Starting a career in real estate during the Great Recession was not exactly the perfect timing for Paola M. Garcia-Carrillo. “My husband is a developer, so I started managing sales at the time. You could not give a house away,” she recalls. “In retrospect it really taught me the value of marketing and relationships, and I grew my business from that.”

Garcia-Carrillo, an award-winning real estate broker and the CEO of Residence Realty Inc., has been in real estate for 16 years and considers luxury an experience, not a price point. She assists all categories of buyers, sellers and investors — from first-time to seasoned — in Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Coral Gables and Palmetto Bay.

Solutions-driven, she never gives up. She was recently selling a house for a client who decided not to sell after they were presented with a full-price offer. “Their neighbor mentioned they were willing to rent and possibly sell,” she says. “I was able to convert the transaction and sell the neighbor’s house, which was very similar to the one I had listed. Like they say in Jamaica, we don’t have problems — only situations!”

Garcia-Carrillo lives, works and plays in the markets she serves. The knowledge she gains from personal experience with schools, shopping, restaurants, gyms and — most importantly — the lifestyle is extremely valuable to the buyers, sellers and investors she assists.

She keeps in touch with clients via social media and a regular newsletter that contains information about listings, new developments, industry news, mindfulness and personal growth.

Dedicated and a lifelong learner, she is a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), Certified Luxury Homes Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) and expert in luxury, new-construction and development sales.

Outside of work, Garcia-Carrillo enjoys waking up early to exercise, meditate and pray. She loves spending time with her family, going out to dinner, concerts and traveling is her favorite!