Paul Temaat has been in real estate for over three decades. It would be easy to say his experience is justified by the time put in—but for Paul, real estate knowledge should supersede hours clocked.
“If you were buying a plane, what’s the first thing you would do?” he asks of his prospective clients. “You wouldn’t just hire any plane broker. You would want to talk to someone who has bought, sold, owned and maintained many different types of airplanes.” It’s an analogy to real estate that Paul uses often because he does own planes and has a pilot’s license, but—“It’s the same with real estate,” he says.
For Paul, the difference he offers his clients is a vast knowledge of real estate, along with design input from his wife, Ashley, who also runs Evergreen Body Contouring. “Anyone can use Zillow. I love Zillow. Use Zillow to find the neighborhood, find the pretty bedrooms,” he urges. “Then I’ll go in and tell you what you need to know. I can tell you building practices, codes, how things were built before the ’70s, the recalls that came after that. These are things that people need to know when buying and selling.”
Paul’s knowledge represents a lifelong, inside-out study of real estate, from how homes are constructed and the codes that constrict that construction to land values, zoning laws and the market that controls them. “I grew up around Denver and my father was in real estate since 1974, buying up rental properties. I’d go in and help him paint and clean,” Paul’s story begins. “Dad didn’t know anything, but I’m mechanical. I was 12 years old and he asked me, ‘Can you replace a water heater?’ So, I figured it out—trial and error.” Paul was initiated in boyhood and learned by doing. The tasks didn’t stop at rental maintenance either. “I’d ride the city bus from my school to my father’s office and hang out there three or four hours a day. His broker ended up giving me chores—mow the lawn, clean the bathroom.” But more importantly, Paul says, was what he absorbed in the presence of professionals. “I soaked things up. I’ll never forget people saying amortization. I’d ask dad on the drive home—he’d explain it to me.”
Perhaps it was because he began so young, or perhaps, as Paul’s father told him, he had a “knack” for the industry. It wasn’t long before his natural curiosity surpassed the knowledge of his teachers—even his father. “My father was in real estate for 44 years total. When I’d ask him about real estate laws, 99 percent of the time, he’d say, ‘I don’t know.’ And that got to me.” That was when Paul decided to learn the business through-and-through.
“ …Paul sells real estate as someone who has bought, sold, owned and maintained many different types of property.”
He continued his self-education and negotiated his first land purchase at the age of 15. “I always wanted to build a cabin, and I found some land by Cripple Creek. I talked my dad into letting me call the number in Tucson, long-distance. I bought 5 acres of gorgeous land for $500 down and $100 a month, an owner-carried purchase,” Paul recalls proudly. “Then Dad told me to put a sign up and see if I could get three times what I paid for it—and I did.” Through the process, Paul taught himself zoning laws, tax codes, and all of the information necessary to negotiate a wise purchase and a shrewd sale. “Next, I bought a rental property—a little house, and two women rented and bought it from me two years later.” By 19, Paul was getting his pilot’s license and attending architecture school, but he was deep in the real estate game and had found his stride. “I bought my first junk property and started flipping houses, subdividing land. I understood every aspect of real estate by a very young age.”
He tells this story to differentiate himself in an industry that, in Colorado, is growing at an astonishing rate. Like his airplane broker metaphor, Paul sells real estate as someone who has bought, sold, owned and maintained many different types of property. “Ask me anything about real estate,” he says, “and I am overly honest. Realtors are required to say what they see—a crack in the foundation, for example. They’re not allowed to tell you why it’s cracking. They have to tell you to have a professional come in.” But Paul can tell you. “I’ve heard agents say, ‘I don’t sell boilers.’ Well, yeah you do. If you sell real estate, you sell every piece of the home. When I sell homes, I know exactly how they’re built, what it took to do this and that, and I know how to value a home perfectly.”
This skillset translates both ways, and Paul says his aggressive honesty prevents a conflict of interest. “I’ve burned a lot of deals,” he admits. “I’m straightforward. I have had buyers in tears because I’ve said I won’t sell you this house. It’s a lemon. If you want to buy it, call someone else. Being straightforward hasn’t harmed me in the long run, but it can be difficult telling people what they need to hear.” His honesty also benefits clients selling their homes. “It’s about top-dollar. In a higher market, you want your home to stand out.” Paul does what it takes to help his sellers achieve the most, from scrutinizing valuation to repairs and cosmetic suggestions to generous maintenance when the home is on the market. “I’ve painted countless rooms. I’ve taken down a wasp nest. I’ll throw my snow blower in my pickup and clear that sidewalk. You’re liable for people going through your home. I’m going to keep the snow clear.”
With multiple five-star reviews from past clients, it’s easy to see that Paul’s money is where his mouth is, but he’s less concerned with making a quick deal than he is in making a lasting one. “Honestly, I’m a horrible salesman. I’m more interested in people making a good investment than I am in just selling a home.”
To learn more about Paul and Ashley’s listings or to work with them to sell a home, visit homepaul.com or call 303.638.9402.
