Growing up in a one-bedroom apartment with his parents and two sisters, Jonathan “Johny” Lopez was determined to be a homeowner at an early age. After receiving his first paycheck at age 15, Lopez remembers promising himself to save enough money to one day buy his family a home. “Life wasn’t easy,” says Lopez, but he was determined to succeed. “In a way, real estate saved me from the streets, because I used to hang out with the wrong crowd before realizing it wasn’t the place where I was going to succeed, it wasn’t where I would make my family proud. It woke me up. Soon I set goals for myself and I learned to be responsible. All of a sudden I had goals and dreams, I was inspired and felt like nothing could stop me. Buying real estate was my ultimate goal.”

A Realtor with Century 21 Circle, Lopez held three jobs prior to getting into real estate four years ago. “These positions taught me true hustle and the importance of time management,” he points out. “I developed social skills and a business mentality.” He purchased his first house at the age of 22.

Named Realty of Chicago’s Rookie of the Year in 2019, Lopez serves on the board of directors of The National Association of Hispanic Realtors, which listed him among the top 250 agents in the country for 2020-23. In addition to many other professional achievements, Lopez was recently sworn in as zoning director for the village of Stone Park.

Lopez just hit his goal this year of selling more than 200 homes, while also running a small car dealership, managing five rental properties of his own and flipping three other properties. “I love transforming the ugliest home on the block,” he explains. “And to get money for doing it? It’s the best of both worlds.”

Lopez is known for his ability to deliver top-quality service, and he wants his story to inspire his young peers and millennials. “I want to prove that money does not dictate what you can and cannot do,” he insists. “Your mindset does.”