At Your Service

Sandra Debuire and Marco Tiné of Coldwell Banker are especially proud of a listing in Bal Harbour, a tropical modern home ($5.995 million).

 

Real estate agents Sandra Debuire and Marco Tiné shine with global perspective and local expertise.

 

Call it the dream team — Miami style. Sandra Debuire and Marco Tiné share a passion for Miami and a deep knowledge of its luxury real estate scene. When the two Coldwell Banker sales associates met, they immediately understood that they could offer clients a winning combo. The fact that the two look like chic, mysterious actors from an Antonioni movie is a bonus. “We have the same values—respect, trust, empathy and humor—and we speak four languages: English, Spanish, French and Italian,” says Debuire, a native of France who has lived in Miami for six years. “And we make each other laugh. It’s our joie de vivre.”

 

 

“Here come those languages,” Tiné jokes. The long-term Miamian with the compelling Venezuelan and Sicilian background sums up the melange appeal of the twosome: “We combine European class, Central and South American flavor and American efficiency.” Efficiency is indeed required in a city where the luxury market is as hot as the weather, says Debuire.

 

Acclimating to Miami’s sales pace was an eye-opener for her after handling real estate in France. “Everything goes faster in Miami. You need to be very proactive,” she says. “My record was a closing in 10 days. And more than 80 percent of the sales we handle are cash, even for $20 million transactions.” “There’s limited inventory on the high-end luxury market,” she continues. “We have buyers with over $10 million who know what they want but can’t find it, so when a property meets their criteria, it sells fast— and at a higher price than the market value.”

 

What criteria top buyers’ wish lists? Space, Tiné says. “Many people want bigger lots with room for outdoor entertaining and even a second home behind the main home for their kids, guests or employees.” Security is also key, which makes gated communities and condos hot properties. Tiné and Debuire recall one recent buyer who wanted a house, but decided to buy a condo at the last minute because of a lifestyle that involved frequent travel. “When you can have a penthouse for over $20 million or a house on the water for the same price, you’d think everyone would take the house,” says Debuire. “But a lot of people choose the penthouse because they want the security—and the views. That’s why prices of condos are higher than single-family homes.”

 

Looking ahead, Debuire and Tiné oRer a sunny forecast for Miami’s luxury market. “Miami Beach is investing over $500 million in infrastructure, from streetscapes to state-of-the- art drainage systems,” Tiné says. “Investors are flocking there. In fact, in the West Avenue area alone, investors are pouring more than $800 million into new developments.” Returning to the global theme that animates the pair, Debuire notes that half her clientele comes from abroad. “Where do they want to live? New York is cold. Los Angeles is overpriced and has the high-tax problem they’re escaping from in Europe. Miami is low-tax, fun and international. It has 365 days of sun a year and a great quality of life.”