The Alimond Show

Michael Peña - Finding Your Superpower: How Relationships Drive Success in Real Estate

Alimond Studio

What does it take to start from scratch in a new place and build a thriving real estate business? Michael Pena's remarkable journey from Dominican Republic immigrant to successful Northern Virginia realtor offers powerful insights for agents and aspiring homebuyers alike.

Growing up between the Dominican Republic, New York, and Houston before settling in Virginia, Michael brings a uniquely empathetic perspective to real estate. As the first person in his family to purchase a home, he understands firsthand the transformative power of homeownership—especially for immigrants pursuing the American dream. This personal connection fuels his passion for teaching first-time homebuyer classes in both English and Spanish, where he empowers others to believe that homeownership is within their reach.

What makes Michael's approach distinctive is his genuine commitment to relationship-building. "I value relationships—that's one of my core values," he explains, describing how he prioritized networking when moving to Virginia knowing absolutely no one. By embracing what he calls his "superpower" of connecting with people, he's built a referral network that spans multiple states.

Michael's philosophy around social media is refreshingly straightforward: be authentic and don't overthink it. Drawing from his background in photography (he runs a side business called Mike Pixel Media), he creates content that showcases his personality without coming across as salesy. His advice for those hesitant to post? "When you're thinking about posting and you're about to hit post, just tell yourself in that moment it doesn't matter and hit post—because that hesitation cripples you."

As Marketing Director and future Parliamentarian for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) Northern Virginia chapter, Michael advocates passionately for sustainable homeownership in the Hispanic community. He works to educate both real estate professionals and potential homebuyers, particularly around challenges facing immigrant homeowners.

Perhaps most inspiring is Michael's practice of choosing a yearly mantra—from "discovery" in his first year, to "acceleration" in his second, and now "relentless" as he looks to 2025. This intentional approach to personal and professional growth reflects his belief that success comes from within: "If I succeed it's because of me, if I fail, it's because of me."

Ready to learn more about Northern Virginia real estate or connect with Michael? Reach out on social media to start your conversation today.

Speaker 1:

My name is Michael Pena. I am with Keller Williams Metro Center. I am a real estate agent. I just moved to Virginia three years ago in June. I've only been licensed in residential real estate for two years and what I do? I like to help people purchase their home Like.

Speaker 1:

I went through an experience that for me is just was so smooth and easy. My real estate agent made me feel very comfortable and I guess that planted that seed for me, and ever since then I was like man. I feel like if I do this, that's how I want to service my clients. I want to make sure that they're comfortable, they're happy, they don't feel stress. I didn't feel stress while buying my home, so I want to provide that to my clients as well. I do teach first-time homebuyer classes, so just giving the inspiration to people. Like man, I can buy a home. So I was the first in my family to buy a home. So for me it's kind of paying it forward, in a sense, and just making people feel at ease to have that hope and ambition. I can't. I think I can do this, you know, because I think everyone can. It's just a matter of partnering with the right real estate agent to help them.

Speaker 2:

So Agreed and now give us a little bit of a backstory. Did you come from? Dominican Republic is your home country? Yes, so, tell me a little bit about that. Is that where you were living before that?

Speaker 1:

No, no. So I was born in the Dominican Republic. I lived there till I was maybe seven years old and then from there I moved to New York City. So I grew up in New York City Queens, bronx and Queens and then at 18, I ended up moving to Houston, texas. Then I moved back to New York, then I moved back to Houston, texas, and then I moved to Virginia three years ago. So I've been back and forth throughout the country. So, but yeah, I originally am from New York, so New York City is my hometown, is what I would consider Okay, and did real estate bring you over here to stay like permanently?

Speaker 2:

or do you have maybe, like you have like an itch to go somewhere else? Eventually, once you like, settle down or what Cause? It seems like you're a little bit of. I like to go here, I like to go over there.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, no, I. I think Virginia is it for me for now. Um, I do like the seasons, right Like it's not so cold, it's not so hot, like Houston, texas. Um, and I am close to mom and dad. My parents are still living in New York city so I get to see them. I take a Amtrak three hours and I'm there, right. So I think Virginia is it for me. I've done too many cross country moves and you know they thank God everything went smooth, but you know they can be painful, right Like just packing up and moving across another state. So I've actually driven. When I first moved to Houston, I flew. When I moved back to New York, I drove by myself. That was 28 hours drive time by myself. I don't know how I did that. Yeah, I only stopped one time overnight, that was it. Moving back to Houston, I drove as well, and then moving to Virginia, I drove. So I've driven quite a lot. Wow, you're brave.

Speaker 2:

I was scared to be on the phone all the time, like hubby can you help me.

Speaker 1:

Well, when I moved back to New York, I actually met my now wife in New York City and we drove together to Houston and then we moved here to Virginia.

Speaker 2:

Beautiful. You had company that other time.

Speaker 1:

Yes, so it was good.

Speaker 2:

All right. And then how did your early life experiences from moving to New York City to study computer information systems at the University of Houston downtown, shape your approach to real estate?

Speaker 1:

You know, I wouldn't say that it helped me, I guess, in the approach to real estate, but it did create a foundation, right. I was always like the techie nerd kid, right Like I always wanted to fix things, computer geek and I was always interested in computers. I actually taught kids how to build computers, so ages 11 to 18, I taught them how to put together a computer, program it, and that was a lot of fun, right. So I was always that type. Right, I was involved with computers. The kids would be like, okay, what kind of games can I install? And I was like, all right, let's install the games you know and play with the games on the computer. But I feel like that degree and that experience because it's a business degree it built a foundation for what I do now, right, like it's. You know, with real estate, there's so many different things you could do, right, you could do a podcast, you could do videos. You need the lighting, the microphone, everything right. And being a tinker, I feel comfortable doing those things right, creating the content. Now, it's just a matter of being creative when you're creating the content, business-wise, right. Like they taught me economics, accounting, right. So, like all those things I'm applying now. So I feel like it built that foundation, you know, for me throughout the years Because I didn't stay in IT for long.

Speaker 1:

I actually switched industries. I jumped into project management. Then I was a manager for fitness in the fitness industries for a fitness club in New York City. I had a very successful time there with the team. I led a team to a successful like you know rankings and whatnot. I led a team to a successful like you know rankings and whatnot. So you know, I feel like I've had my hands in different industries right.

Speaker 1:

So now, with real estate, I feel extremely comfortable managing my own business, being an entrepreneur, servicing my clients. I mean, essentially, I have 20 years, two decades worth of customer service experience, right, so why not apply that to the industry that I'm in now? I did so. I mentioned the fitness industry. So I I had a commission-based job at the time and when I left that job excuse me I told myself I never want to work for a commission-based job again. And here I am in real estate, which is all commission, right, but the difference and the reason I said that then is because I didn't feel comfortable servicing people and then going to the back room and putting up a quota right. Like I hated the quota aspect of it, I actually genuinely loved helping people.

Speaker 1:

You know, at that time in the fitness industry like change your life, like you want to lose weight, you want to reduce stress, get off medications and things like that. So I genuinely wanted to help people and you know, I said, oh, you're not meeting your quota or you are meeting your quota, you need to get more sales. It's like, man, but we're doing a good service here. So when I left I was like I don't want to do that because I don't want to be pressured to sale. But now in real estate I can, since I'm an entrepreneur, I'm managing my own business. Right, it's like I have to meet my own priorities and standards. I get to service people genuinely all the time.

Speaker 2:

It sounds like that's in your nature and in your heart just helping people, and I think you picked a good career now to be in real estate, because what more like pleasure could you get out of helping somebody get their first time home? Or just people inquiring like what can I do in order to attain that dream Right? What have been some challenges for you between that transition from your previous jobs going into real estate? What have been some challenges for you? And did you have maybe a mentor or somebody that could?

Speaker 1:

possibly help you there. So, um, I'm trying to the word escapes me, right, but I don't want to say that I dove right into real estate, right? So in Houston, um, I was doing commercial property management. So when I worked for a company called WeWork which some people are probably aware of they were the height of real estate, you know and then they tanked and so that kind of introduced me to managing real estate, right, a building. I was a manager of a building, 10 floors, 900 people, you know. So I was dealing with invoices, leasing, you know things like that. I was dealing with invoices, leasing things like that. Then I started working for a smaller company and they gave me the responsibility to manage five different buildings. So I was in real estate, managing the leases, managing the clients, bringing the customer service, helping them.

Speaker 1:

So when I moved to Virginia, I was like, okay, you know what I do like real estate, let me just get my residential license right. Like, let me make this official. I started in Texas, but moving it just, virginia and Texas don't talk to each other. So I had to start all over here and I was like you know what, let me just get my license, it's going to be, this is what I want to do. I feel comfortable doing real estate. So when I jumped right in, I got my license, I I didn't really think like, no, I need to get a mentor. To me, it was okay, I have this experience. Right, I have this track record. I'm an entrepreneur. This is where I want to be in my life. How can I make this work? Right, let me and, being new to Virginia, I made my number one priority to network, to get to know as many people as possible.

Speaker 1:

I think all of us have a specific superpower and I wanted to harness that because I started reflecting a lot. Like man I have. I just told you, somebody that knows me for 20 years calls me Mikey and I stay in touch with them, right, and I was like man. I value relationships, like that's one of my core values, so I need to. I have friends in New York. I have friends in Houston. I don't know anybody here in Virginia, just my wife and I and our dog. That's it. That's all we know, right? So in this industry, you need to know people.

Speaker 1:

So I made it a point to network, get out, go to events, go to seminars, webinars, obviously learn the industry and my work and that's been like number one priority for me. It's just networking with people and it gives me the ability to learn from other people that are experienced in the field that I can say, hmm, maybe I could do something like that. You know, maybe I can grab some little things from them that I can apply and maybe you know feng shui in my way in a sense, I love that and making my own to build my own brand, yeah, so essentially that's what I've been doing. So I feel like I've had several mentors. I guess you could say you know, like different people, that I can lean on and ask questions. Yeah, but being very disciplined, that if I succeed it's because of me, if I fail, it's because of me, if I fail, it's because of me. Yeah, so I need to pool my resources, learn as much as I can get out there.

Speaker 1:

Don't focus on the money aspect. It is important. We all have to pay bills and eat, right, correct? But I think there's only so much money that you can have in the world. But if you don't have that North Star as to what exactly you want to do, like what purpose drives you there, that money is irrelevant, right. So to me I wanted to focus on. I want to be a great entrepreneur, business person, a colleague to all the people in the field that I connect and bring value to every single relationship that I connect with.

Speaker 2:

I love that.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing. That's so incredible relationship that I connect with. I love that. That's amazing. That's so incredible the fact that you just like packed up left and here you are starting from zero, kind of making new connections, networking friends. I want to ask you, in the marketing aspect of everything with your business, with yourself, what are you doing to get the name of your business, of yourself, the type of services you provide out there to the people here in Northern Virginia? Are you an avid social media user? I know you're doing social networking events, all that good stuff. What else?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so now you're kind of branching into another aspect of my life, right?

Speaker 2:

I sure am.

Speaker 1:

So just a quick story, like the way I grew up, my dad was very avid with photography, right? So every time we would go on vacation, he would just hand me the camera, take pictures, record, you know, and we would analyze the footage like, oh, you could have zoomed in a little bit better here, the lighting it wasn't hitting right. And it was good feedback, because I grew up wanting to make sure that I was recording or taking pictures the right way. So we're in 25. So early 24, last year, I opened up my own photography business because I just felt that I could do a good job and people were telling me Mike, you take great pictures, these are amazing. So I said you know what, if you're good at something, don't do it for free, right?

Speaker 1:

So it's kind of like all right let me, that's what they say so let me, let me just open up my business. Why not, you know, make it, make it my own. So, mike Pixel, media is what I came up with. Shout out Mike Pixel.

Speaker 2:

Media.

Speaker 1:

So I focus on portraits, events, and obviously I'm in real estate. I help real estate colleagues with their listing photos Nice, you know, if they're in a pinch. You know I'm not trying to do anything to extravagant, but just something that I can help them and charge them a good price, that, hey, it's going to be quick, easy, quick turnaround, cause I'm good at that stuff, why not? So that's the side story, right? So now focusing on real estate. Um, social media is huge right now, right Like that, I think, if you're not on social media.

Speaker 2:

Huge right now, right Like that I think, if you're not on social media.

Speaker 1:

Do you even exist, right? Pretty much that. Pretty much right. Like if you're running a business, you should be on social media. I mean, the ability to have a massive reach, or build that reach for yourself, for your business, is incredible, right. So, being new to Virginia, newbie guy and all right, this is real estate I pretty much grabbed it by the horns and went full on. I was like, okay, let's create content. You know, obviously, seeing what other people are doing, I didn't want to do the same thing, right, I wanted to stand out myself and bring my own branding. So I grabbed it head on. I was like let's go. You know, create media. I'm in a, you know, an open, open house record the open house, and I'm making content. Like you know, a lot of people are afraid to be on camera, right.

Speaker 1:

So to me it's like, hey, camera on my face, let's do it like I can act, I can do whatever smile, make a joke okay okay, I like to think that I can't, right, but you know not to be shy about it, because a lot of people like, oh no, I don't want to be on camera, be on camera. And to me it's like nah, like, you got to get out there, right, you gotta, you gotta put yourself out there and not be afraid. And, and you know, chase the likes, right. It's kind of like, just put it out there and build organic, exactly, and two years later you know it's, it's, it's building.

Speaker 1:

For me, like I see people are commenting every time I walk into a room. They're like oh my God, mike, you're killing it on social media. And I'm like I just posted like a couple of videos, a couple of stories, but I guess, as a reflection of what they're not seeing, right, they're seeing me. I'm being visible constantly and I think that's a check right for me. I'm like okay, cool, I'm staying visible. People know that I'm going to an event, I'm teaching a class, whatever the case may be, I'm staying visible and I think that's the most important thing and it's coming off organically. It's not coming off salesy and again, going back to that, I don't want to do commission-based jobs again. I don't want to come off salesy. I just want to come out like myself. That's one approach.

Speaker 1:

The other approach is I need people to know who I am Exactly. They don't know who I am and you know we have a saying in real estate that you only do business with people that you know, like and trust Correct, right. So I want them to know me, I want them to like me and I want them to trust me at the end of the day, right, absolutely, it may be a client that's watching me, a potential client, potential client. It could be a colleague real estate agent that it's in another state and says you know what man? I have a referral and I want to send it to Mike. I trust this guy to handle and that's happened already. I've had agents say, hey, I'm not licensed in Maryland, but Can you help me with this client? Absolutely, that is awesome.

Speaker 2:

You know, and you said that you just got to get out there, right, and a lot of people are kind of scared to put themselves out there.

Speaker 1:

If you could give them one key piece of advice, what would that be? In order to get themselves out there? Just, you know, you record a video and maybe you have a caption and if you're thinking about posting it and you're about to post it, you're hesitant, just tell yourself in that moment it doesn't matter and hit post right, like, because I think that hesitation cripples you in the moment oh my gosh, yes. So to me is like when you I still do that to this day sometimes I make a video and a caption, I was like, ah, you know, I was like, how, whatever, boom, and I just submit it. And next, you know, I was like, ah, whatever, boom, and I just submitted it.

Speaker 1:

And next thing, you know, people are like oh my God, mike, that was awesome. Blah, blah, blah. So don't make, don't do the hesitation, don't cripple yourself putting opinions in Of what you think people are thinking about you. You don't know what they're thinking, so get that out the way, not as a reflection of you. What are you thinking about yourself? You know, like, get that out of the way, yes, you know. And just hit post and just run with it.

Speaker 2:

I love that.

Speaker 1:

And you may get one like and you know what. So be it. But you're creating contact, exactly and you know what, creating content and you know what. That like doesn't mean that only one person saw it right. Maybe like two, 300 people probably saw it and guess what? They're probably going to comment when they see you. Hey, I saw your video, but then you're thinking wait, you didn't like my post.

Speaker 2:

Like come on man.

Speaker 1:

Like yo. I need some likes. You see the struggle. I think we all do that right. But I think if you are truly, genuinely trying to build an organic page and be an organic and genuine person, just put it out there, don't be afraid. Just let go of these thoughts and opinions that you may have of yourself, what people think of you. Just put it out there.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely no, that was some great advice there. Thank you so much, Absolutely. It out there. Absolutely no, that was some great advice there. Thank you so much Absolutely. I want to talk to you about you being a member of hold on, it's in my notes here. I'm so sorry.

Speaker 1:

National Association of National Real Estate Professionals, NAREP.

Speaker 2:

How did you know?

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

So serving as the 2024 Marketing Director and 2025 Parliamentarian for NAHREP Northern Virginia. What initiatives are you most passionate about and why?

Speaker 1:

So, fun fact, today's Monday, on Friday we had our installation, so we got installed. The new board of directors were installed this past Friday and it was a huge event successful. We had a great time. So this is my second year as a board director, which is amazing.

Speaker 2:

Congratulations. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

So in terms of initiatives, the way that organization works, there's close to 40,000 members right throughout the US and the mission of NAREP is that let me see if I can get this right. Make sure that I get it right.

Speaker 2:

It's okay, I just botched myself, so it's your turn now.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, my turn to botch it, but it's advocating for sustainable home ownership in the Hispanic community. And it does that by empowering the community, right Like the real estate professionals, real estate agents, title agents, loan officers, other entrepreneurs in the business. And it's all about educating us so that we have that education and we can turn around and provide that service and care to the community. You know, a hot topic is right now is the deportation. Right, like you know, what can we do to help our community? Right, like they bought homes. You know it's tough.

Speaker 1:

The Hispanic community is like the gig economy. Right, we have the gig economy, we have tons of money under the mattress, we just don't know what to do with it. And for us to help our clients in that sense to say, hey, take that money, put it in the bank, you can buy a home, you can afford it. And then to go through all that process to then possibly be deported, it's an issue right Like the American dream is to buy a home. Right, like that's part of the American dream. And these individuals immigrants I'm an immigrant myself, like I said, I was the first in my family to buy a home, you know to go through that whole process to then lose it. I don't think that's right.

Speaker 2:

No.

Speaker 1:

So with Nareb, they provide education resources so that again we can turn around and help our community that needs us. You know they look up to us to help them. You know, in these times of need they looked up to us when they said we have all this money, we don't know what to do with it. It's like, okay, let me help you, you know, and let's you know providing us with resources that we can say I got your back, I got people that can help you in this situation. I think it's huge.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely. And not only do you have like, as you said, you are an immigrant, having that background and with your family and being the first one to buy your home. How does this impact your mindset with helping other people and why does it mean so much to you, especially for your community?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean I get chills you asking me that question. I get chills Because I mean it's, it's, it's so important to me. I mean I remember writing the EMD deposit check to the builder when I bought my home and I was in tears right after that and I called my mom and I said, mom, like I bought a home, like I was born in the Dominican Republic, we grew up middle class quote, unquote, you know but we never were short of food and we always had lights, you know, and things like that, and thanks to my father's hard work and my mom's, you know, she's the backbone of the family, right. But Mom, mom, like, look where we used to live. And then we moved to the states, we lived in the Bronx in an apartment and then, like, I got my education I'm the oldest of three, so you know, like, setting that example of like, yes, we came to this country, we made it and we bought a home. I bought a home, like that's huge. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1:

So that that right there sits very close to my heart, right, being in this industry, and I do teach first time homebuyers through Virginia Housing, I teach first time homebuyers classes in English and Spanish. So the Spanish classes. You know I have to, I have to break out the Spanglish. So you know there's some words in Spanish that they're like wait, what is it? And I'm like, you know, like the deed of the house, and they're like, oh, deed, okay. So you know that that sitting there with me and educating potential homebuyers, and just that sitting there with me and educating potential homebuyers, and just man, if I could be that beacon of light and hope of like man, if this guy could do it, I could do it.

Speaker 2:

I love it. So, I absolutely love that. I'm sure your family is so proud, especially your siblings and your mom and dad. Gosh, I'm proud of you and I'm not part of the family.

Speaker 1:

Can I come to the kitchen? Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Thanks. Is there anything that I have not touched on?

Speaker 1:

that perhaps you would like to get out there and share that, maybe you have it's been on your mind or anything of that nature with your business man. You know, I've been, I've been on this, I've been on this journey so I have words. Every year, ever since I started real estate, I have words. So in 23, when I started, I started January 23, my word for that year was discovery. You know, I wanted to discover. I wanted to discover if I can do this right, like I'm in real estate. It's a high, demanding, you know, field where you are responsible for someone's potential biggest purchase of their life, right? So I wanted to discover that about myself and I felt like I did. I got out there, you know, I networked, I got to know people, I educated myself. So that was a good year.

Speaker 1:

24, my word was acceleration. So in my mind I was like man, that's it, poof. Second year I got one year in. This is my second year. I'm going to accelerate my business. It's going to take off. I'm going to destroy it. Here I am, make my territory. Well, that didn't pan out that way.

Speaker 2:

Funny.

Speaker 1:

But I still held down to that word acceleration and I think what ended up happening is that it wasn't about accelerating my business, it was accelerating inward for myself. I needed to really tap into, you know, my gut and feeling of I need to push myself to do these things. I need to open up my mind and expand my thought process of how to communicate with people right. If my superpower is that I can network with so many people, I need to sharpen that tool right, like I need to sharpen that skill. Not a lot of people can do that right.

Speaker 2:

No, that's a gift.

Speaker 1:

So I had to accelerate inward to really find out who I really am. And, lo and behold, I feel like I did. I found out. I was like you know what, just reflecting a lot about myself, I was like this is who I am and I really need to I hate to use the word take advantage, but I need to harness that superpower that I have and not take it lightly. You know, because a lot of people when they saw me, they're like man, you have an ingredient, mike, like you have. You have these things that you could potentially be like a great real estate agent. And I was like, okay, and you can have a hundred people tell you that, but if I don't believe it myself, where does that go?

Speaker 2:

Nowhere.

Speaker 1:

People are just going to keep raising the expectation for you and if you don't measure up, then what? Yeah, so acceleration inward was definitely the key word for 2024. Now 2025. What you got for us, mike Relentless, relentless. I need to be relentless in every aspect of my life Business, family, spiritually, mentally and for me, mentally, is, I would say say, priority.

Speaker 1:

I'm reading a lot right now, a lot of reflective books, you know, to just tap into that psyche of mine, you know that, to think differently, to be able to communicate, lower the stress levels, right, you know, I mean, there's several books that I've read that I'm like like there's nothing to worry about, like you have everything you need right now in life. The future doesn't exist, the past is gone. So the only moment you have in time is is here, right here, right now. You know. So that right there has to ground you. So when you think about stress, you're like what am I stressed about? Oh, something that could potentially happen, the what ifs that doesn't exist. You're creating that in your mind.

Speaker 1:

Yes, guilty, we all do that. Yeah, you know, and you have to toughen up, in a sense To realize and humble yourself. Right now is the only time in this moment that exists and that's it, and embrace it, love it, enjoy it. You know so. I've heard so many great speakers and we can sit here and talk about some of those quotes that I've heard, but, you know, one of the ones that kind of lingers in me a little bit is that and this is from Nando Parado he was actually a member of the plane that fell into the Snow Peaks Mountains.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1:

The Netflix show Society of the snow, so I would encourage everyone to watch it. But I heard him speak live, so I saw the movie and it was heavy hearing him talk about it was even heavier. But one of the things he talked about, I mean he went 70 days without food and water. Oh my gosh. Okay, put that into perspective. One of the things he said is that your best day and your worst day of your life start the same Heavy.

Speaker 2:

Very heavy.

Speaker 1:

So when you wake up, you get to wake up to life. You don't know what's to come, nope. And if you get back into bed in one piece, right, then you're comfortable. Thank God, you're lucky, you're comfortable. Thank God, you're lucky, you're lucky, very lucky, yeah, you know. So if you're in this world, you're here for a reason you know and you have to cherish that and any interaction you come across like, bring the utmost value of yourself to the table, because people appreciate that you know, and how can you help someone you know? I'll finish this with this recent quote that I just read in a recent book. But I think we have to stop asking what we want out of life and maybe start asking what does life want out of us?

Speaker 2:

I love that one. That's a good one, and it's a hard one to think about sometimes, because sometimes it's hard to find that purpose for yourself too. Right, absolutely so, being able to reflect, writing it down, thinking about it. Thank you so much for being on this podcast. It's been awesome. I feel like I could talk to you forever.

Speaker 1:

Let's do it. Part two, part two right, thank.