From mortgages to mission: Sales leader launches nonprofit for Hispanic homebuyers

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Rogelio Goertzen is working to make homeownership more accessible for Hispanic and other minority communities after recognizing a growing need in the housing market.

Goertzen left a lucrative job at United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac to launch a nonprofit aimed at bridging the gap for underserved homebuyers. His organization, Hispanic Organization Mortgage Experts (HOME), connects potential homeowners with industry professionals who can guide them through the mortgage process.

Goertzen said his inspiration came from his time at United Wholesale Mortgage, where colleagues frequently asked him to translate between English and Spanish. It made him realize many Hispanic and minority homebuyers lacked access to crucial information.

"The goals I had, I already crushed them, so I have to go back to the drawing board and increase that level once again," Goertzen said.

By the numbers:

Hispanic homeownership is a growing segment of the market. "One million Hispanics will turn 18 every single year for the next 20 years, and it’s that growth that we need to sustain," he said.

The backstory:

His understanding of the Hispanic community runs deep. His family founded the first Hispanic church in Windsor, Canada, which grew from five members to more than 3,000. That success gave Goertzen the confidence to step away from corporate life and pursue his mission.

"I’m hoping to reach the Hispanic community and unite them like never before," he said.

However, Goertzen noted that fear is one of the biggest obstacles preventing many in the Hispanic community from purchasing homes. "There are a lot of things, especially in today’s political climate, that scare a lot of Hispanics—even those who are legal and have been here. They have this mentality where they feel like they can’t or don’t deserve it."

He said many minority homebuyers face rejection at banks and assume they have no other options. "Oftentimes, a minority group will go into a bank and get denied, and they will think that ‘no’ means ‘no’ everywhere when it doesn’t."

Through HOME and his website, TuNuevoHome.com, Goertzen connects aspiring homeowners with mortgage experts who can educate them on their options. His nonprofit operates on a membership model, offering different tiers at various price points.

"Since we are not a lender, we are not gaining volume, but memberships are up over 200 percent," he said. "We are building an educational system not just for our consumers but also for loan officers on different products, and we have lofty goals."

Goertzen said he self-funds HOME to maintain independence and avoid donor influence. He also wanted to protect the organization from potential federal funding cuts in the future.