Real estate is about equal opportunity, helping everyone unlock the door to generational wealth and long-term success. In today’s episode of Women Who Lead, our host Teresa Palacios Smith is joined by some of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices top Latina producers to discuss their experiences, obstacles, and advice for real estate agents.
Meet the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Top Latina Producers:
- Agustina De La Cruz, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International
- Grace Patalano, Associate Real Estate Broker, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices River Towns Real Estate
- Jennifer Price, Global Real Estate Advisor, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty
How did these top producers get their start in real estate?
- Grace earned her license in 2002. While she had begun a career in corporate travel, Grace wanted the opportunity to strike a better balance between her professional and personal pursuits.
- Jennifer initially worked as a director of international sales in the hospitality industry before moving into publication. However, after her office closed, she looked into real estate. She took a chance, got her license, and never looked back.
- Agustina used to own a health food bar, but she realized she couldn’t spend as much time with her kids as she wanted. So, she decided to sell the business and try real estate, which quickly became a passion.
Hispanic and Latino heritage is a key component of their identity:
- Born and raised in Ecuador, Jennifer is proud of her heritage. Her mother is her role model and instilled in her the value of believing in herself.
- Agustina’s mother brought her and her four siblings to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic for a better life. Working long hours in a factory to help fund Agustina’s journey through college, her mother is the reason Agustina was able to find the success she now has.
- Grace’s parents worked in diplomacy, so Grace lived in many places throughout her youth. She first came to the U.S. when she was four, and after being bullied for her accent, Grace worked hard to speak without it. (Which she now regrets.)
Advice and mistakes from these top producers:
- Grace found a mentor once she joined the industry, and that mentor played a key part in shaping her experience. Every realtor needs a network of leaders to talk to, because the industry is a collaborative one.
- Agustina learned to never assume anything about the client. Instead, communicate and clarify everything to make the process work without mistakes.
- In Jennifer’s corporate work, she learned to answer, acknowledge, and make the speaker feel important. When she interacts with anyone, she keeps an upbeat and happy attitude to show the other person they matter and are respected.
There are unique differences when working with Latino or Hispanic clients:
- Latinos need to know that their realtor cares about them before they trust the realtor with their goals. Once they feel like they’re in the inner circle of connections, they’ll have a higher degree of trust.
- Latinos love to hear about their culture and country. They’re proud of their heritage and love discussing it with other people.
- They want to support other Latinos. As a Latina woman in real estate, Agustina found an inherent loyalty with her Latina clients because they shared a common heritage.
The importance of mentorship:
- Agustina took a class from Joe Meyer and eventually developed a mentor relationship with him that allowed her to progress and learn quickly.
- Grace’s husband worked for Lehman Brothers, and they had training sessions that he would sneak her into. She signed up for a training program with Darryl Davis, and his program influenced her throughout her career.
- A week after Jennifer got her license, she reached out to the top producer from Berkshire Hathaway in Miami and talked with her. She got advice, applied it, and studied as much as possible.
Real estate takeaways all agents should implement:
- Be a marketing agent, not a listing agent. If you do the proper marketing for a house, it will sell.
- Realtors need to focus less on their ‘database’ and more on the client base. Most real estate business comes from your sphere of influence, so put yourself in a position to obtain as much of it as possible.
Remember, always bring women up the ladder with you as you climb to the top. For more great content from Teresa, connect with her on LinkedIn, join her Women Who Lead Series on Facebook and subscribe to her YouTube channel. You can find more episodes of Women Who Lead on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else podcasts can be found.
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