By: THE EDITORS
How many years have you been a Realtor? It’s been 15 years since I began my career as a Realtor, and I found my own “Forever Home” – professionally speaking – at Berkshire Hathaway EWM Realty in Coral Gables.
What is your favorite property sold and/or work experience? The most memorable property I’ve ever sold is a one-of-a-kind, custom-built and -designed Caribbean estate with a sunken rainforest-inspired garden and a tropical fruit orchard, all surrounded by striking natural coral rock walls. Set on 1.5 acres, it’s located on a beautiful stretch of historic Old Cutler Road, across from the world-renowned Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The residence is a yesteryear Florida masterpiece and it was a privilege to find the perfect family to make it their home.
Do you work mostly with sellers or buyers? My team works equally with both Sellers and Buyers, and we take pride in providing our signature “Top 1% Experience” to all of our clients at every price point.
What sets you apart from other Realtors? I know from my own experience and from all of my clients over the years that a residential real estate transaction is rarely just a business deal. It’s personal and emotional. My team and I, therefore, take the time from the outset
to really get to know our clients’ personal, cultural, and professional perspectives so that we can meaningfully customize a strategy for the smooth and satisfying sale or purchase of their property.
What’s the biggest real estate trend you are seeing right now? There’s no missing the fact that people are reprioritizing the features they value most in a home, whether it’s a single-family property or a condo. Buyers are very interested in having appropriate space for an office, as well as plentiful recreational onsite amenities. Location is the other side of this coin. As remote work has become so prevalent in the past year, we’ve seen a big increase in people taking advantage of their newfound freedom by moving to Miami for our many financial and lifestyle benefits.
Where do you work? Coral Gables, South Miami, High Pines, and Pinecrest are my most active locations, but I also regularly represent clients in Palmetto Bay, Coconut Grove, Ponce Davis, and The Beaches. Farther afield, I’ve also worked with Sellers and Buyers in the Florida Keys, Palm Beach, the Redlands, and even in Orlando – or as we call it here in Miami, “up north.”
Do you work mostly with single-family homes, condominiums or land? Given the nature of the neighborhoods where I am most active, the majority of my sales are for single-family homes. Nonetheless, condos, townhomes, and undeveloped land have always made regular appearances on my roster of exclusive listings. If it’s anywhere in Greater Miami and it’s residential, give me a call!
Succeeding in the Pursuit of Happiness
What makes your team a success? All of us at The Monica Betancourt Group share the fundamental values of honesty and integrity in every aspect of our work. We also work really well together on a personal level. That friendly, supportive environment makes it easy and a pleasure to collaborate and deliver on our commitment to give each of our clients the “Top 1% Experience” at every price point. We work seamlessly as a team and truly enjoy helping people find their perfect Miami home upon which to build a happy life.
What goes into deciding what makes a house a perfect addition to your sales inventory? The biggest factors are the Sellers accepting the conditions of the market and the comparable properties being offered in their area, understanding what Buyers realistically want, and being willing to make any necessary improvements prior to listing or being willing to offer a credit to the Buyers for any serious issues that need to be addressed.
How do you keep your team members happy and engaged? Respect and appreciation are fundamental. My team works hard and always goes the extra mile for our clients. I recognize that and make sure to let them know on a regular basis how valuable they are as individuals to our success, which we measure by our clients’ happiness. It’s also worked well to provide frequent opportunities to learn and grow, such as bringing them along on new and interesting listing presentations and property tours, providing conference tickets and webinar registrations, and more. In turn, this serves our clients with service and expertise that is always advancing and expanding.
What’s the most important room in the house? It all depends on what individual clients value most, and it’s one of the many reasons we have an in-depth conversation (or two) with Buyers before we take a single step to start looking for a home for them. We can’t know what will be their “perfect home” until we know what is most important to them personally. Sure, it’s common for people to want an amazing kitchen or sanctuary-like master suite and bath. A large, bright family room is also a big favorite. But it might not even be a room at all that a Buyer is most interested in — these days, especially, it could be a big outdoor recreation and entertainment space with a pool or enough room to build one. So again, first we listen, then we search.
Do you have any tips to easily make a home more desirable? Certainly a thorough cleaning and decluttering inside and out is Step 1. After that, taking an honest look at items that may be in notable need of fixing or sprucing up and are fairly affordable to do so are next. Staging the home is critical. It’s one of our specialties and we have a spectacular design partner who always works wonders to transform homes. We have a wide and wonderful network of some of Miami’s best real estate professionals who we bring in to serve and support our Buyers and Sellers every step of the way along their real estate journey.
MONICA S. BETANCOURT
305.632.7248
monica@monicabetancourt.com
MonicaBetancourt.com