Navy to Navy Homes Founder Mario Gonzalez builds on his military service by helping military members and other hero groups save on real estate transactions
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Homes for Heroes announced today that Navy to Navy Homes, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based real estate company led by retired Navy Officer Mario Gonzalez, has surpassed $4 million in savings returned to heroes through closed real estate transactions. The milestone highlights the impact of Homes for Heroes’ nationwide network of affiliated real estate professionals who help those who serve their communities save when buying or selling a home.
“Reaching $4 million in hero savings through one affiliate is an incredible milestone, but what makes it especially meaningful is what that number represents,” said Amit Kulkarni, interim CEO of Homes for Heroes. “Home is everything. It’s where we feel safe, cared for and connected. Heroes help make that possible every day by keeping us safe, caring for us and strengthening our communities. Mario and his team understand that deeply and have turned it into action, helping heroes save when they buy or sell a home.”
A Homes for Heroes affiliate since 2014, Navy to Navy Homes has consistently ranked among the program’s top two affiliates since 2017. The company serves military members, veterans, first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters, medical professionals and teachers.
For Gonzalez, helping heroes through real estate is a continuation of his 24 years of military service.
“I’ve always believed that if you’re in a position to help someone, you should,” Gonzalez said. “I spent 24 years in the Navy serving this country, and when I transitioned into real estate, I wanted service to remain at the center of what we do. Giving back to the people who serve our communities is simply the right thing to do.”
Gonzalez enlisted in the Navy at 17 and retired as an Officer and Navy pilot. His real estate career grew out of the 2007–2008 housing crisis, when he saw military families facing relocation struggle with homes worth less than their mortgages. While working in his father-in-law’s real estate business, he began helping military families navigate short sales and other difficult housing situations.
He eventually launched Navy to Navy Homes after military families began entrusting him with their properties when relocation orders took them elsewhere. What began as a response to a need became a company built around military expertise and service, and eventually a way to serve a broader community of heroes through Homes for Heroes.
Today, Navy to Navy Homes has approximately 40 agents and offices in Jacksonville and Pensacola, Fla. About 65% of its business comes from military clients, and the company is on pace to close approximately $100 million in sales volume in 2026.
The company specializes in the unique challenges of military real estate, including VA loans, frequent relocations and transactions involving service members who cannot tour homes in person. Virtual tours and remote transaction services have been part of its business model since its early days.
Gonzalez’s $4 million milestone is part of the broader impact of the Homes for Heroes network, which includes approximately 2,900 real estate and mortgage affiliates across all 50 states. Together, those affiliates have helped more than 80,000 heroes save more than $166 million through more than $21 billion in closed real estate transactions. Through its nonprofit Homes for Heroes Foundation, the organization has also awarded more than $2 million in grants to support heroes and their communities.
About Homes for Heroes
Founded in 2002, Homes for Heroes is the nation’s largest hero savings program, dedicated to providing significant savings and support to the heroes who serve our communities every day. Through its nationwide network of real estate, mortgage, and local business specialists, Homes for Heroes has helped more than 80,000 military personnel, veterans, law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS professionals, healthcare professionals, and teachers save over $166 million on their real estate transactions. To learn more, visit HomesforHeroes.com.
Janice McDill, janice@jmcdillcommunications.com, 312.307.3134
