It's no secret that few ultra-luxury properties are available in South Florida, thanks to the current real estate boom. As a result, in certain desirable communities and along Miami's coveted waterfront, it's nearly impossible to find a large home or penthouse for any price. 

BRG International Founder Matias Alem had recognized this fact for a few years. So he remodeled his real estate brokerage into something completely new to solve the problem for his jet-setting international client base. 

Now, he never has to say no when clients ask for what used to be considered impossible. Today, Alem locates, remodels, stages, and builds the sort of projects and properties his clients go crazy for, placing him at the top of the luxury real estate game in trendy South Florida. 

From expansive penthouses designed for entertaining while overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to impressive mansions in exclusive gated communities, Alem leads a team of experts at BRG International in crafting bespoke dream homes for their successful clients.

All About Alem

Alem is a Brazilian real estate broker and architect firm owner admired for his daring new business model that melds traditional luxury real estate sales with architecture and design services. His vision and talent at imagining what unkempt spaces in great locations could become have made him a go-to broker among South Florida's elite. 

Alem began working in the real estate field at 19 and, having an analytical mind, immediately saw gaps in service and places where brokerages could offer more to their clients. For example, he noticed clients walking away unhappy after agents could not locate the sort of luxury property they hoped to buy. 

In 2011, he founded BRG International to serve the South Florida high-end luxury property market, specializing in expert agents offering top-level service. Within a few years, he realized he had more to offer and wanted to expand the range of services his brokerage could offer. In addition, he dreamed of working alongside his prestigious clients to complete the aspirational, bespoke lifestyle properties they wanted. 

What Makes BRG Different

To achieve his new dream, Alem returned to school to earn an architecture degree. Upon graduation, in 2008, he turned BRG from a traditional real estate company into a one-stop-shop that can locate land or properties, provide design or renovation services, architectural needs, and provide complete luxury home solutions across South Florida.

At the time the U.S. was experiencing the Great Recession, U.S. Real Estate Buyers were nowhere to be found. Therefore Alem used his Brazilian background to market Miami Real Estate in Brazil, which was extremely successful because of a cheap property market coupled with a cheap dollar, from there he has sold hundreds of millions of Dollars in properties to Brazilian Clients alone. 

Today, the company has expanded to 26 Agents of various nationalities that basically acts as a team, which helps a full spectrum of clients, hyper focused on the ultra-luxury property segment. They have expanded into a full-service architectural firm, brg.studio, and a monthly real estate market magazine, BRG Miami Market Report Magazine, as well as a property management company.

While the magazine shares property reports, listings, and drool-worthy home photos every month, the architectural arm of the business can supply construction advice and execution, manage properties, and more. "We not only sell, but we also build, dream, and map out perfect luxury homes under one roof," Alem said proudly. 

Clients who've used the expanded services of BRG International say that the all-in-one services ease the process of home buying and renovation and improve their lives. At the same time, they also rave about Alem's genuine enthusiasm for the subject. 

Exploring His Passion

While selling homes was his entry into the field, Alem loves creating homes and selling them equally today. The process he goes through with clients that need architectural services is what he likes to call 'reimagining.'

"I either show my clients what can be done in an existing space or recommend changes," Alem said. "If they are hesitant about a home because of a feature that we can easily change, it helps that my team is the same group of people that will be there to execute those changes."

He has dubbed the suite of services he offers today 'holistic real estate' that does much more than any of his luxury broker competitors. "I wanted to offer an all-inclusive service. By having a comprehensive menu, we can ensure that our clients get a five-star experience with less stress. In addition, each entity under BRG communicates and works with one another to create property industry harmony," he said.

With Alem's vision and know-how, it's no surprise how successful BRG has become, and we look forward to seeing what he has in store next. 

About Matias Alem

Matias Alem is the founder and CEO of BRG International, a Miami-based, multidisciplinary luxury Real Estate Brokerage and development company that specializes in high-end real estate. With over 21 years of experience in Real Estate and over 120 million in sales in 2021 alone, BRG International is one of the leading Luxury Real Estate Boutique Companies in South Florida. Click here to discuss how BRG International can help you reimagine real estate.