Board Member Profile
Scott Carnes
Scott Carnes is an agent with the Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate company. He resides in Dallas with his husband, Monty White, who he says, inspires him to be a better person every day. Carnes has served as a North Texas LGBT Chamber board member since 2021. He joined the board in order to give back to the organization which helped him achieve a lot of things as he began his real estate career. “I believe in the chamber's mission 100% and am honored to be able to be part of that mission both as a member and as a board member.”
Profile
When Scott Carnes approaches his career as an agent with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, he does so with a desire to not just buy or sell, but to build and maintain strong client relationships, as well as the highest level of customer service.
A native of Houston, Carnes has lived in Dallas for more than 20 years. He operates the Big D Living Team.
“I thrive on consistent personal referrals and repeat business,” Carnes said, “which points to my professional success and supports the value of having a realtor working hard for you.”
The North Texas LGBT Chamber and Chamber Foundations have special meanings for Carnes.
“The chamber has been here for me since I started my real estate business and has helped me build my networking skills and my elevator speech,” Carnes said. “The elevator speech was the most intimidating at first, but joining one of the Business Exchange Networks within the chamber got me past that rapidly. I have made friends and business connections that will last a lifetime.”
Carnes said because the chamber stands for equality through business, it is uniquely positioned to help LGBT+ individuals throughout the region as well as the state.
“We provide an organization in which LGBT+ owned businesses can network and refer business to one another in order to help each other succeed,” Carnes said. “Everyone wins when LGBT+ businesses experience financial success and thrive.”
Additionally, he said, the advocacy service the chamber provides for the entire LGBT+ community focuses on issues which matter to all members.
“Texas has historically placed a big emphasis on being business-friendly and we try to leverage that for the LGBT+ community,” Carnes said. “We recently started coordinating our efforts more closely with the other LGBT Chambers in our state in order to broaden our impact during legislative sessions, as one example.
“Some bills being presented may not affect businesses specifically, but we are here to argue they impact all businesses of the state and our region if it means members of our community are negatively affected.”
Prior to joining Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate in 2018, he served in a multitude of roles with CPI One Point from 2000 to 2018.
More About Carnes
What was your first job, and what did you
learn from it?
My first job was at McDonald's. It taught me things about myself and gave me valuable skills I still use to this day. I was a shy middle school and high school kid, but at McDonald's, I found myself with a popular group from another high school. They accepted me as one of their own, and I learned my worth from them, which helped me come out of my shell.
I also learned the importance of teamwork and how everyone has to pull their own weight or else everyone else feels the consequences of that. Plus, I learned the phrase "if you have time to lean, you have time to clean," for the first time.
Who has been the greatest inspiration in your life?
I would say my Mom and Dad in separate ways. My dad always cracked jokes and could find the funny in most situations, and could talk to just about anyone. When I was younger, I tended to be more reserved, and these traits of his made me uncomfortable, but now I find I am just like him!
My mother gave me one of the best pieces of advice I've ever been given. When I first started my career path, she told me never to say, "That's not my job." That advice got me far in my corporate career and serves me well in my real estate career. I always try to go above and beyond in my professional life because of this.
Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you?
I love animals, so the SPCA and other rescue organizations are very special to me as well. I've always adopted my pets and will always do so. There are so many animals that need good homes, and I wish more people would step up and give them one.
iPhone or Android?
I have an iPhone, but I understand Androids are very good as well, and people that use them like them more than iPhones.
Beverage of choice?
This depends on the time of day. In the mornings, I drink cups of Earl Grey tea to get myself going. Throughout the day, I usually drink as much water as I can but will have iced tea at lunch -- past lunch, the caffeine is too much for me.
In the evenings, If we are talking about adult beverages, I prefer lighter red wines like Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Zinfandel, and for a cocktail, my go-to is vodka with sprite or 7-up.
Your favorite meal?
Not sure if you mean favorite meal of the day, or favorite dish so I will answer both. If you mean my favorite meal of the day, I would have to say Dinner. It caps the day and is usually spent with loved ones or friends where lively conversations happen -- if everyone puts their phones away.
My favorite dish ever came from Cafe Express, which is no longer around. It was a shell pasta dish with broccoli, bacon, mushrooms, chicken, and goat cheese. They discontinued this dish while they were still around, but I was able to find the recipe online and still make it to this day. On a side note, I have the curse of having my favorite dish at restaurants removed from the menu rather frequently!
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Hmm. I would have to say the fact that I am a certified forklift instructor and can teach others how to safely operate several different types of forklifts. This is obviously from my previous career that included operations, but something I was glad to learn because it's not something most people know.
What is the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you started in business?
Have more saved than you think you need. Even in my line of work which has a relatively low cost of entry, it takes a long time to make a profit. I had somewhat realistic expectations coming into this, thanks to friends in the industry, but it was still unnerving.
Scott Carnes has earned multiple designations as a real estate agent including:
• GRI Designation – Graduate of Realtor Institute
• ABR Designation – Accredited Buyer’s Representative
• SRS Designation – Seller Representative Specialist
• ePro Certification – Real Estate technology certification
• ASP-RE Designation – Accredited Staging Professional
