Local Realtor Bob Sorey named one of the five Realtor Heroes in nation

Bob Sorey, owner and chief experience officer of Best Real Estate Advisors in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., has been named one of five inaugural Realtor® Heroes by the National Association of Realtors®.

As part of its Homeownership Matters Campaign, the NAR identified five Realtors® from across the country who work tirelessly to strengthen homeownership and housing opportunities in their communities.

Sorey was among the five recognized with a video during NAR’s opening session at the 2012 Realtors® Conference & Expo in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 9-12.

A principal broker with Best Real Estate Advisors, Sorey helps homeowners in distress whether they face illness, job loss, foreclosure, or in some instances, all of the above. He works upwards of 20 files at a time with distressed homeowners, many referred to him by other agents and attorneys who didn’t think their clients’ homes could be saved.

“A lot of times, people have the ability deep inside of them already, and we just help cultivate that by pointing them in the right direction,” Sorey said. “They're down on their luck, they've lost their job, but they don't want to lose their house. They're willing to do what it takes.”

While most of his clients come to him as referrals from friends and family members, Sorey says he has found that until the person is ready and willing to take help, they won’t ask for it.

“A person has to be in that mindset. And most people, they don't know what's going to happen in the next week. My job is to help them to look for two, three, five and seven years down the line,” he said.

Sorey noted that if a person forecloses, the local market shrinks, because that person is not able to buy a house for five to seven years under today's guidelines.

“However, if we short-sell a house, or if we're fortunate enough to process a deed in lieu of foreclosure, then we're able to be buyers again in two to three years, depending on the loan type they qualify for. As Realtors®, it's our job to make sure that we keep everybody who wants to be a homeowner a homeowner. That's what my practice is all about.”

Sorey is quick to point out, though, that it takes a team of people to make it work.

“It's not just about me. It's about the people I help. The people in my team, those who surround me – the other real estate agents, the other realtors, the attorneys, the accounts. I can't do this alone.”

Gail King, a partner at Cumberland Real Estate and whom Sorey considers his mentor, said on the video shown at the conference, “People who put their trust and confidence in him, they’re rewarded by that. It’s what he was born to do.”

Sorey feels he is fortunate to work in an industry that has so many different levels that I can work.

“I found a great spot to work, and that's to help others that are distressed homeowners. Regardless of the reason of why they're distressed, my job is to service those that need help with their real estate. To keep it, to sell it, to make decisions so that they have a future as a homeowner again.”

The video also featured testimonies from a couple of homeowners Sorey worked with to achieve the American dream of homeownership.

Doug Jones said he met Sorey when he was going through the process of the bank foreclosing on his home.

“It was a tough time. I mean emotionally for me, not being the breadwinner, … it was very difficult,” Jones said. “And yet through that process, when I met Bob, he began to just, very calmly, say, ‘I got this. This is what I do. I'll walk you through it.’ And he did. It's a home. It's not just a house. We've found a lot of refuge and a lot of joy in this place.”

For Lance Tolman, who faced two health situations that were extremely difficult to handle both from a medical and an emotional standpoint, Sorey let him know he wasn’t alone in his struggles.

“I felt very alone, very financially burdened, and that's where Bob came in. Bob was extremely understanding, a great listener. Today, it's great. Bob was so instrumental in helping me maintain my home for my family and me. I would not be here today without Bob Sorey and Best Real Estate Advisors.”

Sorey said he can relate to the people he helps everyday because about four years ago, his work life and personal life merged.

“I lost my home to foreclosure. I went bankrupt. That was the hardest time that I'd ever faced. Today, I use those experiences to help others. It's my responsibility as a realtor to help people see the future with them being homeowners. You don’t have another home. That’s the American dream.”

“When I received the email that I had been chosen as a Homeownership Matters Hero, tears came to my eyes. I don't think I do anything special, but other people do. And I was grateful to be nominated and be chosen.”

bob sorey Photo: Submitted

As part of its Homeownership Matters Campaign, the National Association of Realtors identified five Realtors® Heroes from across the country who work tirelessly to strengthen homeownership and housing opportunities in their communities, including Bob Sorey, owner and chief experience officer of Best Real Estate Advisors in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., in the center. The other winners are, from left, Ken Rosberg of Olathe, Kan.; Wayne Curtis of Baltimore, Md.; Sorey; Connie Johnson of Tampa, Fla.; and Nick Manis of Newark, N.J.