Rosie Hernandez is the broker-owner of Gold Rose Realty in North Miami Beach.

Every week, we ask a Miami real estate professional for their thoughts on the top three stories from the week before. This week, we talked with Rosie Hernandez, the broker/owner of Gold Rose Realty, a brokerage in North Miami Beach and host of “South Florida Hot Listings,” a real estate radio show that airs Sundays at 2 p.m. on WSBR 740 AM Moneytalk Radio. The show is dedicated to educating, informing, and empowering listeners in South Florida about all things related to real estate.

Miami Agent (MA): We recently wrote about housing affordability in Miami, and that home prices in the area are rising. Are you finding affordability to be a problem at all for some of your clients?

Rosie Hernandez (RH): I found that affordability can be an issue for some people, but I’m suggesting to my clients right now to partner up with a co-borrower to qualify for a certain price range. In some instances I see that they have to come up with higher down payments to qualify for a loan, as far as affordability is a concern.

I’m also advising them to look at other areas. It seems like a lot of the buyers in the Miami area are trying to stay centralized to the center of Miami, which obviously is the higher price-ranged area. So, just to help with affordability, I’m suggesting that they go into the areas where homes are still more affordable.

MA: Our recent cover story looked into how the housing market will take shape in 2014. What are you seeing for the market this year?

RH: I’m seeing a new wave of buyers that are in a higher-priced range looking at higher-end properties, specifically the new construction. My main focus right now is to market to international buyers that can afford these prices, because it seems like the higher-end properties are more catered for the international buyer. My prospects this year rely on international buyers that are flocking to the South Florida area.

So my main focus is on the Latin America, South America, Asian, and European markets. Also, I’m reaching out to international investors looking to invest a minimum of $500,000 in a regional center where they can obtain entry into the United States through the EB-5 visa program. Through that program, the government will allow international investors to invest a minimum of $500,000 and maximum of $1 million into a project that provides up to 10 jobs. Within a few years – if the project is still ongoing – the investor is qualified to apply for a green card for themselves, unmarried children under 21 years old, and their spouse.

Within five years, they get a permanent visa. A lot of the developers that are coming to South Florida are looking for private investments – where they don’t have to go directly to a lender, a bank, or get construction loans. They’re looking into forming these regional centers that will allow foreign money to come in. The regional centers are real estate related, whether it’s an apartment building or a condominium. It could be shopping centers or assisted living facilities, which are luxury homes at this point, the way they’re building them. The assisted living facilities afford someone the chance to retire in an environment that caters to retirees.

That new construction is also starting to pop up in different areas. A lot of foreign investors find it appealing because of the return they get; not only do they get a return on their investments, but they also get an opportunity to receive a green card. We found that a lot of the foreign investors are looking at those options.

MA: We recently had a feature about what home sellers want. When you’re working with home sellers what do you find that they want the most from you as their agent?

RH: I find that they still want that personal touch, the personal communication. Although communication has developed toward a more electronic form where we email and text a lot, a phone call is a special touch that I find that my clients really appreciate. Obviously they also appreciate knowing that we have their properties exposed on various social media platforms, and online sources.

We also send them reports on a monthly basis on how their property is being marketed and provide feedback. However, when I pick up the phone and actually call them to say hello and go over the information I sent them, it just seems more rewarding for both of us. We get to ensure quality communication while maintaining the personal aspect of client services because at Gold Rose Realty, we value every client who instills their trust in our professional hands.