Meet Marla Doughty
Real estate has been part of my life a lot longer than it’s been my career.
I’m a Denver Realtor with a decade in financial advising behind me. That means I’m thinking about the numbers, the timing and the resale just as much as the house itself.
Sometimes my advice is to move forward. Sometimes it’s to slow down. And occasionally, it’s to walk away.
Where it started
I grew up in a family where real estate was part of everyday life.
I grew up in Dayton, Ohio. My mom and grandfather were also Realtors, and my parents and grandparents invested in properties, so conversations about real estate, tenants, renovations and what made something a good investment were pretty normal around our house.
I helped with cleaning and painting properties, answered phone calls, and walked construction sites from a very young age. That’s where I started learning to look beyond what you see on the surface of a home.
Funny enough, I didn’t go straight into real estate.
I spent more than a decade as a Financial Advisor, helping people make decisions about their money, investments and long-term financial goals. When I eventually became a Realtor in 2015, I realized just how much that experience shaped the kind of agent I wanted to be.
Buying or selling a home is personal, but it’s also a major financial decision. I tend to look at both sides. I’m interested in the house, but I’m also thinking about the numbers, timing, resale potential and how a decision fits into the bigger picture of your life. It’s the same lens I bring to helping people think through whether and when downsizing makes sense.
Sometimes my advice is to move forward. Sometimes it’s to slow down. And occasionally, it’s to walk away.
Putting down roots
How Denver became home
In 2011, my husband Jason and I left Florida and moved to Denver after years of talking about our dream of living in Colorado. We arrived knowing we wanted to be here, but still had to figure out exactly where we belonged.
We explored neighborhoods, found our favorite places and gradually built a life here. Eventually we landed in Edgewater, just west of Sloan’s Lake, which we now call home.
Fifteen years later, I still love exploring Denver and watching its neighborhoods evolve. Having made a major relocation myself is also one reason I especially enjoy working with people moving to Colorado. I remember having all those same questions about neighborhoods, lifestyle and where we’d actually feel at home.
It’s also a big part of why I’ve spent so much time creating resources for people relocating here: the Denver Neighborhood Guide and my free printed neighborhood guide. I wish we’d had them ourselves.
How I work
What working with me is like
I’m analytical, curious and pretty straightforward. I don’t believe my job is to convince you to buy a house or pressure you to sell one. My job is to make sure you have the information, strategy and perspective you need to make a decision you feel good about.
I’m also hands-on. I love the preparation and strategy behind selling a home, digging into the details when evaluating one for a buyer, and finding creative solutions when a transaction gets complicated.
And if I think something is a bad idea, I’ll tell you. Nicely, of course.
Training & Designations
I’ve kept investing in my education throughout my career.
Four designations, each earned through additional coursework beyond the license. Here’s what each one actually covers.
Coursework focused on representing buyers, from search strategy through negotiation and closing.
Advanced seller-side training: pricing strategy, preparation, marketing and managing the listing process.
Negotiation training for the moments that decide a deal: offers, counters, inspection and appraisal.
Marketing and pricing practices specific to the upper tier of the market.
Off the clock
When I’m not talking about houses…
Jason and I moved to Colorado because we wanted to spend more of our lives outside, enjoying the places we used to save for vacations, and that’s still pretty much our idea of a good weekend.
Grand Lake is one of our favorite escapes, and I’m happiest exploring somewhere new on a sunny Colorado day, especially if there’s a great view and a lake, river or hot spring involved. I also love traveling, live music, discovering new restaurants and spending time at home in Edgewater with Jason and our two Chihuahuas, Foxy and Mina.
Start Here
Free resources I built for Denver buyers and sellers
No pressure and no obligation. Use whichever one fits where you are right now.
Denver Neighborhood Guide
45 neighborhood guides written block by block: walk scores, vibe, what each area is known for, and who tends to love living there.
Browse neighborhoods →Guide to Downsizing
A numbers-first, no-pressure way to think through whether downsizing in Denver makes sense, and when.
Get the guide →What’s My Home Worth
A free, no-obligation valuation that accounts for the details an online estimator can’t see from a satellite photo.
Request a valuation →That’s probably enough about me.
I’d love to hear what you’re thinking about. Whether you’re considering a move next month or you’re still a couple of years away, I’m always happy to talk through the possibilities and help you figure out what makes sense.