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Mercedes De La Cruz
E d i t i o n
Executive Agent of the Month
J u l y,
2 0 2 0
Mercedes De La Cruz Standing for the American Dream Written by H. K. Wilson - Photography by Ian Wiant
L
icensed real estate broker Mercedes De La Cruz personifies the American Dream. A first-generation American, Mercedes grew up inspired by her hard-working mother Maria who began investing in real estate shortly after arriving in the U.S. An entrepreneur who grew a fleet of catering trucks, Maria saved her loose change to put a downpayment on her first property in 1979. As her means grew, so did her real estate portfolio.
“She showed me the ropes and what it takes to qualify for and buy property,” Mercedes says. “She taught me her work ethic and the importance of remaining humble through the process. She still buys real estate and vacant land, and she eventually purchased a small store. She pushed all of us to build our credit and put together a down payment, and my siblings and I are all homeowners. She’s the reason I’m in real estate today.”
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After high school, Mercedes went to work as a real estate assistant. At 21 years of age she obtained her sales license, and by the time she was 24, she became a licensed broker. She had the good fortune to be mentored by two senior agents, J.J. Lopez and Dan Nevarez, who taught her how to succeed at selling bank-owned properties and short sales during the 2008 downturn. Today, Mercedes is an award-winning agent at CENTURY 21 Allstars in Pico Rivera, the number one office in California for eight consecutive years. With the leadership and support of owner Joe Villaescusa
and general manager Richard Estrada, she has been recognized as a Top 250 Realtor® by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and as a Top Producer by the Downey Association of Realtors® (DAOR). For Mercedes, real estate is truly a family business, as she works in partnership with her sister Angelica, who expertly handles the paperwork and administrative tasks for her real estate practice. “We also live together, so we’re always able to talk about the details and make sure everything gets done for our clients.”
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With more than 15 years’ experience in real estate, Mercedes remains a daily student of the market. It is her morning ritual to evaluate trends by tracking recent sales and new listings in her area. “It’s how I’m able to guide my clients with current information. I wish I had a crystal ball to predict the future, but I can use these indicators to give people good advice.” Mercedes was quick to respond to news about COVID-19 and create strategies to protect her clients’ best interests. Right before stay-at-home orders were put into place, she had the foresight to invest in a 3D video camera, drone and lighting equipment so she could shoot 3D virtual tours and aerial views of her listings. For buyers, she has a ready supply of gloves, hand sanitizer and booties. “My goals is to provide whatever I can to put people at ease and make it easy for them to buy or sell a property.”
Her willingness to go above and beyond is at the heart of Mercedes’ award-winning service. When a client’s needs takes her outside her home community of Southeast Los Angeles, Mercedes will make herself the expert in order to find them the ideal home. She recently helped a client sell their family home of 39 years and successfully relocate from Whittier to Palm Desert. This is what her client had to say about the experience: “Ms. De La Cruz performs her craft in a professional manner and goes out of her way to achieve the utmost possible cash advantage for her seller and/or buyer. She demonstrates every aspect of high quality service along with the rest of her team. I would highly recommend both her and CENTURY 21 Allstars to friends and family. This is my fourth transaction with this Realtor® and, once again, 100% satisfaction with services rendered.”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Another satisfied client reported: “We had been looking at multiple properties, and out of all the open houses we had been to, Mercedes was the only one who took the time to ask questions, listen to our needs and guide us in the right direction in order to be able to purchase the best home for our needs. Mercedes was very patient with us and very helpful throughout the whole process, always going above and beyond to help and guide us in the right directions we needed to go in. I would strongly recommend Mercedes De La Cruz for home purchasing needs. As a matter of fact, we already recommended her to help my brother-in-law find his future home.”
According to Mercedes, the life she has today would not have been possible without her mom’s example and the loving support of her brother Albert. Mercedes’ passion for the American Dream is reflected in her determination to help others become homeowners. “My mom’s examples reflects in my business. When I work with a first-time buyer, I always motivate them that buying a home is so much better than renting. Even if they’re afraid to make the commitment, I show them that owning a home is the key to financial freedom.”
Mercedes has instilled her family legacy of success in her son Leonard, who is a student at Arizona State University and on track for early graduation. She enjoys spending time with her dogs Bella and Goldie at local parks and hiking trails around Whittier.
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Mercedes De La Cruz CENTURY 21 Allstars 9155 Telegraph Rd. Pico Rivera, CA 90660 Tel: 323-493-3438 Email: c21delacruz@gmail.com Web: www.mercedes-delacruz.c21.com DRE # 01414738 ExecutiveAgent Magazine