From Budapest to Oregon: How This Elite Agent Uses Her Foreign Roots to Her Advantage

“I love buildings and architecture, no matter if they’re old or new. What’s important is that the home is right for you.”

Among the essential traits of a real estate agent are honesty, integrity, strong connections, and a sharp eye for the local housing market. But is that all it takes to reach success?

If you’re seeking the qualities of an average agent, the answer’s yes. However, an agent’s rich background and extensive repertoire are huge differentials when it comes to professionalism. Incredibly, Diana Liktor has both.

After living most of her adult life in Europe, moving to the US was one of Diana’s biggest — and best — decisions. More than her strong work ethic and willingness to help people love where they live, her foreign roots were contributory factors in the long-awaited “American dream”.

Here’s how Diana Liktor’s extensive knowledge about Hungarian architecture and worldwide cultures added to her passion and expertise.

The Beginning

With a focus on residential home sales, Diana’s career in real estate started in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

As an agent for Central Home, she honed her skills by focusing on stunning homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, often for international investors and buyers. These homes were works from the greatest European architects, which already put her one step ahead of her competition.

Diana owes her fine communication skills to the years she spent working in Budapest. “Working with clients who cannot always view a property in person requires a huge amount of trust on both sides”, she says. She also adds “uncompromising honesty” to the virtues she’s cultivated throughout her career.

Her history of working with international clients turned her into a first-rate communicator, thanks to her earned familiarity with different cultures. Due to her diligent nature, her process involves taking the time to thoroughly understand what a “dream home” means to each and every one of her clients.

The Best Decision of Her Life

Diana acknowledges that her decision to move to the United States turned her life around. It was a lifelong dream of hers to be a real estate broker in America, thus she applied her trademark energy into making it come true. In 2008, she moved to Portland, Oregon.

“I’m a bit of a perfectionist”, she admits. “Speaking the language well is the first step towards great client communications.”

With that realization in mind, Diana began her English studies at CCC. In order to put her studies into practice, she took up a volunteer role at the Willamette View Retirement Home, which she kept for 18 months.

Eventually, Diana started working with one of the Portland Metro Area’s leading real estate brokers, Alexis Halmy. Four years later, in 2012, she took the next and most important step in her career: she became an independent agent.

Not only that, but she also met the love of her life in that same year. Having gotten married and upgraded her career, Diana and her family moved to Corvallis in 2014, where she’s now continuing her career as a real estate professional.

“I can confidently say I love where I live”, she adds. “This is one of the greatest places on earth, and I am truly living my American dream.”

When Life Experience Becomes a Differential

Above all, Diana nurtures a great appreciation for the arts and different architectural styles.

“Most residential homes may be built for functionality”, she explains, “but architectural principles still apply. Understanding those helps me determine whether a house will make a great home or not.”

To Diana, everyone has their own notion of what a “great home” is. She believes that living in a place you love is an integral part of being happy, and that the perfect place requires different elements for each client.

“Moving countries and becoming part of a different culture has given me the ability to empathize with my clients’ situation and their real estate needs”, she says. Hadn’t she made the leap and followed her ambitions, she wouldn’t have collected the valuable experiences under her belt.

While a good part of real estate agents merely want to sell homes, others want you to love where you live. Diana Liktor makes sure the sale is a byproduct of the right choice.