Maria Rocha Transforms Barbie Dreams to Real Estate Success
Photos provided by Rocha
By Christina Fernández-Morrow
As Maria Rocha watched her father battle a rare cancer, she came to a life-changing decision: She would build wealth and change the trajectory of her life so she could extend a hand to help others. The second youngest of ten, Rocha is no stranger to working hard to stand out. That is exactly what helped her go from a four-time college dropout to one of the top producing realtors in the state – all before turning forty.
Early Lessons in Resilience
After moving to Iowa at age 3, the family crowded into a mobile home. For the next decade, as the family grew, the space became more stifling. When her parents bought their first home, directly behind the trailer park of their previous dwelling, Rocha was awestruck at how much hope it gave her to have space to stretch out. “I watched them work multiple jobs, live paycheck to paycheck. It was such a great feeling to move from a trailer to nearly 1,300 square feet of space,” recalled Rocha.
A pivotal moment in her new home came while watching television. “I was watching a Barbie show, and I saw her dressed in a suit, holding a briefcase and wearing an earpiece going to work. I don’t remember what job she had, but I remember she had a chauffeur, and it triggered the thought that I wanted to be like her,” shared Rocha.
Today, that childhood dream has evolved into reality. Rocha is one of Iowa’s top-producing real estate agents. She founded the state’s first all-Latina real estate team and now runs her own coaching business — all driven by a mission to help others achieve financial independence and tap into their potential.
For years, Rocha thought she was on her way to making that happen as she worked her way from bagger to cashier and up to corporate communications for Hy-Vee. Unfortunately, she reached a ceiling and began questioning what was in store for her future.
But tragedy struck when her father was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Rocha added medical translator to her duties as she helped her family navigate the disease that ultimately claimed his life. It was a wake-up call that life is short, and Rocha was motivated to pursue something greater.
Real Estate: A New Beginning
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, other than I needed to make a lot of money because I felt like if I had enough money, maybe my dad could still be here because we could fund research for a cure,” she said.
She did a Google search and learned about building wealth in real estate. “I didn’t know anything about real estate besides what I saw on HGTV that made flipping houses look easy, which I learned right away was not the case,” she said with a laugh.
Armed with basic knowledge, she began networking. She used social media to reach out to the few contacts she had in the industry. While having coffee with Junior Ibarra, founder of Ibarra Realty Group, Rocha became intrigued by the opportunities, especially with her customer service background and bilingual skills. She switched her work hours to explore licensing and learn more about the real estate business.
Photos provided by Rocha
Launching Trailblazing Teams
In 2017, Rocha left her full-time job and soon after joined Ibarra’s team, learning the ins and outs of sales, contracts, and working with clients. “The first few years I started coaching, which I loved. I had no idea that was a possibility.” That spark eventually led to her current business, the Maria Rocha Group, where she not only helps clients buy and sell properties, but also coaches realtors who want to grow their business.
As Rocha’s skills grew, she branched off to co-found Team ELLLA, the first all-Latina real estate team with co-workers she met early in her real estate career. Together, they carved out a name for themselves across the state and nationally. As the team grew with new agents, it reinvigorated Rocha’s desire to train and lead realtors. “We are all very passionate about helping people grow and tap into their potential,” she said. The team quickly became one of the top 250 teams recognized by the National Association of Real Estate Professionals, among other accolades.
Coaching and Empowering Others
By 2025, with years of experience and success under her belt, Rocha knew it was time to challenge herself once more. “I got to a point as a Latina, who had done a lot in the industry and her career, to own what I’m really good at,” she said. In July, she made the difficult decision to leave Team ELLLA for a business that allowed her to focus on the parts of the business she was most passionate about. “It’s been a wonderful journey understanding what I love and what I don’t love and how I see this vision growing,” said Rocha. “I help solo agents who want to grow something for themselves.”
Today, Rocha relies on virtual assistants to handle marketing and administrative tasks while she focuses on what she does best: coaching and mentoring. “I’m learning how to delegate and let go so I can focus on the bigger picture and help other individuals do the same,” she said. It’s a philosophy born from that young girl who watched Barbie go to work in a suit and learned that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do to prosper is help others achieve their own version of success.
