We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful TJ (LaTiegre) Diaz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with TJ (LaTiegre) below.
Hi TJ (LaTiegre), thanks for joining us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?
That you cannot be your authentic self in order to succeed. I absolutely have never for a second felt like I needed to hold back on my personality or be quiet about what I believed in in order to be liked or accepted by my peers or perspective clients. Especially being in an industry where there are sooooo many other people to compete against. People feel this natural inclination to be liked by everyone. But in that process they blend into the crowd and aren’t able to capture clients that are fanatical about supporting them. I would rather have fewer clients who love me and what I offer immensely because that is what builds loyalty and support that’s hard for others to compete against.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Before I became a realtor I was a stay at home mom living in the Austin area. My husband and I bought a home in a new construction neighborhood and we had our second child in that home. Because I was a stay at home mom and my husband was gone most of the day due to working at an office all the way across town, I worked really hard on creating a sense of community in my neighborhood. I would create and host neighborhood events throughout the year. I would do random acts of kindness for neighbors which quickly became contagious and multiple neighbors started doing them too. I joined the social committee and got involved in whatever I could. We lived there for 2 years and during that time I gained a huge following in my neighborhood. My presence was so greatly felt in the community that a local realtor named Amanda Ponce told me that she really believed that I should get into Real Estate so I could take my talents and help my family financially. I knew that if I wanted to do that I would need to move back to Houston to be near family so that my husband wasn’t on his own managing the kids while I pursued my career. So I got my licensed 4 years ago on Halloween and haven’t looked back.
Since I got my license I have committed to educating myself and being the absolute best Realtor I could possibly be. Now I’m an Accredited Luxury Home Specialist, Accredited Buyer Representative, Pricing Strategy Specialist, Certified Relocation Specialist, First Time Home Buyer/Affordable Home Specialist, and a Military Relocation Professional. I can take care of any buyers needs as well as any sellers due to my wealth of experience and education. Because of all of this combined education and experience I’m able to walk my clients through the process in a very thorough and detailed manner. I have a passion for educating my clients. Based on my clients feedback I know that I take the explain and tell them things that other agents haven’t done. They often feel lost until they meet me. I want to serve as a compass because the whole process can sometimes feel daunting. Some of my clients I work with for years to help guide and get them ready to buy a home. My sellers come to me well before they’re going to sell because they know I’m going to give them the right guidance on what house projects to prioritize so they can sell for the highest dollar.
I also know that I’m not like most agents because i will get my hands dirty. I have had clients who physically or financially cannot complete a project that would have an impact on their home sale. So I’ve been known to pick up my gardening gloves and pull weeds. I have stained fences. I have mopped a clients floor. I have the whatever it takes mentality so my clients know that I meant it when i told them that we are in it together. All of my clients I treat like my family. And when their transaction is over they still hear from me, see me, have my support in whatever ways they are needed. I have helped many of my clients build their businesses too because I am well networked in the area. It feels good to be able to pour right back into the people that have chosen me to help them with their biggest financial transaction of their lives.
My tagline is “Genuine Care. Royal Service.” And without a doubt my clients know I fully represent that motto.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
My biggest source of business is actually from my personal facebook page. I built up a following by being 1000% me with zero hesitation. I’m very outspoken about what I believe in in regards to social justice and civil rights concerns. When i first got my real estate license one of the first clients I helped was actually a rental client who was discriminated against by another real estate agent. The broker I had at that time was super uninterested in helping my client address what had happened to her. It was extremely upsetting to me that this was happening, but i wasn’t surprised. I live in a very conservative area and I wanted to make sure that any and everybody in my area KNEW that I was here and what I believed in. I wanted to make sure that people who were concerned about being discriminated against would have me to advocate for them, protect them, and befriend them. So I made sure I put everything out there for people to get to know me and feel my presence. Most business owners are terrified to be who they are. But the more I spoke about my truth the more people who thought like me started to come out of hiding. Eventually I got tired of hearing about the way people were mistreated so I created my own networking group that was a safe space for people to find business owners who cared about minorities and the lgbtq+ community. People over time have learned so much about me that they support me enthusiastically. 80% of my business comes from my social media presence on my facebook page.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In the late spring and early summer of 2022, my business was hit from all directions. My relationship with an associate completely crumbled. They left our business and joined the team of someone I believed to be racist. This associate had also been a good friend for the past 2 years. So dealing with the loss of an associate and a good friend at the same time was brutal. Especially knowing that they made that choice to joins someones team that was everything I’m against in the industry.
Amidst that my husband’s grandmother passed away. Then shortly after that my dad got admitted into the ICU and passed away shortly afterward. Due to the mental toll I had to give away 17 clients of mine. The rest of my team members left my team at the same time. It felt like my business was over. I did not feel like I could continue in real estate after feeling so attacked in life.
It was probably one of the most humbling experiences of my life…and I am so grateful for it.
It was also one of the greatest opportunities I’ve ever been given to start over. I really learned to focus on myself and my family after that. I took time for myself that I haven’t taken in years. I learned what it meant to have balance in my life. I went to therapy. My whole mindset toward my business shifted toward an abundant mindset. I learned to have faith in everything I’ve built up until this point in my business. As soon as my mindset shifted I started having people reach out to me back to back for real estate needs. In 2 months, my marriage improved significantly, my relationship with my kids, my mental health, and i learned to move forward in my business in a way healthier manner. I have multiple listings coming up, 6 buyers I’m working with, and I’ve totally revamped my marketing. I’m also still on track to meet my sales goal this year even after taking several months off. I feel like a whole new person.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TexasHomeQueen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texashomequeen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texashomequeen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/texashomequeen
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TexasHomeQueen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC97DupuXIN95j3g8iP344XA
- Other: https://bit.ly/THQGoogleReviews
Image Credits
Jay Perez Photography