Former NAHREP National President and Freddie Mac Director Carmen Mercado Joins eXp Realty

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After more than two decades in the real estate and housing industry, Carmen Mercado joins eXp Realty to help agents navigate what comes next. BELLINGHAM, Wash., July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eXp Realty®, the most agent-centric™ real estate brokerage on the planet and the core subsidiary of AGNT, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGNT), today announced that Carmen Mercado, former National President of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and former Director of Affordable Lending at Freddie Mac, has joined eXp Realty as a real estate agent. Mercado brings more than two decades of experience in residential real estate, brokerage leadership, housing finance and affordable lending. She has worked as a broker, trainer, growth strategist and New York Department of State-certified real estate instructor. HousingWire named her one of the 25 Most Influential Women in the Housing Economy, and she was a finalist for the Inman 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders list. "Carmen has spent her career pushing the industry to be more inclusive and better prepared for what's ahead. That's exactly the mindset our model was built for," said Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty. "We're not just gaining an experienced leader. We're gaining someone who's spent her whole career making other people better at this business." Mercado's path into real estate began in 2002, after a frustrating first-time homebuying experience with her husband, a military veteran. She was working on Wall Street at the time. The September 11 attacks changed what she wanted her career to look like. She left Wall Street for a business that let her build a life around her family, and help other people through one of the biggest decisions they'll make. "Throughout my career, I've found that the agents who thrive aren't necessarily the ones who predict every market change perfectly," said Mercado. "They're the ones who prepare before opportunity arrives. As the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote, 'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.' That's a philosophy I've carried with me throughout my career." From there, Mercado's career grew well beyond residential sales. She led growth initiatives and affordable lending strategy, and took on national housing advocacy work, building relationships across the industry with agents, brokers, lenders and housing advocates. Mercado said eXp stood out because of its agent-first approach and the caliber of professionals she saw joining the brokerage as she planned the next chapter of her career.

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