Hispanic Heritage Month: 2025 NAHREP Philly President Shares Story

Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 marks National Hispanic Heritage Month, which celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. PAR begins the month by recognizing Jose Correa, a Realtor® for nine years.

Correa says initially becoming a Realtor® was “a mistake.” But it’s a mistake he’s glad he made.

An Army veteran, Correa was attending college full time and had a job when his friend encouraged him to become a Realtor®. He graduated from college and began working in a corporate job.

“It never crossed my mind to become a Realtor®, but my friend kept pushing me. I wanted him to stop bugging me, so I attended classes and passed the test,” he says. “Then I helped a cousin buy a home and my business started growing.”

Correa, a member of the Bucks County Association of Realtors®, discovered when he purchased his own home that many agents weren’t familiar with Veterans Administration loans. “I ended up researching a lot of the information on my own because there are a lot of requirements,” he recalls. “And I realized that I could help other veterans navigating this process. And the more I began working in real estate, talking with my family members, they shared the struggles they had trying to become homeowners.”

“I learned that many Latino buyers face barriers because they don’t speak the language,” he adds.

He says his team often talks with clients who are told no when they try to purchase a home. “We take pride in helping everyone and coaching them. We teach them how the economy works and about credit scores. I love helping them and the members of my team are all bilingual so they’re able to translate for their clients,” he says.

Correa recently helped a 90-year-old woman buy her first home. “She told me life was never easy for her and she was always helping someone else, but her dream was to own a home before she died,” he says.

“I take pride in breaking barriers,” he continues. “I’m still at tables where I’m the only person who looks like me. It’s shocking. I want someone to see me and think, ‘He did it and maybe I can too.’ You have to be at the table to share your opinion and experiences and empower the community.”

“Home is more than a place to rest your head. It builds generational wealth. Having representation in real estate helps to break barriers that exist for many in the Latino community,” says Jose Correa, incoming president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Philadelphia chapter.

Correa believes representation matters. “The Latino community has been growing and represents $3.2 trillion in GDP. The Latino community matters more than many people think.”

As part of the recruitment team at Keller Williams, Correa says he wants other Latinos to understand that working in real estate can offer freedom, as well as helping others.

“When I worked in a corporation, I didn’t have the freedom to, most importantly, spend time with my kids. I have injuries as a result of serving in the military, but there was never an understanding of having to go to appointments,” he says. “Once I became a Realtor®, I felt welcome again in my Keller Williams family, like when I was in the military. It’s felt like a dream; I can go to my son’s school events, coach his team and go to the appointments I need to.”

“Owning a piece of land is a dream when we settle here. Owning a home is more than a place to rest your head. It helps build generational wealth. This helps families to send their children to college if that’s their dream,” he says.

Correa is embarking on a new mission; he’s part of a group who are starting a new chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals in the Philadelphia area. The national organization was founded in 1999 with a mission of advancing sustainable Hispanic homeownership by educating and empowering real estate professionals who serve Hispanic homebuyers and sellers, advocating for public policy that supports its mission and facilitating relationships among housing industry professionals and stakeholders.

The local chapter has 14 board members and held its first virtual event last month.

“I wasn’t the one who initiated the efforts to start the chapter. I heard about it first from Silvana Arraya, who was spearheading the project. I’m very dedicated to my community and want them to shine and they called to see if I wanted to be involved,” he says.

Correa will serve as the incoming president of NAHREP Philadelphia. “We need to empower our community and others coming into the real estate industry. Our NAHREP chapter is coming at the right time. And Philadelphia is one of the last large cities in the country to start a chapter,” he adds.