Miami Dealmakers

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Michael Comras, founder of Comras Company, to discuss how he went from New York leasing brokerage to shaping Miami’s retail districts. Michael shares landing The Gap on South Beach’s 7th and Collins, building the Collins Avenue Fashion District, assembling Lincoln Road into a $370 million sale, repositioning CocoWalk, and helping rescue a Design District portfolio during Covid. They dive into his latest project, Noli on Lincoln Road, and the passion and relationships behind creating lasting places.=======================Whether you’re considering a sale, exploring refinancing options, or assessing your property’s value in today’s market, Berkadia provides the market intelligence and expertise to help you evaluate your options. With deep expertise in multifamily capital markets across South Florida, Berkadia helps investors navigate changing market conditions and capitalize on opportunities. Ready to start a conversation? Visit ⁠⁠berkadia.com/miamidealmakers⁠⁠.=======================With Coverage is an AI-powered insurance platform helping real estate operators save up to 40% on insurance premiums. Backed by $50 million from Sequoia Capital, With Coverage combines advanced technology, access to 40+ insurance carriers, and a dedicated risk management team to deliver better coverage at lower costs. Visit https://www.withcoverage.com and mention Miami Dealmakers to receive a free, confidential insurance analysis identifying potential savings and gaps in coverage.=======================0:00 – Introduction to Michael Comras2:55 – Early Career in New York11:26 – Moving to Miami in the Early 1990s and Recognizing the South Beach Opportunity15:02 – Pioneering South Beach Retail and Bringing Gap to Collins Avenue24:30 – Building The Comras Company and Expanding Across Miami31:05 – Transforming CocoWalk, Miami Worldcenter, and Developing Lennar’s South Beach Headquarters45:00 – Repositioning a Distressed Design District Portfolio with Apollo50:48 – Ad Break52:47 – Structuring the Apollo Partnership and Participating in the Upside1:04:33 – The Original Lincoln Road Investment from a $12M Acquisition to a $370M Sale1:16:32 – Returning to Lincoln Road with the $130M NoLi Acquisition and Redevelopment1:32:31 – Lincoln Road Retail Rents, Smaller Storefronts, and NoLi's Development Timeline1:41:11 – Audience Q&A and Advice for the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs=======================Follow us on social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠⁠

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Andrew Rasken, Founder of META Development, to discuss his journey from technology and renewable energy to developing luxury residential projects in Miami. Andrew shares how he landed a $1.2 million solar contract with Royal Caribbean, built a renewable energy construction business, and eventually transitioned into real estate development. They dive into his boutique condominium projects, including Opus Coconut Grove and Colette in Brickell, the challenges of raising capital and developing in today's market, and his latest venture, UNYT, an AI-powered platform designed to streamline real estate transactions. Throughout the conversation, Andrew emphasizes the importance of relationships, integrity, and building products around the end user.=======================Whether you’re considering a sale, exploring refinancing options, or assessing your property’s value in today’s market, Berkadia provides the market intelligence and expertise to help you evaluate your options. With deep expertise in multifamily capital markets across South Florida, Berkadia helps investors navigate changing market conditions and capitalize on opportunities. Ready to start a conversation? Visit ⁠berkadia.com/miamidealmakers⁠.=======================00:00 - Introduction01:53 - Growing Up in Miami: The Early Years06:40 - Learning How to Hustle13:21 - Landing a $1.2M Royal Caribbean Deal and Moving to Finland20:53 - Scaling a Renewable Energy Construction Business to $100M27:08 - Developing Student Housing Projects31:49 - Launching His Own Real Estate Development Platform39:05 - From Spec Homes to a $23M Brickell Acquisition45:04 - Inside the Financing of Opus Coconut Grove52:10 - The Challenges of Assembling Colette Brickell1:00:23 - Expanding in Brickell as Development Deals Get Tougher1:04:17 - Launching UYNT, an AI-Powered Real Estate Transaction Platform1:15:52 - Advice for Young Entrepreneurs=======================Follow us on social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠⁠

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Camilo Miguel, Founder and CEO of Mast Capital, to discuss developing Cipriani Residences Miami, the 83-story Brickell tower backed by a roughly $600 million construction loan. Camilo traces his path from flipping a Las Vegas land contract to buying distressed debt after the financial crisis. They dig into condo versus multifamily capital stacks, how branded residences are structured, and his record-setting Perigon in Mid-Beach, along with the philosophy behind Mast Capital's growth: focus on the markets you know, keep building your investor base, and never take your wins for granted.=======================Whether you’re considering a sale, exploring refinancing options, or assessing your property’s value in today’s market, Berkadia provides the market intelligence and expertise to help you evaluate your options. With deep expertise in multifamily capital markets across South Florida, Berkadia helps investors navigate changing market conditions and capitalize on opportunities. Ready to start a conversation? Visit berkadia.com/miamidealmakers.=======================0:00 - Intro2:03 - Origin Story & Getting Into Real Estate8:40 - The Early Years: From Friends & Family to Institutional Capital13:11 - Evolving Mast Capital & Learning From Growing Pains17:43 - The Business of Condo vs. Multifamily Development22:12 - COVID, Conrad & the Miami River28:18 - The Making of Cipriani Residences Miami36:53 - Wealth Migration & Where Mast Sees Opportunity49:58 - The Business Behind Branded Residences54:34 - Lessons From Building Mast Capital59:52 - AI, Ambition & What Comes Next=======================Follow us on social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠⁠

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Jeff Ardizon, Principal at The Estate Companies, to discuss building one of South Florida's most active multifamily developers and the roughly $500 million, 1,250-unit portfolio the firm has out for sale. Jeff traces his path from college basketball to a decade as a CPA and Tax Advisor, where relationships — not spreadsheets — built his book of business, eventually pulling him into his father-in-law Robert Suris's firm as full partner and growing it into the vertically integrated Soleste platform. They dig into deals like the Opportunity Zone play on Soleste Grand Central, which traded near $800 a square foot at the 2021 peak, and the philosophy — protect your downside, take calculated risk, never stop building relationships — that's carried him to principal of one of the state's most active developers.===================00:00 – Introduction00:53 – Jeff’s Early Years & Basketball Career03:43 – Building a Career in Accounting & Tax12:57 – Learning How Real Estate Deals Are Structured16:56 – Taking the Leap Into Real Estate26:26 – Scaling From 4 Deals to 6,000+ Units36:20 – How They Funded the Growth39:48 – Navigating COVID & Protecting Investor Capital43:27 – The Soleste Grand Central Home Run50:37 – The State of the Multifamily Market57:25 – South Florida’s Best Growth Markets01:23:16 – Closing Advice====================Follow us on social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠⁠

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Eduardo Otaola, Founder and Managing Principal of Constellation Group, to discuss building one of Coral Gables' most active development platforms from the ground up. Eduardo traces his path from a childhood in Venezuela and boarding school in DC, through an internship at UBS in London during the 2008 crash, to Georgetown's real estate finance program and an analyst seat at Deutsche Bank. He shares how a connection through Manny Diaz led him to Integra Investments, where he cut his teeth under Nelson, Victor, and Paulo before striking out on his own at 32 to found Constellation Group in 2019. They dig into the deal mechanics behind Constellation's rise — from the $12 million acquisition of 4225 Ponce that turned a Coral Gables/Coconut Grove rent arbitrage into the neighborhood's new high-watermark office building, to Cora Merrick Park and the wellness-focused HQ Residences, a partnership with Black Salmon, Machete Group, and hospitality veteran Sam Nazarian in Miami's Health District. Along the way, they cover raising capital as a first-time developer, why Coral Gables' tough entitlement process became his competitive edge, and the philosophy — trust the process, choose partners wisely, stay humble — that's carried him through it.====================00:00 — Intro00:56 — Venezuela, Deutsche Bank & Finding Real Estate06:56 — Moving to Miami & Joining Integraa11:47 — Leaving Integra & His First $12M Office Deal19:10 — Expanding into Multifamily & Office28:47 — How to Start Developing on Your Own38:16 — Raising Capital, Staying Afloat & Building a Track Record47:11 — 4225 Ponce: Breaking Ground Without Pre-Leasing54:25 — The Move into Condos & the Bet on Coral Gables1:04:17 — Inside Cora & the Shift Toward Wellness1:12:59 — HQ Residences, Edgewater & What’s Next1:20:18 — The Health District & Constellation’s Next Projects1:24:49 — Rapid Fire Questions & Closing Advice====================Follow us on social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MDM LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Omar Morales TikTok⁠⁠