Ayoub Rabah

President, Great Street Properties

For two years in a row, Ayoub Rabah, president of Great Street Properties, has been among the very top in Chicago for sales volume and revenue – No. 2 in 2010 and No. 1 in 2011, according to the MLS. As Rabah explains it, anticipation is a key component to that success.

“The customer is always right, and they always come first,” he says. “I try to not only present them with an issue, but with at least two solutions and my recommendation. I try to anticipate the questions that they may have and answer them before they ask.”

Great Street Properties specializes in REO and short sale transactions, and Rabah always had an interest in the dynamics of the foreclosure process. His training for the field, however, was unorthodox.

“I did not go to an REO class or a real estate sales class,” he says. “I learned everything by doing it. What an experience!”

In addition to its Chicago presence, Great Street Properties also has listings in San Diego, and Rabah’s main focus now is expanding into Chicago’s suburbs and increasing his agent network. He is on his way to achieving this goal – he recently opened a new office in Hinsdale and is growing a new team of buyer agents.

And though his business is time-consuming, Rabah is passionate about his family.

“They always bring a smile to my face, and any work challenges don’t seem to be that challenging anymore,” he says.