Francesco D’Ulisse is a broker associate for Miami Dream Properties.

What was your first job in the realty industry?
I was a Realtor.

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Italy and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts.

What is your favorite free-time activity?
I like sports, and my favorite sport is basketball. I’ve been a long-time Celtics fan, but now the Miami Heat is my team.

What do you do to relax when you’re stressed?
It’s very easy to relax in Miami. There are so many fun activities to do outdoors, whether it’s walking, running, or going out to enjoy the beaches.

Growing up, what did you want to be?
I’ve always wanted to work in the finance and real estate industries. I have a lot of family members that worked in this industry, managing homes, buying different properties, and they’ve always fascinated me. When I graduated college, I started off as a banker, worked at an industry for 20 plus years and always had my hand involved in the financing end. I started to invest in properties at a very young age, and it brought me eventually to the sales end.

If you could have lunch with a well-known figure (living or not), who would it be and why?
I’d like to speak to Jorge Perez someday. He is one of the visionaries we have here at South Florida. I think he’s always been ahead of the curve, seeing what’s going to happen and what’s going to develop, and he creates the vision going forward. I’d love to learn a little more about his insights.

Where is your favorite place to hang out?
Right now, I live in Edgewater. I love the area, and I think it has so many great attractions here. We’re very close to the design district and midtown. Anywhere within my neighborhood, there’s so many fun new places, especially restaurants and coffee shops.

What do you love most about the industry?
I love that we’re constantly changing. There’s always new and exciting things happening, and that’s the beautiful part of our industry. Whether we go through ups and downs, it’s a cyclical industry and I think people who go through it all see that we always progress forward, and that’s what I enjoy seeing. It’s the visionaries that lead us through it and go towards the future.

How do you distinguish yourself from the crowd of agents?
I’ve always prided myself on having a different outlook. I started my career as an investor and I’ve always looked at real estate from that point of view. There’s a lot of different types of buyers out there, but at the end of the day, it is an investment. I try to direct people to not only the area they want to be in, but the hopefully the best neighborhood for them and the best type of product they need to invest in. I give them my perspective and what I think is going to happen in those neighborhoods that they’re investing in.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
There are so many pieces to what we do, and I don’t think people really understand. Basically, I think that a lot of people come to Realtors and they think, “Okay, we want to see this property, so someone will just take us out and show it to us,” but that’s not really what happens. There’s a lot of research that goes into finding the right place for someone. There’s so many things that people look for, and we have to look at it from so many different perspectives. The good Realtors out there are always looking out there to find something that’s going to be suitable, not only for them and their families, but is also going to make them money at the end of the day.

Where do you go to network and meet new clients?
Today, a lot of what we’re doing is online. We’re putting a lot more resources online, especially in the mobile platforms. I think a lot of young and more sophisticated buyers are using their smartphones and iPads, searching for properties. We want to be on the cutting edge in front of those types of buyers. I think that’s where we’re putting most of our money right now.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?
Being able to go through the ups and downs of the real estate market. Anybody who is an investor tries to stay ahead of the curve, and put themselves in a good financial position. No matter what point it was over my 20-year career that I’ve been investing in real estate, I’ve always tried to look at what’s going to happen down the road, and what I think the future is going to be for that particular product I’m going to buy. I think one of my greatest accomplishments is going to be to stay ahead of the curve and buy the right properties. I’ve always been successful in the properties I’ve purchased, and I try to bring that to the table to my buyers.

What was the last good movie you saw or book you read?
I don’t go to the movies too often. Unfortunately, I’m not a big movie buff, but as far as books are concerned, I always try to read books that are helpful to my career and push me forward. The last book I read was a great book by Gary Keller called, “Shift.”

What is your favorite restaurant?
Il Mulino in Fort Lauderdale.

Architecturally speaking, what is your favorite building in Miami?
I’m lucky to live across the street from one of the most beautiful buildings in Miami: the Bacardi Building, now the YoungArts Foundation. I’ve always loved that building, not only for it’s architectural style, but also for its design that’s held over the years. I still think that today, even with all the beautiful architecture that’s going up in Edgewater, I still think it’s one of the jewels of my neighborhood.

What kind of car do you drive?
A BMW 528i.

Smartphone or Paper?
Smartphone.

What is your favorite city after Miami?
Boston. It’s where I grew up, and I still believe it’s one of the most beautiful cities in our country. It has a lot of history and culture. I wish it had better weather, but I still think it’s beautiful.

In 10 words or less, what is your advice for someone new to the industry?
Find an excellent mentor. Someone who can guide you.

What’s your favorite Real Estate iPhone/ Blackberry app?
I find CapRate Pro very helpful in my industry.

Who are your favorite people to follow on Twitter?
I follow Mark Cuban – he has an incredible business mind, and I like following him. And I also follow Bill Gates.