The Light Group Is Once Again Honored With Douglas Elliman’s Pinnacle Award At The 2024 Ellie’s Posted on March 15, 2024March 16, 2024 by Sarah Elles Boggs After a whirlwind of a year in Miami’s exciting real estate world, we are very honored to have been recognized at Douglas Elliman for our performance in 2023. Each spring, the company tallies up the sales figures using several different metrics in order to see which agents and teams are performing at their peak. For the second year in a row, The Light Group has taken home an Ellie for the Pinnacle Award, meaning that we have transacted in the top 3% of all Douglas Elliman agents nationwide. This metric includes offices in markets such as New York, California, Texas, Colorado and of course Florida. Being honored at this level is quite a feat as there are over 7,000 agents in 113 offices all vying for the prize. The Metrics Given that we service several different types of transactions, there were three main metrics that contributed to our status as a Pinnacle Team. GCI (gross commission income) is a value that reflects the volume of closings we have facilitated over the last year, which is different than the number of transactions. The Light Group was honored for our GCI in both rental and sale transactions as well as for the number of rental transactions we facilitated during 2023. We are doubly proud to have orchestrated the systems needed in order to facilitate so many types of transactions. Whether helping our clients to list properties, find a location for a purchase, finding a tenant for a rental investment or finding a rental property for a tenant, we are well-equipped to help with transactions of all sizes. Quality of service is something that we regard with the highest importance, we are diligent in assisting as many new and existing Miamians as possible. The Light Group Team Naturally, none of this could have been possible without the dedication of our carefully-formulated team. Each member of The Light Group Team at Douglas Elliman has been chosen for a purpose and embraces their position proudly. Clients of The Light Group do not experience agents who simply show up to open a door and sign a contract. Miami real estate is more than just showings and closings, rather it is curating the lifestyle our clients have in mind. We utilize our ever-evolving knowledge of the local markets, neighborhood characteristics and sweet spots of opportunity together with our finely-tuned systems and processes, negotiation prowess and communication skills to usher our clients in or out of their properties seamlessly. Looking Ahead While naysayers are always whispering in the wings, Miami’s luxury real estate market is showing no signs of slowing down. The limit on luxury continues to be pushed upward and sales have been so brisk that we are relying more and more upon our insider contacts to be the first brokers with offerings such as The Four Seasons Private Residences in Coconut Grove and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key. On Miami Beach, new developments are experiencing similar demand with quiet sales offerings at The Ritz Carlton South Beach and The Shore Club Private Residences. Many people have the misconception that working in real estate is easier when the market flourishes in the way that Miami has over recent years. Nothing could be farther from the truth. When the real estate market is booming, it becomes even more competitive and strong relationships are necessary in order to compete for the needs of our valued clients. We are very eager to see how the luxury and ultra-luxury markets continue to evolve over the coming years. If you have considered making a move or an investment, we would be honored to work with you as well. Please contact Michael Light, Broker and Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman in order to go over your Miami area real estate goals and needs. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Cara King | The Light Group at Douglas Elliman Welcomes Seasoned Real Estate Advisor Posted on February 8, 2024 by Michael Light Michael and Jaimee Light of The Light Group at Douglas Elliman are pleased to announce the expansion of their team in the South Florida real estate market adding seasoned real estate advisor, Cara King. Cara King is a consummate professional with 20 years of residential experience as a trusted real estate advisor and interior designer. Her sophisticated style, attention to detail and integrity is what sets Cara apart from others in the industry. With a focus on high-end properties, Cara has successfully represented clients in the sales and acquisitions of some of the most prestigious estates in the Midwest. Growing up in Kentucky, Cara built an extensive network that she leveraged to connect exclusive properties to the perfect buyer. Her clientele appreciated her discreet yet prompt attention that often led to successful off-market transactions, while also keeping them informed of private offerings. Following the graduation of her two children from college, she embraced a new chapter, seeking a fresh challenge by utilizing her extensive connections in the Miami area. Here, she infuses her Midwestern work ethic, strong negotiation skills and wealth of design expertise to offer a unique perspective to the dynamic South Florida market. What sets Cara apart from other real estate professionals is that she focuses on providing her clients, in both Florida and Kentucky markets, with a bespoke experience, elevating the standard of luxury living. Beyond the world of real estate, you will likely find Cara on the pickleball courts or spending time with her children, who inspire her daily to create not just dream homes but a dream life. If you are interested in connecting with Cara, you may reach her directly on her cell at 502.418.2882 or via email at cara@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
The Light Group Honored By RealTrends + Tom Ferry On 2023 List Of America’s Best Real Estate Professionals Posted on June 27, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs Each year, RealTrends + Tom Ferry ranks the top real estate professionals from across America in their Best Real Estate Professionals list. This year, I am very proud to announce that The Light Group has been recognized among the best. RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand is an annual program presented by RealTrends, in an effort to rank the best real estate agents and brokers in the country. The list has become a trusted source to identify the best professionals from the 1.6 million licensed Realtors and brokers in the United States. Those who are recognized represent the top 0.065% of licensed professionals in the market, so it is quite an honor. In order to qualify, RealTrends tallies up the volume of sales from both buyer and seller sides along with the number of transactions. This year’s total tally (based upon 2022 data) came to 233,330 transaction sides with a total sales volume of $169 billion. Current market conditions are taken into consideration and the analysts found that a lower percentage of agents qualified in 2023 than 2022 for both the number of transactions as well as the total sales volume figures. Aside from honoring real estate professionals, these rankings demonstrate an actual indicator of the state of the market versus what the news media may report. This year, we are seeing that while the number of transactions has fallen, sales volume has remained high. This is a clear indicator that inventory is still low and prices are still high. I am so thrilled to have been included in the 2023 RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand. This accomplishment and honor would not be possible without the support and trust of my amazing clients or the amazing team that supports me. If you are thinking of buying or selling, I am here to help and guide you every step of the way using discretion, efficiency, clear guidance and support.
Buying Or Selling Property Abroad? We Can Help Via The Douglas Elliman | Knight Frank Global Connection Posted on May 25, 2023May 27, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs Naturally, we spend an immense amount of time obsessing over Miami and Miami Beach and all that these communities offer, but today we wanted to take a moment and recognize that there are glamorous and enriched markets all over the globe. This sentiment was brought on as I was scrolling through the happenings this weekend in the South of France. What a weekend they are prepared for! This is the closing weekend for the Cannes Film Festival 2023, where movie stars and film executives offer previews of their upcoming works and fashion designers flaunt their talent by dressing these stars for their premieres. While this is happening in Cannes, just an hour drive to the north (or a short helicopter ride away), the Monaco Grand Prix is preparing to race through what is Memorial Day Weekend in the United States. The global elite is congregated in this small area, which reminds us of the unique offering that Douglas Elliman is able to embrace through our partnership with Knight Frank Residential. Douglas Elliman Knight Frank Global Connection Offices 2023 Each year, Knight Frank and Douglas Elliman team up to bring the annual Wealth Report, which utilizes sales figures and demographic information to report where and how the global elite are investing their wealth. This is an incredibly powerful tool both for the agents of each company but also for investors who are looking to profit from sweet spots in various markets. The 2023 Wealth Reports can be found here, free of charge. While the reports are invaluable to all who utilize them, the partnership between the two real estate powerhouse companies goes a step further. There are a select few brokers who have been invited to be a part of the Douglas Elliman | Knight Frank Global Connection. We are proud to be in this group of brokers again for 2023. What this means for you is that we are able to assist you in your real estate decisions across the globe, wherever Knight Frank or Douglas Elliman has a presence. If you have aspired to own a villa in Lake Como, we are a phone call away. Using our partnership with Knight Frank, we are able to pair you up with a select power broker in Lake Como who will be able to offer the same insider service that we are able to offer in South Florida. Being a Global Connect broker also benefits our local clients. Those who list with The Light Group receive additional marketing and advertising through the Douglas Elliman | Knight Frank networks and publications, putting your property in the spotlight among the global elite. When Knight Frank brokers from abroad have a client whose interest has been piqued on the Miami area, we are among a select few local brokers who receive the phone call, particularly in the Coconut Grove and Downtown Miami/Brickell areas. It is an honor and a service that we are very proud to maintain. If you are interested in learning about real estate markets abroad, please contact Broker Michael Light. Michael is the Senior Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, a member of the exclusive Sports & Entertainment Division at Douglas Elliman and a Global Agent for Knight Frank Residential. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com. Photo Credit: Julien Lanoy via Unsplash
The Light Group Is Honored With Pinnacle Award At 2023 Ellies Posted on March 22, 2023March 25, 2023 by Sarah Elles Boggs What a year it has been! We are extremely honored to be recognized at Douglas Elliman for our performance over the last year, taking home an Ellie for the Pinnacle Award. This means that our services allowed more people to receive new sets of keys this year than nearly any other team in the company. Recipients of the Pinnacle Award have transacted in the top 3% of all Douglas Elliman agents nationwide. This includes markets such as New York, Miami/Palm Beach, Aspen, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston. With over 6,500 agents under the Elliman umbrella, this is quite a feat and we are very proud to have helped so many with their real estate needs. How Was This Honor Earned? The three specific areas of business that were recognized were our rental transactions, GCI (gross commission income) and sales volume. Rentals are a very important part of Miami real estate since many people rent prior to deciding which neighborhood or building to settle into on a more long-term basis. The volume and commission awards recognize that The Light Group is well-equipped to help with transactions of all sizes, and our commitment to doing as much of that as possible without sacrificing quality of service. Quality of service is something very dear to our hearts and we are purposely fortunate to have so many happy clients. None of this honor could have been possible without the dedication and persistence of our team. Everyone in The Light Group embraces their position proudly and is eager to serve, including not just showing real estate and closing deals, but also making sure the paperwork is buttoned up, inspections and repairs are as seamless as possible for our clients, our marketing team that communicates to the world how much we love where we live and what we do, and of course the fearless negotiations. We really do have a dream team and are very excited to see what this new year will bring. With new and exciting changes coming to the marketplace in 2023 including new buildings rising all around us, we are also honored to have created neighbors in some of the most prime locations in South Florida. We have been fortunate enough to work in historical buildings, trophy homes, Coconut Grove luxury buildings such as Park Grove, waterfront new construction residences such as Elysee in Edgewater as well as buildings that are set to be delivered in years to come such as The Perigon Unit 1206. Moving Forward Together This new year has already brought many opportunities to continue bringing success to our clients’ goals. We are very eager to see what else is to come as Miami continues to evolve and welcome new neighbors. If you have considered making a move and are looking for a real estate team to assist in reaching your goals, we would be honored to work with you as well. Please contact Michael Light, Broker and Executive Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman in order to go over your Miami area real estate goals and desires. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
MiamiLuxuryHomes.com Wins Best Website Posted on November 7, 2022 by Michael Light Michael and Jaimee Light, owners and operators of MiamiLuxuryHomes.com and recently launched MiamiCondos.com, are extremely proud to announce that MiamiLuxuryHomes.com has been named “Best Agent Website” by South Florida Agent Magazine in their annual Agents’ Choice Awards. Each year South Florida Agent Magazine holds its Agents’ Choice Awards to honor the very best of South Florida area real estate and those who make a serious impression on the real estate community. Among Best Agent Website, you will find winners in categories of Managing Broker of the Year, Loan Officer of The Year, Rookie of The Year, Developer of the Year and more. We would like to say THANK YOU to all of our clients and readers for helping us become the best real estate website in South Florida! We would also like to congratulate all of this year’s award winners! About The Light Group With over one million unique visitors per year, MiamiLuxuryHomes.com is South Florida’s premier website for luxury real estate. It is owned and operated by the Light Group, a top-producing team with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Michael and Jaimee Light, a dynamic husband and wife duo, lead the Light Group. Michael is the executive director of luxury sales at Douglas Elliman and, prior to forming the Light Group, enjoyed a lucrative career in real estate finance and development. Both he and Jaimee pride themselves on being truly knowledgeable about the real estate market in South Florida. The Light Group serves clients throughout South Florida’s prime residential areas, including Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Downtown Miami, Brickell, Miami Beach, South Beach, South of Fifth, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, Golden Beach and Fort Lauderdale. In addition to real estate, the Light Group strongly believes in giving back to the community and many team members of the Light Group volunteer and/or sponsor various local and international philanthropic organizations.
Celebrating a Banner Year for Douglas Elliman Florida Posted on April 7, 2022 by Michael Light We are thrilled to announce that Douglas Elliman Florida has achieved another record-breaking year, closing 2021 with $14.6 Billion in total sales volume – more than doubling our previous record set in 2020, with over 7,259 total transactions and closing $40 Million in daily sales! In such a competitive Florida real estate market, our achievements speak to the dedication, expertise, knowledge and perseverance demonstrated by each of the real estate professionals within our 22 offices across Florida from Miami to Palm Beach to Ponte Vedra and everywhere in between. Douglas Elliman (Coast to Coast) Not only did Douglas Elliman have a record year in Florida, but the brokerage shattered its national sales reporting $51.2 Billion in sales last year, up from $29.1 Billion the year prior. The firm also reported an overall 32,405 transaction for 2021 – a record, up from 22,686 the year prior. Douglas Elliman is the leading luxury real estate firm from coast to coast operating in New York, The Hamptons, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, California, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas, with approximately 6,500 agents and 100 offices nationwide. The Light Group at Douglas Elliman The Light Group is also proud to announce that our small team was in the top 4% of the entire company nationwide last year! We could not have done this without the amazing support of our clients, and we want to say THANK YOU! We are so grateful for the opportunity that our clients have given us, and we will continue to work hard to help you turn what you love into where you live! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in buying or selling in Florida. You may reach Broker and Executive Director of Luxury Sales, Michael Light, directly at 786.566.1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
The Light Group at Douglas Elliman Expands | Welcomes New Team Members Posted on September 21, 2021January 11, 2022 by Michael Light Michael and Jaimee Light of The Light Group at Douglas Elliman are pleased to announce the expansion of their team adding a new Director of Operations and three new real estate advisors, who among them are fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. Meet Our New Team Members Brandon Chang is the Director of Operations for The Light Group at Douglas Elliman. Brandon is an integral member of the top-producing real estate team as he is responsible for organizing the team’s daily tasks, nurturing client relationships and creating all of the original content for the team’s social media platforms. Brandon has been working in the real estate industry for nearly five years and continues to build knowledge and insight in the business to provide our clients with the best possible service. Brandon is generally the initial contact that you will receive when reaching out to our team so that he can assure that you are assigned to the team member that best suits your needs and best serves the neighborhood that you are looking to purchase or sell in. Before starting with The Light Group at Douglas Elliman, Brandon started his real estate career as an administrative assistant at Fortune International Realty and Douglas Elliman Florida’s Coconut Grove and Coral Gable’s offices. Working as an administrative assistant at two of the country’s top brokerages allowed Brandon to hone his skills in managing salespersons, client satisfaction, time management and contract preparation. Born and raised in Miami in a Cuban family and with an Asian heritage, Brandon has spent most of his life immersed in an array of cultures and languages. Living in Miami and having visited some of the most vibrant cities in the world, Brandon appreciates the diversity in Miami and understands how to communicate with people from all over the world, which is significant because our clients hail from around the globe. Having lived in South Florida his entire life, Brandon has an extensive knowledge of the various neighborhoods throughout Miami and Miami Beach. He also loves to experience new adventures by exploring new restaurants around South Florida and can suggest the best local spots to all of our clients! Brandon is fluent in English and proficient in Spanish. If you have any questions about our team, please do not hesitate to reach out to Brandon directly at (786) 503-4550 or brandon@miamiluxuryhomes.com. A client of Michelle Padilla’s will gain an agent with a passion for industry marketing, an already well-established network of professional connections and a wealth of real estate knowledge. As a Miami native and having grown up in the City of Coral Gables, Michelle has an intricate understanding of the many neighborhoods and variables that make up the South Florida market. Staying current with the latest in industry trends is a must for a competent agent, and Michelle does this via multiple resources including reading all industry-related topics, speaking extensively with other real estate professionals as well as staying in steady contact with current buyers and sellers in the area. She believes that always being transparent with her clients, letting her reputation of integrity as an agent speak for itself and her background in marketing are special qualities that she brings to each and every client. Michelle Padilla joins The Light Group at Douglas Elliman with a deep well of family experience in real estate to draw upon, as her mother has over 20 years of experience as an agent and her father is a multi-family commercial property investor. Michelle attained a double major in Marketing and Italian Studies from Florida State University, preparing her for her eventual graduate studies in International Business. She also is multilingual, knowing both Spanish and Italian, and enjoys helping international clients find the perfect property at the ideal price. Her interests include discovering new cultures and cuisine through travel, as well as architecture and interior design. She is also passionate about her career and always makes sure she brings positivity and fun into every focal point in her life. Michelle may be contacted via email at michelle@miamiluxuryhomes.com or on her cell phone at (786) 531-1489. Michelle is Fluent in English, Spanish and Italian.