CONNECT WITH JELENA
What’s a typical day in the life of Jelena?
Where’s your home base?
I live in Miami Beach, in Mid-Beach, but I work throughout Miami-Dade County wherever there's demand for large waterfront properties, which I specialize in. My business takes me as far north as Bal Harbour and as far south as Pinecrest, though Miami Beach — Mid-Beach, specifically — remains my primary market.
How has your market evolved in recent years?
name
Jelena Khurana
HOMETOWN
Budva, Montenegro
years IN REAL ESTATE
22
CURRENT RESIDENCE
Mid-Beach, Miami
clocking in
with Jelena Khurana
Real estate never stops ticking. With each installment of ‘Clocking In,’ we’ll join a different agent from across the Corcoran network — in places they know best — to learn how they live, work, and play.
Corcoran | Miami Beach, Florida
Photography by Bryan Cereijo
Tell us some of your favorite things to do in Miami Beach. I love biking, being outdoors, and spending time on the boardwalk. From Mid-Beach, where I live, you can bike or run all the way to South Pointe Park for a swim or a picnic, and you can even pick up takeout from Joe's Stone Crab along the way. There are so many great local places nearby. Pura Vida, which now has locations all over, is one of my favorites. It’s a perfect spot for coffee or a quick lunch, and I spend a lot of time there meeting with clients or fellow agents, or simply having a working lunch. It's also a popular meeting spot for local moms after a school drop-off or workout. Lucali is another Sunset Harbour favorite because it's so family-friendly. I have two children, and since I spend so much time working, I'm always looking for opportunities to spend quality time with them. What do you love most about where you live? I lived in Edgewater and in South Beach before having my family, but nothing compares to Mid-Beach. It’s very residential, very quiet, extremely central, and by the beach, which is important to me because I grew up on the Adriatic in Montenegro.
The proximity to water is kind of full circle for me. I live by the water and sell waterfront properties. There’s just a connection with the ocean, the sun, and being outdoors that nothing else compares to.
You previously had a corporate career. How did that shape your perspective moving into the real estate biz? It really taught me two things: how to think strategically and how to build structure around problem-solving. In the corporate world, there were processes and procedures for everything, and I learned that the more organized and disciplined you were, the more successful you could be. I think one of the biggest challenges for new agents is simply not knowing where to start. Obviously, there are so many more tools available today, from software to AI, but when I started, what helped me was having a business plan in front of me, creating a structure, and consistently following it.
The work ethic I developed in my corporate career also translated naturally into real estate, especially because my background was in luxury hospitality. That experience taught me how important relationships are and how much attention you have to pay to each client’s individual needs. I’ve carried that mentality into real estate, so I’ve always been very client- and relationship-driven rather than transaction-driven.
My day usually starts with yoga or Barry’s Bootcamp in Sunset Harbour. I’m there by 6 a.m., then I head home, wake up my kids, and get them ready for school. I drop off one — my older one goes to school too far away for me to do both — and then I start working immediately. From there, it’s showings, meetings, emails, calls, time at the office, and usually more showings. I’m also very involved with fundraising at my younger child’s school, so there’s often planning and meetings for that mixed into the day. I usually get home late, have dinner with my family, and once my mom duties are done, I’m back in front of the computer.
One thing I find particularly funny about myself is how much I get done from my car. It’s almost like a second office. I’m listening to audiobooks, taking client calls, and getting work done whenever I’m between appointments.
It has really changed a lot since COVID. People started looking for larger homes, more outdoor space, and bigger lots, and that naturally led me to expand my business in that direction. Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Pinecrest all became increasingly desirable markets for that reason. We’ve also seen a real shift toward end users rather than investors. More buyers are purchasing homes they actually plan to live in, so things like lot size, outdoor space, schools, and the overall neighborhood and lifestyle have become much more important.
I also tend to follow my builders, and they build where they see demand. Another area I would highlight is Normandy Isle. You can still find newly built waterfront homes on great-sized lots, close to top schools and the beach, at nearly half the price of comparable homes on the islands of South Beach. That combination of value, lifestyle, and new development has made it a very important market for me.
How do you build community through your work? Real estate is so much about connecting people and helping them build their lives around their homes. There’s a reason we always say, “location, location, location.” A location isn’t just an address: it’s the people around you, the schools, the local businesses, and the sense of community you become part of. For me, building community goes beyond helping someone buy or sell a home. It’s about being involved, connecting people, supporting the neighborhoods where I live and work, and finding ways to make those communities better. That has always been a very important part of both my work and my life. What’s keeping you busy at the moment? I’m working with builders of custom single-family homes right now. While these homes are ultimately built to be sold, I don't like calling them spec houses because that doesn’t really capture the level of quality and thought that goes into them. These are builders I’ve worked with for a dozen years or more, and they take the time to really curate each home for a discerning end user. Every property is unique, and the little details matter. I’m often brought in early to provide a market perspective on what buyers are looking for, how they’re actually going to live in the home, and what makes sense for that particular market. I’ll work with the architects on floor plans and weigh in on finishes and other details throughout the process. It’s exciting because I really feel like part of the team, and I get to help shape the home well before it ever comes to market.
Are there any particular trends you’re seeing at the moment (in new development or otherwise)? Buyer tastes are continuously evolving. For single-family homes, we went through a period where everyone wanted the ultra-modern glass box. Now, I’m seeing buyers gravitate toward homes that feel warmer and more timeless — Mediterranean and transitional architecture, natural materials, and interiors that still feel modern but are much more inviting and livable.
In the condo market, branding has become increasingly important. Miami developers are partnering with globally recognized luxury and hospitality brands to differentiate their projects in an increasingly competitive market. Buyers aren’t just purchasing a residence anymore; they’re buying into a lifestyle, a level of service, and an identity associated with that brand. We’re also seeing the scale of development expand into areas that historically weren’t considered major luxury markets. North Bay Village is a great example. With projects associated with Ritz-Carlton, Pagani, Continuum, and others, billions of dollars in investment are transforming the area. It’s fascinating to watch entirely new luxury neighborhoods emerge in real time.
clocking in
with Jelena Khurana
Corcoran | Miami Beach, Florida
Real estate never stops ticking. With each installment of ‘Clocking In,’ we’ll join a different agent from across the Corcoran network — in places they know best — to learn how they live, work, and play.
name
HOMETOWN
Jelena Khurana
Montenegro
years IN REAL ESTATE
CURRENT RESIDENCE
22
Mid-Beach, Miami
Where’s your
home base?
I live in Mid-Beach, but business-wise I’m spread out all over Miami-Dade County. Wherever there’s demand for large waterfront properties, which I specialize in. I go as north as Bal Harbour and as south as Pinecrest, though Miami Beach — Mid-Beach specifically — is still my primary market.
Tell us some of your favorite things to do in Miami Beach.
I love biking, being outdoors, and spending time on the boardwalk. You can bike or run to South Pointe Park for a swim or for a picnic — you can go to Joe’s (Stone Crab) and do take-out. There’s so many other great local spots along the way. Pura Vida, which has locations all over now, is a favorite and run by a local family here. It’s great for coffee or a quick lunch, and the owner is very supportive in the community — I spend a lot of time there. A lot of us moms go there after drop-offs and whatnot. Lucali is also great because it’s so family friendly. I’ve got two kids I’m always looking to spend more time with because I spend a lot of time working!
What do you love most about where you live?
I’ve lived in Edgewater and in South Beach, before having my family, but nothing compares to Mid-Beach. It’s very residential, very quiet, extremely central, and by the beach, which is important to me because I grew up on the Adriatic in Montenegro. The proximity to water is kind of full circle for me: I live by the water and sell waterfront properties. There’s just a connection with the ocean, the sun, and being outdoors, that nothing else compares to.
What’s a typical day in the life of Jelena?
It usually starts with yoga, or going to Barry’s Bootcamp in the Sunset Harbour area. I’m there by like, 6am. Then I go home, wake up my kids, and get them prepared for school. I drop off one — the other goes too far [to drop off] — and then start working immediately. Showings, meetings, emails, calls, office, more showings. I’m head of fundraising for my younger kid’s school, so I do a lot of planning and meeting for that. I come home late, and then after dinner when I’m done with my mommy job, I’m back in front of a computer.
Something I think is particularly funny about me is just how much I get done in my car, from listening to audiobooks, doing client calls, and other work.
You previously had a corporate career. How did that shape your perspective moving into the real estate biz?
It really taught me two things: how to think very strategically and build a structure around problem-solving. You had to follow so many procedures, and the more you had in place, the more successful you’d be. I think a challenge many new agents deal with is that they don’t know where to start. Obviously it’s easier today than when I started, with so much software and AI, but what helped me was having a business plan in front of me and following the rules.
I think the work ethic from corporate translates a lot, especially the relationships you have with clients in a luxury hospitality setting like I did. Because of that mentality, I’m very client need-driven and relationship-driven rather than transaction driven.
How has your market evolved in recent years?
It has really changed a lot since COVID. People wanted larger homes and larger lots, and that led me to expand by business in that direction. Coral Gables, the Grove, and Pinecrest became very desirable. I follow my builders, and they build where there’s demand. Normandy has become a very important market for me, as that area’s been on fire in terms of new development coming on line.
How do you build community through your work?
Real estate is so much about connecting people and helping them build their lives, build their homes. Why is it location, location, location? Location translates to who’s around and what matters to them. Building community, and helping make the community better, is so important.
What’s keeping you busy at the moment?
I’m working with a lot of builders of custom single-family homes. While they’re built to be sold, I hate calling them spec houses, because they’re high-quality product. These are builders I’ve been connected with for a dozen years or more, and they really take the time to really curate homes for a discerning end user. Each property is unique, and where the little details matter, I’m often asked me to provide a market perspective. I’m involved in developing floor plans with architects, and I’m involved in choosing finishes. It’s exciting to really feel like part of their team.
Home interior with ethnic boho decoration, living room in brown warm color, 3d render
Are there any particular trends you’re seeing at the moment (in new development or otherwise)?
Buyer tastes are continuously changing. We had a period where everybody wanted a glass box. Now people want homes that are a little more Mediterranean and transitional in style, where modern is mixed with homier and warmer interiors. So much also depends on who the buyers are. We also have these massive, multi-billion-dollar projects. North Bay Village has Ritz-Carlton, Pagani, Continuum, and other branded developments
clocking in
with Jelena Khurana
Corcoran | Miami Beach, Florida
