Above: RE/MAX Results Managing Broker Todd Stock, left, with Berto Barrera
Guiding first-time homebuyers to a successful closing is one of the many joys of the job for REALTORS®, but when language barriers and other hurdles must be overcome to facilitate a successful closing, it makes it that much sweeter.
For Berto Barrera, an agent with RE/MAX Results in Warsaw, Indiana, almost every sale is sweet these days.
Fluent in Spanish, the 25-year-old has established himself as the go-to REALTOR® for Hispanic homebuyers in his area. He has done so well that he was named a finalist for RISMedia’s 2022 Real Estate Rookie of the Year, and was honored at the company’s Power Broker Reception & Dinner last November during the annual NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience in Orlando, Florida.
“I would say 90% of my clients are mostly Spanish speakers, and a lot of them, for the longest time, are like, ‘We’ve been wanting to buy a house but thought we couldn’t get one,’ or there’s been a language barrier,” he says. “Me being able to speak Spanish definitely helps, because it allows me to connect with people and give them in-depth service, especially because they’re making the biggest investment of their life.”
Barrera grew up in the town where he now works. Warsaw is known as the ‘Orthopedic Capital of the World,’ home to the first orthopedic-device manufacturer, the DePuy Manufacturing Company, which is where Barrera started working after high school.
“We manufactured shoulders, hips and knees…all the joints you can think of,” he says. “I made good money, but there was no connection with anyone. I couldn’t work one-on-one, so I decided to do something that doesn’t just open opportunities for me, but allows me to give back to my community. My background is Spanish, and I wanted to lift the curtain for people that can afford to buy a house but never could because of the language barrier.”
A friend who formerly worked with Barrera at DePuy had changed careers and was at RE/MAX. “He brought me in, and it’s the best decision I ever made,” he admits.
With Barrera being a newcomer to real estate, it was RE/MAX Managing Broker Todd Stock’s job to get him going as quickly as possible.
“The first thing I noticed about him is that he has this infectious smile and positivity, and a wonderful attitude,” says Stock. “But what I didn’t realize early on was that he had this incredible work ethic, and was a really resourceful guy who was driven to win and succeed. And he’s been amazing.”
It didn’t take Barrera long to determine how he could be most productive. Once he realized that there were many local Spanish-speaking people who yearned for homeownership, but were hesitant to try for it, he took action.
“A lot of them were (and are) afraid of trusting someone to translate,” he explains. “They just wouldn’t be comfortable making the largest investment of their life. They want someone they can connect with. If you look hard enough, you can find someone you can relate to and trust. So that was something that worked out.
“I’ve been fortunate that in my town, which is a smaller town, I’ve been able to get a big marketshare of those Spanish-speaking people, so it’s opened a lot of opportunities. I’m starting to branch out, but still have a lot of those clients.”
Barrera makes sure he has a picture taken with each happy new homeowner, which leads to one referral after another. “I do a lot of posting pictures with my clients, so a lot of times that’s a referral when they see someone they know smiling next to me…especially after a successful home-buying journey.”
Stock, who has been with RE/MAX for 26 years, enthusiastically rubber stamps Barrera’s handling of the Spanish-speaking market, acknowledging the importance of the bonding process between agent and client.
“We have offices in surrounding areas with other bilingual agents who’ve been able to capitalize on that segment of the market,” he says. “Berto came in and in a very short period of time dominated a massively underserved part of the community. It’s part of his mission, and has been great for him to help people achieve homeownership.”
Married with two young children, Barrera admits that while he’s a non-stop worker, he’s learned how to balance his time as best he can.
“Todd has played a huge role in that,” he says. “RE/MAX does a lot of events and makes sure everyone in the office is educated. They bring speakers in, and there’s a lot of motivation. RE/MAX is a brand. You don’t have to explain what it is you do at RE/MAX. People just know.”
Asked if there’s one key to his success, Berto said it was simple.
“Work really hard,” he exclaims. “I have the mentality that there’s always someone working harder than me. So in a good market or a down market, I’m always going to work the same. Be super focused and think outside of the box, especially when it comes to marketing and being different.”
Stock agrees, knowing that RE/MAX guided Barrera the way it helps all its agents.
“We want our agents to grow the right way,” he says. ”It’s common for some of them to have success early, then have missteps that can set them back or slow their growth. It’s important that they set up a foundation and the right structure so they can maintain a quality of life and balance and continue to grow and have longevity in the business.
“I’ve seen a lot of people come in and do really well but they don’t necessarily work smart. They work really hard and they burn out and can’t sustain the level of success they’ve had. Berto and I talk a lot about different things he can do to leverage his time and be a good father and husband and maintain a really good work/life balance while sustaining the success he’s already achieved.
“We coach people on the fundamentals of the business, which is a lot of networking and staying close to your people. If you can maintain relationships at a high level, you can withstand the forces of a changing economy. And Berto is the perfect example. With his level of follow-up and his work ethic, he’s going to be just fine regardless of market conditions.”
