They Told Us Not to Lead With Being Latino. Rise and Rally Proved Us Right.

For years, many of us in real estate were told not to lead with being Latino. The advice was that it would cost us the real opportunities. We did it anyway.

For 25 years, I’ve lived and worked in Central Jersey, helping families of every background own a home. A big part of that work has been opening doors for Latino families, back when very few people were paying attention.

What happened at Rise and Rally?

On Thursday, October 15, NAHREP Central New Jersey hosted Rise and Rally: Building Connections That Drive Success at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake in West Windsor. The event was completely sold out. Every table was full, the keynote speakers had the room’s attention, and sponsors and vendors lined the walls.

Thank you to Chapter President Ivonne Nieves and the entire NAHREP Central New Jersey board for putting together a day built on what this industry runs on: relationships.

What do the numbers say?

The new 2026 State of Hispanic Wealth Report from NAHREP’s Hispanic Wealth Project, together with NAHREP’s 2025 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, puts real numbers behind what we felt in that room:

• Hispanic households added 441,000 new homeowners in 2025, the largest gain of any group.
• Hispanic owner households reached a record 10.2 million, accounting for all of the net growth in U.S. homeownership last year.
• Hispanic household wealth has more than tripled since 2014.

That’s not a niche. That’s vindication. You can read the full 2026 report here (PDF), and see what we learned about it in Las Vegas in How Big Is Latino Economic Power?

Who is in the room now?

Not long ago, finding sponsors for Latino real estate events was a real fight. On Thursday, lenders, insurers, title companies, movers and service providers filled the room, and they came asking how to serve this community better.

It was great to connect with colleagues from across the industry, including Zeidaris Gil De Lamadrid of Keller Williams, Stephany Mendez of Garcia REALTORS®, and Andrea Godoy of Capital Title Agency, alongside our own Associate Broker, Dina Ochoa.

We also caught up with Erick Rodriguez of Lower Mortgage, one of the many lending partners who showed up for this community.

Why does this matter for Central Jersey families?

The same research also shows a challenge. New households are forming faster than they can buy, and homes priced for first time buyers are getting harder to find. That’s why education, guidance and strong local partnerships matter so much.

If you care about this community, whether you’re a REALTOR®, a lender or in any other field, NAHREP has a place for you. Learn more in our post on why you should join NAHREP, even if you’re not an agent.

And if you’re thinking about buying or selling in Mercer or Burlington County, call us at (609) 606-2040. We work in English and Spanish, and we serve every family equally.

Finca Realty is a real estate brokerage licensed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This article is for informational purposes only. Data comes from NAHREP’s 2026 State of Hispanic Wealth Report and 2025 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report. Finca Realty does not speak on behalf of NAHREP.