Longtime State College real estate agent strikes out on his own with new brokerage

One of the original founders of Re/Max Centre Realty in 1992, Scott Yocum boasts a 33-year career in real estate. He recently decided to “downsize” and strike out on his own, founding Yocum Real Estate Centre, LLC. The result, he says, is a more personalized experience for his clientele, as he combines the mom-and-pop feel of a small brokerage with his extensive professional clout.

“I was licensed in 1987,” Yocum said. “I am a CCIM, which is a certified commercial investment member. Approximately 3-4% of real estate agents in the country have that designation, so it’s pretty hard to come by, a lot of work. ... In 2018, I was ranked the No. 1 commercial real estate (agent) in the Re/Max franchise in the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware, according to volume. That really blew me away, because that includes Pittsburgh and Philadelphia ...”

With Yocum’s decades of experience, he could have taken his business anywhere, but he holds a strong affinity for the State College area, having moved to Centre County in the fourth grade.

“I’ve been here for over 54 years,” he said. “I went to elementary and high school and graduated Penn State here. My lovely wife of 42 years, Glenda, she and I met in high school. She’s local, from Pine Grove Mills, and she went to Penn State also. We just think State College is such a great community for family and events. It’s a nice, safe place to do business and you know a lot of people and a lot of people know you. We like giving back to the community and have great relationships here.”

Across Yocum’s more than 50 years in Centre County, he’s watched the State College real estate landscape evolve significantly, going from more rural offerings to “the student rental craze” and now on to “the student high-rise trend in downtown State College.” In addition to catering to students, though, real estate has also began focusing on retirement communities.

“A lot of people, whether they’re Penn State alums or just locals, like to stay here, because of the safe environment and the many things the area offers, from the athletic events to the theater events and everything else. You can drive or get out of town and in three to four minutes be hiking,” he said. “It’s quite a community that offers a lot, and if you want the big city, within two to three hours, you can take your pick of about four major cities to go to.”

Like most businesses, Yocum Real Estate Centre, LLC, has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For weeks, real estate brokerages were prohibited from physically showing properties, with some restrictions eased as Centre County enters the “yellow” phase of reopening. However, it hasn’t stopped Yocum and his team from serving their clientele, showing properties virtually, with a contingency.

“We want to be fair with everyone, buyers and sellers, so after we get back to work, the clients have 48 hours to go look at a property to decide if, yes, they really want to buy it or not,” Yocum said. “That’s the way we like to roll, is to be fair with people. That’s part of the reason I’m still in town and in business for 33 years, is being fair and trustworthy.”

That commitment to fairness and client service is part of what Yocum likes best about being in the real estate business. Some of his favorite aspects of his job are “helping first-time home buyers, helping people set up portfolios of rental properties ... trying to help people understand how great real estate investments are and how they can help you control your own destiny.”

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/YocumRealEstateCentre/ or call 234-4645.