Most people have the goal of someday owning a home. And Linda Leslie, a Realtor with HomeSmart Elite, has helped Colorado Springs residents of every age fulfill this wish since 2015. 

But this area Realtor has a penchant for working with seniors, their adult children and caretakers as a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES). This designation is only awarded to Realtors that have successfully completed a series of educational courses geared to helping seniors and their families with later-in-life real estate purchases.  

“Buying and selling a home is more than a transaction, it’s a life-changing experience,” said Leslie. 

The sale and process of relocating can be stressful for any buyer or seller. Add downsizing, probate and estate planning, and it’s important to choose someone who knows the ins and outs. 

“After my experiences as a personal representative for my father’s estate, even with my father having a will, I wanted to help others get through this experience in the most seamless way,” said Leslie, who’s also a certified probate real estate specialist (CPRES). 

Trusted, respected and recommended

Leslie believes that every person deserves to work with professionals who treat them with patience, respect and integrity. She gains her clients’ trust by listening to their concerns and making sure their best interests are represented during the sale. She can also connect them with estate attorneys, reverse mortgage lenders, assisted living directors, movers, organizing companies and other local experts to guide them through their next steps. 

“I take great pride in the relationships I build, and I always work relentlessly on my client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals,” she said.

Her commitment to personalized service and meeting clients where they are is exemplified in her clients’ testimonials and stories. 

“Once I got a call from a man living in a camper shell on the back of a truck. He was a veteran with a prosthetic leg, and he needed a wheelchair to get around when he removed his prosthesis,” Leslie recounted.

In her search to find him a home that was wheelchair accessible, she discovered some investors had bought a few homes in a certain neighborhood, made improvements and flipped them. 

“We found him the perfect two-bedroom, one-bath ranch home with no basement. We used his VA loan and his disability check as income—lenders see this as steady income—and being a veteran, he was able to get a zero down payment,” she said.

“Linda brought me from homelessness to home ownership,” the veteran wrote in a review.

“This was the best thing anyone could say to me!” said Leslie, visibly moved.

Don't settle for less

Though she measures success by her clients’ satisfaction and not through her achievements and awards, Leslie has earned plenty of the latter.

“I hang my license under HomeSmart Elite, the largest real estate company in Colorado,” she said. 

The “elite” designation represents the top 10 percent of Realtors who work under the HomeSmart umbrella. 

To talk with Linda Leslie at HomeSmart Elite, call 719-494-6860, email [email protected] or visit her at 7222 Commerce Center Drive, Suite 120. ■