Miami Dealmakers

Omar Morales
  • 5.0 (9)
  • BUSINESS

Miami Dealmakers is a podcast hosted by Omar Morales, a commercial real estate broker who has closed over $3 billion worth of deals in South Florida. This gives Omar access to some of the most prolific real estate dealmakers not only in South Florida, but across the country. This MDM podcast gives an inside scoop into the conversations and insights that power some of the most active real estate professionals in the field.

  1. 6D AGO

    Christina Pappas | President of Florida's Largest Independent Brokerage on Building a 100-Year Legacy

    In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Christina Pappas, President of The Keyes Company, to discuss leading one of Florida’s largest independent residential brokerages. Christina shares the story behind her family’s 100-year-old business, her path from hospitality back to Miami real estate, and how she worked her way from agent to leadership. They break down the advantages of staying independent in a consolidating industry, along with practical insights on building a real estate business—from habits and consistency to lead generation and mindset. This episode is packed with lessons on leadership, longevity, and succeeding in South Florida real estate. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠⁠ ==================== 0:00 - Intro1:51 - Inside a 100-Year Real Estate Family Business10:51 - Finding Her Own Path Before Joining the Business15:39 - Navigating a Family Business24:33 - Starting as an Agent + Transitioning Into Leadership31:33 - Traits of Top Producers40:28 - Understanding Client Acquisition in Real Estate49:11 - The Mental Game of Sales & Discipline57:18 - How AI is Changing Real Estate1:05:27 - South Florida Market Trends Explained1:16:30 - Understanding Buyer Behavior Today1:31:12 - Hot Retail Markets in Florida + Building a Business That Lasts===================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠

    1h 44m

  2. APR 23

    ⁠Scott Sherman | The Contrarian Investor Who Won Big on Retail & Office

    In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Scott Sherman, Founder & Principal of Torose Equities, to break down his path from South Florida native to one of the most active retail and office investors in the market. Scott shares his journey from Ernst & Young to Thor Equities, the decision to leave a seven-figure role to start his own firm, and how he built a platform focused on finding value where others don’t. The conversation covers his contrarian approach to investing, including major deals like Wynwood’s Cube and Level 6 in Coconut Grove. A sharp conversation on market cycles, risk-taking, and spotting opportunities before the crowd. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠ ==================== 0:00 - Intro1:50 – Accounting Major & Early Career in New York10:28 – Institutional Deal Experience at Thor Equities14:38 – The Decision to Go Out on His Own20:35 – Retail Playbook25:20 – The First Deal: St. Pete & Buying Ground Retail Strategy31:40 – The Cube Office Deal During Covid37:46 – Raising Capital for Torose Equity39:37 – Coconut Grove Record-Breaking Office Exit58:51 – Hot Retail Markets in Florida & Closing Thoughts=================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    1h 12m

  3. MAR 22

    EXCLUSIVE: Edgardo DeFortuna | Inside the Mind of a Miami Development Legend

    In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Edgardo Defortuna, founder and CEO of Fortune International Group and one of the key figures behind the evolution of Miami’s luxury condominium market. Edgardo shares his journey from immigrating to Miami from Argentina in the early 1980s to building a brokerage and development platform that has helped shape the city’s skyline. He discusses identifying early international demand, launching landmark projects like the Jade Residences, navigating market cycles including the financial crisis, and the leadership mindset required to build and sustain a real estate business across decades. This conversation offers valuable insights for brokers, developers, investors, and anyone looking to understand how vision, persistence, and market awareness can create long-term success in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world. ==================== Henry.AI: Join the waitlist: https://www.henry.ai/join-waitlist and tell them Omar Morales - Miami Dealmakers sent you. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: https://www.buildpass.ai/us ==================== 0:00 — Intro3:20  — From Argentina to Miami6:59 — Identifying a gap in the foreign market12:29 — Growing His Brokerage Business20:07 — Brokerage to Development30:44 — The First Big Project: The Grand View39:21 — Notable Projects and Brickell’s Boom48:48 — Navigating the 2008 Financial Crisis1:00:06 — Expanding into Property Management, Vaster Capital, and Growie1:13:36 — Miami Post-Covid1:17:48 — Key Biscayne Project1:25:13 — Favorite Markets and Closing Advice=================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    1h 33m

  4. JAN 20

    Tere Blanca | The Woman Leading Miami's Office Market

    Tere Blanca is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate, Florida’s leading independent commercial real estate advisory firm. Founded in 2009, the firm has grown to more than 50 professionals across three Southeast Florida offices and has sustained approximately 30% market share of Miami’s Class A and B office lease transactions since 2016.In this episode, Tere shares her decision to launch the firm during the 2008 financial crisis, her experience leasing and advising on over 17 million square feet of office space, and her perspective on branding office, building teams, and Miami’s evolution as a global business hub. ===================== 0:00 Intro 2:16 Tere’s Background & Early Career 8:51 Moving Back to Miami & Joining Coldwell Banker and Codina 16:01 Joining Cushman & Wakefield to Lead the South Florida Region 21:51 Dealing with Tragedy & Starting Blanca Commercial Real Estate 27:06 Leasing the First Project: 1450 Brickell 31:34 Building the Blanca CRE Team & Early Scaling 46:58 Big Wins and Growth into Different Markets 50:26 COVID Hits: Team Response and Survival Strategy 56:16 Blackstone Enters the Market and Scaling After the Boom 59:01 The Future of Office: Wellness, Mixed-Use, and Experiences 1:05:43 Mamdani Effect, New York Migration, and Miami Outlook 1:08:22 Advice for Women in CRE and Closing Thoughts ===================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    1h 20m

  5. 11/26/2025

    Fred Zutel | Insuring Miami’s Skyline — The Waldorf, St. Regis, Bentley & More

    In this episode of Miami DealMakers, Omar Morales sits down with Fred Zutel, Partner and President of Lockton’s Florida Division, the largest privately held and independently owned insurance brokerage in the world. Fred shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Hialeah and selling nails and screws to insuring some of the most iconic developments in Miami — including the Waldorf Astoria, St. Regis Brickell, and Bentley Residences. He opens up about his early struggles breaking into the insurance world during the 2008 recession, how a chance meeting at Zuma led to his first major developer client, and the mindset that helped him scale a 30-person team into 130+ employees statewide. The conversation dives deep into the inner workings of real estate insurance — from how mega-projects are structured across 40+ carriers, to why prices spiked after Hurricane Ian, and how falling interest rates are now reshaping the market. Fred also discusses leadership, grit, and staying hungry, even after reaching the top of his industry. Whether you’re a developer, broker, or investor, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, execution, and the business behind Miami’s biggest buildings. ===================== 0:00 – Intro0:36 – What Lockton does + Fred’s background3:40 – Early jobs and how Fred got into insurance in 200914:40 – Pivoting into insuring real estate and getting clients19:02 – First big client (Zuma bar story)21:55 – Now insuring Waldorf Astoria Miami and how mega-projects are insured23:45 – How does Lockton provide outsized value?28:36 – Why insurance prices spiked in 2021 + interest-rate impact34:12 – Breaking down layers of insurance (liability, builder’s risk, etc.)40:16 – Building a team and joining Lockton46:26 – How insurance brokers make money50:25 – Grit and motivation to keep pushing54:05 – Future of Florida’s insurance market56:28 – Advice for young professionals in their 20s===================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    58 min

  6. 10/21/2025

    Daniel de la Vega | Building ONE Sotheby’s, Selling $10 Billion a Year, & Miami’s Residential Market

    In this episode, Omar Morales sits down with Daniel de la Vega, President of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, to unpack his incredible journey from working in construction to leading one of the most powerful luxury brokerage networks in Florida. Daniel shares untold stories about growing up in Coral Gables, buying the Sotheby’s franchise out of bankruptcy during the 2008 financial crisis, and scaling it into a $10B+ sales powerhouse with over 1,400 agents. They dive deep into Miami’s luxury real estate cycle—from The Setai and Brickell’s transformation to today’s wave of new developments in Surfside, Coral Gables, and South Miami. Daniel also opens up about building culture, staying grounded through market cycles, and transitioning from brokerage to development. Whether you’re an investor, agent, or developer, this conversation is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and the evolution of Miami real estate. ==================== Noise complaints are one of the top issues facing condo and hotel developers. Pliteq engineered the GenieMat to provide effective sound isolation of floors and walls in units for quiet living and restful sleep. As a designer, you know high quality amenity spaces set your project apart but they shouldn’t come at the cost of comfort. Pliteq's products isolate the noise from gyms, pools and even my favourite, pickleball courts, so residents can fully enjoy their homes. Visit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.pliteq.com/⁠⁠⁠ today and build quieter buildings. ==================== TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro  1:15 - Daniel’s background into real estate  13:40 - Challenges in today’s market  17:32 - Managing thousands of agents and the culture of leadership  22:24 - Buying ONE Sotheby’s out of bankruptcy in 2008  31:18 - Working with developers and the rise of Brickell  34:39 - Scaling ONE Sotheby’s across Florida  35:48 - Compass acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate  42:59 - Shifting into development as a principal (One Capital)  47:39 - Future developments in Surfside & Coral Gables  1:01:20 - Daniel’s favorite projects he is not working on  1:04:46 - Submarkets Daniel is very excited about  1:13:04 - Leadership and team building in real estate  1:17:28 - Miami condo market outlook  1:24:25 - Advice for aspiring agents and brokers  1:31:44 - Closing thoughts and Miami’s future==================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    1h 34m

  7. 10/03/2025

    Nelson Stabile | Starting Integra, Building St. Regis Brickell, & Scaling a $500M Marina Portfolio

    In this episode of Miami DealMakers, Omar Morales sits down with Nelson Stabile, co-founder of Integra, to trace his path from corporate America and a scrappy cabinetry venture to building one of South Florida’s most respected development firms. They cover early risk-taking, lessons from the 2008 crisis, and how partnerships with Paulo Melo and later Victor Ballestas shaped Integra’s diversified, disciplined growth across condos, market-rate and affordable rentals, and a white-glove marina platform (now approaching half a billion in assets). Nelson shares the decade-long St. Regis Brickell story—from acquiring a HUD-restricted site and relocating 222 seniors to a new 270-unit community, to launching a 152-residence ultra-luxury tower with Related Group—plus why “location, timing, and basis” beats old clichés. The conversation boils down to a candid blueprint: be resourceful, take measured risks, build complementary teams, capitalize conservatively, and stay relentlessly action-oriented—because in real estate, execution and relationships compound. ==================== Noise complaints are one of the top issues facing condo and hotel developers. Pliteq engineered the GenieMat to provide effective sound isolation of floors and walls in units for quiet living and restful sleep. As a designer, you know high quality amenity spaces set your project apart but they shouldn’t come at the cost of comfort. Pliteq's products isolate the noise from gyms, pools and even my favourite, pickleball courts, so residents can fully enjoy their homes. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.pliteq.com/⁠⁠ today and build quieter buildings. ==================== TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro 1:17 - Deals between Omar & Nelson3:35 - How Nelson got into real estate32:15 - Starting Integra and navigating 200846:19 - Buying first property in Boynton Beach50:07 - Scaling Integra and how the business is structured1:06:15 - How Nelson and Integra got into marinas 1:17:32 - Milestones and size of Integra’s portfolio 1:26:27 - Developing St. Regis in South Brickell 1:41:14 - Meeting Vanessa and relationship advice 1:48:27 - Advice for young real estate professionals ==================== Follow us on social media ⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    1h 58m

  8. 09/09/2025

    Diego Ojeda | RILEA’s 40YR+ Family Real Estate Development Business, Launching CIPRES, & more

    In this episode of Miami DealMakers, Omar Morales sits down with Diego Ojeda, President of Rilea Group and founder of CIPRES, to talk about his journey from film school to building Miami landmarks like 1450 Brickell, The Bond, and now Santander’s 900K-SF Brickell tower. They cover a Port St. Lucie land deal, new projects in Wynwood like Mohawk and The Ryder, and why spec office, private capital, and storytelling have been the family’s formula for success. Diego also shares insights on navigating recessions, launching his own firm, and advice for the next generation of developers. ==================== Noise complaints are one of the top issues facing condo and hotel developers. Pliteq engineered the GenieMat to provide effective sound isolation of floors and walls in units for quiet living and restful sleep. As a designer, you know high quality amenity spaces set your project apart but they shouldn’t come at the cost of comfort. Pliteq's products isolate the noise from gyms, pools and even my favourite, pickleball courts, so residents can fully enjoy their homes. Visit ⁠https://www.pliteq.com/⁠ today and build quieter buildings. ==================== Follow us on social media ⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok

    53 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Miami Dealmakers is a podcast hosted by Omar Morales, a commercial real estate broker who has closed over $3 billion worth of deals in South Florida. This gives Omar access to some of the most prolific real estate dealmakers not only in South Florida, but across the country. This MDM podcast gives an inside scoop into the conversations and insights that power some of the most active real estate professionals in the field.

Information

  • Creator
    Omar Morales
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Omar Morales
  • Show Website
    Miami Dealmakers

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