Miami Dealmakers EXCLUSIVE: Edgardo DeFortuna | Inside the Mind of a Miami Development Legend
In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Edgardo Defortuna, founder and CEO of Fortune International Group and one of the key figures behind the evolution of Miami’s luxury condominium market. Edgardo shares his journey from immigrating to Miami from Argentina in the early 1980s to building a brokerage and development platform that has helped shape the city’s skyline. He discusses identifying early international demand, launching landmark projects like the Jade Residences, navigating market cycles including the financial crisis, and the leadership mindset required to build and sustain a real estate business across decades. This conversation offers valuable insights for brokers, developers, investors, and anyone looking to understand how vision, persistence, and market awareness can create long-term success in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world.
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- 0:00 — Intro
- 3:20 — From Argentina to Miami
- 6:59 — Identifying a gap in the foreign market
- 12:29 — Growing His Brokerage Business
- 20:07 — Brokerage to Development
- 30:44 — The First Big Project: The Grand View
- 39:21 — Notable Projects and Brickell’s Boom
- 48:48 — Navigating the 2008 Financial Crisis
- 1:00:06 — Expanding into Property Management, Vaster Capital, and Growie
- 1:13:36 — Miami Post-Covid
- 1:17:48 — Key Biscayne Project
- 1:25:13 — Favorite Markets and Closing Advice
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