As the winter season kicks into high gear in Palm Beach, so does Margit Brandt.
Celebrating a momentous 2023 in which she was ranked the #1 real estate agent company-wide at Premier Estate Properties (the exclusive Christie’s International Real Estate affiliate for Palm Beach Island), Margit is diving into 2024 full-steam ahead and expanding upon the nearly $500 million in luxury properties she has recently sold in the prestigious town.
“It’s a dream come true to be helping people and their families move to Palm Beach, and lead branding efforts for some of the finest estates on the island,” Margit says. “We really enjoy living here, and sharing that passion with our clients comes naturally.”
Her efforts are not going unnoticed. In fact, she’s making a lot of noise. For 2023, Margit was not only the number one agent at Premier Estate Properties, whose market spans nearly all of South Florida, from Fort Lauderdale up to Vero Beach, but also the #5 agent overall in Palm Beach, #15 in the entire State of Florida and #66 in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal, in collaboration with Real Trends, Inc. Margit is also a member of the Christie’s Master Circle, an exclusive network which includes the top 100 Christie’s agents from all over the globe-spanning dozens of luxury markets internationally.
3.5 baths, cabinetry by Sneidero, white diamond marble floors and Gaggenau appliances, for an asking price of $13.75 million.Courtesy of Margit Brandt Palm Beach/Premier Estate Properties
A Thoroughly Modern Approach to Realty
Perhaps most impressive, Margit has achieved her notable standing at the mere age of 35, a testament to the rapid growth rate of her brand and her impact in the marketplace.
“It normally takes quite a while to get into that stratosphere in Palm Beach,” says Blair Brandt, Margit’s husband, a Palm Beach native, and a real estate developer focused on the luxury coastal West Palm Beach market (unlike his wife, who is almost exclusively catering to the Island). Noting that Palm Beach is the most expensive market in the country right now, Blair adds, “On the island, the average deal is around $12M-$15M depending on the fiscal quarter, and everyone in the Top 10 is selling between $100 million to $1 billion in sales per year. I would say, from the perspective of a real estate broker, it’s one of the most competitive markets in the country – especially when you get into that upper echelon – because of all the capital rapidly moving into the area and the plethora of agents who have tried to follow that momentum.”
Blair partially credits his wife’s recent rise to her contemporary approach with marketing, incorporating top-notch photography and expensive videos into advertising and social media campaigns, setting higher standards for branding properties – all of which help garner the highest price for a seller in the shortest period of time. He also attributes it to her approachability, which makes clients feel welcome, at ease, relaxed, and truly excited about – rather than dreading – the often stressful real estate experience.
“And she has invested heavily in the work ethic, genuine client relationships beyond the transactions, providing data-driven over anecdotal expertise, and the appropriate level of handholding to accommodate clients who are either buying or selling one of their most important assets,” Blair says.
For buyers, Margit says she capitalizes on her access to off-market homes: representing sellers directly or working with other agents to advance private deals. About one-third of her business is through off-market deals, as of year-end 2023.
Off-market listings afford sellers the opportunity to have brokers bring in qualified buyers and avoid unwanted publicity.
Getting access to off-market homes, especially waterfront properties, is difficult and rare, with most billionaire owners willing to work with only an elite few agents, notes Margit. Knowing that she has access to these private listings, a number of discerning buyers will often seek Margit out to gain entrée into this more intimate market.
Margit Brandt Exclusives
Notable among Margit’s recent transactions entailed securing the purchase of 1741 S. Ocean Boulevard for $25 million and 224 Via Marila for $10.9 million for their respective buyers. Representing sellers, Margit closed deals on properties including 219 Brazilian ($19.99 million), 209 Bermuda ($9.99 million) and 221 Oleander ($7.999 million).
Margit’s active listings in Palm Beach include featured homes like 142 Via Palma, The Bristol 602 and 160 Chilean Avenue, with what she says is another $100M coming online this month spread out only amongst 3 properties, or about an average asking price of an impressive approximately $33M-.
At the time of our interview with her, upcoming projects for Margit include a brand new waterfront home on Everglades Island, a new construction opportunity on S. Ocean in the Estate Section, and a multi-structure compound on the North End, just on the sell-side alone.
For Margit, settling into the fabric of Palm Beach life has been unquestionably rewarding, both professionally and personally.
“There’s no better feeling than seeing our clients find their Palm Beach dream. I’ve never been happier in my own life than while living in Palm Beach, and it’s great to see our valued clients and friends share a similar experience,” she says.
This article was the cover story of the Jan. 19, 2024 issue of Behind The Hedges, which appears in Palm Beach in February. Read the full digital version of the magazine online. For more Palm Beach real estate, click here.
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