Leading with Faith
"I don't think I chose real estate. I think God chose real estate for me. What life direction God gives you—you follow the path."
At 16 years old, Alex Martinez left his home country of Guatemala and landed in Maryland. This move stretched his comfort zone and required him to step up to a new challenge. He didn't know the language, he didn’t know the culture, and he didn’t have a network of friends.
“My dad had moved here before we got here. He made that decision for us. He had a cousin that lived here, and we decided to go for it,” Alex reflects. “It was a real challenge having to learn the language, the change of culture.”
In this trying time, however, Alex’s innate resilience was on display. Just a year into his time in Maryland, he felt adjusted. He enrolled in college to study construction management with plans of becoming an architect, but soon after, he shifted gears.
Alex's mother and his grandfather had sold real estate in Guatemala. Alongside his studies, Alex decided to follow in their footsteps and get his real estate license. at just 19—and only three years after arriving in the United States—he launched his real estate career. Alex proved that he was capable of juggling multiple balls at once. Even as a full-time student, he was able to get his real estate business off the ground.
Alex has now been in the real estate business for almost two decades, and through the years, he continues to rise to the challenge. He believes that it's the challenges that define his path. "Every day defines my path; every event, every challenge has defined my path," says Alex.
The Journey to the Top
Today, Alex is running one of the D.C. metro area’s top real estate teams. In 2020, his team closed a staggering 538 transactions for $255 million in sales. Late in the year, his team shifted brokerages, and Alex became the owner and regional partner for The Agency.
His organization, which consists of 15 agents, an internal marketing department, a listings department, and a transaction coordinator department, has become one of the D.C. area’s top real estate businesses. Alex believes that the extensive structure allows agents to focus on selling and improves the client experience.
“We’re excited about that,” Alex says. “We hope to open more offices and offer more growth opportunities. We’re trying to expand on the east coast.”
On Faith and Family
Alex is a powerhouse business owner, yet, his life outside of real estate remains rich. “I have four kids and an amazing wife, Evita, that I cannot say enough about,” Alex boasts.
Alex also enjoys lifting weights, cycling, and running to keep both his body and his mind fresh. The lockdowns and restrictions as a result of COVID-19 have put family time into focus; over the past year, he’s made a consistent effort to spend more quality time with those he loves. “The biggest win-win has been my family,” Alex says, “and getting to be a Christian. Those are my two biggest accomplishments.”
"I guess I never knew I’d be so passionate about real estate, but it fits my dream of helping others to achieve bigger things and empowering others with knowledge."
Whether he’s working in real estate or at home with his family, faith remains the central part of Alex’s outlook. He wants to be remembered as a leader who leads by faith. “All of the success I’ve encountered is attributed to God, the creator of all,” he reminds us. “Faith is everything. You gotta have belief. Faith is the conviction of what you don’t see but hope for. Having the conviction that what you hope will take place is key. I believe there is a God, a hierarchy, a higher power.”
Stepping Into the Future
When asked to define success, Alex’s answer is telling. “That’s easy,” he smiles. “Success is being in love with what you have. Being grateful and being at peace. Success is not determined by money; it’s determined by being full of joy and understanding that success is overall internal peace.”
In real estate — and life — Alex has found true success.
“Real estate is everything I know and everything I dreamed of,” Alex beams. “I guess I never knew I’d be so passionate about real estate, but it fits my dream of helping others to achieve bigger things and empowering others with knowledge.”
