We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marcella Torrez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marcella, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

One summer I was sent to California on what I thought was a vacation! I stayed in California for a few months with my grandma and aunts.

During this time my mom and two older siblings were homeless and living in a shelter. Struggles my mom never let me see.

During her stay at the shelter she was introduced to habitat for humanity.

Threw this program my two older siblings and mom donated there time charity work and as a result Habitat for humanity built us a home and helped with the initial down payment.

My mother would later go on to grow in an interest in real estate. When she sold the home 5 years later she walked into her 2nd home as a real estate investor.

Now sitting on a much larger portfolio
Real estate for me was the changer.

It gave my family a chance at life.

Marcella, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

it wasn’t by chance that I decided to become a real estate agent. My mothers been in the real estate field for over two decades. And I found myself asking why I had not began my career myself after nine years in mortgage servicing.

When I started my career in real estate, I immediately knew that I wanted to serve the community that my mother had focused on for so long, and that I myself had such a close connection to. The Hispanic community in the state of Utah has been my primary focus.

Providing them, innovative ways to become homeowners. But also educating them in their options, reminding them of their possibilities and guiding them through. What should be one of the hardest processes we go through as adults. But becomes much harder for immigrants.

I brand myself as exactly who I am a first generation immigrant. Grown and raised in the state of Utah on the streets of Glendale in Salt Lake City. My family has seen lows and highs and through personal experience. I relate to my client so much more.

This year I was given the honor of being the national Association of Hispanic, real estate professionals, chapter board president for the Salt Lake City chapter. I take this role very personally, and promised to continue to educate my fellow real estate professionals. So that we can be the best versions of ourselves as agents when we go out to help this underserved demographic.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I got my real estate license in August 2021 immediately decided to join the brokers that my mother had been with for over 10 years.

After being with them for several months, and also doubling as a property manager, I found myself in a situation that I didn’t think I would be presented with so soon after starting my career.

As real estate agents we’re often told to make sure that we interview and make wise decisions when it comes to choosing our brokerage, i did not vet my broker as much as I should have.

I found myself just four months after starting my real estate career, having to pivot and find a new brokerage not even knowing what my job was. I had to find somebody to help me and guide me. I decided in that moment that other people had done it before, and I didn’t need to be under the care or guidance of any particular agent that I myself felt i held enough knowledge, and brought enough to the table to be able to start my career completely on my own. All I needed to do was find a brokerage that I fell in line with my morals.

After finding refined real estate in my broker Zack Spencer, I felt fortunate enough to know that the support I needed was there, but I was also given the freedom to start my career and my branding as I felt fit. I will now be reaching my two year anniversary in August 2023.

Deciding to take my business, my own direction without the assistance of a team or team leader. It was the best decision that I ever made it solidify. The ability that I had in myself I self motivated every single day, and I got myself to a point that I’m very proud of at this present day, and so much more to come which excites me even more.

We all have periods in our lives, that we are less than proud of. And it takes everybody a different amount of time to acclimate changes. But I truly believe what makes an amazing leader, and an amazing entrepreneur is the ability to pivot and adjusted and ever changing environment. And she never take less than what we deserve. I wasn’t valued and I wasn’t respected at that company and now I am in moving was the best decision I made.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I’m a firm believer that you’re success is directly related to the amount of service you provide.

I’m a very early point in my career I knew that I was different than other agents. I never took me two seconds to offer to help pay for expenses of a seller or buyer. Going above and beyond was nothing new to me because I see myself in every single one of my clients wants a struggling single mother, raised by a single mother. I’ve seen it all.

I’ve built my reputation by allowing people to see me, as who I am transparency in my life in my personal endeavors, and the trials that I’ve gone through I’ve never embarrassed of who I am

Social media has played in big factor in building my reputation.. but I also believe that it’s my knowledge it’s my almost 12 years in the real estate industry that experience that no one can take away from me.

Consistency, reliability to words that I truly live by and I believe that this is some thing that also plays into building your reputation. If your consistency in anything you do in life is body don’t expect great results. Bodybuilders aren’t built overnight. It takes time and dedication and consistency.

I’m reliable and I follow through with what I say I believe that it gives me that upper hand when it comes to my clients they’re always that much more willing to refer me because I did my job and I did it the best that I could during the time that I work with my clients I give them my all, and I treat them as family members as I would any other neighbor.

Contact Info:

• Website: Marcellathrealtor.com
• Instagram: Marcella_the_realtor
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcella.torrez.58
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcellatherealtor