SANTO DOMINGO.- Leonel De la Cruz, along with his brother Alex, is the driving force behind Hogarium Real Estate, a small firm with six real estate agents on board, focused on selling properties in Santo Domingo Norte, especially on Jacobo Majluta Avenue, one of the fastest-growing areas in recent times.
They also serve the demand for apartments, houses and commercial premises in Greater Santo Domingo and the Punta Cana tourist area.
“It is a very noble job and one that involves more sacrifice than can be seen from the outside; however, I understand that it should be more regulated to avoid the bad problems that clients experience and then generalize,” the business administrator responded when El Inmobiliario asked him what he thinks of the current real estate agent.
De la Cruz entered the real estate world in 2018. His brother Alex and his cousin Luis La Paz had already paved the way, taking the first steps in the business and convinced him to leave his job at a financial institution where he worked to join them, although he confesses that he was completely unaware of the trade.
The sales manager of Hogarium Real Estate explains that one of the strategies he uses to stay current in the market is to keep expenses low, given that it is a real estate company whose volume corresponds to that of a micro-enterprise.
Leonel De la Cruz. (External source).
For Leonel, a resident of the capital, selling a home for a family is a sacred transaction because “where we are going to live is a decision that generates a lot of anxiety and uncertainty for families. We always remember the places where we have lived, and when dealing with a client, we share all the memories and experiences that will begin to be generated in this new property.”.
Although he has dedicated his time to work until now, a new member of his family has stolen his heart and forced him to rearrange his schedule. “I recently became a father, and I honestly love spending a lot of time with my son, which has meant less time for the business. However, I try to maintain a balance between family, business, and spiritual life. I limit personal activities during work hours, and outside of work hours, I limit my time with clients,” he says.
Among the terms salesperson, real estate agent, or advisor, Leonel De la Cruz considers himself the last. He understands, however, that he needs to further strengthen his skills in managing international teams and clients.
Regarding the current state of Jacobo Majluta Avenue, he believes that "it is at its best, as a large part of the investment capital for construction is being allocated to this area. The city is growing in this direction," he asserts.
There are two things that the real estate advisor shares and puts into practice on his path to success: Discipline, because when that happens, you work above emotions and the environment.
And the investment, noting that "whoever doesn't invest can't see results, and by this I don't just mean advertising, but also training, clothing, equipment that makes the job easier," he emphasizes.
Of his mentors, he says that he has had many, but the first ones, who provided the most fundamental foundations for his career, are first and foremost his brother Alex De la Cruz, in addition to Isaac Echavarría who gave him the opportunity to join his company Blue Home Real Estate and start alongside his brother; and finally Javier Vargas, the latter taught him the ABCs of real estate in the field of resales.
