Entertainment

By Sherri Balefsky Move over Wade, Bosh, and James, there’s a new trifecta in town. And they are about to explode onto Miami’s pop culture scene. Million Dollar Listing Miami, a spinoff of Bravo’s popular Million Dollar Listing reality series, debuts on June 25. The show follows three of Miami’s top power brokers—Chad Carroll, Samantha DeBianchi, and Chris Leavitt—as they dominate the South Florida real estate market. Less than two weeks away from the premiere, a calm, confident Carroll discusses the upcoming season. Carroll moved to Miami in 2008, a time when real estate sales were struggling. “I didn’t know a single person,” he recalls. But the 24-year-old Ohio native was determined to make a name for himself in the industry. “I became an expert in every single area of Miami. When people were running away from the business, I was right in the middle of it.” Fast-forward to today: South Florida real estate is booming, and Carroll is a power broker in every sense of the word. He’s closed over $200 million in property sales, and for the past two years has been named Douglas Elliman’s top producing agent in South Florida (and one of the firm’s top 1 percent nationwide). So, when Bravo decided to expand the MDL series to the Magic City, Carroll fit the bill perfectly. “They knew what they were looking for [in a cast member] and I met that criteria,” he says. “My sales experience and my track record show that I’m better than anyone in Miami. As soon as the episodes start to air, you’ll see how my approach to real estate is different from anyone else out there.” Carroll doesn’t just sell properties; he sells the lifestyle that goes with them. “People come to Miami to live their dream,” he says. “Beautiful beaches, beautiful people, yachts, planes, cars…I sell the dream that comes with owning a property in Miami.” It’s this approach that has led him to secure some of the most lavish properties in the area, with clients so exclusive, he respectfully must keep their names confidential. “I have one of the best reputations in Miami—both business and personal,” he says. “My clients know they can trust me. I’m available to them 24/7. They are my friends, my family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them.” Carroll insists this is evident from the first episode. “People will see just how hard I work…Nothing is handed to me.” While he admits it was strange at first to have cameras following him, after a few weeks, it was second nature. “This season is going to be a little different,” he reveals. “We represent properties from Palm Beach down to the Keys—waterfront homes, condominiums, luxury developments, new construction… We give viewers a taste of everything South Florida has to offer. And with property values on the rise, the competition is fiercer than ever.” This will also be the first time the series will have a female cast member. “I knew Sam [DiBianchi] before the show,” Carroll says. “She has a very strong personality; there is a little tension because we have conflicting selling styles.” As for Leavitt, they both worked at Douglas Elliman, but they didn’t know one another. “We end up co-listing a property. You’ll see how it all transpires from the beginning of the season to the end.” As Miami property sales continue to break records, Carroll has more drive than ever to keep moving up in the industry. Every year, he sets out to double sales from the year before. “I love real estate. I breathe and sleep it—I dream about it!” Does the same go for his personal life? (The season’s trailers hint at a possible engagement.) For now, it’s mums the word. “My girlfriend, Jen, is a very important part of my life,” he says. “You’ll see on the show how our relationship grows.” No matter what, it’s safe to say that MDL Miami will bring the same drama and entertainment as it did for Los Angeles and New York. “The three of us have three completely different personalities,” Carroll says of the cast. “You’ll have to tune in to see how it all unfolds!” ■ Click Here To View This Story In Our July/August Issue