Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Alvarez.
Hi Luis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey in real estate and construction actually started in the most unexpected place, a taco restaurant during Covid. I was sitting at the bar at Baja Cafe when I overheard a man talking about Jacksonville, Florida. What caught my attention wasn’t the city itself, but how he described the real estate market there: affordable purchase prices, strong rents, and opportunities for growth. I struck up a conversation, and what started as a night out grabbing tacos turned into hours of learning. Over the next few weeks, curiosity turned into research, and research turned into action. I bought my first house in Jacksonville. I remember that day vividly because it was the true beginning of everything that followed. Within 6–8 months, we had partnered on three houses. On paper, the model looked great. In reality, I quickly learned a lesson that has shaped my entire career: the difference between the office and the field is massive. Spreadsheets promise perfection; the field rarely delivers it. Tenants were difficult, margins were thin, and the numbers didn’t stretch as far as they did in theory. During that time in Jacksonville, I would drive past a massive 400-unit development near my properties. Instantly, I was transported back to that bar at Baja, real estate, scale, possibility. That project lit a fire in me. I thought: this is what I want to do. Build communities. Build something that impacts many people at once, under one vision. One hundred scattered houses seemed chaotic; one cohesive community felt purposeful. Then reality hit, I was about fifty million dollars short. So, I kept working my small portfolio and drove back and forth between Boca and Jacksonville, sometimes waking up at dawn to make the four-hour drive, working all day, then driving home at night. Tired nights, long days, but the dream never wavered. Not long after, opportunity found me. A local developer in Boca approached me to run one of their sites. Ironically, he turned out to be the son of the developer behind that same 400-unit project in Jacksonville, the one that inspired me in the first place. Except now the opportunity was right in my backyard. I accepted immediately. I showed up to a grass field and was told, ‘We need 19 units here in the next 16 months.’ Armed with a Rolodex, a checkbook, and a credit card, I gave everything I had. We hit every timeline and every benchmark, and I began making a name for myself. We completed the 19 units, then 19 more. And once again, I discovered something important: multi-family wasn’t my passion. I didn’t enjoy speed-building. I didn’t enjoy the pressure to cut corners or strip away quality for the sake of margins. My name is attached to everything I build. I want pride, not a hope that no one notices the flaws. So after 38 units, I stepped away and went back on my own. By the time I was running my second large development, I realized where the real money was being made, the dirt work. So, I saved up, bought a dump truck, and called my dad. He asked if I was sure I could afford it or even pull it off. I told him honestly: ‘I have no idea. But it feels right, and I have the dream.’ Anyone who knows me knows that once I lock onto something, distractions don’t exist. We bought the truck. We built the company. And we grew from an idea in my apartment bedroom to, five years later, sitting in our own office in Boca Raton, with five company trucks, multiple trailers, and more equipment than we can count. And somehow, I feel just as excited as I did on day one. This past year was the first year I truly felt us finding our stride. We’re developing our first spec house, over 4,000 square feet, an entertainer’s dream, just a mile from the ocean in Boynton Beach. We’re flipping properties again. We’re partnering with incredible people I couldn’t have even imagined collaborating with back in the early days. Today, between our core team and subcontractors, we can have 20 to 30 people working across our projects on any given day. And every time I see that, I think back to that night at Baja Cafe, the kid sitting at a bar, eating tacos in Deerfield, overhearing a conversation that changed the entire trajectory of his life. I never would have imagined what Soflo would become. But it’s a story of hard work, dedication, persistence, and building a team of people who share a common goal. And it’s still just the beginning
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?
People see the business today, our office in Boca Raton, the trucks lined up, the active projects, and the team moving with purpose—and they assume the path was clean and linear. The truth is, it was anything but. The road from that night at Baja Cafe to leading Soflo Construction has been one long test of resilience, sacrifice, and determination. And many of the hardest chapters aren’t the ones people see. In the early years, money was always tight. I ran out more than once. I took loans, borrowed money where I could, and stretched every dollar until it nearly tore. There were nights where the pressure felt overwhelming, trying to figure out payroll, fuel, insurance, truck repairs, all while pushing ahead on jobs that we needed simply to survive.
That level of obsession came with personal cost. I lost friends. I strained relationships with family. People saw the hours, the pace, the intensity, and thought I was crazy. Truthfully, maybe I was. But when you have a dream that big, you either give it everything or you don’t bother at all. Then came one of the toughest blows we’d ever faced: we totaled our dump truck. That truck wasn’t just a vehicle, it was the backbone of our operation, the catalyst for our growth. Losing it led to a 19-month lawsuit that drained six figures in legal fees while I was still making the truck payments. Every month felt like a setback wrapped in another setback. I’d be sitting with lawyers in the morning and pretending everything was fine on job sites in the afternoon. It was survival mode, plain and simple. Even when things were going ‘right,’ growth came with its own struggles. New employees meant new challenges, trying to keep quality high, trying to instill the same standards I held myself to, and trying to make sure every new person understood the vision. Building a team wasn’t just operational, it was emotional. People came and went. Some couldn’t handle the pace or the expectations. And every time we expanded, I had to learn how to be a better leader, not just a better builder. But one of the most unexpected and painful challenges came in our third year. Our accountant, who had been with us from the early days, passed away suddenly. It wasn’t just heartbreaking on a personal level; it shook the foundation of our operations. We found ourselves in a maze of incomplete filings, missing documents, and financial blind spots we didn’t even know existed. Onboarding a new accountant felt like rewiring the entire business. It meant going backward before we could go forward, digging through years of records, reconstructing our books, and trying to understand the full picture of where we stood. Growth came to a halt for nearly a year. Not because we didn’t want to push forward, but because we had to stabilize the foundation before building anything else on top of it. That period taught me patience and discipline in ways I’d never experienced. It forced us to become sharper, cleaner, and more organized than ever before. And ultimately, it set us up for stronger growth later on. There were seasons where the phone didn’t ring, where we questioned if our momentum had run out. There were times when I had to take whatever job I could just to keep the wheels turning. There were days where the weight of being responsible for other people’s livelihoods made it hard to breathe. But every challenge, financial, legal, operational, emotional, added another layer of grit and clarity. Today, when I walk into our office or see 20–30 people working across our jobs, I don’t just see success. I see the cost of the journey. I see resilience forged through hardship. I see a team built not just through hiring, but through surviving storms together. And I see a dream that refused to die, even when it felt like everything around it was falling apart. This isn’t just a business story. It’s a story of obsession, sacrifice, and persistence. Of betting on yourself when the numbers don’t add up. Of rebuilding when life hits you from angles you never saw coming. And for that kid sitting at the bar eating tacos during Covid, listening to a stranger talk about real estate, not even he could have imagined what Soflo would eventually become. And the best part is, we’re still just getting started.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Soflo Construction Group ?
Soflo Construction Group is a premium, family owned home builder and renovation company built on grit, craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to integrity. Rooted in Boca Raton and serving South Florida, we are driven by the belief that the best projects aren’t just built, they’re earned through honesty, reliability, and an obsessive attention to detail. Our story didn’t start with investors or a corporate plan. It started with a dream, a dump truck, countless long nights, and the kind of determination that survives setbacks, lawsuits, financial obstacles, and personal sacrifice. Everything we are today was shaped in the field, not on paper.
What We Specialize In
We bring premium quality and tight execution to every project, with core specialties in:
Custom & Luxury Home Building
High-end, ground-up construction with a focus on craftsmanship, precision, and one-of-a-kind design.
Major Renovations & Transformations
Complete structural and aesthetic overhauls that turn outdated spaces into modern, refined homes.
Residential Development & Spec Projects
High-value investment properties built with efficiency, quality, and strong resale in mind.
Site Work & Structural Preparation
The backbone of construction—grading, dirt work, and foundational prep—performed with the same care as the final finishing details.
We combine the sophistication of a premium builder with the hands-on capability of a sitework and infrastructure team—something few companies can say.
Who We Are
Soflo is built on a core philosophy:
Do it right, or don’t do it at all.
We don’t cut corners.
We don’t sacrifice quality for speed.
And we don’t hide behind fine print.
Clients value us because we are:
Honest – We tell the truth, even when it’s not what someone wants to hear.
Reliable – We show up, we follow through, and we take responsibility.
Detail-Obsessed – Fit and finish matter. Craftsmanship matters. Pride matters.
Family-Owned – We treat our clients, partners, and employees like family.
Hands-On – Our leadership is in the field, not just in the office.
Soflo was built not from convenience, but from adversity—and that foundation shows in the way we operate every day.
What We’re Proud Of
Building a company from nothing—through personal sacrifice, hard lessons, and relentless hard work.
Creating projects that feel premium, because they are built with pride, not shortcuts.
Maintaining boutique-level craftsmanship while growing into a multi-crew operation.
Developing our first 4,000+ sq ft luxury spec home in Boynton Beach—proof that grit and vision can scale.
Earning trust across South Florida one project at a time.
Most of all, we’re proud of our reputation:
A builder whose handshake still means something.
Our goal is simple:
To become South Florida’s most trusted premium home builder, known for honesty, quality, and building the kinds of homes people fall in love with.
We aim to continue expanding thoughtfully—growing our team, refining our systems, and taking on projects that challenge us, inspire us, and push the boundaries of craftsmanship.
The Promise of Soflo
At Soflo Construction Group, we build more than houses—we build relationships, trust, and long-term value.
Every project is personal.
Every detail matters.
And every client becomes part of the story.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My Best Advice for Finding a Mentor and Building a Real Network When people ask how I built my network, and how I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with successful mentors, developers, and business owners, my answer is always the same:
It’s easier than people think, and harder than they’re willing to do. Most people make the same mistake: They lead with selling.
Everyone is pitching something. Everyone wants something. And people with money or experience get sold all day long. The fastest way to blend in with the noise is to try to “sell” your value. Here are the principles that changed everything for me:
1. Be their friend, not their salesperson.
It sounds simple, but it’s rare. Approach people like human beings, because that’s exactly what they are.
The people you’re trying to meet aren’t just checkbooks or opportunities. They have families, stress, insecurities, good days, bad days. Treat them like a friend first. Build trust. Be genuine. Don’t force conversations about business. Don’t ask for favors immediately. When you show up as a real person, not a pitch, you stand out instantly.
2. Make them laugh. Be the person they want to call. One of the biggest advantages you can have in life is being the person who brings good energy. Be the one who jokes around. Be the one who lightens the mood. Be the one who can make someone laugh even after the worst day. Most successful people don’t need more business advice, they need someone they can relax around. Someone who talks to them like a buddy, not a client. Someone who isn’t afraid to be themselves.
When you become part of their “escape,” you become part of their circle.
3. Once you’re friends, they will help you, because they want to. When you earn genuine respect and friendship, everything changes. Real mentors don’t help because you ask, they help because they care.
They want to see their people win. In many cases, they’ll support you harder than the friends and family you thought would always have your back. When someone believes in you, doors open you didn’t even know existed.
4. Don’t be afraid to fail. You will. And that’s the cost of growth. You’re going to make mistakes. You’ll run out of money.
You’ll question yourself. You’ll take risks that feel heavy. Unless you’re sitting on a $100M trust fund (and hey, if you are, congrats!), fear comes with the territory. But the people who win are the ones who keep moving forward. Embrace the suck. Build your team. Surround yourself with people who share the same vision and goals. When you have people pulling in the same direction, momentum becomes your greatest asset.
5. Give value freely. No expectations. No invoice. This is the secret that nobody talks about. If someone in your network has a question about a contractor, needs advice on a construction issue, wants a second opinion, or needs help navigating a situation, just help them. For free.
No pitch.
No pressure.
No “next steps.”
People remember the person who shows up when there’s nothing to gain. That’s how trust is built. That’s how opportunities are created. One day, without warning, your chance will come.
It happened to me.
The takeaway
Everyone is selling.
Everyone is chasing.
If you want to stand out, stop selling and start connecting.
Be real. Be helpful. Be memorable.
Build a team that believes in the same mission.
And keep going, especially when it gets hard.
Because in the long run, relationships—not pitches—create opportunity.
Pricing:
- Maintenance minimum- $750
- Rennovation minimum- $10,000
- New Construction starting at- $200 ppsqft
- 100% financing available @ 0%
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soflogroup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofloconstructiongroup
Image Credits
Credit to Soflo Construction, Sonder Visual Studios
