Stephen Cornell

According to Stephen Cornell, having a great mentor and carving out a niche helped him to hit the ground running in his rookie year in real estate. “I joined an accomplished team, which gave me instant credibility with my prospective clients, and I was able to lean on my mentor’s expertise to learn all the tips and best practices that made him successful,” he explains.

Cornell’s first-year success was also fueled by his past experience as a landlord who specialized in multifamily investment properties. “This allowed me to add a lot of value in a segment of the market that has some real nuances,” he explains. “More than half of the deals I closed in my first year were investment properties.”

Like his fellow Rookie of the Year finalists, Cornell’s passion for the business stems from his love of people and acting as a trusted advisor to clients. “Whether it’s guiding a first-time homebuyer through the purchase process or negotiating terms and conditions for a savvy investor, both are equally rewarding,” he says.