Cafecito Talk with Patricia Quintana, CCIM: Patience, Guidance, and Grit

A warm smile at the door led to a powerhouse career in Miami’s industrial real estate. We sit down with Patricia Quintana to explore how a hospitality background, bold career pivots, and the CCIM designation combined to unlock leadership roles, resilient deal flow, and ultimately the freedom of early retirement. Patricia opens up about her leap from the Miami Heat’s VIP lounge and ad shoots to the gritty, numbers-driven world of warehouse leasing—where she managed 3.5 million square feet, closed hundreds of transactions, and learned why small bay tenants often outlast the headlines.

We dive into the mechanics that make South Florida hum: free trade zones that supercharge re-export, the airport and seaport advantages, and the steady pulse of freight forwarders and import-export firms. Patricia breaks down the practical playbook for new and seasoned brokers alike—document representation, master the financial calculator, and build a follow-up system that turns no into not yet. She shares unfiltered stories from the field, from real-life Miami Vice moments to the everyday wins that come from knowing ceiling heights, dock configurations, and power loads cold.

What makes Patricia’s story stand out is the human arc behind the numbers. She stepped back to care for her husband, then returned with focus to invest, mentor, and give back. Her message to women in industrial is clear and empowering: show your technical depth, own the room, and let your expertise lead. If you want a grounded, inspiring guide to thriving in commercial real estate—backed by CCIM rigor and Miami street smarts—this conversation delivers insight you can act on today.

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Thanks for joining us on CRE Cafecito, the CCIM Miami Podcast where deals, insights, and Miami flavor come together. 

For more information on CCIM Miami District please visit:

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You can find Ruben the Cuban on LinkedIn.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:01

Buckle up. Welcome to another episode of CRE Cafecito Miami, C C I M Miami District Podcast. Today we have a very special guest. She's near and dear to my heart and to many of our hearts here at the Miami District, Patricia Quintana with Comreal. And she's our guest today. We're going to talk a little bit about her stories and get a couple words of wisdom. And Patricia, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Thank you. This is so exciting. I'm so happy to be here.

SPEAKER_03 0:37

I'm excited. I'm really, really excited.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Thank you for the opportunity

Warm Welcome And Origins

SPEAKER_00 0:41

and let's go.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

Absolutely. Let's jump right into it. Because I know what my I was telling you earlier when I uh first started uh coming around the Miami District CTIM. The very first person that greeted me at the door was Patricia with that beautiful smile. So I'm I'm and since then it's always been there. So I always look forward to seeing you and to hearing you, and you always put a nice ray of sunshine in the day.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

Thank you, Ruben. Thank you. That's so nice of you to say.

SPEAKER_03 1:11

It's the truth, and it's a very that's exactly how I feel. But let's go back. Let's take let's go back, let's let the audience hear a little bit about Patricia. When Patricia was, I don't know, let's go back to like high school. I always like to go back where where you're from and you know how you grew up a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Sure, sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:25

It was a little color back there.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

Well, from Columbia.

SPEAKER_03 1:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

I immigrated from Columbia in 1969 with my parents and my little sister. I was six years old when I got to this country. So I've had all my schooling here. Nice. I went to Everglades Elementary in Westchester. I went to West Miami Junior High. One was called Junior High. Now it's middle school.

SPEAKER_02 1:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

And I went to Cora Park, Cora Park Senior High. Oh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

So you're literally you're homegrown here in Miami.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

I am.

SPEAKER_03 1:58

Wow. So you've seen a lot of a lot of stuff change and so forth.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

So I've seen a lot of changes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 2:04

So when you were in in high school, did you know you wanted to get into commercial real estate?

SPEAKER_00 2:07

No,

Miami Roots And Early Dreams

SPEAKER_00 2:08

I was not at all. Not at all. I was gonna study business administration.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

And I was gonna be in a in a in a multi national company, you know, traveling back and forth. But no, I became a commercial real estate.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

So how how did you go from wanting to be a multinational businesswoman to commercial real estate?

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Oh, it's so funny because when I was going to school, I was working as well. And I I was working for the Miami Heat. I was worked for them for 20 years at the the the stadium that's no longer there. They knocked it down and made a new one. But I was I was a server, I was a bartender, I was a greeter, I was a hostess, and I had a blast. You know what it is to see all the heap games in close up because I had the VIP area, the VIP lounge, and it was amazing.

From Heat Arena To Modeling To Sales

SPEAKER_00 3:15

And I got to see all the concerts, all the things, yes. So then that's how, and while I was working there, I was serving somebody, and they they told me, you know, would you like to work for a liquor distributor for us? And and I said, What liquor distributor? Yes, uh, I think you're very good with the people. I like the way you you you you are you're very friendly. And I said, Okay, I'll give it a try. And I was working for a wine and spirit distributor when I was going to school, and and that became sort of like a full-time job.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

So that was a lot of fun, yeah, sure. And that got me into modeling. I did a little bit of modeling years ago.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Yes. So I was in Brazil, I did a Heineken commercial, I did iHop commercial, and but those were the days back then. That was a lot of fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:15

So you went from, you know, I I see a little a little a little trend there. You get the you know, serving some spirits to distributing spirits and making commercials about spirits, you know.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

So exactly. That's interesting. Yeah, put it that way. But yes.

SPEAKER_03 4:28

That's awesome. That's awesome. But you kept it.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

So then you're you're you're doing modeling, and from modeling you jumped to commercial real estate, or what what when how did that well when my neighbor, she was, she said, um, this was because I got my real estate license in 1986. Okay, I was 22 years old when I got my real estate license. And it was because of my neighbor. My neighbor said, you know, you should get your real estate license. You never know, you could always make money on the on the sign. I said, okay, I'll try it. And I got my my license, and everything was I I started doing residential real estate

Discovering Commercial Real Estate

SPEAKER_00 5:10

back then. Okay, that was not my cup of tea. It so happens that when I went to interview for a position that they were hiring, and then the lady said, you know, you shouldn't be in residential. I think you should be in commercial real estate. And it was the wife of Steve Smith. Oh. So she was the one that got me into commercial real estate. And I interviewed with Mr. Smith, and I was doing the Heat Games while I was working with with Mr. Smith. Oh Steve Smith. And so I was doing part-time the heat games and and and working. Yeah, Comrail.

SPEAKER_03 5:55

So you started off about right into Comrill.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

I started in Comrail.

SPEAKER_03 5:59

So that you you tried a little residential, and you're like, oh, that's not my flavor, and you went into the commercial thanks to Steve Smith's wife.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Yes, Carol Smith.

SPEAKER_03 6:08

Carol Smith.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 6:10

How how fitting? And look, we're now here at at the office of Comrill. Um I'm back. Decades later. Yeah, they were here.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

And I'm here.

SPEAKER_03 6:19

Oh, that's awesome. That is awesome. So when you started off, then so Comrail is is eccentric or focused mostly on industrial, correct? Correct. I did an office too. An office, okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

I did office and industrial, and and that's when my my broker, Steve Smith, encouraged me to do take my become a CCIM design.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:40

And and because of him, I was offered, because they found out that I was a CCIM, I was offered a position as director

CCIM Path And 9/11 Detour

SPEAKER_00 6:50

leasing at Miami International Commerce Center.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

Oh, okay. So hold on. That's that's after you got your CCIM.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

After I got CIMA.

SPEAKER_03 7:07

For us that we're now on the other side or you know, living with a pen. You know, we've gotten the pen, the journey of getting to the pen and get obtaining the pen is always an interesting journey from all the different tests and different things. And I think you have uh an interesting story. You were taking one of your, you know, we have the four core classes plus a couple extra electives we have to take. And during, you know, you were traveling for one of those classes, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:30

My Steve, my my broker, always encouraged us to take a class outside of Miami. So instead of because the the CCIM classes are held all over the country. So he he would always encourage me to go to I went to Washington, D.C. I was penned in Washington, D.C. I went to Atlanta, Georgia, I took a class there, and I took one in Scottsdale, Arizona.

SPEAKER_03 7:57

Now I think the Scottsdale, Arizona was a special memorable very well.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

Unfortunately, for the good things and the wrong things, it was 9-11 at that time. And we were, I remember we were in class, and all of a sudden the teacher uh made an announcement and he said told us what had happened, what happened in in New York and all that, and and we were stuck in Scottsdale for a few days.

SPEAKER_03 8:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

So that was very interesting.

SPEAKER_03 8:28

So you got to uh become at least make some more friends or get a chance to build more friendships relationships. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

Through my CCAM process, I met a lot of interesting people. I learned a lot, and I was offered jobs everywhere.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Yes, and one was supposed to I I was uh with Exxon Mobil.

SPEAKER_03 8:48

Exxon Mobil?

SPEAKER_00 8:50

Yes. Wow. And but that meant I had to relocate to uh uh Texas and I would be traveling to South America, but I didn't take that job because I wanted to stay in Miami. But that's how much CCIM does for you. It just opens up your eyes to so many opportunities, and I've been very blessed.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Wow, wow. So you said you got pinned in in Washington, you said that in DC. In 2003. And then so after that, you're you're still here in the Miami, and then you have uh you said, I believe you said something about the airport.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Yes, when that's when I was working as director of leasing at Miami International E-Commerce Center, located right here at uh airport west in Durral, and and I they made I was offered a director of leasing position. I I oversaw 3.5 million square feet of industrial warehouse space. We had over 350 tenants. I concluded over 400 lease transactions. Wow, and and I learned a lot. I learned tremendously a lot.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

And I'm sure your your CCIM trans, especially like 103, that talks about leasing helps helped

Leasing Leadership At MICC

SPEAKER_03 10:10

with some of that transaction, some of that growth that you had there.

SPEAKER_00 10:13

Oh, yes. I mean, that was my favorite class, 103.

SPEAKER_03 10:16

Really?

SPEAKER_00 10:17

Yes, that was my favorite.

unknown 10:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

So no, I mean, I it was just the journey to learn everything to to and everything clicked and uh from learning to use a financial calculator. I remember I had no idea, but I mean I knew it's simple stuff, but to figure out all these things, yeah, CCIM taught me and everything.

SPEAKER_03 10:41

Nice, nice. And then was that then after the airport what happened was that at the time I was married, my husband passed.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

He he had fortunately he he he died of cancer. So he was um I I I stepped out of commercial real estate for a little bit. I I couldn't do full-time anymore because I wanted to be with him. I wanted to take care of him and and spend time with him. So I left commercial real estate for a little bit. I was working part-time in a property manager's office, and so that gave me the opportunity to accompany my husband to his chemotherapies and and and I would be able to work part-time. Right. And he unfortunately passed on in 2014, and that's when I I jumped back into real estate with Comrade.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Your time there, you said you had a there was a certain building that was very famous around Miami.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Well, back then, you know, uh living in South Florida, we have we're the gateway to Latin America. I remember one time, I'm gonna tell you a story, we had a tenant at MICC, and he we had a he stored drugs in the

Market Lessons And Wild Stories

SPEAKER_00 12:10

warehouse.

SPEAKER_03 12:10

Oh my goodness. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

So instead of what they did, they they I don't know what they did. They they um they um dug in the ground, and they would they have like a like a like an underground place to put the drugs in. And one time there were cops and everybody was there, helicopters.

SPEAKER_03 12:31

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Yes, Miami Vice in in real life, yes, yes, and so there's a lot of stories about it.

SPEAKER_03 12:38

Yeah, I'm sure there's a lot of a lot of stories. So so you've seen, so you've homegrown here in Miami, you've been around the the Miami scene for a while, so you've seen Miami really develop over the last 20, 30 years or something.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Oh, absolutely, yes. I mean, uh again, being the gateway to Latin America, and we have a lot of international businesses here, and a lot of logistics, a lot of freight forwarders, a lot of international companies are located here in South Florida. And and I was fortunate to be involved with all that. That was that kept me busy, excited. Uh, you had people from all over Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, you you you had them all here looking for warehouse space and and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:28

Well, it's it's interesting. There's some people that don't realize that one of the things that Miami did and through the um the Miami Chamber of Commerce, one of the first free trade zone FTZs. Exactly. And um I think Miami Chamber was very instrumental to be to have like the entire county as an FTZ and therefore help out with a lot of that freight forward. So a lot of things can come from a different part, come here and get traded, and and then go, you know,

Miami As Logistics Gateway

SPEAKER_03 14:00

and then get repacked and and leave without having the the tax implications.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:05

So so yes, uh that really is helped catapult Miami as you know, to use your word catapult of into the logistic side of things and being that that gateway having a lot of import-export activity going here. And obviously with industrial, that's uh that's a big a big part of it.

SPEAKER_00 14:23

It is, and and our market has gone up and has gone down. We've seen it, we've seen it all. Um, but there's always opportunity. As long as the market is moving, whether it's up or down, there's always opportunity. When it's still, when nobody's doing anything, making a decision, then that's when we have to worry.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

But but thank God we we've been South Florida. This is it's a really hot area.

SPEAKER_03 14:48

It is hot. I know we had a really big boom in industrial, industrial overall over the nation, especially right around you know, COVID or post-COVID, went through a uh strong growth. I think it's it's softening up a little bit on a national, even and then Miami is feeling a little bit of the softening in the industrial kind of growth. But I I I still see demand for for industrial. And then one of the interesting things with Miami is like we have a lot of the new big shiny big box industrial, but I think yeah, you can also attest to the a lot of the small bay mom and pop type of of industrial where you have the auto mechanics and the paint booth, especially like in the Hyaleah area. It seems to be never goes out of out of out of fashion.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

No, no, no. And thank God for them because they're the ones that have kept us going sometimes, because you see these large box companies, sometimes they they don't make it. Yeah, and and these mom and pop businesses have uh have supported, maintained this this South Florida market. And when I was a director leasing MICC, I mean they were small bays there. Our smallest bay was 1800 square feet, of course. The largest, we had over a hundred thousand, but most of them were two to five thousand square feet. And again, mom and pop businesses,

Small Bay Tenants As Growth Engine

SPEAKER_00 16:10

absolutely. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

So that's that seems to be a very strong driving engine in the local economy.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 16:16

And I I I don't foresee that changing anytime soon.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

We hope not.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

I hope not, yeah. No, no, no. Absolutely. We we definitely need we need them. With with that, you know, we've seen some growth in Miami. You've been around and you recently just you know started telling us, or you you shared with us that you're now looking to retire of sort and have early retirement.

SPEAKER_00 16:38

Yes, and thank God to CCIM, I am gonna retire early.

SPEAKER_03 16:45

Wow. Yes. Well, that's amazing. Yes. So you mentioned that you know, CCIM and through the relationships you made and so forth has helped you not just with your deal size, but also to invest in certain properties, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:57

I was very fortunate that I was able to invest on several income properties. And thank God I still have. I've lost a few. Okay, but we've all been up through our ups and downs. But I am thankful that that I've been successful, and now I work when I want to, not because I have to. Wow. And and I definitely want to continue with CCIM. I'm not gonna leave CCIM.

SPEAKER_03 17:25

You better not. No, Patricia.

SPEAKER_00 17:28

We've really, really, really uh oh my career, my life to CCIM. My success is uh it's all been because of CCIM. And and I I want to be I'm an ambassador, um and uh I I'm a mentor.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Nice.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

So whenever someone wants to pick my brain, or if uh I love young people. We need to, we need more young and young people in our industry, and and I I I just I want to mentor them. I want them to ask me questions and and I I want to help them out as to be successful just like I was.

SPEAKER_03 18:02

Wow. Well, on that note, let's say you had a chance

Investing, Setbacks, And Early Retirement

SPEAKER_03 18:07

to talk to a young Patricia, you know, going back all these years and so forth. Is there something that you would say that you wish somebody had told you, or what would you say to a young Patricia about the the industry and you know being in commercial real estate?

SPEAKER_00 18:23

Well, I think we have to be patient. We we we can't go into instant gratification that you're going to make a million dollars in in in the your first year or something like that. It it it's it's uh it it's consistent work, consistent uh homework that you gotta do, and you have to be how do I say don't don't don't give up easily. Don't, I mean, when I was young, I I would uh not get things on writing. So for example, if I would like talk to somebody and that they want me, oh I want to look for warehouse space, can you look for something for me? This, this, and that. And I would start showing them warehouse spaces. And I didn't get a tenant representation agreement signed by them. And for some reason, sometimes they would like, oh the I someone else called me and I'm gonna work with them. Oh, that that property, I'm gonna see it with somebody else, or something like that. So it it always protects you to get things in writing, to cross your T's, dot your I's and but but again, as far as instant gratification, it takes a while. Sometimes door knocking. I remember when I was just be door knocking, that lead might not happen until six months, a year later. They'll call you. And and but don't give up, don't give up and

Mentorship And Advice For New Agents

SPEAKER_00 20:00

And that's what uh I I learned mostly about commercial real estate is that you you once you start it going, this the it it's it's all gonna ricochet in in a very positive way and you'll just get deals done right after each other. One one after the other.

SPEAKER_03 20:19

Well that's that's very wise word, absolutely. You know, a lot of people get started and they they you know just get very excited and like, oh, I talked to somebody that just wants to do this and talk. Yeah, talk is one thing, but definitely have it documented. And I think today in the modern age, what I'm seeing from some of these young folks is they do still have the same kind of issues. You're like, oh, I talked to this person, they want me to find them something. And I was like, Do you have any documents? Like, yeah, I have a text. And and and you know, I I know text is a very convenient way to communicate, but not necessarily I would say that's uh an official documentation that you are now you know exclusively representing uh a tenant or or a buyer or something or a landlord or something like that. So so definitely a documentation when they talk about women in real estate and people that have been able to kind of help grow the presence of women in real estate here in South Florida, your name comes up many times, and as a very positive kind of being that trailblazer of opening and being a face for the females, for the ladies to work, especially industrial, is a very difficult male-dominated type of sector. And you, with your beautiful smile and and your personality, have been able to break down some of those doors and barriers, and I think make it easier for some of the females as a whole. Because uh there are a lot of females that have worked really hard to establish themselves in this industry. So I like to just acknowledge that and and and I'm sure on behalf of the future generations and so forth, say thank you for a lot of stuff that you've done there.

Women Leading In Industrial

SPEAKER_03 22:00

Uh there are any kind of thoughts behind that, you know.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Speaking of women in commercial real estate, I love women in commercial real estate. I think that's amazing. I've seen it a little bit more and more as the years have progressed in my career. And I I love it. I love to see women in a warehouse space. Oh, this is dock high space, ceiling height is 20, 30 feet, the the voltage is this, you know, that we know what we're talking about. And and that's amazing, that's great. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 22:35

That's awesome. That's awesome. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:36

You're dealing with property, you're dealing with business people, with the with property owners, with business owners, and and they want to do deals and they want to talk to somebody that knows what they're doing.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

And and being a CCIM and being a woman in that real estate and knowing your stuff is is really exciting.

SPEAKER_03 22:56

Well, that's that's amazing. And as we've been talking a lot about CCIM, one of the pillars of CCIM is definitely growth and education uh and deal making. So um I think you you've been able to embody all those things and continue to be a very strong part of the Miami District, the CCIM Miami District, and the commercial real estate uh landscape here in South Florida and beyond. So uh Patricia, any parting words that you'd like to say as we start wrapping up?

SPEAKER_00 23:23

No, I just want to say that being successful in commercial real estate is it it takes work, it takes a lot of work. If you have the education, if you know what you're doing, it's gonna be so much easier when you know that that you're talking to somebody and and you are both on the same page and you could educate them. If you knock on one door and they they say, okay, thank you. Go back, go back in three months, go back in six months, you never know. Don't give up, don't give up. And and I I I just want to thank again CCIM for making me successful,

Persistence, Education, And Gratitude

SPEAKER_00 24:01

for for allowing me to retire early. And but like I said, again, I am not leaving, and I'm here to mentor anybody who wants to be health. So thank you, Ruben, for this great opportunity.

SPEAKER_03 24:17

Thank you, Patricia. Thank you for everything you've done and will continue to do. Past president for CI CCIM Miami District, you're part of our hospitality or the mentorship, and yeah, there's so much that that uh people don't know, the behind-the-scenes stuff that you do with CCIM. And uh, on behalf of myself and the board and and everybody that I've talked to, thank you for everything you've done. And we'll look forward to just continuing and seeing you seeing you around. And I hope you enjoy uh your more relaxed retirement time. So thank you, Patricia.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

Thank you, Ruben.