As the world around us becomes more reliant on instant gratification (press a button, get your food delivered; use your voice to control almost anything in your home), many in the real estate industry are attempting to adapt. Yet there are those who realize that overcorrecting towards automation, as appealing as it may seem, may not be the best approach.
Slifer Smith & Frampton, Colorado’s most established brokerage whose beginnings extend back to 1962, understands that you shouldn’t press a button to buy a house. Agents who provide personalized, concierge service and bring deep wells of knowledge to their clients can’t be replaced by technology. The agent-client relationship is built on just that—a real relationship.
“Whenever agents used to come to Rod Slifer, one of our founders, about how to generate leads, he would tell them, ‘Go ride a chair lift. You will meet someone, and you’ll remember why you’re in this business, to talk about your love for what is local,’” says Orly Ripmaster, Front Range President at Slifer Smith & Frampton. “Real estate is the most entrepreneurial business on the planet.”
Slifer, who passed away just last month at age 89, was a beloved Vail ski instructor who began selling real estate in the ’60s under Slifer & Company—the first brokerage in Vail. In 1994, he merged his business with Frampton Smith Real Estate, which Harry Frampton and Mark Smith opened in the ’80s in Beaver Creek. In the many decades since, the three co-founders have helped clients buy and sell some of the most beautiful luxury properties throughout Summit County, Vail Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley. Their expertise later became recognized on the Front Range as they extended their business into Denver’s urban core—building communities including Riverfront Park, Union Station and the Denver Tech Center. In 2022, the firm acquired Boulder-based Colorado Landmark Realtors. They’re also a founding member of Forbes Global Properties, a platform that highlights exceptional properties around the world through elevated methods of storytelling.
Rod Slifer, Mark Smith and Harry Frampton have each been inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame, but it’s not only because of their sharp business acumen. In fact, it’s primarily because of who they are as people, how they select their agents and how those agents treat every client. “We do things in a very authentic way,” Ripmaster says. “There is an emotional connection because these are three leaders who live here in Colorado. They have put their life and legacy into their work. That’s pretty special.”
Well-known in the mountains, Slifer Smith & Frampton continues to integrate into the Denver and Boulder markets. Many clients with residences in Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge also have primary residences in the city. Ripmaster says that while their energy differs depending on where they are (relaxed and restful in the mountains; busy while in town), the firm can seamlessly match their energy and meet them where they are. They might be in a different mindset, but they’re still the same clients.
This past fall, Slifer Smith & Frampton opened a new office within Hotel Clio in Cherry Creek. This unique approach to an urban space is intentional, designed to remain consistent with the way many of its offices in resort towns are nestled within boutique shopping areas, not built as standalone storefronts. It immediately supports the way the firm approaches its brand—with thoughtful, purposeful detail. “Many clients know us in the mountains,” Ripmaster adds, “and now they can see we’re here at the Clio.”
The Slifer Smith & Frampton portfolio is vast, and currently, they hold a range of distinctive listings. On the Front Range, the Boulder Flower Farm, listed for $9.75 million, is a picturesque 10-acre property that also serves as an event venue. In Denver, a Washington Park home that was available for the first time in 75 years recently went under contract after an agent focused on producing high-quality marketing that captured the story of the home, which the owners loved. A $49.5 million retreat in Vail, which once played host to world leaders and Hollywood elite, also just hit the market.
With Colorado as its canvas, Slifer Smith & Frampton has painted an elegant picture across the state with gorgeous properties dotting nearly every major resort town, Denver, Boulder and across the Front Range. Although they’ve expanded into more markets, they’re not looking to grow beyond where their roots are.
“We are the local leaders,” Ripmaster shares. “On the Front Range, we might be a smaller fish in a giant pond, but we are highly service-oriented and a true representative of Colorado. We’re not in a pursuit of agent count. We’re in a pursuit of excellence.”
To learn more about the firm, its people and its office locations, visit SliferSmithandFrampton.com.
