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2015 WHO’S WHO IN MIAMI RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
Farid MOUSSALLEM
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arid Moussallem’s global perspective affords this leading Miami Realtor a competitive edge. A native of Lebanon who has also lived in France and speaks five languages fluently, Moussallem understands why populations worldwide are increasingly drawn to the city’s sandy beaches and tropical climate. Over the past 30 years that he has resided in Miami, Moussallem has witnessed its evolution from simply a second home market to a thriving metropolis where people live, work and play year-round. As a self-proclaimed ambassador for all that Miami has to offer, his personal and professional goal is to showcase its unrivaled lifestyle advantages so that those unfamiliar with them take notice. It was the late 1990s when Moussallem began to observe Miami’s transformation from a distressed coastal city to a cosmopolitan hub. His decision to play an integral part in its revitalization prompted Moussallem to launch his real estate career nearly 15 years ago. This professional transition leveraged his sales and marketing experience even as he fine-tuned his public relations and customer service talents. Today he continues to place his commitment to fulfill his clients’ real estate objectives as his main priority. “I base my business on establishing relationships,” Moussallem explains. “We sell a lifestyle in South Florida, so it’s very important to recognize the needs of the client in order to match a property that offers the desired lifestyle.” Pairing needs and lifestyle is exactly what Moussallem achieved when he sold the 1930s-era home Villa Tranquilla for $20 million in 2011, just a year after joining ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. Located on Miami Beach’s Sunset Island, the neoclassical home sits on a 70,886 square foot lot and boasts views of Biscayne Bay. “These clients believed in my vision for their lifestyle,” he says, adding that they, like other luxury buyers in South Florida, want to ensure that their real estate investment makes sense for the way they want to live. This is why Moussallem so strongly values creating personal connections with his clients. “I’m proud of the relationships I’ve made and I really want to get to know my clients so that I can help them to the best of my ability.” While Moussallem’s membership in the Master Brokers Forum identifies him as among the top 1 percent of producers in the U.S., he believes his greatest honor is a happy client who refers him to friends and family. That is because for Moussallem, being a Realtor in The Magic City is as much a passion as it is a pleasure “Helping my clients buy and sell real estate in Miami,” he says, “makes me feel alive!”
FAR I D MOUSSALLE M R E A LT O R O N E S OT H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y