Name: Erika Hernández

Age: 21

Brokerage name: RE/MAX Leading Edge

Are you an independent agent or do you have a team?: independent

What year did you get licensed?: 2021

FAST FACTS:

I can’t really think of a risk I’ve taken. I’d say maybe when I dropped out of college my first year and then decided to get my real estate license. I was really scared to disappoint my parents.     

What are you proud of in your career? 

I’m proud of my progress since 2021. I once believed it wouldn’t get easier or better, but it has! I’ve already assisted many families. Initially, I doubted if anyone would trust me due to my young age — I began at 18 and now I’m 21.    

One thing on my bucket list is to go to Greece. 

I’m thankful for a couple of things, actually. I’m thankful for my brokerage, which has helped me grow my business. I’m also thankful for my amazing boyfriend, who is also my preferred loan officer. I’m very thankful that we crossed paths when I got licensed because he has enriched my life in numerous ways.

I can’t live without Cheetos spicy popcorn and an ice-cold Coke.

I deeply admire my mother. When she came to the U.S. in 1998, she had very little. My parents had to leave my siblings in Guatemala for a better life here, which was a tough decision. She worked two jobs to maximize her earnings. In 2014, my dad had a stroke, and she had to quit one of her two jobs, leaving her with only one job to take care of both of us. Despite the challenges we faced, she always remained strong, and that’s why I admire her a lot.

My superpower is being able to talk to anyone and start a conversation. I’m very personable. 

I wanted to be a civil engineer. That’s what I aimed for when I started college, but the stress of college and personal challenges interfered with my plans.