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Broker Spotlight: Juan Alvarez, BlokHaus Real Estate + Investments Inc.
Last name: Juan M. Alvarez
Title: Principal Broker and CEO
Live: Chartered real estate broker with 20 years of experience selling high end luxury residential properties and various types of commercial properties including multi-family buildings, strip malls, office buildings and triple net (NNN) at Miami and New York.
Recently launched BRET (Blokhaus Real Estate Tokenization), the first real estate tokenization platform in Miami.
Location: South Florida, headquartered in Miami Beach
Full brokerage name: BlokHaus Real Estate + Investments Inc.
Team size: About 30 people, including investment analysts, property managers, internal marketing, accounting, an associate real estate agent and an administrative team
Sales volume: I have led transactions for more than 500 million dollars
How did you get started in real estate?
In 2005, while working as a project manager for IT projects, I decided to get my license and learn about real estate and the mortgage industry. I obtained both licenses and discovered this incredible world of real estate. In my spare time, I have worked to help my family and friends rent, invest or buy their first home.
After a few years, I decided to make a complete transition into real estate and was hired by the most IT-focused brokerage firm at the time, which was the leader in marketing and generating of leads for luxury real estate, Zilbert International Realty. While there, I worked with top brokers in Miami Beach and learned about luxury investing and trading for ultra-rich people around the world.
I got my realtor license and started the Juan Alvarez Group at Brown Harris Stevens Miami, the company that acquired Zilbert and was the first brokerage to expand into South Florida. The team consisted of 10 to 15 agents. At the same time, I obtained my double Master’s degree in International Real Estate and Finance, where I discovered the full potential of real estate transactions within the framework of REITs, syndication and digitalization of assets.
My last stage of studies at Harvard University, where I obtained my fintech certification, pushed me to dig deeper into real estate tokenization and open the first real estate agency with a blockchain focus in Miami in 2020. Here we are two and a half years later with 15 agents and over $100 million in transactions which led to the realization of the first real estate tokenization for the city of Miami.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?
Real estate is a true branch of finance and if you understand it that way from the start, you can become a better real estate advisor and add more value to your transactions and your clients. Therefore, a thorough understanding of financial concepts such as cash flow, ROE, ROI, CAP, NOI, FCF, WACC, etc., makes a huge difference in this competitive world of real estate brokerage and investments.
What are 5 things you wish readers knew about you and your brokerage?
- We provide commercial and residential property buying, selling, leasing, tokenization, syndication and management services. Our 360° solution includes a strong proptech approach to asset management and income generation through short or long term rentals and a strong network of professionals who partner with us for all legal, tax and financial advice for all our client relationships .
- Strong business intelligence allows us to continuously analyze profitable investments across the United States in both commercial and residential areas, primarily focusing on the state of Florida, where we are based.
- Our deep understanding of the local and global economy, as well as financial and political trends, makes us unique real estate investment consultants.
- We are drivers of economic growth by splitting real estate investment opportunities using block chain as the underlying technology.
- We have proudly built an SEC-compliant platform for the issuance and distribution of real estate security tokens, the icing on the cake of crowdfunding, leverage and syndication of smart and profitable real estate investments, the best way to connect and build everlasting relationships with the investment community around the world.
What is your best prediction for 2023?
There will be a massive adoption of the concept of real estate tokenization and the growth of the security token secondary market and trading volume. This will allow the tokens to become a recognized investment vehicle that holders can use as collateral for loans/mortgages within minutes.
Digital banks – and traditional banks looking to get into DeFi – will be willing to lend 50% to 70% LTV in a mortgage backed by a real estate token, and smart contracts will automate mortgage payments using revenue-generated funds locations of the token.
What is your best advice for newly licensed brokers?
Newly licensed brokers should immediately start learning about fintech and the adoption and benefits of real estate tokenization. Blockchain provides solutions using smart contracts to evolve the way real estate transactions will be conducted.