Jay Roberts

Real estate authority & CEO @ProsperGroup | Educating on real estate finance, investing, & development | Building wealth through prime properties.

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

The same week New York passed legislation to tax second homes, Florida proposed to eliminating property taxes for 90% of homeowners.

The tale between the two states continue to be a case study on why policy matters.

Mandami’s Second-Home Tax:

- Effective July 1, NYC properties worth between $1M - $3M face a 4% annual tax surcharge, with rates increasing to 6.5% for properties valued above $5M. This is an addition to existing taxes, with hopes to close a $5.4B deficit.

@rondesantis’ Property Tax Plan:

- Florida to raise the homestead exemption from $50K, to potentially $500K. This could erase property tax for 90% of residents, adding to the perks of no state income or estate tax.
- It will go into effect if it receives 60%+ of votes on the November ballot.
- Under DeSantis, Florida has delivered over $10B in tax relief since he took office and paid down nearly 50% of debt. A budget surplus was remains on top of that.

One state makes it harder to stay. The other makes it easier to build, live, and grow.

#Miami #RealEstate #Florida #NewYork #Tax

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

The Beckhams reset the ultra-luxury residential market on Miami Beach with their $72.5M home purchase on North Bay Road.

Designed by Choeff Levy Fischman Architecture + Design (@CLFArchitects), Ralph Choeff, our latest The Long Game guest, shares the story behind one of Miami Beach’s most unexpected residential deals.

The home, listed for $80M, was abandoned 80% of the way through construction. It was originally built for a complete different buyer who pivoted when his wife decided she’d rather live in Palm Beach.

No one thought the home, although modern, architecturally significant, and with all fixings of a luxurious abode, would garner that ask. In comes David and Victoria Beckham’s purchase, resetting the comps in the area.

Since then, Miami Beach homes have started trading above $100 million, and Ralph traces that momentum back to this one transaction.

Sometimes, the deal no one sees coming becomes the one that changes everything. Watch the full episode on YouTube and Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts this Thursday.

#MiamiBeach #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstate #MiamiRealEstate

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

The best partnerships aren’t built during the good times - they’re proven in the hard ones.

On the latest episode of The Long Game, Two Roads Development's Brad Meltzer shares what really went into building Biscayne Beach, a 52-story high-rise in Edgewater, and more importantly, what he learned about the people he built it with.

When you’re raising a tower together, not every day goes according to plan. What Brad was watching for wasn’t how his partners showed up when things were easy. It was how they treated the architects, the contractors, the engineers, and others on the team when something went wrong.

That’s the real due diligence.

Because at the end of the day, life’s too short to spend it working alongside people you don’t respect.

Watch the full episode now on YouTube and Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts. 🏗️

https://t.co/UKveTZDcdC

#RealEstate #Development #Miami #Business

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Sometimes, the most iconic projects start with an idea jotted down on a single piece of paper.

Brad Meltzer, partner and president of Two Roads Development and former chairman and CEO of Plaza Construction, has built some of Miami's most recognizable landmarks, and learned to expect the unexpected along the way.

On the latest episode of The Long Game, we get into what it really takes to build at that level - the complexity, the creativity, and the moments that define a career.

Take the 1 Hotel South Beach. What started with a one-page budget and no drawings turned into one of Miami Beach's most iconic 5-star properties, selling units sight unseen, with buyers closing on an iPad without ever stepping foot inside, in addition to commanding the highest hotel room rates in Miami Beach history.

That's what vision, deep experience, and trust in the process can produce.

Full episode drops this week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 🏗

#MiamiRealEstate #Construction #RealEstate #Development #TheLongGame

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

For The Long Game, I sat down with Kamal Hotchandani (@HauteLiving) this week. He’s the Co-Founder and CEO of the Haute Group, and is one of the most enduring builders operating in the luxury world.

Kamal co-founded @HauteLivingMag in Miami in 2004 alongside Seth Semilof. While most media companies from that era are gone or gutted, he turned a single print publication into a multi-platform luxury empire spanning: Haute Living, Haute Jets, HL Real Estate Group, and Haute Wealth.

The magazine itself lands in homes valued at $3M+, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce dealerships, private jet FBOs, and NBA, NFL, and MLB locker rooms. The covers feature mega-stars from Jay-Z, David Beckham, Tony Robbins, Rick Ross, to Alicia Keys. Brand partners include Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Chanel - the list goes on.

Long before the covers and the brand partnerships, Kamal was building AMG, a $40M internet company with $12M in venture capital. The entrepreneurial instinct goes back to age nine. When Haute Living launched in 2004, most people saw a luxury magazine. He saw infrastructure.

→ HauteJets just published the largest wealth migration study on record - 142,000 millionaires relocating internationally in 2025 - now cited by Bloomberg, the Financial Times, and inside AI engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity 
→ Haute Wealth launched in 2025, a new financial services vertical targeting ultra-high-net-worth individuals 
→ He’s an ambassador for Belize, a YPO Member and guest lecturer at Florida International University.

What stayed with me was how clearly he sees the intersection of media, access, and capital, and how intentionally he has built Haute to own all three.

Stay tuned for the episode, dropping soon.

Thank you for the time, Kamal.

#HauteLiving #LuxuryMedia #Entrepreneurship #Founders #Miami #TheLongGame

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Miami's luxury real estate market isn't just growing, it's being redefined.

The numbers from a recent @Savills study tell the story:

- 70+ branded condo buildings completed or in the pipeline
- A projected 127% growth in branded residential development by 2032
- Up to ~30% price premium versus comparable non-branded buildings

Buyers are willing to invest in not just the unit, but the brand, credibility, and the lifestyle that comes with it.

Branded residences aren't a trend anymore - they’re the new standard.

#Miami #BrandedResidences #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstate #MiamiRealEstate

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Coral Gables office rents have nearly doubled in 2.5 years, and that’s by design.

When Brickell became a magnet for capital and talent, rents there surged. But the spread between Brickell and the Gables widened to a point that simply didn't make sense.

The play? Get ahead of it.

Rents were raised, and deals kept closing. What looked like a jump in pricing was really just a correction hiding in plain sight.

Coral Gables isn't catching up to Brickell. It's establishing its own floor, and smart tenants are paying attention before the window closes, especially in this new era of $200 PSF rents in Miami-Dade.

Watch the full episode with @CushWake’s Brian Gale on YouTube and Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts.

https://t.co/cUjFFaRIQv

#CoralGables #Brickell #Miami #Office #Rates

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Construction costs have seen major fluctuations over the last few years, and the story isn’t over yet.

2020: Covid hit, but Florida deemed construction essential. The industry kept moving.

2021: Plant closures, lumber shortages, and steel mill disruptions changed everything. Costs spiked fast.

2026: The dust is finally settling. Pricing is normalizing, and the market is starting to reflect that.

So where do construction costs go from here?

On the latest episode of The Long Game, Kast Construction CEO Michael Neal breaks down what’s driven the volatility, what’s stabilizing, and what builders, developers, and investors need to watch next.

Watch the full episode on YouTube and Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts.

https://t.co/rzxzneUiCv

#Construction #Florida #RealEstate

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Meet your customers where they are.

The first day @vanleeuwen Ice Cream founder Ben Van Leeuwen hit the streets of New York City with his ice cream truck on Canal Street, he had zero sales.

Thinking quickly, he pivoted and drove to the corner of Greene and Prince in SoHo, parking right in front of Louis Vuitton. The line formed before he even opened the window. They sold 800 ice creams that day.

The early lesson stuck: sell where people are already in a joyful mood. Add ice cream to that, and the rest takes care of itself.

It was pure psychology.

That one insight helped lay the groundwork for what would eventually become a nationally recognized brand with nearly 100 scoop shops across the U.S., and plans for global expansion.

Watch the latest full episode of The Long Game on YouTube and Spotify, or listen on Apple Podcasts. 🍦

https://t.co/DbKiqtJV0P

#CPG #Founder #StartUp #Entrepreneurship #Brand

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

What started as a used post office truck is now @vanleeuwen, a nationally recognized ice cream brand with around 100 scoop shops across the U.S., major grocery distribution, and international expansion underway, including its entry into South Korea.

On The Long Game, founder @benwvl shares the real origin story behind the brand - before the stores, the partnerships, and the cult-favorite flavors.

It all began with a used 1988 Chevy van purchased on eBay, a co-manufacturer willing to make the product, $60K raised from close friends, family, and early believers, and a level of tenacity that only founders truly understand.

What looked scrappy at the time became the foundation for something much bigger.

Tune into the full episode dropping this Thursday for a look at how #VanLeeuwen went from one ice cream truck to a globally recognized brand, and what it really takes to play the long game. 🍦

#Founder #StartUp #Brand #Entrepreneurship

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

The construction industry is a service industry.

This mindset matters - especially if you want to win repeat business.

The Long Game’s latest guest, Kast Construction CEO Mike Neal, is a veteran, having built landmark projects across the U.S.

His philosophy for long-term success?

“Let’s not let friction points become combustion points.”

Every project has challenges where the relationship gets tested, but if you:

Treat people well.
Make things right.
Build relationships that last.

You’ll earn a client for life. Tune into the full episode, dropping this upcoming week.

#Construction #RealEstate #Relationships #Clients #Business

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

For Gen Z, alcohol may be what cigarettes were for generations past.

Why is that? Alcohol provides short-term entertainment, but the cost is real: poor sleep, lower energy, brain fog, missed momentum, and not feeling like yourself the next day.

For those operating at a really high level, it’s a worthy sacrifice, ranging from occasionally drinking, to letting it go altogether.

To show up better for yourself, your family, business, and goals - this is the tradeoff many successful people are making.

Watch the full conversation on the 1% podcast, hosted by Deepak Sharma.

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Health is the real wealth.

This statement resonates deeply with me and The Long Game’s latest guest - Alexandra Eichner, President of Continuum Company.

She notes that a survey of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (those with $50M+) found the majority would surrender half their fortune for just 10 more years of good-quality life. This shows how the world’s top earners define success. It’s not just what’s acquired, but the ability to enjoy it for longer.

We dove deep into the wellness and water sport offerings at the upcoming Continuum 12000 project, in addition to topics like legacy, success mindset, and the process of finding true grit.

Tune into the full episode, now available on Youtube, Spotify & Apple. 📺

https://t.co/FKM0ikygkp

#wellness #realestate #miami

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Kevin Warsh was confirmed as the new @FederalReserve Chair in a 54-45 Senate vote.

For real estate investors, Fed policy ultimately narrows to one variable: the cost of capital.

The shift from Powell to Warsh is not necessarily about immediate rate cuts. It is about direction.

Powell’s Fed spent the last several years focused on restoring inflation credibility after the largest price shock in a generation. That created a higher-for-longer rate environment and forced a broad repricing across real estate.

Warsh may represent a different posture: more reform-minded, more market-sensitive, and more open to the idea that technology and productivity growth can change how the Fed interprets inflation.

For real estate, expectations often move markets before policy does.

That matters especially now, with roughly $875B in commercial and multifamily mortgage debt scheduled to mature in 2026.

Refinancing conditions are about to become even more important.

But lower rates alone do not solve everything. They do not fix weak fundamentals.

The assets best positioned to benefit are the ones with durable income, real demand, manageable maturities, and strong market context.

#Fed #InterestRates #RealEstate

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Grit is not always something you inherit, it’s something you cultivate.

Continuum Company President Alexandra Eichner deliberately chose the harder path - and it paid off.

Her journey of declining a Bank of America offer, moving to Hangzhou, China and learning to speak Mandarin, would later lead to the opening of one of Miami’s most successful waterfront entertainment venues - Palm Tree Club.

On the latest episode of The Long Game, we discuss gaining #grit, #succession, and what her vision for bringing back the Continuum brand to Miami after a 20-year hiatus looks like.

Tune in this Thursday for the full episode, available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

#hardship #success

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

At Prosper Group, we say “no” a lot.

We’re not looking for just any site. We are looking for the right site.

That takes high standards, discipline, patience, and the willingness to pass on opportunities that don’t 100% align.

In addition, we know that deals are not won on numbers alone.

Owners want to work with people they trust, like, and respect. A good personality, a steady approach, and treating people well can become a real competitive advantage.

That has helped us win deals, and keep them on track.

Tune into the full episode of the @Hannahbhammond podcast, dropping this Thursday.

#commercialrealestate #deals #success

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

In an interconnected world due to technology, we are increasingly less connected where it matters most.

Technology gives us convenience, but it can also create the illusion of closeness. We can know the highlight reel, the location, the update, the achievement, and still miss the person behind it.

Real connection doesn't live in visibility. It lives in presence, asking questions and the conversations that go beyond a like or an emoji.

Being seen online will never replace being known in real life.

For a generation that's always connected, what does real connection actually look like? Watch the full conversation with Don Peebles III on The Long Game, now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

https://t.co/XSD18OnE3x

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

A viral video. A billionaire’s public response.

Billions in NYC tax revenue now in question.

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax push wasn’t just a policy proposal, it was a signal to every high earner with options.

When a city treats its top taxpayers as a revenue problem instead of a civic asset, those taxpayers eventually agree to disagree, and leave. Following them will be jobs, investment, development, and more. 

Miami keeps proving the same truth: money goes where it’s welcomed. And the project plans for Brickell’s Citadel tower just got bigger.

NYC is still one of the greatest cities in the world, but that title isn’t self-sustaining when the policy environment keeps penalizing the people who fund it.

#policy #nyc #citadel

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

Here’s a lesson to learn - never discount a lead, even if they’re inquiring to blind buy a $300M mega yacht. 🛥️

The Long Game’s latest guest, Tommaso Chiabra, founder and chairman of Royal Yacht International, shares how a junior broker saw an opportunity, followed through, and made $1.2M.

He notes how a deal like this is almost unheard of. It was a cold lead with no personal connections. As the sales process went on, nobody from the buyer’s side ever stepped on board - not the buyer, not an advisor, not an assistant.

Then, a $30M deposit hit and the deal closed.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the process. Always explore, follow up, keep the conversation going - it might lead to your biggest deal yet.

Watch the full episode on YouTube and Spotify, and listen on Apple. 📺

#megayachts #deals #success

[Jay Roberts @JayRoberts]

The secret to scaling is in the ability to delegate.

Growth is stagnant when you do every task yourself. Calls, errands, admin, scheduling, follow-ups - these all add up and prevent you from focusing on the bigger picture.

The shift happens when you stop trying to do everything and start building a team you trust. Hire people who are great at what you’re not. Give them the space to own it. And use the time you get back to focus on what only you can do.

This is how you build structure that grows with you.

Watch my full conversation on 1% with Deepak Sharma on YouTube.

https://t.co/ZlNVLRh8EG