What’s hard work, drive, and a delight in and caring for people done for Realtor Corey Scott? In this challenging market, Scott was promoted in March to Real Estate Owned (REO) Division Director of Prospect Equities, Inc., headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace. Full speed ahead, there is no stopping this guy!
Chicago born and raised, graduated from Thornridge High School, and South Suburban College student, at 19 years old, Scott started an eight-year stint as a Customer Service Rep for “corporate” America at AT&T – SBC. He earned what felt like a “huge” salary and traveled the world, “seeing plenty”. But this personal triumph only made him want something more: his own business. The 9-5 routine and life under the boss limited him.
“Uncertainty of what will happen next motivates me,” said Scott who now wakes up excited to go to work. With Corey Scott Sales Team embarked in 2009, a satisfied Scott describes his work as a “career path”, not a job, and he’s beaming over what he’s accomplished so far. Thrilled with new challenges daily, Corey loves to meet “so many different people”.
Amid Corey’s “worst experience ever” when buying his own town home, by coincidence, a friend urged Corey to try real estate. He knew he could serve people far better than his agent had. The friend cited Corey’s drive, work ethic, and personality as spelling success.
“It’s all about caring about the customer,” concludes Corey who, given his innate focus on the needs of people, found his transition to real estate easy.
But it was hard at first, especially building a clientele. There are so many agents! But, he committed himself to setting himself apart from the rest. He chose foreclosure properties for his specialty. That fortuitous choice in 2003 has served him well given the economics and housing market stress that followed.
Corey started in 2004 with HUD as a buyer agent working with lots of investors. While the investors typically would “crunch price points”, or expected profits while considering repair estimates and presumed sale prices of rehabbed properties, Corey distinguished himself with his clients by doing this task for them. Clients loved this guy seeing true dedication and skill, and came back to do more business.
Then came September, 2008. Seemingly, overnight the economy dropped out from under while Scott was still establishing his realty career. He had quit a “comfortable, full-time job”, boldly stepping out on faith, and wham!
“Those were dark days for realtors after the crash. We took the fall up front and lenders got it on the backside. And it continues. Many realtors were pushed out of the business,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, when building full-time real estate work, Scott had also bought a cell phone store in Tinley Park. But again, all went bad. He struggled on with real estate and sold the store. For a year he felt he was in a daze. But Corey believes you push yourself no matter what. Therefore, Corey dug in. His parents had pushed their kids to excel in school, and set a high bar by example.
His Dad worked 24 hours, six days a week, to build Don Scott Trucking which ran Chicago to east coast destinations. Dad would get the job done—no matter what. Customers came back. When employer Oscar Meyer closed, his mother and a cousin took advantage of the company’s offer to send them to school. Both became nurses.
“There is nothing out there that anybody else has or can do that you can’t have or do. I don’t want you to be like me—I want you to be better than me,” said his Dad. That stuck with Corey who still says that he can accomplish what he puts his mind to.
Given these rough times, Corey has drawn on all he has inside. When nothing seemed to work, he searched his soul and prayed “God, show me what to do”. He acted on the direction he got.
“I turned down nothing. Still new, I had no option to pick and choose. I kept an open mind, drove any distance anywhere. No deal was too small or large. I just went,” said Corey for whom sixteen hour days are still the norm. He always thought: this call could be the next deal. His every call gets returned, even if at 9:00pm.
His big break came in early January, 2009. In 2006 he had applied to foreclosure companies. and to Freddie Mac, to be a listing agent. Then three years later, Freddie Mac called! They were ready to move and needed new realtors, although it then took another three long months to hear from them again.
You see Cory had offered an edge over others with his past foreclosure experience and knowledge of Broker Price Opinion. Corey’s diligence had paid off—for him this time!
Freddie Mac remains his biggest account and Cory Scott Sales Team now includes two assistants and three realtors who help with the load. At one time, he thought he could do it all, but he realized both that he can’t and that building a team will grow his business.
Meanwhile, along the way Corey had hung his license with several brokers, but he’d hit a rut. Given high fees and demands on his time, he’d actually considered quitting real estate, but an agent friend with Prospect Equities, Inc. (PE) forwarded him a recruiting email. Corey checked PE out (“like a breath of fresh air”) and immediately moved his license there which proved his “biggest and best real estate decision”.
“Broker Rich Killian allowed me to be in control of my own destiny. He really wants the agent to succeed. I can ask him anything and he takes the time to answer. He inspires me in my business.
Scott has also learned broader investment strategies from Broker Killian, for himself. You don’t just jump in—you have to know what you’re doing, he says.
As to the market, Corey feels we’re still reaching for the bottom. We’re almost there, and from that point there will be nowhere to go but up. The market will rebound, but the process is slower than everyone anticipated.
His advice? Everyone must have patience and keep an open mind. Sellers think they know what their sales price should be, but with our changed economy, 90% of what used to be is gone. They must price property according to today’s market.
Buyers have a wide open market with lots of opportunities. They can find any deal they want in foreclosures and short sales.
To reach Corey Scott, call 773 418 0412, or email Sellyourhome2@hotmail.com. He’ll call you back!
