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The Jills Zeder Group, a powerhouse in luxury real estate, has once again clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2025 RealTrends rankings for large teams by sales volume — marking their fifth consecutive year at the top.
With $1.85 billion in closed sales volume — more than double totals from the No. 2 large team — the Miami-based collective of eight agents continues to set the bar for success in high-end residential real estate.
The Coldwell Banker Real Estate-affiliated firm operates as a tight-knit team composed of three families; the Hertzbergs, the Ebers and the Zeders.
Inclusion of family members has been a key element of the group’s staying power, said co-founder Jill Hertzberg.
“We have two generations. We call them the second generation, but they’re in their 30s and 40s, very tuned in to what’s going on in the world — from AI to digital,” she said. “I think the combination has been the secret sauce.”
Customer-centric at every step
Remaining technology savvy and using deep-rooted luxury market knowledge has propelled the team forward, but Hertzberg emphasized that nothing replaces service and human connection.
“We’re very focused on our clients, and we work very hard to become the experts in our sector,” she said. “It’s a priority for all of us to understand intimately our community in every sense of the word.”
That outlook is palpable in the team’s client interactions, according to Nancy Corey, regional vice president for southeast Florida at Coldwell Banker Realty.
“Jill has very high expectations of herself plus those around her, including her children,” she said. “It’s not enough just to do the business. She looks for ways to improve everything from every little detail to service to marketing to the smallest details. For example, if you go over to her house, within a millisecond, she [brings] you something to eat, and she does the same thing with her clients.
“So they might get a personal scarf, a belt that they wanted. It’s this ability to function at such a high level — but at the same time — make you feel very special.”
Marisa Vallbona, who handles media relations for the group, echoed those sentiments. “She’s 100% present. She listens very well, she’s completely attentive, and that makes a substantial difference in client service,” she said of Hertzberg.
Forged in Miami, focused on the future
Born and raised in Miami, Hertzberg and several team members bring hyperlocal insights that translate into strategic results for buyers and sellers.
“I was born in Miami. My son was. My daughter was. My partners came when they were babies,” Hertzberg said. “Once we hear what a client wants, it’s very personal. We help them fall in love with where they live, and when they sell, they make money.”
The team’s institutional knowledge — often having been involved in or aware of every major luxury transaction in the area — gives them a critical edge.
“We can convey information that is so important for buyers to understand, [such as] why they’re going to pay what they’re going to pay,” Hertzberg added.
Outlook for luxury market
Despite market fluctuations, the team remains bullish on Miami’s luxury sector.
“The market goes up and down, and we’re so tied to the stock market. But you’ve got to turn and pivot and move,” said Hertzberg. “Miami and Florida are special. We have enormous tax advantages, and those were recognized during the pandemic by the most successful people in the world.”
She predicts continued strength for well-positioned luxury buyers and sellers.
“I think people buy right, and we help them. So when they’re ready to sell, for the most part, they’re going to do very well,” she said.
Advice for industry peers
For aspiring agents or teams looking to scale, Hertzberg offered clear, pointed advice.
“You’ve got to learn (the business). Go to every open house. Study everything that comes on market and goes off market,” she said. “Drive every street, know every condo. Knowledge is everything, and then take that knowledge and mix in your personality, your love of your community, and get involved. Be charitable.
“Once you’ve done all that, when you come face to face with a potential client, they’re going to ask you, ‘What’s going on?’ And you’ll have the answers.”
After decades in the business and a five-year reign atop the RealTrends rankings, Hertzberg and The Jills Zeder Group aren’t resting on their laurels.
“We’re always changing, always evolving. What else can we do? What could be better?” she said. “You have to be able to pivot hour by hour. And that’s what we do.”
