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Show Summary
In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, host Michelle Kesil speaks with Athena Brownson, a successful real estate agent and investor in the Denver area. Athena shares her journey into real estate, emphasizing the importance of education, mentorship, and building relationships. She discusses her strategies for business growth, investment approaches, and the significance of understanding market dynamics. Athena also highlights her future goals in property development and her commitment to helping others achieve their real estate dreams.
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Investor Fuel Show Transcript:
Athena Brownson (00:00)
Yeah, you know, one of the best pieces of advice that I got when I first entered the world of real estate and I was 23, 24 years old. So just a baby. But my mentor said to me, look, Athena, purchase a property, live in it for two years and then rent it out. Use it as leverage, buy your next property,Michelle Kesil (01:52)
Hey everyone, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m your host, Michelle Kesil And today I’m joined by someone that I’m looking forward to chatting with, Athena Brownson, who has been making serious moves as a real estate agent and investor in the Denver area. So excited to have you on the show today.Athena Brownson (02:14)
Michelle, thank you so much for having me. I couldn’t be more excited. I listen to this podcast religiously and I’m constantly learning from it. So excited to impart whatever wisdom I have.Michelle Kesil (02:25)
Amazing! Excited for you to share your wisdom as well. I think our listeners are really going to take something away from how you’re approaching residential sales and managing and investing in properties. So, let’s dive in!Athena Brownson (02:42)
Ops, awesome, let’s do it.Michelle Kesil (02:44)
Great. So first off, for those not yet familiar with you and your world, can you share what your main focus is these days?Athena Brownson (02:52)
Absolutely. ⁓ I would say my main focus is residential sales, ⁓ primarily. I do work with a handful of investors, but my other half of my passion is developing properties. So I’m working on my fourth project right now, ⁓ building from dirt, and couldn’t be more excited with the creative process involved with that.Michelle Kesil (03:15)
Cool! And are you prime only focused on Denver or other markets that you serve?Athena Brownson (03:21)
So I primarily focus on the greater Denver metro region. I do go up to the mountains. I grew up in a small ski town called Breckenridge, so I do still do quite a bit of sales up there. But I have referral partners all over the country that are specialists in their areas, so I like to refer business out that’s anywhere that’s not my absolute expertise.Michelle Kesil (03:45)
Amazing. What got you started in your real estate career?Athena Brownson (03:49)
Absolutely. I, you know, a short version, I never expected to find myself in real estate. I actually grew up in a real estate family and because of that never thought that I wanted anything to do with it. I found myself working as a residential interior designer, loved it, but found that I needed something that where I could be my own boss, where however much work I put in, I was getting out of it. I had a dear friend at the time who suggested I speak to the owner of her companyabout real estate and I did that. I had lunch with him and the very next day I quit my interior job interior design job and started real estate school that was 11 years ago and it was the best decision I ever could have made.
Michelle Kesil (04:35)
Amazing. What have been some of the main keys that have allowed your business to grow and continue to run smoothly?Athena Brownson (05:34)
Absolutely. So definitely a multifaceted answer. You know, I think we live in a really exciting time where we have educational tools at our fingertips. And, you know, when it comes down to learning and growing your business and, and, you know, say you want to start investing in real estate and you have no idea where to start, because let’s be frank, none of us do have any idea, no, nowhere to start. But we have these opportunities to pretty much findamazing opportunities, educationally speaking, all over the internet, listening to podcasts like this, finding mentors that are enabling you to be.
to really understand what it is you’re doing. Because I think the biggest issue that we find in real estate is not having a clear vision about where you want to go. So understanding that if you educate yourself and give yourself the tools to succeed and have that clarity of vision, it’s going to make your decision making process that much easier because it’s going to become black and white. You know what your goal is, you know what your vision is. So when a question comes in, when an opportunity
comes in, it’s a yes or a no and that it enables you to keep moving forward.
Michelle Kesil (06:48)
Absolutely, I love that. think that is so important to continue to educate and grow because yeah, these industries are ever-changing.Athena Brownson (06:59)
Yeah, and understanding that, you know, every city is very different. So what are the rental laws in each state and city? For in Denver, for instance, it has to be your primary residence in order to do Airbnb. So if you’re an investor, Airbnb is probably not going to be the best choice for you. So really making sure that you’re educated and you’re surrounding yourself with the people that are doing what it is that you want to be doing. I think proximity is everything.Michelle Kesil (07:28)
Definitely that’s an important thing to know.What are you most focusing on solving or scaling to next in your business?
Athena Brownson (07:36)
Absolutely. So right now I’m focused on not only growing my team by really systematizing what our processes are, how we work, you what our client experiences, what investors that we’re going to be focused on working with. ⁓ So I’m very focused on growing my team so that we can help more families and individuals in reaching their real estate goals. And the other half of me is very focused onfinding different opportunities for development, really looking at what regions in Denver are appreciating at the best rate so that if I’m starting a project now, for instance, in 18 to 24 months, what can I forecast that that market is going to be looking like?
And honestly, that is probably one of the most exciting but critical parts of development is really forecasting what we think a neighborhood is going to be. And that’s same thing with investors, understanding that if you wanna have a long-term hold property, you should be understanding what the average annual appreciation is, not only what the cap rate is, but really get as much data as you possibly can so that you can make the most educated decision possible.
Michelle Kesil (08:52)
Yeah, absolutely. That’s such an exciting and balanced approach that you are taking.Athena Brownson (09:00)
Thank you.Michelle Kesil (09:02)
Absolutely.So I know that you mentioned you have some of your own investment properties. Can you share what that’s been like?
Athena Brownson (09:43)
Yeah, you know, one of the best pieces of advice that I got when I first entered the world of real estate and I was 23, 24 years old. So just a baby. But my mentor said to me, look, Athena, purchase a property, live in it for two years and then rent it out. Use it as leverage, buy your next property, live in it for two years, rent it out, use it as leverage to buy your next property.And that was probably one of the most pivotal pieces.
of advice that I was given at a very young age. Because I never expected myself to be a real estate investor, so to speak. ⁓ But what he taught me was that no matter what your real estate goals are, they are attainable. There are so many ways to be creative in.
in attaining new properties and becoming an investor. So I know, you know, I have a portfolio for rental properties that I personally don’t manage. I realized very quickly that I don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise, but I do have the great a great team. I think finding your team is one of the most critical parts of investing in real estate period. So looking at who are the best property managers, do you have a contractor that can be on call for anything that’s
needed. ⁓ You know, what is your exit strategy if you do need to exit? You know, thinking of all the what ifs and making sure that you have the right team around you. So I’m very fortunate I’ve built an amazing team that has allowed me to continually cash flow these properties while they’re appreciating, you know, at an average of about 15 % annually, which is incredible because they are going to be long term holds for me. And these properties I am able to use as leverage for then purchasing
properties that I’m going to be scraping and developing. So real estate’s exciting because it really all can stack and snowball on itself. ⁓ There’s so much opportunity for creative financing and using these properties to create new opportunities for yourself that you never even dreamed of. that’s the best piece of advice I ever got was just.
buy a property, live in it for two years, make it a rental, use it as leverage. And I think that is the most basic way to start investing in real estate.
Michelle Kesil (12:02)
Yeah, that’s such good advice. Is there any particular reason that you need to live in it for a few years first?Athena Brownson (12:10)
Yeah, so in order for it to be considered a primary residence and in Denver you need to be able to get a rental license as a primary residence. You have to have lived in it for two out of the five years that you’ve owned it. ⁓ That’s also the time frame where if you were to sell the property you wouldn’t have capital gains tax if it was your primary residence. So that two-year mark is really whatinvestors also, or excuse me, what lenders are going to be looking at also for using the property as leverage for another property. But really, it’s just having that primary residence status that enables a lot more opportunities, at least in my market.
Michelle Kesil (12:54)
And that is good to know for people.Cool. So when it comes to growing your business, whether that has been through networking or creating new relationships, what are some tactics that have made the biggest difference for you?
Athena Brownson (13:13)
Absolutely. So I’m a firm believer in relationship-based business. ⁓ Everything I do in my business is to really build deeper relationships with the clients that I have so that I can really understand what their needs are and how I can assist them to the best of my abilities. And that includes understanding, you know, their communication style, understanding if they’re very analytical or if they are absolutely…don’t want to hear you spout off numbers forever. So I, you know, I think that something that we’re encountering a lot right now as
the world changes very quickly, especially with AI and everything technologically going on is that we forget that the basics of real estate, the basics of growing any business need to be the focus and at the forefront of everything that you’re doing. So I really focus my daily routine on implementing the basics very well. And to me, the basics is, you know, how many phone calls am I making? How many personal notes am I writing?
I
doing face-to-face meetings every day? Am I doing lunches and dinners with clients? What am I doing, you know, on a consistent, regular basis to make sure that I’m deepening relationships with people, staying at the top of their mind? And that way, no matter when real estate comes up.
your name is gonna be the first one that comes out of their mouth. And whether you’re an investor, you wanna make sure that your agents are thinking of you consistently to make sure that they’re finding you the best possible deals.
And when you’re an agent, wanna make sure that your clients are thinking of you consistently. So I follow something called a greatness tracker and I literally check off every day what activities that I’ve gotten done and they’re all very basic. And it’s because the basics are what enable our businesses not to have these huge ebbs and flows that tend to happen in real estate. It helps keep a little bit more consistency. And I do notice that when I’m not doing these activities consistently,
My business takes a hit. So it’s critical for me as a leader, as an agent, to make sure that I’m implementing the basics at the highest possible standard so that I’m giving my clients the best experience and I’m staying top of mind with them. We don’t need to overcomplicate things. Yes, there are amazing opportunities with AI and how we can utilize to be more efficient.
But at the same time, it’s very critical to not forget to do what it is that brought you success in the first place. ⁓
Michelle Kesil (15:55)
Absolutely, that is really good advice. Relationships are everything in this space.Athena Brownson (16:41)
everything and that’s why I love real estate honestly I you knowI get to build lifelong relationships with incredible people that have really big dreams. I got to surround myself with like-minded individuals. And I believe when you surround yourself with that energy, it just elevates you to be the best you can possibly be. And that’s the same, you know, as an investor, making sure that you’re sitting down and talking with other seasoned investors who has done what it is that you want to be accomplishing. And when you sit down with these people,
they’re more than happy to share this knowledge with you because at the end of the day, there’s enough pie for everyone. And if, you know, if someone has the opportunity to sit down with you and explain how they found success, find help, you understand different strategies and techniques, you know, that is a relationship that you want to hold onto because that person is helping elevate you to be the best version of yourself. And in turn, they’re probably learning something by teaching you.
So it’s an amazing business. I feel super fortunate
Michelle Kesil (17:49)
Yeah, amazing. I love how you shared that. There is definitely so much value in that exchange.Athena Brownson (17:54)
Right?Michelle Kesil (17:55)
Awesome. So I know you mentioned you work with some investors when it comes to the residential market that you’re in are like these investors, typically people that live in Denver or out of state, like what’s kind of your ideal target?Athena Brownson (18:14)
Yeah, absolutely. So I do work with a couple of investors that are out of state. My preference is definitely to work with people withinyou know, the Denver Metro region. And that’s just because I am going to be able to really be hands on with them, you know, walk different properties, not just be FaceTiming or sending videos. I want, you know, I want to get boots on the ground with my investors and really be able to understand what it is that they’re getting into. So, you know, how important it is to understand.
you know, what the inspection looks like. If you’re able to do an inspection on a property, you know, how much are you actually gonna have to put into a property in order to get it to a livable, rentable position or whether you’re doing fix and flips, which is honestly what the majority of the investors I work with are. So it’s a lot of hunting down off-market opportunities for my local investors, walking the properties with them. Oftentimes these are deals that are closing, you know,
about seven days. usually we’re doing
we’re walking the properties with my contractor, with their contractors, not necessarily doing an inspection because you’re, you know, have a seven day timeline and there’s usually no contingencies, but making, again, that’s where the team comes in, making sure that you have the best possible team so that we can go into the property as a team, understand, okay, this is going to need a new furnace, a new roof. How’s the foundation looking? Like, what are all the MECs? How are they functioning?
going to have to upgrade everything so that we really again have that clarity of what it’s going to take to get this property to its best possible condition so that you can then achieve whether your goal is you know immediately flipping it or putting a renter in it and having it as a long-term hold ⁓ but I would say that’s that’s who I love to work with the most.
Michelle Kesil (20:14)
Amazing, yeah, sounds like you have so much knowledge on what is serving for your market.Athena Brownson (20:19)
Thank you, I really appreciate that.Michelle Kesil (20:22)
Of What are some of the goals you have for the direction that you want your business to continue to grow in?Athena Brownson (20:29)
Absolutely. So, you know, I really attribute my own success to the fact that I had an amazing mentor when I began in real estate. ⁓ So right now I have a team of four agents and I couldn’t be happier that, you know, there are people that I have known for decades. So my goal is definitely to continue growing my team so that we can help the largest number of people possible in achieving their real estate goals, but not just growth for growth sake. I’m very intentional.with who I’m bringing on to the team to make sure that we all have a common vision, that we all are aligned in what our goals are and have that clarity and belief system. So I definitely will continue to slowly grow my team. I don’t plan on having a mega team, but the more amazing agents that I can help learn the business, they can help assist more clients and more investors and it can change their lives as well. ⁓
learning simple tricks like buying a property and then living in it and renting it out. ⁓ My other
The other side of my world will be continuing to develop properties. My goal right now is to be doing about one a year. But when I look further down my timeline, I would love to be doing, you know, four to 10 units a year. And I primarily focus on single family at the moment, but I would love to expand more into getting into duplexes, maybe quadplexes. I definitely don’t foresee myself developing giant condo projects or anything like that, but I love being
being a part of the creative process and being able to really work with my architect, use my interior design background to really make a property unique. And, you know, I’m walking properties with buyers and sellers all day, so I understand what it is that buyers are looking for in these homes and being able to take that knowledge and use it within my development world with my own creativity is probably one of the most rewarding things that I’m involved in.
can’t wait to continue expanding that.
Michelle Kesil (22:38)
Amazing. That is so exciting. I love everything that you’re creating and I love your passion for it.Athena Brownson (22:41)
So fun.Thank you. I feel very fortunate. know, I think real estate has the opportunity to change people’s lives exponentially. And I don’t know many other, you know, ways that that you can really build long term financial freedom in a pretty unique way. I think real estate can can work for a lot of people because there are so many different routes on how to be successful in real estate and to be able to really inform people.
on what those routes are is something that I’m so grateful to be able to do.
Michelle Kesil (23:20)
Absolutely. Well, before we wrap up here, if someone wants to reach out, connect, learn more, where can people connect with you?Athena Brownson (23:28)
Yeah, so I would say my Instagram has all of my contact info on it, my phone number, my email, my website. I’d love to speak with you. I don’t bite. So my Instagram is just at Athena, A-T-H-E-N-A, Brownson, B-R-O-W-N-S-O-N, realtor. So please feel free to reach out. I’d love to be of assistance or give you any points of wisdom that I have.Michelle Kesil (23:55)
Perfect.Well, I appreciate your time, your story, and your perspective. Thank you for being here.
Athena Brownson (24:01)
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate the opportunity.Michelle Kesil (24:05)
And for the listeners tuning in, you got value from this, make sure you’ve subscribed. We have more conversations with operators like Athena who are building real businesses and we’ll see you on our next episode.
