Bella Cruz brings knowledge, experience to local real estate

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Coming all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada, real estate agent and professional listing specialist Bella Cruz moved to the Houston area as Realty ONE Group opened their doors in Texas.

Licensed in Las Vegas in 2003, Cruz has over 13 years of real estate experience. She worked in a transient, ever-changing market that allowed her to work with clients who were constantly on the move. The downturn of the real estate market from 2005 to 2008 presented an opportunity for Cruz to work more thoroughly with banks and homeowners. Cruz said when it comes to looking for a real estate agent, experience is not expensive—it’s priceless.

“You have to deal with an experienced agent, because it’s going to cost you down the road,” Cruz said. “Either you’ve paid too much for a home or you could have gotten more for your home not knowing what your house is truly worth. That’s what I tell my clients. Go with an experienced agent. It’s just going to benefit you so much.”

Experience goes hand-in-hand with the ability for an agent to educate their clients. Cruz brought a thorough knowledge to the Texas market after working as an agent through the real estate downturn in Las Vegas. Well versed in real estate legislature, Cruz can provide homeowners with the tools they need to not only buy and sell their homes, but also help them through a situation brought on by constant changes in the economy.

One of the ways she helps homeowners who can no longer afford to pay their mortgages is through short sales. Since moving to Texas, Cruz has found that very few people in the Houston area know about the options they have when it comes to moving out of a home they can no longer afford. She said most homeowners think that if they can’t afford to pay their mortgage and fees, they have to foreclose and move out.

“The government has passed [legislation] that will allow the homeowner to stay in their home, short sell it, and when they are successful and produce a buyer, the bank will actually give them anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 to relocate and help them out.” Cruz said. “I feel that many Texans aren’t aware of those benefits. I see that they just walk away from their homes and foreclose on it, and there’s no reason for it. I don’t believe that Texas has ever experienced the real estate bubble like what happened in Las Vegas, so there was no need to educate the homeowner that there are still options.”

Click here for more information about the benefits of short selling a home.

Recently named the third best place to work in Houston, Realty ONE Group is currently one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the United States. Their broker is located in the Willowbrook area with other offices in Sugar Land and Katy. Their office in The Woodlands is coming soon. Cruz said the use of technology for the convenience of their clients has been key to Realty ONE Group’s success, as well as the 100% commission rate for their agents.

“In real estate, everyone is trying to recruit you. Over the years, I would say I’ve gotten hundreds of calls,” Cruz said. “I’ve never faltered in changing companies because I love it so much. That’s what I explain to the agent at any brokerage, whether it’s a large company or a small one. If they’re not happy, change, and when you’re happy, you’re not going to look anywhere else.”

When Realty ONE Group opened their doors in Houston and asked Cruz to go with them, she was initially hesitant, but the friendliness she experienced was so unlike Las Vegas that she decided to make the move. When she discovered that her home in Summerlin, Nevada and The Woodlands were both Howard Hughes developments, she was sold.

“When I came here and saw that it was the same concept, I decided this was where I needed to be,” Cruz said. “This is the place for me.”

In addition to serving as a real estate professional in The Woodlands, Cruz has also plugged herself into the community through volunteer work with CASA - Child Advocates of Montgomery County. While she’s not new to community service, this was the first time she had volunteered with a children’s organization.

“I was reading local magazines and saw [CASA’s] need and all they do for the foster children,” Cruz said. “It was just pulling on my heart strings, and I thought it was just something that I had to do. I thought maybe I don’t have the time, but I’m going to make the time. Now that I’m doing it and have a case, I have no regrets.”

Cruz eagerly anticipates a stronger presence of Realty ONE Group in The Woodlands and said the future is looking bright for not only homeowners, but real estate agents looking for new opportunities.

“I think once we open our doors here in The Woodlands, it will explode,” Cruz said. “You’re going to see a lot of this company soon.”