In April 2009, REALTOR® Magazine asked readers to vote for their favorite "30 Under 30" out of 50 finalists for this year's "Web Choice Award." Congratulations, Jared James, for being the top vote-getter!

Accentuate the Positive: Home wasn’t always a fun place for James growing up. He was one of three children of a single mom, who moved the family around to get away from his younger brother’s abusive father. "I have vivid memories of him abusing my family and even watched him break my mother’s arm," James says. "Those types of experiences will either make or break you." James couldn’t be broken and has now applied his resolve to real estate.

The talk that got him moving: James started in real estate as a part-timer; when his broker gave him the "get serious or get out" talk, he decided to get serious, grossing $132,000 in his second year. "By year three," says James, "95 percent of my clients were coming from referrals."

Not my recession: James’s business increased 70 percent in 2008. "I refuse to participate in this recession," he says. He reminds clients what a great time it is to trade up and lets buyersknow how an oversupply of inventory gives them greater choice and more negotiating leverage. "While others focus on negative data," he says, "I find the positive in every bit of news."