Deanna Cardenas

I really think it's just having integrity, doing the right thing, and service. It's about having a servant's heart. I always tell people you just do it - you just do what you do in the community because you want to make it better. I have a grandchild now, and it's important that what I do makes Oklahoma a better place for your kids, for your grandkids, and for generations to come. With Inspira, I'm organizing it as a collaborative mentorship with people I've been doing community service with for over 20 years. Now that we all have children, we want our children to continue our legacy and work and represent us in a good light and do good work. That's really my goal - to eventually pass this on because I don't want to work this hard forever. I want to enjoy my grandbaby.

Always do the right thing. Always do the right thing. When you do things with a servant's heart and you do things without expecting anything in return, blessings come to you - they fall on your lap, and it just all comes. That's really how I operate. I don't buy leads, I don't advertise and tell people to use me. I'm referral-based, so basically the people that I work with are past clients or referrals of past clients. I really take a lot of pride in that because I don't buy leads, I don't spend $1,000 a month on advertising. It's just a more personal experience. I feel that people coming in from out of state can call, and of course if I have a listing I'm going to show them, but as far as reaching out and asking for business, I don't do that. It's just a more personal approach.

Persistence, persistence, persistence. Networking is so important. And integrity - you hear so many stories about people saying they have the worst realtor, they did this or that, and there are some realtors out there that aren't honest, that are shady, and sometimes that gives us a bad name. But you need persistence, integrity, and organization. You've got to be organized. Having systems in place is so important, otherwise your life would be insane. You've got to have systems in place.

The biggest challenge in real estate is that it's so cyclical. Right now, the real estate market is really bad. It's the worst I've probably seen in my 13 and a half years of doing real estate. It's very challenging. During COVID, we were in multiple offers and people were getting way high offers - buyers were having to bring extra money to the closing table because they'd say they'll pay more even though it appraises for less. They were having to bring extra money to the table to move forward. Now it's just those challenges, and helping your clients navigate through these challenges is really hard. Everyone's been used to a certain market, so the cyclical part of real estate with its ups and downs is tough.

The values that guide both my professional and personal life are integrity, honesty, and faith. Faith is the foundation of everything I do, shaping how I serve others, build relationships, make decisions, and approach opportunities with humility, purpose, and a servant's heart.