Welcome to Buy, Sell, Hold Miami weekly podcast for a no-nonsense perspective on South Florida real estate from a pair of locals with differing opinions.
Each week, real estate advisor Daniel Hernandez of Compass Real Estate and longtime analyst Peter Zalewski of the Miami Condo Investing Club™ break down the housing market headlines, unpack policy changes and provide unfiltered analysis on everything from condo terminations to Vintage unit fire sales, luxury speculative homes to developer strategies.
Whether you are a homeowner, investor or real estate professional, Hernandez and Zalewski will give a local perspective on what is really happening across the tricounty South Florida region of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach with no fluff, no hype and plenty of data-backed opinions.
We call balls and strikes on when to buy, sell and hold.
Episode Overview
In this episode of Buy, Sell, Hold Miami podcast, Hernandez and Zalewski are joined by special guest Julia Ray - the broker-owner of Raydiant Realty in Hallandale Beach in Southeast Broward County - to discuss the real estate, financial and cultural trends impacting South Florida.
The show opened with a deep dive into the high-profile sale of the iconic Raleigh Hotel property - once owned by fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger - on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach for $270 million.
The panelists noted that Miami’s real estate market has a long history of attracting out-of-town investors who are often caught off guard by local volatility.
The Raleigh’s story was framed as a classic example of newcomers overestimating the market’s upward trajectory, only to be forced out when conditions change.
The discussion turned to the cyclical nature of South Florida real estate, with Zalewski pointing out that prudent, experienced investors often wait on the sidelines for shakeouts before acquiring distressed assets.
This pattern has repeated itself since the 1920s Florida land boom.
The panel analyzed the challenges of redeveloping historic hotels into luxury condos, citing examples like the Carillon Miami Wellness Center - and the former Canyon Ranch projects - that struggled after initial optimism.
The consensus was that repositioning older properties is risky, especially when tourism or preconstruction sales slow down.
Ray provided insights from Hollywood and Hallandale Beach in Southeast Broward County, noting that while hotel-to-condo conversions are less common in those areas, there is significant activity in luxury condo development and land parcel sales.
She observed that many buyers who relocated during the pandemic have since returned north, unable to sustain their new lifestyles.
The conversation shifted to Midtown Miami, where a major new development aims to bridge the gap between the neighborhoods of Wynwood and the Miami Design District.
Panelists debated the feasibility of achieving high price points in Midtown, given its distance from the waterfront and the area’s history of stalled projects.
They noted that while the developer’s track record is strong, market timing and product efficiency will be critical to success.
The show highlighted the importance of experienced developers who can adapt to changing conditions, adjust pricing, and phase construction to match demand.
Zalewski said betting on the “jockey” (developer) is often more important than betting on the “horse” (project) when it comes to preconstruction condo projects.
Attention turned to the recent wave of homebuilder bankruptcies and layoffs in South Florida.
Companies like Signature Builders Group, Steelhomes Modular and Ony Homes have either filed for bankruptcy or laid off significant numbers of workers, raising concerns about the health of the single-family home sector.
The panel linked these troubles to broader economic factors, including rising interest rates, tariffs and increased construction costs.
