Most Influential Women in Real Estate | Paola Marulanda | 2023

Paola Marulanda

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS

The Winning Mindset

Paola Marulanda and her journey to the top of the real estate market.

PAOLA MARULANDA

Mindset

At its core, entrepreneurship is a mindset; a mindset that steers away from mediocrity, embraces growth, and impacts lives.

This mindset enables one to look beyond limiting beliefs and notions, move past dificult challenges, and attain unprecedented success. But cultivating this entrepreneurial mindset takes years of time, experience, and guidance.

However, for Paola Marulanda, this mindset was almost innate.

From an early age, Paola identiied opportunities to sell something and earn money. Her understanding of sales and customer psyche made her stand out from kids of her age. Moreover, being the daughter of a top producing realtor, further helped her understand sales as well as how the real estate industry operates.

Today, Paola Marulanda, as the CEO and Founder of Luxury Homes Connect, has established her name as an unstoppable force in the South Florida real estate market and beyond.

Fittingly, as the Cover Feature of Exeleon's 2023 Inluential Women in Real Estate issue, we look into the story of Paola, her real estate journey, and her vision going forward.

SWEET DEALS TO BIG STEALS

Talking about her earliest entrepreneurial experience, Paola mentions her obsession with

Mexican candy. During her elementary schooling years, she and her family used to travel to Sayulita in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She recalls, “I would ask my parents to buy me bags with at least 30 pieces of candy in them. Each bag at the time would cost about $3.”

She continues, “I would go to school the next day and sell each piece for $1.”

As much as Paola loved eating candies, nothing felt more fulilling to her than the sales negotiations and the counting of money afterwards.

Soon enough, her small business venture had to come to an abrupt pause when other parents started questioning her earnings. Unfazed, Paola went on to sale anything that she could potentially get her hands on. From Roses on Teacher's Appreciation Day, Valentines Day, or Mother's Day to selling fresh guacamole on the streets of Lincoln Road, she was a natural when it came to selling.

She explains that “in sales creating win-win scenarios where everyone can walk away feeling good and satisied is a true art form.”

There is no standardized process in real estate when you treat each deal as the unique treasure that it is.

ENTERING REAL ESTATE

As the daughter of veteran real estate leader - Laura Roxana Garcia, Paola mentions that as a kid she always enjoyed pretending to be her assistant, tagging along for meetings, and learning the craft of negotiations.

She adds, “There was just too much skill and intel acquired over the years NOT to give real estate a chance.”

Soon, what started as a summer job quickly snowballed into a combination of passion and talent, one that she had never anticipated but was clearly born for.

She perfectly explains her love for the real estate industry with this statement “The more I live it, the more I love it.”

Since the age of 18, Paola has distinguished herself as one of Miami's top realtors. Her acute client understanding coupled with her commitment to offer irst-class service has positioned her as an industry leader.

JOURNEY TO THE TOP

Amidst the positives, Paola's journey to getting to the top of the industry and maintaining her position at the top has been extremely intense. She claims this to be a “rollercoaster of emotions; a love/hate relationship.”

She explains, “Not only did I encounter times that completely challenged my ethics and integrity, but more than once I felt alone,

defeated, and consumed with the dark side of the industry.”

Over the years, Paola has searched within and beyond to ind the right balance in this demanding industry. With experience and commitment behind her back, she has now realized the value she can bring to the Miami real estate market.

Talking about her journey, Paola claims this to be an exhilarating experience. “Despite trying times, sometimes business shows up for me like the hands of an angel, answering all of my prayers. Other times the journey takes me on a divine path where I am completely empowered and feel like I am on top of this limitless world. This is truly an exhilarating and meaningful career, not for the faint of heart.”

THE PERFECT STRATEGY

For Paola, strategy has been and continues to be the key to her success. “There is no standardized process when you treat each deal as the unique treasure that it is.”

According to her, to create an effective strategy, it's imperative for one to remove all boundaries and treat each deal like its own.

She advises realtors to connect a lot of superpowers to ensure optimal success:

Firstly, connect the superpower of the buyer or seller – discovered through intentional listening.

Secondly, connect the superpower of the market – this comes through experience and staying up-to-date with the latest innovations and trends in the market.

Finally, connect your superpower as an agent and individual – this includes negotiation and marketing as well as dealing with dificult personalities.

By connecting these threads and leveraging these superpowers, one can create the perfect strategy that aligns with the overall goal of the deal.

THE MIAMI LUXURY REAL ESTATE MARKET

According to the 2022 annual Wealth Report published by Knight Frank, Miami has been listed as the second-fastest growing luxury real estate market in America with over 28% year-over-year growth.

Paola notes that although the market is riddled with high interest rates, steeping inlation, volatile crypto movements, and the looming threat of recession, the current trends and data predicts the continuous success of the luxury real estate market in Miami.

She claims, “I am most excited to witness the city's transformation from all of the new wealth that continues to pour in with no end in sight. Huge improvements in the business sector have made it increasingly appealing to move to Miami and people are voting with their feet and moving here to enjoy not just the weather and tax shelters, but also to enjoy political

The Daily Routine

On weekdays I wake up between 5am-7am, depending on how I sleep the night before and if I feel like exercising or could use the extra rest. After working out or doing meditation, some reading or anything I crave to start the day off nicely, I change and get right to my calendar and tackling my to-do list. I do not usually take appointments before 11AM.

The irst few hours of my day are spent communicating with my clients in anticipation of their needs so I can prevent as many challenges as possible that day and optimize my time and energy. I am not rigorous with routine, and I ind that my personality can become too obsessive and overwhelmed with strict routines so my way of inding the balance is through intuitive working and prioritizing my wellbeing.

If I am well and healthy, then I am my sharpest, patient, and most eficient self. I hear everyone more clearly, there is not

much noise, and I can execute my goals with precision and accuracy. My problemsolving skills thrive. There is more space for strategizing, planning, and manifesting my next big vision.

An afternoon could look like some showings, a listing presentation, and a visit to a new development site for presentations. Walkthroughs, inspections, team meetings, networking events, prospecting calls, and marketing meetings, too.

Finally, every night I take inventory of my clients, my to-do list, and my priorities for the next day, the next week, and the next month. I write things down in my calendar, I set reminders, and I have notepads which always ind their way to my line of vision when I need them. By 10PM I like to be showered and in bed, getting ready for some TV, some reading or a sleep meditation from my favorite app.

People really love working with me, and I really love working with the right people.

policies that are more aligned with their views.”

Paola notes that although Miami is still a baby in the grand scheme of things, it will continue to bring a myriad of opportunities for the real estate industry. “This is arguably the best city in the world right now, everyone knows it, and that is a very exciting development to be a part of. We are making history,” she mentions proudly.

WORKING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Going forward, under the banner of Sotheby's International Realty, Paola will continue to connect buyers and sellers all over the world to quality agents that are committed to excellence and well-being.

She points out that she's on the lookout for people who are “Hungry, but never ravenous. Clients and agents who prioritize relationships and understand the value of treating our clients with respect and patience, while iercely pursuing their goals and bringing results to the table.”

For Paola, working with the right people is of utmost importance. In the coming years, she hopes to continue placing emphasis on picking the right people as her clients and agents. “People really love working with me, and I really love working with the right people,” she concludes.

Exeleon Shorts

One Book Entrepreneurs Must Read –“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

One Productivity App that Everyone Should Use – Calm App

One Real Estate Myth – Not using an agent to buy or sell your home will save you money.

One Quote that Motivates you the Most –“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” – Napoleon Hill

One Real Estate Advice that you Follow –Hard work and integrity always wins in the long run!

We Embrace Excellence!

Exeleon Magazine features some of the leading players in business and shares their journey of excellence to inspire aspiring leaders across the globe.

PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST

For the last 17 years, Adie

Kriegstein has built an impeccable reputation in the real estate industry with her customer-irst ideology.

Her focus on building (and maintaining) strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique needs, and collaborating with them at every stage of their real estate journey has positioned her as one of the top realtors in Manhattan.

Moreover, Adie's strong knowledge of the market coupled with her hands-on working style has enabled her to deliver results that surpass expectations. In this exclusive interview, Adie Kriegstein talks about her journey, her real estate ideologies, and her vision going forward.

What according to you makes for a powerful woman? How have you integrated the same thought into your real estate journey?

From my perspective, a powerful woman is someone who possesses a strong sense of self, who is ambitious, determined, and resilient. She is knowledgeable, honest and hands on in her

approach. She is conident in her abilities and is not afraid to take risks in order to achieve her goals. I have integrated these qualities into my real estate journey as I strive to become the best professional that I can be.

I want to be the best Agent I possibly can be to serve my customers and help them navigate the complexities of our marketplace. I feel through embodying these traits I have been able to achieve success in my real estate career and continue to strive for even greater accomplishments.

I believe that being a powerful woman in this industry means being able to adapt to the everchanging market conditions, negotiating with conidence, and building strong relationships with clients and colleagues. I am unwavering in my commitment to my clients and believe in clear and strong communication and transparency. That being said I never lose sight of the customer service industry.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you

can remember?

My earliest memory as a entrepreneur would be the annual lemonade stands I would have on Martha's Vineyard where I grew up spending my summers. I think I started selling Lemonade when I was 7 or 8.

By the age of 14 I began working in retail at a clothing store in the Island. I spent a few summers at a couple different stores then I became a lifeguard. Onto of that I was constantly babysitting till I realized you could make far more money being a Nanny, so I switched over to doing that all the way through college. After that I went straight into real estate! Deinitely not a natural or common trajectory for my ield. Most people fall into real estate as a second or third career.

I was a huge tomboy growing up but didn't enter competitive sports till a bit later. I picked up sports when I was young, but at a later age than most people and it quickly became not only something I was good at, but I excelled in. My earliest leadership roles were being the captain of countless teams from my elementary years through

Boarding School. I did go on to play Lacrosse at Colgate University but only for a couple seasons.

I believe participating in competitive sports as a child plays a crucial role in the development of skills that are essential for the future. I can attest to having beneited greatly from what I learned participating in sports.

I strongly believe playing sports not only helps children gain conidence but also teaches teamwork, communication and decision-making skills, and leadership. Let's not forget that playing sports teaches time management and discipline as well as perseverance which are also crucial for achieving success in any ield. Lastly one of the most important lessons one can learn is how to handle success and failure with grace and sportsmanship. These traits and life lessons help shape us and learning them at an early age is advantageous for success I believe.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?

I have always been interested in architecture and looking at homes and design. When I was at Colgate University, I studied Geology (I dig dinosaurs as a hobby) and geography. What interested me the most about Geography was Urban Planning and sustainability. I originally had thought I would go the development route but after a stint in sales right out of College I just loved selling and have been a real estate agent ever since.

What is the approach followed by you and your team to ensure optimal buying and selling experience for your clients?

Unlike a lot of Agents and Teams out there, I pride myself and my team on always putting the customer irst and being committed to providing the highest level

of expertise for them. I want to build a relationship and keep it.

At the heart of the team's approach is a focus on building strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique needs and goals, and working collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes. Whether it's helping a irst-time buyer ind the perfect starter home, guiding an investor through a complex transaction, or advising a seller on how to maximize their

property's value, the team is dedicated to delivering results that exceed expectations. I want to know I have not just helped someone buy/sell their home, but that I have helped everyone in their family and their friends.

Having built an incredible reputation over the last 17 plus years as a realtor and entrepreneur, what would you change if you were to start over again?

This is a wonderful question

and while I don't believe in regrets as they help shape you into the person you are, looking back there may be a few things I would do differently if I was given another chance. I worked and still work all the time, and I would have tried to push myself out the door to do more things for my soul.

A few years ago, I joined the University Club in NYC and I wish I knew about the club when I was younger and applied then. I have made a number of real valuable relationships and friendships through the club and have picked

up playing Squash which I would have loved to have been able to play earlier when I moved to the city.

While I belong to a few clubs in the city having Squash really illed a void for me given all the years I played competitive sports. I also should have done more research into NYU's Real Estate Certiicate program to see if that would have been of interest to me.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for your brand and network.

This past year I had major surgery and spent a week in the hospital due to complications. I learned an invaluable lesson; let others help and put trust in those around you. Given my situation and outlook I had to learn to not only allow and ask others to help me but to entrust my clients and properties to be worked by another Agent on my team in addition to myself.

Being such a perfectionist and hands on agent, this was quite challenging. I am a big believer in abundance, that there is enough to go around and if you put it out in the universe it will come back tenfold. Knowing I was going to be apartment bound for quite some time I took it upon myself to ind other avenues to get my name and my brand out there.

As such I ended up pursuing PR publications (such as this) and have thus far been quoted in over 40 articles in the past 5 months. I plan to continue to do this, while building out my Team's social footprint across all the main platforms and nurturing the large referral base of business. I want to continue to grow organically.

Lastly, I have a new sub-brand (not sure exactly what to call it yet) that I hope to launch and push out in the early Fall; 'Paw City NYC.' I personally think it is an ingenious idea and it has also been a super fun side project for me.

Elizabeth Dodson

CO-FOUNDER OF HOMEZADA

EMPOWERING HOMEOWNERS

Founded in 2012,

HomeZada emerged as a platform in response to a universal pain point –disorganization of paperwork. HomeZada stands out as an all-in-one platform that empowers homeowners with valuable tools to manage their home and their assets.

At the heart of HomeZada's philosophy lies the commitment to empower homeowners with tools for maximizing the value of their homes while minimizing stress and environmental impact

In this interview, Elizabeth Dodson, Co-founder of HomeZada, shares how her personal frustration led to the start of this cloud-based solution.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader that you can remember?

Being the oldest of three girls was my entrée to leadership. While I gained a lot by studying for my bachelor's and master's degrees, I attribute much of my

leadership style to my mother and stepfather. My mother encouraged her girls to be independent and to think for themselves which we all do. My stepfather encouraged us to try new things before saying we did not like them. This combination of philosophies enabled me to take risks, try things and to think for myself.

This empowered me to start HomeZada to help homeowners manage the details of their home while also helping real estate professionals stay connected intelligently with their customers.

What was the pain point that led to the start of HomeZada? What was the idea behind the name of the company?

I founded HomeZada in 2012, at least in part, as a response to the mountains of homerelated paperwork around my home -- and the feelings of disorganization and stress this created. All the vital information about my singlebiggest asset, my home, was scattered at different places throughout my home and

ofice, yet none of it was easily accessible.

I assumed there simply had to be a cloud-based platform that could collect and organize all of my mortgages; product warranties and repair schedules; home documents; wills, trusts and personal inancial documents; receipts; inventories of personal possessions; and other home-related paperwork that cluttered my home. So, when I realized there WASN'T anything like this on the market, I and a business colleague set out to create one.

We settled on HomeZada since “Zada” means prosperous and fortunate in Arabic – and when connected to your home, implies that your home can be a place of prosperity and fortune if you're willing to invest the time and energy. We also love the spirit of possibility that “Zada” brings.

What is the approach followed by you and your team at HomeZada to ensure optimal home ownership experience for your clients?

Our team remains committed to offering homeowners a continually updated suite of best-in-class apps that empower them to maximize the value of their home while minimizing the costs, stress, time and impact on the environment that can come from homeownership. Everything we do must align with this value proposition.

A good example is our launch of the “Zada” AI Chat Assistant in June that added a real-time AI overlay that provides real-time answers to any perceivable homeowner question about home maintenance and repairs, renovation and remodel projects, homeowner's and other specialty insurance, home utility costs, the photo and video documentation of personal property for insurance purposes, and other topics associated with homeownership. This new services adds tangible homeowner value, ultimately giving our subscribers more tools to build and maintain equity in their homes, whether primary-residence or investment.

What have been some of the biggest challenges when it comes to running HomeZada over the last 11 years?

Some of the biggest challenges managing HomeZada is addressing the

many different customers we support. HomeZada subscribers span the homeowning spectrum: from irst-time homeowners to veteran. multiple-property investors living in urban, suburban and rural settings in all 50 states and 20 countries. This makes for very interesting marketing campaigns and messages to reach the variety of customers using our services. There really is not a “typical” HomeZada customer

What does a day in the life of Elizabeth Dodson look like? How do you ensure work-life balance?

The irst question I would ask is what day and what time is it? My day starts off with a workout, a shower, mediation and jumping right into the day's work. The day varies depending on the meetings and tasks on the schedule. I like variety because it keeps me interested in my day and my company.

Once my workday has ended, I like to be creative in the kitchen creating new, healthy recipes. Some more HomeZada follow-up and then potentially entrepreneur or networking events that may require my attention. A good night's sleep is also key to a healthy lifestyle.

Work/life balance has not

been a challenge for me because I have creative outlets that I address during the week and even on the weekends. In fact, I made my own shamanic drum a few weekends ago. My husband and I believe in the philosophy of always be learning which takes us into new fun projects. Like my stepdad says, be open to trying new things before you say you do not like it.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for HomeZada. What are you most excited about?

HomeZada is part of an exciting time. Homeowners are excited that they inally have tools to help them manage their home. Our team is excited for the many enhancements we have coming. I believe our team has easily ten years' worth of value-added features to add to HomeZada that will transform the homeownership experience.

We are excited to bring homeowners together with the product and services that they need to manage all the aspects of their single-largest asset on one, easy-to-access seamless platform.

Real Estate The Mindset Real Estate The Mindset

Real Estate The Approach

Real Estate The Mindset Real Estate The Mindset

Brie Schmidt, Managing Broker of Second City Real Estate, shares insights about her journey, ideas related to real estate, and working with investors.

What according to you makes for a successful woman realtor? How have you integrated the same thought into your real estate journey?

Being successful in real estate requires the following:

Expert knowledge: I ind the people that are successful are experts in their area. That can be luxury real estate, investment properties, starter homes, or a speciic town or city. When you try to do everything, you do nothing well. But when you become the most knowledgably person in a niche, you position yourself as the go-to person in that ield.

Perseverance: Being an agent or investor is like any other business, it has a high failure rate usually due to lack of capital. Many people think becoming an agent is easy and all you need to do is pass your

exam and then start working with clients. Realistically, it has a 6+ month sales cycle and for most people it takes about 2 years for your business to get off the ground. You need to persevere and have conidence that the hard work you are doing today will pay off down the road.

Capital: As an agent you need capital to cover your living expenses for at least 6 months as well as capital to invest in marketing and advertising. Very few agents can build a successful business by only marketing to their sphere. As an investor, you also need capital to build your portfolio and operational costs. Both these paths can be done while working a W2 job until you have the ability to replace your income.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you

can remember?

I never saw myself as an entrepreneur. I got started in real estate at the age of 17 when the agent selling our house bonded with me and told me I would be perfect for this industry. I didn't go to college and worked for her part time as an assistant until I was old enough to take my licensing exam at 21 years old.

Within a year I gave up on the business because I lacked the skills to be successful. I was 22 years old with no college degree and no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had a recruiter reach out for a sales job at a large organization and I remember saying to them that I wasn't a salesperson, but the hiring manager told me he thought I was perfect for sales, and I should interview them.

I ended up being very successful

and often won awards for being a top sales rep. I thought I wanted to work my way up the ladder in the corporate world and have various positions in business development and as a team lead. I was fortunate enough to receive leadership training from some of the best organizations in the country. But it wasn't until I left the corporate world and became selfemployed that I felt like I was a leader, because it allowed me the ability to do things my way without the conines of corporate rules.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?

I had bought a “house hack” property which was a 3 unit building that we lived in and rented out the other units to offset our mortgage. I had been working in the corporate world for 9 years and my life goal was to be a corporate executive. I was working 60+ hours a week, travelling all over the country, and answering work emails at night or on weekends.

th

Just after my father's 60 birthday he was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. He passed away a few months later just after my wedding and the day before he was supposed to retire. He had been offered early retirement years before and had always put it off. He would say “after you get married, I will retire and go travel” or “after your brother inishes college, I will retire and go travel” and he never got to do any of the things he wanted to do.

It made me relect on my life and what I really wanted out of it. If I

continued on my path in the corporate world I could end up in the same position, never being able to fully enjoy my life and do the things I wanted to do. Since I had kept my license active all those years, I decided to use it to buy another apartment building, then after that we did a large renovation project and pulled out the equity to buy more properties.

Within two years of my father's passing, I had enough properties to supplement my income and I left the corporate world to be a fulltime real estate investor. From there everything else fell into place; I started a brokerage irm with a team of agents that specializes in investment properties, I cofounded the largest real estate investors conference in the Midwest, and I developed a training program for real estate agent on how to work with investor clients.

Talk to us about your journey in the real estate industry. What have been some of the biggest challenges as a real estate investor?

The biggest challenge is accepting what you can control and what you cannot control. Both as an agent and investor the business is very reactive, and you need to be agile. You need to focus on the things you can control, which are your actions and your reactions. Everything else you need to deal with as it comes.

As a real estate coach, what advice would you give agents when it comes to working with investors?

There is so much to learn! The thing you need to understand about investors is that it is a lifestyle and

subculture. To work with investors, you need to understand the investor mindset. Almost 25% of all home sales were purchased by an investor and 75% of the homes purchased were single family properties.

This is a large portion of the market that agents are missing out on, but investors only want to work with investor friendly agents. 70% of investors I surveyed said they went through at least 3 agents before inding one that was investor friendly, and 20% said they still have not found an agent that knows what they are doing. So, there is a major disconnect and I use my experience as an investor to teach them how to ind and work with investors.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for your brand (Second City Real Estate) and network.

My vision is to help as many people as possible. I don't have set goals as far as numbers or quotas because not all properties work for investors, and I will never talk someone into a bad investment just to hit a sales goal.

We have sold $140 million in investment properties since 2020 and last year we helped clients add over $2 million in gross rents to their portfolios. So, my vision is to continue to educate our clients on what properties will it their needs and help accomplish their goals.

Interview with Kristen D

Conti

of Peacock Premier Properties

K C

What makes you an inluential woman realtor?

My entrepreneurial spirit has been with me since my teens. I have been called “a serial entrepreneur” and I take that as a compliment. I grew up in Rhode Island where a “New England” work ethic was instilled at an early age. I am tenacious, dedicated and a problem solver. I am a strong salesperson with excellent communication skills.

Nothing brings me more joy that bringing up the next generation of Realtors and entrepreneurs. I have always been a trendsetter willing to take risks and many of them have paid off richly. I have also been through some bitter defeats in the downturn of 2008. But got up and used that experience to help others.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader that you can remember?

I grew up in Rhode Island and began working at the age of 13 as a Nanny. The following year I

got a job at a grocery store and an ice cream shop. My earliest memories are of always trying to improve my workplace. I have the ability to see things that others don't and to create lasting experiences for consumers.

In every job I held I would be out in leadership roles. Sometimes people were threatened my me because I have a strong conident personality. I am also extremely empathetic, so it hurts my feelings when people prejudge me because my intentions are always pure.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?

Funny story here. I was working for General Mills as a Restaurant Manager. I met and fell in love with the man who would become my husband. Due to the excessively long hours and the fact that he too was an entrepreneur, we began planning to open our own restaurant. It was in a Plaza with several businesses, one of which was a real estate ofice. The owners were watching us at work and were very impressed with our tenacity and sales ability.

Once we did our business plan for the restaurant, we realized that we would not make the kind of income we needed to live the lifestyle we wanted to enjoy and create. The owners of the real estate company approached us and offered us a job. So, I headed to real estate school and the rest is history.

Talk to us about your journey in the last 3 decades in the real estate industry. What have been some of the biggest challenges?

Work-life balance is my greatest challenge. Workaholism has deinitely been a part of my journey though I am recovering. Also having to wear so many different hats in the course of a day. Owning a real estate ofice is an up at dawn, down at dusk siege. Being a people-pleaser has also proved challenging. As I have aged and gained more experience, I realize that I need to be true to myself and realize that some people are not a good it for me.

I hand select customers and agents to work with me now. This has given me so much more joy and the ability to give back to worthwhile charities and community events. Our business and personal lives were decimated in 2008. We lost our ofice and all of our personal holdings and had to start from Ground Zero rebuilding. We did this by becoming specialists in short sales and foreclosures which allowed us to create another highly successful company.

Having built an incredible reputation through this journey, what would you change if you were to start over again?

In all honesty, I wouldn't change a lot. Every experience led me to where I am today which is a very good place. But I deinitely would have taken less risk and been truer to myself. Often in my quest to grow my brand and make people feel heard and valued, I cared more about making people happy than following my own gut.

I also would have learned more from my partner and husband who is a very good judge of character. I was highly leveraged, and my husband was concerned. I am an eternal optimist and had not had a major failure until 2008 so I believed I was invincible. I would be more of a realist next time around and trust people who had my best interests at heart rather than those who wanted to take and not give back.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for your brand (Peacock Premier Properties) and network.

Peacock Premier Properties is the inal chapter in my real estate story. In 2018, I merged with a large corporate irm and became the managing broker for them. I realized in a very short time that I could not work in a corporate environment.

In the middle of COVID-19, I took a huge risk and resigned from that job and branched out to open my own irm again. My vision is for a boutique brand that delivers concierge service where customers and agents alike feel like part of a community.

In this world with too much technology, I am spending more face time with the people who refer me business. People are craving genuine care and competence. I will never retire as I love what I do. But beginning next year, I do plan to entrust my ofice to my team and take a full month and get out of the Florida heat. I will increase the time every summer until I can be here in my business 9 months a year, and 3 somewhere else doing speaking engagements and consulting while out of state.

Désée Áva

Meet

the Trusted

Real Estate Expert

s a realtor, building trust is A one of the most important aspects when it comes to establishing a market presence and ensuring customer growth.

Armed with her brand tagline – Your Trusted Local Real Estate Expert , Desiree Avila has been able to position herself as one of the leading professional realtors owing to her genuine efforts in building trust.

Desiree shares, “Trust is very important in this business and since agents have an untrustworthy reputation that precedes them it is my goal to tear that down and replace with a professional that is knowledgeable, that genuinely cares for her clients, and who, as our code of ethics states, puts their needs above all else.”

Read this full Interview to know

more about Desiree, her journey from being a teacher to entering the real estate market, and her vision going forward.

What according to you makes one a successful entrepreneur? How have you integrated the same thought into your real estate journey?

Success is not something that is won overnight, or even in months, or years. It is a journey. In my opinion, to ultimately be successful along that journey, an entrepreneur has to have the will to keep going, and never give up despite any and or many failures.

If you stop, you fail for sure; but if you don't stop, everything you tried, everything you learned along the way will help you understand what not to do. I also believe an entrepreneur should be willing to

listen to others. Listen, evaluate, and decide how to implement it for yourself.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a entrepreneur that you can remember?

I can say that I always dreamed of being a teacher, not necessarily an entrepreneur. I became a teacher but did not earn enough to support my family. I was inishing a doctorate in Educational Technology while at the same time earning my real estate license.

At that point, I had to make a choice on which career I would follow. Education, while my passion, was not ideal for myself as a single mom. Despite knowing little more than what I learned for the real estate exam, I chose real estate so I could be there for my daughter. I knew it would be Sisyphean task, I was, literally, starting from zero, but I also knew I had it in me to do it and I have been doing it ever since and have no intention of stopping.

The more I worked in real estate, the more I learned the more I loved being an entrepreneur. I miss my education, but I don't regret the change. I like that sky's the limit and the result is ultimately up to me.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?

As an educator with a Master's Degree and almost a doctorate, I simply did not make enough money. My net pay was only $7K above what the government considered poverty. I made too much to qualify

for any assistance and not enough to live decently.

In addition, after long days teaching, I was done. I didn't have the head space for my daughter, who was 5 at the time. I had given it all to other people's children, and that wasn't fair to her. I was burning the candle at both ends and the ends were about to meet. After carefully weighing both careers, I chose real estate because it would give me something education would not, the lexibility to be my own boss. After each day, each deal I grew to love it more and more. It is a tough business, but I would not have it any other way.

How has your background as a teacher helped you in your journey as an entrepreneur? What would be your advice for new entrants in the real estate industry?

Teaching skills transfer quite well into the real estate industry. I remember going to see a new project, the Porsche Design Tower in Miami, and the sales manager was very welcoming. He took the time to talk to me and explain about the project and at some point, I mentioned I had been a teacher. He replied by saying something to the effect of “Teachers do very well in this business”. Deep down I knew that the skills would help me but that extrinsic validation really helped me power through.

My advice to new agents is learn as much as you can, work on yourself as a professional so you can be the best real estate professional for your clients.

My deep belief in professional

development is what gave me a leg to stand on when I was brand new. Because of it, I became one of only 20 Board Certiied REALTORS® in Florida out of 238,000 agents.

How do you identify the unique needs of every client and recognize the next best move for them?

That's easy, ask a question, shut up and listen. Listen with your eyes, your ears, and your heart. It is that simple.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for your brand and network.

I want to continue growing my network, connecting with people, and helping them with their real estate needs while offering topnotch professional service. Sometimes this may result in a transaction, sometimes not, and that's ine. When you love what you do, everything just falls into place.

More and more, I want people to identify my brand with trust, thus my tagline, Your Trusted Local Real Estate Expert . Trust is very important in this business and since agents have an untrustworthy reputation that precedes them it is my goal to tear that down and replace with a professional that is knowledgeable, that genuinely cares for her clients, and who, as our code of ethics states, puts their needs above all else.

In-Focus with Nicole Beauchamp

Nicole Beauchamp is an award

winning multi-lingual luxury global real estate advisor, with almost two decades of experience who is known for her expert command of the New York City real estate market and understanding its intricate intersection with the national and international real estate markets, utilized to craft bespoke strategies for diverse clientele, from irst time home buyers/sellers to savvy international and institutional investors.

What according to you makes one a powerful salesperson? How have you integrated the same thought into your real estate journey?

Listening to our clients and using what they tell us to put their goals in an achievable context. One of the things people do wrong is fail to listen or observe, this gives us a key component of what is necessary to succeed.

What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?

One of my earliest memories as a child has formed a core part of how I choose to lead. I had an experience where I was made to feel I was less than, and from that I came away with two lessons, not everyone is your friend, but you can make people feel included and welcomed; irrespective of whether or not they are your friend.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?

My arrival in the real estate industry was an accident. I had a friend to whom I sent real estate related referrals for NYC, and over time they began to gently suggest I obtain my license so I could be compensated for the business I was generating for them.

I resisted for some time, but eventually relented and I got my license. After a few years, as I was winding down a company, and had not decided on a new venture just yet, I thought I would try being a broker as my next new business venture, and

here we are over two decades later, I guess I'm sticking with it.

Talk to us about your real estate journey. What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced over the years?

Scaling a bespoke high touch brokerage practice/approach can be very dificult, but not impossible. That being said, this has in some ways been my eternal challenge, and at the moment at the top of my mind is both scaling and transition/succession planning. I spend quite a bit of time evaluating solutions and future planning as I look at the (hopefully) next couple of decades of my life and how I want those to unfold.

The pandemic was interesting in that it allowed (or forced) me to take time to pause and re-evaluate various areas of life and business, and it took some of my business practices that were previously mostly for one segment of my business and created additional eficiencies throughout.

Having built an incredible reputation over the last decade as an inspiring entrepreneur, what would you change if you were to start over again?

Probably better boundaries earlier on and the systems and staff/support to protect the better boundaries. In some ways that is probably harder to accomplish now than it was 20 plus years ago. The ways in which technology is more accessible and utilized means the connectivity and speed of it can feel overwhelming to manage effectively without burning out.

What does a day in the life of Nicole Beauchamp look like? How do you ensure work-life balance?

I typically start my day very early in the morning (I am a mix of night owl and early bird), until recently I still had the physical newspapers delivered to my home daily (NYT & WSJ), so I would read the paper with a cup of tea, while watching some morning news programs. I stretch when I wake up, meditate then I get a workout in (depending on the day it could be strength training with a trainer, spinning, barre or reformer pilates) and weather and time permitting a nice long walk in Central Park (which is a few blocks from my apartment on the Upper East Side) with my dog Hudson. I will write a bit, and also cross check my to do list and calendar and do an early email check.

This sounds like a lot – but I am usually up before 5am most days of the week, before my alarm goes off. It allows me time and space to think before the day goes crazy. On some days the early mornings get crazy quickly as they are illed with calls and meetings with my clients and colleagues overseas (and the same can be said for evenings, as I deal with my clients and colleagues on the west coast and overseas).

Sometimes after I walk in the park, I will stop for a hot chocolate at a local coffee shop, and then go home, shower, change and get ready to walk to my irst appointment of the day or the ofice. It's a nice walk to the ofice, and it's one of my favorite times to dictate articles or reminders to myself or take calls that can be appropriately

conducted in public. Once I get to the ofice, I tackle whatever might be on my list, some days it's preparing for zoom calls or in person meetings, or heading to preview or show properties, and prepare for listing presentations or updates with sellers.

I often talk to clients and colleagues about the distinction between accessibility and availability, and that is a lot of how I try to manage work life balance. I am also fortunate to have understanding people in my personal life, but I also need to invest in the relationships in my personal life, in order to maintain them. I try, for example, to always take ONE weekend day, where unless absolutely necessary, I am not meeting with clients in person. It's a day where I try to not only keep up my own personal errands and such, but a day to connect with the rest of the people in my life who work more traditional hours or are not entrepreneurs.

Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward with your brand and network.

I am currently very focused on leverage and growth and inding a great junior partner. I am working my way back to my pre pandemic travel patterns not only for business development reasons, but for personal enjoyment with my signiicant other, friends and family.

THE DOWNTURN OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

Written By: Michaela Green, Licensed Realtor in Houston, TX

The American Dream” is

widely heard in big speeches and is a selling point for the public to aim for big and avail the opportunity of becoming successful. However, over the years, the American dream has become a nightmare for young adults, especially millennials and Gen Z –leading to the downturn of the American Dream.

The general trend among the younger generation is to acquire as many 'assets' as possible. While this releases dopamine and creates a sense of achievement in their minds, it is essential to realize that the American Dream has been deined only in terms of material possessions, encouraging Americans to go beyond their limit and eventually face a inancial crisis.

Since 2014, the average household income has decreased by $2000 in middle-class families, with an average household debt of around 130% of the salary. Alarmingly, the household savings rate is nearly zero!

The last great recession happened in 2008 that had a lasting impact on Americans. Millennials are drowned mainly in student loan debts; unfortunately, the median income is the same as in the 1970s, after considering inlation. Although a lot more people are employed today compared to the 1970s, still a fewer percentage of them own their houses. Even so, a third of them are currently living with their parents.

We'll discuss some factors that correlate with the lack of

homeownership among young adults.

HOUSING BUBBLE

If you're aware of the Great Recession of 2008, you must know what a housing bubble is. For those looking to investigate this matter, let's make it simple for you to understand. As the house demand increases, the prices follow an upward trend. This is exactly what a housing bubble is.

Giving a brief history lesson, investors shied away from stock investments and turned to economical mortgage rates, increasing the demand for st property at the start of the 21 Century. Also, to incentivize nonstock investments, fewer regulations were put in place, which implied that a high income was not required to get a mortgage; however, the turmoil was not anticipated as those payments accumulated with interest rates rising at the same time.

The investments were such that when the buyers couldn't pay, the lending organizations went bankrupt, and the lending structure crumpled.

This proved to be one of the primary reasons for the slowdown in the real estate market. Even as America regained control of its economy, property building did not become as normal as it was.

THE GAP BETWEEN PROPERTY PRICES AND INCOME

In the modern era, property prices are insanely high. Additionally, the average household income is failing to maintain a constant ratio with the rising prices. According to bankrate.com, the median price of houses grew 30% as opposed to an 11% increase in median household income in the last ten years.

At the time, homebuyers enjoyed the privilege of property costs ivefold the mean salary. But after the market collapse in 2008 – aka the Great Recession – that ratio increased to sixfold, that stabilized eventually. Recently, the average property costs have soared again and are seven times greater than the average household income.

For instance, the national median home price was around $121,500 in the 90s. That was around twice the average income of around $50,000. Whereas in 2020, home prices rose close to $359,000 while the median income is limited to around $67,500.

This is one of the reasons why the younger generation is inding it extremely challenging to buy a new property in the current era.

HIGH DEMAND, LOW SUPPLY

As of now, the millennials are the most populous adult generation, outnumbering boomers in 2019. As the population of these young adults increases, the need for homeownership grows simultaneously. To give some perspective, before the COVID-19 pandemic, homeownership was ever-increasing among millennials.

On the other hand, the older generation have kept their ground and continued residing in their old homes. This creates a negative supply and an increasing demand for houses as fewer homes are sold in the market, and more buyers are looking for relatively affordable homes.

The boomers are also cognizant of the fact that the prices have signiicantly risen, and taking advantage of that, they are making competitive offers which makes it harder for the younger generation to buy new property.

STUDENT LOAN DEBT

According to several research, millennials are drowned in college debt which is correlated with a delay in homeownership. If we take in to account the inlation, the millennials are far behind boomers in homeownership rates.

72% of student debt holders believed their debt would delay them from purchasing a home for several months up to 8 years. More speciically, 19% of student debt holders believed their debt would hinder them from buying a home for more than eight years!

Although we saw an increase in homeownership among millennials during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a void in homeownership rates that needs to be addressed. To ill this gap, incentives should be given, such as the Transforming Student Debt to Home Equity Act of 2022. This act provides leverage to students who have cleared their student loans,

such as subsidized mortgage loans, and discounts on government-owned homes along with inancial aid for making down payments.

FIRMS & ORGANIZATIONS STEPPING IN

Considering the increasing home prices and the harder it is to afford a new place, large irms and organizations have seen a business opportunity. They have bought single-family properties for rental purposes.

This is not new, but seeing the recent trends and lesser affordability, the phenomenon is growing. Smartly enough, the investors have bought singlefamily homes because that is the type of irst-time house buyers goes after.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, homeownership among the younger generation has a sluggish rate compared to the boomer generation due to the pertinent factors that affect it. We have discussed ive essential elements that have caused this gap in the market, and we hope this helps you broaden your perspective on the downturn of the American Dream.

About Michaela Green

Michaela Green is a licensed real estate agent with half a decade of experience representing investors in buying and selling property in the Greater Houston area. Through her extensive knowledge of the marketplace, Michaela is able to represent investors in finding properties that produce the highest return on investment. Michaela founded 'The Green Collective' in 2022, a company that aligns her core values with her passion for real estate. Michaela has with National Assistants Ministers (NAM) to help survivors of Hurricane Harvey start fresh by selling their distressed properties andhelpfindanewhomes.