Today we’d like to introduce you to Rochelle Fitzgerald.
Hi Rochelle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey into real estate started long before I ever held a license — it began the day my husband and I bought our very first home. Like so many first-time buyers, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. We trusted the professionals guiding us — our lender and the Realtor® they recommended — and followed their advice every step of the way. Everything seemed fine… until it wasn’t.
On closing day, we sat at the title company full of excitement, ready to sign the papers and pick up our keys. But the moment we arrived, we learned something was terribly wrong — the seller hadn’t signed anything, and no keys were waiting for us. Our Realtor® wasn’t there, and we had no idea what to do next.
So, we did what any hopeful new homeowners would do: we drove straight to the house. When we knocked on the door, the seller answered — completely shocked. She was still living there, boxes unpacked, totally unaware that the transaction had supposedly “closed.” I can still remember the awkwardness of that moment — our U-Haul full of everything we owned sitting at the curb while we stood there wondering where we were supposed to go.
It took three long, confusing days to sort everything out. But when it was finally over, I told my husband, “I’m going to become a Realtor®.” That experience changed everything for me. I wanted to learn this business inside and out so no one else would ever go through what we went through.
From day one, I built my business around what I call “Outrageous Customer Service.” I made it my mission to educate every client — to make sure they understood not only what was happening, but why. I wanted them to feel empowered, confident, and protected throughout the process. I also made a promise to only work with mortgage lenders and partners who share those same values of honesty, communication, and care.
That was back in May 2004. Since then, I’ve spent more than 21 years helping people buy, sell, and invest in every kind of property imaginable — from cozy starter homes to luxury estates, investment portfolios, and even farm and ranch properties. Each transaction, each client, has shaped the Realtor® and leader I am today.
Along the way, my path also took me into the corporate world, where I served as a Legal and Real Estate Administrator for an oil and gas company. One of my proudest moments was helping transform the old Pasadena theater on Highway 225 into a modern office building. It was surreal to watch something once forgotten come back to life — a reminder that with vision and hard work, anything can be rebuilt and reimagined.
Today, my focus has shifted from simply helping clients buy and sell homes to helping other agents build thriving, sustainable businesses of their own. As the Majority Managing Owner of Local Realty Agency Houston, I see my role as both mentor and motivator. I want to give agents the same opportunity I once created for myself — the systems, the tools, and the confidence to use their real estate license to its fullest potential.
Because here’s what I know after all these years: when you truly commit to learning, growing, and serving others well — your real estate license can take you anywhere you dream of going.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth? Not even close — but absolutely worth every turn.
When I got my license back in 2004, I hit the ground running. I still remember the thrill of landing my very first listing just three days after joining my brokerage — it was a moment of validation that I was exactly where I was meant to be. But that excitement came with a dose of reality. My broker sat me down and said, “You’ve got six months to quit your full-time job and do this full-time.” That meant walking away from a steady paycheck into a 100% commission career with no safety net.
It was terrifying. But with the unwavering support of my husband and our young daughter, I gave it everything I had. I worked eight hours a day at my job, then poured another six hours into real estate every night. It was exhausting — but I was building something. Within four years, I became a multi-million dollar producer.
Then came 2008. The market collapsed, foreclosures flooded the system, and nearly every agent I knew was struggling to survive. I had two options — give up or adapt. So I pivoted. I learned the ins and outs of short sales, partnered with REO companies, and became the go-to agent for foreclosure listings. Ironically, that same year — one of the hardest in real estate — I became the #1 selling agent in my brokerage.
But life had more lessons ahead. In 2019, I made the move from Dallas to Houston — a decision that would ultimately redefine my career and reconnect me with my family’s roots. My family has deep ties to this city, with a legacy that stretches back to the early 1900s. For generations, they’ve contributed to Houston’s growth — helping build schools, churches, and communities that shaped the area long before it became what it is today, earning a historical plaque for their contributions. My grandfather owned a business in downtown Houston, in a neighborhood that’s now completely gentrified, and his entrepreneurial spirit continues to inspire me. And now, generations later, I own a business just a few miles from where his once stood — a reminder that legacy doesn’t just live in history; it continues through purpose.
Taking on a new role as a Productivity Coach allowed me to view the business from a fresh perspective and connect with agents who were eager to grow. It was a reset that stretched me in all the right ways, and though the pandemic soon paused the world, it became the turning point that inspired my next chapter.
Instead of letting that season defeat me, I chose to reinvent myself once again. During the shutdown, I went back to school and earned my Certification in Legal Studies & Paralegal Education from the University of Houston–Clear Lake. That opened a completely new door — a corporate position with a 900+ employee company. Before long, the CEO and CFO recognized the value of my real estate background and expanded my position, allowing me to become their first Corporate Paralegal while also managing a global commercial real estate portfolio of more than 65 properties.
Each setback forced me to grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined — from learning resilience to discovering how to pivot with purpose. The road wasn’t smooth, but it shaped me into the leader, mentor, and business owner I am today.
“Every challenge was a redirection, not a rejection — and I’ve learned that growth doesn’t happen in comfort, it happens in reinvention.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Local Realty Agency Houston?
Today, I serve as the Managing Majority Owner of Local Realty Agency Houston — a brokerage brokered by Master Coach Edie Leon. Together, we’ve built something intentionally different. We took the best and the worst of what we’ve seen in this industry and created a brokerage that’s focused on what truly matters: the agent. (LRAHouston.com)
We’re not a virtual brokerage. We’re not built on headcount. We’re a relationship brokerage — built one agent at a time, with an emphasis on growth, business development, and personal success. Every conversation, every training, every system is designed to help our agents build a career with purpose.
That same heart for teaching and mentoring led me to create The Business of Being a Realtor®, a 100% digital coaching and training system I developed to help agents bridge the gap between effort and direction. It’s real-world training built by a Realtor® for Realtors® — not theory, but tools that actually move your business forward. (TheBoBar.com)
From plug-and-play digital resources like the GCI Calculator, Activity Tracker, and Daily Planner, to hands-on business planning and scripts, it’s a full system designed to help agents stop winging it and start winning it.
One of my proudest creations is a course called The Media Magnet: How to Get Quoted, Get Featured, and Get Known. I built it from personal experience — being featured on HGTV’s “My First Sale,” appearing in Top Agent Magazine, Houston Agent Magazine, and Texas REALTOR® Magazine, and being quoted in Fox Business News’ Bankrate and other national publications. Being recognized by the media as a trusted real estate voice has been one of the greatest honors of my career — and now I’m passionate about teaching other Realtors® how to build their own media presence and credibility too.
At the heart of everything I do — whether it’s helping a client buy or sell, or coaching an agent through their next level — is a simple belief: it’s not about me. It’s about you. Tell me your real estate goals, and let me or my brokerage help you get there. Whether you’re a homebuyer, a seller, or an agent, I see it as both a privilege and a purpose to serve you well. (RochelleFitzgerald.com)
Beyond real estate, one of my greatest joys is volunteering my time in the ministry — a calling inspired and encouraged by my mom and dad. Serving others and helping people draw closer to God brings me a sense of peace and fulfillment unlike anything else. It’s where I find balance, gratitude, and a deeper reminder that God’s purpose is greater than my own. That my purpose in life goes far beyond business.
Real estate may be what I do, but love for God and people are why I do it. Living with purpose and serving others — that’s where my true joy is found.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk has been the constant companion of my career. In real estate, every decision feels like a leap of faith — because the truth is, anything you do in a 100% commission-based career is a risk. There’s no guaranteed paycheck. You can have record-breaking months followed by seasons that test your faith. Markets shift, life happens, and income follows. But that’s the price — and the privilege — of betting on yourself.
When I first left the comfort of a full-time, salaried job to pursue real estate full time, it was one of the biggest and scariest leaps I’ve ever taken. Trading stability for opportunity isn’t glamorous — it’s hard work. It means showing up every day knowing your effort directly determines your outcome. I had to learn how to replace a guaranteed income with grit, consistency, and belief.
Years later, when I stepped into the corporate world of oil and gas as a Legal and Real Estate Administrator, the risks took a different form. I was the only Black woman in the boardroom — in a dual-career role that required constant excellence, balance, and resilience. Breaking through that glass ceiling was both a challenge and an honor, and it reminded me that sometimes, the boldest risk is simply showing up where no one expects you to be.
Today, as a brokerage owner, the risks have only grown. Running a brokerage is the biggest risk I’ve ever taken — financially and personally. Financially, it’s a massive investment with a slow return. Personally, it requires giving 150% of myself — time, heart, and energy — knowing it won’t always be understood, appreciated, or reciprocated. But I do it anyway. Because leadership, at its core, is service.
What I’ve learned is that a risk isn’t really a risk unless something meaningful is on the line. Every business, every dream, begins with uncertainty — and yet, every single time I’ve taken a risk and fallen short, it’s led me somewhere better than where I began. Each pivot, each so-called failure, has been a doorway to something greater than I imagined.
On my office whiteboard, I keep two reminders that ground me every day:
“Time is never in your way. So there is nothing for you to wait on.” — Time by Rockaz Elements
“Don’t waste a good thought.”
Those two lines remind me that risk isn’t about recklessness — it’s about motion. If something stirs your heart, start. Don’t wait for perfect timing or guaranteed success. Time will meet you halfway once you move.
_____________________
As I look back over my journey, I can say with complete certainty that I didn’t get here alone. Every client who trusted me, every mentor who guided me, every colleague who challenged me, and every friend or family member who supported me through the highs and lows — each one played a part in shaping the person and professional I’ve become.
I am especially grateful to my husband of 30 years, whose unwavering support has been my constant foundation, and to our daughter and son-in-law, who continue to inspire me with their love, encouragement, and belief in everything I do. They remind me daily that success is sweetest when it’s shared with the people you love most.
If I haven’t told you personally how you’ve helped me, let me take this opportunity to say thank you. Your encouragement, belief, and kindness have been the steady reminders that faith, hard work, and community truly matter. I am deeply grateful — not just for the milestones I’ve achieved, but for the people who helped make them possible.
Because at the end of the day, success isn’t about what you build — it’s about who builds it with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rochellefitzgerald.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rltr_rochelle
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itisrochellefitzgerald
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellefitzgerald
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@rltr_rochelle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RochelleFitzgerald
- Other: https://thebobar.com
Image Credits
Mikayla Johnson @paradisaic_posts_ J Henry Studios @jhenrystudios
