Ben Moss currently beams into our living rooms as the star of the Style Network’s “Hot Listings Miami,” but before he was a TV star, he was a very successful and accomplished real estate agent. With years of experience under his belt, Ben has been selling incredible estates in South Florida and beyond. Let’s go behind the scenes and learn a but more about Ben.
How did you get your start in real estate?
I got into residential real estate brokerage by mistake. I was a fairly successful office leasing broker by my mid-20’s. My senior partner and I oversaw a portfolio of institutional office buildings in excess of 2.5 MM square feet in South Florida. My girlfriend at the time/first wife/ex-wife (and current business partner) had been on the first season of The Apprentice. I suggested to her that she should start her own real estate brokerage and brand it herself. I would help her on nights and weekends. This was 2004 and the residential market was really ramping up. She got completely swamped and I felt responsible for it, so I had to make a very tough decision and decided to leave commercial real estate and try to help run the new company. At first I was like a fish out of water. I didn’t even know how to properly write up a sales contract, but I figured it out and then started to really enjoy the residential brokerage business.
What sale or career milestone are you most proud of?
Before I even thought about a career in real estate, I flipped a house my sophomore year in college. I had attended a 3-day real estate investment seminar and I went out looking for a deal. I found it, made it happen and realized that real estate investing was a very cool thing! At closing though, the guy I flipped it to had flipped it to the end buyer and made about 15 times as much as I did. I learned a lot on that first transaction, but still managed to make some money on it. To seal the deal with the seller I took her to a fancy bar in Miami so we could sit down and sign the contract. The whole time I was hoping that the waiter would not ask me for an ID since I was only 18. That will always be my favorite deal because it was one of the wildest and it was my first.
What is your dream home location?
I love Miami and where I live in Miami (which is the city of South Miami) because I can walk to all the amenities like Whole Foods, shops and restaurants. I’m also about 5 minutes away from a great dog park that I try to take my dogs to every day. However, I’d love to own a house in Boulder, Colorado in the near future. I love the idea of being able to walk out of my house in Boulder and go for a hike up the Flat Irons. My goal is to buy a house there by the age of 40.
What kind of car do you drive?
I drive a silver 2012 Audi A7. I love the car and I’ve had it now for just over 2 years. It’s a great real estate car because I can drive clients around in it, yet it’s sleek and sporty and I think it has a great body. Having said that I’m really not much of a car enthusiast, so I’m sure I’ll be driving this car for as long as I can.
iPhone, Android or BlackBerry?
iPhone
What site/app do you check first when you wake up?
I’m getting into currency trading, so that’s usually the first thing I do when I turn on my computer. However, when I first wake up the first thing I do most mornings is meditate, then eat breakfast while tuning in to CNBC’s Squawk Box.
What was the last book you read?
Raw Power! by Stephen Arlin. I’m a health enthusiast and so I’m trying to adopt more of a raw foods lifestyle, but I have a long ways to go. I’m usually reading 2-3 books at one time though.
Name your favorite guilty pleasure
Craft beer and brownies (not together). I am lucky enough to live close to my parents, and so we get together every Sunday for dinner. I usually eat 2-3 of my mom’s brownies every Sunday. It’ s not a Sunday night dinner without mom’s brownies.
What’s one thing someone would never guess just by looking at you?
Probably that Spanish was my first language. I grew up in Panama (my dad was US Ambassador) so I didn’t learn English until I was 5.
If you weren’t selling real estate, what else could you see yourself doing?
I’d definitely be working for myself in some capacity, probably as an entrepreneur. I have to think it would be something in the fitness or health industry. Either that, or I would have gone back into commercial office leasing, which is a great career.
What’s your “claim to fame?”
I’m on a reality show right now on Style network called Hot Listings Miami.
If you could switch places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
I’m a huge music buff, and I think being Dave Matthews for a day, a week or a lifetime would be a sweet deal. He’s a creative genius and has managed to have a pretty successful band for over 20 years now.
Check out some of Ben Moss’ incredible listings:
- $14,995,000 – 3140 North Bay Road, Miami, FL (Shakira’s
- $5,500,000 – 6301 Collins Avenue, Miami, FL
- $4,995,000 – 5300 SW 88th Street, Coral Gables, FL
- $2,250,000 – 438 Raymond Drive, Statesville, FL
- $2,199,000 – 1422 Messina Ave, Coral Gables, FL
