The Arizona Republic profiles a real-estate agent who specializes in foreclosed properties. Beth Jo Zeitzer was something of a local Dr. Doom, “telling people not to take all their equity out” and “the home wasn’t worth a quarter-million.” Now, this breezy contrarian works with banks eager to get foreclosed properties off their balance sheets. She’s in high demand: “She constantly carries with her a folder that lists the 400 or so properties she manages at any one time. The office fields more than two dozen solid offers a day. The receptionist gets more than 200 calls a day inquiring about homes. Around 8 on a recent morning, the robotic voice over the speakerphone told the receptionist she had 65 unheard messages.”

Katia Bachko is on staff at The New Yorker.