A Trailblazer in the Real Estate Industry
Geraldine Zialcita
Finding your ideal home can be overwhelming without proper guidance. Realtor and entrepreneur Jacquelyn Martinez Pio Roda understands the difficulties of searching through listings and making a confident decision. With her extensive knowledge, skills, and experience, she will simplify the process and lead you to a successful real estate investment. Jacquelyn is dedicated to providing top-notch service and forming lasting relationships with her clients.
Growing up in the Philippines, she graduated from an all-girls Catholic high school at the young age of 16 and soon after, migrated to America. “I celebrated my sweet sixteen with a big party and a few weeks later, boarded a plane to embark on a new journey in San Francisco to attend college in the fall. The transition was significant, going from a sheltered life in Manila to the freedom and opportunities of a big city like San Francisco,” she shares.
Jacquelyn followed in her father’s footsteps and pursued a bachelor’s degree in Engineering. “I was influenced by my father’s stability and success in his career. However, my mother saw that Engineering wasn’t what made me happy and encouraged me to follow my passion. I’m grateful that I took her advice and switched to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications at the University of San Francisco. It was there that I not only graduated but also met my husband,” she relays.
After graduation, Jacquelyn’s first job was at Charles Schwab. She then worked as a Marketing and Advertising Manager for several prestigious Fortune 500 companies, including Sun Microsystems, Robert Half International, and Del Monte Foods. In her role, she managed global marketing budgets of up to $80 million, leading national and global teams. “I never realized how valuable my marketing and negotiation skills would be until I entered the real estate industry. While my corporate marketing experience was exciting during the dot-com boom, it was also very demanding, with long workdays,” she recalls.
Jacquelyn’s family has always invested in real estate. Her grandparents owned vast sugarcane lands and diversified this by using profits from the sugar business to purchase residential and commercial real estate. Jacquelyn’s grandmother would spend hours talking to her about how she grew up and how her passion for real estate investing led to the way they expanded their real estate holdings throughout their lives. She always advised, “As soon as you can, get into real estate.”
“I obtained my real estate license intending to gain more knowledge to start investing in real estate. I was my first client when I purchased my first home at 22 years old. My grandmother believed in me and gave me a loan for a down payment for my first home. It was from the equity in this first home that I was able to multiply it into several real estate holdings just like my grandparents did before me. I was practicing real estate part-time working with family and friends as my clients. They seemed to like how I negotiated and advocated for them and then referred me to their contacts interested in buying or selling homes, and shortly after, I generated a roster of loyal clients,” she describes.
Eventually, this enterprising woman bid the dot com industry farewell to focus full-time on real estate. She worked for prominent companies like Coldwell Banker, Prudential, and BHG where she received stellar training and achieved numerous Top Producer awards for her hard work, efforts, and success. “I am very grateful for everything that I learned and felt this was the best time to establish my own brokerage and concentrate more on cultivating my relationships with my clients and providing flexibility,” she briefs.
With a solid dream, this relentless woman pushed the envelope and launched Luxmore Real Estate, a boutique real estate firm in 2010 and built a competent core team of professionals which has enabled her to diversify and cater to a wider demographics.
Luxmore showcases homes and estates in Napa Valley and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Working for the tech companies enabled Jacquelyn to build connections with investors and also provided her with substantial knowledge of various areas. “I’m very familiar with the Bay Area and understand the micro markets of each city. I designed my company with a vision to cater to all clients around the Bay Area. To be able to achieve this business model, I work with a team of agents in designated areas. For example, if I am helping buyers, I have a team member manage showing properties, while I guide the Buyers throughout their search. My role is to strategize our approach, and since I ultimately understand micro-niches, one area will vary from another area. I conduct my due diligence and design different strategies for each area, utilizing best practices across the real estate markets in the Bay Area. We offer a one-stop-shop for our services,” she informs.
As the founder of her company, Jacquelyn’s responsibilities involve overseeing operations and mapping out her priorities for the day. Before launching a listing, she works with a production team, scriptwriters, photographers, and videographers to generate the best visuals and presentation elements of a property. “Since I worked in media, I know where to invest our marketing budget. A home in Silicon Valley would be different from a vineyard estate in Napa. When I first meet with a client, I evaluate what their needs and wants are. Some couples don’t share the same preference and I need to strategize, narrow down, and find commonalities in what they are looking for,” she conveys.
Jacquelyn has been living her true calling and enjoying the amazing ride of her real estate journey. “I believe there is more to selling properties to clients. My business is very personalized and most of my clients have become close friends. It has been an honor to be there to help people through their biggest milestones in life. Be it, helping them discover and purchase their first home as a married couple, receiving a call from past clients who are expecting a child and upgrading to a bigger home, or clients selling because they are relocating to another state, or downsizing when their kids go off to college. I always feel a huge sense of fulfillment and purpose when I can help clients in these key moments in their life. I have been present throughout their milestones.” She beams with pride.
After being a veteran in the real estate industry, Jacquelyn has gained substantial knowledge, skills, and experience, yet each day is always a new adventure filled with excitement and passion. “I feel that the most powerful thing you can do as a realtor is to listen to your clients. A home is not a commodity since this is where you will be spending your life. I don’t just focus on selling, but on building strong and long-term relationships with my clients. Real estate is all about timing, and my encounters have led me to fruitful opportunities. I have been blessed to acquire global clients through word of mouth and referrals. I never hard sell and everything is organic. When you’re passionate about what you do, it never feels like a job,” she narrates.
Jacquelyn recognizes that running a business entails a lot of hard work and being on call 24/7, but she feels fortunate to have a supportive husband and three children, Bianca (12), Matteo (10), and Enzo (6), who understand her responsibilities and commitment. Despite the difficulties of balancing work and family life as a working mother, she has a strong family foundation and treats each of her children like they are clients, giving them individual attention, love, and affirmation.
Jacquelyn is a firm believer that a woman running her own business is an empowering example and she wants her daughter, Bianca, to see this firsthand. She wants to demonstrate that as a woman, she can have multiple roles and responsibilities, including being a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, while still maintaining a healthy balance. By showing Bianca what she does in her work, such as open houses and property listings, she hopes to inspire her daughter to explore all the possibilities available to her just like Jacquelyn’s grandmother did before her.
As a successful real estate professional, Jacquelyn uses her influence to empower other women by sharing her experiences and successful strategies. Living in Napa Valley provides her with opportunities to network and support women in her community.
When she’s not working, Jacquelyn enjoys spending quality moments with her children, trying new restaurants, and exploring various cultures through travel. They have visited numerous countries, including Croatia, Japan, Galapagos Island, Copenhagen, France, Canada, and more. She was recently invited to be part of the Culinary Institute of America at Copia’s Society of Fellows, where she encourages community interaction through culinary adventures.
This dynamic woman aspires to expand her network and provide her clients with exceptional service in their real estate transactions, saving them time and guiding them through the process in the most meaningful way. As a parent, she prioritizes instilling strong values in her children, who she considers to be her greatest accomplishments. In her free time, she hopes to travel more and take her family to explore the world.
She concludes her statement with valuable advice to people who wish to pursue the same path as hers. “Stand on the shoulders of those who came before you and pave your own way. There are so many resources out there to tap into. Use your networking skills to establish those connections. No need to recreate the wheel since it has already been done. Master the skills, pursue your passion, and pave your way.”
Jacquelyn is thankful for the encouragement and support from her grandmother and mother, who inspired her to follow her dreams. She reflects on her journey and feels grateful for all that she has accomplished. By following her passion, Jacquelyn has helped her clients realize their dream of homeownership.
Jacquelyn Martinez Pio Roda is A Trailblazer in the Real Estate Industry.
www.luxmorerealestate.com
JACQUELYN PIO RODA @assumptionista
Creative Director: BARBARA LEE SYCIP @bsycip
HMUA: ARTEMIO IBARRA @art_ibarra
Flowers Provided by: VICTORIA TAI @victoriatai38 for WINWARD HOME @winward_home
Set Designer: NOE J. ACOSTA @noeatwork
Jewelry Provided by: BARBARA LEE @bybarbaralee
Copy Editor: KIEDO VILLANUEVA @kei_villanueva
Art Director: NIGEL JOHN DEL MUNDO @nigeldelmundo
Photo Assistant: ANTON GOTTI @antongotti
Photographer: VINCENT GOTTI @vinniegotti