My favorite freelance assignments involve hearing stories from those who have spent a lifetime in their communities. Still relatively new to Broomfield, I had yet to meet Linda Deland and couldn’t have fathomed the experience that was about to unfold.
We scheduled a meeting at Ziggi’s, one of her favorite local coffee shops. She immediately hugged me like we’d been friends for years. It was one of those hugs that makes you feel like you belong…like you’re a part of something. As we walked together to the counter her countenance struck me with warmth. Her eyes were kind as she looked directly at me and asked how I was doing. It wasn’t chit chat. I could tell she meant it. She really wanted to know. She insisted on buying me breakfast and sincerely engaged the barista by name. I was transported back in time to the feel of a small town.
We grab a table.
Our conversation starts by acknowledging her husband Tom, whom I had read about and researched to be ready for our meeting. As the wife of a highly visible hometown hero she gracefully told their story. It had been one year since his unexpected passing, an event that not only upended her world, but the community around her.
Her face lights up as she talks with deep, authentic love about the Broomfield that first welcomed her back in 1975. She remembers arriving. The mountains. The blue sky. The original, iconic “Heart of Broomfield” sign posted just off 287 as you pulled into the city. The years would show just how much this community would become her home.
We move on to talk more about her. Linda has had 2 careers as a real estate agent. Her first stint began when she was in her 30’s. Her strength and success, rooted in her love for Broomfield, helped people not just find homes, but find their place in a unique, growing and fast-changing city.
Her husband's promotion to Chief of Police intercepted Linda’s career and placed her into roles that would unknowingly plant the seeds for her current season in life. Linda put a pause on real estate and pointed her passion home toward her husband, her family, and her community. Alongside Tom, she became deeply involved in making Broomfield a truly special place.
When Tom retired after 37 years of service to his community(23 of those years as Chief of Police), Linda knew she had unfinished business in real estate. In 2014 she got her second real estate license and jumped back in with a big splash, embracing the tag line, “Broomfield’s Realtor.” For years people had been calling her to see if she was still in the business. Why? Because her clients had become her hometown friends. “Broomfield is a very loyal community,” she says, “but it’s an earned loyalty. When real estate goes beyond the transaction, it draws you into a relationship.” With this approach, everybody wins.
I can tell as we are talking that, like many in her profession, Linda leads with excellence, but what makes her unique is the way she also leads with her whole heart. More than 90% of Linda’s real estate transactions happen in Broomfield for a reason. She is serving the community she loves.
I peek over at her web site and scroll through pages of reviews supporting just how much Linda understands each of her client’s stories, touted as always being willing to listen and take the reins.
"Linda was amazing to work with and helped us to understand and stay calm through the process. She was always available and responded to all our questions or calls quickly. We felt she was the best and helped us to sell our home in trying times and for our asking price! We absolutely will and did recommend her to our friends."
"I can’t say enough great things about Linda - not only was she smart and expert in all the ways she represented me, but she also treated me like a friend! I have not always had good real estate agents - but Linda is the epitome of a great agent. She is an expert in the area, she warned me of signs of trouble when needed, and she drove a hard bargain on my behalf when it came time to negotiate. She even thought of things to ask that I wouldn’t have considered. And she was completely reliable.”
We pause and revisit her husband’s passing.
Having spent decades living her story as the spouse of a high profile community leader she was now faced with transitioning from “Tom’s wife” to Linda Deland. She had always found joy and purpose in helping others find their place. She realized it was time for her to step forward in her own purpose, solo.
As she continues to speak, Linda’s face lights up again, now narrating her readiness to live large, be more, and serve more. She is the proof that shows not only is your home your safe haven, your community is. A season that forced her to find her new place in the world unleashed a passion to help others truly know the same. Ready to be vulnerable, she wants to give people the opportunity to know who she really is. Just Linda. “The way real estate trends are heading with all of the technology, everything has become so automated and transactional. I don’t like that..” she sighs. “I enjoy investing myself in others, intentionally listening to their stories and discovering what’s important to them. It encourages people to relax and it gives me the opportunity to learn how I can best help.”
What’s next?
Taking the helm, Linda has a vision for bringing people together, starting conversations, and embracing new seasons. She’s ready to put herself out there. “Broomfield is growing,” she says. “It is an interesting time here. The old is established, and the new is expanding… fast. I want to be here for it all, drawing in people from both sides. I want to use my roots and connections to preserve our small town feel while creating a welcoming space and place for the people who haven’t grown up here.”
We wrap up our interview with another hug and a commitment for our paths to cross again. Our engagement left me feeling like I’m now not only a part of her circle, but an important part of what is happening here in Broomfield. The truth is, to Linda, we all are.
“Her strength and success, rooted in her love for Broomfield, helped people not just find homes, but find their place in a unique, growing and fast-changing city.”
She had always found joy and purpose in helping others find their place. She realized it was time for her to step forward in her own purpose, solo.
“I enjoy investing myself in others, intentionally listening to their stories and discovering what’s important to them. It encourages people to relax and it gives me the opportunity to learn how I can best help.” - Linda Deland, Broomfield's Realtor
