She owned her first house at 25, and now she’s helping others do almost the same – here’s how

Sherkica Miller-McIntyre is a real estate entrepreneur and the founder of DIVAS Doing Real Estate. She started DIVAS as a passion project designed to empower, educate, and encourage women of color to pursue homeownership as a catalyst to wealth building.

Sherkica started her journey in real estate two decades ago when she provided lease buy-back options to new home construction buyers whose home buying process was falling through, according to WOE Magazine.

She began making five figures after her access to builders allowed her to capitalize on both the leasing and sales market in the 2000s. The real estate investor wanted an additional source of income and targeted commissions.

In December 2004, she earned her sales license and by 2005, she gained her Broker’s license and earned the title of Broker in Charge of Carod Properties, a Charlotte, NC-based boutique real estate and property management firm.

With support from her husband, she grew Carod Properties into one of the top property management firms in the Charlotte market. Today, the company serves 21 markets in North and South Carolina.

She has also served over 500 investor-clients and more than 1,500 resident families in North and South Carolina.

Sherkica began her home buying process when she was 21 and failed. By 25, she had acquired her first house which she still owns and has leased for 16 years. According to her, she began investing when she had no knowledge of the business. However, with a leap of faith, she was able to walk the path of success.

“I believed in the possibility of real estate investing and what it could mean for me and my family’s future,” she told Woemagazine. “My leap of faith is inspiring to others and to see that I took my experience and “leveled up” adding a multi-faceted career from that experience in my own fashion at a time when I did not see many people that looked me doing it, gives others the courage to “walk” onto a path that may not be clear but believing their success is possible.”

According to the real estate investor, her biggest impact has been her openness to share and also build a business career that allows her to spend time with her family, travel, make a “few” dollars and help others do the same.

“I have not altered from this stance nor the order and this I would venture is what others recognize and appreciate. I truly believe this inspires others to create their own “why” and feel 100% comfortable with it versus conforming to what others believe our “why” should look be,” she said.

Sherkica’s entrepreneurial journey is also motivated by her desire to build generational wealth. She believes black women should build generational wealth not only for their children but to also provide for two to three generations beyond.

“At 21, I had no idea a house could earn thousands of dollars in monthly cash flow and build equity that could be used to reinvest for our children’s future. No one ever explained that in school or college. I had to learn that along the way, so I see ownership in real estate as so much more than having keys to a home but truly having the keys to your bloodline’s financial future,” she added.