Rising Star: Former Software Engineer Finds a Happier Life as a REALTOR®
Written by Elizabeth McCabe
Originally from Mexico, Carlos Cruz was born in a border town between the United States and Mexico. After graduating high school at the age of 19, he asked about careers in America, he was told that computer science was the hottest career back in 1996. Following that career advice, he earned his degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, paid mostly with scholarships, and graduating with the honors of summa cum laude.
Carlos got a job as a software engineer in Round Rock, where he’s been since 2002. Although he excelled in writing code behind a computer screen, it wasn’t very fulfilling. Working remotely and away from others wasn’t filling his need for connection. Until a friend asked him ‘Why don’t you get your real estate license and we could flip homes?’ Heeding his suggestion, Carlos and his friend paired up another friend who was an investor. Carlos worked as a REALTOR®; his friend was the remodeler, and their third business partner financed the flips.
Starting Real Estate
“I purchased my first house in 2004,” says Carlos. This experience was a bit of a disappointment for him, especially since it was a “really uninformative experience.” A few minutes after he met his agent for the first time, the agent took him to an office of a new construction, only to be passed to a salesperson to handle the rest of the process. Carlos was determined to do things differently when he decided to be a REALTOR®.
“I now spend hours with clients, have meetings and Zoom calls with them. I take the time to explain the whole process, if they are Sellers I pull up the whiteboard to draw a timeline and a marketing plan for them, for Buyers I explain how much money they need for earnest money, down payment, and other important details. I answer their questions and take the time needed with them,” he explains.
Carlos started helping those in his sphere of influence, marketing himself on social media. He soon moved away from flipping homes to help his clients in a more personal way. He soon found himself making double what he was making at his full-time job.
Finding His Niche
“Real estate was giving me what I wanted,” he says. Networking with others and being social with them was something that Carlos was missing in his former career. Driving around and meeting people is fun for him. He says, “I have a lot of new friends and connections I’m making and overall, it’s been a really good fit for me.”
He normally asks his clients to leave a testimonial at the end of their time with him. They always say that he is very professional and excels in communication. Expect Carlos to answer texts and calls after hours. He adds, “I want my customers to be happy and I’ll do everything to achieve that.” It’s no surprise that a large part of his business is from referrals from past and repeat clients.
Carlos recently switched to Real Broker and started doing a lot more of his business with investors and Sellers. He has made additional connections through networking groups as well. He is now part of BNI, Business Network International, and very proud to be a member of the Connectors In Action chapter.
“I’m also big on education,” he comments. He earned his broker’s license and currently has 15 certifications and designations in real estate. “I’m always trying to be better and more educated so I can better help my clients,” he explains. He has credentials in negotiations, luxury, new construction, pricing, and more.
A Family Man
When Carlos isn’t working, you can find him savoring time with his family or working out. He and his wife, a former Dentist Doctor in Mexico, have two children. Carlo is 9 and Isabella is 11. They enjoy eating out on the weekends and movie nights as a family.
Carlos is living the American Dream. He moved from Mexico to America, became a software developer, and now a successful REALTOR®. His clients love him as a REALTOR® and he helps them in any way that he can to achieve their homeownership goals! As Carlos says, “I found my true calling and passion in real estate.”