A top-producing real estate broker in South Florida since 1999, Howard Elfman brings unprecedented industry knowledge and extensive managerial experience to his role as Managing Broker of The Agency South Florida. A Florida resident for more than 30 years, Howard has personally sold thousands of homes and hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate, making him an invaluable asset to agents and clients alike.
From educating new agents on the ins and outs of the business to guiding industry veterans through complex transactions, Howard’s wide-ranging knowledge and experience in all facets of real estate make him a trusted guide to clients and agents of all stripes. Always striving to grow and evolve as a real estate professional, Howard constantly seeks out new industry knowledge and is actively involved in the local real estate community. His extensive expertise has made him a valuable resource for the news media seeking an informed perspective on the local market.
Patient, consultative and service-driven, Howard’s breadth of experience includes working with local and international clients and representing several prominent Fort Lauderdale developments, as well as experience with institutional REO investors such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Caliber Home Loans. Howard has served as District Vice President of Florida Association of Realtors (Broward & Palm Beach Counties), Director of National Association of Realtors, and was the past President of The Realtor Association Greater Fort Lauderdale. In addition, Howard was appointed Vice Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board for the City of Fort Lauderdale, Chairman of the Code Enforcement Board and serves on the Board of Directors for Broward Housing Council and Riverwalk Trust.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Howard began his sales career at the age of 19, traveling a five-state territory for an automotive parts manufacturer while attending Pennsylvania State University. In 1989, he moved to Fort Lauderdale and entered the software business, selling to Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies in the region, as well as other major companies throughout the country. In 1999, already an avid real estate investor, Howard launched his full-time real estate career, founding Distinctive Homes Realty, Inc. and purchasing the Weichert Realtors Franchise for Fort Lauderdale. He quickly grew the organization to upwards of 50+ agents and staff. After the sale of his successful real estate company in 2016, he joined Douglas Elliman as Director of Luxury Sales.
Howard holds the following National Real Estate Designations: ABR, CIPS, CLHMS, CRB, CRS, GRI, SFR & TRC*. He has also serves on numerous state and national real estate committees.
