Meeting the Market: For several years, Rosie Derryberry worked long hours at a TV station in a job that was "the same day after day." Her father, a real estate professional for 25 years, repeatedly encouraged her to join the business. "I totally blew him off," she says. "But one day I said, ‘I’m going to try this.’"
Change of course: Derryberry started in commercial investment and then began making a name for herself in the luxury residential market. Soon she was reinventing herself as a foreclosure specialist. In 2008 she closed 36 sides for $6.4 million, 70 percent of which were REO listings.
Persistence pays: Derryberry spent weeks trying to establish contacts with potential REO clients—without a single success. When she finally reached a real person, her hopes were dashed again. The lender had all the sales associates it needed. Derryberry pushed for an e-mail address just so she could send a resume and bio, and the person relented. Twenty minutes later, she had three listings—each of which sold within 10 days. That lender is now her largest client, and she has added three others to her stable.