Mary Rae and Dee share more than birthdays

Mary Rae gave Dee Chirafisi her start in real estate. Now, Mary Rae works for Dee's company, Kentwood City Properties.

Watch Dee and Mary Rae: Dee and Mary Rae Video

When Dee Chirafisi  decided she would dip her toe into the world of real estate in 1993, she interviewed with a number of brokerage companies.

During her interview with Mary Rae, who already had more than 20 years in the business and was one of the top Realtors in the Denver area, Mary asked her the date of her birthday.

“March 28th,” Dee answered.

“That’s my birthday, too,” Mary Rae responded.

“I think that is why she hired me,” Dee, who was last year’s top broker and is the co-owner of Kentwood City Properties, said, while the two met at a $799,000 condo at 1411 Wynkoop St., which Dee is listing. In fact, Dee said that if someone like her – with a freshly minted real estate license, and a plan to work part-time  - came to her for a job today, she wouldn’t hire her. (For the record, Dee only worked part time for one month, before she realized it was a full-time calling.)

After selling her namesake firm, Mary Rae joined Kentwood City Properties about a dozen years ago.

Mary Rae, Dee back together

It’s never been awkward working for her former employee.

“I just revel in Dee’s successes,” said Mary Rae.

And they share more than a birthday, separated by 20 years. (Dee turns 50, while Mary Rae is turning 70.)

Despite the stereotype of women never admitting their ages, neither have any problem about being upfront about how many candles to place on their cake.

“Everyone knows, anyway,” said Dee, an avid runner.

“I only think about my age once a year,” Mary Rae said. “I don’t feel like I’m 70.”

Passion for real estate

And they both frequently use the word “passion” to discuss their profession. They both still get excited about finding the right person for the home, and when listing a home, helping sellers get the highest price,  despite a market that is as challenging as this one.

Challenging. Now that’s an understatement.

Mary Rae says that last year was the toughest she has seen since she left the oil business as a “Girl Friday” to two  wildcatters, to “join this crazy world of real estate,” in 1973. She was drawn to the business to save a historic home, and was told that a good way she could do that was to become a Realtor. Two years later, she started her own firm.

“I thought the ’80s was a real humdoozle,” Mary Rae said, while enjoying the sun on a recent balmy Friday. “But last year was something else. There was no one who wasn’t impacted by the economy last year. In some ways, I think that brought people closer; we all shared in the pain. No one was left untouched. It seems like it is a baptism of fire every decade.”

Dee said the market is showing more life this year than last, as especially at the high-end.

“The toughest thing of selling a unit like this one, is getting financing,” Dee said. “I just came back from meeting with (a major lender) to try to find ways to try to help buyers. It’s especially hard because this building is 80 percent commercial, and there are new rules making it tougher to get loans on a mixed-use project like this one. Of course, that was not an issue when they started developing it.”

So far, 13 of the 22 units have been sold, with buyers ranging from a couple of single professionals, a real estate developer with a 9-year-old, a doctor, and a couple with a home in Summit County, who use their condo when they come downtown. Coincidentally, two people who previously were neighbors in Country Club sold their big homes to move to the development along Cherry Creek and a short walk from the Pepsi Center and the Denver Performing Arts Center, but didn’t know they had bought in the same building until they met at a mixer for the new residents.

As far as Mary Rae working for her former employee, there has never been any awkwardness.

“I revel in Dee’s success,” Mary Rae said.

Realtors more important than ever

Dee said that the biggest change she has seen since she began her career was the advent and reliance of technology.

“But I actually think we’re going to see some backlash to technology,” Dee said. “People think that they have so much information at their fingertips that they don’t need brokers anymore. Then they find out that the information they find on the Internet is often two months out of date. Or, they have so much information they are just overwhelmed, and they need someone to help them make sense of it.”

Mary Rae couldn’t agree more.

“I don’t think that Realtors are going away; if anything, I think we’re going to be more important than ever,” Mary Rae said.

For an earlier Q&A with Dee, please visit this link.

These two top brokers at Kentwood City Properties both were born on March 28, - 20 years apart. They're shown in a condo Dee is listing at 1411 Wynkoop St.

Contact John Rebchook at JRCHOOK@gmail.com or 303-945-6865.

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