Veronica Barba: Leading with the Heart

REE #248 Transcript

[00:00:00] Veronica Barba: I remind myself, this is not the first time I'm doing this. And I'm there for them because I may do this every day, but for them, it’s their first experience of being in a situation like this—frustration. Sometimes even the lender is not answering for 24 hours, and they are a deadline person, so they're like, “Why are they not responding back? What’s happening?” Or, at the last moment, the lender will ask for documents, like in the last 24 hours before closing, and they get upset, like, “And now they’re asking me again?” So, that’s the part where I have to be there for them.

Hey, welcome back to the Real Estate Excellence Podcast. Today’s guest hails from the Republic [00:01:20] of Moldova, a small country landlocked between Ukraine and Romania. For those who are geographically challenged: after earning a degree and working for the Technical University of Moldova, she came to the United States, knowing only 100 words or less of English. Today, nine years later, she’s had her greatest year in real estate, with over 45 closed transactions.

[00:01:41] Tracy Hayes: She’s clearly one of the best in Jacksonville real estate. Let’s welcome, from ERA One Team Realty, Veronica Barba, to the show.

[00:01:49] Veronica Barba: Thank you so much for inviting me.

[00:01:51] Tracy Hayes: Thank you for coming on today. I really enjoyed our pre-show conversation. I hope we’re going to repeat some of the things because I think you have a unique story. People are going to resonate with it. The fact that there are people, obviously, who were born and raised in this country and grew up seeing real estate... and for you, the language was obviously one of your greatest challenges initially. They think real estate is hard, but you found a way to learn the language and become greatly successful in it.

[00:02:21] Veronica Barba: Yes, definitely. I’ve been in real estate for eight years now and in the United States for nine years. Yes, it’s not easy. It’s difficult. You have to love it and find solutions for every problem to stay [00:02:40] and grow every year.

[00:02:43] Tracy Hayes: Yeah, definitely. I’m going to do a little commercial break here since we’re getting into it. Remi Graphics does these nice mugs. You have a nice hot pink one in your gift bag there. Remigraphics.com. They do laser-engraved gifts. They’ll even do one-offs for you. Just give her a call. If you need something like “John and Sally, welcome to Jacksonville” or whatever, they’ll put it on that mug or any of the other laser-engraved gifts she has. Not just mugs—lots of other things. Go to remigraphics.com for those. Thank you, Remi Graphics.

[00:02:59] Tracy Hayes: Okay, I was reading the bio you provided in my intake form. You were born in Moldova when it was still under Soviet control. For context, Moldova is right between Ukraine and Romania. I mean, I think Romania got on the map because of... was it Nadia Comaneci, right? The gymnast? That’s how Americans were like, “Oh, that’s where Romania is.” But Moldova was still under Soviet control at the time.

[00:03:40] Veronica Barba: Yes, that’s true. I was born in the Soviet Union because Moldova was part of the Soviet Union at that time.

[00:03:47] Tracy Hayes: Mm-hmm. Tell us a little bit about what it was like growing up there. Give us some perspective on your experience as a young person and then going to the Technical University of Moldova.

[00:04:03] Veronica Barba: Growing up, I was really blessed with a great family—wonderful parents and grandparents. That was the best blessing in my life. But in terms of society, of course, it wasn’t the greatest place to be born at the time. Because of the family and beliefs I came from, I struggled for many years. I always had a dream in my mind: “What if I could just step out of this country? What would the world look like beyond the border?” This was a dream for me—wondering what was out there in the world. At the time, I didn’t know much about the world because we were really kept in a box.

I had the opportunity to be one of the first students to study abroad in Romania in the 1990s. This was a dream come true for me—my first dream that came true—where I was able to go and study [00:05:20] at a medical college to become a nurse.

[00:05:22] Tracy Hayes: Help me out a little bit here. Under the Soviet Union, what family you came from mattered, right? And not just in the Soviet Union, but all over Europe, a last name means a lot—the family heritage. Were you considered an average family, where your mom and dad just did common work? Or were they involved in the government in any way, or something that gave you extra privileges?

[00:05:50] Veronica Barba: No, I came from a middle-class family, but I didn’t have any privileges. Actually, on the contrary, my family was persecuted. It’s a long story, but yes, my family was persecuted for their beliefs. My parents hosted a church in our home for 26 years. Can you imagine? At that time, we went through a lot. It’s a chapter of my life that’s very painful to me. It’s not a great story to tell.

[00:06:30] Tracy Hayes: Right. Well, I think... I mean, you’ve been here in the States for nine years now, right?

[00:06:36] Veronica Barba: Yes.

[00:06:37] Tracy Hayes: There are definitely generations here that truly don’t appreciate what they have, although I cannot get my arms around the stories you have in your head—those painful experiences. The average American completely does not understand what they have here.

[00:06:59] Veronica Barba: Most people, I would say, don’t understand the true blessing they have. Being born in a free country with so many options to take advantage of life and be successful, or accomplish any dream they have—that’s a blessing.

[00:07:19] Tracy Hayes: Right. Right. So, you’re able to go to university in Moldova. You actually changed majors there, if I read correctly. The Soviet bloc is now [00:07:34] gone—dissolved, right?

[00:07:34] Veronica Barba: Yes.

[00:07:35] Tracy Hayes: Was there an immediate change? Tell us a little bit about what happens after that. Most Americans just think of the Berlin Wall coming down, but what was the reality?

[00:07:44] Veronica Barba: It takes time to transition from one kind of country to another. It’s not something that happens in one year. For example, we had to fight for our new language, for the ability to study in our language. It’s a process of transition, especially because it’s the same people living in the same place. Even today, we have people who still dream about the old times.

[00:08:25] Tracy Hayes: Living in the Soviet mindset?

[00:08:27] Veronica Barba: Yes. But at the same time, there’s a new generation that’s completely different. So, there’s this transition between old and new. Not everyone is willing to welcome the new ways. I still have some great memories of the old times, but again, it’s a transition. The country right now, in my opinion, is doing amazing based on how we were treated before. It’s definitely a plus.

[00:09:04] Tracy Hayes: I’m curious about this from a historical and psychological standpoint. In the United States, as big as it is, we have little pockets of culture. But Moldova is not much bigger than the state of Rhode Island, and it’s landlocked. When the Soviet Union dissolved, did they “give you” your freedom? And why does Moldova remain its own country, rather than becoming part of Ukraine or Romania, for example?

[00:09:39] Veronica Barba: Moldova was part of Romania. There was more influence from Russia, but as Moldovans, we always thought of Romania as our mother. It’s like we were left as children in this transition. There were discussions about becoming part of Romania again, but people wanted autonomy. We have great land and hardworking people.

[00:10:17] Tracy Hayes: So, it’s like Moldova has defined itself as its own country based on its unique history. That’s fascinating.

[00:10:23] Veronica Barba: Yes, exactly. It’s our identity, and while we are small, we are proud of who we are.

[00:10:30] Tracy Hayes: So, let’s fast-forward a little. You’ve come to the U.S. You know fewer than 100 words of English. You’re trying to establish yourself in a new country. How does real estate even cross your mind as something to pursue?

[00:10:44] Veronica Barba: That’s a great question. When I came to the U.S., I didn’t have any intention of going into real estate. My main focus was learning English and figuring out how to survive. But after a while, I started thinking about what kind of career I could have here. I wanted something that allowed me to connect with people, and real estate gave me that opportunity. I didn’t know it would be this hard, but I’ve learned to love the process.

[00:11:04] Tracy Hayes: So, I think there’s a future for your country. But again, it’s a process, right? If we go back... pre-Soviet Union, Moldova was its own country at that time?

[00:11:12] Veronica Barba: Yes. In the Soviet Union, there were 15 republics, and while each republic had its own specific identity, we were all part of one big country.

[00:11:27] Tracy Hayes: So, the Republic of Moldova has been around for...

[00:11:30] Veronica Barba: For a while, yes.

[00:11:32] Tracy Hayes: It goes back hundreds of years.

[00:11:35] Veronica Barba: Yes, exactly. It was a republic, but not independent. You could speak your own language, but still, you were part of something larger.

[00:11:47] Tracy Hayes: Yeah, you’re part of the system. I just wanted to give everyone a little history. Moldova is small, but it has held onto its heritage, its history, and has worked to reclaim that.

[00:12:00] Veronica Barba: Yes, it’s true. We really struggled. We speak Romanian, but when I was in school—elementary, middle, and high school—we had to write with Cyrillic letters. The words were Romanian, the pronunciation was Romanian, but the letters were Cyrillic. It was the biggest challenge. Imagine speaking English but having to write in Chinese—it was something.

[00:12:36] Tracy Hayes: And now, you said you know five languages.

[00:12:41] Veronica Barba: Yes. But two of them I haven’t used in a while, so I’m forgetting them.

[00:12:44] Tracy Hayes: So, three of them you still handle very well?

[00:12:48] Veronica Barba: Yes, three I use well.

[00:12:51] Tracy Hayes: Is that something they taught in school, or was it something you learned elsewhere?

[00:12:55] Veronica Barba: Mostly in school. I learned Russian very well, of course, and French. For French, I studied an extra year to speak it better. Hebrew I learned when we lived in Israel for a few years. English, though, I never took formal classes. [00:13:20] About a year and a half ago, I went to a class to improve my English, but there’s still so much room to grow.

[00:13:28] Tracy Hayes: Wow. All right. You’re creating some great questions for me. So, you got your degree. You were lecturing or instructing at the college. Then, nine years ago, you got the opportunity to come to the United States and took it.

[00:13:47] Veronica Barba: Yes. It’s a very sensitive subject for me. I was at a stage in my life where I said, “I can’t stay here anymore.” The United States was the place where I could find protection and freedom. That was my main reason for choosing the U.S., not financial opportunities.

[00:14:15] Tracy Hayes: If you need a drink of water, feel free. That’s your bottle right there.

[00:14:19] Veronica Barba: Thank you. As I said, it wasn’t about financial opportunities like it is for many people. For me, I had built my career and accomplished a lot of things already. The one thing that made me leave my country was to find protection and freedom.

[00:14:36] Tracy Hayes: Right. Out of curiosity, when you were under the Soviet bloc as a young person, you only learned what they wanted to teach you. You didn’t have opportunities to explore. There wasn’t internet back then. Even if it existed, the Soviet Union probably wouldn’t have allowed access. How did you know what else was out there? Was it after the Soviet collapse that you started learning, or was it something within your family that drove you to find out more?

[00:15:25] Veronica Barba: Actually, in 1989, I attended a big event where Mark Finley came to Moldova from the United States. I remember taking my first classes there—learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle, drink water, and take care of yourself. I saw these people and thought, “They must come from a great place.” That event was my first exposure. They published a journal with more information about families in the U.S., how they freely praised God, and what freedom looked like. That’s when I started to have ideas about the United States.

[00:16:21] Tracy Hayes: I imagine that as a young person under the Soviet bloc, the United States was portrayed as the enemy—everyone walks around with a gun, that sort of thing.

[00:16:30] Veronica Barba: We didn’t talk about the U.S. much at the time. We had enough of our own problems.

[00:16:35] Tracy Hayes: Right, right. So, at some point, you decided to come to the United States. What was that process like? Did you initially come as a tourist?

[00:17:03] Veronica Barba: Yes, I came as a tourist first. I was looking for protection and peace of mind. When choosing where to live, I thought of big cities like Chicago, New York, Miami, and Tampa. But I wanted a place where I could feel more of the American lifestyle.

[00:17:43] Tracy Hayes: You didn’t want to be in a Moldovan community where everyone just speaks to each other in the same language.

[00:17:50] Veronica Barba: Exactly. I wanted a complete change. I looked at Jacksonville on a map and chose it because it’s close to the ocean. That was it—just an unknown place I decided to try.

[00:18:10] Tracy Hayes: That says a lot about you. Like you said, many immigrants migrate to their own communities where they feel comfortable. But you were searching for true westernization or Americanism.

[00:18:36] Veronica Barba: Yes, exactly. I was looking for a change, a place where I could feel safe and start enjoying the freedom I had longed for.

[00:18:52] Tracy Hayes: All right, so you’re here. Did you do anything else before getting into real estate? It looks like you came here and within a year, you were already in the real estate industry. What attracted you to it? Did someone introduce you to real estate? Because obviously, real estate in Moldova and real estate in the U.S. are very different.

[00:19:11] Veronica Barba: Exactly. When I came here, I had worked my entire life, so I immediately started searching for a job. I was looking for something related to my field—architecture and construction. That’s my background. Through Indeed, I applied for two jobs, and I was invited for the first interview with a great company here.

[00:19:33] Tracy Hayes: And how did it go?

[00:19:35] Veronica Barba: Well, because of my language skills, the interview was difficult. Language was a huge barrier for me at the time. Even though I passed the first step of the interview process, I realized that I wasn’t confident enough in my English to fully succeed in that kind of environment. So, I decided to explore other options where I could work more independently and still use my skills. That’s when I started learning about real estate.

[00:20:00] Veronica Barba: ...doing a job and speaking. They said, "Don’t worry, we really like your portfolio and your skills." I remember that moment. They showed me some of the programs they were working on and said, “We really need you for some of the projects we’re planning.” At that time, they were working on the Jacksonville Airport. They told me, “We really need your skills,” and I was so happy. I thought, “Oh, I’m going to get this job.” They said, “Don’t worry about the language. We’ll send you to school for six or seven months, and we’ll help you.”

[00:20:23] Tracy Hayes: Right.

[00:20:24] Veronica Barba: So, in my mind, I thought, “Wow, I’m the luckiest person. I came here with no knowledge about this country or how things work, and here I am, about to start this amazing job.” Until... I went to church. One lady approached me there. I don’t remember exactly how she introduced herself or what she asked me, but I’ll never forget the question she asked me: “Have you thought about becoming a realtor?”

[00:21:04] Tracy Hayes: Did you even know what that meant at that moment?

[00:21:06] Veronica Barba: Yes, I had an idea, but I wasn’t interested in exploring it.

[00:21:11] Tracy Hayes: Right, because you had spent so much time in school and already had a degree in architecture.

[00:21:14] Veronica Barba: Yes, exactly. I spent 10 years studying. So, for me, I thought, “I’m going to focus on what I love to do and what I know how to do.” Even though it would be different here, I thought I could still pursue my path. But this lady, Sandra McDaniel, texted me almost every day for about two weeks. She called me and said, “If you’re looking for a job, I’ll help you.”

[00:21:44] Tracy Hayes: Wow.

[00:21:45] Veronica Barba: She kept reaching out. I became very curious—what was it about me that made her so persistent? She told me the second time we met at church, “I see something in you. You’re going to be successful, just like I was.” Later, I learned that she had been the queen of sales in Jacksonville. She was retired but still had a big heart for helping people.

[00:22:40] Tracy Hayes: She must have seen something special in you.

[00:22:42] Veronica Barba: I have no idea what she saw in me. I wasn’t even able to maintain a proper conversation with her at the time. But she said, “I see something in you.” After two weeks of her persistence, I thought, “Maybe God is talking to me through this lady.” I had zero qualifications to be a successful realtor. I Googled it, and when I saw “60 hours,” I thought, “This isn’t serious.” I also didn’t like sales. I saw that 87 percent of people fail in real estate. I didn’t know anyone in the city—no friends or family to support me or even spread the word about me.

[00:23:17] Tracy Hayes: Right.

[00:23:18] Veronica Barba: But within 24 hours, I changed my mind. I thought, “God is speaking to me through this lady.” So, I decided to take the real estate classes. I went, and I had to write down every English word and all the real estate information to understand it.

[00:23:38] Tracy Hayes: At this point, you’d only been in the country for less than a year.

[00:23:39] Veronica Barba: Yes. I had no idea what terms like “loan” or “mortgage” even meant. It felt like stepping into a completely new field—like brain surgery compared to architecture.

[00:24:00] Tracy Hayes: So, did you pass the test on your first try?

[00:24:07] Veronica Barba: No, I passed on my second try.

[00:24:09] Tracy Hayes: Why not the first time?

[00:24:11] Veronica Barba: My language skills were still very poor. But I was smart enough to figure out what went wrong. I understood the material, but the way the questions were written was challenging. For example, there would be two correct answers, but you had to choose the most correct one.

[00:24:29] Tracy Hayes: That’s a challenge for even native speakers.

[00:24:30] Veronica Barba: Yes! I realized it wasn’t about my knowledge—it was about understanding how they framed the questions. So, I studied harder and passed the second time. I was very proud of myself, especially with the math questions. Those were easy for me.

[00:25:04] Tracy Hayes: Math comes naturally to you, but the phrasing of the questions trips up many people.

[00:25:11] Veronica Barba: Exactly. I heard it’s not an easy test to pass, and when I didn’t pass the first time, I was devastated. I wasn’t used to failing tests. But I had to accept it, and I told myself, “I’ll try again.”

[00:25:29] Tracy Hayes: So, Sandra was still guiding you through this process?

[00:25:34] Veronica Barba: Yes. She was retired at the time but teaching. She said, “I want you to meet Carl,” and gave me an address. I went to the office, not knowing what to expect. I didn’t even realize I was going for an interview. I sat there, talked about myself as best as I could, and they said, “You can start working next week.”

[00:26:40] Tracy Hayes: Did you understand what “working” meant in real estate at that point?

[00:26:43] Veronica Barba: Not at all. I thought someone would give me customers to work with, like a regular job. But I quickly realized it was up to me to find clients and do the work. That first year was very challenging. But I never thought about giving up. I told myself, “I’m in this, and I will do it.”

[00:27:06] Tracy Hayes: What were those first weeks and months like? Did they help you structure your day or give you guidance?

[00:27:13] Veronica Barba: They provided great training. I learned about contracts, addendums, scripts for talking to buyers and sellers, and the rules of real estate. When I came home from training, I still felt like I didn’t know enough, so I started exploring the MLS. I became curious about different areas. I thought, “Let me study the Mandarin area, Arlington area,” and I just kept learning.

[00:27:58] Veronica Barba: ...I kept exploring and learning as much as I could. I would spend hours in the MLS, trying to understand the market, researching properties, and learning about the neighborhoods. I thought, “If I want to be successful, I need to know everything I can about the area I’m working in.”

[00:28:20] Tracy Hayes: That’s a great approach. A lot of people might rely solely on training, but you went above and beyond to educate yourself.

[00:28:29] Veronica Barba: Yes, because I felt like I had to. With my language skills and lack of connections, I needed to find a way to stand out. I didn’t have friends or family to refer clients to me, so I had to build everything from scratch.

[00:28:45] Tracy Hayes: That takes a lot of determination. So, after all this training and self-study, how did you start finding clients?

[00:28:53] Veronica Barba: It was slow at first. I started with open houses. That’s how I met my first clients. I would go to open houses and talk to people. Even though my English wasn’t great, I tried to connect with them and show them I cared. Some people appreciated my effort, and slowly, I started getting clients.

[00:29:13] Tracy Hayes: Open houses are a great way to meet people, but it must have been nerve-wracking with the language barrier.

[00:29:20] Veronica Barba: ...studying everything I could about the mortgage field. I thought, “I need to watch as many videos and read as much information as possible so I can help my buyers.” It was very important to me to understand every aspect of real estate, like mortgages, history, and data.

[00:29:39] Tracy Hayes: You hadn’t even sold a house yet.

[00:29:40] Veronica Barba: No, not yet. I was just researching and training. I was also learning how to do buyer estimates for closing costs and monthly payments. I felt really proud when I could start providing something valuable to my buyers or sellers, like showing them the numbers and explaining them.

[00:30:00] Tracy Hayes: That’s impressive.

[00:30:01] Veronica Barba: Thank you. My first customer came from an agent in my company. She told me she was going on vacation and had a client who needed help. She offered to refer the client to me, and I was so happy. I worked with the client for two weeks, touring homes, and we signed a contract. To this day, she still texts me on Thanksgiving or New Year’s to say how grateful she is.

[00:30:40] Tracy Hayes: That’s amazing.

[00:30:41] Veronica Barba: Yes. I’ll never forget that story. On the last day of showings, I showed her four houses that she liked, and she said, “Let’s put an offer on this one.” But I told her, “There’s one more house just two miles from here. Let’s go see it, and then you’ll know for sure if the other one is the right one.”

[00:31:10] Tracy Hayes: Just to reassure her?

[00:31:12] Veronica Barba: Yes. We went to see the fifth house, and she started crying. She said, “This is my dream home.” The next year, during our Thanksgiving celebration at the office, she came in person and said, “I have my lovely home because of this person—because she took the time to show me one more house.”

[00:31:35] Tracy Hayes: That’s such a heartwarming story.

[00:31:36] Veronica Barba: It really was.

[00:31:39] Tracy Hayes: It also shows your willingness to go above and beyond. You mentioned earlier how you dove into learning, not just about showing houses, but about mortgages, the market, and the bigger picture of real estate.

[00:32:00] Veronica Barba: Yes. I understood that coming to this country meant overcoming a lot of challenges. The language barrier was one of them, but I wanted to learn everything I could to be the best I could be.

[00:32:20] Tracy Hayes: And you didn’t stop at just what was necessary—you really went deeper.

[00:32:25] Veronica Barba: Exactly. I felt like just opening a door wasn’t enough. That’s easy, but it’s not the greatest service you can provide. So, I focused on learning the heart of real estate—understanding mortgages, loans, and everything that could affect my clients. I wanted to guide them through every step and avoid any issues.

[00:33:20] Tracy Hayes: That’s so valuable. A lot of agents are afraid to get involved in the financial side, even with basic questions like, “Where’s your down payment coming from?” or “How much do you have saved?” But you dove right into it.

[00:33:40] Veronica Barba: Yes. I wanted to be a resource for my clients, not just someone opening doors. I studied all types of loans, their requirements, and common obstacles. I wanted to prevent deals from falling through and help my clients succeed.

[00:34:10] Tracy Hayes: That’s impressive.

[00:34:12] Veronica Barba: Thank you. I believe it’s why, in almost eight years, I’ve never had a sale fall through. Once a home is under contract with pre-approval, I’ve always managed to close the deal. Sometimes we needed extensions to resolve issues, but I always found solutions.

[00:34:40] Tracy Hayes: That’s a testament to your dedication.

[00:34:43] Veronica Barba: Yes. I’ve learned to anticipate problems and guide buyers to avoid mistakes. For example, if someone has credit issues or insufficient funds, I work with them to pay off debts or adjust their plans to make things work. It’s like solving a puzzle.

[00:35:21] Tracy Hayes: You enjoy the challenge?

[00:35:23] Veronica Barba: Yes, I really do. It’s satisfying to find solutions. I’ve even had deals where we had to go through four lenders to get final approval. Each lender would uncover a new problem, and we’d have to resolve it before moving on to the next.

[00:36:00] Tracy Hayes: That’s incredible.

[00:36:02] Veronica Barba: Thank you. It’s challenging, but it’s also rewarding when everything finally comes together.

[00:36:27] Veronica Barba: ...issues. I remember two specific cases where I spent over nine days going back and forth with the loan officer—with the buyer's permission, of course—trying to resolve the challenges.

[00:36:31] Tracy Hayes: And you finally got the approval?

[00:36:32] Veronica Barba: Yes. We got the approval, and the buyers were in tears. They said, “If you hadn’t done this, we wouldn’t have a home today.”

[00:36:42] Tracy Hayes: That’s incredible. I’m just blown away by the way you launched yourself into this business. What you’re describing—navigating those loan issues—is something that comes up all the time. Every loan and every purchase has bumps in the road. Sometimes it’s the house, but most of the time, it’s loan-related.

[00:37:20] Tracy Hayes: What’s impressive is that you quickly learned that some lenders will do certain things, and others won’t. That’s something even seasoned agents don’t fully understand. It took me years of working with different lenders to realize that. Something as simple as, “What’s the minimum credit score for a VA loan?” can get you three or four different answers depending on the lender.

[00:37:50] Tracy Hayes: I’ve had experiences with condos where two lenders denied a loan, and then a third closed it within a week. It’s about finding lenders who are willing to dig deep and get creative within the guidelines. But it sounds like you’ve already figured this out.

[00:38:40] Tracy Hayes: The fact that you have multiple lenders on speed dial is incredible. That kind of knowledge and persistence is why you’re probably closing a dozen more transactions a year than other agents.

[00:38:50] Veronica Barba: Yes, it’s true. I understand that every client is different, and you need to have options.

[00:39:00] Tracy Hayes: That’s key. You’re also dealing with first-time homebuyers, who often have the most challenges. Whether it’s waiting for payday to show enough funds or something else, you find ways to make it work.

[00:39:51] Tracy Hayes: It sounds like you were fortunate to join the ERA group and have a mentor who brought you into the business. Did she continue to mentor you? Did you shadow other agents or follow their methods?

[00:41:09] Veronica Barba: No, I didn’t. I actually withdrew from some of the typical practices that most realtors follow. I felt I needed to find my own way. When people told me to do 10 things, I might do just one—but in a way that aligned with how I felt inside.

[00:41:40] Veronica Barba: For me, it was about focusing on my customers. I’d ask myself, “What do I need to do right now to bring my knowledge, everything I’ve studied, to serve my client in the best way possible?” My goal was to avoid mistakes, find the best solutions, and use my brain and my heart to benefit the customer.

[00:42:06] Tracy Hayes: So you created a system that worked for you, and it sounds like it was more about learning and growing in ways that fit your style.

[00:42:10] Veronica Barba: I was more focused on learning about areas—how certain realtors present communities or neighborhoods. But I didn’t feel like I needed to follow someone else’s way of doing business.

[00:42:44] Tracy Hayes: I think a lot of people who become real estate agents follow a typical path: take the 60-hour course, pass the test, and learn the basic legal requirements so they don’t break any laws. But when it comes to actually showing homes or handling offers, they might rely on watching others or mimicking personalities like Ryan Serhant from "Million Dollar Listing." When your client was ready to make an offer, it’s impressive that you already knew exactly what to do. How did you fill in those gaps, like knowing what steps to take next?

[00:43:42] Veronica Barba: I’m the type of person who likes to predict things and be prepared. That’s just who I am. Before I even started going to showings, I made sure I understood how to fill out contracts. I practiced and had my own example ready to use.

[00:44:00] Tracy Hayes: So you had already practiced that process?

[00:44:02] Veronica Barba: Yes. I love the documents part of the job—contracts, addendums, everything. That’s why I don’t use a transaction coordinator. I handle all the Dotloop tasks myself, and I do it quickly because I genuinely enjoy it. I pay attention to details, so it’s easy for me.

[00:44:29] Tracy Hayes: That’s a skill many agents struggle with.

[00:44:31] Veronica Barba: For me, it’s all about preparation. When it came time to fill out my first contract, I already had a template to follow. I just plugged in the specific details for the property, buyer, and seller.

[00:44:44] Tracy Hayes: And then someone from the office reviewed it?

[00:44:45] Veronica Barba: Yes, they reviewed it as part of the process. There were no corrections, and they told me it was excellent. That gave me confidence. I had taken the time to understand the verbiage in the documents, even with my limited English at the time. I made sure I knew exactly what I was doing.

[00:45:13] Tracy Hayes: It sounds like you role-played and prepared yourself through every step of the process.

[00:45:20] Tracy Hayes: ...until something comes up, as you know, where the deal comes off the tracks. It’s not always the same reason. And then you’ve got to discover what’s going on. But that’s just amazing—a huge compliment to you. ERA provided great resources, but it sounds like you were going to be successful at any brokerage because of your intrinsic drive to learn and understand the business.

[00:46:02] Veronica Barba: Thank you. One thing I want to mention is that in 2021, I had the most closed sales working with buyers in the Eric Davison Link Company. Every one of those was in multiple-offer situations.

[00:46:20] Veronica Barba: Can you imagine? With my, let’s say, imperfect English, I couldn’t just pick up the phone and call the listing agent saying, “Hey, I want this house.” That wasn’t to my advantage. People have presumptions about who you are and how well you can do your job based on how you speak.

[00:46:40] Veronica Barba: So, I found my own way to win multiple offers. That year, I proved to myself that even though my English wasn’t perfect, the way I approached real estate could work in my favor. I even had brokers listing family members’ homes, and I was selected in multiple-offer situations. That was a huge honor.

[00:47:23] Tracy Hayes: That must have given you a lot of at-bats, so to speak. Your thirst for knowledge, absorbing everything at such a high rate, really paid off.

[00:47:33] Veronica Barba: Yes, it did.

[00:47:35] Tracy Hayes: I think some agents who started during that busy time were fortunate to gain so much experience if they retained it. Like I said, having a lot of at-bats is important. I started in a call center, so I talked to many clients, solved countless problems, and learned from every deal.

[00:48:00] Tracy Hayes: You’ve shown a lot of grit. I hope you fully understand that word. Grit means perseverance and determination, and you have it at a very high level. What you’ve done—coming from Moldova to the United States, not knowing the language, and diving into real estate—is something many Americans wouldn’t do.

[00:48:40] Tracy Hayes: Most of us take it for granted that we can travel to other countries and find someone who speaks English. But for you, it wasn’t like that. You couldn’t just walk into a store and find someone who spoke your language. That takes true grit.

[00:49:20] Tracy Hayes: In our pre-show conversation, I mentioned the book I’m working on about grit. I’ve had several guests with similar experiences—people who came to the U.S., didn’t know the language, and built successful real estate careers. You’re part of a special group.

[00:50:00] Tracy Hayes: To me, grit is about having love, laughter, and consistency in your business. You’ve clearly developed a love for what you do. What is it that you love about real estate transactions?

[00:50:51] Veronica Barba: So, it's always about what I can do for people. My entire life, I’ve been the kind of person who thinks about others—what I can provide, how I can improve the world, how I can help someone, how I can make a difference. To me, it feels like I have a mission.

I need to sell, or I need to help buy. No matter who the person is, I have to do my best in every aspect. That’s how I approach it. The work ethic, the love I put into every transaction, and thinking about how I can make a difference—how I can give them the best service without making any mistakes when they’re buying or selling.

I’m always looking for the best experience for my clients, successful stories, and the chance to touch their hearts [00:52:00] by providing the best help I can. This is a fulfilling career. Of course, there are a lot of difficult moments to go through. But I remind myself, “This is not the first time I’ve done this. Tomorrow will be better.”

I’m there for them. I might do this every day, but for them, it’s their first experience. There’s frustration sometimes—like when the lender isn’t answering for 24 hours and they’re a deadline-driven person, they’ll say, “Where are they? Why aren’t they responding? What’s happening?” Or when the lender asks for documents in the last 24 hours before closing, and they’re upset because the lender had 30 days to ask for those things. That’s when I have to step in and be there for them.

When it comes to finding homes, I always look upfront before we make an offer. When I’m showing a home, I’m looking for potential problems—damage to the home, mold issues, anything like that.

[00:53:20] Tracy Hayes: I love that—“be there for them.” I’m going to take that quote.

Have you found that, especially in the past year, with all the buzz around the NAR settlement—everyone calls it the National Association of Realtors settlement, even though NAR doesn’t like that—the perception of a real estate agent’s value has been downgraded?

You said “be there for them,” and it made me think about how housing is so important to a community. Sometimes helping someone make that first leap into a home isn’t easy. Sure, we love the easy transactions—someone graduates from college, gets a great salary, and buys a home. They’ve got great credit, pay their bills, and everything goes smoothly.

But then there are the harder transactions—the ones with extra challenges. Maybe you have to go to four lenders to get the deal done. Because you’re willing to persevere, those transactions happen. Do you believe, and tell me if I’m wrong, that some of these deals wouldn’t happen unless someone like you—an expert—was there to push and believe it could be done?

[00:54:51] Veronica Barba: Sometimes I really have to give credit to myself. Last year, I closed a transaction for a first-time homebuyer who was 81 years old.

[00:55:00] Tracy Hayes: 81?

[00:55:03] Veronica Barba: Yes. I asked him, “How did you end up without a home at 81 and buying your first home now?” He told me he had never had the opportunity to go deeper into the process before.

When I first spoke to him, he said he wanted to buy a first-floor condominium in St. Augustine. He was approved, but I couldn’t find any condos within his budget on the first floor in St. Augustine. I looked for three months, and finally, he told me, “I’m just going to rent for one more year.”

I couldn’t accept that. I started thinking, “If I can’t find a condo, what else could work for him?” Then it came to me: a single-family home. He hadn’t asked for a single-family home, but I thought, “If it’s a one-level house and doesn’t have the high fees of a condo, it could be a good option.”

[00:56:00] Veronica Barba: Single-family homes are usually more expensive than condos, but without the monthly fees, it could balance out. I asked him, “Would you be interested in looking at single-family homes?” He said, “I never thought about it, but if you find something, let me know.”

The next day, I found one. I sent him pictures and videos, and he came to see it. We signed the contract that same day. Now, at 82, he owns his first home.

[00:56:45] Tracy Hayes: That’s an incredible story.

[00:56:47] Veronica Barba: Thank you.

[00:56:48] Tracy Hayes: I don’t think people realize how often transactions like that happen. Many agents might have just said, “There’s no first-floor condo in your budget,” and left it at that. But you went deeper. You found a way.

[00:57:20] Tracy Hayes: Transactions like this wouldn’t happen without quality agents like you. You dig in, you think creatively, and you really work for your clients.

[00:57:45] Tracy Hayes: Let’s talk about setbacks. I prepped you for this question because I know it can catch people off guard. You’ve had setbacks in life—a huge language barrier, for instance. I admire people like you who come to the U.S., learn the language, and have the faith to push through challenges.

Every real estate transaction is different, and every year, agents face new curveballs—problems with houses, loans, or guidelines. Can you tell us about a time when you had a setback that really knocked you down, but you managed to push through it?

[00:58:21] Veronica Barba: Yes, I have a story. I had a client who was first a buyer, and later, I helped them as a seller. The buying process was rough, but selling was even harder. Their community had many houses for sale, the market was very slow, and the sale of their house was contingent on buying a new home.

[00:58:40] Veronica Barba: It was a combined problem—selling and buying at the same time in a very difficult market. I remember asking God, “Please help me.” Sometimes, you do your best, and it still doesn’t work out because of the market.

But I reminded myself, “I’ve done this before. I can do it again.” So, I kept trying. I followed up, I made calls, and I explored new options. I worked with my clients to see if they were willing to try something different.

[00:59:39] Tracy Hayes: And you made it happen?

[00:59:40] Veronica Barba: Yes. You just have to keep going. Sometimes, it’s hard, but I remind myself, “Tomorrow is another day. I’ll try again, and eventually, it will work out.”

[00:59:50] Tracy Hayes: Yeah. A lot of times, we don’t know everything about a seller or buyer’s situation. We generally get enough to determine, “Oh, hey, okay, you’re an eligible buyer,” but we don’t always ask deeper questions until a challenge or wall comes up.

You’re sitting there thinking, “How desperate are you? Let me dig a little deeper here because this is a tough situation.” Then the sun comes up the next day, and you don’t know when that buyer walks in and sees a home you think is average, but to them, it’s a castle.

They might say, “That’s it. I want this home.” Maybe their kids live in the neighborhood, and they want to be near their grandkids. We don’t always know those personal details. That’s part of what makes this business so great. One day, you’re facing a tough curveball like, “Oh my God, I need to sell this house,” and the next day, the perfect buyer walks in saying, “This is the house I want.”

[01:01:20] Tracy Hayes: Eight years into the business, consistency is key. You’ve obviously evolved over time. From the craziness of 2020 and 2021, where you could stick a sign in the yard and get multiple offers, to now, where things have slowed down and interest rates are higher, what are you doing consistently to move your business forward?

[01:01:32] Veronica Barba: I don’t follow a specific plan. I always focus on improving myself every day. I work on becoming better—better at knowing things, better at serving, better at predicting, better at researching. I believe that if I strive to be the best, people will remember me for the great service I provide. And that’s the greatest way to be successful in real estate.

[01:02:02] Tracy Hayes: That’s a great answer. I love that answer. Let me lead into another question. Do you do anything specific to create a unique experience for your clients?

[01:02:15] Veronica Barba: I’ve never worked on a team or closely shadowed another realtor to see exactly how they do business, so I don’t know how other agents operate. But what I feel is unique about me is that I truly look out for my clients’ best interests.

[01:02:40] Veronica Barba: I’m not focused on the sales price, bonuses, or showing off how successful I am. I’m simply there for them, doing my best to treat them as well as I can. That’s how I feel my soul is unique—I genuinely care about my clients.

[01:03:03] Tracy Hayes: It sounds like you lead with your heart, which might make a great title for this podcast: “Veronica Barba Leads with Her Heart.”

The people you work with can see that. They might not notice it right away, but by the end of the transaction, they look back and realize, “Wow, she really put this together.”

[01:03:30] Tracy Hayes: Whether it’s through negotiations or making them feel like they’ve won, they know you went to bat for them. You educate them, present their options clearly, and make them feel like they were part of the solution. But it all comes back to your knowledge, your thirst for understanding, and the way you communicate with them to help them make the best decision.

[00:59:50] Tracy Hayes: Yeah. A lot of times, we don’t know everything about a seller or buyer’s situation. We generally get enough to determine, “Oh, hey, okay, you’re an eligible buyer,” but we don’t always ask deeper questions until a challenge or wall comes up.

You’re sitting there thinking, “How desperate are you? Let me dig a little deeper here because this is a tough situation.” Then the sun comes up the next day, and you don’t know when that buyer walks in and sees a home you think is average, but to them, it’s a castle.

They might say, “That’s it. I want this home.” Maybe their kids live in the neighborhood, and they want to be near their grandkids. We don’t always know those personal details. That’s part of what makes this business so great. One day, you’re facing a tough curveball like, “Oh my God, I need to sell this house,” and the next day, the perfect buyer walks in saying, “This is the house I want.”

[01:01:20] Tracy Hayes: Eight years into the business, consistency is key. You’ve obviously evolved over time. From the craziness of 2020 and 2021, where you could stick a sign in the yard and get multiple offers, to now, where things have slowed down and interest rates are higher, what are you doing consistently to move your business forward?

[01:01:32] Veronica Barba: I don’t follow a specific plan. I always focus on improving myself every day. I work on becoming better—better at knowing things, better at serving, better at predicting, better at researching. I believe that if I strive to be the best, people will remember me for the great service I provide. And that’s the greatest way to be successful in real estate.

[01:02:02] Tracy Hayes: That’s a great answer. I love that answer. Let me lead into another question. Do you do anything specific to create a unique experience for your clients?

[01:02:15] Veronica Barba: I’ve never worked on a team or closely shadowed another realtor to see exactly how they do business, so I don’t know how other agents operate. But what I feel is unique about me is that I truly look out for my clients’ best interests.

[01:02:40] Veronica Barba: I’m not focused on the sales price, bonuses, or showing off how successful I am. I’m simply there for them, doing my best to treat them as well as I can. That’s how I feel my soul is unique—I genuinely care about my clients.

[01:03:03] Tracy Hayes: It sounds like you lead with your heart, which might make a great title for this podcast: “Veronica Barba Leads with Her Heart.”

The people you work with can see that. They might not notice it right away, but by the end of the transaction, they look back and realize, “Wow, she really put this together.”

[01:03:30] Tracy Hayes: Whether it’s through negotiations or making them feel like they’ve won, they know you went to bat for them. You educate them, present their options clearly, and make them feel like they were part of the solution. But it all comes back to your knowledge, your thirst for understanding, and the way you communicate with them to help them make the best decision.

[01:05:01] Tracy Hayes: That’s what it sounds like to me. You can’t really express that level of service to someone before the transaction—they have to see it to believe it.

[01:05:20] Veronica Barba: Yes, that’s true. I recently had a buyer who was very meticulous. She loved to write everything down in detail. She told me, “I’m coming to the Jacksonville area, but I don’t believe I’ll find a home in two days. I’m just coming to tour the area, and I’ll schedule another time to come back and look more.”

I told her, “I’m confident you’ll find a home with me in two days,” but she didn’t believe me. I was very confident because I knew the way I planned to show her homes would work. I scheduled 10 to 15 resale homes and four or five new communities. I was prepared with numbers—how much each home would cost, what the payments would look like, and comparisons of the different locations. By the end of two days, she chose one of the homes.

[01:06:03] Tracy Hayes: That’s incredible. You clearly had to guide her to understand her own needs and wants.

[01:06:10] Veronica Barba: Yes. I was prepared to show her exactly what she was looking for.

[01:06:13] Tracy Hayes: Walk us through that process. I imagine you were having these conversations over the phone since she was coming from out of town. What are the key things you focus on when narrowing down options for a client?

[01:06:40] Tracy Hayes: For example, someone might say, “I want four bedrooms,” but then realize three is enough if the home has a pool. How do you drill down to understand their priorities? In this case, it sounds like you had 15 to 20 options prepared for her and did the math to back up the logic behind the choices.

[01:07:19] Veronica Barba: I always start by asking my clients what they’re looking for. I want to understand their preferences, but I also know those preferences might change based on their approval amount and location.

Someone might say, “I want a pool,” but if they’re not approved for a home with a pool in a certain location, we’ll have to adjust. It’s one thing to want something, and another thing to afford it. My goal is to listen carefully and then offer the best possible options.

In this case, I listened to her list of wants, but I also explained we need to prioritize three things:

1. Location – Where do you want to buy the home?
2. Layout – What’s the size and structure of the house? For example, is it 1,500, 1,700, or 2,000 square feet?

From there, I help them balance their wants with what’s realistic.

[01:08:20] Veronica Barba: ...and choose the home with the layout you like best. And third, consider how much the home will cost you per month. So, the three key factors are:

1. Location – Where the home is located.
2. Layout – The size and structure of the house.
3. Monthly Payment – What the home will cost you each month.

Once you see all three pieces together, like a puzzle, that’s your home. I always research the houses they’re interested in. For example, if a home is in a flood zone, I let them know. If it’s near a train or a sewer station, I tell them.

[01:08:59] Tracy Hayes: So, you’re guiding them through the decision-making process.

[01:09:00] Veronica Barba: Yes. I’ll ask things like, “This house is five homes down from a busy road—are you okay with that?” If not, I scratch it off the list.

[01:09:11] Tracy Hayes: You like to do a lot of your homework upfront.

[01:09:15] Veronica Barba: Yes.

[01:09:18] Tracy Hayes: In this case, you had 15 to 20 homes lined up. It’s extra work, but because you took the time to do the research, you closed the deal in two days. That saved time in the long run.

Agents could learn from this. It’s about using your downtime to do the homework—looking up taxes, insurance, community fees, and calculating payments based on what the buyer tells you. By having everything mapped out, you made it easier for her to make a decision.

[01:10:48] Veronica Barba: Especially with first-time homebuyers, who are very sensitive to monthly payments. If you’re off by even a couple hundred dollars, it can derail their decision.

[01:10:52] Tracy Hayes: Exactly. Doing that homework upfront is so valuable. It takes the guesswork out of it and makes the process smoother for everyone. It’s a great tip for agents. Some rely too much on lenders to calculate payments or look up taxes, but they should already know those details before showing a home.

[01:11:53] Tracy Hayes: Let’s close with some advice for agents. What are three things you think every agent should be doing in this market when talking to buyers or sellers or in their day-to-day routine?

[01:12:00] Veronica Barba: No matter what the market is doing—whether it’s up or down—it’s always a good time to improve your communication skills. Reach out to people, because you’d be surprised.

Last year, I thought, “Who is going to buy this year?” The interest rates were going up, and in January, I asked myself, “I might not have any buyers—maybe five, six, or ten. What am I going to do?”

But then I reminded myself, if you look back at the statistics, people will always buy and sell, no matter the market. The key is to be ready. If you have fewer customers, go back to the people you know, get in touch, and ask for referrals.

[01:13:06] Tracy Hayes: So, really drilling down on your past clients and seeing how they’re doing?

[01:13:09] Veronica Barba: Yes. Right now, I get referrals without asking because I focus on doing a great job. But if I ever faced a hard time, I would definitely start asking for referrals and reconnecting with past clients.

[01:13:12] Veronica Barba: If you did a great job, people will definitely recommend you, and you’ll get more business. Even in these days, people still need homes.

[01:13:21] Tracy Hayes: All right, that’s one tip. What else should agents be doing? I’m going to dig deep and pull it out of you. You’re doing things differently right now.

[01:13:31] Veronica Barba: The best way to coach people is to lead by example. When it comes to myself and how I became successful—last year was one of my best years—it all came down to working hard.

[01:13:46] Tracy Hayes: Let me go back to that a little bit. Your success last year was a result of your previous years, compounding your business because of the work you did before.

Now, let’s say you have an agent out there who’s been in the business for three years and has only done maybe 15 to 20 transactions total. What should they be doing? I imagine you probably already do this—after every transaction, go back and evaluate. “What did I do well? What could I improve?”

What are some tips for someone who’s only doing five to seven transactions a year? How do they get to 40 or beyond? Your success in 2023, and even aiming to beat it in 2024, didn’t happen overnight. It was a result of years of consistent work.

[01:14:56] Veronica Barba: I can only speak from my experience. I believe I became more successful because I always aimed to know more. Every deal teaches you something new, and the more you know, the more confident you become.

Confidence is key. People can sense it. Many clients are undecided or feel lost, but when you come in with confidence, they feel relieved. They think, “She’s here. She’ll guide me. She’ll help me.” That’s the feeling you want to give them.

[01:15:40] Tracy Hayes: Confidence and care—so important.

[01:15:42] Veronica Barba: Yes. Some people might say that having more business means taking less care of your clients, but I don’t let that happen. Even when I’m exhausted—when I’ve just finished a closing, I’m doing showings, submitting offers, and setting appointments for the next day—I never let my clients feel it.

[01:16:00] Veronica Barba: I’ll put on the same smile and energy for each client. I might tell them, “I’ve had so many closings this month,” but I make sure they know, “I’m here for you today.” That’s how it is.

[01:16:15] Tracy Hayes: So, it’s about staying present and giving each client your best, no matter how busy you are.

[01:16:20] Veronica Barba: Exactly. I can’t teach anyone exactly how to do it because everyone has to find their own way. But I believe if you focus on learning, being confident, and truly caring about your clients, success will follow.

[01:16:34] Tracy Hayes: The word that’s being thrown around a lot lately is “authentic.” Whether you’re doing a video or meeting a client, you want to be authentic. It sounds like your authenticity comes from leading with your heart.

You have to authentically lead with your heart, and people will see that. If I’ve learned anything from this podcast, it’s that you do your homework, and that gives you confidence. The knowledge you gain when you’re not in front of a customer—researching the property, the community, and the details—shines through.

When your clients have concerns, you’re prepared. You can say, “The amenity center is right here,” or, “The school is highly rated.” Maybe you even know something fun or historical, like, “This school feeds into Nease High School, where Tim Tebow went.” Little details like that give you credibility.

[01:18:07] Veronica Barba: Yes. People can immediately feel the type of person you are and who they’re dealing with.

[01:18:16] Tracy Hayes: Leading with the heart is going to be the name of this podcast. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

[01:18:22] Veronica Barba: I’m very grateful for every person I’ve met who has impacted my life and career. I’m especially grateful for my buyers and sellers.

I don’t have any history that makes me feel uncomfortable or regretful. Every transaction, even the ones with challenges, has turned out well. Any difficulties were related to the process, not to me. This career is truly fulfilling.

When I started, I had no idea what I was stepping into, but now I can say I truly love what I do.

[01:19:00] Tracy Hayes: Your story is amazing. You leaped into real estate headfirst, barely knowing the language, learning the culture every day, and now you’re one of the top agents in Jacksonville—really, in Florida.

There might be agents in places like Miami who have higher volumes, but doing 45 transactions is incredible. That’s an amazing achievement.

[01:19:29] Veronica Barba: Thank you.

[01:19:30] Tracy Hayes: I appreciate you coming on today.

[01:19:32] Veronica Barba: Thank you. It was a pleasure.