Real Estate Agent Magazine Phoenix sat down with Jennifer Cordovana for the latest Legacy Agent Spotlight to discuss her career in real estate and how that carries on from the legacy her parents created for her.
REAM: What drew you and your parents to the real estate industry?
Cordovana: As my dad climbed the corporate ladder, we ended up moving 12 times as a family. They certainly understood buying and selling homes, which piqued their interest in real estate. My mom, Mickey, has been a successful full-time agent for 35 years, and my dad, Tom, for 30 years. Aft er going through a divorce and moving back to Arizona with my son, my entrepreneurial spirit kicked in. I had previously owned several beauty salons, so I knew how to run a business. At the same time, I also knew in the back of my mind I would take those skills and use them in a new business. That’s when my parents and I decided I would join their business. It was a perfect fit! I already loved real estate. I already had experience working with the general public and I was ready for a change.
REAM: Did you have a career in another industry before embarking in real estate?
Cordovana: I was a cosmetologist before I became a real estate agent. I owned my first salon in 1988 at the age of 21, and my second one in 2003. In 2007, I gave it all up when my son, Rocco, was born. As a stay-at-home mom, I created a company called The Pampered Olive, which I still have today. The Pampered Olive supplies all-natural soaps, lotions, lip balms and body scrubs. Title companies and other agents purchase them for their clients as gift s. Working with the general public has given me the skills needed to work with many different client personalities in the real estate business.
REAM: What are some of the most important things Tom and Mickey taught you?
Cordovana: My parents taught me, never say no, if I don’t know I’ll find out. Always be growing and learning. Help your clients with rentals, this is especially important for our investor clients. Most importantly, you do whatever is in the best interest of the client no matter what. See it through to the very end.
REAM: What are your biggest challenges as a real estate agent? How do you overcome those challenges?
Cordovana: One of the biggest challenges in Arizona, is many people hold real estate licenses but that doesn’t make them a REALTOR®. Our task as full-time agents is to demonstrate our market knowledge and our experience and have a pulse on the market which can only be done when you are working full time. There are so many nuances of buying and selling that cannot be researched online. Only a full-time experienced agent can do that.
REAM:What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day job and working as a family?
Cordovana: The best thing about working as a family is that you know everyone has your back.
REAM: What career goals do you have for the next five years? The next 10? Where do you see the peak of your career?
Cordovana: My career goals are to be the best real estate agent I can be while honing my skills. I feel so lucky to be working with two of the very best in this business. It’s the best feeling to me when I close on a property and the clients tell me how happy they are with the experience they had with me. I recently sold a home to a first-time buyer. When we were at the title company and she was signing her paperwork, she grabbed my hand and said, “Jen you are the best thank you! You and I are going to work together for a long time.”
