Deniece Williams is the owner and president of DW Connect working in Miami.
Every week, we ask a Miami real estate professional for their thoughts on the top three stories from the week before. This week, we spoke with Deniece Williams, the owner and president of DW Connect, who also handles broker outreach and special events for both O Residences at Bay Harbor and the Terrazas Residences.
Miami Agent (MA): While real estate is largely a referral business, marketing is still an integral part of the process, as professionals need to brand themselves as a credible resource both off- and online. What advice would you give to young agents to help them advertise online more effectively?
Deniece Williams (DW): There are a lot of options for marketers out there, especially online, but it’s not a matter of just throwing money out there. The trick to effective advertising is to start small and be consistent.
If you’re working with a local charity and they have a website or online fundraising platform you can get involved in, it’s only going to strengthen your referral relationships. My point is that to successfully reach an audience, you don’t have to necessarily advertise with the Herald. Of course, if you have the money to market with a place like the Herald, and do it consistently over a considerable period of time, then go for it, but not everyone has that kind of money or wants to spend that kind of money. That’s why I always tell them to start small and be consistent.
Additionally, real estate agents should keep their efforts focused, so as to maximize their effectiveness.
MA: Condo developers have been building right and left in Miami, which has, as a result, began spurring fears of an eventual land shortage. Have you noticed this trend, and do you think Miami is in jeopardy of using all of its undeveloped acreage?
DW: Obviously, there are some areas that are, in a sense, towers on top of towers, primarily the oceanfront areas, but there is still a lot of premium, waterfront land available for development. A lot of what developers are doing now, and we’ll probably see even more of this in the future, is they’re starting to build and leverage their relationships with other professionals within the broader industry to help compensate for high land prices.
In some of the markets I’ve been working with, it’s evident that we’re starting to expand into the west, which is news because, at the moment, everything east of 95 is being touted as the place to be. But there is still developable land west of 95, like the Miami River. These spots aren’t oceanfront, but they are waterfront, and while the two exist on separate sides of a chasm, that gap is shortening, with waterfront properties starting to get a little of the glitz given to oceanfront.
When you look at Miami as a whole, there is still a lot of land left to be developed. And besides, in my experience, there will always be construction going on in any major city.
MA: A recent article Miami Agent ran discusses the recent influx of New York City brands, like SLS, to the Miami area. What do you think is driving this trend, and do you see it continuing for the long-term?
DW: Miami and New York have always had a very symbiotic relationship. I live in Aventura and everyone in my area is from New York. The city’s have always been close, largely on account of Miami being a go-to destination for New York vacationers. It wasn’t until recently that New Yorkers have really started to realize the viability of Miami as a global business hub.
Our relationship with Latin America, and how we’ve sustained growth during this rocky period, has given us more credibility, and not just at home but abroad, as well. As a result, New Yorkers are taking Miami more seriously, and more and more companies are reaching a point where they’re comfortable bringing their business to the city.
I think the trend will continue, but it doesn’t really come as much of a surprise to me because of the relationship the two cities already had. One new thing I think you will start seeing is New York developers coming down and dipping their toes in the Miami market, and maybe start using South Florida as a launching off point for their new brands.