Today we’d like to introduce you to Ignacio Villanueva.
Hi Ignacio, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I moved to Miami from NYC in 2014, where I had a 9-year corporate career in Marketing and Advertising. My move to Miami was initiated by a home my wife and I purchased on a whim, while on vacation in mid 2013. We knew Miami was in the cards for us in the not-so-distant future and with the residential real estate market quickly picking up after the recession of 2008, we decided to buy while it was still depreciated.
The home we bought was a historic house in Morningside that we feel in love with as soon as we set foot in it. In tandem with the home, we also purchased several small condos in the area as investment property. At the time, while I still had my corporate job, my then employer (American Express) was going through a big restructuring and I fear I could be laid-off I wanted a plan B and knew that real estate was it so the idea for income-producing properties seemed like a fitting start. Fortunately, I didn’t get laid-off but rather got promoted to a new role that had me overseeing all Brand Marketing efforts for Amex in all Latin America. And with LatAm headquarters based out of Miami, I managed to negotiate a move to the Miami office while keeping my NYC job.
Upon arriving in Miami the first thing I did was get my Real Estate license as I had plans to sell all the income property we had bought the year before and kick-off a house-flipping side business. Word got out of my projects within my network and quite organically I started getting calls from friends to become their realtor. People wanted my investor eye and experience when looking at homes to identify potential, value and what can’t be done to a house. Eventually the realty part of the business snowballed into a very healthy business, where I am today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, not by any means. Real Estate is something that I love. I’m also a very social and curious, two qualities that I believe are crucial for this business so the trade itself comes natural to me. However, in Miami the competition is fierce and this is a business where the main working “capital” is knowledge and time so you need to make sure how and with whom you invest it.
People also tend to downplay the role and value agents bring to the table. Quite often we’re perceived as nothing more than glorified appointment makers and that we earn a commission by simply opening a door, which is really not the case. It’s also common for people take the business lightly or as a “fun hobby” so they call you with a “serious” interest to buy a home and after several months spent looking, educating and advising they either chose to not buy or, even worse, call one day saying they found a home through Zillow and made the deal directly with the listing agent so they could discount the commission from the purchase price.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a residential Real Estate agent. Unlike most realtors, I’ve decided to not hyper-focus on a small area or niche but rather cast wider net: high-end properties all throughout East Miami Dade. The best thing I can offer my clients is my knowledge and experience. I know Miami from Aventura to Pinecrest, which allows me to paint a picture of value for my clients, give them perspective of what their money buys and what alternative areas could fit their budget and lifestyle if they find themselves either priced-out of their main area of choice. I work with 50/50 with buyers and sellers to see both sides of the transaction but also to understand both sides of the deal, which allows me to better advise my clients as I know what the other side might be thinking, looking for or going through in the process.
My professional and educational background has also given me a great set-up. I graduated law school, which taught me to not only think in a very specific and strategic way and allows me to structure deals in creative ways when it’s required. I also have 10 years of marketing and advertising experience and a graduate degree of Marketing Communication from NYU, which has come in handy when it comes to selling and marketing listings.
What am I proud of?
What am I proud of? My track record and my growth. My clients have been my biggest source of leads and referrals. I’m also proud to say that ALL my flip and development projects have been profitable and that’s I’ve been able to get “in” to certain areas that have quickly gentrified and evaluated before they boomed. I feel these last two factors can show my clients that I know my trade.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The biggest value I like to add to my clients is helping them make smart real estate decisions. When working with buyers my main goal is to help them find a home they look forward to going to after long day of work, where they feel comfortable and secure. And when it comes to my sellers is having a my finger on the pulse to make sure they get the best possible deal for their home considering their reality. I’ve been one to tell people not to sell because is not the time or to hold off for a better offer even while the one in front would allow me to close the deal faster and move on to the next.
Pricing:
- Average Sales Price in 2021 was $2.3M
Contact Info:
- Email: ignacio@compass.com
- Website: browsing4housing.miami
- Instagram: @Browsing4Housing
Image Credits
Anabella Padula Libertad Rodriguez – PHL Architectural Images Preschel BAssan Architecture Studio
