Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy de la Garza.
Hi Cindy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
First of all, I’m really happy to be here, thank you for inviting me.
Well I grew up in the D/FW area, after graduating from high school, I lived all over Latin America, mainly South America and the Caribbean. Places I have lived include the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. While living in Latin America, I attended an American college in Caracas Venezuela, where I had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people from all over the world. It was such a wonderful experience and I am still really close with the friends that I met during my time living outside the U.S.
My family and I have always enjoyed traveling and learning about different cultures, which is why I have a lot of clients from all over the world. I love traveling, countries that I have visited include Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, England, the Netherlands, France, Monaco, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Belize, Costa Rica, and Canada. I have also traveled to several U.S. states/territories including Hawaii & the US Virgin Islands.
After living abroad for several years, I moved back to the U.S. I was in Boston for a little while and then decided to move to the Chicago area so I could attend Judson University, a private Christian college. I moved back to Dallas after graduating college and bought a home in Knox District because I love “city living.” Having lived all over the world, I wanted all the amenities that a major city has to offer, but at the same time I also desired a “small-town essence”. Dallas is the perfect balance. It is vibrant and there are tons of things to do – we have really cool, trendy neighborhoods, every kind of restaurant you can imagine from fine dining to casual patio brunches on Sunday, the weather is fantastic, our economy is booming, and most importantly, the people are amazing. When someone asks you how you are doing, they actually really mean it. We may not have oceans or mountains in the D/FW area, but we have the nicest people who really care about others and their communities, which in my opinion is what makes a city great.
When I moved back to Dallas, I decided to sell the condominium I owned in the Chicago area while attending college. I sold it as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), it sold fast and set the record for the highest sale price in the complex at the time. After I returned to Dallas, I sold a weekend property that my family owned at Chandlers Landing in Rockwall TX as a FSBO. This property also sold in record time. This was a defining moment for me and when I fell in love with real estate. I knew I did not have eyes for any other profession because I had tapped into something really special, a profession where I can serve my community by helping people buy and sell their home, which in many cases is the largest asset they own.
After obtaining my real estate license I won the coveted “rookie of the year” award my first year in real estate from a large real estate company. This is an award that is earned for having the highest sales that year out of all the new agents. I also had the honor of receiving multiple other awards throughout my career, including Top Producer, Top Listing Agent, Top Buyer’s Agent, and Highest Sales. I feel that being Latina, and fluent in English and Spanish, has definitely helped me create opportunities for my business to expand into different markets that otherwise would not have been possible. After having significant success at the large real estate companies, I opened my own boutique brokerage, DLG REALTY ADVISORS, to better serve my clients.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In 2008 when the housing market crashed, it was a global event that not only affected our local real estate market but had a severe impact worldwide. That was a challenging time for all of us. I had to regroup, think outside the box, and come up with different strategies to deal with the disruption. Like everything else in life, time and patience can heal a lot of things. Fast forward to today’s market, and things have changed significantly, to say we are in a seller’s market is an understatement.
Currently, we do not have the inventory to meet the demands of buyer’s wanting to purchase a home. Record low inventory together with low-interest rates and high demand is resulting in buyers having a very difficult time finding a home. When they do find a home, they are often competing with multiple other buyers for the same property. In this market, buyers can start to feel some desperation. My job is to help put aside the emotion and fully evaluate each transaction to make sure we have considered all of the pros and cons of a property. Sometimes that means passing on a property we fought hard for to get under contract because of issues uncovered during the due diligence phase of the transaction. As frustrating as this can be when we ultimately do find the right home, my clients are that much more appreciative.
When representing a seller in this market my job is to help them navigate through all the offers and choose the one that is in their best interest. Buyers are sometimes under the mistaken impression that price is always the determining factor in “winning” a house. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes it comes down to other factors. For example, let’s say that a seller needs to relocate to another state because they are starting a new job. Time is of the essence for this seller, therefore the closing date may be more important than the price. The certainty of an all-cash offer may be particularly appealing to this seller. Every seller’s needs are different, and a good real estate broker understands this and knows how to ask the right questions in order to understand a seller’s primary motivation.
Real estate is ever-changing, sometimes it is a seller’s market and sometimes it is a buyer’s market, but it is always a competitive market. I love being able to help my clients and know that I have made a real difference in their lives. The positive feedback I receive from a satisfied client makes it all worthwhile. I have actually had clients buy me closing gifts. I remember one of my sweet clients buying me a gift certificate to Nick & Sam’s in Uptown because she was so happy with the sale of her home. I had another client that insisted on paying us a higher commission at closing because they were so impressed with our services. Being in real estate is such a rewarding profession. You know you are doing good things by helping people sell or buy a home, whether it is their first home, transitional home, or forever home…all while making friends along the way. It is a win-win.
As you know, we’re big fans of DLG REALTY ADVISORS. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My company, DLG REALTY ADVISORS, is a full-service real estate brokerage with a culture centered on customer service, honesty, professionalism, and industry expertise. We use the latest cutting-edge technology and are known for being innovative when it comes to selling real estate. Our marketing incorporates the use of dollhouse views, color pop-up photos, 3D floor plans, high definition videos, 360° panoramic spotlights, cinematic virtual tours, drone aerial shots, professional photographers, and virtual staging, as well as traditional staging.
I really enjoy owning a boutique real estate brokerage because it gives me the flexibility and control over the daily operations needed to better serve my clients. Rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach, we conduct a specialized market analysis for each particular property in order to create marketing plans that are uniquely tailored to each particular property. For example, when we are selling a 1,000 square foot condo in Uptown, we would never use the same advertising methods that we use when selling a 3,000 square foot house in the suburbs. Through our customized and strategic marketing, my company is able to sell homes for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time.
My company is a reflection of myself and my values. The name DLG REALTY ADVISORS was inspired by my last name de la Garza. My philosophy is very simple, treat every client as if they were a member of my own immediate family. My clients know that their needs always come first. We understand that buying and selling real estate can be very emotional, especially to a first-time home buyer or first-time home seller. We are always available to answer any questions our clients have 24/7 to help shine a light on the process and calm the seas.
We love helping people become homeowners because there are so many benefits that come with owning your own home. It is the American dream, you build equity, there is appreciation, long-term predictable monthly payments, you can decorate your home however you want without needing the landlord’s permission, there are potential tax deductions, and it lays the foundation for building generational wealth. There are so many advantages to being a homeowner, and it is a privilege that I get to assist our clients in all phases of their homeownership journey.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
DLG REALTY ADVISORS serves the entire D/FW metroplex, working with all types of clients from first-time buyers to seasoned sellers, as well as relocation clients. We assist with all types of properties including primary homes, second homes, and investment properties.
I am also happily married, and proud to be the daughter and niece of a United States Veteran.
Contact Info:
- Website: DLGREALTYADVISORS.com
