Since 2008, ONE Sotheby’s International Realty’s Daniel de la Vega has set the bar with an unparalleled brand of real estate along the southeastern coast of Florida. Building upon the globally recognized Sotheby’s name, de la Vega’s ONE Sotheby’s International Realty has gone unrivaled across the Florida shores.. Having established the brand amid a crippling recession, the young real estate entrepreneur continues to defy the odds with a nimble mindset for business. This year as well, with repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, de la Vega has managed to parlay these unfortunate times into an opportunity to enhance the ONE Sotheby’s International Realty brand with tech upgrades and virtual additions.
But for de la Vega, real estate is more than just a house or property. With ONE Sotheby’s International Realty’s credibility and the prestige of their brand, the focus is not on buying a house, it’s on helping a discerning clientele find their homes. Despite his young years, de la Vega has successfully managed to expand the company around understanding the lifestyle and identity of luxury clientele. And with nearly 1,000 agents and 20 offices, ONE Sotheby’s International Realty’s passion for the southeastern coast of Florida continues to shine through their premiere homes and properties.
We recently sat down with Daniel to discuss his journey with ONE Sotheby’s International realty.
Can you tell us about your career journey and what led you to real estate?
Daniel de la Vega: One of the key forces that drove me to real estate is my passion for design and architecture. I traveled the world extensively growing up. Still today, in my travels, I get inspired by the unique character, history and style of each city. Today I bring these ideas to work, thinking about ways to enrich the way we live, work and play, through the residential, commercial and new construction facets of the business. It’s an all-encompassing conversation about lifestyle and culture to me.
How would you say ONE Sotheby’s International Realty is disrupting the real estate industry?
Daniel de la Vega: ONE Sotheby’s International Realty is driving the evolution of real estate. Facing challenges with an innovative mindset is in our DNA. We started in 2008 during a global recession, and we are now in 20 offices with nearly 1,000 agents. This year, the disruption caused by COVID-19 inspired us to intensify our shift to digital, with a new award-winning website, virtual open houses, an ad-builder app and other innovations that kept our agents productive. I say that in crisis we don’t merely survive, we thrive.
As a young industry leader in real estate, what do you think has been most important in your career journey?
Daniel de la Vega: It’s the failures that I had that taught me the most. It’s so true that you learn the most when you fail. I’ve always tried new ideas, new strategies, and I am a risk-taker. It’s OK to fail sometimes, you can’t hit a homerun every game. As long as you can learn from your mistakes, pick yourself up and use that knowledge to power up your next endeavor, you are on the right path.
Being a young heavyweight in the industry, how have you managed to defy stereotypes that would suggest that you’re too young to be successful? What would you say is attributed to your success?
Daniel de la Vega: I ask questions nonstop. I am lucky to work with professionals that have a wealth of experience in real estate, new developments, technology, marketing, finance and more. I learn something new from our agents every day. To me it’s never about being viewed as an expert or as an authority. I am here as a team player and the only promise I can make is to work hard. I am better than yesterday, but not as great as I will be tomorrow.
You have managed to curate a very unique and special brand of real estate with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. How would you say the brand is different from a typical real estate group?
Daniel de la Vega: We don’t sell real estate; we sell a lifestyle in one of the world’s most appealing places to live, work and play. We work with agents that understand that and can expertly advise clients on lifestyle and investment decisions with an unmatched level of service. When we present a property to the market, we do so with a level of quality, storytelling and technology that helps buyers see themselves in that home.
How would you describe the lifestyle and brand of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty and how is it related to your personal life?
Daniel de la Vega: We are obsessed with agent success. Simple as that. Our staff, our leadership team, these are people who are highly competitive and want our agents to win every day. We know that for an agent, choosing a brokerage is a key decision – you want to align yourself with the best people to expand your business. Every day, we ask ourselves what we can do better, what we can offer to help our agents take their business to the next level.
How do you maintain the balance between work and family life?
Daniel de la Vega: I don’t. I work on that every day. If someone has a solution, I am all ears! I am blessed with a wonderful family that just expanded… three healthy and active young children! I pack my workdays as much as possible so I can enjoy family time and recharge. You can find me in the car talking to our designers about a new campaign or negotiating a deal while I walk on a construction site. Focused conversations, delegating and prioritizing what matters most are key.
Outside of real estate, industry-related or not, what are some of your passions?
Daniel de la Vega: I am a big sports fan, especially golf and tennis. I grew up playing sports and that instilled a sense of discipline and competitiveness that I carry to work every day.