Dorothy Steel made the decision to go into real estate after a great experience as a client with her home builder. Dorothy and her husband were building a home in the East Mountains of Albuquerque, and the process was so impactful that she went to work for the builder as a sales representative. “I got my real estate license in 1991, and back in the day, an agent could take extra hours to become a broker. I didn’t have a company where I could hang my license, so I took the extra classes and started my own business. It was a hard way to learn, because I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I remember my first transaction was almost complete, so I contacted the title company to let them know we were ready to close. Unfortunately, I had failed to send them any information, so they had to scramble to pull the title commitment and closing together. Fortunately, I had wonderful lenders and title people who were so gracious to teach and help me learn along the way.”

 

Dorothy learned a lot in her fifteen years as an agent in Albuquerque. After several years working for the builder, she became an owner of the construction company as well as the sales manager. The company was pulled into a lawsuit, and Dorothy says it was one of the most horrific times in her career. “Even though it was a very difficult thing to go through, I approached it knowing that this wasn’t something I did personally, and I chose to show empathy and compassion toward the buyer. This helped them not take things out on me personally and made the process of mediation much easier.”

 

Being a mentor to new agents is something Dorothy enjoys, as she’s been influenced by some great mentors herself. Her mentor from the early 1990s encouraged her to look for ways to help people and assured her the business would come as a result. He also gave her advice about how to work with people and listen to their needs. Dorothy shares, “I also have great respect for some very successful people in our business here locally. One of which is Patrick Muldoon, whom I highly respect and admire for his knowledge and how he’s poured back into the real estate community in so many positive ways.” When Dorothy mentors new agents, she advises them to stay focused. “As an independent agent, it’s very easy to get sidetracked thinking you are doing work-related things when it really isn’t income-producing or productive. I always suggest they get a mentor! Don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice. And stay hungry and humble.”

 

Some of Dorothy’s biggest influences have been her faith, her children and her work. “My faith is a huge part of my life and what has shaped my character and work ethic. Being a parent has taught me a lot about myself and helped me learn better communication skills. Being an owner of a company has taught me good organizational skills that I am still trying to improve on. And being a real estate agent has helped me relate to a large variety of people and situations.”

 

Giving back to her community is extremely important to Dorothy. She enjoys helping people and served on the Board of Directors of Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS and currently serves as a Director for the Colorado Association of REALTORS. “I love mentoring and teaching and have mentored many agents in my career. I am starting to teach at the Real Estate College of Colorado. It’s very satisfying to know I had a part in helping someone become successful. I love to give back to our real estate community any way I can through our local and state associations, the Women’s Council of Realtors, and the Realtor Political Action Committee.”

 

Dorothy and her husband Mark have been married 39 years this year. They have three grown children and five grandchildren. Their children live in other states, so traveling to see them is a highlight for Mark and Dorothy. In their spare time, they enjoy watching movies and listening to live music. Dorothy also enjoys reading and is always up for a party or gathering. “Give me a glass of wine and a room full of people and I’m in my happy spot!” She and Mark also enjoy traveling, and in the early 1980s, Dorothy traveled internationally with the singing group Up With People.

 

One of Dorothy’s favorite quotes comes from Brené Brown, which can be applied to her work in real estate as well as her passion for helping others. “When we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time, and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make.”