Today we’d like to introduce you to John Perez.
Hi John, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Originally from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I grew up watching the residential construction rush of the tourist town in the ’80s and ’90s, while maintaining a deep connection to nature. Both of my parents are artistic people, and we were a multicultural household where we were encouraged to pursue our passions.
While attending University of Miami School of Architecture, I started an internship with a prominent local Architect, Luis Revuelta, which designs high rises. I was fascinated working on buildings that were 50, 60 stories tall, and all of the considerations that went into planning a building of this complexity. I worked at his firm for over a year after graduation and then went to work for one of the Developers for which we had designed one of the high rises. This provided field experience and gave me an understanding of the logistics and forces, both financial and cultural, behind the construction of a large-scale structure.
I later worked on Hotel Design and Construction for a Hotel Developer on Miami Beach, which showed me a different side of the business, the hospitality and lodging sides, which is similar to Residential but has its own considerations.
Now I am focused on residential Real Estate Development with my business partner. We design, build and sell high-end duplexes and single-family homes in South Florida.
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?
There have been some challenges, but I consider myself an optimist, so they’ve just been stepping stones along the way to get to where I am. One of the hardest lessons to learn is to be patient, and learn that you can’t short-circuit the process, especially in the development process of becoming an Architect. Working hard can accelerate the speed at which you develop, but it’s a process that in my experience you just can’t shortcut your way through.
All the years that were dedicated early on to the different sides of the business are now very helpful in navigating the world of Real Estate, from understanding Zoning, all the way through financing and the legal side of Development.
And truth is, it’s so much fun to do what I do, that it doesn’t feel like a struggle at all.
We’ve been impressed with PRZ Design + Build, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a Design + Construction + Real Estate Development firm, and we are small by design, so we can be personally involved in the details of our projects. We specialize in single-family and twin-townhome development, and we design in a Tropical Modern style, embracing clean lines, yet providing a connection with nature through landscaping.
We are proud of our ability to take what we have learned through designing high-rises, hotels, and luxury homes, and distill it into a product that captures the best parts of each element. A home that has some playfulness to it in the way a hotel often provides, and incorporating some of the luxury elements that are only seen in some high-end homes that we’ve worked on.
Another point of pride is the fact that we design everything in-house, from the selection of the faucets to the landscape design of the exterior. Everything is carefully considered and chosen.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
I am a medium risk taker, I believe, and I am working on becoming more comfortable taking higher risks. That’s the only way to create something unique and worthwhile. The truth is, risk is everywhere, whether one acknowledges it or not. The key is facing it, evaluating it, and moving through it.
Opening the firm was a risk for me since it meant I wouldn’t have a “stable” job, and I would have to drum up my own business. These real challenges make you very aware of your resources, and train you how to best use them. You try and test, evaluate, and keep what has worked and hopefully have the insight to discard what doesn’t work.
Every time we take on a new scope in our projects, we take a risk. For example, deciding to go into Real Estate Development is a risk. One has to pass on traditional design and construction projects which can produce cash flow in order to pursue a possible greater return once the development project is completed. There is a risk that what we are offering into the market may not be what the market is looking for. We strongly believe in our product, but there is always a risk.
I think anyone that is aiming to achieve something big needs to feel comfortable taking risks. That doesn’t mean being reckless… evaluate, analyze, think about it, then GO FOR IT!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.przdesignbuild.com
- Instagram: @przdesignbuild
Image Credits
Desiree Prieto
Artistic Desire Studio 8
Andres Restrepo
Ruptiva Arquitectura
