Madeleine Romanello

Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their thoughts on the top trends in real estate. 

This week, we talked with Madeleine Romanello, Pillar Board Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and a broker/associate with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty.

Miami Agent (MA): Why should real estate agents and other professionals in the industry get involved with the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce?

Madeleine Romanello (MR):  The Miami Beach Chamber in particular, especially for a Realtor, it’s very often the first stomping grounds for people are planning to build and expand their business in South Florida, because everyone knows about Miami Beach. While the city is small, its brand is huge and very recognizable. This allows agents and brokers exposure to people who are relocating from all over the world.

We also have a really good real estate council. And when you’re going to get involved with an organization like the Chamber, it’s good to get involved with councils and leadership, because that’s how people get to know you. I started on our real estate council and eventually became the chair. We help deal with a wide range of issues facing the real estate industry. Also, every year we host a large real estate luncheon, which is a collaboration between the Chamber and the Board of Realtors.

Another event we host is the Better Beach Real Estate Awards, hosted by City National Bank – usually in April. We organize a 300 to 400-person luncheon and recognize the best in the industry in a number of categories, including innovative architecture and spectacular restoration, among others.

MA: How hard is it for a buyer in Miami to find an oceanfront property? What other options are there for buyers interested in having a view of water?

MR: There is very little left to develop along Miami Beach’s oceanfront areas, unless it’s a restoration. The inventory for oceanfront condos under $3 million is very tight. You’d probably have to go to the Bay area or Sunny Isles. North of Miami you can probably find some oceanfront properties. There was a $48 million, or so, sale recently for a 1-acre oceanfront plot, and I think that’s reasonable – it’s oceanfront in Miami. One of the last available oceanfront properties is 87 Park (87th and just north of the park in North Beach). That’ll be another exclusive project.

MA: You speak multiple different languages. How has being multilingual helped you deal with international clients? Is it especially important in Miami?

MR: For my business, I’m European and speak German, and early in my career that helped me a lot, because there aren’t many agent in Miami that speak German. It’s helping me now with Sotheby’s, helping me get referrals from around the country from other agents who may have German-speaking clients. I used to be more fluent in French, and, again, early in my business that helped me out a lot. It’s different depending on language and nationality which languages are most valuable to know. For instance, most Italians don’t come over speaking English very well, so that’s a huge advantage for Italian-speaking agents in Miami. Also, Chinese-speaking agents are really ahead of the game for that growing market.

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