Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Gomez.
Hi Diana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I would like to start by telling you that I’m from Honduras and happily made Houston our home five years ago when my husband got offered a position here. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras (UNAH) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and a certification on Rural Project Evaluation from Colegio de Postgraduados, in Texcoco, Mexico. After 19 years working for international development organizations like: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Vision, and Swiss Foundation, managing projects on food security, rural development, and development of small and medium-sized rural enterprises; and while we were preparing to move to Houston, I decided that it was time to make a shift in my career, to something I was passionate about: real estate. New city, new life, new career.
I’ve always being passionate about homes and interior design, I’ve been surrounded by it my whole life, my father built and sold houses for a living and my husband financed houses and managed a new development. It was a challenge, being new in town with a new career that requires knowledge of the city and its neighborhoods, that is about building and strengthening relations and be known. Thankfully, I was encouraged and supported by a friend who is also in real estate and became my mentor, he taught me what I needed to begin with. I got my license during covid, by this time, I’ve had the chance to know more about the city, built relations, and made a lot of friends. Watching the market change made me think again about my career, I had to change with it. Therefore, I decided to take a step higher in my career and moved to a new brokerage: Texas Living Company, that I knew was evolving and preparing as the market was changing. It has been challenging, but it wouldn’t be possible without the constant support of my husband and our daughters.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road at all! But don’t get me wrong, what is life without challenges? I see them as opportunities to be better, to do better. I was not able to pursue my license until three years after moving. First, moving abroad is not easy, we left behind our house with everything in it, our family and friends, we left behind our whole life. We started here basically from scratch, in a two-bedroom apartment with no furniture. Just a full bed, an air mattress and three stools, but it was home. By the end of the second year, we had our apartment fully furnished. We moved here right before Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, which was not an easy time for anyone, flooding was just half a mile of where we lived by that time. But, seeing a city so strong and resilient, convinced me that we were on the right city. Still, the struggle was real, and the economic recovery was tough, so I decided to look for a full-time job to support my husband with all expenses, therefore I had to put again, on a side my goal to become a real estate agent. Thankfully, a non-profit organization called Casa El Buen Samaritano opened their doors to me and offered me a position as a development coordinator, those were definitely “good times”. The time comes when I’m ready to jump into my new career, with my husband’s support, I decide to become a full-time real estate agent…and covid happened!
When the school finally opened for virtual learning, I got on board, I was finally getting my license. I was just starting my classes when a huge hurricane hit my birth country, we were devasted by the news and all the destruction that the hurricane left behind. With the help of many friends, we collected all kinds of donations, and while doing it, we hear the terrible news that a new hurricane was about to hit Honduras again, just a week apart from the first one. Still, with all this going on I didn’t stop taking my classes. It was on a Saturday when I was taking my last class, I was so excited despite all things going on, and I got a call, the unimaginable had happened, my father had lost his battle with leukemia. With all that going on in Honduras, I was not able to make it for the funeral. I was able to take my last class about a month later after his passing and finally got my license. After getting my license, it has been all about building my business. As most entrepreneurs, building your business is not easy, you need discipline, dedication, passion, and perseverance.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am a Real Estate Advisor at Texas Living Company. My main goal is to help my clients make their dreams come true by becoming homeowners, There is nothing more important for me than to be part of this huge milestone. Even though I have clients all over Houston, I specialized mostly on West Houston. I build long-term relationships with my clients and stand by their side during all the processes involved. I love to go through every detail with them to help them make the best decision of their life. My business is not only about selling houses, is about making their experience as smooth as possible, supporting them along the way until they reach their goal.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Getting to know Houston has been life-changing. I love most of it: First of all, I love the people; Houstonians are welcoming, it was not difficult for us to make friends and build relations. I love the food, Houston is a multicultural city where you can find an incredible variety of food, breweries, wineries which makes it is perfect for someone like me.
Since I’ve been in this business, I’ve become passionate about discovering small businesses in Houston, specially in the west area. This allows me to share with my clients the goods they can find in our city.
Like any big city, traffic is a bit annoying, but you get used to it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://texaslivingcompany.com/agent/Diana_Gomez/8516236
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianagomez_realtor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianagomezrealtortx
Image Credits
Calvin Pennick JR Photography
Maria Andrea Enriquez https://maruandrea95.picfair.
