Natasha Gonell a Realtor and financial consultant at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty working in Miami.

What was your first job in the realty industry? My real estate job began with Keyes Realty. I was with them for 3 years. My first year in the business I won “Rookie of the Year” with 57 closed transactions!

After Keyes, I went to Prudential FL Realty, which is now Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty. I have now been with this amazing company since 2006! Rei Mesa is a wonderful broker who has so much knowledge about the real estate industry. He truly cares about his agents and has a great interest in our success. I currently work in the Plantation office with my team. We serve SW Broward County and the beaches from Hollywood down to South Beach.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Westfield, NJ. Westfield was a 20 minute train ride into NYC.

I moved to Florida in 2001 after receiving my undergraduate degree in business with a major in real estate. I love the beach and outdoors, and with the great weather here in Florida, I can enjoy being outside year round.

What do you do to relax when you’re stressed? I love to do volunteer work. I volunteer for the Broward County Public Schools and the Miami Dolphins Special Teams. Helping others relaxes me. I especially love to volunteer in my 6-year-old son’s classroom. I also enjoy going to the library. It is so quiet.

Growing up, what did you want to be? Growing up, I was constantly changing my mind regarding what I wanted to be. I always wanted to be famous. When I was a child, I wanted to be a talk show host. I used to walk around with a microphone and recorder, interviewing anyone who would allow me to.

If you could have lunch with a well-known figure (living or not), who would it be and why? I would love to have lunch with Warren Buffett, the owner of Berkshire Hathaway. He is a very wise man with a wealth of information about business and life. I also love the fact that he is a philanthropist.

Where is your favorite place to hang out? My favorite place to hang out is on the beach early in the morning. I love the smell of the fresh ocean air, the warmth of the sun, and the sound of waves crashing into the shoreline. I feel so blessed to live in Florida so I can enjoy the beach year round.

What do you love most about the industry? I love everything about the real estate industry! Every day there is something different going on. I absolutely love meeting new people and helping them with their home purchase or sale. Real estate is what I believe to be the largest investment someone will make. I love to be there to help make it a great experience for my customers. I also love to be out and about meeting and working with people.

How do you distinguish yourself from the crowd of agents? When I assist a client with a real estate transaction they become my client for life. Most of my business is from past clients or referrals. I build lifetime relationships.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job? I love challenges and am a great problem solver, therefore, it is tough for me to think of a difficult aspect of my career. I would say, for me, the only thing I find difficult at times is trying to remember the time difference when I am working with clients in a different time zone. I remember, I once called a client in California at 8am Eastern Time so it was 5am their time…Oooops!

Where do you go to network and meet new clients? I smile and say hello to everyone. I also love to talk. I have found that going to the same places, such as the same coffee shop, dry cleaners, salon, etc., that I get to know everyone there, and they get to know me as the local Realtor. I don’t like to sit in the office. I believe you have to be out in the field meeting new people.

What has been your greatest accomplishment? My greatest personal accomplishment is my amazing 6-year-old son. My greatest professional accomplishment is when my picture and an article about my real estate services were featured on the Reuter’s Screen in the middle of Times Square in NYC!

What was the last good movie you saw or book you read? I am doing the summer reading program with my son at the local library. This year’s theme is science, so I just finished reading “A Brief History of Time.”

What is your favorite restaurant? This is a tough one. I would have to say Joe’s Stone Crab in South Beach.

Architecturally speaking, what is your favorite building in Miami? It’s so tough because there are so many beautiful buildings in Miami, both old and new. I love Villa Vizcaya, the Biltmore Hotel and, of course, the Fontainebleau. I also love the Art Deco buildings in South Beach, such as the Delano. How can I leave out Miami Tower? Sorry, it’s too difficult to choose just one. I could go on and on.

What kind of car do you drive? I drive a BMW.

Smartphone or paper? Smartphone. I don’t know what I would do without it.

What is your favorite city after Miami? Paris!!! I love the architecture, the museums and the shopping.

What is your advice for someone new to the industry? Stick with the basics. The basics work, and when something works don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Also, always treat your clients the way you would want to be treated and focus on building lifetime relationships with them.

What’s your favorite real estate iPhone/Android app? ProxioPro, because I have so many International clients. It is a great global network.

Who are your favorite people to follow on Twitter? Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

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