Live Urban Real Estate has recently been named Denver's third largest LGBTQ-owned company by the Denver Business Journal in their June 8th, 2019 edition. This distinct honor has been in the making since 2006 when John Skrabec launched the brokerage alongside his former business partner, Mark White.
As Live Urban Real Estate's current Broker/Owner, Skrabec recently opened a second brokerage location in Cherry Creek North - a welcome addition to the brokerage's long-standing West Highland location. John's jovial smile, clever humor, and marketing expertise galvanize his innovative and growing team of community-minded brokers.
Live Urban Real Estate's Story
John graduated from CU Boulder with degrees in environmental design and marketing. In 1990, he founded Cactus, one of Denver's premier ad agencies. Following a decade of success, he applied his marketing knowledge and business experience to real estate. Driven by his love of historic properties, John began a career as a Realtor in urban Denver. In 2006, he founded Live Urban Real Estate, where he continues to guide the Live Urban brand.
Skrabec is gratified to see the societal change since the ˜90s when he opened Cactus. While launching the ad agency in 1990, John faced some obstacles not presented to straight business owners. œI felt I had to come out every time I got a new client. It was awkward at first, Skrabec says. By the time he opened Live Urban in 2006, being gay felt irrelevant. œI'm happy to say that the stigma of being a gay business owner -that others may have faced 20-30 years ago -doesn't seem to exist now. Although I never felt blatant discrimination when I started my first business, the progress between then and now is inspiring.
Live Proud in Denver
Skrabec's commitment to presenting Live Urban Real Estate as œout and proud precipitated his founding of Live Proud, a group of Live Urban Realtors committed to standing in full support of the LGBTQIA community. Skrabec says, œI believe housing discrimination still exists in our community, and want to do my part to combat that. That's why Live Urban is out and proud.
In recent years, Live Proud has evolved, thanks to the LGBTQIA and ally agents currently involved. These brokers have taken their responsibility to the LGBTQIA community to another level by hosting a booth at this year's PrideFest, and by electing The Center as a 2019 recipient of Live Urban's Live & Give community donation program.
John and his husband Mark Bowes have recently purchased a home in the Cheesman Park neighborhood. The two met in 2002and, together, have raised John's son Anten, now 21 years old. John recalls, œMark has always supported our family, my career and efforts to build this business. I couldn't have done it without him. In 2018, Mark officially became part of the Live Urban staff as the brokerage's full-time videographer.
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