Vanessa Gomez, Partner & Broker Associate, Engel & Völkers Miami

Invest: spoke with Vanessa Gomez, partner and broker associate for Engel & Völkers Miami, about the firm’s global network, Miami’s luxury real estate market, and the evolving role of lifestyle, wellness, and technology in buyer decisions. “Our focus is more quality over quantity, both from the advisor’s perspective and the transaction’s perspective,” Gomez said.

How has Engel & Völkers’ investment in digital platforms changed the way your Miami team generates and converts leads?

The platform continues to unfold new features. We are currently transitioning into a new production portal through Engel & Völkers Americas, which recently acquired Engel & Völkers Florida. That acquisition is giving an extra push to the Engel & Völkers brand itself, and obviously to Miami.

As a licensed partner for Miami, we are expecting continued growth in this market. The platform creates opportunities for referrals throughout our network, which includes 1,100 offices in 35 countries. Many of these tools are AI-driven, and they allow us to capture organic leads from overseas and bring those opportunities to our advisors.

How do you leverage your global network for international buyers and cross-border transactions in Miami’s luxury market?

My business partner, Daniel Nold, and I acquired Engel & Völkers Miami about two years ago, and then we acquired the Coconut Grove territory as well. We are working with corporate and other licensed partners, including Mexico City, to provide access to Miami inventory and connect Miami advisors with potential buyers in other markets.

The main focus is creating consistent flows of referrals, both inbound and outbound. Miami is so international that it allows us to bring opportunities here while also feeding opportunities back into the network.

With Miami’s competitive luxury brokerage landscape, what differentiates your approach?

Engel & Völkers started in Europe, so it has that European feel, from the boutique approach to the white-glove treatment. Most importantly, it is about discretion. That is something I feel has been lost in the past few years.

There is a lot of pressure in Miami for everyone to be number one, whether it is the number one team or the number one agent. Our focus is more quality over quantity, both from the advisor’s perspective and the transaction’s perspective. We are here to create something different, a brokerage that caters to the client who wants to get the job done.

We do not just get listings; we get properties sold. For us, the focus is our clients more than the show that comes around a transaction.

How are hyper-local insights and technology influencing buyer decisions in Miami?

Consumers are getting more invested in learning about neighborhoods and communities because the world has become global and everything is available online. A lot of people are digging into their search before even reaching out to an agent.

That makes it important for us, when we receive a client or referral, to direct that client to a local expert in the community. We have a team of seasoned agents, and we want to make sure they understand what the client wants while also guiding them toward what best fits their lifestyle.

We are building Engel & Völkers Miami to be an exclusive brokerage in the service we provide. We are not looking to have 1,000 agents. We do not take new agents. We focus on seasoned agents who want to expand their network and their book of business.

How are you investing in training and tools for your advisors?

There are two phases to that. The first comes from corporate. Headquarters is in New York, and there are a lot of research tools being provided to us that we distribute to our team. Those tools give them support, knowledge, and training in areas ranging from how to handle objections to the newest CRM tools.

Then it goes into what we do locally. We try to have business meetings every two weeks, and during some of those meetings, we invite someone to discuss the latest topic. For example, right after the National Association of Realtors settlement and the NAR rule changes in 2024, we had an attorney come in to explain what those changes meant for our advisors so they could continue doing business and improving.

We are always looking for what we can bring to the office that will benefit our advisors.

How is the definition of luxury evolving, and how is that reflected in the market?

We are seeing that from developers and new developments. A lot of new projects now have a wellness component, whether it is through amenities or through some kind of membership to wellness clubs. We are seeing the evolution of pre-construction heading in that direction.

How is Miami’s density influencing the way luxury is developed and marketed?

You have the luxury aspect of the wellness component of these buildings, but also the neighborhoods. We are seeing more developers working with the city of Miami or the county to create green spaces in neighborhoods and city-within-the-city concepts.

It is not only about creating a building itself. It is about creating the lifestyle and wellness to support the community around it. In some cases, developers have reached agreements with the city where, in order to get certain parts of a project done, they have to turn a certain amount of square footage into green space. It is a trend we expect to continue shaping Miami’s luxury landscape.

Following the acquisition of Engel & Völkers Florida by Engel & Völkers Americas, what opportunities do you see for growth?

Miami is one of the top five markets in the world right now. Engel & Völkers is probably one of the strongest global luxury real estate brokerages, so they are here to support Daniel and me in bringing the brokerage to the level of success it deserves in our market.

That will also be a milestone for Engel & Völkers as a brand.

Looking ahead three to five years, where do you see momentum for Engel & Völkers Miami?

We definitely see more market share and more acknowledgement from our local industry of having this global brand setting foot in Miami. We now also have a presence in Miami Beach, with our South of Fifth location, a micro-market we’ve strategically targeted. It will definitely make a statement when it comes to the local industry.

Overall, we are excited about what is coming to Miami, not only from a growth perspective for the city, but also as a brokerage and global luxury real estate firm that has set foot in Miami and is here to raise the standards in the local market.