realtor. Join a local association, participate within, and give to RPAC!

The National Association of Realtors advocates for our industry and the best interest of homeowners. They go to Congress to fight for us and to protect homeowner benefits and rights. I don’t think Realtors would still be here if it weren’t for the NAR. They’re responsible for some of the House Bills passing, being blocked or amended that protect American homeowner benefits.

In life and business, I believe that what you put into the world comes back to you full circle.

I know you love helping women and first-time homeowners specifically, but what would you say are some of the reasons clients choose you over another Realtor? What are some of the competitive advantages that you offer?

I’m a Colorado Native and a woman-owned business, so I think that’s a plus for me (and it makes me smile). When my clients work with me, they get me 100%. I don’t pass them on to an inexperienced broker or neglect them. I give them my personal attention from start to finish. Some call me a “bulldog,” which makes me laugh. They know I’m a go-getter and that I love the chase!

Plus, I feel that my industry reputation amongst my peers says a lot. I love when I’m writing offers with my buyers, and I know the listing broker. Sometimes my offers get accepted in multiple bid situations just because I have previously worked with the listing broker and they know how professionally I work.

I want the best for my clients and for them to have a great memory when they think about their home-buying experience. I wouldn’t still be here today without all the people I’ve helped and the referrals they’ve given me.

Buying or selling a home is an overwhelming process. It’s so sweet that you want your client’s memory of the process to be a great one. I can understand how that would turn a client into a lifelong friend who refers you within their network!

As we wrap up your interview, what legacy do you hope to leave?

My legacy will always be for my daughters, Amber and Lexi. I want them to be proud of their mom and know I will always try my best to set good examples.

Although I became a mom at 19, I worked tirelessly to ensure my girls had a safe and supportive home. Despite not being able to stay home with them when they were little, I still made sure I was there to send them off to school and be there when they came home.

While my daughters may say that I worked too much when they were growing up, and I get that, I’ve always loved what I do and never felt overworked. To this day, I still consider myself blessed to have a loyal clientele committed to me as their lifetime Realtor and two incredible daughters who inspire me every day.

As I live each day, I am mindful that my daughters are watching me and looking to me as a role model. I hope that they will see that anything is possible when you have the right mindset and passion for the things you love.

Karen Esquibel is the Managing Broker of Emerald Realty in Denver, Colorado.

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