Miami Emlak Frequently Asked Questions

Miami Emlak (also known as Xuma Miami) is a Turkish-American real estate, relocation, and investment advisory firm headquartered in Miramar, Florida. Founded by Selçuk and Yeliz Ertekin, we have 16+ years in U.S. real estate, have helped 150+ Turkish investor families, and have assisted with 70+ U.S. visas.

We serve all of South Florida:

• Miami-Dade: Brickell, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Aventura, Coral Gables, Bal Harbour, Surfside, Downtown Miami, Pinecrest, Key Biscayne, Bay Harbor Islands, Wynwood, Edgewater, Design District.
• Broward: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pompano Beach, Davie, Weston, Sunrise, Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Coral Springs.
• Palm Beach County: Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Wellington, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee.

If you are searching for a Turkish real estate agent in Boca Raton, a Türk emlakçı West Palm Beach, or a Türkçe konuşan emlakçı Palm Beach — yes, that's us. We work this entire corridor weekly.

Yeliz hanım (Yeliz Ertekin) is co-founder and lead realtor at Miami Emlak. She personally walks Turkish families through every step of relocation: K-12 school placement at top private schools (American Heritage, Pine Crest, NSU University, Gulliver Prep, Carrollton, Westminster Christian, Saint Andrew's), document translation, banking and utilities setup, and family integration into the South Florida Turkish community.

Direct line: 786-686-1111. Instagram: @xumaMiami.

Selçuk bey (Selcuk Ertekin) is co-founder and principal broker. With 16+ years in U.S. real estate, he is the team's negotiation, mortgage structuring, and Florida residency strategy lead. He coordinates foreign-national mortgages with our Lennar-certified partners, structures the residency sequence so Turkish families capture in-state university tuition (saving $80,000+ per child), and manages every commercial side of the relationship.

Direct line: 786-686-0000. Email: se@xuma.us.

Our team is fluent in Turkish and English, and our AI assistant supports Turkish, English, Russian (Русский), Arabic (العربية), and Azerbaijani (Azərbaycanca). Many of our Turkish clients prefer to handle the entire transaction — from first conversation to closing signature — in Turkish, and we accommodate that fully.

Yes. Foreign buyers — including Turkish investors — can obtain U.S. mortgages without a U.S. visa, U.S. residence, or U.S. credit history.

Our partnered, Lennar-certified mortgage brokers specialize in foreign-national loans. They handle:

• ITIN buyers (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
• Türkiye-based income verification
• Applicants without U.S. credit history
• Non-resident applications

Standard down payment is 30–40%, but pre-construction reservations can require just 10% today with the balance due at closing. Foreign-national rates currently start as low as 4.5% APR via Lennar's buy-down program (approximately 2 percentage points below market). We coordinate Turkish-language document translation, IRS / W-8BEN paperwork, and the full track end-to-end.

Lennar's buy-down program is a builder-paid mortgage rate reduction. Lennar pays your lender to subsidize your interest rate, dropping it roughly 2 full percentage points below current market.

For Turkish and other foreign-national investors at Solterra by Lennar, financed rates currently start as low as 4.5% APR after the buy-down. Across the life of a 30-year mortgage on a $700K home, this can save tens of thousands of dollars compared to standard market rates.

Our Lennar-certified mortgage brokers handle the foreign-buyer track from start to finish, including all documentation in Turkish if preferred.

On most U.S. home purchases, the buyer pays 5–6% of the purchase price in closing costs — origination fees, title insurance, recording, transfer taxes. Lennar is currently covering ALL of these closing costs for buyers at Solterra by Lennar in Sunrise.

On a typical $700,000 home, this is a $30,000 – $45,000 saving compared to the standard closing-cost burden. This incentive is rare and time-limited — Lennar typically scales back incentives once a community starts delivering, so locking in today stacks every incentive lever in your favor.

Approximate current ranges:

• U.S. residents (good credit): ~4.9% APR
• Foreign-national buyers (standard): ~4.25% – 4.5% APR (with promotional / buy-down programs)
• Foreign-national buyers (no buy-down): ~6% – 7% APR (without promotional programs)

The difference between 6.5% and 4.5% on a $700K mortgage is roughly $850/month, or $300,000+ across 30 years. The Lennar buy-down is one of the strongest financing incentives currently available in South Florida.

For pre-construction homes (e.g. Solterra delivering October 2026), mortgage applications and processing begin approximately 45 days before the closing date. We coordinate the entire timeline against the delivery date so there is no scramble. Cash buyers are even simpler — wire and close, often in under three weeks once delivery is ready.

Pre-construction is when you reserve a home in a community that is currently being built, before delivery. You pay a 10% reservation deposit today, and that single deposit:

• (a) Secures your specific home (specific lot, floor plan, elevation)
• (b) Locks in today's price — even if the community raises prices in subsequent releases

The remaining balance is due at closing, when the home is built and ready. Pre-construction is the most powerful entry point into a Lennar or Minto master-planned community: early reservations get the best lots, the best floor plans, and the lowest base pricing.

Example: Solterra by Lennar in Sunrise is currently being built with first homes delivering October 2026. Buyers reserving today secure their pricing and let the home build itself over the next ~6 months.

Cancellation policies vary by builder and project, but most pre-construction reservations include a defined inspection period during which the deposit is refundable. After that period, the deposit becomes non-refundable. Selçuk bey reviews every reservation contract with you in detail before signing — never rush this step.

Historically yes, in growing markets. Lennar communities in Davie, Plantation, Weston, and Homestead have consistently delivered 5–7% annual appreciation. Palm Beach County master plans have shown 50%+ appreciation since 2020. Locking in today's pre-construction pricing while the home builds itself is one of the most powerful wealth-building plays in U.S. real estate, particularly for Turkish families who are not yet U.S. residents.

The E-2 Treaty Investor Visa allows nationals of countries with U.S. treaty agreements (including Türkiye) to live and work in the U.S. by making a substantial investment in an operating American business. The investor and their spouse/children can live in the U.S. for the duration of the business's operation, with renewable visa terms.

We have helped 70+ Turkish families secure U.S. visas, and many of those journeys started with a property purchase plus a supporting business — typically a Turo car-rental operation, a limo service, or a similar operational business that satisfies the E-2 "active business" requirement.

Our partnered immigration attorneys offer free initial consultations to Miami Emlak clients, and Selçuk bey personally coordinates the business-setup side. Real estate is the core; the business is the bridge to the visa.

USCIS does not publish a fixed minimum, but in practice "substantial" typically means $100,000+ for service businesses, with $150,000–$250,000 being a common comfort range for Turkish investors. The investment must be in a real, operating business (not passive real estate alone). We can structure the business and the investment to give your application the strongest possible posture.

American Heritage School is widely regarded as one of America's best K-12 private schools, with consistent Ivy League placements (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, MIT, Duke, Penn, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth) every single year.

Its rigorous AP-driven curriculum includes pre-medical, pre-law, pre-engineering, and pre-IB tracks. American Heritage has campuses in Plantation (Broward) and Delray Beach (Palm Beach County), making it accessible to families living near our featured projects in Davie, Weston, Boca Raton, Lotus Edge, and Estates by Turnberry.

Yeliz hanım personally guides Turkish families through campus visits, ISEE testing, admissions interviews, recommendation strategy, and the financial-aid timeline.

Weston is consistently ranked one of America's wealthiest, safest, and best-run cities. Cypress Bay High School — Weston's flagship public high school — is one of the highest-performing public high schools in Florida and routinely sends graduates to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Penn, and the University of Miami honors program — without private-school tuition.

For Turkish families considering Estates by Turnberry in Davie (which shares a direct border with Weston), this means access to Ivy-League-feeder public education without the $40K+/year private school cost. It's an enormous quality-of-life-and-money advantage.

Cleveland Clinic Florida (Weston campus) is one of the top-ranked U.S. hospitals. For Turkish families thinking long-term:

• World-class medical care — minutes from home if you live in Davie or Weston.
• Medical residency destination — a child who completes medical school at the University of Miami or Florida International University can apply for residency at Cleveland Clinic Florida. That outcome is genuinely life-defining and is structurally enabled by living in this corridor.

For investors, having a top-5 U.S. hospital that close is also a quality-of-life amenity that few other South Florida communities can match.

• University of Miami (UM) — top-40 medical school, #1 ophthalmology (Bascom Palmer), active Koç Üniversitesi partnership.
• Florida International University (FIU) — large Turkish & Azerbaijani student community, top engineering & CS, R1 research.
• University of Florida (UF) — top-5 U.S. public university, top medical/dental/business (Warrington top-25). Florida residency tuition ~$6,400/year.
• Florida State University (FSU) — top law school.
• Florida Atlantic University (FAU) — Boca Raton.
• Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU) — West Palm Beach.
• Ivy League prep — we begin advising in 9th or even 8th grade. AP/IB strategy, SAT/ACT cadence, summer programs (HSSP, RSI, COSMOS), competitions, recommendations, college essays.

Florida residents pay roughly $6,000 – $7,000 per year in tuition at top public universities (UF, FSU, FIU, FAU) — compared to roughly $30,000 per year for out-of-state students.

Establishing Florida residency in the right legal sequence — real-estate purchase, primary-residence claim, voter registration, driver's license, vehicle registration, tax-residency documentation — saves a Turkish family $80,000+ per child across a 4-year undergraduate degree. Florida also has no state income tax.

Selçuk bey structures the entire residency sequence end-to-end alongside the home purchase.

Westlake is Florida's brand-new master-planned city in Palm Beach County, built by award-winning developer Minto Communities. Minutes from West Palm Beach and Boca Raton with direct access to I-95 and the Florida Turnpike.

Four home collections:

• Courtyard Collection (townhomes): mid-$300s, 3-4 BR
• Cypress Collection (single family): from $400s, 1-2 story
• Indigo Collection (single family): from $500s, 3-6 BR
• Atlantic Collection (estate homes): from $700s up to $970K, 11 floor plans, exclusively in The Woodlands gated luxury enclave

11 designer models. Westlake Adventure Park (lagoon pool with tower water slide, BMX pump park, bocce, snack shacks). 9,000 sq ft sales center, future Town Center, future 4,200 sq ft Fieldhouse.

Critical financial advantages: NO CDD fees (saves $2K-$4K/year). 3% Welcome Heroes™ discount for teachers, police, firefighters, military, healthcare, government workers.

Read the full Westlake by Minto project page →

Solterra by Lennar is a master-planned community currently being built in Sunrise, Florida, with first homes delivering October 2026 — only ~6 months away. Townhomes and multi-family homes are priced $569,990 – $833,990.

We call it a hidden gem because the current incentive stack is genuinely rare:

• 10% down today locks in today's pricing
• Lennar buy-down to 4.5% APR for foreign investors (~2 points below market)
• Lennar pays ALL closing costs ($30K-$45K typical saving)

5 minutes to Sawgrass Mills outlet mall, 15 minutes to FLL airport, 35 minutes to Miami. Two clubhouses, resort pools, fitness center. Investor rents support $3,800-$5,500/month.

Read the full Solterra by Lennar project page →

Estates by Turnberry is the only gated master-planned community in Davie that offers full resort amenities and a private clubhouse alongside large mansion-like estate homesites on 1-2 acre lots. Built by legendary Turnberry Associates (50+ year track record). Six distinguished models priced $1.58M – $2.6M.

Celebrity neighbors (Lionel Messi, David Beckham picked Davie / Southwest Ranches over Miami density). Direct border with Weston (Cypress Bay High, golf country, calm wealth). Cleveland Clinic Florida and American Heritage School minutes away.

Target appreciation: 150-200% over 5-10 years.

Read the full Estates by Turnberry project page →

• Lotus Edge (Boca Raton): $3M-$15M sophisticated waterfront pre-construction. A+ schools, near American Heritage. Project page →
• Faena Residences (Miami Beach): $5M-$50M artistic oceanfront living by visionary Alan Faena. Coming-soon tower drawing significant Turkish + international ultra-luxury attention. Project page →
• St. Regis Residences (Sunny Isles Beach): $4M-$25M five-star branded living with legendary Butler Service. Sunny Isles Beach hosts one of the largest Russian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish communities on the South Florida oceanfront. Project page →
• Altamira by Lennar (Homestead): $400K-$700K master-planned single-family with Lennar's "Everything's Included" package. One of the most cost-efficient new-construction entry points in South Florida. Project page →

Sunny Isles Beach hosts one of the largest Russian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish communities on the South Florida oceanfront. Cultural infrastructure (restaurants, schools, places of worship, professional services) makes it an easier landing for first-time U.S. buyers from those regions. The neighborhood is anchored by ultra-luxury branded residences (St. Regis, Bentley, Acqualina) and offers oceanfront lifestyle, top-ranked schools, and convenient access to Aventura Mall and Miami International Airport.

Boca Raton offers a calm, wealthy, family-prestige lifestyle that Turkish families consistently favor. Mizner Park dining, Town Center Mall, beautiful beaches, A+ schools, and American Heritage Delray Beach minutes away. Florida Atlantic University is in Boca for in-state university tuition. Boca is a major Turkish community hub in Palm Beach County — and yes, we are your trusted Turkish real estate agent in Boca Raton.

Palm Beach County has been one of America's fastest-growing counties since 2020. Citadel's headquarters move, Goldman Sachs's rapid expansion in West Palm Beach, and the migration of finance and tech professionals from New York and California have reshaped this market completely. Median home values are up 50%+ since 2020. West Palm Beach is the urban anchor; Westlake by Minto is the price-efficient new-construction entry point inland.

Davie and Weston are the suburban heart of Broward County for family-oriented Turkish buyers. Equestrian lifestyle, golf country, top public schools (Cypress Bay High in Weston is Ivy-League-feeder), Cleveland Clinic Florida (Weston campus), and American Heritage School minutes away. Estates by Turnberry is the standout master-planned community here.

• Brickell: Miami's financial heart. Citadel + Goldman Sachs anchored. Walkable, urban, 5-min walk to everything. $2M-$30M+ condos. Best for professionals and investors.
• Miami Beach: South Beach to Mid-Beach to Bal Harbour. Iconic, oceanfront, art-driven (Faena, Perigon). Best for lifestyle buyers and ultra-luxury.
• Sunny Isles Beach: Oceanfront branded residences (St. Regis, Bentley). Russian / Azerbaijani / Turkish community hub. Family-oriented oceanfront. Top of the Miami-Dade luxury market.

At current Sunrise comps, a single-family or townhome at Solterra by Lennar comfortably leases at $3,800 – $5,500 per month.

At current Palm Beach County comps, Westlake by Minto Communities homes lease at $2,800 – $4,200/month for Cypress / Indigo plans, and $4,500 – $5,500/month for Indigo / Atlantic Collection plans in The Woodlands.

Yes. Many of our Turkish investor clients buy a U.S. property and remain primarily in Türkiye. We offer full property management — tenant placement, rent collection, maintenance coordination, repairs, accounting, and tax-year support — so you can own and earn from your South Florida property without being physically present. Particularly popular for Westlake, Solterra, and our Brickell condominium portfolio.

Historical numbers from comparable markets:

• Lennar communities (Davie, Plantation, Weston): 5-7% annual appreciation
• Palm Beach County: 50%+ since 2020
• Branded ultra-luxury (Bal Harbour / Sunny Isles): 150-220% during major QE cycles (St. Regis Bal Harbour +180%, Porsche Design +220%)
• Estates by Turnberry target: 150-200% over 5-10 years (entering at cycle start)

Past performance is not a guarantee. We never overpromise; we provide intelligent context for decision-making.

The fastest way is WhatsApp:

• Selçuk bey: 786-686-0000 (broker, mortgage strategy, negotiation)
• Yeliz hanım: 786-686-1111 (lead realtor, school placement, family relocation)
• Email: se@xuma.us
• Instagram: @xumaMiami

Initial consultations are always free. Tell us your budget, timeline, family size, and goals (investment vs. primary residence vs. visa pathway), and we'll come back with a tailored plan — in Turkish if you prefer.

We are headquartered in Miramar, Florida. We meet clients in our office, on-site at any project, or virtually via WhatsApp / Zoom. For Turkish families flying in from Türkiye, we coordinate full multi-day property tours that hit Miami, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and any specific neighborhood you want to explore.

Yes. The Miami Emlak AI assistant on the home page is fluent in Turkish, English, Russian, Arabic, and Azerbaijani. Open the chat, ask anything — projects, prices, schools, mortgages, visa, neighborhoods — and get an honest, fast answer. When you're ready to move from research to action, the AI will hand you off to Selçuk bey or Yeliz hanım on WhatsApp.