Vern Milton, who owned the areas' largest property management company for more than 20 years, has found a new lease on his career with The Group, Inc. Real Estate.
The founder of Vern Milton & Co. Realtors/Property Management has joined The Group as a broker associate/partner, with his office at 2803 E. Harmony Road.
Milton sold his property management company in 2000 and, though he continued to own and manage his own residential and commercial properties, spent the last eight years raising three daughters and traveling around the world.
Larry Kendall, chairman emeritus of The Group, said he was ecstatic to learn of Milton's interest in working with the area's oldest real estate company & the only one older than Vern Milton & Co.
"I've known and respected Vern for over 30 years," Kendall said. "I consider Vern one of the smartest real estate minds in our market. He's just a good business person. And being in this town as long as he's been, he has a very large sphere of influence. This is a great honor to work with him, and it's really a dream come true to have him working for our company."
Milton founded what was originally a brokerage firm in 1978. The company had converted three major condominium projects consisting of more than 400 properties and was a highly successful brokerage office. Milton said though he never meant it to become a property-management firm, his business eventually took on that focus to meet a demand few others were meeting. Once Milton made the decision to focus on property management, the company grew in leaps and bounds: when he sold it in 2000, Vern Milton & Co. managed hundreds of individual rental properties and more than 50 homeowners associations. The company's management portfolio consisted of more than 4,000 "doors" in Fort Collins and Windsor, making it the largest property management firm in Northern Colorado. The company excelled because of its integrity and customer service, he said.
"We're a service business; that's what we have to offer, and you will give good service," Milton said he told his employees.
And it was the desire to sell real estate at a company with a similar focus, reputation and longevity that brought him to The Group.
"There's no better place to do real estate brokerage than here," Milton said. "I enjoyed a very good reputation of honesty and professionalism, and I've seen that at The Group. I want to continue to do things the right way & that's what people know me for, and I know that's how The Group operates. I was always impressed with how they do business, and being here has confirmed my impression: this is the place to give customers good service."
Although some are of the opinion that this is a weak market, Milton isn't concerned. "The real estate business cycles and while this may not be one of the peak times in that cycle, people still want or need to buy and sell real estate. Service-oriented, professional brokers with the right company backing them prosper in any market," he said.
Milton will specialize in residential brokerage, both personal homes and investments. He looks forward to reconnecting with past customers, business associates and the community

About The Group Inc: The Group, Inc. is Northern Colorado's leading real estate