Today we’d like to introduce you to Noemie Lilombaz
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born with an entrepreneurial spirit, I couldn’t think of another country that offers the opportunity to truly live my purpose other than the United States, the land of opportunity. My name is Noemie Lilombaz, and I am a real estate agent serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
My passion for real estate started in childhood, inspired by my parents. I was raised by my aunt in Brussels, Belgium, while my parents resided in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I depended on financial support from my parents, but there were times when I needed a little more money than usual and my mother would tell me, “We have to wait until the tenants pay their rent,” or, “This tenant hasn’t paid yet, so we need to wait a little longer.” This situation was so frequent that it stayed with me, though I didn’t pay much attention at the time.
My mother, one of my greatest inspirations, began her entrepreneurial journey at just 14 years old by selling waffles. From her waffle business, she was able to start a number of other businesses that allowed her to travel to Italy, where she created her shoe brand, “Getty Shoes.” She then imported her brand to her home country, selling her shoes to high-profile individuals such as the first lady of her country and others of similar status. By the age of 24, through hard work and determination, she had earned enough money to buy her first property in cash. So here you can already see where I got my entrepreneurial spirit from …
My father was a village man who relocated to the city for a better life. His entrepreneurial journey began with selling just two live chickens. Eventually, through their shared business ventures, my parents met and together built an impressive real estate portfolio.
I got tired of waiting for tenants’ payments and was curious to know who those tenants were that I had to depend on. During a vacation to Congo when I was 11, I was determined to meet these tenants myself. My mother took me with her and started knocked on their doors, asking for rent. Some promised to pay later, while others handed over the money. At that moment, I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up. Knock on doors and collect rent.
I was determined to work hard so I could buy my first investment property. However, I knew that Belgium couldn’t offer the opportunities I needed to earn a substantial amount of money to buy my first investment property. So I relocated to Congo, thinking I could work alongside my parents and start my career. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, especially since I was still a minor and had to attend school … Yes, I totally forgot about that. At 11 years old, I discovered that I was born in Maryland, United States. I then started researching information about the country and realized that this was where I needed to go to achieve my goals and dreams. I couldn’t wait to turn 18 to make the move. Before relocating to the U.S., I returned to Belgium, but deep down, I knew that no matter what, the U.S. was my destination. When I finally moved to the U.S., I arrived without knowing English, some family members refused to welcome me, and also got lost at the JFK Airport, not knowing where I would sleep when I will land… No I didn’t sleep at the airport. I was able to pay for a hotel room if you are curious. Yet, I remained optimistic, confident that I would be fine. My mother couldn’t accompany me because my father got extremely sick and needed her support.
As you can see, I’m doing exactly what my 11-year-old self wanted to do: building my portfolio in real estate and collecting rent. Maybe not at a higher level yet, but very soon. Selling real estate is helping me achieving what I wanted to do when I was still a minor, even though my first investment was inherited when my father passed away five years ago. To keep this story short, all I can say is that you need to follow your heart and do not wait until you are ready to make the move. Go for it before you are even ready and let God take care of the rest.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all, I encountered a lot of adversity and hate from people who were supposed to be my family or friends. I remember when I first announced that I was relocating to the U.S.; my entire family was against it, except for my parents. Most of the opposition came from my mom’s side of the family, and to this day, I have no idea why. As a realtor who mostly works with sellers, I have to make outbound calls, and my accent has also been a challenge. It was not really from the prospects I was calling, but more from other colleagues in my industry telling me that my accent would be a challenge and that I needed to focus on tenants and buyers. I was told to stay away from the phone, which eventually created a lot of limiting beliefs. However, by the grace of God and a lot of meditation, I was able to get that under control and continued my journey of chasing my American dream.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work involves guiding sellers through the process of selling their houses. For over three years, I’ve helped sellers maximize their equity, totaling over $200,000 throughout my career, thanks to my negotiation skill. It’s not just about the selling process for me. It’s also about providing a great experience and high-quality service. I work very hard and ensure I have the right support team to give my clients the best experience. Work ethic is extremely important to me. I’m not lazy and do not tolerate lazy people around me. I believe that laziness and poor work ethic are forms of disrespect to the most High. Therefore, anyone working with me should expect to receive top-notch service only. I have learned from my mistakes, and I know what it feels like to receive poor service.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I have always been in sales. I was the student who always had something to sell to other students. I had big visions, I was extremely delusional and always had bigger dreams than the people around me. I was never scared to speak up and stand for what is right, protect my loved ones, and while I was pretty reserved, I could be mistakenly seen as a social butterfly when around a lot of people. I’ve always been a very open person and knew how to make new connections easily. When you meet me, you’ll have the feeling that we’ve known each other for a very long time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noemie_lilombaz/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noemiedallasrealtor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzPdec7raTumRMZcmVVYVQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@noemiesellsdfw/video/7077286030650559790?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7060646027871487493
