Haute Residence hosted "Top Agents of Florida Real Estate," a live real estate webinar touching on the different luxury markets each of them represents, the state of Florida's overall performance through 2020, and more.
The panelists were hosted by Haute Living's Erik Haase for the dialogue. They were:
Alvaro Nuñez Alfaro, Cofounder of Super Luxury Group, a leader in Miami and surrounding areas as well as globally with high net worth clientele
Joel Schemmel, Founder of the Schemmel Group, a top producing team with Sotheby's in Sarasota, top 1% overall in Sarasota
Connie Huergo, a top agent at Coldwell Banker in Delray Beach and Boca Raton, over 20 years of experience in South Florida luxury real estate
Pierre-Marc Bellion, Ocean Sotheby's International Realty, a leading agent in Key Largo and Islamorada areas of the Florida Keys
Highlight quotes from today's webinar:
Alvaro Nuñez Alfaro: "Everybody has been working very hard through this year to put all the tools in place to continue working in this business... People feel the trust and confidence of working with experts... Right now, everyone is finding a bigger purpose. Real estate is about enhancing people's lives... When it comes to what platforms we use, right now is the time to try out anything related to digital... Put your face out there. Beautiful videos [of properties] are nice, but people will relate to you. Build your personal brand.
Joel Schemmel: "We are seeing even more demand. Inventory challenges are going to slow us down to a certain extent... In Sarasota, we are comparatively undervalued to other markets in Florida. People are discovering that. They are coming from New York, California, Naples, and other Florida places... During the third quarter of this year, the pending sales compared to the same period last year were up 400% in the $2-4 million range... The market is very engaged. Things move quickly. Focus and understand the market, the value your buyers and sellers are trying to achieve...
Connie Huergo: "Interest rates are extremely low. That has really made an incentive for people that were on the fence. They have decided to make an early retirement. Our city of Delray is full of restaurants, beaches, and a lot of places to go... We have had to be very creative and I love that, getting out of the traditional and do FaceTime presentations, 3-D... Delray Beach attracts the northeastern [audience]. When they see the prices here, it's an easy decision to make... We have to make sure to work with the right tools and surround ourselves with the proper people that can help us close in time."
Pierre-Marc Bellion: "People are moving out of the city. It's not just about getting out of the urban cities; it's about getting a new perspective... A year ago, a Zoom meeting was an exotic thing. It took us five weeks to get used to it and now it's how we do business... We sell the lifestyle, but you do better when you can share with people and they can tell that you are connected to your environment... On the personal and business level, with the pandemic, it's good to regroup and dig your roots deeper into the community. Go back to talking to people around you to get new listings."
To watch previous webinars by Haute Residence featuring top real estate agents, developers, brokers, and interior designers, visit www.hauteresidence.com.
Alvaro Nuñez Alfaro, Joel Schemmel, Connie Huergo, Pierre-Marc Bellion
