By: Robert Lovi By: Robert Lovi | May 12, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, People,
Don't be surprised if you ever see a drone following a guy in a suit riding a jet ski down Biscayne Bay. You are witnessing something incredible that will probably sell millions in real estate.
That is what Jonathan Vega (@jonathanmvega), a young real estate agent from South Florida, has been doing to attract thousands of buyers from everywhere to the Magic City. He is making music about every neighborhood in Miami because nothing sells more than a fun, catchy song about a place that you might call home. His latest song, "Welcome to Miami Beach."
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"Whenever anybody thinks of Miami, they think of Miami Beach. The idea behind the song is to explain the different areas within Miami Beach and talk about the real estate, talk about the lifestyle so people have a better picture of everything. So I felt Miami Beach was just something that had to be done because it's something everybody knows about. And I had the perfect opportunity because I have a unit for sale at Portofino. So I had a setting where I could do a music video and have fun there," Vega said.
"My idea was to have a cool vibe to it, a tropical beat, and that's what we ended up coming with. So on Welcome to Miami Beach, I wrote the lyrics. I was trying to depict myself as if I was somebody living there or coming to visit, with something they would want to hear about Miami Beach," he said.
Welcome to Miami Beach is not the only song Vega has made to advance his career in the real estate industry through fun, innovative ways. He said that right at the beginning of the pandemic, when he first got his biggest listing at the time –a house in Gables Estates listed for $17 million– people started doubting why somebody so young that had never sold in that area would get such a listing. Vega said that fueled him to prove them wrong.
Because it was during the pandemic, and people were at home, he needed a way to get in their faces. So he made a parody of Miami by Will Smith about the house called "Welcome to Gables Estates” He said the song went viral because of his craziness, but he had fun with it, and he also wrote the lyrics, recorded with an iPad, and edited everything himself. He still writes the lyrics of his newer songs, but his girlfriend's brother, Nuwguy Beats (@nuwguy) has been producing the beats, and the quality of his music videos has improved significantly.
Eventually, he decided to make music about neighborhoods because he said it would be impossible to make a song for every house he sells, so Vega created the popular "It's Pinecrest" because that is where he grew up, and it just felt right. The song became a hit, and he said people in the neighborhood now recognize him because of it.
Vega said many people, including people at his company, think what he is doing to sell is a genius idea that hasn't been done.
"In a market so oversaturated with many agents, you have to figure out what sets yourself apart and stands out. Everybody has their own thing. Some people might not be good in front of the camera. But some people might have a way with words, so maybe podcasts. Some people may not like what I do, but some do, and I want to work with the people who love what I do. All my clients follow me on social media, and they all support what I do. And they keep coming back to me, so it has benefited my business in more ways than I could have ever imagined. And I'm glad because, in the beginning, I was scared. My mom would even say stuff like 'Hey, be careful what you put out there; be careful with the jokes; be careful with acting too childish.'" he said. "They think you're too young and immature, but I went with my gut."
Surprisingly, real estate was not always on Vega's radar. He thought he would pursue law, but got into real estate when he was 18 years old by working as an assistant for an agent at One Sotheby's, where he currently works. Eventually, he started building his real estate team. Today, he is one of the most successful real estate agents in South Florida.
When talking about the current state of the market, Vega said Miami's market is hot as people from other states and countries continue looking for homes in the Magic City. However, he said Miami is not where it's going to be. Places like New York and California still have higher prices, but Vega thinks Miami has room for more growth because of all the new developments.
He also doesn't think the market is going to burst anything soon. Miami is a young city that is bringing many people from all over, and he says he doesn't see the city slowing down anything soon; rates have gone up, sales haven't slowed down. In terms of the next hottest neighborhoods in Miami, Vega said Wynwood has it all, from condos to nightlife to great dining options. Edgewater is also one of his favorites, but this neighborhood lacks the walkability factor. He said that will eventually change as the city continues adding more high rises nearby that will connect in the future.
Vega said he hasn't fully decided which neighborhood will be an inspiration for his next song, but he's thinking about Coral Gables. He wants a Mozart-like song mixing classical music with pop. Coral Gables is very classical and elegant, but he will add his own twist, he said.
"I'm always thinking about different ideas. I feel like I'm a real estate agent, but I'm an artist at heart. I'm a very creative person. So, next, I think I want to double down on TikTok. I want to hire a more personal camera crew to do a series on YouTube like vlog style. So I have many ideas for TikTok and YouTube that I want to start putting into play and get some more exposure and have some fun," Vega said.
Photography by: Courtesy Miami Lux Media