AAPI Agent Spotlight: Laura Cao

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we invited several Douglas Elliman agents to share their experiences as members of the AAPI community and talk about the role their heritage has played in their real estate career. Laura Cao, NYC Real Estate Agent How do you prefer to identify yourself within the Asian American Pacific Islander umbrella?   I identify myself as Asian American. I am still first-generation Vietnamese, but because I came here when I was less than one, I have had the privilege to be surrounded by many other Asian and American cultural traditions that make my identity a bit unique.  What aspects of your identity are most meaningful for you?  The aspects of my identity as an Asian American that are most meaningful to me are the work ethic, the respect we have for our elder family members, as well as extended family and friends, and the way we treat and communicate with people, in general.  For example, our spoken language requires us to use certain salutations and address everyone with “titles” that refer to a person’s age (relative to my parents) and their connections, if any, to our family tree. When you see and hear Vietnamese people congregate for holidays and events, you truly feel you are connecting with one of your own—as if each person is part of your family. Also, Vietnamese is a beautiful spoken language.   Are there cultural traditions or historic moments or other elements that are a particular source of pride?  On the cultural and historic side of my identity, as a first-generation Asian American, I can say that my parents are truly self-made. We, in part, are sponsored and immigrated to the Unites States after the Vietnam War. My parents and older siblings all worked as a family on running what is considered “blue collar” businesses then, as English was not our first language at the time. Our families are very tight knit and always sat down at the dinner table to share home-cooked meals and talk about the day. We are truly a first-generation family who came to the U.S. to pursue the American Dream. To my family, owning a home has always been part of the American Dream.  How did you find your path to success in this field? Interestingly, I found my path in real estate after working as a hostess for The House restaurant, now closed, in San Francisco during my college years. The owners of The House were Chinese Americans. I recall having a conversation with the owner, who advised me that while her family may be running two successful restaurants, their real source of stability came from the real estate they own and leased throughout the city. Fundamentally, I saw their restaurant business as exhausting, while owning real estate or land and having it appreciate was having their money work for them. I knew that somehow I wanted to get into real estate when I had the money to do so myself. Taking a leap of faith, I managed to get a small loan and get owner financing to buy my first commercial investment in San Francisco when I was 20 years old. What values or elements of your heritage do you draw strength from in your work as an agent?  Being a first-generation Asian American, I’ve learned how to connect with different people and personalities around the world, beyond what I thought was possible in working in New York and California. For example, almost every culture has some superstitions. In some Asian cultures like mine, the Feng Shui of a home is hugely important. Numbers also play a role in superstition and luck. You don’t tend to see many 13th floors in New York real estate. How would you characterize your experience as a member of the AAPI community in the real estate industry? Are there specific moments or episodes from over the years that illustrate what you’ve experienced?  My experience in the AAPI community has helped me cater to and communicate with a diverse, international clientele. In part, my Asian heritage has taught me how to communicate with more “introverted” or “private” buyers and sellers. I respect this, as this is how I am, too; but it can also be challenging to understand what an introverted buyer wants. Communicating with them to get them to trust you and closing on a home is very rewarding in the end.  Through more than 18 years in the real estate industry, I have experienced many types of personalities.  Learning English as my first language while also having a background as an Asian American, I have learned to be a good communicator and to think outside the box. This is key when you are negotiating deals or helping two parties with diverse personalities to agree to a meeting of the minds.  What would you like your industry colleagues to understand about your experience, and what can they do to be better allies of the AAPI community?  While many of my colleagues may not share the same background as me, being sensitive to the way people communicate in the AAPI community can go a long way in helping us to evolve and be successful together. Although the AAPI voice may not be “loud,” we do have a voice, and sometimes the prejudices that come with not speaking out can hurt us, as well as the communities we serve. Unfortunately, it feels like we are still stuck in history at times. As much as I want to say that we are “evolved,” many communities of color still do not have a voice. The past couple years have highlighted the need for ours and many other communities to raise our voices. How do you think brokerages like Elliman can help foster greater diversity in the industry?  Elliman is a model brokerage where success comes from working hard and smart. Through diverse leadership and agents, we can nurture a brokerage community that is as inclusive and diverse as the real estate we represent and sell. I believe that if we reach these goals, we as a company can be even bigger leaders in our industry.