Usaj Realty is celebrating its 5th Anniversary this month. Pronounced “you say,” Usaj Realty is the brainstorm of Anton and his wife Jenny who met in Denver in 2006 and began the company five years later. Located in Denver’s LoDo neighborhood, the company has grown to include a bevy of brokers and a dedicated support staff. In addition to listing residential and commercial properties, the company also helps broker apartment leases.

The Usaj name comes from Slovenia, where Anton’s grandfather immigrated from after World War II. As one of six children, his grandfather left behind many relatives in Crnice (population 400) and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Decades later, the Usaj lineage has gained a namesake west of the Mississippi, right here in Denver. Jenny and Anton took a memorable trip to Slovenia for the first time this past spring to visit with relatives who still reside there. The photos below are from their recent trip to the homeland.

As a “boutique” real estate company, Anton says the drive of the business comes from Jenny’s “brains” and his “can do” attitude. Both had real estate experience prior to launching the company, from Anton flipping houses in Denver and Jenny’s upbringing in Houston where she helped her dad “fix and flip” homes.

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Anton moved to Vail in 1998 and worked as an auditor at Adventure Ridge atop Vail Mountain. Like many, he wound up staying in the mountains and worked in various capacities involving public safety, and ultimately was employed with Beaver Creek Public Safety and the Avon Fire Department. He decided he had found his calling and, three years later, moved to Denver, and joined the Denver Fire Department.

“I was attracted to a position where I could serve and help people, and the fire department  gave me many opportunities to fill that need.” he reminisced. “I loved the work. A great part of it was going to work with colleagues you trust and believe in.” The Downtown Station he worked at was and continues to be a busy truck company. After 10 years on the force and the Usaj Realty company continuing to grow, Anton came to work at the real estate brokerage in a full-time capacity.

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While Anton was fighting fires and fixing problems, Jenny was in the throes of the University of Denver’s international studies curriculum. She moved from Houston to get out of her comfort zone, and set out for the Mile High City in 2003 for a new way of life. She went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration, part of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Jenny’s Texas roots provided her with the experience of fixing and flipping, buying and selling, and pricing homes with her father. After college, she returned to these foundational skills, pursued her license and many more skills, and began applying them to Denver’s bustling real estate market.

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After two fateful encounters several years apart in Denver, Jenny and Anton began dating. The couple went on to be married in 2011, the same year the company was incorporated. Anton brought his familiarity with the market through the valuable connections made while a firefighter and his contracting knowledge. Jenny employed her extensive real estate background, education and post-grad school experience working for other real estate companies to get the wheels in motion. Between Jenny’s vast experience, attention to detail, focus on customer service and market knowledge, and Anton’s charisma, fix it attitude and readiness to dive in, the company is now a full-service firm, doing everything from residential real estate to commercial leases.

Beyond operating a small business and working towards its integration in the Denver metro area, the couple is committed to giving back to their city. “We live and work in LoDo, and want to be a company that offers the local expertise and has ‘skin in the game,’” Jenny said. “We always want to make sure we are giving back to the community,” Anton added. “We believe there should be a symbiotic relationship between a business and the Denver community. If we are asking people to use us, then the least we can do is give something back. That is really important to us.”

As a result, Usaj Realty has partnered with Habitat Humanity and hosts quarterly fundraisers as well as designated “build days.” The couple chose to partner with Habitat because the organization not only builds quality housing for families who would otherwise not be able to afford the purchase, but assures there is affordable household maintenance. The goal in partnering with Habitat is to help spread awareness about Habitat’s programs and homeownership opportunities.

The team at Usaj firmly stands behind the purpose and mission of Habitat for Humanity and believes homeownership is a solution to ending poverty. Providing stable home environments for those who do not qualify for traditional lending is the key to creating and maintaining a thriving economy and diverse community. “Having affordable housing in Denver is becoming a big challenge,” Jenny explained. “Working with Habitat for Humanity is one way of addressing this issue. It’s an important part of our culture and it’s important to have a cause and run with it.”

After five years of hard work, the company is proud to successfully deliver stellar customer service time and time again with a detailed agility unique to Usaj. They are humbled to employ several full-time employees in Denver and have aptly honed a training program that is not only incredible valuable to broker associates, but is also scalable and helps perpetuate a culture of due-diligence and community involvement. Cheers to many more years!