Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Riso.
Hi Melissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always been an entrepreneur. I was a cosmetologist and owned my men’s hair product line for years. As well as an actress and model for 15 years. I’ve been in commercials, short films, music videos, and TV shows and did modeling for skin care lines and bikini companies. When Covid hit, I wanted to become a med spa nurse, so I started school and got my Associate in Science.
That took up so much of my time in school, and it was quite the challenge since I haven’t been In school for 15 years, but I managed to make the dean’s list every quarter for my grades. I got married in 2022, and my husband wanted to make a move to Miami, Florida, to flip homes since he is a general contractor. I decided to join his path in the real estate world because the nursing school gave me zero freedom, and I had multiple jobs I was still running. So, we made the brave move across the country and came to Florida. Now, we are living in beautiful Miami, Florida.
I am a Realtor and flipping homes out here. I love my job! I love helping people sell their homes and get the best price as quickly as possible. I also love finding people the perfect home for new memories or as an investment property. Flipping homes here is a lot of work, but I love the challenges it brings. Also, doing the interior decorating is the best part. Picking out floors, wall colors, and kitchen countertops brings out my artistic side. I love showing my clients and fans the before and after photos of my flips! This new adventure in Miami is nothing but a positive move!
I want to connect with people here and sell houses! This is my passion, which I finally discovered at age 37. After all these years of different jobs, I know I am a social butterfly and I needed to spread my wings in Real Estate!
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?
It has been a challenging road for me. I had to work extra hard to get people to take me seriously. I ran into fans contacting me, pretending they wanted to use me as their realtor, then in reality, just trying to ask me on a date. I had the challenge of moving to a city where I didn’t know anyone or around the city yet, to get leads for real estate. I also struggled with not knowing Spanish, which is a popular language in Miami. So I dealt with a lot of challenges, but never gave up!
I accepted the obstacles that this new career and life were giving me. I wanted to prove myself wrong and others. Another challenge I dealt with was, waiting on permits to renovate our flips. The city takes a very long time to have permits go through and for my husband to get his GC license transferred from California to Miami. I feel that has been the toughest challenge of them all.
Because there is nothing we can do about it, but wait. I just pray every day, that things will come through and keep a positive mindset.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Keller Williams Eagle Realty?
I am a Realtor at Keller Williams Eagle Realty. I specialize in flipping homes. My husband and I are a team. I find the properties and do the interior design. He’s a general contractor and does all the demos and building. He pulls all the permits and works extremely fast! We are a great team. In my professional real estate world, I help people find homes. I listen to their wants and needs in a property. I am not your typical realtor who will show them anything to make a fast sale.
I like to build relationships with my clients and trust them. Suppose a client is trying to sell their home. I am a beast at advertising, marketing, and doing open houses that will be fun and appealing to buyers. I also get my client’s houses sold for the best price and as fast as possible. I put in the hard work as a realtor so my clients feel good about paying me a commission.
I want my clients to be 100% satisfied, and communication is key to me. I put my client’s wants and needs before my own, and I think that is what sets me apart from other agents.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
One thing I love about my city is all the restaurants and the warm ocean! When I lived in Los Angeles the beaches were dirty, and the water was cold. Here in Miami, it is a vibe. There is culture, great music, amazing food, and the people are nice.
I would say the one thing I dislike about the city, is the traffic. But, that is in any big city, so I can’t complain. I thought LA was bad, but Miami is the same in the traffic. The cops are so nice here, compared to LA, so that is another plus!
Contact Info:
- Website: MelissaRiso.KW.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtormelissariso/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealtorMelissaRiso/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missriso/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealMelissaRiso
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealtorMelissaRiso/featured
Image Credits
Adam Hyatt, Juliette Porter, Oriana Higuera, Melissa Riso, and Kevin Dinh
