Sophia Allen, President, Miami Association of Realtors

May 2026 — Sophia Allen, president of the Miami Association of Realtors, spoke with Invest: about the resilience of South Florida’s housing market, the association’s focus on education and advocacy, and why Broward’s condo market remains a critical entry point for homeownership. “I am extremely excited for what is to come in the next couple of years because it is going to be a big change, and one for the positive,” Allen said.

What changes over the past year have most impacted the real estate market across Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach?

My market generally is in Broward County, but what happens in Miami happens in Broward eventually, so it is always important to stay on top of what is happening and the changes taking place in the market. The biggest takeaway is that, in South Florida, we are resilient, especially in our real estate market. We are seeing such positive growth. Other states cannot necessarily say the same. We have a large influx of cash buyers coming in — nearly half of our transactions are through cash buyers, especially in our luxury market.

We are also seeing a strong long-term approach when it comes to equity in our homes. Especially in Broward County, single-family homes have increased significantly since 2008. The changes and impact we are seeing are positive, and our buyers and our community are excited for it.

How would you describe the state of the Broward real estate market, and what key trends are shaping activity today?

There are three major trends that we are focusing on as an association. No. 1 is the continued growth of the market. We are seeing strong growth impacting not just domestic migration from state to state, but also international demand. We are becoming a hub for people who want to put their money somewhere they feel is safe and where they can see it grow.

Another major focus is the luxury market, especially the ultra-luxury market. Standard luxury is no longer $1 million, it starts at $3.5 million and up. We have to make sure we are providing our members with the tools to progress and to attract those buyers and clients.

The third trend we are focused on is condo transparency. Through initiatives like our condo summit, we advocate for full transparency around the buyer documents needed before purchasing a property, while equipping our members with the proper tools and information to better serve consumers as the condo market continues to grow. 

We want to help our clients and our associates stay on top of their game and create opportunities for more buyers to come in.

What are the main challenges buyers and sellers are facing, particularly around affordability, financing, and insurance?

Because I was born and raised in Broward County, Florida has always been home to me. One thing I personally advocate for is workforce housing and affordability. We are a growing market, and we have so many people wanting to live in Florida. At the same time, we are also seeing an increase in prices, and that is pushing a lot of workforce housing out of the affordability range.

That is why we also focus on the condo market, which is an entryway for workforce housing. By supporting that demand, we can ensure there is more transparency in condo documents and more financial stability in associations. Nine times out of 10, we want to make sure our members are providing this information to their clients before they even start the process, so they know what to expect and do not get discouraged.

We also pride ourselves on advocacy. Sitting on the sidelines and waiting for the media to tell us what is going on in Tallahassee or in the Senate and the House is not enough. As realtors and as an association, we make sure that we are in the forefront of advocacy, asking the hard questions and getting the hard answers. 

We are trying to come at this from every angle to make sure we are helping to keep workforce housing affordable, especially for hometown heroes. We want them to be able to afford to live where they serve. They should not have to drive an hour away just to get to work because that is where they can afford to live.

Where are you seeing the strongest demand, and how is that influencing development and investment decisions?

The strongest demand is coming toward Broward. People are moving out of Miami into Broward because there is more opportunity. We have more land available, more zoning opportunities available, and more flexibility.

People are coming into South Florida, and they are coming into Broward County in particular. Even those coming from Miami can still get the same home feeling and the same cultural feeling they would find there, but at a more affordable starting price.

That is what we want to project when we talk about what is great about Broward. It is the opportunity, especially the opportunity for homeownership.

How is the association supporting its members in navigating a more complex and data-driven market?

There is a long list of things we are doing. Our professionals, whether from Miami, the Keys, or Broward County, are on top of their game. They are making sure members have the ability to learn and be educated as soon as a notice or something new comes from Tallahassee or from a city.

We have a great staff here who make sure we have access to elected officials, that we are asking questions, and that our members have the opportunity to gain the knowledge they need in the field when they are working to realize their clients’ homeownership goals.

For example, we hosted a class with over 100 people wanting to learn more about how they could help clients navigate concerns around property insurance. The point is to show them positive solutions and how they can use their professional skills to guide clients and get them to the finish line.

What we do as an association is make sure our members have access to education. They also have the opportunity to speak directly with political officials when they have questions. We are also putting together as many summits and opportunities as possible so our members have the opportunity to grow in their business.

What are your top priorities for the association, and what opportunities do you see shaping the future of real estate in South Florida over the next three to five years?

My priority for the association is to make sure our members are taken care of. While we want to make sure we are serving clients, we also need to make sure our members are prospering in their businesses. However we are able to support that, that will always be my No. 1 priority as president and beyond.

We want to make sure our members are getting the education we talked about earlier. We also want to make sure that, as different trends take shape, we are really honing in on the condo market. That is where the opportunity is. We are seeing growth there, and that is how people get into homes. That is our workforce housing.

In Broward, we are also reaching out to communities. We are getting involved directly. We are going into our communities to do beach cleanups and clean waterways. That matters, and that is also part of what attracts new buyers to South Florida.

I am extremely excited for what is to come in the next couple of years because it is going to be a big change, and one for the positive. Not just our members, but consumers, buyers, sellers, and the economy will prosper from it.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

You can see the growth and where South Florida is heading, and the Miami Association is one of the main factors in that. We are shaping different avenues when it comes to condo transparency. In Miami, they are very much into it, and once Miami does it, Broward follows, or Broward leads the way, especially on workforce housing.