LETICIA ANDRADE

Leticia Andrade of Chicago, Illinois, combines nearly two decades of industry expertise with an unwavering dedication to community support to fuel her real estate business and educate the next generation of homeowners. “I have two daughters – one is twenty-five, and the other is nineteen – so I’ve seen the whole high school and college experience, and there isn’t really any financial literacy taught before they get to college. They’re on their own, and if they don’t have good financial structure, that could be a recipe for disaster. We need to implement something personal – something that’s valuable to the entire family and the greater community.”

Before entering the world of real estate, Leticia worked as a loan processor to launch her career. “I’ve been a single mother for a long time. I had my oldest daughter at the age of nineteen,” she recalls. “I got hired at State Farm Insurance as a claim service assistant, and eventually got promoted to be a loan processor for a small brokerage, and then I was recruited to Countrywide Home Loans.” After building her expertise and steadily growing her skillset, Leticia celebrated her first financial investment and launched her career in real estate. “I bought my first condo in the north side of Chicago at the age of twenty-three – I think that’s when I fell in love with the process.”

After experiencing the growth and financial freedom that came with homeownership, Leticia decided to use her knowledge and experience to help others strive for the same, and became an officially licensed REALTOR® in 2005. She has previously worked with Related Realty, and for the past four years, has been paired with Fulton Grace as a solo agent and proud mentor. “One of the young brokers I’m working with right now was actually my buyer last year. He bought a two-flat at a very young age, just like me, and it’s really exciting to pass down some of what I’ve learned.”

In addition to educating her colleagues and mentees, Leticia is dedicated to spreading financial literacy and sharing her knowledge and prosperity with blossoming young minds. “I just had a meeting with the director of the Evanston YMCA,” she exudes. “He’s a high school friend of mine, and he wants to include my free outreach program. We have two tiers: one for ages five to eleven, and the other for teenagers. Budgeting, savings, things like that – the tools I think everyone needs at baseline, and it’s a way to help people experience everything the YMCA has to offer. Win-win!”

With her position in the industry cemented as an agent, Leticia hopes to continue serving individual clients while simultaneously serving all of Chicago. “I can dig deeper into the neighborhoods where I live and work. I still have friends on the street who are actively struggling, and I recognize the hardships that people face when it comes to owning a home. This isn’t about luxury listings or bottom lines – this is about connecting the alderman, the mayor, and real estate professionals all over the city with those who need us the most. We need a wider scope that includes helping people buy and sell houses, while also making sure that our communities are taken care of.”