Community Highlights: Meet Leslie Rivera of Leslie Rivera, Licensed Real Estate Agent

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Rivera. 

Hi Leslie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Puerto Rico; I was the youngest of 5. My mom came to the United States, Pennsylvania, to give us a better opportunity when I was 5. She was a single mother and did the best she could with what she had. She barely knew English and had almost no support. As you could imagine we grew up pretty poor but she always found a way to make sure we were okay. As a child, I was unaware of many things because it was my norm. As I grew older, I realized my mom went through a lot to make sure we had everything we needed. Around 15 we became homeless for about 2 months and when I tried to sign back up for school, I was denied due to not having an address. Being a teenager with many emotions made me angry and confused. Eventually, we got into an apartment and I was able to get back into high school but this meant I was a year behind. I was embarrassed and almost wanted to drop out. I felt hopeless with life at this point. Then I met an Army National Guard recruiter at my high school career fair. He offered me a sign-on bonus and 100% college tuition. With everything, I had gone through I didn’t hesitate to say yes. This was a way for me to help my mom out and gave me hope for the future. The year was 2007 and I was only 17, that’s when my military career started. After I graduated, I went to basic training, and soon after I went on my first deployment to Kosovo in 2010-2011. It was a peace-keeping mission and I was in a finance unit. My second deployment was in 2015 to Afghanistan. in 2019 after 12 years in the Army, I wasn’t able to extend due to being diagnosed with PTSD. My life came crashing down because everything that I’ve ever known or identified with was stripped away. I had planned to do 20 years and retire so this news was very disheartening for me. It took me a long time and personal work to rebuild myself. I decided I didn’t want to be in PA anym0re or around things that reminded me of what no longer is. I sold everything in my house, packed my car with whatever fit, and drove to Florida with my cat, where I knew no one and nothing. I just wanted to reinvent myself and start over. I got my real estate licensed and was excited about my new life. Then the pandemic hit. I then had to work from home making it harder for me. I didn’t have friends or family and on top of that now I was forced to be inside alone with my cat. My apartment became a prison. After some time, I made an effort to not let this be it. I started going out and meeting people. My real estate career started rolling and I started feeling better. It wasn’t until after 2 years after getting out of the military that I finally started feeling better. The transition was not something I had anticipated but I got through it. Now I am in Orlando. still a real estate agent but I got a full-time position at a brokerage as a business development consultant. Here I am able to use my military and real estate experience to help develop a business. It has given me purpose again and I am finally starting to see the light. Things have been better than ever and I think everything happens for a reason. I’ve learned a lot and this is just the beginning. I strive to continue selling many homes in the Orlando area and continue to build my own business and be my own boss. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t. My biggest struggle was reinventing myself and starting over when I felt like giving up. I didn’t see the light for such a long time until I started digging within myself and realizing that a title or a position doesn’t identify who I am. I am always good enough whether I have a title or not. I am me, always, and that is always more than enough. I stopped identifying with titles and positions and accepted that life has its cycles and everything happens for a reason. Embrace it and continue to evolve. I learned to not see things as a loss but as a lesson. 

We’ve been impressed with Leslie Rivera, Licensed Real Estate Agent, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Serving others has always been my life’s mission ever since I enlisted in the Military when I was only 17 years of age and still in High School through to my transition to Real Estate. It is with great honor, respect, and integrity that I endeavor to help people make their Real Estate dreams a reality. Embracing the limitless possibilities that are thus created by having a great work ethic, I welcome each and every opportunity I get to provide creative housing solutions to match individual needs. No matter the situation, if there is a silver lining, I will find it. 

As an Army Combat Veteran with 12 years of experience in Military Finance and Human Resources including two overseas deployments, I offer invaluable insights. My extensive background fuels my drive to make homeownership an actuality for others. I am equally as motivated to continue serving my brothers and sisters in arms, both current and former. I became certified through the National Association of Realtors as a Military Relocation Professional. I assist Military personnel and their families in taking full advantage of military benefits and support to make their relocations easier, faster, and less stressful. I am also fluent in Spanish and English which helps in serving a wider client base. 

Throughout my journey, the Military has instilled discipline, loyalty, honesty, selfless service, resilience, and valor in me – now it all contributes towards enhancing my business as I continue to bear the same morals, ethics, and values. This forms the basis of my professional and personal life, and that of my dedicated service offering to my clients. 

What do you think about luck?
I don’t necessarily believe in luck. I do however believe in the law of attraction. I’ve learned to always become who I want to be in my mind before it’s able to come to fruition in this reality. I’ve learned to stay positive and instead of chasing what I want, I attract it with my mindset and manifestation. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://leslierivera.ironvalleyorlando.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie.rivera.realtor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslieriverarealtor