Today we’d like to introduce you to Leonora Castillo.
Hi Leonora, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was in corporate America, designing computer chips for over 40 years. I left the industry in 2018. All along, I have been a real estate investor in CA and AZ. Moving to Texas, not knowing too many people and still want to find people to hang out with and make friends outside the church, I decided to become a real estate agent. What a journey it has been. It’s a little over a year now, and I find people here in Texas so friendly and so helpful. My family and I immigrated from the Philippines in 1973, taking not much with us except our clothing. We lived with my aunt for a few months until we found our own place. My father and I were the only ones working for a family of 6. We were able to save enough money in 8 months to put a down payment on a house, and we bought the house in 1974.
We had no furniture except the beds, and we also bought appliances.
My job led me to designing computer chips, even though I was a college dropout. My last corporate job was at Intel, where I helped design an AI chip for self-driving cars. I even got to test the car when they brought a few of them in our campus.
Now I am happy; along with my real estate business, I am teaching and mentoring girls in Ghana to become entrepreneurs with little money or no money to start with.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth road by a long shot. Got married and have 3 children. Single mom for about 9 years. A strong faith in God gave me peace and kept me going. Got remarried in 2001. With real estate investing, we did some fix and flips and some pre-construction.
And then we decided to go big. We are in the middle of a 3200-acre development when the big crash came. We lost our funding and lost a lot of our money doing surveys, mineral, and water rights research, etc
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As an employee and lead designer, I mentored other designers. I was willing to share information and ideas offered debugging and creative solutions to the team. As a real estate professional, I am enthusiastic and dedicated to my client’s needs. Because I am an investor, I see things and opportunities in different business industries. I offer market analysis, creative negotiation techniques, digital marketing, property valuation, and clear communication throughout the process of home buying or selling. I provide a personalize approach to give clients unique goals and needs and create a customized strategy that aligns with the client’s vision.
I built strong relationships with industry professionals, ensuring access to top-notch inspectors, contractors, lenders, and more.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Always ask for help. Nothing shameful about that. get good at your stuff. don’t put blame on others.
Take responsibility for all your actions and results
Contact Info:
- Website: leonoracastillo.exprealty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nory_home_and_garden/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leonora.castillo/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonoracastillo/
- Youtube: @norycastillo
