She Didn't Speak English or Drive—But Closed 7 Deals in 6 Months: Neymar Lopez's Story

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How one agent built a thriving real estate business through community, leadership, and being loud about her mission

"I didn't really speak English very well. I still decided to do it. Then I had another challenge—I didn't know how to drive."

That's how Neymar Lopez described starting her real estate career eight years ago in Boulder, Colorado.

Let that sink in.

She couldn't speak English well. She couldn't drive. In Boulder—where you absolutely need to drive.

But she saw a need. The Latino community needed representation in real estate. So she decided to be that person.

She studied for her test. She passed it. She learned how to drive (and hoped no clients would want to ride with her while she was figuring it out).

She drove a beat-up, cheap car. She was slower than other agents because understanding contracts took extra time. She carefully navigated communication with English-speaking agents.

There was no AI to help translate. No tools to make it easier. Just grit and determination.

And in her first six months, she closed 7 transactions.

In my latest X Factor Marketing conversation, I sat down with Neymar to talk about how she built her business, why being loud is important, and how she serves her community through leadership and advocacy.

From Venezuela to Real Estate Success

Neymar moved to the United States from Venezuela 12 years ago.

For the first few years, she tried different jobs, searching for her place. Then she found her passion: real estate.

But the barriers were real.

English wasn't her first language—and she didn't speak it well. She didn't know how to drive. And she was in an area where you needed both to succeed.

She got her license anyway.

"I noticed that there was a need for Latinos to represent clients in the real estate world," she told me. "I decided to be that person, especially in the Boulder area. There were not that many agents at that time."

So she did it. She learned to drive. She passed her driving test (though she admits it took a while and her car got pretty beat up in the process).

And she started building her business.

Building to 38 Transactions Through Community

Today, Neymar closes 38 transactions a year. She works in both Boulder and Denver, serving primarily the Latino community—90-95% of her clients.

When she moved from Boulder to Denver, she didn't know anyone.

So here's what she did:

She immediately started building community.

She connected with other agents. She joined NAREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). She started supporting nonprofits, attending events, doing sponsorships.

She got involved in leadership. She now serves on the DMARC board of directors (Denver Metro Association of Realtors) and was recently appointed to the NAREP national board of directors.

She connected with the governor, the mayor, and community leaders.

"All those things create this leadership figure that people just trust," Neymar explained. "When people come to me that want me to help them buy a house or sell property, they already trust me because they see I'm connected with all these people in leadership and they respect her and care about her."

The lesson?

Leadership positioning builds trust. When people see you at tables where important decisions are made, they trust you before you even speak.

The Power of Being Loud

One of my favorite parts of our conversation was when Neymar said: "Being loud is important in this market, in this industry of real estate."

I stopped her right there.

"Thank you for saying that," I told her. "Because I think especially as women, we tend to not be loud. And maybe even as a Latino woman—being loud about our business and entrepreneurship is not something we do enough of."

Neymar is changing that narrative.

"If you're a secret agent, you're in trouble 100%," she said. "And it's not bragging either. It's about inspiring other people."

When she shares that she helped first-time home buyers purchase homes, someone who thought they couldn't do it reaches out and says: "Well, if she helped these people, maybe she can help me too."

It also inspires other agents to grow their brands. When they see her beautiful marketing pieces, her social media presence, her success—they think: "If Neymar can do it, I can do it too."

Being loud isn't about ego. It's about service.

It's about showing people what's possible.

Instagram Stories: The Secret Weapon

Neymar's primary platform for being loud? Instagram stories.

"I use stories for everything to make sure everybody knows who I am," she told me. "It is pre-marketing."

When people meet her in person, they already know her. They know how she speaks. They know if she's nice. They've seen her daily routine.

"I have all these viewers in each story when I'm just drinking a shake," she laughed. "And then I meet them in person and they say, 'Hey, I love that shake you make every day. I make the same shake too.' And then you create those connections."

This is brilliant.

She's not just posting about real estate. She's sharing her life. She's letting people see who she is as a person.

And that creates her tribe—people who are similar to her, who connect with her values, who want to work with her.

How She Operationalizes Social Media

I asked Neymar how she makes time for all this content creation while running a busy business, serving on boards, and being a mom.

Here's her system:

1. Be camera ready—or don't let it stop you.

She tries to be camera ready most days because it makes her more comfortable sharing stories. But the key is not letting "not being ready" become an excuse.

2. The more you post, the more platforms reward you.

Instagram and Facebook give you more views when you post consistently. They put you at the top of people's feeds.

3. Have a marketing schedule.

Every Monday: Monday Motivation During the week: Mix of 2 personal posts and business posts

4. Don't separate personal and business accounts.

"At the very beginning, I was thinking, should I have a business account and then my personal account? I think that's too much. And people really don't connect with the business account."

She mixes both with boundaries—she doesn't share everything personal, but she shares enough that people connect with HER, not just her business.

5. Stories create the closest connection.

"People want to know more about you more than your business. They love to see your success, but they want to see you celebrating. They want to see you talking about it, not just a post of a house being sold."

Serving First-Time Home Buyers in a Tough Market

Last year was challenging for first-time home buyers. Interest rates went up. Affordability became a major issue.

But Neymar still helped many first-time buyers achieve homeownership.

How?

Strategy 1: New Construction

Builders were offering lower interest rates to move inventory. If new construction was an option, Neymar would find the best deals for her buyers.

Strategy 2: Negotiate Closing Costs

She negotiated closing costs to help lower interest rates for buyers.

Strategy 3: Temporary Buy-Downs

When using temporary buy-downs, she made sure buyers were comfortable with the full monthly payment once the temporary rate expired. Transparency was key.

Strategy 4: Properties with Time on Market

She looked for properties that had been on the market longer so she could negotiate better deals.

Strategy 5: Connect with the Best Lenders

She found lenders with the best programs for her clients—including programs for buyers with ITIN numbers (Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers for those without social security numbers).

"There is a credit union out of Colorado that offers great deals for people with IT numbers," she explained. "And I met that bank through NAREP."

This is why community matters.

Staying connected with other agents and organizations means you never know where resources will come from.

And yes—Neymar also told some buyers it wasn't the right time for them to buy. Transparency and doing what's right for the client always comes first.

The X Factor: Top Producer With Heart on Advocacy

When I asked Neymar what her X Factor is, she didn't hesitate:

"My X factor is being a top producer that has her heart on advocacy."

Even as she grows her business, even as she works with luxury clients now, she never forgets her community.

"I don't forget about my Latino buyers, my first-time home buyers, the people who need affordable homes," she said. "I just pour my heart into those people. I just want to see them create generational wealth for them and for their families."

That's an X Factor that shines through everything she does.

Why She Joined eXp

Neymar recently joined eXp Realty after extensive research on different brokerages.

But what sealed the deal? Attending eXpCon as a guest.

"I went to eXpCon before I joined and that was mind blowing," she told me. "I was sold right away. I felt home."

What did she love?

The culture. People collaborating, connecting, building community together.

The value speakers gave away. "No egos, no reserves. There was so much value. I was taking so many notes. I was recording them talking."

The entrepreneurial spirit. Her group uses technology to grow business—AI, YouTube, innovative strategies.

"I felt that where I was, I felt more like I was in a corporate world than trying to be more entrepreneur and grow my own business, my own brand," she explained.

Almost 70% of agents who attend eXpCon as guests end up joining eXp. Why? Because culture is hard to articulate in words—but powerful when you experience it.

My Takeaways

Listening to Neymar's story reminded me that obstacles are just details.

What matters is determination. Vision. Service.

Neymar didn't let language barriers stop her. She didn't let not knowing how to drive stop her. She saw a need in her community and decided to fill it.

And along the way, she built a brand around leadership, community, intention, and advocacy.

Here's what I want you to take away:

Be loud about your mission. If you're serving your community well, share it. Inspire others. Show what's possible.

Use Instagram stories to build connection. Let people see who you are before they meet you.

Mix personal and business content. People connect with YOU, not just your business.

Build community intentionally. Connect with leaders. Serve on boards. Support nonprofits. Stay connected to resources.

Never forget your why. Neymar is a top producer with her heart on advocacy. That's her X Factor—and it can be yours too.

Listen to the full episode with Neymar Lopez here: 

And if you want to see what intentional brand building looks like, follow Neymar on Instagram. You'll see leadership, community, advocacy, and authenticity in action every single day.

Let’s grow,

Wendy

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