Top Miami Beach broker Brett Harris left Douglas Elliman after a decade to join Bespoke Real Estate as a founding portfolio manager in Miami, The Real Deal has learned.
Harris has closed more than $2 billion in sales volume over his nearly 20-year career, according to Bespoke. He’s worked closely with Bespoke’s founders, brothers Zachary and Cody Vichinsky. Last year, they brokered the $100 million sale of a waterfront assemblage in Miami Beach to consumer brands mogul Anand Khubani, a record for La Gorce Island.
“The transition made sense. These guys are refined, hyper-focused on the $15 million-plus space. No one else is really doing that,” Harris said. “They do over [$1 billion] a year with five agents and Elliman does it with 500 agents.”
Elliman was involved in deals totaling about $36.5 billion last year, and the brokerage has 6,600 agents, according to its website.
Jay Parker, CEO of Douglas Elliman Florida, wished Harris well in a statement provided to TRD.
Harris declined to disclose his financial arrangement with his new firm, but he will have a stake in Bespoke’s Florida growth. His other past clients have included Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, Sam Nazarian, rapper and producer Bryan “Birdman” Williams and former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann.
Harris will focus on ultra-luxury properties from Palm Beach to Key West. Joining Bespoke will also allow Harris to “cross-sell in Aspen and the Hamptons,” he said. Harris will also focus on off-market deals, advising on new development and investment opportunities, according to Bespoke.
Competition in the ultra-luxury space is ramping up. Ryan Serhant expanded to South Florida and has been growing his firm’s presence from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County. In Palm Beach, he recently brought on top agent Gary Pohrer, also from Elliman.
Elliman has seen a handful of top producers exit the firm in recent months from the West Coast to the East Coast, including Kirsten Jordan in New York, Miltiadis Kastanis in Miami and Tracy Tutor in California and Texas.
Demand in the ultra-high-end is still strong, and Harris expects another wave of buyers if New York State Rep. Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor of New York City come November. He’s working with three different buyers looking to spend over $100 million right now in South Florida. The problem, he said, is a lack of inventory.
“If it’s brand new and shiny, the good product is moving,” Harris said. “The very wealthy guys are paying a premium for it.”
An earlier version of this story included a quote from Harris misstating Bespoke’s dollar volume.
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