Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica S. Betancourt.
Hi Monica, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Well, I can definitely say that I never imagined, much less planned, my life as a Miami Luxury Realtor – it just happened organically. Looking back though, it’s easy to see how it evolved. Throughout my life, first, as I built a company with my husband in a totally unrelated field (refurbishing and brokering commercial jet parts!) and later volunteering for various nonprofits and serving on school and community boards – whatever my official role – I always somehow ended up as the “go to” person when someone needed help of one kind or another. And it was a broad spectrum – the right doctor for a serious illness, the perfect match of a school and a gifted or special needs child, a repairman for a nightmare home maintenance problem, the list went on and on. Whatever my friends, family, or colleagues were seeking or needing, it seemed I was able and certainly always happy to guide them to the solution.
It turned out that after a long life in Miami and just really enjoying meeting and getting to know people from all walks, I had acquired a huge network without even realizing it. I said, “I know a guy…” so many times that it became a running joke to this day with my friends and family.… “You need <insert anything>? Call Monica, she knows a guy!” Once I started taking stock, I was pretty surprised by the extent of the national and international network I’d developed through family, friends, travels, and business connections.
So when, after many years out of the business world and working in volunteer roles, I decided to try a new career, it didn’t take much research to feel the “click” with the life of a Realtor. It’s really a matchmaker’s role (though a highly complex one), and that’s what I had been doing all along anyway. Now, it would just be focused on helping people build their perfect life in the city I’ve loved and called home since 1971. It was a no-brainer, really!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Because I’m successful now, I sometimes get comments more-or-less along the lines of “you’re so lucky it’s gone so well for you.” As if it “just happened.” The idea that it might all have been a smooth road just because I’m doing well now and the “matchmaking” work of a Realtor came naturally to me is, well, let me be reserved and call the suggestion “funny.” No! It has not always been a smooth road, much less easy. It’s a tough business. It took several challenging years of working really hard and making very little money while learning the business, cultivating my personal network into a real estate network, and earning a reputation as a late-comer to the field while competing with others who have been doing this since their 20s, many even growing up in Realtor families that provided an existing reputation and business to build upon.
The competition is intense and the luxury property stakes are enormous. This is truer now more than ever, with Miami home values through the roof and homes selling the instant they hit the market. And that’s not even mentioning the off-the-charts number of homes that are selling just by word of mouth without ever even getting listed.
But years before the current real estate raging bull market, I encountered the unexpected challenges of success. After all the years of working at it, I had come into my stride and built a new successful career, finding myself a regular in the Top 1% nationwide real estate sales rankings. Before I knew it, it was way too much work (careful what you wish for?!) and I felt like I was sinking. I realized I could not do it all myself, but I also struggled with the idea of hiring people and delegating. What would I delegate? It all seemed too important to “pawn off,” as I saw it at the time. And what if the new hire didn’t do whatever task I assigned exactly how I wanted? Like most people, I have my way of doing things and letting go isn’t easy. But I was in a sink-or-swim situation and I wasn’t interested in sinking. So I set about building a team.
That was a trial-and-error experience, as well. It took some doing to learn how to distinguish between “looks great on the resume” and the real thing. After a few shuffles, I now have a team I am super happy with. We all share the same values of hard work, service, and integrity. We get along really well. Everyone is nice and joyful and supportive. It’s a wonderful experience working with them. And above all, I trust them implicitly.
It’s been a 15-year journey from studying for my real estate license to The Monica Betancourt Group being named the #1 Small Team in Home Closings at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, South Florida’s leading brokerage. Sometimes it’s been bumpy, often it’s been smooth, many times it’s been exhilarating.
It has always been interesting and rewarding.
Pricing:
- Consultations are always free. There is neither cost nor obligation to speak with me or anyone on my team to get expert insights regarding your Miami real estate options. You truly have nothing to lose by getting in touch for some valuable, actionable information. We’ll even set you up with a free, fully customized, monthly home value and real estate wealth management report.
- Buyer representation is free of charge.
- Seller representation is the industry standard of 3% of the sales price.
Contact Info:
- Email: monica@monicabetancourt.com
- Website: MonicaBetancourt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbgmiami
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbgmiami
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYChKg8z0RalsCCJu4eBqDw
