Can you share how your experiences as a DACA recipient have shaped your professional outlook and your advocacy for financial education?
Diego: Being a DACA recipient has made me very grateful for the opportunity I have on my hands since DACA is a band-aid for now as Congress works on a long-term solution for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Professionally, I am always striving to give 110% to the task at hand and continue to focus on my superpowers, which are building connections and helping others. I believe that we are in a country of opportunities, and I believe anyone in this country can achieve financial freedom with the right action plan. That is what I teach since that is how I have achieved my own version of the "American Dream" financially, despite the circumstances.
With your successful approach to "house hacking," what advice would you give to young investors looking to enter the real estate market?
Diego: House Hacking is a great opportunity to start investing in real estate because you can do it by putting little money down and you can qualify for an owner-occupant loan every year or every two years.
Through house hacking, you also get to live for free or pay a lot less than if you were living by yourself because your roommates/tenants can pay most of your mortgage. As a young person, house hacking allows you to get the benefits of real estate: appreciation, cash flow, debt paydown, tax benefits, and more!
How do you balance the emotional aspects of real estate transactions with the financial and investment components, especially when dealing with first-time homebuyers?
Diego: One thing that I have learned in my ten years as a realtor is that I cannot get emotional or attached to the end result. Things always come up, but I do my best to educate my clients throughout the whole process, always reminding them of the "why" — the reason they wanted to buy in the first place. If there are things I can't control, then I let things go quickly. I have learned not to be attached to the commission or the deal and to do the best I can with controlling the things I can control. If the deal falls through, I take a deep breath and move on to the next because there are a lot of people to help. One must have an abundance mindset.
Looking forward, what are your long-term goals both within and beyond the real estate industry?
Diego: My long-term goals are to continue sharing my story to inspire others and continue helping others achieve financial independence through my mastermind: The FI Investors, where we help members become millionaires in all areas of life. I also want to continue helping the agents on my team grow not just professionally but also personally in all areas of their life. I'm really grateful for my KW Realtor Team being #1 four years in a row, selling 250 homes a year in Austin, TX, and want to help each agent become the best version of themselves.