Meet Patrick Manchester | Owner/Employing Broker of Manchester Properties, LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrick Manchester and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patrick, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the most important factor behind the success of my business and my brand is the empathy I have for everybody involved in these transactions. Even when I was really young, I remember being caught off guard by how easily and strongly I felt for other people.

I remember for my 5th birthday, my parents took me to a toy store and told me to fill up a shopping cart with toys. And after putting a handful of toys in there, I got REALLY concerned about how much my little shopping spree was going to cost, so I told them I was finished. I think all three of us were a little thrown off by my five-year-old thought process…

Even today, I haven’t quite learned how to harness my empathy, and I end up going above and beyond for my clients to make sure that they have an excellent experience working with my company. Even when it means making a bad financial business decision, or putting in way more hours than necessary. But I genuinely believe that understanding and anticipating my clients’ feelings is what has kept my doors open and helped turn my business into being primarily referral based at this point.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Manchester Properties is something I’ve wanted since I was 19 years old. When I moved to Arizona after high school, my siblings and I bought a house together, and we watched the value nearly double in the first year we lived there. (We also watched it tank to about half of what we paid for it in the next few years, but that’s a different story). Thinking about that quick upturn in value gave us all the real estate bug, and we ended up going to cheesy, scammy seminars on how to be real estate professionals. Their interest waned pretty quickly, but I was absolutely hooked. I moved back to Colorado, and I realized after a semester that college wasn’t a direct enough path to a career in real estate. I started working a bunch of seemingly random jobs that I thought could help prepare me for a life in real estate. I processed mortgages so I could learn how houses got financed, and I very quickly learned that I was useless on a telephone. So I took a job in phone sales. After I got comfortable on the phone, I left to take a job selling cars so I could learn how to negotiate in person. At the first sign of competency, I got out of that industry. My empathy for my customers was so incompatible with the dealership’s goals, and I was so ready to get into real estate.

For the first 7 years of my career, starting when I was 23, I worked for an investment company here in Colorado Springs, buying homes at a discount and then reselling or renting them. It was incredible experience and exactly what I wanted to be doing, but I was always pulled by the desire to own the company rather than work for it. I worked at a more conventional brokerage for a few years after that, and that’s where I really got the sense that I knew enough to go out on my own. With Kathy’s encouragement, we pulled the trigger on opening Manchester Properties in 2018.

I think one of the things I’m most proud of, when it comes to this company, is the reviews that clients leave for me after hiring Manchester Properties to help them either buy or sell a home. I don’t do as much business as a lot other Realtors here in town, and that’s by design. I want to be able to devote all my attention to a small number of clients each month, and be available for them as much as possible, even if it’s outside of regular business hours. And I think a lot of them recognize that I throw a lot of my own money into their deal to keep things running smoothly. Again, it’s not the best business practice, but I’d rather have happy clients than a few more dollars.

I also put a lot of emphasis on communication and education. I spend a lot of time thoroughly explaining to my clients the pros and cons of every decision we have to make throughout the process. I never want my clients to feel like I’m selling them on anything, or doing anything without their complete understanding and blessing. And I think that’s translated to far less complications and confrontations. There’s so many ways that a real estate transaction can get messy, and I like to imagine that my clients are always well prepared for those because of the way I explain things up front.

I genuinely love people, and I genuinely love this business. And I think that comes through to my clients. They can tell I’m not just here to make money, but to really make sure they get an incredible deal on their sale or purchase, and to make a long lasting relationship where they know they can reach out weeks and months and years after closing if they need anything. And I think that’s what ultimately sets me apart from other Realtors and brokerages who treat this business as a numbers game where the focus is to get as many deals as possible and squeeze the maximum amount of money out of every deal. That’s not, and never will be, Manchester Properties.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado Springs has always been an incredible city for outdoor activities, and in the last few years we’ve had a huge surge of awesome places to eat and drink at!

When friends and family come into town, there’s a few places that are absolute musts on the to-do list. The Incline in Manitou is a great way to show off a beautiful view of our city and get some fitness!

For my golfing buddies, I like to bring them to Kings Deer up in Monument, Pine Creek Golf Course, and of course Patty Jewitt, where sitting on the patio for dinner and a “Patty Pour” is half the fun.

And I always make sure that we hit a few spots for meals. 503W on Colorado is amazing, and we love Streetcar 520, Dos Santos, and Cork and Cask. Jarrito Loco in Monument is a new favorite of ours too!

We were recently invited to a Switchbacks game with some of our buddies, and it was just an incredible vibe! It’s awesome to have that kind of energy downtown.

Oh and White Pie! We’ve eaten there a few times, and the food and drinks are great. Sheesh, I think I just like eating and drinking.

A few years ago for our anniversary, we went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo…and I have to say, that place turns me into an awe struck seven year old every time! Every time we have guests in town, especially if they have kids, I suggest they go there.

And, in that same part of town, brunch at The Broadmoor is an absolute must! Walking the hotel grounds afterwards is a great way to burn off some of the calories. There’s just such a magical energy when you’re at The Broadmoor…it’s hard to explain until you’re there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to dedicate this Shoutout to my wife, Kathy! I’d always talked about having my own real estate company, but she was the one that gave me the push and the encouragement to actually go for it. She was instrumental in tackling a lot of the details of getting the company up and running, and today she is nothing but supportive of all the things I try to do. Without her, I’m not entirely sure that Manchester Properties would have gotten off the ground, nor would it have survived and thrived to this point. Her experience working with commercial real estate companies both local and international has proven to be invaluable as she gives me tips and tricks from both, and has helped me network with a ton of people here in town.

Being a business owner isn’t always easy or glamorous or fun…but Kathy is always there to be a light at the end of dark tunnels, and to keep me going when things get rough and I contemplate looking for a “real” job. I cannot heap enough credit or praise on her for the things that I accomplish with Manchester Properties, because without her, there is no it.

Website: https://manchesterpropertiesllc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickmanchester719/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatrickManchesterRealtor/

Image Credits
Diana Park-Alford