HARNESSING THE ABILITY TO BE SOMETHING GREAT

By Jose Jara

LatinoScoop had the chance to speak with Puerto Rican, Luis D. Ortiz who stars in Bravo’s Emmy-nominated series “Million Dollar Listing New York.” Luis speaks inspiring words to the Latino community when telling us about his career. Listen to our interview with Ortiz and find out what we are talking about! Catch Luis on the show’s season 5 premiere tonight, April 21st on Bravo.

ABOUT LUIS D. ORTIZ
Luis D. Ortiz grew up in city of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico with his mother, father, and twin brother, Daniel. Ortiz has worked as a real estate broker in New York City for the past seven years and has helped major players — from partners at Goldman Sachs to actors, singers, and top chefs — find their perfect homes. While working at some of New York’s most successful boutique brokerages, such as Prodigy Network and Synergy, Ortiz had the opportunity to represent some of the most aspiring developments downtown, such as Cipriani Residences, The Setai, and The District. Later, Ortiz became Vice President of Keller Williams NYC before joining New York’s #1 real estate brokerage, Douglas Elliman where he started his own real estate group — Ortiz & Co. In only seven short years, Ortiz has become one of the most well-known brokers in the city. His work ethic and quick success have given him the privilege of working with New York City’s biggest developers.

Before joining the real estate industry, Ortiz studied film direction at New York’s Film Academy completing the Director’s Program in 2006. During these years he directed and produced many music videos and short films. Among these are, “Amalia,” which won Best Direction in the Puerto Rico Film Festival in 2007 and “Chino y Nacho (feat. Don Omar) – Dentro de Mi,” which he helped produce. Working on such projects allowed Ortiz the opportunity to travel to many cities in Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, and the U.S.

Ortiz implemented his knowledge as a Director and Producer into his real estate business — treating every real estate transaction as a production. Luis directs the process from the very first idea through its full execution and motivates everyone involved with his genuine eagerness to deliver at the highest level possible. He leads in a way that emphasizes everyone’s unique contribution in the transaction. This leadership style enables him to develop an extensive and ever-evolving knowledge of the real estate market and allows him to fully understand every client’s needs.

Ortiz has sold several hundred million dollars’ worth of residential real estate to date, however making money was never his main motivation. Ortiz is still driven by the adrenaline that comes with every deal.

When not selling real estate, Ortiz enjoys giving inspirational talks to local students. He believes it is important for kids to hear his story; he tries to impress upon them the importance of having an education, working hard, and being persistent.

Ortiz currently resides in Battery Park City and works in Midtown alongside his team.