Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcy Kaplan and Lori Brandt. They share their story with us below:
We are sisters born and raised in NY. Lori has a master’s degree from NYU and worked for over 20 years in Psychiatric Nursing. Marcy attended C.U.N.Y. Lehman College and SUNY Purchase earning an M.F.A. Never one to be tied to a 9-5, she worked as a makeup artist, interior design stylist, and fitness trainer.
Done with harsh NY winters and high stress, we decided to move to South Beach in 1994. We each had dabbled in real estate investment in NY. Imagine purchasing a ground-floor loft space with a garden in SOHO for $24K! New to Miami, we enjoyed exploring the different neighborhoods. We both were drawn to the charming but still sketchy neighborhoods bordering Biscayne Blvd. Hidden behind the gritty urban MIMO motels we were enchanted by the charming historic gems nestled under tropical tree canopies and cooled by bay breezes. We both found homes in the still un-gentrified Morningside and later the Bayside and Belle Meade area. We opened one of the area’s first boutique stores “CRYBABY” and found so many homes for our shoppers we made the switch to real estate. We rapidly became known for having a “great eye” and our business began to grow quickly.
We are fortunate to share similar values so we are always on the same page. We are both committed to practicing our spiritual principles in our work. Real estate is a business that can vigorously test that commitment. We are committed to doing the “right thing” and always put the good of our clients ahead of financial gain.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Miami is a rapidly developing city and greed is easily fueled by monetary gain. There’s no shortage of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We always tell the truth even when it’s not what you want to hear. When asked what your home is worth, we will not tell you an inflated number just to get the listing. We built our business on referrals and developing long-term relationships. We are not deal chasers and we don’t measure success by how much business we do but by how we do business. We are more “service” people than salespeople.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We specialize in the neighborhoods from the Design District through the Upper Eastside, Miami Shores, Biscayne Park, and North Miami. By focusing locally, we know the flavor of each neighborhood and frequently know of properties before they go on the market. A significant amount of our business is done “off market.” We enjoy a good hunt and, on occasion, we shop outside of our usual area which can be fun and exciting. We have specialists for Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Brickell, Hollywood, and Ft. Lauderdale.
We have a keen eye for a good bones, great design and a knack for matchmaking people with the right homes and an instinct for predicting up and coming neighborhoods.
Also, we are experts at market analysis ensuring good value for our buyers and top dollar for our sellers.
Through the Compass platform, we have a plethora of great programs available including financing and concierge services. to provide upfront, no-fee financing concierge services including repairs, staging and styling. We have expertise in creative staging, styling, and cutting-edge marketing. At Compass, we have a strong local, national and global reach getting maximum exposure for our listings.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
We are lucky to have opposite skill sets- right and left brains. In our case, two heads are definitely better than one. Lori comes from a nursing background and is thorough and tenacious about every last detail ensuring a smooth and successful transaction. She is also compassionate, caretaking, and patient with the emotional rollercoaster that can be triggered when dealing with one’s trust and security. This has been more important than ever in Covid times when ”home” means more than ever and people’s needs have changed dramatically.
Marcy is creative and has an extensive background in art and design. She is an intuitive and visionary, seeing the potential in a space and a neighborhood. She participated in amateur boxing and is not intimidated by competition. This seamless blending of talents sets us apart from others. We have a passion for both charming historic homes and tasteful new architecture. In a vast sea of vanilla box construction and generic trend-driven ordinary renovations, we can find you the hidden treasures. With Marcy’s eye and Lori’s business sensibility, we are often tasked with preparing homes to look their best when they hit the market. It’s amazing what can be done on a miniscule budget. We are able to accomplish the same results as pricey staging at a fraction of the cost. Through Compass we offer upfront, no-fee financing for repairs, upgrades, staging, and styling.
Both of us are highly skilled negotiators getting the price and terms for our buyers and sellers. We have a proven track record of success spanning two decades with a longstanding reputation for honesty and transparency.
Contact Info:
- Email: gimmeshelter@compass.com
- Website: www.gimmesheltermiami.com
- Instagram: @gimmesheltermiami
- Facebook: Gimme Shelter Miami
Image Credits
Sonya Revell Mary Beth Koeth Tanya Diaz
